Daphne woke wrapped in his arms, neither had moved all night. It seemed comfort was drawn from their nearness to one another. She snuggled closer to him, a brilliant smile on her face.
Harry was still asleep, his raven hair protected his eyes from the sunlight shining into the room through the opened curtain.
Daphne simply lay in his arms and marvelled at how peaceful he was. It was almost angelic. She wished he could feel this calm and serene every minute of every day.
It was peaceful, until the squeaking of Hedwig swallowing her breakfast, woke Harry.
She felt him begin to move. "Good morning my love," she spoke with a loving smile.
"Morning. I really need to keep Hedwig inside at night so she doesn't go hunting," he smirked as he looked at his familiar.
Daphne giggled a bit as she also looked at Hedwig. "Are you ready for breakfast, my love?"
The barn owl nodded with approval as she left her perch and landed on Daphne's shoulder, before nuzzling her softly.
Daphne started laughing. "Well I see you're ready for breakfast. How about you Harry?" She asked as she looked at him while petting Hedwig.
"Yeah, also don't trust the nuzzling, she does that for extra food," Harry commented as he began to get out of bed.
"It's alright. I'll get her something," Daphne said as she got out of the bed and headed to the door. "I am going to go get dressed, and I'll meet you back here in a few." She picked up her dress from the floor and slipped it on, walking out the door quietly to dress in her room.
Harry nodded as Hedwig landed on his shoulder. He decided to get dressed as well but since didn't have many clothes to choose from, he had to wear Muggle clothing. He moved Hedwig back to her cage so he could change.
Harry sighed as he dressed in a blue button down shirt, his nicest jeans, and slid on his trainers. He opened the door to see Daphne standing with her hand preparing to knock. She was wearing yet another fancy dress. Was she always dressed to impress someone?
She smiled at him as he opened the door. "Do you want to go to Diagon Alley today. We'll get you some new clothes. If you're okay with that?" She suggested.
"Sure but I'm going to grab a cloak to hide my identity," he replied. He didn't feel like getting stopped today. He turned to walk back into his room and grab his cloak.
She nodded to him with an understanding look. "We'll go right after breakfast and be back by lunch," she said decidedly.
He held the cloak over his arm as he went to join Daphne.
They headed towards the dining room for breakfast hand in hand. As they entered the dining room, Harry saw Mr. Greengrass standing by the window talking to a woman dressed in pink. He wondered if this was the same woman Daphne was telling him about last night.
"No! Daddy, why in Merlin's name is she here again!" Daphne screamed, tears falling down her face as she turned to Harry. "Let's go, Harry. We'll eat while we're out," she commanded as she attempted to pull Harry back out of the room. Harry looked at her confused, but allowed her to pull him from the room.
Harry could feel the pink haired woman stare daggers at him as Daphne pulled him away. What could he have possibly done to her?
"Please Harry," she whispered to him. He turned to see her eyes darting towards the door and the woman in pink.
"What is wrong sweetie?" Mr. Greengrass asked.
"Why is she here Daddy?" Daphne asked her father, fear and anger laced her voice. She stopped walking and turned back toward her father.
"It's for Daddy's work, Sweetheart," Mr. Greengrass replied. It appeared to Harry like Mr. Greengrass hadn't wanted to be in the room with the woman either. He had been standing very tensely while he spoke with her.
"NO! No Daddy! It is not fucking okay!" she yelled at him. "If you must do business with this, this TOAD, then do it somewhere else! I wanted you to apparate us to Diagon Alley," she screamed, turning away from them.
"Listen sweetheart, Daddy has to do this. It's his job, and I need to make it work. I can't take you today," Mr. Greengrass coaxed his daughter.
She was silent for a long moment. "Then make it work elsewhere. That woman has horrible intentions. I'm certain of it," she said in a low, icy tone. Daphne's eyes didn't leave the woman's face. The woman smiled a sickeningly sweet smile at Daphne. Harry looked between the three people and realized that the woman had something to hold over Mr. Greengrass's head. He wouldn't say anything about it unless absolutely necessary, but he could see it in the way Mr. Greengrass spoke.
"Fine, we will be back in a few hours," Mr. Greengrass sighed and he walked back into the room with the pink woman.
"Come on Harry," Daphne pulled on Harry's arm to draw him further from the room.
Harry stopped Daphne when they turned a corner, "Daphne, was that the woman you were talking about last night?" He used his thumbs to wipe the tears from Daphne's lovely eyes. Even when she was crying, she was beautiful.
"Yes, that was Umbridge. That woman is horrible! For Daddy to do business with her this early in the morning, it's unseemly. Besides the fact that she is a toad!" Daphne ranted, waving her arms for emphasis.
Harry sighed. "I don't understand her obsession with pink. Do you think she will wear pink at Hogwarts? Can you imagine her next to McGonagall?" Harry asked as he tried to cheer his girlfriend up. This was going to be a long day, even without the Umbridge woman involved.
Daphne burst out with laughter. She nodded and said, "Probably, but I can't wait to see the other's professors' faces! Let's go get breakfast. I'm hungry."
