AN: 1. English isn't my mother tongue, so please expect some mistakes.
2 I appreciate fair comments and reviews.
3. I don't own Harry Potter or anything in the Wizarding World. I merely play in its sandpit.
Chapter III"Astoria, dear?" Her mother's voice shook her out of her thoughts. She was having breakfast with her family a few days after arriving at Greengrass Manor for the holidays.
"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say, Mum?"
Isabelle Greengrass, Daphne's and Astoria's mother laughed at her daughter's reaction. "Yes, we could tell, Tori."
"Mum wanted to know, if you have already received your boyfriend's reply."
Her face heated up at that. "He isn't my boyfriend!", Astoria snapped at her sister. By now, Daphne and her father were laughing, too.
"Yes, very funny.", she angrily mumbled under her breath. After she and Harry had kissed, two weeks ago, they hadn't really talked about it, about what it meant. The two of them had still shared the occasional kiss but they hadn't snogged or anything.
As her family seemed to have calmed, she began: "I haven't heard anything conc…" She was interrupted by a beautiful, snowy owl, which gracefully came gliding through the door, a house elf hot on pursuit.
"Kibby bes so sorry!", the elf exclaimed. "White bird wouldn't let me take the letter."
It was Astoria's turn to laugh now. She, of course, knew Harry's owl. It wouldn't surprise her, if Harry had told her, only to let Astoria take the letter.
"That's okay, Kibby.", she told the elf, as the owl gently landed on her shoulder. "That's Hedwig, she's a very smart and very special owl." The bird in question seemed to have understood her, as she puffed out her chest, before lovingly nibbling Astoria's earlobe. She normally only did that with Harry! Giddily, Astoria asked herself, if Hedwig had approved of her.
"Smart indeed.", her mother laughed. "And quite beautiful. Well, won't you take the letter?"
Astoria nodded absentmindedly, as she offered Hedwig her goblet with water. The bird hooted softly before drinking. A few bites of bacon later, Hedwig extended her leg, wanting Astoria to take the letter. As she untied it, she noticed a second envelope tied to the one she had seen. It was oddly heavy. Frowning, Astoria decided to read the letter before taking care of the second envelope.
"Who is it from, Astoria?", her father asked, once she had freed Hedwig from her burden.
"Oh, Hedwig is Harry's owl, so…", she trailed off, focusing on the bird again.
"Hedwig, would you mind sticking around until I wrote the reply?" The owl hooted approvingly and Astoria smiled. She hadn't expected anything else, as she and Harry had exchanged letters daily since they had arrived home. First, she had wanted Hedwig to take some rest at the Manor but the bird had refused to let any other owl take her letter to Harry.
She finally opened the letter and silently read it.
Dear Astoria,
Thank you for asking! I don't know yet, I might leave, if they continue to pester me. The goblins sent me a letter and told me, the rest of the wards are up and ready now. Good thing they did the Fidelius first. Let's see what the next days bring.
She paused reading. While it was what she had expected, the continuous nagging from Granger and Mrs. Weasley didn't seem to stop. Ever since Harry had stepped into his Godfather's house, they were all over him because he hardly spent any time with Granger and Weasley anymore. His now public association with her didn't help either.
If it wasn't for Sirius and the twins, he might have gone mad. At least that was what Harry had told her in his last letter.
During the term's last two weeks, he had quickly bought a big house in Liverpool. It really did speed things up, if you had the galleons, she mused. Still, she couldn't see Harry moving there. At least bot now. He wanted to have it as a backup, though. Especially, if they wanted to force him back to his relatives in summer.
Apparently the house was rather new but was built of the famous red bricks, to fit in the neighbourhood. Harry had shown her pictures but she had yet to see it in real life.
One of the Gringotts' warding teams had started working on it a few days before the holiday. Thanks to McGonagall, Harry had been able to quickly travel there, which was a good thing concerning he was required as he wanted to be his own Secret Keeper. Astoria knew of the location, as Harry had told her the next day. She still was moved by his trust in her, even though it really wasn't that surprising if one considered the connection the two of them had.
Other than that, Sirius looks better, than he did when we first arrived. Our presence seems to do wonders for him. I hate to be forced to leave him behind again. Well, it isn't that bad as it was, when you consider the early Christmas present for you and me… or all three of us, I guess.
