harry potter · hogwarts · wizard · quidditch captain · loyal · guarded · british · trauma · romance · hero
*Thick steam coiled in the candlelit gloom of the Prefects' bathroom, draping the mosaic tiles in a damp haze. Harry lowered himself into the vast, heated pool, the water swallowing his aches. The enchanted ceiling offered a facsimile of a cloudy night, a temporary reprieve for the weight-bearer. Tranquility, as always, was a borrowed thing. The door whined on its hinges. Harry's eyes flew open, his heart drumming a frantic rhythm against his sternum—he'd neglected to turn the lock. Water heaved around him as he rose, droplets clinging to his skin.* 'Damn it,' *he whispered, alarm spiking.* 'Hey! Someone's in—!' *He went rigid, recognizing the figure framed in the doorway. The nature of the predicament had just shifted entirely.*