A/N: Thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews! I've had some truly glowing feedback that has made it difficult to fit my head through doorways, and I really appreciate it. Longer A/N at the bottom… for reasons…
Chapter 18
November 4, 1995
The next few weeks introduced the new 'normal' for the school, and very few were safe from mistreatment. Umbridge gave herself the power to write new rules on the spot, which made every interaction with the woman feel like a crapshoot. Her ever-growing list was mounted on the wall of decrees, next to the one granting her the power to do so.
Harry's training group hadn't managed to stay as clean as they wanted, with Seamus being the first to fall foul of the new protocols. He made the mistake of practicing a transfiguration spell in the great hall during lunch, his spell turning a loaf of bread into a very cute dormouse, a thoroughly innocent piece of magic. Unfortunately, Umbridge decided that rodents in the great hall was an offense against the school, and the teen was sentenced to seven nights of cleaning bathrooms with Filch.
McGonagall was furious. If not at the infraction itself, with Seamus' lack of usual destruction deserving of a detention. She argued briefly with the Headmistress, but was shouted down in front of the entire school. At the threat of being dismissed from her position, the stern witch backed down.
Harry asked for a meeting with his head of house after the coming match against Slytherin, and he invited Snape along as well. He hoped to convince the two to keep the peace, so they could help put their emotionally shattered students back together. The morale in the hallways and meals was already at zero, and he knew it would only get worse.
In the ensuing days, eleven of Harry's group of twenty-five committed infractions worthy of detention, though none had been a second offender as of yet. Harry was lucky that the punishment for his first infraction, for 'disrupting class' when he had a brief coughing fit, ended the day before. He had accepted the punishment humbly, not wanting to miss this game, but made sure to be the perfect example of a respectful student for the rest of the week.
"This will be the only game we have together," Angelina began, her team seated around her in the large changing room. "Harry, the twins, and Katie already have one infraction, and we all know the three boys will be gone soon. I can't be upset about it. If I weren't the Captain I would've already cursed Montague ten ways from Sunday."
Another of the new additions to the school was the Inquisitorial Squad, a group of Umbridge sycophants given the power to take points at will and report any violations to the woman herself. The twins took great pride in the fact that Gryffindor hourglass was officially in the negatives, as the Squad was solely made up of Slytherins, their entire quidditch team included.
Daphne and Blaise declined when they were asked to join, politely telling the woman that they felt they needed to focus on their studies. The Squad relished their new power, and many of the students that received detention did so because the Slytherins simply made up stories about them.
"So the only thing I can ask of you," Angelina continued solemnly. "Is that we humiliate the Slytherin assholes before we're forced to shake things up. Harry, don't catch the snitch until I tell you to, I want them to suffer."
Harry nodded at the instruction, an evil smirk growing on his face.
"Fred, George, take them off their brooms. Penalties be damned."
The teens in question smiled broadly.
"Girls, use every dirty trick you've ever learned, and make those idiots feel it."
Katie and Alicia shared a grin before nodding.
"Ron, if anyone gets near your hoops, make them regret doing so. We're gonna lean on you, but you're more than capable."
Ron nodded seriously, clearly feeling the nerves of his first game.
"We'll deal with the consequences afterwards. Harry, George, Fred," she said with looks to each of them. "I'll understand if you're not with us for the next match, but make this one worth it!"
The team was fired up while flying out of the tunnel, eager to get some revenge. Harry gave Draco the same evil smirk when the boy caught his eye, excited about the punishment he was about to deliver. The whistle was blown, and the battle began.
The first foul was called ten seconds into the game. Fred had somehow missed a bludger wildly and connected with Pucey's broom instead, smashing it to pieces. Ron saved the penalty shot from Warrington while Pucey found a replacement broom.
The second was thirty seconds later when Katie led Montague into a dive with the quaffle, and chucked the ball off the Slytherin's head as they neared the ground. Montague was able to keep his balance, but Katie following the ball forced him to crash into the pitch.
Ron saved the second penalty shot, grinning confidently while he did.
Harry, however, only saw the first few plays as he had a new stalker to deal with. Draco followed the teen wherever he went, and Harry decided to make him regret the tactic. He flew Malfoy into the uprights of the Gryffindor stands to start, the Slytherin just managing to avoid clotheslining himself on a beam. When the boy caught up again, Harry led him on a second merry chase, ending in a collision with a goalpost for Malfoy.
