A/N: Thanks for the support.

The Slytherin Reformation

By Spectre4hire

10: Tracey breaks the Ice

"Harry, we need to talk."

He turned to see Tracey catching up with him. "Is it about practice?"

Which they were just leaving. Harry was tired and sore from it. Slytherin practices were never what he would call fun or something to look forward to. He had been dirty and sweaty too, but he showered since they were meeting up with everyone at the library. The fresh clothes helped, but the bruises and aches were still just as discomforting underneath.

"No, it isn't," Tracey smiled, amused by his wariness. "If I didn't know better I'd think you didn't like quidditch."

"Not true," Harry replied when she caught up to him, "I like it, I just don't-" He was trying to find a polite word at describing her madness for it, "share the same passion as others do."

She looked impressed. "Nicely done," However, she still nudged him.

He chuckled. "I'm sorry I don't want to discuss tactics when we're off the pitch." He wasn't sorry. He was relieved.

"We got a match coming up."

"I know," Harry tried not to sound annoyed that she thought she had to remind him, but seeing her smirk he knew what she was doing. "We can beat Ravenclaw." They were playing them the week after next. They had already beaten Gryffindor so Harry felt confident that Ravenclaw wouldn't be a challenge since the former was considered the better of the three other house teams.

"They have a good seeker," Tracey said casually. They were walking up the path to the school. "She's a pretty fourth year."

"Is there something you want to tell me, Tracey?" He turned in her direction trying his best not to crack. "Ya know we'll support you and welcome her into the fold."

"What?" Tracey blinked before the red spread across her face. "That's not what I meant!" But she was laughing when she hit his arm, "Funny, Harry."

"Thanks," He flashed her a smile. "So if you didn't want to talk about quidditch or pretty seekers-"

"Pretty seekers?" She repeated, "Are you fishing for a compliment, Harry?"

It was his turn to sputter, feeling his face getting warm. Tracey's laughter was always infectious and he felt his mild indignation at her counter melt away into mirth. "It couldn't hurt," He recovered. "It could help morale."

Tracey snorted. "I'll let Flint know. I'm sure he'll love that." That sent them both into another round of laughter at not just picturing their Quidditch Captain's reaction, but his attempt to try to implement it.

"What was it?" Harry finally brought them back to the starting point of their conversation. "What you wanted to talk about?"

"Neville and I are going to Hogsmeade next weekend."

Harry suddenly found himself with two left feet that were tripping over each other. Tracey's hand grabbed his arm, and he could hear her laugh, but it sounded so distant like an echo since his mind was too busy reeling from what she just said-Neville and I are going to Hogsmeade next weekend.

It was like a drumbeat with the words hitting him again and again and again.

Harry tried to rally. "Erh, what?"

"Wow, Harry, I can't believe you almost fell on your face." Tracey found it all so amusing. "I can't wait to tell Neville."

"Stop!" Harry held up his hand, "Why are you acting so normal about this?" He never thought Tracey or Neville were interested in each other. It seemed such a strange concept for him to grasp and an even weirder one trying to picture.

"About what?"

He was waving his arms for a reason he didn't quite figure out before his brain realized words would work better. "You going out with Neville."

"What?" Tracey was giggling, "Why would you think that?"

Harry just stared at her. Am I losing my mind?

"I'm not dating, Neville," She said it like Harry was a moron for even thinking it even though she just said it. "We're double dating," she revealed, "I shook a few trees and found some interested parties for me and Nev."

"Oh," was Harry's eloquent response.

"Yeah, I had to talk Neville into it after that Padma ordeal, but the ones we're going out with are friends so I suggested a group date and we all agreed." She was clearly pleased with herself at setting it all up. "It should be fun."

"Right, fun," Harry mumbled, still trying to readjust from the previous shock when he thought they were dating. It was only a few seconds, a minute at the most, but it made for a very confusing time. I knew they weren't interested in each other. He reasserted his previous belief before he thought it had been shattered by her choice of wording. A more trusting friend would think it a simple slip on her part, but seeing Tracey's grin and hearing her laughter, he realized he wasn't a very trusting friend, but a suspicious one. "You did that on purpose."

"Whatever do you mean, Harry?" She asked innocently.

"Forget it," Harry felt his lips twitch. "So who are the poor souls?"

"Hufflepuffs Megan Jones and Justin Finch-Fletchley."

Harry didn't know the pair well, but in his interactions with them he didn't have any complaints. "I'm surprised," he stopped himself, not sure if it was smart to point out the last Hufflepuff she went to Hogsmeade hadn't gone very well.

"You mean Smith?" She scrunched her nose, "They're not like him," She clarified, but there was a mischievous glint in her eyes, "That's actually how we kinda became friends. They both thought Smith was a prat too."

