The Grass is Greener With A Greengrass

Summary: One-Shot/Plot Bunnies ft. Daphne Greengrass and Harry Potter pairings. Because sometimes love comes from the most surprising places.

But… You're A Potter, Harry!

A small, excited Harry Potter tried to wait patiently on the Hogwarts Express. He had gotten there early, seeing as how he didn't know where platform 9 ¾ was at Kings Cross, and had watched as what could only be another Hogwarts student walked easily through the barrier with their owl and trunk.

He had followed the older girl with spikey blonde hair and a clear punk-rock look about her onto the impressive train and to one of the last compartments on the train. "Wotcher, kid," the girl said to him as she poked her head in the doorway. She smiled at him. "I'm Tonks, I'm a seventh-year Hufflepuff prefect." Her head nodded to left. "I'll be in the compartment next to you if you need anything. You a first year?"

Harry nodded and smiled nervously. "Harry Potter," he greeted, watching her eyes grow wide. "It's nice to meet you… Tonks."

"Oh!" she said, smiling just a little too wide than should be possible for a face, as if her cheeks were literally spreading themselves out wider with the amount of nervousness she felt. "We're uh… kinda cousins? I guess?"

Harry's eyes went wide. "I thought my mum and dad didn't have any other living magical relatives?"

Tonks looked around nervously before walking into the compartment and shutting the door behind her. She gestured to the seat across from him as if asking permission to sit. He nodded, waiting for her to start explaining. "Well, you know, a lot of magical people are actually related since theirs the whole, pure-blood thing, and you know, my mother was, err, well she's a Black. And her mother and father were cousin and brother to your grandmother, who married your grandfather, Charles, and gave birth to your dad, James. Sirius Black, your dad's best friend, the one who, well…" she trailed off and winced, "well, you know. Your god-father, the one in Azkaban? That's my second cousin and your third or fourth cousin." She grinned at him. "Not sure about the whole linage thing, I always thought paying attention to that sort of thing would make me a bigot like the Malfoys or something. The little shit, Draco, is my first-cousin and your distant cousin, too."

"Draco Malfoy…" he remembered, frowning. "I met him in Diagon Alley. He was a bit of a ponce." Tonks laughed and Harry smiled, then frowned again. "Who's Sirius Black?"

Her eyes opened wide. Again, Harry thought her eyes opened impossibly wide, like she was a little bit part cartoon or something, as if her body were pushing itself further than physically possible somehow with her emotions. "You don't know who Sirius is?" she questioned. His head shook and she shot up in her chair. "Oh, Merlin!" She began pacing. "I've got to tell Mum!" She looked at him. "Did you grow up with Muggles?" she asked, stopping in her tracks.

"Err… Yeah?"

She threw her hands in the air, her hair suddenly growing out wild and crazy as exasperation flowed from her pours. "What the bloody hell was Dumbledore thinking?! Throwing you to the wolves, no knowledge of anything, what the bloody hell?! And, and you're wearing, that," she pointed at his oversized, worn out clothing. He looked down at it and back up at her, not knowing what she meant by it. "And that can't be a good sign! No, nonono." Her face turned red and she snorted in anger. "Wow. Just wow. People need to look out for each other." Her head shook and she calmed down, her appearance changing back to normal.

Harry looked at her, a bit astonished by the display of magic. "Will I learn how to do that?" he asked.

She grinned at him. "Probably not, I'm a metamorphagus. It's hereditary, though, and you are a Black, so it's possible. I figured it out really early, every Black tries metamorphagus training when they're about four or five since that's about the time you can concentrate hard enough to make a change happen or not, but if you never tried it's possible you just don't know if you're a metamorphagus or not yet." Her eyes squinted. "Anything weird ever happen to you? Like your eyes changing color or something?"

Harry remembered the time that his aunt gave him an absolutely horrid hair cut and all of his hair grew back overnight. He told her about it and she started bouncing in her seat. "You definitely could be! Oh my GOD! But, you should keep it a secret, Harry, you really should. I lost control during my second year here and the entire school found out…" Her eyes grew sad. "It's usually kept a secret, since people treat you different and try to use you, usually for bad things or their own means… And there are a lot of natural advanatages that come with being a metamorphagus, but it can be a real challenge to navigate the rest of the world as a metamorphagus. Like dating and friendships and things. It's particularly useful for you, Harry Potter the Boy-Who-Lived to have such a trick up your sleeve, since you'll be able to hide in public rather than being recognized or targeted." She smiled at him. "And, it must be fate that we met on the ride to Hogwarts, before anyone even really started boarding the train!"

