Author's note: Check out chapter 1 as well as it has been rewritten. hey peeps here is the second updated chapter of HPSH, like the first a few clean ups and some added content which will be the majority of the update types. I am removing some subplot aspects, fleshing out others, and adding entertaining additional content for your enjoyment (at least for those who had read the original chapters) I know those who have already reviewed for the previous chapters cannot again, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't love to hear your opinions, you can either leave a guest review (with your user name in it if you want me to reply to you) or just PM me, I will do my best to reply to everyone.

Harry Potter and the Silver Hand

Chapter 2

It was well over an hour before Daphne's sobs quieted to soft sniffles, but she kept her arms securely wrapped around Harry and Harry returned the embrace in kind. Harry's thoughts had been rampaging around in his mind since he first met Daphne. From the first moment, he met her eyes he knew, he just knew she was one of the girls his dad told him about, it was as if she was a missing puzzle piece and she fit right into his heart, making it more complete than it was before. Then Malfoy had barged in and shattered that picture when he referred to her as his betrothed and her only reply was that she wasn't yet. Not she would never be, just not yet. The thought of her married to another had caused a near state of panic in Harry and was the main reason he had lost control and shoved Malfoy when yelled at Daphne rather and telling him to leave. Then to hear that her father beat her, it was taking everything Harry had to stay in control of his anger and fear. Daphne in his arms was his anchor, his rock that was keeping him in place.

They hadn't spoken this whole time, neither really knew what to say they were, in essence, strangers yet each felt a pull to the other and they shared something in their pasts that bound them together. And Harry felt his anger lessen even more as he hear a soft snore from Daphne who had apparently fallen asleep pretty much on top of him.

Careful not to wake the beautiful girl in his arms, Harry slides out from under her and lowers her to the bench. Once she was settled he pulled his trunk from the overhead racks as quietly as possible, then returned it once he had his father's journal he sat back on the bench close to Daphne's head. Her arm snaked around his waist and she shifted her head into his lap without waking and after a moment harry rested one hand on her head stroking her hair softly as he searched through his father's journal. He had quickly realized that his father's journal was filled with information about pureblood families and politics. Pretty much any and everything he would need to be a Lord of the Potter family where his mothers was filled with all the things she would have wished to tell him in his life. Advice and stories of family friends and such. Harry settled in to read what his father had to say about betrothals.

-o0O0o-

At the same time on the same train, a young girl named Hermione was glaring at an angry Draco Malfoy.

"A mudblood like yourself should know your place, perhaps we should teach it to you?" Draco sneered before nodding at Crabbe and Goyle, after being tossed around by that boy who was spending time with his future wife Draco decided he wanted to see a good beating to cheer himself up. He had just caught this mudblood as she came out of the bathrooms. Before Crabbe and Goyle could make it around him to start beating on the eleven-year-old girl Hermione took two quick strides forward and kicked Draco between the legs as hard as she could. As he fell to the floor with a scream and Crabbe and Goyle stared in shock Hermione quickly stepped over the fallen boy and down the hall before slipping into her compartments. She quickly locked and silenced it before picking up her books. Dark Arts, A beginners Guide which she had picked up in Knockturn alley. And Defense Against the Dark Arts Volume 3, Which she picked up when she had convinced the shopkeeper she was starting her 3rd year, she just hadn't hit a growth spurt yet. She didn't really think the woman had believed her, but she had given in none the less. Sitting cross-legged on the bench, Hermione leaning over her books creating a curtain with her long bushy hair that hides both her face and the book in her lap from anyone who might look through the compartment door windows. Hermione had already read through all of the first and second year textbooks as well as practiced and successfully cast each of the first year spells and a few second year spells as well. Her eidetic memory had made it so she never had to reread a book she remembered everything she had ever seen, heard, smelled, felt and tasted, meaning she never had to study.

Hermione was, in fact, a muggleborn, but she had known for years now that magic existed. She realized magic was real when she was 4 years old, a group of what she now knew were called deatheaters had appeared inside her house and started torturing her family, raping her mother repeatedly in front of her father and herself while also holding her under some kind of curse had her mother screaming for well over an hour before she lost her voice. After all of them had there with her mother they had cast some spell on her father and ordered him to stab her mother, he had gone and grabbed a kitchen knife and plunged it into his wife's chest and abdomen twenty times before the death eater's order him to do the same to Hermione. It was when her father was approaching her with the knife that something inside of her seemed to burst and a shockwave of force and light had burst from her knocking all the adults back off their feet. One of the deatheaters had been thrown out one of the windows of their apartment and fell over four stories to his death.

