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'AMORTENTIA'

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♡

"I'll see you later," Charlie said softly as they reached the potions classroom, his hand lingering in hers. It was just after lunch that same day, and the halls were loud as students walked past and shuffled inside different doors for their classes.

"Yeah, see you," Mina smiled warmly, and he gave her hand a squeeze before letting go and joining the crowd of students walking down the hall. Once he was out of sight, she finally turned around to head into Potions--and just as she was commending herself for being early for once, a hand suddenly met her forearm and she was pulled into a nearby, empty classroom.

Looking up as the person quickly shut the door behind them, she sighed exasperatedly with a hand over her heart. "Merlin, Harry, just talk to me in the hallway like a normal person--"

"Are you avoiding me?" he asked bluntly, turning around and looking into her eyes expectantly. His face was a little flushed, and the hints of brown in his hair were highlighted warmly by the afternoon sun leaking in through the classroom's windows.

"No," Mina said automatically; the lie easily slipping past her lips. But maybe it wasn't a complete lie! It wasn't as though she had been actively avoiding him...just not approaching him. Two completely different things.

Kind of.

"Okay, good," he sighed in relief; his features almost instantly relaxing. She was surprised he actually believed her. Harry leaned his back against the door, his chest heaving up and down. "Because holy hell, I cannot keep this to myself."

"Why're you so out of breath?"

"...I was trying to catch you before class to talk." He said as his chest began to slow. He then spoke with a childlike excitement that she couldn't help but be enamoured by, despite the fact that what he was saying made her stomach churn.

"The date with Heather on Saturday went really well--like really well. I gave her my jacket and everything and she was laughing at everything I was saying and when we were outside she held my hand as we walked, and then later she was like 'we should do something tomorrow' and, oh my god, Mins, that's two dates! and then I was like oh there's this party tomorrow and she's like yeah? and I'm like yeah and then..." He took a breath.

The grin that had spread across his lips made her heart flutter, and for a moment, it was as though the pain from last night had never broken it. His giddiness was contagious, but she couldn't help but have conflicting feelings of aching jealousy yet happiness for him. Mina only showed the latter.

"...we're at the party and we're just talking and then out of nowhere, I kiss her! And she kissed me back! Anyway--I wanted to tell you 'cause you've been in on, like, this whole thing, and basically what I'm trying to say is thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Harry wrapped his arms around her in a quick, tight embrace--and she only comprehended it until he had pulled away.

"I--yeah! You're welcome! I'm glad it went so well," she smiled, her face flushed, pushing away the dull ache in her heart.

"It did, it really did," he nodded eagerly, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Where'd you go during the party last night? I saw you there but then I couldn't find you," he stood straighter once more, eyeing her face sceptically. "...You didn't drink the punch, did you? Never drink the punch at a Gryffindor party. I learned that the hard way."

"No, no, I just left early. I was tired," Mina swallowed. He didn't seem to believe her, but she kept talking before he could ask. "We should probably get to potions...don't wanna keep Snape waiting," she laughed a little, but still, he remained unconvinced. "I'm fine, Harry. Promise," she said as earnestly as she could manage, which finally seemed to persuade him. The smile returned to his face.

"Okay, good," he opened the door for her. "Now let's go rate how greasy Snape's hair is today."

. . . . .

The professor in question already had the class surrounding a large cauldron in the middle of the room when they squeezed past the ajar door. His monotone drawl of a voice was the only sound filling the silence--and the two tried to keep it this way as they quietly stepped inside behind a shelf. As soon as his back was turned, they snuck toward the group and stood amongst the students nonchalantly.

Peeking over the heads in front of them, the two peered at the contents of the cauldron. Inside was a potion with a mother-of-pearl sheen, with steam that rose from the liquid in enticing spirals.

"Oh my God," she heard Harry mutter from beside her.

"What?"

"His hair--"

"So nice of you to join us, Lee. Potter." Snape's voice interrupted with his back still turned.

"...how did he know we were here--" Mina whispered, but stopped as the professor whipped around and glared at the two. The other Hufflepuff and Gryffindor students around them turned as well, and Mina spotted Ella holding in a laugh alongside Josiah.

"Given that whatever conversation you are having with Lee seems to be more important than my lesson, please share whatever it is you were about to say. Don't let me...interrupt you," his scowl seemed to deepen with every word, but Mina couldn't help but find it amusing. "Go on. What...were...you...saying, Potter?"

Harry cleared his throat. "That there only seems to be a mild layer of grease on your head today, sir. It's a nice change."

"...what?"

"What?"

Laughter quickly followed--predominantly from the Gryffindor students, and Ella. Given that Snape's perplexed stare remained on them, Mina had to firmly press her lips together to avoid joining them. Harry did the same, however the hint of a smirk was evident on his face from the dimples forming on his cheeks.

More confused and in disbelief than anything else, Snape waited a moment, before shaking his head a little as though ridding the past five seconds from his mind and continuing his previous teaching after the laughter died down. "...As I was saying before Potter's cheek, this potion is Amortentia. Can anybody tell me--yes...Miss Granger?"

"It's the most powerful love potion in the world," Hermione spoke up eagerly, hugging her textbook to her chest. "It's rumoured to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them. For instance, I smell...freshly mown grass, new parchment and..." she turned pink, and didn't finish her sentence.

"Correct," Snape spoke, restraining himself from rolling his eyes. "Now, I want all of you to come up to the cauldron and observe the potion. Then, go back to your desk and write these observations. I want a five-page essay on the properties and dangers of Amortentia by tomorrow." When no one moved, he added, "Well...go."

Chatter resumed throughout the classroom as Snape went back to his desk. As they were behind the whole class, and therefore far away from Ella, Josiah and Heather, Harry and Mina talked amongst themselves whilst they waited for the small crowd to clear before they could go up to the potion.

By the time they reached the cauldron, almost everybody was back at their desks--and Snape was seemingly still overly perplexed by Harry's words to shush down the volume of the loud classroom conversing.

The two peered over the edge of the cauldron and instantly were hit by a whiff of intoxicating scents. Mina breathed it in, and smelt the scent of melted chocolate, rain hitting the earth, and--oh.

Harry's cologne.

Instantly she felt her face warm as the scent did wonders to the butterflies in her stomach. Mina glanced up to see the boy in question leaning closer and closer to the cauldron as though he were drawn to it; the potion's soft glow lighting his skin.

"What do you smell?" she asked, and he kept his eyes on the alluring, pearly colours of the potion as he answered.

"Treacle tart...that woody smell of broomsticks...and..." Harry trailed off, his brow furrowed as though he was figuring something out.

And then, for seemingly the first time ever, he blushed; his cheeks turning an unmistakeable bright rosy pink.

"And?"

"That's, uh. That's it," he cleared his throat, suddenly avoiding her eyes. "So, you coming to the game tomorrow?"

♡

a/n:

ooo harry what're u hidingggg

-g