-Mine-( Harry Potter x Reader)

Chapter 8

" Tell me what are my words worth. Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die I don't belong, and my beloved, neither do you."

                                                                     -Taylor Swift-

                                                                      -The Lakes-

Y/n's pov.

The dawn broke gently over the horizon, casting a soft, golden light across the grounds of Hogwarts. Despite the threat that had loomed over us the night before, there was a quiet sense of peace in the air, as if the castle itself had exhaled, relieved to see another day. I blinked against the sunlight streaming through the window and stretched, still feeling the weight of last night's events lingering in the back of my mind.

After Harry, Hermione, and I had huddled together, comforting each other with whispered reassurances, sleep had come in brief fits. But now, in the light of day, that flicker of hope I'd felt when thinking of my Patronus seemed to burn a little brighter. The danger wasn't over, not by a long shot, but we had each other.

I sat up in bed and glanced at the silver doe pendant on my nightstand, a gift from my uncle, Professor Lupin. He'd always said it was a reminder of the light we carry within us, even when darkness is all around. I clutched it briefly, feeling its cool surface warm in my hand before setting it back down.

Pulling on my robes, I made my way down to the common room. Harry was already there, his brow furrowed as he stared into the fire. Hermione sat beside him, reading, her lips moving soundlessly as her finger traced along the page. Ron was nowhere to be found—probably in the Great Hall, stuffing his face with breakfast.

"Ready for another day?" I asked quietly, making my way over to them.

Harry looked up, his expression softening slightly. "As ready as we can be," he replied, though his voice held that determined edge it always did when things were weighing heavily on his mind.

Hermione closed her book and glanced between us. "I still can't believe Black was so close last night," she whispered. "How did he get into the castle?"

I shook my head. "I don't know, but I have a feeling it won't be the last time." My voice trailed off as I thought of the shadowy figure I'd seen in the corridor. A shiver ran down my spine, and I quickly pushed the memory aside.

Later that afternoon, after classes had let out, the three of us decided to head down to the lake. It was one of those rare October days where the sun still had a bit of warmth, and the crisp breeze made it perfect for an afternoon outdoors. We wandered down to the water's edge, the reflection of the castle shimmering in the surface.

Harry, being Harry, immediately bent down to pick up a handful of smooth, flat stones. "I'll bet I can skip this one farther than you, Ron."

Ron raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Not a chance, mate. I'm practically an expert."

"Right, because you skip rocks so often," Hermione teased, rolling her eyes as she sat down on the grass. I joined her, pulling my knees to my chest as I watched the boys launch stones across the lake.

Harry's first stone skipped four times before sinking with a soft splash, while Ron's barely managed three. They grinned at each other, already gearing up for another round of friendly competition. I picked up a stone of my own, feeling its cool, smooth surface in my hand before tossing it. The stone skipped gracefully five times before sinking, and both Harry and Ron looked over at me, impressed.