A/N: Thank you all for the support, your comments mean the world to me. I'm so sorry for the delay in releasing, I'm a huge stressball and my finals are coming up soon. Stress really unmotivates me! Good news is I will still be trying to post at least once a week, and classes end the first week of December!! FYI, this is kind of a transition/ filler chapter! Love you all. 🖤
PS- HI TORRIN AND RACHEL
Outfit inspiration for this chapter:
A few weeks had passed with little trouble. It seemed, for the most part, all of your problems had been resolved. Your friendships remained steady, strengthening even, and the air had become sharp and cool. For the first time, you would be allowed to visit Hogsmeade. For this, you were delighted. Though Hogwarts was everything you could hope for and more, you longed to see more of the world.
~~
You and Luna trudged along, snow scratching under your boots. You squinted your eyes, as the sun hung white and cold in the mid sky, much like a pearl. It was freezing, and with this a sniffle escaped.
Hogsmead was charming in its own way.
"Who all do you think is going?" asked Luna dreamily. She shivered, rolling on her heel with the sensation. "It's quite cold."
"I'm not sure, Lune," you said, teeth chattering as well. You and she had become rather comfortable with the silence that sometimes accompanied your time together. "Hermione said there would be a bit. I've no idea."
You glanced at your side, seeing a small group of girls glancing and whispering in your direction. To be honest, you were used to this, but that didn't make it any more pleasant. This time, though, you knew it had nothing to do with who you were or who you accompanied (people simply would not give Luna a chance for some unfathomable reason), rather how you were dressed.
Luna's outwear was rather eccentric, as she sported a long purple robe and a teal sweater. With it, she wore thick pink leggings and old brown boots. This was expected of her, and it made you smile gently. You really admired her bold authenticity. Still, she was not as overdressed as you were.
You briefly remembered what she had said to you while getting ready.
'Just dress casually, everyone does. It's rather interesting to see how everyone looks outside of their robes.'
You heeded her advice the best you were able, yet the most casual clothing you owned wasn't casual at all. Unless you were to wear your pajamas, yet that wasn't reasonable. Your clothing was rich and refined, so you grabbed what you could, ending up in a long black waistcoat and long black boots. It looked much too formal, and for this you were deeply embarrassed- not that you'd ever had much of a say in your wardrobe. Maybe Hogsmeade would have some clothing stores?
You blushed, squeezing your eyes shut as you looked away from the group. Thankfully your nose and cheeks had already been stained a flowery pink from the bitterness of the air. This sucked. You knew Harry and Ron would tease you about it, but you wouldn't really mind.
"Just here, Luna," you said, pointing at the Hogs Head sign, just barely holding onto its bearings.
You took one last glance at the many cobblestone buildings lining the street. They were very pretty.
The place was quite.. sketchy, really. You took hold of Luna's arm, strengthening your posture. The people in here did not look at all friendly. She giggled at this.
"Upstairs, right?" she asked, blue eyes looking into your own.
"Um... yeah," you said, tearing your gaze from a scary looking scarred man.
She led you upwards, shaking your arm off of her own as to release your tension.
"Sorry!" you whispered, yet immediately clasped back on at the sight of how many had gathered to attend the meeting Hermione had scheduled. Your lips had parted. You'd not expected this. Judging by the solemn look on Harry's face, he hadn't either. Luna led you into the crowd, standing next to a tall and round boy with big teeth.
"Hey Luna," he whispered to her.
You looked up at him, pleasantly surprised. Not many people talked to Luna, especially not first.
You must have had a pretty stupid looking smile on your face, as he gave you a slightly strange look. You just loved it when people treated her right.
"Is this Tabitha?" he asked, looking at your intertwined arms and then to Luna.
"Yes!" she said in a chipper voice. "This is she!"
You quickly shook your head, hoping he hadn't really noticed how you'd look at him and let go of her.
"Nice to meet you..?"
"-Neville." He smiled and extended a hand.
"Neville! I've heard so much about you!" you said, taking it. Your sudden burst of confidence and lack of stutter surprised you.
For a while, everyone stood around and chattered. A few more students arrived, and before long Hermione began.
She stood, looking around the room somewhat awkwardly.
"Um... Hi," she breathed, folding her hands together. Cold light from the window shown to the left of her. "You all know why we're here. We need a teacher." She shifted on her feet. "Proper teacher," she corrected. "One who's had real experience defending themself against the Dark Arts."
