✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Harry's P.O.V. 

Clutching their purchases, donning their face paint, the large group trailed through the darkness, behind Mister Weasley, following a lantern-lit trail. Harry could hear the sounds of thousands of witches and wizards bantering and laughing. The atmosphere of feverish excitement overwhelmed everyone and Harry couldn't stop smiling. 

They made their way through the woods behind the Weezley tent. It led, according to Mister Weasley and the huge throngs of people heading the same way, to the Stadium. Walking, joking and laughing, Ron made a particularly funny comment, Bill laughed heartily, when the forest was abruptly cut with golden walls. 

Through the branches, Harry could see how high the Quidditch Stadium stretched into the sky. Beside him, he heard Y/N let out a soft gasp. "It's huge!" she exclaimed. 

She was right - though they couldn't see the full Stadium, Harry could tell that more than ten cathedrals could fit comfortably inside. 

"Seats a hundred thousand," Mister Weasley said, spotting the awestruck look on Harry and Y/N's faces. "Ministry task force of five hundred just to handle it! Muggle repellent charms, the works." 

"Race you to the ticket booth!" Y/N challenged Ron, who took up the offer and starting sprinting, whooping a laugh. 

Harry, Hermione and the others chuckled. "Children," Hermione tutted jokingly. "Absolute children." 

Pushing through the slight crowd, there were many, "Sorrys!" and "Excuse me's!" 

Harry almost ran into a tall brunette woman and apologized profusely. 

When they caught up to Ron and Y/N, Y/N was pouting and stomped over to Hermione like a child. "Herms!" she whined. "Ron's gaslighting me into thinking he won." 

Hermione gasped mockingly. "Is he?" 

"Mhm." 

"No, I'm not!" Ron argued. "I won that shi...stuff!" he glanced his father, who was talking to the Ticket Witch.

"Did you, though?" asked Fred. "Or are you gaslighting us now?" 

Ron scowled, crossing his arms, unable to hide his smile. "I have longer legs, of course I won," he reasoned. 

"But I'm just better overall," said Y/N, an incredibly endearing smirk playing at her lips. It made Harry feel weird and tingly. 

"I'm gonna have to agree with Y/N here," Harry said with a grin, going to stand beside her and ignoring the look of utter betrayal that Ron had plastered on his face.

The ginger looked pleadingly to Hermione, who smiled and rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm on your side, Ronald," she said. Ron went red.

"Yeah, Ronald," George mocked. Then, in an undertone, he said to Y/N and Harry, "Ten galleons they get together by the end of the year." 

"You're on," they both replied.

"I'm on George's side of the bet," Charlie whispered. 

Bill laughed, Percy stayed silent. Party pooper.

Harry and Y/N traded glances. Their two friends were so in love, it was adorable. To, presumably, save Ron from the embarrassment of blushing, Y/N said, "Come on, Herms!"

The voice of the Ticket Witch cut through the conversation. Eyebrows raised, she said, "Merlin, Arthur! Prime Seats - Top Box, as high as you can go!" 

At least Elijah Collins wouldn't be in the Top Box - he would told Y/N. It gave Harry immense satisfaction.

They climbed purple-carpeted stairs, hands trailing the golden railings. Ascending past everyone, they eventually made it to viewing Box, in the center, between both Golden Keeper hoops. 

The Stadium was massive, and Harry could see the roaring crowd. Half the stadium was showing off their scarlet robes, the other half and emerald green.

About twenty purple-and-gilt chairs were positioned in two rows, with a no-window lookout onto the Quidditch Pitch and the crowd. The Weasleys, Harry, Y/N and Hermione filed into the front row.

"This is the best view in the Stadium," Y/N whispered softly, beside Harry. 

Their order, from left to right: Mister Weasley, Percy, Ron, Hermione, Harry, Y/N, Fred, Ginny, George, Charlie, Bill. 

Harry got an idea.

"You're the best view in the Stadium," Harry said teasingly, nudging her a little. 

"I- what-?" 

"Y'know," Harry said easily, meeting her eyes and then faltering slightly. The longer he looked into her eyes, the more nervous he got, so his sentence came out something like this: "Er, um, nevermind, I...nevermind." 

