AN: 1. English isn't my mother tongue, so please expect some mistakes.
2. This is my first story ever, so please leave comments. I appreciate fair comments.
3. I don't own Harry Potter or anything in the Wizarding World. I merely play in its sandpit.
Chapter VI"Well?", Daphne asked the gathering after nobody said a thing for some minutes. When they had finished, she and Harry, once again, sat down on their loveseat quite closely. Awaiting the other's opinions, their hearts were now beating rapidly.
"Well.", Charlus began, after swallowing. "It certainly is a solution to both our families problems."
The Lord Greengrass nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, with the backing of the Potter Family, the Malfoys are not able, to pressure us too hard."
"Don't forget Arcturus and Amelia. They wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to show Lucius, where his place is.", Dorea chimed in.
Cyrus was now openly grinning. With being aligned to the Potters, the Blacks and the Bones, there was nobody in Wizarding Britain, who could become dangerous to them. "We will need an appointment with Gringotts quite soon, I believe.", he told the others.
"Right you are.", Charlus nodded. "Willy, please fetch me something to write and four glasses of our best Dry Gin."
While the adults were celebrating, Harry led Daphne to his room, where he closed the door behind them and once again pulled his friend into a tight embrace, which she returned enthusiastically. They held each other for a few moments and drank in their relief and happiness. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from their shoulders.
Then Harry burst out laughing. "If someone had told me this summer, I'd find such a good match because of the contract, I would have sent them to St. Mungos. In my head, I would have ended up with a Parkinson at best."
Daphne now giggled, too. "Well, I wouldn't have thought, I'd escape Malfoy either. And all thanks to your cluelessness in Potions."
"Hey!", he exclaimed, mock hurt. "I believe there was somebody needing help in Transfigurations, too." Now he started tickling her ribs, like he wanted to underline his point with it.
Daphne gasped and tried to escape his fingers. "Oh no, stop it!", she laughed. "Harry, please!"
After he'd let his friend go, Harry walked to a drawer and took out his mother's engagement ring. He moved back to Daphne, who had recovered and was now shooting him a questioning look. His expression had turned quite serious now. Dropping to one knee, he began: "Well, as you said, it's too late, but I hope you can forgive me.", he smirked. "This is the engagement ring, my father gave my mother. I want you to have it.", now the Potter Heir bit his bottom lip. "I'll get you another, if you don't want to wear it."
When he finished, there was a tear rolling down Daphne's cheek. She, too, dropped on her knees and took her friends face in her hands. "You silly, sweet boy. Of course I want to wear your mother's ring. I only hope, she would approve of me."
When the two of them broke their repeated hug, Harry slid the ring on Daphne's finger and she adored it.
[+++++++++]
Daphne accompanied her parents to Greengrass Manor for the night, as she and Harry wouldn't return to Hogwarts until the morning.
When they stepped through the floo, they were awaited by her little sister Astoria. Daphne loved her sister very much, but the girl could be a handful. She, like Liz Black, was nine years old and like her sister, she was a very pretty girl, who would become a gorgeous woman one day.
"Daffy, what are you doing here?", the girl exclaimed, as she spotted her sister and threw herself into Daphne's arms.
"I missed you, too, Tori.", Daphne giggled. "We had some business to attend and now I'm staying the night, as it's too late to return to Hogwarts today."
"Oh, what did you do?"
They hadn't really told her much about the Malfoys threads and demands. "Well, the Malfoys pressure on us nearly got unbearable and now we found a solution.", her father told Astoria.
"What did they want?", the girl pressed on.
Her parents looked in each other's eyes. "Basically half of our business." Cyrus tiredly rubbed his eyes. "And your sister.", he finished.
"You marrying Draco?", Astoria asked her sister, grimacing. She didn't like the ponce either.
"Yes, well. Daphne prevented that.", Isabella chimed in.
At that, Astoria's eyes grew huge. "Did you do something to Malfoy?"
"No.", Daphne laughed. "But Harry most certainly will, if he keeps bothering me."
"Who's Harry?", Tori asked with a confused look on her face. She didn't remember to already have met an Harry yet.
"Hadrian Potter. My betrothed." Astoria's chin nearly hit the ground.
[++++++++++]
Around 11am the next morning, Harry flooed to Greengrass Manor to fetch Daphne on his way back to Hogwarts. Cyrus had permanently keyed him into the wards this morning.
When he, not quite gracefully, stumbled out of the fireplace, Harry to was awaited by the miniature version of his betrothed.
