This chapter will have a snippet of the Deathly Hallows Chapter 36 in it. It will be in italics.


Feeling like a freak on a leash.

Feeling like I have no release.

How many times have I felt diseased?

Nothing in my life is free... is free

Sometimes I cannot take this place.

Sometimes it's my life I can't taste.

Sometimes I cannot feel my face.

You'll never see me fall from grace

-Korn Freak On A Leash


Chapter Nineteen: Mayhem At The Ministry

They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron at around 4:00, giving them at least two and a half hours to get ready for the Ministry Ball.

The Leaky Cauldron were among the places in Diagon Alley that had been destroyed by Death Eaters during the war. It had been remodeled, looking a bit more grand and inviting than it did before. The rooms were much more spacious, the colors were a lot more inviting and bright, and the beds were to die for.

Ginny and Daphne had ended up sharing the room that was meant for just Daphne and Hermione. But since Hermione couldn't come, Daphne opted to let Ginny have Hermione's spot, as Ginny no longer wanted to room with Romilda like intended. Luna ended up rooming with her instead, leaving Angelina with a room to herself.

Daphne and Ginny had become closer since Ginny's stay in Slytherin. She found her way more friendlier and tolerable than Pansy and Astoria, and the fact that she could see the growing relationship between her and Harry was an added bonus.

"Sooooooo..." said Ginny as she brushed Daphne's silky blonde curls. "What's the deal with you and Harry Potter?"

"Deal?" asked Daphne as she felt the blush threatening to give her away.

"Don't give me that. You fancy him don't you?" asked Ginny as she started curling pulling Daphne's coils into a ponytail.

"Is it that obvious?" giggled Daphne. "I mean, I wasn't trying to at first. I just thought he needed a friend...like a friend outside of his group of friends. But then, I caught myself just thinking about him one day. I think it was the day after he had an episode."

"Episode?" asked Ginny.

"He didn't tell you? It was before the Halloween ball actually. We were on the 7th floor and I guess it triggered him and he thought he was back in the Room Of Requirement when he apparently saved Draco and Greg, but Vin had died." said Daphne, trembling slightly as she thought of Harry and how he was screaming.

"He never mentioned that. I don't even think Ron and Hermione knows." said Ginny, all of a sudden feeling a twinge of guilt for not paying attention to Harry lately.

"Maybe he thought that talking to you guys about it would trigger you too. He probably didn't want your guys to flash back you know? Especially you and Ron."

"Sounds like him." agreed Ginny. "He never wants to so call 'burden' others, so he keeps things to himself and broods over them."

"I figured as much. He's so secretive when really, he needs to talk about these things. Holding them in only makes it worse." said Daphne as she applied a glamor charm on her face.

"Harry has always been that way, ever since I met him. The only ones who know everything are Ron and Hermione, and he even omits things from them. And this war hasn't helped. I know there are things that he isn't telling anybody now. With the exception of you, of course." said Ginny as she finished Daphne's hair.

"Me? Why would he tell me more than he tells you guys?" asked Daphne.

"I would think it obvious, Daph."

Harry and Ron got themselves showered and dressed rather quickly. Neither one of them was looking forward to the affair, especially Ron, who was giving the speech.

"Okay, I don't know what Mione was thinking when writing this rubbish." said Ron as he read over the speech.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Harry, taking the parchment out of Ron's hand, looking it over.

"Everything is so technical, so precise. I can't deliver this properly." said Ron, straightening up his tie.

Harry grimaced as he read over the speech. "I agree. It's too Hermione, they would never go for it. You're just going to have to improvise."

"Improvise? Are you mental?" yelled Ron nervously.

"Come off it, Ron. You can't go up there and have people believe in what you are saying with these words. You are going to have to say how you feel about the war, how you feel about the future." said Harry as he tried again and again to smooth down his hair. No such luck.

Ron sighed as he slipped on his dress shoes. "Fine. But if I start to ramble tag yourself in."

After they were done getting ready, the boys walked down to the lobby to wait for the others. The others were already down there, making them the last.

Luka, Draco, and Neville looked somewhat the same with their all black dress robes, except Luka's cloak was red, the same type of red cloak that Viktor had worn at the Yule Ball during the Triwizard Tournament.

Luna had on a blue gown that were made out of tiny blue flowers that she had sewn together on silk thread. Her long, golden hair hung down with angelic curls with a few of the flowers in it.

Romilda wore a very form fitting black dress with silver accents that shown off her curvy shape. Her wild black hair had been modestly tamed to where it still held its look, but with a bit more sophistication.

Angelina and George had made the joke of dressing in the same stylish mens dress robes. Her long braids were braided into a bigger plat that hung down her back.

