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

Harry's  P.O.V.

He and Y/N sat in the clearing for hours after that, listening to the waterfall, the birds chirping and talking to each other - making up for all the time spent apart. All the time they had ignored, or moped, or been excessively and unnecessarily petty.

Y/N filled him in on what happened in St. Mungos, about her parents, and everything about her curse - the Curse of the Moon. It was serious, and had Harry furrowing his brows, but Y/N said she was trying to figure it out, and he trusted her.

With their backs against the tree, Y/N was leaned into Harry, contouring perfectly into his side. It was like this spot was made for her. 

Harry had been planning to apologize since the Yule Ball, but never knew how, because Y/N kept running from him. It was fair, he'd said bad things, but he just needed a chance. And then he had the Second Task, and all his attention went to that (it was never all - he was always thinking about Y/N in one way or another...). 

He just wanted Y/N to be his. To be his girlfriend, preferably. 

See, after their talk with Sirius about Death Eater stuff, Harry really needed advice. So...he asked Sirius to talk privately, and Sirius had told him to just be sincere and thoughtful and make a gesture Y/N couldn't resist. 

Unconsciously, Harry ruffled and messed up his hair due to stress, and Sirius widened his eyes. He abruptly turned his head - and Harry could've sworn he saw tears drip down his face.

Anyway, Sirius had given some great advice, and when Harry had said, "This how you got a girlfriend back then?" 

Sirius had given him a cheeky smile, "Not quite." 

It was similar to the grin that Y/N had when planning a prank, probably because Sirius and Remus spent time together, and Y/N was Remus' niece. It was a pretty look.

Maybe he'd been staring for too long, because Y/N gave him a confused but sweet smile. Nonetheless, she put a hand on the back of Harry's head and threaded her fingers through his messy black hair, pulling him down to her lips for a soft kiss. 

At this point, Harry was on cloud nine. He smiled into the kiss, satisfied when Y/N smiled too. When they pulled apart, she was blushing a light shade of pink. 

"I love you," Harry reminded her. 

Y/N's blush deepened and she turned her head away, muttering out an embarrassed "I love you too." 

Harry rolled his eyes teasingly - now that he knew that they felt the same, he could be much more confident in his administrations than before. 

He brought a hand up to grip Y/N's jaw and gently turn her head to face him. "I didn't quite catch that," Harry grinned, "care to repeat it for me?" 

"I didn't quite catch that," Y/N mocked in a very high voice, rolling her eyes excessively, "care to repeat it for me - my arse." 

"That's vulgar language," Harry said jokingly.

"You're vulgar language!" 

"And you're mine, so who's winning?" 

Y/N's mouth hung slightly open and Harry smirked in satisfaction, guiding her head back to it's previous position on his shoulder. Harry decided that he would be okay with staying like this for the rest of his life.

Y/N hummed, "We should probably...you know, talk about it." 

Harry nodded, "Yeah - but when I asked, you told me to shut up and hold you, which wasn't a bad idea," he said cheekily. "I just wanted you to initiate it so you felt comfortable." 

"I love you, Harry, I really do," Y/N said - it caused panic to rise in Harry's chest. That didn't sound good in the context they were discussing. 

He opened his mouth, but Y/N continued, "But we're fourteen-" 

His heart sank. 

"- And with everything going on, with my parents just starting to get better and my curse, and the Triwizard Tournament...and obviously, Rita Skeeter will find out about it somehow and write a whole shitload about it... it's a lot of stress, Harry." 

Apparently, Harry's silence was a telltale sign that he didn't exactly like this idea. Or maybe it was the deep frown etched on his face. He couldn't help it, he couldn't let Y/N slip through his fingers again. 

"Harry, I'm..." Y/N said. "I'm scared, okay? What if we're too young, and what if we don't do it right, and then I lose you forever? I can't just lose the love of my life. I dunno, and then we're both stressed, and on edge all the time..." Y/N trailed off.

Harry's expression relaxed - what Y/N was saying actually made some sense. Also, she called him the love of her life - like she had decided that she'd never love anyone else. But she was right. They were only fourteen, after all. Just barely teenagers. 

It still hurt. A lot. And he didn't like it at all, and in Harry's opinion, they could get through the stress.

Harry frowned. "But like...er...like, we'd be...exclusive...right?" he mumbled. 

Y/N's lips quirked up into a slight smile. "Harry, first of all, you didn't let me finish." 

"Go on, then." 

"I never said I didn't want to date," Y/N said. "I was just...you know, stating the risks and obstacles and whatnot. And to make this work, we need to have better communication. I'm not getting my heart broken again because you've seen me hanging out with Elijah. He's my friend." 

"And he doesn't like you...anymore..." Harry probed, suddenly nervous at the sound of the Slytherin's name. He didn't know why he said it - Harry thought he'd gotten past the jealousy. 

Bringing a hand to cup Harry's face, Y/N said, "You don't have to worry about him. I don't like him, I love you." 

Harry let out a deep breath and gave Y/N a wry smile. "Okay. Um...also...like, I can kiss you, right? Like in public...and stuff...right?" 

The girl pressed into Harry's side let out a breathy laugh, putting a finger to his lips to silence him. "You're rambling, Harry." 

Presumably turning red, Harry muttered, "Sorry..." 

