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03 Obsessed Part One

By dinnertime, Daphne was fidgeting. Even the Occlumency exercises her grandfather had shown her when she was still small didn't help against the anticipation that was building up inside of her. The Pull had hit her again with full force after walking up to the castle behind Harry, and despite her decision to avoid him during lunch and that they didn't have any classes together that afternoon, the need to see him, to touch him, had become stronger and stronger.

Not trusting herself to keep her emotions in check, she'd decided against having dinner in the Great Hall. Instead, she called Dipsy to take her to the storage room on the sixth floor early. At her request, the elf warded the room against any intruders except Harry, cast a toasty heating charm over the room and transfigured the rickety furniture that was stored there into a nice four poster bed with dark blue velvet curtains, silver and blue bed linen and a small boudoir with a sofa for two, a low table and upholstered chairs. Long Everlasting Candles burning in silver chandeliers on the low table and on another table beside the bed added a romantic touch.

She looked at the small golden watch that was pinned to the lapel of her robes, a present from her parents after she'd aced ten OWLs. Dinner in the Great Hall was not yet over. Damned teenage boys with hollow legs, she seethed inwardly while she paced the ornate oriental carpet in front of the bed. Even though Harry didn't eat half as much as his friend, the glutton, Daphne knew from quiet observation during the last five years that he appreciated his meals. Who was she to begrudge him this little pleasure? After all, he'd need his strength, she thought with a wicked grin while she still paced the carpet.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she almost missed his arrival by – Apparition with a house elf? Daphne blinked in surprise, but the next moment all other thoughts than Harry went right out of her head. She flew into his arms, almost toppling him over.

Their lips met, and from that moment on coherent thinking was impossible. All that mattered were his arms around her and the feeling of his surprisingly soft lips on hers. Not breaking their embrace, they fell onto the bed and lost themselves in one another.

'I missed you,' Daphne said, much later, her head on his bare chest and drawing little circles with her fingers on his chest. He made the cutest noises of contentment when she did so; a low rumble deep down in his chest that was especially endearing. Of course, she'd never tell him that.

Harry tightened his embrace around her. 'I missed you, too. But you know it isn't real, don't you, and that we're still feeling the lingering effects of the potion. Hermione thinks that it'll take some time till it's out of our systems.'

'Granger? You told her?' Why in the world did he have to talk with that bushy-haired know-it-all about her? Was there more than friendship between them after all?

'Judging by how she looked at me today at dinner, you told Davis, too. I swear, if looks could kill, I would be dead right now! Hermione's my best friend and as close as a sister to me. I always turn toward her if I need advice.'

Daphne bit her lower lip. 'That's right, I told Tracey. She's like a sister to me, too,' she admitted. 'Oh well, we're even then, I guess. At least, as long as you don't tell the Weasel about last night!'

'I won't,' Harry hurried to assure her. 'I'll never talk with him about last night, if I can help it.'

'I'm relieved to hear that,' she said. She gave him a shrewd side glance, not able to contain the Slytherin inside of her. 'Didn't you tell him because I'm an eeeevil snake or didn't you tell him because you've "done the deed" before he even managed to hold hands with a girl?'

The ghost of a grin flickered around his mouth, but was immediately wiped away by a hurt look, both clearly betraying his conflicted feelings about her question. Daphne could have slapped herself.

'Oh shit!' she said and kissed him gently on the cheek. 'That was a mean question to ask. Forget I ever asked, even though I can tell by the look on your face that the answer is probably "both."'

She was rewarded by a chuckle, accompanied by a small grin. Then he sobered.

'I'm sorry about the rumours that circulate about us, Daphne,' he said. 'How will that affect your relations with your housemates?'

She grimaced. 'Unfortunately, the cat got out of the bag. It was rather ugly at first. But I think Blaise found a good way dealing with them.'

He raised his eyebrows at that. 'And that is?'