Harry smiled at her. "I can't believe I have magical cousin." His thoughts brought the idea of living with Tonks rather than the Dursley's and his mouth opened without a second thought. "Does that mean I can leave the Dursleys?"

Tonks blinked. "Leave… are the Dursleys' the family you're staying with now?" She asked. He thought she looked a little predatory after he nodded. "And you're very, very small and look just too thin and you're wearing castoffs like a peasant, and they're muggle and look like they treat you like they hate magic?"

He shrugged but his eyes fell to the floor. "That's a good guess."

Tonks nodded firmly. She rose from her seat and looked at the unique, leather buckle watch she had on her wrist that seemed to be decorated with moving dotted shapes and figures. "We have about fifteen minutes until the train leaves, and I should be able to send my mum an owl with a short explanation and have her communicating with me when we land at the station in Hogsmeade."

Harry stood from his seat and held out a hand, looking at Tonks with a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Tonks. I'm excited I found family, thank you."

Tonks smiled a bit shyly at him and swatted his hand away, surprising him with a big hug. He tensed, not used to such affection, before relaxing and wrapping his arms around her, too. She squeezed him tightly and then picked him up, shaking him back and forth while laughing. "Oh, cousin," she teased, setting him down and rubbing her knuckles across his skull annoyingly. "We're going to have such fun!"

Harry blinked as he shook his head, the girl disappearing out the door and leaving it open behind her. Before he sat back down, there was a short, pretty girl with long, mahogany hair looking through the compartment door at him. "Err, hi," he said, a little startled. Her eyes were green, too, but a darker shade than his own bright ones. He watched as her eyes studied him, and took a chance to look right back. She seemed to come from money, the robes she had looked expensive, even if he wasn't used to the wizarding style of fashion. She had a bit of jewelry as well, pretty earrings, bracelets, and necklaces accessorized her body. Her head tilted, as if curious. Harry, who wasn't used to talking to people, let alone pretty girls his age, swallowed hard and lifted his chin. "I'm Harry Potter," he greeted.

She looked at his hand and quirked an eye brow. Slowly, she reached out and gently shook it. "Daphne Greengrass," she greeted.

"Are you a, you know, a first year, too?" he asked. She nodded and made a humming noise of agreement. He smiled nervously. "Cool. If you aren't sitting anywhere yet, you can sit with me?"

She looked at the compartment, then back at him and took a step forward. He smiled and backed up, sitting down. "Cool?" she asked, looking at him like a puzzle. "Is that some muggle term?"

"Oh, err, I guess so." He shrugged. "I'm new to the wizarding world."

"What?" she asked. When he just looked at her, her eyebrows raised. "You're an heir to the Potter family, and possibly the Black family. Every heir is part of the magical world." She blinked and shook her head. "You can't be new to the wizarding world," she dismissed, sitting back in her seat. Her arms crossed as she looked at him. Not knowing how to respond to that, Harry just sat there. Finally, her cold expression cracked, showing dumbfound disbelief. "You're not having me on."

Harry frowned at her. "I really wasn't brought up in the wizarding world. Why is that such a big deal?"

She looked affronted before recovering. Harry thought it was a bit jarring watching someone his age recover and change their expression so quickly and wondered if she was just as calculating as he could be when he needed to. "It's surprising because of several different reasons. One of the first being, it is literally illegal to withhold information relating to an heir of a house knowing they are inheriting family magic. Some crazy things in wizarding history have happened because people are forsaken from their magical rights." Harry thought she sounded a bit like an arrogant book worm if he were being honest, but pushed aside the judgement to pay attention. Being an heir sounds like a big deal, doesn't it? And someone was breaking laws with him? Tonks, too, seemed confused and upset at his lack of knowledge. And he was terribly famous, that was obvious. He had a hyphenated title by the time he was two!

"Another more obvious reason would be the fact that you are the vanquisher of the Dark Lord and thus, a major target of many families in Britain who blame you for the end of the civil war that was happening ten years ago." She grew quiet and tilted her head at him. "And please accept my sincerest apologies for the loss of your parents at such a young age."

Harry looked out the window, the train having begun moving. He noticed that Daphne was searching the passing crowd and looked for the family she was waving at. He spotted a small, pretty blonde girl standing next to a rather imposing looking older man with a heavy, piercing look. He was starring hard at Daphne, who looked almost regal, a calm, superior air surrounding her as her hand delicately waved at her forlorn sister. When the station passed, she seemed to relax a bit, her shoulders falling slightly at ease and her eyes turning back to him. "Why don't you change into your school robes before anyone sees Harry Potter's muggle look," Daphne suggested, but not unkindly. Her eyes softened. "Maybe we can be friends, Potter, but I really don't think you need to be walking around in rags. I know you can afford your own clothing, and if you can't, I am more than willing to buy you some."

