A/N
Something about Valentine's Day: In my home country we don't really celebrate that day, so I don't know the 'details' about it. Because the pair is spending a greater part of the day together, I simply assumed that a girl would expect an invitation from her boyfriend a few days beforehand, at least a question along the line "do you want to spend the afternoon with me". If that's wrong, please excuse my artistic freedom.
This chapter is following the ideas of my dear wife. I hope you'll like it.
About Daphne: There had been some comments about my description of her. I don't know who started to make her a blondie, but is there anything official about her hair color? Within my recollection there is not a single sentence in the books about her appearance.
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Stupid Boys
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Hogwarts – Great Hall – 11th of February – Breakfast
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"Why are all boys so stupid?"
Blaise hastily looked down to avoid Daphne's irate glare. With a thoughtful smile Tracey watched her dark-haired friend stab her scrambled eggs with her fork using way too much force. Obviously her friend hadn't eaten and slept enough the last two weeks and it was slowly showing.
"With more reasoning they would be called girls," she joked softly. Her boyfriend shortly mock grimaced in her direction but Daphne simply ignored Tracey's attempt to calm her.
Whirling around her fork – a piece of egg still impaled – Daphne continued to growl: "Take Nott for example. Since he's too much of a coward to face my wand, he started to make life difficult for me: Bumping into me in the corridors, 'accidently' pushing my books on the ground or spilling ink on my parchment. He's such a child. Perhaps I should send his father a cane as a reminder of his duties to teach his son proper behaviour."
"Perhaps you should speak with Harry about it," Blaise dared to remark, seeing Tracey's small head-shaking too late.
"To have him make another fuss," Daphne asked with a deep frown. "It was difficult enough last time to convince him to only prank Nott and not hex him into oblivion."
"Perhaps you should have allowed him to do so," Blaise continued, still unconvinced. He was still angry about Nott, perhaps even more because Tracey and he had been there too late to help Daphne. That Snape had allowed Nott – the main culprit – to stay at Hogwarts while his two cronies had been sent away had been like a slap in the face. "Nott certainly deserved it. I've never seen a greater coward."
"Yes," Daphne agreed surprisingly meekly. "But Harry already has far too much on his plate this year. He doesn't need a month of detention with Snape for attacking a Slytherin."
"You want to protect him," Tracey commented and patted Daphne's arm. "It's understandable."
Daphne was still angry. The last two weeks had grated on her nerves and this morning the result became obvious. "And then think about Viktor 'I'm-stalking-you' Krum, Merlin's gift to the womankind." She spat the name with open disgust. "Does he understand a 'No' – softly whispered or yelled into his stupid face? Does he get the hint, when I hex him as an answer to his condescending invitation to join him 'for some dessert'? No, he's still stalking me, near me every day, not only annoying me but my friends too and especially Harry. Last week I had to tear Harry away to prevent a brawl between them. Harry's angry because I tried to avoid a fight and Viktor somehow interpreted it as some kind of weird gesture of interest on my side. AAARGH."
Her yell of anger caused some interest from other Slytherins, but they hastily turned around when Daphne started to hiss in their direction, her eyes full of fury. Since she off-handedly defeated Nott in a DADA duel, humiliating the haughty boy with a show of her improved wand-working – under the laughter of most Gryffindors and even a few Slytherins – everyone knew better than to mess with her.
"I wonder," Blaise interjected "what Bell is thinking about his behaviour."
Daphne grimaced. "She's not very happy about it." Katie Bell, Viktor's date from the Yule Ball, had been the most likely candidate to become Viktor's girlfriend – at least for a while. Since Viktor had started to stalk her, Daphne more than once noticed the fiery girl glaring at him – but sometimes at her too. Like I would lead him on, Daphne growled. Katie's reaction had been especially hurting because Daphne had adored the beautiful and athletic Gryffindor chaser for years, envied her for having the opportunity to play Quidditch.
"It's a bit weird that he pursues you so openly despite you being Harry's girlfriend," Tracey wondered.
"It seems not to interest him very much."
