A/N 1) – Just wanted to thank you all for your continued support, and to say thanks to my Beta CaskettFan5, who is attempting the impossible task of making me a better writer, this is the biggest chapter by a long way so I hope you all like it.
A/N 2) – To help with ease of reading (due to reviewer feedback) from now on thoughts will be in 'Italics', I hope that this helps differentiate talking and thinking.
A/N 3) – Recommended Reading, if you are a Haphne fan like I am you can't go past Whispers in the Night by Jean11089 – it's gritty, real and every chapter makes you laugh or cry or both.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns it all; I am just playing in her sandbox (but not very well).
'…seriously Daddy it wasn't what it looked like,' Astoria's slightly pitchy voice cut through the ward, shattering the calm atmosphere.
'I haven't accused you of anything Astoria, all I asked was what you thought you were doing. You're the one who got all defensive which is usually a good indication that you're up to something,' the rich baritone voice of Nathaniel (Nate) Greengrass resonated through the open door.
'I saw your expression daddy, don't wind me up. I was doing nothing wrong,' came Astoria's slightly strident retort as she stood in the ward doorway holding the door. 'Neville was just letting me rest until we could go and see Madam Pomfrey, see you're doing it again, stop raising your eyebrows at me, are you going to help me Neville or are you going to just sit there while he impugns your honour?'
'Hey don't drag me into this, I was just doing what you told me to. I didn't make you sit in my lap,' Neville's slightly shrill voice responded, 'hey don't hit me… gods woman you don't need to be violent.'
'Some knight in shining armour you are, save a girl's life, but you won't defend her honour to her father. You're supposed to be on my side not his,' Astoria grumbled.
'I …' started Neville, before he was cut off.
'What do you mean, he saved your life?' Nate voice enquired quietly.
'Eeep,' was the only reply Astoria gave before she came running into the ward.
'Astoria, come back here and answer the question. Astoria… right you three with me,' Nate's voice commanded, as Tracey's laughter flooded the ward.
Astoria rushed over to Daphne's bed and stood behind Cassandra, face flushed, but before Cassandra could comment Nate appeared around the curtains.
'How much of that did you hear honey?' Nate inquired as he gave Cassandra a kiss, Tracey trailed him in silently laughing, slowly followed by Harry and finally Neville who was decidedly dragging his feet, his face pasty.
'Enough to want to know what is going on,' said Cassandra, eyeing Neville up and down, who squirmed slightly on the spot, before turning in her seat to focus on her youngest daughter, who still stood behind her, eyes downcast and cheeks stained red. 'But before we get to what I am sure will be an enlightening tale, Daphne what do you want to do?'
'Oh I want to hear this,' said Daphne with a large slightly maniacal grin on her face, as she watched her sister squirm uncomfortably, 'I'm sure that this is something I don't want to miss for anything.' She turned and looked at Harry and said sharply, 'come over here Potter and let's just get this over and done with.'
'DAPHNE,' came from Cassandra, Nate and Tracey, causing Daphne to flinch in her bed.
'No' came Harry's quiet rejoinder, his eyes narrowing in anger, 'you don't get to order me around, I don't give a damn who you are! I am not your slave, I know you're hurting and that you can feel the tug of our magic's but you know what, you can beg me to come back and by the way you still haven't thanked me for saving your life. I am beginning to think the price for doing so was way too high' with that he turned and started to leave the ward.
Tracey glared at Daphne, 'what the hell Daph, why can't you at least be polite?' She chased after Harry, 'Harry please wait, what about what we talked about with Aunt Cass?'
Harry spun on his foot to face Tracey, 'Why Tracey? Why should I even try, she isn't, I have missed three of my friends funerals because of your friend, all because I saved her life and now I can't get more than a couple of hundred metres from her before it starts getting painful, and she can't even show me some common courtesy, I don't think that is too much to ask is it?'
Harry snarled waving his hands around. 'I am stuck here, apparently at the whims of a selfish girl, so you tell me, why is it I should try anymore, because at this point I'm not sure living is worth it anymore.' His eyes were a pulsing green, and magic swirled around him blowing his hair as though it was in the wind and whipping up the curtains of the ward.
'I am as much a prisoner now as I was in my sixteen years at the Dursley's not that anyone in the wizarding world ever really cared what happened to me, for sixteen cold, lonely years I have been physically, mentally and emotionally abused.'
His face contorted in rage 'do you know that until I was five I thought my name was FREAK, because that all the Dursleys called me, I got in trouble on my first day at school because I didn't answer to my name, but as far as I was concerned they hadn't called my name.'
'I was beaten when I did anything that embarrassed my relatives which was pretty much anything I did, and I soon learnt not to do better in any class than my cousin.'
Tracey was pushed back a step, she could feel the fury of Harry's magic as it churned around the ward buffeting everything in its path. Harry stepped forward, his face seething, his mind was racing but he had about as much chance as a snowball in hell, as he did in stopping the venom and secrets that he had held for too long from flowing out of him.
Harry was gulping in breaths but still he raged, 'I lived until I was eleven in a cupboard under the stairs of their house, I was fed table scraps or staved, and gods forbid that I did any accidental magic.
I lay in my own filth for a week in that cupboard after I accidently apparated to the roof of my school to avoid a beating from my cousin, but my loving uncle didn't miss me, he broke half my ribs, my left arm, my wrist and I bled from places you aren't supposed to bleed from.
Pain rippled across his face, but he continued, 'and for seven days I was in agony whilst I lay there staving as my magic did its best to repair my broken body, not that I knew that at the time I just knew I healed fast.'
Harry staggered in pain, before righting himself, 'and supposedly I am the saviour of the wizarding world.' Harry was grimacing in pain, and noticed a mirroring expression on Daphne's face as he continued to rant, 'not once has anyone in the wizarding world ever thanked me for the sacrifice that my parents made to save the world the first time, so you tell me Tracey, why should I care anymore, I don't need this anymore, I am tired, I am sick and I have nothing left to give and yet everyone still wants a piece of me.'
Tracey was driven back again by Harry's magic and again he followed her matching her steps as he continued his oration.
'I have summons from both the Wizengamot and Gringotts, and I can't go to either because I fucking can't leave this place, my dreams are filled with the ghosts of the people that I couldn't save and yet the one person I did doesn't even appreciate it.'
'My friends are too busy helping with the resurrection of our world to come and see how I am coping, at least they have partners or families to help them, I have exactly no one, the last of I would call my family died in the battle here.'
'The girl I wanted a future with doesn't want to be with me because I am tethered reluctantly to your friend, so you tell me why I should care about one selfish girl, because at this point, I could happily end it all, at least then the pain would end.'
Tracey had been driven back another half a dozen steps so that she was nearly back where she had started, the curtains that had partitioned the ward lay in tatters on the floor, tears streaming down her face, she looked him in the eye and choked out, 'I did.'
'You did what,' roared Harry, his face a mien of fury and pain.
'I wrote to you,' she said simply, 'every year on your birthday right up until we started school, I wanted you to know that someone was thinking of you on a day that you should have been celebrating with you mum and dad, but you never wrote back,' Tracey's voice was quiet and full of sentiment.