She looked down at his chest, not knowing how she should convey the news that she was going to be betrothed to Theodore Nott during Christmas break. She took a deep breath.

'Mr Nott proposed a betrothal between his younger son Theodore and me. I agreed to that. Blaise suggested to let slip that Theodore took me to that broom closet yesterday for some prenuptial celebrations.'

His face got hard. 'I see,' he said and sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.

'Where are you going, Harry?' Daphne asked, also sitting up.

'Back to my dorm. You're betrothed to Nott. I won't help you cheating on him,' he snapped, picking up his robe from the floor where he'd thrown it in his haste earlier in the evening.

She jumped out of the bed and threw her arms around him. 'Please, don't go, Harry! Let me explain. It's not what you think!'

He glared down at her, not moving to give into her embrace. 'What is it then? You're going to marry another man, yet you jump at me like … like…' He didn't finish his sentence, but breathed heavily.

'Please, Harry, listen to me.' Her eyes met his, not flinching from the ire and hurt she saw in them, but responding his glare with a calm, steady gaze, even though she quivered inside. She didn't want to lose his respect. She didn't want to lose him, a small voice inside of her said she chose to ignore.

He still glared down at her, but eventually the emerald fire died down. 'All right, what is your story?' he demanded, still sounding angered.

With a sigh of relief she led him back to the bed, sitting down on the edge. He sat down beside her, looking at her expectantly.

'I agreed to be betrothed to Theodore because of political reasons,' she began. 'My family is neutral in the ongoing conflict, but it will be impossible to maintain our neutrality without the protection of another Ancient House. That's where Theodore comes into play. He's from a house politically influential enough to give my family the protection we need against the Dork Lord and his minions. Theodore doesn't wish to become a Death Eater. He even faked magical weakness so his father didn't get the idea to offer his services to the Dork Lord. The betrothal will diffuse any rumours that Theodore is gay and so ultimately safe his life. The Dork Lord doesn't condone what he considers abnormal. Most important, the contract gives us almost three more years until we have to make a final decision about getting married. A lot can happen until then. Hopefully, the Dork Lord will be gone when that time comes. But until then, Theodore and I are protected. We agreed to maintain the impression of a happily engaged couple whenever we're in company, but decided that we're both allowed to live our life as long as we're discreet.'

He made a face as if he'd bitten on a slice of lemon. 'That's such a Slytherin way of thinking, I suppose.'

Daphne didn't contradict.

He slung an arm around her shoulder and hugged her lightly to him. 'I'm sorry, Daphne. I shouldn't have assumed the worst of you before I gave you time to explain.' He dropped a kiss on her head. 'Will it be enough to keep you safe in Slytherin? I've noticed the way some of your housemates lusted after you today.'

She buried her head in his shoulder. 'I don't know,' she said. Her voice was very small.

He lifted her chin with his finger.

'Don't worry. I think, I've come up with a plan to keep you safe. We have to make sure you're never alone and have always a way to escape.'

'The first one is easy. Tracey, Theodore and Blaise are almost always with me.'

'With almost being the operating word there. That's not enough for me, Daphne. I think I came up with a better plan. There's this house elf, Dobby. He's a free elf and works in the Hogwarts kitchen. For some reason he feels obligated to me and would answer my call. And then there's Winky. She was freed by her master in a fit of rage over a year ago, but not due to a fault on her side. She has taken badly to being free and got rather ill. Since guarding you all around the clock is too much for Dobby alone, and after what you told me about heirs and their house elves this morning, I had the idea to bind Dobby and Winky to me. This agreement is of mutual benefit for all of us. They will be your bodyguards. They will always be near you and Apparate you to safety in an instant when the need arises,' Harry explained.

Daphne's eyes grew wide. 'I'm impressed, Harry. You put a lot of thought into that. Thank you for caring. I'd never have thought of employing house elves as bodyguards. What about telling Dipsy, too, to lessen the workload for Dobby and Winky?'

'That's a great idea. Thank you for offering, Daphne.'

