#h.p

Mistake #1: The Cloak Catastrophe

It was well past curfew when you slipped out of the Ravenclaw common room, wand gripped tightly in your hand and your steps light against the stone floors. You weren’t supposed to be out — but then again, neither was Harry Potter. You’d caught a glimpse of him once or twice sneaking about at night, disappearing under that ridiculous invisibility cloak he seemed so proud of. Most people couldn’t see him when he used it — but you weren’t most people.

A week ago, you’d found a spell buried deep in the Restricted Section, one that let you see through cloaking enchantments for a few short minutes. You’d perfected it, memorized it, and now when you whispered the incantation under your breath — “Ostende” — a faint shimmer outlined the air ahead of you. And there he was. Harry bloody Potter, moving quietly, completely unaware you could see him.

You smirked to yourself. Typical Gryffindor — breaking rules and thinking he’s invisible. You were about to say something snarky when a sound froze you both — the unmistakable shuffle of Filch’s boots echoing down the corridor.

“Merlin—” you whispered sharply, eyes darting toward the corner. You could see the flicker of a lantern’s glow approaching, the caretaker’s muttering getting louder. Your heart leapt into your throat. You didn’t think — you just acted.

You lunged forward and, without a second of logic or permission, slipped under the invisibility cloak with Harry.

“Hey—!” he started, his voice low and shocked.

“Shut up!” you hissed, pressing your palm against his mouth before he could make another sound.

It was too small for two people — far, far too small. The cloak clung to both of you, your bodies pressed flush together in the narrow space between the wall and a suit of armor. You could feel the warmth of his chest, the rise and fall of his breath against your skin. His heartbeat was fast — and if you were honest, so was yours.

Harry’s eyes, wide behind his glasses, met yours. He looked utterly bewildered, lips still caught beneath your hand.

Outside, Filch’s lantern swung closer. “Know I heard somethin’,” the old man muttered. “Sneaky little brats…”

You didn’t move. Neither did Harry. The air between you was thick — his breath ghosting over your fingers, your heart pounding in your ears.

When the footsteps finally faded and the light disappeared, you let out a shaky exhale and slowly dropped your hand. “Next time,” you whispered, glaring up at him, “try being less obvious, Potter.”

He gave a weak, breathless chuckle. “You— you have can see through my cloak?”

You rolled your eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. I just like knowing what kind of idiocy walks the halls at night.”

“Right,” he said, his tone dry — but his gaze didn’t waver from yours. There was something unreadable in it, something almost… magnetic. You should’ve looked away. You didn’t.

Seconds stretched. You could feel every inch of space that wasn’t between you — because there wasn’t any. His eyes flicked to your lips, and before your brain caught up to your body—

You kissed him.

It wasn’t soft or slow — it was desperate, confusing, and charged with everything you refused to admit you felt. His hand instinctively rose, brushing your jaw before you pulled back like you’d been burned.

Your eyes were wide, your voice sharp. “That— that didn’t happen.”

And before he could respond, you shoved the cloak off your shoulders and stalked down the corridor, your heart thundering in your chest.

Behind you, Harry stood frozen under the cloak, lips tingling, eyes still searching the shadows where you’d vanished.

Enemies, he reminded himself. But Merlin, it hadn’t felt like it.

Mistake #2: The Quidditch Collision

If there was one thing you hated more than Harry Potter, it was losing to him. Especially on the Quidditch pitch.

The crowd was roaring, the wind was biting, and your broom sliced through the sky like lightning. You could see the faint glimmer of the Golden Snitch up ahead — darting, teasing, just out of reach. Potter was right beside you, his jaw set, hair wild from the wind.

“Back off, Potter!” you shouted over the rush of air, gripping your broom tighter.

“Not a chance,” he yelled back, flashing that infuriating grin that made you want to both hex him and throttle him midair.

The Snitch dove. So did you. The world blurred — gold, green, scarlet, sky. You leaned forward, your broom handle trembling under the speed. You could feel him beside you, just inches away.

And then it happened.

Someone — maybe you, maybe him — swerved too hard. Broomsticks collided with a violent crack. The impact sent you both spiraling downward, spinning out of control as the crowd gasped. You caught a flash of his panicked expression, your fingers grabbing at anything to stop the fall — which turned out to be him.

You both hit the ground in a tangle of limbs and robes, your brooms rolling away uselessly. The world spun for a moment before settling, and you blinked to find yourself sprawled across Harry Potter — chest against chest, breath mingling, his hand still gripping your waist like he hadn’t realized you’d landed yet.

“Get—off—” you panted, trying to push yourself up.

“I—would—if—you—weren’t—” he shot back, voice strangled, as he tried to move too. It didn’t help that the crowd was laughing, whistling, shouting things like, “Just snog already!”

