Chapter 7 - ENCOUNTER IN THE HOSPITAL WING
Daphne POV
I was surprised as I saw Harry enter the hospital wing with an absolute dead look in his eyes. He looked absolutely miserable. However, once he saw me sitting next to Tori on her bed, his eyes regained some liveliness. I would not have recognized that look if I had not done it so many times. He tried to hide it, but there was an almost unnoticeable small smile as he looked at me. We stared at each other in silence once again.
Madam Pomfrey then bustled in, "Oh Mister Potter, pray tell me why you here yet again? It is only the first day of school, surely you have not managed to hurt yourself already!"
At Pomfrey's retorts, Harry could not help but smile. My heartbeat increased slightly as I saw him break out into a wide smile and laugh, all traces of the previous misery washed from his face.
"Hahahaha, you know me, Poppy, I just love being here, I am sad that you gave up my bed though, I always take the spot in the corner".
I couldn't help but smile as well at his antics, and did he just call Madam Pomfrey Poppy? How is Harry on first name basis when the school's healer?
"Oh Mister Potter, you can have to spot next to the first year here, now hurry up and explain your problem, I am surprised there are no bones to fix or grow".
I saw Harry noticeably twitched when she mentioned fixing and growing bones.
Must be nasty, Skele-gro is the worst tasting potion ever.
"I am here because Hermione refuses to let me go back to the common room, and also...kind of I wanted a quiet place to sleep".
I noticed how Harry tensed as he finished his sentence, but I was quite shocked at how open and honest he was with Madam Pomfrey. I looked over at Madam Pomfrey and watch her raise an eyebrow and give Harry a skeptical look. Eventually, Pomfrey caved.
"Fine, but you need to help me with the other guest for me letting you stay the night here without a legitimate medical reason, you seem to have cast quite the enervate charm on her to help her recover".
I was shocked when I heard this and looked back at Harry, who noticeably blushed at the praise.
"It was nothing much Poppy, anyone would have done it in my position".
What? Is he daft? Most of our school wouldn't give two flying shits to help someone, much less save them from dementors!
I was about to yell at Harry when Madam Pomfrey beat me to it.
"Oh will you quit your humble mumbling shenanigans Mister Potter! Gosh, how can you be so much like James one moment, sucking up to me, and a blink of an eye you transform into your mother".
Pomfrey's tone noticeable softened as she spoke.
"Hurry up and lie down on the bed!"
Pomfrey then turned around and went towards her office. I saw him flop onto the bed and before I even had the chance to talk to him, he fell asleep.
I giggled slightly at how he looked when he slept. Wait, why am I giggling, stop Daphne!
I then turned back around to look at Tori and fell asleep as well next to her.
Harry POV
I woke up feeling slightly better than yesterday. I did not feel as stressed as I was yesterday.
Must be something to do with this place.
I chuckled at the thought. I then noticed it was relatively early, I looked around and found Daphne passed out next to the brown hair girl, which...must be her sister! I then remember the conversation with Pomfrey from last night and was almost at the hospital wing door when I heard someone clearing their throat behind me.
I turned around thinking it would be Poppy, but instead it was Daphne. It wasn't until that moment I realized how beautiful she looked. It was as if time had stopped. With slight rays of sunlight peering through the windows, even with her blonde hair all messy and sprawled about, wearing her wrinkled Hogwarts robes, she looked breathtaking. My brain momentarily lost all function until she snapped me out of my stupor.
"Aren't you supposed to be helping my sister Harry?"
My mind was racing fast to come up with some sort of excuse, I was drawing a blank. Then she smiled and laughed at me.
WAIT! Daphne Greengrass, the Ice Queen of Slytherin laughing? What on earth happened. Smiling is one thing, laughing is something completely different!
"You sh-hould se-ee you fa-ace Harry!" She said in between laughs.
I then laughed along with her.
Pranked by Ice Queen of Slytherin?
I could not help laugh at this thought. After walking back towards my bed, I sat opposite Daphne. We again stared at each other in silence for a long time, however, this time, it was not awkward or uncomfortable. We seemed relaxed at each other's presence.
After a while, she broke the comfortable silence first, "Well, I guess I should be thanking you for saving Tori's life".
"Don't worry about it, it is what anyone in position would have done".
I wanted to take back words the second I said them because Daphne's smile soon became a scowl as she walked over to my bed and sat next to me before punching the crap out of me.
"Don't -SMACK- ever -SMACK- let -SMACK- me -SMACK- hear -SMACK- that -SMACK- AGAIN!"
I almost considered falling back into bed, I am pretty sure I am going to need Poppy to heal this.
"Harry, you are not anyone else, somebody else in your position, even with the knowledge of casting a patronus, would not have done what you did. Most people would have ran away or have been incapable of even thinking of a happy memory in the presence of a dementor".
I blushed slightly at her comments, I then turned around to reply but was tackled by a brown haired human missile.
"Oof!"
The air got knocked out of my lungs. The brown hair missile, which was Daphne's sister, had a vice grip on me.
"HE IS MINE, I SAW HIM FIRST, I HAVE FIRST DIBS!"
I looked around through the mess of her brown hair, and saw Daphne scowl slightly at her comment. I then tried to struggle out of her sister's grip but could not.
OI GODRIC, HELP!
Godric chuckled in my head "You're on your own Harry, although I would love to be in your position…"
Fuck that is not helpful.
Then I was saved by Poppy.
Well, she has done a lot of that over the last couple of years…
"Oh would you please spare Mister Potter Miss Greengrass, I have tried way too hard over Mister Potters time at Hogwarts to keep him from dying, I cannot have you squeeze the life out of him now!"
Tori then reluctantly let go of me and got up. Poppy guided her back to her bed. I then looked back at Daphne and saw that she had averted her eyes.
"Hey, Daphne, what classes you taking this year?"
She then looked up at me and quietly said, "aside from standard transfiguration, DAD, charms, herbology, history of magic and potions, I chose arithmancy, ancient runes, and creatures".
Hey, aren't these all my classes as well?
"Really? I am doing those exact classes as well!"
I noticed instantly her previous slightly sour demeanor change, as she beamed at me. I then looked over behind Daphne and saw a fuming Tori, chugging down the potions given by Poppy.
"Well, then Daphne…"
Daphne followed my gaze and giggled slightly.
Okay, there is something wrong with me today, I saw the supposed Ice Queen laugh, and then giggle...what in the name of Morgana is going on?
"...I will see you in class".
I then turned away and escaped to breakfast before being tackled by the brown hair missile again. On my way to the great hall, I couldn't help but smile.
Doran's Ring -
Hello everyone, thank you so much to everyone who followed and put this story down on their favorites! Also thank you so much to those who gave reviews as well. As you have noticed, there is a bit of a turn in the story! I will do my best to incorporate and weave in parts from the original timeline in Prisoner of Azkaban. I couldn't help but post another couple chapters this week :P! Besides, 7th chapter? Isn't that a powerful number in Harry Potter Lore? :) I will do my best to stick to a weekly schedule of every Thursday. So expect new chapters then! Thank you to everyone who tuned in and viewed this story! I will do my best to keep the chapters coming!
