Crumpled Horned Plot Bunnies

A Harry Potter fanfic by Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, please support the official release.


Daphne Greengrass Can't Communicate!


It's not like Harry was unused to detentions. He got them a lot, given the way his luck ran. Getting one from Snape was not surprising either-The man was a bully and a bastard. As well as a lousy teacher.

It's not like he'd meant to knock over Daphne Greengrass! The infamous Slytherin Ice Princess hadn't been watching where she was going! They'd both fallen over. Snape had blamed him, but when he'd tried to get Daphne to say something (like, it was her fault), she'd been totally silent!

Just glaring at him with wide eyes!

So Harry was cleaning up the potions lab, grumbling to himself, hoping his friends saved him some lunch... When he heard the potions classroom door open behind him. He spun around, hand on his wand out of habit (it was Hogwarts, after all)...

Much to his surprise, Daphne Greengrass stood there, still and staring at him with that imperious expression. Harry glared at her.

"Is there something I can do for you, Greengrass?" Harry demanded.

Daphne remained silent. She twitched a bit. Her eyes widened, and then she looked away. Harry blinked.

"Huh?"

Daphne avoided his gaze, and crept to the front of the classroom. She was always a picture of grace-Harry had to admit that. She was beautiful, blonde and staturesque. She was already growing up into a great beauty. Harry found his eyes admiring her, when he pulled them away.

He didn't want her to accuse him of being a creep, too.

She picked up a small chalkboard, her hands trembling. She picked up some chalk, and wrote out something on the board. She then laid the board down on the deck nearest between them... And retreated, looking down.

Harry blinked again. He walked up, and picked up the chalkboard.

I Am Sorry, Potter, she had written in elegant cursive. Harry frowned and looked over at Daphne.

"You couldn't have just told me that?" He asked. "Or said something when Snape was breathing down my neck?"

She looked up... And Harry started.

Her prim, superior looking expression was... Strained. This close... He could see she was shaking all over. She barely met his eyes for an instant, before they darted away.

She reminded him of the next door neighbour's rabbits back at the Dursley's.

"I... Are you all right?" Harry asked. She winced and took a step back. Harry held up his hands, and backed away a bit.

"... I'm not going to hurt you," Harry said slowly, in a soft, calming voice. "I'm-I'm not angry, really..."

Daphne's lips twitched. She opened her mouth... And then ducked her head back down, bright red. Harry blinked in disbelief.

What... What's going on...?

"If... If you can't say anything, that's okay," Harry said, "are... Are you cursed or something?"

He picked up the small chalkboard, and handed it back to Daphne. Shakily, she took the board, and scribbled something on it. She turned the board around.

No. I am just nervous.

"Nervous? Because of me?" Harry asked. Daphne shook her head rapidly, her eyes wide. She erased the previous message, and scribbled a new note she then presented.

No. I am nervous around everyone.

Harry almost fell back in disbelief.

"But... But you're Daphne Greengrass," Harry managed, "the Ice Queen of..."

It hit him. Her intimidating silences. Her long stares. Her disregard for everyone...

What if... It wasn't because she was like every other Slytherin?

Daphne again looked down, and scribbled out more on the board.

My family reputation helps protect me, she said, and people think I'm scary. But I really just want friends. I don't have any. Except Tracy. But she just hangs around me. I don't talk much to her either.

"Oh," Harry said, "well, um... It's all right."

Man, and he thought he was shy. He could at least talk with people, but Daphne? In that backstabbing hellhole that was Slytherin, any sign of weakness might be exploited. A shy girl there, having to hide her nervousness... Use it for camouflage...

Daphne scribbled some more, and held the chalkboard up.

I envy you. You're really brave. You can say what you feel. I always feel alone. I am very sorry I got you in trouble. Can I do anything to make it up to you?

Harry frowned, thinking about it. There was a paranoid part of him that thought this might be a trick of some sort. Voldemort was back, after all.

He decided to risk a test. A very stupid test.

He walked up to Daphne, and held her hands. She gaped in disbelief, and burned bright red. She trembled, looking around at him and everywhere else in confusion and fear.

Harry knew what it was to fake those emotions... And Daphne? At least right now... She wasn't faking.

Harry let her go, and backed away, blushing a bit himself.

"Ah... Sorry," he said. Daphne trembled again, her normally perfect hair mussed. "I uh... I mean... You don't have to do anything but..."

He smiled.

"Maybe... We could be friends?"

Daphne was still trembling. Harry handed her the chalkboard, and backed away a bit. She calmed down, and scribbled on the board.

You would be my friend?

Harry nodded.

"Maybe I can help you... You know... A little Gryffindor courage?"

Are you sure? It might be dangerous.

Harry had braved many a dangerous thing for his friends, his school... And now he had a pretty girl wondering if he could be her friend.

He'd seen the look in her eyes. All too often, when he was growing up, in the bathroom mirror.

He nodded firmly.

"Absolutely. After all... I'm known for being brave. Not bright, but brave," he joked gently.

Daphne managed a tiny sound. A small little giggle. She immediately slapped a hand over her mouth, as her face burned bright red.

Harry couldn't help a small smile.

Daphne scribbled another response:

You're also known to be crazy.

"And yet, you want to be friends with me?" Harry asked.

Daphne blinked, considered... And scribbled her answer.

Yes.

Harry smiled.

"Then we're both crazy," he joked. Daphne smiled, very briefly, before she looked back down.

She really was very cute, Harry thought.


So, how is that? Just taking the trope of Daphne being an Ice Princess and applying a popular anime/manga's plotline to explain it.

Draco may have even made it worse:


Draco: "Hey, Greengrass! You're beautiful, I'm handsome. Want to go to Hogsmeade together?"

Daphne: Silence, stare

Draco: "Pansy's just a distraction. I just string her along, but you? You'd be my queen!"

Daphne: Starrrre

Draco: "Uh... I-I'd take us to Madam Puddifoot's, if you wanted... Or-Or the Three Broomsticks...?"

Daphne: Starrrrrre

Draco: "N-Nevermind! Forget it!" He heads off "Hmph... What a bitch... I'll just tell everyone she's frigid... And a snob. Thinks she's too good for me, huh?"

Meanwhile Daphne is very confused but also kind of glad Draco left because she wanted to say no but was too nervous to...