AN: Hey guys and welcome to the second chapter of "Wounds of the Heart."!

I want to thank everyone who Favorited, Followed, and Reviewed!

Now, I will answer some few questions that some of you seemed to have or will have after reading this chapter.

1. The fic will keep typical cliches that the HP Fandom has to a bare minimum if none at all (it is my ambition after all).

2. The timeline in this fic might seem a bit out of place or weird for you but as I said this is a combination of AU, Books, and Movies so I may change the time in which some events happen or just not put them in at all and etc.

3. Again, I remind you that this fic may contain OOC (Out of Character) moments so do not be surprised when you encounter those moments.

4. The pairing is indeed Harry x Daphne x Astoria but it is more complicated than just that so you will have to wait and see.

5. There will be other pairings in this fic besides the main one so do not worry about that as well.

I think that's about it for now. So, without further ado here is the chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

"Spells"

(Timeskips/Flashbacks)


"So, you mean to tell me that you heard Lucius Malfoy saying his son was involved in a plan conjured by the Dark Lord?" Astoria asked Harry.

"Yes, that is why I wanted to talk to you alone seeing as Daphne became more involved with him this year," The raw anguish in Harry's voice as he spoke Daphne's name was not missed by Astoria.

It was a few minutes after Astoria had witnessed the exchange between her sister and her friends that Harry had arrived almost making her die from fright as he sneaked up on her using his Cloak of Invisibility.
Upon entering the room which took the shape of Gryffindor common room Astoria had filled Harry in about what happened causing him to frown deeply before he told her the content of his nightmare...

Astoria looked at him in sympathy. "So, what do you suggest we do?" She asked softly.

Harry lowered his gaze downward before he answered weakly. "I… I don't know. Maybe we should just leave her be? I mean there has to be a reason for that sudden change; maybe it was something I did?" His question caused Astoria to frown.

During her time as Harry's friend Astoria has noticed that the raven-haired Gryffindor has an extreme case of guilt issues. Be it his unjust feelings of guilt whether someone close to him got hurt or worse, died, or be it when something bad has occurred.

She never truly realized where Harry had developed this but if she would have to throw a guess she would say it has something to do with his Muggle relatives.

Astoria had what many would call a very keen eye for details and it was this skill that allowed her to observe that Harry's Muggle relatives did not treat him well.

Few of the examples Astoria could give was Harry's hesitation of any show of affection like hugging, be it the disbelief he expresses towards the notion of someone loving him, or the closed-off attitude he displays when the subject of said relatives comes up.

Sadly, this skill did not work on Daphne or Tracey as the two of them knew Astoria too well to leave small clues in their behaviour that might lead the youngest Greengrass to figure out what is going on with them.

So, it was with a sad smile that Astoria cupped Harry's cheeks as she lifted his head, so she could gaze into his beautiful emerald eyes.

"Harry, this was not your fault," She reassured him. "You have no reason to think so. Yes, I know that what Daphne and Tracey has done hurts very much, it hurts me too, but we will face it together and we will make things right again, so don't you worry because I'll be with you every step of the way,"

She received no reply, yet, she did not need any. Looking into Harry's eyes gave her the answer she sought.

She saw his gratitude, his rekindled resolve, and his love all shining brilliantly through those mesmerizing emeralds.

She faltered slightly as her heart skipped a beat.

Love? Surely, she must have imagined it right? But looking into his eyes she saw that no, she did not imagine it.

Maybe she just misinterpreted it? The love that he held towards her was nothing more than that of a sibling as that was what he thought of her.

But, if that is the case then why did she allow herself to even entertain the thought that this love was something more?

This question would plague the mind of Astoria for days to come not knowing that the boy before her had similar thoughts as he gazed into her majestic blue eyes.

"W-We should go Harry. I think you should try to talk to Daphne and Tracey the next time you see them. Maybe you'll be able to find out what happens," She whispered softly to him as she withdrew her hands from his cheeks.

Harry blinked rapidly. "Y-Yes, you are right. I'll do that as soon as possible," He told her before he got up and helped Astoria to rise as well before the two of them left the Room of Requirements.


As Harry trudged back towards Gryffindor tower Astoria's advice to him did not leave his mind.