After another chase that had the pair weaving in and out of the other players, Draco decided to play a bit further back.
"What do you think you're doing, Potter?" he called from a distance, his eyes filled with hatred.
"There's this little golden ball called a snitch," Harry explained brightly. "It's my job to find it, and try to catch it. You should look for it too! You're what's called a seeker. I'll go over the rules with you after the match."
Draco flushed with anger and rocketed towards Harry, clearly intent on taking him off his broom. Harry turned and caught George's eye, who was corralling a bludger behind him. With a sharp look the twin immediately understood, the energetic redhead fired the bludger full speed at Harry's head.
Harry turned back and focused on the magic of the ball, waiting until the perfect moment. As Draco approached from the front and the bludger from behind, he tilted his head slightly to the left, causing the ball to catch a speeding Malfoy directly in the mouth.
The boy nearly lost control of his broom and spat at least five teeth to the ground, his eyes welling up with tears. Feeling the need to be petty, Harry approached the struggling seeker, his eyes full of concern.
"Mate, that one's called a bludger. You're only supposed to catch the snitch. Little golden thing with wings."
As he finished his explanation, his eyes widened in fake recognition, and he took off at full speed. The stubborn Slytherin regained his bearings as quickly as he could, and took off in pursuit. Harry allowed the boy to catch up, still acting as if he were pursuing the snitch. When
the tip of Draco's broom was even with the tail of his own, Harry shifted course slightly. He felt Malfoy grab the tail of his broom, trying to slow him, and Harry allowed him to do so.
When the two drew level, Harry leaned into the boy, his heavier frame forcing Draco's broom to the right. Draco tried to return the favor, but Harry didn't budge. He leaned into the Slytherin one more time, drawing the boy's angry gaze, and steered upwards just a bit.
He timed it perfectly. As Draco moved to slam into Harry's right shoulder more powerfully, not watching where he was flying, Harry rolled underneath his broom. He angled it towards the ground, and the Slytherin quickly took his position.
Malfoy and Goyle met face to face, flying at full speed in opposite directions. Both boys managed to hold onto their brooms with one hand, but were completely knocked silly. As they floated to the ground, Harry heard Angelina's shout.
"Catch it, Harry!"
He nodded in her direction before elevating quickly. He checked the scoreboard and saw Gryffindor was leading 100-10, an impressive score for only a half hour of play. He hadn't bothered to look for the snitch all game, but was confident in his ability to find it. He circled the pitch as fast as his search allowed, distracted only once by a runaway bludger he dodged with ease. On his third circuit of the pitch he noticed Malfoy regaining his senses and remounting his broom.
The boy was relentless in his idiocy, he could give him that if nothing else. As Malfoy rose to Harry's level he seemed to abandon his original gameplan, staying on the opposite side of the pitch no matter where Harry flew. That worked in the Gryffindor's favor, as he spotted a glint of gold on his side of the pitch near the Slytherin goal posts.
He flew lazily in its direction, but the ball seemed to notice it was being pursued. It shot towards the middle of the pitch, Harry hot on its heels. He accelerated to full speed, weaving in and out of the other players and dodging a few attempts to block. Harry noticed Draco on the opposite side of the little ball, and knew the boy was a bit closer as the snitch sped away from him.
The golden snitch, however, was a fickle object, and quickly changed direction. It headed straight up, and Harry felt his broom's tail bump into Malfoy's as they both angled to follow it. The ball turned again, heading back the direction Harry had come, and he turned with it. He leaned slightly into Malfoy as he did so, forcing the boy off the path, and flew upside down in pursuit. He heard Draco crash into another of his teammates as he dodged around a blocking Crabbe, and under a bleeding Warrington.
The snitch was headed towards the Slytherin section of the stands, but Harry refused to lose it in the confusing background. His field of view was free of players, and the teen put on a burst of speed, rotating right side up as he did so. He was inches from the ball in a heartbeat, and reached out a hand just as the snitch reached the front edge of the stands.
His fingers closed around the struggling ball firmly, and he quickly flipped backwards to halt his forward momentum. When he regained his bearings, Harry realized he was floating inches from a grinning Daphne Greengrass.
His stomach, somehow fine through all his aerial acrobatics, lurched at the sight of her. Harry couldn't stop his victorious grin from widening, and he tossed the girl the snitch without a thought. Daphne caught it, quickly tucking it into her pocket, and shot him a grin that nearly knocked him off his broom.