Astoria had yet to meet the famous Sirius Black, nonetheless she was glad, he appeared to be less miserable than how Harry had described him in his first letter.
Early Christmas present? That was probably what the second envelope was about.
Well, for me… I still struggle with sleeping and Dumbledore wants me to take Occlumency lessons with Snape. There's no way that greasy git will be given a free pass to mind rape me! Sirius said, he knew the perfect tutor for me and we are positive we can convince Dumbledore to let her come to Hogwarts for lessons. At least until Umbridge finds out and finds a way to stop it, I guess.
Since she had confronted him about what was bothering him, Harry's visions had only become worse. He would wake up several times per night and would often be unable to sleep any more. She badly wished she could do something for him, could take some pain away from him.
Still doubting the help, Occlumency could offer Harry concerning his visions, Astoria wondered who this tutor would be. Would she get jealous because he mentioned the teacher was female? No, no she wouldn't.
Even if she was right and Occlumency didn't stop his visions, the lessons would still be a good thing as a Lord should know how to protect his mind.
Mr. Weasley seems to recover quickly. And while I now see your point in saying that the attack wasn't my fault only because I saw through the snake's eyes, Ron doesn't seem to agree with you. It's sad to see our friendship falling apart as it is.
Harry's vision during the last night at Hogwarts had been the worst by far. He had seen Mr. Weasley being attacked by a huge snake. To see it all through the snake's eyes made it even harder for Harry.
Dumbledore had been able to arrange Mr. Weasley to be rescued thanks to Harry's quick thinking and had then sent the Weasley children to Sirius' place. He had wanted Harry to accompany them but Harry had refused and argued, he didn't want to intrude mainly because of the fallout with Ron. Furthermore, Harry had stood his ground and told Dumbledore he would ride the train with her, like he had promised. In the end, he got him by wanting to avoid questions and arguments with Umbridge, he was sure would come, if he left the castle early.
So the next day, she and Harry had shared a compartment on the train to King's Cross with Daphne and Tracey. Harry had a lot of meals at the Slytherin table and had become friends with her sister and Tracey. Apart from a few sneers, Malfoy, the git, hadn't done anything about it in such a public setting.
During the train ride, Astoria put up Privacy Charms for a few hours to talk to Harry about his vision. In the end, he had seen the truth in her words. A fact, Astoria was glad about.
As for your question, I would love to come to your home on Boxing Day! Let's talk more about it later.
Looking up, Astoria saw her family's expectant looks and she blushed.
"H-he said he'd love to come.", she mumbled.
Her mother excitedly clapped her hands. "See, dear. I told you, he would come. I have so much to prepare.", her mother added, standing up.
Even Daphne and her father were happy concerning the bright smiles on their faces. Astoria felt warmth spreading through her whole body. Beaming back, she went back to reading the letter.
At this point I normally would ask about you but I rather hear you telling me.
Love,
Harry
While tracing her finger over his salutation, she frowned. He surely didn't mean to wait until he came to the Manor before writing more. What was that about?
"Well, what's the other letter about?", her sister's voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"Huh?", she asked dumbly before processing the question. "Oh, I don't know. He mentioned an early Christmas present.
With that, she tore the second envelope open, to find a… mirror? A mirror, she couldn't even see herself in. What kind of joke was that?
Turning the mirror around, she saw a piece of parchment attached to it.
It only read:
Say my name, when you're alone.
Harry
Frowning again, she stood, too. "I'm up in my room.", Astoria told her them. As she left the room, she could hear her father's voice. "What was that about?"
Arriving in her room, she shrugged before softly saying: "Harry Potter."
Nothing happened for a few seconds, before the mirror briefly went black and then she could see –her eyes went wide - Harry!
A very tired looking Harry, whose eyes nevertheless lit up at seeing her. His hair was even messier than usual and he had very dark rings under his eyes.
"Oh Harry!"
He smiled tiredly. "Hey, Tori. I missed you.", he told her softly. Her heart skipped a beat.
"I missed you, too.", she breathed.
After losing herself a little in his answering grin, she finally asked: "H-how is that possible?"
