(A/N: How to edit really quickly: put Roxxxy Andrews' verse of 'Read U Wrote U' on repeat as you go through, and tell yourself you can't turn it off until you're done
OR JUST EDIT AFTER YOU WRITE THE CHAPTERS LIKE I DON'T)
(Y/N) had always been an absolute dismal disaster at Potions; she was the only student who consistently did worse than Ron, and she was considered 'clever' in other lessons...
So Professor Slughorn's enthusiasm that she wasn't as awful as she thought made her feel terrible. He was such a nice teacher, and (Y/N)'s complete lack of skills made her feel unworthy of this class.
She'd been one of the first to grab a book, and even just looking at what it contained was painful; she spent most of the explanation about why Potions were useful and dangerous trying not to cry over her upcoming failure in the subject, ignoring what was being said.
Until, of course, the Love Potion was opened, and (Y/N) fell into the same trance as many of the other girls.
Hermione had explained what she smelt, but (Y/N) didn't even have a moment to work out whose scent it might be before she was assaulted with familiar smell, one she just wanted to envelope her...
Citrus and fresh mint and something else she couldn't specify...his smell.
The potion was closed as quickly as it was opened; Slughorn even went as far as to say it was 'the most dangerous potion in the room' afterwards.
Perhaps it was, but (Y/N) didn't care; she wanted him to open the potion again, so she could feel like Draco was next to her, holding her close...
Grey eyes silently followed her every movement, noticing her glance over subconsciously, her eyes filled with...happiness? Obsession?
He couldn't think straight, and it took every ounce of effort to not look back at her; the smell that drifted over to him, a mix of floral pet shampoo, old books and something unexplainable and feminine, was most definitely hers.
Professor Slughorn then proposed a competition; whoever could brew a perfect Draught of Living Death would win a small phial of Felix Felicis, Liquid Luck.
(Y/N) could probably use that...
~
You couldn't say that (Y/N)'s potion went downhill fast, as it was never really going uphill at all.''
I'm going to have to start doing bloody Remedial Potions in the evenings,'' (Y/N) complained, practically having a meltdown then and there, ''Merlin, strike me down—''
(Y/N) very nearly lost the tip of her finger trying to cut the Sopophorus bean in half, and she was honestly considering 'going to the toilet' in order to hide in shame for the whole lesson. She sighed, her head lolling back; she initially didn't see Harry's desperate attempts at getting her attention.
Her partner (who she'd had to sit by as Pansy had taken (Y/N)'s proposed spot by Draco), nudged her to bring Harry to her attention.
He mouthed 'crush it', and, although the book said otherwise, (Y/N) tried it; perhaps it was because she would probably die from blood loss before she finished the potion anyway, or just because of her blind trust in Harry, but she did it, and it worked.
''Galloping gazelles,'' exclaimed the very short, rather chubby little Gryffindor next to her, ''how did Potter work that out?''
(Y/N) shrugged, ''Just Harry being Harry, I guess.''
Little did she know, however, that Draco was watching her every move too; and although he didn't say anything to do with animals in response, he too was very surprised, even a little angry that Harry had figured it out first.
(Y/N) was actually spurred on to work now; Harry mouthed a few more instructions, but seemingly not enough for the potion to actually be correct, because she was fairly sure pastel pink and on fire wasn't what the potion was meant to look like.
''Aguamente! Aguamente!'' yelled (Y/N), scared of setting the classroom on fire.
She sighed in relief as cool jets of water came to put her potion out.
''You were so close, Miss Silverlie,'' said Professor Slughorn, ''perhaps you aren't as bad at Potions as you thought, eh?''
The comment made (Y/N)'s spirits rise ever so slightly, but Harry winning raised them ever higher.
It gave her the confidence to finally turn around and look at Draco; he looked immensely tired out and his precious hair was terribly messed up.
She had a quick chat with Hermione about the lesson before departing for the common room, alone.
~
On the days following, a huge influx of letters addressed to (Y/N) appeared; at breakfast, during the day, in the evening...almost all of them were from Opal, who was terrified that something was going to happen to her without Isabel around.
There were a few from her mother that wouldn't open in front of crowds; these all said that 'her time in safety was running low', whatever that meant. She ignored them.
The only owls she actually paid attention to were the ones from Luna; she'd been able to get (Y/N) a subscription to the Quibbler, and so those were sent to her as soon as they came out, along with short letters about Luna's musings on her disappearing shoes and other little things. (Y/N) always made a point of writing her opinions on these things in her short replies, and it was one of the very small little things that were keeping her going in this rather...down period of her life.
Days soon turned into months, and it felt as if midwinter time had come far too quickly; but the snow was another one of those little things that made (Y/N) smile. She decided this year was another year to make gingerbread people; mostly because she had a feeling Luna in particular would especially appreciate them.
