A Different Sort of Bond

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!

Original Author's Note: I am sorry this update took so long. Real life has been attacking and I've just recently beat it into temporary submission.

Second Author's Note: A Million thanks to Oxnate and those who reviewed, favorited, or followed. This chapter has also not been beta'ed, however the concepts and ideas were discussed with Oxnate before I wrote it so he still deserves many thanks and credit.

Chapter 20

After Bill and Fleur had left Daphne called their account manager, "How are things going?"

"They are going surprisingly well," the goblin replied. "We should have the construction completed in a day or two. All the tutors have confirmed their participation and have received their portkey." The goblin paused then asked, "In the name of thoroughness and efficiency may I make a suggestion?"

"Of course Spell Dodger," Harry said.

"There will be traps and cursed items in any death eater lair and probably potent wards protecting it," the goblin replied. "Our curse breakers are widely acknowledged as the best at dealing with such things."

Harry nodded, "This is very true, but I did not think you allowed them to teach what they know."

"Well certain things are proprietary," their account manager said. "However many things are taught to all curse breakers and those can certainly be passed on. I was mostly thinking that when you go on the offensive you will need at least one. As it turns out we have two that have volunteered. Their argument is that war is bad for business and Voldemort is worse so anything they can do to shorten the war or ensure you are the winner is to the benefit of Gringott's. If you like I can have them teach as well."

"I would like to know who they are first but I'm sure any Gringott's curse breaker would be an asset to the team," Harry said.

"You know them already," Spell Dodger said. "William Weasley and his apprentice. She should have reached Journeyman level by June so you won't be getting someone too lacking in experience."

Harry smiled, "I would take her regardless. Do you need me to come by to give more blood for the extra portkeys?"

"Yes, it that would be excellent if you can do that now. Then the portkeys should be ready and in their hands by the time construction is finished. I know you intend to wait for summer but plans don't always work out as intended. This way you'll be ready to go anytime after New Year's Eve."

Harry said, "I hope we can manage to end the war before too much longer."

Daphne hugged him, "I'm sure we will Harry." They stepped through the floo into Gringott's where they each donated blood one drop for each portkey. Once done they stepped back to Daphne's house. "Now let's see what up with my jailbird sister." She called the construction manager, "It is Daphne Greengrass. Do you have a moment?"

"Yes, Miss Greengrass I do," came the reply. "Are you calling to ask about Astoria?"

"Yes," Daphne said. "I promised my folks we'd check on her and I do worry about her regardless of any poor decisions on her part. Is she safe?"

"She is," the goblin said. "She is being kept safe, warm, and well fed. I do not believe she can escape but there is a female goblin with her at all times."

"Can you have a healer check her for imperius or potions?" Daphne asked.

"That should not present any difficulty," the goblin said. "We have human crew here so we have a human healer onsite. I will have her check the girl. If she finds anything I will let you know."

"Thank you," Daphne said. Then Daphne closed her notebook, "Okay, all obligations done. We have an hour before we need to be at the Davis house and although we can certainly go early if there is anything you want to do first we have time."

The first thing that went through Harry's mind was sex but he shook that thought away. There would be time for that later. "Actually I was thinking we might walk there. I haven't seen much of your estate but Tracey is your nearest neighbor right? So we can walk there and enjoy the snowy landscape and maybe talk a bit? We haven't been alone much recently and I miss just strolling and chatting with you."

She blinked, "I'm surprised. I thought you'd want sex." Then she grinned, "Apparently I should have started hanging out with Gryffindors years ago." Grabbing his hand she led him towards the kitchen door, "Conjure me some shoes please? I think we have gone barefoot in the snow often enough this year."

Harry nodded and conjured snow boots for both of them, "There, snow boots with fur inside."

"Thank you dear," she said. "Are you going to be warm enough without a shirt? Maybe I should conjure you one."

Harry smiled, "You are still wearing my choice so I'll wear yours. I can get by with warming charms." His smile became a grin, "Besides this way I'll match you better during the dress fitting."

Daphne laughed, "You're going to have fun with this aren't you?"

"I'm going to try," he replied smiling.

As they walked through the snow Daphne pointed out snow covered statuary and places that were gardens in the summer. Harry listened and tried to imagine how it looked in midsummer. A tall hedge with an unlocked wooden gate marked the boundary between the two estates.

"Beyond this gate we'll be on the Davis Estate," Daphne said. "We should just get there on time. I'd forgotten how much land we both have. Thank you for the suggestion Harry. It's been too long since I strolled across my family's land. The Davises have a bit less land if I recall correctly but their gardens are much nicer. You'll see that for yourself when we celebrate the Spring Equinox."

"You didn't celebrate the Fall equinox," Harry said.

"No," she agreed. "We usually don't. The equinox celebrations aren't as big or as formal. I've got to admit that the main reason for celebrating the Spring equinox is to get out of school for a few days. The autumnal equinox is usually too early in the year for us to want to get away too badly. This year I'll have a reason to attend other than to get away from Parkinson and Bulstrode for a few days. I want to thank the goddess again."

Harry nodded, "I should do the same."

Once on the other side of the hedge Harry saw a greenhouse between them and the Davis house with another off to the side. Daphne said, "There is a third greenhouse on the far side of the house as well. This one is full of flowers, the one you can't see has herbs and foods used in the kitchen, the one behind the house is the largest and contains the rarest and most valuable potion ingredients and any experimental work that a family member is doing. The bulk of the ingredients they sell are grown elsewhere of course. Not enough room here among other reasons."

Harry nodded. As they walked past the closest greenhouse he occasionally paused to admire some of the flowers inside. "There are some really lovely flowers in there."

"That there are," Daphne agreed. "We'll get you a tour some other day though. For now we have to get going. Can you send Tracey a patronus message? Just so she knows we're coming."

"Sure," Harry said and did so.

Just after they'd entered the Davis house by the kitchen door Hermione sent one back saying they were both in the sewing room and for Daphne to meet them there. Harry smirked, "Ready to prank Hermione?"

"Certainly dear," Daphne said. She sat at the kitchen table, "First help me take these boots off. I want to keep them for the walk back so don't just vanish them."

Harry smiled, "As you wish Buttercup." Then he grinned, "I really have to show you that movie sometime."

"Oh," Daphne said. "You were quoting a movie? I was thinking I'd gotten a pet name."

He nodded, "And a book. It was a quirky love story. It sort of reminds me of our unusual courtship."

"Then I'd like to read it too," she said smiling.

Harry squatted in front of her and took hold of one boot. As he pulled it off he looked up at her and said, "You really do have lovely legs Daphne."

"Thank you," she said. "I'm glad you like them. Most men seem to think I'm too tall and they rarely look at my legs." As he worked on the other boot she chuckled, "Most of their eyes never leave my chest. That's what started my feud with Parkinson. Tracey and I'd been mostly ignoring her for the first three years and she, along with Bulstrode, returned the favor. By the end of third year I grew taller than Draco and he started making half giant jokes and Pansy laughed right along. By the start of fourth year though I was already a C cup and growing and his insults turned to innuendo. I told him flat out I wanted nothing to do with him but neither he nor Pansy seemed to listen. Since then she's been nasty to me and he's been leering and making comments."

Stacking both his and her boots by the fireplace to dry Harry scowled, "Well you don't have to worry about Draco anymore and you can handle Pansy Parkinson on her best day."

She smiled, "Yes, especially now thanks to you. Now let's go surprise Hermione."

As they walked into the room Harry heard Hermione before he saw her. "Harry James Potter what are you wearing?"

Harry shrugged, "Ask Daphne. It was her idea and her conjuration. Didn't Tracey tell you?"

"No, you look like some barbarian chieftain about to raid England," Hermione said. "Anyway you need to leave as we are about to get fitted for our dresses."

Harry finally found where she was. She was hiding behind an opened wardrobe door. Only her bare feet and her head from the eyes up were visible. He grinned and tried to look shocked, "Why Hermione I'm shocked at you. After all you've said on the subject of false modesty and how I shouldn't be embarrassed by being naked in front of Tracey and Daphne I would hardly think to find you hiding behind a door from one of your oldest friends."

"That was necessity Harry," she replied testily. "You had to get used to seeing Daphne naked and there was no way you could have escaped my quite necessary chats with her about biology and feminine hygiene. You also needed to participate in the Solstice ritual so you needed to get comfortable with that as well." She took a deep breath and continued in a louder voice, "But there is no reason for you to be hanging about while we get measured and try on numerous dresses! So you can just turn around and take your bare chest elsewhere. Go find Neville and chat about quidditch or something."

"Hermione!" Harry said in obviously fake shock. "Never would I think you'd sexually discriminate against me!" He started gesturing, "Boys aren't allowed to want to discuss fashion. Run along now and talk sports like a good little male should?"

"Harry!" she shouted. "You know that's not what I meant! For your information I'm not wearing much behind this door and I have no intention of showing you so you have to leave before the lady comes for the fitting."

Tracey giggled then, "Sorry Hermione, I guess I forgot to mention Harry's new attire." Tracey was lounging in a leather chair in her bra and panties reading a magazine. She looked amused, "Besides isn't it just a bit hypocritical for you to say it is okay for all of us to see each other in various states of undress. That the naked human body is a work of art and Harry shouldn't so much as blush at the sight. Then turn about completely and get upset at the idea of him seeing you in your knickers?"