The deatheaters had all curse then disappeared as soon as they had recovered. When the police arrived, they had arrested her father. It was a pretty clean case to them, he was holding the murder weapon, and he was crying, saying it was all his fault, saying he had killed his wife. He was convicted and sentenced to a mental facility, as they believed him insane after he gave his story of what happened. Within the first month there he killed himself. And Hermione was sent to an orphanage, as her mother's sister who was Hermione's only remaining family didn't want her. The orphanage had been hell for her, where she had been teased and even beaten by the other kids until she became skilled enough in a brawl to dish out as good as she got, all because she was so smart, she had quickly lost her 'know-it-all' trait and learned to just be silent. Why should she try and give knowledge to those who didn't want to learn?

She was only slightly surprised when on her eleventh birthday Professor McGonagall showed up to tell her about the magical world and the school Hogwarts. She had told her how to get to Diagon alley and had promised to return that summer to take her school shopping. Hermione had spent as much time as she could in Diagon alley since. Everything she had permission to go to the public library she would really take a busy to the leaky cauldron exploring and learning everything she could and in doing so she finally learned who her parent's killers where.

She would have vengeance on every single death eater. She knew she would never be able to learn the identity of all those who had caused the death of her parents so instead she would kill each and every single deatheater just to make sure she got them all. After all the things she had read about them doing she had no doubt that they all deserved it. But she would have to patient to start before she was fully trained and ready wouldn't leave a chance for failure and she would not allow herself to fail, no matter what.

-o0O0o-

Daphne woke to the wonderful feeling of someone stroking her hair lovingly and she dared not open her eyes for fear that it would end but after a few more strokes the hand weave into her thick hair and started to scratch her scalp and she couldn't hold in the moan that escaped her lips as she pushed her head gently into the hand, she heard a small laugh from above her head and the hand scratched a little harder as she heard the familiar sound of a page of a book being turned.

"Thank you." She murmured softly turning her head to look up at Harry as he smiled down at her his hand having moved to hold her neck gently as she looked up at him. It was only then that she realized her head was resting in his lap and a blush covered her cheeks though she made no effort to move her head. Harry's eyes widened again at her blush and filled with awe again which only made her blush harder until her entire face and most of her neck was colored like a tomato.

Harry coughed slightly and finally found his voice. "Any time Daphne, anytime." As he said it he gently squeezed the back of her neck, an action that would normally have caused a panic in her but she found she was only reassured by Harry when he did it.

"I know this might not be the best time, but I can't put off asking you this." Harry started shifting uncomfortably. Daphne just watched him curiously until he spoke again.

"You don't wish to be betrothed to Malfoy, right?" He asked fear in his eyes, and Daphne quickly shook her head no.

"There is nothing I want less in the world then that Harry," She replied quickly and Harry relaxed slightly his hands going back to her hair, playing with it nervously but gently.

"But it's not your choice is it?" He whispered softly and Daphne grimace and shook her head again.

"I-If." Harry stopped and looked away swallowing audibly before looking back down at her. "If I was able to convince your father to create a contract with me instead, would that make you happy?" He asked in a terrified whisper before going absolutely still.

At his question, Daphne's eyes widened to the size of saucers and she just stared up at him to stunned to reply.

"I know we don't know each other very well yet. But I really want to get to know you, and the thought of losing you before I even have a chance is killing me." Harry added softly and Daphne's eyes widened further still stunned and he continued explaining.

"I have been reading my father's journal, and he said it's mostly for money, reputation or alliance that these contracts are created. I don't really know how much money I have, and I loathe the idea of forming an alliance with your father. I find the idea of torturing him more appealing." He added as a nervous afterthought before continuing. "But as far as I can tell I am the most famous person in magical Britain. That has to be quite a big boost to his reputation right? I thought maybe I would have a chance even if I don't have as much money to offer as the Malfoys." He went quiet at that, apparently out of things to say and just watched Daphne.

Daphne herself was at a loss for words for the boy above her, her savior she thought again, remembering the plan she had formed when the met earlier. One she had thought she would need to rush in order to protect herself. Here he was offering her all she had hoped to work for and he hadn't even known her for a day yet, it was far too good to be true and she could feel her look of disdain coming over her face as a natural defense, but she pushed it aside ruthlessly, too good to be true perhaps but if it was true she wasn't about to ruin it.