"Er…hey. I'm Harry.", he awkwardly greeted the girl which only grinned.
"Oh, I know that now.", she replied. "I'm only here to give you a fair warning, not to hurt Daffy or you'll have to deal with me."
"I wouldn't even dream to do so.", Harry promised sincerely and the girl nodded solemnly.
"By the way, I'm…."
"ASTORIA! Leave him alone. He hasn't done anything wrong.", she was interrupted by Daphne who entered the room just now.
"And you don't shout at your sister.", the Lord and Lady stated while also entering the room.
"I'm sorry.", the both said in unison and sounded rather annoyed. Harry had to laugh at that.
"If you don't mind, Harry…it's okay, that I call you Harry?" At the young Potter's nod, Cyrus continued. "Well, if you don't mind, I'd like a private word with my future son-in-law."
Astoria laughed and Harry paled a bit but nodded nonetheless.
After leading Harry out of the room, Cyrus looked at him for a few moments. "I take, you are aware of Draco's advances?"
"Yes, Daphne told me."
"Good. Then I believe, we agree that he'll not be pleased with the situation?" Harry nodded again.
"Excellent. I want your word, that you do all you can, to protect her." Looking in the young man's eyes, Cyrus saw a fire burning there, which hadn't been there before.
"Of course.", Harry replied solemnly. "I, Hadrian James Potter, do hereby swear on my life and magic, to protect Daphne Isabella Greengrass with my life." When he finished, he was surrounded by a golden light. As it slowly faded, Cyrus still had a shocked expression on his face. Swallowing, he nodded though.
"My mother charmed the ring, I gave her with various protection charms like potion-detection and I also got her this bracelet which too is quite special." Harry showed the older man a delicate silver bracelet.
"Damn. I should have thought about that.", Cyrus muttered under his breath and Harry snorted lightly.
"There's another thing.", the Potter Heir continued. "I'm working on getting her out of the dungeons, where I can't protect her."
The Lord Greengrass looked confused. "How do you want to accomplish that?"
"Well, me and my family are on good terms with Professor McGonagall and she's about to find a way to get us into married quarters even though we are only betrothed." As Harry saw the look on the other's face change, he quickly continued. "With two separate bedrooms of course." Cyrus, nodded in relief and slapped Harry on the back. Yes, he most certainly was a splendid match for Daphne.
[++++++++++]
Shortly after, Minerva McGonagall's floo activated and she could see Harry Potter's head in the flames.
"Good morning, Minerva. Could me and Daphne step through?"
She had to smile. "Of course, Harry"
When the two of them had stepped through the fireplace, Minerva cached a glimpse Daphne's new ring and her eyes widened. "Ms. Greengrass, would you allow me to see your ring?"
Daphne smiled. "Of course, Professor. But please call me Daphne" She laid her hand in the older woman's, who didn't respond.
"Harry.", she addressed her pupil breathlessly. "I always suspected that your parents rings were lost."
"Well, we found them again this summer. I thought it would be fitting to give it to Daphne."
Minerva nodded and looked in Daphne's eyes. "You will have to call me Minerva in private, Daphne." The girl smiled brightly in response.
"By the way. Were you able to find something for our other problem?", Harry asked his Professor.
"More or less. It's possible to, in certain circumstances, grant couples access to married quarters while only being betrothed. As Deputy Headmistress the married quarters are my responsibility in case the concerned students are not in the same house." She paused. "And your, thanks to Mr. Malfoy, quite unique situation is reason enough for me to grant them."
Harry and Daphne locked eyes and grinned, before Minerva continued. "In case my decision should be challenged by the Board of Governors, it would be wise, to be able to prevent memories."
The Potter Heir nodded. "Very well. I'll have my Pensive brought over and we'll set aside some evidence."
"Very good.", Minerva said standing up. "I believe the two of you should visit the Great Hall for some lunch. I'll fetch you after dinner to show you to your new rooms. The elves will move your belongings."
[+++++++++]
"Where have you been?!", Tracey exclaimed as Daphne sat down next to her on the Slytherin Table. "I haven't seen you since you went to see Potter yesterday."
Daphne raised an amused eyebrow. "Potter it is now, is it?"
"Yes well. I don't know, what he's done to you yet." Her friend snorted in response. "What's so funny?", Tracey demanded.
"Trace, calm down. He didn't do anything wrong." She looked down the table and spotted the blonde ponce. "In fact Malfoy cornered me again. Harry…he kind of helped me with the big problem, you know?"
