AN: Thanks for all of the reviews; I hope that everyone is enjoying the story so far!
JNottle- I'm not doing a rape issue between Daphne and the Malfoys. You'll have to wait and see on that. And Harry may not have always bowed down to society, but this is different. He will be making changes.
Ladysavay- Yes, Lily was from the 70's but they weren't as intense in England. Besides that, she went through what she needed to for the man she loved. I know that the etiquette seems demeaning but it isn't really. I have Hermione confront this issue so just wait.
Velloutte- There won't be a crazy amount of description about the etiquette. I simply put the tea thing in to demonstrate the type of things that the girls will be learning.
Recap: Daphne tried to pay attention, especially because her mother had warned her to get on Hermione's good side, but it was simply too difficult. She could not keep her thoughts off of a certain green-eyed boy who had treated her with a tenderness she had never felt before.
The first few weeks of classes passed fairly quickly. They were learning at an accelerated pace due to the small size of the classes and the one-on-one time with the professors. After two months the teens had finished the first half of fifth and third year respectively. The only thing they were behind in was healing because they hadn't had any prior knowledge. Personally, things were moving along as well. Neville had come out of his shell and as his confidence flourished so did his skills. He and Harry had become closer friends, and Harry appreciated having a best mate who could discuss more than just quidditch. Harry was learning more about his family history and he and Neville renewed the pact made by their fathers to stand together in all things. Neville was furthering his friendships with his intended wives and was quickly bonding with Pansy. The three other girls had accepted the Slytherin and this made things easier on both Neville and Pansy.
Harry was not having such an easy time. It was difficult for him to think of Astoria as his intended wife rather than a little sister. But he was certainly fond of the younger girl and assured himself that when she got older it would be easier to see her as his wife. But she was not the main problem. Hermione and Daphne were proving to be rather difficult to handle. Hermione was trying too hard to adopt the rules of society and had developed a rather condescending attitude when someone did something wrong. It was her know-it-all attitude coming out, and Harry was not overly fond of it. He had resolved to talk to her and to get his mum to talk to her and he thought he could fix it. Daphne wouldn't let go of her Ice Queen attitude around Harry, no matter how much he tried to prove to her that he wasn't like the Slytherin boys who had hurt her in the past. Although she genuinely seemed to enjoy his company, and had even sought him out on occasion, he could not get past the roadblock. He felt that he still did not know the true Daphne and it bothered him, because he found himself fascinated by her. He decided that he would arrange a date for the two of them, and try to get past her icy exterior. After healing on Thursday he stayed in the classroom to talk to Lady Greengrass.
"Lord Potter, how can I assist you? Did you have a question about the lecture? You seemed to be doing a fine job."
"I actually wanted to ask your permission for a date I want to take Daphne on. I was wondering if I could take her on Saturday."
"I don't see the problem with this Lord Potter. However, you will have to ask my husband. As long as Tippy accompanies you I really do not think it will be a problem. There are not very many places you can take her anyway." She said, laughing lightly.
"Thank you Lady Greengrass. I will seek Lord Greengrass's permission tonight at tea." Harry left the classroom feeling better about things with Daphne than he had in days. He sought out Lord Greengrass before tea, and upon gaining his permission went to go find Daphne. He found her sitting with the other girls as she served out tea. As he was waiting for her to finish serving he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked. She was wearing a white dress with long sleeves, and he thought that the color of the dress complimented her skin tone perfectly.
Daphne glanced up and saw Harry staring at her and she smiled at him. She excused herself from her friends and made her way towards him. "Lord Potter, will you be joining us for tea?"
"I'm sorry to disappoint Miss Greengrass, but no I will not be joining you. However, I do have a question for you. Would you like to accompany me on Saturday for a date? I will retrieve you at 6 if this pleases you?"
"Certainly Lord Potter. My only question refers to the dress code of this date."
"It is going to be formal Miss Greengrass."
"Well this certainly sounds interesting Lord Potter." She said with a smile. "I look forward to Saturday."
Daphne began to walk away, but Harry laid a hand on her shoulder stopping her. "Miss Greengrass, I hope that you feel comfortable with me, because I am trying very hard to make this, whatever this is, work. But sometimes I feel as if you don't really care. Just, think about this before Saturday." With that Harry walked away, leaving a very confused Daphne behind.
Harry went straight to the suite that McGonagall and Hermione were staying in. McGonagall immediately let him in and he went over to greet Hermione. He kissed her on the cheek but she pushed him away and said, "Lord Potter that is not the appropriate way to greet me. You should have bowed first and then told me it was lovely to see me before approaching me."
Harry gazed at the woman before him in awe. This was someone that he didn't know at all. "Grandmum, could you please give me some time with my fiancée?" Harry asked, stressing the last word.
"Now Lord Potter, that is not acceptable. A young lady must always be in the presence of her chaperone." Harry just stared at Hermione. Then he turned to McGonagall with a beseeching look on his face.
"Of course Harry. Let me simply call Dobby." The elf appeared with a loud crack and bowed to those in the room. "Dobby, please sit here in silence as a chaperone for these two. I shall be in my room."
Once McGonagall was out of the room Harry turned back to Hermione. "What the bloody hell Hermione? I never thought that you would be the one to get caught up in the rules of the Pureblood society. You are not a Lady, nor do you come from an old Pureblood family, which means that I don't owe you respect at all. I didn't ask you here for you to become this puppet of society! I never thought that you would allow your know-it-all attitude from first year to come back. You realize that the other girls can barely stand you, and Lady Greengrass has even ordered her daughters to. What happened to the woman I love? I never meant for you to become this, this robot of society. Yes, it is important to be respectful and follow the rules, but that is only until Neville and I are married into the other Noble and Most Ancient Houses, because we are going to change this society. I hate seeing you like this!" Harry was screaming by the time he finished his speech. Breathing heavily he sat down and glared at Hermione.
Hermione sat in silence for several minutes, alternating between glaring at Harry and staring at her hands. After five minutes, she burst into tears, and Harry pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry Harry. I was just trying so hard to be accepted. I read every single book on the matter of Pureblood society, and I just wanted to behave correctly. I want the other girls to like me, but I just don't know what to do."
"It's alright Hermione. I know that you aren't really like that, but you get into these moods where you believe that you are the only one who can possibly be right, and the other girls don't really appreciate it; especially because they have grown up with these rules. Besides, I never considered you would treat me this way."
"I know…but it doesn't make it any easier. I'm so sorry Harry; I didn't mean to push you away. But Promise you will help me to talk to the girls?"
"'Mione, you realize that if I do that they won't have any respect for you? You need to go to them and apologize."
Hermione nodded to show that she agreed, and then sat in silence for several more minutes. "So how was your day? I don't think that I'm quite getting the concept of healing." Harry laughed at the comment that was so very Hermione. It managed to break the tension between them and they went back to talking like normal.
That night at dinner, Hermione walked up to the other girls and noticed the apprehensive looks on all of their faces. Taking a deep breath she curtsied and said, "I am deeply sorry for offending all of you. I realize that it may be hard for you to understand because you grew up with these rules, but they were very difficult for me to grasp. Once I did, I became an evil rule dictator and I'm sorry. I honestly want to be friends with all of you and I hope that you can accept my apology. I promise to act differently in the future, and to recognize that until I marry Lord Potter, I have no standing."
The girls stared at her for a moment, and Hermione was shocked when Pansy said, "I accept your apology. I realize how difficult this entire situation must be for you, and I promise to be more helpful instead of making you feel beneath me. As the future Lady Potter you demand respect Miss Granger, and I recognize you as an equal. I also would like to accept your offer of friendship. Lord Potter has become a good friend of mine and I wish to see both of you happy."
"Thank you Miss Parkinson. Maybe you could help me look through several fashion magazines and order some new clothing? Lord Potter has given me unlimited access to the Potter family fund for my purchases." The other girls' eyes lit up at this.
"Miss Granger, we shall all aid you." Daphne said with a smile. "My sister and I would also like to be your friend, and we can help you immensely." The other girls quickly echoed Daphne's sentiments and smiled at Hermione before they went to sit at the table.
Harry came to sit down next to Daphne and leaning close to her he whispered, "Thank you." Daphne simply smiled at him and the meal progressed in peace.
When dinner was over Hermione went over to McGonagall and asked for permission to serve dessert to the girls in their suite. She hurried back to the other girls and invited them back. After giving instructions to Winky to bring the appropriate things for them, she led the girls to her suite. Once inside she began to serve all the girls as they observed all of the social niceties. After McGonagall was done eating she took her leave and went to her room. Then the girls began to gossip about the boys. "Daphne you are so lucky to have Lord Potter's undivided attention for four months!" Parvati whined. "We are all sharing Neville, but he is spending more time with Pansy because she didn't know him before."
"It is rather lovely to have his full attention. He really is an attentive man, and I feel that if I accept the marriage he would make a wonderful husband."
"You still don't know if you are going to?" Hannah asked her shock evident.
"No. I haven't decided if he has put enough work into it." Daphne said with a small smile. "A girl has a right to expect gifts while being courted, even if we are in a trunk," she said with a laugh."
"Well you don't have much time to decide. You only have two months before Harry is mine." Astoria said with a grin.
"True sister, but I doubt he will truly court you as you are only 13. He most likely views you as a little sister."
"You wound me Daphne!" Astoria said, clutching a hand to her chest. The rest of the girls laughed at the younger girl's antics.
"Well Miss Greengrass, I believe that Lord Potter is quite taken with you. So do try to not crush him too badly." Hermione said with a small smile.
"Oh, Miss Granger, you must call all of us by our given names." Daphne said.
"Then you must all call me by mine." Hermione said with a smile as she began to see that even in this world she could have true friends.
"Well then Hermione, I remember you saying something about wanting new clothes and having full access to the Potter family vault? Because we should get on that!" Parvati exclaimed. The girls spend the rest of the evening looking through fashion magazines and eating the sweets that the house-elves provided.
Saturday morning Harry woke feeling both excited and anxious for the evening. He hadn't been able to think of anything else since he had asked Daphne, and he only hoped that the evening would go exactly how he wanted it to. He got dressed in his new black dress robes, and went to set everything up. At six he knocked on the door to the Greengrass family suite. Lady Greengrass answered and said, "Welcome Lord Potter. Do come in. What are you and my daughter doing tonight? You were rather vague when explaining it all. Are you leaving the trunk?"
"No Lady Greengrass, we are staying in the trunk. We will simply be in the ballroom. I have something special planned for Miss Greengrass tonight."
"I see. I simply assumed you were leaving since of your dress robes. Miss Greengrass should be ready shortly, but please do sit." Harry sat and waited for five minutes before Daphne walked into the Common Room. She was wearing a strapless purple dress that was tight until her hips and then flared out gently. Her blonde hair cascaded around her in curls and Harry couldn't help but to think how lucky he was.
"Good evening Miss Greengrass are you ready for our evening?" Harry asked, bowing to her.
"Of course Lord Potter, I haven't been able to think of anything else all day."
Harry offered Daphne his arm and led her out of the room and down the hall to the ballroom. He opened the door and ushered her inside. The room was dim, and a candlelit table for two sat near the wall beneath a portrait. Daphne expected Harry to lead her to the table, but he swept her into the middle of the room. Bowing low to her he said, "Would you do me the honor of this dance."
Daphne dropped into a curtsey and said, "Certainly Lord Potter, but we have no music."
Harry laughed and drew her close to him. Then, with a snap of his fingers music started to play. Harry began to twirl Daphne around the room as "Open Arms" played behind them. He spun her around, staring straight into her eyes as the music played. As the song wound down, he pulled her closer to him and began to sing to her. "So here I am with open arms, hoping you'll see what your love means to me, Open arms." The music faded away and the two stood in the middle of the dance floor staring into each other's eyes.
"Lord Potter, I did not know that you could sing."
"There are many things about me that are surprising. Let me ask you something Miss Greengrass, do you believe that you will accept this marriage agreement?"
"I cannot be sure."
Harry made a low sound and stepped away. "Miss Greengrass, I'm taking this very seriously, and do not see what I have done to make you doubt me. I'm beginning to develop feelings for you, and would appreciate it if you would quit playing with me. I'm not a Slytherin Miss Greengrass, I'm a Gryffindor, and when I do something I do it completely. I have dedicated much to convincing you of my affection, and my sincerity, and I'm sick of getting the cold shoulder from you. Tell me, have I offended you in some way?"
"No, you have not offended me Lord Potter. I'm simply afraid to be committed to you in this way."
"Would you rather be committed to Mr. Nott in this way?"
Daphne recoiled as the reality of his words sunk in. "No, definitely not."
"I am your only way out Miss Greengrass. I take it that there is something in your past that is keeping you from being able to open up with me?" Daphne nodded, and Harry looked away briefly. "What if I share something with you? Something that I haven't really told anyone?"
