This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter universe, which are trademarked by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim ownership of these characters nor the locations such as Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc. that are Rowling's creations. This work also includes Pokemon, which belong to the Pokemon Company, and I again claim no ownership of these characters.
I thank both Rowling and the Pokemon Company for the universes they have created that allows me to do something like this for my own entertainment and, hopefully, the entertainment of the readers.
It was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Daphne's lips, so smooth and perfect to look at, were surprisingly warm as they moved against his. Her cheek, resting beneath his palm, was soft to the touch. He wished he could hold her forever.
Time seemed to stand still for Harry, except it could not as he found himself out of oxygen and he reluctantly allowed his lips to separate from Daphne's. His breath, coming out heavy, matched hers and he allowed his eyes ever so slowly to rise up to meet Daphne's crystalline blue orbs.
"Potter," she breathed, her voice harsh in the silence of the Hospital Wing, and Harry suddenly came crashing back to earth.
"Sorry," he said hastily. "I didn't mean…" But what could he say? He did mean it; he had done it.
Daphne took in a shaky breath. "Don't tell anyone what happened," she told him firmly. "If you dare…"
"I won't," Harry said, and he meant it. "I promise." He hesitated. How could he bring this up delicately?
Daphne scowled. "Spit it out."
"You'll still help us?" Harry asked anxiously. Daphne nodded. "And… and visiting Eevee?" Daphne's expression softened ever so slightly.
"I'll send Gardevoir tomorrow," she told him. "But this is the last you'll see of me." And she meant it for a moment later she was gone and Harry was left alone.
Thoughts of Daphne Greengrass plagued Harry's mind in the days and weeks that followed. Never before had Harry ever done something so forward as to kiss someone and the fact that it had been Daphne, someone he'd barely spoken to before the start of the year, completely threw him. What had caused him to do it? Had he just been vulnerable, overcome with emotion due to the hatching of Eevee? Had he been tired, drained from the tough DA session and the late hour their trip to the Hospital Wing had occurred? Did he actually like her? Or was he just confused?
The answers to these questions were nowhere to be found but there were some he had been able to sort out. The first of which was the matter of whether Daphne would continue helping him, both with the DA and with Eevee. Daphne had promised to do so, yet she had also left Harry alone in the Hospital Wing with no obvious method of getting back to the Gryffindor Common Room. In the end he had resorted to sneaking out the window, ever so carefully guiding Charizard around the school so as to avoid being in sight of any of the windows and, by proxy, any of the cameras.
It turned out his worries were laid to rest the next night as Gardevoir appeared before him in the dormitory at the exact same time as the previous night, though without Daphne present. She did, however, join them before the DA meeting later that week, though she avoided even looking at Harry. Still, that was a lot more than Harry could have possibly hoped for given what had happened.
His internal struggles, though he did his best to hide them, did not go unnoticed by Ron and Hermione, although Ron at least seemed clueless as to what might have been the cause. Hermione was not so easily put off.
"Ron told me you went to the Hospital Wing with Daphne Greengrass," she whispered over to him that Saturday morning at the breakfast table. It was a bright morning, one that led to a relaxed atmosphere which was much needed after yet another week of the Inquisitorial Squad making everybody's lives miserable. Harry himself had already lost at least fifty points. He'd stopped counting after he noticed the Gryffindor hour glass showing their score approaching zero.
"Yeah," Harry said, trying to appear disinterested. "What of it?" Hermione had been certain that something had happened and had taken every opportunity to try and interrogate Harry about anything she thought might be related to his current mood. Harry, meanwhile, had done his best to throw her off the scent. This was something he didn't feel comfortable talking about yet.
"Did anything happen?" Hermione asked, leaning forward eagerly. Harry shrugged.
"Nothing much," he told her in as casual a voice as he could manage. "Got to see Eevee and now Daphne is sending over Gardevoir every day. It was a good thing." Harry doubted he'd convinced her, Hermione was the most observant person he knew, but he wasn't ready to spill the beans just yet. Hermione took in a breath.
"Daphne's been acting awfully weird lately, hasn't she?" She said, her voice leading. It was Ron who answered her.
"She has?" He said, bewildered. "How can you tell?" He glanced over to where Daphne was sitting at the Slytherin table in mid-conversation with Tracey Davis.
