Easy Mistake ; Harry Potter

N I N E T Y E I G H T | Bow

Eleanor searched each room of the house before she found Harry sitting in the upmost top room of the building.

"Hey, you." She said softly, looking at her boyfriend with a small smile. God, it felt so weird but liberating when she realized Harry was now her boyfriend. Eleanor didn't think she would ever get used to it.

Shuffling from the far corner of the room caught Eleanor's attention. She looked and couldn't help but scream. A great big beast made up of the head of an eagle and the body of a horse stood there, looking at her with its beady yellow eyes. It was a monstrosity. An amalgamation. Yet Eleanor couldn't look away. Whatever it was, it was strangely beautiful.

"You need to bow." Came Harry's voice.

Eleanor went to turn towards him but then-

"No! Keep your eye contact. You need to show him respect. Hippogriffs are proud creatures, so you let him make the first move." Harry went on to explaining, and Eleanor froze, keeping eye contact with the strange but quite startling creature.

"Trust me El. Bow," Harry said. "And stay down until Buckbeak bows back."

Eleanor could only do as she was told, so she bowed. She stayed down while maintaining eye contact with the monster. "You better not be enjoying the view too much, Harry." Eleanor couldn't help but joke. She made jokes when she was nervous.

Although nervous, Eleanor wasn't scared. For one she was with Harry, and two, Eleanor seriously doubted that everyone downstairs would allow a dangerous creature into their house.

"I'm a bit preoccupied keeping an eye on Buckbeak but I'm glad you think so lowly of me. Real confidence booster you are." Harry responded wryly.

Eleanor scoffed. "Oh shut up," The creature finally bowed and Eleanor sighed in relief. "Have you ever had a girlfriend before because you really don't know how to act, do you?" Eleanor said as she straightened her back.

Eleanor was teasing Harry of course. It was all a bit of fun, she enjoyed watching him squirm.

Harry sent her a pointed look and Eleanor was mildly surprised to see he wasn't at all embarrassed by the question. "No I haven't had a girlfriend before and I do know how to act-"

"If you did know," Eleanor interjected. "Then you would know that I don't blame you in the slightest way for what has happened."

Harry hung his head. "But it's my fault."

"For what? Deciding you wanted to talk to me? No one could've known that this would end up the way it has. Yes, it's scary, and yes I'm afraid but I know that myself and my family are safe if we stick with you. None of this is your fault. I decided to talk to you too remember. I wanted to be your friend, your girlfriend and I don't regret any of it." A beat of silence went by. "Do you?"

Harry looked up. "No, of course not! I could never regret this. What we have is great."

Eleanor breathed in relief. "Yeah, what we have is amazing."

They stared at eachother, and suddenly it was hard to breathe. The air in the room changed, it seemed to be charged with something. Something powerful. Everything else was forgotten.

The two teens took a hesitant step towards one another and when they saw that the other didn't oppose, they kept approaching each other until they were right in front of each other, breathing the same air.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to be sizzling...crackling with electricity and it was making Eleanor jittery. She didn't mind it though. It felt good. But her whole body was alight with anticipation and the need for Harry to be closer.

"Eleanor."

"Yes, Harry?"

Their voices were barely a whisper. They were scared to disturb whatever was happening in the room. They wanted to prolong it for as long as they could and they were afraid talking would ruin it.

"Can I-...Would it be okay if-...May I-..." Harry looked down and laughed awkwardly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "I really am rubbish at this."

Eleanor smiled fondly at him and used her hand to lift Harry's chin up. "Yes Potter, you may kiss me."

Harry looked startled for a moment which made Eleanor giggle. Then Harry was rolling his eyes and leaning in. Eleanor leaned in too and then they were kissing.

Eleanor didn't expect Harry's lips to be so soft. Eleanor didn't know what she was expecting as this was her first kiss but it definitely wasn't this. Maybe she had low expectations or she blocked out any feelings of romance in the past but this was way better than she ever expected.

She loved the way her worries melted away. She loved the way Harry held her close. She loved how Harry's hair felt between her fingers. She loved the way her body was alight with heat and how light she felt. As if she could float away in this moment.

All too soon it was ending and Harry pulled away. Eleanor was kind of glad because she hadn't realised how short of breath she had been.

Eleanor looked at Harry and grinned. "Are you sure I'm your first girlfriend, Harry?" She joked.

Harry rolled his eyes, though he couldn't hide his smile. "Yes."

"Did you perhaps have a boyfriend before?"

Harry groaned, his face heating up. "I hate you."

"No you don't." Eleanor retorted with a smirk. "Besides, I didn't hear a no."

Harry lunged forward and started tickling Eleanor. "I have never had a boyfriend. Nor a girlfriend."

Eleanor was laughing loudly. "Are you sure?"

"ELLIE!"

Eleanor couldn't breath as Harry continued to relentlessly tickle her. "I. Wouldn't. Care. If. You. Did." Eleanor said through laughs and wheezes. She truly loved teasing Harry.

"That's it," Harry said and he suddenly stopped tickling Eleanor. "I'm breaking up with you. I can't deal with this level of abuse."

Eleanor was still laughing. "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry."

"I still hate you." Harry grumbled as he left the room but Eleanor could see the big grin etched across his face.

(I have no idea what this chapter is.)