"It's cute," Y/N said with a shrug. "But to answer your question, yes." 

Now, Harry had come prepared, right? Like, obviously. The basket that had contained the picnic blanket the two were sitting on also contained a whole array of flowers and other items that Harry hoped would be enough...for...yeah. 

And so, to distract her (and because he wanted to), Harry pulled Y/N's chin up for a kiss. She smiled into the contact again, and when she pulled back, Harry quickly and subtly accioed the picnic basket behind himself. 

Trying to pull out the flowers discretely, Harry grinned when Y/N placed another soft kiss on his lips. 

When Harry had worked with Professor Sprout to obtain the Flos Lunaris for Y/N's birthday, he had kept some clippings for himself, incase the need ever arose. After Sirius had given him some tips on some of Hogsmeade's best jewelry stores, Harry had taken special permission from McGonagall to leave. When the professor asked him why he needed to go, Harry confessed the reason.

Professor McGonagall had never agreed to anything so fast in her life.  

And so, Harry had ventured into many stores, his pockets full of money. He didn't know how much he would spend, but he didn't particularly mind - it was Y/N, after all. 

Eventually, he'd settled on a beautiful silver ring, because he knew she liked silver better anyway. Harry had tied it to the ribbon of the bouquet of Flos Lunaris clippings he'd kept and regrown.

It was supposed to be a Christmas present...but he hadn't given her one. Well, technically, he was going to ask her to be his girlfriend on Christmas...but the circumstances weren't exactly...the best.

Slowly, Harry pulled out the bouquet and offered it to Y/N with a sheepish smile. Her eyes lit up and she took it gently. "Harry-!" 

"Willyoubemysortofgirlfriendwhoisn'texactlymygirlfriendyet?" Harry blurted out, words jumbled by nerves. He turned bright red when Y/N gave him a confused look. 

"Huh?"

Harry steadied his breathing, then asked again in a slightly more confident voice - even though he felt stupid - "Will you be my girlfriend...who isn't exactly my girlfriend yet...?"

With the smallest upturn of her lips, Y/N asked, "And what does this entail...?" 

"Well," Harry said slowly, "we're both...not completely ready for a relationship with labels right now...but we love each other. I guess I'm just asking you to love me, so that when I ask you to be my girlfriend for real, you won't reject me." 

"I'd never reject you, Harry."

"So...will you be my..." Harry took a pause to laugh at himself, "girlfriend who isn't exactly my girlfriend yet?"

Y/N stared at him for a moment, as though in shock...then her pretty lips smiled and her pretty eyes lit up and she took the bouquet from Harry delicately. Before answering she brought the flowers to her nose, even though she already some around her wrist. 

Then her eyes caught a glint of silver around the ribbon. Harry was holding his breath - she wouldn't say no, right? 

Slowly, Y/N undid the ribbon and the ring fell onto her palm. The ring was made perfectly for her, with a wraparound sort of style ending in a crescent moon and a small star centerpiece. She smiled and slipped it on the ring finger of her right hand. 

"Of course," Y/N said, giving him a soft, tender look. This was her heart showing - and now she loved Harry and everything was amazing.

"Think of it as a promise ring," Harry said, "a promise that you will be my girlfriend one day."

Y/N smiled and let out a breathy laugh, "But right now, I'm your girlfriend who isn't exactly your girlfriend." Even as she said it, she was giggling into Harry's side. "Isn't that right, Goldie?"

His breath caught in his chest, she was perfect. She was absolutely perfect. 

"Goldie?" Harry breathed out, knowing he was absolutely pink, "that's a new one..." 

Y/N flushed, "Well...um...the sunlight's catching on your face really nicely...and um..." 

Harry smirked and tilted her head to look into his eyes. "Go on, Silv. What were you saying?" he asked - he loved the teasing he was able to do now. Well, he did it before, but now she was his.

With a scowl at him, Y/N said, "I was saying that your eyes have really pretty golden specks in them and that's why I called you Goldie and I can stop if you don't like it and like, you're the Golden Boy, you know? But if it makes you-" 

"Who's rambling now?" Harry grinned. 

When Y/N huffed very loudly and turned away, Harry laughed and grabbed her by the waist, pulling to him. "You can call me Goldie if you want." 

She pushed him onto the grass and he brought her down with him. Now, Y/N was on top of Harry, pinning his wrists down beside his head and laughing with her head thrown back. Now, of course, Harry couldn't have this. So in a flash, he switched their positions and she was under him, her laugh stopping very abruptly, but Y/N couldn't contain her smile. 

"We'll take it slow, alright?" Y/N said, almost a whisper. "I don't want to go too intense and then it all comes crashing down. Slow is good." 

"Slow is good," Harry agreed. She was right.

The rest of their time was filled with laughs, and kisses, and stupid little playfighting. Harry felt happy - he hadn't felt this way since Y/N started ignoring him.

Harry just hoped that things would stay this perfect forever. 

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Y/N's P.O.V. 

"Harry, so help me, if you don't move over," Y/N said, elbowing the boy in the side. Harry looked down at her and raised his eyebrows. He was basically taking up all of her space at the Gryffindor table, and she could barely reach her breakfast, because she could barely move her arms.

"You could just sit in my lap," Harry replied slyly, elbowing her back, but softer. 