"They're called Two-Way-Mirrors. Sirius and my dad invented them while at Hogwarts, so they could talk when they were stuck in different detentions." He chuckled lightly and Astoria giggled. Harry had told her about the Marauders, as she had asked him about his map. She was fascinated by the legendary pranksters, who probably couldn't ever be matched. Not even by the Weasley-twins.
"Well, I guess you have to be a genius to get away with that much pranking.", she laughed.
"Yeah, becoming animagi during school, creating the Map and those mirrors… they set the bar high." His tone was light eyes had become sad.
"How are you feeling, Harry?", she asked then.
"Not… not as bad as I could, I guess.", he told her after hesitating. "How about you?"
"Still not sleeping well?" Astoria ignored his question for now.
"Not really, no." There was resignation in his voice.
"Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"I-I don't think so, Tori. You do enough by being there for me."
An idea hit her at that. "Well, you can thank Sirius for me.", she told him. "You will call me when you wake up and are unable to go back to sleep."
"Tori…", he began. She could see his unwillingness to wake her up, to cause her trouble.
She interrupted him. "Promise me."
"You don't h…"
"Harry.", Astoria said softly. "We're being there for each other, remember?"
He nodded reluctantly.
"Then promise me. You would do the same."
They locked eyes again and she could see his resistance fading quickly. Finally, he nodded again, a lone tear escaping his eye. Nobody must have ever done something like this for him. Astoria couldn't imagine how hard his childhood must have been. Her heart broke a little for Harry.
When they had regained their composure, Harry repeated his question from earlier. "How are you feeling? Any complaints?"
She sighed. "Not really, no. I don't really do that much, though."
He nodded, looking way happier than he did only a minute ago. "That's good. How about Daphne your parents?"
"They are good, too. No unnecessary comments about my… situation. Not that Daphne would say much about it." She was glad, she had her sister. Daphne had been her only save haven before meeting Harry.
Not that she didn't love her parents, but their overprotectiveness often got tiring.
He nodded again, but Astoria could see, that something was on his mind. After a few seconds, she knew what it was.
"Harry.", she began soothingly. "They will love you. My parents always told us to make our own decisions and stand for them. Besides, they would have supported you anyway. You only gave them more time to prepare." She gave him an encouraging smile.
She knew, Harry not only feared, how her parents would react to their… relationship. He also feared he might have brought them in danger by associating with them.
For a long time, she didn't really know how long, they said nothing, only keeping eye contact. Finally, what he had seen in her eyes, in her soul, must have convinced him. He smiled once again.
"So, how's the plan for Boxing Day?
[++++++++++]
During the night from the twenty third to the twenty fourth of December, Astoria woke up to a buzzing sound from under her pillow. How odd. If her sleepy brain didn't play a trick on her, she was at home and not at Hogwarts. That would mean, she didn't have to set an alarm.
There! She heard it again. Sticking a hand under her pillow, she felt for the source.
Hmm, it wasn't her wand. So she had been right, no Alarm Charm.
As it buzzed again, she found the source. It was flat and rectangular. And it had a smooth surface.
She gasped. "Fuck!" Now wide awake, she quickly lit the candles in her room with a flick of her wand and pulled her mirror out to accept Harry's call.
His face, which then became visible looked like he had played a quidditch game that went all day. He really appeared worn out. Astoria was about to say something, when Harry blushed, his eyes growing huge.
Not really understanding, what his problem was, she looked down at herself. Of course! She always slept in just her panties and a shirt. While there was no way, Harry could see her lower body, the white shirt she wore really didn't do that the best job in hiding what was beneath.
While heat started to shoot into her face, she thought, she really should pull her blanket up or something. For some odd reason, though, she didn't. Astoria fought down her blush. The excitement had won the battle.
Harry, too, seemed to lose the struggle, as he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Well, Astoria decided, she didn't mind… And if Harry would be easier to distract from his dreams, she certainly wouldn't complain.
"Like what you're seeing?", she then asked with a cheeky grin.
He still was busy taking her in. The shirt she wore wasn't even tight. For her, in fact, it was rather large. Although it had kind of wrapped itself around her during her sleep. She must have turned a lot.
"Uh… yes.", came his intelligent reply, before his eyes shot wide open in shock. "No! I mean, of course, but…"
Laughing, Astoria decided to safe him. "It's okay, Harry. I know what you mean.", she giggled.
