Second Chance || Harry Potter x Reader

Boys. | ˚₊✩‧₊

Y/n's Pov
。ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈·ﾟ。

The first day of classes always had a special buzz around it—a mix of nerves, excitement, and a tinge of dread. I woke up with the first light streaming through the window of Ravenclaw Tower, feeling oddly alert and ready to take on the day. It wasn't just the anticipation of a new school year that had me feeling this way. Last night had been...

Wonderful.

Harry had caught me just outside the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower. It was strange, really—of all places, I had no idea why he was there. I did wonder what brought him to that side of the castle. He approached me, looking stressed, but something else was screaming like there was more going on.

Harry agreed to go on a walk and we were on our way through the corridors. The moon was high, casting a silver light on the dewy stone paths. We'd talked for hours about everything and nothing—about our summer together at Grimmauld Place, how I did with my final project at my internship, and our excitement for the semester. His presence had felt comforting, and the warmth in his eyes every time he looked at made my heart flutter. There had been a moment—a beautiful, almost electric moment—when it seemed like he might kiss me. But instead, he brushed a stray hair from my face, his touch lingering for just a second too long. The gestures had left me breathless, my cheeks flushed.

I replayed that moment in my mind as I dressed quietly, careful to not wake up my still-sleeping dorm mates. On my way down the spiral staircase that led out of the tower, I bumped right into Luna Lovegood. She was standing in the middle of the landing, staring out a window with a far-off expression on her face. Luna noticed me and gave a small, dreamy wave. I couldn't help but smile at her. There was something about Luna's calm presence that always put me at ease.

"Hey, Luna," I greeted her. "Would you like to join me for breakfast in the Great Hall?"

Luna tilted her head slightly, considering the question as if it were the most profound thing she had ever been asked. Then, she nodded. "Yes, I think I'd like that."

We walked side by side through the castle corridors, the sound of our footsteps echoing softly against the ancient stone walls. Luna was quiet for most of the walk, but it was a comfortable silence—one that I didn't feel the need to fill with idle chatter. It wasn't until we reached the staircases that she spoke up.

"What's it like for you, being here at Hogwarts?" Luna asked, her voice soft but curious.

I pondered her question, my mind drifting back to my first few years here. "It was...rough at first," I admitted, feeling the weight of those early memories. "I was just this shy girl who didn't really know where she fit in. But I had one friend—Padma Patil. We were both sorted into Ravenclaw, but her twin sister, Parvati, ended up in Gryffindor."

Luna nodded, her wide eyes watching me with that unwavering, almost unnerving attention she had. "Must've been hard for them."

"It was," I agreed, remembering the sad look in Padma's eyes when she realized she'd be separated from her sister. "I could see how sad she was, and I guess I just...swooped in. We became best friends after that."

"But something happened?" Luna prompted, sensing where the story was going.

I nodded, the memory of that time still a bit raw. "In our third year, things just...changed. I don't know why, but suddenly, she distanced herself from me. And then, out of nowhere, the rumors started. I never knew what caused them, but before I knew it, other Ravenclaw girls started to drop me too. Maybe it was because I was always competing with Hermione, trying to prove myself as smart as her. Maybe I just rubbed people the wrong way. I don't know."