Colours of Obsession
A story of how the meeting of three colours finally manages to bring together an unknown romance between an obsessed, in-denial Daphne Greengrass and an equally obsessed, and less in-denial, Harry Potter.
*O*O*O*
"I've never known someone like you,
Tangled by love, stuck by you - from the glue.
Don't forget to kiss me, or else you'll have to miss me.
I guess I'm stuck forever by the glue.
Oh, and you!"
*O*O*O*
As per Tracey's prior heads-up, they had announced the trip to Hogsmeade a day ago, earning great cheers from the entire student body, or at least those who were able to go.
Astoria Greengrass had lamented her dismay to her older sister at being unable to join her and Harry at Hogsmeade, which Daphne was secretly thankful for.
The last thing she wanted on a trip that she was hoping to spend in private with Harry was to be pestered by her little sister and her antics. Despite how much time the two had been spending in each other's company recently with their remedial lessons, their focus had mostly been dedicated to trying to further their skills instead of the usual playful flirting that Daphne had gotten accustomed to over the last month.
Hell. She'd even admit that she was starting to miss it. Hence why she wanted to spend as much of today's trip without any interruptions.
That included Tracey too. Daphne had also made this explicitly clear to her best friend, who had giggled and assured the blonde that she would not be trying to interrupt them either. What she'd be doing during their trip, Daphne didn't know but was grateful for Tracey's support.
Now the day of the trip, Daphne inspected her day's attire for the sixteenth time, making sure that every last part of it was immaculate.
She was dressed in a stylish navy-blue winter coat that fit her snuggly, both in terms of size as well as warmth. A knee-high, jet-black skirt hugged her waist, and she had on a pair of darkly-coloured winter boots over a set of grey leggings. She had also dabbed on the slightest bit of makeup to properly enhance her features.
Daphne's crystal-blue eyes were much sharper than usual, the upper corners of each eye now marked with winged tips thanks to a steady hand and black eyeliner. She had used a slightly darker shade of mascara on her blonde lashes, making them stand out even more. A light tint of Witch-Branded lipgloss had also been applied, making them shine and shimmer even under the bright grey Scottish skies. With the magical properties it contained, it had the added bonus of preventing her lips from getting chapped due to the cold weather too.
It wasn't often that Daphne would rely on makeup for occasions such as this, but she really wanted to stand out just a little bit more today. She was certain that, much like any other clueless boy his age, Harry wouldn't notice the subtle amount of make-up she had on today but would still be aware of her enhanced features.
Once she believed that everything was in order, Daphne departed the Slytherin chambers, making her way through the lively halls of the school to the designated meeting point for the students who were going to be ferried to the magical village.
It seemed as though the announcement of the trip to Hogsmeade had stirred the students up more than usual, even for those who weren't going.
As usual, a wide berth was granted by the students around her as she strolled down the hall. Parting the sea of robed students with each step she took, this time it was for a reason different than just intimidation.
There was a sense of awe amongst the students that gave way, backing off as if they were silently compelled to. As if they weren't worthy of sharing the same space she did.
It wasn't just because of the slight change in her looks either. It had been the way Daphne carried herself on this day. The Slytherin seemed to be the very definition of confidence, poise, and regality — traits that came naturally to her with her experience growing up as a Pureblood.
To the rest of the students, it felt as though Daphne was a heavenly being floating down the Hogwarts hallways, lifted off the ground on a cloud that separated her from the rest of the mortals.
Of course, none of this was remotely true. But it wouldn't stop a new rumour from a number of first years that had witnessed her exiting the castle. One that seemed to have painted Daphne in a much better light than that of an 'Ice Queen', and earned her a number of new fresh-faced fans.
Daphne paid little mind to all this. She only had one thing she was looking forward to today, and she was going to be damned if anything was going to get in her way!
*O*O*O*
Fresh snow had started to pepper the Scottish landscape, leaving Hogwarts and its grounds covered in a gentle coating of white fluff.