Ginny was wearing what looked like a green cocktail dress. Her protest of her not really wanting to be there in the first place. Still, she looked very nice and seemed not to care that both Ron and George had teamed up to scold her about her attire.

Daphne approached Harry wearing a beautiful champagne colored gown that sparked. Her hair put up in an sophisticated bun with a few curly tendrils hanging down. Harry was beside himself. She was breathtaking.

"You look...that is to say...I mean..." he stuttered.

Daphne chuckled and took Harry's hand. "You clean up nicely too Harry." she said.

"Thanks. And you're very beautiful." Harry finally managed to say.

"Why thank you Harry, that's really sweet." said Daphne as they walked towards the car and climbed in.

When everyone was safe and secure in the car, it had taken off towards the Ministry.


The car drove into what looked like a muggle parking garage, when really, it was where they housed ministry cars other forms of transportation, including the Knight Bus, which Ron still wanted to take after Harry told him about his adventure on it third year.

They all got out to the car and walked until they got to what looked like a hotel. When they walked in, they were met with cheers, applause, and flashing lights as they found themselves at the end of a red carpet. Harry and Ron groaned. Harry found himself ready to turn around and walk away, he was never good with crowds, especially crowds that were there to admire him. Daphne's gentle tapping on his arm comforted him in a way, and he walked through the crowd of people, and over to where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were standing to greet them.

Mrs. Weasley hugged her children with tears in her eyes. She was elated to see them, but she had still not moved on from Fred and it showed tremendously when she hugged George, not wanting to let him go until Mr. Weasley made her.

She then took Harry into her arms as well. "My boy, you look so handsome. Still a bit peaky, are you eating?" she asked as she held him out and inspected him.

Daphne couldn't help but laugh as she watched Mrs. Weasley dote on Harry. She had been told stories about her and hope Harry considered her a mum, and at that moment, she could definitely see why.

"And who is this young lady, Harry?" asked Mrs. Weasley, smiling at Daphne, making her nervous all of a sudden.

"This is my date, Daphne Greengrass." said Harry as Daphne and Mrs. Weasley shook hands.

"Greengrass? You're Elaine Greengrass's daughter aren't you?"

"Yes ma'am, but she goes by her given name Dolohov again." said Daphne.

Harry's found himself holding his breath. Daphne never told him that her mother was born a Dolohov.

"Oh yes, that's right. I went to school with her. Real sweet woman she was, despite her family." said Mrs Weasley. "Oh dear... I'm so sorry my dear. That's not to say-"

"It's fine, Mrs. Weasley. I know what kind of men my uncle and grandfather were. Thankfully my mother and aunt were nice like my grandmere." said Daphne, smiling reassuringly.

After a few more pleasantries, and an invite to the Burrow sometime, Harry and Daphne made their way to the open bar where they each got a butterbeer.

"So you're a Dolohov as well?" Harry finally asked.

Daphne looked at her glass shamefully. "I couldn't tell you that. Especially because of what you went through with my uncle. I didn't want you to think I was just someone bred out of Death Eaters, even though I guess that's the case."

Harry sighed. He really couldn't be mad at her. After all, no one chooses the family they are born into, and she was nothing like her Death Eater relatives. It would be wrong of him to judge her based on them.

"No more secrets." he stood quietly as he gently lifted Daphne's chin.

Daphne grinned. "That goes for you too Mr. Potter, as you are the king of secrets."

Harry winced. "You don't want to know everything there is to know about me, Daph."

"Actually, I do." said Daphne, taking Harry's hand and intertwining her fingers with his. She looked deep into his eyes to let him know that she wasn't joking around.

Harry used to feel nervous and unsettled when Ginny used to do this to him. He thought he would have those same emotions with Daphne doing the same thing, but he found that he felt nothing but warmth and an eagerness to tell her absolutely every aspect of himself. He had never felt that way with anyone else.

He smiled and nodded as a flash went off. A reporter had taken their picture without them noticing.

"Fuck." whispered Harry as he held Daphne's hand tighter and walled with her over to Ron and Ginny. They both looked at him with the same look of annoyance that Harry had.

"Been hounded I seen mate?" asked Ron.

"We were talking and someone snuck a shot." said Daphne, as Harry looked too irate to speak.

"Yeah, we just got finished saying a bunch of no comments over and over." said Ginny. "They either wanted to know why Hermione wasn't here, how Ron felt about what the three of them did, and my personal favorite: 'why did you break the Chosen One's heart, Ginny?' It's revolting."

"That's terrible. They should mind their own business, the vultures." said Daphne, letting go of Harry's hand and crossing her arms.

"Watch out Daph." said Ron. "They will be on you next, seeing as you're here with Harry and all."