He knew he should try talking to Daphne and Tracey, but the problem was that he already did try speaking to them.

He didn't tell that Astoria for reasons unknown. Perhaps it was the turmoil of emotions that said conversation elicited in him that caused him to forget or rather not want to mention it to her? Or perhaps he felt that he did not deserve Astoria's comfort when she would learn of what transpired? He did not know and at this point, it did not matter any longer.

He remembered that talk as if it was mere minutes ago.

The sinister coldness that the two emanated was etched into his mind for years to come.

Their voices, the same voice he used to associate with warmth and affection was now associated with hostility and indifference.

He remembered trying to grab Daphne's left arm as she began to leave and the violent reaction that provoked in the blonde. A reaction that Harry would never have thought be directed at him of all people.

But it was the smell that the two had radiated that bothered Harry the most.

Daphne's usual smell of vanilla and Tracey's smell of honey was... Different. It now resembled the same acidic smell that Dark Magic possess as if the two of them were frequently meddling with Dark Magic.

But the very notion of it was something that Harry thought to be impossible. He knew Daphne and Tracey for almost three years now and never in this time could he imagine the two descending into darkness like they seem to do.

It was up until now that he pushed the memories of this talk to the depths of his mind as he did not want to remember it.

But now, that the possibility of him talking to Daphne and Tracey again seemed closer than ever his mind could not help but bring the same memories forward as hope began to fill him.

Hope that things will go differently this time. Hope that everything in the last conversation was nothing but his imagination or the result of a bad day the girls experienced.

Harry's train of thought ceased as he reached the Fat Lady's portrait. Giving her the password, he walked into the tower and straight to his dorms without sparing a glance towards the occupants of the common room.

Upon entering he realized that he was the only one in the room and knew that it'll remain that way for a few hours as he did not intend to go to dinner.

As he slumped down in his bed he thought about what his dormmates might be doing right now.

Dean and Seamus were probably huddled in a corner someplace in the castle speaking about the various girls of Hogwarts and rearranging the ranks of said girls in their lists.

Neville was probably in the Greenhouse busying himself with the plants that he so dearly loved until it was time for dinner.

Ron… Ron was most likely occupying his time until dinner being in a broom closet with Lavender.

Just the mere thought of it evoked immense jealousy in Harry.

He remembers the days he and Daphne occupied broom closets before he discovered the Room of Requirements.

The passionate nights full of love that they had as they made love to one another before dozing off enveloped in each other's tight embrace.

Their promises of a future where the Dark Lord will be nothing but an old story they'll tell their children as they grew up and experienced their childhood surrounded by their parents in Godric's Hollow, the place where Harry's own childhood and parents were taken from him.

But now, the same memories that caused happiness to fill his core to the brim were bittersweet. They were now things of the past and instead memories of Daphne's coldness and indifference towards him brought despair and sorrow into his core.

Maybe it was indeed his fault? Maybe his grief for his godfather had caused the rift between Harry and the two girls?

That night, Harry went to sleep with a mind full of doubt and self-loathing.


The next morning found Harry waking up early covered in sweat due to yet another nightmare that plagued him only this time, it was not about Voldemort.

No, this time the nightmare was about Daphne, Tracey, and Astoria.

He dreamt of his upcoming talk with Daphne and Tracey, how they tell him that they wish to have no contact with him and that their love for him has been dead for quite some time now. How they have been enlightened that Malfoy was the better man out of the two of them and how they regret even spending time with him when they could've done so with Malfoy instead.

But the breaking point of the dream was when he went to confide in Astoria hoping that she'll be able to comfort him like always only to be proven dead wrong when instead she laughed at him and told him that her sister and her friend were right.

It felt so real. The heartbreak, the tears, the anguish. It was as if it was something more than a dream just like his visions of the Dark Lord where he felt as if he was Voldemort himself and not just an observer.

Of course, Harry knew it wasn't real nor was it a vision as he was no seer but the emotions he experienced in the dream could very well count as real.

He went to take a shower hoping that the hot water will bring some amount of comfort before he finished getting ready for the day and went toward the Great Hall for an early breakfast.

Just like the day before the Great Hall was mostly empty apart from the Fifth and Seventh years who were up and about as they frantically prepared for their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.