—
Harry was swarmed by his teammates as he joined them at the center of the pitch. They descended together, hopping off their brooms as they neared the ground. Madam Hooch winked at Harry as she passed the celebration, and the victorious seeker tried to soak up what he guessed would be his last win for this year at least.
"Mr. Potter!"
The shrill voice cut through their celebration like a cold shower. Umbridge had arrived. She was flanked by a visibly incensed Lucius Malfoy and his pathetic son. Draco was missing his front teeth, was bleeding from a crumpled nose, and looked like he may be concussed.
"Headmistress," Harry responded calmly.
The stadium fell silent, even Lee refraining from interrupting the confrontation.
"I've never seen such a despicable display of sportsmanship in my entire life," the furious witch cried, spittle flying from her mouth.
"It wasn't a problem, madam. We're used to Slytherin's dirty tactics."
"I'm talking about you, Potter!" the irate woman raged.
"Me?" Harry asked in feigned disbelief. "I didn't commit a single foul. Madam Hooch calls a fair game. Check the book if you'd like."
"Potter," Lucius interjected acidly. "Your reckless flying could have killed my son."
"I'm not that lucky," he muttered under his breath.
Harry noticed most of the students leaning forward in the stands, trying to hear what was being said. He empathized with the students, and wandlessly cast a discrete amplification spell.
"If Draco wasn't up to the challenge," he began, his voice sounding out to the large crowd. "He shouldn't have followed me. Any seeker worth their salt knows that's a losing strategy anyway."
"Look at my boy's face!" the man raged.
"Not sure what you're trying to point out..."
"I won't stand for this insult, Potter," the man said threateningly.
"Then have a seat, Lucius," he countered.
Harry watched the furious man's hand twitch towards the head of his cane, knowing it concealed his wand. He silently begged the man to pull it, knowing that getting this fight out of the way would only lighten his load in the future.
Unfortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and Lucius turned to Umbridge as Harry felt McGonagall approach from behind him.
"Headmistress," the man demanded after composing himself. "I want this child out of Hogwarts."
"Of course," the woman simpered.
"Unfortunately, madam," McGonagall interrupted, stepping next to Harry. "That is not yet possible. Mr. Potter has only committed one infraction so far. If you believe that he has committed a second, though our referee disagrees, I believe a week's suspension is the required penalty for whatever new rule you decide to enact."
"I have the power to punish the children as I see fit," Umbridge spat petulantly.
"And Mr. Potter has the power to sue you for breach of contract," Minerva countered easily. "It might be a tough case to argue, as the contract is constantly being changed by yourself, but I'm sure there is a lawyer out there that would enjoy forcing you to sit through weeks of litigation."
"There is no contract," the witch scoffed, looking at Lucius with a question in her eyes.
"Headmistress," Minerva continued. "I believe you'll find you're wrong. When students enter into our care, there is what's called an 'implied contract' between the school and the family. The students are expected to follow the listed rules, and the school is expected to punish them appropriately when they fail to. All of your fancy decrees are now, legally, part of that contract, Including the one detailing the punishment system. No matter how many rules you concoct, that protocol will take precedence. An implied contract has been argued in courts before, and been found perfectly legal."
Harry, knowing it was only a matter of time before he was expelled, figured his head of house was fighting a losing battle. He appreciated her support nonetheless, and shot the woman a small smile. His smile grew wider as he noticed Sirius approaching from behind the vile toad.
"I think I remember Lord Greengrass offering his services to Sirius in his case against the Ministry," Harry offered thoughtfully. "I wonder if he'd represent me?"
"Mr. Potter," McGonagall answered. "With the funds you have available, I'm sure he'd be delighted."
"Daniel wouldn't dare go against the Ministry, boy," Lucius argued. Harry bristled at the man's use of his friend's first name, but didn't comment.
"Call my godson 'boy' again, Lucius," Sirius interrupted dangerously as he drew even with the man, storming past to stand next to Harry. "And it will no longer be him that you have a problem with. Daniel would relish the opportunity to make sure the school his daughters attend is being held accountable, and I'll enjoy taking the stand to share exactly how much of a bitch you've been in this conversation."
Lucius hesitated, clearly unwilling to challenge Sirius' threat, and Umbridge's pleading look towards him received no response.
"Fine," Umbridge spat after a moment. "Then you are suspended for a week, Mr. Potter. I'm sure it won't be long after your return that your behavior forces my hand."
