Awake My Soul

by tpobaw

Harry Potter died during the Battle of Hogwarts and unsure of what's happening he accidentally turns himself into a ghost. Resigning himself to wandering the earth alone, he comes across another ghost who died on the same night. With no other options they decide to spend their afterlife's together, and find that a life worth living doesn't exactly need to be one where you're alive.

Harry dropped the cold black stone at the edge of the clearing and slowly made his way forward. The not quite there visions of his family and loved ones disappeared as the stone hit the ground, and without them there his fear began to set back in. Still, he walked silently towards the gathered death eaters.

He had nearly made it to where they were all gathered in their dark cloaks and silver masks when he heard Voldemort's voice ring out, addressing his followers quietly. "I was, it seems... mistaken," said the Dark Lord.

"You weren't." He said it loudly, hoping the volume would take away from the fear he felt.

Hagrid cried out then, pleading with Harry to run and his heart broke, but he couldn't look at him; he couldn't lose his resolve, not now, not when he was so close to dying with dignity. After a slight commotion the clearing quieted once more and Voldemort stared at him from across the clearing. He tilted his head to the side slightly, considering Harry as he stood before him, and a lipless mirthless smile curled on serpentine face.

"Harry Potter," he said so softly that his voice might have been part of the splitting fire between them. "The Boy Who Lived."

Voldemort raised his wand then and tilted his head to one side like a curious child, wondering what would happen if he proceeded. Harry looked back into his red eyes and did his best to school his features. He wanted it to happen now, quickly, while he could still stand, before he lost control, and his body betrayed his false courage for fear.

He did not hear the words, he only saw the Dark Lord's mouth move and a flash of green light, and then, everything was gone.

---

Harry didn't know what he had expected death to feel like, but it wasn't this. There was no pain thankfully. Just a calmness, a stillness, and a serene quiet that permeated through him. Underneath that sensation, however, he could also eerily feel his soul tearing itself away from his physical body.

He resisted.

Harry did not know for certain what lay on the other side of death. Maybe it was pleasure beyond anything he could ever imagine, or perhaps eternal damnation awaited him. What he did know was who awaited him there, and that thought terrified him.

He had seen them just a few short minutes ago and it had been an incredible reunion, but now, as his soul attempted to meet them once more, he fought against it. He was unsure what caused him to hold back, to hesitate, but he did.

He felt ashamed. Ashamed that he had failed. He thought that his role in this war was to defeat Voldemort only to later understand that he was nothing more than a pawn, a horcrux that needed to be destroyed. 'A pig raised for slaughter.' Snape had called him.

He felt afraid. As childish as it sounded, Harry did in fact fear death. He was glad Voldemort had decided to end it quickly, because if he had delayed any longer Harry was certain his legs would have folded underneath him where he stood.

Most frustrating of all, he felt alone. Even with those who loved him surrounding him moments before he had died, Harry felt like he was on the outside of their group peaking in. He had never known his parents. Sirius had been ripped away before Harry could truly get to love him and Remus had been distant since his third year.

So, Harry resisted. He struggled for what could have been minutes or days and then he felt the tiring sensation of his very spirit being torn away vanish as suddenly as it had begun. He tried to open his eyes but was unable to do so. He tried harder and the forest came into view around him, unsettlingly clear.

Had he done it? Had he somehow survived another killing curse?

He attempted to sit up and suddenly he was sitting up without any effort. He looked around the clearing and realized that the sun was beginning to shine through the tops of the trees. The camp where the death eaters had been was now barren, and the fires that were blazing before Harry's death were nothing more than smoldering ash. Had he been lying here for hours?

He tried to take a step only to shoot forward instead, as if he were sitting on a broom. He looked down to make sure he wasn't and gasped. His body was a translucent white, his feet hovering two inches off the ground, and he cast no shadow from the rays of the early morning sun that leaked their way through the foliage overhead.

Harry wasn't sure how he had managed it, but he had somehow turned himself into a ghost. He allowed himself to sit in the shock and confusion of his predicament for a few moments longer and then began to think back to what was taking place when he had died.

"Voldemort." He said aloud, pleased to hear that his voice still sounded like his own. He willed his body to float back towards the castle. He tried his best to steer around the trees at first, but then realized that as a ghost he could fly right through them and so he did.

By the time he made it to the edge of the forest and back onto the grounds he saw what appeared to be the aftermath of a great battle. The ground was littered with scorch marks, holes, and debris. Bodies lay strewn across the grounds, some moaning and groaning, others still and unmoving.

He glimpsed Nagini, her head severed from the rest of her in a heap and the dead and broken form of Voldemort a few feet away from her. There was a crowd surrounding Neville Longbottom, who was holding the sword of Gryffindor, and cheering for him. Maybe he had been the child of prophecy all along. Harry couldn't help but think somewhat bitterly.

A larger crowd was surrounding a patch on the grass as they wept openly.

He willed himself closer and saw Hermione was on her knees sobbing. Harry was flooded with relief to see that she was okay but was curious as to why she was wailing. When he got as close as he dared, he was able to make out that in front of her on the ground in a heap was the lifeless, cold, dead body of Harry Potter. His body.

Harry didn't know how to feel at the sight of himself, but he did feel sadness for his friend. He also felt, maybe for the first time ever, like he was truly loved. The Weasley's were all present and crying as well. Ginny was screaming and punching her father who was holding her tightly and trying to soothe her.

Molly Weasley shouted out. "Harry and Fred! My two sons gone forever!" And Harry's heart broke for her.

Even Ron kneeled next to Hermione, his expression stoic and his eyes leaking tears.

Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, and countless others all stood around him and mourned. Harry wasn't sure if ghosts could cry, but he felt like he was close. He wanted nothing more than to comfort them, but he knew that they needed to let him go. They needed to move on. Seeing him as a ghost would only delay the inevitable.

So instead, he turned on his floating heel and began the long trip back to the forest. He didn't know what he was going to do, where he was going to stay, but for now he needed to be away from the grounds, away from his corpse, away from his friends. Away.

---

Daphne Greengrass was very frustrated. She had been a few weeks away from graduating from her seventh year at Hogwarts and living what should have been a comfortable life as an heiress to a proud and ancient noble family. She was mere minutes away from surviving the battle of Hogwarts in her hiding spot near the forbidden forest only to be struck by a wayward killing curse right at the climax of Neville Longbottom's duel against the Dark Lord.

She sighed, it was just her luck to die just as she was so close wasn't it, but Daphne would not take this lying down, no. When the time came for her soul to ascend, she had vehemently refused. She decided then that she would stay back as a ghost, they would call her the gorgeous ghoul or the stunning specter. She would find a young Hogwarts student, or a talented magician, or even a dark wizard who was gifted in necromancy and have him fall madly in love with her and bring her back.

No, Daphne Greengrass had no intention of remaining dead. She had too much to make up for. She shoved those thoughts down alongside the guilt she still harbored and instead began to ponder how and where she might come across a young and handsome necromancer when something caught her eye.

It was the figure of another ghost retreating towards the forest. She likely would never have noticed him, as opaque and white as he was, if not for his stunning green eyes.

Ghosts didn't have colored eyes, did they?

Intrigued, she floated her way forwards, stopping at the edge of the forest to observe them. As the ghoul came closer, she realized with no small amount of shock that the form belonged to none other than Harry Potter.

She knew he had died, having heard the Dark Lord's announcement, and seeing his cold body when it was carried onto the grounds by Hagrid. However, she, like most others, was also able to deduce that he hadn't been running away like Voldemort had implied. The brave and noble idiot had probably sacrificed himself believing in the ultimatum the Dark Lord had given him.

Despite having only spoken to him in class, and on a handful of other occasions in her life she had been saddened to learn that he had died, but not surprised. He was after all a 17-year-old facing a resurrected and incredibly powerful dark wizard.

No, his death hadn't surprised Daphne but the fact that he had chosen to remain as a ghost had. Wouldn't he of all people have the most to gain with death? She shrugged. She didn't know him personally. Perhaps he had something that was holding him back, or someone. Maybe he was caught up on the Weaslette and didn't want to leave her, or maybe it was Granger he had longed for after all.

She watched, intrigued, as he made his way back into the forest, following him from a short distance behind. She saw him make his way to a stream that was hidden from the grounds and then sit awkwardly on a rock, running a ghostly hand through his ghostly hair and sighing.

She debated with herself for a moment whether she should say anything and then decided that if she were going to make friends with someone until her future necromancer boyfriend could revive her, a classmate would be better than some other ghost from hundreds of years ago, or worse, a ghost without a head.

"Potter." She said softly, and Harry floated to his feet instantly, a hand clutching at his chest.

"Oh my God, don't do that!" He replied, his voice shrill.

"Sorry." Daphne said, although her tone was anything but apologetic.

He closed his eyes and composed himself, taking what would have been a deep breath and then letting it out. He opened his green eyes and studied her intently through misty glasses.

"Greengrass?" He asked softly.

Daphne nodded in response. "In the flesh. Well, I suppose it's not really flesh, is it? In the spirit?"

Harry didn't laugh or even smile at her little remark and instead eyed her warily.

"You're dead." He said instead. Quietly. Sadly.

Daphne wanted to give another sarcastic response but held her tongue. "Yes, early this morning, same as you." She said instead.

"I'm so sorry."

Daphne waved him off. "My own fault. Seeing everyone rally to defeat Voldemort gave me some… I don't know, reckless confidence? A desire to be out there fighting, I suppose. But I never quite realized just how poor our Defense Against the Dark Arts education had really been until I was standing in that field with curses flying around me.

"I panicked and just kind of found a mound of dirt to hide behind of. Almost made it too." She said, her tone growing more bitter as she spoke. "One of the killing curses he threw at Neville missed him and by happenstance struck me."

"You fought against him?" Harry asked in a surprised tone, and she rolled her eyes despite the guilt she felt rise up inside her. She once again pushed it down

"Not personally obviously, but ideologically I was opposed to his ideas, yes."

"But you're a Slytherin."

At this Daphne rolled her eyes even harder if possible. "Oh yes, Slytherin equals evil. Gryffindor equals noble and good." She said sarcastically and was pleased to see a ghostly blush color his cheeks.

"Sorry, I just figured that all the Slytherins left at the castle would be sympathetic to his cause."

Daphne nodded her understanding. "Most were. I was trying to get my seventh year out of the way and complete my NEWT's while staying out of sight and out of mind." She said and tried to convince herself that a half-truth was not equal to a lie.

Harry nodded. "That makes sense. I'm sorry you didn't get to finish."

Daphne sighed. "Stop apologizing, it wasn't your fault. I was the one who went out there, Voldemort was the one who killed me. Hell, you were already dead by the time I died so it wasn't like I could expect you to jump in and save the day anyways."

"Sorry." He muttered back. "About the apologizing I mean, it's a bad habit. Hermione was trying to help me break it too, but I'm just an apologetic person, er, at least I was. Now I'm an apologetic ghost?" He finished looking at his ghostly arm with confusion.

Daphne's eyes narrowed. "Did you not mean to become a ghost?"

"I just didn't want to die, really."

"Ahh, I see." Daphne nodded as everything clicked into place. "Witches and Wizards who want to stay on after death must fight to stop their souls from leaving this plane of existence. Most magical folks don't even realize what's going on when they die, so it doesn't really matter, but if you want to remain here you need to focus your energy on stopping that transition.

"The majority of ghosts do this purposefully, but there are definitely known instances of people who are just scared of death staying behind. Mostly murder victims or young kids who don't understand what's happening." Daphne felt a bit of sadness rise up within her as she explained that last bit and realized that Harry fell into both of those categories.

"Oh, I see. Does that mean I'm stuck here now?" He asked, trepidation in his words.

"No. Whenever a ghost is ready, they can choose to pass on. You just need to will it, and it'll happen."

"And what comes after death?"

She considered for a moment. "No one really knows." She said quietly. "Maybe there's a heaven and a hell. Maybe you're reincarnated. Maybe you wake up as a baby and get a chance to do it all over again."

"That would be nice." He muttered to himself, and Daphne felt her curiosity rise, but before she could reply he spoke again. "What do you believe is waiting for you?"

"Awful lot of questions you got, Potter." She said not unkindly, and Harry shrugged.

"This is all quite new to me."

Daphne waited for a moment considering her answer. "I think it's another life for those who were good people. An eternal one with those you love where there's no pain, no hunger, and no disease. I think it's somewhere where people who lived good lives can go to be happy. A reward."

Harry smiled softly at that, and Daphne found herself smiling back. "Why did you choose to stick around then?" He asked quietly.

"That's your last question for today, Potter." Daphne replied with another roll of her eyes, but inside the unease she felt came roaring back. "But to answer you, I'm planning on making a young handsome necromancer fall in love with me so he could bring me back. We're going to get married, and it'll be the greatest love story ever told."

At this, Harry smiled. "I like the sound of that, I can't wait to meet whoever it is you have in mind." Daphne deflated and Harry chuckled to himself. "Are you telling me that you don't know any necromancers, and this is all some half-baked plot?"

"I said no more questions." Daphne snapped back petulantly. Causing Harry's chuckle to turn into a laugh. It sounded sweet and despite herself Daphne smiled too. "Now come on." She told him.

"Where?"

"Anywhere but the forest where we died. We're ghosts now. Let's figure this out."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

Harry shrugged. "Not like I have anything better to do."

Daphne smiled and floated the short distance over to him. She took his hand in hers; it felt solid, but cold. "That's the spirit, Potter." She said with a wry smile.

Harry rolled his eyes. "With puns like that maybe I can find something better to do." He replied cheekily.

Daphne gave him an exaggerated sigh. "I guess I shouldn't have ex-specter'ed you to understand how funny I am in the first place."

"Oh, God please stop it."

"Why, are my puns masking you wraith?"

Harry sighed longly, but his smile betrayed him. Daphne began to float towards the entrance of the forest leading Harry along. Maybe life as a ghost while she waited for her necromancer wouldn't be so bad after all.

---

Harry had allowed the pretty ghost to lead him by the hand, surprised that her touch felt solid, albeit a little chilly. She had led him clear out the forest near the Hogsmeade end and Harry was taken aback slightly that they could just… roam freely.

He had of course always known that ghosts were able to travel where they pleased, but he was so used to the Hogwarts ghosts who had chosen to remain at the castle, or the stories of ghosts that haunted specific buildings or areas, that he had nearly forgotten all about it.

As Daphne led him further and further, their surroundings began to blur around them, almost as if they were on the knight bus. After what couldn't have been longer than just a few minutes Daphne stopped, and Harry looked around curiously. Gone was the Forbidden Forest and instead he was looking at a gorgeous garden that his Aunt Petunia would have killed for.

A maze of neatly trimmed hedges was off to one side and unwittingly reminded Harry of the third task for the Triwizard Tournament, causing a shiver to run down his ghostly spine. Behind it lay a beautifully manicured open field with quidditch hoops on either end, and behind the field was a smattering of trees and a brook that babbled lazily against the stillness of the morning.

On the other side of the lawn were walkways flanked by gorgeous rose bushes, blooming in the early spring with all manner of magical roses. Harry attempted to breathe in their aroma, only to realize sadly that he could no longer smell them. Fountains with spouts resembling fish, mermaids, and other forms of aquatic creatures spat water into large pools where fish swam lazily.

Harry looked towards Daphne questioningly, but before he could ask where they were, his eyes drank her in. He noticed that the light of the morning, no longer encumbered by the thick foliage of the forbidden forest, caused her to appear less solid, like she was made of morning mist that was evaporating away at the warmth of the rising sun. Still, he could make out a sad, contemplative look on her face.

"Hey," he said gently, looking into her bright blue eyes. He had never remembered ghosts having colored eyes, maybe it was a thing to see other ghosts features more clearly? "You okay?"

Daphne looked at him and Harry wasn't sure if he was seeing things, but he thought there may have been wetness in her eyes. Could ghosts cry?

"I'm alright." She told him softly. "This wasn't where I was planning to bring us, I just thought to myself home and it was like I was pulled here."

Harry appraised his surroundings once more and finally realized that behind him was a large manor style building. "Your house?" He asked and Daphne nodded twice.

"I— my parents will be finding out I'm dead soon. They— they'll find my body and bury me." Harry closed the distance between the two of them. He was never one to initiate physical contact, but Daphne looked like she needed a hug, and this wasn't technically physical contact per se, more like metaphysical contact.

She looked surprised as he engulfed her in the hug, stiffening for the briefest of moments before melting into his embrace. She hugged him back tightly and began to cry, but when he looked down at her pale, semi-lucent complexion, no tears ran down her cheeks. No, no tears for ghosts. He thought to himself idly as he stroked cold fingers down her back and through her hair.

"It's okay." He whispered soothingly. Yet despite his own words, he was also feeling his insides churn at the thought of being laid to rest for eternity while his soul wandered the earth in this ghostly form.

He looked to the woman in his arms and considered for a moment longer, thankful that he at least had her with him, but his thankfulness was soon replaced by guilt. 'What a selfish thought. She had died trying to take part in a war that was caused in part by me, and here I am, happy that she died too so I can be less lonely.'

Daphne sniffled into his shirt and buried her head into his chest once more, effectively pulling Harry from his self-deprecating thoughts.

"I'm sorry." She began, and before Harry could wave off her apology she continued. "My— my parents told me not to go to Hogwarts, they wanted me at home with them, but I refused."

She pulled away from him just slightly and looked towards the manor, the house where she had grown up, framed by the morning sunrise. Her eyes took on a regretful expression. "I told them I could handle it; I was a pureblood, no one would dare risk the ire of the Greengrass family.

"I promised I would stay out of the way and the left of my own accord." She took a deep breath. "I nearly made it, just a few more minutes and I would have been fine. Instead, my parents lost their daughter forever because I turned into a fucking Gryffindor for a few hours." Harry gave her a sad smirk at the attempted joke and held her more tightly.

"I want to apologize, but I'm too ashamed. I want to see them, but I don't want to see their reactions."

"If you want, we can float in there together right now, or I can sit out here, or if you'd rather wait, then we can wait. This is only our first day as ghosts Greengrass, we don't have to do everything today." Harry told her and he felt her nod against him.

"Daphne." Was her simple reply.

"I'm sorry?"

"Daphne. I don't plan on being alone and if we're going to spend time together, than you should call me by my first name." She told him, loosening her grip in his embrace so she could look up at him with those bright blue eyes.

"Harry."

Daphne nodded. "Harry." She reaffirmed, and then after a beat, "You're right Harry, I don't need to do this today. I told us to leave the forest so we could do something less depressing and only ended up getting sadder instead, why don't you pick the next spot we go to?"

Harry considered for a moment. "I'm not really sure where we could go, but I do have an idea of where we could stay." Daphne looked at him curiously and Harry took hold of her hand, imagining where he wanted to go. Just like before the world began to blur around them, the only thing that remained steady and unmoving was the cold hand within his own.

---

Daphne and Harry had developed a strange sort of codependence in the weeks since their deaths. Harry had taken her to the shrieking shack which he of course knew wasn't really haunted.

Well, it was now, but it hadn't been previously.

They lived together in a strange sort of harmony. There wasn't much to do as a ghost. They couldn't eat or drink, didn't need to bathe or use the toilets, and they couldn't even sleep — although that didn't stop them from lying on the old wood floors hand in hand with their eyes closed.