It was a good point, Harry thought, Daphne had acted completely normal, at least as far as he could see. The thing was they simply did not spend anywhere near enough time together for them notice such things. If her friends in Slytherin noticed anything unusual they weren't going to tell.
It seemed like Hermione had some point to argue, taking a breath and opening her mouth to speak, but at that moment the morning post arrived, flying types of all varieties swooping down from the upper windows and, on this particular occasion, one swooped down to Ron.
"Errol," he said, looking down at the elderly Noctowl with a worried expression. "What happened to you?"
Errol, the Weasley family's elderly Noctowl, was not often used to send letters on account of being so old that the long journey to Hogwarts was something he couldn't manage more than three or four times a year. Harry had only seen him there once this year, delivering some small package to Ginny, and he had looked about ready to keel over then.
It was another matter altogether now. Errol, having landed roughly with one foot firmly in the cereal bowl, had collapsed to the table, only just assuring them he was still alive by the random fluttering of his wings and the tilt of his head as he tiredly tried to right himself.
"Maybe he needs a potion," Hermione suggested, all thoughts of interrogating Harry gone as she looked in worry as Ron helped the Noctowl to his feet.
"You got any handy?" Ron asked, struggling slightly with the awkward task of holding up the feathered Pokémon as he got his feet securely under him. Hermione, in lieu of answering, disappeared into her bag and quickly came up with a basic potion spray, handing it to Ron. Ron examined Noctowl critically.
"Where should I even spray this?" he said, gently pulling out Noctowl's wings to examine them. "He's bashed up all over."
"Try the wing joints," Hermione said quickly. "They'll be most useful if he's going to attempt to fly back."
"We might have to check him in with Madam Pomfrey before that," Ron told her but he sprayed anyway, adding a spray onto each of Noctowl's clawed feet as he stood gingerly on the tabletop. It was at this point he noticed the letter tied to his leg.
"For me, I guess," Ron said, untying it carefully to avoid injuring Noctowl further. "From mum, I bet," he told them before disappearing into the letter.
As Ron read Hermione turned back to Harry.
"I don't know what happened but I know something is bothering you, Harry," Hermione told him point blank. Harry had hoped she'd forgotten.
"I'm fine," Harry tried to assure her, which was difficult due to how tired he sounded saying it. Hermione just gave him a distinctly unimpressed look.
"Come on, Harry, we both know that isn't true," she told him. "Look, I'm not accusing you of anything but I know something happened on Monday night. You were fine after the DA meeting and then the next morning you were so on edge and nervous and…" Hermione glanced around quickly before dropping her voice. "And I don't think you've noticed but you've been looking at Daphne a lot."
"I have?" Harry asked, shocked. Hermione nodded grimly. Well, that just wouldn't do, and not just because it gave Hermione hints as to what had happened that night in the Hospital Wing. No one could know that Daphne was helping them. If Harry kept looking at her then someone in Slytherin was almost bound to figure something out. They weren't all as stupid as Crabbe and Goyle.
"Hey, Hermione, can you pass me some paper?" Ron asked, completely oblivious to their conversation. Hermione did as he asked and he thanked her, not having even looked up from the letter he'd received from home in the process. Hermione turned back to Harry.
"I know what you're like, Harry, and I know you don't want to admit there might be something wrong," Hermione said. "I know you feel you've got to be strong but you are strong Harry and you don't need to convince me of that. If you have a problem then just tell me and I'll help you. We'll both help you."
Harry considered her, the thought of telling her the truth growing more and more attractive with every second, and then turned to Ron. If there was ever anyone that could help him it would be his best friends. But then he thought of Daphne. She'd expressly forbid him from mentioning what had happened to anyone.
"Okay, you're right," Harry admitted in a low voice, feeling somewhat relieved to finally admit it. "Something happened with me and Daphne but I can't say, I promised not to. Just… remember that I will work it out."
"If there's a problem we can help you," Hermione told him. "If it's something to do with the DA…"
"It's not," Harry said quickly. "It's not got anything to do with the DA or Umbridge or Voldemort or anything."
"Then what is it?" Hermione asked, genuinely confused.
"I can't tell you," Harry reaffirmed. He'd already put Daphne in a position she clearly didn't want to be in, he wasn't about to break her trust now.
Hermione didn't seem particularly happy at this response but it seemed that Harry had satisfied her enough that she backed down, at least for now. It was a welcome relief and Harry was able to eat the remainder of his breakfast in peace, thinking that perhaps he should have just been honest with Hermione in the first place. Either way they would have ended up in this position.
"Done," Ron said firmly, pressing his pen with finality into the paper before folding it up.
"That was pretty quick," Hermione commented, raising an eyebrow. Ron shrugged.
"Well, there's only so much you can say, is there," he reminded her. "Can't put much of what we're doing here in a letter. I only really talked about Quidditch practice to be honest."
"It is only a couple of weeks into the term," Harry backed Ron up. "The only thing that's really happened is Eevee hatching."
"Shit," Ron muttered, unfolding the paper and hurriedly scrawling at the very bottom of the page. Hermione rolled her eyes. "There. Now I'm done." He tied the letter to Errol's leg.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to send it with Errol?" Hermione wondered, eyeing the Noctowl with a concerned expression. It still looked rather frail. Then again Errol always looked frail.
"Why don't we walk down to the front gates," Harry suggested. "Give Errol some fresh air before we send him off."
"Good idea, mate," Ron agreed, standing up and gesturing to Errol. "Come on, up you get." Errol fluttered his wings, spreading a couple of feathers into Neville's bowl of soup, and alighted on Ron's outstretched arm. "Lets go."
The grounds were surprisingly warm for January, though that was mostly due to the sun beaming down on them and the lack of any wind. The grass was still frosty underfoot, a reminder that the winter season was still yet to pass, and even under the light of the sun Harry was still grateful for the warmth provided by his Christmas jumper from Mrs Weasley.
"Nice day, isn't it," Ron commented as they walked down, Errol dozing on his arm. "Hope it's like this for the next match." The Quidditch season was due to restart and Gryffindor's first game would be against Hufflepuff. It was a game they really should expect to win and one they had to win to keep the fate of the Quidditch Cup in their hands.
"It'll be nice when it starts to get lighter later," Hermione commented, not so interested in the sport. "Grass type Pokémon are at a severe disadvantage in the dark. I haven't seen a single Pokémon pull off a Solar Beam during our meetings."
"Can't Solar Beam if there's no sun," Ron agreed before coming to a stop. "You reckon this is far enough?" He asked, looking out over the grounds before them. It was a fairly steep hill down to the front gates but as the Noctowl flies it was virtually no distance at all.
Ron poked Errol awake. "Ready, buddy," he said. Errol ruffled up his feathers in response, looking significantly better than he had when he arrived, and launched himself, slightly haphazardly, into the air. He soared towards the Hogwarts gates.
A bolt of electricity shot through the air, so close to Errol that he was forced to pull up to avoid it.
"Hey! What's going on?!" Ron shouted, shocked by what was happening as Harry and Hermione watched stunned. "Go, Errol, quickly!" But another electric bolt shot in the air as Errol tried to obey the command and it was followed a moment later by a rather large Pokémon.
The Gliscor floated menacingly into the air and Errol automatically tried to get away but Gliscor clamped its claws around the Noctowl's struggling wings. Its stinger like tail curled underneath him, completely encasing Errol in its grasp, and it floated down towards the ground with its prey.
"Errol!" Ron shouted and he hurried after him, slipping and sliding down the grassy slope as he followed Gliscor's path, Harry and Hermione following closely behind him.
Gliscor was not going far, dropping over the other side of the castle walls, and Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried to the gate to try and see where it had landed.
What they saw, instead, was a group of three men sitting at a foldaway table watching as Gliscor lowered to the ground. One of them, a large man with his shirt stretching over his bulky frame, walked over to the Gliscor without worry, Gliscor unfolding its tail to reveal the struggling Noctowl.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Ron shouted angrily through the gate, unable to do much more than yell and rattle the bars as he was too far away to reach them. The large man turned, surprised, and grunted a response.
"None of your business," he growled. "Now piss off."
"You leave Errol alone!" Hermione shouted, joining Ron in his anger. "You have no right to detain him!"
"Or what?" The brute asked. "What are you going to do, girlie? Stuck behind those bars, aren't you." Hermione grit her teeth angrily. Ron went for his Pokéballs.
"Ah, ah, ah," a familiar sickly sweet voice spoke from behind them and Ron froze, his hand clasped around Arcanine's Pokéball. "I don't think so, Mr Weasley. No battling at Hogwarts."
"But Professor," Ron complained, turning to Professor Umbridge and making his case even though he knew it would be useless. "They attacked Errol!"