You glared at him. “This is your fault, you absolute—”

But your words cut off when he looked up at you, eyes bright and green even in the sunlight, a strand of his hair falling into his face. You didn’t know who leaned in first — maybe it was him, maybe it was the leftover adrenaline, maybe it was just the way the world had gone utterly still.

Your lips brushed — soft, sudden, charged. For a heartbeat, everything stopped.

Then reality slammed back in. You jerked away as if burned, scrambling to your feet and brushing off dirt that wasn’t there.

“That—was an accident,” you said quickly, your voice sharp, cheeks burning.

“Yeah,” Harry said, still half breathless, half dazed. “You, uh… fell into me.”

“Exactly.” You picked up your broom, refusing to look at him. “Next time, try not to be where I’m falling.”

As you kicked off the ground, flying back toward your team, the crowd still cheering and laughing, you didn’t dare glance back — because you knew if you did, you’d find Harry Potter still staring after you.

And Merlin help you, you weren’t sure if it was because of the crash… or the kiss.

Mistake #3: The Potion Room Disaster

You’d known it was going to be a disaster the second Snape paired you with Harry Potter again. Potions was already bad enough — the fumes, the pressure, the way Snape’s gaze seemed to sharpen whenever you so much as breathed near your cauldron — but adding him to the mix? It was practically begging for chaos.

And chaos, of course, came.

Today’s lesson was Amortentia — the most powerful love potion known to wizardkind. Snape’s voice droned on about its iridescent sheen and spiraling steam, but you were barely listening. You were too busy making sure Potter didn’t ruin the ingredients again.

“Don’t stir it counter-clockwise,” you warned, measuring the crushed rose thorns. “It’ll destabilize the base.”

Harry gave you that maddening smirk. “You always this bossy, or am I just special?”

You shot him a look. “You’re something, all right.”

You leaned over the cauldron, carefully adding the next ingredient — a drop of essence of moonflower. The potion shimmered, steam curling up in delicate tendrils that almost looked like hearts. You caught a faint whiff of something — parchment, broom polish, and… spearmint toothpaste? You frowned. Strange.

“Smells good,” Harry murmured, peering closer.

“Don’t get too near—” you started, but it was too late. His elbow knocked into the base of the cauldron, and in one horrifying second, the liquid tipped — splashing across both of you.

The scent hit instantly — stronger, overwhelming. Your heart skipped, your breath caught, and suddenly the air between you felt too warm.

“Merlin’s beard—” you gasped, blinking rapidly as your head spun. “We need to— we need to clean this up.”

Snape’s eyes flicked up, his expression murderous. “Out. Both of you. Before you ruin the rest of my classroom.”

You didn’t need telling twice. You grabbed a rag, muttered something incoherent, and practically fled with Harry out the door, down the corridor, and into the empty corridor near the stairwell.

The potion was already working its trick — faint pink shimmer on your skin, the faint hum of magic that made your heartbeat too fast. You rubbed at the spill on your wrist furiously, refusing to meet his eyes.

“This is ridiculous,” you muttered. “I’m not— we’re not—”

But when you finally did glance up, he was watching you — hair a mess, green eyes burning brighter than they ever had under the dungeon light. For once, he didn’t have a comeback. Just… silence. And tension.

You took a step back. He took a step forward.

“Don’t,” you whispered, though it sounded less like a command and more like a plea.

“Right,” he said softly, “don’t.”

And then he leaned in anyway.

The kiss was nothing like you’d imagined — not soft or tentative, but desperate and magnetic. You could feel the potion’s pull, but there was something beneath it too — something heavier, truer. His hand came up to your jaw, your fingers gripping his shirt as your heart pounded so loud you were sure he could hear it.

When the haze finally broke, you stumbled back, breathless and dazed. The pink shimmer faded from your skin as the last traces of Amortentia magic dissolved.

Harry blinked, still half-stunned, his lips a little pink. And then, the idiot grinned. “You’ve got a funny way of saying you hate me.”

You opened your mouth to yell, but nothing came out — just that same fluttering feeling you refused to acknowledge.

“Shut up, Potter,” you muttered, turning away to hide the blush threatening to betray you.

But the truth was — even after the potion wore off — the dizzy warmth in your chest didn’t.

Mistake #4: The Mistletoe Disaster

Christmas at Hogwarts was supposed to be peaceful. Quiet. Normal. You’d promised yourself that after the humiliating potions accident, you’d spend the rest of December avoiding Harry Potter at all costs — no duels, no shouting matches, no accidental life-or-death moments ending in accidental kisses.

But Hogwarts, of course, had other plans.

The Great Hall was dripping with garlands and floating candles, and enchanted snowflakes drifted lazily from the enchanted ceiling. The air smelled like cinnamon and pumpkin spice, laughter echoing off the walls as students hurried between classes. And hanging in every doorway, courtesy of a certain pink-loving Professor, was the bane of your existence — mistletoe.

You were already late for Transfiguration, your arms full of books, when fate decided to laugh in your face. Turning a corner, you slammed right into someone — and your stack of books went flying

Watch where you’re—” you started, but stopped short when you saw who it was. Harry Potter. Of course.