'You're welcome. As a Slytherin, however, I know that everything comes for a price. What do you want from me, Harry?'

'Huh?'

'I admire your eloquence, as always. What is your price for ordering your house elves to act as my bodyguards?'

Harry shook his head. 'Nothing. I offered them because it was the right thing to do.'

Daphne rolled her eyes. 'You've got to admire all this Gryffindor honour,' she quipped. Then her smile became seductively. 'I have to think of something especially nice to thank you, it seems.'

'You're going to be especially nice to me, anyways. At least, as long as the potion makes you feel so,' Harry snorted.

Daphne grinned. 'Hey, that's a very Slytherin thought. There's still hope for you, I see.'

'The Sorting Hat wanted to put me into Slytherin,' he admitted.

Daphne went straight. 'What?'

'You've heard it right. It said Slytherin would help me on my way to greatness. Well, I had met Malfoy before, so I thought scratch greatness, I can't bear to be in a house with that prat for seven years. So, the Hat put me into Gryffindor,' he explained.

She snuggled closer into him. 'One point more against Malfoy. To think that prat kept you away from Slytherin! We could have been friends for five years! Of course, by now you'd be my boyfriend because I'd have groomed you for that since our first day at Hogwarts.'

'What?' Now it was his turn to sit straight.

Daphne laughed. 'Don't you agree? Believe me, I recognise a good guy when I see him. Considering the other options in Slytherin, I'd have claimed you as soon as possible.'

He shook his head, joining her laughter. 'You're impossible!' He laid back onto the bed and dragged her with him until she was spread over his chest. 'Though, I'd love to have been friends with you from our first day on,' he whispered in her ear, hugging her close to him.

Silence settled over the crowded storeroom, only interrupted by the soft sounds of kisses the two teenager shared and gentle whispers.

However, the events of the day still haunted Daphne. 'I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with your housemates back on your way from Herbology. Are they still pestering you?' she eventually resumed their conversation.

Harry grimaced. 'I'm sorry you had to hear that. They had no right to talk about you that way.'

'No, they hadn't, but you did a pretty job standing up against them,' she said, and kissed him on the cheek.

He grinned. 'I'm not the only one who stood up for you,' he replied.

She raised her eyebrows at him in a silent question.

'When I entered the Entrance Hall, Neville was waiting for me. He was under the impression I'd forced my unwanted attention on you and, as your only male relative at Hogwarts, felt obliged to challenge me to a Wizard Duel;' Harry clarified. 'I didn't know you were related to him, by the way.'

Daphne's head shot up. 'Neville did WHAT?'

Harry chuckled lightly. 'It gave me quite the surprise,' he admitted, sobering. 'But Neville has also impressed me. He'll always do what he thinks is right instead of what is easy. He's got moral backbone.'

She put her head back on the comfortable spot on his chest. 'That he has,' she agreed, thinking of her shy third cousin. 'His grandmother is my grandfather's sister,' she explained. 'We've seen each other often before Hogwarts. He still visits during holidays with Aunt Augusta. Here at Hogwarts we don't see each other. House rivalry, I suppose.'

Again, they relapsed into a comfortable silence. Daphne thought about the things they had discussed. She'd trusted him with quite sensitive information. It would be dangerous for her family if he was ever going to reveal his knowledge. Though she thought he'd never intentionally betray her trust, his Gryffindor-ish character made him way too easy to read, not only for Slytherins. Not to mention the odd accomplished Legilimencer among the Hogwarts staff and the Death Eaters. She knew of a way to prevent him from being Legilimenced. It had been practiced in her family for centuries. However, it was risky …

'Harry?'

'Hmmm?' he mumbled, apparently at the brink of sleep.

She shook him gently. He tore his eyes open and looked at her. 'Hey, what's that for?' he protested, and she giggled.

'Listen, Harry, there is still one important thing I need to talk about with you,' she began haltingly.

