A/N - The first pass of this chapter ended up at over twelve thousand words, so I've split it into two for readability. Please review!

Chapter 21 - Tonight - Part One

"Now I want you to start practising the spell on your belongings. Any object will do, as long as it's not completely reflective, like a mirror. What spell would you use to revert the colour-changing charm and return the object to its original colour?" asked Professor Flitwick from atop his well-trodden stack of spellbooks.

Several hands shot into the air.

"Yes, Miss Bones?" asked Flitwick.

"Finite Incantatem," said Susan Bones.

"Correct, that's five points for Hufflepuff," the Charms Professor replied squeakily, 'Right then. Off you go."

Harry looked at the belongings on his desk, wondering what he should cast on. Neville, sitting on his left, had slid his inkpot to the centre of his desk, so Harry decided to do the same. "So the incantation is 'Chroma Mutare' right?" he quietly asked Neville, 'Is it pronounced 'myoo-tair' or 'moo-tair'? Sorry, I was writing to Daphne at the time."

"He said it's 'Moo-tar-ay", replied Neville, "...I think."

"Okay," Harry replied with a nod, "Thanks. If not, I'll just end up with a buffalo on my chest, it'll be fine."

Neville smiled hesitantly, and brandishing a wand Harry had never seen before and pointing it at his inkwell, he pronounced, "Chroma Mutare"

Instantly, without a wisp of any other obvious magic, Neville's inkpot changed from black to scarlet, leaving him staring at it, dumbfounded as his wand clattered onto his desk.

"Well done, Neville," said Professor Flitwick giving five little quick claps of his hands, "Was that your first try?"

Neville nodded mutely.

"Ten points to Gryffindor then," the little half-goblin Professor said with an approving nod and a smile, "Lord Slytherin-Potter?"

Like Neville, Harry managed to cast the spell on his first try.

"Excellent." said Professor Flitwick, "Ten points to you as well. I think we're going to have you sit next to each other in my class more often. I'll be setting nine inches on the laws behind the colour-changing charm and the differences in effect on solids, liquids and gases spells due next week. We've still got another ten minutes before lunch so you can talk quietly together or get started."

Harry scribbled down the topic of this week's essay on a scrap of parchment and then looked at Neville, who was holding his wand gently in both hands and staring at it with wide eyes.

"She was right," Neville said quietly, "I only cast one spell since I got it... Could I?"

"Are you alright, Nev?" Harry asked. He'd never seen his mate like this before.

"Tracey…" Neville said quietly, turning his head towards him slightly, but his eyes not diverting from their focus, "She owled Gran a howler last week about me needing to get a new wand that it wasn't fair to make me keep using my Dad's. Practically tore her a new one, but somehow, my Gran actually listened, sent me an owl saying she was pleased I'd picked a girl with some sort of backbone and then picked me up and took me to Ollivanders on Sunday afternoon."

"So it's better then?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Neville replied in astonishment, "I cast a Lumos with it to test it out, and it was a lot brighter than normal, but I just thought it was because I was excited. I've not needed to cast anything else since, I try not to use magic in public unless I really need to 'cause I always embarrass myself."

"Try another spell, something you always struggled with. What about the Switching Spell from Transfiguration last week, your inkpot turned all feathery like your quill, didn't it?" Harry asked.

"It did…" Neville replied dreamily, frowning in thought before pointing his wand at his inkpot, incanting 'Lociverto'." Instantly, his quill and inkpot simultaneously switched places. "Merlin!" Neville half-whispered.

"Guess you owe someone a great big kiss and a thankyou. Maybe you could even conjure her some flowers." Harry said amusedly.

"Yeah…" Neville said, still dumbfounded, but then something seemed to change in him. A kind of glee followed by a steely determination flashed across his face before he began successfully casting colour-changing charms on all of his belongings, followed by Harry's.

Justin Finch-Fletchley, from the other side of the room loudly said, "No one likes a show-off, Longbottom.", which stopped Neville's repeated spellcasting and made him look down in embarrassment. He pulled out his quill and proceeded to write down a list of all of the spells

he'd previously struggled with so he could try to cast them later.

Harry, on the other hand, was amused at his friend's antics and continued writing notes to Daphne til the end of class.

Tuesday 8th September - Page 3

Five minutes to go and then you'll be free!

I can't bloody wait. If I didn't have you to write to I dunno what I would've done.