"No, I don't suspect so," Harry agreed with a smirk. "Just to be clear, I'm being punished for Draco being shit at quidditch?"
He watched the boy in question attempt a glare, but his quickly swelling face turned it into a very comical squint. Harry winked in return.
"No, Mr. Potter," Umbridge defended angrily. "You are being suspended for being a hateful, immature, and violent child. In all my time…"
"Careful there, Dolores," Harry interrupted brightly. "We've spoken before about how that sort of comment makes me feel. I'd rather not kill someone who isn't a Death Eater, but I won't allow my name to be slandered."
Umbridge paled immediately, understanding the threat. She looked around, finally realizing the entire school was watching and listening, and shot a glare at Harry before adopting her obnoxiously sweet expression.
"Students," she called after casting an unnecessary Sonorous on herself. "I'm sorry you had to witness such a disgusting example of sportsmanship and competition. Hogwarts does not condone that type of behavior, and on top of Mr. Potter's suspension and dismissal from the team, the Gryffindor team in its entirety, is now on probation! Their ability to compete will be decided the week of their next match."
Without another word, the angry woman marched back towards the castle. The Malfoys followed, and Harry knew Draco would have a fun night ahead of him in the hospital wing. He quickly canceled his amplification charm, turning to McGonagall and Sirius.
"Thanks," he said sincerely. "I appreciate your support, but she'll find a way."
"I know she will, Potter," McGonagall agreed easily. "But though you may be an adult, you're still one of my Lions. I promised I would protect you all when I can."
She graced the teen with a rare smile, before turning to walk away. "Great game, Angelina," she called to the Captain, breaking the stupor the team stood in.
"Great game, kiddo," Sirius said with a grin. "I'll leave you to your adoring fans, but call me when you can, we'll figure out the suspension nonsense."
He accepted the hug from his godfather, returning his smile as he did. Sirius turned and headed back towards the stands, and Harry's heart warmed at the man's support.
"I thought Malfoy Senior was gonna curse you," Ron said, throwing an arm around Harry.
"I was hoping he would."
"So were we, mate," George called with a grin. "We've been looking for someone to test some stuff on."
"I'm sure you'll get plenty of practice soon."
The stands were finally emptying of students, with most of Gryffindor approaching the team. It was a much more somber celebration than when they'd beat Slytherin in the past, but Harry saw Fred and George slip off in the direction of Hogsmeade, and knew the party in the common room would still be raucous.
"I'm so sorry, Harry," Hermione said when she reached them, pulling him into a hug.
"S'ok. At least I got to beat Malfoy one last time."
"How are you kicked off the team when all you did was outfly him?" Neville asked frustratedly.
"I expected it," Harry shrugged. "Honestly, I thought the twins would be kicked off, too. I guess she got distracted there towards the end."
He caught a flash of blonde hair over the boy's shoulder, and forced his stomach to sit still as Daphne approached.
"Your trophy," she said with a smile, offering the snitch.
"It was a gift," he responded with a grin. "A token of appreciation for my biggest fan."
Harry mentally kicked himself for the thousandth time, not understanding why it was so hard to keep his mouth closed around the girl. Daphne grinned brightly at him, and his frustrating stomach flipped. Before he could recover, she rose to her feet and kissed his cheek, turning without another word to rejoin her friends.
Harry chose to ignore the amused looks on Ron and Hermione's face. He tried to be upset with himself about the interaction, but his burning cheek, on top of the adrenaline from the game, made it difficult to hide his smile.
—
McGonagall was waiting for Harry when he left the changing room. She told him she'd been tasked with escorting him off the grounds, but chose to lead him to her office instead. Snape was waiting for them when they arrived.
"Potter," the man began once everyone was seated. "I'm not happy with the outcome of the match, but I daresay Draco had it coming."
Snape's attitude towards him had been much more neutral since Harry shared his mum's message with the man. They hadn't spoken of the memory, but Harry would catch the professor looking weirdly at him from time to time.
"He did," Harry agreed with a shrug. "Though my only goal was to keep him from the snitch while we built up a lead. It was his fault for trying to tail me so closely."
"Unfortunately for the boy," Snape admitted. "His father has convinced him he's better than he ever will be. And I doubt Draco will ever realize how wrong he is."
"With people like Umbridge around," McGonagall added angrily. "He'll never need to."