'Go ahead,' he encouraged her. He listened attentively while she explained her fears. 'And you know a way how to teach me Occlumency?' he finally asked.

'You know about Occlumency?' she asked. 'Usually, nobody outside of the old pureblood families knows about the Mind Arts. Since you've been raised by Muggles …'

He interrupted her. 'Since I was raised by Muggles you supposed I've never heard about it?' he finished the sentence for her and she nodded.

'Dumbledore asked Snape to teach it to me last year.' He grimaced at the memory. 'Apparently, there's a connection between my scar and Voldemort.'

Daphne had to force herself not to startle when he mentioned the Dork Lord's name. She didn't want to think him she was weak.

'Dumbledore thought it would be a good idea for me to learn Occlumency to keep the bastard out of my head. He was wrong. I was pants at it and in the end Voldemort used me to get …'

He didn't tell her for what the Dork Lord used him, but the mixed expression of grief and self-loathing on his face made Daphne to hold him tight. He put an arm over his eyes, as if to hide his tears, but when he looked at her again, his eyes were dry.

'All right, what do I have to do? I don't want to betray you,' he said with determination.

'I'll have to perform an old family ritual on both of us and then you've got to let me Legilimence you. We'll mingle our memories and our knowledge and we'll construct your defences from within your mind and I'll help you sort through your memories and hide them properly. That's the way it is done in my family for centuries between spouses. There's also another ritual for parents and their children, but that wouldn't work in our case because we're about the same level of magical maturity. Of course, it requires a lot of trust from you, because I'll see everything. On the other hand you'll see all of my memories. However, the easy way to build up your defences comes with a price.' She bit her lips, unsure how to go on and worried how he'd take her next revelations.

He raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

She took a deep breath. 'As an after-effect, we'll always feel a deep emotional connection. We'll know what the other feels, even if we're apart. I doubt it'll get so far that we know what the other one thinks, though grandfather told me it was like that between him and grandmother,' she explained, not daring to look at him as she did so, afraid of his reaction. 'Also, we'll never be able to betray each other, due to the fact that it's ancient Greengrass family magic.'

She felt him stiffen beneath herself. 'Wow, that is big,' he said softly. He raised her chin with his hand. 'Let me think about it until tomorrow, all right?'

Daphne nodded, glad that he hadn't refused her offer straight away. With a sigh, she reached for her wand on the small table beside the bed and cast the Tempus Spell. It was almost midnight. She got up and dressed. Harry followed her example silently, obviously deep in thought.

They kissed a last time, and then she called Dipsy to Apparate her away. Harry had assured her that he had his ways to get back into his dorm unseen, even after curfew.

Tracey was already fast asleep when she returned to their room. She got ready for the night and then hid behind her bed curtains. However, sleep refused to claim her. The hours spend with Harry kept playing in her mind over and over again. Why had he been so angry when she told him about the betrothal to Theodore? Under the influence of the Potion he shouldn't have minded as long as he could quench his potion-induced desire together with her. It was almost as if he was … No, that couldn't be, she contradicted her own thoughts. Harry Potter had no reason to be jealous of her betrothal to Theodore. Why should he, anyway? Until yesterday they hadn't even spoken to one another once. He was probably only worried if her intended betrothal would put an obstacle in their plans to sleep with each other until the Potion finally wore off, she convinced herself.

She turned around, hugging her duvet to her, while she tried to concentrate on her Occlumency exercises to calm herself. However, a last, unbidden thought shot into her head. 'Why are you so frightened to lose him, Daphne?' a small voice whispered inside of her.

'Oh, shut up,' she groaned aloud, this time successfully employing her Occlumency skills to push all unwelcomed thoughts from the forefront of her mind. Eventually, she fell asleep.

DGHPDGHPDGHP

When she woke up the next morning she felt like something been trampled over by a Hippogriff and then thrown out with the trash bin. A look in the mirror above the sink in the small bathroom she shared with Tracey told her that she also looked like it. 'Thank Merlin for Glamour Charms,' she thought as she carefully restored her good looks.

The news of her upcoming betrothal to Theodore had made the rounds in Slytherin, because she received a round of congratulations when Theodore greeted her with a chaste kiss on her cheek that morning, as was expected of him as her intended. She accepted the congratulations and the titillating joking remarks about their prenuptial celebrations with just the right mixture of triumph and embarrassment, and let out a sigh of relief when she and Theodore finally managed to make their escape to the Great Hall with Tracey and Blaise in tow.

'Your lover looks like crap,' Tracey whispered as she sat down beside her. 'What have you done to the poor bloke?'

'Nothing you wouldn't have done to him if you were in my shoes,' she answered while she helped herself to some porridge. A quick glance toward the Gryffindor Table told her that Harry sat together with Granger and the Weasel and indeed had smudges around the eyes. When he felt her gaze upon himself, he looked up and gave her an almost imperceptible smile.

'At least he's a quick learner,' she thought, acknowledging his try at being subtle, and determinately suppressed the Pull she felt budding again at the sight of his incredibly green eyes. She was glad when the meal was finally over and she could hide from him in Ancient Runes and hopefully cool down somewhat.

The rest of the day went by in a similar fashion as the previous day. During Charms, she again did her best to ignore him, but in spite of that the Pull once again got stronger. She was glad she had a free period before lunch to recuperate from the effect he had on her, but was dreading the double Transfiguration class in the afternoon where she had to see him again.

On the bright side, Blaise's corny strategy really had paid off. Over the day she'd received more congratulations on her upcoming nuptials by Purebloods from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, and the insinuations about her and Potter had become less.

But when dinner time came around, she found herself fidgeting again, unable to concentrate onto anything else than the building Pull inside of her that forced her toward Harry. She hated herself for her inability to resist, yet her heart raced at the thought of being in his arms soon.

When Dipsy Apparated her into the storeroom right after dinner, he was already waiting for her. She wasted no time throwing herself into his arms, and again they lost themselves in a frenzy of passion.

'I've thought about your suggestion,' he said, much later, when she laid in his arms, thoroughly spent by their former activities.

She raised her head and looked into his incredible eyes that held an expression of deep contemplation.

'If I understood you right, the method you're using entails that you know about all my secrets – and I of yours – but basically we're not able to betray one another because it also forms a kind of bond between us?'

She nodded. 'That's it in a nutshell.'

He took a deep breath. 'All right, but before you agree on helping me, there's something you have to consider. Knowing my secrets is dangerous. You'll be in even more danger than now, when you're only rumoured to have slept with me. It's knowledge that can kill you and your loved ones. Voldemort and his minions will kill you for that knowledge and he'll be after those you love only to get at you. Are you still willing to help me, knowing that it can be your death and the death of your loved ones?' His gaze never wavered once from her eyes while he spoke.

She startled. She hadn't thought of that she'd maybe learn dangerous secrets when helping him building his Occlumency shields. Was it really worth the price? Her Slytherin side screamed caution, while simultaneously thinking of ways to circumvent the repercussions of her decision to help him.

'I don't think I'll be in more danger than right now,' she said slowly after some rapid thinking. 'Theodore and I diffused the rumours about you and me pretty well. Everybody in our dorms thinks I'm with him this moment, except Theodore, Tracey and Blaise, of course. We can keep up that deception indefinitely, as long as we're discreet.'

He raised an eyebrow. 'Nott knows about us?'

'Of course he does. We're covering for each other. We made sure the Slytherin gossip queens saw us entering his bedroom together tonight. He's in constant fear that his father and by extension the Dork Lord will find out that he's gay. I'm providing him with the right cover against his father and the Dork Lord. But while I'm with you, he's with Blaise.'

'Wow!' Harry exclaimed. 'I didn't know Nott is gay and that he and Zabini are an item!'

Daphne sighed. 'That's because it's a well-kept secret among Theodore, Blaise, Tracey and I, just for the reasons I told you. Why, are you scandalised?' She dared him with her eyes. After all, everyone knew how straightlaced those chivalrous Gryffindors could be.

He grinned. 'Not at all. If it makes them happy, who am I to take offence? I only wonder how you manage to keep up your charade within Slytherin without anyone finding you out.'

'Thanks to Dipsy we can move within the castle without anyone knowing. Most Slytherins don't know about house elf Apparition,' Daphne explained.

'Why am I not surprised about that,' Harry murmured. Then he exhaled deeply. 'All right, if you're sure about it, I'm ok with you Legilimencying me.'

'Thank you,' she replied and kissed him on the cheek. 'That takes a weight off my chest. You're really too easy to goad, you know.'

'I know,' he chuckled ruefully. 'How are you doing it? When will you do it?'

'We need to prepare ourselves for the ritual. Don't eat meat tomorrow, only bread, cheese, fruits and fish. Also, don't drink anything else than water or herbal tea. Try to meditate at least thirty minutes before you're coming here.'

He made a face, but nodded.

'Good!' She grabbed her wand and cast 'Tempus.' It was already well past curfew. 'I'm afraid we have to go back to our dorms,' she sighed.

They dressed silently, and, as always, parted reluctantly. Daphne called for Dipsy and let hersef being popped away to her bedroom where Tracey was already sound asleep.

DGHPDGHPDGHP

She didn't know how she survived the next day. Though she'd learned all about the important rituals of her family, she'd never before performed one herself, and she was nervous beyond belief. When it was time to meet Harry, she gathered the small backpack with the things she needed and called Dipsy to take her to the storage room.

He was already there, but when he wanted to take her in his arms, she prevented him from that by raising the palms of her hands. It was hard to resist. The Pull screamed at her to give in to his embrace, but she withstood.

'Not yet, Harry. We have more important things to do tonight.'

She pulled a white tunic out of the backpack and handed it to him. 'Put that on.'

While he changed, she also changed into a white tunic. Then she pulled a jar with a white powder out of the backpack. She used the powder to draw a perfect circle on the floor. Then she draw four runes just outside the circle, chanting a complicated spell while she did so.

'Come to me, Harry, ' she said after she was finished. He stepped beside her and she took his hand. 'We have to enter the circle together. Are you ready?'

He gulped, but nodded.

Together, they stepped into the circle and kneed down.

She leaned into him until their foreheads touched. 'Just look into my eyes, Harry, and trust me.'

Her eyes never breaking contact with his, she raised her wand and whispered, 'Legilimentio Conjux!'

Immediately, she felt herself drawn into his being. He had not even basic shields, which was disturbing, considering he'd practiced Occlumency with Snape last year. Red hot pain was the next thing she saw, caused by something that looked like a ramrod being driven against his brain. She caught a short glimpse of Snape, raising his wand and crying 'Legilimence' at Harry, and she gasped. If that was the way Snape had taught him the Mind Arts, it was amazing his brain hadn't turned to mush because of it.

She felt him tremble. Never breaking the eye contact between them, she poured soothing feelings into him through the wide open link between them, and showed him her memories about her grandfather helping her building her Occlumency shields. His trembling subsided, and she moved on to the edges of his awareness. She had to leave her own mind wide open to him, and she noticed how he was drawn into it and looked around in wonder, like a small child on Christmas morning.

Glad that he was occupied and didn't put up resistance, she dug a deep wide moat around the edge of his awareness, using the dugout material to build a motte in the middle. When she came to the back of his awareness, she had to stop. A huge, golden translucent shield was in front of her. It blocked out a pulsating black mass that seemed to be squeezed between his skull and his skin. Angry, red tendrils reached out from it ever so often, trying to break through the golden shield, only to be rebuffed again and again. Though, from some rough patches on the golden shield Daphne got the impression that the ugly black thing had been able to get through.