With a grimace Daphne watched some groups of students leaving the Hall. They would start to go to Hogsmeade now, this Saturday being the last opportunity to buy something for Valentine's Day. Daphne didn't want to speak about it, but Valentine's Day and Harry's behaviour about it – or better his lack of behaviour – was the main reason for her mood today. Only three days to go and still he hadn't asked her. Yes, she was certain that he wanted to spend the day with her. Hadn't he even spoken with her mother about it? But still a girl wanted to be asked.
And with their mounting number of quarrels in the last weeks he certainly couldn't simply assume that she would say yes. He had annoyed her more than enough with the return of his temper tantrums. They had solved the riddle for the second task and even found a way for him to breath underwater. But still he was – as could be expected – very tense about the whole matter. And this showed in his everyday behaviour, caused him to lose his composure more often than Daphne would have liked. And they hadn't kissed for… far too long. She didn't even remember the last opportunity. I want my Harry back, Daphne groaned.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have told Harry about my suspicion that 'something precious belonging to you' could mean a person. Perhaps he would have been less tense about the second task."
"He's still assuming that they want to hide his broom?" Blaise asked.
Tracey sniggered. "That's a completely new meaning for 'his precious stick', isn't it?"
Daphne growled, but a little smile showed on her lips: "Precious broom, my ass."
Tracey showed an expression of mock disgust because of her friend's choice of words while it was Blaise' turn to snigger.
Daphne went silent for a moment as she watched the Weasleys leave the Gryffindor table. The twins and Ron were still not really on speaking terms and Ginny stayed always close to Ron, her head down. A few days ago Daphne had spoken with Neville about her, coming to no conclusion about how to continue.
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"I would really like to help her, Neville. Perhaps it's my healer instinct as Mum suspects."
"Or you're simply empathizing because of her feelings," Neville smiled softly. "I think she still likes Harry very much. Sure, much of her past behaviour is because of her family and because it's about 'the-boy-who-lived'. But I think she really likes him too. And now she's hurting, realizing that she lost a friend – or even friends. Hermione is still distant to her, never speaking with her if Ron's around. That the twins are on speaking terms with all of us certainly rubs salt into the wound."
"That may be a reason too. Harry doesn't understand. He wants to be polite to her but nothing more. He doesn't see a reason to stay close to her, to do something right now. But… I don't know, Neville. There's something about her… I think she really needs a confident. With all the pressure from her family and no one – not even the other Gryffindors – liking her in the moment, it has to be real hard for her."
"Luna is the only one," Neville agreed "who is still something like a friend to her. But I'm not sure that Luna is the right person to speak with about matters of the heart. But" Neville hesitated for a moment. "I hate to ask, but: Is she worth it? After all her behaviour… is she worth that you have fights with Harry about her? Perhaps he's right and you should simply wait."
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There had been a last reason, one she hadn't told Neville and not even Hermione, who had slowly become her most trusted friend, even more than Tracey before. Hidden within Ginny's Aura Daphne had noticed tiny traces, shrouds belonging to charms used on her in the past and perhaps even in the last weeks. To get a clearer picture she would have to examine her intensely. But this wasn't going to happen with Ron blocking every attempt to get near Ginny. And with Harry's temper and Hermione's protectiveness she wasn't sure how to initiate a conversation about the matter. Daphne was concerned about the petite girl, very concerned.
Tracey nudged Daphne and nodded towards the Hall's exit where Harry was just leaving. A few seconds before he had stared at his girlfriend, struggled to go to her and to say something. But he noticed clearly that she was still angry with him. Harry assumed it was because of Viktor and perhaps Ginny. He sighed and left the Hall. He would wait for Neville in the entrance hall.
With clasped hands Hermione and Neville walked over to Daphne, showing an expression more uncaring than they felt so near to the other snakes.
"Are you ready, Daphne?" Hermione asked with a smile, nodding towards Tracey and Blaise. "Remus is certainly already waiting for us."
"Remus," Tracey asked.
