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Being friends (she’s still getting used to it) with Hermione Granger was a lot of things.
The girl annoyed her quite often like a cat meowing to its owner for attention but she found that her company was tolerable from time to time.
She was a total know-it-all. Not that Harriet didn't know but experiencing it first-hand was different. Even if she fully understood a certain topic they were discussing, the bushy-haired girl would babble on and about it for hours as if Harriet was some child who didn't know any better.
Well, it wasn't totally a blunder of a decision. Hermione was doting on her a lot. Like a lot lot. Harriet was surprised she didn't find that quality of her vexing when she expected it to be. (Having anyone dote on her is unnerving. It made her skin crawl but if it's Hermione (Or Sirius) it was soothing. Something close to a mother's embrace. (But she won't ever admit to that)
All in all, Hermione Granger is a decent friend.
It also means that she'd meet her other friends much sooner or later.
Great. More nuisances.
“I know you mean good, ‘Mione but don't you think being friends with a Slytherin is pushing your luck too much?”
Weasley agonised, his eyes were blown wide in apprehension.
“How can you say that, Ron? You must've at least noticed Harriet and I hanging out and she doesn't do anything remotely suspicious?”
Hermione barked in retort, her bushy hair much frizzled up than usual.
“Well, Slytherins are snakes. You won't know when she'd bite you. Hell, you won't even expect it!”
“Oh, for Merlin's sake! I know her, Ron! She won't do that to a friend. She just needs a little more push to be completely out of her shell. And don't generalize! Not all of them are bad. You just won't try and take a look at who they really are.”
Hermione cried, feeling restless and bitter about her friend’s overviews about Harriet.
“I'm just saying, be careful around her. You will never know when a snake shows its fangs and strikes you dead.”
The girl felt like her words weren't even taken in regard by the red-head and it infuriated her so much.
“Oh, whatever!”
She bristled and stomped away from Weasley.
Harriet was listening behind a pillar and she couldn't blame Weasley for stating his claims, really.
She knew Slytherin’s reputation and animosity between the other houses, especially Gryffindor. But she felt bad for Hermione.
The girl was just trying to introduce her new friend and was met with an impenetrable wall.
There was something inside Harriet that was blaming herself for arising this argument with Hermione and Weasley.
If she could've been, friendlier, a bit more welcoming and a Gryffindor―
But the better part of her thought that it was Weasley’s fault for brushing off Hermione's feelings and sticking to his own personal views.
Still, something was stirring and eating her up inside when she thought about the girl's prickled tears and brittle words.
She wanted to console Hermione, to run after her and tell her that it's all right― she didn't need to burden herself with her well-being, it was fine with her with just the two of them.
Harriet didn't know when to start. She wasn't exactly an expert at this friendship thing. She would say she isn't a good friend but she knows she didn't want to see Hermione hurt.
It was the first time she's spending Christmas away from home and Sirius.
The Weasleys were not anything like Ronald Weasley, that annoying git. They were warm and welcoming to an outsider like her.
To Hermione's persistent request for her to spend Christmas at the burrow, she reluctantly accepted. Of course, that was met with an indestructible force that is Ronald Weasley.
Hermione couldn't succeed in convincing him until the Weasley twins came strutting, hand in hand towards the three of them on a chilly afternoon.
“Don't be so moody, little brother.”
“We like to welcome new guests even if it's a sly Slytherin like Miss Black.”
The Weasley twins chortled at their brother, pinching and pulling his cheeks and giving her a thumbs up.
Weasley just seemed to grumble at them and snorted in her direction.
“Fine. She's just a replacement for Harry this year anyways since he's spending Christmas with his parents.”
“Ron!”
Hermione exclaimed, her expression twisted into something dark at his words.
The Weasley twins exchanged glances at one another and looked at Harriet with worry.
Harriet remained cool and aloof even if those pathetic words from him had made her bitter heart clench.
“That wasn't a nice thing to say to Harriet, Ron.”
“We know that you don't particularly like her, but please, try to tolerate―”
“Oh, bloody hell! What's with you lot? Siding with a Slytherin, of all people instead of your own brother.”
Ronald Weasley’s glare hardened.
“If you want her to spend Christmas at the burrow so much, it's none of my bloody business.”
