You and Oliver had been together for two years now—since your fifth year—and somehow, the chaos of Hogwarts hadn’t managed to tear you apart. You knew him better than anyone: his obsession with Quidditch, his stubborn streak, his tendency to push himself too hard. And he knew you—your stubbornness matched his, your love for learning, your heart that had always been his.

It was supposed to be a simple trip back to the castle after visiting Hogsmeade. The clouds had seemed harmless at first, just gray, low-hanging, the kind you didn’t worry about. But within minutes, the storm hit like a hammer. Rain poured down in sheets, the wind lashing against your robes, thunder rumbling across the sky like it wanted to swallow the world.

“Come on!” Oliver shouted over the storm, grabbing your hand. “We have to make it to the castle!”

You slipped on the wet grass, the mud threatening to swallow your shoes, and Oliver’s arm shot out, steadying you. “I’ve got you,” he yelled, voice strained against the wind.

You were terrified—not of the storm itself, but of the fear in Oliver’s eyes. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t falter, just held you close and ran, pushing his body through the lashing rain. You clung to him, every step a struggle, the castle walls feeling impossibly far away.

At one point, a particularly strong gust knocked him off balance, and instinctively, you wrapped your arms around him. He steadied himself and kept moving. “Not a word about this later,” he grunted, trying to make light of it, but his drenched robes clung to him, his face pale from effort. “I’m not letting a little wind—or a lot of wind—stop me from getting you inside.”

At one point, a particularly strong gust knocked him off balance, and instinctively, you wrapped your arms around him. He steadied himself and kept moving. “Not a word about this later,” he grunted, trying to make light of it, but his drenched robes clung to him, his face pale from effort. “I’m not letting a little wind—or a lot of wind—stop me from getting you inside.”

Finally, soaked to the bone, you reached the castle gates. Oliver pushed them open, carrying you over the threshold like you weighed nothing. You stumbled inside, gasping and shivering, and he held you close, brushing wet hair from your face.

“You scared me,” you admitted quietly, wrapping your arms around him.

“I could say the same,” he said, voice low, trembling slightly. “But I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you. Not tonight, not ever.”