"Professor Lupin," Daphne answered. "He's accompanying us today. A bit of manly support, you know." For a short moment a grin appeared on her face. Daphne tried hard to suppress her regret that she wouldn't spend the day with Harry.
"And Tonks will be with Harry and I," Neville grinned, earning him a glare from his girlfriend.
"It's okay as long as your eyes stay on her face and not her other… assets."
"I have no idea what assets you could be speaking about… honey," Neville's grin only broadened.
"You're way too cheeky today, Mister Longbottom," Hermione glared, inwardly happy that they had been successful at diverting Daphne. A single glance at her friend had told her enough about how much Daphne needed some relaxation.
Knowing how to stop her Neville leaned forward and kissed Hermione, not very passionately but it was far more than a little peck.
"Boo! That's disgusting. Can't you kiss the mud… Muggleborn somewhere else, Longbottom?" Draco's irritated voice interrupted the show of emotion. Apparently he was still in the learning phase not to use that special insult near his girlfriend, but Neville's 'improved self' caused him to be at least a tiny bit more polite than two months ago, especially with the Longbottom crest on her shoulder telling everybody that to insult Granger was an insult to House Longbottom too. Still it was apparently not enough.
"Shut up, Draco," Astoria scolded him before Hermione or Daphne had a chance to react. "Behave if you hope for any snogging session on Valentine's Day."
The Greengrass sisters shared an understanding smile and with a glare at the pouting Draco and a wave to her little sister, Daphne followed Hermione to the exit, to Hogsmeade.
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Hogsmeade
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"Simply ignore him," Neville tried to soothe his friend's spirit. Harry had been tense since they left Hogwarts and even Tonks' humorous twaddle hadn't improved his mood. It wasn't helping watching how Viktor left Honeydukes, a big bag in his hand and mouthing 'for Daphne' in Harry's direction. For a moment Neville had feared that Harry would start a fight with the bigger boy in the middle of Hogsmeade.
Not that he was afraid about Harry losing such a fight. In contrary he was quite certain how such a duel would end. But like Daphne he hoped to keep Harry away from trouble, especially now with only a few more days to go until Valentine's Day.
"Does Daphne know about your plans for Valentine's Day," Neville started, hoping to distract his friend from that awful Durmstrang student.
Harry shrugged. "I suppose not – haven't spoken with her about it."
Neville looked thoughtful at him and nodded slowly. As an afterthought he asked: "But she knows that you intend to spend the evening with her?"
Confused Harry stared at him: "Naturally. She's my girlfriend. How else should I spend the evening?" He wasn't all too certain about the girlfriend part but he really hoped that he hadn't messed it up too much with his fits of rage.
"No, I mean: Have you asked her?" Neville continued.
"Certainly you did, didn't you, Harry?" Tonks added. When Harry still seemed to be confused, she explained: "You said something along the line: Daphne, I would really love to spend the afternoon and evening of Valentine's Day with you. Would you do me the honour to accompany me?"
"But," Harry paled, hesitated. Had he fumbled again? "But why… I mean: She's my girlfriend. I thought it would be quite natural that I want to spend the day with her." After a moment he added in a whisper: "I can't imagine spending that day without her."
Had he annoyed her too much? He had seen her expression this morning, watched how angry she had stabbed her scrambled eggs and hissed at the other Slytherins. For a moment a cold hand gripped his heart as he thought about not being able to spend the day with her. He had wanted to make up for his behaviour in the last weeks. It hadn't been her fault that Viktor behaved like a git. She certainly never goaded him on.
"You should really ask her, Harry," Tonks smiled. "I'm certain she's thinking and feeling the same you do. But a girl wants to be asked. A girl wants to be told how much she matters to you."
"Okay," Harry nodded after a moment, smiling weekly. "I'll do that. Tomorrow afternoon, when we're meeting for our Patronus lesson I'll ask her."
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"How's your training with Moody going?" Tonks asked after a while. They had been at Honeydukes, Zonko's and the local book shop. Harry even found a nice scarf pin crafted from silver and turquoise he intended to put away for a day he needed a small gift for Daphne. Now they were sitting at the Three Broomsticks, drinking a butterbeer and planning what to do until they had to return to Hogwarts.
