DEAD TO ME → (h. potter)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

"Come on, Harry," He muttered under his breath, probably thinking the others couldn't hear him. He glanced at the Slytherins again before whispering, "They're friends with Malfoy!"

"Oh," Potter muttered, his brilliant green eyes darting back at them, his neutral expression turning into a sort of uncomfortable grimace. "Erm — sorry, uhm — we've got to get to Potions."

"We have Potions, too," Blaise said, oblivious to the boys' side conversation nor Potter's discomfort. "Snape's a drag, but he's alright."

"He's awful," Weasley said meanly. "He favorites you guys over everyone else, all cause of your stupid house."

Indiana frowned and said, "It's not stupid. Every professor favors their own house in their classes.."

"Well, still," Weasley shrugged, not following up with anything else.

"Well, anyways," Indiana ignored Weasley and shifted her eyes to Potter again. And with the tiniest bit of envy in her voice, she told him, "Congrats on Quidditch, by the way! Youngest seeker in a century, that's b-brilliant!"

"Oh, thanks," Potter turned pink again, but spared a glance at Weasley anxiously. He said nothing more.

"What d'you want, anyways?" Weasley asked bluntly.

"We're just being nice," Blaise said pointedly, now forming a glare to return right back to Weasley, his brows furrowing dangerously. "S'that a crime, now?"

"Yeah, cause Slytherins are just gonna 'be nice,'" Weasley scoffed sarcastically. "You're obviously out to get Harry."

"What?" Indiana said emphatically, eyes darting in between Potter and Weasley desperately. "No! We just — we're trying to make friends! That's it!"

"Why're you being so mean, Weasley?" Blaise stepped in front of Indiana protectively. Potter stayed quiet, his face screwed up with guilt when he glanced at Indiana's frown.

"Come on, Harry," Weasley said, louder this time. "We can't be getting in trouble with Slytherins so early in the year."

And Weasley turned to walk off. Potter didn't move, still looking at the pair of them with a small grimace. Blaise was glaring now, any interest of being friends with the Gryffindor gone, whereas Indiana was only frowning, her brows contorted with disappointment. What the hell did she do? She just wanted to be friends with the bloke, was that so bad? Was it her? Did Potter already not like her? Did he think she was just a slimy Slytherin?

"I'm sorry," Potter said quickly to the pair of them, directing this more towards Indiana, stepping backwards with a kind glint in his eyes. "I don't think you're —"

"Harry," Weasley called out again. Potter turned his head to look at Weasley before shifting his eyes to the Slytherins again.

"Sorry," He muttered weakly, before fully turning and walking after Weasley. Blaise huffed with a scowl, grabbing onto Indiana's hand and pulling her further down the hall towards the Potions classroom. They shared Potions with Weasley and Potter, and Indiana spent the entirety of the class slumped into her seat; she didn't even pay attention.

✧✧✧

PRESENT DAY

2000

POTTER BLINDLY FOLLOWED her like a lost puppy, and Indiana languidly guided him towards the couch on the other side of the Quidditch Commons, and with only a single gesture from her, he scrambled to take a seat without hesitation. Indiana was a bit amused by the way his eyes had widened when rather than sitting beside him, she had dropped to her knees in front of him.