It's You | Harry Potter

51

No one pushed the conversation any further, and when we returned to Grimmauld Place, Harry had disappeared up the stairs so quickly you'd have missed him if you blinked.

I couldn't imagine Harry being anyone or anything other than just Harry. His thoughts were probably a million times worse than anything that I had been coming up with within the last hour. The thought of that made me feel even worse for not sucking it up and being there for him. It was time to push my fears aside and listen to his— because I was sure he had plenty.

My knuckles rapped against the wooden door softly before I took it upon myself to enter the room we had been sharing.

"H?" I asked timidly before I fell short in my tracks and lost whatever I was going to say before. "What are you doing?" I watched as he hastily threw his stuff back into his trunk that had been delivered earlier, panting and making more of a mess than actually cleaning one up.

"Running away." He said shortly, grabbing a sweatshirt from the top of the bed and throwing it on top. "I can't be around- I'm probably dangerous- Someone will get hurt." He sputtered the words out at once, trying to collect his thoughts. He slammed the lid shut on his trunk and locked it, pulling it from the floor with him before he reached the door in 2 strides.

"No!" I squealed, holding my arms against the doorframe with all my strength to block him. "You can't!" I searched his eyes, but he looked set on his decision.

"Move." His low voice ordered me sternly, but I refused to back down to the likes of Harry James Potter.

"No," I argued back just as sternly. "You're being ridiculous!" I tried keeping my voice down. Harry budged his trunk against my torso in an attempt to shove me to the side, but I held firm in my place and did my best defense mechanism.

"Ruby, you can glow your eyes at me all you want, but you don't scare me." He warned in a harsh voice. "Besides, now I know I might have the darkest wizard residing in me, and I'm sure that means I can take you down if needed-"

"Where's that kind of bravery when you need it, hmm?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "You could take me on? Sure! I'll let you have that. I don't scare you? Great! Nothing has ever scared you, Harry! In all the years I've known you! So, why are you suddenly turning into a coward?" It was harsh, but it was the truth and it needed to be said.

"Fine. It's not running away. Just leaving." He said bluntly. He attempted to pick me up to move me, but I squirmed relentlessly to avoid his grasp. "For fuck's sake!" He cursed, raking a hand through his disheveled hair and taking a sharp breath in.

"You have always proven to me what being a Gryffindor should mean, but right now I'm considering if the Sorting Hat should have put you in Slytherin!" I scowled at him as I braced both my hands on the doorway to block his exit. "Maybe you are brave, but suddenly you're self-preservation is astonishingly clear." I could feel the heat in my face as I held a brave face and met his eyes.

"It's not self-preservation, Ruby!"

"You're saving your own neck!"

"I'm trying to save yours!" He rattled me the slightest bit as he grabbed my shoulders and squeezed them tightly between his hands. "Don't you get that?! You should get that! You avoided me for weeks because you felt the need to protect me from yourself!" The room felt much darker around us than it did when we had first entered.

"That's different," I whispered weakly.

"It's not!" He scoffed, taking a step back.

"Oh, so noble you are." Our heads shot around to find Phineas Nigellus in the picture frame on the far wall, a smirk on his face as he watched us argue. Harry and I both kept our mouths shut as we stared at him. "I have a message from Albus for you." He said lazily as he stood up straight.