𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑉𝐼.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮-𝙨𝙞𝙭

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

CAROLINE SAT ACROSS from Harry on the quiet train as it made its way to King's Cross. None of their friends were going home for Christmas, save for Hermione, who had left at dawn, so it was just Harry and Caroline. Hedwig was sitting next to Harry, and Caroline had Penny on her lap. They had barely spoken, the awkward feelings from the Ball still present.

      Harry was looking at Caroline, trying to think of a way to make conversation. He just wanted to hear her voice. "Your dress," he said, making Caroline look up from her cat. "where did you get it?"

      Caroline smiled lightly. "Remus sent it to me. It was my mum's." she said, fingers delicately brushing across Penny's fur. She didn't know where to look, but Harry hoped he would look at him.

      "It looked great on you." Harry said. Caroline looked up at Harry, and she smiled gratefully.

      "Thank you. Did you have a nice time with Parvati?" she asked, her brown eyes locked onto Harry's emerald green ones, hidden behind his glasses.

      Harry nodded. "Yeah, uh, it was fine. You and Dean?"

      "We had a nice time," Caroline answered. There was tension in the compartment, and Caroline knew Harry could feel it. She wanted to act on it, and she doubted that he would. "Harry, I don't want it to be weird between us like it's been. It's Christmas, and Christmas is my favorite holiday."

      "I know. I'm sorry, Carol." Harry said quietly, stroking his owl's feathers.

      Caroline studied him, watching the way his face moved. "Why are you sorry?" she asked, slowly, softly.

      Harry sighed. There was no point in hiding anything now. He hated hiding things, especially from her. "That I didn't ask you to the Ball."

      "You wanted to?" Caroline asked, eyes wide. She knew she wanted to go with Harry, but Caroline didn't know that he wanted to go with her. Maybe just as much.

      He nodded, hair falling over his face. He brushed it away. "I just... I just didn't know how to ask you. I'm sorry." Harry broke eye contact, looking away.

      "It's alright, Harry, really. Yes, of course it would have been nice to have gone with you, but maybe everything does happen for a reason." Caroline said, and Harry looked at her again.

      She read that in a book, Harry thought. "You believe that?"

      She nodded. "I'm choosing to. Sometimes it's nice to think that they died for a real reason." Harry knew exactly who she was talking about.

      "They did. For you and I. Even if it doesn't feel like that sometimes." Harry said gently. He understood, and she did too. It was like an unspoken agreement between the two.

      Caroline smiled at him, and Harry relished it. "Positivity. I like it." she chuckled, and Harry did too.

      Harry eyed the poetry book sticking out of Caroline's bag, and he remembered when she read him a poem that afternoon after his Quidditich match last year. He loved listening to her speak. "Do you have any poems in that book of yours you think I'd like?" Harry asked, pointing to her book.

      Caroline pulled it out of her bag. "I can think of a fair few," she answered. "I'd have to sit next to you in order for you to get the entire experience, though." Caroline said, examining her most prized possession.