𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 45

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH HE TAKES 
A GAMBLE

. . .

Harry couldn't help but smile at the thought of meeting up with Jane the following day, leaving Privet Drive as early as he dared and making his way back to the tree that had served as the teens' meeting point during the very beginning of their shared summer.

It had been a while since they met there instead of the Adley Manor, but following Jane's words the night before, Harry had suggested they returned to old habits and spend days out in the sun, rather than in the house like it had been for a while due to preparations for the garden party.

To his surprise, when he passed over the Green Bridge and made his way over the grassy banking besides the river, Jane was already there. She was back in the same flowery dress that she had worn on the day they met. Harry was thrown by the parellels of their relationship between now and then; before he had barely been able to speak to her, too wary by the meeting to feel comfortable.

But then the days had gone by in the summer heat and they grew closer. It began when Harry saw just how understanding she was and managed to open up to her a little more and slowly but surely, he became more reassured by her presence. Then, since the day when they first discovered the warerfall on the rocks, everything seemed so easy and simple. 

They naturally came together, hands brushing as they walked, then slowly progressing further. Then they were holding hands, legs pressed together when they sat side by side, book balanced between them. Then there were hugs and kisses on the cheeks, head resting on shoulders and laying together as they stargazed.

And now there was the prospect of a kiss on the horizon, and everything just seemed warm and fuzy. 

Jane was sat on the ground, back hunched over slightly as she focused on the notepad in her hands. Her skirt was flowing out around her, resting over her legs and standing out a grass. An idea sparked in Harry's mind, the smile only widening as he took quicker strides towards her. 

Perhaps it came from the hugs of the previous week, the initiation of a single one changing Harry like a switch had flicked. Suddenly, he wanted to return every single act of affection. 

The girl jumped out of her skin when she felt arms wrap around her waist, but without even needing to turn around she could sense it was him, feeling his chin balance on his shoulder. 

Sudden realisation hit and she closed the notepad with a snap, a smile covering her lips as her own hands snaked over his, hands meeting over her stomach. "You're in a good mood." She mumbled, barely even turning her head to see him, already in such a close proximity. "Does it have anything to do with last night."

"Perhaps." Harry wasn't too sure whether it was just that or after hugging her the other night as well, but he swayed a little from side to side before letting go, hands sliding apart as Harry moved to sit in front of her, eyes casting over the notebook. "What's this?"

"Nothing." Jane replied, pulling the notebook into her bag. "Don't look at me like that." She grinned. "I promise you, it's nothing."

"Fine, fine." Harry shook his head gently. It wasn't hard to figure out what Jane had been sharing her focus on since the day before; Harry had told her it was his birthday just two days away from the date, and although he had made her promise not to do anything too big, that didn't mean she wasn't going to do nothing at all.

It was just that he didn't know what she was planning. After everything that she had done for him, Harry knew she wasn't about to give that habit up for his birthday of all things.

"I brought you breakfast, by the way." Jane sat up, adjusting her position so that she was closer to him, their knees brushing. "We made croissants, so hopefully they're still a little warm."

She pressed a brown, slightly greasy paper bag into his hands, and he opened it to reveal three of the pastrys, all rather small. Two of them seemed to be the normal butter ones, but a third had pink stripes.

"It's raspberry. And here's hot chocolate for the first two." She held out a flask to him. "Flora told me that they're really nice if you dip them in... and she's right. Careful, it might be hot but I think I put in enough milk to cool it down." 

Harry still couldn't quite grasp just how nice she was, accepting the breakfast without a question and tucking in. He felt more at peace now that he had for a while; the early morning peace of quiet Sunday morning with croissants and a pretty girl putting his mind at ease.

He felt stupid for ever thinking that he wanted to be rescued by the Weasleys or Sirius. The holidays were turning out to be the best of his life, and it waas even getting to the point that he was regretting even having to go back to Hogwarts by the time September came. 

"So, planning on starting your search soon?" Jane's eyes flickered with a certain appealing mischief, reaching past him as he took thee last bite of his croissant and plucking something from the ground. The material of her dress brushed along his leg before settling as she sat back down. 

Between her index finger and thumb was a three-leafed clover. "Ah, what a shame." Jane shook her head, reaching to collect up the brown bag and flask, stuffing it in her bag. 

Harry glanced around, turning to the patch of green that Jane had retrieved her's from. The Everleigh girl watched him with a renewed interest. He found a second, plucking one of the leafs from the plant and placing it amongst the one in Jane's hand. 

"There." He said, suddenly feeling rather bashful and smiling slightly, hopeful.

Jane stared at the makeshift four-leafed clover in her hand as if it held some untold secret of the centuries. Contemplating, she tilted her head before reaching out with her spare hand, taking Harry's and face it palm-up, discard the tiny plant. 

"You're not getting it that easily." She shook her head, but despite the rejection, Harry was still grinning. 

There was a look of uncertainty in her eyes, and Harry knew it wouldn't be too hard to sway her with a second or third adjusted one.

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a/n
thank you so so 
much for 100k reads
on this it means the world
<33