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𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙 » 𝙨𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨

❝ you don't know a ladder has splinters until you slide down it ❞

~

"I was unable to get my permission slip signed..." Tom sighed, not really sad but putting on a show. Nova frowned and asked to see his paper, wanting confirmation that he could not come. She huffed and turned, taking the paper with her. Tom raised an eyebrow and hurried after her. "Nova! What are you doing?"

"I am getting you permission! What is your guardian's name?" She questioned, not even glancing back at him. "Mrs. Cole, why?" Nova ignored him, catching sight of Bela, the Slytherin that she was good friends with.

"Bela! Bela! I need you to do something for me!" Nova exclaimed, waving the paper around at the young girl. Bela turned to face Nova, slightly overwhelmed by the fact that two people were running towards her, one of which was her crush.

"Yes?" Bela had no hard feelings towards Nova, having accepted her being a muggle-born and enjoying her presence. Nova was very accepting of her as well and would listen to her rant on and on about random things. Bela was a smart girl, having been the only witch to excel into a grade above her, taking classes with the fifth years in her fourth year.

"Can you sign this paper?" Bela nodded and took the paper, not even bothering to ask what the paper was for. She took out her wand and whispered the spell, glancing up at Tom, asking him what name. "Mrs. Cole," "First name?" "Just sign it as Cole."

Bela happily obliged, signing the paper for him and handing it back. "You're welcome," She quickly stated before rushing off to her group of friends. Unbeknownst to Nova, Bela would begin to obsess over Tom after that encounter.

~

"Isn't this amazing?" Nova asked, her arm interlocked with Tom's as they walked around the snow-covered village. Tom hummed in agreeance, not caring much about what was around him. He didn't really want to be there, having planned on doing more research on Horcruxes and such.

Nova pulled him along to the Shrieking Shack, looking at it from a distance, excitement flooding her veins. "Why are you not going closer?" Tom questioned and Nova could only shrug. Rolling his eyes, Tom took her hand and pulled her towards the shack, muttering that it was just a shack.

"Merlin, this place is so far away," Tom grumbled and Nova chuckled, pulling him to a stop. "We could turn back..." "No! There is no turning back!" He yanked her hand and continued on, genuinely smiling at the sound of her nervous mutters.

Once they arrived, Nova clung to his side, afraid that some monster would jump out and bite her head off. Tom felt that feeling again, his fingers intertwined with her's as she cowered into him.

"Why are you so afraid?" He asked, shaking his head. Nova smiled sheepishly. "I'm not afraid!"
"Yes, you are!"
"Are not!"
"You are squeezing my arm so tight right now. You're scared."
"Piss off!"

Tom pulled his arm out of her grasp, taking a few steps away from her only to get attacked by her once again. She jumped into him, causing him to stumble and fall forward. He braced himself for the fall, keeping Nova safe from falling on the ground.

"Merlin," Tom grunted, the air knocked out of his lungs from having the girl land on top of him. She wasn't the lightest, that's for sure. "I'm so sorry Tom!" She cried as she scrambled off of him, helping him up. "I'm alright," He mumbled, dusting his clothes off, "but see, the scariest things in here are a few splinters," Nova smiled, understanding what Tom had done for her.

"Yeah, just a few splinters."