A/N: So I know I said that updates will be faster because I'm not going for 10+ word chapters but life got a little busy. Now, though, I've found time that I can dedicate entirely to writing so things will hopefully pick up. In fact, the next chapter is already written, just going through the edits.

I also want to take a moment and thank my beta, dinadan256, for the help. Thank you.

Please enjoy this chapter and review.

January 1993

Harry had always looked forward to the Christmas holiday. A chance to go home and spend time with his family. Jokes, stories, and merriment was always abound at the Cove and Harry reveled in it. This Christmas, though, was different. For one, neither he or Danny had gone home as Danny refused to return to the Cove now that they had no more bracelets. Harry wasn't about to go home without him so the two of them stayed with the small number of students that decided that they'd spend their Christmas holiday at Hogwarts. Most of these students were ones without families or the few muggleborns that were rejected by their parents for what they were. The headmaster and professors did their best to make it a family affair by having everyone sit at a single table in the middle of the Great Hall.

Harry and Danny, though, never participated.

Lucky for them, the two brothers had a sanctuary within the Hogwarts. Thanks in large part to Dumbledore who introduced them to an interesting tapestry on the seventh floor: the legendary and mysterious Room of Requirements. Danny had immediately fled to the room and refused to leave for fear that his secret would be revealed. For as soon as Danny had removed the defective bracelet, his body began to glow and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"I've made up my mind, Harry." There appeared to be a force field of light surrounding Danny. It was almost blinding in its intensity.

"Danny you're being ridiculous." Harry was tired of hearing how Danny was never going back to the Cove ever again. "We can get through this together."

"I won't hurt Dad again," said Danny with conviction.

"So don't."

Danny lifted up his glowing hands. "Not like this. It's never been like this." To illustrate, Danny reached down and rested his hand on a nearby vase. The moment he made contact, the vase shuddered and then shot off like a rocket and crashed against the wall.

The sight reminded Harry of the time he had touched one of Danny's orbs but now all it took was touching his skin.

"You can control it, Danny. You have before." The problem always seemed to be that when something new about Danny's magic manifested all the confidence he had built over the years were shatter. Harry had always been there to build him back up but it was time that Danny learned to do it himself.

"I don't know how."

Harry was tired of hearing Danny's negativity. It's been a few days and Harry had yet to find some way to get through Danny's stubbornness. To get him to understand that the magic inside was a part of him and would obey his command if he just had the confidence. It was like Danny refused to walk, because he was afraid he would run into he watched his brother pitifully stared at his ever glowing hands, Harry decided that a direct approach might be his only option. Harry walked right up to Danny and grabbed both of his hands.

"Harry, no!"

The pain was excruciating. It felt as if lightning was coursing through his body. He could already feel his toes going numb.

"Let go, Harry, please!" Danny vainly tried to free his hands but Harry was stronger. Not to mention, the pain had caused the muscles in his hands to completely seize up. He couldn't let go even if he wanted to do.

"Y-You h-have to s-stop it," Harry stuttered. "Y-You c-can c-control it."

"I can't," Danny sobbed as he watched his brother's pain.

Harry's whole body was shaking and his glasses vibrated off his face.

"C-c-control…" Harry wanted to say more but couldn't manage it. The numbness was now spreading up his body. He didn't know how much more he could take.

Danny seemed to sense it too. He squeezed his eyes shut in concentration and steadied his breathing. Harry could only stand there as his body withstood the pain. Just as Harry's eyes began to roll back in his head, the pain suddenly dissipated. His death grip on Danny's hands was released and Harry crumbled to floor. Harry didn't know how long he had lost consciousness but when his eyes opened again, his glasses had been replaced and he stared back into Danny's deep hazel eyes.

"Are you ok?" he asked concerned.

"You did it." Harry motioned to Danny's body. For the first time since he had shown Harry the broken bracelet, Danny's body was its normal luster. Danny smiled a big toothy grin. He held out his hand to help Harry up. Harry grabbed it and felt only his brother's callouses. Once Harry was on his feet, he clamped Danny on his back.

"Now let's get to work."

