Helium | Harry J. Potter

47

HARRY's POV

I don't know why it's so hard for me to forgive Alura. Every person in that damn room did, but I just can't.

Now, I'm sitting at the pond - the spot that Alura showed me last year. This was a stupid place to hide from her, seeing as she was the one who discovered it. But maybe a part of me wants her to find me.

Just as I had that thought, I heard the grass crunch from a distance. I turned around to see Alura, who was now shouting my name.

Alura sat beside me on the dock, her legs crossed. "Harry, look-"

"Just don't," I whispered. She did all the talking in that room - now it's my turn. "I'm not mad at you anymore. I'm mad at myself because I'm not still upset with you." I scoffed. "I should be. It's so much easier than letting you back in."

"That's because we spent so much time hating and shutting each other out," she said in a low voice, barely above a whisper. "It's just what we know."

She was right: it's just what we know. "I don't want things to be like this forever," I said honestly. "It just takes time, Alura."

She nodded. "I know. I'll be here when you're ready as a friend." She smiled softly at me.

Sometimes I felt like she looked into my mind and knew what I needed. I surprised myself - and her - by reaching over to hug her. Alura hugged me back, and we stayed like that for a while.

ALURA's POV

There's an hour left until Christmas Eve dinner. Daphne decided to stay over while Ryle and Blaise went home. We've been catching each other up on our lives.

Daphne just finished telling me about a week-long crush she had, and after I proceeded to tell her about how Ryle and I dated for two weeks.

"Wait, you're kidding me?" Daphne laughed. "Why'd you two call it quits?"

I shrugged. "Wrong person."

"Well, I have to give it to you - Ryle is a great rebound guy. He's hot, seems like a good kisser, and can we talk about that smile-?"

I playfully hit Daphne's shoulder. Getting an idea, I mentioned, "Ryle is single at the moment... I could set you guys up."

Daphne scoffed. "I wouldn't do that to you."

"You're not doing anything to me, Daphne. Honestly, you guys would be cute together."

Daphne pretended to be in deep thought. Then she agreed, "Work your magic, Salvatore."

Stefan went above and beyond to impress Iris, it seems. The house has never been more spotless, and he even made his famous brownies. And he never makes his famous brownies.

"Iris will be here in two minutes! Please be on your best behavior," Stefan said, specifically to me and Harry. "And no random outbursts."

Now we sat in the living room, waiting for Iris's arrival. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Stefan quickly smoothed down his hair, asking everyone in the room how he looked. Then, he went to open the door.

When Stefan returned to the living room, a tall dark woman was with him. She smiled at everyone and introduced herself as Iris.

"Now I see why Stefan speaks so highly of her," Harry mumbled to both me and Sirius before getting up to greet her.

"You must be Harry," said Iris as she reached in to hug him. "And of course, you're Alura." She hugged me, and I found myself hugging her back as if she were my own mother. "I've heard a lot about you guys." She then said hello to Sirius, who she had already met.

"Okay, can we eat now? Stefan has been preparing this meal all day and it smells delicious!" Sirius said, which earned a laugh from Stefan.

A/N

I know this is short, but double-update today since I feel bad lolz. Also, there new character coming soon... he is drama