𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝐿𝑋𝑋𝑋𝐼𝐼.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩-𝙩𝙬𝙤

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

CAROLINE WAITED UNTIL her eyes were dry to go back to the common room. She couldn't let anyone knew where she had really been, what she had learned. Caroline didn't have to, and Draco didn't deserve it, but Caroline would keep his secret. Maybe he would do her a favour sometime down the line. Her friends were in the common room, Ginny included. "You're getting rid of that book. Right now." Caroline ordered, stopping in front of where Hermione, Ron and Ginny were sitting, laying eyes on Harry.

        Harry didn't move. "What were you doing with Malfoy?" he returned, looking away from the book and up at her.

        "You're spying on me now?" Caroline scoffed. She wasn't in the mood for Harry's dramatics.

        "I was worried about you. I knew you weren't studying. So I checked the Map. What were you doing with Malfoy?" Harry asked again. Ron, Hermione and Ginny were afraid to breathe wrong as they watched the scene in front of them.

        "Nothing that concerns you." Caroline pushed her curly hair over her shoulder.

        Harry scoffed, almost laughing. "He's dangerous, Carol. He hexed Katie, he's probably working for You-Know-Who." Harry said. Caroline knew this, he didn't know he had to say it again.

        Caroline opened her mouth and closed it. "I needed answers. He had them. Simple as that." she settled on saying. Her friends shared glances, Caroline saw this.

        "What answers?" Harry asked, his voice softening. It never crossed his mind once that Caroline was cheating on him, because he knew she never would. He was just worried for her safety, and Caroline understood that.

        "I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone. You just have to trust me, that I did what needed to be done. There's no unfinished business," Caroline sat down beside Harry. "You could've killed him, Harry," Caroline whispered, Harry nodding shakily. "You have to get rid of it."

        Caroline took Harry to the Room of Requirement. "Why in here?" Harry asked, holding Caroline's hand tightly.

        She turned to face him. "You never know what it'll become. When it changes, it takes everything with it. We have to hide the book where it'll never be found." Caroline said.

        Harry nodded, both of them jumping slightly at an animal of some kind making noises. They followed the sounds and arrived at a cabinet. Harry opened the doors, and a bird flew out, chirping as it flapped its wing, free. Harry stepped towards Caroline again, the book at its side. "I trust you." he said.

        "I know," Caroline said gently. She walked up to him. "Close your eyes," she said, and when he didn't, too enamoured with her, she took his glasses off. "You can't be tempted. Close them." Caroline took the book from Harry's hand, slowly walking away from him.

        She hid the book deep in the Room of Requirement, even closing her own eyes so she couldn't see where in the mess she had placed it. Once Caroline hid the book successfully, she walked back over to Harry. He looked so peaceful. She stepped in front of him, pressing her lips to his. Harry relaxed against her, pulling Caroline closer by her hips while she deepened the kiss.

        Breathing heavily, her hands tugging on Harry's hair, Caroline wished they could take things further, but they couldn't. Not there. Harry seemed to understand this and broke away from her, still holding her tight. "Lana, I want to look at your beautiful face, but I can't because you have my glasses." Harry said, squinting.

        Caroline smiled, fishing Harry's glasses from her pocket. She placed them on his face, and once he could see, her kissed her again. "The book's gone. Your obsession with Draco has to end." Caroline said, holding Harry's jacket in her soft grip.

        Harry nodded. He knew he had to let it go, and he would. "I love you. More than anything." Harry whispered.

        Caroline wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. "I love you, too. More than anything." she said back, quiet, soft. The way it was supposed to be.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

HARRY HAD A new brilliant idea to get the memory Dumbledore needed from Slughorn. Liquid Luck. Caroline wasn't exactly comfortable with Harry drinking the potion and then wandering around the castle, but he needed to get the memory. His girlfriend and best friends sat in front of him as he drank the potion. "How do you feel?" Caroline asked, leaning back on her knees before the sofa.

        Harry smiled. It was a smile Caroline had rarely seen before. "Excellent. Really excellent." Harry said. His voice was lighter too, like it wasn't chained down. He stood up, the others joining him on their feet.

        "Remember. Slughorn usually eats early, takes a walk and then returns to his office." Hermione said slowly as Harry looked around the common room.

        "Right. I'm going down to Hagrid's." Harry announced, Caroline's eyes widening.

        Harry began to walk towards the portrait hole. "Are you mad? Harry, you've got to try to speak to Slughorn." Caroline reminded him, following him with Hermione and Ron following her.

        "We have a plan." Hermione added, but Harry had a mind of his own.

        Harry turned, stopping in front of the portrait hole. "I know, but I've got a really good feeling about Hagrid's. I feel it's-it's the place to be tonight. Do you know what I mean?" Harry asked.

        "No." Ron said.

        "No." Hermione shook her head.

        "No." Caroline spoke at the same time as the other two.

        Harry shrugged. "Well, trust me. I know what I'm doing. Or Felix does," Harry stepped towards Caroline, placing a firm, long kiss on her lips, her eyes widening in surprise at his advances. Once he released her, Harry turned to leave. "Hi!" he greeted an incoming student.

        Caroline was still rooted in place. "Someone's gonna die." she said, shaking off Harry's sudden affection. It was agonising, waiting for him to come back. Once he did, Caroline threw herself into him, holding him tightly. It was there, in a hushed corner of the common room, that Harry told Caroline everything he had found out. He had to leave with Professor Dumbledore that evening, but there was something he needed to do first. Caroline followed him. She would always follow him.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —