A/N - Serious lemon warning in the chapter, towards the end. Please review/comment!
Chapter 17 - The Last Days of Summer
A collection of some of the Memorandus Tablet messages Harry and Daphne sent to each other in August before their fifth year at Hogwarts began.
Harry in Bold, Daphne in Italics
3rd of August, 1995
Hey, my Dad said you did really well yesterday. Miss you and well done!
Miss you too, and thanks. It seemed to go well. I was stressing people would be pissed off about yesterday. I know Dumbledore was.
He can shove it. We did the right thing. I don't know what else we could've done
I probably could've thought of something else, but we had no time.
Exactly, it got the job done.
Did you see what happened at Quality Quidditch Supplies though? I didn't notice. It was right at the other end of the street, I could've gone down there to help. What's the point of training in healing if I don't use it?
You did use it though, you fixed that little boy's broken leg.
I know, but still.
I can't stop thinking about it.
Don't beat yourself up about it. We saved lots of lives.
I need to be better.
You will be.
When will I see you again?
I dunno. I really want to but I need to keep training. Sirius says I'm at a turning point with my shield channelling. We're thinking about getting me an extra wand so I can hold a Protego with one and cast through it with the other.
Isn't two wands illegal?
Yeah, but we're talking with the Minister about it. Will find out in a few days. Anyway, I've gotta sleep. Up early.
No worries, miss you. x
Miss you too. x
5th of August, 1995
Hey, just a heads up. Had the first War Department meeting today to talk about candidates and keep everyone in the loop on what's happening. Someone raised your family's apothecary and mentioned your recent sale of Erumpent horns. They're saying your parents might have supplied the Death Eaters and there are questions about a potential investigation.
What? But the sale didn't start until the day it actually happened.
Could they have supplied it at the beginning of the day, even accidentally?
I suppose, but the plan hinged on them being able to block off the alley, if they were going to use the horns, surely they would've had it already.
That's what I thought and I said it myself in the meeting, I just wanted to let you know.
Thanks, I'll tell Dad.
How's training going?
I was grateful it was only a half day today, Padfoot is killing me.
Padfoot?
Oh, it's the nickname for his animagus form.
Ah okay haha.
Right, my dinner's ready, talk to you soon. Miss you! xx
Miss you too. xx
6th of August, 1995
You awake?
Daph?
Guess not.
I can't sleep, keep having this same dream. I'm in the Ministry, I don't know where. Someone's whispering my name and I'm floating down this corridor on my way to this door that starts glowing. Then the door opens and I wake up. It's not even scary, but it wakes me up every time and my heart's beating so fast and my scar hurts and it's taking me ages to get back to sleep.
Sorry for dumping on you.
I'm gonna try to sleep now.
Hey, sorry I was asleep! Don't worry about dumping on me, you know you can talk to me about anything. That is really freaky though. You don't know where the place in the Ministry is? Your scar hurting is scary, maybe you should talk to Sirius, or failing that, Dumbledore. He seems to have been the only one who's been able to give you valid info about the whole thing.
Hey, just got back from training. I can't tell Sirius, he's got enough on his plate at the minute. I know how much he worries about me. And I dunno about telling Dumbledore. He and I aren't on the best terms right now.
I know but see the Slytherin side. He is useful to you quite often. Maybe extending an olive branch wouldn't be so bad.
I'll think about it.
Don't be grumpy.
I'm sorry, I'm just knackered.
It's okay. I miss you. xxxx
I miss you too. xxxx
9th of August, 1995
Pansy is a bitch.
What, why?
Got an OWL from her this morning. Apparently, I'm to "cease my relationship" with you if I want to stay friends with her. I can't believe it. I've known her since I was five.
Wow. What are you going to do? I don't want our relationship to hurt the ones you have with your friends.
I don't even care. She can do one. I already sent her a reply. I just wrote the words "shove it." Let's see what her Death Eater daddy thinks about that.
Please don't put yourself in danger for me.
I'll do what I bloody well want. You're worth it.
I hope so.
Are you coming to see me soon? Or I could come to you?
Maybe next week. I'm helping to interview War Department candidates this week, so I'm really busy because Sirius is making me train til later on in the day, I'm not getting finished til nine. It's brutal.
Sounds like it.
I do want to see you though. I just won't have a lot of time to spend with him when we get back to school, and Sirius is starting a phased return to work next week, doing some mornings and then every other day. I promise we can work something out.
I'll hold you to that.
You better haha.
11th of August, 1995
I'm bored. Come and see me?
Wish I could, got the last meeting with the Minister at twelve before the documentation on the War Department regulations and jurisdictions goes out.
That sucks, you could've come over and joined me.
I'm just lying on a sun lounger on the back terrace.
Licking an ice cream.
In my little red bikini from the party.
Woah.
Thought you might like the visual
Oh, I did, but I took the first opportunity in weeks to have a lie in and I'm writing to you at the breakfast table. Now I can't get up thanks to my Daphne-induced trouser tent.
Aww, you got that for little old me? Is it making you uncomfortable having a hard-on with everyone around you?
Yes!
You mean you don't want to imagine little old me slowly licking a melted bit of ice cream off my ice cream cone?
I'm turning over the tablet now.
Hahahaha sweet victory.
14th August 1995
Hey, sorry for not writing this week, It's been crazy. Have you been up to much?
Hey, and no worries, I just figured you'd write to me when you could. I have actually. I've had Tracey around the last couple of days and we've taken a bit of inspiration from you and have been trying to train each other.
Nice! How's that been going?
Really good actually. Well, for me, I keep whooping Tracey's ass. She's fast but she always falls for one of my combos.
You gonna tell me what it is?
Not if wanna kick your ass one day when you do something stupid
Haha fair enough.
In other news though, Draco and Astoria met up yesterday. He's not allowed in the house but they went out in Hogsmeade. Draco hates it now his Dad is back out of Azkaban and it looks like the Dark Lord is staying at Malfoy Manor now full time.
Ooh thanks, that'll be useful.
Maybe, but I think you'll find nothing can be done with it for now. Malfoy Manor is unplottable and they probably have the best wards money can buy.
Ah well, it'll be good to let Amelia know.
Amelia now is it? Getting on first-name terms with another woman?
Absolutely, I'm planning on running away and having an affair with the Minister of Magic.
How dare you Harry, you wound me.
What can I say? That red hair does something for me.
Ah so you like witches that look like your mother, got it.
Yikes, I never thought about that.
Bet you're glad you didn't pick Susan now, aren't you? Or Ginny!
Damn right, but I was only ever going to pick you anyway.
Good answer. Right, I'm off, Dad is having some prospective buyers over for dinner this evening and I've got to get all "Pureblood Princess" again. At least I get to wear a nice dress.
I'm sure you'll look gorgeous.
Oh, you know it.
Bye xxxxx
Bye xxxxx
20th of August, 1995
Harry Harry Harry Harry Harry guess what!
UGH answer me!
Daphne Daphne Daphne Daphne Daphne, what?
You, me, my place, three days. You said Sirius was gonna be at the Ministry all day right? Well Mum and Dad are going down to Cornwall for a big meeting with that buyer from last week, they won't be back till just after five and Astoria is going to a long party/sleepover for her friend Olivia's birthday. We can have the house to ourselves.
That's awesome. I'm in. Do you have anything in mind for when we're there?
Oh, I can think of a few things…
Oh yeah, like what?
Well, first I'm gonna kiss you.
Yeah?
And wrapped my arms around you…
Go on…
And then take you for a nice walk around the countryside. What do you think?
Haha yeah okay, I'll be there. What time?
One? Get some food beforehand and then come over? I don't know what food we'll have in, so…
One is great.
Eeee I'm so excited.
Me too, I'm going to Muggle London with Hermione today to get some books she wants for the War Department so I might grab some extra clothes while I'm there. See you soon!
Yay! I'll get the Floo set to the same as before, Greenest of Grass.
Got it.
Daphne stared at the clock. Three minutes to go and he would be here. She examined herself in the mirror, nodding at her appearance. She'd done her best to look good for him. Knowing she'd be going for a walk, she'd chosen to tie her hair up in a ponytail and wore a white vest top and little light blue denim shorts that Tracey said did great things for her ass. A little pair of white pop-socks and trainers completed the look and she'd tried to apply a natural kind of make-up look, though had chosen a lip gloss that while matching her lips' skin tone, made them a little shinier. Exhaling nervously, she wondered what they would get up to. They'd planned to go for a walk around the countryside around the manor, but what after? What might they get up to? They might want to come up to her room and -
She froze, looking around her room, which looked like a bomb had hit it. Her dressing table was in disarray, her bed unmade and ten other self-vetoed outfits were strewn haphazardly, random garments everywhere in sight. Shit. What would he think of her? Damn, he'd be here in like two minutes. She needed some help.
"Mitsy?" she called.
The little house elf popped into being in front of her.
"Yes miss, how can Mitsy be helpings?" Mitsy asked.
"Can you help me tidy my room? Harry will be here any minute," Daphne replied.
"Actually, Mitsy just felt him arrive miss, he's in the foyer downstairs," said the elf.
"Damn. Okay Mitsy we're going straight outside, could you please tidy my room in case we come up here when we come back from our walk?"
"Of course miss, Mitsy will start right away."
"Thank you so much," Daphne replied and then, grabbing her little black satchel which contained only a bottle of water and her wand, she made towards her bedroom door. She made her way across the corridor painfully aware of the lively dance of butterflies fluttering in her stomach and saw him waiting patiently at the foot of the stairs. Damn, he looked good, Daphne thought, checking out his outfit of black walking boots, camel-brown chino shorts and a light-khaki t-shirt that stretched across his muscular torso.
Harry beamed at Daphne as she appeared at the top of the ornate white marble and silver staircase, looking as gorgeous as ever in her chosen outfit. This time, though, her long shapely legs were the main attraction. He could barely take his eyes off her as she bounced down the stairs quickly before almost running into him in excitement. Wrapping her arms around his waist in a strong hug, she looked up at him with her bright azure eyes and kissed him softly. The familiar yet much-missed sensation of their touch instantly brought a desire for more and the kiss became deeper and more passionate before they pulled away.
"Hi," Harry said with a smile, his arms still wrapped around her.
"Hi you," Daphne said with a smile, hugging him tightly again, "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Harry replied, echoing her easy smile, "So are we going straightaway, or is there something you wanted to do first."
Thinking of the absolute state her room was in, Daphne said, "No, let's go out now, it's nice and sunny outside, let's not waste it, if we stay if we don't go out I would have had to try like ten different outfits on for nothing.
"Ten?" Harry said teasingly.
"What?" Daphne said, blushing, "I wanted to look good for you."
"You always look good," Harry replied.
"I know," Daphne replied theatrically, "But come on, I've got a little route planned."
"Okay," Harry replied, and she took him by the hand and led him to the front doors. They started to walk a path that was familiar to him, it was the way towards the stables where the Greengrasses kept their Leucrottas.
"You look really pretty today, by the way." Harry said, "The ten outfits weren't a waste."
"Thanks, what do you think of these shorts? Tracey said they do wonders for my ass."
"Well I've only seen them from the front, and they already look good."
Daphne stopped and released his hand before doing a slow turn on the spot. Tracey was absolutely right, Harry thought. The little denim shorts went right up her thighs to where her buttocks started and shaped them wonderfully.
"Damn," Harry replied.
"Good answer," Daphne said.
"You always say that, "Good answer."
"Well, you keep saying the right things," Daphne replied, smiling at him prettily,
"I know, I'm just so smooth, it's a curse," Harry said, mimicking Daphne's theatrical impression.
