𝐢. 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 ; harry j. potter ( UNEDITED )

019. "Even the darkness we see is so beautiful"

Lucia glared at him playfully.

"Shut up," she scoffed, making Harry chuckle slightly at her expression. "As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me," she narrowed her eyes, before a smile made its way back to her glossy lips, "I read that most magical creatures are prone to get out during the night."

"I dunno..." said Harry skeptically.

"It's either you come with me, or go back and dance —"

"Oooh, I wonder if we can see unicorns!" Harry ended up complying with Lucia. He'll do anything to not dance and humiliate himself.

Harry was even more worried as they ventured deeper and deeper toward the borders that separated the safe and secure Hogwarts, and the dangerous and unpredictable but ethereal Forbidden Forest.

Although this wasn't the first time he were to do this, it still made him feel... guarded as to what lies within the forest. He remembered the many occasions of when he had entered it and having to escape the place due to life-threatening events. Yet, somehow, he still finds himself going back.

Was he stupid?

Probably.

But even if he wanted so desperately to go somewhere much safer for Lucia's sake, he couldn't bear himself to say it with how her eyes glimmered with delight and awe. Like the feeling of worry diminished the moment his eyes laid back on her.

"Where are we heading to, anyway?" he asked, moving closer to her with his wand ready in the pocket of his dressrobes just in case.

She hummed symphonically. "You'll see,"

And that left him more curious than ever.

As they walked silently into the forest, Lucia felt her body shook and shivering from the cold. It then dawned on her that the spell that made them all feel warm in the castle had been lifted from them the moment they got to the outskirts of the castle. How much of an idiot can she be to forget the fact that they were in the middle of winter?

"Here," Lucia felt her shoulders sunk slightly as Harry covered her with his black robes, leaving him in his white shirt and bow to fend himself from the cold. "I know it's not much, but it's better than being bare, right?"

Lucia nodded hiding her face in the warmth of the robe. Distinctly, she could smell the scent of pines and rainforest. It wasn't much protection from the winter, yet she still felt warm and cosy...

"Are you going to tell me where we're going anytime sooner?"

"Nope,"

"At least if we're close?"

"Eh,"

"You're no help," he grumbled.

"I wasn't trying to," she mused.

Even as they went further and further from the castle, they could distantly hear music from the Great Hall.

"It's pretty isn't it?" spoke Lucia, tone dreamy through the silence.

"What, the sky?" Harry quirked a brow.

"No, the ground," she retorted, causing Harry to tilt his head in confusion. Lucia shook her head exasperatedly, "Of course I meant the sky, dummy. It... it's pretty, isn't it?"

Harry glanced up. Perhaps it was because they were in the middle of winter, but the night was somehow much more beautiful than before. The dark sky above them was filled with stars, forming dozens of constellations. A sense of longing enveloped his heart.