a/n: sorry ive been taking so long on updates, i've been busy trying to find a job and taking care of kids that aren't mine, so please don't crucify me, this chapter's shorter then most i write, so i'll try to post another, longer one soon,until then.
Peace.
Of course there was something that would ruin Harry's first outing to Hogsmeade.
It had all started out so good, he and Daphne had emerged in Honeydukes, almost literally bumping into Hermione and Ron, after a quick explanation and a few candies, they had gone to the three broomsticks to get a drink.
That's where it all fell apart.
That's where Harry learned that Sirius Black had been responsible for his parents death, and where he learned that the crazy, psychopathic murderer was his godfather, it was enough to completely floor him, he almost didn't have the right piece of mind to even make it back to the tunnel; only Daphne's guiding hand kept him from just stopping and curling up on the floor.
"Harry…" she said softly as he climbed out of the passageway, "let's go to the tree."
With a numb nod, Harry walked down the halls and towards the exit, Daphne followed, her hand intertwined with his the entire way. Once they made it to the tree, Daphne made Harry sit down.
"They knew…" Harry said softly, uttering the first words he had said since the tavern, "McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid…they all knew and they never told me…would've thought Hagrid would've said something…"
"Would it have changed how you feel?" Daphne asked, "or would you be as confused and angry as you are now?"
Harry sighed, looking across the lake, "I don't know…"
Daphne sat down next to him, letting Gryf out of her pocket, the little dragon flew up to Harry's hair, landing and getting comfortable in the long locks, "it's horrible no matter how you look at it, really," she said, "if they had told you before, you'd still hate Black, and you'd still want to see him gone…"
"But why not tell me?" he asked helplessly, "why keep it from me?"
"If you had known all of this before Halloween, what would you have done when Sirius Black broke into the castle?"
Harry looked down, he knew the answer, and he might've tried to go through the castle, trying to find the mad man.
"They didn't tell you for your safety Harry," she said.
He sighed and put his arms around Daphne, holding her close, Daphne just closed her eyes and let her head rest against his chest, "please tell me you won't do something stupid." She mumbled softly.
"Like what?" Harry asked, absentmindedly playing with the tips of her hair.
"Like going after Black." She said.
"Don't think I'll have a chance to do that," he muttered, wincing as Gryf dug his claws into his scalp, "teachers barely let me walk to class without someone following me."
She just smiled, 'as long as you're not dead by the end of the day, I'm happy."
Harry gave a wane smile, "I think I'm happy with that too." He said planting a soft kiss on her temple.
Daphne opened her eyes slowly, "we should head back." She said, "Wouldn't want Ron or Hermione coming out with a search party."
Harry smiled slightly, "guess you're right." He said, slowly standing up.
"You're guessing?" she asked as she rose alongside him, "you should know by now, Mr. Potter, that I am always right."
Harry just smiled as he took her hand, "I'm starting to figure that out."
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The next day brought more troubling news.
"They can't be serious," Daphne said after hearing Harry read the letter, absentmindedly stroking Gryf along the ridges of his spine, "They're taking Mr. Malfoy's complaint seriously?"
"Of course they are!" Ron said angrily, "Malfoy's been milking that injury since day one."
"I know, but it's obvious nothings wrong with him…"
"They're scared of ol' Lucius down at the ministry," Hagrid said tearfully, "do whatever he wants."
Daphne shook her head, "I refuse to believe that they would just roll over and do as he wishes." She said.
"Well believe it, ice queen." Hermione said, patting Hagrid's back as he started to sob again.
Daphne scowled at Hermione, then looked at Hagrid, "Would it help if there were witnesses stating that Draco was baiting Buckbeak?" she asked, "I'm sure I can get Tracey and a couple of others backing you."
"y-y-ye can?" Hagrid asked tearily.
"I'm positive," she said, at least for Tracey, she added to herself quietly, "who do you have defending him?"
"Who do I 'ave defendin' him? Well me o' course." Hagrid mumbled, "Ain't that the rules? I defend him at the hearin'?"