"And modest too," Daphne said with a smirk, taking his hand again and nudging him with her shoulder before they set off again.
"Says you, miss "I know I always look good"," Harry replied.
"Touchė."
It was another lovely day at Greengrass Manor. Not quite blue skies, a few cotton-wool-like cumulus clouds were drifting lazily across the sky, but it was just as warm as it had been the last time he'd visited. They made their way off the gravel path and started walking down the grass bank towards the stables.
"We're going to the stables again?" Harry asked.
"No, just behind it there's a little fence we can jump to get us out into the countryside."
"Ah okay," Harry replied. They walked on for a few minutes in silence, except for the sound of the grass slightly crunching under their feet and the sounds of various birds occasionally flying above them.
"It feels weird," Daphne said, breaking the silence, "I've been so excited to see you again, but I'm at a loss of what to talk about."
"I could talk about a million things with you," Harry replied, "This place is amazing, the countryside, tell me more about what your life was like growing up here."
"Well, Astoria and I spent a lot of our childhood exploring in the woods just down here. There are lots of fun little places. We'd often play hide and seek, and there was a bramble of bowtruckles just past the entrance. We used to play with them for hours. Astoria used to keep one as a pet. She called it Chucky. Well, it sounded like Chucky, I think she just couldn't say Trucky. In the end, though, Dad made her put it back because she kept bringing it to the dinner table. He said it was "Unbecoming of a lady." Daphne said, her final words being a crude mimic of her father's disciplinarian tone.
"Ah, so there's the other side then. The "Pureblood Princess" side as you call it."
"Yeah, we had to learn a wide variety of things. Dancing lessons, lessons on how to walk, how to curtsy and bow, elocution lessons."
"What they taught you how to speak properly? No wonder you always sound so posh." Harry teased.
"I do not sound posh!" Daphne replied, shoving him slightly.
"I'm just kidding. Give me an example of something they would make you say."
"My favourite one was "The gobbling gargoyle gobbled greedy Gringotts goblins."
"I love it."
Finally, they reached the bottom of the hillside and walked past the shadow of the stables coming to a small wooden fence about four feet high. Daphne, who'd done this a million times, squeezed herself through a small gap and then reached her hand to pull Harry through.
"You've got no chance," Harry said, laughing, "I'm never gonna fit through there, maybe before the summer…Gimme a sec."
He took a little run and then grasping the top of the fence, deftly vaulted over it.
"Impressive," Daphne said admiringly as he stood up from the crouching position he landed in.
They found themselves under the shade of some thick woodland, and Daphne guided him up a small bank to a path beneath thick deciduous trees. In the heat of the day, the shadow gave them a welcome reprieve, but with all the thick roots everywhere, it was best they not hold hands. If either of them tripped it would easily throw both of them off-balance.
"So what about you? Tell me of your life before Hogwarts." Daphne requested as they gently walked around a beautiful patch of bright pink Ling heather.
"It's not very nice. You know I told you I lived with my Aunt and Uncle and they didn't like magic, well it was a lot worse than that. I…well Sirius is working with me and I guess the Minister now because they put me through a lot."
"What do you mean?" Daphne asked, frowning in concern.
And so he told her. He explained how he lived in the cupboard under the stairs until he was nearly eleven and about the letters and him getting Dudley's second bedroom. He told her about Harry hunting and that it was a long time until he knew that his name was Harry and not "Freak" and that some days he would go to bed starving. To say Daphne was appalled would be an understatement. She gave him a short sideways hug as they walked, only a quick one as they were stepping across a mishmash of rocks and branches at the time before the conversation continued.
"And it got even worse when I did accidental magic. One time, I was running away from Dudley and his gang at school, I was so scared of them that I accidentally apparated right on top of the school kitchens. I barely ate for a week. And then there was the time I set a boa constrictor on Dudley at the zoo.
"Wait, what?" said Daphne "How did you do that?"
"Well it was when I found out I could speak to snakes actually," Harry replied, "I was having a conversation with it, asking it if it was nice in Brazil and then Dudley came and shoved me to the floor. The next second the glass disappeared, Dudley fell into the Vivarium, the snake escaped and Dudley was trapped behind the glass, which had reappeared.
Daphne laughed, "That's amazing, he definitely deserved it."
"I know," Harry grinned, "But yet again I got locked in my cupboard and wasn't allowed out til the following afternoon."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Daphne said.
"It's okay, I'm never going back and they'll get their comeuppance when the Ministry has finished its investigation," Harry replied, "But enough about me. What about you, when did you show accidental magic."
"Ooh, there were quite a few times. One I don't remember but always comes up at family dinners is when I was three. Mum was baking a batch of cookies, she'd just finished icing the first batch and I was screaming for one. Mind you, Mum's cookies are delicious."
"Right…"
"Well, apparently I summoned a bag of flour, which hit her in the side of the head and then summoned a cookie off the tray for myself. It was my first accidental magic, so I was allowed to eat it anyway," Daphne said with a grin.
"That's brilliant. Any more?"
"A few, but the one that nearly got me in trouble was when we were shopping in Diagon Alley when I was nine. I really wanted Mum to buy me a baby Puffskein, be she said no and because I was a spoiled brat back then, I threw a hissy fit in the middle of the shop. As I screamed I somehow unlocked all of the cages and lots of different animals started escaping. They had to shut the shop for half an hour before they let anyone back in so they could all the get creatures back in their cages."
"Wow, that's way more animals than just my one snake," Harry replied.
"I guess it's just because I'm so amazingly powerful."
"An amazingly powerful brat that is," Harry said, grinning.
"Oi! Says you Saint Potter," Daphne replied in her best impression of Draco Malfoy, making them both laugh.