'I just assumed that you got so many that you didn't have time to write back to me' she sobbed, 'Mum would tell me your story every year on your birthday, and we would read one of the Harry Potter books, …she said that I should remember what you had lost, and that I should be grateful that I had all my family around me on my birthday.'
Harry stood there stunned his magic fading away, he looked in turn at each of the people in what remained of Daphne's ward room, trying to determine if what she was telling him was true. Something within him marked the truth of her words there was no falsehood in Tracey as she stood in front of him face ashen and tear streaked, looking for all the world as though she was about to buckle under the weight of the information that he had inadvertently let slip.
Nobody until this time knew of his suffering, he assumed that Dumbledore suspected some of what had gone on at four Privet Drive, but it was unlikely that he knew the true cost that Harry had to pay to stay under that roof, even though he had begged every year not to return, he had still been made to return to his own special hell on earth. Things had really only improved marginally once Sirius had threatened his relatives, but that threat only lasted until Sirius' death at the end of fifth year.
'I wrote to you too Harry,' Astoria's hoarse whisper pulled Harry out of his musings, 'so did Daphne, we always loved the stories that Aunty Cate told us on your birthday, I wrote to you every year until Daphne and Tracey went to Hogwarts and told me that you were antisocial, arrogant and had no time for anyone outside Gryffindor, sorry that might sound harsh but even then I didn't really believe them, until I got to school and found out that you only hung around Weasley and Granger.'
Harry stared at Astoria after she gave her blunt assessment of his friendship group, her eyes were puffy and red, and tears marred her checks but she stoically looked him in the eye.
'Had many people thought this way, that he was arrogant and antisocial? He thought he was at least on good terms with most of his class mates but thinking back on it now, up until fifth year and the D.A. he had very little contact with anyone outside of his house. Had he isolated himself to his own detriment? Was it too late to rectify this oversight? Did Ron and Hermione have friends outside of their group and if they did, were they outside of their house?'
Harry's mind raced, and then Neville spoke quietly, 'I wrote to you to Harry, as I think did every child in our world growing up, I just figured that you didn't want anything to do with a near squib like myself, even if I was your god brother.'
Neville tilted his head, 'I should have figured this out earlier but when we met I was too scared to try and get you on your own so that I could acknowledge you as my god brother, and you never sought me out either, but I am guessing that you never knew.'
Harry shook his head his face pale and twitching in pain, 'I never knew, ... I never received letters, nothing, from anybody.'
Neville nodded thoughtfully as he continued, 'I just thought again that you didn't want anything to do with me once you met me, and I could never seem to catch you on your own to discuss it.
When I finally did in fourth year, I had given up on the dream of having a brother, my mother was your god mother, as your mother was mine.' He paused for a moment 'did you know that your father was Susan Bones' godfather? We discussed it once when we were hiding out in the room of requirement, we three are all war orphans Harry, none of us from our alliance has any family left.'
'Alliance,' mumbled Harry, 'What alliance are you talking about and hang on what about your Grandmother?' Harry's eyes widened as he caught the implications of the statement he had just made.
'My Grandmother died, killed by Death Eaters whilst in Diagon Alley early in the school year,' Neville bowed his head, 'don't blame yourself Harry there is no way you could have known, as I doubt you had great news coverage throughout the year.'
Harry went to say something but Neville continued, 'the Alliance is the long standing alliance between the Ancient and Noble houses of Bones, Longbottom and Potter, and yes before you ask, Susan tried to talk to you about this stuff but she also couldn't get you alone to discuss it, and she didn't want to parade our business in front of everyone until she knew where you stood.'
Neville shuffled his feet, chewing his lips before seemingly making a decision, 'I am sorry my friend, I have failed you.' He paused slightly before continuing, I see that now and I will understand if you want to end the alliance with my house once you take over as the head of your house after you get your affairs in order.' Neville's voice was low and quiet, eyes still focused on the floor, when all of a sudden he felt arms around him hugging him.
'Don't be stupid Nev, you haven't let me down, it's not your fault I knew none of this stuff, you have been a loyal and brilliant friend, if anyone has let anyone down it's me for not recognising that earlier,' Harry's voice was choked full of emotion, 'I would be honoured to call you brother and to continue the alliance between our families, and I guess I had better go find Susan soon and have a discussion and apologise to her too…'
Harry paused to consider his next words, but Neville beat him to it, 'Harry stop, you don't know what you are agreeing to, and you need education into what this means for your life within our world, you are from an important family, and you need to consider this stuff carefully.'
'Okay brother what do you suggest?' Harry stepped back from Neville, his head cocked to the side as he waited.
Neville looked up at Harry, shock and pride competing on his face as he gave Harry a considering look, 'do you trust me… brother?'
'With my life mate, as always' replied Harry instantly, putting all of two seconds thought into the decision, 'Ron maybe his best mate but Neville had proved time and time again that he could be counted on when needed, not once had Neville ever abandoned him,' reasoned Harry to himself before realising how Neville had supported him subtly for years with no recognition.
Neville chewed his lip for a moment, 'then trust me now that I do this for your own good, yes?' Harry nodded, his face twitching again in pain as he watched Neville reach a decision, 'Lord Greengrass,' said Neville formally turning and bowing to engage Nathaniel Greengrass who straightened.
'I formally request succour from your eldest daughter and heir, as advocate for my brother. I stand ready to offer surety, for her assistance at this time, and request that she serve for at least a minimum term but no longer than three whole terms or until formally released by me, how say you?'
Daphne sucked in a hiss as Astoria and Tracey stiffened, a request of this nature hadn't been made any time in the past hundred years and it would effectively tie Daphne to Harry until her term ended or she was released by Neville.
Harry went to talk but before he could, Neville held his index finger up to him effectively silencing him. Nathaniel Greengrass paused and considered the two young men in front of him, the blinking of his eyes the only indication that he was thinking hard and fast.
He turned to acknowledge his wife knowing that she would give him a subtle clue as to what she was thinking but also with the knowledge that she would support him whatever decision he made.
The tiny nod of her head indicated that she thought this request had merit, and given the current situation that his eldest daughter currently found herself in, which his wife had kept him well apprised of, he agreed with his wife's opinion.
His eyes flitted over to Daphne, she was pale and shaking her head, palpably begging him not to agree to the request, 'one way or another' he thought 'Daphne is going to need to spend time with Potter to get this condition under control.'
'Forcing her to be effectively responsible for the restoration and protection of Ancient and Noble House Potter for the next one to three years would go a long way to ensuring that they had some sort of effective relationship, be that acquaintances, friends or something else.'
'Besides temporarily or potentially permanently tying his house to two of the more prominent heroes of this war would ensure that his house would prosper well into the next century.'
'Are you sure that you aren't a Slytherin alumni Heir Longbottom,' Nathaniel asked a smile softening the teasing tone of his voice. Neville blushed slightly but waited silently for his answer. Chuckling lightly Nathaniel continued, 'I give in principal agreement, we can adjourn this discussion until later to hammer out the details between all the interested parties,' giving Neville a bow which Neville returned.
'Thank you Lord Greengrass,' intoned Neville, 'your assistance will be greatly valued, on behalf of both my brother's and my house; we look forward to a successful working relationship with your esteemed house.'
'Daddy, what are you doing,' lamented Daphne, pain tinging her words, her face was grey but whether from pain or shock at what her father had just agreed to, was difficult to judge.
Nathaniel turned to face his daughter, 'Daphne, you will do this, I have not done this to spite you, I have done this to help you,' Nathaniel said. Noticing her distressed state he moved to take her hand. Daphne huffed, and faced away from her father, pain still marring her beautiful face.
Nathaniel persisted with his reasoning to his daughter, 'Your pride is tainting your ability to see clearly and is hindering your recovery, you know what being responsible for House Potter means. You have been well trained for this and Mr Potter has not.'
'You will be responsible for his education and the restoration of his house, his secrets will be your secrets, his successes and failures yours as well, just as yours will be his, for you both to succeed you will need to work together.
You may not like each other much at the moment, but there is potential for you both to learn from this experience and given your current situation it is an obvious choice that will ensure that you both have to work together.
I love you very much honey, and I don't want to see you in discomfort anymore, just as I don't want to see Mr. Potter in any more pain. It is obvious given the latest revelations that he has suffered enough for a number of lifetimes,' he looked up at Harry with eyes tinged in sadness and empathy, Harry grimaced, blushed and dropped his eyes.
'I understand Heir Potter that you won't fully comprehend much of what has just happened, but I ask that you give my daughter a chance. Much of what has happened to her is thus far is unknown, and I know my wife has kept you abreast of what they do know for obvious reasons. I know you have no reason to trust me but trust that I will do anything to protect my family, even if that means protecting them against themselves.' He looked back down at Daphne, whose face was contorting in pain.
Harry gasped and his knees buckled as pain ravaged his body, leaving him pale and sweating on all fours. The floor was cool but not cold to the touch, something that Harry had never noticed before. Had he been looking he would have noticed everyone in the vicinity start to move toward him, but it was Neville who reached him first and picked him up bodily. 'Trust me brother, I will watch out for you, but for now you know what you need to do.'
Harry sighed and sagged against him for a moment, but then slowly lifted his head to look around the room, noticing for the first time that everyone had moved a few paces closer to him. He frowned, 'I'm fine, I'm not broken yet just hurting.' Finally his eyes came to rest on Daphne, he could see that her face was pale and tense, 'fine, but she needs to ask me nicely.'
All eyes turned as one to look in Daphne's direction, her eyes contracted, glaring at him. 'Fine, you want me to ask nicely, my lord!' She emphasised the "my lord" sarcasm dripping from both words, Harry's eyes widened slightly but he continued to focus on her, not giving into the voice inside his head telling him that he was being a gigantic prat.
'Very well, I will give you an apology,' and she threw off the blankets on the bed, swinging her legs to the side of the bed.
'Daphne stop,' came the cry from everybody surrounding the bed except Harry and visibly paler Neville, Cassandra reached across the bed toward her daughter desperately, trying to grab her shoulder, but she missed and was left clutching nothing but air as Daphne dodged her hands and tilted her shoulders forward to stand.
In her mind Daphne was seething, 'not only has father saddled me with this skinny runt but, now I have to ask him nicely to help to control this thing that he has done to me. Added to which he has no manners, no decorum, and no sense of decency. What the hell was father thinking, I am going to have to get myself invited to the meeting between him and Longbottom to make sure he doesn't afflict me with any further humiliations.' She never noticed that her eyes were blinking rapidly, as though her brain was having issues with the intellectual reasoning that she was currently undertaking, Tracey however saw it, and wondered why her friend's eyes were reacting in such a way.
As Daphne made to move out of the bed after dodging her mother hands, Neville furiously whispered to Harry, 'mate you have to stop her, all she is going to do is humiliate herself which is going to make all this so much harder to deal with.'
Harry blinked and looked at Neville from the corner of his eye, but he made no move to halt the blonde headed girl as she attempted to move from the bed. 'Why?' he whispered back, 'what is she planning to do?'
As Neville went to answer Harry's question Daphne made to stand, however she had seriously underestimated just how weak her body had become after more than a week of being bedridden added to the exposure to the cruciatus.
'She is going to curtsy, and do a whole heap of other hippogriff shit which an Ancient and Noble family member does when they have wronged the lord or the lady of their house, which isn't going to help either of you,' was Neville's terse whisper back, but it was too late as Daphne's legs failed to hold her weight and buckled sending her into a heap on the floor.
'Daphne, are you alright,' came the simultaneous enquiry again from everybody but Harry and Neville. Time seemed to stand still as no one moved to help the girl before everyone moved at once.
'Everyone stop' Harry's voice cut through the air, freezing everybody in place as they all turned to look at him confused, 'Neville take me around there please.' Neville nodded and shuffled Harry past a gaping Tracey before arriving at the blonde laying in a heap on the floor.
'Greengrass,' Harry's quiet voice was tainted with pain as he motioned Neville to put him on the ground in front of Daphne, 'Greengrass look at me,' Harry's voice was insistent and Daphne slowly raised a furiously blushing and pissed off face to Harry.
'What do you want Potter, come to gloat at how weak I am?' Daphne's voice was layered in fury and embarrassment. No one remaining in the ward moved, all waited barely breathing awaiting the outcome of the unusual conversation now occurring on the floor.
'What… no of course I haven't. Do you really believe that I would do something like that?' Harry asked his voice clearly showing concern that even Daphne could believe he would stoop so low.
'Then what do you want Potter? I am too tired and in too much pain to cater to your whims at this point in time,' came Daphne's cutting reply, her icy blue eyes still glued to his vibrant green ones.
Harry sighed. 'You know Greengrass, that you are quite possibly one of the most pig headed, egotistical and obstinate girls I have ever had the misfortune of meeting,' Daphne's lips twitched slightly, but before she could say anything Harry shushed her and continued. 'Just shut up and listen… gods but you are infuriating. You have a loving family and friends who speak so highly of you so obviously you are doing something right.
So just maybe I bring out the worse in you just as you seem to have a unique ability to push my buttons.' Pain racked them both and Harry heard Daphne's spine popping as she arched into the agony that ripped across her body.
Daphne's body was contorted in pain when she finally whimpered, 'Please Potter, it hurts, badly … worse than anything I have ever felt… I….'
Harry interrupted her, 'I know it does, trust me when you get to six hours agony just doesn't describe it,' Harry's head hung limp with pain, but he ploughed on regardless, 'just be quiet Greengrass, every time lately, when I am in the room you put your foot in your mouth, before you engage your brain, I hate seeing other people in pain when I can do something about it, so don't speak just nod your head yes or no, do you want my help or not?
Daphne looked into the emerald eyes less than a foot from her own; her body screaming in pain, she lowered her eyes defeated and nodded her head.
Harry nodded his own head, 'Ok then, and I don't want to hear any complaints about what I am about to do ok?'
Again Daphne didn't look at him she simply nodded, Harry bowed his head then moved his hand and covered hers and it was as though the world stopped existing except for the two of them. The relief was instantaneous and Harry could have sworn that Daphne's sigh was almost orgasmic.
He felt power flowing back into his body and the pain abating, the bond was some much more potent now that she was awake. Having already decided that the best defence in a situation like this was to have a good offence, he gathered his feet beneath him and picked her up bridal style, almost giggling at the slightly panicked yelp she emitted.
'Potter what are you…,' Daphne hissed even as her arms came up to encircle his neck, but Harry cut her off before she could finish her question.