Written Daphne Slytherin-Potter repeatedly all over your parchment?

Haha, you wish!

Maybe a little bit. We've got Care after lunch, wanna meet in the Entrance Hall and walk down together?

Yes, please!

I told Hermione I'd go to the library with her after class, but after the feast, we can go to the Chamber and start your training if you want.

Really really?

Haha really really.

I can't wait! Eee I love you so much, how did I get so lucky?

I think you'll find that I'm the lucky one.

One word. Tonight.

What?

See you after lunch xxx

Harry couldn't think straight. Did Daphne mean what he thought she meant? He was mostly on autopilot as he ate his bangers and mash but he tried occasionally to steal a glance at Daphne's face to glean any further meaning from her words. She was facing away from him at the Slytherin table though, so he had no joy. Thoroughly distracted, he half-heartedly engaged in a three-way conversation with Ron and Seamus about the ongoing woes of the Chudley Cannons.

"He's looking at you again," pointed out Tracey at the Slytherin table.

"Good," Daphne replied with a smug expression as she took a bite of her salad.

"You could do this all day, you know," said Tracey with a sly smile.

"What, tease him mercilessly until he can't take it anymore? That's the plan," said Daphne with a mischievous smile.

"Ooh, what are you gonna say to him? I'd go with Quidditch. Boys love a Quidditch-based double entendre, like telling him you'd like him to catch your snitch or something," Tracey said, causing giggling to erupt from those around them.

"We do," said Blaise amongst the laughter, "I'd love to play catch with Hermione's quaffles...though don't tell her I said that." He proceeded to instantly mentally beat himself up for speaking without thinking.

Draco sneered, tilting his head backwards with ridicule, "Granger? But she's-"

"Muggleborn, before you spout more of that shit," replied Daphne with a warning look, "And if you actually spoke with her you might realise that since Harry's ascension, she's becoming less anti-traditionalist than you think. With her best friend becoming Lord of Slytherin she seems to be understanding she doesn't know a lot about the Wizarding World's culture."

"Please, she tried to free all the House Elves," sneered Draco.

"Only until she found out it could kill them." Tracey replied, "If you didn't know about how they live off our magic and thought they were just creatures we enslaved to do our bidding, what would you think?"

"I…I dunno." Draco replied, staring at his plate.

"Now back to a cheerier note," said Tracey, you could tell him you wouldn't mind swallowing his wand…oh wait... you already did that."

"Tracey!" Daphne cried while those around them at the table laughed, "I can't believe you just said that."

"Well, it's out now, Toots, though from what you've told me it's more like a broom handle than a wand," replied Tracey, producing more laughter.

"Is it?" said a blonde sixth-year girl two seats down who'd snapped her head around. Must've been that growth spurt. Bet his abs are like a washboard, too."

"Keep your slutty hands off, Andromeda, he's mine," replied Daphne with a glare.

"They are though, his abs, I've seen them. He's even got the 'V's'" said Millicent, leaning down and gesturing at her stomach.

"My cousin calls them cum gutters," said Tracey in response.

"Ha, that's gross," Blaise said.

"Can we stop talking about my boyfriend's body now?" moaned Daphne.

"You're no fun," said Millicent.

"Exactly, we all ogle Lord Slytherin-Potter's beautiful bum, I feel like it's our duty to discuss it," said Tracey with fake importance.

"I bet you could spank it and it would barely even move," said Andromeda to another chorus of raucous laughter.

Daphne felt she might murder someone.

The majority of the Gryffindors that were heading outside for Care of Magical Creatures all arrived at roughly the same time in the Entrance Hall, having set off there straight from lunch. Harry had already told the group that he and Neville would be waiting for Daphne and Tracey, to walk down with them, so Harry, Neville, Ron, Hermione, Dean and Seamus all hung around the tall oak door that would lead them out into the courtyard and grounds. In anticipation of the Slytherins' arrival, Neville drew his wand.

"Neville, no casting spells outside classes, or I'll have to take points!" warned Hermione

"What?" said Neville, with a smirk and raising his wand slightly, "Not even to cast... 'Orchideous'" From his wand tip bloomed a lush bunch of scarlet roses, white gardenias and pink peonies, which he deftly removed from his wand before wrapping them in a piece of parchment from his bag and then conjured a piece of string to tie the flowers together.

Hermione blushed and said, "I think we might let you get away with that one."

