I do not own Harry Potter or gain anything from writing this other than the opportunity of expanding on an already brilliant universe for my own entertainment, and hopefully yours.

CHAPTER 12 - INKY LETTER

Harry awoke the next morning to the screech of what could only be a banshee, followed by being tackled in his bed by said banshee. Harry, panicking, tried to find his wand or glasses but failed to do either as he was being pinned to the bed and held in a vice like grip. Reaching to push off the beast his hands landed on a soft feminine waste. He realized that the scent he was being assaulted with was also rather feminine and belonged to one Ginny Weasley. Shaking himself, the words that she was shrieking finally came to him.

'Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!'

Finally a gruff 'geroff a hm' pulled his assailant away.

'Wha's it Ginny?' Harry asked her groggily, putting on his glasses.

Then he noticed the broomstick in her hand and the enormous smile on her face.

'Oh right, that,' he said, smiling back.

'What?' Ron asked in shock, looking at the broomstick.

'You got me a Firebolt Mark Two!' she absolutely shrieked.

'So I did,' Harry said in mock curiosity, eyeing the writing on the dark mahogany wood reading Firebolt Mark II in black and red lettering. 'So you like it then?' he added sarcastically.

'I absolutely love it!' She said, wrapping him up in another fierce hug, much as she had the night before.

Harry felt a stirring in his pyjamas that only had half to do with it being morning and quickly disentangle himself. Looking over at Ron he saw him holding up a pair of Keeper mitts with a confused look on his face. When he looked up at Harry he tried quite valiantly to give him an appreciative smile but it came out like he was about to be sick.

'Oh, come off it Ron,' Harry said, grabbing a leather pouch from his beside and tossing it to him. 'You just got a new broom last year and I'd feel like a prat if I one upped your parents like that. Inside there is a receipt to the gloves and the difference in cost. You can buy a new broom if you want but your parent's wrath is yours, not mine.'

Ron hefted the heavy sack in his hand, eyes widening. Opening it up he saw that it was magically expanded and had a ridiculous amount of gold inside.

'B-bloody hell mate,' he said then looked at Ginny's Firebolt worriedly. 'How much money did you spend on presents this year?'

'You don't want to know,' Harry said, smiling evilly.

Ron gulped and Ginny now looked more horror struck than pleased at her gift. The two looked scared for a moment until Harry snapped.

'Listen,' he said angrily. 'There's an overpowered madman out there who's greatest desire is to see me dead. I also happen to be filthy fucking rich. What I spent this year is barely pocket change to me. So let me enjoy my damn money by spoiling you all rotten before I'm dead without throwing those guilty looks at me. Right?'

With that he stomped out of the room, a satisfied smile on his face.

He got much the same reaction from a few more of the remaining Weasley's for the gifts he bought. Mrs. Weasley insisted that she could not accept the full kitchen set of self-cleaning goblin steel cookware. That it was far too expensive. Harry waved her off saying that he loved her like a mother and she better damn well accept it because he knew his own mother would have. This brought the woman to uncontrollable tears as she hugged him tightly. There were no more protests from her.

To Bill and Fleur he gave two complimenting enchanted talismans. One was essentially a dark magic detector, The Eye of Yatiru. It would glow brighter as it neared a cursed object, and if you look through the crystal encased in the center, you could see the pattern of the curse. It would take some practice to be able to read the patterns properly, but Harry had no doubt they could manage it.

The second talisman was called The Soul of Yatiru. It worked in conjunction with the Eye, and it took two people to operate the Soul properly. Its power was in sealing the dark magic in an object. It would not remove it or destroy the object, but it would cause the dark magic to lay dormant. It could also be used effectively on a person to alleviate a curse until it could be safely dealt with. The biggest drawback was that it could only contain one curse at a time.

As it turned out, Bill had already heard of the objects - this made sense since Harry had purchased them from Gringotts - he also attempted to refuse the gifts but after explaining that they were gifted to keep two people he cared about alive in a dangerous line of work, along with a significant look to Fleur, he relented.

The rest of the gifts were less expensive and more thoughtful.

Charlie got Harry's favourite gift, Harry had put his heart and soul into this one. He gave him a snake, a very intelligent Adder who Harry taught how to read and write. Harry demonstrated by having a short conversation with it on paper. Harry had taught Charlie the spell to enchant the snakes' tail to temporarily work as an infinite ink quill.