"Oh… good.", Harry was blushing madly by now.
"So, what happened?"
Visibly relaxing thanks to the change of topic, he replied. "I had another vision. It was the same as before and I felt like I got further but I still couldn't reach the door."
He had told her about the repeating dream about a corridor with doors. His dream-self seemed interested in one particular door, he had yet to reach.
After some questions, Astoria had quickly told him, that the corridor was located at the Ministry of Magic in London. She had been there a few times with her dad.
"I still don't get what that's supposed to mean."
"I guess there is some meaning to it, it wouldn't repeat itself otherwise.", Harry sighed.
"D-do you think, Voldemort is showing it to you?" Astoria had begun calling Voldemort by his name after spending some time with Harry. She could tell, it was important to him.
"I don't know, really. Why would he? Could it be his next target?"
"That or a trap."
"Why would I go there? I have told Sirius and I tried to tell Dumbledore but the old man still avoids me." She could tell, Harry was getting increasingly stressed and annoyed."
"I don't know, Harry. But promise me you won't do something about it. At least not alone."
"I can handle myself.", he retorted.
"I know that, Harry. Nonetheless I want you to promise me.", she insisted. "I can't lose you." The last part was barely more than a whisper.
That did the trick, though. "I promise." Gazing in his eyes, she could see the truth in his statement.
"Good." She smiled at him. "Now tell me about my present for Christmas."
Harry laughed and shook his head in mock exasperation. "No, I won't."
Astoria smirked. She was a born distraction.
[++++++++++]
She couldn't hold herself back, when a knock came from the front door of Greengrass Manor. After quickly striding towards the door, she pulled it open, to reveal Harry. He looked quite nervous. Well, at least until he appeared to take her in.
Astoria wore a form fitting black dress, that covered her legs from midthigh upwards. Laughing, she playfully turned around once, to let him have a look. Over her shoulder, she could see that Harry must quite like her rear.
Like her sister, she had honey blond hair, which, in her case, didn't quite reach her shoulders. Where her sister had a little more bust, Astoria had been blessed with long and well-shaped legs as well as a round and firm ass. Not that she would complain because of her breasts, though. She liked her large B-cups.
Harry, too, seemed to like her figure. "Y-you are gorgeous.", he got out after swallowing hard.
Beaming at him, she replied. "You look rather handsome, yourself."
He wore dark grey chino-pants with a well-fitting white dress shirt. His hair, which he had grown out over the term was loosely gathered in a bun. She had to stop herself from licking her lips.
"Ah, screw it.", Astoria heard him mutter, before he took a step forward. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her passionately. Melting into the embrace, she kissed him back.
Shit! Remembering, where they stood, she drew away and he pouted cutely at that.
"What will my parents think, if they saw me snogging some guy on our doorstep?", she teased.
"W-would it help, if it was your boyfriend instead of some guy?", he asked her, already beginning to blush.
Gobsmacked, Astoria stared into his way to beautiful emerald eyes. She really hadn't been expecting that, even though they had kissed a few times before. She knew the pressure, he was under and additionally couldn't blame him for not wanting to tie himself to a walking corpse like her.
"Are you asking…?"
"Yeah.", he breathed. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
Now, she was kissing him fiercely, answering his question without needing to speak. She really couldn't believe it but wasn't about to complain.
Taking his hand in hers, she pulled Harry inside. "I'm getting cold."
Astoria then gave him a quick peck on the lips, interlaced her fingers with his and led him along to meet her parents. She couldn't contain her happy smile.
Entering the Greengrass' drawing room, they made their way to where Astoria's parents and Daphne sat. The three of them stood, as they saw the couple approaching.
"Mother, Father, Sister.", Astoria began. "Please meet Harry James Potter, Heir to the Potter Family." Her parents and Daphne nodded. Turning to Harry, she continued. "Harry, meet Lord Robert Greengrass and Lady Isabelle Greengrass. You, of course, know my sister Daphne, Heiress to the Greengrass Family." Harry inclined his head towards each family member.
After a moment, Robert clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "Now that the formalities are dealt with, I would like you to join us, Harry."
Astoria and Harry sat down on a free couch, still holding hands.
"So, I understand you and our daughters have developed a friendship over this last term?", her mother asked.
"Yes, Ma'am.", he answered, blushing.