"Why, Why me?" She demanded sitting up and to turn to face him causing him to fidget slightly before taking a deep breath and pulling two letters from his pockets.

"These are letter's my parents wrote ten years ago for me. In case, they didn't survive. They knew they were being hunted by Voldemort." Daphne flinched at the use of the dark lord's name, but Harry ignored it. "They also left me the journal's I mentioned before." Then he handed her the letters to her great shock.

"Read them and you will understand, at least as much as I do right now," He said nervously.

"Harry's these are from you parents to you, they are personal I couldn't." Harry was shaking his head before she even finished.

"Please, please just read them," He replied holding her gaze until she lowered her eyes to the letters.

"Alright," Daphne replied softly unfolding top letter, which was from Harry's father.

As she was reading it, her eyes continued to widen to the point Harry would have laughed if he wasn't so nervous about her reaction. She quickly went from the first letter to the second without looking up. By the end of them, both she was crying and Harry was at a loss about what to do besides pulling her into a hug again.

"Daphne?" Harry asked curiously. He had no idea why she would have broken into tears from the letter.

"I'm sorry that was a lot to take in," She whispered as she reached out and grabbed the letters from the bench and folded them carefully.

"Am I one of the girls?" She asked suddenly into the silence, keeping her face turned away from Harry as she waited for an answer.

"I think so, I felt everything my father said and more the moment I saw you," Harry replied also looking away from Daphne.

"I felt something too." As Daphne spoke she reached for Harry's hand and took it in her own.

"And if there is another girl?" Harry asked, fear filling his voice and Daphne squeezed his hand gently.

"Then I will gain another sister at the very least," Daphne assured him shifting closer. "I was raised as a pureblood Harry, there was always a chance I would end up being a mistress, unofficial second wife to some man as an arrangement for my father. But in this arrangement, with you being the head of two houses, I will at least have the title of a wife." Daphne didn't say anything more, she could tell that the conversation was overwhelming Harry, who unlike her wasn't raised to know what was expected of her and her prospects in marriage. She expected he hadn't ever even felt more than curiosity towards a girl before reading the letters from his parents.

"We can talk more of this later, hopefully, years from now Harry," Daphne assured him as she saw uncomfortable look on Harry's face that all but confirmed her previous thoughts. "For now, I wish to be your friend, and if you would have me, then yes I would much rather be betrothed to you then Draco."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "I can do friends," He said with a soft smile before a look of determination came over his face. "And I will send a letter to your father as soon as possible requesting the chance to discuss your betrothal."

"Let me read through it before you send it, please. I am sure you are learning quickly, but you are still new to all of this Harry."

"Of course."

The silence filled the compartment again, this time distinctly different. It was a comfortable silence that was eventually broken when Harry asks.

"So what do you like to do for fun?" which started them both on the journey of learning about each other, as they journey toward Hogwarts. And they held hands the whole ride.

-o0O0o-

Hermione stepped off the train into the rain carelessly pushing her way through the crowds earning a few glares and harsh words, but she didn't care, or rather it was she made herself not care. Once she made it out the crowd she looked around. It was dark and the lights alone the platform just made it harder to see anything besides the platform itself.

"First years, over here, First years this way." She heard and turned to see a giant of a man holding a lantern and calling out for the first years.

She moved quickly to arrive before anyone else, once again avoiding the crowds and then followed the man. He led them all to boats already in the lake and ordered them all aboard. Hermione made her way to the boat farthest away from the rest and sat down watching the rest of the first years.

Her attention was drawn to a Black haired boy and a Silver blonde hair girl holding hands. The boy froze when he spotted Hermione, but the distance between them paired with the darkness didn't let her see the look on his face. The girl looked at him then back at Hermione before dragging the boy by his hand over to the boat and pushed him into the boat ahead of her.

"Hi, my names Daphne, and this is Harry." The girl spoke up once settled and Hermione watched them both with a look of disinterested and nodded.

"Hermione," She replied shortly to the unasked question of her name before turning to look out over the lake ignoring the pair, and staying silent the entire ride to the castle, despite the girl Daphne's questions.

Hermione could tell the moment they had headed towards them that they either wished something from her or wish to be her friend. Ignoring them should solve each of those problems as she didn't have time for either complication if she was to achieve her goal.