He caught one of your books midair and handed it back with a smirk that made your blood pressure spike. “You really need to stop running into me. People might start talking.”

You snatched the book from his hand. “People can talk all they want, Potter. I’m sure you love the attention.”

“I don’t—” He started, but his words were cut off by a sudden, cackling voice echoing down the hall.

“WELL, WELL, WELL!” Peeves sang from above, his ghostly grin stretching ear to ear. “Caught under the mistletoe, have we?”

Your stomach dropped. You looked up — and sure enough, right above your heads, a sprig of glittering mistletoe hung, enchanted gold berries sparkling mischievously. A small crowd of students nearby turned, whispers already spreading like wildfire.

“Oh, no,” you muttered.

“Oh, yes!” Peeves whooped. “Tradition says you must kiss — or I’ll start singing about your secret romance!”

You glared at him, then at Harry. “This is not happening.”

Harry’s expression was torn between amusement and embarrassment, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, if we don’t, he’s not going to stop. He’ll make it worse.”

You huffed. “You sound like you’ve done this before.”

“Not with you,” he said, his voice lower now, eyes flicking toward your lips before he looked away.

“Good,” you snapped. “Let’s make it quick before I hex that ghost.”

He hesitated — for exactly a second — before leaning in. You intended for it to be fast, meaningless, just a brush so Peeves would shut up. But the moment your lips touched his, the world seemed to tilt. It wasn’t like before — this one was soft, almost careful, like neither of you wanted to admit it wasn’t just for show.

You broke away instantly, your cheeks flaming, and hissed, “There. Happy?”

Peeves cackled, swooping through the ceiling. “Ohhh, the enemies share a kiss! What a Christmas miracle!”

You wanted to disappear. Harry looked just as flustered, eyes darting anywhere but your face. “Still a mistake,” you muttered, clutching your books and storming off down the hall.

Right,” he called after you, his voice a little too quiet. “A mistake.”

But as he stood there, watching you go, a tiny, traitorous smile tugged at his lips — because if every “mistake” felt like that… he wasn’t sure he wanted to stop making them.

The One time you ment it

By the time it happened, you’d already promised yourself it wouldn’t.

You’d survived the chaos — the late-night cloak disaster, the Quidditch collision, the potion-room humiliation, even that cursed mistletoe — all the accidental, breathless, stupid moments that had somehow stitched themselves into your story with Harry Potter. Each time, you’d sworn it didn’t mean anything. Each time, you’d walked away pretending your heart wasn’t racing, pretending the warmth lingering on your lips wasn’t real.

But tonight… pretending wasn’t an option.

The castle was quiet, long past curfew. Outside, thunder rolled low over the Forbidden Forest, and the flicker of lightning cast pale flashes across the stone corridor. You’d gone looking for him — you told yourself it was only to return the textbook he’d left behind in class, but the truth was heavier, sitting in your chest like a secret you couldn’t bury anymore.

You found him on the Astronomy Tower, sitting against the cold railing, rain misting against his hair. He looked exhausted — shadows under his eyes, shoulders tense. When he turned and saw you, surprise flickered across his face, quickly replaced by something gentler.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” he asked quietly.

You hesitated before stepping closer. “Didn’t mean to find you. Just—” You stopped, exhaling. “You left this.”

He took the book, setting it aside without opening it. “Thanks.” A beat. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know.”

Silence settled — the kind that buzzed between two people who’d run out of excuses to avoid the obvious. Rain tapped against the tower stones, the scent of storm and parchment and mint clinging to him, familiar in a way that made your chest ache.

He glanced up at you. “You still hate me?”

It was supposed to be teasing, but his voice cracked slightly, like he wasn’t sure of the answer anymore.

You met his eyes — those impossible, too-green eyes — and shook your head slowly. “I don’t think I ever did.”

Something shifted in his expression, a small exhale, a trace of disbelief. “Then why—”

“Because it was easier,” you said softly. “Hating you was easier than admitting I…” Your voice faltered, but you didn’t need to finish.

For a moment, neither of you moved. The air between you felt charged again, but this time, it wasn’t magic. It wasn’t accident or Amortentia. It was choice.

When you kissed him, it wasn’t clumsy or panicked or forced by some cosmic joke — it was slow, deliberate, real. His hand found the back of your neck, your fingers curled into his cloak, and for the first time, it didn’t feel like a mistake. It felt like the inevitable ending to every almost.

When you finally broke apart, both of you breathing hard, Harry smiled — small and dazed and utterly sincere. “So,” he whispered, “was that another accident?”

You laughed, shaking your head. “No, Potter.” You brushed your thumb over his cheek. “That one, I meant.”

And under the stormlight, his grin softened into something you’d never seen before — something that made you realize maybe, all those “mistakes” were just the universe’s way of getting you here.