Harry chuckled at the woman's obvious hatred for her boss, and made a mental note to allow her the opportunity to watch the toad's downfall.
"Mr. Potter," she continued after a few deep breaths. "I've been tasked by Albus to follow your lead. I don't know why, and I don't need to. I trust the man unreservedly, and I've seen the change in you this year. The rest of the staff have been ordered to follow my lead, so I can happily say we're on your side. He also told me you have a way to stay in the school unnoticed,"
"Thank you professor, I really appreciate it. And I do."
"I assume it's where four of my Slytherins have been disappearing to so frequently?" Snape asked calmly.
"We've been training," Harry agreed with a nod. "The four are a credit to your house."
"How many have you been working with?"
"There's twenty-five of us in total, and I've been impressed by how quickly they've improved."
"Are all houses represented?" McGonagall asked, her interest peaked.
"They are. Though Gryffindor makes up half the group."
"What have you been working on?"
"The first week was catching everyone up on what we should be learning in Defense, but since then it's been dueling and combat magic, with some strength and endurance training thrown in. Give them a few more months and they'll be a force to be reckoned with."
"Do you plan to use them to wage war on Umbridge?" Snape asked with an odd look.
"No, sir." Harry noticed the man looked relieved at his answer. "It will be me and two others making her life hell. Everyone else will keep their heads down for various reasons."
"And when shall I expect you and the Weasley twins to make your move?" McGonagall asked, easily guessing who the two would be.
"Whenever Umbridge manages to expel me. They're currently planning a celebratory send-off for themselves."
"Then I shall stick to my dungeons," Snape countered, shuddering slightly.
Harry stifled a laugh, not liking the idea of a joking Severus Snape.
"Professor, I need two promises from you," he offered instead. "One to either destroy or hide your ledger, and the second that you won't use legilimency on students if asked."
"I've already locked the ledger away, and I swear I will not look into anyone's minds unless it is an emergency. Would you like an oath?"
"Nah," Harry replied, waving him off. "I trust you."
The men stared at each other for a moment, neither comfortable with their new working relationship. Minerva broke up the moment by clearing her throat.
"May I ask about the sudden change in hostility between the two of you?"
"I can't say much right now, Professor," Harry answered with an apologetic look. "But if you visit over the holidays, we may be able to work something out."
"I'll hold you to that. What are your plans for your suspension?"
"I'm going to keep my head down, actually," he replied, surprising the two professors. "I want the chance to embarrass Umbridge in front of the school once more if nothing else, and I figure my expulsion will work nicely. I'm also gonna place a few statues behind a Fidelius tonight."
"You can cast it that easily?" Snape asked with surprise.
"I've been practicing," Harry said with a shrug. He had a realization after the game that he could save himself some work with the spell, and knew his friends could use the escape route.
"I'll try not to go overboard," he continued. "As I like the castle as it is, but I need to make sure my group is safe."
The two adults nodded, clearly understanding why Harry felt it was important. After a moment Minerva's eyes widened in delight at a sudden realization.
"You're aware there's a Hogsmeade visit scheduled for next Saturday. As you'll still be suspended, she won't be able to refuse your attendance. You'll simply be another adult who happened to visit on a busy day."
"I didn't think of that," Harry said, smiling at the woman. "I'll be there. I was worried about having to remain under the cloak."
"Cloak?"
"You didn't tell her?" Harry asked Snape with a smirk.
"Minerva chooses to trust her students. Far be it for me to ruin that faith."
Harry reached into his bag, pulling the cloak from its usual place, and handed it to Minerva. The witch took a moment to inspect it before sending Harry a stern look.
"I take it this is how you've managed your shenanigans over the last few years?"
"My dad, too," he answered with a grin as McGonagall rolled her eyes. "It's also how I'll make sure Umbridge doesn't cross any lines."
"What do you need from us, Harry?" the normally formal woman asked.
"Nothing. But if things here deteriorate like I think they will, your students will need you. This is an incredibly trying year for everyone, but the younger students are especially close to breaking down."
"I'll mention it to Filius and Pomona," Snape offered.
"You'll have help. I've asked my group to keep an eye out in the hallways and the common room."
Minerva sighed heavily. "It seems we are beginning to ask too much of the children in our care."
"It isn't your fault, professor," Harry quickly responded. "It's Umbridge, Fudge, and ultimately Voldemort's. The students are resilient. They'll come through this okay."