"Y/N, Y/N!" Fred and said excitedly from the opposite side of the girl, giving Harry leeway to turn and hide his red face. 

Y/N hummed in acknowledgment.

"Did you know we gambled?" George said excitedly, like a child. "Gonna make so much money for the Shop!" 

But Harry lost focus in the conversation when he heard a tiny squeak of terror behind him. 

He turned around in his chair, spotting a creature. It's legs were so short that they didn't reach the floor, dangling out of a piece of fabric that looked something similar to a tea-towel. 

It's face was hidden in it's hands, but it had some extremely long, pointed, fleshy ears...

"Dobby?" Harry gasped incredulously. 

"What?" the others said, also turning in their seats. Y/N gazed at the creature with wonder - Harry had told her stories of Dobby, yet she hadn't met the Elf, who was once enslaved under the Malfoy family.

The tiny creature pulled it's hand away from it's eyes, revealing large brown eyes and a long nose.  Harry observed - it, evidently, wasn't Dobby. 

"D-did sir just call me Dobby?" squeaked the elf. Harry assumed it was a female, since her voice was higher than Dobby's had been. 

"Sorry," Harry apologized.

"He just thought you were someone he knew," Y/N said gently.

"But I knows Dobby too, sir and ma'am!" she told them, squinting into the light of the stadium. "My name is Winky - sir, ma'am! And you, you sir!" she turned to Harry. "You is surely Harry Potter!" 

Ron, Fred and George snickered when Hermione said, "Yes, he is, Winky," sweetly. 

"Dobby talks about you all the time, sir!" she said excitedly, looking awestruck into Harry's face. 

"How's he doing?" Harry grinned. Y/N leaned forward, also smiling, so Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, into his side. It felt right to have her there.

She chuckled. "Clingy little git," Y/N said affectionately. 

Winky shook her head and said quietly, "Ah, sir. Dobby is not doing good, you is not doing him a favor when you is setting him free!" 

Ron raised a brow and asked, "And why is that, Winky?" 

Somehow lowering her voice even more, Winky whispered, "He is wanting payment for his labor, sir!" 

She seemed terrified at the thought, which was odd to Harry. "Paying?" Harry asked blankly. "Why shouldn't he be paid?" 

Y/N nudged him slightly and tried to shush him, "Harry, no-" 

"Sir, your ma'am is right! A House Elf does not get paid. Dobby thinks not. I says, go find yourself a nice family! He says he wants to be a paid, sir!" Winky shook her head in disappointment. "A House Elf does as it is told to do!" she said. "I is not liking heights, but my master says for me to be here! He says for me to save him a seat!

He opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione cut across Harry, "Thank you, Winky," she said kindly. Then, less kindly, through gritted teeth, "Shut up Harry!" 

They all turned around, facing the pitch again. "So that's a house elf," Ron muttered. "Weird things, aren't they?" 

"Dobby was weirder," Harry said fervently. 

"That's not nice, Potter," Y/N sighed, looking up at him, still pressed against Harry's side. 

He looked down at her, "Sorry," he said, savoring her grin before he added, "But it's true."

Y/N pulled away from him with a scoff, he tried to pull her back, but she playfully shoved him away. Ron had taken out his Omnioculars, holding them up to his eyes, staring at the crowd on the other side of the stadium.

"Wild!" he exclaimed, pointing. "You can see that old bloke pick his nose-" he twiddled with the buttons on the side "-over and over and over!" 

Hermione gave a long suffering sigh. "Ronald," she said. "That is disgusting." 

"Stop upsetting your girlfriend, Ron," Ginny muttered, only loud enough for Harry and Y/N to hear. They laughed low enough so the other's wouldn't hear.

When he didn't answer, Hermione started flipping through one of the Programmes, excitedly showing it to Harry and Y/N. Fred, Ginny and George were muttering about something with Charlie and Bill. Percy was talking to Mister Weasley. 

"A display from the team mascots will precede the match," Hermione read aloud.

"Oh, that's always worth watching," said Mister Weasley brightly. "Bringing creatures from their native land to put on a show." He chuckled. "Wizard love showing off when we get together." 

Gradually, over the next half hour, the box filled. Harry, Y/N, Ron and Hermione carried on with conversations about prediction's, the others occasionally joining in. 

Mister Weasley got up to greet many Ministry Officials as they passed, and Percy nearly passed out when the Minister of Magic acknowledge him, but sent Harry a glare when the Minister greeted him like they were old friends.

Y/N, giving in to his pleas, had leaned back on Harry, against his chest. One of hands came up to play with his hair and he smirked, "Clingy, are we, Sterling?" 

"Shove off." 

Harry laughed and continued his conversation with Ron and Hermione - Hermione was sure that Ireland would win, but Ron said,

"Come off it! Bulgaria has Krum!" 

Y/N rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to retaliate. Harry wasn't listening, though. Across the Box, near the entrance, a boy, who looked around their age, was eyeing Y/N. His hair was so blond, for a moment, Harry thought it was Draco Malfoy. But this boy was a little shorter, with non-gelled hair and cool blue eyes. 

The blond smirked at Harry, raising and eyebrow and trailing his eyes to Y/N. Then, he jerked his head at the girl, nudging his friend, whom Harry hadn't even noticed. Harry saw his lips move, obviously talking about Y/N. 

Looking back to Harry, the boy almost started forward. 

Harry grit his teeth and pulled Y/N impossibly closer, giving the dipshit blond boy a piercing glare. When the boy faltered back, Harry sent him a sarcastic smile and turned back to his friends.

"What's got you so tense?" Ron asked. 

"Nothing," Harry smiled. It was fine, now. 

Hermione gave a groan, "Please, tell me that's not Malfoy," she pleaded. 

They all whipped around to see the Malfoy family talking to Fudge, the Minister. 

"Okay, so that's why he's tense," Y/N supplied with the hint of a smile, grabbing Harry's hand. 

If only she knew.

Lucius Malfoy, his son, and a woman that Harry assumed was Draco's mother stood with Fudge. Draco and Harry had been enemies since their first year at Hogwarts. He was a pale, ferrety-looking boy. His mother, too, was tall, slim and had blond hair with dark streaks in it. 

Draco caught Harry's eye and gave him a cruel look. 

"Greasy git," Ron said. "Why does he have to be up here too?" he complained. 

"Well, I mean," Y/N reasoned mockingly. In Harry's opinion, it was quite endearing. "He probably bought tickets-"

"Yes!" said Fudge, introducing the Malfoy's to someone. "Ah, yes. Lucius and his family are here as my guests!" 

"What were you saying?" Harry teased, giving her a grin. She shoved him in the arm, but Y/N was smiling.

Hermione, with a wince, said, "I swear, we're going to have the misfortune of them sitting right behind us." 

"It's okay, Hermione," Y/N assured. 

✦

Y/N's P.O.V. 

It, in fact, was not okay. There was a 'little' quarrel, but other than many curse words and insults from Y/N, Ron and Harry's mouths, it was relatively non-violent. 

"Slimy gits," Ron muttered as they turned to face the field again. 

"EVERYONE READY?" came the roaring voice of Ludo Bagman as he barged into the Top Box.  "Minister, ready to go?" 

"Ready when you are," Fudge replied. 

The game was about to begin. Y/N had one hand interlocked with Ginny's, one with Harry's. She loved the way their bracelets looked side by side. Her eyes trailed to the bracelet Elijah got her...butterflies, to say the least. "Gin, Gin!" she said excitedly. "It's starting!" 

Ludo Bagman whipped out his wand and pointed it at his throat. He recited an incantation, then his voice was booming across the stadium, echoing in the Top Box. 

Y/N, Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's had to cover their ears slightly. Still, it would never completely muffle anything. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome! On this day, August twenty-first, nineteen ninety-four, Welcome to the Final Game of the four-hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" 

The spectators screamed and clapped, waving flags and banners. A giant blackboard appeared opposite them. As though a giant piece of chalk was writing on it, word appeared: BULGARIA: 0, IRELAND: 0. 

"And no, without further ado, allow me to introduce...the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!" 

The Team Mascots. Veela. Y/N knew that from her extensive Quidditch obsession - she was slightly worried. Harry would surely be entranced. 

The right side of the stands, clad in scarlet, roared their approval. 

"I wonder what they've brought," Mister Weasley said. Before he could even finish his sentence, he saw- "Veela!" 

Ron and Harry furrowed their brows. "What are Veel-" 

But a hundred Veela were making their way onto the Pitch. Veela were women - the most beautiful women Y/N had ever seen. The photos in books did them no justice. With moon-bright skin and their golden-white hair fanning out behind them

The music began to play, and the Veela were spurred into dance. 

Y/N inwardly groaned and looked around at her fellow girls - Ginny and Hermione. "They're gonna go feral," she said. 

Hermione and Ginny snickered. "Oh, I'm going to make so much fun of them," Ginny said. "They will never know another day of peace." 

With a sigh, Hermione glanced at Ron, who looked absolutely paralyzed, looking at the Veela. Y/N gave her a sympathetic look, not daring to look at Harry, who would surely be doing the same. 

She couldn't help it. Y/N knew she couldn't keep her gaze off him for long. 

So she looked.

And she was surprise. 

Instead of staring blankly into the Stadium, Harry's head was bowed, eyes screwed shut, fingers in his ears - almost refusing to even acknowledge the Veela. 

Y/n thought her heart could've exploded at how respectful the boy was. 

"Harry?" she nudged him. He didn't respond the first time, so she shoved him lightly. 

"Huh?" he asked, unplugging his ears, keeping his gaze on Y/N and not the Veela. It was like they weren't even there. 

"Aren't you going to...er..." Y/N began. "At least look at the Veela?" 

Harry looked puzzled - Y/N didn't know why. He shook his head, almost offended that she would ask such a thing. "Why would I need to look at the Veela when I've got you beside me?" 

What? 

Oh, Godric. 

"What?" Y/N asked, her heart racing. Did he really just say that? Was he joking? 

"I'm sorry," Harry spluttered, eyes as wide as saucers. "That was, um, er, it...it just blurted out, I'm sorry-" 

Y/N chuckled, trying to contain the blush on her face. It wasn't working, but she didn't mind, since her friend was red as well.

"You're fine, Potter," Y/N said. When Harry visibly relaxed, she decided to tease him a little - it would be fun. "In both ways." 

Turning red, Harry started to stutter something out, but Y/N turned to Ginny, hiding a smirk. 

When Y/N had fully turned around, she saw that Fred, George and Ginny were enamored, staring at the field. Hmm...

Suddenly, the music came to a halt. The whole stadium gave angry shouts, Y/N even heard, "Put the pretty little ladies back!" from a middle-aged man and she almost gagged.

Y/N could audibly hear Hermione tut loudly and pull Ron away from the edge of the Box. "Honestly, Ronald!" 

"And now..." roared the voice of Ludo Bagman. "Kindly put your wands in the air for...the Irish National Team Mascots!" 

Green. It was green everywhere. 

It seemed as though a comet of green and gold had rained down on the Stadium. It did one circuit around, flashing past their eyes, then split into two comets. Each comet hovered over one goalpost. 

A rainbow arced in between the comets, connecting them. Y/N looked up in awe as everything whirred together to form a great shimmering shamrock. It rose into the sky and everything flashed gold - then, small objected rained down on them. 

"Excellent!" Ron said as golden Galleons fell from the sky, bouncing off their heads and onto seats. He picked up a handful and shoved them into Harry's hands. "Ha!" he said. "Now you have to buy me a Christmas present!" 

Ginny whooped in joy beside Y/N, who was also clamoring to attain the coins, dumping fistfuls of Galleons into her little bag. "Leprechauns!" Mister Weasley exclaimed, as Y/N was watching red-haired men dance around in the sky.

The great shamrock disappeared and the Leprechauns drifted down to their side of the field. 

"Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce to you...the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov!"

Y/N watched as a scarlet-clad figure on a speeding broomstick zoomed out of an entrance far below and onto the field. She brought her Omnioculars to her eyes, zooming in so far that she could read the inscription on the broom. FIREBOLT. 

"Ivanova!" 

A second red figure zipped out. 

"Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaannndddddd - Krum!" 

"That's him! That's him!" Ron yelled. Hermione scoffed - Harry and Y/N laughed. 

Viktor Krum was slim, with dark hair, dark eyebrows and a hooked nose. He wasn't ugly, he was just...he sort of looked like an overgrown bird of prey. To Y/N, it was hard to believe that he was only eighteen. 

"And now, please meet the Irish National Quidditch Team!" yelled Bagman. "Presenting Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Morgan! Quigley - aaannnnnnd Lynch!"

Seven blurs of emerald shot out onto the field. Ivanova and Mullet flew to the middle to take the tipoff. The referee, on his broom, blew a golden whistle and tossed the Quaffle in the air. At the same time, the Bludgers and Snitch were realeased.

Mullet came victorious in the tipoff. 

Ludo Bagman shouted,

"Aaaaannddd they're off!" 

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

"Don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Mister Weasley implored to his twin sons as the group entered their tent. 

Y/N's mind was reeling - the twins had been right. Krum got the Snitch too soon - Ireland had won.

"Did you see that?!" Y/N said, clutching onto Hermione's sleeve like a child. "The Hawkshead Attacking Formation and the Porskoff Play!" 

"The what?" 

"Quidditch terms, Herms!" Y/N said, plopping down onto an armchair. The armchair she painted Harry's face in. "Ginger ale, get over here!" 

Ginny grinned and obliged, sitting herself onto the couch beside Hermione, legs in Hermione's lap while Hermione curled up. Y/N draped herself across the chair, her legs dangling off the arms. 

Raucous singing could be heard outside their tent as everyone else sat around, lounging on seats. 

Ron ruffled Y/N's hair, messing it up, then went to sit beside Harry, who sat positioned on the floor near Y/N's feet. His back was rested against her armchair and Harry was tall enough that Y/N could comfortably bring a hand to his hair. 

"Come on, did you see the sheer amount of cobbling?" George asked, almost outraged. 

"It was fair play, though," Fred reasoned. 

"Er...what's cobbling?" Harry whispered to Ron. 

"Excessive use of elbows," Ron muttered back. 

With a shrug, Hermione said, "Those brooms...they're really good! I'm not sure how Si..." she trailed off. "How whoever got Harry the Firebolt could afford that!" 

Y/N waved it away, "But the acceleration-" 

"The beauty!" 

"Krum kinda looks like an overgrown vulture, though," Y/N said, not as an insult, but as an observation. 

Apparently, Ron took that as a statement of hate, a personal insult. He stood up, hand to his heart. "There's no one like Krum!" 

Everyone stood up too, ready for the act.

"Krum? Dumb Krum?" Fred and George chorused, pitching their voices up.

"He's like a bird, the way he rides the wind! He's more than an athlete, he's an artist!" Ron declared as Fred and George flapped their arms around and squawked. 

"I think you're in love, Ron," Ginny said, patting him on the back. 

The twins started them off, and even Hermione joined in: 

"Viktor, I love you!

Viktor, I do! 

When we're apart, my heart beats only for you!" 

Y/N could've sworn she and Harry locked eyes at the last line. He gave her a warm look and the hint of a grin. 

Ron blushed at the ears while laughter roared through the tent. Everyone settled back into their original seating positions. Bill, Charlie and Mister Weasley joined in, too. Percy didn't - the party pooper said he had work the next day, and that he needed sleep.

"Loooosserr," Y/N mumbled tiredly, head slightly lolling back.

"You need to sleep, Y/N," Fred said. "You overexerted yourself today - especially with the fight with Malfoy on the way back to the tent." 

Oh, right. The fight. 

"Noooo," Y/N whined. "Sleep is for the weak."

She felt something shift near her legs. Harry had gotten up. "Right, and you're so strong, aren't you, Y/N?" he asked teasingly. 

"Oh, shove off. You saw what I did to Malfoy's shins after he called Hermione a You-Know-What." 

Hermione beamed, but quickly masked it. "I did not condone such violence," she said seriously. Everyone laughed. 

"I did see," Harry agreed. "But you need to sleep," he said firmly. Before Y/N could stop him, Harry wrapped one arm under her knees and the other under her upper back. He scooped her off the sofachair and into his arms.

He held her flush against his chest as she struggled, "Put me down, Potter!"   

"You don't mean that," Harry pouted mockingly. Y/N turned to hide her red face.

Everyone "awweeedd," and Y/N shot them glares. Now, there was a great clamoring to claim bunkbeds. 

Mister Weasley, hiding a grin, had his own bed. That left Harry, Y/N, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Percy to fight it out. 

"Bill and I are bunking together," Charlie said immediately. 

"Me and 'Mione," Ginny grinned. 

Ron, as though taking one for the team, sighed and said after a long pause, "I'll...bunk with Percy." 

He looked almost mad, his eyes darting from Harry to Y/N. But...he let them, even though Ron was protective (against Harry as well) he let it slide. 

Fred and George said nothing. Everyone already knew they'd be bunking together, it was a given. 

"Guess that means Harry and Y/N have to share a bunk bed!" Hermione said cheerily. Everyone got up and ran to bathrooms to change.

Harry carried Y/N over to one of the bunkbeds and set her down on the bottom bunk. She watched as he crossed the tent to retrieve their rucksacks.

"Ugh," Y/N said to Hermione when the brunette came over. "I changed out of my jeans when we got back, but I'm not sleeping in this sweater, it's yucky - outside clothes!" 

Hermione nodded understandingly, "Just sleep in your tank top?" 

"Too cold, even with a blanket," replied Y/N. 

"I could give you-" Hermione began to offer, but a hoodie was chucked into Y/N's lap. It was navy blue, and definitely not hers. 

"Take it," said Harry. He had already changed into his pajamas - grey and black plaid pants and a plain black tee-shirt. "I don't need it." 

Almost without hesitation, which made Hermione smirk, Y/N said, "Okay...thanks, Potter," she grinned. 

"It's nothing," Harry mumbled. Y/N slipped off her black zip-up sweater and pulled the hoodie over her tank top, feeling Harry's eyes on her. Not in a sexual way, of course, just...a presence. 

Hermione hugged her, muttered a good night and skipped over to her own bunk bed. 

"Goodnight, all!" Mister Weasley's voice rang through the tent. He put out the lights with a flick of his wand. 

"Y/N? Y/N? Where are you?" Harry's whispered through the darkness.

"Right here, dumbase," she whispered back. 

"You're literally in my hoodie right now, you can't afford saying things like that," Harry reprimanded playfully, finding his way through the dark to give her a goodnight hug.

Y/N rolled her eyes, knowing he couldn't see, and smiled, hugging him back. "Goodnight, Harry," she said. 

"G'night, Y/N. You get bottom bunk, it's safer," he said. 

He crawled off her bunk and climbed the little ladder. Y/N could hear his weight shifting around on the top bunk as he tosses and turned. Eventually he stopped and Y/N assumed he was asleep. 

She closed her eyes, envisioning herself clad in scarlet Gryffindor robes, playing on the school Quidditch team. Maybe she should try out this year, maybe Harry's constant nagging had gotten to her head and the World Cup was amplifying her slight desire. 

Slowly, but surely, Y/N drifted off into her dreams. 

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

"GET UP! EVERYBODY! GET UP!" Mister Weasley roared.

Y/N jolted awake and heard a thud above her. "'S the matter?" Harry said quickly but groggily. He had hit his head on the canvas of the tent. 

Dimly, Y/N could tell that something was wrong. The noises in the campsite had changed. Nobody was singing, but there was screaming, shrill screaming, and the sound of running. She swung her legs out of the bunk and reached for her rucksack at the same time Harry got off his bunk, but Mister Weasley said, "No - leave it - get outside quickly!" 

Y/N, Harry, Ron Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George ran out of the tent together. 

By the light of the few campfires still burning, Y/N could see people fleeing into the forest, running from something that was moving across the field towards them. The "thing" was emitting weird flashes of light, sounds of gunfire and loud, jeering laughter. Drunken yells were approaching them, then a burst of strong green light illuminated the scene. 

There was a crowd of tightly packed wizards, faces masks, wands pointed in the air, was marching towards them.

High above them, floating in the air, were four figures, being twisted into grotesque shapes.

Mister Roberts, the campsite host, and his family were being hung upside down as the masked people cried gleefully. 

"That's sick, that is," Ron muttered feverishly. 

"Fuck..." Y/N said as the smallest figure, presumably one of the children, began to spin around. 

Just then, Mister Weasley, Bill, Charlie and Percy burst from the tent, sleeves rolled to their elbows, wand brandished.

"We're going to help the Ministry!" Bill told them. 

"You lot, stay together, go through the woods," Mister Weasley said. "Fred and George, Ginny is your responsibility. Ron, Y/N," he turned to his youngest son and his non-biological daughter, "You're to take care of Harry and Hermione." 

They nodded and they adults ran off. Fred grabbed Ginny's hand and the group raced off into the wood behind their tent. 

The crowd underneath the Robert's family was even larger, now. Ministry Officials flocked the sides, unsure of what spell could bring the family down safely, scared of making them fall. 

The colored lanterns that previously lit the woods had gone out, nobody could see anything. They were all clutching each other's hands tightly. "Ron? Ron - where are you?" Hermione asked.

"Over here - ouch, Y/N, you kicked me in the shin!" 

"Sorry! Harry get off my foot." 

"It's not my fault I can't see shit!" 

"Ugh, this is stupid!" said Hermione. "Lumos!" 

A beam of light illuminated the area - Ginny, Fred and George weren't there. Most likely, they were already safe - no need to worry. Y/N squinted at Hermione, "How did you do that? We're not allowed magic outside Hogwarts!" 

Hermione shrugged, "There's enough illegal magic going on, they won't notice mine." 

Y/N gave her a grin, "Herms doesn't break school rules but breaks the law?"

Giving her a shove, Hermione laughed and waved it off. After a couple more seconds of walking, Ron yelped and there was a dull thud. Harry laughed, but quickly stopped when Y/N gave him a pointed look.

Shining the wandlight on him, they saw that he was sprawled on the ground beside some tree roots. 

"Tripped over a tree root," he said angrily, getting up. 

"Well, with feet that size, it's hard not to," drawled a familiar voice from behind them. 

Y/N, Harry, Ron and Hermione turned sharply. Draco Malfoy stood behind them, his pale hair glistening in the light of Hermione's wand. 

Anger bubbled in Y/N's stomach, her palms tingled. "Do you have a foot fetish, or something? Why do you know so much about his feet?" 

"Shut the fuck up, Sterling," Malfoy spat at her. She started forward and he scoffed, "You're pathetic." 

"That's not what you were saying on the way back from the Cup. If I remember clearly, every time I got close, you were calling for your mummy," Y/N said, adopting a mocking tone and a pout for the last couple words. 

"The mummy that looks like she's got dung under her nose every time she's with you," Harry added in the same tone. 

Malfoy scowled at them. Then, he turned his gaze to Hermione, eyes glittering with malice. "You lot better get going, then," he sneered, jerking his head at Hermione. "Wouldn't want to get her spotted." 

As he said it, a flash of green light glowed in the trees. A bang like a canon could be heard from the campsite. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked defiantly. She put out her wandlight, Y/N didn't know why.

"Granger, they're after Muggles," Malfoy said disdainfully. "D'you want to be showing off your knickers in mid-air? If so, stick around - it'll give us all a laugh." 

"Hermione's a witch," Harry snarled.

Whew...Y/N was lucky it was dark. She was completely red - how was it that even his voice was attractive?

"She had more power and talent than you ever will," Y/N added, scowling. Who did this bleachass ferret think he was? 

Malfoy grinned maliciously. "Have it your way. If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, stay where you are."

"You watch your mouth!" Ron shouted roughly, pulling Hermione closer to him. 

Hermione just tugged his arm and groaned. "Leave it, Ron!" she whispered desperately. 

There was another bang from beyond the forest. Several people around them screamed loudly, their voices echoing through the wood. Malfoy gave a lazy smile, "Scary easily, don't they? I bet your daddy told you to hide. What's he up to - trying to rescue those Muggles?" 

"Where're your parents?" Harry shot back. "Out there wearing masks, yeah?  Harassing those Muggles?" 

"And good riddance they're wearing masks," Y/N added. "Don't have to see any faces similar to yours." 

Malfoy smirked, "You never see faces similar to yours, seeing as your parents are next to dead!" 

Y/N's blood boiled, her heart was pounding her chest, beating in her ears. Her vision pricked with white spots, her eyes stung and her palms tingled. She felt faint thrumming vibrating from the ground. The beads on the twine bracelet Elijah gave her quivered. 

How dare he?

A light came on, presumably Hermione's wand. Malfoy's face was illuminated - it drove her mad. 

