Ten Questions (Harry Potter x Slytherin reader)

Chapter 39

I don't tell anyone where I am going the morning of the meeting at the hogs head. Thinking I had woken up with a fever, Daphne and Blaise had left without me to spend the day at the three broomsticks, along with several other people that I had hoped to avoid. When I peek my head out of the girls dormitory and see that the common room is completely empty, I swiftly leave and start to make my way to Hogsmeade, making sure that none of my housemates are watching.

It felt odd, lying to Daphne and Blaise. While there were lots I didn't tell my friends, most notably the fact that Harry James Potter was my boyfriend, I felt particularly uneasy about not telling them about this secret meeting. I wondered to myself if any other of my housemates would be in attendance, then quickly dismissed the thought. As long as Draco Malfoy and Harry hated each other, there was no way that Harry would allow any other Slytherins to join his secret club.

It was only when I had entered the Hogsmeade village that I realized what an idiot Harry was for even thinking about organizing something like this. If Umbridge ever found out, who knows what would even happen to him. After what she had done to him in detention, I was surprised he would do something so bold, until I reminded myself that it was painfully on brand for him to do something like this.

Standing in front of the door to the hogs head, my heart begins to pound.

What am I even doing here?

I think about leaving for a moment, and then take a deep breath. I don't give myself any more time to convince myself to leave and push the door open, and my eyes immediately widen when I see that dozens of Hogwarts students fill up the small pub. Standing across the room, Harry's gaze meets mine at the same time, and his eyes quickly light up. Pushing through the small crowd of people, he swiftly makes his way towards me.

"I thought there were only going to be a few people, Harry. This is madness," I say as Harry finally reaches me.

Harry looks just as anxious as I am. It looks like he has been sweating, and he begins to nod furiously, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

"I know," he says, exasperated. "Hermione organized the whole thing. I had no idea..." he falters for a moment, looking absolutely overwhelmed. "I'm just glad you're here now. We're about to start."

He then grabs my arm and drags me across the pub and onto a small platform at the back corner where everybody is facing. Although I don't show it, my heart begins to race when I see several students glare at me, their eyes lingering on my green and silver tie, no doubt wondering why I am here.

In twos and threes the new arrivals settle around Harry, Ron, Hermione and me, some looking rather excited and others curious. When everybody has pulled up a chair, the chatter dies out, all looking at Harry expectantly. 

Hermione is first to break the silence.

"Er," says Hermione, her voice slightly higher than usual out of nerves. "Well — er — hi."

The group focuses its attention on her instead, though eyes continue to dart back regularly to Harry and me.

"Well . . . erm . . . well, you know why you're here. Erm . . . well, Harry here had the idea - I mean" - Harry shoots a glare at Hermione - "I had the idea - that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts - and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts."

There are a few encouraging cheers from the crowd, and Hermione straightens at this, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"I thought it would be good if we took matters into our own hands." She pauses, looks sideways at Harry, and goes on, "And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells —"