Disclaimer: Nothing in this fanfiction is mine.

Special thanks to Webstriker and KingQuilava from the Haphne discord for the beta work! This translation wouldn't be here without them! If you like this pairing, feel free to join, there are lots of interesting people here ! (discord . gg / pKSdvJQvhU)

AN: Hi everyone,

Here is a very special Haphne oneshot ! Bear in mind that it is less centered on humor than my previous ones, but I hope you will enjoy it !

Also, the plot isn't mine this time. This story is a HP take on the ending of a video game I really liked. Will you recognize it ? :)

As always, feel free to write a review, it means a lot !

See you next time,

Alex


"Daphne, will you go to the ball with me?"

The blonde girl raised an eyebrow as she stared at the boy in front of her. He looked nervous, as if he was unsure of the answer to the question.

"Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," he replied, staring at her with his green eyes.

"Harry Potter, opening the dance with a Slytherin? That sounds like the beginning of a terribly silly romance novel."

"If you don't want to, you can just tell me."

"Of course I want to," Daphne replied quickly, as Harry's shoulders dropped in relief. "There's no one else I'd rather share this evening with."

Harry's face lit up all at once and, in his euphoria, he leaned in to place his lips on hers. He pulled back almost instantly, blushing like a Weasley and stammering out some incomprehensible apology.

Daphne laughed at his embarrassment. She grabbed the young man by the collar and pulled him towards her.

"Don't you dare regret that, Potter!"


I woke up with a start, knocking the blanket off my bed. My forehead beaded with sweat, as it had every morning for months now.

With difficulty, I managed to drag myself to the bathroom, avoiding the clothes and other packages that littered the floor of the flat. The young woman who greeted me in the mirror must have been beautiful in another life, but now she was a shadow of her former self.

The blue eyes that stared back at me seemed empty and lifeless, exacerbated by the dark circles framing them, which gave the face a sinister look. The golden hair that fell from my head, tangled, had also lost its former glory. I tried to smile, but the result was more frightening than comforting. Even though the war ended some time ago, most people were struggling to get over it. I was probably the best example.

With a few charms, I became more presentable again. Although the overall impression was the same, at least I wouldn't attract the stares in the street.

My wardrobe was almost empty, but I didn't care. I wouldn't be setting foot in this flat again anyway, and I'd have plenty of time to buy new clothes in the future.

Distractedly, I pulled on my underwear, a pair of baggy jeans and a white shirt of some sort before finishing with a pair of sneakers. Not the most fashionable, but I didn't care.

I retrieved a bus ticket I had bought ages ago from the bedside table. The expiry date was today. I had planned this day for a long time, and there was no turning back.

Given my condition, it was for the best.

I quickly took a look around, without any emotion. Many places made an impression on me during my life, but I certainly won't miss this shithole.

"Pack!"

With a flick of my wand, my meagre belongings were stowed away in the suitcase next to the front door of the flat. For a brief moment, I wondered if I should put the rest away, but I quickly put the thought aside as I considered the cracks on the walls and ceiling. The landlord would see to it.

Come on, first goodbye of the day. Not the hardest.

After leaving the keys inside, I went out and slammed the door without looking back. I still had some things to do in town and some time before I had to catch the bus. I was going to need a driver, because I didn't want to spend the little money I had left on transport. And apparition was not an option for getting around muggle London unnoticed.

Luckily for me, I had a neighbour with whom I got on well enough. I rang the doorbell only a few steps away from mine. I heard a bit of a ruckus, but the door opened fairly quickly. I was lucky; it was the very person I wanted to see who appeared in the doorway.

"Hi Kyle."

Rather tall, with red hair pulled up into a short bun, Kyle was a sixteen-year-old muggle-born boy, about to enter his sixth year at Hogwarts. He was a Quidditch fan, and since I could ride a broom, we spent a lot of time together during the holidays chasing Golden Snitches at night in the local park.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Oh, it's you."

I rolled my eyes dramatically. "Can you at least pretend to be happy to see me?"

This made him chuckle. "I'm just wondering why you're ringing my doorbell at"—he looked at the watch on his wrist—"half past nine in the morning."

"I need a ride. I have to go into town."

Kyle often borrowed his parents' car. He wasn't old enough to drive, but magic made a lot of things possible.

"And this couldn't wait a bit?"

"No."

He sighed. "Alright. Don't move. I'll get dressed and be right back."