"Never speak of my parents again, you fuckwad, insolent little daddy's boy!" she said bitingly, trying to keep it tame. 

"At least I have a father" 

He was thrown harshly against the trunk of a tree. The light from Hermione's wand was almost blinding now, adding to the sting in her eyes. The ground thrummed again and she could feel the beads from the bracelet rest in her palm. 

Y/N didn't pull out her wand, oh, no. If she did that, she'd go to jail. 

Bringing her fist back, she gave Malfoy a hard deck in the face. And another, and another, and another until his nose was bloody, until his cheeks were bruises. 

"Remus Lupin is my dad," she said lowly in his ear. "And my mother and father love me more than yours will ever love you."

Even while she said it, part of her thought...maybe he was right. 

And that alone made her angrier. Harsher. Palms and fingertips numb with tingles.

Y/N shoved his shoulder, digging it into the bark. Something sharp flew into her hand and she jabbed it into Malfoy's side - he howled with pain and she dropped it.

"I hope you've learned." She spat at his feet, holding her glare until he turned-tail and ran into the forest, shooting her a terrified glance. 

When Y/N turned back to her friends, taking several deep breaths, she saw that Hermione's wandlight was not on. They all stared at her blankly. Why did she do that? Why did she let her anger get the best of her? Would they be scared of her, now? 

"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron was the first to speak. 

"You could have seriously hurt him," Hermione said worriedly. "But Y/N-" 

"How did you do it?" Harry blurted. 

Y/N gave him a puzzled look. "Do what?" she adked.

"Y-Your eyes..." Harry said, looking around at Hermione and Ron. "They were...er..." 

"Spit it out, Potter," Y/N said, not harshly, growing rather impatient. 

There was sound like a gunshot, or a whip cracking. They all jumped and looked over their shoulders, hearing footsteps approaching. "He'll tell you later!" Hermione said. "Come on, lets go find the others."

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

The ruckus was finally over. Y/N, Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's were back in their tent after some crazy events.

The Dark Mark, the sign of Voldemort's followers, had been cast by Harry's lost wand in the forest. Ministry Officials found the four of them and accused them of conjuring it - well, everyone accused them except Uncle Mossy. He wasn't that stupid. 

The marching wizards were Death Eaters - the people who tortured Y/N's parents. It made her want to scream and cry and throw up.

In the end, they pinned the blame on Winky the House Elf. Y/N was sure it definitely wasn't her fault, and the situation sparked the stand for Elf Rights inside Hermione. 

Everyone gathered in the circle of armchairs for a headcount, then Mister Weasley ushered them to bed. "I'll send a letter to Molly," he said. "And Remus - they need to know." 

Y/N nodded and followed Harry to their bunk. She laid down, then, slightly awkwardly, she asked, "Um...after what happened..." She pointed from him to the spot beside her.

Harry gave a tired smile, "Of course," he said. Harry settled next to Y/N on the bed and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest while his arms went around her waist. 

Lights out. Darkness.

"Harry..." she mumbled against his chest. 

He wrapped his arms around her tighter, nuzzling into her neck, as though savoring the sole fact that she was there. 

He hummed softly, the noise vibration in his chest and sending tingles down her spine. 

"What were you saying earlier, in the woods, about my eyes?" Y/N inquired, shifting slightly. 

Harry lifted himself slightly, trying to look down at her. "While you were angry...with Malfoy, I guess - your eyes," he paused. 

She raised a brow, a silent invitation for him to continue.

"They were glowing a pure, brilliant, bright white."

─── ☆: *.⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ .* :☆ ───

hey guys! sry for the late update 😔

so...things happened this chapter...what do we think? any predictions? 😍

also i skipped the bickering w malfoy at the top box and the whole schpeel about the dark mark and forest stuff cuz we know that already and i didn't wanna write it !! 

okokok i feel like a pulling a blank here but that's probably because it's like, 1 am and i don't have brain function 😐

jelly harry!!! 🤭

sprinke of romione!!! 🥰

ok so this chapter is HEAVILY unedited so ill prob edit like...later...! 

anywaayyysss, as always, point of mistakes, vote and comment if u liked the chap !!

catch u on the flip side (don't say that!) 

- dizzy :)