Y/N would've scolded him, for Ron and Hermione were right there, but they had been the ones who orchestrated getting Y/N and Harry in the same vicinity long enough for Harry to apologize in the first place. 

"It has been one day, Goldie," Y/N huffed, "and you're already trying to-" 

"It's not like you've never sat in my lap before, Silv," Harry rolled his eyes. 

Y/N blushed furiously, "That was under...car circumstances."

Harry shrugged, "And this is under table circumstances. Also, I miss you." 

"You're a git."

"Oh yeah-?" 

"Will you two just shut up?" Ron said furiously, banging his fork down on the table, his pancakes forgotten. His goblet of orange juice shook and Y/N bit back a laugh. "'Mione and I wanted you to apologize. We didn't want you to be disgusting!" 

Y/N took a bite of her toast and gave him a mockingly sad look, "You're just mad you don't have anyone." 

"You two wouldn't be on good terms if we didn't force you outside, Y/N," Hermione reminded quickly, and Y/N gave her a look of betrayal. 

Harry groaned loudly and grabbed Y/N's hand in his own. Ron clicked his tongue, and the two looked at him. He looked proud, but slightly annoyed, relieved, but angry at the same exact time. 

Ugh...

"Now, listen, Harry," Ron began angrily. "The only reason I didn't immediately drop you after the Yule Ball is because I knew Y/N loved you and that you deserved another chance-" 

Harry's jaw dropped.

"You were going to drop me?!" 

"That is my sister!" Ron spat. "Of course? She was messed up after what you did. I know you were too but it was your fault." 

Harry was silent for a moment, and Y/N laughed loudly, patting him comfortingly on the back. Harry wrapped an arm around her waist, and prodded Ron to continue.

Ron scowled at the contact,  but before he could reprimand them even more, the post owls came swooping into the Great Hall, causing a good deal of noise. Hermione looked up eagerly. 

"Percy won't've had time to answer yet," said Ron. "We only sent Hedwig yesterday."

This was in reference to Ron and Hermione sending Percy a letter about how odd Mister Crouch was being, and this happened while Harry and Y/N were out in the clearing, probably making out, or something. Y/N grinned at the thought. 

Hermione nodded absently, then a small brown owl came tumbling into Y/N. The girl jumped, catching the puffball before it could fall into her goblet of orange juice. It gave her a proud look, dropped a letter in her hands, then flew off. 

Y/N slowly opened it, a slightly worried look etching onto her face. 

"Hey, kid 

I got another meeting with your parents scheduled! First, great news - they've been awake for twelve hours! Longest they've been awake for in a week. 

The meeting is scheduled for your Easter break, so, April 17th.

I'll see you then. McGonagall's office at noon, alright?

Love you lots, 

Dad :)" 

Right...Easter Holidays were very soon. Y/N took a couple deep breaths, then folded the letter and stuffed it into her robe pocket. Out of sight, out of mind, right? 

Hermione glanced up again, and Ron burst out, "Hermione, I told you that Percy didn't write back-!"

"No, it's not that," said Hermione. "I've taken out a subscription to the Daily Prophet. I'm getting sick of finding everything out from the Slytherins." 

"Good thinking," said Harry, also looking up at the owls. "Hey, Hermione, I think you're in luck-" 

A gray owl was soaring down toward Hermione. "It hasn't got a newspaper, though," she said, looking disappointed. "It's -" 

But to her bewilderment, the gray owl landed in front of her plate, closely followed by four barn owls, a brown owl, and a tawny. A black owl, and another brown owl landed in front of Y/N, to her great surprise.

"How many subscriptions did you take out?" said Harry, seizing Y/N's goblet before it was knocked over by the cluster of owls, all of whom were jostling close to her, trying to deliver their own letter first. 

One of the owls nipped Y/N's middle finger harshly - "ouch!" She glared at the small bird, as though the action would be consolidated. 

"What on earth - ?" Hermione said, taking the letter from the gray owl, opening it, and starting to read. "Oh really!" she sputtered, going rather red. 

"What's up?" said Ron. 

"It's - oh how ridiculous - Trouble, open yours. I'm sure they're the same thing. Here you go, Harry."

She thrust the letter at Harry, who saw that it was not handwritten, but composed from pasted letters that seemed to have been cutout of the Daily Prophet.

While opening one of her own packages, Y/N glanced over to the letter that Hermione had given to Harry. 

You are a WickEd giRL. HarRy PotTER desErves BeTteR. GO back wherE you cAMe from mUGgle. 

So Rita's article really did do something...this was possibly very bad, seeing as there were too many packages to count. Hate mail - all for Hermione and Y/N...

Y/N ripped a letter out of her own package, eyes widening at the words, then her mouth played a smirk - this was all very stupid, really. 

yOu aRe JUst a bItCh. HaRRy pOtTer doEsn'T LOve yOU. i'M glAd yOuR yUlE bAlL eXpEriEncE wAs RuInEd bY thAt ArgUmEnt. 

Harry snorted a laugh and pulled Y/N closer by the waist. "You see that? It says that Harry Potter doesn't love me," Y/N stated playfully, looking at the boy with a smirk. 

"Well, coming from a reliable source, I've heard that he loves you very much," Harry said cheekily, pressing a quick kiss to Y/N's temple. 

Ron gagged.