'Quiet Greengrass remember, you agreed to remain quiet,' smirked Harry as he stabilised himself to hold her weight. She was not heavy, Harry decided, but at five foot ten inches and athletically built neither was she light, her well-toned thighs rested across his forearm, and he could feel the small but well defined muscle of her back, Harry's teenaged mind briefly betrayed him, 'damn those school robes, why do they hide so much," Harry thought randomly, before banishing the thought as soon as he could, hoping that his body wouldn't betray him as well.
Daphne fumed silently, her eyes trying to bore holes into Harry's skull, Harry chuckled quietly to himself, he could feel Daphne's frustration coming through the bond, but he could also sense several other emotions coming through the link that they shared.
Only one however caught his attention, Daphne was frightened, of what Harry couldn't tell but he reasoned that this was her first time effectively feeling the pulsing link between their cores, and the exchange of more than just magic, and he remembered that it had scared the shit out of him the first time, when he had finally felt this tangible connection to another human being.
The world revolved around them, as Harry looked into Daphne's eyes again, guilt raising within him, 'Don't worry Greengrass, I won't bite, and I won't drop you or do anything nasty to you, and I really don't want to make this worse than it has to be, but we need to work together on this to try and sort it out… okay?' Harry asked kindly, Daphne nodded, so Harry continued, 'You can feel me through the bond, Yes?' Again she nodded.
Not really wanting to but knowing that someone had to make the first step towards peace, Harry swallowed his nervousness, 'okay, what can you feel?' Harry asked, somewhat interested to know what she could feel, on her side of the bond.
'You're nervous but mainly you feel guilty, though I don't know why?' was Daphne's reply, still they looked at each other as though they were the only people existing in that time and space.
'Because I did this to you, I did it with the best intentions, but still I condemned us to whatever this is, and I am sorry,' Harry's reply was quiet and solemn, 'I am sure that you had plans for your life, I know I did, but they are on indefinite hold until we can sort ourselves out. I don't know what the future holds, but I promise you this, you meet me half way to try and sort this mess out and I will do whatever I can to see that you live the life that you wanted.'
Daphne stared at him trying to work out what his angle was before replying in a gentle voice full of wonder, 'I… I… I don't know what to say to that, but I will try, and thank you, …you know for saving my life… it's the only one I've got… oh my gods that was so lame,' Daphne's cheeks blushed lightly, but still she held her eyes to his.
Suddenly Harry saw the girl that Tracey, Astoria & Cassandra had described, the guarded yet contemplative girl, who was intelligent, kind, considerate and wanted to help people by becoming a healer. 'You are very welcome,' he said his voice slightly raspy as though he needed to clear his throat.
'Okay love birds if this gets any sweeter I'm going to develop cavities,' Tracey broke the mood. 'put her back in her bed Harry, and get comfortable next to her, cause there aren't enough chairs for everyone and we still need to hear what's going on between Neville and poor sweet Astoria,' her voice rose a few octaves at the end of this proclamation as though she were a southern maid about to faint. She chuckled as Astoria gave her a death glare and a two finger salute.
Embarrassment flooded the link in both directions as both Harry and Daphne became aware of the others still in the room. Harry moved to comply with Tracey's assertion. Daphne paused in the middle of the bed before seeing Harry raise an eyebrow, indicating that there was no chair available next to the bed.
Harry knew that the hospital wing was one of the only places within Hogwarts still to have some functioning wards, because they were controlled by the schools healer through a separate ward stone, meaning unless you were keyed into the wards most magic would not work for patients or visitors. One of the first tasks Madam Pomfrey had undertaken was to bring these wards back on line; one never knew what magic might affect her patients.
Daphne sighed and scooted over leaving room for Harry to climb on to the bed once she had pulled the blankets back over herself. She waited for him to settle himself before her right hand almost reached out on its own snagging his left hand and entwining their fingers, relief and a small amount of pleasure this time flooded across the link and both of them blushed slightly.
Harry could feel Daphne's emotions warring with each other across the link, but now he could also feel something foreign within these emotions, a wrongness not originating from Daphne.
Harry stored this information away; he would discuss this this Daphne's family later, it looked as though Cass's assumptions were correct and that something was messing with the girls head, he sighed to himself, this would make it more complicated, and he would need to ensure that he took whatever she said with a grain of salt until they got to the bottom of this issue, he resolved to do his best at taking whatever verbal barbs she gave without retaliating.
'Astoria Paige Greengrass, if I see you do that again I will bend you over my knee and paddle your bottom young lady' Cassandra's stern warning cut across the ward, and Astoria blushed but her eyes sought Neville's pale face. 'So,' continued Cassandra, 'exactly what happened to you that Heir Longbottom had to save your life, Astoria?'
'Oh but mother, Cousin Tracey already knows all about my misadventure, Astoria said in a saccharine sweet voice that made Tracey cringe.
Tracey shuddered, 'damn it,' she thought, 'why can't I keep my big mouth shut, I keep forgetting why Tori is a Slytherin, if she is going down she's taking someone with her, and it looks like I am volunteered.'
Astoria smiled sweetly at Tracey, but she couldn't help but swallow nervously looking though all the other people within the ward room, her sister was smirking definitely enjoying her discomfort far too much, "she needed to gain some control back of the situation, and she needed Neville's moral support whilst she told her parents her story, familial debts had been born from less than what Neville had done, and she didn't want to be responsible for the ruin of her house," this was going to be very delicate. Decision reached she moved from behind her mother back towards Neville.
'Astoria,' her mother began, watching her daughter closely as she moved back towards the Longbottom heir.
'In a minute mother, Astoria said the false sweetness gone replaced with a voice with an almost reserved feel to it, as she approached Neville. She drew to a stop less than two feet from him looking him in the eye, 'Neville,' her voice was quiet yet official, 'I want to formally thank you for saving my life, I personally stand ready to fulfil any boon you may request, in thanks for your knightly deed.' She curtsied, head bowed awaiting his response. She heard several sharp intakes of breath, including one from Neville.
Neville's face twitched, and it felt like more blood drained from it, leaving him wondering 'if there was any left for his brain to function,' his Grandma had coached him endlessly on wizarding protocols but nothing had prepared him for literally being responsible for the saving of a life of a pureblood witch who followed the old ways.
Not acknowledging the debt now would effectively mean that he didn't consider her life worth saving, a fate worse than death for an old pureblood family like the Greengrass' and honour duels had been fought over less.
This really left him with one option to recognise the debt, but how to do that and not cause offense was causing Neville's brain to have conniptions. Finally he steeled himself and answered by lifting Astoria's chin with his hand, 'the pleasure was all mine Lady Astoria, and the continued pleasure of your company is payment enough.'
Astoria's smile for an instant was almost triumphant instigating Neville to blink before it instantaneously morphed into something more beatific, triggering Neville to wonder if he had actually seen what he thought he had seen.
'Oh well played, Astoria,' susurrated Daphne, causing Harry to look sharply at her.
'What do you mean? Harry quietly enquired, turning his attention back to Neville and Astoria.
'You weren't supposed to hear that,' muttered Daphne before continuing, 'If I read my sister correctly, and I usually do, she has just successfully hitched her wagon to your friend.'