"Why?" came a voice from upfront.
Ron scoffed, leaning forward from his chair and putting his elbows on his knees. "Why?! You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot." His eyebrows were knitted with disapproval. You wanted to smile at his rebuttal, but instead, you recoiled, shrinking behind Luna. You didn't like it when the Dark Lord was brought up.
"So he says," the boy remarked.
"So Dumbledore says," Hermione intervened.
You looked to Harry, only to see his face void of any significant emotion. It didn't seem he wanted to weigh in. It made sense, at present time he was not exactly loved. May thought he was lying.
"So Dumbledore says because he says. The point is, where's the proof?" the boy rudely finished.
"If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed.." said someone quietly from your left.
Harry pursed his lips, beginning to stand. You felt bad for him, as you knew he hated that kind of attention.
"I'm not going to talk about how Cedric died, so if you're here for that you might as well clear out." He sighed, looking to his side. "Come on Hermione, let's go. They're just here-"
"Is it true you can produce a Patronus Charm?" came a voice from beside you. It was Luna.
Harry looked up at her.
"Yes. I've seen it," said Hermione.
"Blimey, Harry. I didn't know you could do that," said someone from the front. You thought his name was Dean, but you weren't positive.
"And he killed a Basilisk!" said Neville. You'd heard some of that story. "With the sword, in Dumbledore's office!"
"It's true," someone confirmed.
"Third year, he fought off about 100 dementors at once," Ron said.
Harry stood, looking around.
"And last year he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh," said Hermione with some hesitation.
"Wait," Harry began, "Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that, but the truth is most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time, and nearly always had help-"
"-He's just being modest," Hermione began.
"No, Hermione, I'm not." He swallowed, and you could see something written on his face. It saddened you. "Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake you can just try again tomorrow, but out there, when you're a second away from being murdered, or watching a friend die right before your eyes... You don't know what that's like."
The room was quiet, and Harry looked away, sitting down.
You could feel a pit in your stomach.
"You're right Harry, we don't. That's why we need your help. Because if we're gonna have any chance of beating... Voldemort.."
A shiver ran down your spine, and your breath caught in your throat.
"He's really back?" said one of the younger people.
Harry nodded, slowly looking up.
~~
You waved goodbye to Luna, as she had decided to walk around with Neville while you went to the Three Broomsticks. You sat next to Ron, Hermione across from you, and Harry next to her. They had watched you intently as you made your way inside.
Ron bit his lip to hold in a smile, looking down at his lap.
You leaned your head down, looking under the ginger curtain his hair had created.
"Oh bug off, Ron!" you said upon seeing his amused smile. You sat up straight, leaning back in your seat. "Go ahead and get it over with."
He looked up, snickering. His eyes flashed to Harry's, who was pursing his lips in attempts to hold his laugh back as well.
"What are you wearing!" He gestured to your luxurious outfit. "Has your boot gotten a heel!?"
You reddened slightly, though you knew it was coming. "Yes, Ron. It has a heel." You propped your elbows on the table, burying your hands in your face. "It's all I had..." you groaned.
Harry breathed a small laugh, and Hermione shoved him.
"You look like you're going to a funeral!" he said.
You glared at him, but found that you faltered under his stare. His lips were curled into a smile.
You looked for something to insult in his clothing, trying to come up with it quickly. "And you look like you're going... to a bakery?"
You mentally facepalmed. A bakery? For a smart person, you could be really dim.
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Here, have this."
Before you could react, he had blinded you with a hat, pulling it down over your eyes. He did not, however, release it.
"Ah!" you exclaimed, trying to push it up. "Ron let go!"
You pinched the soft skin under his wrist, making him let go.
"Ow!" he exclaimed, voice cracking.
You gave him a satisfied smile and pushed up the hat, allowing yourself to see again, then looked up. A faded green sat over your dark eyebrows. You wondered why he'd done this, despite the obvious- to bother you. Maybe it was an attempt to make you look less formal? Probably not.
You removed it gently, looking at the soft knit curls. It felt significant under your fingers, something brought about with love. It was his, undoubtedly made by his mother. She had self him a gift or two over the past weeks.
Harry and Hermione had begun conversing. By now, they were used to Ron's excessive teasing of you. You'd all been together almost daily over the past weeks.
You looked up at his smirking face momentarily, returning a skeptical expression. His red eyebrows suddenly curved upwards in surprise, and then dipped back down. He pulled his lips into a crooked line, disgusted, almost.
