Wildfire • D.M

T w e l v e

Alora had been on edge all day.
Harry, Ron and hermione all seemed to notice how she would constantly stare into a blank space without noticing or not pay attention in class as per usual. She had been out of sorts all day and the group, especially Harry, became worried. Something was off and they suspected it was the crimson coloured letter she received that morning.

Later in the afternoon Harry decided to finally confront her on the topic. He approached her slowly by the fireplace where he was surprised to see the red envelope clasped tightly into her hand. She seemed dazed as she stared deeply into the bright flames.

"Alora." He called out to her gently.

She turned and blinked back into reality. "Oh sorry, I was doing it again wasn't I?... mindlessly staring." She scolded herself quietly before redirecting her attention to harry.

"It's okay. But are you... okay?" He questioned. "That letter you received, you acted different after reading it." He worried.

Alora looked at him and sighed. She opened her hand and the crumpled paper unfolded slightly, she looked at it with resentment. Harry felt disheartened when he noticed her sullen expression.

"You should burn it." He concluded.

"What?"

"The letter, I don't know what's inside it but if it's causing you this much grief you should burn it." He suggested.
Alora smiled solemnly at his consideration for her. In this situation most would be curious to read the letter however, harry put his curiosity aside to consider her feelings.
She hastily dropped the paper into the burning flames.

The flames devoured the materials and diminished the contents with its heat and into a pile of ashes.
"Thanks harry." She spoke softly.

"Tell me honestly, is something truly bothering you? Tell me and I can help you fix it." He said supportively.

She knew harry was someone she could trust, he was reasonable, caring and considerate and she felt like she could share things with him. However, she didn't want to burden him with her troubles, that was until she realised that not telling him only burdened him more with worries.

"It's complicated.." she began, her voice slightly nervous. "I trust you harry. A lot."

He payed attention to every detail of her shaky tone. She was clearly so scared to reveal her secret that it showed through her demeanour. Harry was grateful she was willing to open up to him. He listened intently.

"And that's why I'm telling you this...

When I was younger, when my mother took me in, we never stayed in one place. We often moved homes frequently and sometimes we would even move into muggle communities if necessary.
Because of this I never was allowed to make friends because it'd only be a matter of time before we'd get up and leave again.
When I was eight we thought we'd finally found a home and settled, it was quaint and fairly isolated.. there was another wizarding family living on the other side of the forest clearance.
One day I was playing a little too close to the forest where the wild flowers grew when a boy appeared from the trees, he was our age. He told me his name was kade and we instantly became close to each other, closer than we've been with anyone else. We told each other everything."  She reminisced with a solemn smile.

"When we were nine we were inseparable, it was the longest me and my mother had ever stayed in a home before. Kade and I met by the forest clearing, where the flowers grew, almost everyday without our parents knowing.

I didn't know then that things would turn out the way they did.

He became overprotective, hateful and possessive to the point where he brutally hexed my classmate for walking me home. I  realised he wasn't as kind as I had perceived.
I didn't know him as well as I thought I did.
When I was ten I played too close to the flowers and tripped to find that the flowers were actually covered in thorns. He told me that 'the prettiest ones are often the most dangerous and will hurt you the most.' With the most threatening expression I've ever seen.
He didn't like when distanced myself and would make threats.

When I got my acceptance letter to Hogwarts I thought I found my chance to escape so we packed up and left without saying a word. Kade became furious.
And now I know he will stop at nothing to find my whereabouts and hurt me again." She spoke nervously, choking on her words.

Harry looked at her in confusion.
"Alora..."  was all Harry managed to say. He was too overwhelmed by the information to say anything else.

"T-That letter.." he stumbled over his words.

"That was from kade. He knows." She screwed her eyes shut regretfully.

"But how?" Harry asked hastily.

"The day we went to hogsmead, I thought I saw him there." She mumbled.

"If he saw us then why didn't he do anything?" He furrowed his brows.

"Petty revenge is below him now. I know what he wants, he wants to ruin my life in the most exact and brutal way possible." She grit her teeth.

"That also explains why you began to act strangely." He said in a quieter voice.
He took her weak hands into his and used his hand to lift up her chin to meet his eyes.
"Next time something like this happens don't push everyone away. We're your friends, and I would never abandon you when you need me. Just be honest next time, I won't see you any differently no matter what happens. I'll always care for you."
He caressed her hand gently. A soft smile appeared on her face.

She nodded. "Thankyou harry, for always accepting me." She chuckled softly, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Always." He smiled back.

The flame became smaller as the sky got darker outside, it was getting late. As much as the pair enjoyed each other's company, it was time for them to retreat to their individual beds.

"I should get going to bed." Alora said to clear the simmering silence.

"Same here." Harry muttered soon after.
Unexpectedly, Alora leaned in close to Harry and placed a delicate kiss on his cheek that  lingered for a while. This shocked Harry to the point where he was almost at a loss for words.

"Thankyou.. again."
She smiled sweetly as her feet began to patter up the carpeted stairs to her dorm.
Harry's mouth hung open.

He didn't think it could be possible to like her more than he already did. But he couldn't ingnore the fact that he was absolutely in love with her.