Harry chuckled. "So you're their hero?"

"I wouldn't go that far," She said in a voice that encouraged Harry if he wanted to he could indeed go that far. "Their house is kinda like ours with always showing unity and what not. So I suppose they've been suffering in silence with him for all these years."

"Ouch," Harry meant it. He only been around the guy a few times, but they were not fun. He didn't even want to have to think about having to share a common room or a dormitory with him.

"Yep, however, I didn't bring it up to flaunt my talent," She said unconvincingly, "I brought it up to help you."

"Help me?" Harry had an idea what she meant, but he didn't want to say it in case he guessed wrong and looked like an idiot.

"Yes," she grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side before they could reach the doors of the school. She led him a little bit out of the way so they couldn't be seen or their conversation overheard. "Neville and I will be going to Hogsmeade with the Hufflepuffs," she told him, "Hermione and Theodore will be going together," She gestured with her hand at him, "So that leaves-"

Oh, He had been right. "Daphne and me."

Tracey didn't roll her eyes, but he could see she wanted to. "Yes, this will be the perfect time and chance for you to ask her."

Harry's stomach didn't think so given the tumbling it was doing. "Oh, well," He was scratching the back of his neck while trying very hard to form a coherent response that wouldn't be reduced to stammering, "I'm not sure about that," He winced at the pointed stare Tracey gave him.

"What do you mean?" Her hands were on her hips. "You cannot be this dense, Harry Potter."

"I'm not."

"Then what's up?" She didn't look annoyed at him nor was she trying to tease him. She looked him over with a concerned expression, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Harry answered immediately, "I mean no." He ran a hand over his face, "I don't know." When his mind tried to picture asking Daphne out for the Hogsmeade trip it did not play out positive scenarios. Then he could hear their voices as they swooped in on him to tear apart at whatever confidence he had remaining.

"Harry?"

He blinked, looking up to see Tracey had a hand on his arm. Her eyes watching him closely, "what's going on?" There was nothing but genuine sincerity in her tone.

"I'm just," He was wrestling with what and what not to say but when he saw Tracey's face, he realized that she was his friend. She wasn't going to tease him. She wanted to help him. These were things he already knew, but somehow it felt more reassuring and him a bit foolish for letting himself think differently even if it was just briefly.

"I'm afraid she'll be," he paused, a small, but stubborn part of him trying to get him to stay quiet, to force him to stew on this alone, but he pushed it down, "She'll be disappointed," Harry confessed, realizing he already felt a little better just admitting it out loud, "I mean if she or we get close," he wished his words didn't sound so jumbled, "The Dursleys use to," He stopped again, feeling a little embarrassed like he always did when he mentioned his time with them even though he hadn't had to deal with them for so long.

Tracey didn't let him finish. "They're total gits, Harry." She squeezed his arm. "They're just jealous and pathetic bugs." She sounded so confident that it helped to puncture some of that doubt that would swell inside him when he thought about what they would say to him. "They're just trying to drag you down so you can be miserable. They're-" She didn't finish whatever rant she was about to say which hinted that it would've been quite colorful.

"Daphne likes you, Harry," She told him instead, "A lot." She rolled her eyes when Harry looked taken aback by the observation. He couldn't help it, no matter how many times it was said, he just couldn't quite understand it. He was just waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under him or for the rest of the punchline. It just couldn't be that simple or obvious, right?

"I sound stupid, don't I?"

"A little," Tracey said, "But to be fair you always sound like that."

"Thanks," he said dryly.

"Don't beat yourself up, Harry," she was serious again. "Or let the Dursleys try to. Don't give them that power. You left them like the bad rubbish they are." She then hugged him, he was surprised by the suddenness of it, but he liked the comfort it gave him. "It's okay to be a little nervous, Harry, you just can't let it control you," She looked him over, "Does that make sense?"

"Kinda," he shrugged, thinking he saw what she was trying to say. Being nervous was normal, but he couldn't let it run his life or in this case ruin it.

Tracey watched him for a beat or two before nodding. "Don't let it build up in your head, Harry," she guided them away from their little spot off to the side and back towards the school doors. "That only makes it stronger. You need to be quick and decisive," she went on, "and confident," she paused when they walked inside the castle. "And stop being your worst critic. You're a great guy. That's it. It's that simple."

"Should I be writing this all down?" He half joked while finding parts of it helpful. He probably deserved the playful shove she gave him. "Thanks, Trace," He replied, "I really appreciate it."

She smiled, and he was pleased to see that she understood just how grateful he was. "It's gonna be fine and you're gonna find this all amusing some day." Her smile grew when she added, "Never as much as me though," she winked to show she didn't mean it, but the levity was welcomed.

