rivalry // larry au

04

''Ah, what about me?'' They held back their laughter as they watched him begin to get dramatic, ''Is it the gold specks in my sea blue eyes that you adore so much? My tendency to laugh really loud? Or are you still caught up over the fact that I abandoned you both for a legendary chocolate frog card on the seventh floor?''

Harry was about to respond when a new weight was added to his back, in addition to his bag. He grunted, ''Cara?''

''Yep!''

''You could've at least warned me first.'' He got out in a strained breath, her laugh overshadowing his sounds of pain.

''I could've..'' She shrugged, ''But I didn't.'' She laughed as he heard him let out a sigh; stopping once something caught her eye. ''Hey, uh, give me a second.''

''For wh-''

He grew quiet as she propped her elbows onto his shoulders, and her hands began to work on the scarf. ''And there. Fixed it!'' Cara patted him on his shoulder before hopping off his back, ''Oh, and you're totally welcome for saving your ass right there.''

Harry frowned, but then his eyes grew wide as he caught onto what she was talking about. ''Thanks, C. Niall told me to fix it earlier, but it slipped my mind.''

''Not a problem. And could you tell them to chill out the next time? They basically attacked your neck!'' Harry felt another amount of heads turn in their direction at those words. ''But with that dark blush on your cheeks, it's clear you didn't mind one second of it, did you?''

''Sh-shut up!'' he muttered as he shoved his hands into his pockets, really wishing that he knew a spell that he could cast to make the hood be able to fly over his head during moments like this.

''Ah, I'll leave you alone.'' Cara said to him, realizing she was probably going a bit too far with it. ''Plus I have got to head off to my next class, anyways. Bye, El!'' she said as she waved (which was returned back with a 'Bye C!')

''Later dorks!'' she called out before jumping up and ruffling Niall and Harry's hair, her boots squeaking against the floor, and her laughter ringing out as she ran past them, up the stairs and then turning the corner.

''Ah, isn't my cousin just the best?'' Niall muttered sarcastically, removing the blue snapback to fix his hair; his friend watching as his hair continued to grow wild at his attempts, before all three of them burst into laughter.

''So, are you guys still on for tonight?'' Harry questioned once their laughter died down, looking at his left and his right as he waited for their answers.

''Duh. Why would I miss my chance to totally slay you in a game of Exploding Snap?'' Niall asked, looking at the boy in the middle of the trio.

''Ni, you already know you're going to lose, so I don't even know why you would make that statement. And to say you're going to slay Harry? Ha!'' Eleanor shot back in a playful tone, causing him to give him a shake of his head.

Harry laughed in agreement, before turning and high fiving Eleanor.

''All three of us know that it is moi that will be the winner.'' she continued, a smug look on her face as she watched Harry's face fall.

''Wait, wh-''

''Now, El, instead of us being enemies, why don't we team up and get him?'' Niall threw out, pretending not to see the look of horror on Harry's face.

''Brilliant idea, Ni!'' She threw he arm around Harry's back to meet Niall's hand halfway with hers, the two sealing the deal.

''No, guys, we didn't-''

''We best be off..''

''..See you tonight, Harry!''

Without giving him another second to protest, they headed for the stairs.

''Wait!'' They heard him call out, before stepping and turning back around.

Harry drew in a breath before asking. ''Do we play in the common room or in our dormitories?''

Niall and Eleanor looked at one another, before Eleanor spoke up, ''Oh, we'll be playing in our dormitories.''

''In your dormitory or..?''

''In your dormitory, of course!''

''Oh, okay.''

They turned around, but Niall called out over his shoulder, ''Hey, just because we sleep in the same dormitory, does not mean we are going to sit there and spare you when the card game starts, Harry!''

Harry could hear his friends' groan even after he let out an over-dramatic groan. He smiled again, a smile making its way onto his face as he made his way up the steps, and went into the opposite direction; excited for the upcoming night.

A/N: I changed kendall to cara because she fits the character I have in mind way better! also, cara and niall are cousins because I thought that would be cute (('':