May 3rd, 2003May 3rd, 2003
"It's seven o'clock. Why are you looking as if you are going on a night on the town?" Hermione asked, walking into her roommate's bedroom. She studied Daphne's face and hair as the blonde witch roamed the closet filled to the brim with clothes. Daphne's aqua eyes were shining bright with the brown smokey eye and long-lashed. Her hair was draped down her back in light curls. Hermione hadn't seen her roommate this dressed up in months, and it concerned her.
"I have a date," Daphne stated as she pulled out a little black dress that had always been just a bit too big on her. Typically she would adjust her clothes with a charm, but something about this dress stopped her from doing so. Daphne thought it was because the dress provided a loose fit. But now, as she slipped it on, the dress fit her like a glove.
"Does Harry know that you're dating other people?" The busy-haired witch asked as she sat down on Daphne's meticulously made bed. "I'm sure the father of your child wouldn't appreciate you going on dates with another man."
"If Harry can date other people, so can I." Beaming at the reflection in the mirror, Daphne made eye contact with her friend, "I'm happy Harry has a friend like you. But you don't need to worry about my dating life."
A shock went through Hermione's body as Daphne charmed her shoes to stay comfortable throughout the night. This was not what she was expecting when she told Daphne about Harry dating other women. Mostly since it was a complete utter lie.
"What do you mean I don't have to worry about your dating life? You are pregnant with Harry's baby, and you are going on a date with another man!"
"Hermione, this is none of your concern," Daphne said as she walked past the other witch. She knew that Hermione was following her. She could hear the fury in her footsteps, "I just want to live my life."
"What are you going to do when this man finds out you are pregnant with another man's baby?"
"I don't know! Maybe he will be understanding!"
"Or he won't be, and you will be all alone with raising this baby since you haven't told Harry yet."
"I don't need your concern, Hermione," Daphne said as she opened the front door and walked out of the apartment with a smirk on her lips.
Apparition was never Daphne's favorite way to travel, no matter how convenient it was. Maybe it was because she had a queasy stomach, and the tightness that apparition cause always made her feel sick. But this time, when she appeared, the first thing she saw was Harry's smiling face, and her stomach didn't churn.
They were tucked away in an alley behind the restaurant, Bianchi's. Far away from the prying eyes of the wizarding world, hidden away in muggle London.
Their little spat in the lobby of the Aurors Corps was on the front page. Not above the fold, at least, but it was there. People were already speculating. And they didn't feel the need to feed the gossip. At least, not yet.
"Hi," Harry whispered as he helped balance Daphne.
Daphne's breath stopped when she realized how close Harry's face was to hers. Her eyes bounced from his red lips to his bright emerald eyes. She wanted to kiss him so badly, but she couldn't. She promised herself that kissing would happen after the date—the successful date, where she would learn new things about Harry. Self-control needed to be remembered when Harry was around. If a couple of nights ago was anything to go off of. Otherwise, they would never make it inside the restaurant. Or anywhere, for the matter.
"Hi, Hermione was trying to convince me not to go on this date." Taking a step back, arm's length was a face distance. Giving him what she hoped to be a flirty smile, "I hope you weren't waiting long."
"Nope, I also just got here. She is going to be pissed that we didn't tell her." Harry mentioned as his eyes grazed over her body, "You're breathtaking."
Smiling softly, Daphne took the opportunity to check out Harry. He was wearing a black suit jacket over a crisp blue shirt paired with black pants. His hair was still a mess, but she could tell he made an effort to tame it. Simple yet perfect. Everything he was wearing was tailored to fit him. Absolutely nothing like the clothing he would typically wear. Professional or casual. "You clean up well, Potter."
"Oh? I'm back to Potter now, Greengrass?" He said with a smirk resting on his lips.
"You've never stopped being Potter." A smirk on her own lips began to grown, "And if you keep dressing like this, I don't think I can ever call you Harry ever again."
The flirting tone on Daphne's silky voice made Harry's arm hair stand up as chills went down his body. He wanted to push her against the dirty brick wall and have his way with her. But he couldn't do that, no matter how much he wanted to, "Hungry?"
"I am," She said with a small smile on her face as Harry's hand moved from her arm to the small of her back. "And so is the baby."
"Well, let's head inside." As Harry lead Daphne into the restaurant, greeting the hostess to being shown their table. The restaurant was slightly dimmed, giving a romantic ambiance. Candles were in the middle of every table, almost forcing you to lean in closer to your partner to see them. Giving multiple chances to study the other's face.
Once they were seating in a red velvet corner booth, secluded from the rest of the patrons, the date began. And neither knew where to start. Shouldn't it be easy for them? They already knew the basics of each other. Careers, hobbies, favorite colors. Sage for Daphne, red for Harry.
"This shouldn't be this awkward, right?" Harry asked after the waitress left them, taking their drink orders. "I mean, we've had conversations before with you looking this gorgeous, and I could get a full sentence out."