Once they had seen Remus, Daphne and Hermione. Hermione had waved in their direction and Daphne sent a small smile towards Harry – small but enough to warm his heart. Not all was lost.
"I heard you started additional DADA lessons with him." Tonks had been one of Moody's favourite students in her Auror training. She really liked the grumpy old bastard. 'Constant vigilance' – his motto had been helpful more than once already in her short career as an Auror.
Harry sighed. Neville silently watched his friend. They had spoken about those lessons and he knew how Harry thought about them. "I don't like those lessons," he astonished Tonks. "I'm not certain that I should continue with them."
This really surprised her. While quite exhausting Moody's lessons had always been her favourite ones and she had expected Harry to be the same, especially with him knowing that there were concrete dangers waiting for him in his near future.
"He's too eager to use excessive force," Harry explained after a moment. "You know better than I how the Ministry thinks about the use of 'damaging' spells – more or less any spell other than disarming ones and stunners. And the Headmaster's opinion is about the same, perhaps even harsher. He's always expecting anybody to turn 'to the dark side' if you use something like a Reducto in a fight."
"I know," Tonks sighed. "And I understand their reasoning. But you can't be too reluctant to use force. Especially in a larger fight you have to knock your enemies out. You can't risk stunning them only to have their comrades cast an Enervate seconds later."
"I know," Harry growled, adding a mumbled "Sorry" after a moment. "I know… but still… it has to be the last resort. I simply don't think that you have to use only those spells." Not looking at Tonks Harry continued with a low voice: "He's trying to teach me cutting spells. He's transforming objects into animals and commands me to use those spells on them."
Tonks didn't like this news in the slightest. It made sense to really train the spells this way, to allow Harry to see the effect they have on a creature without hurting a real animal. But still he was only a fourteen-year-old boy. This seemed too much too fast. And if his training was troubling Harry it could only be counterproductive in the long run.
"Last week he repeated that spider lesson." Now Neville pricked up his ears. "But this time he ordered me to use an Imperio on the spider."
Tonks paled. This was more than a bit overhasty. To advance like this could very easy lead to an estrangement between Harry and Moody. Did the Headmaster know about this? Tonks assumed that he had asked Moody to start these lessons. They had been friends for decades and with the current quarrel between Harry and Dumbledore it only made sense to send Moody ahead.
"I'll speak with him about that," Tonks answered and Harry relaxed a bit, smiling weakly. Tonks hadn't the heart to tell him that she feared not to be successful in the matter. Moody had always been very headstrong and while he liked Tonks she was far from being a respected equal to him. Not that she saw herself like that after only a few years as an Auror.
Another reason for her question about the training had been her visit to Hogwarts the evening before. She had spent some hours with Moody and Minerva, exchanging stories about the past. To be exact Moody and Minerva had exchanged and she had been listening. It had been nice but also a bit weird. Moody was still the Moody she had known in her training. But concurrently he had been not. He hadn't used his old nickname for her. He had forgotten a number of training accidents – accidents she had been renowned for because of her feared clumsiness. He had been drinking from his bottle a few times and left far earlier than expected.
No – her old mentor had changed. She had said something about it to Minerva after he left and Minerva had agreed.
"Did you know that Alastor had some serious problems a few years ago? After he lost his eye he was using far too many Painkiller and Dreamless sleep potions. For a while we feared that he would become addicted to them. He had been able to get away from them after a while, after some serious discussions with Poppy."
Tonks hadn't known that. Could it be possible that Moody had started to use Painkillers again? It would explain the constant use of his hip bottle. She didn't dare to ask him, still less to open the bottle without his knowledge. But Minerva had promised to watch him in the future. Hopefully she was able to help him.