"Ew.." he whispered.
You furrowed your brows. "What?"
"Please put it back on," he said.
You were confused, and he placed a warm hand onto your shoulder.
"You look so bald without it..."
You scoffed, a smile sketched across your face, and shoved his hand away. In this brief moment, he grabbed his hat, quickly shoving it onto your head and past your eyes for a second time.
You pushed it up, blinking your eyelashes apart.
"Don't be so rude, Ronald!" you giggled, yet you felt a twinge of uncertainty. He laughed, obviously joking, but you weren't entirely sure if he thought you to be unpleasant looking or not.
He smiled warmly, shoulders shuddering slightly still, and his eyes lingered on your face as you brushed the hair into place. The firelight flickered against his features as you met his gaze.
You smiled for a moment, but faltered as you felt a twinge of guilt. Seeing the pain in the eyes of everyone upon the mention of the Dark Lord was... hard.. to say in the least. Your stomach churned, and any radiance that had laid upon your face faded. You didn't like lying, and you knew a time would come eventually where you would have to prove your allegiance. In all honesty you didn't know what you would do. You shook your head. It sucked to have to think about this during happy moments.
"Tabitha," said Hermione. You looked at her, Ron tearing his gaze away as well. He wondered what the small change in your face had meant. "Do you want a butterbeer?"
"Yes!" Ron answered, though he hadn't been asked. You glanced at him briefly.
"Sure. Is it good?"
"Very," Harry answered.
Hermione nodded before turning to flag a waitress. She ordered for the table.
"Aw, look at Fred," she said, pointing to a booth on her left. You looked. He sat across from who you assumed to be George. There was a pretty girl with blonde hair tucked under his arm. You recognized her from the meeting, and from transfiguration.
"That's Violet Tonks?" asked Ron. Apparently, he had never met her.
"Yes," Hermione answered. The waitress approached the table, using her wand to distribute the drinks.
You eyed Violet still, the pit in your stomach only deepening.
She seemed so happy, and this you wished for greatly. You felt a jolt in your chest at the sight of her looking into his eyes lovingly as he said something.
You wanted that...
A satisfied sigh came from in front of you, causing you to look forwards.
Harry had taken a sip, and a smug look took over his face.
"That good?" you asked, cocking your head to the side slightly. You and Harry had developed a rather warm friendship. He had not once been remotely unpleasant.
He nodded, trying more down. Ron and Hermione were doing the same.
You looked at the mug in front of you, thick and heavy glass surrounding the golden liquid. Your fingers wrapped around the handle as you brought it up to your face. The foam tickled your lips. You parted them, allowing the warm liquid to coat your tongue. Suddenly, a warmth overtook your body, spreading from your throat all the way down to your toes, and you smiled largely.
Whatever sorrows you carried were massively alleviated.
"This is so good!" you exclaimed as you put it down with a *clup*.
Ron raised his eyebrows in affirmation, face still buried in the mug.
You took another sip, promptly finishing what was left.
"Oh MY GOODNESS!" The sweetness and warmth were entirely foreign. Your body seemed to be buzzing with endorphins. You were beaming. Your parents never let you have anything sweet.
Hermione looked at you and giggled. Harry did as well.
"She's got crazy eyes," he whispered to Hermione.
"I do not!" you said.
"Look at me," Ron said, pulling his head back as to better see your entirety. He snorted. "She does! And shes got foam all over her face."
You blushed like a child. Did you?
As you rummaged through your pockets for a handkerchief (wiping your face with your hands had been strictly forbidden your whole life), you felt warm fingers under your chin. You tensed momentarily.
"Look here, you troll," said Ron, tilting your face upwards. You looked into his blue eyes, heat still present on your cheeks. He tilted his head to the side, and scrunched his nose. You hadn't noticed his thumb make contact with your own. You instinctively reached up to his hand, fingers lingering against its surface. He wiped the foam off, rubbing it against his pants, and then returned to get the rest off of your full upper lip. As he did this, you could feel them part slightly with contact, longing for more than a centimeter of heat. His finger was comfortable, and for a fleeting moment you wished to put in between your lips. He used his free hand to lightly remove your touch from his skin.
You blushed harder.
Wait.
Did he call you a troll?
"H-Hey!" you said, snapping out of the small trance you had unknowingly been in. The light warmth from the butterbeer returned to your body. "I'm not a troll!"