Soon enough, she had one for everyone again; ''(Y/N), really, you don't have to make these! You put so much detail in—''
(Y/N) cut Hermione off, ''Yes I do; I want you all to...smile as you eat small versions of yourselves?'' she laughed.
''Well, I don't think we should stop her, 'Mione. They're bloody amazing.'' Replied Ron, scoffing his little gingerbread man down at an ungodly speed.
''You and Isabel really like to brighten up this season,'' said Harry, ''wait, are you delivering her cards this year?''
(Y/N) shrugged; ''I suppose. We tried to force it on one of the first years, but...yeah, I will.''
She tried to hide how much hearing Isabel's name hurt her.
''I, uh, have other ones to deliver...'' (Y/N) said, pulling one from her bag, ''see you all later, okay?''
''We'll try, but you never seem to be in one place long enough for us to speak to you!'' Ron exclaimed, but she was already gone.
~
Luna was amazed at her little gingerbread self.
''You even put my charm on there,'' Luna breathed, pointing carefully at the teeny little dot that sort of resembled it, ''she's so small...so detailed...I can't eat her...''
(Y/N) sighed, ''I can make you another one, Luna; I promise she tastes okay as well!''
She looked upset to do it, but Luna slowly bit the head off of Gingerbread Luna and looked amazed all over again.
She didn't speak as she ate it, but her eyes told (Y/N) everything.
''Gingerbread...that reminds me,'' Luna said, ''are you staying here over Christmas?''
It felt strange to be asked that; of course she was, but it honestly felt surreal to be asked that.
Mostly because it wasn't Isabel asking.
Or Draco.
'Yes, I am.'' (Y/N) responded after what felt like an eon of pause.
''That's nice,'' Luna replied, ''you'll get to have the Christmas feast here...''
(Y/N) smiled, and the two spent a moment in silence, appreciating the snow.
''I wonder if they're making the Christmas puddings yet...'' Luna mused.
''Probably not. They'll be for the Christmas Day feast only, I presume.''
''That's sad...''
~
The Christmas letter giving began only a day or so after (Y/N) had mentioned it; and (Y/N) quickly realised why Isabel got so angry about it more often than not.
Why couldn't people just give their stupid, lovey-dovey Christmas letters themselves? Or by owl? It was a complete mystery to her, but something that wasn't a mystery was that more than a few people thought the letters were actually from her, and they were accusing her of cheating.
Eventually, the annoying things became so unbearable that she had to employ an owl; one who was more than happy to take a few days off of work for it.
Opal being around, albeit not in a form where she could speak, was very helpful; there were no more embarrassing little quips from younger students, and her legs were a little less tired.
(Y/N) gave Opal a gingerbread person as a thank you, which she was very grateful for, and she was gone rather quickly; apparently some idiot was trying to charm a present or something, and she had to help work out who in hell it was.
(Y/N) decided to only write one card that year; one to Isabel, and she packaged the little blonde iced gingerbread girl in with it.
She didn't expect Draco to even look at his card if she sent him one.
After that, she could relax; so she spent a lot of time walking around in the snow, sometimes with friends, sometimes with Amorita. Everything was peaceful, and (Y/N) was finally beginning to feel a lot happier again, even if Draco was still blanking her; until, of course, her happy Christmas bubble was popped.
She was walking alone that day, most likely trying to find Luna (which was very difficult), and then a hand grabbed her shoulder.
Completely instinctively, she spun around and pushed the person into the snow, only to see that it was Harry.
''Oh Merlin, I'm sorry, I just—'' she exclaimed, embarrassed.
''No, it's fine,'' he replied curtly, his expression not matching his statement, ''but Katie Bell isn't. I thought you needed to know this first; Draco hexed her. She nearly died.''
(Y/N) choked on air; ''Wh-what?'' was all she could utter.
She racked her brain for reasoning; what relation was Katie Bell to Voldemort? Why was she hexed, why not someone closer to Harry?
There were a million questions, but (Y/N) hated that she had enough information to know for definite that Katie's life obviously didn't matter to Draco.
She so desperately wanted to yell at him about it, perhaps try to get him back on her side, but she knew it wouldn't do anything...
''And I think you have a right to know that he's—''
''Harry! We don't know that for sure!'' Hermione exclaimed angrily, before Harry could even finish.
''It's okay, 'Mione,'' (Y/N) replied, her tone a lot sadder now, ''I already knew that bit.''
A few stray tears began to form, and (Y/N) muttered, ''I, um, have to go and do something now...''
She bundled up Amorita and walked away, walking slowly, as if she'd been hit with something.(Y/N) could faintly hear Harry getting scolded by Hermione, but she didn't hear any specifics.
And then, she walked back to the common room alone.
Again.