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Hogwarts – Great Hall – 12th of February – Breakfast
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Sunday morning, what a beautiful morning, Harry pondered. He had got up very early this morning, quite unusual for him as he liked to sleep far into Sunday if he was allowed to. If no Quidditch training was awaiting him or a nagging Hermione urging him to do his assignments. But he was simply too happy today, too eager to see her, to make up for being a git.
Sitting at the Gryffindor table together with Neville and Hermione, he more or less ignored his friends and went through the words he wanted to say again and again. Many expressions – some thoughtfully, some a bit angry but most of them of the happy sort – became visible on his face while he mumbled all kind of apologies and love declarations. Hermione and Neville had long stopped to speak with each other, long abandoned trying to integrate Harry in their conversation. Now they were watching him, delighted to notice the change from his dire and depressed mood the evening before.
Hermione had confirmed the statement of Neville and Tonks that Daphne certainly expected some kind of invitation beforehand, some kind of forewarning that she had to look especially nice on Tuesday and if a dress or something more causal would be appropriate to his plans. Harry felt a bit stupid not to have thought about that. He planned to spend the day with Daphne in that secret room Mother had told him about. So Daphne could dress especially nice. Neville on the other hand had organized something in one of the greenhouses, a location more suitable for something less fancy.
"And tell her that you aren't mad at her because of Viktor," Hermione had told him. "And a little love declaration wouldn't hurt too. I'm certain she needs it after the last weeks."
His legs dangling happily, his fingers tapping on the table in the rhythm of an unhearable song, Harry watched the entrance. Certainly she would… there.
The door opened again and – together with her friends Tracey and Blaise – Daphne entered the hall. She wore her long black hair in a plain ponytail this morning, apparently no makeup and looked a bit exhausted as if she hadn't enough sleep last night. Tracey was babbling something and Daphne only nodded from time to time, obviously not very interested in the issue or simply too exhausted to care.
"Way to go, Harry," Neville smiled.
Suddenly feeling very self-conscious Harry hesitated. "Shouldn't I wait for the afternoon?" He stared at the Slytherin table, a table full of snakes and his friends knew without asking that he didn't like the idea of speaking with Daphne in front of her housemates.
"I'm sure that she'll appreciate the gesture if you speak with her now."
Harry nodded, grabbed the edge of the table, breathed deeply a few times to calm his nerves. Slowly he stood up and shot his friends a last unsecure smile. Just as he started to leave his place, Harry saw another figure walking straight towards the Slytherin table, towards Daphne. More running than walking, he followed the Durmstrang Champion, but only reached the table some seconds after him. Viktor just gave Daphne an envelope. He smirked in Harry's direction and mouthed 'too late', while Daphne – confusion and barely controlled disgust about Krum's invitation on her face – watched both boys.
But Harry was unable to see her face, didn't register that he only had to stay quiet and to watch the show. He only saw his rival, his smirk and that lousy envelope. Without a word he fetched the letter from Daphne's grasp and waved it in Viktor's direction. "What's this?"
"What do you think it could be?" Viktor grinned, seeing from the edge of his eyes that Daphne was turning angry now, angry not only at Viktor but at Harry too.
The Slytherins around were long forgotten by Harry as he opened the letter, more or less tore the envelope away, fully ignoring Daphne's outcry. As expected it was an invitation for Daphne to spend Valentine's Day with Viktor. In a fury Harry hurled the letter at Viktor's face. His fast seeker reflexes allowed the Durmstrang student to fetch it and – in an exaggerated gesture – he put the letter in Daphne's hands again. "Milady."
Again Harry fetched the letter, this time scratching Daphne's hands without noticing it. He only saw a kind of red fog now, clouding everything. "You can't go with Daphne," he growled. Carefully he ripped the letter to pieces and threw the remains at Viktor's face like confetti. "Daphne's with me."
"Harry James Potter," her voice had the effect of ice-water on him. He only had to look into Hermione's face – his friends having followed him in the meantime – to know that he was in deep trouble now. "It is my and only my decision how I spend my time. This was my letter, not yours. If you intend to play the possessive git, I really have better ideas how to spend the Tuesday evening."