Harry blushed a little but thought about it. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he didn't want to get mad at the suggestion. She wasn't wrong, he had piles of gold in his vault. He also didn't understand anything and she seemed to understand a lot. Not only that, she was making a good suggestion and offering him friendship. He looked back up at her and stood. "You're right. Could you give me a moment, please?"

She gave him a smile and Harry felt his cheeks blush again at the attention. Was this a magical thing? Was she magically so pretty? She had to be, he didn't think he'd ever seen anyone this pretty in his life before. "Please knock when you're finished. I don't intend on spending the ride waiting for you."

Harry smirked at her. "I think that's usually something that the guys have to worry about." He pinched the clothes he was wearing. "It's not like it's all that hard to take all this off."

"You might have a lot of fun burning those in a magical ritual," she teased, walking to the door. He looked surprised and then seemed to be considering it and she almost laughed. "Aren't you eager for magic, Harry Potter?"

He looked at her and smirked. "Well, wouldn't you be?"

She turned and stood outside the door, waiting patiently and wondering about this chance encounter. Did she really just offer friendship to arguably the most famous magical boy in Europe? And did he really seem to like her? She shook away the thought and considered something more troubling, a wise look of consideration falling over her. She was too mature for her age, the world around her having been brought into sharp focus by a strict, overbearing father and the tragic loss of her loving mother from an early age. She knew it was a big deal that Harry Potter knew nothing of heritage or the wizarding world. And she was, perhaps, one of a few people to realize this secret. Secrets were very powerful. But she thought alliances and friendship were powerful, too, and the magic and trust that connected those powers was not something she had any experience with, yet.

It felt like she was doing something right. Certainly, it felt better than talking to Draco Malfoy, and she couldn't deny that there was a magical quality to him that wasn't just the mystery of the boy-who-lived, but more a magical presence of might and greatness that was surprising, yet very easy to accept of the confusing boy. She thought about his clothes and admitted that he might be quite cute if she could get him a decent pair of robes and train his hair into something stylish and kept. Surely there was magic for it, regardless of how untamable the hair looked at this point in time.

The door opened behind her and she turned around, smiling at Harry's robes. He did look much better out of the rags he had worn, and she suspected they were the best set of clothes he had if he had chosen to wear them to Kings Cross for his first day of school. "If we're going to be friends," she said, closing the door behind her. "There's a bunch of things you should know."

"Okay," Harry answered, sitting down and looking at her curiously. "Like what?"

She sat back. "First of all, I'm probably going to end up in Slytherin."

Harry's face scrunched up. "The house where all of the bad wizards come from?"

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Being ambitious is only a flaw to people who are lazy," she scoffed. She flipped her hair behind a shoulder and challenged him. "Do you think being ambitious is a bad thing, Potter?"

"No," he back pedaled, eyes growing a bit wider and a blush suddenly appearing on his cheeks. "I didn't mean it like that. I honestly don't know much about Hogwarts or wizards, it was probably rude of me to say such a thing, I'm sorry. I didn't really think about it. The teacher who picked me up and gave me a tour of Diagon Alley just mentioned something about You-Know-Who coming from Slytherin."

She nodded, though still looked a bit defensive. "It's okay. I brought that up first because there is a type of feeling or thought about Slytherin, but my family usually go to Slytherin on both sides of my tree and I honestly don't think I'd be better suited with people only focused on books or parties. Slytherin is more traditional and it's important for me to continue the traditions I'm a part of." She sighed, looking at him with a look he couldn't quite place. "Another reason from our conversation about why it's a big deal you didn't grow up with wizards is… It's important to understand things about family and family magics. Plus, politically you'll be powerful not just because you're an heir and will have a seat on the Wizengamot and be responsible for making laws and passing judgement on offenders against the magical state. Maybe Slytherin would be a better place for you than other houses since there are more Slytherins who participate in politics and upper class society than the other houses."

Harry considered that. "I could see how that would be important and useful," he agreed, thinking about it. "I guess I'm kinda put off by the thought of being so… so…"

"Uppity?" Daphne offered, smirking.

Harry smirked back. "Uppity," he agreed.

She nodded. "It is distasteful holding yourself to a higher standard some times because it challenges others to do the same in a way that can make them intimidated and uncomfortable." She looked at her hairs and continued. "My family has a long history of delicate traditions that are quite wonderful in their depth and meaning. The preservation and continuation of refined tastes is something that proves our worth to society and elevates the possibility of elegance that can be afforded to life." Her eyes came away from her nails as she folded her hands across her lap, smirking at him again. "But, that's something I've had to recite since I was seven, honestly living so refined and delicately isn't something I'll be doing outside of the public eye when I'm older, and that isn't something I want people knowing about me."