In all honestly, Y/N wanted to forgot the take it slow, premise and just...she didn't know, exactly. Because what they were doing now is what they were doing before (still without the labels) except there was kissing, and I love you's. 

Y/N opened another one. 

jUsT StICk tO oNe GuY. iS elIjAh CoLliNs nOT gOoD enOuGh? nOT riCh enOuGh? shOuLD wE seNd HIm hATe mAiL tOo? 

Harry made a sound like he was holding in a chuckle, and Y/N sighed. She'd apologize to Elijah when she saw him later when the prankster group hung out. 

Y/N didn't understand why people were giving both Y/N and Hermione hate mail. 

"They're all like it!" said Hermione desperately, opening one letter after another. " 'Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you...' 'You deserve to be boiled in frog spawn...' Ouch!" 

Y/N smelt the odd pus before she saw it. Hermione had opened the last envelope, and yellowish-green liquid smelling strongly of petrol gushed over her hands, which began to erupt in large yellow boils. 

"Herms!" said Y/N, pushing the plates aside, and grabbing the offending envelope, as to not get any of the substance on herself, then placing it aside.

"Undiluted bubotuber pus!" said Ron, picking up the envelope gingerly and sniffing it. 

"Ow!" said Hermione, tears starting in her eyes as she tried to rub the pus off her hands with a napkin, but her fingers were now so thickly covered in painful sores that it looked as though she were wearing a pair of thick, knobby gloves. 

"What the fuck!" Y/N said, slowly sorting through the rest of the letters. "At least half of them are like that!"

"You'd better get up to the hospital wing," said Harry as the owls around Hermione took flight. "We'll tell Professor Sprout where you've gone..."

 "I warned you two!" said Ron as Hermione hurried out of the Great Hall, cradling her hands. 

Y/N wanted to follow, but Hermione had insisted that it wasn't a big deal, and that the other three needed to get to class soon anyway.

"I warned you not to annoy Rita Skeeter! And now look at what's happened to Hermione! Look at this one..." He read out one of the letters Hermione had left behind: " 'I read in Witch Weekly about how you are playing Harry Potter false and that boy has had enough hardship and I will be sending you a curse by next post as soon as I can find a big enough envelope.' Blimey, she'd better watch out for herself."  

"You too, Y/N," Harry said nervously. "If people can send curses in letters...I don't need you nor Hermione getting hurt.' 

"I'll be fine, Goldie," said Y/N. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm going to follow Herms. I don't really care about class, and I don't want to listen to her demands of me staying here." 

Y/N got up from the table and followed after Hermione, heading towards the hospital wing where she assumed the girl had fled. 

Madam Pomfrey declared that Hermione's hands would be alright in a weeks time - it would be painful, but the matron covered her appendages in bandages and set her on her way. 

They technically were supposed to go to class after, and it was Care of Magical Creatures...and Y/N didn't want to disappoint Hagrid...but they skipped. It took much convincing on Y/N's part, but she promised Hermione that they'd complete all their homework together in the evening, and her best friend finally agreed. 

It was silly, really, how easily Hermione could be convinced with the word, "homework." 

Harry and Ron came back from Care of Magical Creatures, with Ron holding a large chocolate bar - "A prize because my Niffler found the most gold!" he had said cheerily. Y/N didn't exactly know what this meant, but...alright...

The two boys had told Hagrid about the letters that Y/N and Hermione had received, and his advice was to just...not open them. 

So, that's what they did!

Hate mail continued to arrive for Y/N and Hermione over the following week, although they stopped opening it, several of their ill-wishers sent Howlers, which exploded at the Gryffindor table and shrieked insults at her for the whole Hall to hear. Even those people who didn't read Witch Weekly knew all about the supposed Harry-Y/N-Krum-Hermione square now. 

Y/N was sick of telling people that Hermione and Harry weren't dating - 'cause her and Harry were basically dating...but she didn't tell anyone that either. 

She knew it was her idea to take it slow, and not put any labels on it, because they both had a lot going on...but she just wanted Harry, to be completely honest. But that wouldn't be healthy for either of them.

Like, at all...

Harry comforted her through it, just saying they had to make it until the end of the Tournament. Then everything would calm down a little bit, and he would be able to be her boyfriend while also supporting her about her parents and her curse. 

Of course, he supported her now, but he was stressed too.

"It'll die down, though," Harry told the group, "if we just ignore it. . . . People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time-"

"I want to know how she's listening into private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!" said Hermione angrily. 

Hermione hung back in their next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson to ask Professor Moody something. The rest of the class was very eager to leave; Moody had given them such a rigorous test of hex-deflection that many of them were nursing small injuries. 

Harry had such a bad case of Twitchy Ears, he had to hold his hands clamped over them as they walked away from the class.

Y/N had a bad case of ear-ringing. Moody had been testing her with odd metal spheres that floated around her head. It left her mind spinning and a queasy sensation in her stomach, especially when the silvery spheres began to rotate, coming closer and closer, eventually making contact with her neck. It burned, and she sent a Stinging Jinx straight at Moody - that wasn't part of the rules, but Moody had just hurt a student, so she threw those rules away. 

Y/N was left wondering about the incident as the trio walked slowly to the Entrance Hall, waiting for Hermione to hurry and meet them.

