the lucky one

the illusion of normalcy

Ron and Hermione are still on the outs as Hogwarts returns from holiday. Schoolwork resumes with vigor, and their sessions with Dumbledore also start back up again. Meaning more late and simultaneously sleepless nights for Miranda. Her eye bags are so large they may as well start carrying things for her. She feels distant, almost— separate from eyone in her life, including Matt and Harry.

She walks out of her last class of the day, exhausted, arms overflowing with books. Her stack is so high that she can barely see two feet ahead of her, and her peripheral vision is life threateningly obscured. Literally. For she does not see the approaching figure of a certain blonde until it is far too late.

"Hey, Miranda. Looking good." the smarmy voice of Zacharias Smith fills her ears, unpleasantly so. She fights the urge to cringe. "Where you headed?"

"Smith," Miranda acknowledges cordially, staring straight ahead. Why is he walking so damn close to her? What happened to personal space?

"Want me to carry your books for you?" Zacharias offers, flexing his pitiful arm muscles. "Put these beauts to work, if y'know what I mean."

Miranda exhales irritably, "Perfectly capable of carrying my own books, thanks." Privately, she thinks she could probably win an arm wrestling match against him in a heartbeat. Though, she supposes his masculinity is fragile enough already without her shattering it.

"Playing hard to get, are we?" Smith leers, as Miranda steadily inches away from him. "I can be down with that."

Miranda blinks very rapidly at him, disbelieving. "I'm dating Harry," she says, hoping this time it will sink in. "Have been for quite a while. You know this. It's not new information."

Smith just throws his head back and chortles, as if she's just said the funniest thing in the world. "You didn't think that was going to stop me, did you?"

"Yes!" Miranda says emphatically, feeling as if she's going a bit insane. "What about my extremely secure and serious relationship with Harry has led you to believe that I would even consider going out with you?" She adds pointedly, "and I told you no at least twice even before Harry and I started seeing one another."

Apparently Zacharias does not catch this last bit, or chose not to hear, for all he replies with is, "So you've considered it?"

"No," Miranda cries out, in a state of complete astonishment. "That's what you— I don't even— how is that what you got from—?" It's been confirmed. She's going insane. And it's Zacharias Smith's fault.

The Hufflepuff scoffs, "It's not as if you've asked me to stop—"

"I have!" Miranda exclaims, practically shrilly. "Several times."

"As have I," Harry swoops in from the next corridor over, eyeing Smith with a withering look. He snakes a possessive arm around Miranda's waist, pulling her tight to him. Not that she minds. It is a more than welcome intrusion and response. "Thanks for keeping my girlfriend company," Harry smiles condescendingly down at Smith. "We're going to go now," he waves goodbye. "Together. Because we're a couple."

Miranda smirks as they traipse down the hall together, secretly very pleased. She notes that Harry has not loosened his grip on her torso and feels a pleasant little kick in the base of her stomach. "Jealous, are we?" she teases, eyes sparkling.

"Well—yes," Harry admits sheepishly. Then, with a quirk of his mouth, "But I've got a right to be when you go around looking so beautiful all the time."

Miranda blushes, turning her chin up, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Potter."

"Oh I beg to differ," Harry grins, dipping his head to kiss her at the foot of the winding staircase. Miranda returns his gesture in full, her mouth parting to match the bold strokes of his tongue. She wraps her arms around his neck,  as he nips at hers, angling herself upwards, and she is just about to—