That had been a week before the students had returned and the castle was once again filled with the ever watchful eyes of their peers. After much practice Danny had gotten better at keeping his magic from manifesting but Harry had the need to be extra cautious.

"Are you sure about this, Harry?" Danny nervously looked up at his brother. He was bouncing on his feet, still unsure about Harry's plan.

"We need their help but if you don't want to do this then we won't," said Harry, hiding his own nerves. In truth, what they were about to do went against everything he and his family had discussed concerning Danny. Harry, though, had to admit that he needed help.

"I want to." Danny certainly didn't sound like it.

"Don't be nervous, Danny. These are our friends, remember?" With that Harry turned and made to walk to the seventh floor.

"I just hope they still are afterwards."

Harry wondered why encouraging his little brother couldn't be easier, but decided that it was better than Danny having a big head and being overconfident. Still, a healthy middle would be nice.

"They will." At least, Harry hoped so.

They stopped once they reached their destination next to the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy who attempted to teach trolls ballet. Harry looked around but it wasn't really necessary. In all the times that Harry and Danny had come to the Room, they had yet to meet another soul, not even a ghost.

It wasn't long before Fred, George, and Hermione turned the corner and approached them.

"I have to say, Harry, this is the strangest place you've had us meet," said Fred as he had a look around.

"Not that we don't enjoy portraits of trolls in tutus." The twins were either annoyingly carefree or good at hiding their concern.

"What's going on, Danny?" Hermione sounded calm but her eyes revealed her anxiety.

"Wait until we're inside." Harry knew that no one was around but now they were a group, his paranoia had only increased.

"Inside where?" asked George, confused. There were no doors or other hallways other than the one they stood in.

Harry then started to pace back and forth in front of the tapestry.

"Whatcha doing, Harry?" George wondered, looking at Harry as if he was a crazy person.

"Be quiet, he needs to concentrate." Danny chided. This was the only means to enter the Room of Requirements unless someone was already inside to let you in. A person had to walk back and forth in front of the tapestry three times while thinking of what they needed the room to be.

Harry was concentrating on a place which offered complete privacy and security. On his third pass, a door slowly assembled itself in the wall across from the tapestry.

"Where'd that door come from?" George's mouth hung upon as he pointed at the large wooden doorway.

Harry ignored him. "Inside quick. Before someone sees us."

Together with Danny, Harry pushed everyone into the room. Before closing the door, Harry thought he heard something that sounded like footsteps. He closed the door quickly and required the entrance disappear.

He turned around to a cast of confusion, excluding Danny.

"You going to tell us what this is about, mate?"

"We're not going to be probed or anything?" George nervously chuckled.

"Danny and I need to show you something." Harry's delivery made it clear; this was no laughing matter.

Fred and George dropped down onto a sofa. Their eyes were as wide as saucers with vacant expressions.

"Wow." They said together.

"You've said that like twenty times already," said Hermione as she took a seat in the adjacent armchair. She, unlike the twins, had already witnessed some of Danny's capabilities and yet still she could never have imagined the true scope of it. However, she was still handling it better than Fred and George.

Harry and Danny took their own seats across from their three friends while trying to hide their smiles. They had found everyone's reactions quite entertaining. Harry was glad that Danny had eased up and wasn't as worried anymore about them knowing.

"Wow."

"Do you guys understand what we're asking?" Harry looked between the three of them. Fred and George were still somewhere else and Hermione looked brimming with questions but was holding back.

"Wow."

Harry rolled his eyes and pressed on. "Hermione?"

"Yes we do." She spoke for the three of them, with a confident nod.

"Wow."

"Thankfully, Danny and I had a bit of a breakthrough over the holiday." Harry looked at Danny as both of them remembered how it had happened. "He can keep his magic at bay except for when he gets angry. Now, Danny has always been able to keep a level head but we have to be cautious. There are some people that must never find out about Danny."

"Wow."

"Would you two pull it together already?" commanded Harry in a raised voice.

Fred and George slowly turned to Harry, their eyes still completely vacant.

"Danny no get angry."

"Understand we do."

Harry accepted that that was probably the best he was going to get from them. He turned his attention back to Hermione.