He walked away, muttering along the lines of, “Christmas is ruined, great.”
“Ronald!”
Hermione glowered at the retreating figure of Weasley and sighed deeply.
Well, that had pretty much summed up at Hermione's attempt to persuade Weasley.
She felt like she didn't belong, mingling with another's family. She stood out like a sore thumb and Ronald Weasley made sure that she was uncomfortable throughout the feast.
It made her frustrated and angry but it was no use hurling verbal insults inside his own home, she would just be smudging her face in dirt. It was already bad that she felt like she wanted to be anywhere but here.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were giving the boy disapproving stares meant to make the red-head quaver but he just shrugged, completely ignoring the elephant in the room.
Harriet could almost see the masked irritation that was forming on the couple’s face.
Ronald Weasley is annoyingly a massive prick that constantly gets on everyone’s nerves.
“Don't take Ron’s words too seriously”
“Huh?”
“Oh, I apologise, I haven't properly introduced myself, haven't I? One of the infamous Weasley twins, Fred Weas―”
“No, I know who you are. Why are you here?”
Great. Another Weasley to frustrate her to no end.
“You can tell us apart? Me and George?”
Fred Weasley looked at her with flickering amusement in his blue eyes. Was it that big of a deal to him?
“Er, yes?”
“Blimey! Even our brothers couldn't tell us apart, only mum and dad does. How did you know it was me?”
She blinked.
“Well, you have a mole right under your chin and your twin doesn't―”
“How did you know that?”
He lifted an eyebrow and a hint of mischievousness flashed across his eyes.
“Because I can see it?”
“Aren't you a little subtle, Miss Black?”
Huh?
“Admit it, you just liked to look at my face and mapped out every little detail, you sly girl.”
His eyes twinkled, lips curled up into a playful smirk.
Harriet’s face contorted into many different emotions at once and looked at him, her eyebrows pressed and lips pursed.
“I have all the time in the world and I wouldn't waste it on something meaningless like that.”
The older boy just chuckled at her cold and direct response. He's finding this way too amusing for his own liking, she grimly thought.
“I’ll ask again, Why are you here? Have you come and joined my pity party?”
“Your what?―
“My pity party. Hermione's a member and I guess you'd be joining her, then. If that's why you're here.”
He grew shocked and a little amused at that.
“Woah, I'm not here for that. And did Granger actually establish that?”
“No. I did. Harriet Black’s pity party club. She's the first member and wouldn't you like to join her?”
Harriet's nose crinkled and squinted her green eyes at him.
“As I said, I'm not here for that and I don't pity you―”
“Then why are you here?”
She was growing more frustrated when he kept claiming that he didn't pity her even though it was evident enough―
“I saw you were all alone out here. That's not a fun way to celebrate Christmas, isn't it? I won't ask you to come back inside, Ron's probably getting a long and arduous scolding from mum.”
Her eyebrows curled upwards and he took it as a sign to continue.
“And well, wouldn't you like to do something fun? My christmas present for you, Miss Black.”
“AAAAAAAAGHHH!!”
“What in Morgana’s name― RONALD WEASLEY!”
Standing straight up from the bed, Ronald Weasley stood in his pyjamas but there was something alarmingly different from him; Green skin.
The familiar red hair, gone and replaced with a twinge of green hair.
His face was nothing like him and he was much more hairy than usual.
Also, his eyebrows were green and bushy. (Just like Hermione's, for exaggeration)
He kind of resembled the Grinch.
Harriet and Fred spiralled into laughter just outside the grinch-looking Weasley’s window, a few meters away.
They were riding on Fred’s broomstick, hung up in the air and Harriet was clutching onto Fred's back for dear life as she laughed until her stomach constricted.
“His reaction was priceless!”
“You bet. Honestly, this is one of the best few gifts I've ever received.”
Harriet gave one breathy laugh and her smile was so wide she swore it hurt, but nothing could replace her giddiness at this moment.
“Yeah? I'd be glad to give you a blast next time just to see you smile like that again.”
Fred had a cheeky grin plastered on his face.
“You don't need to―”
“You should smile more, Harriet. It suits you, I mean it.”
The older boy then ruffled her hair, stopping whatever retort could come out of her mouth.