As Daphne exited the castle and entered the snowy courtyard, she couldn't help but notice that it was filled to the brim with students, all garbed in their winter wear.
It seemed as though many wanted to escape the weather, and the thought of a piping-hot mug of Butterbeer at Hogsmeade to beat back the cold sounded like just the trick.
Noisy and excited, the students were being wrangled like cattle into neat rows by a number of professors, who sent them off in groups to carriages that would take them directly to Hogsmeade.
Daphne breathed in a lungful of the cool air that now permeated the school's grounds. She didn't know why, but the Slytherin had a good feeling about today's trip. The day felt strangely promising, and Daphne definitely had her hopes up.
As she stood on the top of the flight of stone steps, squinting at the crowd in an attempt to spot the black hair of a particular Gryffindor, she felt a gloved hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice greeted her from behind.
"Morning Daphne!" Harry's chipper voice clearly had a smile on it as he draped his arm over her shoulder. She had no idea when they had gotten this close and comfortable with each other's company, but she sure wasn't going to complain about it.
She thoroughly enjoyed Harry's physical touch.
Maybe even a little too much.
She glanced over her shoulder at the boy, who had his gaze out towards the other students.
He was dressed in the usual thick Hogwarts robes they all had for the cold weather, and the familiar red-yellow colours of the knitted Gryffindor scarf was wrapped around his neck.
Even with all the thick layers between them, she could feel his body's heat through it all.
"Plenty chilly today." He glanced back at her, gloved fingers wiggling, "Hope the 'Ice Queen' is in a good mood."
Daphne smirked at his comment.
"Keep up your end of the deal, and we'll see if I have any complaints to file to your superior." She remarked, smiling. She'd was bound to tell Tracey about today anyways, what with her recent interests in their developing relationship. "That means I expect excellent conduct today, mister."
"You think I won't be on my best behaviour?" Harry looked aghast, "I'll have you know, ma'am, that your happiness is my top priority."
Blue eyes met green eyes, both twinkling with an equal amount of amusement.
"You better make me a very happy girl then."
"The happiest." Harry promised with a grin before he took his arm off of her shoulder and held it out for her to take in his. He quickly helped her down the stairs and led her towards the thronging crowd of students who were far too engrossed in their conversations to have noticed the pair acting so warmly to each other.
"Where is Hermione? Is she going with Weasley?" Daphne asked.
She had grown quite fond of the talkative and studious Gryffindor girl over the last few days. She liked how Hermione fretted over every last detail when it came to their lessons. It was clear she took her role very seriously, which Daphne could appreciate as it would potentially be a matter of life and death to Harry if he needed to rely on this training in the future.
Tracey, Astoria, and Hermione… Perhaps it was simply in Daphne's destiny to have people who talked more than she did be involved in her life. Still, while Hermione made an excellent teacher, and was a sweet girl, Daphne could tell that Hermione was clearly hiding something from her from the way they interacted.
Whatever it was, she had a feeling she'd find out in due time.
"I think they boarded one of the earlier carriages already." Harry had recalled them leaving a bit earlier. "Hermione said she was going to be spending the day with the rest of the boys."
It hadn't taken long before most of the lines had cleared up, till there were but a few carriages left.
They were quickly led to one of these carriages and got in with a mixed group of girls and boys from various houses and years who were already settled in and waiting to fill the last two seats.
As they boarded, Daphne recognised all of their faces.
In the far corner were the Ravenclaw girl and Hufflepuff boy, Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory. They were part of the group of students that many would include in the popular students' clique.
Pavarti Patil, Hannah Abbott, and Susan Bones were deep in conversation in the middle of the carriage, all while a quiet blonde Ravenclaw sat by Susan's side, not saying a word and seemingly lost in her own little world as she gazed blankly at the ceiling.
Daphne recognised the Ravenclaw girl to be Luna Lovegood, the eccentric daughter of the equally eccentric man that edited the questionable newspaper, The Quibbler.
Daphne was helped up into the carriage by Harry before he got in himself. The trio of girls barely stopped their conversations to glance over and greet them before immediately hopping back into it.
