Harriet Potter

Snowflakes are dancing outside the window again, beating the icy panes, and Christmas is coming in a blink of an eye.Hagrid had brought in the dozen Christmas trees that filled the Great Hall every year, holly and tinsel wrapped the stair railings, everlasting candles flickered in the helmets of his armor, and huge bouquets hung every other section of the hallway. mistletoe.Those plants with their lovely traditions caused me a lot of trouble. There would always be a large group of boys and girls gathering below during class breaks, causing traffic jams in the entire corridor.

Ron had a hard time hiding his jealousy when he made a detour to avoid them, and it didn't help that Hermione had clearly made up her mind to invite McLaggen to the party and never speak to us again for the rest of her life.Ron tried his best to pretend he didn't care about it. The victory over Slytherin seemed to restore his confidence in his game. He was getting better and better in training, but he became very depressed when he took the broom. And aggressive, making everyone unbearable.I've often caught him lagging behind everyone after practice and looking around, knowing exactly what he's looking for.

Probably because no one has ever caught us kissing or anything, and the gossip that was raging a few weeks ago has died down, which means it has done little to stop those people from trapping me under the mistletoe - not really I really wonder what a boyfriend would do.Of course a lot of people still believed we were a couple, which made things doubly awkward when we had to walk down a mistletoe-lined hallway.I'd offered to split up, but Ron obviously thought it was utterly unthinkable for me to go through the crowds alone.

"Just a reminder, Ron, I've gotten away with dozens of Death Eaters," I said after stopping Ron the last time he wanted to fight someone.

Ron snorted, "As if you'd knock any of them flying or knocked out."

"Yeah I would, if you'd let them mess with me." I couldn't help but sigh, "I knocked out a Griffin not long ago, remember?"

"You don't want to find someone to cuddle with, do you?" Ron looked at me suspiciously.

"For the sake of Merlin's pants, don't talk like Ginny." I rolled my eyes, "I guess I should put Malfoy or Snapera in front of you for a long French kiss, so you can take a fork Their intestines rolled out like spaghetti."

Ron shuddered, not knowing which picture it was from.

"You should go to Hermione's," I went on.

"So she'll send a whole flock of birds to peck me again? No, thanks. I like my face." Ron was clearly still reeling from his last disastrous attempt at reconciliation with Hermione.

"You can try not to talk about her connection with Krum this time."

"Come on. Since she can have an international star," Ron said the next word like it was going to stick in his throat, "pen pal, what's wrong with me being friends with you? Listen, Harry, if you think I'm in the way you can just say so—"

"Ron, how could I—"

"—don't keep pushing me towards Hermione! I know people bother me, okay? Maybe I'm an idiot but I'm not blind! I know no one wants to hang out with me! Everyone thinks I'm Just standing next to you is a climb, the girl I like hates me and it's all my own fault, and you're still willing to talk to me just because you think I'm pitiful—"

"Damn you!" I shoved him hard on the shoulder, startling him, "You don't know how much I want to scream just looking at you two every day, the only thing I want to kiss Man died two years ago and I have no reason to even look at his grave, and you're still making fools of each other out of stupid egos!"

"Harry, aren't you saying—"

"Fuck you, Ron Weasley. Listen, you're a hundred times better than everyone in that hallway combined, and I could keep repeating that until it's etched into your head, get it Are you my best friend and I won't allow anyone to call you pathetic, including yourself. Now stop your damn habitual self-deprecation and go to class and apologize to Hermione, invite her to the party or just put her Pull it under the mistletoe, whatever you want. I don't want to see any of you in my presence until you've made up your mind, have I made it clear?"

"Perfect," whispered Ron.

"Okay." I put my finger on his chest down.

"But did you just say—"

"Ron."

Ron shut up immediately, great, one more thing he and Hermione could talk about out of my sight.It used to make me feel a little uncomfortable when they were huddled together after practice or something, and broke up when I got back, but honestly, I'm thankful for them now—

— or not.

