The Way Things Almost Were | Harry Potter Drabbles

To Be Seen

"it feels good, girl, it feels good. oh, to be alone with you." - to be alone; hozier.

Draco Malfoy

He knew how much he needed her in his life the day she nearly pushed him down the stairs after a squabble they had had. He loved to get on the Gryffindor's last nerves until she was red in the face, until she was fuming, until she was nearly screaming at the top of her lungs at him. Being the "prince" of Slytherin meant nobody bothered with you, but the girl who had relentlessly argued with him back and forth made him think, make him want to be better, made him go crazy about her even more. Not that he would even admit it. And it wasn't until that it was late at night and he was sitting in the quietness of the Slytherin common room that he realized how much he missed her. He had run into her today and she made his heart drop, sharp eyeliner and sharper words falling from her lips as she made her way down the corridor. He backed away, a smirk on his lips, so much so that he didn't even realize as he neared the edge of a moving staircase, nearly plummeting below. She had that effect on him, but he would be damned if he let her know. 

Cedric Diggory

She was oblivious to the way Cedric was looking at her through the shop window. She was surrounded by Slytherin friends, the blonde-haired 4th year was looking at herself in the mirror. Cedric didn't want to sound like a stalker, but he liked the sweater she had on, tags and all. It was deep yellow, the kind you would wear for fall, something reminiscent of the Hufflepuff colors. But, it was when, deep down, he knew. He had known her since starting at Hogwarts but hadn't interacted more than a friendly hello here and there. It wasn't until later, when she was still wearing the sweater that he realized how beautiful she was, how he seemed to be gravitating towards her like a magnet. Sure, he spent most of his time with his friends, but the majority of his Saturday afternoon in the village was spent trying to find her among the crowds of students. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and when they got back to the castle that night, he officially asked her to go with him to the next outing.

Fred Weasley

He hadn't noticed her until she sat in the back of Defense Against the Dark Arts, murmuring quietly to herself as Dolores Umbridge spoke languidly about the Ministry. She was a zany little 5th year, but there was a loud bang from her general direction and the room immediately filled with pink smoke. There was a quiet snicker and suddenly Fred was being dragged throughout the room and out the door, well ahead of the kids that had started to inhale the smoke, following behind him. She ran, laughing loudly down the hall, Fred following, looking back towards the classroom, still billowing out thick, pink clouds. "A taste of her own medicine, don't you think." She wore thick pigtails, pink soot coating them. "You have something just a bit, here." Fred used the inside of his sleeve to wipe a bit of the dust on the end of her nose, "That was wicked, by the way," She peered around the corner, waiting for the toad-faced instructor to appear. She paused for a moment, before smiling, "Not sure yet, any suggestions?" And they continued to walk down the hall, both of them leaving a trail of pink soot in their wake.

George Weasley

George unfortunately had to sit in the library all evening, pretending to study for NEWTs, it wasn't like he didn't want to, it was just that it was dreadfully boring and tedious and he had spent most of the evening convincing himself that he wasn't even going to take his NEWTs. A girl was studying, a lone Ravenclaw well into the evening and he was enamored by her, watching the way she fidgeted with her quill, writing something down before tapping it against her head, ink intermingling with the dark locks she sported. He wanted to tell her, but he remained steadfast as a loud Hufflepuff passed her time and time again, knocking a book over here or there, not loud, but certainly loud enough that she minded. There was a small huff and then suddenly, a loud crash. The Hufflepuff boy hadn't seen it coming, but George did. The Ravenclaw girl returned her wand to the table next to her, not bothering to reverse the Jellylegs jinx she had cast. Immediately, the Weasley twin picked up his books and moved closer to her, beckoning the start of a new conversation. 

Neville Longbottom

 When Neville finally came to after the incident with the Mandrakes, he was greeted by a young girl standing over him, her hand extended, earmuffs still on. He flushed before taking her hand, to which she helped him up, "Thanks," He murmured, and she cocked her head in confusion, "Thanks!" He spoke louder this tie and she pointed to her earmuffs, smiling brightly at the young boy. When the mandrakes had finally been potted, she finally took off her earmuffs and extended her hand towards Neville, "Pleased to meet you, are you okay?" And from that moment on, the first time Neville heard her speak was the moment he knew he was sunk. He stuttered out a reply, blush evident on his cheeks and went back to the written assignment before him. He would never tell her, but he fell for her the moment she asked him if he was okay. He would never fully grasp the gravitational pull her felt towards her in that very moment, but it was a feeling that he felt for the rest of his life. 

Oliver Wood

She yelled at him from the Quidditch pitch, in the middle of a solopractice where he had magicked the Quaffle to try and thwart him, his teammateshad gone home hours ago. She remained. And she yelled, loudly, and with vigorin the pouring rain of a cold spring morning. He didn't know why she was there,only that she made his blood boil, "Little tiny Wood, all alone up there, yourteam doesn't want a loser for a Captain!" She called back and he continued toignore her. That was, until she was on the broom, across from him. He droppedthe Quaffle and she caught it easily, circling him. And he, in turn, circleback. It was a dance of dragons, the quick back and forth of predator and prey,but at some point, he wasn't sure who as who. "Had enough of me yet?" TheSlytherin prefect taunted and he chuckled, wiping the water away from his eyes,"Never." He was out of breath and for a moment, he stood still, watching her inthe rain, hair stuck in strands on the side of her face, mesmerized momentarilyas she sailed past him, taking her opportunity to score through the goal post.She closed in on him, her hand outstretched, jerking him back from hismomentary loss for words, "You'll never have enough of me, Oliver Wood." Andshe was right. He never did.