Charlie absolutely loved it, finding it very fascinating. He immediately got to wondering how well a snake can communicate with a dragon.

To the twins he gave four thick piles of parchment. A copy of their complete school records from Hogwarts; filled with every prank and detention. Also the same for one James Potter and Sirius Black. The twins absolutely loved it and were reading through the list of their misdeeds out loud at breakfast. Much to everyone's delight and Mrs. Weasley's dismay.

The last gift was Mr. Weasley's. A simple thing really, one any muggle might receive on Christmas. Flying lessons. As in airplane flying. It was a very conflicted Mrs. Weasley who couldn't decide to yell at Harry for the terrible idea that would probably kill her husband or still dote over him for his wonderful gift he got her. Mr. Weasley was, needless to say, ecstatic.

'Well I think I know who won Christmas this year,' Charlie said after Christmas dinner, writing his snake a message.

'Your father was a terrible person Harry,' George said, looking over James Potter's school record.

'So was your godfather Harry,' Fred said, who was reading Sirius'.

'I think I love them,' they both said together.

They were lounging in the living room together after eating far too much and getting in some well-earned relaxation.

Ginny was lying on the floor, admiring her new broom as she had been doing all day, still red faced and windblown. She took it for a fly after breakfast out in the cold winter air and no one was able to get her to come back in until Harry threatened to return it if she didn't.

Ron was sitting in a chair flipping through a Quality Quidditch catalogue. Harry was right in thinking Ron would opt out of getting a new broom. He was also right in guessing that Ron would enjoy his new found freedom with money immensely.

Bill and Fleur were lounging lazily by the fire. Cuddling closely, whispering and giggling with each other.

Harry was just dozing off on the couch, enjoying the feel of the hot cocoa that was currently warming his insides, when there was a tap on the kitchen window. There sat a plain tawny owl sitting on the sill, watching him. As he stood up to open the window his own snowy white Hedwig arrived as well. Harry had sent Hermione an update on how his recovery had gone the day he left Hogwarts. Opening the window, the two flew in; landing on the back of the couch Harry was sitting on. As Harry began removing the letters five more owls flew beside the others.

'It's like my letter for Hogwarts all over again,' Harry mumbled.

After removing all the letters and seeing five of the owls off, Harry settled down on the couch with the bundle and Hedwig on his shoulder.

'Who're they from?' Ginny asked curiously.

'Hermione, Katie, Luna, Susan, Hannah, Tonks and this one says read in private.' Harry said waving the secret sealed envelope.

'Think it's dangerous?' Ron asked suspiciously.

'Nope,' Bill answered, looking through the crystal on his pendant. 'This thing is bloody brilliant by the way.'

Harry opened the letters one by one, they all contained similar messages. The gist of each of them was thank you very much for the beautiful Christmas gifts I love them, but there was also an undertone, or overtone in some cases of what the bloody hell are you thinking spending all this money on me?

He'd given each of them a matching set of goblin made jewellery; earrings, necklace and bracelet. They had slight variations in pattern but the biggest differences in each were the stones. Hermione's had Citrine Quarts, Jade for Luna, blue Topaz for Katie, Ruby for Susan, Diamonds for Tonks and Hannah had a mix of all of them, as well as Sapphire and Onyx.

He'd also given some more personal gifts as well. Hermione got a special enchanted version of Hogwarts a History. In it you can actually go into memories like a pensieve and watch history unfold first hand. Harry saw it on display in Dumbledore's office and the Headmaster had agreed to sell it to Harry on behalf of the school when he'd heard he wanted to give it to Hermione. In the Headmasters words, "a book on a shelf, no matter how glorious it may be, amounts only to a rock if it never gets read".

Luna got a pair of enchanted glasses similar to her spectrespecs that allowed you to see animal soul types. Katie received a Firebolt Mark II just like Ginny. Tonks received an erotic novel about a witch and a werewolf. He gave Hannah and Susan photo albums, half filled with photos of any combination of the three of them. Many of the pictures he received from Colin Creevey. He also managed to obtain some photos of Susan's parents and aunt and Hannah's mother as well.

