Chapter 17

Where the Chapter Has No Name

Gryffindor had just won the Cup. The Lions and all their supporters celebrated their way towards the castle, likely en route to their common room. Everyone else went about their day as they would any other Saturday. Daphne and her friends decided to relax by the lake. It was a beautiful day after all, despite the results of the match. Though, it wasn't all bad news.

Daphne was pondering all the ways she was going to make fun of Harry. Sure, his team had won, but it certainly wasn't due to anything he'd done. And that was what she was going to harp on, that his team never could've won had he actually played. Yes, that was going to be her angle after she rubbed in the fact that he hadn't caught the Snitch once all year.

She was snapped from her musing as she caught sight of a mop of dark hair sprinting from the direction of the castle. As he got closer, it was obviously Harry and he was making a beeline for her. He never slowed down, he had to be coming to her, but for what?

She walked away from her friends so she could talk to Harry with some sort of privacy.

He reached her and bent over, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

'Harry, what's up? Shouldn't you be celebrating with your House?' she asked.

Harry just held up a finger. He was still panting; hadn't yet recovered from his run.

'This is great,' she said in mock exasperation. 'You come out here with some amazing news to tell me but now you can't even tell me.'

Harry took his hands off his knees and stood up though his breathing was still ragged. There was a sense of concern in his eyes.

'I kissed — No. . . Ginny kissed me.'

'Okaaaay,' Daphne replied unassuredly. Neither spoke for a moment. After a few calming breaths she broke the silence. 'She kissed you?'

'Yeah. . .' His voice was still breathy, and now, she didn't know if that was from the physical exertion or if he was struggling to search for the right words. 'I went to the common room after detention. . . and they were all celebrating. . . and what I thought was just going to be a congratulatory hug. . . turned into a kiss,' he explained, taking labored breaths in between each sentence.

'Did you kiss her back?' Daphne said, trying to keep any accusation out of her voice.

'Not really. . . But I didn't really push her away either.' Harry grimaced slightly as he finished. He was obviously not taunting her.

Daphne glowered at him, taking a deep breath to keep herself as calm as possible.

'Everyone was hooting and hollering. I didn't want to embarrass her in front of the whole House,' he added, as if more explanation was needed.

'Oh, yes. Heaven forbid you embarrass her,' she said scathingly. She didn't do well at hiding her emotions there. His explanation, which felt more like an excuse, didn't exactly sit well with her. 'Then, you came out here to tell me so I don't hear it from someone else?'

'Yeah, she tried to follow me but I told her I needed a minute.' He paused and she could tell he was analyzing her. She was analyzing herself at the same time.

She nodded. At least he had learned from last time, and her expression softened.

'Are you mad at me?' he asked almost expectantly.

'I. . . I don't know.'

She was trying to place her feelings. She definitely felt something but she didn't know if she had the right to feel mad. Whatever agreement they'd had to start the year had morphed into something new. Only that something new hadn't come with any new agreement, at least verbally. And now, it was all on the precipice of coming to a crashing halt.

What did he want? Permission? Clarification? Forgiveness? Retribution? A fight? She couldn't be sure.

'So, what are you going to do about it?' she asked.

'I don't know.' He shifted his weight nervously and ran his hand through his hair.

'Harry, I'm not mad at you.' She could at least give him that.

'Ok, good,' he said with a deep sigh and the tension in his shoulders seemed to release. 'But do you still hate me?'

'Very much so,' she said with a smirk.

'Ok, good. I better get back to celebrate with my House, they'll wonder where I've gone,' he said somewhat hesitantly.

'Ok, bye, Harry,' Daphne said as he started to make his retreat to the castle.

He added a wave to her friends who were attentively watching their interaction even if they couldn't hear everything.

As she watched him go, her worries took over her mind. They hadn't cleared anything up. Some facts had been established but there'd been no clarification about their feelings. They'd never been great at communicating those things, outside of their disdain for one another. But now, Daphne wondered if her goodbye had been more than just a temporary one.

The thought of that stung. More than she'd anticipated.

It wasn't even so much the kiss. He seemed genuine about not initiating it, and for some reason, that mattered.

But now she was left in limbo about whether he was going back to her. . . or. . . or what? She didn't even know.

