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The clang and clatter of enchanted weights echoed through the expansive fitness hall of the European Institute of Magical Studies' student recreation center. A steady beat of wizarding pop music hummed from the enchanted speaker system, and wizards and witches ran laps on the enchanted track that circled a space nearly the size of an airplane hangar.
Harry focused intently on the alluring twenty-one-year-old witch stretched out on the bench press below him.
"You've got this, Daphne," he encouraged. "One more."
Daphne's arms trembled as she gritted her teeth under the barbell, her determination etched into her sharp features. A light sheen of perspiration glistened on her forehead, and loose strands of her golden-brown hair clung to her neck and cheeks. Her sports bra strained against the fullness of her chest, her toned abs quivering as she fought to keep her hips firmly pinned to the bench.
Her piercing blue eyes sparkled with resolve, and with a triumphant grunt, she locked her arms and completed the press. She let out a satisfied exhale, her chest heaving as she glanced up at Harry with a look of pure accomplishment.
Standing behind her, Harry quickly took the weight and returned it to the safety of the rack. "Great job," he said, grinning. "That's the last set."
He tapped Daphne's final numbers into the enchanted parchment he carried, enchanted to track and analyze performance metrics. As he did, Daphne sat up and mopped her brow with a towel, her gaze lingering on Harry as he worked.
"What now?" she asked.
"Now we've got your baseline," Harry replied. "We'll use your max weight numbers to calculate your ideal lifting range. A few weeks from now, we'll repeat this test. You'll be amazed at how much stronger you'll get."
"You're the expert," Daphne said, her tone teasing but trusting. "You promise I won't bulk up too much, right?"
"I promise," Harry said with an encouraging smile. "Trust the process."
"You won't abandon me, will you? We'll keep working out together? Because I have no idea what I'm doing with this stuff."
Harry met Daphne's gaze, intentionally focusing on her eyes. Throughout their session, the cleavage straining against her sports bra had been a constant distraction, but he pushed past it. "Not a chance," he said firmly. "I'm with you every step of the way."
It was the easiest promise Harry had ever made. Who wouldn't want to work out with someone as stunning as Daphne Greengrass? Her radiant hair was tied back in a loose ponytail that cascaded over her shoulder, and her matching yoga shorts clung perfectly to her curves.
Daphne's matching yoga shorts hugged her hips perfectly, showcasing her toned, S-tier figure. Like Fleur and Gabrielle, she had a flawlessly sculpted body honed through thousands of hours of yoga and Pilates. Her strength and flexibility were evident in every move she made, her lean yet curvaceous frame radiating effortless allure.
Harry finished typing Daphne's statistics into his enchanted parchment and tucked it away. "I've been meaning to try yoga forever, but the idea of going to a studio intimidates me. Promise you won't abandon me there, either?"
A bright smile lit up Daphne's stunning face, her wholesome charm contrasting with the confident beauty she exuded. "Of course I won't abandon you," she said warmly. "I feel the same way about places like this. With all the machines and etiquette to figure out, it's overwhelming. I wouldn't have known where to start without you."
"Starting out, we'll lift every other day," Harry explained. "For yoga and Pilates, you tell me what schedule works for you, and we'll go together."
"How about some simple stretching today?" Daphne suggested. "I can teach you a few things to keep you from getting injured."
"Great. Lead the way," Harry said.
Daphne led him to a quieter room dedicated to core exercises. The space featured a rack of med balls, TRX straps bolted to the wall, and a stack of yoga mats for general use. Daphne, however, had brought her own mats and unrolled them side by side in a secluded corner.
"We'll start with simple toe touches," she said, sitting down with her legs stretched out in front of her.
Harry mirrored her movements, leaning forward to touch his toes. As he held the position, he noticed Daphne watching him with a curious smile. "What?" he asked. "Am I doing it wrong?"
Daphne's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Your stretching is perfect. I'm more curious about how things went last night with Fleur."
Harry's stomach flipped, adrenaline surging through him. The question was loaded, and the way she looked at him made him wonder how much she knew. Fleur had made him promise not to share anything about their private moments, and he assumed the same rule applied to her sisters. Better to play it safe.
"Gabrielle stopped by, and they had a little argument," Harry said cautiously.
"Yeah," Daphne replied. "I kinda heard everything."
"What? How? When?"
"I came by to say goodnight to you and overheard them going at it," she admitted. "I thought it'd be better to stay away. Please don't think I was ignoring you. It's just… complicated having them as sisters. They're both so assertive, and I'm naturally not. I have to push myself out of my comfort zone just to keep up."
"Please don't feel like spending time with me is something you need to force," Harry said earnestly. "I've always loved spending time with you. There's no need for you to be like Fleur or Gabrielle for us to reconnect."
Daphne's eyes widened in alarm. "That's not what I meant at all! I want to spend time with you—I really do."
"Sorry," Harry said quickly. "That came out wrong."
Daphne frowned slightly, her expression thoughtful. "You know when you're in a group and there's always a couple of people who dominate the conversation? With Fleur and Gabrielle, it's like that—but with everything in life. I want to spend as much time with you as I can, but they're both so pushy. Not that I don't love them with my whole heart, because I do. But sometimes, they're just a little… much."
"That makes complete sense," Harry said. "How about we make our own plans, and I'll handle your sisters? Just like we did this morning."
Daphne's smile returned, her face brightening. "Like dates?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are we on a date right now?"