"Nothing of that. Call me Isabella.", she smiled at him. "The girls have told us a lot about you."
Harry gulped at that. "Have they?"
"Oh, yes. And I must say I'm impressed. Befriending a girl despite the established house rivalry, being there for her, when nobody outside the family would."
Her boyfriend was blushing even more now. Astoria had to stop herself from sighing at thought of the word 'boyfriend'.
"I assure you, Astoria has been helping me, too. And a great deal more than I could help her, if you ask me." Harry paused, shooting her a broad smile. She felt like melting, before he quickly turned back to her parents. "Daphne, too. They were friends, when I needed them and I'm very grateful for that."
Daphne had begun sitting with them occasionally during meals, after understanding how good the two of them truly were for each other. Astoria's sister and Harry had quickly become friends, too.
Her mother smirked at that. "Is that what you two are, then? Friends?", she asked gesturing to their joined hands.
"Seems a little friendly for just friends.", her father piped up, still chuckling.
"Dad!", she screamed.
"It's okay, dear. But I take, you have informed Harry…", he trailed off, getting more serious.
Before she could shoot back the answer, she wanted, Harry spoke up, squeezing her hand again. "Yes, Lord Greengrass. She did. And I informed her of all my… problems. We won't let that stand between us, though." Gazing in his eyes, she could see that he meant it and that he knew that she meant it, too.
Her dad seemed to be convinced for now, as he nodded. "Then call me Robert.", he said, to what Harry nodded.
"So, tell us about yourself, Harry.", her mother said after a short pause.
"Well, there's not too much to tell, really.", he began lamely. "You probably know more about my family, than I do. Other than that… I used to like playing quidditch, I like learning and reading as well as good music." Astoria seemed to be the only one to spot the shadow darkening Harry's face. She squeezed his hand.
"What do you mean, you used to like playing quidditch?" This time it was her father, who asked. The man was obsessed with quidditch, too. "My daughters are not interested enough in quidditch to keep me informed about the house teams. You play for Gryffindor?"
"Yes, I am… was seeker." Harry sighed. "Last year, because of that stupid tourney, we didn't have a quidditch season and this year I played one game before Umbridge banned me for life."
"Why would she do that?"
"Malfoy provoked him after losing the game. Harry… Harry had a weak moment because he knocked the ferret out.", Astoria interjected. "You should have seen Umbridge… She looked like Christmas had come early."
Her father gritted his teeth. "I know that woman. She's as vile as they come, really. You might want to keep your head down."
"I like to think that I did a good job about that… except that day, maybe.", Harry answered.
"What did young Draco say to get to you?", Isabelle asked.
Harry looked uncomfortable at that. "I really would prefer, not to talk about it.", he murmured.
Astoria nudged him with their joined hands and looked him in the eye, as he turned to face her. "You didn't have to do it, you know."
The shock in his eyes was barely visible.
"Fred and George told me.", she answered his unspoken question.
"I'm sorry.", Daphne piped up. "What didn't he have to do?"
What had happened, hadn't really spread. After getting knocked out cold, not by magic, but by Harry's fist, Malfoy must have thought twice about bragging how he baited Harry.
Her boyfriend sighed. "Malfoy talked about Tori… in a way I will not repeat.", he quietly told Daphne. "The ban is my own fault, really. Other than that, Malfoy didn't get to me the whole year."
Turning to Astoria, he smirked, shrugging. "Shouldn't have grown too attached."
She gasped before hitting him across the chest with her free hand. "Harry!"
Her family must have found it funny, too. All three of them chuckled along with Harry.
Dropping a kiss on her temple, Harry smiled apologetic. She had to smile now, too. Shit, why did he have to be so sweet?
The next few hours flew by in a blur. The Greengrasses and Harry had dinner provided by Kibby and the other Greengrass house elves. When they served dessert, Harry had been in heaven, as Astoria made sure there would be treacle tart. She and Daphne sniggered at his moans of pleasure, as he savoured every bite.
"So, Harry.", Robert began, after everybody had finished dinner. "Tell me, which quidditch team do you support?" The three women groaned at that.
"Er, I don't really support a pro team. It's because I didn't grow up in the magical world, I think." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "My friend Ron wants me to support Chudley but I always refuse.", he chuckled.