Cedric was gesturing something to Cho when he noticed Harry and Daphne boarding. Immediately, a bright beaming grin appeared on his face.
"Harry! Hope you're feeling better after last year." He reached a hand out over the other students' heads, and Harry met it with a shake
"Nice to see you too, Cedric." The Gryffindor smiled back at the handsome Hufflepuff, whom he had met the year prior at the disastrous game of Quidditch that had ended in him being attacked by Dementors, "Doing better. You guys are gonna need more than just a few Dementors to take me down next time."
"Ha, I bet." Cedric took the joke in good stride, "Shame you couldn't make it for the Quidditch World Cup."
"It's quite alright. Would've hated to see Bulgaria lose in person." He shrugged, "Besides, I'm glad I wasn't caught up in all that other stuff. Nasty business that lot. Glad you and the rest weren't affected by what happened." Hermione had told him more details about it, and while Harry was glad he hadn't been involved with Death Eaters, knowing that his friends had a brush with them was upsetting.
That had the Hufflepuff nodding, who waved a greeting to Daphne as well before returning to the Asian Ravenclaw before him.
They got comfortable in their seats and the door swung closed on its own. It wasn't much longer before they all lurched forwards ever so slightly as the carriage began its journey.
They had only just started moving when she noticed that Harry had his gaze firm on her face. She suddenly felt a little self-conscious, wondering if she was wearing a bit too much makeup. Then, he suddenly tilted his head to the side, reminding her of an inquisitive dog.
A moment passed.
"Your eyeliner is really making your eyes stand out even more than usual."
"I—" Daphne had not been expecting him to have noticed, "That's sweet of you… I can't believe you noticed. Boys normally don't."
Harry leaned in close so that the rest of the carriage couldn't hear them.
"I told you. I always keep my eyes on the pretty girls."
He had been close enough for her to feel his whispers against her skin. Even for as warm as the inside of the coach was, Daphne still had to repress a shiver.
Then he leaned back out until they were nearly nose to nose. His eyes shifted, roving in their sockets as they took in all her features slowly.
"Besides, I've been seeing your gorgeous face so often recently that I can notice if even an eyelash is out of place."
Daphne's eyes widened at that.
Obviously, he was being hyperbolic with that last statement. But the way he had complimented her in such a brazen way made her feel the same way she had when they had first met.
Daphne glanced away to their feet, now unable to meet Harry's gaze. She brought her cupped hands to her lips and blew into it, doing her best to hide her face and the massive blush that had erupted onto it by pretending she was cold.
Why was he being so upfront about it today?!
Harry had the nerve to laugh at her reaction.
*O*O*O*
Harry had hopped out of the carriage first, helping Daphne alight from the carriage in his usual gentlemanly fashion.
As she stepped off the large coach, she couldn't help but notice just how satisfying the soft crunching of snow beneath her boots felt. She took a few steps forwards and stretched, taking a deep breath. It was different from that of the schools. Far fresher.
The snowy-dirt path where their coach had stopped transitioned into a cobbled road, one that led inwards to the large, quaint village, which was also quickly being covered in white.
Her dreams were quickly coming to fruition.
"Ladies."
She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Harry was helping the rest of the passengers off in the same way, giving each of them a playful bow and a cheeky smile.
The talkative trio had giggled at his behaviour and curtsied in return, before they skipped off, still chattering as they left.
Luna had gratefully accepted his hand too, staring at him for a moment longer after she had stepped off. She had thanked him in a voice that seemed to have been laced with dreams. Then, with a sleepy smile, the tiny Ravenclaw seemingly drifted away towards the village.
"Gent?"
Harry even reached his hand out for Cedric to take, and Cedric played along with Harry. Both boys bowed to each other and laughed after the Hufflepuff had alighted with the Gryffindor's help.
Then both Harry and Cedric had helped Cho down, each taking a hand, much to Ravenclaw's delight. Cho was a blushing, beaming mess. Understandably so, as being attended by two of Hogwarts' finest young men would do that to the average hot-blooded witch too.