"Thanks," Harry was feeling better. The laughter helped. His stomach no longer felt like it was being wrung out like a dirty rag. Her advice and confidence was just as helpful.

"There you two are," Daphne was approaching them. She didn't hide her curiosity at whatever their conversation had just been given their shared mirth.

"Here we are," Tracey proclaimed, putting her arm around Harry, "Your favorite Slytherin quidditch players."

Daphne's eyes went from Harry to Tracey, "It varies."

"Evidently," Tracey replied with no bite, but a feigned harrumph.

"You ready for the library?" Daphne asked them, "So you know we can discuss actual important matters."

Tracey surprisingly didn't take the bait. "We are."

Harry noticed a certain look in her eyes that gave him a bad feeling which was only confirmed when she spoke.

"But you two have to go on without me," She told them, nearly looking apologetic, "I just remembered I forgot one of my books back in the dormitory."

"That sounds so unlike you, Tracey."

Did Daphne sound flustered? Or was Harry just trying to see anything he could.

"Doesn't it?" Tracey shrugged, "See you both in a few minutes." She gave them a wave and left before either could say even goodbye.

Harry watched her go. He wasn't sure if he should be thanking her or cursing her. "So," He wanted to cringe at how bad that sounded when he broke the somewhat awkward silence between them since they had both been watching their friend go in disbelief.

"So," Daphne said it as poetically as him.

"We should head to the library," Harry said the obvious.

"Right," She gave him a slight smile that somehow both calmed him, but also made him feel jittery. How does that work?

They set off together to the library. Harry felt acutely and somewhat painfully aware of his surroundings. He nearly had to will his feet forward, not able to rely on instinct since he feared he may trip over himself. It's like I forgot how to walk.

"How was practice?"

"It was fine," He answered, "Don't worry, I won't go into any more details."

She laughed. "Thanks."

Harry smiled, feeling some of that tension unwinding that was building in his stomach. He was trying to remember and focus on Tracey's advice and nothing else. Once or twice he thought he was about to say something in regards to Hogsmeade, only for the words to disappear as if hit by a banishing spell. He stopped himself from sighing. You are an idiot.

Those encouraging words worked remarkably well. He felt so foolish in those beats of silence following his quiet declaration, he almost wanted to laugh. Suddenly, it just all seemed and felt so silly, like Tracey said it might, alleviating the tenseness of his nerves. That was what finally propelled him forwards.

"So ya know Hogsmeade is this weekend."

"It is."

He could see her glancing in his direction. He had always liked her eyes. He found them so blue, so warm, so bright especially when she was smiling or laughing. "I was wondering," He found himself saying, confidence buoyed not bogged down, "If ya want to go with me," He then stupidly decided to point to her then him to make sure she understood his already very simple and blunt invitation. "Together, like ya know a date."

"A date?" She was smiling and her blue eyes were bright. "I would like that, Harry."

Wow, Harry tried not to look speechless at her answer. Her small laugh told him he had failed, but he didn't care because she said yes.

It's going well.

His date with Daphne at Hogsmeade was going better then he had thought or feared. Then again he didn't really have anything to compare it with, but he wouldn't let that dampen his mood.

"What were you ordering at Honeydukes?" She squeezed his hand after asking to further get his attention.

Harry wasn't going to complain. He liked holding her hand. There was that still small worry pressing in the back of his mind that his palms might get too clammy. Thankfully, so far there's been no perspiration embarrassment.

"It was something for Sirius," He had placed the order when Daphne was still perusing the shops for new and favorite sweets to get. Neither of them had left empty handed. They were making their way to the Three Broomsticks. They had decided to go there for lunch. The small village was bustling with Hogwarts students, most didn't pay them any attention as they walked or ran past Harry and Daphne. It was nice.

"What is it?"

"A gift," He had placed a custom order for their famous fudge, but he had instructed them to make it in the shape of Fudge's bowler hat. They thought it an odd request, but did it for an extra charge. Harry thought Sirius' reaction would be worth it.

"Oh," Daphne didn't ask any further.

Glancing towards her, Harry couldn't tell if she was disappointed he didn't reveal more or content with what she was told. The uncertainty made his stomach squirm.

"It's a joke between me and him," Harry decided to say a little more. He wasn't sure if he wanted to reveal all the details since it revolved around her.

"I'm sure he'll like it," She replied, smiling.

Harry felt a little flutter in his chest that seemed to happen a lot when she'd smile at him.

"What about you?" He was holding both of their bags. Hers was definitely heavier. He wisely kept that to himself.

"Just a few things."

"Uh huh," Harry wasn't fooled.

"It's not all for me. Some of the candy are gifts," She claimed, but her flustered tone wasn't helping her.