Smiling softly at the compliment he gave her, Daphne replied, "You're right; this shouldn't be hard. We just need to dig deeper."
"Things no one we are close to knows?"
"Yes, something you have never told Hermione or any of the Weasleys." Seeing the intrigued look on Harry's face, Daphne then asked, "Name something you have always wanted to do."
"Something that I have wanted to do?" Harry mumbled under his breath over and over as Daphne the over the extensive Italian menu. "You won't judge me for it?"
"No, of course not." Setting her menu down, she gave him a comforting smile, "If it means something to you, then it's not ridiculous. If it helps, I'll tell you one of my deep dark secrets."
"Yes, it would actually."
"Okay, well, when I was younger, I took ballet lessons. At the top of my class."
"Obviously," Harry said with a smile on his face.
Nodding her head in agreement, Daphne continued, "Mum and dad were very proud. And my dream was to one day perform my own solo at the Royal Opera House."
Harry could picture her being a famous dancer. He always thought that she walked more graceful than anyone he had ever seen before, "Do you still dance?"
"Here or there." Stopping for her and Harry to order their food when the waitress asked, once she was gone, Daphne continued, "Something I do when I need to clear my head. Our baby might be a ballerina when they get older. I was dancing quite a bit."
Letting out a content sigh as he pictured himself with Daphne at a dance recital watching their daughter, "I'm okay with that. Why did you stop dancing?"
"My eleventh birthday came with a Hogwarts letter."
"Ah."
Nodding her head, she continued, "I couldn't really keep up with the dance lessons—seeing I was gone for most of the year. And with going to a muggle ballet company, I fell behind fast. I stopped completely after my second year of Hogwarts."
"That sucks. Too bad Hogwarts didn't have any dancing classes."
"Oh, I begged my parents to send me to Beauxbatons because I hear you could take dance classes there."
Smiling at the image of a younger Daphne begging her parents to send her to a more civilized school. After trying to trick them into sign a relocation parchment, "Obviously, that didn't go well."
"It did not." She said with a small smile gracing her lips, "Now, how about you?"
Harry hemmed and hawed until something came to mind, "I've had this recurring dream that I quit being an Auror and opened a pub."
Perking up at the statement, Daphne asked, "Is that something that you would actually want to do?" One thing that had stressed her out when she discovered being pregnant with Harry's baby was his career. He willingly put himself in harm's way to keep the wizarding community safe. Noble, without a doubt, but not something she wanted her child's father to be doing.
"It is," He said, "I'm a fantastic cook, and running a business seems like a fun challenge."
"Why don't you do it?"
"It's just I don't want to disappoint anyone."
Daphne's eyebrow raised in surprise, "Now why would you think you would disappoint people?"
"Everyone has this idea of me that I'm this hero. Which to be fair to them, I did dave the world. But I don't want to be a hero anymore. I want to be just Harry."
"Screw what over people think. If it is something that will make you happy, then do it." Reaching over the table, Daphne took his larger hand in hers, "Besides to me and everyone that truly matters, you will always be just Harry. And better yet, to our unborn baby, you will be daddy."
Giving her hand a light squeeze, "Thank you. I appreciate that."
When the sight of Daphne's apartment door appeared, the couple knew there were two options. They say their goodbyes, and Harry would leave for the night. Or Daphne to invite Harry inside.
Which is precisely what she did.
"It's only our first date. Are you sure?" Harry asked, stopping Daphne's hand before she opened the door.
Looking down at her still flat stomach, Daphne nodded her head, "We've skipped so many stops already. You coming in for a cup of tea won't hurt anything."
Harry nodded his head in agreement, and the two walked into the apartment. Daphne forgot about her insane roommate, who would be waiting up for her to get home from her date with a mystery man.
"Harry?! Harry is your date?!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up from her seat on the couch next to Theo.
"I told you Harry wouldn't mind about my dating," Daphne said, a cheeky smirk growing on her lips as she slipped off her shoes. Charms or no charms, taking off high heels felt fantastic. "You mess with me. I mess with you."
Before Hermione could retort, Theo took her wrist in his hand, "Hermione, your plan worked. They talked and clearly enjoyed the date they went on."
Sighing, she fell back onto the couch, "She sat least could have told me."
"Like how we told her when we first started dating? Daph thought you were still hung up on Weasley when we told her we were dating."
"We were eighteen! I didn't want people to think I was a hussy because it only took me two days to get over my relationship with Ron."
"Only two days?" Harry asked, laughing to his teacup.
Turning towards her best friend, "Like you have any room to talk. You signed divorce papers and hopped into bed with another woman."
"Touché," Harry said, wrapping his arm around Daphne, "But in my defense, my marriage was long over before the papers were signed."
"And in my defense, Ron and I hadn't seen each other since Christmas and made absolutely no effort in writing letters. So in my mind, we were already broke up."
"And now you are stuck with me," Theo said, kissing Hermione's temple.
Looking at Harry with soft eyes, Daphne whispered, "And now you are stuck with me."