They walked on a little further and came to what Daphne thought was where they would find the bowtruckle nest, but was dismayed to find that they were gone. Strolling a little further in companionable silence, they exited out of the wooded area and into a large open field, full of summer barley, which swayed slightly in the light breeze. Daphne asked Harry about what happened in first year and he told her the full story, all the way up to waking up in the Hospital Wing with Dumbledore by his bedside. She was a great listener, Harry thought, and he felt that she really genuinely listened to him, even when he wasn't talking about something as exciting as one of his adventures.
"I always knew something was off about Quirrell," Daphne said, "His turban always smelled weird, and to think it was the Dark Lord all this time."
"I know right? One of my favourite things is, the winter beforehand when we'd had that huge amount of snow, Fred and George enchanted a pair of snowballs to follow him around and keep bouncing off the back of his turban. They were repeatedly hitting Voldemort in the face the whole time."
This didn't get the reaction Harry had hoped for. Instead, Daphne shuddered.
"Daph, stop," Harry said, getting her to come to a standstill.
"What?"
"Say his name. Lord Voldemort."
"I can't, it freaks me out."
"Have you ever said it?"
"No," Daphne said after a moment's thought.
"Then try," Harry pressed.
"Lord Voldemort," Daphne said, sighing at the realisation that nothing bad had happened and she felt kind of free, somehow.
They started walking again.
"It's a stupid name really. Completely made up. I am Lord Voldemort is an anagram of his real name: Tom Marvolo Riddle. He's a half-blood whose witch mother love potioned his Dad and he was born.
"Woah, you need to put that in the papers in your next column. It might even draw some Death Eaters away from his cause if he's not even a Pureblood," Daphne said, once more taking him by the hand.
"That's the plan, I've passed it to Dumbledore for editing before I send it to the Prophet," Harry replied.
"It's a shame you haven't had another column in the paper yet."
"I've not had time, been doing so much training and then Dumbledore is always super busy and he takes ages to get back to me, and now the columns have to go through the War Department as I'm going to be heading up Propaganda, well, Hermione is, but they don't need to know that."
Daphne snorted, "That's just like her, from what I know of her, I bet she's gone all in hasn't she?"
"Oh yeah, remember I told you we went shopping? She dragged me to three different muggle bookshops and bought books on the history of war propaganda, effective visual communication and the psychology of propaganda and populism in the twentieth century.
"Merlin."
"Yep, this morning when I got up she was already up and had covered the kitchen table in parchment. She got quite peeved when Ron got a bit of jam on the cover of one of her books."
"I would be too!" Daphne replied but she chuckled at the thought.
They reached the end of the field and after stepping through another gate found themselves on a one-lane, muggle road with hedges up both sides.
"So," Daphne said, "You've been training. Have you learned anything fun?"
"Oh yeah, loads of things. I've been training with Sirius, but like I said on the tablet, he's on a phased return back to work at the Ministry so on the days he isn't helping me to train I've been learning some new spells."
"Anything you can show me?" Daphne asked eagerly.
"Here?"
"No, we're coming back inside the wards in a minute."
"Ah okay."
"So what do you learn when Sirius is there?"
"It's mainly been speed and power training, as well as him duelling me with various environmental effects and automatically casting dummies. He keeps making it harder 'cause I keep beating him."
"But he's a registered hit-wizard," Daphne replied, impressed.
"What can I say?" Harry shrugged, "When I say I'm training hard, I mean it. As much as I'll want to see you again before school starts, I can't. I'm going to have classes when we get back to school and will have to spend time learning what everyone else does and work with Hermione on propaganda. Then I've got quidditch, so I'm not going to get as much time for training.
"Sounds like you're not going to have much time for me," Daphne said with a sigh.
"No Daph, I promise, I'll always make time for you," Harry replied, squeezing her hand. She rewarded him by hopping at his side and placing a kiss on his cheek, leaving it tingling with warmth.
"Plus, Sirius said I can't train all the time, or I'll burn myself out," Harry said.
"I thought you said he was a taskmaster?"
"Oh he is when I'm at home, but he also keeps pushing me to have as normal a time at Hogwarts as I can. He also encouraged me to make sure I spend ample time in broom closets this year."
"You know, I really like him," Daphne said with a cheeky grin which made Harry laugh.
"I thought you might say that."
"If you want, when we're back at Hogwarts, I'll take you down to the Chamber and help train you myself, if you want."
"Really?" Daphne asked excitedly.
"Sure, I want you to be able to protect yourself and your family."
Daphne squeaked and Harry noticed a definite pep in her step after that.
A few seconds later they found themselves at another fence, the same kind as the one they crossed at the stables. Both of them hopped over this time, and Daphne told Harry that they were back within the wards, which was obvious as they were much closer to the house now than from where they'd first left, only a couple of minutes or so away from the terrace - at the bottom of the lawn where Ellanore had lit the fireworks at Daphne's party.
"Okay, so what are you gonna show me?"
"Right, so if I fall flat on my face, don't judge me, okay?" Harry asked, already feeling embarrassed and removing his wand, "This takes a ton of concentration and I can only manage it for about ten seconds."
Daphne laughed and said, "Okay, but no promises."
Harry glared at her but smiled a half smile at her as he waved his wand in a crisscross fashion and spoke in parseltongue. Instantly he rose about five feet from the floor, and pointing his wand, he began to glide around the field in a big circle.
"That's…that's unassisted flight!" Daphne cried, "That's amazing, Harry, that's - "
But Harry came flying back towards her and when he looped back around he saw a look in her eyes that made his stomach flutter. Consequently, this caused him to completely lose his concentration and while Daphne was midsentence he went literally flying into her. They twisted sideways and they landed with Harry on his back, and Daphne directly on top of him. Harry instantly felt the excitement of their position, but Daphne was too impressed by what she'd seen.
"How did you do that?" Daphne asked, "I don't know anyone who can do that. I mean I've heard Dumbledore can but…"
"I can only do it for a short time but I keep falling. It's why I don't dare fly any higher than that. Any distraction and I'm done."
