Author's Note:
Wow, sorry for the super long delay on this update, apparently little things like the holidays and applying to PhD programs limits the amount of time I have for pet projects like this, but hopefully now that classes are starting back I can get the next couple out at least a bit faster.
Hopefully this is worth the wait; please let me know what you think!
I still own nothing, that's JKR.
The Christmas holidays were fast approaching, and Harry felt more and more that he was living for his time with the DA. While Quidditch was a welcome relief from the stresses he felt piling up, it simply couldn't match the joy he got from actively working against not only Umbridge, but Voldemort himself. That evening, he decided that since it would be the final DA meeting before the holidays, he would give everyone a bit of a treat before the holidays.
"Okay everyone, I think that's about as much work with stunning as we're going to need - I'm really impressed by how well you all are doing. When we get back from break, I'm planning on starting with a few more defensive measures rather than jinxes, starting with making sure everyone has perfected their shield charms. But today, I thought I'd give you as much as I can on patronuses."
Everyone perked up at the mention of the Patronus Charm - they all knew how complicated it was said to be, and they'd all heard some form of the stories about Harry using his to drive off over a hundred dementors - and in his third year!
"I have to warn you, I might not be able to teach this to all of you. It's not really about wand movements or incantations like most defensive magic. Those are very straightforward in this case. What really makes or breaks the patronus is your ability to focus on an incredibly happy memory. I spent nearly an entire semester working with Professor Lupin on this, and even then it took a truly unique situation that I do not have time to go into to get it right. But the wand motion is pretty simple," he demonstrated, "and the incantation is Expecto Patronum."
He then demonstrated his own patronus, and was joined in front of the DA by the glowing image of his father's animagus. "Hey Prongs," Harry murmured to himself before allowing the patronus to fade.
"I'll walk around as usual and try to help as much as I can, but as I've already mentioned, this one is really up to your ability to draw upon the right memory and really focus on that happy moment. Well, let's see what you've got!"
As everyone spread out and began attempting the spell, the Room of Requirement began to fill with the wisps of vapor Harry had begun to associate with failure during his third year until finally-
"Harry! Is this it?" asked Susan Bones. Shortly thereafter, the hall was full of students exclaiming joyfully at not only their wonderful memories, but also the sight of the newly summoned silvery creatures.
Finally, the meeting ended, and students began to trickle out of the Room of Requirement, while Harry focused on cleaning up the room before the holidays. He looked up from his cleaning and noticed that the only people left in the room were himself, Cho Chang, and Daphne. Deciding he could quickly get rid of Cho and hopefully get a few minutes to talk to Daphne, Harry quickly crossed over to Cho, while shooting Daphne a face that spelled out "Just a second" as clearly as possible.
"Hey Cho, did you need something?" Harry asked.
She looked up at him. "Not really, it was just…. Well, after learning all of this stuff, I was wondering about whether Cedric knew all of it, and if he had if maybe…. Maybe he would still - "
"He did know it," Harry interrupted. "He was really good at it too, or he would never have made it through the maze. But when Voldemort wants to kill you, it doesn't always matter how good you are."
Cho thought about that for a second, before responding, "But he wanted to kill you too, and here you are."
"Only because he made the mistake of actually dueling me, trying to humiliate me in front of his followers. But I'd really rather not talk about that night," Harry replied rather impatiently. "I hope you have a Happy Christmas though."
Cho nodded sadly as she moved towards the exit. "Happy Christmas Harry. I hope you have a nice holiday."
Harry meanwhile, had already turned back towards Daphne, who had been skimming through the shelves of Defense books the room had provided while she waited for him to finish up with Cho. "Hey Daphne, what's up?" he asked, trying to force his quickly beating heart to act casual.
"I just realized that I never really thanked you for letting us - letting me - into the DA," she said.
"Well, you didn't give me much of a choice," Harry responded with a smirk, "but you're very welcome." He took a deep breath and went on. "Honestly, I'm glad you came up to me that day, I've really enjoyed getting to know you better."
