𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙤𝙪𝙨 ✍︎︎ 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙅𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

|𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁|

"I'm telling you, if I hear one more word from Hannah Abbott's mouth, I'll slap her without a second thought!" Isobel Macdougal shrieked, clutching her expensive muggle camera tightly in her hands.

"I'd slap her without thinking at all." Mariana chimed, laughing at her own comment. Hannah Abbott was a loud-mouthed Hufflepuff who did nothing but flip her blonde locks and gossip. Half of Hogwarts adored her, the other half loathed her.

The pair of Ravenclaw's pranced down the hallway, Mariana's pale arms nearly overflowing with other students essays. Writing was practically an instinct to Mariana, especially when she was getting paid to do it.

When they reached a fork in the corridor's, Isobel waved goodbye and turned left to the Ravenclaw Tower whereas Mariana had to turn right for the Hufflepuff Common Room, seeing as she had written many papers for them. The brunette was so preoccupied with sifting through the papers that she didn't notice her satchel slowly sliding off her shoulder and falling to a lump on the ground. Almost teasingly, books upon books flooded out of the bag.

"Merlin's beard, this can't get any better." Mariana muttered sarcastically as she bent down to collect the spilt out items. Out of the blue, a helping hand appeared and assisted with the task.

Mariana glanced up and was surprised to see none other than Cedric Diggory staring back at her. Shoving the last piece of parchment back into her bag, he clamped the buckle of the worn satchel and handed it over to her.

"You didn't have to do that. But, thank you." Mariana said, returning to a standing position.

"It's nothing, really. What are you doing with all those essays? I don't remember getting that many assigned as a third year." Mariana couldn't help but notice the fact he knew she was a third year, even though they had never directly spoken before.

Mariana shuffled her feet and smirked. "Perhaps, I'm running a secret business. You interested? For helping me, your first paper can be for free."

Cedric beamed. "Tempting, but no. I think I can handle myself."

"What? Afraid of getting help from a girl?"

"I'm afraid of getting help from a Ravenclaw. I know first hand that your bite is worse than your bark." Cedric said, tilting his head in amusement.

"Smart guy. Well, I do have to deliver these papers so..." Mariana's voice trailed off.

"Yeah, I get it. Well, uh, see you later then?" Cedric eyes gleamed with hope for a possible future interaction with the girl. Fortunately for him, she smiled brightly and nodded before walking off towards the Hufflepuff Common Room.

Even after the brunette disappeared from his line of sight, he was still staring at the spot she had just stood.

"Shit." Cedric said. Because he was in heaps of it.
-
It was halfway through December and finally time for the students of Hogwarts to return home for the holidays. Mariana Rosewood hurriedly rolled her luggage across the Hogwarts grounds, determined to deliver her best friend's their presents before she was late to the train.

The Great Hall was nearly empty when she arrived at the open double doors, only a few people from various houses dotted along the tables, no uniforms or formalities. Her trio, however, sat along the table closest to the wall, conversing enthusiastically between themselves.

Mariana smiled at the sight of them. Even if she'd only be gone for two weeks, she knew that she'd miss them more than anything. When she reached the table, all three misfits glanced up at her and goofily grinned.

"I've come with gifts!" She said as she propped her trunk on the table and snapped it open. Promptly, she pulled out three packages wrapped in colorful wrapping with twisting designs.

"But we didn't get you anything." Harry commented, suddenly feeling guilty that he hadn't thought to buy her a present. What if Dean had gotten her something? Harry's heart sunk at the thought.

"Speak for yourself, Harry. I bought her a new hair clip." Hermione announced, smiling at the sight of the gem-covered clip gorgeously clamped in Mariana's brown hair.

"Don't be foolish," Mariana plopped down beside Harry mid-sentence, "You didn't have to get me anything. Just enjoy your gifts."

Without any further resistance, the trio ripped open their presents, each of them equally surprised with the thoughtfulness of their gifts. Everyone knew how profitable the Rosewood family was, leading her friends to expect she'd buy them grand, glorious gifts. Instead, they were heartfelt and meaningful, something all the money in the world couldn't beat.

Ron's was a plain hoodie in the color orange, his very favorite color. "I know how much you hate wearing maroon all the time. And the knitted sweaters. I'll have you know that the hoodie is 100% polyester. I supposed it would give you a nice break."

Ron immediately tore his sweater off and replaced it with the hoodie, smiling all the while. "Blimey, this is the best gift I've ever received."

Hermione's was an exclusive copy of a muggle book titled The Book Thief, signed by the author. Not only was it Hermione's favorite book, but it was also the book that originally began her interest in reading.

"I-I don't know what to say. How did you get this?" Hermione's eyes were lit up with joy as she stared in awe at the book before her.

"It was a gift from Luna Lovegood for my twelfth birthday. She knew my father didn't allow me muggle books, so she sacrificed her copy. Now, I'm passing it on to you. Although, I know you'll never give that up to someone else."

Hermione hugged the book to her chest defensively. "Never."

Harry's gift was a snow globe. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Hermione and Ron had gotten amazing presents and his was...a snow globe?

Mariana laughed at his bewilderment. "Shake it, dimwit."

Reluctantly, he did. A lovely scene unfolded before him. It was of him, Mariana, Hermione and Ron. They were ice skating on a froze over pond, laughing and smiling. Harry smiled, but his uncertainty remained.

"It's enchanted. It shows whatever will make you happy in the current moment. Since you live with the Dursley's, I figured that might come in handy this summer." Mariana explained. Just as the last word left her lips, Harry captured her into a hug.

Harry's heart grew two sizes at the consideration of her gift. He breathed her in. She smelt like cinnamon with hints of vanilla. She looked like an angel sent from the peaks of Heaven. She felt like cold water on a scorching day, like reading during a thunderstorm, like jumping into a pile of colorful fall leaves. She was everything good and pure. There was no one else, Harry had decided.

And as they made their farewells and said their goodbyes, Harry realized something so
frightening that he couldn't even begin to decipher it.

He'd never fall out of love with her.