𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙤𝙪𝙨 ✍︎︎ 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙅𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

|𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘀|

"I really don't think this is a good idea, Mariana." Hermione mumbled nervously. Since the very moment Mariana had insisted The Golden Trio come along to the forbidden section, Hermione had been excessively telling her how terrible of an idea it was.

"Relax, Mione, Mariana does this all the time," Ron paused, frowning for a second as if considering something he'd never thought of before, "You do do this all the time, right?"

Mariana laughed, and pressed forward. She wouldn't answer to give them something to think about. "We're nearly there, just hold on guys." Mariana said instead.

The four teens were pressed shoulder to shoulder in the narrow hallways of the library. At night, people say everything seems bigger. In Mariana's mind, everything shrunk and made her feel suffocated.

After a few more long and relentless minutes of walking, they had made it. Mariana smiled and plopped down in a wooden chair crammed between the bookshelves. "Welcome to my home."

"I can't see why you'd want to come here of all places. It's so lonely." Ron remarked, gulping at the sight of a spiderweb.

"That, Carrot Top, is precisely why I like it so much." Mariana smiled as Ron touched his hair at the nickname she granted him. Even teasing, she remained graceful.

"Well, I quite like it. Besides the fact that we're breaking about twenty school rules right now." Hermione said, gazing at a charms book that seemed to be near falling apart.

The three eased into steady conversation, not realizing Harry hadn't uttered a word since they'd arrived. He resided in one of the old wooden chairs, hunched over a book, his brows furrowed in concentration.

When Ron and Hermione began to banter, Mariana slipped away and sat down beside him. "What's that you're reading?"

Harry glanced up. Merlin, was she heavenly. Her question was clearly an interrogation but innocence still gleamed in her eyes. There was just something about her.

"A book." Harry replied flatly before returning to his reading, although he couldn't focus with Mariana hovering over him.

Mariana sneaked a glance at the words, and her eyebrows quirked up. "You're reading about dark magic. I fancy the dark arts too, don't be ashamed."

Harry was surprised to hear that. She seemed like the exact opposite of someone who would be interested in the dark arts. "You do?"

"Yes, it's one of the more prominent reasons I visit this raggedy section. I imagine I would prefer Dumbledore's big toe over this horrid scenery." Mariana joked.

Harry cackled, leaning so far back in his chair that it tipped over. Mariana shot up and caught the back of it just before it made contact with the floor. It left her in the awkward position of her face hovering just over Harry's. They lingered for a few moments, gazing into each other's eyes.

Something in Mariana shut on.

She had always known Harry, but had never noticed him like she was in that moment. He was quite cute, she realized. And awfully awkward, but in an adorable way. And his hair. Before she could think on her attraction to him any longer, she pulled away and offered him her hand.

The contact send sparks up her body, as did Harry's. As soon as possible, she let go.

"Well, I'm tired." Mariana said, feigning a yawn as she stretched her arms above her head for effect. The trio turned to her, their mouths falling open.

Hermione stormed towards her and looped their arms together. "Oh, you aren't escaping that easily, Mariana. We just got here! Also, I need your help locating some books. It's the whole reason I wanted to come here."

It was a lie. The whole reason Hermione had wanted to come was so Harry could shoot his shot, but he apparently wasn't open to it.
Mariana sighed, dipping her head in disappointment. "Fine, I'll help you. But, thirty minutes, no longer."
-
It had been way longer than thirty minutes. Harry and Ron had departed with eyes that could barely keep open and restless yawns. Hermione and Mariana remained, their heads burrowed in a book, characteristically.

Hermione dragged her authoritative finger over the words, mumbling them to herself. "Hermione, you can't possibly be interested in that."

The bushy-haired girl's head shot up, her lip curling into a frown. And then she smiled. "Mariana Rosewood, I thought you were all about knowledge."

"Yes, but I prefer wisdom and imagination. That is just a bunch of useless junk that won't ever assist past this point in time." Mariana defended, closing the book and putting it back on the shelf.

"You're still different than I thought you were. You seemed so sweet and kind before, like your head was filled with fantasies. Now you seem...independent and intimidating, but wise nonetheless." Hermione commented, studying her new-found friend.

"I am kind, I usually just put up a front so everyone will leave me alone. I don't like people getting too close to me, you three dimwits are the exception I will have to make." Mariana laughed and put her jumper back on. Hermione was amazed at how wrong she was about the Ravenclaw. And she was always right.

"Tomorrow, you should sit with us. At the Gryffindor table, beside Harry." Hermione added, putting emphasis on Harry. Mariana's heart jumped for a second then calmed down.

Mariana smiled. "I'd like nothing more."
-
a/n: hermione and mariana bonding🥺
also it may seem like harry and mariana are moving a little fast but they are actually a slowww burn so their relationship isn't even close to beginning.