They did spend some time apart; Harry would wander through Hogsmeade or the forest on occasion, usually late at night, and Daphne would meander to the lake at Hogwarts and watch as the sun cast brilliant pinks and oranges across its surface as it set.

Mostly, however, they talked, and after weeks of spending time together they had actually begun to open up. Daphne had told him of her life growing up in a magical family, and Harry had listened raptly, intrigued by her magical upbringing.

He asked questions about accidental magic she had performed and the ins and outs of her family life. She had tried to answer without allowing the sadness that would rise up at the conversations to overcome her and managed to do so more often than not.

She had in turn asked Harry about his home life and after much gentle prodding she got him to tell her more than he had originally cared to. Daphne didn't think ghosts could cry, but she was close. Harry told her about being a little boy growing up in that 'home'. In fact, he was telling her now.

"Let me get this straight." Daphne said angrily. "Your aunt and uncle never bought you a Christmas present? Or a birthday present either?"

"Uh, they did give me some change one year and socks another year." He replied looking down at the ground as he spoke.

"Change and socks?" She growled out. "They couldn't find any other clothes to give you?"

Harry sighed. "I'd get Dudley's cast offs when he was done with them." Was his quiet response.

"No wonder you were always wearing clothes fiver sizes too big." Daphne snapped back angrily, and Harry looked away embarrassed.

"It's actually something I'm quite frustrated with." He whispered and Daphne closed the distance between them, touching his face gently and turning him so she could see his eyes, her hard expression softening.

"Anyone could hardly notice under the robes you wore Harry." She said quickly, hoping to reassure him. "And no one cared when we saw. We all thought it was a muggle thing."

"Not that." Was his whispered response. "I — I wish I wasn't wearing them when I died. I hate that..." He drew in a breath. "I hate that I have to spend eternity in his ill-fitting clothes. I wish I could have been wearing something different, anything else."

Daphne knew she no longer had a heart, but if she had, it would have shattered at his words.

"Oh, Harry." She said thinking how frustrating it must be to be reminded even in death of the cruelty you were forced to endure at the hands of those meant to love you.

"S'okay. I'm just being mopey. I'll stop now."

"You're a ghost." She told him in response. "You're allowed to be mopey, but let's go distract you for a bit." Her voice was soft. Harry looked towards her adoringly and Daphne tried not to blush.

She took him by the hand then led him through the wall of the shrieking shack. She didn't focus on her destination, not wanting to arrive there instantly, but instead led him on the path from Hogsmeade to the ancient castle.

Hogwarts was mostly deserted now. Their funerals had been held and they were buried with the others killed during the battle at a grand memorial on the grounds. 56 bodies laid to eternal rest. 56 names engraved on a stunning white marble Epitaph that read "Here lie the heroes of Hogwarts, who in the darkest hour remembered to turn on their lights."

After the ceremonies the remainder of the school year had been canceled alongside their exams. All students would be forced to repeat their respective years the following year and the castle was soon emptied as reparations on the old castle had begun in earnest.

Daphne was heading that way now, but as she led him along the path, the tops of the towers coming into view, she began to speak.

"I miss Astoria." She told him softly "She's the person I feel most guilty about leaving."

Harry squeezed her hand. "Tell me about her."

"She's a ball of energy. A fifth year this year, 16 now." She said, the image of her younger sister coming to her mind's eye. "She loves to fly, was obsessed with watching you play quidditch actually. She didn't care a rat's arse about the 'boy who lived' nonsense, but she was smitten with your sloth grip roles and hanging vertical twists."

She didn't need to look at Harry to know he was smiling, and that made Daphne feel better.

"Sounds like she has her head screwed on straight."

"She did." Daphne agreed.

"Did she try out for the Slytherin team?" He asked, glancing towards her as they continued to float closer and closer towards the castle.

"No." Daphne said sadly. "She loved to fly but had an illness growing up that kept her from doing so. It finally went away in her third year, but by that point Voldemort was back and my parents didn't let her." She felt Harry squeeze her hand and smiled sadly. "She would've tried out last year without their permission I'm sure, but my parents hadn't let her go back to Hogwarts."

"I hate that I wasn't the only one he robbed of having a normal childhood, I wish it had just been me." Harry said and Daphne felt something pull inside of her that felt like affection.

She knew that Harry was being earnest, that he would have gladly suffered more, taken her sisters burden on himself had he known it would mean some random Slytherin could have tried out for the quidditch team.

"You're one of a kind." She replied trying not to sound too fond and failing.

Harry chuckled. "What a kind way to phrase it."

The rest of the walk passed by in silence as they continued to hold hands. A few minutes later they arrived at the grand entrance to the castle, and they floated straight through the closed doors.

Harry took the lead floating towards the grand staircase. "Have you ever seen Gryffindor Tower?"

"Never. Some Slytherin's claimed they knew the entrance, but I never believed them." She replied excitedly.

"I'll show you." He led her up the stairs and down passages until Daphne came upon a corridor she didn't realize existed. It originally looked like a dead end, a large painting of an even larger woman snoozing in its frame. Harry floated straight through the portrait, not bothering to wake her.

Behind the portrait was a large room. Red armchairs and sofas were spread cozily around the open space. Large windows allowed the moonlight from the cloudless sky to shine through and on one wall sat a large hearth. Daphne could almost picture it in her imagination, full of students clothed in red and gold, a fire blazing while some played games excitedly and others worked on assignments.

"This is much warmer than the Slytherin common room." She whispered to him. Harry turned to her and smiled, but before he could respond a voice rang out.

"Who goes there! I demand you name yourselves." Daphne nearly shrieked at the unexpected voice, but Harry merely smiled.

"Sir Nicholas, my apologies." He said formally and the other ghost seemed to relax.

"Harry Potter?"

"Yes, Sir Nick."

"You've chosen to remain here?"

"I have. For the time being. But I would really appreciate it if you could keep that to yourself. No one else knows yet."

Sir Nicholas nodded emphatically, his head coming apart from his neck on one side in a way that made Daphne feel queasy.

"Of course. My, what great news. You will make a fine apprentice for the Gryffindor ghost, and when I finally finish severing my head from my neck and join the headless hunt you can take over the position entirely." He beamed.

Harry smiled uncomfortably. "Er, sure. I can't wait."

"Wonderful! Now I must be going, Ernest and some of the other chaps are waiting down near the vegetable patch, we're going to discuss some more plans for how I can sever this blasted strand of sinew holding my head to my shoulders."

"Have fun?" Harry replied and Nicholas beamed at him.

After the ghost had left, Harry led her to a large sofa where he sat heavily. Daphne wondered idly if this was his preferred sitting spot in the common room. She wondered what her life would have been like had she been sorted into Gryffindor.

Would she have been his friend? Would they have sat here together revising, playing games, and speaking about nothing important? These past few weeks together had led to such a natural and easy companionship that she couldn't believe it would have gone any other way.

She was torn from her musings, by the voice of the young man seated next to her.

"His eyes are white." He told her and Daphne nodded immediately.

"I noticed that too."

"Maybe they fade with time?" He asked, and Daphne shrugged.

"Maybe, but I hope not. I like that I can see the green of your eyes." She said quietly and Harry smiled.

"And I'm glad I can see the blue of yours."

"Are they a lovely shade?" She asked him and Harry put his head in his hands.

"They just get worse and worse." He replied, causing Daphne to smile.

"You'll warm up to them eventually."

They sat in silence for a moment longer before Daphne stood. "Come on let me show you the Slytherin common room now, it's only fair."

Harry smiled at her roguishly and Daphne's eyes narrowed. "I already know where it is. I'll lead the way."

---

It was Daphne's idea.

"Come on Harry," She pled with him. "We never got to see it while we were alive, we should at least go now."

Harry found it hard to tell her no, so instead he took her hand and imagined where he wanted to go. It would be their first time attempting to ghost travel somewhere so far, and also their first time traveling to a place neither of them had been to while living.

It was taking longer than their previous trips, but just when Harry was starting to feel concerned, the sensation of ghost travel had stopped and in front of them stood the Eiffel Tower in all its glory, lit up against the French night.

To their backs was theSeine River and Harry knew that despite the time of year there would be a chilly breeze blowing off it. Not for the first time he missed the human sensations he no longer had.

The sky above them held a full moon, yellow and beautiful in its hands, and the light shone down on them, unencumbered by clouds. Daphne always appeared more solid in the moonlight, enough that Harry could almost imagine her hair as the honey blonde it had been in life instead of the white it now was, and a rosy complexion coloring her cheeks.

She looked stunning.

They began to float at a leisurely pace towards the tower, trying to steer clear of the muggles who couldn't see them regardless. It was more the principle of floating through them, and Harry, having taken part in his fair share of ghostly pass throughs at school, knew that the sensation was less than comfortable.

As they made their way forward Daphne pointed out a myriad of other transparent white ghouls that were ambling around the tower. "Looks like lots of dead people like it here." She said to him quietly.

"The French were rather keen on killing people for a while. I'm sure most of them are headless, but don't tell Nick I said that." Harry responded with a smile.

"I would never phantom it." She replied and Harry groaned once more at the pun.

"I was hoping we could take a break from the bad puns just for tonight?" He said in response.

Daphne chuckled and took hold of his hand. "I really wished you'd stop critiquing the way I spook to you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "That one just wasn't very good." He said causing Daphne to pout as they reached the base of the tower.

They began to float up the stairs slowly, making sure to steer clear of the French ghosts. On more than one occasion one of them had come up to them muttering angrily in French, but they had just shrugged and responded in English that they didn't speak the language.

As it would turn out it didn't much matter if you were dead or alive, the French are just generally rude, especially towards the English, but rudeness Harry could handle.