"Obviously," He had a strong suspicion he wouldn't be on the receiving end of those chocolate frogs or licorice wands which she ordered quite a few of. He made a mental note to inquire with their other friends after the holidays to confirm his suspicion that candy wasn't going to anyone but Daphne.

"I'm new to the whole dating thing," She looked down at the last part, "but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to make accusations to your date during them." She was confident and poised when she looked up to face him.

"I'll make a note of that," Harry replied dryly, he then dipped his head to her in thanks. "So my future dates will go more smoothly."

"Confident, aren't we?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I could say the same about you," He returned.

That was when they walked into the Three Broomsticks that was as crowded as it usually was, but they were still able to get a table. It was small and packed in the far corner so for Harry it was perfect. He remembered to hold out the chair for her before sitting down. Moony had told him that after he found out about Harry's plans with Daphne. It was one of the few helpful pieces of advice he gave in a flurry of good nature jokes and taunts that Remus had heckled him with.

"Thank you, Harry," She gave him another one of those smiles.

Harry sat across from her. In being here with her and on this date it made Harry realize just how little they had actually hung out this year. They both had stories to tell that the other hadn't heard. It wasn't something that would've happened between them last year or their first year. He spent a lot of time with Tracey because of Quidditch. He had magical creatures with Neville and Theodore. They usually hung out too to talk about things. Well it was about the girls so they had to do so without their company. It didn't help that he had also avoided Daphne at times because of his own growing feelings for her which had made certain encounters confusing and awkward. Harry hoped this date was a step in the right direction in rectifying it. She was one of his best friends and being around her all day it reminded him just how much he had missed her company.

Their server came back with butterbeers for the both of them. Harry didn't miss the sly smile on the witch's face when she took in Harry and Daphne together. He didn't have to be a legilimens to know what she was thinking. He tried to look indifferent to the witch's teasing demeanor. It also helped that he used the menu to cover most of his face.

"Do you know what you want?" He asked after telling their waitress they needed a few more minutes. He looked over his menu to catch her looking at him.

She ducked her head to look at her own menu in a near frantic motion.

Harry didn't think it was because he was so repulsive to look at. He liked to think she was flustered at being caught staring at him. He found that the better alternative so that's what he went with.

"No, I haven't," Her face didn't emerge from behind her menu. "There are a few things I'd still like to try."

"You should," he encouraged, "trying new things can be rewarding." It's how I got here.

"Is that so?" There was a tease in her tone. He still couldn't see her face.

"It is," He took a sip of his butterbeer. It was cool and tasty and needed.

"I'm glad to hear that," She was looking at him. And it was Harry who now felt the need to hide his face. She looked so warm and nice and pretty and he was the one feeling flustered at being the recipient of it.

He gave her a smile he hoped was confident and not shaky. "Oh, did I tell ya that Sirius likes Tracey's mum." Harry's timing could've been better since Daphne had been drinking her butterbeer, or was, now it was a mixture of snorting and spewing as she coughed for air.

"What?" Her voice sounded a bit strangled but that was probably her just recovering. She wiped at her mouth with a napkin before wiping at the table where a few drops of butterbeer had fallen. Daphne looked torn between surprised and amused at this juicy piece of gossip. As well as a little displeased at Harry's timing.

Now, that he knew she was okay, he couldn't help himself. "Should I repeat it? I won't do it while you're drinking."

Daphne didn't find it as funny as Harry did. "You're not supposed to kill your date either."

"Got it," He grinned at the annoyed look she sent him that soon crumpled when she rolled her eyes, and then a small smile came to her lips.

"Now, start from the beginning."

"Gladly."

"This was really nice, Harry."

"Good," he replied, "I'm glad." And relieved. Very, very relieved.

They were walking back to where the carriages were waiting to take them back to school. They were two among many students who were in pairs or groups all going in the same direction with the same resignation that their day was over. It was a sea of people, but Harry's attention was entirely on Daphne.

"It makes me wonder what you'll plan for the next date."

"Next date, huh?" Harry couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah," She sounded just as confident. She returned his smile.

"So," Harry tried to ignore the fluttery feeling that felt like there was a loose snitch in his chest. "Are you asking me out?"

"Hmm," She paused, feigning to be in deep thought. Her lips pursed together, her finger tapping her chin, "That's a good question."

What happened next happened so suddenly she stepped towards him for a kiss. His mind sputtered in surprise, but just as everything clicked back in place, so he could react and savor the touch of her lips on his, it was over.

She was smirking when she stepped back. "That should answer your question," she started to walk away, but not before reaching out to grab his hand to take him along.

He didn't protest nor could he stop smiling.

A/N:

I'm not 100% sure Hufflepuff Megan Jones was in their year or not, but she is in this story.

If you liked what you read, please review. It would mean a lot to me.

Until next time,

-Spectre4hire