𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝐿𝑋𝑋𝑋.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙮

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

ROMILDA VANE HAD the audacity to wave at Harry in the common room the next morning, so Caroline lost all traces of composure. She punched her, once. Not nearly as hard as she could have. "Stay away from Harry, and stay away from me." Caroline warned, wiping off her fist as she walked away from a whimpering Romilda.

        Harry sighed. "Well, you didn't miss." he said, holding up Caroline's right hand in front of his eyes. She had managed to control her tremors enough to hit Romilda. It wasn't a good thing, but maybe it wasn't a bad thing.

        The pair left the common room quickly. News spread quickly around the castle, and by midday, everyone was talking about what Caroline had done. Nearly everyone was on Caroline's side, not that she cared. "It was so reckless, Caroline." Hermione said with a sigh, sitting beside Caroline.

        The girl rolled her eyes. "Add it to the list." Caroline turned a page in her book. Hermione looked at Harry, the boy signifying he was not getting involved. Harry looked back down at his Potions book, flipping through it.

        Lunch was peaceful, besides Lavender and Romilda sitting where they could stare violently at Caroline and Hermione, not that either of them paid attention. Professor Mcgonagall marched into the Great Hall, stopping at Caroline's side. "You have two choices; a talk with me, or a Howler from your godparents." Mcgonagall said, people tuning in to the conversation.

        Caroline closed her book. "Would it offend you if I picked option one?" she asked, Harry biting back a smile.

        Professor Mcgonagall sighed in annoyance and Caroline stood up, the professor pushing her forward towards the doors. They went to Mcgonagall's office, Caroline sitting down in front of the woman's desk. "You are a very violent individual. Which surprises me, because you are one of the sweetest and most well-mannered students I have ever taught." Mcgonagall said, taking off her hat.

        "How am I violent? I've only ever punched two people." Caroline said, fixing her tie. Her hair was tamed and smoothed into a high ponytail, her fresh curls occupying space behind her head.

        Professor Mcgongall pulled a piece of parchment from her desk drawers. "First term, first year, you kicked Pansy Parkinson. Second term, first year, you kicked Pansy Parkinson again. First term, second year, you shoved Justin Finch-Fletchley. Second term, second year, you slapped Vincent Crabbe. Second term, third year, you punched Draco Malfoy. Surprisingly, nothing fourth year, probably because you were too busy staring at Potter. Second term, fifth year, you punched Draco Malfoy five times. Now, today, second term, sixth year, you punched Romilda Vane. This list does not include your many verbal altercations, of course." Mcgonagall listed.

        Caroline frowned. "Okay, yes, it sounds bad, but I was always provoked, and my supposed violent tendencies were in response to bullying." she defended herself, her right hand shaking.

        "You have problems regulating your anger. I understand that, given your circumstances. But what exactly did Romilda Vane do?" Professor Mcgonagall was eager to get to the bottom of Caroline's latest altercation.

        "She's been obsessing over Harry all year. She even asked me if we were together, and when I said yes, she still wouldn't leave him alone. We only went to Professor Slughorn the other night because Ron had eaten candies spiked with love potion. Romilda sent Harry a box of love potion, so I punched her." Caroline said theatrically.

        Professor Mcgonagall sighed. "I will speak to her. But, Caroline, keep your hands and legs away from your classmates' bodies," she said with gritted teeth. "Otherwise, I will give you Remus and Tonks' Howler in front of the entire school at dinner this evening. Am I clear?" Mcgonagall asked.

        Caroline nodded, and Mcgonagall dismissed her, letting her go back to the Great Hall. "Cleared of all charges." Caroline said as she sat down beside Hermione, across from Harry, once more.

        "Did she bring out the list?" Harry asked, looking up from his book.

        "Of course she did. And by the way, half of the incidents on there are because I was defending you, hitting the people you couldn't." Caroline said to Harry, placing her book into her bag.

        "Thank you?" Harry said, figuring that saying that was the safest option.

        The day was calm, and the three friends visited Ron in the hospital wing after dinner. Romilda Vane was crying in the corridor after leaving Mcgonagall's office, but Harry and Caroline kept moving, going to the Astronomy Tower. Caroline had an assignment to work on, and Harry was bored. As she drew a star chart of a bright constellation, Harry wrote in his journal.

        When he had filled up his journal with what he needed to write, Harry turned to Caroline, continuously coiling her curls between his fingers. "Harry?" Caroline asked, trying to focus.

        "Yeah?" Harry asked, his breath fanning Caroline's neck.

        "You're doing it again." Caroline bit her lip as Harry's fingers left her hair and rolled down to her neck, messing around with her necklace.

        "Flustering you?" Harry said with a smile he only ever showed Caroline.

        She continued working on her chart as best as she could. "Annoying me." Caroline was doing well enough with her hand exercises that she could use her right hand for a little bit, before she switched to her left. That was good.

        Harry removed all traces of contact with her after kissing her temple, shifting impossibly closer. He grabbed a quill from her bag and helped her with the chart she was drawing, getting chastised for being too messy, so he tried harder. "Thank you." Caroline said once the chart was completed, rolling it up and placing it in her bag.

        They stood up, and Harry caught Caroline's jaw, kissing her firmly, her hands holding his tie. "Are you done punching people?" Harry asked, thumbs on Caroline's golden brown face.

        "For now." Caroline said with a light smile, and Harry rolled his eyes, kissing her again before taking Caroline by the hand, walking with her to the common room. They read from her poetry book on the sofa by the fire, Penny and Marie in their laps. That was right. That was nice.

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