'Ok, Daphne,' Tracey started sternly. 'What was that about?'

Daphne sighed. 'Oh, you know. . . Just Harry reporting about another girl kissing him again.'

'What?' Millicent gasped.

'Who?' Tracey asked.

'Ginny,' Daphne answered.

'Weasley?'

'Do you know any other Ginnys?' she said snarkily.

'You don't have to be a bitch about it,' Tracey replied playfully. 'But, at least you kept your cool this time.'

'He did tell me himself this time,' Daphne reasoned.

'So does this mean you're done snogging him?' Tracey asked, and she dropped the teasing tone.

'That's still up in the air,' she replied uncertainly.

'I guess that's the problem with keeping your boyfriend a secret. Other girls don't know to stay away,' Millicent commented.

'Yeah, that, and not ever confirming that he is — or was — my boyfriend,' Daphne said thoughtfully. As the year progressed she had revealed more to her friends about the arrangement she had with Harry. So although they called him her boyfriend while in private, they knew there was nothing official between Harry and Daphne.

The next week cleared things up for her.

Ginny was beside Harry at every meal and her face portrayed one of someone involved in fresh romance.

Harry, on the other hand, did not seem as besotted with his new predicament. He sent more than a few subtle "Help me" looks in Daphne's direction. And while she felt some comfort in knowing he wasn't dropping her for another girl, and a sort of sympathy for his plight, she also had a sense to twist the knife, so to speak. It wasn't as if he was love potioned, so if he wanted out, he could get out. If he couldn't figure that out, he deserved some teasing.

So, while she let him be the first few days of the week, by Thursday she was ready to have some fun. The coins had gone untouched to this juncture but not anymore. They were all sitting at their House tables for lunch when she reached in her pocket and altered the minute.

She watched for his reaction. She'd noticed how he now kept cutlery in both hands while eating, or at the very least the hand that was closest to Ginny. There was no way he would bring his hand under the table where it would almost be an invitation for her to grab it. She imagined he kept his Knut in his right pocket which was next to Ginny at the moment.

His hand flinched at what she knew was the warmth of the coin. His eyes flicked in her direction but they didn't linger. She silently complimented him on his display of discretion. Discretion that she didn't have to maintain, and she let her smile play at her lips.

She allowed him peace for the rest of the meal, she'd done what she wanted to, no need to rub it in any further.

He sent her a more forceful glare as he got up from the table which caused her to laugh again.

She left the coin alone after that and their meeting stayed as scheduled for Friday. She was waiting for him to reschedule but the date and time never changed.

So on Friday night at 7 o'clock, she went and found an empty classroom on the second floor and waited. She didn't wait long before she heard the door creak open, but nobody came inside. When the door closed, seemingly on its own, she knew he had come under his cloak.

'Had to sneak out huh?' Daphne asked teasingly.

'Yeah,' Harry said in exasperation. 'It was the only way I was getting out of there without being followed.'

'You mean, you're having trouble getting some time away from your girlfriend?'

'She's not my—'

Daphne's glare stopped Harry's denial in its tracks. 'It's been almost a week and you still haven't talked to her?'

'I don't know what to say,' he replied in near desperation.

'Start with how you feel. You don't seem to have much of a problem telling me.'

'That's easy. . . I hate you. Nothing tricky about that. I like Ginny. Just not like that.'

Daphne smiled and shook her head. 'Well, I can't tell you exactly what to say, that's up to you. But the sooner the better. And you better not bring me into this,' she said threateningly.

'What, are you scared of Ginny?' Harry teased.

'Yeah, I am. I don't need her thinking swooped in to steal you away from her. If you had told her about me that first day — right after she kissed you — that would've been one thing. But not now, not after you've been leading her on for a week.'

'I haven't been leading her on. We haven't kissed since the first day and I do all I can to keep my hands occupied so she can't hold them. I'm not always successful,' Harry admitted. 'But I'm not doing anything to make her think I'm her boyfriend.'

'Well, she thinks you are and so does the whole school,' Daphne stated.

'Does it matter what I think?'

'Not if you never bring it up,' she said coolly.

'Damn, fighting Voldemort is easier than this. All this worrying about what to say without hurting her feelings stuff is not for me.'

'I can imagine it's hard for your brain to process these types of things.'