Her mouth set on a straight line. She didn't know if it was the cool and chilly air that made her cheeks warm.
“Your plan was amazing by the way. I didn't know you had it in you, Miss Black.
Pranking my brother and all, I should reprimand you.”
He joked.
“You were the root of all this. Don't try to reprimand me. I only came along but the credit lies with you.”
“Of course. I've been given the honors of making you laugh that might've made you fall off my broom if you weren't so tightly holding on to me, eh?”
…It was definitely the cold air that made her cheeks warm.
How was Christmas with the Weasleys, my little budding flower? They didn't give you any hard time, did they? It's not likely anyways. I was just asking because this poor old man of yours is quite worrisome whenever my little sprout isn't around me.
Anyhow, if you've received this letter, there's a gift inside the envelope and I'm sure by now you're looking at it, examining it and thoughts run through your head about why the hell would Sirius Black send something like this?
Well, I've been noticing you take an interest in these accessories whenever we go and shop at Diagon Alley. Although you never voice out these thoughts, my sightings were always keen but I have also never asked you about it. With the thought that maybe you were just too shy to ask for it. I'm right, aren't I?
I was willing to wait but this particular gift is actually a limited one so I went ahead and grabbed it, packed it up and here we are.
I know you sly minx will never ask me to buy this because you're quite stubborn and liked to stick to the more ‘practical,’ things.
Happy Christmas, my blooming little sunshine.
With love, Sirius.
P.S: I'll be back around the end of December with your uncle Remus. Let the three of us share the Auspicious New Year.
Harriet folded the letter after reading it and smiled. She examined the gift from Sirius and her eyes couldn't deny that it was worth being a limited edition.
It was a green bow with an intricate design of gold markings. It would go well partnered up with her school uniform, especially the tie, she thought.
She would write back to him later until she recovers from her embarrassment. Honestly, was she that obvious? She knew asking for things she wanted wouldn't always end well for her so she'd refrain since.
She reminded herself that she would give Sirius a big crushing hug when he gets home.
After Christmas at the burrow and the Quidditch World Cup, Harriet and Fred had grown closer.
Technically, a friendship has been formed between them. Maybe it was just in Harriet's mind that she started to see Fred differently compared to how she sees Hermione.
It was strange and foreign yet she welcomed it nonetheless. It was new and exciting.
Although at times she tried to brush it off, it would come crashing back like a torrent of hurricanes. (She couldn't ignore it for the life of her)
Well, in other words. She was smitten. A silly little crush on Fred Weasley. She liked the boy who was two years older than her and the brother of an outright git she has to face each day.
Honestly, she couldn't believe herself either. At first, she couldn't even handle being friends with someone and now she had taken a slightly different interest in someone.
It was a total jump from her life. Never had she imagined it would be like this.
But she had found that she was smiling a lot this year. She was happy, content, she had friends. These new sensations had overwhelmed her for the first few times but it quickly evaporated and melted into something she'd look forward to everyday.
Her life was nothing compared to the past three years she'd spent at Hogwarts. She isn't alone anymore.
She wanted this feeling to last a little bit longer.
“You won't stop until you've jinxed all the blokes here, won't you?”
“Of course. Why would I when you keep helping us with your wicked plans behind the scenes?”
“Even the professors?”
“Even the professors.”
Harriet broke into a fit of giggles. She wanted to see what sort of plan the Weasley twins would conjure up to prank her head of house.
Frankly, she hasn't witnessed any mishaps around Professor Snape and can't wait for this grand scheme of theirs.
Oh, she'd also want to see Professor Dumbledore losing all his marbles―
“Harriet?”
Fred suddenly interrupted her line of thoughts.
“Hm?”
The older boy seemed to struggle talking, she assumed he couldn't find the right words to say, not at the moment.
“Am I finally going to witness one of the Weasley twins crumble beneath my feet?”
She joked and earned a chuckle from him but quickly shook his head.
“Absolutely not, you may be a cunning and smart snake but I won't easily fall for your tricks.”
“Then, what were you going to say?”
He began to take a deep breath.
“Well, you're quite different from what I've expected, Harriet.”
“Oh? I get that a lot, from Hermione, I mean.”
She shrugged. Honestly, why do they keep mentioning it?