They floated to the top eventually and Harry couldn't help but draw in a staggered breath at the view that met him there. In front of them a beautiful courtyard spread out, surrounded by the city of Paris which, even at this late hour, was teeming with life.

Behind them the Seine River glistened beautifully in the moonlight. One small river cruise boat broke the calm surface as a group of muggles embarked on a night tour of the City of Lights.

The city also held another moniker Harry thought idly as Daphne leaned against him, placing her head against his chest. Harry wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close and she sighed contently.

"It's beautiful." She said so softly he almost didn't hear her over the wind.

He looked at her eyes, so full of wonder even in death. Her beautiful hair that came down in long waves. Her brilliant blue eyes that shone brighter than the moon ever could.

"Absolutely gorgeous." He agreed, but he wasn't speaking of the city.

"I wish we could have done this in life." She said after another minute of comfortable silence.

Harry frowned. Had they both lived, would they have ever even spoken? She had so suddenly meant so much to him. He liked to imagine that fate would have brought them together at some point, but he didn't know if it were true, and the thought made him… upset? Sad?

She looked up at his silence and seemed to read on his face that he was overthinking things. Mercifully she mistook his thoughts for something else. "I'm sorry, Harry." She told him genuinely. "I don't keep meaning to bring up that we're dead."

"No, you're fine. It's not that. I— I just. I wish we could've done it too." He finished, not wanting to dive into what he was really thinking.

Daphne snuggled herself closer into his side. "Well, I'm happy I get to experience it with you now."

Harry smiled at that. A real smile.

With his words he responded, "Me too." But in his mind another voice rang out. A voice that said, 'this moment right now here with you might just make death worth it.'

He kept that voice at bay.

He did, however, pull her closer and lean his cheek against her head. He closed his eyes and willed himself to memorize this moment. To burn into his memory the feeling of her pressed against his side, the glorious city sprawled out in front of them, and most importantly of all, the way she held him back.

Just for a moment, he could forget that they were dead. He could forget that they were ghosts. He was just a 17-year-old guy with a pretty girl in one of the most romantic places in the world.

Harry smiled.

---

After their trip to Paris, they began to explore other places a few times a week. They had been to Amsterdam, Rome, Barcelona, and more. Daphne had fallen in love with the ancient sites. The Colosseum and the gladiatorial ghosts were her favorites, but more than anything else she had loved walking hand in hand with Harry.

She would lean into his side, and he would pull her close. She swore that even though they were both dead, cold ghosts, he was warmer than everything else. Or maybe that was just some form of internal warmth that only he could bring out of her, she couldn't know for certain.

What she did know was that her crush from childhood on the famed Harry Potter had come back with a vengeance, but what was she supposed to do with it now? They had both passed. They could touch alright enough in some ghostly manner, but there was no real sensation, and it wasn't like ghosts could disrobe…

She snapped her thoughts back to the present, thankful not for the first time that blushes were much harder to come by on her ghostly form. Daphne could hardly believe that over two months had passed since their deaths. The wizarding world was moving on, one more month and the students would return to Hogwarts. Just a few more days and it would have been Harry's 18th birthday.

They were lying down, side by side in the shrieking shack staring at the dusty ceiling, hand in hand. He was in the middle of speaking to her about Voldemort's Horcruxes, discussing what a shame it was the world would never get to try on Ravenclaws Diadem and feel the increased intelligence, or drink potions from Helgas magical cup. Daphne had similar thoughts, and wondered idly what it would have been like to wear Slytherin's locket and speak parseltongue, as the language had always intrigued her.

When Daphne had asked Harry a couple days ago about what he had spent the last year doing if he was not at Hogwarts, she expected to hear that he was training, lying low, or looking for advantages. Instead, Harry had slowly but surely opened up about the scavenger hunt for the worst jigsaw puzzle ever. The first thing he did was make her promise not to tell anyone which she agreed to readily.

Still, he was hesitant, but as he began to speak the hesitation disappeared and soon the words poured out of him like rain from a thunderstorm. Daphne realized that he needed to get this off his chest, so over the past few days she had allowed him to tell her about the twisted tale at his own pace.

She had been horrified to hear the lengths that the Dark Lord had gone through. Disgusted with the perversions he had inflicted on the timeless, priceless artefacts. But more than anything her heart broke for Harry.

She had already learned of his tragic childhood, his life-threatening adventures at Hogwarts, and the loss of his godfather. It had seemed he never caught a break. Then, when he had thought that just maybe he could beat the monster that had haunted him since he was a year old, he had discovered that he was a horcrux himself.

He confirmed Daphne's suspicions by telling her that he hadn't run away like Voldemort had said. He hadn't even fallen for the false promise the Dark Lord had put forward. No, he had walked into the forbidden forest that evening knowing that Voldemort could not die unless he did, and so he had willingly given himself up for others.

Daphne was unsurprised when he told her. Over these short months together she had learned Harry's character. He was a man who put others first, who cared about doing what was right and not allowing anything, even death, to stop him in that pursuit.

As Harry unloaded his stories and burdens onto her, Daphne accepted them graciously. She would help him carry it; help make his load lighter. She thought not for the first time how lucky she was to share her afterlife with him, but she also felt guilty at what she was continuing to hide.

She pushed those thoughts aside.

A comfortable silence had fallen over them, and Harry broke it. "I think I'd like to visit Dobby's grave." He said, looking at Daphne hopefully.

She smiled at him. "I'd be happy to go with you."

Harry thanked her with his eyes, but before he could open his mouth to say it properly Daphne spoke again.

"Maybe we should just visit all these places you were telling me about? Make a day of it and get you some closure." She said. Harry was silent for a moment, and she suddenly felt dumb for mentioning it. Make him relive his traumas, what was she thinking? "I'm sorry, that was a dumb—"

"I think it's a great idea." Harry cut in. squeezing her hand.

"You do?"

"Yeah, I do." He paused looking at her. "We could go now if you'd like?"

Daphne nodded immediately. "I would love to."

They floated off their backs, hands entwined all the while. Harry began to guide her and soon the world blurred around them. When they stopped moving, she looked around and saw they appeared to have arrived in a muggle neighborhood in England if the signs were anything to go off.

The townhomes were rundown and shoddy, some of them had boards on the windows, and from down the street she could hear loud rock music blaring, despite the late hour.

"Grimmauld?" She asked and Harry nodded.

"This is where the story for the last year started. He never let go of her hand as he floated towards the house with a number 12 pinned on the door. Once inside, he led her from room to room.

"This is where we kept Buckbeak, and this is where Ron and I slept." He had told her as he gave her an impromptu tour. "This is where George and Fred first showed me extendable ears, and this was Sirius' room."

Daphne paused looking around the room and let go of Harry's hand to float and look at the pictures.

"Is that you?" She asked, pointing to a picture of Sirius, who looked younger and healthier than she had ever seen him in the papers, arm draped around what looked like Harry in his 4th or 5th year.

"My dad." He whispered.

"You look so alike."

Harry smirked sadly. "That's what everyone always said. Except for the eyes, I have my mothers eyes. Well, had I suppose.

"Your eyes are still lovely." She told him and smiled internally as he looked away.

"Thank you."

She looked around the room a bit longer and then Harry led her out again, explaining to her that he had hoped to live here one day with Sirius and then as they got closer to the conclusion of the war, how he thought he might move here afterwards, renovate the place and make it his own.

"That'll never happen now." He said sadly. "It'll just be abandoned forever."

Daphne didn't know what to say, so instead she just squeezed his hand tighter, and he looked at her gratefully.

"Where to next?" She said instead and he seemed to consider for a moment.

He tightened his grip on her hand and a few minutes later they were in a beautiful forest near a lake.

"This is where Snape gave you the sword?" Daphne asked and Harry didn't reply for a moment.

"Yes." He said finally. "And this is where Ron came back and saved me. We destroyed the locket just over there." He pointed to a patch of earth that was black and devoid of greenery. Like a little explosion had gone off recently.

"You loved them." She said simply. A statement rather than a question.

"With all my heart. They were my closest friends. My first friends. They followed me to hell and back. I'm just so happy they lived." He was quiet for a moment and then began to speak again softly.

"The way Hermione was crying over my body. I felt so guilty. I didn't even get a chance to tell them goodbye before I ran off to the forest. I knew they would try to stop me. I— I should tell them that I'm a ghost, but I feel so much guilt for what they had to endure because of me."

Daphne embraced him. "Hey, it's alright. Just like with my parents, if you ever feel ready, we can go to them together and if you never do, that's alright too, but don't feel guilty, Harry. What you did wasn't selfish or wrong. It was selfless and the rightest thing anyone will ever do for them because it gives them a chance to live a long happy life."

They stood in their embrace for a moment longer. Before Daphne finally loosened in his cold grasp. "We can stop now if you'd like." She said softly but Harry shook his head.

"There's one more place I want to visit tonight if that's alright."

"Of course."

The sensation of magical ghost travel overtook her once more and she found herself near the ruin of a house she had visited in her childhood. The house Harry Potter had lived in until his parents death.

"Godric's Hollow." She whispered.

Harry nodded. "This was where Nagini attacked me, where my wand broke. Hermione saved my life. I was such a fool falling for their trap."

"You weren't a fool." She reassured him. Harry didn't respond, opting instead to lead her towards the cemetery where she knew his parents were buried.

They stopped at the headstones with the names James and Lily Potter engraved upon them. It seemed someone had been here recently as fresh roses adorned the grave bed.

Harry began to speak then. "I wish they had just given me up to Voldemort. It was me he wanted that night. I wish they had just let him have me so that they could have lived."

"Harry, don't say that—"

"Once I found out the real cause of their deaths. Not that they were drunks in an accident, but that they died for me, I lived with so much guilt. How could I ever possibly make it up to them?