Harry turned around and stared at her, only now realizing how his behaviour must have appeared to her. He had wanted to make up for the last weeks, not show her again one of his temper tantrums like a seven-year-old. "Daphne, I'm…"
She stopped him with a single gesture: "Not now, Harry, not now." Daphne turned around and walked away, leaving behind her stunned boyfriend. Tracey and Blaise followed her hastily. Viktor's snigger was certainly not helpful, the laughter of the snakes neither.
"Shut up," Harry growled.
"Or what, wonder boy?" Viktor grinned.
"Leave her alone," Harry growled again, now really furious. "She's my girlfriend."
"Doesn't seem so in the moment," Viktor grinned. "Or what do you think, Draco?"
Draco – who had been sitting not far away with Astoria – only grinned back: "Apparently Daphne starts to get back her senses. Who would want to be Potter's girlfriend?" Astoria watched the exchange in stunned silence. She was so angry, but to her own surprise not mad at Harry but at Viktor and Draco. Wasn't it cute how vicious Harry was defending her sister? And she felt a bit sad for her. Daphne didn't deserve all this.
Suddenly Harry had his wand in his hand, not yet directed at Viktor but ready to use. "Leave her alone, Viktor."
Most of the Slytherins hastily shuffled aside, made room for Viktor and Harry, as the elder boy draw his own wand too.
"Stop, that's madness," Hermione yelled. Harry glanced in her direction and saw to his relief how Neville pulled her away.
A fast move – Harry dodged and a red light, a stunner, nearly missed him.
"Give him hell!" Draco yelled while he took shelter behind the table.
Two spells, a stunner and a disarming spell, Harry blocked with a hastily conjured Protego. His reflexes kicked in now. Dodging, casting further shields and moving fast he was a target impossible to hit for Viktor. Then he started to attack himself. But he didn't intend to simply win. Harry wanted to destroy that smirk on Viktor's face, wanted to ridicule him in front of everybody. Every time he dodged a spell he cast a small stinging hex himself. Some missed, but most of them hit his target. Now the long gruelling sessions against Daphne and Hermione paid off.
These small hexes weren't really hurting Viktor, but slowly they started to unsettle him. This couldn't be. This boy was only fourteen. It should be a cake walk to defeat him. Another hex hit Viktor and he lashed out with a number of cutting curses. No more playing around. Two of them Harry absorbed with his shield before he had to dodge a third. He grinned in Viktor's direction to show how little he cared, as a yell of pain told him that the last curse had hit one of the spectators.
"Astoria!"
In another situation Harry would have wondered about the tone of real concern in Draco's voice, but now he only felt a mix of anger and regret. It was his fault. If he hadn't pulled his wand, then this duel hadn't started. Because of him Daphne's little sister – no: His little sister – had been hurt.
The first teachers entered the hall, now, far too late. But Harry didn't wait. Remembering his lessons with Anne he erected a new shield, far more powerful than before. He allowed his emotions – his rage towards Viktor and his wish to protect Astoria from further harm – to pour into his spell. No more dodging, Harry pondered.
A bronze coloured, nearly massive shield absorbed every stunning, disarming or cutting spell Viktor send his way while the elder boy was barely able to avoid Harry's spells. As Professor McGonagall nearly had reached the fight – her tries to stop it from afar had been ignored by both boys – Harry banished a bench into Viktor's legs. The elder boy lost his stance and was unable to avoid the next spells. An Expelliarmus sent his wand flying away and a medium-powered Reducto – not strong enough to really injure him but certainly not a harmless spell – sent Viktor crashing against the wall. Knocked out he sank to the ground, leaving behind a stunned audience.
Shocked Minerva looked around, noticed the injured Astoria and the senseless Viktor Krum. Wordless Harry offered her his wand and she pocketed it angrily. With cold stares at the students around, obviously furious that nobody had stopped this fight, she ordered some students to take Astoria and Viktor to the Hospital Wing. "Follow me to the Headmaster, Mister Potter."
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"Greengrass!"