A brief glance towards the Head Table showed him that his head of the house was already there as well as Professor Sprout, Flitwick, Snape, and Dumbledore.

After giving his head of the house and his Headmaster a nod, he went and sat at Gryffindor table where he began to eat his breakfast.

It was halfway through the meal that the sound of footsteps approached Harry's place in the table which, upon looking, revealed Professor McGonagall.

"Mr Potter, the Headmaster would like to see you at his office after you finish your meal" She informed him with her Scottish accent.

"Of course, Professor," He replied before diving back into his breakfast.


"Acid Pops" Harry spoke the password - provided to him by Dumbledore in the private letter he gave him prior to their first meeting - as he approached the Gargoyle.

After being granted entry he ascended the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Come in, Harry," He heard the Headmaster say through the door.

"You wanted to see me, Professor Dumbledore?" Harry inquired as he stepped into the office.

"Yes, Yes, I wanted to speak to you about something that is troubling my aged mind," Dumbledore told him in his grandfatherly voice.

Harry provided no reply as he quietly waited for the Headmaster to resume speaking.

"You see, Harry, ever since your encounter with Voldemort at the Ministry he has been laying low. It seems that his attempt to possess you has proved rather deadly for him as he is using this time to recover from the damage he suffered. Of course, he is also using this time to amass his army by sending his most trusted followers to manage negotiations. Luckily for us, this also means that no attacks have occurred recently which provides us with a breathing space that we shall take advantage of," The ageing Headmaster informed him.

"That's good, but Professor Dumbledore, I do not understand how that relates to me?" Harry inquired in confusion as seeing that this information was more related to the Order rather than him.

Dumbledore sighed before he spoke as the twinkle in his eyes became less visible.

"I have concluded that I have sorely failed you Harry in the way I have been behaving. You see, when you entered Hogwarts I observed as you did your very best to behave like an ordinary First Year. I watched as the boy who I knew would bring to the Dark Lord's downfall in the future sat on the stool nervously as he waited for the Sorting Hat to sort him into his House. I witnessed as you made your first bonds of friendship with Mr Weasley and Ms Granger and I did not find it in my heart to burden you with your destiny in such a young age," Dumbledore began looking as if he aged several years.

"I saw as you put the welfare of your friends and the school before your very own and it filled me with pride. I saw as you selflessly risked your life for people you did not even know at the time and I was reminded of your parents and their heroic actions during their time in the Order. It was only last year after Sirius' tragic passing that my eyes were finally opened, and I saw you for what you were. Despite my initial thoughts during your sorting, you were no child for your childhood was stolen from you by the Dursleys' unjust treatment towards you. I know that the decisions I made concerning you were questionable, but I truly believed that what I did was for your best for I knew that even though your childhood might be difficult, your life afterwards could be changed for the better. I wanted you to grow old and start a family that you will provide with the very same things you were not given yourself," A lone tear trickled from the Headmaster's eye as he continued to speak.

"But it was last year after you left my office filled with anger and sorrow that I realized my mistake. My heart broke when I saw your defeated form barely managing to pass the last days of the school year and I realized that by attempting to preserve your childhood I may as well taken your adulthood from you. I hope that you will forgive me Harry and that you will allow me to remedy my mistakes by preparing you for your destiny to the best of my abilities for I care too much about you," The Headmaster finished.

Harry just sat there completely stunned as if time seemed to freeze as he digested the words of the Headmaster.

Many emotions swirled inside him. Anger, Sorrow, Gratitude, Love, and Understanding.

After what seemed like a very tense couple of minutes Harry replied.

"I-I understand sir. You may have made some mistakes, mistakes that I will not be able to forgive you for that soon, but I understand where you came from when you made them. I am thankful sir for everything you have done to ensure my protection while growing up even if it had some bad sides. I never had someone who cared for me like you seem to be. Sirius might've felt the same but we did not spend enough time for me to actually feel that" Harry spoke as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Thank you, Harry, for you have eased an old man's heart," Dumbledore thanked him.

"Sir, if I may, I want to ask you some things,"

At the Headmaster's encouraging nod Harry spoke again.