"Look at Longbottom, he's a real charmer," said Seamus, grinning at Dean and making Neville blush.

"They're lovely Neville, I thought you struggled with conjuration," said Hermione.

"New wand, Tracey's idea. I was using my Dad's old one." Neville replied.

"It's so much better, innit mate," said Ron, "Once I got my own and stopped using Charlie's, spells came so much easier."

"And you've been doing brilliantly with your theory, Neville," added Hermione, "You were in the library most of last year and your test scores were great."

Neville shrugged, "Thanks. Just thought I should make up for not being able to cast as well by learning the background stuff."

"It'll stand you in good stead, mate. Make sure you keep up the theory work as well. I could do with you dragging me down to the library more often" said Harry, clapping his friend on the back, "More practice with your new wand and you'll be a force to be reckoned with."

"Thanks, Harry," Neville replied with a warm smile before they heard familiar voices approaching and he hid the bouquet behind his back. Sure enough, the Slytherins started filtering through, beginning with Daphne and then Tracey, who bounded down the staircase towards them ahead of her friend.

"Hey there Shnookums," said Tracey, causing those around them to laugh as she reached forward to hug him, but was interrupted by Neville pulling the flowers from behind his back.

"These are for you, Trace," said Neville, blushing, "To say thank you for writing to Gran. My new wand… it's amazing, I would've never been able to conjure this."

Tracey snatched the bouquet out of her boyfriend's hand and planted a rough kiss on his lips, leaving him starry-eyed.

"No problem. Just needed to be firm with her that's all." Tracey replied with a blushing smile.

"Well, you certainly were that, from what she said. I'd never dream of sending her a howler, and she got it while she had guests over having tea. They were impressed you had the gall and said I'd done a good job picking a powerful woman."

"Merlin, Nev, don't give her a bigger head than she already has!" said Daphne arriving at the group and taking Harry's arm before gently kissing his cheek."

The last two of the group to exit the Entrance Hall and step out into the main courtyard, Harry whispered to Daphne, "What did you mean by 'tonight'?"

Daphne quickly schooled her expression to one of neutrality, apart from a slight quirk at the corner of her mouth when she said, "Sorry sweetheart, I don't have a clue what you're talking about."

Damn was she infuriating.

"By the Holy Queen of Sheba!" said Seamus in his thick Irish accent from the head of the group, "I thought the summer was over, why's it so bloody hot?"

"Blimey, you're right," Ron said, "I'm gonna burn summat rotten."

At that moment Pansy Parkinson, barged through the group, nearly knocking Dean over, followed quickly by Millicent at her heels.

"Oi!" cried Dean, "Watch where you're walking!" to which Pansy snapped her head round to glare at them. That glare swiftly moved behind them to the door leading back into the castle and the group turned to look for the object of Pansy's ire.

"Could've put money on it being Draco," Daphne commented, "She's been giving him shit all week for picking Tori over her."

Draco looked positively miffed as he trudged alone behind them through the courtyard towards the bridge leading to Hagrid's hut.

"I'm gonna go talk to him," Harry said, looking at the Malfoy Heir's sullen expression and giving Daphne's arm a quick squeeze before letting go.

Ron, who was instantly pissed off, stormed away with Seamus and Dean in tow, after snapping, "Clearly he thinks he's the bloody king of Slytherin all of a sudden."

"Why's Harry being nice to Draco?" asked Hermione as they stepped onto the bridge, "They've been rivals for years.'

"Have you noticed how Harry is drawn to those who love?" said Daphne, fondly.

"And is really forgiving, almost to a fault?" Neville added.

"Well…yeah, but-" said Hermione before she was interrupted.

"No buts, that's it. At my party, Draco showed he could be open-minded to others' opinions, and I don't know if you've seen the way he is with my sister, but he's extraordinarily kind to her and was kind to others this week, too. He picked up a first-year's books for him after his bag split yesterday. You know Narcissa - Lady Malfoy? After she took Astoria and Draco out for the day in Hogsmeade this summer, Astoria told me his mum's not much like Lord Malfoy at all, and if you think about it, they had an arranged marriage and only sired one son. It tells me that it's not a marriage of love and Draco is getting to spend lots of time with his mum and not his Dad this year." Daphne said.

"So, what you're saying is, Harry wants to change him," inferred Hermione.

"If he could help him become a better person, then sure. He's with Astoria at the end of the day and will hold a place in the Wizengamot one day," said Daphne.

