Harmony Malfoy: A Harry Potter Fanfiction Part 29

Instructions

Harmony marched around the corner before her confidence finally cracked. The moment she was out of sight, her shoulders slumped and she pressed her back against the nearest wall, breath shaking out of her in uneven bursts. Her eyes burned again. Absolutely not. She refused to cry twice in the same hallway. A door clicked open to her left. “Harmony?” Aurora stepped out of the empty Charms classroom, holding a stack of parchment and looking like she’d walked into the middle of an unfinished duel. “Oh,” Harmony muttered, brushing past her. “Hi.” Aurora frowned and hurried after her, long hair swishing behind her. “Are you alright? You look-” “I’m fine,” Harmony snapped, immediately regretting it. “I’m-sorry. I just… had a fight. A big one.” “With Draco?” Aurora guessed. Harmony actually laughed at that. “Surprisingly, no.” Aurora's eyebrows shot up. “So Fennec, then.” Harmony didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. Aurora sighed and looped her arm through Harmony’s, guiding her away from the crowded corridor and into a dusty alcove behind a suit of armor. “I thought things were getting better between you two.” Harmony shook her head. “We were supposed to be taking a break. And then he saw Draco hugging me and acted like I’d… betrayed him.” She kicked the wall lightly, frustration bubbling up again. “I can’t do this. Not the jealousy. Not the yelling.” Aurora considered this, then said quietly, “Fennec’s scared.” Harmony blinked. “Scared?” “He doesn’t know what he is to you anymore. And he doesn’t know what he is to himself.” Aurora gave her a sympathetic look. “Not that it excuses how he talks to you.” Harmony exhaled, long and tired. “I’m just trying to survive my family without completely losing it.” “That,” Aurora said softly, “you’re doing better than any Malfoy I’ve ever met.” Harmony snorted. “High praise.” “It is,” Aurora insisted. She squeezed Harmony’s arm. “Lunch is soon. Want to sit with us? Melody probably saved you a seat.” The idea of sitting in the Great Hall with everyone’s eyes on her sounded awful. But sitting alone sounded worse. “…yeah,” Harmony said quietly. “Okay.” The Great Hall buzzed as usual, chattering voices bouncing off the enchanted ceiling. Harmony followed Aurora to the table, where Noah waved her over enthusiastically. “There you are!” he said. “Melody told us there was ‘drama,’ which is amazing but also concerning.” “It’s fine,” Harmony muttered, sliding into the seat and pulling her plate closer mostly for something to focus on. Melody leaned across the table. “Did Draco find you? He came to Potions looking like someone stole his broom.” Harmony rolled her eyes. “That’s just his face.” Melody snickered. “Fair.” Harmony picked at her food, feeling her heartbeat start to slow as the normal chatter around her softened the sharp edges of her thoughts. She could almost pretend the confrontation with Fennec hadn’t happened- Until the doors to the Great Hall banged open. Fennec stood there, eyes scanning the room with a stormy intensity that made Harmony’s stomach flip. His gaze fixed on her instantly. Noah whispered, “…oh no.” Melody dropped her fork. “Absolutely not, Harmony. If he causes a scene-” “He won’t,” Harmony said, even though she wasn’t remotely sure. Fennec strode toward her table, ignoring the looks, the whispers, the confused first-years scrambling out of his path. He stopped right across from her, jaw tight, fists clenched. “Harmony,” he said, voice low but shaking, “we need to talk.” Harmony lifted her chin. “Right now?” He swallowed hard. “Yes.” Aurora straightened beside her. “If you’re just going to yell at her again-” “I’m not,” Fennec snapped, then softened. “I’m… not. Please.” Every eye in the Hall seemed to be on her. Harmony hated it. But she also saw something in Fennec’s expression she hadn’t seen in days- Fear. Regret. Something that looked achingly like longing. Slowly, Harmony stood. “Fine,” she said stiffly. “But we talk outside.” Fennec nodded quickly, stepping back to let her pass. As Harmony followed him out of the Great Hall, her heart hammered in her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was from anger… or the terrifying possibility that she wasn’t as done with him as she wanted to be.