"That's part of the reason I stuck around, you know? I'm just so ashamed that they both gave up their lives and this was all I was able to make of it. I feel like they died in vain. I'm scared they'll be upset with what I managed to accomplish with the life they gave me and ashamed of what I didn't."

Daphne wondered once more if ghosts could cry as the feeling overtook her once more, but neither she nor Harry had tears in their eyes.

"Oh, Harry." She said as she held him once more and he sagged into her embrace. "Your parents would never think that. No one thinks that. You've achieved so much; you made them so proud.

"If you ever are ready to go see them, they'll be so, so happy, and if not then I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you. I won't leave you."

The words had tumbled out of her before she realized what was happening, but she meant every last one. Harry melted into her, and she could feel the tension, pain, and hurt that he harbored fade away, so she continued to whisper into his ear as she held him. Soothing words, that meant everything and nothing; all that she felt.

The only thing she didn't tell him was that ironically, somehow in death, he had brought her to life and it would seem that she had fallen in love with him. That even though they were no longer alive in this universe, the universe had seemed to spring to life within her. That secret she would keep for a while longer.

A few days had passed since Harry had taken Daphne on a tour of the last year of his life. That tour ended with her holding him as he broke down in her arms beside his parents' graves. He wondered if they watched and heard what he had said. He hoped Daphne was right about what they would think, but that meeting would have to wait for at least a little while longer.

---

Today would have been Harry's 18th birthday and Daphne had said that she intended that they "live it up" which Harry found amusing despite the eye roll he had given her. It was for that reason they were floating towards the Hogwarts grounds, speaking amicably of nothing and bumping shoulders.

When they arrived, they made their way down towards the dungeons and floated through what appeared to be thick bricks, but on the inside was a large open room that looked to have been used for balls at one point or another. Tables and chairs were spread around the periphery of the room while the center was an open court where ghosts were already dancing.

It turned out that the faint music you could hear from time to time in the Hogwarts dungeons was the result of this very room where ghosts from near and far would meet on occasion to mingle and interact with one another, and through sheer happenstance, this one serendipitously took place on his birthday.

Harry and Daphne entered together making their way towards a table and watched as a head sailed through the air above them, laughing joyously all the while. On a slightly raised dais on one end of the hall sat a group of ghosts that cradled ghostly string instruments and played them slowly. The music sounded different than the sound of regular instruments, more haunting and beautiful.

On the tables sat bugs, rotten food and other assorted ghostly goods and despite the way the other ghosts ran their mouths through it hungrily, Harry did not find the dishes appealing. 'Let's give it a couple years and see if I change my mind' He thought with a shudder.

Harry saw Nearly Headless Nick speaking with Helena Ravenclaw and took Daphne's hand, leading her towards the familiar ghosts.

"Ah, Harry, Daphne." Nick said when he saw them. "So glad you could make it!"

"Thank you for the invitation." Daphne replied kindly with a curtsy.

"But of course! This will be a splendid evening, splendid indeed!"

Harry looked towards Helena then, who eyed him, an unreadable expression on her face. After a moment she spoke. "Thank you." She said and at Harry's confused expression spoke once more. "For telling me the truth, for destroying that abomination."

"Thank you." Harry replied. "You helped us to destroy Voldemort once and for all. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Yet you died in the process." She responded evenly.

Harry shrugged. "Better me than countless others."

"You are different." She said not unkindly. "I would like to dance with you."

She took Harry by the hand as he shot Daphne a confused glance. She smiled back at him enjoying this far too much but made no move to save him, so Harry followed her to the dance floor where Helena held him close and began to lead him in a slow, elegant dance.

He was staring at her feet, trying his best not to step on her ghostly toes, despite the fact that it wouldn't actually hurt her if he did, it was the principal of the thing after all. They danced in silence for the first few minutes but eventually Helena spoke up again.

"That girl you are with, who is she?" She asked, and Harry looked towards Daphne who was speaking with the Fat Friar, laughing easily at something he had said.

"That's Daphne Greengrass." He replied still looking at the blonde-haired blue-eyed girl.

"Not her name. Who is she to you?"

Harry looked back towards Helena. "I'm not sure how you mean." He replied and had to fight back a smirk as she huffed at him irritably.

"You are close to her; did you know her in life?" She asked slowly.

"We were classmates, but we never really spoke until after our deaths. I regret that." He told her wistfully.

"Just a classmate? And now you choose to exist together in death?"

"We just kind of… latched onto one another. We died at the same time, and I found her just minutes after we both came back. It just sort of made sense—"

"You know better Harry Potter." She said quietly, effectively cutting him off from the rambling he was about to undergo.

"I'm sorry?"

"You have dealt in prophecy and understand that oftentimes there is more than what we can see on the surface happening." She looked at him expectantly, but Harry just stared blankly back at her.

After a few seconds she rolled her eyes. "Fate, Harry. You know better than most that fate is real. Even in death fate works. I was a sceptic as well," she said at the look on his face. "I had a mind after my mothers but take myself and the Baron as an example." She gestured towards the Bloody Baron who was eyeing them from across the hall. "I had spurned him in life multiple times, he was ultimately the man who killed me, he murdered me in a fit of rage, yet fate allowed us to spend centuries together as ghosts and now I am happy that all that has happened.

"I pretend not to know why fate is pulling the two of you together, but it is. That much is clear to see. Dying on the same day, finding each other mere minutes later. I don't know how, but I believe that death, your deaths, were necessary for you both to find life, and perhaps something even greater. How? I cannot say, that is for you to discover." The music slowed and she let go of his hands and eyed him intently, her head tilting to the side as she studied him before nodding as if she approved.

"Thank you for the dance, I believe it is now time for you to dance with the woman you wish to, and for myself and the Baron to join once more. Good evening, Harry Potter."

"The pleasure was all mine, thank you Helena." Harry replied cordially as he thought over the words that had come from such an old soul trapped in an ever more youthful body. Did fate really want him to die so he could meet Daphne? Surely it could have arranged a way for them to meet in life.

Before he could contemplate it further, the subject of his thoughts spoke next to him. "Up for another dance?" She asked with a hopeful smile and a matching tone of voice.

Harry pushed thoughts of fate and destiny away from the forefront of his mind and instead focused on Daphne, the blue of her eyes shining like sapphires against the translucent backdrop of their ghostly setting.

"I would love nothing more." He told her, a grin breaking out on his face to match the one on hers.

"I knew you'd want to Boo-gie." She said and Harry sighed exaggeratedly.

She took his hands then, like she had so often these past few months, but this time she did so to lead him in a slow and somber dance. After a while she placed her head on his chest and Harry wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her tight and wishing not for the first time that he could experience this — experience life with her — while she was still living.

For hours they danced and when the music finally came to a halt and the ghosts began to filter out Daphne looked up at him. He wondered idly what she was thinking as her eyes remained transfixed on his own and she seemed to convey too much and yet not enough through them all at the same time. Before he could ask what was on her mind, she began to worry a pale blue lip between ghostly ivory teeth, and then she was on her tiptoes and those same blue lips were pressed against his cheek.

Cold as her lips were, a warmth broke out within him from the place she had kissed him on his face all the way down to his toes and back up again, a feeling unlike anything he had felt since he had died, and maybe anything he had felt while alive. She pulled away again, still giving him that look and then muttered so softly that he had to strain to hear it. "Happy birthday Harry."

Harry thought back to Helena's words. Fate was cruel and twisted, but it was also on occasion kind, like when it had allowed him to share his death with her. For that much he would be grateful. "Thank you, Daph."

---

A week had passed since Harry's birthday and Daphne felt an odd sort of anticipation take hold of her. In just a few weeks September would roll around and with it the Hogwarts Express. Students would once more litter the grounds of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, and unless they planned to stay hidden away in the shrieking shack forever, someone would spot them sooner or later.

She sighed. Daphne knew what she needed to do before then, but she was unsure if she was strong enough to do it. Harry had of course offered to be there for her when she went to see her parents and Daphne knew she couldn't do it without him, but the truth was she was terrified. Terrified of what they would say, the looks on their faces.

She had been trying to work herself up to it for days, to convince herself that with Harry there, things would be different. That her parents would understand and that they could forgive her.

She had finally come to the decision that tonight would be the night. Harry had agreed to stay with her and so as the sun began to dip over the western horizon, she took his hand in her own and began the short trip to her childhood home for the second time since her death. The grounds were as immaculate as ever and she saw her mother and father where she had expected them, seated at an outdoor table, sharing tea and quiet conversation.

Daphne felt weak, but she drew on the strength Harry so freely offered her and began to float towards them purposefully. It was her mother who noticed her first. She heard as Scarlet Greengrass drew in a startled gasp. "Daphne?" she said loudly, causing her father to turn and look at her as well, his mouth agape.

"Mum, dad." Daphne said in greeting.

"What are you… How is this possible? There was no indication that you had chosen to stay on, it's been months Daphne!" Her father said while standing, but once on his feet he didn't step towards her and Daphne's heart throbbed. She wanted nothing more than to be held by her father.

"Harry and I," Daphne began and saw her parents eyes snap to the ghostly form of the man stood beside her, "met after our deaths. We've been, er, processing everything for a bit, but I wanted to come see you. And to tell you now." She floated a foot closer towards her parents, letting go of Harry's hand as she did so, but her parents stepped back and Daphne recoiled as if she'd been struck.

"Dad? I—"

"Why?" Her father cut her off. "Why have you chosen to stay on?" He looked at her and Daphne's throat felt like it had closed in on itself. "Do you believe you can right the sins of your life in death? Do you think you must suffer here on this earth as recompense for what you've done?"