"I know most already leave you two to your devices but this thing with Malfoy—"

Hermione waved him off. "It's nothing, really. He's all talk and no bite. He's mostly just upset that Danny gets so many passes during class, which I guess we know why for."

"Even still, if it comes down to it—"

"I'll draw his fire. Get him to call me a mudblood or something."

Harry really hated that word but was thankful that she was ready to do whatever it took to get attention off his little brother. Danny had been very right about her.

"Thank you."

He turned to the red heads. "Fred, George. There is something you need to learn. It's about..."

Noticing they were still dopey, Harry snapped his finger in their faces.

"Fred! George!"

"Yeah, Harry," they responded with a little bit of daze still in their eyes.

"Both of you need to learn Occlumency." He'd explain why later when they were more coherent.

"Ok," they replied with the same amount of stupor.

"Hermi—"

"I'll help teach them." She was always eager to share her knowledge.

"We also want to invite both of you to train with us here, if you'd like." Danny interjected, while everyone was getting ready to leave.

"Absolutely," Hermione responded eagerly as she helped Fred and George to stand and head to the door. They could only managed nods as she escorted them like children.

"But I have to warn you that Harry's a real slave driver."

That seemed to shake the twins out of their stupor as both started grinning.

"Never would have guessed."

Harry walked out of Defense Against the Dark Arts greatly disappointed. Just once, Harry wished that they could have a decent Defense professor but it was clear after the first lesson that former Muggle Studies professors should not teach the much more active course. It wasn't like Professor Quirrell didn't know his stuff, he was just too soft spoken and timid to instill the kind of reverence needed to teach the subject. A little bit of fear went a long way when demonstrating offensive spells. Harry remembered his first lesson with his Uncle Sirius and was shell-shocked by the change from a joking playboy to one of the top duelist in Auror corp.

Walking up alongside him, like always, was Daphne and while she masked her disappointment better than him, she still rolled her eyes at him.

"Are you going to mope around all day?"

Harry let a long deep yawn before he answered. "I think I'm just going to take off for a quick nap before heading out."

Daphne narrowed her eyes at him. "You've spend a lot of time training recently."

It was true, since the big reveal, Harry had spent most of his free time in the Room training the twins and Granger.

"Danny and I are working on some new things."

"I've noticed that Granger and the two idiots have looked more tired too." It was clear that she was fishing for information.

"Really?" Harry feigned ignorance, already knowing where this was going. But that didn't mean he couldn't milk it for all its worth.

"I ran into the twins crying and holding each other on the way to the hospital wing. Muttering stuff like, 'he's a monster…he has no soul…'"

"Must be Wood. I hear that he's upped their Quidditch practices for the big game against us." The school so did love the Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry. It had only intensified after Malfoy had brought his way onto the team by 'donating' new Nimbus 2001 to his teammates. It was a clever ploy on Malfoy's part. He gained a lot of admirers and a more of their peers actively joined his side against Harry.

Daphne's temper was starting to rise at his deflections. "I even heard from one of our second years that in Potions Granger couldn't even raise her arms to answer every question."

"Must be all the books she carries."

Daphne rounded on him.

"Are you really going to make me say it or are you finally admitting just how stupid you are?" She crossed her arms and spread her legs to keep him from getting passed her.

Harry purposefully took a few seconds before he answered. "What are you taking about?"

Daphne swung her bag at him but he side-stepped to avoid it.

"You're hiding something!" She swung again, going after his head.

Harry ducked and sprung back up. "Naturally."

"From me!" Again, she tried to deck him.

Harry just leaned back and enjoyed the breeze. "Very observant."

Daphne threw down her bag in frustration. "You act as if I don't already know."

"What!?"

Daphne stepped closer and whispered. "I know and I can help."

Harry looked around anxiously. "Not here."

Glad that he was done playing games. "Where then?"

"Tonight. Meet me on the seventh floor by the portrait of the Barnabas the Barmy." Daphne nodded and they continued to walk to their next class without another word.

That night found Harry bouncing on his feet outside the Room of Requirements waiting for Daphne. He was really anxious how she would take it. As annoying as she was sometimes, she would still be a great help. Danny was already inside. He wasn't exactly sold on the idea on bringing in Daphne but trusted Harry's judgment.