"Ah so I'm a distraction, am I?" Daphne asked with a smirk.
"Absolutely," Harry replied, guiding her head towards him and placing a soft kiss on her glossy lips. She tasted amazing and he loved the feeling of her weight on top of him. He moved the kiss from her lips and began to kiss gently down her neck. "You're the best kind of distraction."
"Mmm, I like the sound of that," Daphne replied breathily. She shifted slightly and Harry ran his hands down her side as he peppered his cheek and neck with soft kisses.
"Plus, today I'm distracted by this ass," Harry said, bravely reaching both hands upward to squeeze her full, denim-clad buttocks. Daphne pushed him away, got up quickly and began to stride away, leaving Harry sputtering and scrambling to get to his feet.
"How dare you my Lord, I am an Heiress and a lady, not some slut."
"Woah, wait, Daphne, I didn't mean -" Harry shouted, following after her, shocked at her response and panicking while she called to him over her shoulder.
"Oh don't worry, sweetheart. I can be your slut, if you want me to be."
Harry was gobsmacked and couldn't find anything to say, as he watched her walk away.
She was waiting for him in the kitchen, grinning as she entered the house ahead of him. Truthfully, she'd never expected herself to say anything like that but more and more over the last few weeks, she'd thought about their physical relationship. His absence had only increased her frustration, and on several nights she'd pleasured herself, vividly recalling that night in Harry's room and wanting nothing more than to go back. Now with yet another display of power just a few minutes ago, her control had slipped and she had cast her mind back to those nights alone, thinking about if they'd had a little more time, what they might've gotten up to.
With each passing day, she was coming around to the idea of giving Harry her virginity, not just because she'd fallen in love with him, (though she'd not yet realised it, never mind admitted it to herself) but because this lust he also filled her with had given her thoughts of Harry's strong frame pinning her face down on her bed and fucking her with reckless abandon. She'd been thinking about it so much, that she'd told Tracey, who apart from her relentless teasing had sent her a stack of muggle magazines called Cosmopolitan. She'd read it before, when she was younger and had read it mainly for the fashion, but had been far too embarrassed to read into the more adult articles, particularly the ones about "How to please your man." that she'd found herself paying particular attention to now that she was nineteen.
"Mitsy," he heard Daphne call as he entered through the French doors into the kitchen. The elf appeared almost instantly.
"Yes, Miss Daphy?" Mitsy asked. The bubbly, bouncy elf was wearing a bright yellow said of protective gloves.
"Do you know what time it is?" Daphne asked.
"Just after three, Miss," Mitsy replied.
"Thank you, could you please let me know when it's quarter to five?"
"Certainly miss, will there be anything else?"
"No that's it."
Mitsy curtseyed Daphne and popped away. Daphne smirked at him, almost missing seeing his reaction to what he said, but she'd wanted him to watch her walk away.
"Come on," Daphne said, "Let's go to my room. I'm all hot and sticky now, I need to get changed.
"Okay," Harry replied, following her through the kitchen and into the foyer before they made their way up the marble staircase.
"I'm guessing your parents don't know I'm here," Harry said.
"Nope, but they'll be back about half five, so I want to make sure you're long gone before then. As much as my parents love you, they won't be happy if I've had a boy here when I'm home alone."
"But what about Mitsy?" Harry asked, frowning. He didn't want to ruin his relationship with Daphne's parents when everything was going so well.
"Ah Mitsy won't tell, I'm her favourite, and I've sworn her to secrecy. This is nothing compared to some of the secrets she's kept for me."
"Oh like what?" Harry asked as they approached what must be Daphne's room.
"It's a secret," Daphne replied with a mischievous grin as she pushed open the door.
"Well," Daphne said, awkwardly swinging her arms and looking about her, "This is me."
It was weird being in a girl's bedroom, Harry thought. He'd only ever seen Ginny's when he'd stayed at the Burrow and that was all unapologetically her, quite childish, a wide array of knick-knacks cluttering the room and a big poster of the Holyhead Harpies plastered to the wall, but Daphne's wasn't like that, it was much more grown up, the bedroom of a young woman. The walls of the large rectangular bedroom were painted a powder blue, the ceiling had a soft cream, swirling pattern and the floor and light-brown. This combined gave the room a comfortable sort of airiness, enhanced further by the cream antique furniture, rug and bedspread. Oh and what a bed. It had to be bigger than a double, Harry thought, and looked very comfy; four-poster, just like at Hogwarts, but with slender cream-painted posts and a beautifully carved headboard.
"It's lovely," Harry replied, walking to the large bay window and looking about while Daphne went into a chest of drawers and retrieved her next outfit.
"What a view!" Harry declared, "You can see for miles."
"I know, I'm very lucky. Two minutes, please, I'm just going to get changed." Daphne said, but by the time he'd turned around to say "no problem", what must be her ensuite bathroom's door was already closing. Harry wandered around the room a little bit more, running his fingers along the surface of her dressing table, where he saw her own Memorandus Tablet and quill, and then felt the soft fabric of her bedspread. After a quick look in her floor-length mirror, he saw in its reflection a picture frame. Approaching the frame he saw that it held a wizarding photograph of Daphne and Tracey, already in their Hogwarts robes in what must've been their first year. He saw Lee Jordan bustle past, looking suspicious while carrying a tatty cardboard box.
"Hey Daph," Harry called behind him, "Is this from first year, because you look so damn cute!"
The door squeaked open.
"Still think I look cute now?" Daphne asked, her eyebrow raised and her hand on her hip as Harry turned around. He gulped at the sight of her. Replacing her last outfit was a simple black bikini, not too dissimilar to the one she'd worn to the party. She wore string-tied bottoms and a matching bikini top that was tied around her neck, pushing her large cleavage together and making her breasts look like they were going to burst out at any second.
"Wha - " Harry said, before double blinking, "Cute isn't the word I would use. Fucking hot more like."