"I'm sorry." Daphne choked out. "I was wrong, I know that now. I should have listened, but please I swear—"

"No. No more swearing, no more oaths." Her mother said. Her voice soft but devoid of any love or forgiveness.

"As far as we're aware, our eldest daughter died on September first last year, when she boarded the train to Hogwarts. It would be best for all if you moved on." Her father took over and Daphne felt like the world was spinning. She hadn't thought it would go well, but she had never expected it to go this badly.

Harry took hold of her hand, and she steadied.

"How dare you speak to your daughter like that?" Harry's voice cut in, full of vitriol and anger. "She's done nothing wrong! She's come here to see you and Astoria and you—"

"No!" Her father shouted so suddenly that Harry stopped immediately. "You will not see Astoria, I forbid it! That poor girl. She looked up to you Daphne. Your mother and I still haven't told her the truth and the plan was to never have to, but should you come near her we will."

"What truth?" Harry asked and Daphne's father laughed mirthlessly.

"I was wondering why you were here with her. Why you of all people would choose to stay with her. She hasn't told you." Her mother said looking at Harry sadly.

Daphne saw as Harry's face shot her a curious glance, those brilliant green eyes looking into hers quizzically for just a second.

"That doesn't matter." Harry said, turning back towards them.

"You only say that cause you don't know." Her father shot back. Sadness mixed with the anger and grief in his voice. "Go now. Don't return. Move on Daphne, we already have, or stay, but tell the lad the truth. If anyone deserves to know it would be him."

Daphne felt stuck, she couldn't move or speak. Thankfully Harry's hand tightened around her own and the now familiar feeling of ghost travel overtook her. Moments later they were back in the shrieking shack.

Daphne felt numb. Harry was speaking but she couldn't hear what he was saying. It was a strange sensation to feel short of breath when your lungs didn't work, but regardless Daphne attempted to suck in heaving breaths. The world felt like it was spinning once more and just when she thought she would fall, Harry grasped her shoulders firmly.

"Daphne!" He cried out.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. They're right." She finally managed to say. Her voice was meek, even to her own ears.

"I don't care what your parents said Daphne. The person I've come to know, the person that you are is wonderful and—"

"No, Harry. You don't understand." She told him desperately.

"I don't need to understand." Came his stubborn response.

"Please." She said and Harry quieted. "They were right, at least in the fact that I owe you the truth. I should have told you from the beginning, but I was embarrassed and then I didn't want to ruin whatever this friendship was that we developed. I— I had hoped that maybe them seeing you with me would convince them I had changed."

She waited for a response, but Harry remained silent, she chanced a glance at him and his eyes were taking in the sight of her, curiosity and fear on his face. Her nerves only grew but she pressed on.

"I had a crush on Theodore Nott throughout Hogwarts." She began and Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He looked so cute when he was confused, she thought idly before her mind pulled her back to the present.

"We— we uh, began to date." She said looking away from his gaze. "At the end of the school year our sixth year. He told me he planned to join the Dark Lord, and I was so enamored with him that I didn't mind. My parents were furious, rightly so. How dare I be with someone who's ideologically so different? Did that mean I shared those views too?

"They were right of course, but I was 'in love,'" She said making air quotes, "And why should I care about muggleborns? I was pureblooded after all. This didn't affect me." She sighed and paused for a moment collecting her thoughts.

"They told me to stay home. To stay away from him and those ideologies. To do the right thing, but instead I had left against their wishes." Daphne felt like tears were about to spill out once more, but was reminded that ghosts didn't cry.

"I came to Hogwarts and for a day or two everything was great. Theodore and I were happy, he was so excited to show me his Dark Mark, kept saying how he couldn't wait for the matching one on my arm, and I agreed." She admitted shamefully.

"I was rude to muggleborns, accused them of stealing magic. Then, during our second week of classes, Amycus Carrow brought in a first year Gryffindor. He—" Daphne shuddered at the memory and wrapped ghostly arms around herself. "He told us to cast the Cruciatus at her. Theodore volunteered first. He was so happy to do it, he looked at her with such hatred.

"I tried to convince myself this was what I wanted but when the poor girls scream rang out, I could only think of Astoria at her age. Carrow awarded him points and then called on me next." She glanced a look up at Harry and saw that his eyes had hardened. Her heart shattered but she knew she couldn't stop now, so she pressed on.

"I cast the spell. It was weak. I was unable to put the hate I needed behind it, but she still screamed. I held it for as long as I could, I don't know how much time passed, five seconds? Thirty? It felt like an eternity." Her vision went fuzzy as all she could see was the girl writhing in pain under her curse. Even now her yells haunted Daphne.

"When I canceled the spell and her screams stopped, Carrow told me I needed to learn how to cast it stronger. I told him I felt ill and asked if I could see Madame Pomfrey. He excused me and I barely made it out of the room before I retched violently all over the hall, Harry."

She felt something on her cheek and wiped at it realizing that it was indeed a ghostly tear, glistening pearl against her hand. So, this was what it took to make a ghost cry.

"I vanished my sick and then went to my room and cried. I cried more than I ever had. My parents no longer wanted me around, they had made that clear when I left. Tracey would be disgusted with me, and she wasn't at school on account of her being a halfblood. I was so alone.

"I called it off with Theo the next day and he called me a blood traitor. The other death eaters shunned me. Word spread of what I'd done to that poor girl, Elizabeth Topher was her name, and so those opposed to Voldemort shunned me as well." She felt another tear run down her cheek, but this time made no move to wipe at it.

"I tried to do what I could Harry, I swear to you. I never cast another curse, I tried to help and stand up for the muggleborns when I could, but they were always suspicious of me, and I don't blame them. During that final battle I decided that I wouldn't sit idle. I would truly make an impact, show the world that I was no longer a coward.

"I had overestimated my abilities. My parents were right, Harry. I messed up. After death, I stuck around thinking I could clear my name, thinking I could do something to right my wrongs, but I can't. I just can't." She sucked in a gasping breath, and more tears began to fall as she looked at his face, his expression was unreadable and the kind and caring look she had come to know and love no longer adorned it. She looked away unable to bear it.

"I don't deserve you. You were everything I wasn't. You stood against him and died Harry. You fucking died for what was right and I was such a coward that I hit an eleven-year-old girl with a torture curse.

"You deserve to move on from this plane and be with family and those who love you, not tied to this earth, and especially not with a traitor and a coward like me. I don't fucking deserve you. I had thought maybe you were a sign I had been forgiven, but now I realize you were my punishment because somehow in death I've fallen in love with you and now you'll leave just like I deserve, and I swear I should have just died because hell certainly must hurt less than what I'm feeling right now."

She stopped then and deflated. It was as though all her strength had left through her mouth along with her words. She didn't dare look at Harry. She didn't breathe. She just stood there, eyes on the ground and arms wrapped around herself.

A minute passed before Harry spoke. "I need some time. To think about all this." He said and Daphne nodded. Harry turned and floated out of the shack and Daphne just caught sight of his retreating back as he disappeared down the path towards the castle.

"Goodbye Harry." She said softly.

---

His mind was spinning. A few hours ago, Harry had been as happy as he could be in death. He had someone who he had begun to care for with him and had come to terms with his afterlife.

Then it had all been ripped away. He felt angry, frustrated, upset, betrayed, and most frustratingly of all alone. He didn't know where he was headed but was unsurprised to find himself floating through the ancient castle he called his first home.

He began to follow the familiar path from the grand entrance up to the seventh floor where a portrait of dancing trolls hung on an innocuous stretch of wall. He didn't know if the room would open for him, didn't know what he would ask for, but before he could make it there, he ran into someone.

Physically running into anything was quite rare for Harry nowadays, so he was immediately snapped out of his bad mood and back into the present as he reached his hand out to help the ghostly figure —Helena, he realized belatedly — back up to her feet, muttering an apology as he did so. The other ghost waved him off and smoothed her bloodstained gown down with her hands.

"It was just as much my fault as it was yours Harry." She said kindly, with a small smile. Her smile faltered soon after when she took him in properly.

Harry knew his shoulders were still tense and his face still hard. He attempted to school his expression, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. Helena's expression shifted to one of understanding. "Walk with me, Harry, if you'd be so kind."

Harry acquiesced. He floated alongside her as she headed up towards the seventh floor, but in the direction of the Astronomy Tower instead of where the Room of Requirement was housed. She remained quiet for a minute, but her voice did eventually ring out.

"Tell me." She said simply.

"Tell you what?" Harry answered back stubbornly.

"Tell me what she's done."

Harry scowled. As frustrated as he was, he didn't want to speak ill of her to others. Helena seemed to pick up on his hesitation and looked at him softly.

"You are in need of someone to speak with and I ran into it. I've told you before Harry, fate doesn't make mistakes. Tell me what it is that you are so clearly fighting with." She began to float again making her way towards the astronomy tower.

Harry sighed then and his shoulders sagged. He followed her and the words began to flow out of him as they moved together. He recounted to her what had happened, the visit to her childhood home, the cold reception they were met with from her parents. He told her of Daphne's confession, the cruel things she had done, her attempts to right her wrongs.

Then he reiterated her words. How she had told him to move on and be with his family, how she had said that it felt like he had remained on this earth to punish her, and how that had hurt most of all. Helena listened quietly. She didn't interject or nod or show any indication that his words were reaching her, but when his tongue ceased its movements, her steps stopped as well.

They had made it to the large balcony where students would set up their telescopes to look upon the stars. The night was cloudless and cool, the moon shone bright, nearly full in the night sky.

"You were not her punishment." Helena said quietly. "You were her salvation."

Harry looked at her, a confused expression on his face. "I'm sorry?"

"When the Baron followed me into death, when he followed me to Hogwarts, I had assumed he was my eternal punishment. Stealing from my mother, running away, all the other sins I committed in life." Her eyes took on a faraway expression.