Harry had a sense of déjà vu as he watched Daphne round the corner but unlike the twins and Granger, Daphne looked just plain annoyed.

"Did we really have to arrive separately? All this cloak and dagger nonsense is a bit dramatic, isn't it?"

"Just wait until we're inside." Harry craned his neck to see behind her to make sure she wasn't followed.

"Inside where?" she asked with a frown on her face and her arms crossed.

Harry leaned back and tapped the wall three times. Melting through the stone wall, a grand mahogany door appeared.

"Right." She gave Harry a critical eye. She flicked her fingers between Harry and the door. "How much time did you spend planning that little effect?"

Harry opened the door and motioned for her to go inside. As she passed, she muttered. "Narcissist."

Harry closed the door behind them and when he turned into the room, he saw Daphne standing beside Danny with her arms still crossed.

"How'd you found out?" Harry wasn't going to waste any time.

Daphne shrugged smugly. "It wasn't that hard. You were quite obvious about it."

Now it was Harry's turn to frown. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I figured you had your reasons but I had hoped you trusted me enough to tell me." She managed to sound a little hurt which Harry found odd. He imagined that this would be the kind of the thing she would no part of.

"It wasn't something I thought you would want to get involved with."

Daphne dropped her arms. Harry could tell she was tired of the run around. "It's not like it's the end of the world, Harry. You have a problem and I can help."

"Alright," Harry gave Danny a look to ask for his permission. Danny simply nodded. "Show her."

"What—?"

Danny lifted his arms and caused them to glow. Daphne instantly backed away, her eyes wide in fear.

"I-I…this is not…how?"

"Danny's unlike any wizard," Harry explained. "Up until now we had a means to keep his magic from manifesting like so." Danny scrunched his eyes in concentration and his arms returned to normal.

"And now?" Daphne was grasping along the wall looking for a way out.

"Those means are gone."

"I see." She said as she finally managed to wipe her hand around the door knob of the exit door.

"Are you alright?" Harry knew she'd take it bad but he had hoped the fact that she had already known would help ease the blow.

"I-I…" Daphne noticeably gulped. "I wasn't expecting this."

"I thought you said you knew." He had never seen her eyes like this; lost and confused. He took a step closer to her but Daphne held up her hand to hold him back.

"This wasn't…I didn't want to know this." She quickly turned the knob and raced out of the room.

Harry had dreaded the next day. For all intents and purposes, that night had been a disaster. Somehow, Daphne had thought Harry had some other secret he was going to share. He should have known that she would never have been so eager if she had known the real truth. She was going to stop being his friend, he just knew it.

It was strange how much he didn't want that to happen.

However, the next morning Daphne walked right up to him and took her normal seat beside him in the Great Hall. She wished him a good morning and made no indication that anything happened the night before. It wasn't until Daphne had thrown a piece of toast at him that he realized that he had been staring at her in disbelief. He couldn't believe it and yet, had never been so relieved.

But then, over the course of the next few weeks, Harry started to notice something happening. Whenever it was just the two of them, things were like they always were between him and Daphne. She insulted him, he insulted her, sarcastic comeback, sarcastic comeback, etc. Harry enjoyed it in twisted sort of way; it reminded him of how entertaining it was to watch his parents and their battle of wits.

But, anytime Danny would show up, Daphne would make some kind of excuse and leave. She was always polite about it but her intentions were clear. She'd keep their secret but she didn't accept Danny. It hurt Harry, more than he thought it would.

He valued her wit and effortless ability to shift through the general malarkey of their peers. She always spoke her mind and never censored what she really thought about his actions. But as much as he valued her friendship, Danny was his family. Her not accepting Danny wasn't much different than not accepting him.

"What do you think of this one, Harry?"

Harry's thoughts were broken as he came back to the reality of his current situation. Cho Chang had finally gotten Harry on that date and they were currently in Gladrag Wizardware where Cho was modeling different outfits for him. Harry found it very uncomfortable.