"Damn straight," Daphne replied, grinning, turning on the spot to face the door, only increasing the tension in Harry's chino shorts.
"Come on, let's go back outside. We can chill for a bit and then go in the hot tub. I'll get Mitsy to turn the heat off so it's just the bubbles." Daphne said, leaving the room.
Harry followed after her, frowning, and said "But I don't have any swimming shorts."
"Just wear your boxers, there's no one else here," Daphne said, approaching the top of the stairs before starting to descend.
"I mean, okay, but you're gonna see my…reaction," Harry replied, catching up with her before they made their way down the stairs.
"I'm counting on it," Daphne replied with a tantalising raise of her eyebrows, making Harry blush as he walked next to her.
Stepping outside, they made their way to settle on the sunloungers next to the pool. Daphne called for Mitsy again and asked her to turn on the jacuzzi and bring two bottles of butterbeer and some suntan lotion, while Harry removed his shirt.
"Wait," Harry asked watching Daphne squirt some of the white cream and rub it down her long legs, "I didn't see you putting any on at the party."
"You either," Daphne pointed out.
"Eh, I never seem to burn, dunno why. I don't tan either though." Harry said.
"Weird. Well, I use an all-day one, I did it before the party but today I was so excited that I just forgot."
"Uh huh," Harry said, watching her squirt some cream onto the front of her torso and rubbing it in. He could swear she was spending more time massaging it into the swell at the tops of her breasts than anywhere else because somehow it was happening in slow motion. Harry took a swig of butterbeer, completely at a loss of where to take the conversation.
Daphne rubbed some sun cream on her face, smirking beneath her hand before she turned over.
"Harry…" she asked, looking up at him innocently as he took in the shape of her rear. Will you do my back?"
"Hell yes!" Harry replied, making her giggle as he got up and knelt by her side.
He picked up the bottle of suncream squirted a little onto her shoulders and slowly began to work it, trying to make sure it covered everywhere. As he looked at her back, he realised that the skin was flawless, bar one tiny mole on the top of her left shoulder. Her usually pale skin had tanned a little over the summer and felt unbelievably smooth. Daphne exhaled with relaxation, enjoying the feeling of her boyfriend's strong hands running over her, but then, he paused
"Why'd you stop?" Daphne asked, "That felt nice."
"I finished doing your back."
"Then do the backs of my legs, I never really get the tops of my thighs," Daphne replied, blushing.
Another squirt of suncream and Harry was running his hands up her long, slender legs, having readjusted how he sat with the discomfort in his shorts. Daphne shivered slightly his he got further up towards her bottom. He made sure to go right to where the base of her bikini cupped her rear and with Daphne's head turned away from his, both were unaware they were biting their lips in arousal.
"All done," Harry said, almost disappointingly.
"I know you said you don't really burn but…can I do you now? Safety first."
"I mean it'll be a bit silly if you do just my back, let me do my front."
"That's okay, I can do it." Daphne declared, with a cheeky fever that made Harry laugh.
Daphne then took her time applying sun cream to Harry's body. She did his back and face first, wanting to save the best til last. When she finally got to creaming his arms and chest, she took extra care around his abs and worked her way slowly up his thighs.
"You know," Daphne said, "I'm not sure this is enough. I could do it again."
Harry laughed, "Do that again and you're going to make me look like a snowman, that stuff is thick."
"Safety first," Daphne said with a smile, before picking up her butterbeer bottle.
They spent a while chatting, both anticipating going back to school. Daphne was looking forward to getting started on classes and was feeling pretty nervous for her OWLs. Harry found that he wasn't too fussed. He was already training hard, and while it would be nice seeing his other friends, his life at Grimmauld Place, spending the odd day in the summer with Daphne felt great. It was a weird feeling, as Hogwarts had felt like his one and only home. Now though, he was starting to feel like his home was wherever Daphne was.
"Oh, by the way," Harry said, "Don't bother waiting for me at Kings Cross. I'm not gonna be on the train."
"You're not? Daphne asked, confused.
"Nah, Dumbledore thinks with Voldemort being back it's too risky. I could probably hold off a bunch of Death Eaters until the Aurors got there but it's still too risky, especially if Voldemort himself turns up. I have a portkey that takes me straight to the Chamber, I'm just gonna go in through there. I'll be waiting to spot you at the feast."
"What about your stuff?"
"Dumbledore just said he'll have it taken to my room directly from Grimmauld Place."
"Your room? You mean your dorms."
"That's what he said."
"Weird."
"Did you talk to him about the dream?"
"Yeah, he said he'll think about whether it means anything and get back to me. I'll be honest though I think he knew exactly where the door is."
Daphne frowned, and said, "But why would he keep something like that from you?"
"I dunno, but it can't be good. Feels all foreshadowing and ominous." Harry said with a sigh, clearly the whole dream thing was just a precursor to another mad year at Hogwarts.
Daphne chewed her lip in thought, she hated that look, the one Harry got when he felt the world on his shoulders.
"Come on, Daphne said, jumping to her feet before turning to pull him to his, "Let's not dwell on the scary destiny stuff. We're going in the jacuzzi."
After pulling him to his feet, she picked up the suncream and they padded the few steps to the bubbling sunken tub. Daphne untied her ponytail, letting her golden hair cascade around her shoulders, while Harry, taking a surreptitious look around, removed just his shorts, leaving him in just his light grey Diesel boxers that he'd bought recently. His burgeoning erection was obvious, and he quickly stepped into the jacuzzi, missing Daphne's heavy exhale of breath when she glanced at the tented boxer shorts.
They found the water was lovely and cool when they stepped into it, taking the shallower seats again, which left their torsos mostly out of the water.
"It's lovely in here," Harry said, "I dunno how I would've handled it if it was hot as well. I think I might've melted."
Daphne laughed, leaning forward to reach behind her back, "Yeah I would've hated it too. But you know what I really really hate?"