Daphne shook her head. "The press is nothing to me. We had to deal with them when my father was arrested. All I do is say that muggle phrase 'I plead the fifth' and walk off."

The music started to play, signaling people that the dance floor was now open. Ron actually felt good for a few seconds that Hermione was indeed not there, she would have made him dance, and although he did enjoy dancing with her, he was in no mood to be waltzing at the moment.

Draco and Romilda, George and Angelina, Neville and Luna, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and other couples that were there went out and started dancing. Ginny hesitated. As much as she did enjoy dancing, she didn't want anyone else taking her picture, nor asking her why was she on the arms of Luka Krum and not Harry Potter.

However, Harry killed that bad thought by asking Daphne to dance with him. Hang the press, he was here to do his job and to see to it that Daphne enjoyed herself. He wasn't going to let the Daily Prophet hogs stop him.

Harry took Daphne to the middle of the dance floor and the two began to dance as more and more cameras flashed around them. At first, all of the attention was a but intimidating to Daphne, but as she seen that Harry was being oblivious to them, she decided to do the same and enjoy herself.

That was, until Rita Skeeter popped up out of nowhere with her Quick-Quotes-Quill

"Harry dear, who is this radiant woman? What happened to you and the red headed one? Inquiring minds want to know." she said quickly.

"No comment." said Harry as he held Daphne close to him.

"You two sure seem smitten with each other. Care to share your love story?" asked Rita to Daphne, who didn't seem phased by the pushy woman.

"I plead the fifth. Come on Harry." said Daphne as she linked hands with him and walked off.

"I'm sorry about that." said Harry. "She wasn't supposed to be asking me anything about my life. She is taking advantage of the fact that Hermione isn't here."

"Hermione?"

"Let's just say, Hermione could ruin everything for that woman." said Harry as he poured himself and Daphne some punch.


The music died down and it was time for speeches to be made. Ron and Harry went up to the podium nervously.

As Ron started speaking, Harry looked around the room at the people staring at them and hanging on Ron's words. He suddenly started feeling very claustrophobic, something that Harry wasn't used to feeling.

For some reason, his eyes locked onto Luka's. He suddenly felt an ominous sense of déjà vu.

And then the room disappeared.

He felt the damp earth under his cheek. He could smell his own blood coming from some cut on his face. As much as he wanted to move, he dared not. He knew exactly what was to come.

"Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?"

The whisper was barely audible, her lips were an inch from his ear, her head bent so low that her long hair shielded his face from the onlookers.

"Yes," he breathed back.

He felt the hand on his chest contract: her nails pierced him. Then it was withdrawn. She had sat up.

"He is dead!" Narcissa Malfoy called to the watchers.

And now they shouted, now they yelled in triumph and stamped their feet, and through his eyelids, Harry saw bursts of red and silver light shoot into the air in celebration.

Still feigning death on the ground, he understood. Narcissa knew that the only way she would be permitted to enter Hogwarts, and find her son, was as part of the conquering army. She no longer cared whether Voldemort won.

"You see?" screeched Voldemort over the tumult. "Harry Potter is dead by my hand, and no man alive can threaten me now! Watch! Crucio!"

Even though he stayed quiet and limp through the ordeal when it had first happened, he couldn't help but scream at the top of his lungs at the pain that he thought he was feeling. His body jolted this way and that as the memory of the curse consumed him, almost driving him mad.

"HARRY! HARRY PLEASE! YOU'RE NOT THERE, YOU'RE NOT THERE!" he heard a voice in the distance.

The pain, the agony. It was too much. He felt his mind slipping away, his vision going in and out.

"Harry please come back! It's Daphne! Please Harry, you're fine! You're safe!" he heard a frantic, but angelic voice. Almost as if it was a whisper. It kept him holding on, clinging to his sanity.

"Harry, please. Come back to me." the voice said.

He opened his eyes and seen a devastated looking Daphne in his face, her hands holding his cheeks. He found that he couldn't move, he was being held by something. No, someone. He looked to his right frantically as he felt hot breath on the back of his neck.

Ron. Ron had him in a tight and aggressive bear hug.

He looked around at the crowd staring at him in confusion and awe. Mrs. Weasley looked positively terrified.

"Where am I?" he whispered. "The forest, Voldemort, he-"

"It's all over mate." said Ron as he let go of Harry. "You were having an episode."

"You're far far away from the forest and Voldemort is dead Harry." said Daphne, as she tenderly rubbed Harry's cheeks.

"I need to get out of here." he said as he moved Daphne's hands away and ran out of the door.

The room was deathly quiet. No one knew what to say, nor what to do. They had watched Harry scream and yell and move as of his body had lost control of itself.

Ginny looked from Draco to Luka, as if she was searching for an answer. Draco looked as if he was sick.

While Luka looked eerily pleased.