Seven. If I was to destroy one, would he feel it? It is after all a piece of his soul.....
Thoughts raced in Cordelia's mind, as soon as she opened her eyes the next morning. Laying under the covers, she thought of the possibility of Voldemort possibly getting to know who, when and if his Horcrux is being destroyed.
Would it be wise to collect them all, before I start destroying them?
That was another big question in her mind. She didn't want Voldemort possibly changing the yet unknown location of his Horcruxes. That would be greatly infuriating.
Cordelia felt a sigh escape her lips as she snuggled deeper in the covers. As she closed her eyes, slowly drifting back to sleep.
But it never happened, someone knocked on the door. Knowing it was either of the two old men, she stayed quiet.
The door creaked open, and someone stepped in.
Cordelia closed her eyes, but was startled when she felt the person nearing her and touching her hair.
"Ahh!" She pushed the person away and turned towards them, silently sending a knockback jinx towards them.
Harry was thrown back, from his position as he landed on the floor with a thud.
"Harry!" She squealed with frantic eyes when she saw him laying sprawled out.
There were footsteps and Sirius barged into the room.
"What, what happened?" He questioned Harry and Cordelia.
"She jinxed me!" Harry groaned.
"He was being creepy and touching my hair. I didn't know who it was!" Cordelia reasoned.
Sirius looked from one teen to the other before sighing and helping Harry up.
"You were being creepy" Sirius patted Harry's back as he walked out with a smirk.
Harry looked dumbfounded for a moment before sighing and rolling his eyes. He face planted himself on Cordelia's soft bed.
"What are you doing here?" She questioned him after a few minutes of silence. Her fingers, very slowly, inching towards Harry's hair. But she stopped midway, her hand falling on the bed, which was quickly picked up by Harry, who then proceeded to pat himself on his head, using her hand. Motioning for her to play with his hair.
Cordelia rolled her eyes as a big smile graced her lips, she combed her hand through his hair.
"I was informed that you are greatly missing me, thus, me being the merciful Lord I am, decided to grace you with my presence" he said with a smirk.
"Ah, yes. Thank you for being so merciful, my lord" Cordelia emphasised the last two words. "Get up, I need to get dressed" she told him.
"Fine... I'll be waiting downstairs"
Harry peppered her face with kisses before walking out. Leaving behind a very flushed Cordelia.
Walking down for breakfast, dressed for the day, Cordelia saw Remus cooking something as Sirius was ogling him.
"Merry Christmas!" Sirius yelled when Cordelia came down.
"Happy Yule" she smiled back.
It felt foreign for her when she said "Merry Christmas" in front of the mirror. So she decided to stick with her greeting.
"We've got presents!" Harry squealed like a kid as he skidded to a stop in the kitchen.
"Which you'll open, only after breakfast" Remus reminded everyone, making them groan.
-
Harry and Cordelia were sitting on the chairs in the backyard after they had finished with their breakfast and going through the presents.
Cordelia had received a few from Remus, Sirius, Daphne, even Blaise and Harry.
She picked up another sherbert candy and placed it in her mouth as she gently chewed on it. Her eyes fixed on the sky above.
Harry, who was being uncharacteristically fidgety, shifted in his seat before he cleared his throat. Making the dark haired girl look at him with questioning eyes.
"I have one more present.... actually this was your birthday present but... it got delayed and then I went to the Burrow and-" Hary blushed furiously, when he realised that he had started rambling.
"Right" he shifted closer to Cordelia and placed a small box in her hand.
Cordelia could feel her heart thudding rapidly inside her ribcage.
"W-wh- what is this..." she stuttered.
Harry was nervous, running his hand through his hair as he spoke, "Open it" he urged her.
Cordelia, with slightly shaky hands opened the box. It had dainty but very pretty looking pendant in it. It was a small red ruby, in the shape of a broken heart.
"That is the other half of this" Harry's cheeks were flaming red when he pulled out the other half from under his sweater.
"I found them in... in my vault... it belonged to my mother, but it got broken somehow and Sirius suggested that I could get it made into two different chains and.... and I really wanted to give you something personal. And it is.... very personal" Harry nodded as he twisted the small ruby in his hand.
Cordelia felt speechless for a moment.
"But- but it belongs to your mum, you should keep it and - thank you" she said softly.
"So you'll put it on?" Harry's eyes lit up as he questioned her.
"Put it on for me" Cordelia said as she handed him the pendant and turned away.
Harry, with slightly flimsy hands managed to put it on. Being so close, he could smell the expensive perfume, his hands lowering on her waist.
"You smell..... delicious" he whispered in her ear, making a shiver go down Cordelia's spine.