Harry allowed her to show him to a large fireplace near the foyer. She handed Harry the floo powder, but he didn't take it.
"You may wanna do it. The last time I did that, I ended up in Knockturn Alley," Harry remarked remembering his horrible first use of the floo in the summer before his second year.
She smiled softly and held her hand out to him. "Take my hand," she commanded gently as she took a handful of floo powder.
He took her hand, grimaced, and tried to prepare himself for the trip in hopes he didn't end up at the wrong grate.
Daphne threw the powder into the grate. "Diagon Alley!" She shouted loudly and clearly as she gripped Harry's hand tightly. They were quickly whisked away from the manor and into the general fireplace of Diagon Alley.
Daphne's face was set with purpose as Harry stepped out of the fireplace with her and into Diagon Alley. Normally, Daphne had a soft, calm face, but since seeing Umbridge, it was firm like stone.
Harry followed Daphne into the alley and complained, "I really hate that mode of transportation."
"Me too. Unfortunately Daddy's to busy with that bitch to apparate us here, so we had no choice," she said with irritation.
Harry sighed as he began to follow the irate Daphne. He wished clothes shopping could wait until Daphne was in a better mood. This was going to be torture.
They arrived at Twilfit and Tattings, and she ordered the sales woman to help Harry to find new clothes, suitable for a young man of means. The woman did not argue with the irate teen, seeming to Harry to be familiar with Daphne Greengrass. Harry was directed to a dressing room, where ensembles appeared for him to try on. Harry didn't say a word as he tried on ensemble after ensemble. But his anger was brewing under his passive demeanor. Why must Daphne dress him? He wasn't trying to impress anyone. He did recognize the need for a few new suits, but the way that she was talking, he needed a new wardrobe.
When Harry was out of the dressing room, displaying yet another suit for Daphne's inspection, the sales woman accidentally tripped over some clothes that were piled behind her. Harry hadn't put the clothes back on the rack, just threw them over the door into a heap when he was finished with them. She fell into Daphne while trying to pick up the discarded clothing at the same time as Harry turned to walk back to the dressing room.
He heard Daphne yell, "How dare you!"
Harry turned around in time to see Daphne's magic vibrating most of the store and her face grow red with anger. Damn, she was sexy when she was angry, but this was not acceptable.
"Now Miss Greengrass, I am sorry. I truly did not mean to fall into you. I tripped. It was an accident." the woman placated the furious teen as she backed away.
"Oh please! You simply wanted to try to push me around because you are angry about when I was five!" Daphne shouted, stamping her foot. "That wasn't my fault! I WAS FIVE!"
Harry grabbed Daphne by her shoulders and pushed her out of the store and into the alley beside it as he took a deep breath and commanded sternly, "Stop, Daphne. This is not acceptable behavior for a witch of your caliber. You are acting like a five year old."
He could still feel her magic vibrating around them as she stared at him. She took a long, deep, steadying breath and closed her eyes. Harry felt the magic in the air diminish. When she opened her eyes she spoke relatively calmly, "You finish up. I'll meet you in the restaurant. Make sure you're dressed." She leaned forward and kissed him.
"No Daphne. I am not going to be dressed like a paper doll. I am not trying to impress anyone. I'm going to go back home and rest in my room. You go to lunch. Impress who you want, but I'm fucking done," he replied angrily, fed up with the theatrics. He was tired of being treated of lower value than everyone else. And Daphne's bout of anger was the straw that broke the camel's back on this whole endeavor. He began to walk back down the alley toward the floo location.
She took hold of his arm and brought him back placing his back against the wall. "You'll do no such thing!" She spoke firmly. "I am not angry with you. Everyone else I have had contact with this morning, but absolutely not you. I only want to leave while you finish, so I don't do something stupid again."
She took a deep breath and continued, "Last time something like this happened, I was five and unable to control my magic. This time should have been different." She looked away still speaking, "That sales woman has held a grudge against Daddy and I ever since I set her shop on fire during a temper tantrum when I was five. It was all over a dress Daddy wouldn't let me have," Daphne finished, her cheeks lit up with a fiery blush.
Harry couldn't help but grin at her. "You set a fucking shop on fire at five? You are quite the greedy princess. Let me tell you, that is kind of fucking sexy," Harry smirked and chuckled at the expense of his girlfriend as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I can be, when I know what I want. And right now what I really want is for you to go finish purchasing your clothes. I'll wait here, if that'll make you feel better. Just tell her to take it out of Daddy's Gringotts account," she ordered pushing Harry toward the door. He resisted.
Harry spoke irritated, "Daphne, I will only be getting a few suits of clothes. I don't need more. I am not your paper doll. Give me five minutes."
She nodded at him and spoke softly,"I'm sorry, Harry."
He chose a new dark blue button down shirt and a pair of black slacks to wear to the restaurant. Once he was finished choosing which clothes to buy, he asked the sales lady to charge his own Gringotts account and to have the purchases sent to Greengrass Manor. The clothing he chose were comfortable, except for one dress suit. He refused to be uncomfortable just because his appearance didn't measure up to the Greengrass ideal.