Her yell didn't stop Daphne for a second. She was on her way to the Hospital Wing, had started to run towards it instantly after hearing from Pansy and Millie about the fight, about 'lil Tory being hurt by that Durmstrang ass.
"Greengrass!"
She could hear fast steps behind her, but chose to ignore them.
"Argh!"
She yelled in pain as a hand grabbed her hair and pulled her to a stop. It was a fuming Katie Bell that now shouted at her: "Stop it, Greengrass. Stop to lead my boyfriend on. He's…"
"Shut up!" Daphne yelled back. "I've no time for this nonsense now." She tried to turn around but Katie stopped her by gripping her arm. The other girl was older, larger and stronger, so she had no other chance than to convince her.
"Bell, I never led him on. I said no to him, more than once. Merlin, I don't even like him. And now leave me alone, I have to go to the Hospital Wing."
But Katie was pure anger now, not all of it directed at Daphne, but the girl being her nearest target to steam off some of it. "You must have done something. He would never leave me without a word and start to go after you despite Harry being your boyfriend. Isn't one boy enough for you, you bitch?"
It was neither the senseless accusation nor the insult that prompted Daphne to retaliate but the simple urge to see her sister. A cutting curse had hit her, Pansy had told, a damned dark cutting curse. She had to see her, to help her. It was her fault that the boys had fought. If she'd stayed, this would never have happened.
Shocked Katie experienced the reaction, a kind of reaction she hadn't expected from the well-reared girl. She didn't curse back; she didn't struggle, scratch or started to tear Katie's hairs. Instead Daphne made a fist and punched the tip of her lowest rib. Instantly Katie lost all breath and let Daphne's arm go. The younger girl made a few more punches, not very strong but deadly accurate. One of them hit Katie's solar plexus, deciding the fight for this time. But now Daphne was angry enough to make a last full-force punch. This time her fist connected with Katie's left eye, sending her instantly to the ground.
Leaving the heavily breathing girl to her friends – especially the twins who had fruitlessly tried to hold her back – and ignoring the throbbing pain in her hand, Daphne whirled around and hurried away.
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"I have to help her, Poppy."
"You don't, Daphne," the Nurse tried to calm her with little to no success. "She's sleeping now. The curse is bandaged and I've given her a blood replenishing potion. In a week she'll be alright again."
Daphne stared at her sister. She was so pale. Draco sitting at her side, his face not showing any of his usual smirk, had been a surprise. He seemed to struggle between accusing her and staying quiet. Draco knew that he was to blame too for this. He had been eager to see Krum defeating Potter, eager to see the damned golden boy on the ground. And while he had taken shelter behind the table, he hadn't watched what Astoria was doing. I should have protected her, he mused full of regret.
"Please let me help her, Poppy."
"I don't know how, Daphne. We simply have to wait."
With a sigh Daphne pulled her wand and cast a few diagnosis charms on her sister. "There are still remains of the curse lingering. And the cut isn't closed."
"I know," Poppy answered a bit miffed that Daphne didn't really trust her abilities. "We have to wait for her magical core to destroy the last remains of the curse before I'm able to close the cut. It is a really dark hex; I hadn't expected a student to know something like this."
"It's taught at Durmstrang," Draco interjected gloomily. He had spoken about it with Viktor a few weeks ago. Now he felt dumb that he had been jealous about it.
"I could help her. My magical core could help her fight the curse. You would be able to heal her earlier. And with two bodies connected you could use more healing and blood replenishing potions."
Poppy paled. In a way Daphne was right. One body could only endure a certain amount of potions. To be able to administer the double of it would be really helpful. But there was only one way to do this. "Do you mean…"
"Yes, the spell we've spoken about. Sanguis Familiae – it would allow me to connect my magical core and my blood circulation to her. Please, Poppy, you know it isn't dangerous, only… unusual."
Draco listened intensely. He never heard about that spell, but that wasn't a surprise. It sounded like something nobody in his family would use – perhaps aside from his mother. She had always been a bit soft and too caring for a real Malfoy.
"It's more than a bit unusual, Daphne. And hazard-free it is only in the lowest form cast. And even that would force you to stay in bed for several days."
