Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter

A Girl Named Hope: Chapter Fifty: Forces of Attraction

AN: Another Tumblr-special concerning everyone's favourite Slytherin-Gryffindor couple, Daphne and Dean!

There was something about her that was very different, something that was very…alluring, but far more subtle than the ability that Veela possessed. Dean would catch himself looking at her when he hadn't intended to.

He liked the way her words curled off her tongue, how her blue eyes glinted darkly in the torchlight, how every step she took was confident. She was like nothing Dean had ever seen.

He watched her from down the hallway as she tried to shove her books into her bag as she was buffeted by a few students as they passed her, sending two of her books toppling out of her hands and onto the floor.

Daphne knelt to grab one before reaching for the other only to find that someone had already picked it up for her. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she took it from him.

"Thanks," she said, "you didn't have to-"

"And leave you to pick up two books on your own?" Dean arched an eyebrow in amusement. "That would be terrible rude of me."

A smile bloomed on Daphne's lips at his words.

"Shall I walk you to your next class?" Dean offered, offering her elbow in a jaunty manner, inspired by the sight of her smile.

This time she actually laughed as she looped her arm around his offered appendage. "You are too kind, sir," she replied.

"Anything for a beautiful woman, miss," Dean said and her flushed cheeks darkened from pink to faint red as she permitted the Gryffindor to escort her to Arithmancy, both ignoring the looks they garnered as a Pure-blood Slytherin and a Muggle-born Gryffindor walking together without an expression of contempt and disgust on their faces, but bright smiles.