Then Harry muttered something into Cedric's ear, who looked very amused by what he heard. The pair shook hands before Diggory took Chang by the arm, and then they too were off to the village.
Finally, after making Daphne stand there for the last minute, Harry finally returned to her side.
"Making me wait? Not a good start, Harry."
"Sorry. I like to be fashionably late for the right reasons on dates." Harry rubbed his nose, which was turning slightly pink from the cold, "Sets a good precedent if my date sees me being gentlemanly for everyone and not just her."
"Oh? So you think this is a date?" Daphne smirked, rather pleased to hear that particular word from Harry.
It meant he absolutely saw this as a date!
"Don't you?" He smirked back.
He had a feeling that she wasn't going to say no.
She clicked her tongue. Damnit! He got her.
She changed the subject without missing a beat.
"Should I have been jealous of all that?" Daphne asked, gesturing to where he had been helping everyone off the cart.
"I can see why you'd think so, but there's no need to, Daphne. Cedric's just a friend. There's nothing between us, I swear." Harry had a knowing look on his face, purposefully throwing her off with that silly answer.
Daphne let out a rather ungraceful snort trying to suppress the sudden urge to laugh. Harry grinned in response again.
"Ugh!" She groaned, pouting at him, "You can't even let me pretend to be mad at you, can you?"
"Not if it potentially affects my evaluation, ma'am." Harry swooped in close to Daphne, holding the crook of his arm out for her to take. "Now please, allow me to have the honour of guiding you into Hogsmeade."
She slipped her arm into his.
"Fine. If you insist." Her stern words were betrayed by her happy smile.
With that being said, Daphne was really liking where today was going already.
*O*O*O*
Walking with each other, Harry had let Daphne take the lead in terms of what she wanted to do and see. He was more than willing to, seeing as how he had never really been to Hogsmeade proper.
It had been one time, and most of it had been spent under the invisibility cloak, trying to avoid getting caught by anyone.
Of course, now uncloaked and very much arm-in-arm with Daphne Greengrass, Harry was well-aware of all the curious eyes from the students of Hogwarts on them both. He didn't mind much though. He was here for Daphne. Besides, his date seemed to be having a good time leading him around and playing the tour guide.
And so, the pair had taken multiple stops throughout their tour.
The first shop they had entered had been 'Dervish and Banges', a shop that dealt in the sales and repair of magical musical instruments. While the streets of Hogsmeade may have been packed with teens, the shop didn't seem to have too many customers.
They perused around, looking at the variety of instruments they had for sale.
Daphne had asked the kindly old wizard if it was alright for her to try out one of the instruments he had up. The old craftsman had been more than happy for her to use the tools he had painstakingly spent years learning how to craft.
Having grown up practicing a number of instruments, Daphne had chosen to show him her prowess on the violin. Harry was more than happy to oblige her, interested to see her performance.
Daphne tucked the wooden instrument under her chin, locking it in place. Her tongue darted out, licking her lips for the briefest of moments as she pressed the violin's bow up against the taut strings. Then, she tapped her foot rhythmically four times before music erupted from the instrument.
Slowly, what few shoppers that were present in the store paused and listened as the sound of the violin's beautiful, melancholic cries began to fill the air. It hadn't taken long before Daphne had earned herself a small audience as both staff and customers had come to watch as she performed her rendition of Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No.1 on the violin. The Slytherin didn't notice the crowd though as she had her eyes closed, engrossed entirely in the act of making music.
There was a deep anguish in the music that had tugged on Harry's heartstrings, and he couldn't believe how much Daphne's music was affecting him. Perhaps it had something to do with the musical instruments having magic in them that amplified the emotions being conveyed by its user.
By the time she was finished, she had earned a small applause from those in the shop. There were adults she didn't recognise and students that she did. She gave them all a small smile and bowed as Harry had done earlier, thanking them for the applause.
She returned to Harry after the crowd had dispersed back throughout the shop to resume their browsing. He sang her praises, much to her delight. Then he tried to guess the composer of the piece she had played.