He closed the door and I leaned against the wall, waiting for him. To fight the boredom and to avoid dark thoughts, I watched the other inhabitants of the building come and go in the corridor. In this poor suburb of Greater London, few people had jobs, implying all kind of social problems.

Kyle soon reappeared, and we walked down the dark stairwell that smelled of urine and weed. A lovely place, really.

When we reached the car park, I loaded my suitcase into the boot of Kyle's car. Well, his family's car.

"Do your parents know you're stealing their car?" I asked as I settled into the passenger seat.

"Yes, but they don't care. As long as I bring them something to fill the fridge, they don't mind," Kyle replied as he started the engine. "Well, where are we going?"

"Nicolson's."

"Ah, you've had enough of my old Cleansweep? Quite frankly, I understand."

"Who says I don't need a mop?"

Kyle gave me a critical look.

"Come on, you're a witch. And besides, you don't really seem to know how to clean anything."

Despite myself, a laugh escaped me. "If you say so. Anyway, let's go."


It was dark on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch. In the darkness, it was difficult for Daphne to keep up with her boyfriend, who wasn't the slowest person at school on a broom.

They both plunged, hurtling towards the ground at high speed, and righted themselves at the last moment, just before they crashed into the finely trimmed stadium grass.

Harry Potter slowed down and Daphne floated up to him.

"I knew I could make a seeker out of you," he said affectionately.

His foggy glasses and unruly hair made him particularly attractive in the Scottish night, and Daphne bit her lip.

She had never felt anything so strong for a person. And they had only known each other for two years….

The young woman regained her composure and replied, "I'm not ready to risk my life on the pitch yet. I'm only here to please you."

Harry looked at her with a sly smile, not at all fooled by her fake haughty tone. "Come on, anyone can see that you like to fly. You're really good at it too!"

Compliments as always. This boy was really charming. Daphne's cheeks flushed as an image of Harry introducing himself to her parents came to her mind.

They stood side by side for a moment, drifting slowly on their respective brooms. These moments were precious to the young woman, as their secret relationship prevented them from seeing each other very often. Daphne vaguely wondered what would happen if people caught sight of the two of them during their rare moments of intimacy.

She shuddered at the thought of her being used against Harry.

Then she was suddenly reminded of something.

"So? Any progress with Dumbledore?"

Harry didn't fail to scowl at this.

"Since I got the memory of Slughorn back, not so much. Dumbledore thinks that my secret weapon against Voldemort is love. But I don't really see how that's going to help me find the remaining Horcruxes."

He fell silent, visibly annoyed.

"What if he's right?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if Dumbledore was right about your power? What if it really is love that would allow you to triumph?"

"I'm not sure I'm getting your point. You'll have to explain that one to me."

"It was your mother's love that protected you as a baby."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, "Yes, but it's obscure magic. No one really knows how it works."

"We could probably try to replicate it somehow."

"I doubt we could try the exact same spell again. And anyway, I don't have anyone who loves me enough to try something that dangerous."

Daphne rolled her eyes and stared at him without answering, letting him figure it out for himself.

When the conclusion came, Harry's mouth made an 'O' in disbelief, and a mixture of embarrassment and emotion painted his face.

"Daphne... I..."

"I've been doing my research too," she told him tenderly, "and I think I've found something to help you."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you more when I'm sure of it."


"Hello, what can I do for you?" asked the shop assistant.

Nicolson's was a housekeeping shop, with the usual products that could be found in such establishments. At least, that's what the Muggles saw. For wizards, it was one of the most famous broom shops in London.

Navigating between the shelves, Kyle and I stood in front of the till, behind which was a perfectly forgettable-looking brunette woman.

"I'm here to buy a broom."

"Well help yourself, I'll be waiting here."

She had replied without even looking up at us. Not the friendliest person I've ever met, and I had been around Draco Malfoy.

"I'm looking for a broom that's a bit more... explosive than what's in there."

On hearing my strange wording, the shop assistant put her magazine down on the counter and looked at Kyle and me in turn. I pretended to fiddle with my wand nonchalantly to make sure she got the message.

"Oh, but you should have said that earlier. I'll let you follow me to the back."

She pointed to the wall behind her with what looked like a feather duster. I raised an eyebrow as I saw a door appear in the middle of the previously immaculate paintwork.

A clever way to hide her wand.

The woman opened the new door and disappeared inside. Almost running, Kyle did the same. I followed him with a smile on my face.

We emerged into a large room whose walls were entirely covered with racks holding racing brooms of all brands. There was one for every budget and for every purpose.