"It's good that you refused that.", the Lord Greengrass answered before grinning mischievously. "I will have to take you to a game of Puddlemere sooner or later. You know, to give you… some inspiration." The older man winked and Isabelle snorted.
"Oh, that would be cool!", Harry exclaimed. "I know their reserve keeper."
"Ahh, Mr. Wood.", Robert deadpanned. "You know him from school?"
"Yes, he was my Captain in my first three years. We won the cup in '93/'94."
"Must have been a great team then."
"Well, Harry never lost a game.", Astoria interjected smugly.
Harry's eyes bulged out a bit. "I lost once. But I didn't think you knew.", he whispered.
"You were attacked by dementors during the game. That hardly counts as a loss.", Astoria smiled. "Fred and George told me.", she added then.
"Cedric caught the snitch.", he shrugged. Astoria could see the dark look in his eyes. He still hadn't finished processing Diggory's death. She squeezed his hand in support, as she didn't want to cause a scene in front of her parents.
"So, when did you start playing, then?", her father asked after a short pause.
"In first year.", came Harry's answer with a tiny smile.
Robert looked shocked. "In the quidditch team in first year? You must be the hell of a seeker then, Harry."
"He is.", Astoria piped up again. She could see the glee on her father's face. He must be dreaming about a possible son-in-law in the national team. She blushed a little at that thought.
"Well, how come you only won the title once?", he questioned after getting a grip on himself.
Rubbing his neck, Harry sheepishly replied. "In first year I was in the hospital wing during Gryffindor's last game and we lost because we had no seeker. In second year the cup was cancelled because of the whole Heir of Slytherin affair…" He trailed off. He had, of course, told Astoria about his first and second year already but she could see the interest in her family's face.
"By the way… Harry, do you mind me asking about the sudden large amount of house points you and your friends seem to receive at the end of every year?", Daphne questioned.
Her boyfriend sighed at that. Astoria knew he didn't really like talking about it all. He had told her about most of his adventures, really. She could see how uncomfortable it had been for him.
Looking her in the eye for a minute, he sighed. "Robert, Isabella… you wouldn't by chance own a pensive?" Harry has been searching for one since the term started but they are incredibly rare. Because of that Astoria hadn't already seen his adventures.
"Well, we do have one. Why do you ask?", her mother asked confusedly.
"I could show you.", he said, looking at Astoria. "You all."
"Of course." Robert called for an elf to bring the pensive.
"I have to warn you, though. Most of it is not… pretty. Maybe you want to watch sometime else. It's Christmas after all."
"That's okay, Harry. We want to see it.", Robert said and Astoria squeezed his hand.
Harry sighed but proceeded to draw the memories from his head. When he finished, he placed the silvery string in the pensive, Kibby had brought.
One by one, the Greengrasses entered the pensive until only Harry and Astoria were left in the drawing room.
"Do you want me to come?", she heard Harry ask, as she hesitated to enter the memories.
Biting her lip, she nodded but said: "If you don't want to see them again, I can understand."
Harry stood and kissed her temple. "Go on. I will be right behind you."
Seeing his encouraging smile, she touched the liquid surface and was being drawn into Harry's memory. A moment later, the boy in question appeared next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
It was then, that Astoria noticed, where they were. They stood in front of a wooden door in a third-floor corridor of Hogwarts. As she heard growling, she knew exactly, with which memory Harry had decided to start.
About half an hour later, the ensemble emerged from the pensive. While Harry was sporting an impassive mask, even Daphne would be proud of, the others were visibly shaken.
Robert looked shocked, as well as Isabella. Daphne wore a look of anger. Probably at the Headmaster and the other Professors. How could they allow such things to happen, time and time again.
Astoria, though, pushed such feelings aside. She focused on the boy who's memories they had watched, the boy who had comforted her despite him being the one effected. Harry still had his arm around her shoulder but was pulling her close now. She let him hug her from behind, his arms around her middle and allowed herself to draw comfort from her boyfriend, allowed him to draw comfort from her.
A minute later, Astoria turned in his arms and hugged him back. Looking up in Harry's face, she could see his impassive mask still in place. His eyes, though, told another story. For Astoria his sadness and pain was clearly visible.
"Well.", her father began slowly. "Fuck."