'My brain could use a distraction,' he suggested.

Daphne gave him an incredulous look and added a few small shakes of the head. To this point, Harry hadn't seemed to notice that the sofa Daphne was sitting on was not as large as the usual one she'd transfigure. No, this one was just barely big enough for her, and her alone. She wasn't giving Harry any room for misunderstanding tonight.

'You're not snogging me. . . because I have — because the whole school thinks I have a girlfriend,' Harry said in question.

'See, your brain does work sometimes,' she smirked. 'I'm not snogging you until you break up with Ginny.' She repeated his words more clearly just so he couldn't claim he didn't understand.

'But we're not—'

'Then that's all you'll have to tell her. But you're gonna want to put it very delicately or you're gonna have bats flying out your nose for who knows how long.' She added a wry smile, she did not envy Harry's position.

'Great,' he said in exasperation. 'But if you weren't going to snog, why'd you keep our date?'

Daphne shrugged. 'I've gone out every Friday night this whole school year. I'm not going to stop now. And I thought, maybe we could just talk.'

'About what?'

'About how you are hoisting the Cup and didn't catch the Snitch once this year.'

'That's doesn't—'

'Or how you're not even the best Seeker on your own team,' she cut through his argument.

'Now, that was just one match,' he countered.

Daphne didn't really care to argue the point. She just wanted to rile him up and there was one more thing that could take this to the next level.

'Or about how you got detention with Snape — for the rest of the year, is it?'

'Yeah,' he said with a roll of the eyes. 'We are not discussing that. And you're breaking a rule bringing that up.'

'No, that was only a pre-snogging rule. Tonight, we're just talking as enemies. . . no benefits.' Her easy smile didn't look like one you gave an enemy, and neither did Harry's, even though he did look slightly defeated. 'But I'll let you choose the topic since you didn't like any of my ideas,' she said in consolation.

'Ok, then,' he said as he transfigured his own small sofa to sit on.

They talked and talked. . . about nothing in particular. They eventually came back to Quidditch and Harry had Daphne recall the match he'd missed from her perspective. Then they talked some more about randomness, always avoiding the heavy subjects that frequented Harry's life.

They actually spent more time together than they usually would and were well past curfew when they decided to leave.

'I should probably walk you back to the dungeons under the cloak. There's some patrollers out already,' he said as he looked at the map.

'You could just let me take it,' she suggested.

'No, I think I should keep it on me for now,' he said resolutely. She didn't prod for the same reason she didn't ask about certain topics.

'Ok, then, let's go.'

It was a tight squeeze to fit them both under the cloak and they each wrapped an arm around the other's waist to make it work, but it did.

'Get your hand off my ass, Harry,' Daphne demanded through gritted teeth. As they moved through the castle his hand had been sliding lower and lower. Sorry, Harry, I'm not a frog in a pot of boiling water.

He obliged with a disappointed grunt.

This was the first time he'd walked her back to her common room and it was also the first time that they hugged as they said goodbye.

Harry held Daphne's shoulders after giving her the hug and he leaned in to kiss her.

She turned her head at the last minute and his lips landed on her cheek.

'I'm serious, Harry. I'm not kissing you until you clear things up with Ginny.'

'It would be a lot easier for me to not want to kiss you if you were Sirius,' he replied with a small chuckle.

'And now with the bad jokes. It really is time for bed. Goodnight, Harry. Good luck with Ginny,' she said teasingly.

'Yep, I still hate you. Night, Daphne.'

He pulled the cloak away with him as he left and she quietly snuck into the common room and off to her dorm.

Nothing seemed to change as the next week progressed. And even on Friday evening as she went for her regular fly, Daphne noticed Ginny flying with Harry. From her observations during meal times, she knew Harry hadn't done anything yet and this was just another confirmation.

It didn't take more than a few days for that change to happen. As she was preparing for bed, she felt a familiar warmth from her pocket, a warmth that had become disappointingly less frequent over the recent week and a half. She waited until she was in the privacy of her bed to look at the coin. The time hadn't changed, it still read 7:00. But the date was new, it was set for the next day, or evening to be precise.

