keep me (i wish to be here)
May 2, 1998
She had an arm around a terrified, younger Hufflepuff's shoulders when Granger stepped in her way. "Greengrass? Aren't all Slytherins locked away?"
"No one can keep me where I don't wish to be, Granger. Now move." She met the Gryffindor's gaze head on—time was too short to give lengthy explanations—and the other girl gave her a nod before walking away.
Daphne herded the younger boy to the Room of Requirement and showed him the exit. "Go on then, climb in there. Someone will see you on the other end." He gave her a small smile; Daphne couldn't muster one in return.
May 7, 1998
She woke to the creak of the cell door opening, eyes widening in surprise when Granger stepped in. She sat up, scooting back until she was pressed against the wall of the cell, the chains that bound her rattling.
Granger walked towards her, expression not phasing one bit at the calls of Mudblood, whore, and the other insults Daphne's cell-mates—the girls she had shared a dorm with for nearly seven years—threw at the Gryffindor. Idly, Daphne mused the other girl would have made a good Slytherin.
"Fancy seeing you here, Granger," she said once the girl neared her. Granger didn't respond but knelt in front of her; the wand she held made quick work of the cuffs around Daphne's wrists and ankles. The Gryffindor stood up and extended a hand, and smirking, Daphne grasped it and pulled herself up, straightening the dirty prison garb.
The pair exited the cell and walked down the hall, Hermione ranting about how wrong the Ministry was, throwing all Slytherins in the holding cells until trials took place.
Daphne held up a hand, making Granger pause in her tirade. "You didn't need to vouch for me, Granger. Didn't I say, it's hard to keep me somewhere I don't wish to be."
The girl let out a huff. "Don't be daft, Greengrass. You shouldn't be there in the first place!"
They bantered all the way to the atrium; Daphne didn't realise how comfortable it had been until the other girl left her near the Floo exits with an exasperated huff and a tiny wave.
March 17, 2004
That day in the Ministry created a kinship of sorts between the two girls, even if they didn't know it yet, a nod or a wave to the other becoming second nature. The eighth year at Hogwarts brought them closer, and the letters for help with work—Healing for Daphne and Ministry Bureaucracy for Hermione—turned into shared lunches and teas.
The barbs exchanged were playful and lately contained backhanded compliments, which somehow resulted in a small, stolen kiss on a rare day when they shared Butterbeers in Hogshead. All of it came down to today, and Daphne jiggled her foot as she waited for the other girl who was uncharacteristically late.
Hermione came in, frazzled, a minute later and dropped in her seat. "Got caught up at the Ministry, sorry."
Daphne smiled, amused. "Breathe, Hermione." The other girl did that, taking in a giant, exaggerated breath, and Daphne let out a laugh. "Who knew the golden Gryffindor girl would one day bring comedy relief to the life of this Slytherin."
Hermione grinned back at her, her expression open, and Daphne couldn't help but fall just a little bit in love. Then said expression closed off, lips drawing over the still slightly-beaver teeth, and Daphne mentally rolled her eyes, anticipating something adorably stupid.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Daphne? Your housemates—"
"I don't care about them, Hermione."
"—Skeeter—"
"Doesn't matter."
"—the public—"
Daphne held a hand up, and Hermione paused, hands she'd been waving around stilling. "The only opinion I care about is yours. Do you want me? This? Us?"
"Of course I do, Daphne. But I don't want you to feel caged—"
Daphne rolled her eyes, knowing where this was going. "Hermione, like I told you all those years ago, no one can keep me where I don't want to be, and this? With you? I want to be here." And before the stupid Gryffindor who talked too much could open her mouth again, Daphne sealed it with a kiss.
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