"I want to do that, Poppy. I can't simply wait. Because of me they fought, because of me she's hurt. I simply have to help."
Poppy knew that Daphne was a bit exaggerating now. The injury, while severe, wasn't life-threatening. With a bit of patience she could simply wait for the healing to run its course. But she understood Daphne's wish to help and like she said the spell was fairly harmless used in this way. To stay in bed for a few days was certainly not the worst that could happen to her, especially with both boys in detention for a while. They all would have a chance to cool off a bit.
"Alright, we'll use the spell. Mister Malfoy, please leave us for a while. We'll have to prepare Miss Greengrass."
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Hogwarts – Greenhouse – 14th of February – Late Afternoon
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Soft music was in the air. Daphne had prepared this a week ago, days before the incident. Neville sighed. It was a nice afternoon. Blaise and Tracey had helped Hermione and him to prepare for their Valentine's Day and both had tried hard to really enjoy the day.
He had started with a flower this morning – a rare species of Orchid – and the promise to care for it. Hermione had smiled, knowing full well that not flower, especially not a delicate one like this, would survive for long in her care.
She wore beige pants and a dark-red embroidered blouse, simultaneously chic and practical enough to sit in the greenhouse at the table he had prepared with Madam Sprout's allowance. Ciddy was serving the food with much enthusiasm and more than once they had to send her away for a while to have some moments alone.
"Everything will turn out alright."
Neville knew that Hermione didn't fully believe this; that she only wanted to soothe him. But he only had their faces in his mind.
Astoria and Daphne, both equally pale – as hoped the curse had been destroyed after a day of connection between the sisters and Madam Pomfrey had been able to close the wound. According to her the state of the girls was far better than they looked and they would be able to leave the Hospital after another two to three days.
Harry, shocked, full of remorse – as expected both boys had been sentenced to detention for the whole week. And both had lost five points to their tournament score as well – not that this would have been of any interest to Harry. There hadn't been a Howler from Roxanne – a stark contrast to the behaviour that could be expected from a Molly Weasley or an Augusta Longbottom – but Harry certainly knew how disappointed his Mother was. He hadn't been able to enter the Hospital Wing in daylight, not brave enough to visit her when she was awake. Only at night – as Neville had noticed – he had been gone under his cloak.
Ginny, destroyed even more than before – Neville had been shocked to see the Valentine's Day Card she had sent to Harry. How could she? Did she really expect any other reaction than the one she got? Harry had been furious and nearly slapped her. Ginny had been broken and slowly Neville understood Daphne's reasoning about Ginny's state of mind, especially after the twins told him that the card had been the idea of their mother.
Katie – she had been the only silver lining in these days. Poppy had treated her shut swollen eye and other bruises. After that, Daphne told later, she went to her bed and apologized. It remained to be seen how Katie's relation to Viktor would be after all of this. Neville only hoped that she would recognize the git he was at last.
"Everything will turn out alright."
Hermione whispered again before she ended his gloomy pondering with a kiss.
.
Same Time –Somewhere in Hogwarts
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He really liked it when his plans went off smoothly. A few charms, a single potion and a few well-placed words had been all to burst the small happy family. He had been very careful especially with the charms. Sometimes it was better to cast the spell on an area or object instead of on the person, he had learned. The same effect but less hints. He had to be really careful around the Greengrass-bitch.
The injury of her younger sister had been an unexpected but very welcome bonus. If only the curse had been worse. She blamed Harry for the injury and after the use of that rare family blood spell she wasn't even able to spend time with him. How nice.
He had been impressed to watch Potter beat Viktor Krum so easily. The training with Moody was really showing a positive effect. But perhaps he should urge Moody to relax a bit. His comment – nice fight, Potter, but don't refrain so much from using real spells next time – apparently made a negative impact on the boy.
He rubbed his hands. Yes, phase one had gone very well so far. Now he had to wait for the second task to begin phase two. Perhaps he should use the spare time for a little chat with Miss Skeeter.