"I still haven't heard a reason why he needs to be here," Hermione said. "If he doesn't have a good reason then how do I know he's not here just to ogle and be annoying?" Then she admitted, "Well I'm sure Harry wouldn't come in just to ogle me, especially not with him dating Daphne. Still I know his warped sense of humor and he would get a kick out of showing up and throwing my own words back at me. Even though the situations are not even remotely the same."

Harry grinned, "I'm sure you are entirely worthy of an ogle or two Hermione but you are right that I wouldn't show up just to do that when I've got a girlfriend. You're also right that I'm getting at least a small kick out of the shoe being on the other foot. But I think you are wrong about my sense of humor and of course you are completely wrong about my not having a valid reason to be here."

Hermione snorted from behind the door, "Fine, I also know you well enough to know I'll get nothing useful out of you when you're in this mood. Daphne? Does he truly need to be here?"

Daphne had continued walking after Harry had stopped so she was now close enough to step around the door and hug Hermione. "I'm sorry to say he does. We are no longer connected physically but we must stay in the same room. So as long as I'm here he has to be too." She summoned Hermione's clothes from the chair on which they'd been neatly folded and said, "If it bothers you this much I'll get fitted first then Harry and I will leave you and Trace to get fitted after."

Hermione frowned and considered it. Then she sighed and walked out from behind the door to re-fold her clothes and put them back on the chair, "No Daphne. If I did that then I really would be a hypocrite. I really do believe what I have been telling Harry and perhaps this is karma paying me back for enjoying Harry's discomfort a little too much early on."

With her fists on her hips she turned to face Harry wearing nothing but French cut white knickers, "Look all you like but watch the comments or I'll hex you good and not feel even a little bad for doing it."

Harry grinned and started clapping, "Brava Hermione! That's an answer worthy of the girl who rode a hippogriff with me to rescue Sirius despite being afraid of flying. And don't worry I'll be good. the whole point is to act exactly the same dressed or not so I won't make any comments I wouldn't make normally."

Hermione nodded and went to sit by Tracey, "So what exactly happened at the Solstice Ritual?"

The dressmaker and her assistants came in just then and looked surprised to find a boy in a kilt so Harry decided the easier way was to tell everyone who hadn't heard it the story. He was unprepared for the reaction of the young, female apprentices though.

"Oh," said one. "That is just the most romantic thing I've ever heard!"

The other agreed, "Yes! They are just like the star crossed lovers in a romance novel. The fact that he's the boy who lived just makes it even dreamier. I wish something like that had happened to me at school."

Harry was about to make a comment on the craziness of that idea when Daphne put a hand over his mouth, "Don't ruin it for them dear. Let them have their fantasy. We both know the truth and that's what matters."

Harry sighed but nodded to show he agreed and she took her hand away. What followed was pure boredom for Harry. If you'd asked him a year ago whether he could be bored watching pretty girls get in and out of their clothes he would have thought it a stupid question. However once the novelty of catching Hermione's eye and waggling his eyebrows wore off he was indeed bored. No one was asking his opinion and he might as well have been invisible. He requested and got paper and ink and spent the first half of the time listing possibilities for the last horcrux and ideas for thinning the ranks of death eaters before the main confrontation. When he ran out of good ideas he grinned and started listing all the places he'd like to take Daphne once Riddle was defeated for good. Movies he wanted her to see, music he wanted to share, as well as places to see like the Eiffel Tower, and things to do like visit fairs and amusement parks. He became so engrossed in this planning that he never noticed when the choosing and fitting was over and dressmaker had left and taken her two assistants with her.

Daphne flopped onto the couch next to him glad to finally be off her feet, "What have you been doing all this time Harry?" She looked over at his current notes and asked "What's Disney World?"

Harry explained and then said, "It's part of a list of things I want to share with you when all this is done. Most of them I've never gotten to do either but I'd like to and we can experience them for the first time together. You're welcome to add to the list yourself."

Hermione and Tracey both went "Aww!" They couldn't help themselves. Hermione wondered if Ron would want to do any of that with her and Tracey was thinking it was a good thing that those romantic young apprentice dressmakers hadn't heard him or they'd have started a whole new series of legends about the boy who lived that would make Harry horribly embarrassed.

Daphne took the pile of documents and started looking through them saying, "As long as I get to add just as many as you do I have no problem with doing everything on this list." She stretched her legs and grimaced, "Merlin but my feet hurt. The only time I wasn't standing I was trying on a succession of shoes that must have been made for pygmies. She swears she'll have some in my size in time for the wedding but I think I'll practice conjuring a pair just in case."

Harry grinned and pulled her legs into his lap, "You go over my suggestions and add your own and I'll rub your poor tired feet. How's that sound?"

"Heavenly," Daphne said and smiled at him.