All the Little Secrets| D.M. (18+)

Chapter 18

It was two nights before the end of term, the Great Hall had been decorated with the most extravagant ornaments. There was an enormous Christmas tree behind the professor's table and the ceiling had been enchanted to give the illusion of snow falling. The room was abuzz with students all making plans for the holiday and our table was no different.

"Can you believe how quickly the term went by? I can't wait to go home for Christmas, my mom makes the absolute best pumpkin pasties!" Exie cheered.

Everyone at the table was chatting about their plans and their families, everyone except Harry and myself. We both sat at the table with sullen looks on our faces, barely touching our food. No one knew that I was an orphan raised by the vilest people on Earth but everyone knew Harry didn't have any parents. Yet they still spoke so cheerfully about their families in front of him, I felt terrible. Over the past few months, Harry and I became thick as thieves. We had spent so many late nights in detention together with Umbridge and planning what to do for the DA, he and I had become inseparable. He'd confided in me how much he wished he could have spent more time with his parents, how his aunt and uncle were monsters, and how he loved his godfather Sirius Black. Unfortunately almost everything he told me I had to report back to the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort. I only relayed half-truths about all the things Harry told to me to Draco in my update notes. I would write down just enough information to look like I was trying but not enough to give all of Harry's secrets away.

"You look awfully quiet, penny for your thoughts?" Harry chuckled quietly.

"Oh, sorry I'm just not a huge fan of the holidays. They really make people realize just how lonely they are." I sighed.

Harry quietly pushed the food on his plate around as the gravity of my words smacked me in the face.

"Oh my gosh Harry I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that to you! I was just thinking about myself, you see my parents work a lot so they usually ship me off to one of their friend's houses for the holidays, it kinda feels like I don't have parents at all, to be honest."

I wish I could tell you the truth Harry, that I'm an orphan too.

"Don't worry about it Prue, I know that there are parents out there that aren't much better than dead ones." A small smirk tugged at the edge of his lips.

"Harry you're positively dreadful!" I said as I pushed his shoulder jokingly.

We both let out a thunderous laugh that enveloped the entire table. Everyone stared at us but it felt like Harry and I were the only two people in the room.

"Okay you two, what's so funny?" Theo inquired from across the table, a curious expression on his face.

"Nothing." We both said in unison before bursting into laughter again.

"You guys are too much." Luna quipped.

"Anyways...are you guys ready for the Hufflepuff party tomorrow night in the Astronomy Tower? I heard they're going to have barrels of fire whiskey and bags on bags of muggle herb." Theo inserted.

"Well not to toot my house's horn but everything you heard is true Theo my dear." Exie winked in Theo's direction.

Everyone at the table began to whisper to the person sitting next to them but I was at a loss.

"I didn't even know we were allowed to have parties." I said bewildered.

Ginny, Luna, Exie, Theo, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all stared at me like I'd lost my mind but then realization struck them.

"Oh Prue that's right you're new! As per Hogwarts tradition, every year on the last night of the term before everyone leaves for the holiday one house must throw an epic party for all the third through seventh years, without faculty finding out of course. Last year was the Slytherins turn and the year before that the Ravenclaws but neither one of them did very well." Hermione explained.