Hazel left Ron to snap out of his little state of... whatever that was.
She could feel a rush of adrenaline inside her. She was bursting to shout at the top of her lungs what she had just discovered about Draco. However, she couldn't do such a thing for it would compromise everything (and would also have her receive many strange looks in the school hallways).
So she headed her way back up to the balcony for some fresh air before dinner.
Despite Hermione no where to be seen, Harry was still outside. Sat on a little step by the ledge, he finished writing up a small note. Hedwig was already perched beside him.
"Haven't seen you in a while", she beamed at the snowy owl, now having calmed down a little from the overwhelming news she had.
She strode over to the two of them, gently petting Hedwig's soft head. She affectionately pecked Hazel's finger but allowed her to continue stroking her.
"She likes you", Harry said before standing up with the folded note.
Hazel smiled, rubbing the owl's back softly.
"What's that say?", she asked.
Harry waved the parchment and placed it securely in Hedwig's beak.
"Just summed up what you told 'Mione and I", he replied.
"It's off to Remus and Tonks. Figured he'll let the rest of the Order know afterwards".
"I hope the news doesn't worsen Molly. I don't think she's fully recovered from the Burrow situation", Hazel said through gritted teeth.
She began to fiddle with the hem of her charcoal jumper, worried that the news about Draco, the Vanishing Cabinet and the warning could either be too much or an overreaction.
Hazel and Harry watched Hedwig soar off into the darkening, misty sky with the note in her mouth. She flew ever so elegantly yet in a flash. When she was out of sight, the two dropped their shoulders.
Hazel leaned both her elbows on the ledge of the balcony, her back arching slightly and her head tilting down over the edge with her hair drooping down, allowing the cold yet oddly still wind travel down her neck. Harry stood next to her; one foot up against a small pillar and both his hands tenderly banging against his legs like a drummer.
"D'you find Ron?", he asked.
Hazel lifted her head up and chuckled a little.
"He's on something", she said shaking her head.
"How so?", Harry responded.
"Dunno. He said he's in love with Romilda Vane".
"In love?", he scoffed.
"Seems a bit exaggerated".
"You're telling me!".
"Just don't want Hermione to hear him like that".
Harry switched legs; now his left leg was leaning against the small pillar.
"Ron likes Hermione".
"Y'know, during our first couple years here they were... pretty contrasting people".
"They still are now!", Hazel laughed.
Harry replied with a small chuckle too.
"I know. But he's never spoken to me the way he has about her before".
Hazel smiled to herself.
"He best sort out his priorities then".
Harry let out a short laugh; he remembered Ron saying something a little similar in their first year.
A short, comfortable silence.
"What do you thinks gonna happen with Malfoy?", Harry asked, the light-hearted mood now turning a little cold like the air that enveloped around them.
She sighed whilst lifting herself up to sit down on the ledge.
"I wish I knew".
"Besides from seeing Draco and the rest of the Death Eaters at Borgin & Burkes in a memory, I've been getting less and less visions compared to last year and the year before".
Her eyes grew a little worried. Normally, Hazel concealed her worries with courage and ambition to fix things, but it was true. Her visions were becoming less and less frequent. How else could she fix things before they happened?
"Is that really such a bad thing?", Harry asked, putting his leg down and standing right next to Hazel, facing opposite, leaning both arms on the ledge by her thighs.
She shrugged.
"Suppose I just feel a little weaker without them".
Another pause.
"I still get nightmares of Voldemort", Harry admitted.
"Not because I'm scared of him".
"You sure?", she nudged playfully.
He smiled.
"He doesn't scare me. He won't win".
"But he's in my head. All the time, he's there. He's always been there".
"It's like an unpleasant taste you just can't get out of your mouth".
Hazel shared a sympathising look, but Harry wasn't looking back. He continued to look out into the landscape that was growing darker and darker as the day got older.
"The nightmares give me a sense of weakness sometimes".
He looked up to meet Hazel's eyes; eyes filled with a landscape more beautiful than the mesmerising environment around the castle. Filled with juniper trees and mocha logs; an enchanted forrest, more magical than the magic world itself. It was as though her eyes had captured a picture-perfect photograph of the very moment autumn and summer fell in love with one another. They were almost hypnotising, or at least that's how Harry felt.
She smiled.
"We've all got weaknesses. But they don't take away our strength", she said.
Harry smiled back, his cheeks like two roses blossoming in the spring.
At that moment, it was as if a string that connected to both of their hearts created the most perfect bow, tethering the two together. A swarm of butterflies fluttered at the pit of her stomach. Even amongst the soft howl of the wind and the distant chatter from inside the common room, Hazel could only hear her heart beat rapidly. The cold air didn't bother either of them - their connection was enough to warm up the entire castle.
"Hazel...", he said, slowly lifting his arms off the ledge.
"Can we... talk about us for a minute".
Hazel shuffled a little on the ledge and lowered her head to look down at Harry.
"I know that the beginning of the year was...".
"Heated?", Hazel suggested.
He let out a polite scoff.
"That's the best way to put it".
He cleared his throat.
"I just...".