Harry shrugged, "I dunno."
Daphne reached behind her neck now and pulled the black string around her neck untied in one motion, before removing the bikini top entirely.
"Tan-lines," she replied, with a shit-eating grin as Harry made the exact reaction she'd been hoping for - stunned stupid.
He felt his cock throb when he saw Daphne's delicious breasts come into view, her pale pink nipples looked soft and inviting and her cleavage was so full he just wanted to bury his face amongst it.
"I can't have tanlines," Daphne said, picking up the bottle of suncream again, I guess I'm just going to have to rub this in. Unless someone wanted to do it for me.
Daphne giggled at the near-furiosity with which he snatched the suncream bottle from her hand. She laid back and bit her lip as he squirted some of the cream into her hand and started to rub it into the supple flesh.
"You know," Harry almost growled, "You biting that lip is what made me pull you onto my lap the last time."
Daphne smiled, "I don't even know I'm doing it."
"Well, it's hot."
Harry kept rubbing and went to apply more cream.
"Are you not done?"
"They're wonderful boobs, I need to make sure they're well protected. Safety first remember?" Harry said, with a sarcastic air of seriousness.
"Safety first," Daphne replied with a breathless smile.
"They're wonderful are they?" she asked after a moment, laying back and sighing while rubbing became more like massaging.
"Yes, they are. People could write songs about these beauties."
"Is that right?" Daphne asked in amusement while Harry worked.
"Mhm, that's why we have to protect them, for safety. Especially these little things," Harry said, making Daphne squirm a little where she sat as he ran a thumb over her nipples, "They're so perfect, they must be protected from the nasty sun."
"I…uh…I agree…sun…bad," Daphne replied, really getting into it, but then he removed his hands, making her glare at him.
"Now I'm done, Harry said with a grin, shutting the suncream bottle's lid with a snap and placing it on the jacuzzi side.
They lay back next to each other for a few moments, just holding hands, their eyes closed as the nasty sun baked down on their faces.
"You know," Harry said after a moment, "I've never felt like this about a girl before."
Daphne turned her head to see he was looking at her. His gentle emerald eyes looked greener than ever in the sunlight.
"Me neither… about a boy I mean. I've never felt this way about anyone."
Harry leaned over and placed a single soft kiss on her lips. He pulled away and Daphne gave him a cheeky grin.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"I told you I'd get you back in my hot tub."
Harry laughed.
"Yeah, you did. That reminds me, did Tracey tell you what happened at Neville's that weekend? Did she go round to his?"
Daphne's smile widened.
"Oh yeah," Daphne said, cheekily holding back the gossip.
"Soooo…" Harry said, trying to urge her on.
"So she ended up stopping over…"
"Right…"
"And to help him get over his nerves, Neville supplied alcohol…"
Okay…
"And they got really drunk and shagged each other's brains out in the hot tub."
"What?!" Harry replied, almost springing to his feet with surprise, "Neville?"
"Yeah," Daphne said, matching his grin, "Apparently he gets quite feisty when he's got a few more drinks in him."
"Go them," Harry said.
"I know, right, didn't expect it at all, but…" Daphne's smiled then dropped and she chewed the inside of her cheek.
"What's up? Harry, said, releasing her hand and trying to comfort her by stroking his hand through her glittering golden hair.
"Just so you know. With the whole having sex thing. I want to, but I'm not…there yet. I want to be but I'm enjoying this, I promised myself we wouldn't have sex until we were at least back at Hogwarts, and in a proper room, not a broom closet. It wouldn't feel right doing it in my bedroom when my parents don't even know you're here."
"That's okay," Harry replied, smiling gently, just feeling incredibly lucky for what he had with her, "I understand. I mean, if it were up to me I'd have you right now, but I'm happy to go at whatever pace you're comfortable with. I just like being close to you."
"Ugh!" Daphne said, his words making her sit up in exasperation and making Harry think he'd said the wrong thing, "That was the best answer that time. You made me want to go all the way even more now, but we shouldn't."
"It's okay Daphne, don't worry about it," Harry replied, not sure how to feel or react.
"But that doesn't mean we can't do other things," Daphne said, slightly lowering her eyelids and deliberately biting the corner of her lip at him, "Lots of other things."
"Oh yeah?" Harry replied, in a low tone, "Like what?"
From the water, Daphne pulled out her removed bikini bottoms. Harry couldn't help but widen his eyes. She was naked. Daphne was naked. She grabbed his hand and lowered it beneath the water.
"Touch me Harry." she breathed, before bringing him in for a slow, sensual kiss that made Harry's lips tingle as he ran his hands down her toned stomach and between her legs, feeling a hairless mound and then the soft lips of her core.
"I'm…" Harry said as he kissed down her neck. "What's the best way?"
"Here," replied, placing a hand over the back of his and guiding his middle finger to her clit.
"Just stroke here," she said, half moaning the instant his hands touched her, "Go slow, it's sensitive."
She kissed him again as Harry rubbed the soft nub slowly, making her breathing more erratic and moan beneath his kiss. He once more kissed his way down her neck, and ignoring the taste of the suncream, began to suck and run his tongue along the extremely soft skin of her nipple.
"Oh fuck yeah," Daphne said, "They're always so sensitive. Now…uh…gently push your finger in and then back out."
Harry did as she asked, but it didn't give her the reaction either of them expected.
"Stop," Daphne commanded, and Harry did so immediately, "I think the water is messing with the feel of it. Sit on the side with me, Harry."
With a splash of water, they got out and lay at the side of the hot tub, Daphne laid on her back, and Harry lay facing her.
"Now, let's try this again. Give me your finger."