Daphne shrugged coyly. "I don't know. Are we?"
Before Harry could answer, a guy around Daphne's age approached them. He was dressed in standard gym attire, with the polished look of a wizard who likely came from wealth. He carried himself with the confidence of someone used to getting attention.
"Hey, Daphne," the guy said, flashing a grin. "Are you coming to the gathering tomorrow night?"
Daphne smiled politely. "Hi, Jamie. Yeah, I'll be there. What kind of social chair would I be if I missed our first event of the year?"
"We should hang out," Jamie said, his tone casual but his enthusiasm clear. "I've put together a playlist for the party. I'd love to get your thoughts."
"Sure. That sounds great," Daphne said.
"Brilliant," Jamie replied, his eyes lighting up. "Afterward, maybe we could grab some food or just hang out. Totally casual."
"Whatever sounds good," Daphne said with a shrug.
Jamie nodded at Harry before turning to leave. "I'll send you an owl."
"See you soon," Daphne replied, waving him off with a friendly smile.
As Jamie disappeared into the crowd, Harry grinned at Daphne. "Now that's a date."
Daphne's eyes widened, and she shook her head emphatically. "That's not a date at all! Jamie's just a friend. That's what friends do. He's in the house we're paired with for the weekend."
Harry suppressed a chuckle. This was classic Daphne. Like Narcissa, she wasn't so much innocent as she was naive. She seemed utterly unaware of a guy's true intentions or the effect her overwhelming beauty had on them. As a result, she had a small army of male "friends" who all secretly harbored not-so-platonic feelings for her. Too bad for them—Daphne wasn't the kind to play around.
"That guy is into you," Harry said. "I'd bet galleons on it."
"No way. We're just friends. We met at a house party last year. He gave me some shots, we danced, and he invited me to his friend's villa by the lake. I couldn't go, though."
Harry shook his head with a chuckle. "He's into you, Daphne. But hey, it's none of my business."
Daphne frowned slightly. "I have loads of guy friends who aren't into me. Jamie's one of them."
"Really? Have any of them ever tried to take things further?"
Her cheeks flushed a light pink. "Sometimes. Why?"
Harry smirked knowingly. "Sometimes? I'd bet it's more like every time. But it's fine. Forget I said anything. You're perfect exactly the way you are."
Daphne turned fully toward him, their stretching session momentarily forgotten. Crossing one leg over the other, she studied his face intently. "Tell me, Harry. Seriously. I want to know."
For what felt like the millionth time that day, Harry found himself distracted by the tantalizing view of her cleavage spilling over the top of her sports bra. He allowed himself the briefest glance before focusing on her piercing blue eyes.
"I'd rather not," he said, his voice soft. "Like I said, you're perfect, and I don't want to say anything that might make you doubt yourself."
"Please, Harry," Daphne pressed. "This has kind of been a problem for me. Fleur and Gabrielle always say I lead guys on without even realizing it. Was that what I was doing with Jamie?"
"Absolutely not. You didn't lead Jamie on," Harry replied firmly. "It's just that you and Jamie might not be on the same page romantically."
"There is zero romance happening between me and Jamie, whatever his last name is. How could you tell he was into me, and I couldn't?"
Harry stared at her, trying to gauge if she was teasing, but Daphne, like Narcissa, didn't have a manipulative bone in her body. She was entirely sincere. "You know you're stunningly beautiful, right?"
Daphne shrugged, her lips pressing into a thoughtful line. "I guess."
"When someone is as beautiful as you are, it's safe to assume that's the first thing a guy will notice. Friendship takes time to build."
The concept was so basic, Harry wondered how Daphne could be so unaware.
"So, no guy really wants to be my friend?" she asked, her voice tinged with defeat. "They all just want to have sex with me?"
Her expression turned so crestfallen that Harry immediately regretted his bluntness. He didn't want to crush her spirit. Daphne was far more than just a pretty face—she was kind, funny, and deeply thoughtful, even if she didn't realize her own impact.
"It's true that your beauty is what they notice first," Harry said gently. "But once they get to know you, they'll see what I see—someone amazing inside and out. Still, guys my age are driven by their hormones. Come on, Daphne. You must know that."
"I guess you're right," Daphne said with a sigh. "Maybe that's why I don't have any real guy friends. I love flirting—it's fun—but I genuinely don't try to lead guys on. This is just who I am. I enjoy making friends. It's not like I only act this way around guys. I've got loads of girlfriends, too."
"What happens when a guy makes his intentions clear?"
"It depends on how I feel about him," she said. "But college is supposed to be fun, isn't it? It's not about settling down. We're only young once."
Daphne's evasiveness didn't escape Harry's notice, and he made an educated guess. "When you're not interested, is that when you tell the guy you have a boyfriend? I'm assuming that's where Conner comes in?"
Her cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink, and she lowered her gaze to the space between her legs, nodding slowly. "How did you guess?"
"For one, Conner's gay, isn't he? I'm not judging—I'm just asking."
"He didn't come out until his first year at EIMS," Daphne admitted.
Conner and Daphne had been "dating" during their later Hogwarts years—or so she let everyone believe. Even then, it was clear to Harry and most others that the relationship was a cover. They were best friends, and Conner had always been a safe, reliable shield. Now that Conner was out of the closet and openly in a relationship with another wizard, that narrative no longer held water.
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pa treon .com(slash)lovelab (remove the space)