"I really liked that piece. One of my favourites from... Mozart." He nodded, hazarding a guess but sounding as confident as possible in the event he guessed right.
"Close." Daphne grinned at just how not-close his answer had been, "Want to guess again?"
"B—Beethoven?" He guessed again, far less confident than before.
"It was a good try." She patted him on the back, "Want one more?"
"Those are the only two I know." He shrugged.
Needless to say, music had never been his forte.
As if to prove this point further, he picked up the nearest musical instrument he could find.
It was a triangle.
"Behold. My signature instrument." He held the small instrument up into the air by its string. "I will now match your amazing performance with one of my own."
"You? Play the triangle?" Daphne looked incredulously at him, one brow cocked, "Surely not."
"I can, and I will."
He played a singular note for her.
Ding!
Daphne had laughed so hard at his dumb joke that she had insisted on buying him the triangle as a gift. He gladly accepted it, keen on hanging it on his bedpost as a decorative item.
Thankfully, Harry had brought some money with him too. If she was getting him gifts, he would return the favour.
Their next stop had been 'Tricky's Trinkets and Tchotchkes', where the aforementioned Tricky, a half-goblin, sold all sorts of random magical curios.
The pair had looked around, spending quite a bit of time there simply mucking about with the assorted magical knick-knacks.
There had been a snowglobe that, when shaken, would turn into the shaker's favourite colour. Both had given it a try and, unsurprisingly, found that their favourite colours matched the colours of the other's eyes.
Daphne found a T-shirt that had the text 'I'm with stupid' scrawled on it. Below the text was an arrow that would magically switch between pointing left or right, depending on whoever was standing next to you.
"I should get this." Daphne smirked at him, "I wonder if it actually measures intellect if I stand between two people."
"Please don't." He begged, "It'll just be constantly pointing to me." She laughed, tossing the shirt back into the basket she had found it from.
Eventually, Harry picked out his gift for her in a box of cheap jewellery.
It was a thin, silver necklace that bore a small teardrop-shaped emerald on the end, which, as he had found out through the snowglobe earlier, happened to be Daphne's favourite colour.
Of course, it turned out to be a faux emerald, hence why it was being sold here instead of a real jeweller. But from afar, the gem on the necklace looked about as good as a real emerald.
It also had the magical benefit of allowing the user to comprehend a different language for five minutes a day. Of course, Harry doubted that Daphne would ever find practical use for this necklace, and had bought it solely for aesthetic purposes only.
They had left the shop and were now standing on the snowy white street when Harry had presented his gift to her.
"It's gorgeous!" She breathed out, a puff of mist escaping her lips. She was blushing at the sight of the small necklace he held in his palm.
"I… saw this and thought of you…" Harry trailed off, an equal blush on his face.
As bold as he had been earlier today, it was his first time truly giving a girl he liked a gift. Boy, was he glad she liked it!
"Are you sure this is for me?" She asked, her eyes now a hazy sky blue as she stared up into his piercing greens.
"Can't imagine this on anyone else."
"You're making my gift look terrible, Harry." Daphne chuckled, not really even considering the triangle to be a real gift.
"My insatiable need to constantly impress you outdoes me sometimes." They shared a chuckle before she turned her back to him. With a deft hand, she swept her long platinum hair to the side and held it there, exposing her slender and bare neck to him.
Harry gulped at the sight.
Something deep in his psyche roused.
"Hurry." She urged him, whispering now. "It's cold."
Doing his best not to tremble with excitement, Harry carefully undid the clasp of the necklace, draped it over her from the front, and clasped it back together behind her. But his gloved finger had accidentally brushed against the nape of her neck, causing her to moan slightly in surprise.
The sound caused his eyes to widen fully.
"S—Sorry! I— I didn't mean to…" Harry blamed the cold for the immense heat that was building in his cheeks. He felt like a volcano, ready to burst.
Daphne giggled. It sounded like a bird trilling in the Spring.