When we reached the centre of the room, the woman turned back to us.

"Here you go," she gestured at the brooms, "Maybe I can help you? Is this for casual flights? Or do you practice Quidditch?"

"I want the best you have here," I said simply.

The shop assistant looked surprised, but pointed to the back of the room, where a glittering purple broom sat on an expensive-looking shelf.

"Our fastest model is the latest Thunderbolt II. It's as fast as the Firebolt, and even more stable. But it's a professional broom, I'm not sure that—"

"Are you kidding?" interrupted Kyle. "You're looking at the best player I know, and there are some good ones at Hogwarts."

How cute.

The shop assistant didn't seem convinced, but she untied the broom in question with a shrug, before presenting it to me.

"As you wish. I'll let you look at it, and you can bring it to the till if you really want to buy it."

I gently picked up the gem that was the Thunderbolt II. It was not as beautiful as the Firebolt, but my judgment was probably not the most impartial.

I could almost feel the excitement radiating from the young man standing beside me, so I decided to hand him the broom. He looked as if he couldn't believe his eyes, but after a moment of hesitation, he took the broom.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's amazing! I didn't stand a chance against you before, but with this..." he said, almost lovingly running his hand over the handle, as if he were holding a fragile porcelain object and not a competition broom.

"You're a good player, Kyle," I replied, quite honestly.

He played for the Hufflepuff team at school after all.

"Yeah, but you're something else," he looked up at me. "Seriously, you should be a professional. I've never seen anyone perform Wronski feints so easily, except maybe Harry Potter."

My heart clenched a little at that name.

As always.

"Obviously I got a little bit of him in me. Maybe I am Harry ?"

"Ah yes, Harry Potter, the blonde, blue-eyed doll. How could I forget?"

Sarcasm. Good, he was making progress.

"I'm still waiting for you to tell me your real name, by the way. Because 'Bathilda Bagshot', well, I don't really believe that."

I laughed at that. I might have gone a little too far with that one.

"You don't need to know, it won't matter soon anyway."

"Hmph, if you say so," Kyle's voice expressed his displeasure. "Well, shall we take that broom?"

"We?" I gave him a knowing look, and he replied with a triumphant smile.

The broom was much more expensive than I could have imagined. Kyle nearly choked when he heard the saleswoman, but I had enough magical money to last me a lifetime. Even if I wasn't going to use it a lot in the future.

I put down a large bag of Galleons under the astonished eyes of the woman, before leaving the shop with the broom on my shoulder. I placed it in the back seat of the car and settled back into my seat.

Kyle buckled his seatbelt in front of the steering wheel and asked, "I'm listening. What's next?"

I felt the melancholy begin to take hold of me.

"The columbarium of Kensal Green Cemetery."

Kyle didn't ask a question, and if he was curious, he didn't let it show as he pressed the pedal.


"How does that make me different from Voldemort?"

"Intent, Harry, it's all about intent and feeling."

Daphne and Harry stood side by side at the top of the astronomy tower. It was getting dark, but neither of them felt like going to sleep.

The young woman had just explained her idea to the Gryffindor, and he didn't seem too keen on it.

"Voldemort killed, tortured to make his Horcruxes. For you, it would just be trusting me to protect you."

Harry looked out across the forbidden forest, "I don't know, Daphne. Touching the soul... I don't know what Dumbledore would say."

"But Dumbledore is not here anymore. He couldn't get you out of danger while he was alive, and I refuse to see you die when I have a way to save your life should the worst happen."

Daphne put her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder as she said this, causing him to look her in the eyes.

"But are you aware of the risks? There will be no turning back. I will be in your head constantly, and you in mine."

"But of course I know the risks, silly. But it's because I love you that I want to take them. Besides, you're already constantly in my head, and I'd like to think the opposite is true too..."

Harry opened his eyes wide at the statement, but quickly recovered and hugged his girlfriend as if his life depended on it. In a way, it did.

"What should I do?"

"Take your wand and point it at my temple. Then look deep inside yourself for what you feel for me. I will do the same."

Silently, Harry complied, and Daphne reciprocated. The two stood perfectly still in front of each other, like one of the numerous stone sculptures of Hogwarts. On top of the tower, all you could hear was the wind blowing.

For a while nothing happened. But suddenly a blue glow, not unlike that of a Patronus, enveloped them both.


"Can I come?"

"No, wait for me there. I won't be long."