"Well, Rita's definitely not using an Invisibility Cloak!" Hermione panted five minutes later, catching up with Y/N, Harry and Ron in the entrance hall. 

Y/N pulled Harry's hand away from one of his wiggling ears so that he could hear her. 

"Moody says he didn't see her anywhere near the judges' table at the second task, or anywhere near the lake!" 

"Hermione, is there any point in telling you to drop this?" said Ron.

"No!" said Hermione stubbornly. 

"Exactly," Y/N said, "It's an invasion of privacy. It's terrible, really. The whole school doesn't need to know about how much of a git Harry is," she said the last sentence with a playful tone, nudging Harry's side. 

Harry rolled his eyes, but nudged her back, "I apologized-"

"I want to know how she heard me talking to Viktor! And how she found out about Hagrid's mum!" Hermione said angrily, starting to rant. 

"Maybe she had you bugged," said Harry. 

"Bugged?" said Ron blankly. "What...put fleas on her or something?"

Harry started explaining about hidden microphones and recording equipment. It was all rather interesting, and Y/N and Ron were fascinated, but Hermione interrupted them. 

"Aren't you ever going to read Hogwarts, A History?"

"What's the point?" said Ron. "You know it by heart, we can just ask you."

"All those substitutes for magic Muggles use - electricity, computers, and radar, and all those things — they all go haywire around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air. No, Rita's using magic to eavesdrop, she must be...If I could just find out what it is...ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her ..."

"Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Ron asked her. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?"

"Ron," Y/N said tiredly, "She's a bitch. Just let Hermione do as she pleases - I'm really sorry, Herms, but I don't have the mental capacity for much right now. 'Specially since I'm seeing my parents soon."

"It's alright, Trouble," Hermione said quietly. "I'll do it on my own - just gonna be off in the Library!"

She marched back up the marble staircase without a backward glance, and Ron's gaze followed her longingly. Y/N snickered very loudly and stamped on his foot, bringing his eyes back to herself and Harry, who had now shifted to stand exceedingly close to her. 

Ron scoffed and glared at her - "What's the betting she comes back with a box of I Hate Rita Skeeter badges?" 

Harry laughed, 

"Ten galleons, mate."

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

Hedwig didn't return with Percy's letter until the end of the Easter holidays. Percy's letter was enclosed in a package of Easter eggs that Mrs. Weasley had sent. Both Harry's and Ron's were the size of dragon eggs and full of homemade toffee. 

Y/N's face immediately fell when she saw her own - it was smaller than their - but not as bad as Hermione's, who's was smaller than a chicken egg. Her face fell when she saw it.

"Your mum doesn't read Witch Weekly, by any chance, does she, Ron?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," said Ron, whose mouth was full of toffee. "Gets it for the recipes."

Hermione looked sadly at her tiny egg, and Y/N patted her on the back, showing Hermione her own egg. Missus Weasley was a nice woman - Y/N never would have thought that a silly article in an untrustworthy magazine would make such a flip switch. 

Harry saw their expressions and gave Hermione a comforting look, while simultaneously wrapping an arm around Y/N's shoulder and pressing a kiss to her temple. He'd been doing that frequently, recently. 

"I'm so happy I get to do that, now," Harry grinned, looking down at her. 

Ron made a noise of disgust, obviously disgruntled. Y/N mentally laughed at the fact that Harry had probably been yelled at by Ron multiple times in the dormitory. 

"How about we see what Percy's written?" Harry said hastily with a nervous look at Ron.

Y/N peered over - Percy's letter was short and irritated.

"As I am constantly telling the Daily Prophet, Mr. Crouch is taking a well-deserved break. He is sending in regular owls with instructions. 

No, I haven't actually seen him, but I think I can be trusted to know my own superior's handwriting.

 I have quite enough to do at the moment without trying to quash these ridiculous rumors. Please don't bother me again unless it's something important.

Happy Easter." 

And Happy Easter indeed. 

The next day, April seventeenth, Y/N met Remus in McGonagall's office at noon. She was extremely giddy - unable to get Harry off of her mind the whole way. 

It was all his fault, of course. 

Obviously, before she left, he had to have her cuddled up on the couch, with his complete weight on her, her hands in his hair. When Y/N told Harry that she had places to be, he just shook his head and burrowed deeper into her maroon sweater. 

"Not gonna lie," Harry said, "No." 

"What does that even mean, Potter?" Y/N said in fake exasperation, brushing a strand away from his scar. 

"Goldie," Harry corrected. "It's actually Goldie. Or Harry. Your choice." 

"Get up." 

"No!" 

"Please?" 

"No thanks." 

"Harry I have places to be in twenty minutes," Y/N sighed. 

Harry considered this for a moment, looked into her eyes, and said, very brightly with a smile Y/N couldn't resist, "Twenty minutes - it takes ten minutes to walk to McGonagall's office, so you can stay for ten more minutes!" 

With another very dramatic sigh, but smiling nonetheless, Y/N nodded her head and Harry pulled her even closer - she didn't think that it was humanly possible, but he did it. They stayed like that for a good ten minutes...well, Y/N thought it was ten minutes, but it stretched into fifteen. 

"Harry!" Y/N exclaimed, "Get off! I'm going to be late and I could easily just tell dad that you're keeping me busy-" 

"No!" Harry said quickly, pushing himself off of the couch and basically falling onto the floor. "Remus will kill me!" 

