Barnaby Lee x Reader - Year 5

New Year Approaching

The friends were all on the train - they had to split into two compartments due to the sheer size of their group, but they all switched every now and then.

Lana was currently asleep on Barnaby, huddled up in his warm embrace. He looked down at her and smiled to himself, silently admiring her beauty. He didn't acknowledge the loud laughter of Tonks and Tulip, or the train's wheels rattling against the tracks, or Charlie's rambles about dragons.

He was too absorbed in the girl that was sleeping on him, head leaning against his chest, one arm across his torso while the other draped across his shoulders. He counted the few small freckles that dotted on her cheeks and nose, observed the way her long eyelashes flicked up, thick and black, noticed the way her brow furrowed and how she subconsciously pulled him closer when she had a bad thought.

"Barnaby!" Penny called, for the 5th time.

"Huh?" he hummed, barely taking his eyes off the girl.

"I said we're nearly there - you might wanna start waking Lana up soon." the blonde girl smiled.

"Right! Yeah, ok..." he replied, wishing they had more time on the train...and not wanting to go home.

"Lana?" he whispered, but she didn't stir, "Lana?" he said, a little louder this time as he gently shook her.

She sat up, but her eyes were still closed. "Lana?" he said again, staring at her as she rubbed her cheek.

"Hi..." she mumbled, before flopping back down and snuggling into him.

"Lana, we're nearly at the station. You need to wake up." he chuckled, trying to push her off of him.

"But I don't want to..." she said sleepily, eyes fluttering open.

"But you need to."

"But, no." she said, eyes fully open now, "You're comfy, I'm tired, it's the perfect combination!"

"I'd love to, but look! I can see the station from here - we're slowing down." Barnaby said, looking out the window.

"Ugh, fine." she pouted.

"I love you." Barnaby grinned, pecking her lips before standing up and leaving the compartment.

"I love you too..." she sighed, staring after him.

************************************************************************

"I can't believe we're sixth years now..." Lana sighed, leaning her head on Barnaby's shoulder once all their other friends had gone home for the summer.

They were sat on their trunks at the side of the station, waiting for Lana's parents to pick her up.

"We're not sixth years yet. We have to wait until we go back to school!" Barnaby stated, "Or did I miss something?" he frowned.

"You didn't miss anything." she chuckled, cupping his cheeks and kissing him, feeling him smile against her lips and pull her closer by her waist.

"I'm really gonna miss you." he sighed once they parted.

"I'm really gonna miss you, too." the girl said, tracing his chiseled cheekbones with her finger.

"It's not long though, right? 6 weeks? I'll be fine!" Barnaby said, trying to reassure himself.

"Barny, look at me." Lana said, turning his head so that they locked eyes, "If that woman so much as lays a finger on you, you beat her down until she can't stand, you hear me? I don't want you to feel like you can't use all this muscle in your own defence." she said, squeezing his biceps, "Or if not, you write to me and I'll come and slap her back to hell where she belongs."

"Sure." he chuckled, leaning his forehead against hers, "I love you so much." he whispered, looking into her big brown eyes.

"I love you so much, too. Never forget it." she smiled, kissing him softly.

"Lana!" Lana's mum called from a little way behind Barnaby.

"Shit. My parents." she muttered, standing up abruptly, "Mum! Dad!" she grinned, hugging her parents.

"Oh, who's this young man?" the older woman asked, looking at Barnaby.

"Oh, this is Barnaby. He's my, um...friend." Lana said, as she didn't want them to know she had a boyfriend.

"Lovely to meet you, Barnaby." Lana's mum smiled.

"You too." the boy smiled back.

"Well, we must be going now. Come on, Lana." her dad said.

"You two go on, I'll catch up."

"Ok, darling, don't be long." her mum called as they walked away.

As soon as they were out of sight, Lana flung her arms around Barnaby, holding him tightly and digging her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms tightly around her back, burying his face in her hair as he inhaled her scent.

"I'll think of you everyday, and write to you as often as I can." she said over his shoulder.

"Me too." he said, kissing her neck.

"You're so amazing, and lovely, and handsome, and brave, and loyal and kind and don't let anyone make you think that you're not." Lana's said, looking into his sparkling green eyes.

"Thank you, baby." he smiled, kissing her lovingly, pulling her impossibly closer.

"I need to go..." she breathed as they broke apart.

"I know."

"I'll see you soon." she said, kissing him again, letting her lips linger for a second.

"I love you." he said, lips brushing against hers before pecking them one last time.

"I love you too." she said, a sad smile overtaking her face as she picked up her trunk and walked away, turning around to wave at him every other step.

Barnaby stood there and watched as she ran to catch up with her parents and sighed. He missed her already and she'd only been gone a few seconds. Maybe it was the thought of going home that made him feel alone. There was nobody there except his grandmother, who was abusive towards him and had been his whole childhood.

He took one last look at the station and headed off home by himself, walking the whole way as his grandmother wouldn't come and get him, plus pure-blood wizards didn't have cars. Once he arrived at his door, he took a deep breath and walked in, bracing himself for the long summer ahead...

hi friends!
it's done! it's finished! agh I'm so excited for the next book!
thank you so much for reading, if you've read all of this book I'm so grateful to all of you beautiful people! stay tuned and I'll see you soon :)
byeee <3