Helium | Harry J. Potter

03

Later that day, Alura went to find Cedric to rant about how annoying Harry was.

"You know I'll go to the party with you, right?"

"No, I know you have quidditch practice tomorrow. You need a good night's rest!"

"If anyone tries anything, let me know."

"Don't worry. You know Harry would never try anything."

"Maybe it's about time you two mend things..." said Cedric.

"I don't think so." She shook her head stubbornly.

"Why not? You both said horrible things. Why not just forgive each other?"

"It's not that simple," she sighed.

Cedric raised an eyebrow. "You're just stubborn."

"I'm not stubborn!" She objected.

"Who're you telling? Me or yourself?" He raised both eyebrows. "I gotta go, see you later. Love you." He linked their pinkies and kissed them.

"Love you too." She kissed his pinkie and watched him walk off.

Harry then sped walked up to Alura.

"You two on 'I love you' terms already?"

"We have been for months. Why do you care?"

"I don't," he shrugged.

"Okay..." she looked at him expectantly. "Why're here?"

"Because the best enemy you've ever had needs a favor," he smiled nervously.

"Another one?"

"You still owe me!" He defended. "So I need you to do my potions essay."

"No."

"I'll tell Stefan that you and Cedric had sex."

"But we didn't."

"I know," he smirked.

"Fine..." She took the page out of his hand. "You can leave now."

"I better pass," he whispered in her ear. He then walked out of the hall.

-

After Alura finished Harry's essay, she headed to the Gryffindor common room for the party. When she walked in, she noticed everything was still the same. She hasn't been in here since she and Harry were friends.

Harry spotted her from across the room and hastily made his way through the group of people.

"You made it," he asked in a surprising tone.

"Didn't give me much of choice," she mumbled.

"My essay?"

Alura harshly handed him the paper.

"What do you want me to do now? Just follow you the whole night?" Alura asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Sure. At least try to make it look like you're having fun. Maybe grab a drink, dance a little," he suggested.

Alura walked past Harry, making sure to bump shoulders as she grabbed a drink. She noticed Hermione staring at her. Before she could get out of Hermione's view, she caught her.

"Alura!"

She looked up to see Hermione called her.

"I'm surprised to see you here. How've you been?"

Hermione had always tried to mend things with Alura, but Alura made no effort. After the way Hermione treated her after she and Harry's fallout, she'd never be friends with her again. She claims that she's on no one's side, but Hermione was clearly on Harry's side. It was always his side.

"Good... how're you?" she asked awkwardly.

"Good."

"Good." Alura finally got out of her view. She located Harry laughing with his friends and made her way over to them.

"Alura, I haven't seen you in here since last year," said Dean.

"Yeah..." she replied before taking a sip of her drink.

Harry gave her one last look before returning to his conversation.

"We're playing seven minutes in heaven!" Shouted Fred.

Harry and his friends went over to the group. Harry waved Alura over, which she furiously shook her head at.

"You. Cedric. Sex," he mouthed.

She had no choice but to join the group. She sat next to Harry and let the game begin.

"Someone will spin the bottle; whoever it lands on has to go in the closet with the one who spun," George explained. "Alura, why don't you start us off." He offered the bottle to her.

"No thanks."

"Alright then, Harry, start us off."

He gladly took the bottle and spun it. The bottle turned for a few seconds before landing on Alura. Alura was panicking inside. She knew nothing would happen since she wouldn't let it, but she just knew something was going to go wrong. Alura noticed she was staring a little too long, so she shook her head and looked at George hopefully.

"That's the rules, Alura," George shrugged.

She was mentally cursing at him as she walked inside the closet.
Harry and Alura sat across from each other with their heads against the wall. It was quiet for a few seconds before Harry spoke up.

"Why did you say those things that night?"

"I don't have an answer for you," she answered.

Harry, ignoring what she said, asked, "do you ever miss them, your parents?"

"Not really."

"Really, you've never missed them?"

"I'm not like you, Harry. I don't mope around about some people I've never met."

"That's what you think of me as? Some weak-"

"I never called you weak."

"Well, you did that night!" He shouted.

Alura was a little taken back by the sudden voice change. She decided to stay silent, not wanting to make things worse.

"Nothing to say?" He questioned. "You know what, I wish I've never met you."

"You mean that?" She asked, unconvinced.

"Yes," he replied quietly. "You know who's caused me the most pain? Not Draco, not Ron, not Hermione, not even Voldemort, you. You, Alura Malia Salvatore, you've caused me the most pain. And I hope you go to hell for it." Harry abruptly left the closet, making sure to slam the door behind him.

Her. She was the one who's caused him the most pain. And she was always going to be stuck on that.