Y/N chuckled and lifted herself up, then helped Harry to his feet. He gave her a sheepish grin, then came the thing that Y/N couldn't stop thinking about. 

Harry had placed a hand on her waist and pulled her in for a sweet kiss that left butterflies in her stomach. Against Y/N's lips, he murmured a quiet, "Good luck," and she turned completely red.  Why was that hot...? 

"Bye, Goldie!" 

She ran out of the common room, through the halls (many students looked at her oddly...)and arrived at McGonagall's office panting. Of course, due to Harry, she was late and Remus was already standing near the fireplace, talking to her Professor. 

Not noticing him at first, Y/N was doubled over, and jumped when she heard a, "Damn, kid. You're really red...something happen?" 

Well, technically yes...

"Nope!" she said quickly, "I just ran here, I was getting late!" 

Remus raised a brow, and McGonagall chuckled a little, then returned to her paperwork with a slight smirk. "Why were you late? You were on time last time..." 

Silence met him...and Remus narrowed his eyes as Y/N wracked her brain for an excuse - any excuse. 

"Um..." said Y/N hesitantly, "I was doing homework with Hermione and we lost track of time." 

 "Right..." Remus said slowly, "we better get going, then. Minerva, thanks for having me and this little shit-" 

"Language, Mister Lupin!" 

As Y/N laughed very loudly, Remus glared at Professor McGonagall, then rolled his eyes, muttering, "Still my teacher at heart..." 

McGonagall chuckled, and Y/N and Remus took that as the sign to go through the fireplace. Quickly, in a flash of green, they were in London and approaching St. Mungos Hospital. 

Again, the place was flooded with witches and wizards - the line was even longer than last time, and Y/N could only satiate the boredom by annoying Remus in every way possible. Eventually, he was about to scold her, but the secretary called them up. 

In the magazine holder, she caught sight of Harry's face - Y/N knew it was the article about her, Harry, Hermione and Krum. A couple other magazines were beside it, one containing a title of St. Mungos - Survivors of Torture...Awoken Suddenly!

They registered themselves, stuck on their nametags and clutched the map given to every visitor. Her parents were in the same ward, and were asleep at the moment. When they walked into the Janus Thickey Ward, Y/N spotted two people that looked familiar. 

A round-faced woman with brown hair, and a freckled man with mahogany hair. Y/N couldn't place her finger on it, and wasn't able to see their nametags because Remus and she walked past too fast. 

They sat down in the same armchairs as last time, and the moment the kind mediwitch left them alone, Remus began to whisper to Y/N. 

"So, I did some reading...on...you know," said Remus. "Found some dusty books in the attic while I was cleaning it out..." 

Y/N perked up, "And what'd you find?" 

Maybe she'd get some more answers today...and she also hoped Remus hadn't looked too hard for Selene's mirror. She felt a little bit of guilt, knowing it was currently sitting on her bedside table...probably with Spellie curled on top of it. 

"First, more about Lykos," Remus said. "It was...in a journal I found. Now, we know he wanted Selene's power, and that he was going to kill her. So why'd he marry her? Well, she had to love him." 

"Why?" 

"Haven't gotten to that part yet," Remus admitted, "but she had to love him for it to work. It was through love, that magic was passed on. I dunno why or how...but Selene loved him. As I said before, she cursed the knife, of course she cursed the knife. The moment she heard the knife clang and Selene awoke, and all the love for Lykos in her heart was gone - even if he had killed her then, he wouldn't get her power." 

Y/N narrowed her eyes slightly, "Kill her then?" 

Remus sighed, "He...in the end, did kill Selene. You would think it was in werewolf form, but he set out on a hunt. After she turned him to wolf, set her curses on his bloodline, Selene fled. Obviously, he chased." 

Leaning forward in his seat, Remus sent a glance at the nurse. She was attending to the patients Y/N had seen earlier. They were in the clear. 

"It wasn't immediate, no," Remus shook his head. "It was seven years later, when Lykos heard of Selene's success in another village...well, it was a full moon - and as a werewolf, he could make the journey quickly.

At the crack of dawn, he'd finally caught up. The night was easy - the moon was full, he was a werewolf. But as he changed back, he got one slash across her stomach. And he just kept going, and going, until she eventually couldn't heal herself with magic, and Selene perished." 

Y/N put a hand on his arm, "How do you know all of this, dad?" 

"That journal was Selene's journal. I found it in the attic," said Remus. "The box looked like its been locked since twenty a.d." he tried to joke. Y/N gave him a look. "It's at home...didn't want to bring it to St. Mungos..."

Furrowing her brows, Y/N pondered aloud, "Then how did she write about her own death?" 

Remus gave a grimace. "Well, Lykos was ever the brute and ripped her journal from her cold, dead body. The entries about Selene's death...were written by Lykos... with her blood."

Y/N's eye widened exponentially, but before she could exclaim about how vile that was, her mother stirred on the bed. Remus rushed to stand up immediately, running to his sisters side and grabbing her hand. 

It was odd, how Y/N's mother's body seemed more relaxed than the last time Y/N was here. Maybe St. Mungos was actually helping her parents in some way - after all, they were conscious more often than not these days. 

"Is she awake?" Y/N asked, also rushing to stand beside her mom's bed. She turned to her father, who was also beginning to shift a little, and grabbed his hand.