-
Harry had gone back to the Burrow the next day, but the two soulmates had made most of the day given to them. From talking about things that were slightly troublesome, to discussing about Harry's lessons and a lot of loving touches.
Cordelia was happy that he was opening up again and not shutting her out. Immensely happy to know what Dumbledore had been teaching him, Horcruxes.
With the newfound information that Dumbledore had already destroyed one of the seven Horcruxes, Cordelia felt relieved that her theories had been right.
It also answered the questions which were running through her mind about if he would feel it or not. Voldemort not being able to recognise that his Horcruxes are being destroyed could be very useful.
The break was nearing its end too quickly for Cordelia's liking. She enjoyed not being at Hogwarts. But she knew that she needed to go and find the other Horcrux. The Diadem.
Late in the afternoon, a few days after the New Year, Cordelia was ready to leave for Hogwarts through the floo powder. The
Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return
students quickly and safely to the school. Sirius and Remus, surprisingly, both of them were present when she was about to leave.
"Don't cause too much trouble" Sirius winked at her as Cordelia stepped inside the fireplace.
"I'll try not to" she gave the two a smile before throwing down the floo powder.
She arrived in McGonagall's office, who greeted her. Cordelia greeted her back before heading out and towards the Gryffindor Tower.
"Abstinence"
She had arrived early, only a few people were back and unfortunately for Cordelia, Granger was one of them. The dark haired girl avoided looking at her and decided to go take a stroll maybe or try getting inside the Room Of Requirement.
Cordelia had figured out the riddle in which Helena Ravenclaw communicated. Tom Riddle thought he was the only one to discover the Room of Requirement. But what was he thinking when he entered it? That was the most difficult thing to think about.
Cordelia found herself facing the blank wall, as she tried to think of something Tom would have. But it didn't work. A bedroom? No. What could he possibly have thought?!
Surely it had to be a place where he could have hid things well. Protected even.
Her thought process was interrupted when she heard a pair of footsteps coming towards her. It was no surprise when she saw Draco stopping abruptly, an irritated expression etched onto his face. His eyes lowered as he eyed the pendant Cordelia had been rolling in between her fingers.
Draco scoffed at the red ruby. "Couldn't do better than a Gryffindor."
"Couldn't do better than having Greyback as your company?" Cordelia sneered.
"Not different from that halfbreed you live with" the blonde boy didn't waste a second with his statement.
"Ah, right. At least he's no servant. Nor am I. A filty servant to a filthy man"
Draco felt a bubble of anger burst inside of him as he drew his wand out and sent spell towards Cordelia, who blocked it effectively. Stumbling back slightly from the unexpected attack.
"Watch it!" Draco raged as he breathed heavily.
Cordelia seemed to be searching his face before she sighed with pity. "You really did accept the mark. Have fun regretting it" she drawled coldly before walking away. Remembering to harsh bump her shoulder in his.
Cordelia scoffed to herself when Narcissa's face flashed behind her eyes. She couldn't believe that Draco and her dear godmother decided to side with Voldemort.
Walking inside the comparatively warmer Gryffindor common room she was pulled in a strong hug. The familiar sweater, the messy hair and Harry's cologne gave away who it was.
"Hi" he mumbled in her hair.
"Hi" she whispered as she tightened her hold on him.
Harry and Cordelia spent the rest of the evening in the common room. The stares didn't faze them anymore and they had decided to stop caring about what others thought of and about the two Gryffindors being in a relationship. It was hardly a secret now.
"Harry...." Cordelia's voice was soft and sounded tired as she spoke.
"Hmm?" Harry ran his fingers through her hair. Playing with it's ends.
Three years ago, had someone questioned Harry about his romantic affairs, he would have turned red and started blabbering. He had never imagined that he would be this bold and uncaring about others opinions. He had never imagined himself being romantically involved with anyone, not even upto his fourth year. He felt like a lost cause when it came to talking to girls and specially dating. It scared him but then she walked into his life in third year and things changed drastically for him.
Cordelia Black really did help him mature up a lot as a person and gain confidence. Harry appreciated that she always gave him a blunt and honest opinion about anything and everything. Harry had already started their future planning and how many kids they would have. Four seemed good enough to him.
Harry felt a smug smirk grow onto his face at the thought of having four kids.
"Nevermind.... I forgot" she whispered as her lips parted for a big yawn. Harry following in sync.
"Let's call it a night then" he decided as he leaned down just a little and kissed her forehead, for she was sitting while facing him. Her back, even in her sleepy and dazed state was straight as a ruler and his was poking out like a camels hump or as Cordelia called it, 'The most graceful arch.'
"Okay" she nodded but didn't budge from her seat.