"He helped you? How?", Tracey pressed on. "And that still doesn't explain your absence."
"Wow. Slow down, Cowgirl.", Daphne laughed and her friend shot her a dirty look. She didn't continue, but only showed her the ring, Harry had given her.
"WHAT?!" Tracey screamed.
"Shhhhh. Be quiet, would you."
"How did that happen? Potter?"
Daphne now quietly proceeded to explain everything, that had happened since the day before.
"That's good, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's good.", Daphne answered laughing. "For obvious reasons I'll be moving out of the dungeons though.", she stated a bit worried.
"Oh well, less snoring in the dorm", Tracey grinned.
"You sure, you are going to be okay?"
"Of course. We can hang out somewhere else."
"You're the best!"
"And don't you forget it!", Tracey mumbled, as she was engulfed in a big hug.
[+++++++++]
After Daphne had spent the day with Tracey and Harry had completed his training for today, they met to have dinner together at the Gryffindor table. When the three of them took their seats, the other Gryffindors already stared at the two girls.
"What the hell are two snakes doing here, mate?! Get back were you came from and leave Harry alone!" It was Ron Weasley. He every so often would try and befriend Harry. Only that his approaches weren't very promising.
Rolling his eyes, Harry turned to look at the young redhead. "Daphne and Tracey are here because we want to have dinner together. So, if they promise not to poison you, would you do me the favour and mind your own business?" He smirked as Weasley's jaw dropped.
Before he could relieve his in anger reddening head, Fred and George each grabbed one of their brother's arms and dragged him to the far end of the table.
It shouldn't be a quiet dinner though, as Malfoy entered the Great Hall. The ponce stopped in his tracks, when he saw Daphne sitting on the Lions' table. His face reddening, like Ron Weasley's did only minutes earlier, he stomped over to the three friends.
Harry, feeling the Malfoy Heir's magical signature approaching sighed and he looked away from Tracey. The brunette girl stopped the story, she currently was telling and followed her friends eyes.
"Potter! What do you think you are doing?!", Malfoy demanded, arriving at his destination.
"Hello Draco. Well, I'm about to start my dinner. What do you think I'm doing?"
"I want to know, what you did to Greengrass and Davis. They wouldn't ever sit here voluntarily."
Harry didn't get the chance to answer, as they were interrupted by Snape. "What is the meaning of this?", the Slytherin Head of House demanded to know.
"Professor, it's good you are here.", Malfoy smirked. "Potter did something to Greengrass and Davis." At that, Snape's eyes lit up and Harry snorted.
"Very well. Potter, come with me." It was obvious, that the greasy Professor only barely could contain a smirk. He'd been trying to get under Harry's skin ever since the beginning of the term and was increasingly annoyed, that it didn't work. Because of his lessons with Daphne, Harry was secure enough, to ignore Snape during Potions class.
"I don't think so, Professor. We're here because we want to be."
"Is that so?" Snape locked eyes with Harry, lightly probing mind.
Snape was a Master Legilimens, so it was everything but easy for Harry to keep him out. Only after the Professor opened the fake door in Harry's wall, he was expelled. The door, instead of to his mind palace, led into a huge cave. After entering you first notice there something isn't right, when you see a pair of huge yellow eyes. Well, if you see them. The very next thing you come back to your own body with a terrible headache.
The Potions Master's body suddenly shook once and he moaned as he touched his head.
"Is there a problem here?", a new voice sounded.
"Not really, Professor McGonagall.", Harry replied after finding the source. "Professor Snape was just about to apologize for using Legilimency on a student, as I'm willing to blame it on the heat of the moment. This time at least."
"Is that true, Severus? Did you use Legilimency on Mr. Potter?" Minerva's lips were pressed in a very thin line.
"A minor misinterpretation on my side." Snape answered, still holding his head. "I apologize, Mr. Potter." The last sentence was spoken through his yellow teeth. With that, the Potions Professor stormed away, closely followed by Malfoy.
"Very well. After you two are finished, Ms. Greengrass and Mr. Potter, see me at my office."
[++++++++++]
About half an hour later Harry knocked on the door to Minerva's office. Tracey had left for her common room and he and Daphne were about to see their new quarters.
After a short moment Minerva came through the door and quickly ushered them to Gryffindor Tower. Arriving there, the three of them didn't enter the Gryffindor's common room. Instead they approached another portrait nearby, after entering a more secluded corridor a set of stairs below.