"I mean it's worth a shot, I guess. I don't know if I can be as forgiving as Harry though, he's done some horrible things." Hermione frowned.

"He's been horrible to me too, Hermione," said Neville, "It's gonna take a lot for me to trust him."

"Oh I don't think Harry trusts him," said Daphne "But if we help Draco along, we might find he snatches our hand off at the chance to be on a better side. He will have seen how Voldemort treats his followers."

"Okay," replied Hermione, "I'll at least be civil, maybe even kind. I'm not making friends with him though."

Harry had ignored Ron's unfortunately to-be-expected frosty reception when he'd said he was going to wait for Draco. He stood by the fountain in the main courtyard, a hint of amusement on his cheeks at Draco's puzzled expression as he approached.

"Sup, Dragon," Harry said cheerfully, "How's things with Demon?"

"Fine," Draco replied cautiously, still thinking about Lord Slytherin-Potter's actions that night in the common room.

"No Crabbe and Goyle?" Harry asked, keeping up his cheerful optimism, "Didn't they take Care last year?"

"They didn't pass the exam," Draco replied and as Harry fell into step with him, said "Look, I get we were friendly at the party this summer, but after we had the conversation yesterday-"

"Do, you think I judge a person by all of their traits?" Harry interrupted, "You'll find things you don't like in most people, Draco, but I like to see the good in people. Before school, did anyone tell you using words like mudblood was wrong? Plus, I bet you find you have more in common with muggleborns like Hermione than you think. You both love charms for a start and you both come from rich families."

"Ha, I doubt it. I'd never have thought her family is rich, though."

"Not super rich, but they're what's called 'private dentists'. One thirty-minute appointment with one of them would fetch the equivalent of two hundred galleons at least, she just doesn't flaunt it."

"That's something a lot of people have in common, money," Draco replied, waving his hand dismissively as they stepped onto the bridge. Mud- I mean muggleborns always try to change things without understanding the world. I can't have anything in common with them."

"And you don't think muggles have some good ideas?" Harry challenged.

"How could they? They're inferior. Nowhere near as powerful or advanced," Draco responded proudly.

"You know the Muggles could wipe out the entirety of London in the blink of an eye, right?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous." Draco replied.

"It's happened. Twice actually, in 1945. They dropped two explosives called nuclear bombs and levelled the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Killed more than a hundred thousand people in a matter of seconds. Their bombs are way more powerful now and

The United States has over ten thousand of the bloody things."

All the blood rushed from Draco's face. "What?! they could use them on us at any moment!"

"Makes you understand why the Statute of Secrecy is so important, doesn't it? People fear what they don't understand. But you see my point, they're more powerful than us and it would be stupid to not learn from them. They do extraordinary things without even needing to use magic.'

"Okay, but we've repeatedly let them co-author bills to push all sorts of misinformed rubbish and with Light-side support some of it is sticking. They see too much good in people and in creatures. Werewolves are dangerous but they now live amongst us! Lupin was one!"

"And did he ever hurt any other students?" Harry asked, trying not to get annoyed.

"Well, no, but that's not the point. There are still risks! They weren't even properly evaluated and muggleborns pioneered that bill."

Harry stifled the urge to argue with Draco by snapping, "It is the bloody point!" but thought better of it, instead saying, "So you think alienating Muggleborns instead of helping to integrate them into society and our ways of life helps to change things? Can't you see that they'll just see more wrong with the world they wanna change?"

Draco was silent for a few moments, their footsteps pattering on the bridge's wooden floor before he responded.

"Why is it always a debate with you?" he said, quietly.

"Isn't that what politics is about, discussing issues? I will beat Voldemort, Draco. I've got no other option. Like I said before, about people having qualities that don't make me hate people. You think things through, and you love your family. I've seen how you are with Astoria and your mum. I value that in people. I just want you to think about opening your mind to other perspectives. Even if you don't agree, being informed on the other side's arguments can only strengthen your own."

Draco hummed in thought.

"You could talk to Hermione," Harry suggested, "Discuss things. She might argue a bit more…violently than me, but when have you been one to back down from a challenge?"

"There's no point. She won't talk to me. Too much bad blood." Draco replied with a frown.

"Have you tried being civil? Not calling her a mudblood? Explaining how you've had your head up your arse for the last four years?" Harry finished with a smirk.