"I had a vision about Voldemort two nights ago and in this vision, he and his followers were in what seemed like a cave off the coast of Britain. But the most important part of this vision was a conversation he had with Lucius Malfoy. In the conversation, they both spoke of a plan that involves Draco and the importance of it succeeding,"

It seems as if the twinkle in the eyes of the Headmaster has returned as he listened to Harry.

"Ah, I assure you that you have nothing to worry about as I am aware of the issue regarding Mr Malfoy although I cannot help but think that warning me was not the only purpose you had in mind?" He questioned the emerald-eyed teen.

Harry gulped nervously before he spoke again. "Y-Yes, for some reason Daphne and Tracey became involved with Draco and his goons and I worry about what he might've done to them. They… They changed, they seemed colder, emotionless, and there's always an aura of something sinister when I'm close to them. It must've been Malfoy or one of his goons! I know Daphne and Tracey and they never would behave like that willingly! Even Astoria agrees with me on that," Harry cried out in distress as he spoke of the very same thing that troubled him for such a long time now.

"Alas, I am afraid I can do nothing to help you with that Harry as I, myself, do not know anything about Ms Greengrass and Ms Davis, but if it gives you some amount of comfort then I will make sure to try and investigate the issue," The aging Headmaster assured the boy.

Seeing Harry's nod of acceptance, the Headmaster resumed his speech.

"Unfortunately, I am afraid our meeting must come to an end as classes are to start shortly, but before you go, Harry, I must warn you to come to our next meeting ready for battle as I am not going to focus solely on the memories that are essential to the understanding of Tom - especially the memory we will uncover in the next lesson - but I am also going to train you like I should've done sooner," And with that Harry had risen from his seat, thanked the Headmaster, and left the office towards his first class never noticing the pained look that was spread across the Headmaster's features.


It was a distraught Harry that left the Charms classroom.

This year, Professor Flitwick had told them that they were to learn how to cast Non-verbal spells as well as Water-Making spells and, weirdly enough, how to turn vinegar into wine.

It might've sounded weird to Harry, but he was sure that there was a reasonable cause for something like that to be taught in the Sixth Year, so he reserved his judgement on that.

It was the Non-verbal spells that excited Harry the most as he imagined how useful it will be in the fight against Voldemort.

But the spectacled boy's excitement was abated as he found himself sneaking glances at his girlfriend and her best friend throughout the class.

Even in classes, they preserved their new frigidness and instead gazed impassively at either Flitwick or the board from their place all the way in the back of the class.

He frowned as he remembered just how excited Daphne and Tracey used to be about certain lessons such as charms.

Growing in families of Pure-Blood like the two Slytherins diminished said excitement as they were familiar with many topics due to the fact that they were already taught at home prior to their arrival at Hogwarts.

Although, Harry did come to know that the spells they learned were mostly limited to basic spells such as Lumos, the Colloportus and its counter Alohomora, and the Wingardium Leviosa.

As for the other subjects, Harry did not know what exactly the Pure-Blood families have taught their children but judging from Daphne and Tracey's excitement it was not much.

It was the witnessing of their behaviour that had caused Harry to gather his Gryffindor courage and confront Daphne and Tracey after class ended.

"Daphne! Tracey!" The two girls stilled as they heard the familiar voice of Harry Potter call their name.

They turned around in their place to face him. "What is it that you want, Potter?" Daphne drawled.

Harry faltered slightly as he saw the looks they were giving him. It was as if he was nothing but a waste of their precious time; something that greatly hurt him.

"What is going on? Why have you begun to hang out with Malfoy and his cronies of all people?" He inquired.

"Who we hang out is none of your business Potter and you shall be wise to remember that," Tracey interjected.

It broke Harry's heart a little seeing the usually humorous and bubbly Tracey speaking with such hostility and malice, but he steeled himself to ignore it for the moment.

"Well, it is my business seeing as how Daphne is my girlfriend and you are someone I consider as my sister," He retorted causing them to slightly flinch.

But before the girls could answer a new voice sounded.

"What do you think you're doing, Scar head?" The Malfoy heir drawled as he went to stand between Daphne and Tracey.

"I could ask you the same thing Malfoy. What did you do to cause them to hang out with a git like you?" Harry growled as anger seemed to roll off him in waves.