That surprised Harry a bit but he smiled at her. "Your secret is safe with me," he promised, excited that they seemed to be getting along.

They were interrupted at that moment by the compartment door opening. It was Draco Malfoy and two beefy looking boys behind both of his shoulders. He looked at both of them and confidently strolled into the room. "Greengrass, Potter," he greeted. "It's good to find you're both keeping such good company."

Harry looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me we were related?" Harry asked.

Daphne looked a bit stunned by the question, but a mask quickly came over her face as she feigned disinterest but continued watching the unfolding scene.

Malfoy looked quite thrown. "What?" he asked. Then, his footing changed and his chest puffed out. "I suppose we are related, through the Black line…. Why did you not tell me who you were?"

Harry shrugged. "I had just found out about the whole boy-who-lived thing." Daphne internally winced. Guess that bit of information wasn't going to be the secret she had envisioned. Had he never learned that mystery was a powerful tool?

"What?" he asked again, sounding a bit dumb to Harry and Daphne, who exchanged a small look. "But… But you're Harry Potter."

"Yeah. I was told my parents were drunks who died in a muggle car accident." He smiled at Malfoy. "And while it was still sad finding out how they really died, it's a lot nicer knowing the truth, that they died ending a Dark Lord and a war. Are your parents important? They're kinda like my aunt and uncle, aren't they?"

Daphne almost laughed. Harry saw it, she really almost laughed. He couldn't imagine what might have made her so guarded that she was able to not laugh at the expressions changing on the blonde's face. It was funny watching him try to think. "Y-Yes! My parents are very important!" He finally started, blushing and lifting his head high in the air. Then, he seemed to deflate a little as he looked at Harry again. "But… If you don't know much about magic, I can understand how you might not have known that until now." He shook his head dramatically. "Crabbe, Goyle," he announced, turning to the boys behind him. "Please go hangout with our things to ensure they are not tampered with. It seems Potter needs a swift education."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "And by swift, I'm sure you mean long-winded, self-serving and indulgent, then by all means, Malfoy, please bless us with this proclaimed education."

Harry laughed but caught the enraged embarrassement on the other kid and felt a bit bad for the depth of the teasing. "Greengrass," Harry's tone changed to one of exaggerated disappointment. "Perhaps allow me the great pleasure of hearing the tales and successes of my relatives, yes?"

She blinked at the sudden change in his voice and body language before he eyes seemed to gleam with hidden excitement. She smirked at him and schooled her features to cold dismissal. "Forgive me, Potter, Malfoy," she cast her gaze out the window. "How out of place indeed for me to make such a comment when in the presence of Malfoy's excitement in meeting his cousin."

"But of course," Harry agreed politely, his holier than thou look needed some time in the mirror, though, Daphne thought. She found the whole thing quite humorous and Draco dismissed his friends and sat with them and began talking about the strength and wealth of the Malfoy line, how important and influential his father was politically and the sway he had over others of the high class in the magical world.

Harry actually found the conversation very helpful. While it was distasteful hearing Draco talk so easily about being better than other people, it was something new to think about. He had a feeling that the Malfoy's were one of the families who had sided with Voldemort in the last war. Maybe all Draco really needed was a good influence in his life, and all of that loyalty and support could be for something that wasn't just "putting the mudbloods and blood traitors in their rightful places". He wasn't certain he had the conviction to do it without help, however.

Looking at Daphne, he saw her calculating expression several times and vowed to talk to her at length in private from then on. He liked her. She smiled at him when Malfoy left and he smiled back. "He's quite easy to handle once you act like you're casually better than him and like you're surprised by what he's doing/saying."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. His lips pursed. "It's kinda hard believing that I'm related to such a ponce. Do you think he'd be a bit easier to like if I were actually friends with him?"

Daphne laughed at him. "That's going to take a while. And you're going to have to be in Slytherin for something so ambitious as being able to like or change someone like Malfoy. He's as entrenched as they come in the whole Pureblood agenda." She shook her head but shrugged. "Then again, if there's one wizard who can surprise everyone, it's you, I gather."

Harry smiled at her. "That sounded like a compliment."

She shrugged then waved a hand dismissively. "I only compliment Slytherins," she decided.

Harry shrugged right back, mimicking her dismissive wave. "Guess I'm a Slytherin. Where else am I going to find such beneficial entertainment."

Warmth surged through both of them as they each realized they had made a real friend that day. As Tonks came back to his compartment to get to know him and his new friend, Harry realized that his life was about to change in big ways just from these two chance encounters, and he was excited to see what would happen in his new, magical life.