Daphne shook her head, "you could have someone represent you and Buckbeak." She said, "The committee will allow it."
"I ain't got the money to do tha'!" Hagrid wailed, "an' no one would be willin' ta put their names on the line to defend me and beaky!"
Daphne hesitated, looking at Harry and Ron, before looking back at Hagrid, "well…this might not be a for sure thing…but I could talk to my Father about it."
Everyone in the room looked at her in surprise, "he's a well respected man in the ministry." She said, "and he has a respect for most magical creatures, worked with Newt Scamander for a certain time when he was younger, he might be able to help you with this."
"Y-y-you'd be willin' t-t-te do that f-for me?" Hagrid asked, fresh tears brimming in his eyes.
"I'll give it a try," she said, "I'll talk to him as soon as I'm home."
Without warning Hagrid scooped Daphne up and gave her a bone-crushing hug, she let out a surprised squeak as he did.
"Yer too kind Ms. Greengrass!" he sobbed tearfully, "too kind!"
"I…said…I'd…try…it's not…for sure…" she struggled out.
"But it's the thought tha' counts!" he said, putting her down, then turning to Harry, 'You take good care of this girl Harry," he said, shaking a finger in his face, "She's a good'un…"
"Yes Hagrid." Harry said, grinning at Daphne.
"We can help too Hagrid," Hermione said, "I'm sure there's a few cases we can find where the Hippogriff got off."
"Yeah,' Ron said hesitantly. "We can head to the library."
"All of you," he said tearily, taking them all up in his arms, "yer all jus' too good!"
"Is…this…how he is…all the time?" Daphne gasped to Harry.
"No…usually he's much…much more cheery…"
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"Do you really think your father could help Hagrid?" Harry asked Daphne as they walked back to the castle, Ron and Hermione walking a few paces ahead of them.
"I'm not completely certain," she said, "but I'm sure I could coax him into at least meeting with Hagrid."
"and then Harry can meet his future father-in-law." Ron said, earning a nudge from Hermione as both Harry and Daphne turned a deep red.
"It's a bit early to be thinking about that, isn't it?" Daphne asked.
"Y-yeah...early." Harry said, scratching the back of his head.
"Not too early for him to meet your father though," Hermione said as they walked into the library, "I'm sure he'd love to meet the famous Harry Potter."
"I'd rather not meet a man who could possibly make me disappear."
"He wouldn't make you disappear…for long…"
"That's encouraging."
Daphne just rolled her eyes with a smile, "I'll be in the dungeons." She said, "I'll be sure to come and find you all once I get done packing." She gave Harry a quick kiss and a wave to Ron and Hermione as she turned down the hallway and towards the dungeons, as she walked, Gryf poked his head out of her pocket, "Finally awake are you?" she asked the dragon as it climbed up her sleeve and onto her shoulder, "you missed all the fun."
Gryf let out a low growl, nipping at her earrings.
"Oh no, you take those and I'm not letting you eat my scraps anymore."
The dragon clamped its mouth shut, looking at the earrings longingly.
"That Dragon has been getting a lot of attention lately." A droning voice said, making Daphne turn around quickly. Professor Snape was standing behind her, studying her carefully, "None of it good."
"I-I know sir," she said, taking a step back, "I've tried to teach him not to steal anymore jewelry, and he hasn't…as far as I know."
Snape just shook his head, "you'd be much better off returning that thing to it's original state,"
"I can't do that." She said, "He…he was a gift."
"Ah, a small trinket from Potter." He sneered, "amazing how you can fall for such an arrogant boy."
"He's not arrogant," Daphne said, slight attitude creeping into her voice.
Snape raised an eyebrow at her.
"He isn't," she said, 'since I've been with him, he hasn't shown anything resembling arrogance, if anything, he's been unsure of himself."
"I find that very hard to believe," Snape muttered.
Daphne took a deep breath, "believe what you want, sir," she said, turning to walk away.
"Be careful, Ms. Greengrass." Snape said, "The Potter men have a very bad habit of hurting the ones closest to them."
Daphne hesitated for a few seconds, "I'll be fine, professor." She said, walking away.