ghost stories - h. potter

Twenty-Five

Belle and Harry spent a little more time in the Shrieking Shack together. It wasn't long and it was fairly quiet between the two as they stayed wrapped up in an embrace that they had fallen into unconsciously. Harry's chin rest on the top of her head as Belle's cheek pressed agains the base of his neck, listening to the faint sound of his heartbeat. His arms were wrapped around her waist loosely, his fingers playing with the loose threads on her midnight blue Weasley sweater that Mrs Weasley had knitted her for Christmas. 

"I wish I could have met them," Belle said quietly. Sure, she had met them before but she never got to experience what any of them were like before they had died. She'd only ever spoken to Remus a few times and that was purely when she was asking a question about their homework in Defence Against the Dark Arts after class in her third year. She never spoke to Cedric, or Fred or Tonks or Sirius. 

"I wish you could have, too. I know for a fact Sirius would have loved you," Harry said, his words vibrating in his throat causing them to tickle Belle's cheek.

"Oh, yeah?" She questioned, pulling her head away and he looked down at her.

"Why's that?" 

"Do you even need to ask, Jingle Belle?" Sirius called from behind Harry. He, James and Remus had all been standing quietly behind Harry the entire time he had been talking, but Belle had made no move to acknowledge them as her focus had been completely drawn to Harry. 

"Your wit," Harry stated.

"You're not afraid to put people in their place, but you have quite similar senses of humour and he would have enjoyed that. Not to mention he'd probably enjoy creating terrible puns for your name." Belle laughed as Harry had no idea just how right he was.

"Your son is one Belle of a lot smarter than anyone gives him credit for, Prongsie," Sirius grinned and Belle had to physically force herself not to roll her eyes at the man's words.

"He was my godfather too, so it would have meant a lot knowing that he - er- approved of you," Harry said, looking away to hide the colour that rose into his cheeks.

"It would have meant a lot to me, too," Belle finished quietly. Her eyes flickered over Harry's shoulder to the three men, where two of them had their thumbs up as they grinned at her. The other was simply watching with a small smile on his face and gave Belle a kind nod.

"Do you want to head back up to the castle?" Harry asked the girl who had begun shivering slightly in his arms, due to the cold draught that was whistling through the arm.

"In a minute, if that's okay," Belle said, not quite ready to leave the comfort of Harry's arms just yet. He simply smiled and resumed their earlier positing, rubbing her back gently in order to try and pass on his warmth to her.

"That's okay with me."

When Belle and Harry returned to the castle and split off in opposite directions after a 'see you later', Belle found herself heading towards the Great Hall with a hidden smile on her face.

"Hey, Frenche!" A familiar voice called and Belle turned to see Pansy and Luna hurrying towards her.

Belle stopped, allowing the two girls to catch up with her.

"Are you two heading into the Great Hall? I could really do for some hot cocoa," Belle asked and the two girls nodded, each one of them looping an arm through Belle's. 

"Why do I suddenly get the feeling that this is an intervention?" She asked as they dragged her over towards the Ravenclaw table. They sat down on either side of her, forcing her into the seat so she wouldn't be able to get away. Pansy leaned forwards, one elbow on the table, propping her head up with her hand as she grinned cheekily at Belle.