Invisible String

5.

Aurora took his hand and kissed it.

"You'll know when you're older."

The pair chatted their way to daytime and only realised they ought to leave when they heard chattering at the bottom of the tower. They walked through the corridor under Harry's invisibility cloak, and Aurora took the chance to speak once more.

"It's going to be quite busy as exams approach, so I don't think it would be wise to spend time chit-chatting into the night when you could be studying or resting instead. So, I guess we won't be seeing each other until after exams." She said, stopping them in their tracks to look directly at him.

"I guess so."

They stood in silence for a moment, before Aurora held his head in her hands and kissed his forehead.

"I love you. Good luck."

Harry stammered over his words.

"You don't have to say it back. Just know that I do," said Aurora. She ducked under the cloak and sprinted away.

Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room, exhausted and also exhilarated over what Aurora had just said to him. He changed, got his school bag and dashed to the Great Hall to tell Ron and Hermione all about it.

"I guess it's not a big deal. I just... nobody's ever said it to me before. And like, I love you guys and I love Sirius but between all of you we've never said it out loud, you know? It's just established already." said Harry.

"Aww, Harry! We love you too," Hermione smiled at him affectionately, "and I honestly think you should say it back. She cares about you so much and your bond is quite admirable, if you ask me. What do you think, Ron?"

Ron looked up from the plate of food he was devouring.

"I think she fancies you, Harry. And I think you fancy her too. Like seriously, you keep saying how you feel all warm and tingly inside when you're with her, and you feel safe with her and all that. When was the last time you talked about Cho like that?"

"That's not it, Ron... I don't know. I love her, but in the way that I love you guys. Not romantically. Don't you remember me telling you that she thinks it would be weird for things to go in any other direction cause of Sirius and Remus?"

"Well, are you going to say it back?" asked Hermione, as the trio got up to leave the Great Hall.

"Maybe next time I see her. Don't know when that'll be, though."

It wasn't too long before Harry and Aurora saw one another. Their life at Hogwarts continued to surprise them.

Aurora had been in the Slytherin common room with Draco. Both of them finished their exam early and had not gotten a chance to spend time with one another for weeks.

"You know he's not that bad, Dray," said Aurora, shaking her head in disbelief. Their conversation had, once again, made its way back to Harry Potter.

"I know he's not." said Draco, taking his gaze away from her. He looked rather upset as he spoke.

"I just feel like after everything that's happened, even trying to be friends with him would be embarrassing. What am I supposed to do, apologise? 'Hey Potter, sorry for making your life a living hell and not telling my friends to bugger off after I stopped? Sorry that my father is trying to kill you and his boss wants to kill you even more?' It's ridiculous, Aurora."

Aurora had been ecstatic over Draco's desire to be Harry's friend, but Dumbledore, Sirius, and Severus' words continued to haunt her.

Draco sighed, fiddling with his hands. There was all too much in his life that he wasn't sure how to conquer, and doubted he had the strength to do so.