Draco's hackles were instantly raised, "Oi, that's bullshit, Potter, you don't get to talk to me like that and-"

"Would Astoria agree with me?" Harry interrupted.

"Yeah…" Draco replied after a sigh.

"And as annoying as it is, are the Greengrass girls ever bloody wrong?" said Harry with a faux-exasperated roll of his eyes.

"I'll think about it, okay?" Draco conceded.

"That's all I ask," Harry said with a smile, "They went to the moon too, you know, the muggles."

"Fuck off, that's impossible," Draco scoffed, "You're having me on now."

"Then ask Hermione, if you don't believe me."

"Fine, I will!" Draco said haughtily before speeding up to catch up with the other group. "Hey Granger, wait up!" he called as Harry raced behind and matched his pace.

Neville, Daphne, Tracey and Hermione stopped as Draco approached, looking in vague amusement.

"Call him 'Heir Malfoy' and curtsy," Tracey said under her breath.

"I am not curtsying, he doesn't deserve it." Hermione shot sideways as she prepared herself for whatever vitriol Malfoy was about to throw at her.

"True, but I wanna see the look on his face," said Tracey, grinning.

"And you said you wanted to learn the customs like Harry," said Daphne with a slight nudge.

"Fine." Hermione almost snapped before turning her face to a polite expression as Draco approached. "Yes, Heir Malfoy?" she said, followed by a small curtsy.

Draco's eyes went wide with shock and were darting left and right in confusion, forcing Daphne, Tracey and Neville to barely stifle laughter.

"I think you broke him, Hermione," Harry said with a grin as he caught up, "Draco wanted to ask you something…about the moon."

This snapped Draco out of it, who said while pointing his thumb over his shoulder at Harry,

"Yeah, that's it. Scarhead says Muggles have been to the moon. It's Hippogriff dung, right?"

Hermione's eyebrows raised at the topic, but she instantly turned on Encyclopaedia Mode. "No, not at all, in 1969, the North American Space Administration sent 3 people to the moon, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. There are plenty of pictures and videos - that's the recorded moving pictures you see in some muggle shops of it happening. As Neil Armstrong, the first Man on the Moon stepped onto his surface he said "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

"That's pretty profound," said Daphne, "I couldn't believe it when Tracey told me."

"What, You knew as well?" asked Draco, reeling.

"Well yeah, everyone who grew up around muggles knows," said Tracey.

"But they don't teach us any of this!" Draco said, throwing his hands up in sheer exasperation.

"I could get you a book on other things muggles have done if you like, the muggle studies ones in the library are rubbish," Hermione suggested, sensing an opportunity when she saw one.

Draco, taken aback by such a display of kindness, said "Er…yes. I mean yes please, Granger."

"No problem," Hermione said with a bright smile, "I'll have to owl my mum for it, but I can get it to you by next week."

"Thanks…Draco said awkwardly, "And you know…er…well Astoria says thinks I've been walking around with my head up my arse for four years, so…you know…erm…I'll try not to call you a mudblood."

Hermione snorted in response, "And I'll not call you an uppity git," she said.

"I can live with that," replied a chuckling Draco showing a muggleborn a genuine smile.

They were not far from Hagrid's hut at this point, and Daphne again on Harry's arm gently pulled him back so they trailed behind the group.

"Harry, I'm roasting," she said after a few moments, unbuttoning her robes to reveal her white blouse and pleated skirt beneath, "Can you carry my robes for me? They won't fit in my bag."

"Sure," Harry replied, smiling as she handed over the robes.

As he started to fold them over his arm "Oh and grab what's in the pocket, I don't want them dropping out," Daphne added and started walking quickly away from him towards the group as he fumbled in her pockets.

The left side was empty, but in her right pocket, he felt a small piece of fabric. As he pulled it out and glanced at it, he instantly tightened his fist again for fear of others seeing, but they'd gotten quite a way ahead. He tentatively opened his fingers to get a real look at Daphne's lacy, dark green knickers. He swallowed and saw a torn-up bit of parchment wrapped up in the lace nearly fly away, but he snatched his hand to grab it just in time. Cradling the robes over his forearm to his chest, with his other hand, he uncrumpled the parchment to read one word in Daphne's elegant handwriting:

'Tonight. x'

He was glad he'd kept his robes on as he pocketed Daphne's gift and stiffly walked to join the others for Care of Magical Creatures, but he had no idea how he was going to concentrate in class. Not when his very sexy girlfriend would be right there with him in a skirt and not wearing any knickers.