“But what does it matter? Does it bother you that I'm…. different from the rest of my housemates?”
“No, it's not. It's just… sort of new, I suppose? No one in Slytherin has actively participated in our schemes and they're usually our sole target for the past years.”
The red-head’s lip curled into a smile as he looked at his little friend.
“Being friends with you, Harriet, is like a breath of fresh air. I'm glad that you didn't openly degrade and look down at us like most people in your house.”
The older boy stepped closer towards her, bending a little to be at her eye level.
He tucked a strand of auburn locks behind her ear, his touch lingering on her an ample amount of time than needed.
“I mean it. You're full of surprises, Miss Black.”
Fred then ruffled her head, grinning and Harriet might've turned into mush right then and there if he had continued what she thought he would do.
Honestly, what's wrong with her head?
“Has anyone asked you out for the Yule Ball dance, Harriet?”
Hermione asked, the two of them were strolling down a corridor on one sunny afternoon.
“Er, no. Not that I'm expecting it.”
“Then, have you asked anyone?”
“No.”
“Um, do you have someone in mind that you would want?―”
“There is someone.”
Hermione's eyes gleamed with excitement as she pondered on who it was that caught her friend’s fancy.
“I'm guessing it's not from your house, then? You don't particularly like them anyways so that's out of the question… Is it someone from Ravenclaw?”
She shook her head, kind of amused by Hermione's antics.
Harriet knew that she was kind of subtle but she didn't expect Hermione to notice that since the girl was only glad for her to be finally making more friends. She wouldn't suspect it to be Fred Weasley.
“Oh, bummer. I guess that leaves us with Hufflepuff and Gryffindor but I don't think they're really your type, though. Honestly, I can only think of a Ravenclaw. Or are you hiding something from me, hmm?”
“Keep guessing, Hermione.”
She let out a sigh. Never in her life would she confide with someone about these… feelings of her, even if it's to a friend. It was just all too complicated and mushy for her to even explain the gist of it.
“How about you, though? Who's the lucky guy?”
“Viktor Krum.”
Harriet's eyebrows shot up as she looked at her friend, gobsmacked and amused.
“Well, that's unexpected. I didn't know you were close with someone from Durmstrang.”
“We aren't technically close. I had just helped him with the directions when everybody else seemed too intimidated to approach him.”
“Ah, typical Hermione Granger. And that led him to thinking that you're his saving grace and that he would rather spend an evening with the girl who gave him an ounce of kindness when nobody did.”
“I suppose. You’re reading romance novels now?”
Hermione joked.
“No.”
Came the cold and direct response but that didn't stop Hermione from smiling widely and laughing wholeheartedly.
“If no one has yet to ask you before the dance, I'd be happy to ditch Krum and take your hand instead.”
The bushy-haired girl jinxed and earned a small smile from Harriet.
“Don't be silly. I'm sure someone would. If not, then ditching the event sounds more appealing though.”
She was honestly waiting for Fred to ask her even if that was a far dream. Can't a girl expect?
The boy had surely noticed that and he did bring up the subject a few times but only ruffled her hair (why does he keep doing that?) and said that ‘It’s their loss if they'd let a gem like you unattended.’ (that was met with a kick on his shin and a hard glare from her.)
When will he take the hint that she's waiting for him to ask her? She had felt extremely bad for turning down Neville Longbottom when it was evident that the boy mustered up all his courage to ask someone so out of his comfort zone.
(It was cruel on her part but Longbottom didn't blame her for it and they were, maybe, acquaintances now? She wants to save him from the mocking and jeers of her housemates, so that's also partially the reason she refused.)
The way she sees it, Fred might’ve already asked someone else and God forbid she was wrong. She wouldn't take it well, she knew. Her heart was a traitor, especially to herself.
She just hopes that Fred makes his move before she spirals and seriously considers bailing out. Time was ticking and the dress that Sirius had sent to her would go to waste if she didn't attend the dance.
Well, it was a matter of time before she saw it coming.
Fred had indeed asked somebody else out, someone much older than her and just around his age.
Honestly, why was she expecting so much?
The older boy had most likely seen her as a little sister. Someone who needed a helping hand and a guide through the new environment she had put herself into.
it infuriated her so much.