Kyle had parked his car near a bus stop. I glanced at my own watch.

I mustn't dawdle.

The entrance to the columbarium was outside the main cemetery, which was really quite extensive. Perfect for going unnoticed.

I put an envelope full of money in a mailbox at the entrance door to extend my reservation. I had no intention of coming back afterwards, but I still wanted it to last, for posterity.

I let my legs carry me through the corridors, all identical, covered with dozens and dozens of drawers in which the ashes of the dead rested with the precious objects left by their relatives.

I felt the melancholic atmosphere of the place gradually overwhelm me, as I passed the inhabitants of the neighbourhood who had come to pay their respects. Some were crying out loud, obviously not over the mourning yet. Others remained more dignified, even if you could see in their postures that they were trying to hide their sadness. Some others were smiling, and talking about their life to nobody, hoping that their deceased loved ones could hear them.

After a few minutes that seemed like an eternity, I arrived at the grave I was interested in. A simple drawer, insignificant among the others, but which instantly brought tears to my eyes. A simple name, which topped a simple epitaph. But to me, those words meant a lot.

Daphne Greengrass

Dreamer


Harry regained consciousness lying on his stomach. He could feel the blades of grass of a well-cut lawn on his face. Groping around, he retrieved his glasses and put them back on his nose as he sat down.

He was in a garden, next to a fountain amidst elegantly tended shrubs, which formed a kind of hedge around him. He tried to remember how he got there, but his mind was foggy and he had trouble thinking.

It seemed to be night, but the atmosphere was particularly clear, limpid, and almost supernatural.

That's it, I'm dead.

"No Harry, not yet."

Harry gasped, he was sure he had thought that sentence in his head, and yet it had been answered. And that voice...

He turned around and, to his surprise, found himself facing Daphne Greengrass.

She was dressed in a white summer dress which, with her long blonde hair cascading down her back, made her look angelic. She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but do the same before hugging her.

"Daphne...how I've missed you all this time..."

The hunt for the Horcruxes had not been easy. All those months of not hearing from her had taken a toll on him, despite having Ron and Hermione by his side during the ordeal.

"You still had a part of me in you though," she replied mischievously.

"You know I would have preferred to have all of you with me."

"Yes, but it was better than nothing, wasn't it?

The reminder of the bond they had shared since they had formed it brought Harry back to reality.

"Where are we, Daphne?"

"From where I'm standing, this looks like the gardens of Greengrass Manor."

"But why would we be here? I've never been at your home..."

"Don't you get it yet? We're in my head, Harry."

The last thing Harry remembered was the green light of Voldemort's death spell in the Forbidden Forest. The curse had hit him hard, which meant...

"So, I'm dead..." he said resignedly, having known for a long time that this had always been a possibility for him.

"You seem perfectly alive to me."

"Daphne, I'm not naive. What's going on?"

She seemed far too calm considering the gravity of the situation, and even if Harry didn't know what she was withholding, he was beginning to fear the worst.

And indeed, on hearing his words, Daphne became sad all at once. She caught Harry's hands in hers and opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if she didn't know where to begin her explanation.

"There are several things I haven't told you," she finally said. "The spell we used... Should one of the lovers die, the spell allows the other to carry the soul of the deceased in their body for some time, until eventually finding a new body to carry it."

Harry winced, this sounded very much like dark magic, and not exactly a spell based on love.

"I'm not taking anyone's body, Daphne, I don't want to be like him."

"You won't have to," the young woman shook her head. "But if the soul of the deceased isn't transferred to a new vessel within a few days, then it ceases to exist..."

"Why did you cast that spell in the first place then?" Harry couldn't see what she was getting at."

Daphne then smiled a sad smile, one that expressed a finality that made Harry shiver.

"It ceases to exist... unless the living person concedes their body."

Harry didn't immediately understand the meaning of what his girlfriend had just said, but when the conclusion came to him, his heart felt as if it skipped several beats, and he shook his head forcefully.

Just as he was about to vocalise his refusal, the Slytherin put a finger to his lips, cutting him off.

"There's something else I haven't told you," she said, "You remember the blood curse that affects the Greengrass family? I told you about it, and about my sister Astoria."

He nodded absently, still in shock from Daphne's earlier statement. Besides, he didn't see what the situation had to do with the curse that was running her family.

"My sister will die one day. We don't know when, but she will."

She turned her back to Harry.

"And so will I."

No...

It was not possible. Harry refused to believe her.