She'd never before seen or heard about something like that. Even though the black thing behind the shield looked revolting and gave her the shivers, she inched closer, her curiosity and her thirst for knowledge getting the better of her. She had to find out what that golden shield was.

Cautiously she reached out for the golden shield with a tendril of her mind. A strong wave of purest love hit her and made her gasp. It was the love of a mother for a child, the kind of love she herself had experienced from her mother when she was a baby. But this love was even stronger. It was the love of a mother who had fought for her child – of a mother who had even died for her child. It was the eternal love of Lily Potter for her baby boy.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She slowly backed away, her eyes never leaving the amazing shield. She was dismayed to see at how many places it was already stretching thin. Instinctively she knew that it must have something to do with Harry's memory of his mother's love eventually fading. 'Is there a way to reinforce the shield?' she wondered. 'I've got to give that some thought.'

She carefully dug the moat behind the shield, leaving enough room for possible reinforcements to the shield. On the top of the motte she then built a curtain wall, only leaving a narrow gap for an entrance. On the outside she surrounded the wall with a thicket of thorny bushes. Inside of the curtain wall she erected a tall tower, without any windows, but with a small door and lots of chambers and a seemingly bottomless dungeon below the entrance level.

While she was working, his memories flew around her like wisps of smoke that varied from an almost white shade of grey to a thick, impenetrable black. The darker memories predominated, she noticed with dismay, as she caught glimpses of a small boy cowering in what seemed to be a cupboard and the same boy trying to climb into a tree while a bulldog snapped at his heels.

However, there was nothing she could do about that right now. Building his defences had been hard work, and she felt herself beginning to tremble with exhaustion. She'd had to leave the sorting and storing of his memories for another day. Carefully, she extracted herself from his being, pouring feelings of comfort and healing into his mind that she knew to be raw from the work she'd done, and pushed his memories that had been copied in her mind into a seperate compartment to be examined later.

Their eyes still locked, Harry murmured 'Thank you!' when she finally surfaced.

The Pull she'd supressed all night long in order to perform the ritual, became overwhelming. With a small cry she flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips on his. He answered with a fervour matching hers, and again they forgot the world around them in their passion.

DGHPDGHPDGHP

She awoke to the light of the calmly burning Everlasting Candles. Dipsy sat at the foot of the bed. Beside her squatted the strangest looking elf Daphne had ever seen. He wore clothes, and rather colourful clothes they were, she observed with a snort. One sock was stripped red and yellow, while the other had a pattern of golden snitches on a dark blue background. He wore green and purple chequered trousers with an orange and black coloured Hawaii shirt over them. On his head, there was an assortment of at least five knitted hats. She rubbed her eyes, not really believing what she saw.

'Master Harry Potter sir and his Daffy must wake up,' the strange elf squealed in a high pitched voice. 'It's almost time to stand up. Master Harry Potter sir needs to bes back in his room before others awake!'

'Hmmm?' Harry grumbled beside her. He fumbled for his glasses and put them onto his nose. His eyes fell onto the colourful dressed elf.

'Oh, good morning, Dobby,' he greeted. 'Is it already time? Thank you for waking us!'

'Wes be back in five minutes to take yous to your rooms,' Dipsy piped up, and the next second both elves had Apparated away with a POP.

Daphne stretched. 'I hate to get up that early,' she muttered under her breath. She felt how Harry gathered her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

'You're adorable when you're sleepy,' he said. The next moment he jumped out of the bed and yanked the duvet off her. 'Get up, Sleeping Beauty, or there will be hell to pay if we're not back in our dorms when our roommates get up!' he laughed.

Groaning, Daphne dragged herself out of bed while he was already dressing. 'I can't say that I find you especially adorable in the morning,' she whined, her eyes shooting daggers at him.

'But you like me nevertheless,' he grinned at her and pecked her nose.

Her eyes softened and she smiled at him. 'That I do,' she whispered.