Find A Way - A Harry Potter One Shot

'I have got to find a way!' Harry thought, frustrated. 'There has to be a way!'

Sarah looked at Harry, worry in her tired eyes. She bit her nails, as she always did when nervous. It was beginning to look like a lost cause. They had been in the library for hours now, but still nothing.

They hadn't found a way. No way to breathe underwater... No way to win the task... No way to get out of it... No way to survive this...

Harry's sigh turned into a groan as he threw another disappointing book upon the 'useless' pile.

Darkness had fallen over the castle, yet still they worked. Candlelight flickered, making words jump around the page, but they couldn't quit. The eerie silence that befell them made it easier to concentrate, except when a door creaked, or a tree rapped at the window. Sarah felt herself jump every time it happened. She felt the urge to move closer to Harry. To feel his warmth and protection, but it was he who needed protecting. He who would risk his life in the lake. He whom she could not live without...

The second task of the Triwizard Tournament was mere hours away as Sarah stood from her hard chair and made her way closer to Harry. She couldn't stand seeing him so tired and frustrated, but knew it was this or... she couldn't bring herself to think it. She loved him too much.

Harry tore open another book and wrenched at each page to discover the next disappointment. His anger was so apparent that Sarah actually feared approaching him, but as her soft voice spoke he closed the book with a sigh.

"Harry?"

He looked at her and couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips. His hand fell from rubbing his forehead and his eyes actually wanted to stay open again.

"I think you need a rest."

"I can't," he said, a little more forcefully than he expected. He quickly apologised and turned back to the books.

"It's alright Harry... You have to go. I'll keep searching, you just go for a walk or something."

Her gentle hands touched his shoulders as he sat, slumped over the library table. She rubbed his back comfortingly and her contact seemed to give Harry renewed strength and will to carry on.

He twisted around once more and looked into her eyes, feeling her hand remain on his shoulder as he turned in his seat, "We both need a rest from this."

"But you just said..."

"I know, but I can't leave knowing that you're still working."

She smiled at him and felt his hand cover hers, "Please?"

She nodded, unable to deny a request to those emerald eyes. He nodded and stood. Harry gently took her hand from his shoulder and paused. She waited for him, so they just stared at each other for a moment.

She felt self-conscious and giggled nervously, bringing Harry from his admiring daydream. He was now searching for something else. He wanted to find a way to tell her... A way to let her know how he felt... How he owed her so much... How he loved her too...

He slid his chair under the desk and held out his hand. He wanted her to take it, so he could feel her soft skin again. Her touch and hers alone set his heart racing and his mind at ease. That's exactly what he needed; now and for always.

She placed a delicate hand in his and squeezed gently. His fingers wrapped around hers and they walked to the library door. Both of them felt something special - something extraordinary, but neither could say yet.

Harry felt so right being with her. He couldn't concentrate on finding a solution for the task - not while he had something else to find. He needed to find that way to tell her. It was plaguing his mind. She was all he thought about. If only she could feel the same, then he would be able to relax. To enjoy her company at ease and concentrate on his survival, not her reaction...

"Sarah?"

"Yeah, Harry?"

He took a deep breath and said, "I can't thank you enough, you know."

"What's a lifetime in the library?" she joked. He laughed.

But then, time slowed down for both of them. Harry gradually moved towards her. Both his hands held securely onto hers, as his eyes scanned over her face, landing on her lips. She was frozen, waiting, hoping.

His features were blank with concentration and nervousness, as he leaned ever closer. He was so close that both had their eyes closed when he paused and whispered, "Can I?"

Sarah didn't answer with words, but squeezed his hands and closed the gap. Her lips were soft and gentle on his. He felt warm and tender to her, as he pressed harder and took his hands away, only to place them around her waist.

The short moment of the kiss lasted for the pair. She had time to rest her hands on his shoulders and he could grin against her lips before they parted.

They were both blushing, but Harry tried his best to regain himself, succeeding only so far as to say, "Will-you-be-my-girlfriend?" all in one breath.

Sarah was stunned; the kiss hadn't yet sunk into her mind, nonetheless she was expected to answer that? She smiled, already knowing the answer, but her throat was dry. She had thought about it, dreamt about it, hoped for it. She knew her answer. She nodded happily.

Harry let out a deep breath and chuckled a little, his nerves calming as he let out the anxiety. He licked his lips and caressed her cheek carefully, before murmuring, "Thank you..." then crashing his lips to hers with real, confident love.

She was his... Finally... He had found a way...

Unworthy - A Sherlock Holmes x Reader One Shot

Tears streamed down my face as I sat with Mr Sherlock Holmes. The privilege I had of being his friend had overwhelmed me for a long while now, but today it had become too much. It wasn't like me to cry about these things, but when you have to keep your cool around death and brutality as much as I did with Sherlock, sometimes the simplest things could break you in a quiet moment.

This is what happened here - Sherlock and John hadn't had a case in a while, and I had the day off too.

On John's insistence, we had gone to a bar, and on Sherlock's insistence, we'd joined in the pub quiz. As a team, I knew no-one could beat us, we were invincible, with Sherlock's knowledge of all things academic, John's knowledge of the body, politics and some good general knowledge, and my random subjects of interest that ranged from literature to time travel to the supernatural...