The trio fell silent, each lost in thought. Eventually, Harry stood to leave, but was stopped by a raised hand from Snape.
"Minerva," he began. "I hate to impose, but could I have a moment alone with Mr. Potter?"
He was answered by a confused look, but the woman nodded before looking at Harry. "I'll go tell the bitch you've gone, shall I?"
Harry laughed at her casual profanity, and the woman winked at him before leaving the office. Snape immediately put up extra privacy charms, and Harry added his own. After a long awkward moment, Snape cleared his throat.
"Mr. Potter," he began hesitantly. "I'd like to thank you for sharing your memory. It is… special to me."
"You're welcome, sir. I know Mum was a bit harsh, but she spoke of you fondly while I was there."
"She had every right to be upset," the man countered with a grimace. "At some point along the way, I allowed my grief to sour me in a way I'm not proud of. Lily always knew how to get through to me, and she managed to do so again. Something I never dreamed possible."
"I'm glad it helped, sir."
"Call me 'Snape', Potter. It's worked for you in the past, and I know 'Severus' is likely a step too far."
"Not as far as what I've called you for the last few years," Harry argued with a smirk. Snape returned the look.
"Lily said you didn't feel you needed an apology from me, but I shall give one all the same," the man offered earnestly. "I'm truly sorry for how I've treated you. Looking at you felt like looking at the man that lived the life I wanted. I handled it like a child, and you didn't deserve that."
"I appreciate that, Snape. But don't change your behavior towards me in public. You have a… reputation to uphold."
"I know it," Severus agreed darkly. "And I'll make sure to keep appearances up."
Harry nodded, satisfied with the conversation. Snape seemed hesitant to say something more, and the teen gestured him forward casually.
"Speaking of appearances, your relationship with Miss Greengrass will be guessed at."
Harry's heart plummeted. He hoped their moment on the pitch had gone unnoticed by most, but knew his luck didn't run that far.
"I should've spoken to her earlier," he admitted, feeling a pit in his stomach develop. "I've been as neutral towards her as I can, but it hasn't been easy. I'll make sure she's safe."
"You misunderstand me," Snape argued softly, a bizarre tone for the man. "I don't think it wise to flaunt a friendship with the girl, but turning from her for the wrong reason would be a grave mistake."
Harry realized the man was referring to how his friendship ended with Lily, and appreciated the sentiment, but was stubborn on the matter.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said neutrally.
"And I'll not bring it up again. Good luck, Potter."
"Thank you, Snape."
—
Harry donned his cloak and headed to the Room of Requirement, using the now-permanent door to the Gryffindor tower. He cast the Fidelius on the alcove, and headed to his dorm to pack. While doing so he sent Hedwig to Terry, Susan, and Daphne, asking them to meet him near their doors.
Harry pulled Hermione aside after finishing and explained that the entrances were now permanent, and handed her a scrap of parchment with the secrets scribbled on it. The girl promised to destroy the scrap after showing those in their group. After a quick round of hugs and handshakes, Harry headed to the Room to repeat the process with Terry and Susan.
After taking care of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff entrances, Harry took a moment to collect himself. He was both looking forward to, and dreading, seeing Daphne. He pushed his feelings down as hard as he could, wanting to stay as neutral as possible. He asked for the door to the dungeons, took a breath, and stepped through.
Before he could fully enter the alcove, Harry was gently pushed backwards into the Room. Daphne stumbled over the door frame, falling forward and grabbing his shoulders to maintain her balance. Harry's hands reflexively wrapped around her waist, noticing soft curves that made his brain buzz distractedly
Harry looked down and found himself nose-to-nose with the girl, her bright blue eyes shining up at him. She blushed prettily at their closeness, and briefly closed her eyes. Harry's heart nearly beat out of his chest, assuming she meant for him to kiss her. Instead, the door behind her disappeared, and he felt like the dumbest boy to ever live.
She opened her eyes and smiled at him, and Harry squeezed her waist involuntarily, trying to maintain his composure while his stomach did a barrel roll. The earlier promise of neutrality was failing at an alarming rate, and to make things worse, Daphne's arms quickly rose to hug him around the neck.
"Er… Daph?" Harry whispered into her hair, noticing it smelt like lavender shampoo.
The girl released him and pulled back with a grin. "Sorry for ambushing you, but I wanted a minute alone."