"Tut tut, shouting won't do you any good," Professor Umbridge said without losing that sweet, fake smile. "These fine gentlemen did not attack this Noctowl. No, they simply corralled it."
"Noctowl's hurt," Hermione told her. "He can't take such treatment."
"These are the new rules, Ms Granger," Umbridge said sweetly. "Have you not been paying attention? All incoming and outgoing mail will be screened to ensure no extremest messages are being passed in relation to the horrendous rumours about the return of You-know-who. These men are from the Ministry and are charged with making sure that no correspondence enters or leaves without Ministry approval."
"You're reading our mail?" Said Hermione, aghast.
"To ensure the safety of Pokémon society we must all make sacrifices, Ms Granger," said Professor Umbridge with a smug smile. "I'm afraid a few bumps and bruises are necessary to assure such protection."
"Bumps and bruises," Ron repeated, his whole body shaking angrily. "Errol's hurt! You can't do this, he can't even fly anymore after what that Gliscor's done to him!"
"He managed to get in here, didn't he," Umbridge pointed out. "Do you think he somehow managed to bypass the screening, Mr Weasley?" Ron's face went red.
"You bitch!" He snarled and Harry and Hermione had to act quickly to physically hold him back as he made a move towards Umbridge, hands clenched into fists.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor, Mr Weasley," Umbridge said, her voice high and shrill. "And a whole week's worth of detention." Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Hermione flinch. Clearly she remembered her own detentions at the hand of Umbridge. Could Ron even handle that without lashing out?
"Such language may have been tolerated before my arrival, Mr Weasley," Umbridge told him, breathing heavily. "But with me as High Inquisitor I will not stand for such insubordination." She looked around, past the three students to the gate and over to where the Ministry employees were watching.
"You," she said, gesturing to the brutish man who appeared to be commanding the Gliscor. "Get that letter for me. Lets see what was so important that Mr Weasley needed to disrespect a teacher in order to protect."
"No," Hermione whispered, looking shocked as the brutish man pulled the letter roughly from Noctowl's leg without a care and walked up to the gate, sliding it through the bars to where Umbridge accepted it. She unfolded it crisply, taking great delight in the process, and cleared her throat.
"'Dear Mummy'," she began and the brute on the other side of the bars sniggered. "'Thank you for reminding me about the fudge you gave me for Christmas, Harry loves the stuff so I think I'll share with him'. How generous, Mr Weasley." She let out a girly giggle. Ron's fists clenched tightly. "'Fred and George haven't got into too much trouble and I think Ginny's doing good too. Anyway, not much going on here. Been practicing Quidditch a lot for the next match. Can't wait for summer. Love you loads, Ron'."
Professor Umbridge finished reading, seemingly missing the last minute addition Ron had scrawled on the bottom, and folded it up, a smug look on her face.
"Give it back to the bird," she instructed the brute, passing the letter back through the gate. The man accepted it with a gleeful smirk, eyes fixed on Ron as he took it and walked back to where Gliscor continued to hold Errol hostage. He grabbed a piece of rope and tied the letter roughly to Errol's leg, much to the Noctowl's discomfort, before commanding Gliscor to release him. Errol fluttered painfully forward, his legs looking bent and misshapen and feathers coming loose as he struggled his way down the path to Hogsmeade.
Harry, Ron and Hermione watched him go, each feeling heartache as they thought of the pain that Errol was going through and even with that pain how he was doing his best to deliver Ron's message.
"Bitch," Ron growled under his breath, quietly enough that Umbridge fortunately didn't hear him. She did, however, address him.
"I hope that will be enough of a reminder for you to stay in line, Mr Weasley," she said sweetly. "After all, if you are to continue to disobey my instructions you may not find yourself a student at this school any longer." She smiled. "I'll see you Monday after class for your first detention, Mr Weasley, and don't be late." And she walked off back up to the castle, her stubby legs moving quickly beneath her, with the hateful glares of three furious students following behind her.
A/N: Hi everyone, hope you've enjoyed this chapter. After the response to the last chapter I feel kind of bad for just how bad things ended up going between Harry and Daphne in this chapter, especially considering you had to wait longer than usual for this chapter to go up.
Unfortunately I'm still not going to be back to my usual schedule for at least another week or so. After that I'll be able to upload as usual but until then I hope you've enjoyed what I've written so far and I'll see you in the next chapter.