'What do you mean,' asked Harry still not understanding the subtlety of what had just occurred, hoping that Daphne would stop talking in riddles and just tell him what was occurring.
Daphne sighed, looking at Harry from the corner of her eye, 'I mean that Longbottom, just acknowledged the existence of a debt between our two families, and then threw away any potential gain that he could have got from the debt by basically telling Astoria that she could fulfil the debt by remaining in his life. Granted that's not what he tried to do, but he has all but entered in to formally courting my sister, before officially requesting her hand in marriage, which if as I said I read my sister correctly, is where she was hoping to lead him eventually.'
'You got all that from that,' said Harry slightly aghast, before slumping his head back against the pillow 'I have a lot to learn don't I?
'Yes you do, Potter, but apparently you now have me for your teacher for at least one year, so we will try and bring you up to speed as fast as we can.' Daphne was watching her mother who in turn was carefully watching Astoria, whilst wearing a somewhat proud look. Her father was also watching her sister and Longbottom with a slightly calculating gaze.
'I would be honoured to remain in your life, Heir Longbottom, I look forward to many wonderful and romantic hours in your company,' Astoria smiled up at Neville as his face slowly registered how is words had been construed. 'Don't worry Neville, it will be fine, I am sure that it will all work out in the end, just look at it this way now you don't have to go and find yourself a girlfriend, you just had one fall in your lap,' Astoria gave him a cheeky grin, speaking of laps, why don't you take a seat, so that I can sit in yours again, we still need to tell my folks what happened.'
Neville blinked, this girl was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it.
- AFW –
Forty minutes later…
'… and that's what happened, we had just finished telling Harry and Tracey when you came around the corner Daddy,' finished Astoria.
Nate Greengrass stared at his daughter, before shifting his eyes to Neville Longbottom, 'I noticed Neville that you have been profoundly quiet, do you concur with the information that Astoria has just told us, or do you have some more to add?'
'I uhhh…,' started Neville, whilst ninety percent of what Astoria had said was accurate but at no stage did he feel like he was risking his life to save hers, he had been completely in control, in his element you might say.
'Of course he agrees with what I told you, but he's a Gryff daddy, he will probably play down the danger that he was in,' Astoria chimed in over the top of Neville answering her father.
'I want to hear it from Neville, sweetheart, or are you already the Lady Longbottom?' Nate asked in a pleasant tone as though he were used to this problem when speaking with Astoria.
Astoria pivoted in Neville's lap ninety degrees so that she could look him in the eye, 'you do agree with my rendition of what happened this morning don't you Neville,' she asked in a level tone. From what she knew of Neville, from her five years at Hogwarts was that Neville was a shy and until recently, a fairly untalented wizard except for Herbology.
It was the trust and friendship with Harry Potter and a change in wand, that had changed Neville Longbottom, Astoria was sure that not too many people outside the Ministry six were aware that Neville had changed his wand, but Astoria liked to think that she was one of the most observant people at Hogwarts, and she had her eye on the Longbottom heir among the other more eligible bachelors for some time.
Astoria knew that she would be tall given the height in her family, her sister had exploded to her height by age fourteen but Astoria was a slow grower, and still growing she was only half an inch shorter than Daphne now and she expected to pass her by the start of the next school term. This meant that she had been looking at the boys with height. Neville was growing into his skin nicely, the baby fat had all but disappeared, he had shot up over the past year easily topping six foot three. He had nice square shoulders that she could run her hands across all day that tapered into slightly narrower hips and strong legs. He would become one of the wizarding world's most eligible bachelors once he graduated Hogwarts or took control of his family, and but for the house divides Astoria would have tried to befriend or bewitch him sooner.
Of the heirs to the great families, all of which were either currently in Daphne's class or significantly older or younger, only Blaise, Draco, Stephen Cornfoot, Anthony Goldstein, Oliver Rivers and Ernie McMillian came close Neville's height, although somehow Harry had shot up to a respectable six foot, which would have done in a pinch. Of course there were other tall boys from lesser families who she could have easily developed a relationship with, but she was ambitious and to truly make her mark in this world she needed, to be among the elite.
The problem was twofold, the rivalry that existed between Slytherin and Gryffindor for close to the last fifty years, meant that no couple had formed between these houses whilst at school. Even couples from these two houses that form after school were the very exception to the rule not the norm. The last couple that Astoria was aware of was the marriage between Alastor Moody and his Gryffindor wife which had ended in tragedy during the first blood war. It was as though there were a curse on the houses to ensure that there was no fraternisation. Added to this was the distrust that Slytherin House garnered even between the two other houses at Hogwarts, which inheritably meant the Slytherin girls married Slytherin boys, had she realised this she would have insisted that the hat put her anywhere else but Slytherin.
Astoria shook her head slightly, trying to clear these thoughts, unaware that Neville was watching the witch in his lap intently, he may not be the most experienced wizard with witches but even he knew that tone, it was the tone that countless men have heard before and will do again, it trumpeted loud and clear to Neville, 'disagree with what I am saying and I will make you regret it to the end of your days.' Neville was smart enough to understand this, he didn't exactly know how it was he came to be in this predicament, but one thing was for certain, the beautiful witch sitting in his lap was not a witch to take lightly.
'I think that she has covered it pretty well,' was his answer to Lord Greengrass.
Harry scoffed, 'chicken' he said under his breath, but loud enough that everyone in the vicinity heard him. Both Neville and Astoria, glared at him making Tracey giggle slightly as Harry squirmed under their scrutiny, Daphne just shook her head.
'I see,' said Nate, he quirked an eyebrow at Cassandra, before levelling his gaze back on his youngest daughter, 'well then I guess that there is nothing else that needs to be said, shall we adjourn gentlemen and discuss the succour agreement, I believe that we can find an empty class room somewhere that we can make use of. Are you planning to accompany Neville, Astoria?' The question was asked with a hint of teasing humour in his voice.
Both Neville and Astoria blushed slightly, but she didn't wilt under her father's gaze this time, she was brazenly sitting in Neville's lap again, and neither of her parents had done anything other than raise an eyebrow at each other. That wasn't the reaction that she had been hoping for; she had at least expected them to object somewhat so that she could keep them a little off balance, so that Neville wouldn't feel that all the attention was on him, but no nothing.
'No, I am sure that he can survive without me for a short time, and I really should get checked out by Madam Pomfrey, I guess' Astoria quirked back, the banter between father and daughter obviously well-established even if the content was a little unusual. 'Make sure you return him to me in one piece though Daddy, I don't want him bruised.'
Neville's jaw dropped slightly, he couldn't quite catch his bearings with this family, one moment they acted like the epitome of pureblood society, the next they were trading humour and cutting observations. Astoria reached up and closed his jaw for him.
'Don't gape it's unbecoming,' again the humour in Astoria's voice was undeniable, she was now confident that she would escape severe punishment for putting herself and her family in a predicament of her own making. Neville was going to be fun to be around she could effortlessly keep him off balance if she so wished, but she wouldn't do it all the time, eventually it would be just occasionally as he got used to her, just to remind him that she could. In reality she wanted someone who would be a partner in all things just like her mother and father, and in Neville she sensed great potential, they could be happy together once he got used to the idea.
'Ok gentlemen lets go then,' Nate said standing and giving Cassandra a kiss, 'we will be about an hour or so I...'