When the Gryffindors and Slytherins taking the class all arrived at Hagrid's hut, the half-giant was nowhere to be found. In his place, stood Professor Grubbly-Plank, an elderly, short-haired witch with an almost extraordinarily pointy chin.

Harry glanced at Daphne, who was standing to his right and tried to meet her gaze. He could tell she knew he was looking at her, by the blush that had crept up on her face and by the

slight smirk, but she just looked ahead and stood quietly and patiently.

"What happened to Hagrid?" Ron asked, "He is alright isn't he?"

"As far as I am aware, Mister Weasley," said the Professor, "I'll explain a little bit further but not until the others have arrived. I'm not a fan of repeating myself like a parrot."

"You're not what?" Seamus asked with a grin.

"I'm not impressed by a dull wit, Mister Finnegan."

"Did she just call me a dull twit?" asked Seamus in a stage whisper, obviously trying again to goad the Professor into repeating herself.

"No," Hermione said loudly, "Though that description may be more apt."

Even the Professor snorted in laughter and Seamus took the jab in good humour. A moment later, the rest of the class arrived - Justin Finch-Fletchley, Susan Bones and Ernie McMillan and the Professor explained that Hagrid had unexpectedly still not returned from an errand abroad that Professor Dumbledore had sent him on and while he was reported to be fit and well, the potential date of his return was unknown. Even with the Professor's report, Harry couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy and hoped he'd get to see the first person he'd met in the Wizarding World who'd shown him kindness soon.

"I've got a lovely little class planned for you today, a gentle but pleasant start to this year after the rather chaotic ending of the last," the Professor announced to the class, "Please get yourselves into groups of three."

The horrible fear of being the last to be picked swept over the students as they started to madly chatter about who would go into what group. Harry and Daphne managed to convince Hermione to join them, while Tracey and Neville invited Draco to theirs. Once the groups were set, Professor Grubbly-Plank requested for each team to grab a tin of charcoals, one of the large clipboards, each of which had already been affixed with a large piece of ivory parchment, and a pouch of petrified Lacewing Flies before asking the class to follow her into the Forbidden Forest.

"We…we aren't going too much further miss?" said Ron after about ten minutes' walk into the forest. "There's some great big spiders in this place." The trees were still reasonably spaced out, but the dappled light shining through the leaves was now illuminating thicker trees that were becoming slightly more gnarled as they walked.

"Not too much longer, Mister Weasley and the Acromantula colony is quite a distance from here, don't worry," called Grubbly-Plank and after a couple more minutes they came into a small clearing, in the far side of which stood a very old looking tree with a thick trunk and a lot of very cracked almost greenish brown bark and wide oval-shaped leaves.

"Here we are," said Grubbly-Plank, "I can see eight of them. Who can tell me what they are?"

There was silence for nearly half a minute while the class looked around before Daphne shouted in glee and pointed, "Bowtruckles, there, near the roots!"

"Exactly, Miss Greengrass, ten points to Slytherin. We're going to have a little competition. Spread out across the clearing in your groups and one by one, one member of each group will approach the tree carefully and lure a bowtruckle out with Lacewing Flies. Let them come to you, and don't make too many sudden movements near the tree. Why are we taking this cautious approach?"

"If they think their tree is threatened, they'll attack, but they are friendly, if a bit shy," said Ernie.

"Correct. Ten points to Hufflepuff. Their long fingers are quite sharp so we must be careful. Bowtruckles do all seem to have soft hearts though, feed them a few flies and they'll likely let you take them a short way from their tree to interact with them. When your group has got its bowtruckle, you're going to be making me a poster about it. Draw me a picture of it as best you can, label the parts you can see and give a small description of the bowtruckle and any behaviours it displays. At the end, each group will have one person present and each member of the best group will get ten points for their house. Well then, off you go."

Harry, Daphne and Hermione decided quickly that with Daphne's previous experience with Bowtruckles, she should be the one to fetch theirs. Hermione transfigured Daphne's robes into a soft black blanket and laid it down gently atop some dry leaves at the back of the clearing. Taking Hermione's lead, the other groups did the same but laid their blankets much closer to the tree. Harry sat down opposite Hermione, facing the tree after handing Daphne the pouch of Lacewing Flies. After approaching the walk over to the tree, their new friend warmed to her straight away and clambered onto her forearm.

