Memories of the Heart || Harry Potter x Reader

Y5 ~ Thestral

The castle grounds were steeped in gloom, an overcast sky pressing heavily on the students below. A dense layer of dark clouds stretched over Hogwarts, echoing the tension that gripped the air. The once lively grounds were eerily quiet, save for the crunch of boots on gravel and the occasional call of a raven overhead. It was as though the castle itself understood the gravity of the moment—OWLs had arrived.

Within the castle, the corridors bustled with hurried footsteps and murmurs of panicked revision. Y/N and Hermione had taken up residence in the library, their table stacked high with textbooks and parchment. Ink stains marked Y/N's fingers as she scribbled notes at a frenetic pace. Beside her, Hermione whispered incantations under her breath, practicing wand movements subtly to avoid Madam Pince's wrath.

Harry and Ron lingered nearby, both less focused but nonetheless present. Harry's gaze flicked to Y/N every so often, his expression unreadable. Things between them had shifted. Their heated argument over Y/N's frequent detentions had left a scar, though they'd managed to smooth things over on the surface. Still, an unspoken tension lingered between them, a ghost of something unresolved.

For Harry, the memory of their kiss in the Room of Requirement was both a comfort and a curse. It had been a moment of promise, yet here they were, stuck in this strange limbo. The argument had unraveled the thread connecting them, and Harry didn't know how to tie it back together. What troubled him more was Draco Malfoy's sudden and unexpected defense of Y/N during their last encounter.

Why would Malfoy, of all people, step in? Harry thought as he absentmindedly flipped through a Potions textbook. Y/N hadn't offered any explanation, and Draco hadn't been seen with her since, leaving Harry suspicious but without answers.

Meanwhile, Y/N found herself spending more and more time with Draco. Their stolen moments in the Astronomy Tower became a sanctuary away from Umbridge's watchful eye. Under the pale glow of the stars, their conversations grew intimate, their laughter unguarded.

One evening, Draco had reached for her hand as they gazed out over the Forbidden Forest. Y/N hesitated only a moment before intertwining her fingers with his, feeling a strange warmth settle in her chest. His smirks, once infuriating, now made her heart race.

Her feelings for Draco were new and confusing. She tried to tell herself it was harmless, a distraction from the stress of exams and her complicated dynamic with Harry. Yet every time Draco's hand brushed against hers or his eyes lingered on her across the Great Hall, her resolve wavered.

One morning, as Y/N walked past Draco in the corridor, he smirked and whispered, "Looking lovely today, Nightengale." Her cheeks turned pink, and she quickly glanced away, only to meet Harry's concerned gaze.

"You all right?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed.

"It's just... cold," Y/N lied, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck.

Harry didn't seem convinced but let it go, leaving Y/N feeling both guilty and oddly exhilarated.

...

The day of the OWL exams dawned with a tense stillness over Hogwarts. Fifth-year students shuffled nervously into the Great Hall, their faces pale and drawn as they settled into their seats. The long tables had been replaced with individual desks, each equipped with a roll of parchment, an inkpot, and a quill. Sunlight filtered weakly through the enchanted ceiling, illuminating the oppressive air of anxiety that hung heavy in the room.

Y/N sat stiffly at her desk, her fingers trembling slightly as she dipped her quill into the inkpot for what felt like the hundredth time. Her parchment was littered with barely legible answers, the stress making her normally fluid handwriting jagged and uneven. She stole a glance upward, her eyes narrowing as they settled on Dolores Umbridge.