Daphne's eyes lit up at that. "Me too. It's nice to know there's a real person behind all of that 'Boy-Who-Lived' stuff. And in a not-so-surprising turn of events, Malfoy's description of him as a show-off, weakling, and self-centered jerk was absolute garbage."
"Was that a compliment?" Harry asked. He took another small step forward, the distance between the two of them negligible at this point.
"Oh, absolutely," Daphne breathed, staring into Harry's startlingly green eyes. They each leaned forward, closing the distance between them as their lips touched in a soft, tender kiss. When they pulled back a few moments later - though it felt like much longer to them - neither could stop themselves from smiling as widely as their faces would allow.
"Well," Harry finally managed, "I hope you have a very Happy Christmas Daphne."
"You too Harry," she replied. "See you at breakfast in the morning?"
"Definitely," he replied with a smile. "I'll see you then."
"So what did Cho and Daphne want, Harry?" Hermione asked with a knowing smile as Harry joined her and Ron by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room.
"Honestly, I dunno what Cho wanted, she kinda muttered a few things about Cedric and then ran off. It was kinda uncomfortable to be honest."
Hermione could hardly contain herself from rolling her eyes at that before responding, "Honestly Harry, she's clearly into you." Harry's jaw dropped as Hermione continued, "I can't imagine how conflicted she must feel between trying to process Cedric's death, figuring out how she feels for you, and especially dealing with how those two feelings might be related since you were the one who was with him that night. She spends half of her time crying in the loo nowadays."
Ron's jaw had joined Harry's in dropping open as Hermione had tried to describe Cho's emotional state. "There's no way she can be feeling all of that at once - they'd explode or something!"
Hermione snorted with exasperation "Honestly Ronald, just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all do." Turning back to Harry, with a sly look she added, "And Daphne?"
Harry grinned at the thought and stammered, "Oh, she just ummm…. Wanted to thank me for letting her into the DA."
Hermione looked skeptically at him, asking "Is that all?"
"Ummm.. I think she said Happy Christmas somewhere in there."
"Before or after she kissed you?" Hermione shot back.
"WHAT?!" Ron all-but-shouted as Harry's face turned the color of Ron's hair as confirmation of Hermione's thoughts.
"After." Harry eventually managed despite Ron's look of indignation. A long moment followed, the crackling fire the only noise in the common room.
"How was it?" Hermione finally asked.
"Well, I don't exactly have a lot to compare it to, but -" Harry started before Ron finally bellowed "You kissed a Slytherin Harry? One of those damned death eaters-in-training! How could you?"
Hermione and Harry stared at Ron in shock. "I knew you didn't like most Slytherins, but we've already had this conversation, Daphne is not the same as Malfoy, and if you can't see the difference between them, then you're no better than he is."
Ron looked like he was about to respond, but instead grabbed his stuff and stormed up the stairs to his dormitory.
Harry turned to Hermione, nostrils flared at his best friend's response to the best thing to happen to him all semester. "You know, I knew he was a bit of a git, but this is pushing his prejudices a bit too far, don't you think?"
Hermione took a moment before responding, "You don't think there's any chance he's just jealous do you?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure I really care what his reason is, he can either be happy for me, or find someone he appreciates more than me. I'm not crawling up there after him. Not after this summer. Not after last year with the goblet."
Hermione looked at Harry for a few moments before sighing resignedly, "You're right. Hopefully he'll come to his senses by morning." She turned to head upstairs as she added "Goodnight Harry!"
Harry stayed in his chair, staring into the flames in the fireplace, his thoughts of Ron and - more importantly - Daphne slowly slipping into dreams. He didn't remember falling asleep, but all of the sudden, he felt himself crawling on his belly, moving through a long, dark hallway….
Minutes later, Harry was standing in Professor Dumbledore's office, preparing to grab the portkey offered to him by the headmaster, but unable to look either Dumbledore (though not for lack of trying) or Ron in the eye. As he felt a familiar jerk behind his navel, he just had time to think, Daphne is going to kill me for not being at breakfast tomorrow.