Her breath almost stopped when she felt a squeeze of her fingers. Remus pulled up a chair, and Y/N sat beside her parents' beds, her heart heavy with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. 

Remus stood beside her, a comforting presence as always.

Y/N gently took her mother's hand in hers. Her father's hand was clasped in her other hand. She stared at their faces, searching for any sign of consciousness, any flicker of recognition. The sight made Y/N's heart ache.

Her mother's hand twitched, and her father's grip tightened ever so slightly. She looked down to see their eyes fluttering open - just like that day.

Her mother's eyes focused on her, "Y/N?" she croaked, her voice weak but unmistakably filled with love.

Y/N smiled, "it's me - I'm here again.""

Since they were now awake, the nurse came rushing over to check their vitals, their breathing and more. She smiled and gave them the all-clear, leaving Y/N and Remus some privacy with her mother and father. 

Her father turned his head, his eyes locking onto Y/N's. "Our little girl," he murmured slowly, his voice hoarse but filled with emotion. "You've grown so much."

Well, of course - her parents hadn't seen her since last time, during which they were online awake for a minute at most. They were remembering a time when she was an infant - a time Y/N herself did not remember.

"I've missed you," Y/N said softly. 

"We've missed you too," Terrell mumbled - his eyes were glazed over. A coma would do that to you.

"I dreamt of you," Y/N's mother said quietly - her speech was slightly slurred, "I...think... I think it was you - and there was a boy..." 

Y/N took a quick glance at Remus, heart fluttering...

"...And another girl... with a red-haired man. All of you were bloody. I...I thought..." Ayla trembled, "I thought we lost you without ever knowing you..."

Remus stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Y/N's shoulder when her jaw went slack. Four people - herself, a boy, a girl, a red-haired man. Her, Harry, Hermione and Ron. Bloody.

There was silence for a moment, as Y/N scanned her parents' faces, trying to memorize every detail. 

"There's so much we want to tell you," said Remus. "About us, our life." 

"Thank you... so much Rem," Y/N's mother wailed, "thank you so much for... taking care of her when we couldn't...we still can't..."

"Ayla..." Remus said, eyes brimming with tears. "Why wouldn't I take care of her? I...don't mean to impede, but she's like a daughter to me." He wrapped an arm around Y/N's shoulders and gave a comforting squeeze. 

Y/N's father smiled. "She is just as much your daughter... as she is ours."

"We want to hear everything," her father replied, his hand gently brushing a tear from Y/N's cheek. "Tell... us about you. What have you been doing all these years?"

Y/N took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. There was so much to say, and not enough time to say it. She started slow, little things, like the habits she and Remus had at home. When she recounted how every time Remus tucked her in and said, "Goodnight," she'd burst into a fit of giggles. 

Her parents listened intently, their eyes never leaving her face. They asked questions, eager to fill in the gaps of the years they had missed. As they spoke, the room seemed to grow warmer, the bond between them strengthening with each passing moment.

"I remember when she used to do that," said Terrell, then his face screwed up. Both of their speech was faulty, almost incomprehensible "Uh...I think....We'd say, 'goodnight, Moonbeam,' and she would...laugh..."

"Moonnbeam?" asked Y/N, a smile gracing her face as she looked down at her dad on the hospital bed. 

Remus chuckled, but it was Ayla, her mother, who answered. "Nickname...Terrell.....gave you..." her eyes welled with tears, which dripped down her face and onto the sheets. "It was...silly. And we've missed...all of your childhood...and now...you've grown into such a wonderful, strong young woman."

Y/N smiled through her tears, her heart swelling with happiness. "I had a lot of help," she replied, glancing at Remus, who smiled back at her, his pride evident.

Her father squeezed her hand gently. "We'll make up for lost time, I promise," he said, his voice full of determination.

"I know we will," said Y/N. 

They continued to talk, sharing stories and memories, laughter and tears. The room was filled with a sense of healing, of new beginnings. As the hours passed, Y/N felt a warmth spread through her.

Y/N's parents held her hands, the strength of their grips growing with each passing minute. Her mother, with her eyes glistening with tears, began to recount the few memories she had of Y/N as a baby. "You were...so small..." 

"So small," Terrell agreed. 

"And so happy...and we didn't know how - and oh...Remus - James and Lily...you were going to have a playdate with their son..." 

Y/N fell silent - if she told them now about Harry, they would have too many questions: How did they become friends? What was he like? Was he a good person? It would tired out their already exhausted bodies and minds. 

Her father nodded in agreement, his eyes never leaving Y/N's face. 

As the initial rush of emotions began to settle, Y/N's parents looked at her with a mixture of awe and concern. "What about the world outside?" her father asked. "What has happened since we... since we were gone?"

Her parents listened with a mixture of sorrow and pride. "You've been through so much," her mother said softly. "And yet, you've come out stronger." 

As the conversation continued, Y/N felt a sense of peace settle over her. She knew there would be challenges ahead, that her parents would need time to fully recover and adjust to the world they had reentered. 

The hour passed in a blur of conversation and shared memories. They talked about everything and nothing, reveling in the simple joy of being together. 

"I'm so sorry," said the healer, approaching the beds. "But...er...Y/N Sterling and Remus Lupin, your visiting time is over...I'm really sorry."

