regret, harry potter (rewriting)

sixteen

"So all in all, we're both screwed in relationships," said Alex.

"Technically it's only you. I broke up with Ernie months ago. What happened to you and Megan anyway?"

"I don't know, we just always fight," he shrugged.

They were both sitting in the Slytherin common room talking about their failed relationship.

Pathetic, she thought.

"Just fix things up with her before you completely lose her," Aurelia advised him.

"Like you with Ernie?"

"That's different."

"What? How is it different?" he frowned.

"Because unlike me, you want to get back together with her."

"And what makes you think that?" he raised his eyebrows.

"You have been moping about it for days now and I got over Susan and Ernie in a day."

"You're just good at hiding it," he scoffed.

"Me? good at hiding? I literally can't hide my feelings," Aurelia laughed.

"Eh, fair enough," said Alex. "You know Blaise fancies you."

"What?" she choked on her spit.

"Yeah, he kept asking me whether you're seeing someone or not. You're not, aren't you? Because I told him no."

"Of course not."

"You should give it a shot with him. He's a nice bloke."

"Eh. . . maybe. . ."

"What do you mean maybe?"

"I mean as in giving him a shot."

"Well whatever your decision is, I'm here to give you some dating advice," he said confidently.

"Says the person who just got dumped," she scoffed.

"Hey Miss Clemonte, I am still more experienced in the dating segment than you are. "

"Whatever Grimaldi, I am going, goodbye!"

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Stargazing," she beamed.

"Weirdo," he muttered to himself once she left his common room.

Once she reached the astronomy tower she heard some sniffles. Not again, she thought. She always found herself in this situation and the last time it happened it was Hermione.

"Hermione?" she asked and it turns out it was Harry.

"Harry?"

He quickly wiped all of his tears

"Hey," he put on his biggest smile even though she knew it wasn't genuine at all.

"No need to put on a fake smile Harry," she said as she sat down next to him. She looked at the stars and said, "You don't need to tell me anything if you're not ready, but I'm here."

She wrapped her arm over his shoulder giving him a side hug and he wasted no time putting his head on her shoulder.

She heard a couple of sniffles coming from him for a while until he stopped completely. It was silent for a while.

"They don't deserve it," he finally said.

"Who are they, Harry?"

"Those who died," he answered. "Ron, Hermione, and I actually went to a therapist, but it's still hard sometimes."

Aurelia didn't know what to answer. Surely the war affected everyone, it affected her, but she knows the trio went through things that no 17-year-olds should've gone through.

"You don't have to say anything, your presence is enough," he chuckled. "You know, in my fifth year, someone used to send me anonymous letters. Whoever that person believed me and supported me when people called me a nutter," he smiled at the memory.

Aurelia felt her heart beating faster, however, she chose to not say anything yet.

"Whoever that was stopped sending me letters when I was in my sixth year though. I think they graduated already. I tried to figure out who that person might be, but it's hard to find when the person used the school owl. I actually thought it was Cho, but she said she never sent me any letters."

It was silent for a while until she said, "It was me."

Harry's heart dropped and his stomach did a double maybe even triple backflip. He straightened himself and looked at her.

"What?"

"Y-yeah it was me. I always caught you crying in the common room, but I know you hated me, so I thought an anonymous letter would help," she mumbled sheepishly.

This is it, she thought. He would avoid her like a plague again after this. She's already mentally preparing herself for another friendship breakup.

However, it was the complete opposite.

"Thank you," he said gratefully, "Your letters helped me so much, thank you so much, Aurelia."

"Yeah, you're welcome," she smiled at him.

Harry suddenly hugged her and buried his face to the crook of her neck, "I never hated you, Aurelia. I wish I would've known it was you."

If Harry's not vulnerable right now, Aurelia might answer with the 'Why did you treat me like that?' question, but instead, she mumbled, "Never?"

"I could never hate you," he looked into her beautiful green eyes.

Aurelia just nodded and said, "I could never understand the things that you went through but I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."

"And I'll know where to find you," he grinned.

"I just want to let you know that none of those deaths was your fault alright. It was Voldemort's and Voldemort's only. I know you through and through even though we were apart for a while. Don't ever blame yourself for what happened alright?"

Harry just nodded like a child.

"Now let's go back to stargazing," she said.

She's not stupid, she noticed that Harry wasn't staring at the stars at all. The whole time, he was staring at her. She felt butterflies in her stomach. However, she brushed it off and pretended that Harry was looking at the stars instead of her.

"I think we should go back, it's getting rather late isn't it?" She looked at him, making him look away hastily, pretending as if he was looking at the stars the whole time.

"Yeah I think we should," he nodded. He stood up first and offered her his hand. They both walked in silence enjoying each other's presence while their hands slightly touched every now and then as they walked.

"Thank you for today, Lia."

"Thank you too, H."

"I love it when you call me H. Weird nickname but I like it," he smirked.

"I'm glad," she chuckled.

Harry suddenly wrapped her into a comforting hug and muttered, "Goodnight."

Aurelia hugged him back and whispered, "Goodnight too, H."