"But he wasn't. How silly it sounds, I know. The man who killed me to be the one who saved me, but it is true. I just required more time for saving than a lifetime would allow." She smiled softly at him. "Daphne tried her best to make up for her wrongs. So far as to die, but in life she would never find forgiveness, from herself or from others. No, she needed you, Harry."

"Why me. Why not anyone else?"

Helena shrugged. "Why the Baron? I cannot pretend to know, but something tells me that just like you are saving her, she's saving you as well."

"And of the things she's done?"

"Were you perfect in life?"

The question was a simple one. Thoughts flashed through Harry's mind, A Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix and an Imperius curse on an unassuming goblin were just the tip of the iceberg. No, Harry was far from perfect.

"Not even close."

"Then there's your answer." She studied him for just a second longer. "Go to her now, she's vulnerable, in need of someone. Be her friend, be her salvation, and let her be yours."

Harry smiled at the Grey Lady. "A daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw." He said and Helena smiled sadly. "Truly your mothers daughter." At that her face brightened.

"We will speak again soon." She told him, "But something tells me things will be different. Goodbye Harry Potter." And with that she was gone.

---

Daphne's panic was rising. Harry had left hours ago and hadn't returned. She was debating internally whether she should wait for him or seek him out. He had said he needed time and Daphne wanted to respect his decision, but she knew this was important. His desires be damned, she was going to find him and plead her case.

She ghost traveled towards the castle, unwilling to waste any more time, and began searching the corridors earnestly. It was a large castle, but she now knew Harry well enough to know he would be somewhere here, in the place that offered him the most comfort in the world. She was making her way near Gryffindor tower when she happened upon Peeves.

"Oooh, a green blade of grass! And it looks like she's been crying!" He said gleefully. "It takes much to make a ghost cry, Peeves would know." He said sinisterly.

Daphne didn't want to speak to the poltergeist, but she was desperate. "Do you know where Harry is?" She asked urgently, hopefully.

Peeves smiled a wicked smile, his red eyes glowing maliciously. "Peeves has seen Potty, oh yes, he has! Potty has been in the castle looking angry!"

"Which way did he go?" She asked and Peeves' wicked smile turned hellish.

"Potty went nowhere and everywhere, Potty is gone." He said with mock sadness.

Daphne felt her throat close. Harry had moved on? She had told him to do as much but surely, he would have at least told her goodbye, wouldn't he?

Daphne felt panic rise up within her and tears began to fall anew. She heard Peeves laughter echo around the empty hall. "Potty's gone; Potty's gone!" He shouted. "Oh, so hard to make the ghosts cry, but Peeves has done it." He cackled.

Daphne couldn't bear to hear it anymore and floated through the walls of the castle and out towards the forbidden forest where she had first met Harry. She pushed through the tree line and delved deeper into the forest, unsure and not caring where she wound up. She just needed to get away.

She stopped when she entered a clearing. She looked up to the sky and watched as the stars and moon hung overhead unchanging and eternal, oblivious to the turmoil within her. She tried to calm herself, but she struggled. Harry was gone. Harry was gone.

A heaving sob pulled itself free from deep within her chest, and more tears sprung out. How liberating it felt to cry. How human. She felt conflicted, part of her was happy that he got to see those he loved once again, the other more selfish part was wishing he was still here with her instead. Maybe she had done enough to atone for her sins, maybe if she moved on herself, she could convince him to forgive her in whatever life came after this.

She decided then that that was what she'd do. Her love story wasn't to be with some necromancer. No, her love story would be with Harry. They'd talk of the ghost who moved on, who chased the man she loved into death so she might spend eternity with him there.

As she sat there, building up her courage, preparing to move on, a voice called out. "Daphne!"

She looked up not daring to let herself hope.

"Daphne! Where are you?!"

"In here!" She shouted back, her mind refusing to believe what her heart longed for. "Harry?!"

The man she loved broke into the clearing, his green eyes finding hers. He paused for only a moment before he rushed forward wrapping his arms around her and pulling her head tight against his chest.

"I heard Peeves yelling and I saw you floating towards the forest. I— I got so worried." He said into her hair and Daphne melted into his embrace. "I could never leave you Daphne, I'm sorry for taking so long to figure that out."

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you had." She replied back, still clinging to him.

"You weren't perfect in life, no one was. But you weren't a coward. You were misled. You stopped when you came to that realization and that's the most important thing. Hell, you died fighting against the evil, if that doesn't prove a point, I don't know what will."

Daphne wanted to say something, anything, but no words came out. Silent sobs continued to rack her body as Harry ran soothing fingers through the ghostly strands of her hair.

"I didn't stay behind to be your punishment." He continued, a hard edge to his voice. "I stayed on because fate was using you to save me Daphne Greengrass. I may have never known love in life, but I have it now in death, because I love you with all that I am."

When Daphne looked up, she saw that Harry had tears of his own falling down his cheeks. She reached her hands up and wiped at them with her thumbs before cradling his cheeks. She tugged his face down towards her own and then kissed him.

It was different to any other kiss she had shared. His lips were cold and uncomfortable, and the feeling was different to anything else she had ever felt but it was so fucking perfect that she couldn't even begin to comprehend the lightning that coursed through her at the touch.

And as an added bonus, ghosts had no need for oxygen, so they didn't need to break their kiss for something as pesky as breathing.

After what could have been hours they broke apart and Daphne looked at him.

"I love you too, Harry Potter." She told him with a smile and Harry grinned back. "And I would rather be dead with you than alive with anyone else."

Harry pulled her close once more. "Ditto." He said before pressing his lips to hers once again lightly.

"But if there were some way we could figure out how to not be dead, I think that'd be great." She said teasingly.

Harry smiled and then looked around the clearing. His face looked confused and then it suddenly took on an excited expression. "Daphne." He said quietly, floating towards a break in the tree line and towards a black stone that glinted in the light of the morning sun. "I think I have an idea."

---

Harry hadn't recognized the clearing he had followed Daphne into until the sun illuminated it and the hardly visible scorch marks from the bonfires came into view. This was where he had died. As Daphne spoke his eyes wandered to where he had entered the clearing three long months ago and as she mentioned the desire not to be dead, he saw it sparkle in the sunlight.

He floated over to it and knelt down, half expecting his hand to float right through it, but his fingers grabbed onto the stone as if he were still solid and unlike in life when the stone had felt cold, it was warm to the touch, practically humming in anticipation.

He wondered why he hadn't thought of this before. Every time the stone had been used in the past it was by someone living, what would happen if someone dead used it? It was called the resurrection stone after all.

He flipped the stone in his hand once, twice, thrice and then waited. Daphne gasped a moment later. Harry looked at his hand. He was still see-through, but no longer a ghostly shade, rather he looked like a cross between a ghost and how he had while living.

"Harry," Daphne's voice rang out as she floated next to him. "What did you do? What is that?"

Harry flipped the stone thrice more and reverted back to his normal state. It hadn't worked, not completely. He contemplated for a moment and then looked towards Daphne. "Have you ever read 'The Tales of Beadle the Bard'?" Harry asked her in lieu of an answer.

Daphne looked taken aback at the strange question. "Not in years, but my parents used to read it to me before bed. 'Babbitty Rabbitty and the Cackling Stump' was my favorite, but what does that have to do with anything, why did you look normal again?"

"Do you remember the story of the three brothers?"

Daphne nodded. "Vaguely. They cheated death so he gave them gifts?"

"Kind of." Harry grabbed her by the hand and began to recount the story as he led her back towards the Hogwarts Grounds.

"The last brother eventually passed the cloak down to his son and greeted death as an old friend." He finished a few minutes later as they were now on the grounds and made their way towards the memorial.

Daphne looked at him with a question in her eyes. "I don't understand." She told him, and Harry smiled.

"Sorry. I just, I'm really excited and rubbish at explaining, but that story is true, well the part about death I don't know, but the hallows are." He told her and Daphne looked at him like maybe he had gone a bit crazy.

"If this were coming from anyone but you, I'd have sprinted away by now. Honestly if you hadn't turned normal for a second, I probably still would have sprinted away."

Harry pressed on. "I had the cloak since I was 11, it was a family heirloom, but I thought it was just a regular invisibility cloak, I didn't realize that regular cloaks fade or tarnish after a few months, or a year at most, but mine had been in my family for generations. They buried me with it."

Daphne's face shifted from disbelief to surprise, but Harry continued before she could speak. "The wand belonged to Dumbledore, but I think. I'm almost certain Malfoy won it from him, and I won it from Malfoy. Voldemort was using it against me so I'm not sure how that works, but I believe it technically still belongs to me because I never fought him, I just gave myself up, and it's been returned to Dumbledore's grave." He said pointing towards the white tomb.

"And the stone. The stone is right here." He finished looking at Daphne. "It's said that whoever can unite all three hallows will become master over death. Maybe— maybe it's more than just folklore, it's at least worth a shot, isn't it?"

Daphne looked at him as if she were debating if he'd gone crazy but finally, she agreed.

"Okay yeah. It's absolutely worth a shot." She said with a nod and Harry smiled.

He could feel the other Hallows call to him, and reached into his tomb, thankful that the cloak took on his ability to transfer through solid objects. He pulled it out and clothed himself with it, but instead of becoming invisible he once more became more solid. Daphne gasped next to him.

He then made his way towards Dumbledore's tomb and reached his hand through, grasping the wand and trying not to think about the technical grave robbing and desecration he was committing. When he pulled the wand out a flash of light blinded him.

He looked at his hand and realized with a start he was almost completely solid. He focused on the wand in his hand. He hadn't cast magic in months, but the second he thought of it the wand hummed in response. Harry didn't know a spell for a situation like this, he doubted one even existed, so instead he forced his intent through the wood in his hand.