It was alright - her parents' eyes had already began to droop, as their speech slurred to an incomprehensible state. Their gaze was hazy, as they looked up at Y/N and Remus. 

Remus gave Terrell a side-hug, and his little sister, Ayla, a kiss on the forehead. Y/N kissed both of them on the forehead, and gave one last squeeze of their hands.

"I love you," she said to them. 

"We love you too," her parents said in unison, drifting off to sleep.

Y/N glanced back one more time at their resting faces before she and Remus stepped out of the Janus Thickey Ward, fresh with the love from her parents, hoping for more of these times to come. And for them to last. 

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

Y/N had one more visit with her parents around mid-May, but not much happened, as they were asleep for most of it. Receptive, but not awake at all. They squeezed her hand when she squeezed theirs, but other than that....nothing. 

It was comforting, in a way, knowing that they were awake. They just weren't awake at the moment, but they would be. And they loved her and remembered her and the times when she was barely a year old. 

She was lounging in the Hufflepuff with Cedric, Liana and Mathew, after unpacking her parental situation with them, when Liana suddenly asked, "What's that on your hand, Y/N?" 

Sheepishly looking down at her hand, Y/N's mouth curved into an involuntary smile. "It's...from Harry..." 

Cedric was silent, then he gave Y/N the biggest stinkeye. "Look, I know he apologized-" 

"How do you know that-?" 

"Gryffindor table, Egghead. It's so obvious," Cedric waved off, "but are you sure it's okay? Like, if you want him dead..." 

"Rick!" Mathew exclaimed from beside Liana, his arm wrapped around her. 

While Y/N laughed on the armchair across from them, Cedric rolled his eyes. "I was jokinnnggggg..." he said slowly. "Unless..." 

"No," Y/N said flatly, glaring at him. 

Liana smirked widely, "Harry got you that, huh? Lost feels for Elijah now, have you?" 

At this, she got a pillow in her face, and burst into giggles - that was her answer. Elijah was Y/N's friend. Strictly. That's it. And he was okay with it - and that's what made him a good friend. He was fine as friends. 

"Yuck, Lia," Cedric said with his tongue out. "That's my cousin. Like my literal cousin. I know I don't talk to him much...at all...but...just don't." 

Liana laughed into Mathew's side, but she seemed tense, as though something was bothering her. Y/N wanted to ask, but she didn't want to do so in front of Cedric and Mathew. She'd inquire later, when Y/N and Liana went to Liana's dorm to do their separate gossip. 

Bringing a hand up to play with Mathew's hair, Liana's yellow ring pulsed orange in the light of common room. Liana and Mathew had become more confident in their relationship - less shy...well, on Mathew's part. Liana was usually more reserved about it, but always gushed to Y/N about how much she loved Mathew. 

Now Y/N could do the same about Harry, because Liana knew anyway. But Y/N didn't assume that Cedric would enjoy hearing his sister-like family friend talk about love interests. 

"Show of hands," started Y/N, "who's up for dressing Mathew and Ced in dresses?" 

Liana's hand immediately shot up, while Cedric and Mathew bolted up from their seats and ran into their dorm. 

Liana and Y/N laughed - they could just follow. The Hufflepuff common room had no barriers, Y/N didn't know why. The other boys from their dorm were out...so it was free game to cover the place in glitter and sparkles and beauty!

"Hmm, Lia, black for Ced and orange for Mathew?" Y/N suggested as they took their sweet time in Liana's dorm to pick out attire. 

"Cedric's gonna look like he's going to a funeral," Liana laughed.

 "The widower husband of his wife," Y/N added dramatically, putting a hand to her forehead and grabbing an elegant black dress for Cedric to put on. 

Liana took a clementine orange dress for Mathew, then the two girls confidently strode out of the girls' dorm towards the boys, ready to wreck havoc on Cedric and Mathew...and possibly take some pictures on the camera that Y/N had borrowed from Hermione. 

Gotta freeze the happy moments in time, right? 

─── ☆: *.⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ .* :☆ ───

heeeeyyyyyy....guys......😅

um......

long time no sseeeeeeeeeeeeeee.............................

IM ACC SO SORRY FOR MY INACTIVITY (UPDATES) IVE ACC BEEN SO BUSY AND IK THATS NOT AN EXCUSE CUZ LIKE I COMMITTED MYSELF TO THIS BUT LIKE I WAS ACC SO BUSY IM SO SORRY 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

forgive me ? 🫦🌹

whenever i write a sentence like "ron gingerly opened the letter" im always like....

ron ronnedly opened the letter

cuz like 

hes a ginger

ik im funny 

ok also, 

IK I ALR SAID THIS BUT!!

 from now on (and i have edited past chapters to fit this), Y/N's parents will have...er...names because i dont want it to just be M/N and F/N anymore! 

her mum will be Ayla Sterling (her maiden name is Lupin because she's Remus' sister) 

and her father will be Terrell Sterling

and y/n wil be y/n sterling !

her dad will look more like her, since her mom is remus' sister and has to resemble him yk! but im not gonna put descriptions for her parents so y'all can imagine them how u want :)

SOOOO MANY CLUES IN THIS CHAP OMG

ok i acc gtg to bed but im sorry again !!  

love u troublemakers!! bye!!

- dizzy