"Well, I suppose that if we each share something it will be a fair trade." Harry nodded and led Daphne over to the table. He pulled out her chair and gestured for her to sit.
He then took a seat and said, "Miss Greengrass I'd like to introduce you to my parents, Lord and Lady Potter."
"It is a pleasure to meet you finally Miss Greengrass," James said, bowing in the portrait. "My son has not stopped talking about you, and I assure you that we are here for a reason."
"It is very nice to meet you as well my Lord." Daphne said, inclining her head at the portrait.
"I have promised to tell my parents something tonight that no one has heard before. I will be sharing the knowledge of it with you as well." Harry paused to get his emotions under control. "From the time I was one, until I was eleven, I lived in the muggle world with my mother's sister and her family. The Dursleys are the worse kind of people that one can imagine. They despise magic and everything that is out of the ordinary. My bedroom was a cupboard under the stairs, and I was treated worse than a house-elf. I did all of the chores in the house and when I screwed up, I was punished brutally. They would starve me for days on end, and several times I ended up in the hospital beaten and hanging on the edge of death. However, for some reason the muggle authorities never reported anything, and I have to suspect Dumbledore here somewhere. I grew up without love, without any possessions of my own, and the first present I got was from Hagrid on my eleventh birthday."
By the time Harry finished speaking tears were streaming down Daphne and his parents' faces. Daphne reached across the table and took Harry's hand in hers. "My Lord, I want you to know that you are better than all of that. You never deserved it, even though I can tell that to some extent you think you did. You are an amazing person, and the fact that you were able to overcome that ugly past to be the kind person you are today tells me more about your character than you could ever show me. Lord Potter, I am proud to not only know you but to call you my friend and my future husband."
"Call me Harry. And I thank you Miss Greengrass. I have always rather believed that I deserved the punishment."
"You never deserved any sort of punishment my son. Even as an infant you were amazingly well tempered." Lily said softly. "We love you my son, and thank you for allowing us to listen in to this conversation so that we could know more about you. But your father and I will leave you and Miss Greengrass to the rest of your evening." With that they walked out of the frame, leaving Harry and Daphne facing each other in silence.
"You are going to think that my reasons for remaining distant are so pathetic now my…Harry."
"I promise not to Miss Greengrass."
"I told you that Mr. Malfoy wanted me for his son. Well, not just anyone can be part of House Malfoy, so I was tested. Young Mr. Malfoy and I began dating in third year. It was a wonderful relationship, even if somewhat stinted by the fact that we were being considered for a marriage agreement. I believed that I was in love, and that he was in love with me as well. Halfway through the year he broke up with me, telling me that I was not worthy of the House Malfoy. But it was only a test, to see how I would respond. I freaked out, and was depressed all week. I was only thirteen and absolutely heartbroken. I spent my days crying in my room and did not attend my classes. After that week my father informed me that I was not to be betrothed to Young Mr. Malfoy because I failed the test. A Malfoy must always be stoic, even in the most trying of times. I'm sorry to seem so pathetic after what you just told me, but this is what is holding me back."
Harry leant across the table and took Daphne's hand in his. "You could never be pathetic Miss Greengrass, and I am deeply sorry that you have such heartbreak in your past. All I can do is tried to understand and be here for you."
"Thank you. Maybe now that you know what is holding me back from talking about my past we will be able to move forward in our relationship?"
"I hope so as well Miss Greengrass." The rest of the dinner passed in relative silence, both teens contemplating how to handle the situation with the information they had gained. After the meal was over Harry stood and bowed to Daphne. He then led her back to her family's suite. He stopped rather abruptly and stared at her for a moment.
Daphne picked up on why he was nervous and said, "Lord, I mean Harry, you may kiss me if this is what you desire."
Harry took a deep breathe and pulled Daphne close to him so that their bodies were touching. Then ever so slowly he leant down and kissed her lips tenderly, his lips barely moving across hers as if he was holding back. After several seconds he pulled away and looked down to see a blush spread across Daphne's face. Bowing to her he said, "I bid you farewell my lady. Tonight was spectacular." With that he walked away, leaving a breathless Daphne standing in front of her door.
Harry walked into his suite and found Sirius and Remus sitting on the couch waiting for him. "They found one Harry. The goblins have found one of Voldemort's Horcruxes."