The desire to live flowed through him, the desire for Daphne to live with him and for them to be together. Harry felt a surge of magic unlike anything he had felt before Explode through the wand. The graves of the memorial exploded, and Harry watched terrified as his own decaying corpse rose up and ambled towards him.

He attempted to cancel the spell, but a flash of light consumed him and then he knew nothing but darkness.

---

When Harry awoke it was on a pristine white floor, that should have been hard but wasn't. He realized belatedly that he was naked but felt no shame.

"About time." A voice grumbled from somewhere near him.

Harry jumped and made to cover himself, but no sooner than had his shame risen him he was he clothed in flowing white robes.

"You were supposed to be here three months ago!" The voice rang out. Harry looked towards the source and saw a tall handsome man with curly black hair and no eyes clothed in similar robes, only his were grey.

"I'm uh… sorry?" Harry said, and the other person nodded their head emphatically.

"As you should be! I had it all planned out, you know." Harry watched in terrified amazement as the man shifted into Albus Dumbledore, complete with half-moon glasses and starry purple robes.

"Ah, Harry. How good it is to see you again." He said in the headmasters voice causing Harry to jump, before transitioning back into his previous form.

"You were supposed to let yourself die and come here." He said gesturing towards the white formless mist around them. "And I would let you return to the land of the living as recompence for all the shit you had to deal with."

Harry held up a hand as if he were going to speak, but no words came out. "I'm sorry," He said tiredly, "I have no clue what's happening."

The man growled in frustration. "I am death." He said and suddenly Harry felt very afraid. "You are Harry Potter, and you should be alive right now, not a ghost."

"I— I should?"

"Yes, you should. We had it all planned out, we decided to give you a pass after all that you'd done, after you had chased those pesky fragments down and helped me recapture a soul that thought it could escape. We were going to make sure you were happy, but you mucked it all up."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "I have a tendency of doing that. Hermione says it's a curse, Ron calls it a gift."

"It's bloody annoying is what it is." Death said and Harry thought if his eyes weren't empty sockets he might roll them. "I felt bad that you messed up the plan, but I said y'know what? He did it himself, I'll help another girl stay along with him, give him some eternal company, but then you went out and found the damned Hallows again didn't you?"

Death's voice was annoyed, but Harry thought he might've heard a twinge of pride in it as well.

"And then you had gone and united them. Those annoying brother's, I never should have offered them gifts."

Harry looked at the man in front of him and despite his words he was smiling. He was proud.

"So, what happens now?" Harry asked and death looked at him, his sockets boring into Harry's eyes.

"What do you want to happen now Harry?"

"I want Daphne and I to return to life." He said eagerly and death smiled.

"Seeing as you are Master of Death, I'll allow you to do it. Just this one time." He said and began to walk towards Harry, but Harry considered for a moment and then an idea came to him.

"I want more." He said and death stopped in its tracks and looked at him with shock on his face.

"I'm sorry?"

"I want to bring back everyone that died fighting for the light at the battle of Hogwarts."

"That's magic on an incomprehensible scale. 56 souls, I was being kind letting you bring back just one other person, and besides it'll cost more than you can afford."

Harry considered for a moment. "I can pay." At deaths skeptical look, Harry smiled. "I'll give you the hallows back."

Death looked at Harry shocked, but again an undertone of pride colored his expression. "The hallows?"

"They were yours to begin with, and they've caused enough trouble as it is." He reached into a robe pocket on instinct and felt them there. He pulled them out and set them on the ground.

"Three eternal Hallows returned to their rightful owner. In exchange those who died fighting for the light get a second chance at life. That's my proposition."

"And if I refuse?"

Harry thought back to a conversation he had just a week or two ago with Helena Ravenclaw. 'I don't know how, but I believe that death, your deaths, were necessary for you both to find life, and perhaps something even greater.' She had said and Harry knew he was right.

"You won't." Harry said confidently. You put me and Daphne together, it was you who made sure Daphne ran into that clearing and that I saw the stone. You've been working in the background."

Death smiled then, a genuine smile. "I didn't think it was possible or that it would work, but there's an old adage among my people and that is: 'If Harry Potter is involved, anything is possible'. I should have stopped Voldemort before he came back, but I hate to admit that he had outmaneuvered me. I was hoping just maybe I could right a few of the wrongful deaths caused by my mistake."

Harry looked at death and smiled. "So, it's a deal then? You become your own master once more and the Hallows are out of human hands. People who deserve life get another chance."

Death picked up the Hallows and then handed the cloak back to Harry. "It's a deal. I look forward to the day I can greet you as an old friend." Then another flash of light overtook him, and all Harry knew was darkness.

---

He awoke once more, however this time his body ached. Harry could smell the bleached and starched sheets and the sterile atmosphere that was synonymous with the hospital wing. His vision came flooding back and then he realized what he had just thought.

His body ached!

He could smell!

He looked at his hand and saw that it was solid. He threw open the curtains and a cacophony of noise greeted him, now that the silencing charm was displaced. The infirmary was full to bursting, families, reporters, and a few healers other than Madame Pomfrey were bustling around.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted and then he was wrapped in a hug so tight he thought might burst. When she finally pulled away, she had tears on her cheeks and was sobbing. Harry realized he was crying too. Ron clapped him on his shoulder, and they all wept together before Hermione finally composed herself a few minutes later.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked and Harry looked at her with a smile.

"Why do you think I did something?"

"Because it always involves you." She said stubbornly.

"C'mon Hermione." Ron's voice rang out. "Obviously the git was so annoying that death spat him back out, innit Harry?"

Harry rolled his eyes but smiled at his best friends. "I'll tell you both later, care to explain what happened, I've been out of commission for a little while."

Hermione looked at him like she wanted to ask more questions but answered his instead. "Three days ago, a magical explosion rocked the grounds of Hogwarts so strongly that buildings in Hogsmeade collapsed. It was the strongest magical pulse recorded in modern history." Hermione told him. "When the magic cleared all 56 bodies of those who fought in the battle of Hogwarts for the light were found lying on the ground near their memorial, alive, but weak.

"Healers were called in and tests ran, but everything came back normal. People have been slowly waking up and returning to their families. They're calling it the Hogwarts miracle. Tonks and Remus went home to Teddy just an hour ago, they told us to tell you to come see them, Remus was quite cross with something you had done apparently." She said with a smile and Harry looked sheepish, knowing it would be about how he had feared meeting them in death.

"Colin's back too, as soon as he woke up, he found his camera and started snapping pictures. It's like a fairytale come true, Harry." Hermione finished.

"Everyone had their wands with them except for you." Ron continued in her place. Harry's heart sank, he had hoped he might receive his holly wand. "You had your wand and your cloak." Ron finished with a smile and Harry frowned at him.

"Prat." He muttered and Ron laughed. He handed him his familiar Holly wand and the same surge of magic he felt at eleven flowed through him once more as sparks shot of the wood. He sighed contently; he had missed it.

"Listen mate, whatever you did. Thank you. Fred is back now, and Tonks and Remus and everyone else. This really is a miracle." Harry nodded at him.

A moment later Madame Pomfrey was bustling around his bed and administering potions. Harry smiled and thanked her, and the elderly healer smiled back. When she finished, she cleared him to leave, and Harry stood walking around the infirmary while Ron and Hermione waited for him.

He smiled as he saw Colin Creevey snapping a photo of Lavender Brown, and all the other familiar faces of Order members and classmates. Finally, he came upon Daphne's form, her parents were around her and Astoria held her hand tightly. She was more beautiful in life than he remembered. Her hair was a honey blonde, her complexion rosy, her lips pink. She was the most beautiful thing he1 had ever seen.

When her parents saw Harry, they stood, and her father walked to him. "We were told by others here that Daphne was fighting for the light?"

"Your daughter died a hero." Harry confirmed. "She died fighting against Voldemort. She made a mistake, but she's more than made up for it."

Daphne's father looked at him and nodded. "Thank you, Harry."

Daphne stirred in her sleep then, and Harry looked towards her. Before he could move Astoria had her in a tight hug and Daphne grunted. "Oof, hello Tori."

Tears streamed down the girls face and Harry waited patiently as she sobbed into her older sisters shirt. After a few minutes she finally took a step back but continued to hold on tightly to her hand. Her parents hugged her next and Harry heard them whisper quiet apologies. Daphne's eyes began to pool with tears at the words and when they stepped back Harry stepped forward and wiped them away.

"Hullo." He greeted her.

She reached for his face and pulled him down into a kiss that was even more perfect than the last one they had shared.

"Hi." She greeted back, smiling at the shocked noise Astoria made from next to them.

"I've missed you." He said and Daphne rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her.

"I'm here now, in the flesh."

"In the flesh." He agreed as he ran a hand down her cheek, reveling in the warmth underneath her skin. "You're perfect."

Daphne smiled. "Would you go so far as to say I'm ghoul-gous?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "And here I was thinking the puns would be finished now."

"Tough luck Potter, you've got a lifetime of puns ahead of you."

Harry beamed. "I can't wraith."

---

A/N: Wow this was a long one, but as a long oneshot enjoyer I didn't feel like breaking it up into smaller pieces, sorry not sorry. This is my Halloween gift to you all, and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it. The support on all of my fics has been astounding so thank you to all of you who read and leave feedback. And I also owe a giant thank you to those on the Haphne discord server who have been ensuring my muse stays strong despite 60 hour work weeks. As always if you would care to join let me know and I can send you an invite. The next Haphne will be another oneshot around Christmas time and I am currently setting down the outline for my next Haphne longfic, but that one won't be for a while. In the meantime I plan on getting you some Harmony and Hansy as well so stay tuned :)

Thanks and as always I would love to hear what you think if you care to share it :)