He snickered. "You are. I said that like 20 seconds ago!"
He let go of your chin.
"Tabitha-" Hermione began.
"-Trollbitha," Ron corrected. You shot him a nasty look.
Hermione did the same. Harry smiled.
"Anywhere else you'd like to go?" she finished.
"Do they have any clothing stores?" you asked. Your voice came out with unexpected enthusiasm.
"Yes, there's one just up the street."
"Thank Merlin," you said. "I'd love to get out of this." You gestured to your body.
Had that sounded sexual? It wasn't meant to.
You looked at Ron, who held his mouth in an open smile. He was so immature sometimes.
"Shuttt up Roonil!" you said, re-accounting the time he had used a faulty spell-checking quill.
~~
"I've never actually been shopping!" You said excitedly, bouncing slightly on your toes.
"You've never been shopping?" Ron asked, looking doubtful.
"Yeah, what?" Harry reinforced. "Don't girls like that?"
"Not all girls," said Hermione.
"Well I bought my wand, but that's it," you said matter-of-factly. Your knees seemed loaded. The store was red and pink. Warm light bathed you and the others. You felt so fuzzy inside, so excited. Peepney (your elf) had usually ordered from the tailor per your parent's request.
You were immesurably happy to be here, away and distracted from your troubles. In fact, you had momentarily forgotten about them.
~~
RON'S POV
You were positively shaking. He'd seen you smile before, but you were nearly beaming.
She has pretty teeth.
And lips.
She's got a nice smile.
He watched as you spun, holding a skirt up to your hips. Your hair looked so shiny in this lighting. He remembered how soft it was that time he had held it in Transfiguration. You giggled with Hermione.
It seems so uncharacteristic of her to be so upfront and happy.
Ron wondered about this. You laughed and teased, yet you were generally guarded.
She said she didn't like being home. Part of me feels bad for treating her the way I did.
She'd never been mean, not for a moment. Not like Malfoy. Nothing like him.
A vision of his lips against your own crossed Ron's mind, and he frowned.
I hate Malfoy.
Shouldn't get so worked up over this, she's a friend. She can snog whoever she likes, I dont care.
It's not as if she'd ever notice me like that anyways. Harry Potter's friend.
Not that i'd want her to.
I suppose.
You looked around at clothes, grabbing so many that your arms were almost full. Hermione followed you, making suggestions here and there. Harry stood at Ron's side.
"Never seen her like this," said Harry, arms crossed.
"Me neither," he replied.
"Interesting character, don't you think?" Harry asked, looking at Ron.
"Yeah, she is. Smart like Hermione, but she's not so in your face about it."
"Definitely," Harry replied. "It's good we've got another girl with us now, for Hermione's sanity."
Ron chuckled, watching as you went into a dressing room.
"Harry?" he asked.
"Yeah?"
"Does it not bother you? About her and Malfoy? About her father?"
Harry looked at him, running a hand through his hair.
"I don't think I've really been given any reason to think she's bad lot," he sighed. "The Dursley's aren't ideal, are they? Maybe that's not the best comparison, but I don't think someone's family is always a good judge of character. It's not as if she's seen her father, anyway. It'd be different if she was hiding a Death Eater at home."
Ron sighed.
He's got a point.
He looked up to see you come out from behind a curtain. You wore leggings with little black boots and a deep purple henley top. In this, you seemed much less intimidating.
Woah.
You smiled fully, doing a twirl for Hermione.
Ron observed your body, which he had never been able to really see from outside of your robes. A heat rushed into his face, and he looked down to his feet.
He'd always thought you were incredibly pretty.
And she's got my hat on...
He could hear you laugh to Hermione. You'd decided to wear it out rather than your other outfit.
~~
"Suits you," said Harry as you came up to them.
"Thanks, Harry," you replied, shoving your other clothes into a bag which Hermione had cast an extension charm on.
"You look good," Ron said quietly, lips curled slightly at the edges.
"No more Trollbitha?" you asked, looking up at his tall frame with fake puppy dog eyes.
"Still Trollbitha," he said, poking your nose playfully. "Always Trollbitha."
~~
The stars above your bed seemed nearly musical that night, and for the first time in a while, you slept easily, burdens seemingly mist in the world that was your own.
A/N- just a filler! Once again i'm so sorry for the delay, and I hope this is satisfactory. I love you all sm. <3