"Me? I did nothing. Perhaps your girlfriend and her friend have finally realized what a joke you are and instead chose the better choice," He taunted.

Harry stayed silent as if he waited for Daphne and Tracey to rebuke Malfoy's word and laugh at the ferret's idiocy but as the silence lingered and the girls' mouths stayed closed Harry felt devastated as Malfoy's taunt began to haunt his mind.

'What if he is speaking the truth? What if they got tired of me and to spite me turned to Malfoy? But if that's the case then why didn't they at least tell me that they wanted to end things? D-Did they want to make me hurt by making me find out when the school year started?' His mind worked extra as it struggled to make sense of everything.

"I…" Words evaded Harry as he opened his mouth to attempt and throw a comeback at Malfoy.

Instead, he left with nothing but a sorrowful sigh and eyes that shone of hurt and betrayal both of which were noticed by the three Slytherins whose reactions varied from each other.

As Malfoy began to cackle insanely much like his aunt Bellatrix at his latest achievement, Daphne and Tracey looked at Harry's retreating form from the edges of their vision with eyes full of many emotions.


"Harry! Harry!" Ron and Hermione called as they ran to catch up with Harry.

They, like the rest of the Charm class, has witnessed the exchange between Harry and the three Slytherins.

"Are you okay, mate?" Ron worryingly asked as he placed his arm on Harry's shoulder in a show of silent comfort.

While Ron was worried about his friend inside he was seething at Draco and the girls. When the youngest Weasley male had first found out about Harry's relationship with the Slytherins he had vehemently voiced his displeasure about his friend consorting with the snakes, but it was due to Harry and Hermione's insistence that he finally gave them the benefit of the doubt. He was very surprised when the girls have proved themselves to be a great company. They were kind, witty, and overall fun to hang out with and Ron found his opinion about the House of Serpents change slightly. But now, seeing the same girls he grew to like, the same girls who brought for his change of opinion about Slytherin house finally revealing their true colors and breaking his best mate's heart caused Ron to once again grow hateful towards Slytherins as if the change of heart he had about them evaporated like it never existed in the first place.

But despite all that, Ron could not bring himself to hate Astoria, as well as the girl, did nothing but attempt to help Harry through everything that occurred instead of taking Daphne's side as any other sister would do and it spoke volumes of her character.

"Bunch of slimy snakes! I always knew they were not to be trusted," He uttered causing him to receive a smack on the shoulder by Hermione.

"Harry, I know how much matters of the heart hurt, truly I do," Hermione began as she discreetly stole glances at Ron. "But closing in on yourself is never the answer. You have friends who will help you get through it but only if you'll let them. You have us, the Gryffindor's, and you have Astoria, but for us to help then you must first allow us in," Hermione attempted to comfort her friend as she fought back the tears that threatened to burst.

Harry did not respond and instead left his friends behind and continued his trek towards his dorms hoping that sleep will make the pain go away.

While he drew closer to Gryffindor tower another voice called out to him causing him to stop once again.

"Harry!" Her melodious voice reverberated through the empty hallway with the sound of what seemed to be running accompanying it.

"Harry I am so sorry! I heard what happened when I entered the common room and I knew that I had to see you right away! I can't believe how cruel Draco was and how Daphne and Tracey did nothing to refute his words," She sniffled while she held him in a tight embrace from behind.

They did not know how long they stood there and neither did they truly care for they finally felt whole once again. Astoria's tight embrace accompanied by her whispered words of comfort into his ear caused Harry to feel as if the gaping hole in his heart was temporarily filled. Meanwhile, the warmth that Harry's skin emanated as she enveloped his figure with her slender arms caused Astoria to feel as if the burdens she shouldered were no more and instead she was now light as a feather.

"We'll get through this Harry! I promise you!" She reassured him with such determination that Harry found himself wholly believing her.

She ended her embrace reluctantly and tugged at Harry's arm before whispering once again. "Things like sleep are not the cure for pain but rather the comfort of another is. No words need to be spoken and no gestures need to be made but only feeling one another as we comfort each other with our touch,"

With that, Astoria dragged Harry to the Room of Requirements where they spent their night sleeping quietly in each other's tight embrace.