Isabella gasped at that. "Robert!"
Daphne, on the other hand, had something entirely else in mind. "The Chamber Of Secrets.", she breathed. "It's real."
"Yeah.", Astoria confirmed to what Harry snorted.
The older sister's head snapped towards the two of them. "You… you have been there.", Daphne stated more than she asked. It sounded rather accusingly.
"I took her there after we started spending more time together.", Harry explained.
Recognizing the look on Daphne's face, Astoria spoke up again. "I'm sure Harry will show it to you, too, once we're back in Hogwarts."
Daphne then muttered something quite unintelligible along the line 'he better', what made everybody laugh. At least the uncomfortable feeling seemed to be broken down a bit.
[+++++++++++]
Some hours later Astoria finally had some time alone with her new boyfriend. They currently were in her room, as she'd led him there after the family had discussed the memories with Harry.
After the initial shock, Astoria's family had been very impressed with Harry's abilities. When they told him so, he waved it of, claiming he had been lucky.
Now, though, the boy clearly was uncomfortable with being behind closed doors with his girlfriend while in her family's home, but Astoria had shushed him. The girl was eager to finally exchange presents with him, as they had not sent them by owl, wanting to trade them in person. Astoria wasn't that eager because she wanted to get her present… well, she wanted it of course, but more so she wanted Harry to have hers.
"Come on.", she said, lightly bouncing on her feet. "Open it!" She had thrust it into his surprised arms, as soon as they had entered her room.
Harry grinned amusedly at her antics but complied, nonetheless. He must have decided to tease her, as he ever so slowly began examining the present.
After a minute or so, he had savoured the teasing enough for his liking and opened the present for real. His eyes became very soft in an instant. Astoria had drawn a picture of Harry and her, sitting on a broomstick, facing each other. Their first long conversation. The moment, they had become friends.
"It's beautiful.", he breathed with shining eyes. "Did… did you draw it?"
"Yeah.", she mumbled a bit shyly. "I would have chosen another moment if I had known, you'd ask…"
Amusement and adoration flickered in those gorgeous green orbs. "You will have to draw some mor for me, then.", he smirked.
"Well, I might. If you're good." Harry pouted and she laughed. "Turn it around."
Harry did so and gasped. "You didn't…"
"I did.", she confirmed.
"How…?"
"Well, turns out, Gringotts offers more services, that you think. Even when it concerns the muggle world."
He still looked gobsmacked. "They must have cost a fortune."
"You're worth every galleon, Harry.", she gently assured him and kissed him on the cheek.
"Do you want to come?", he smiled and Astoria laughed.
"I might have been a little disappointed, if you hadn't asked.", she confessed with a smile.
Two hundred galleons well spent. Astoria herself was still astounded, that the goblins had managed, to get them two tickets for Plant and Page on February 24, 1996 in Sydney. It was a Saturday, so they should get no problems with leaving the school. The only problem would be getting to Sydney, though.
"Sorry.", Astoria said then. "I haven't really thought about how to get to Sydney. It won't be the best idea for you to travel by one of the official portkeys…"
Harry smirked at that. "Well, don't worry. I'll get us there." With that, he soundly kissed her.
"Your turn.", Harry announced after breaking the kiss a minute or so later.
The boy produced a shrunken, rectangular package from within his pants and enlarged it with a wave of his hand. His wandless abilities were certainly developing.
Not wanting to be as silly as her boyfriend, Astoria tore the present open right away. Well, that was a bit childish, too, but she didn't care.
Astoria gasped, as she noticed, what exactly Harry had bought her. It was an old edition of The Lord of the Rings, signed by Cristopher Tolkien. Astoria had read The Hobbit during the first term and was eager to read The Lord of the Rings as well, since she had loved the story about Bilbo.
Her mouth agape, she looked at her boyfriend. "You… you didn't."
"Well, it's not like, I did something special for you like you did for me." Harry looked a little sad, so she embraced him gently.
"Shh, I love the book.", she told him. "It was very thoughtful." She continued holding him, willing her feelings into his soul.
After a minute, when they broke apart, she saw him smiling again.
ANII: Thanks to all of you, who told me about the credits of Kashmir. I appreciate it. What I meant, though, was the lyrics. I don't know, who wrote them, but I suspect Plant.