'Father,' Daphne interjected, 'I believe that I should be part of this meeting, after all I am the subject of the discussion,'
Nate studied his eldest daughter, he doubted that Daphne or Harry realised it but their subconscious body language was telling. Even though they were sitting next to each other, Harry appeared to be in protection mode around Daphne, their fingers were intertwined but Harry's hand rested palm down, he was upright, body angled subtly towards her, his eyes roving and alert. Daphne however looked the most relaxed that he had seen his daughter in many a year, she also had her body subtly angled towards him, her head was leaning towards Harry's as though she could simply fall asleep with her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were calm and but attentive.
'I… do you really think you should be out of bed honey?' Nate tried for the diplomatic; he wanted this meeting to be relaxed so that he could learn more about the two young men in front of him, having Daphne at the table so to speak would likely ensure that both boys were on edge.
'I am sure that I can be allowed out of bed for a while, right Madam Pomfrey?' Daphne cocked an eyebrow towards her father before turning her gaze toward the master healer..
'I suppose some limited exercise, such as walking if you can manage it, could be undertaken now that you are awake, but I expect you back here before three in the afternoon for your next round of potions,' Poppy said in her professional voice.
'No problems at all, I am sure that this meeting will be wrapped up prior to that, but if not we can always adjourn until later,' Daphne smiled at Poppy, before presenting her father with a smirk. She knew that her father was trying to avoid having her at the meeting, he could still forbid her from coming as was his right as Lord Greengrass, but he very rarely invoked those powers. After all he had married for love, being the second son he wasn't expected to inherit, and had only done so after his brother had died in a port key accident with his family.
'Fine honey, you may attend,' Nate said before addressing Harry, 'Heir Potter will you please escort my daughter to our meeting? Firstly however, Neville and I will endeavour to find an appropriate location.' Nate smiled and bobbed his eyebrows at his daughter; two could play the great game if that is what Daphne wanted to do. Nate waited for Neville to join him before leaving to find an appropriate venue.
Daphne scowled, her father was humouring her. 'At least she had managed to force her way into the meeting,' she ruminated, 'what remained was to ensure that her service to house Potter, was as painless as possible and as short term as she could manage.'
The group remaining mostly continued chatting quietly, although neither Harry or Daphne engaged much with anyone, finally after more than ten minutes Madam Pomfrey rose from her chair, 'Well I guess we should go and get Astoria checked out,' she said, 'no point in putting this off child, come along.'
Astoria grumbled as she gathered herself, 'I am sure I am fine, I'm still walking, talking and breathing.' But she followed the healer further along the ward to an examination room.
Cassandra made to follow her youngest daughter before hesitating, 'Just remember you two, before this is finished you are going to need each other,' she paused gnawing at her lower lip slightly, 'Daphne remember our earlier conversation, some of those compulsions may be dormant, and may reappear, and Harry please try for the moment to take anything that she says with a grain of salt. My daughter may very well be pigheaded, egotistical and obstinate, and those are the better traits that she inherited from me, but she is not well and as we discussed someone has been playing fast and loose with memory charms on her, so her mind isn't fully her own at this point in time,'
Harry nodded, 'I know Mrs Greengrass, I can feel it through the bond or whatever you want to call it', as Daphne prepared to say something, Neville's patronus messenger arrived informing them that they had found a room on the second floor and how to find it. 'Well I guess we should go, are you ready Greengrass?' asked Harry not unkindly but with no real empathy in his voice.
'Yes, of course I am ready, let's go and get this over with so I can find out exactly how tedious my life is going to be,' answered Daphne.
Harry stiffened, ready to retort however, she had still not let go of his hand and he could feel the conflicting presences within her, the part that he recognised as Daphne, was horrified at what she had just said but that was being drowned out by the foreign presence which was gleeful. He sighed 'this was going to be a long day, but he had promised to try his best to be civil'.
Harry slid of the bed, and turned to look at Daphne, who was making her way off the other side, 'Greengrass, what are you doing?' he enquired genuinely bemused that she had moved to the other side of the bed so that she didn't have to accept his help.
She looked at him like he was dense, 'getting out of bed, what's look like genius,' she snarked.
'Yeah well stop, I am not going to let you fall on your arse again you'll only blame me for it anyway, so either you slide that cute bum of yours this way or you wait for me to come round that side of the bed,' Harry blushed as he called her bum cute but kept going anyway. Daphne stopped and stared at him.
'Did you just call my bum cute?' she asked in an indignant voice.
'And if I did,' Harry asked brazenly back, although the slight blush showed exactly how comfortable he felt about discussing her feminine figure. 'Yes its cute we have established that now can you please make a decision, which side are you getting out on?'
Daphne's eyes narrowed marginally, then she shook her head slightly before sliding back towards Harry, 'we are going to be having a discussion about appropriate language at some point, however for the moment I will pretend that I didn't hear that comment,' Daphne's voice was tight and controlled, her mind was conflicted by the realisation that Harry thought at least part of her was cute enough to comment on it.
'Fine,' said Harry throwing the blanket off her, 'ummmm but before we go do you suppose that you should get dressed or something?'
For the first time since waking Daphne paid attention to what she was wearing and it wasn't much. A set of summer pyjamas consisting of a v necked spaghetti string pink tank top with white lace trim that did little to hide her breasts and showed her toned stomach when she stretched, matched with a pair of small pink shorts that showed just how long and well sculpted her legs and behind really were, her father thought her choice of sleep wear scandalous, her mother thought they were adorable and promptly brought her own set, essentially killing her father's arguments. Daphne's face blazed red, before she squealed clutching back the blanket to cover herself. 'Go wait outside until I am changed… please,' she added when he quirked an eyebrow.
'We don't have time for this Greengrass, your father and Neville are waiting, I'll just turn around in case you need some help,' said Harry in a pleasant tone, his voice betraying the humour he now found in the situation.
'Why would I need your help,' asked Daphne glowering to his now turned back.
'Well we have already established that your legs won't hold your body weight, so unless you can spell your clothes on, and I am fairly sure you don't have your wand even if it works in here, then you are going to need my help, to at least get you partially dressed,' Harry paused to hear her response, when nothing was forthcoming he pressed on, 'trust me you almost literally have nothing that I haven't seen before, given that I was in the room when you were getting treated, and Madam Pomfrey had to vanish most of your clothes to treat you, …she basically forgot I was there until she had you stable, and to be perfectly honest I wasn't leaving until I made sure you were going to survive.'
'… no, no, no, I don't believe you,' Harry heard Daphne's hoarse whisper, so he turned to see her staring at her feet, face flushed. Harry moved to stand again in front of Daphne, her legs dangling over the side of the bed. Harry cursed in his head, why he had just told her that he wasn't sure but, he could see that it had hurt her and embarrassed her a lot, 'I am sorry that was crass of me, and I shouldn't have blurted that out, you should know that I didn't mean to look, one minute your clothes were there and the next you were essentially naked.' She looked further away from him her breathing rapid and shallow.