It wasn't that Harry didn't find her attractive—especially in the different dresses she had tried on for him—but it was difficult to concentrate on one girl when he was thinking about another. Not to mention the fact that said 'other' girl was the one he thought he accepted a date with. As he watched Cho disappear behind the changing curtain, he couldn't stop imagining what it would be like if it was Daphne with him here instead.

'She'd never pounce around in front him like a…' Harry stopped himself. That wasn't fair. Cho was everything her reputation said she was—sweet, innocent, and totally wrong for him. He was counting the minutes until he could leave.

But what was he going to tell Cho? She was always smiling and telling him how great of a time she was having. Even as they walked along the streets of Hogsmeade with her arm linked with his and he carrying their purchases, her cheeriness was clear upon her face. Harry, meanwhile, could barely manage anything beyond neutral indifference.

"We must go the Three Broomstick before we head back. Everyone will be there."

'Who's everyone?' the thought crossed his mind. It wasn't like Harry was popular or anything. Who'd want to see him?

"And doesn't a butterbeer sound wonderful?"

Harry had to admit that it did. He managed a soft smile and escorted her to the tavern. Inside, the place was packed with students and Madam Rosetta looked haggard, yet graceful, as she managed her eager young patrons.

"Oh no, where will we sit?" said Cho. She was just loud enough that a pair of third years looked up at them. They first saw Cho smiling down at them but as soon as their eyes landed on Harry, they bolted.

"Oh look, a table. Let's sit down."

"I'll just get us those butterbeer, then." He wasn't going to mention her obvious tactic of using his reputation to gain their newfound seats. Just add another reason why this date was a disaster. Though he had to admit that Daphne would have done the same, and yet, he didn't mind it so much when she did it. Daphne, at least, wouldn't hide her intentions and had her own reputation to help it along, too.

When Harry finally pushed his way through the sea of students to the bar, he had to grab hold to steady himself. A heavy wave of lightheadedness passed through him. He'd experience this every now and then and it would usually take a few moments before he could regain his senses. He still wasn't sleeping and every time he gave in and used Dreamless Sleep his hallucinations would return.

He was forced to squeeze his eyes shut as the world began to spin. It was nauseating. His fingers dug deep into the mahogany bar as he felt his stomach do somersaults. Just as Harry felt his knees were going to buckle, the feeling melted away and his senses returned. When he opened his eyes, he found Madam Rosetta in front of him with concern etched across her face.

Harry chose to ignore her stare and simply order his drinks and paid her. He could see that she was going to say something but thankfully a few boys down the bar had grown too antsy waiting for their drinks and had decided to lean over and help themselves. Madam Rosetta was gone in flash and had the boys by the ears as she escorted them out her pub.

Harry turned around with his mugs of butterbeer and audibly groaned. There was no graceful way he was going to transport these filled-to-brim mugs across the crowded floor without spilling them all over himself.

'This is what hell is like, isn't it?'

Fortunately, Harry found a new way to be thankful for his training as he duck and weaved his way through the crowd. All the while, keeping the mugs level with very minimal spillage. Eventually, an extremely proud Harry made it back to Cho. He was about to regal her with the tale, figuring that she had watched his little ballet, but found her staring off at one of the back tables. Harry managed to follow her gaze before Cho noticed his return. Cedric Diggory, along with many other Hufflepuffs were congregating merrily in a booth. He had looked just in time to see Cedric staring back at Cho.

Suddenly, Harry felt a hard push to his back that sent him stumbling. Harry managed to keep his footing and scolded himself for standing still for so long.

"Harry!" Cho cried in warning.

It happened in an instant. Harry felt himself pulled in every direction. Something had swiped his legs from underneath him going one way while another body collided with his torso taking him the other. He managed not to land on his head but only barely. His neck and collar bone were aflame but Harry didn't think he broke anything. As he lay momentarily stunned on the floor, he felt a dampness going down his leg and had the brief thought that he had wet himself. That was when he remembered the butterbeers and mentally groaned at their loss. As his senses began to return to him, a knee smacked across his face and Harry saw stars again.

Instincts finally kicked in and Harry sprang to his feet looking for blood. A small tussle had broken out behind him which had caused him to fall. Harry was quick to figure out that no one was after him but he almost didn't care.