-o0O0o-

Neville Longbottom let out an annoyed sigh as he realized his pet toad had run off again. It made an escape attempt at least twice a week and it just had to pick today on a bloody train to make its getaway. Despite what his grandma thought he did not 'lose' his toad the bloody thing would deliberately run away. Not that was the only thing his grandma was wrong about. She had also thought he was a squib even after his uncle had finally gotten a reaction out of him when dropping him out of a third-story window. He had bounced like a ball off the ground and down the hill surrounding the manor. Still, his grandmother had brushed it off saying something about how the ground was probably just soft or some such nonsense.

Even when his Hogwarts letter had arrived he didn't get any kind of positive reaction out of his grandmother. She had brushed it off as if she had expected it all along and gave it no more passing notice then she would a postcard over breakfast. It was at that point that the small bit of hope that he would one day be good enough for his grandmother's praise had died and with its absents, a strange sense of peace had filled his life. He didn't feel the need to try and be good enough for his grandmother anymore, He was no longer nervous of failing and disappointing her because he had come to realize that it didn't matter what he did she wouldn't ever truly care, so why the hell should he care what she thought of him.

Neville shook his head as he stopped at another compartment intending to open it and ask if anyone had seen his toad yet when he tried the door it was locked firmly. He sighed and looked in one of the windows to see a boy and a girl who looked around his age. The girl had beautiful platinum blonde hair that was currently hiding her face as her head laid in the boy's lap either dozing or truly asleep. The boy was reading a book as he ran his finger's through the girl's hair, He had his head bowed and his wild black hair hid his eyes from view. Neville left with another quick glance through the window, his toad wasn't in there so he had no reason to stay.

It wasn't long until he came upon a scene that caused a smirk to form on his face. Draco Malfoy laying in the middle of the floor holding his groin and groaning while his two bodyguards stood there unsure of what to do.

"Serves the prat right," Neville mumbled as he stepped over the downed boy and kept walking. He held no sympathy for any death eater or child of a death eater. They were the reason his parents no longer recognized him, nor anyone else. They would spend the rest of their lives in hospital beds unable to even recognize each other, the man and woman who fell in love destined to live and die side by side without ever realizing the other was there next to them. He had absolutely no sympathy for Malfoy.

Neville tried to the next compartment after Malfoy only to find it locked like the last one he tried. When he peered inside he saw a single girl bent over a book in her lap. She had long bushy brown hair that was currently falling around her head and hiding her face completely as well as the contents of the book she was reading. Neville just sighed and moved on. The next compartment was unlocked but the windows were covered with their draps and when he opened it to asked if they had seen his toad anywhere he frozen with his mouth hanging open. The compartment was filled with girls and he felt his face heat up immediately as they all turned to look at him. They were all older than him which was clear by the fact they were all in the process of changing into their Hogwarts robes with blue trim. Most of them were in differing states of undress ranging from a girl who was just pulling her robes over her head her nearly naked body fully on display as her head was inside the robe only a black thong and bra covering her privates. Another girl was bent at the waist picking jeans and shirt she had clearly just removed. Two others were shirtless and one Asian girl was completely nude holding a few pairs of underwear in her hands as if unsure which pair she wanted to wear. Neville could feel blood coming out of his nose as he felt so light headed with so much blood rushed to his face he thought he might faint. He couldn't help but run his eyes over the Asian girl's beautiful body she had skin that looked tanned but with no tan lines anywhere it was more likely that was her normal skin color. She had dark chocolate colored nipples that topped breasts that were larger than Neville had ever thought they could get the few times his mind had wondered to such things. Between her thighs was a trim but thick bush of black hair that caused Neville's breath to freeze in his lungs. Not even a second had passed since he opened the door before he quickly backed out and slammed the door shut. But not before a girl turned a playful glare to the nude girl and with a soft giggle spoke up.

"I thought you locked the door, Cho?" Neville saw the Asian girl Cho shrug and giggle as well just before the door slammed shut. Loud giggles could be heard coming from the other side of the now shut door as Neville turned in a daze his toad completely forgotten as stumbled his way back to the compartment he had found and was sharing with two boys, named Dean and Seamus.

Author's Note: After I finish posting my rewrites I plan on recreating the poll you guys will remember. Only with the girls that are possible listed for you all to see. I will have them all introduced and their backgrounds shown. (such as ginny and luna) I feel this would be a better way for you all to vote as you can see and understand each of the girls better.