Yet when he turned her towards him, two streams of tears trailed wetly down her face, and he was hit by reality.

Daphne Greengrass was doomed to die.

"I've known it for a while," her voice was shaky, broken with emotion. "I'm just better at hiding it than Astoria. I've only got a few months to live at most, Harry. And I'd much rather be able to choose my way out than risk having a seizure at any moment."

Daphne then grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him spontaneously, with a fervour she had never shown before. She pulled away before he had time to respond.

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and it's a joy to know that my leaving will help give you a second chance, believe me."

She had planned this. She had planned this moment for a long time. Like a true member of the house of the snake, she was always several steps ahead.

"Daphne, I... I can't accept this."

Daphne laughed a little hoarsely. "You will accept it, or at least you will learn to."

A white halo then began to envelop her, and her figure became blurry.

"If you are here, then Voldemort is still alive. So go back and finish him off once and for all.

Her body was now almost transparent.

"No! Daphne!"

"I wish you a long life, Harry, and I hope you'll keep a small place in your heart for me. But please don't stop living for me. I just want you to know that I wished I could have been with you all the way. It has always been my dream…"

With a final smile, Daphne Greengrass disappeared, and everything went black.


"Oh, Daphne..."

As I often did when I thought back on that moment, I started to cry.

I could feel people around me looking at me with compassion, but I paid no attention to them. I still couldn't believe what she had done for me. What had I done to deserve such a sacrifice?

All those years together at Hogwarts, keeping our relationship a secret from everyone. All those stolen moments between classes and during holidays. All those knowing smiles shared in the Great Hall. All those promises about the future, made sitting beneath the trees.

Just to get to this point…

A chance to live for myself, without Daphne, and in a body that was not mine.

But it would be shaming Daphne's memory if I didn't take this new chance.

I sniffed a little before speaking again, "I can't keep wallowing, can't keep obsessing about what happened."

With a key I always had on me, I opened the drawer. It was empty, obviously.

"I can't forget you anyway. I see your face every morning when I get up."

I pulled a cedar wood wand from my pocket. Daphne's wand. I held it tenderly, as if afraid to break the last relic that bound me to its owner.

"Daphne I... I love you so much. I don't know anyone who would have had the guts to do what you did. Thanks for... well, for everything."

With a shiver, I put the wand in the drawer. The tears began to flow again, wetting the stone around the wooden object. I had to face the fact that I would never see her again. It was because of her that I was still alive today.

"I'm wiser now. You gave me a second chance., and I don't plan to waste it."

Then I took out my own wand, made of holly wood and phoenix feather. My last link to the magical world.

Gently, I placed it next to Daphne's.

"I am not the same anymore. The wizarding world will remind me every day of your disappearing, and I don't want that. So… this is goodbye."

I closed my eyes one last time, permanently engraving the picture of a Slytherin girl with mischievous eyes and a teasing smile into my mind.

Then, I closed the drawer without hesitation and turned on my heels, heading towards the exit.

Kyle was waiting for me outside, leaning against his car with a cigarette in his right hand. He saw my flushed face, but made no comment.

"Where to now?"

"I have a bus to catch," I replied, taking my suitcase out of the boot of his car. "You can go home."

The young man nodded, "The person you just, uh… visited. He died a while ago?"

"She. And not that long ago."

"Do you miss her?"

"You have no idea."

"When my grandfather died, I missed him a lot."

He tossed his cigarette and stubbed it out under his foot.

"But now I only miss him sometimes..."

With that, he got into his car.

Deep down I didn't know if I hoped he was right or not.

I glanced at the bus stop and noticed that the bus I was supposed to take was already here. No doubt ready to leave. The driver picked me up and validated my old ticket. It was strange to use it after so long seeing it on the nightstand.

I loaded my suitcase on a shelf at the back of the bus and looked at my seat. A deep breath later, and I sat down by the window. A sense of doom came over me as I sat down, as there always would be a before this day and an after this day for me.

The beginning of my new life. May it bring me less sorrow than the first.

"WAIT!"

Unsurprisingly, I saw Kyle running outside, heading for the bus. On his shoulder was the Lightning II we had bought not long before.

He looked for me quickly, and when he saw me, stood under the window.

"The broom! You forgot your broom!"

I opened the window a little, and answered him without even looking at him as the bus started.

"No I didn't."

I could imagine the look on Kyle's face as the bus pulled away from him.

"Haven't forgotten a thing. Never will."

But I still had to move on.