Harry was too overwhelmed by the sight of Daphne's gorgeous nubile form laid at the side of him that he almost didn't react, so Daphne, with a slight chuckle at his reaction, took him by the hand and working up some saliva, proceeded to take his middle finger in her mouth, coating it. Harry couldn't help but also open his mouth slightly at the erotic interaction as he felt the soft skin of the inside of her mouth. She smiled a sultry smile at him again and guided his hand back to her pussy.
"Now put it back in, and keep bending your finger, like you're telling me to come here or something," she said.
Daphne was right, the sensation was completely different as Harry pushed his finger into her tight, hot, velvet-soft folds. The first thing he could think of was how amazing it would be to put his cock in there, but that would have to be for another day. Daphne moaned instantly at his touch and Harry did what she'd asked, beginning to bend and unbend his finger. As her breathing became heavier, he began to understand the reason for her specific request, feeling a slightly rougher piece of tissue on the inside, that made her moan every time his fingertip stroked along the service. She looked so damn sexy, he thought, her breasts heaving as he steadily began to pick up the pace.
"Yes…Harry, that's perfect…keep going…" she called in between moans of slowly increasing volume.
Harry could tell she was getting closer, and remembering how she'd initially reacted to him touching that little nub on the front of her sex, licked his thumb and began to rub on that as well. Her whole body instantly started trembling.
"Merlin," Daphne cried, "That's it. Don't you stop! Don't you fucking stop, Harry! Oh my, I'm gonna -"
She didn't finish the sentence, but let a high, long moan that was almost a scream as Harry relentlessly carried on his ministrations. The moans started to abate, and Harry slowly pulled his finger away.
Daphne breathed heavily, slowly calming herself down.
"Harry, that was, that was so good. Just gimme a sec."
Harry smiled at her. It had felt amazing, being able to please her like that.
She looked at him with half-lidded eyes and let out one last long breath before getting up and stepping back into the jacuzzi. Harry started to get up to join her, but Daphne said "No, please, just sit on the side, just your feet in."
Harry did as she asked, and she stepped between his legs. Her head came up just about in line with his abdomen.
"Now these have gotta come off," Daphne said with a smirk, and without warning, leaning forward, and started to pull at the waistband of his soaked boxers. Harry put up no resistance and planting his hands on the floor, lifted himself so she could pull his underwear off.
"Woah," Daphne replied, having to stop herself from gaping at Harry's erection, "How the hell am I supposed to fit that thing in me?"
"It's…big?" Harry asked, hopefully.
"I mean, I've never seen another one," Daphne asked, reaching out a slender hand to gently grasp his shaft, "But I can only just get my hand around it, and it's much longer than the width of my hand as well."
"Well, that's good."
"It is, but you are gonna have to get me well and truly excited before you ever stick that thing in me."
"I promise" Harry replied, his hips starting to move of their own accord as she lazily ran her hand down the length of him.
"Okay, so I've never done this before. I've read a lot of tips, so bear with me, okay?
"Okay," Harry replied, not a clue what she meant, but soon figured it out as Daphne worked up a good deal of saliva in her mouth and ran her tongue from the base of his cock all the way to the tip, sending jolts of pleasure spasming through him. His hips bucked slightly again and Daphne smirked as she then placed her lips around the head of his cock and took as much of his shaft as she could in her mouth, sucking gently.
"Oh my Gaahh" Harry cried out as she steadily started to bob her head up and down, trying to cover his cock with more saliva as Harry already felt the beginning of his release approaching.
"Daph," Harry replied, and almost coming undone as she looked up at him with her big sapphire eyes said, "Daph that's amazing."
She started to get a bit more confident, and remembering a tip from a magazine, began to take him in her mouth like she needed it to breathe. She sucked a little harder, pulled him out of her, mouth, spat on it and then started bobbing her head up and down on him in a frenzy. Harry couldn't help but cry out loud as he felt like she was sucking the life out of him. Daphne put one hand between her legs and rubbed herself, moaning around his shaft.
"Daph, I'm gonna…I'm gonna."
Daphne was not going to stop though, making audible slurping noises as Harry emptied himself into her mouth feeling mind-numbing waves of pleasure coursing through him and making him moan loudly. Only when he'd fired his very last load of seed did she pull herself away, swallowing in a couple of gulps.
"Woah, Daph," Harry said, shuddering, "That was incredible."
"So," Daphne said with a grin, "I have a feeling we're gonna be quite good at sex."
"You're telling me," Harry said with a laugh.
"Now put that thing away, you might put my eye out."
Harry laughed.
"No seriously," Daphne said, "Doing that made me even more horny and I'm losing my last bit of willpower to not have you fuck me right now, so get your shorts on,"
"Okay okay," Harry said, picking up his shorts and pulling them on as Daphne found her bikini and redressed herself.
They walked back to the sunloungers and just sat, staring at each other for a few minutes holding hands, before Mitsy popped into existence next to them.
"Miss Daphy," Mitsy said, "It's quarter to five."
"Thanks, Mitsy, can you please go and turn off the hot tub?"
"Will do miss," Mitsy replied, before popping away.
They both sighed and made a sad smile at each other that their time was over.
"You know, that elf is the herald of me going home, I'm gonna start disliking her soon."
Daphne laughed, "I know, but we'll see each other soon. Just a week."
"Just a week," Harry echoed, getting up and putting on the rest of his clothes before casting a drying charm on himself and Daphne.
Daphne, reluctantly also got to her feet, and after Harry had finished tying his boots they walked back in and into the atrium. Harry reached into the little bucket of Floo Powder by the mantlepiece and turned to look at her.
"Write to me," Harry said,
"Of course, I will," Daphne replied.
He looked down at the floor for a second and back up to meet her eyes and said:
"I love you."
Daphne blinked, and just like Harry's had a moment ago, her feelings crashed into her like a tsunami.
"I…I love you too," she said, unable to stop the grin spreading on her face. She stepped towards him and kissed him once more, before beaming widely at each other, he threw the Floo Powder into the fire and said, "Padfoot's Pad."
Then, he was gone.