I stare at my open textbook, wishing I could say the idea just came up, but it's clearly been there all along.Ron and Hermione were my only friends, they were in love, and there was nothing stopping them from being together but themselves.What had Mrs Weasley said?During the last war, people were terrified, and couples decided to make a private decision for life, including her and Mr. Weasley-then they withdrew from the battle and went to the mountains to concentrate on running their small home and life.Maybe right after graduation or sometime nearer, Ron and Hermione would walk up to me arm in arm and tell me: Sorry, Harry, we're going to live our own lives.They can choose to get what they want in life just by staying away from me, and I've been waiting for them to discover that.Then I'd be alone, with nothing but Voldemort in my path.

In the end I will die alone.

I always thought I wanted to figure things out alone and keep Ron and Hermione out of danger, but every time they would know and stand by me without fear.Let's face it, Harry, there's no one in this world who wants to be alone more than you.

I didn't realize that I had been distracted for two classes until I noticed that people around me packed up their things and left. Fortunately, Flitwick didn't ask me to do a spellcasting demonstration today.Of course Hermione left after class, and Ron was warned not to approach me for a short time, which meant that I really had to squeeze myself out of the crowd.

After 5 minutes I have to admit that my previous two companions played a huge role in getting me through the corridor safely, and I wondered how I never realized how much those guys wanted to kiss me as I drilled down. Convenient, they just have to block in front of me and look down when I want to see the road.I suspect they don't even care if I slap them or cast a jinx afterward, one of those bets I've heard of, "twenty points for kissing Harry Potter on the nose" or something.

Finally, the corner of the corridor was close at hand, I stared at the corner and quickened my pace.A black shadow flashed out, I hurriedly stopped, and it approached without any surprise.It was like hitting a wall head-on, and I fell to the ground with my arms thrown in front of my face.But the man braced himself before he touched me, fumbled a few times, and staggered to his feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's really choking."

Leon Griffin gritted his teeth and rubbed his elbow that hurt just now, and stretched out a hand towards me.I stared at it warily until he shyly withdrew his hand and backed away a little to let me get up by myself.

"What's the matter?" I asked, straightening my robe, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the crowd gathering again.

"What? Oh no, I'm just passing by." Griffin looked around. "That's awful. Are you going to dinner?"

I hesitated and nodded.

"Let's go, then," he said briskly, turning and clearing his way through the crowd in a way that was entirely sure I would follow.

"Sorry, I want to go to the bathroom first," I said, dodging the opening he had just opened and turning into another hallway, getting away from the others as quickly as possible before they could react.

Whether it was an accident or a bad approach attempt, Griffin managed to dissuade me from going to the auditorium to eat, even though I was really hungry.Maybe later on I can go to the kitchen and steal something to eat without running into anyone, we're no longer welcome to the elves after fourth year Hermione calls for their paychecks there, but Dobby will be more than happy to help of.

I remembered that the last time I saw Dobby seemed to be when DA was discovered, and then the accidents followed one after another, leaving me no time to miss him.Dobby belonged to the strangest race I've ever seen in the wizarding world, he was as industrious as any domestic petty elite, but not with absolute loyalty and unpaid labor - or "slave labor", as Hermione called it - Rong, who loves freedom and is quite proud of having a paid job in the Hogwarts kitchens.In my second year I managed to get Dobby out of his former masters, the Malfoys, and I owe him even more for the crucial help he has given me since then.I've always wanted Dobby to be more of a friend, but since the first time he's adored me for no reason, I've had to spend a lot longer reassuring him and talking to him since the last time I made such hints. Make sure it's not because he's annoying.

Thinking of this, I regret that I didn't buy him something last time I went to Hogsmeade. The attack on Katie completely ruined the possibility of going to Hogsmeade again this year.Dobby gives me Christmas presents every year, and it seems that my return gift this time can only be a scarf, hat or socks from the bottom of the box.Most of the time his presents are socks, and I wear them sometimes, except for the part where Dobby insists that socks should not be the same on both feet, they are actually quite soft and warm, and I guess Dobby spends most of his salary on I bought wool online.

I went to the library first and managed to answer a few questions for tomorrow's Transfiguration class in a seat away from the door, glad that no one dared to act rashly under the vulture-like gaze of the administrator, Mrs. Pince.Hermione didn't come until I packed up, I hoped she was with Ron.

There are no people on the road leading to the kitchen, most of them are busy couples, and my presence can't attract their attention.Thank goodness hell.