'I'm sorry Greengrass…, I shouldn't be… well… I shouldn't be taking the mickey out of you at the moment, I know you are dealing with a whole ream of issues and I am only making them worse' Harry took her chin in his hand and turned her head to face him, she resisted momentarily but eventually met his eyes, 'but for what it's worth you are very beautiful, and you have a body that most girls would kill for.' Harry finished in a soft but determined voice a blush of pink on his cheeks, 'I looked away as soon as I registered what had happened, but I can't un-see it, and I am sorry if that makes you uncomfortable.'
Daphne swallowed, 'I hate that you have seen me like that… but… I don't know, how am I supposed to act round you now?'
'Why would you act any different,' probed Harry, 'I promise that I won't hold this over you, I may be bitter and angry right now, and mostly taking it out on you, which is unfair of me, but I won't use this knowledge as a threat, you don't deserve it if what Susan and Hannah have told me is correct. You are one of the good guys you saved them all!' he gave her a crooked grin, 'So just treat me like you normally would, although if you could tone down the venom slightly I would appreciate it.' His grin slid off his face and his eyes became serious, 'look the way I see it is whatever I did to save your life is something that nobody has seen before, so we are going to have to make the best of this, until its undone, so how about we start off fresh?'
'What did you have in mind?' she asked her voice lacked any emotion; her shoulders were slumped defeated by the knowledge that he had virtually seen her in her birthday suit.
Harry again gave her a crooked grin this time his eyes shone with barely restrained mirth, 'Hi, I'm Harry Potter, Gryffindor seeker, the chosen git and a bunch of other appellations that I want nothing to do with, it's a genuine pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Greengrass, and please call me Harry.' He held his hand out waiting for her response.
For a couple of seconds she stared at him as though he lost his mind and then she giggled slightly, 'you're kidding right?'
'Now Miss Greengrass is that any way to greet a new acquaintance, what would your mother and father think,' his eyes were alight with humour but still he held his hand out to her.
She laughed outright now, the mirth evident in her eyes as she tried in vain to keep a straight face, 'Oh I am sure that they would be positively appalled sir,' she visibly attempted to gather herself, 'delighted to meet you Harry, I am Daphne Greengrass, Slytherin alumni, vanquisher of werewolves and all round icy bitch according to some sources, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance too,' and she handed him her hand, which he proceeded to kiss on her knuckles.
They smiled at each other, 'so now that the formalities are out of the way, I am running late for a meeting that I understand you are invited to as well, can I be of any assistance helping you get ready, Lady Daphne?' Harry's asked in his best BBC voice, causing Daphne to snort slightly, leaving her slightly mortified.
'Well, I ummm can you please see if you can find me something to wear, good sir,' Daphne stammered out, still slightly horrified that she had snorted in front of him.
'Certainly,' Harry replied with a wink, before wondering over to the bedside draws to have a look. Unfortunately they were empty, so he proceeded to examine the rest of the draws within Daphne's room. 'Ummm Greengrass, I think we have a problem the only thing that I can find is a couple of hospital gowns, I doesn't look like your clothes have been brought down yet.'
She looked at the gowns in his hands, and was about to say something, but Harry beat her to it, 'I have an idea, I will be back in a moment.' Not waiting for her to answer he turned and walked out of the hospital wing.
- AFW –
Daphne fidgeted with the blanket on her bed whilst she waited for Harry to return, she hadn't expected him to make her laugh like he had, and in some ways it unsettled her how easily he had managed it, from going at each other's throats to laughing, was a sudden transition that was making her head spin slightly. She heard the door open again and Harry soon strode back into her room carry what look like a muggle Slytherin tracksuit, something that she would normally never be caught dead in, 'What are those,' she asked.
'It's a tracksuit, that I transfigured out of the hospital gowns and before you turn your nose up at it, well I figured if you had something that could slip over top your pyjamas then we wouldn't have the whole awkward undressing you issue,' he smiled in earnest at her, hoping that she would like his solution.
'Fine, come here and help me with the pants, but be careful where you put your hands!' her voice stern but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.
Harry gulped, 'right.' He moved forward and put the top down on her bed the grey track pants had Slytherin lettered up each leg in the dark bottle green of her house. He placed each of her feet in the pant legs and manoeuvred them gently up her legs to her knees which were still dangling over the edge of the bed. 'Right arms around my neck please,' he requested.
'What, why?' she asked caught off guard by this request, she had felt her skin goose pimple at his accidently touches, she could feel the heat at the points where his fingers and knuckles had brushed her skin causing her to shiver slightly, had she been paying closer attention she would have noticed a similar reaction in Harry.
'So that you remain standing when we get you up, of course, we don't want you collapsing to the ground again do we?' he asked pleasantly, 'I promise no funny business, and I will definitely try my best for no inappropriate touching.'
She nodded, looping her arms around his neck, hesitating somewhat before touch the back of his neck; the touch sent another involuntary shiver through both of them, which they ignored. Harry held the waist of the track pants and she shuffled forward her legs interlocking with his. 'Okay I want you to take the weight off the bed and on to me. As she lifted up she could feel the backs of his thumbs tracing hot lines up her thighs and over the lower curve of her behind, the touch felt as though her senses were on over load. As his fingers left her waist, she felt a pang at the loss of contact. 'Are they comfortable?' Harry asked breaking her from her thoughts and feelings.
'Yes,' she cringed faintly at the almost breathy reply, she cleared her throat 'Yes, thank you, surprisingly they are, you have done quite well,' she gave him a small smile as he lowered her back to the bed.
'Thanks, do you think you can manage the top by yourself?' Harry asked pointing to the bottle green top with silver writing on it.
'I should be fine thanks,' she grabbed the top it was pillowy soft but thin with a zippered front. 'Harry what exactly is this?' she quirked an eyebrow at him. Centred at the top was Potter, below it was a number seven taking up the centre of the top with Slytherin centred below.
Harry chewed his bottom lip, 'yeah about that, um sorry I was concentrating on making them Slytherin colours, and forgot to think about what writing I was putting on them, and that's what I ended up with.' He rubbed the back of his head messing up his hair further, 'I tried retransfiguring them, finiting them and everything else I could think of but I can't get them to change, sorry,' he said looking very sheepish.
'Really?'
'Yeah,' his tone suggested that he was quite disappointed in what he had handed over to her. But as she sat there in the pants he had made, holding the soft top, minus the writing on the back she thought that the final product was some of the best transfiguration she had ever seen.
'Its fine Harry, I will wear it, they feel quite comfortable, I guess I will be a Potter for the day, it could be worse it could say Malfoy.' She smiled a small sincere smile, and her eye twinkled, causing Harry's breath to catch slightly in his throat. Pleased with his reaction she pulled on the jacket, 'Okay now what, I think we have established that I am not going to be able to walk to this meeting quickly even with help, and I think we have been long enough.'
Harry winked at her and lifted her off the bed the same way he had put on it earlier, she squeaked again throwing her arms around her neck, before quietly growling 'Potter not funny.'
'It was a little bit funny,' he said winking at her, 'Okay shall we make our way to this meeting, that you just had to be at,' the humour in his voice so evident that she couldn't stay angry at him for very long, so she said nothing just holding on as he navigated the hallways and stairs to the second floor, internally she could hear a voice urging her to get rid of him, cast him aside, but she ignored it, it screamed before taking up a sullen silence in the back of her head.
As Harry was walking up the stairs to the second floor Daphne asked 'when did you get so much taller Harry, I remember at the end of sixth year and you were definitely shorter than I am.'