They made him spill his drink.

Harry slowly unclenched his fists and took a deep long breath. He wasn't like that anymore. He wouldn't give in and act the brigand. He was on a date, after all. He brushed off the excess butterbeer from his shirt, stretched his neck, and sat down across from Cho.

"Looks like they're out of butterbeer." Harry smiled, hoping his joke would break the ice after what she had just witnessed.

Cho, though, just looked puzzled. The smile dropped from Harry's face.

'Daphne would have liked it.' She would have probably rolled her eyes at him—something she did when she was amused but didn't want to admit it—and tell him to go back and get them another round.

Cho, though, only looked back and forth between him and the fight still going on behind them.

"Aren't you going to fight?"

Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would I?"

"Because that's what you do," she said like it was common knowledge.

Harry had to stop and really think about what she had just said. It was then that the whole date came into retrospect. The way she walked with him, the way she wanted to make sure everyone saw them together. Her eagerness to come to the Three Broomstick and the way she used his reputation to get their table.

'She's here for my social status.'

By the look on her face, that was exactly why she was here.

'She wants to be the girlfriend of the big bad scary Harry Potter.'

The thought made a smile appear on Harry's face. Cho mirrored it and reached out to hold his hand on the table. Harry removed it before she could reach it as his smile grew to open laughter.

Harry laughed so hard and loud that people were starting to notice and watch but Harry didn't care. He couldn't help himself. Just the idea that he would be interested in such a relationship coupled with everything that had gone on thus far on this date had sent him into an uncontrollable laughter.

Cho looked absolutely stricken and embarrassed as Harry would not stop laughing. She stared every which way at all the people watching them and tried to smile it away. She tried again to hold his hand to quiet him but Harry wouldn't let her. It was then that Cho started to realize that he was actually laughing at her and tears started to form.

Harry, though, couldn't force himself to care. By that point, it wasn't just about this horrid date but everything that happened this year. He laughed about his hallucinations. He laughed about what happened with Danny. He laughed about how his first date in which he hoped to meet someone that would temper his reputation was about to end because of said reputation.

It wasn't long before Cho had had enough and ran out the door with tears rolling down her face. Harry remained in his seat and had no intention of going after her. Good riddance he thought. He had no need for hanger-ons or someone only interested in the person he no longer wished to be.

As Harry was about to leave, someone grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around. It was Cedric Diggory.

"What's wrong with you, Potter?" he asked heatedly.

"Oh, so many things." Harry laughed a little more.

Diggory didn't seem to expect that kind of answer and couldn't speak. Harry stepped aside and motioned for him to go past.

"She's all yours."

Diggory looked confused for a moment but ran out the door after Cho nonetheless.

Now alone, Harry felt more happy and content than he felt all day. It was like a big weight had been lifted off his shoulders and now all he wanted to do was go back to the castle and see what Danny was doing. Maybe they could get in a little training session. He could use a chance to work out the kinks he felt after his fall.

Stepping outside, it looked like a number of other students had had enough for the day as well and were heading back to the castle. One person, in particular, looked as if he was having a grand ole time. Harry walked over to Hagrid whose was walking in a slight zig-zag. He had a big toothy grin and had a strong smell of ale on his breath.

"How you doing, Hagrid?" asked Harry with a smile, knowing full well that Hagrid was probably having a very good day.

"Can' complain, Harry." Hagrid pat his stomach contently. "Can' complain."

"Need any help getting back?"

"Mighty kind o' yeh, Harry." Hagrid swung his arm onto Harry's shoulder and almost smashed him to the ground. They started walking but due to the obvious height difference, Harry felt more like a walking stick.

"Where you coming from?" Harry grunted.

"The Hog's Head," Hagrid stated proudly, completely oblivious to Harry's discomfort. "Fine establish over yonder. Not really fer students, though, if yeh catch me meanin'." Harry did. "But still, good place, good people."

"You weren't alone, were you?" Hagrid really didn't seem like kind of the person that should drink alone.

"Not at all, loads o' people there," Hagrid replied, not understanding Harry's meaning. "Meet a fella an' had a good long chat."