They'd never actually changed the date before like this, at least while at school. So this was either an emergency, in which case, she didn't know why he would wait until the evening to schedule the meetup; or something had happened with Ginny, and he just wanted to snog sooner. So did she, if she was being honest, but she wasn't ready to commit yet. She'd wait until breakfast for a confirmation before making the decision.

And confirmation she received as Harry sat with his regular set of friends at the Gryffindor table, Ginny a few tables away with the girls from her year. It was the first time they'd eaten apart in almost two weeks. If that wasn't enough, Harry's relieved expression accompanied by an expectant smile towards Daphne put it all over the edge.

That's when she decided, when he looked over so confidently, as if he knew she couldn't resist the prospect of snogging him. As much as she truly wanted to snog him, she wanted to see him squirm just a bit more. She reached in her pocket and palpated the coin a little. It took more effort than changing just the minute, and she didn't have the practice but eventually, she knew she got the date just right and waited until she saw Harry's reaction.

He glanced down at his lap and furrowed his brows in disappointment. He shot a glare in her direction and it was then that she realized she found his glarey face rather attractive as well. The small smile hidden by a sense of anger did something to her heart she couldn't quite describe.

He smirked just a little as he set his attention back on his food. Later that day he changed the minute by one, just as they'd done hundreds of times in the past and Daphne bore a victorious smile. They would meet on Friday, their normal day, at their normal time. She was forcing herself to use patience she didn't know she had.

'So, what did you—'

He didn't shush her. He didn't tell her to shut up or stuff it. He didn't even say the regular, "no talking before snogging" line they so frequently used when one of them tried to ask a question. No, he just swept her off her feet — taking the air right out of her lungs — sat down on the sofa with her in his lap, and pressed his lips to hers.

Her arms had instinctively gone around his neck and they stayed in that general area the rest of the evening, never letting Harry's lips pull away from hers.

They did talk a little when they were done. It turned out that Ginny wasn't as oblivious as Harry had assumed. But she'd held out some hope that more time together might change something. In the end, when nothing changed, and Harry finally talked about how he felt, she wasn't surprised and let him off the hook easily, so to speak. No slaps in the face, and no bat bogeys.

'So, what's your plan the next time a girl just kisses you out of nowhere?' Daphne asked.

'Er. . . I don't really have one. Maybe, just not letting it happen in the first place would be best,' he suggested.

'And how do you plan to make that happen? You seem prone to allowing it.'

'Hmm, I don't know yet. I'll think about it though,' he said pensively.

'Well, we've got just over a month left before we go home. So you better think fast because once people notice Ginny's not by your side anymore. . .'

'You think?'

'I mean, look where I've got you,' she said coquettishly. She cut off any chance for a reply.

To say the pair left that evening in high spirits would be a gross understatement.

The next weeks passed without any upheavals in their relationship. If any girls tried to move in on Harry, they were firmly rebuffed. No change was good. It wasn't perfect clarity, but she had no complaints.

The lack of change came to a screeching halt that fateful night towards the end of June.

Daphne wasn't disturbed for much of the night. The sounds of battle didn't reach the dungeons, but eventually, news reached the Slytherin dorms and the students flowed out of the castle in their nightclothes.

Whispers and murmurs of Dumbledore's death reached her before she was able to see for herself.

It was Millicent that pointed out Harry once they came in view of their old Headmaster. 'Look, there's Harry.' She even gave Daphne a small push in the back in case she needed any prodding.

Daphne ran into Ginny just before she got to Harry. 'McGonagall wants him up in the hospital wing, Sirius and the rest are up there,' Ginny said.

'Ok, I'd like to talk to him a bit first, but I'll make sure he gets up there,' Daphne said resolutely.

Ginny nodded and quickly left.

Daphne didn't try to read the note that was in Harry's hand, it was just in her view and her eyes couldn't not take in a letter that was directed to the Dark Lord.

She knelt down next to him and put her lips next to his ear. 'Harry, do you need a distraction?' she whispered.

He didn't turn his head, but his cheeks moved slightly. His eyes were still glistening, but he nodded his head softly.

'Let's go, Harry,' she said as she took his hand and guided him to his feet.

They didn't go straight to the castle. They found a semblance of seclusion behind a large tree and she wrapped her arm around his back and buried her face in his chest.

He held her for some time. No words being passed. Only a soft sniffle was heard occasionally.