As the quiz went on, John and I were slowly shoved out of Sherlock's team, as he rampaged through the answers. We didn't really care, and we would have been stupid to expect anything else, but in the quiet moments between questions, my mind started to wander as I watched my outstanding friend's brain work.

In my compromised state of tiredness and other things, I started to wonder what would happen if he ever needed me to be that clever... What would happen if he was relying on me for something, and I simply wasn't intelligent enough to help him?

I didn't handle this train of thought well, as every scenario I invented ended in Sherlock's death. I could feel tears starting to form, so I excused myself and headed outside, to the small park near the pub where I could sit on a bench and cry to myself.

After what felt like a panic-filled hour (but turned out to only be several minutes), John and Sherlock appeared in front of me, and immediately, John's arm was around me. "What's wrong?!"

"Nothing," I sniffed. "Did we win?"

"Of course," Sherlock seemed smug, but a little concerned.

I didn't expect him to be worried about me, but I couldn't let that effect me now, I was too dangerous to be around him.

"Come on, what's wrong?" John repeated, tightening his grip on my shoulders to comfort me.

"I'm okay," I glanced over to Sherlock.

John copied me, and said quickly, "Go away."

Sherlock looked stunned, "What? Why?"

"Sherlock, just please go away for two minutes."

Sherlock shrugged and did as he was told, wandering off across the park.

"Talk to me," John said once Sherlock was out of earshot.

I couldn't hold it any longer, so I spilt all my feelings out to John, and watched as his expression turned from one of confusion, to understanding, then to resolute. "Sherlock, get back here!" he shouted.

As the great detective listened like a lost puppy, I added one last thing to John, "I just don't want to lose him, y'know... I love him too much."

John nodded, and I was surprised I didn't get a more shocked reaction. Had I really been that bad at hiding it?

"Sherlock," John announced as he approached, "will you please tell our silly friend here that she's not going to get you killed?"

Sherlock looked rightfully perplexed until John began to explain.

"John, go away," Sherlock instructed, and he obeyed, but not before shooting me a look that asked 'can you handle this?' to which I nodded.

He walked away, and Sherlock watched to make sure John wasn't looking before he reached out to capture my hands in his. His crystal eyes shone mysteriously as he regarded me. He licked his lips slowly, thinking. "You're right."

My breath caught, making me feel ill. I knew it.

"You're not as intelligent as me when it comes to the things I do. That's why I do them, not you. And yes, a wrong decision could be fatal, but that's true of anyone I work with, including myself."

"You're a lot less likely to get anyone killed, Sherlock," I muttered.

"That's not true now, is it?" he asked, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be in any danger at all. None of us would." His thumb stroked the skin on my hand.

"I don't want to be responsible for your death Sherlock, you mean too much to me."

Sherlock sighed, "In that case, I'm going to have to be selfish, and insist that you stay."

I gave him a questioning look.

"If you don't want to be around me, or have my life in your hands because I mean too much to you-"

"I never said I didn't want to be around you..."

"But that's what would have to happen. I have to insist that you stay with me anyway, because you mean too much to me for me to let you go."

My heart could have exploded, my breath was a lump in my throat.

"I would rather risk death and have you around, than lose you today."

"S-Sherlock... I... I..." I had no words.

"Will you stay?"

I nodded and pulled him into a much-needed hug. "As long as you want me."

"You should never feel unworthy around me," he whispered, "you're here for a reason, and I need you." With that, he kissed the top of my head and I felt more at home, and at ease, in his arms than I had ever felt before. I knew Sherlock loved me now, because otherwise he would have let me go.

Protection - Arthur Pendragon x Reader One Shot

"Merlin, I swear, if one hair on her head is harmed, I'll kill every last one of these men."

"I didn't know you felt so-"

"I don't feel anything," Arthur fought the blush rising to his cheeks.

Merlin smirked, "Then stop standing about."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she's still in Camelot, Arthur. And Morgana has control. If she realises how much you care about-"

"I don't care about her."

"Whatever. If Morgana realises how important she is, she could be dead by the morning."

"Or imprisoned, right? There's still hope?"

"There's always hope, but we have to move," Merlin insisted.

"Since when were you so eager to go into battle?" Arthur teased Merlin, but only to bite his lip at the reply.

"Since you became too in loooove to look after yourself!"

Arthur quickly signalled for his knights to advance. They were going to storm the tunnels of Camelot to rescue her.

Having had no idea about this, she had already hidden from Morgana and started searching the tunnels for an escape route.

Two days must have passed in those cold, dark tunnels, before she was suddenly woken by the flashing of a flaming torch near her cold and tired face, and Gwaine screaming for Arthur.

The instant she recognised Gwaine, she jumped up and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Being Gwaine, he immediately returned the hug, whispering, "Hello" into her ear.

"Hello," she replied, breathless. "What are you doing here?!"

"Coming to get you, m'lady," he replied, pushing some hair behind her ear.

Before she could reply, Arthur crashed into view, then stopped suddenly, staring at the two of them, still hugging.

"Found her."

"What did I say earlier, Gwaine?" Arthur almost ignored her. "If anyone lays one finger on her, I'm going to kill them... Don't make me kill you."

Gwaine pushed her away instantly, and when instructed, quickly scarpered from the corridor altogether.

No words were spoken as Arthur ran over to her, picked her up in a bone crushing hug and then set her down. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again," he whispered, gently pressing his lips to hers, before adding pressure and passion to the kiss that would change this young woman's life...