Harry smiled and continued to navigate his way upstairs, 'it was kind of a happy accident, we knew that we were probably going to run short of food, so Hermione, brewed a heap of nutrient potions that we could use to ensure that we got as much nutrients out of the food that we did have.' He shook his head a little, 'well it worked, however I had always lacked proper sustenance when living with my relatives, my body was used to getting all it could from not much so when we added the nutrient potions it was like superheating my metabolism, added to which apparently Potters grow late, my father according to Madam Pomfrey didn't really start coming into his height until his sixth year.'
He barked out a laugh, 'by the time of the final battle, I had shot up eight inches to my current height of about six foot, something I am extremely grateful for, between you and me it really sucked being so short,' he gave her an impish grin, 'well we are here, can you do the honours and open the door?'
Daphne reached for the door to open it when Neville appeared in the doorway swinging the door inwards, 'Well you too took your time, I hope there was no hanky panky along the way,' Neville grinned salaciously whilst Nate Greengrass chuckled in the background. Both Harry and Daphne both froze jaws slightly agape. 'Awww look at you two in sync and everything,' cooed Neville.
'Longbottom, I swear if I hear one more thing like that out of your mouth my sister is going to be looking for a new boyfriend,' Daphne regained her composure first, and glared at both Neville, who had the nerve to wink at her and her father who was still chuckling.
'Come on in you two,' called Nate Greengrass, still chuckling, 'Neville and I have made some progress already on the succour agreement, but you can still have some input, Daphne you will advocate for House Potter, and if I don't think you are giving it your full consideration I will start making very generous offers that I will refuse to accept no for an answer.'
Daphne tensed, in one single moment all of her plans to neutralise this agreement as much as possible had been negated by her father, who had the audacity to smirk at her. Fuming Daphne acknowledged her father's statement with a curt nod. 'Please put me in that chair Harry and then sit near me, it looks like I really am a Potter for the day.'
As Harry swung Daphne round Nate caught sight of his daughters top and whistled, 'already dressing my daughter in your personalised gear Harry, you do move fast,' he chuckled further as Daphne glared at him. His daughter might think herself a player of the great game but, keeping her off balance at the moment was as simple as directing innuendo her way, something that Nate had worked on with Neville whilst they were waiting for the two of them to show up. Beside her Harry blushed from neck to the tips of his hair, and tried to stammer out some excuse.
Daphne stilled him by taking his hand in hers, 'it's okay Harry they are just trying to push our buttons,' she said in a low voice that only he could hear.
Harry could feel through the bond that Daphne was fuming and struggling to control her own emotions, but he felt grateful none the less that she would try and calm him whilst she herself was besieged with similar emotions. He nodded to her and sat back in his chair to watch the proceedings, never noticing that Daphne had not let go of his hand.
'So who wants to bring us up to speed then,' Daphne enquired, her voice was only minutely stilted and unless you knew her well, the tightly contained fury would most likely passed unnoticed.
'Well,' began her father, 'House Greengrass has formally recognised the petition for succour and have formally agreed to a maximum three year term, with a minimum term of twelve months as originally request by House Longbottom. We have also just finished discussing terms of access, we have reached an agreement however we would like to hear house Potters position on this.'
Daphne's heart raced, blood pounded in her ears, this was the point of the agreement that would determine so many things for her immediate future. 'Very well, as I am sure that this is all new to Harry so please bear with me whilst I discuss him so that he is aware of the possibilities.' She waited for them to acknowledge her request, 'Harry can you please make our conversation private?'
Harry looked at her, before nodding and then his wand dropped into his hand, which surprised her obviously he was wearing a wand holster. He waved his wand in a circle around their heads and then jabbed it towards the ground. 'What was that?' she asked genuinely interested, it wasn't a spell that she was familiar with.
'It's a spell that Hermione developed, related to the muffliato charm, we can hear them but they can't hear us,' he explained 'I can teach you later if you like.'
She smiled shyly at him 'I'd like that Harry, thank you.'
His wand disappeared back in his sleeve and he nodded, 'so exactly are we talking about with regards to this access question?'
She exhaled from her nose, before chewing her lip, 'well the question of access is a question of what boundaries are set for the advocate. They can range from minimal access where the advocate was merely an honoured advisor called in to the house at strategic occasions, to full access where the advocate moves into the house of the petitioner and had full access to all records so that they could advise the house on all decisions.'
'Okay got that,' he gave a rueful smile, 'I sense that there is more to this though, you were awfully tense for a couple of seconds before.'
'I didn't think you noticed, but yes there is more… I believe my father is angling for a full access agreement, because in a vast majority of cases where the two participants are of the opposite sex, it results in a joining of the houses through marriage.' She blushed faintly, 'it's impossible for most people to work that intimately together and not form a mutual bond. A full access agreement means that the petitioning house is responsible for the wellbeing of the advocate, as they are considered part of the petitioning family until their term is completed'
Daphne pondered the young man next to her from the corner of her eye, he sat the stoically, lost in thought. 'what would you prefer Daphne?' his question jerked her out of her musings.
'… I … I … don't want to lose myself, full access so often results in marriage that's why its call full access Harry, so I guess I would prefer not to be bound to you any further than I already am… sorry.' She stared forward, 'unfortunately we aren't going to get a say in this as my father and Neville have already agreed to something, and as he petitioned on your behalf he will have the final say, and given that my sister just corralled Neville into a formal relationship my father holds the cards in this conversation,' she sighed hanging her head, 'I am sorry but I think the best piece of advice at this point is to accept whatever arrangement they have cooked up and deal with the fallout as best we can.'
Harry sat back, deep in thought, and again Daphne studied him from her peripheral vision, 'he definitely thought more now than when we were in school,' she mused he was nodding to himself now as though he was trying to convince himself that the decision that he had reached was the right one, and again his voice pulled her from her own thoughts.
'Okay, question, once the agreement is in place who determines what full access is exactly?'
Daphne blinked, 'that's… that's quite brilliant Harry, normally the guardian would but as you are of age you will be in control of what ultimately happens, they can put stipulations in place however it is up to the guardians family to ensure that they are carried out.' She tilted her head pausing momentarily, 'okay okay, follow my lead,' she waited for his agreement, 'can you lower the privacy spell please.'
Again his wand leaped to his hand, and she could hear a ripping sound as the ward tore away.
'Father, Neville, House Potter believes that whatever agreement you two have thus far negotiated will be in the best interest of the house, and at this stage we request permission to withdraw from the formal discussions and leave it to you to finalise the agreement.'
'Are you sure Harry?' asked Neville, looking to his friend with slightly wide eyes.
'He is' cut in Daphne, squeezing his hand, hoping he would remain quiet. 'Do we have permission to leave?'
'Certainly,' said her father, looking at her with a calculating look.
'Thank you Father, thank you Neville, we will see you both later, Harry would you mind escorting me from the room?'
Harry nodded to both the other men in the room before lifting Daphne from her chair, making her yelp again. She cuffed the back of his head lightly, 'I said escort not carry!' she told him in a low voice.
'I know, but this way is fast and more fun, so where do you want to go apart from the hospital wing,' he asked as he was striding towards the door, leaving behind two men, the younger with a look of bemusement, whilst the elder watched with a calculated expression.