She led him over to a couch, but Harry elected to take a chair instead. He thought he saw Daphne roll her eyes, but it was so fast he might have imagined it. She turned sideways on the couch, facing the fire, and pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs.
"What can I do for you?" Harry asked. His voice was perfectly formal and he hated it.
"A few things," Daphne responded casually, meeting his gaze. "First, I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you got kicked off the team. I meant to tell you on the pitch, but I got distracted."
"Thanks. It's okay, though. I'll get to play again at some point, hopefully."
"I'm glad," she said, her eyes filled with sympathy. "Secondly, I wanted to make sure you'll be okay up here on your own. Being alone can be tough on anyone."
Her concern warmed Harry to the core, and he cursed his situation once more.
"I'll be fine. I spent most of my childhood alone and it was the best part of my day."
Daphne's eyes widened slightly, and Harry kicked himself again because of the girl. Luckily, she seemed to decide it wasn't time for that conversation, and turned to stare into the fire.
Harry used the opportunity to simply look at her. The fire was reflected in her eyes, causing them to sparkle stunningly. Her long blonde hair was tied in a loose ponytail, a few tendrils gracefully framing her face. She was wearing jeans again, and Harry could see a small strip of pale skin peeking out from under the hem of her dark red t-shirt. Harry couldn't help but smile, knowing the girl likely wore the color to piss off her housemates.
"Dad wants to transfer us to Beauxbatons."
Harry felt the smile melt off his face, the pit in his stomach returning at full strength. Daniel had mentioned the possibility, and he tried to see it from the father's perspective, but the heartbreak he felt kept interrupting. Daphne hadn't looked away from the fire, but Harry could see the sadness in her eyes.
"Are you going to?"
His voice was frustratingly thick with concern, and the girl quickly turned to meet his gaze. She seemed to hesitate for a minute, and Harry thought he saw a slight blush on her cheeks in the dim light.
"No," she answered firmly.
Harry couldn't stop the relieved sigh that escaped him, and relaxed his posture, not realizing he had tensed up. He softly cleared his throat, willing his voice back to normal.
"Why not? I hear it's a beautiful school."
"Because you're here, you idiot," she said quietly, swinging her legs to the floor. "And my friends, and classes. But mainly you."
Harry's brain felt like it short-circuited. He couldn't form a coherent thought, much less any words.
"I…," was his best effort, and it only seemed to frustrate the witch further.
"You what, Harry?" Daphne asked frostily. "You thought I'd stop having feelings for you just because you decided to ignore me? You thought I'd just forget about that night with you?"
"I didn't ignore you," Harry defended gently, not wanting to turn her frustration into anger.
"You're right," she scoffed. "I forgot about the times when I managed to catch you unprepared, and got a split second of the real you before you shut down again."
"Daphne," Harry began, unsure of how to finish. "I'm sorry. I figured you'd forget about it. It was just one night."
"Did you forget about it?" she asked dangerously, causing Harry to shiver.
"Of course I didn't. I told your Dad about it for God's sake!"
Daphne's glare quickly disappeared, replaced by a look of utter confusion.
"You did what?"
"I told Daniel about it a few weeks ago. In his office at the Ministry."
"Why?"
"Blame your mother," Harry answered with a grin, finding the abrupt change in the conversation funny. "Apparently her reaction to the novel you wrote about the evening was far too happy, and Daniel asked me about it after a Wizengamot session."
"What did you tell him?" she asked, ignoring the gibe.
Harry stood and crossed to the couch, sitting opposite the confused girl.
"I told him it was like torture, and I found it awkward being in the same room as you," he said as seriously as he could without smiling.
Daphne laughed aloud, swatting him lightly on the shoulder. Harry's mind froze again at the sound of it, but he shook it off with a grin.
"I told him the truth," he eventually admitted, "I told him it was the best night of my life."
Daphne blushed, smiling softly at him. "Better than humiliating Draco today?"
"I'd trade every minute I've ever spent playing Quidditch for a chance to relive just ten minutes of that night," he answered seriously, his heart swelling at the thought.
Harry noticed the girl blink suspiciously watery eyes, and fought the urge to scoot closer to her.
"Harry…"
"Daph, wait." He interrupted, his stomach twisting in knots. "We can't have this conversation. I promised your Dad, and I promised myself. I can't do this."
Daphne seemed to curl into herself, her happy expression quickly turning cold.
"Why not?"
"Because…" the physical pain in his gut made words hard to find. "... I just can't."