"About what?"

"Little bit o' everything. The man shared me love fer creatures, though. He asked if I had any experience with the big ones, yeh know, dragons an' such. I told 'im, I said, the biggest I've had was me dear Fluffy." Hagrid then smiled like a proud parent. "What a beaut she is."

"Fluffy?" 'Who names something Fluffy?'

"My Cerberus," Hagrid stated proudly. "Loyal a creature as yeh'll find, I say."

A horrible feeling grew at the pit of Harry's stomach. 'A Cerberus? Like the one guarding the third floor corridor. Oh Hagrid, what have you done?'

"Was he interested in Fluffy?" Harry hesitated to ask.

"Course he was, don' see many o' them these days, bad rep an' all. Vastly misunderstood creature, Cerberuses. Now they can be rowdy, make no mistake, but I told 'im that there's a trick fer every beast. The man didn' believe me, though."

"What'd you do then?" He dreaded the answer.

"Told 'im the truth o' it, I did," said Hagrid as if insulted about the insinuation that he didn't know. "Told 'im the trick with Fluffy was that all yeh have to do is play a little music and she'll fall right to sleep. Proved 'im wrong nice an' good."

Harry didn't like this. He didn't like it one bit.

Harry walked into the Slytherin common room with his mind going every which way. If someone was really after whatever was hidden in the third-floor corridor then they now knew how to get pass the Cerberus (or Fluffy). Harry had asked Hagrid if he recognized the man he had talked to but Hagrid had said that the man had been wearing a hood. The way Hagrid had said it, the Hog's Head was usually filled with such patrons. Even if said patron was only curious, who knows who else had listened in and whether this was the first time Hagrid's loose lips have divulged that particular secret.

It made it feel like his disaster with Cho had been ages ago. But not everyone had forgotten.

As soon as Harry walked into the Slytherin Common Room, he felt Daphne's eyes on him. She sat in an armchair in their normal corner that was the most secluded spot in the common room and had its own fireplace. She was reading a book but Harry knew that it was only for show. She was waiting for him to come to her. Harry had the thought to just go on by but instead found himself walking over and taking the seat across from her.

Daphne continued to act like she was reading but her eyes would look at him every few moments. Harry watched the flame, though, unsure of what to say. From the start, Daphne had said that Cho was a bad idea and Harry never liked admitting he was wrong. Not to mention, the growing discomfort between them ever since she found out Danny's secret.

"You can say it if you want." He just knew that she would want to say 'I told you so.'

Daphne gave him on her usual 'I'm superior' looks. "You already know I want to so I don't need to."

Harry fell deeper into his chair, smiling softly. It was such a Daphne thing to say. She had such a way of always appearing on top.

"Next time I'll be sure to consult you first," Harry replied cheekily.

"Next time tell me you've been taking defective Dreamless Sleep Potion," she quickly fired back.

Harry only a brief moments pause as he realized that this is what she must of thought he hiding from her; not that his brother was super-powered.

"I was under the impression that you didn't want me to tell you things anymore." Harry couldn't help the underling bite in his voice.

"Certain things, yes. But other things…"

"I get that, but…" Harry stopped himself. His tone was all wrong for this.

"What?" Daphne didn't seem offended by his tone. Maybe he finally caught a break today.

"You and I both know that I'm not the most trusting of people."

Daphne nodded her head like he hadn't told her anything new.

"And we both know that it wasn't easy in the beginning between us."

Again, Daphne nodded in same fashion.

"But now, it's…" Harry trailed off, still searching for the right words. He wanted to say how much she meant to him now. How much he relied on her. How much he wanted more from their relationship. What that was, exactly, he didn't know yet but he wanted to find out. And yet, something about the moment felt wrong and that was a conversation better left for another time.

Daphne had a slightly bewildered expression as she tried to discern what Harry was trying to say. Finally, the words came to him.

"It feels like you know more about me and I don't know anything about you."

Daphne was quick to brush him off. "You know me."

"Do I?" he asked sincerely. He had only ever heard a few random facts about her life like her rocky relationship with her father and the death of her mother but any time he tried to probe further, she would always change the subject.