She had accepted when Draco Malfoy asked since, well, does she have any more options? It was honestly better than nothing, people were only going to see them in the pretence of cousins.
Not that Malfoy was aware of who she really is but it was easy enough to fool him throughout the past three years.
And she would absolutely ignore any attempts of Fred talking to her out of spite.
“Why do you keep glancing at that weasel?”
“Has it occurred to you that it's none of your bloody business?”
Malfoy pursed his lips and sneered at her, they were doing the waltz on the dance floor with many other students around them and Harriet's eye had particularly latched on a certain red-head having fun with his partner.
She was glaring daggers at the blond in front of her who twirled her and catched her waist with a mocking smirk.
“Don't tell me, you fancy the old weasel? I didn't know you were beneath that, Black.”
“Have I ever said that? Stop deluding yourself with false assumptions.”
“Oh but your eyes definitely say something else.”
“Stop fooling yourself.”
She saw his lips twitched in irritation and rolled his eyes at the stubbornness of the girl in front of him.
A few minutes passed when suddenly his lips morphed into a smirk when he saw Harriet tighten her hold around his shoulder and that her eyes had lingered on Fred curling an arm around on who she thought to be his partner, Angelina Johnson.
“Oh, dear cousin. You're quite obvious, are you not?”
“Shut up, Malfoy. I could dislocate your shoulder right now.”
The boy just laughed at her with no hint of playfulness, only pure mocking and malice.
Her heart was clenching painfully around her chest and she wanted to bolt out from this place and never show her face again.
It was good enough that Malfoy had stopped to dance with her and talk to his peers for a moment and that left her with stolen glances with Fred, who in return, only smiled at her with a small wave.
She pretended to not have seen him and sure enough, the older boy had a muddled expression written all over his face before walking towards her.
Harriet had the mind to turn her back to him, busying herself from choosing a drink on one of the tables where Malfoy had left her.
The girl had felt an overbearing presence behind her and she had not been bothered to turn around and look to see who she thought it would be.
“Red suits you, Harriet.”
He said, his smooth and playful tone erupted new sensations inside the girl. (She had to thank Sirius profusely for choosing her outfit for tonight.)
“What's this? Why won't you talk to your buddy, eh?”
She didn't turn around and for the umpteenth time the older boy had tried to gain her attention, he grabbed her wrist and led her out, much to Harriet's surprise.
“Would you talk to me now that we're alone, now?”
Fred asked, he scrutinised the girl's gaze, gauging anything out that led to her acting like this.
“What did I do, little pumpkin? Have I made you upset? Did Malfoy say anything to you? Or is it something I said that I couldn't remember―”
“Stop. Stop talking like that.”
He's doing it again. He keeps fussing over her like she's someone he's responsible for.
“What―”
“Stop treating me like a child.”
“I'm not treating you like a child. I'm worried about you, Harriet! Why are you acting like this?”
Like this? Like this?
“Like what?”
“You're acting like this for reasons that I don't know! Tell me, why are you―”
“I'm in love with you, Fred.”
Silence.
Harriet had her head hung low, her heart was in turmoil and she had blurted the words she had least wanted to say. And she couldn't take that back now. She couldn't make a joke out of it.
Not when Fred was eerily quiet, his feet, from Harriet’s gaze on the ground, was slowly retreating from her frame.
“I'm sorry, Harriet.
Came the piercing response that she was expecting.
But she had hoped. Hoped that his answer would be different from how she had played this scenario multiple times in her head.
In the end, it's always the thought that she always thinks about.
The imminent rejection that would come one way or another.
“I… I apologise too. That was a slip of my
tongue― I'm not actually in love with you, it was, well, a confession for somebody else.”
“Oh.”
The older boy let out a sigh of relief, laughing it off.
“You got me there, Harriet. You're like a sister to me, you that. Don't slip up again, alright? Don't worry, I'll help you proclaim your love to this lucky bloke you fancy.
Harriet faux laughed. It was better this way. It was better to deny everything than let their friendship deteriorate because of her silly slip up.
“Hey, Fred?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“Of course, you'd win his heart in no time if I'm your mentor. I'm expert at this―”
“No. For being honest. Thank you for being honest.”
“No problem, Harriet.”
Her implications came unsaid but she knew that he understood.
Yeah, It was better this way.