"Do you not have feelings for me?" The vulnerability in her voice was excruciating.
"Of course I do. You're all I can think of and it's infuriating. I just can't, Daph."
"So you get what you want. Dad gets what he wants. And I get my heart broken."
"I'm really sorry," Harry said, his own heart breaking at the sight of a tear trickling down her cheek.
He conjured a handkerchief, and handed it to the girl. She quickly wiped her eyes, and hugged her knees again. Unsure of what else to do, Harry conjured a stuffed owl, surprised the complicated magic worked so well without his wand. He noticed it looked just like Hedwig before handing it to the girl.
Daphne gave a watery chuckle as she reached for it, immediately relaxing her legs and hugging the animal.
"Damn it, Harry," she said sniffling slightly. "Doing stuff like that doesn't help."
"I'm really sorry," Harry began. "But I…"
It was Daphne's turn to cut him off, and she did so with a firm shake of her head.
"I get it. You're trying to be noble. Trying to protect me from Malfoy, or Voldemort, or whoever else would use me to get to you. I absolutely hate it, and I'll probably climb into bed with Tracey and cry all night, but I know that you have to think about more important things."
"I wish I didn't," Harry said softly, feeling smaller than he ever had.
"You don't. I'm here telling you that I don't care."
"But I do. If something about us were to come to light, you'd be targeted by god knows how many people. Students here at school, Death Eaters out in the world… I can't do that to you. You deserve better."
Daphne seemed to forcibly compose herself, wiping her face on her new stuffed animal. She took a few breaths, and looked at him with big, watery eyes.
"My Mum told me a few things about dating and love," she began firmly. "The first that really stuck with me was to never settle, because if I do I'll miss out on what I deserve. And the second was to never beg someone to love me. I'll say right now that I think you're wrong, but I won't beg you for anything, Harry. You're right, I deserve better than that."
"Daph, I honestly wish things were different. I feel like you've burned your way into my mind so fully, that I'm kicking myself for denying it. But if something happened to you, I'd never be able to forgive myself, so I'm choosing to ignore it. Maybe once everything calms…"
"I know how you feel about me," she interrupted. "I can see it in the few unguarded moments you give me, and you're making a mistake. Things won't calm down. Not for you. And I don't care. But I won't sit here and try to convince you."
Daphne stood and walked towards the reappearing door she must have asked for, and Harry quickly followed.
"Daph, wait."
The hopeful look in her eyes when she turned nearly brought the teen to his knees. It almost broke his resolve. He realized what he'd just done to the girl, and hated himself more than ever.
"I'm sorry," he said miserably. "I'm so sorry. I just needed to say the door will stay open, I just need to cast a Fidelius real quick."
The sight of hope being replaced with heartbreak anew was more painful than the Cruciatus. Harry physically grabbed his chest, and knew it was nothing to what Daphne was feeling. He took every bit of strength in his body, and used it to step past the girl, exiting the door.
He cast the charm, and quickly scribbled the secret down.
"Pass this to the other three and destroy it, please."
"You got it."
She walked away without a backward glance, and Harry stumbled back into the Room.
He felt numb.
The pain was gone, which was nice, but it was replaced by a feeling of incompleteness. Like he'd just left part of him on the other side of the door. He stood staring at the door, unsure of what else to do, for what felt like hours.
He thought of calling Sirius on the mirror, but the idea of putting on a happy face felt impossible. He considered running down to the kitchens for some dinner, but he suddenly had no appetite.
He hadn't been worried about being alone, but it now felt like the most insurmountable thing he'd ever faced.
Harry asked the room for a bed, and when it appeared, he collapsed into it. He curled into a ball, praying the numbness would stay, so he didn't have to feel what waited on the other side of it.
A moment later Harry felt the air shift around him. Hedwig landed on the bed without a noise and crept carefully towards his head, stopping a few inches away. He stared into his loyal companion's eyes for hours before sleep finally, thankfully, claimed him.
A/N: I think I've said it before, but I'm not a huge fan of angst. I'm too old and happily single to be able to write teenage angst well, and I don't plan to try. I'm already working on polishing the next couple chapters that release the tension, and I'll get them up as soon as possible. Harry's actions are important for later on in the story, and if they weren't I wouldn't have added this moment. For those of you that have complained about the stubbornness trope, trust me, I hate it too. It'll be resolved shortly and we'll move on to the next trope that other people hate.