'You remember when you told me to think about how to keep other girls from kissing me?'

'Yeah. . .'

'Well, I've thought about it.'

'Harry, that was almost a month ago,' she said with a small laugh.

'I know.'

'I hope you actually have something of substance to tell me then, if you've been pondering on it for that long,' she playfully threatened with a smile as she looked up at him.

His eyes, which were still tinged with a slight redness, locked onto hers. 'I want you to be my girlfriend.'

'Don't you think we should be friends first?' she smirked.

'We kinda have a history of breaking from convention. I think we should be fine,' he said with his own smile. It was good to see him smile.

'I guess you have a point,' she conceded.

'You're gonna hate this. . .'

She tilted her head and quirked an eyebrow in curiosity.

He continued, 'But I want to hold your hand as we walk through the halls and I drop you off at your classes. I want to sit with you in the Great Hall and eat with only one hand because my other is entwined with yours. And I want everyone to know to stay out of my personal space because you are the only one I want to share it with. I want you to be mine, not because I own you, but so that all the other boys know to stay away.'

'You're right. . . I hate it. But mostly because I hate that I want all that too.'

'I'm never gonna do it,' Harry stated. 'But I want to.'

'And I'd never allow it. I'll slap you if you ever try that stuff,' she said sweetly, resting her head on his chest. 'I'm in.'

'You're in?'

'Yes, I'm in. I'll be your girlfriend,' she said with a bright smile, receiving one from Harry in return. 'So, do you know who R.A.B. is? I'm assuming that's kinda important.'

'Daphne, I don't want you to have to worry about that kinda stuff,' he said with concern.

'You must not have heard me correctly. I said, "I'm in." That means I'm all the way in. I'm not just a distraction anymore. Your problems are my problems. And mine are yours.'

'But I thought—'

'Harry, will you shut your mouth when you're talking to me?' she said firmly. She gently put a hand on his chin and pushed his jaw closed.

'Huh?' he murmured. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. Her statement had exactly the effect she'd hoped for.

'That's better. Now listen. I don't care that we've avoided it for the whole year. But if you want all of me, then you have to give me all of you. We've been dancing around it all year because deep down we both probably knew if we went for it, there's a chance we fail gloriously. But if you are willing to find out, so am I.'

Harry nodded

'You can talk now,' she prompted.

Harry shook his head, his lips creased in the smallest of smiles.

'You are so stupid, you know that?'

Harry nodded.

'Merlin, I hate you!'

The smile on Harry's face broke but he still didn't speak.

'We better get you up to the hospital wing, they're probably freaking out since you haven't made it up there yet,' she said.

Harry nodded and held out his arm in an "after you" display.

'Gentlemen actually talk to their ladies as they escort them, you know?' Daphne scolded.

Harry just shrugged.

They walked arm in arm around towards the castle.

'First Cedric, and now you've killed Dumbledore—'

'I didn't kill him!' Harry exclaimed.

'Finally got you speaking again,' Daphne said with a smirk.

'Not a funny trick,' he replied.

'No, it's not. But there are people out there who either believe that, or will accuse you of that to make you look bad. So you're going to hear it one way or another. Best you hear it from me first and figure out how you are going to respond.'

'I hate you.'

'I'm right though.'

'That's what I hate about you.'

Daphne giggled softly.

They entered the hospital wing where they were quickly ambushed by the crowd that had congregated there. They all wanted to know Harry's version of the nights' events.

'It was Snape. . .' Harry began to recount his adventure, though, with some of his pauses, it still felt incomplete.

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny filled Harry in on the things that had taken place while he was away and the whole story came together.

Daphne remembered why she was so willing to be left out of the loop. She didn't have the stomach for all this stuff but here she was and here she would stay.

At the end, Harry passed Sirius the small note from his pocket.

Sirius' eyes widened to the size of Bludgers as he read.

'So you have any ideas?' Harry asked.

'Ideas? I have no doubt,' Sirius replied in shock.

'Harry, can we go somewhere else to talk about this?' Hermione asked.

'What do you think?' Harry said, looking at Sirius.

'It's your decision. Everyone here has your back. The more people that know, the more that can help. I don't think this stuff was as much of a secret as the Headmaster would've hoped,' Sirius said, holding up the note he had refolded.