"Aww, it's cute," said Hermione, What should we call it."

"Chuckles," Harry said, making Daphne smile warmly at him and say "Chuckles it is.'

Initially, Hermione volunteered to draw the picture of Chuckles but it soon decided it really liked her hair and proceeded to jump from Daphne's arm right over to Hermione's lap, making her jump before it crawled up her side and nestled itself on top of her head, squeaking happily. Harry had already confessed to having zero artistic skill whatsoever, so

Daphne proceeded to begin sketching Chuckles with charcoal, who would only stop painfully twisting its long, green limbs while it was eating.

Fifteen minutes later they were out of flies and Daphne put Chuckles back in its tree so they could work on the rest of the poster without Hermione squeaking in pain. Their cute little friend really didn't want to leave its new nest when they tried to move him, to the point Harry had needed to cast an "Immobulus."

Sitting down next to Hermione and opposite Harry, Daphne proceeded to pull the 2nd edition of The Monster Book of Monsters from her bag. This one's fur was black instead of brown and required the reader to give it a little scratch underneath its chin rather than stroke its spine.

"Isn't this cheating?" asked Hermione.

"Did she say we couldn't use it?" replied Harry with raised eyebrows.

"Hey, you lot, using books is cheating!" Draco shouted over from his group with Neville and Tracey.

"No it isn't," said Grubbly-Plank, feeding a fly to a cross-legged Bowtruckle on her shoulder, "I never said you couldn't use your books."

This caused a flurry of other groups reaching for their bags. Harry, Hermione and Daphne worked diligently, Daphne read out some facts about bowtruckles which it was Harry's job to write down while Hermione listed Chuckles' displayed behaviours. This was easy for him at first, but then Daphne smirked, set her back behind her and then moved from sitting on her ankles to her bum. Pulling her skirt up slightly she planted her feet on the floor, legs spread at shoulder width. She continued to read facts to him, blushing as Harry tried in vain to ignore the view she had provided of the puffy, enticing lips of her pussy. Her sultry smirk soon turned into a mischievous grin when it became clear that Harry was no longer getting any work done and she closed her knees.

"We're finished, Professor," Hermione called half an hour later.

"Okay, Miss Granger," the Professor replied, "Five minutes everyone, and we'll be presenting.

"I can't believe Chuckles ate so many flies. Little thing was ravenous," said Harry, glaring at Daphne.

"Have anything nice for lunch?" asked Daphne, ignoring her boyfriend's expression.

"Bangers and Mash," said Harry.

"Caesar salad," said Hermione, "Why were all the Slytherins around you looking at Harry?"

"What, they were?" asked Harry, looking up from putting the furry book back in his bag.

"Oh they were just talking about Harry being hot," replied Daphne with a smirk.

"Yeah right," said Harry, stifling a blush.

"I mean I've always thought of you like a brother," said Hermione, initially looking at Daphne instead of Harry, "But they're not wrong. You are aesthetically one of the better-looking guys in the school. I've heard at least six Gryffindor girls talking about you in the last few days."

"Names. Give me names," said Daphne shortly, nostrils flaring.

"Please, Daphne, like you've got anything to worry about," said Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Exactly," added Harry, leaning forward and squeezing his girlfriend's hand before sitting back again, "So…er…what were they saying?

"It was mainly just talking about your abs and butt, but Hermione was also mentioned when they were talking about the concept of quidditch metaphors."

"Wait, what, they talked about me?" asked Hermione, perplexed.

"Yeah, they were talking about how guys are entertained by quidditch metaphors when it comes to sex and Blaise said he wouldn't mind playing catch with your Quaffles."

Hermione blushed and looked down at the floor briefly, "Oh how very original. Well… thank you for telling me. Is that the best you came up with?" she said.

"Well, nothing I said out loud," Daphne said, "It wouldn't have been proper if I'd have told everyone I wanted to take a flight on Harry's broomstick."

"Daphne!" Hermione giggled and they both laughed hard at Harry's stunned expression.

Soon after, Grubbly-Plank called for them all to present. Hermione took the lead of course, and Harry held up the poster for the group to see, his eyes frequently flashing over to a smug and staring at him Daphne. In the end, though, they were told their presentation was good, but to their dismay, Susan, Justin and Ernie's group won the points.

Soon after, the class all headed back up to the castle and parted ways. Harry headed with Hermione to the library but not until Daphne had cornered him and snogged him senseless.