The twins teased him that all his girlfriends couldn't wait a single night to send him the letters. Ron argued that Hermione was hardly his girlfriend, neither was Tonks. Harry stayed firmly silent on the subject then begged off to bed to read the secret letter.

As he hoped, there were two letters inside, one from Daphne and one from Tracey. Tracey was far more gracious about the expensive gifts, acting almost as if the jewellery was expected. This is something Harry had actually appreciated after the many implications that he was a fool for spending such money on the others.

Her letter was as he had expected it would be, full of implications and promises of wearing nothing but the jewellery and the deep blue lingerie he had purchased for her under her robes to their next potions class.

Daphne's letter was… different. Not what he'd expected at all. He'd read it several times already, his heart beating harder with each reading.

Dear Hero of my Heart, Light of my Dark,

I am alive, pure, whole and wholly untouched by direct consequence of your actions. I can honestly say I have never been more ashamed of myself after that night. Not for the fear I felt for walking slowly through the dark corridors, following my would be tormentor to a loss of my innocence, humanity and life. Not for my inability to break that control until I felt your touch.

I am ashamed of my fear of a little boy whose wealth is far outweighed by his arrogance. For my fear of a house that would sell my life, my sisters and my entire family's life for the chance of earning a small amount of favour from a mad man who wants the man I have been watching for years, dead. I am more ashamed than I have ever been for the four and a half pathetic words I spoke to you when there were so many more left unsaid.

I want to be your friend.

Those were words I should have said the first time you rode a broom. There was a moment, when you were celebrating your victory at rescuing the small glass ball your friend might have cared about, when you looked at me. I've replayed that moment in my mind over and over; I wish I'd said it then.

There were more times like this. Second year when everyone thought you were some dark wizard, muggle-born murderer, I wanted to say it. Third year when I overheard the story about how Sirius Black was your godfather and you left the three broomsticks. Fourth year when I wore a badge that I wanted to burn and the school hated you. When I cried with joy after you survived the dragon. Then when I cried again after the maze, and everything seemed lost. Fifth year when no one believed you again. When a snivelling worm of a human was crying about his father being imprisoned, but at least they'd got your godfather. When I saw how sad you were.

Then sixth year. Tracey tells me she's stuck with you for potions, but I can tell she's excited. I sit and eat chocolate gateau and she comes. And you appear.

I want to be your friend.

I didn't have to say it though, did I? Because you did. In your own way you said it and you saved me from having to be brave.

I am weak. I am cowardly. I am a snake. I wish I were a lion.

The grass is always greener though, isn't it?

I used to hate Granger. Not for the reasons others hated her, because she was the smartest, because of her blood, because of her attitude. I hated her because she was with you. Because you rescued her from a troll and became her friend forever. Be careful what you wish for I suppose, don't you think? But you did save me. What do I do in return?

'Uh, thanks, Potter. I guess,'

I had my chance to go to the greener grass, and I say that.

That and the blood dripping from your arm were the only thanks you got.

I think I love you.

I could have said those words to you. They would be true.

I'm yours.

I think those words are true too.

There are a few more things that came to mind, especially with a bit of urging from my perverted best friend.

Despite what I said and what I didn't say, I opened a present. Black onyx. I love them. The other, a short piece of parchment with a date and a time and a location. Do you know what that says to me? It says, 'you're mine'. And I am. And I will be.

The last few months after the kitchen have been some of the best of my life. Watching you make my best friend happy. Listening to you flirt with me, sending my heart soaring with your every word.

I want to be with you.

Being proven inept at every turn, I resort to the quill. I find I'm far braver with a quill. With a quill I can almost be a lion, but no lion would hide behind a feather, would they?

There are a few things I'd like to say to you.

Thing one:

I want to be your friend.

Thing two:

I think I love you.

Thing three:

I would like to find out.

Things four through seventy have been censored due to the explicit nature of the things.

Thing seventy one:

Thank you, Harry.

Yours,

Daphne Greengrass

P.S.

I saw your other gift to Tracey. For future reference:

36-24-36

Don't act like you're not impressed.

It was a good letter. He wanted to see her suddenly. More badly than he'd wanted to see her ever before. He wanted to tell her how much it meant to him, having her there for him, even if she was silent. It's a good feeling to find out you've had a friend you didn't know for years.

Also.

He wanted to find out too.