"This is Edward Paulsen. He is guarding your quarters, much like the Fat Lady does with Gryffindor common room. You will need to set a password." Turning to the painting, she continued. "Edward, these two are Daphne and Harry, your new charges. No one except the two of them are allowed access. Not even the Headmaster."
The portrait nodded solemnly. "Of course Professor. And good day to you two."
"Hello Mr. Paulsen.", Daphne replied with a smile and Harry gave a nod of assent.
"Nonsense, call me Edward or Ned!", he replied with a kind laugh. "And now do come in. You shouldn't be seen standing here to long." With that, the portrait swung open.
After entering, they found themselves in a rather large room with a fireplace, a lounge area with tea table and two generous desks. The desks were on the outer side of the room, both with a large window above. Other than that, there were some empty bookshelves. They clearly were encouraged, to decorate and give their own touch to the rooms.
Minerva pulled them out of their thoughts. "To our left are two bedrooms, as I understand you wont be sharing one anytime soon." Harry and Daphne blushed deeply but didn't reply, so Minerva continued. "To our right is the bathroom." She pointed at another door. "We are currently in the lowest floor of Gryffindor Tower, directly under the common room. That means as Head of the House, this part of the castle obeys only to me. The founders didn't want the Headmasters with to much control, as they were seen in a rather administrative role."
"Somebody should tell Dumbledore.", Harry mumbled under his breath and the two females rolled their eyes, even though they couldn't quite disagree.
"Nevertheless, I've connected your fireplace to Potter and Greengrass Manor.", she said and shot a warning glance. "This is privilege is granted only for emergencies and will not be abused. You will not leave the grounds without my consent. Edward will notify me, should you try or in case of an emergency." She pointed at the portrait, they entered through. On the inside, too there was Edward Paulsen smiling at them. "That doesn't mean, he'll watch you constantly, but he'll notice. Normally, he'll be in the outer Portrait, unless you call for him. You can reach me through him, too."
The two teenagers nodded, still processing he flood of information.
"So in case there are no other questions, please set the password and I'll be off."
Daphne smirked at Harry and approached Ned. "Well, I think we'll go with Sopophorus for now." At that Harry rolled his eves but smiled and Minerva raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Well, we once worked on a Draught of Living Death while studying together. Let's just say, Harry isn't very fond of Sopophorus Beans.", Daphne explained with a now broad grin.
Minerva snorted lightly, something very uncharacteristic for the Transfiguration Mistress. "I can imagine. But fear not, Harry. I myself had to struggle with Potions, too." She shook her head, clearly remembering something.
"Well, I better be off and you two should unpack. Your trunks already are in your bedrooms. I'll see you tomorrow morning." With that, Minerva left through the portrait hole.
Harry stood there with an amused smile on his face, looking at the portrait, Minerva had just vanquished through. As strict as she was while interacting with her students, as warm was her demeanour, once you got to know her.
"You coming? I want to see the other rooms.", he heard Daphne say.
"Yes, dear." Harry smirked, as she narrowed her eyes. Well, she was his betrothed after all.
In the following hours, they inspected their quarters further and unpacked. The two bedrooms were similar to each other with a queen sized four poster bed, a fireplace, bookshelves, a large wardrobe and equally large windows each. The bathroom had a marble floor and two washbasins as well as a huge marble bath tube and a large open shower.
After they finished, Harry had filled the bookshelves in his room with his records and had set up his record player, too. Their textbooks as well as their other magic related literature now was in the bookshelves in their living room and in Daphne's room they both had their novels, as they both liked good muggle books. Their clothes were stored in their wardrobes now, too.
"You have to promise me a trip to Diagon Alley and Muggle London in the holydays. We still need to decorate our rooms.", Daphne told Harry, as they sat in a loveseat later that night, each with a cup of hot chocolate in their hands.
Harry chuckled at that. "Of course. I expected nothing less." She narrowed her eyes but couldn't keep herself from smiling.
"By the way, you'll have to come to our Christmas Ball. As my betrothed you are expected too. I know you Potters won't normally come out of your home."
"Can't we just celebrate Christmas with our families?", he tried.
"Of course, we'll do that. But you are the Heir to one of the most important Houses in Magical Britain and you Potters simply have been hiding for too long already. One day you'll have to interact with the other Families and the Ministry. You'll be the Lord Potter.", she told him and he nodded reluctantly.
"Alright.", he said, setting his empty cup on the table. "I'll write to my grandfather and better Arcturus, too." With that he stood and made his way into the bathroom to get ready for bed.