Daphne must have sensed what he was getting at and, as usual, sought to shut him out.

"I told you—"

"I know, I know. 'It's complicated,'" he interrupted, frustrated by her usual excuse.

"You have no idea—" she started with foreboding but Harry cut her off again.

"You really think that I couldn't handle it, knowing what you know now."

Daphne didn't say anything and didn't look like she was going to either. She had protested, but only half-heartedly. She was probably very much aware that these arguments didn't hold water anymore.

After a few moments of silence, Harry had had enough and needed to leave before his frustration got the better of him again. Just as Harry was getting out of his chair, she spoke.

"I was only four when they came."

Harry turned back around to look at her.

"You don't expect to remember stuff from that age but I've never been able to forget that night."

She was staring into the flames, her face was completely void of emotion but her voice told Harry enough. Harry retook his seat and cast a silencing ward around them. Daphne just kept staring into the flame.

"Something about my father you have to understand is that he was never popular or had great social skills. In a way, we're a lot alike." She looked away from the fire and looked at him. "I don't know how he and my mum met or how they came to be married. All I know is she was everything to him. He loved her more than anything, even me."

Harry watched a single tear rolled down her face but everything else about her face remained neutral.

"So when they came, they weren't there to recruit my father, they wanted what my father knew but he wouldn't tell them. So they grabbed me and my mum out of our beds and forced us to kneel in front of him. They told him to either tell them what they wanted to know or choose one of us to die and they'd leave."

"Your father must love you more than you realize then. If he choose—"

"He choose me." Daphne interjected quickly and Harry finally started to see the pain she felt. "But then they took her instead," she began, speaking slowly as her voice started to crack to hold her back her sobs and tears. "They made us watch as they beat her and rape her over and over again. And when they started to tear her apart, piece by piece, they reached inside her and torn out my little sister." She stopped a moment to compose herself as her emotions began to overwhelm her.

Harry was partly glad for it. It was hard for him to comprehend what she had just said; to witness such as thing so young. Harry scarcely knew what to do or say.

"Astoria," she whispered the name as if speaking of a long absent friend. "My mum was only a few months. She and Father hadn't told anyone yet. She was barely anything when they ripped her from my mother's womb and placed her in my father's arms."

Before she could finish speaking, Harry already had his arms around her. Daphne broke down in anguished tears and buried her face into his shoulder. Harry could feel the wetness of her tears soak into his robes but it didn't matter. He held her tightly and rubbed her back. No words were spoken.

Harry had no idea that what happened to her mother had gone so far. To witness that at such a young age must have been devastating and from what he had already deduced from what Daphne had told him about her relationship with her father, he realized that Daphne had been holding onto this by herself for a long time.

After a few minutes of the two of them not moving from their embrace, Harry could hear Daphne starting to regain her control of her emotions. She leaned back to look in him in eyes.

"So now do you understand? The reason for all I've done is because I know the next time they come my father will pick me again."

Harry suddenly had an epiphany. "You don't know what this secret is, do you?"

Daphne only shook her head.

"I'm…" Harry stopped himself. There was no point in saying he was sorry. It couldn't do anything to help the situation. Instead, he found himself just staring at her. Daphne's eyes were red from her tears with a noticeable frown. Her bright blue eyes stared back at him and Harry felt an unusually feeling wash over him. One that he had been starting feel more and more whenever he found himself thinking about her. A desire to feel closer to her, to comfort her.

Before he had a chance to ponder the feeling further, Daphne seemed to realize their close proximity and pulled away from him. She looked away quickly to wipe her eyes and Harry notice her slip back into her usually demeanor.

"So…" she started but stopped when her voice cracked again. "So about your problem. I can brew some proper Dreamless Sleep for you until we can get control of your addiction."

"Daphne—" Harry didn't want to talk about himself, not after what had just happened.

"No excuses, Potter. You need to start realizing that things are better when you do as I say."

The way she said it, it sounded like a joke but Harry could read between the lines. She had opened up about as much as she was going to and there was no point in trying. Seeing no other recourse, Harry had only a single thought.

'Yes, Ms. Greengrass.'