There was a little back and forth between Harry, Sirius, Ron, and Hermione — apparently, the ones in the know.

At some point, Harry'd taken Daphne's hand — so much for not allowing these sorts of things. He would squeeze hardest when Hermione would begin talking, but every time, he would relax as she spoke. Daphne wondered if he expected Hermione to push back more than she did. Ginny definitely noticed their hands, but instead of scowling at them, she smiled softly. That was unexpected.

In the end, they decided to fill everyone in on all the details. Harry released Daphne's hand and pulled out the locket to explain all about what he and Dumbledore had been doing; Horcruxes, prophecies, and more. More stuff that almost had Daphne heaving.

'So, what do you know, Sirius?'

'R.A.B. is Regulus. My brother. It has to be.'

'Do you think he destroyed it?' Harry asked.

'This doesn't make it sound like he got away with it,' Sirius replied, holding up the note again.

'Where could it be now then?' Ron asked.

'Kreacher,' Sirius said just above a whisper.

Pop

'You called, master?'

'Dad, wait! Let me,' Daphne said before Sirius could screw the whole situation up. She held out her hand for the locket and Harry placed it in her hand. 'Kreacher, did Master Regulus ever have something like this?'

Kreacher's smile — which had developed when Daphne started addressing him — disappeared and he bowed his head. 'I have failed Master Regulus.'

'How?'

She sensed his hesitance.

'Tell me everything, Kreacher.' She tried to make him forget there was anyone else present.

It worked. Kreacher told her everything from the beginning to where the locket was currently.

'Kreacher, will you go get the locket? I think we can help you fulfill your mission,' Daphne said hopefully.

'Yes, Mistress,' Kreacher said as he popped away.

'We can destroy it, right?' she asked quickly.

'Who's up for a trip to the Chamber of Secrets?' Harry said.

'I'm good,' Ginny said abruptly. Her face had paled considerably. 'I don't care to ever go back there.'

Kreacher returned, locket in hand. He placed it in Daphne's open palm.

'This just oozes evil,' Daphne stated. She handed it over to Harry. 'You take this with you. I've no interest in seeing whatever is down there. You can tell me the story later.'

'Reconsidering?' he asked with a little smile.

'No, but I know my limits.'

'Alright, we'll be back. Hopefully with one less Horcrux.'

Everyone else that was able, left. Fleur stayed by Bill.

'Sure you don't want to go?' Ginny asked.

'Yeah, I've had my fair share of Harry's stories for the night,' Daphne replied.

'It's a Basilisk, down in the Chamber. Did you know that?' Ginny asked and she walked towards the window.

'No.' Daphne said as she walked over by Ginny. Why was she telling her this?

'Harry had to save me. From the diary he talked about, and the snake.'

'I understand why you don't want to go back there then.' Daphne didn't want more details.

'Yeah, my memories from there aren't pleasant.' Ginny glanced at Daphne and then back out the window. 'Can I ask you what you talked to Harry about?' she asked without turning her head.

So that's what she wanted to know. 'Sure. . . I didn't actually have much to say to him at first. I thought he might just need some comfort,' Daphne said.

'I'll bet he appreciated that.'

Daphne nodded and then paused. Ginny didn't seem upset to see them holding hands, so she probably already had an inkling. 'He asked me to be his girlfriend,' she said somewhat nervously.

'It's about time,' Ginny stated while a small smile grew.

'Huh?'

'Yeah, I thought he'd ask you out right after we broke up. I'm surprised it took him so long.'

'Really?' She couldn't believe that Ginny was so casual about this.

'Oh, come on. Harry's fancied you for ages.'

'I don't know about that,' Daphne said meekly.

'I would. He never said as much. But when you pay attention to someone like I have Harry, you learn who they are paying attention to. And he has always paid attention to you.'

'That's—'

Her response was cut off by the return of the group. Harry held the now blackened locket in one hand and a good-sized fang in the other. Many others in the group had a fang as well.

'It worked,' Harry started. 'Even let Kreacher do it.'

'Never seen the guy so happy,' Sirius said with a smile.

'So, now what?' Ron asked.

'Now, we all go get some rest,' Professor McGonagall announced. 'There will be plenty of time for discussion later and tomorrow is not far away.'