mirrorball

chapter seventeen

"Thank you, Clara," said Hermione. "I'll take first watch." 

And she strode past Harry and sat down in the tent entrance bringing the action to a fierce full stop. Or so Clara thought. 

"Of course you take her side," snapped Harry.

"Well, I meant it. It's just a children's story and we should be worrying about the Horcruxes."

"You would say that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clara said, clearly taking offense to Harry's statement.

"Anything I think you think the opposite just to piss me off! We're never going to get anywhere if you won't listen to me!" shouted Harry.

Harry rose from the table and stomped into the bedroom, leaving a bubbling anger in Clara's stomach. Ron slowly got up and walked outside to join Hermione. Clara sat by herself for a moment before charging into the bedroom after Harry.

"I don't have to listen to you for this to work!" shouted Clara, "And I can have my own opinion without your input being a part of what forms it! My mind is not attached to yours, Harry. I can, and do, think for myself, thank you very much!"

"Like hell it is! And you need to listen to me or we will never get anything done!" said Harry, raising his voice even louder than Clara's.

"No! We won't get anything done because you insist on treating me like a baby!" said Clara, walking closer to Harry, who was sitting on the bottom bunk.

"Maybe I treat you like that because you act like one all the time!"

"Oh, that is rich coming from the one who won't even speak to me outside of yelling at me! No adult does that, Harry! That is what children do! You are such a child!"

"I am not a child!" shouted Harry, rising from the bottom bunk. His body now towered over Clara's, but she wasn't going to let that diminish her confidence or her anger.

"Yes, you are! And I get that you have a sucky life and I know that this situation sucks, but that does not give you an excuse to treat me like shit!"

"I-"

"No, I'm talking. You," said Clara, poking Harry's chest with her finger, "need to get your ego under control and accept my help, because I'm smart. I can figure this out, but not when you shut me out and make me live in silence."

"I do not have an ego," growled Harry, lowering his voice and his neck, forcing Clara to keep her eyes on his.

"Don't deny it. Just because you're the Chosen One doesn't mean you know everything." said Clara, poking Harry's chest again.

"What, and you do?"

"I know more than you," taunted Clara. She glared at Harry as best as she could, but he was so close to her. She pulled her finger back down to her side, finally noticing how little space was between them.

"No, you don't," said Harry, and as Clara opened her mouth to reply, Harry's lips were on hers. She gasped, shocked at the speed of which Harry had pulled her closer to him. His hands were now cupping her face and Clara kissed him back, hard. Her hands reached upwards, finding his hair and the back of his neck. Clara arched her back, leaning as far into the kiss as she could. Harry snaked his hands down to her lower back, pulling her body into his, and then one of his hands was in her hair. 

"Fuck," breathed Harry, only letting his lips off of Clara's for a moment. Clara could only let out a soft moan in reply, but Harry had said exactly what she was thinking. Fuck. What was she doing? She shouldn't be kissing him, but every time her mind told her to pull away, she somehow managed to press her chest even closer onto Harry's. With the hand that was still in his hair, Clara pulled Harry's hair slightly. He groaned and pushed his lips even harder on Clara. Clara smiled, some things never change, she thought. Harry moved his hands to her waist. Except that everything had changed. Harry pulled upwards on her shirt and Clara's mind finally forced her body to listen.