She was pleased to see him fall back to his stuttering state again. It had been a while so she took it as a personal victory, even if she hadn't meant to in the first place.
"With this gift, you're forgiven." With that said, she let her hair fall back into place before dragging him away to their next location.
Neither would speak of the incident again, but Harry would not be able to stop thinking about it for the next few weeks.
The pair had tried to take a break for snacks at 'Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop', but the overall aesthetics and atmosphere of the shop, even for the two would-be lovers, was just a little too on the nose. Plus, the shop did seem a little crowded with all the other couples in there.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Daphne. But… I think I'm going to have to pass on this one." The idea of being stuffed with all the other couples who were acting lovey-dovey with each other was a little uncomfortable with the both of them.
They'd prefer a little more peace and quiet.
"Don't worry, I had the same thoughts." And if Daphne was being frank, there was a little too much pink in the cafe for her tastes.
They stood outside the shop for a moment longer before Daphne turned her head to him.
"Honeydukes?" She suggested.
Harry detected an excited edge in her voice. He turned his head to meet hers.
"Honeydukes." He agreed.
Thus, they had detoured to the ever-popular 'Honeydukes' in search of sweets and pastries to snack on instead.
Their arrival had been rather interesting to some students, who took note of how close the two teens were being with each other but eventually lost focus on them as they were far more interested in spending time with their friends in the village.
Harry munched down on a cauldron cake while Daphne snacked on her small collection of Sugar Quills, a handful of Fizzing Whizzbees, and a single Pumpkin Pasasty. She had bought a few other sweets and snacks in a small bag that hung from her wrist, but they were meant for Astoria and her friends to share.
"You don't think I got too much, did you?" Daphne asked with a mouthful of pasty, glancing towards Harry's singular treat, then back to the bag of goodies, her half-eaten pumpkin pasty still in her hands.
She was feeling a bit self-conscious over how much she had bought to snack on in comparison to Harry.
Much to Harry's surprise, Daphne turned out to be quite the sweet tooth. However, he likely should have realised earlier that after the picnic with Astoria and Tracey, where she seemed to dine on the cherry pie exclusively.
"A growing girl's got to eat." He shrugged in response, smiling softly at her as she returned to her snack.
After satiating their hunger a little, they had stopped by the branch of Flourish and Blotts in Hogsmeade. Daphne disappeared between rows and rows of bookshelves containing all sorts of magical school materials and needs. She passed quills, pens, papers, textbooks, and tomes, all in search of a new notebook for herself and Harry, as their remedial lessons in transfigurations were eating up more pages than they'd expected.
As she moved between the aisles, Harry spent a bit of time speaking to the manager at the counter for a particular product. He was deep in discussion, going over the particulars and details of whatever it was he was trying to purchase.
After Daphne had picked out and paid for the two matching red notebooks and a brand new quill as a gift for Hermione, Harry had concluded his talk with the staff and headed out with her, seemingly satisfied with the discussion.
"What was that about?"
"It's to do with our discussion we had with Hermione." Harry winked.
"Ah, that." Daphne recalled what he was referring to, "I'm still waiting on Father to get back to me on those books you asked for."
"He doesn't mind, does he?" Harry asked, "I'd hate for him to start questioning you about it."
"I'm a Slytherin. I think he knows not to ask." She shrugged, before smiling sweetly. "Besides, he simply adores his daughters. There isn't a thing he wouldn't do for Astoria and me."
"Sounds like a good man," Harry remarked, thinking about his own father and the lengths that he had taken to ensure his family had been safe. Unfortunately, all was for nought when he had put his trust in the wrong man.
"You'll be meeting him eventually…" Daphne's head was down as she mumbled under her breath.
"What was that?" Harry hadn't heard her.
Or at least she hoped he hadn't.
"I said 'I want some warm butterbeer'!" Daphne whined, pulling herself closer to him. Harry laughed, nodding profusely. Who was he to refuse the request of the gorgeous girl who was tugging on his arm?
"The inn's quite a bit away…" Harry trailed off as he glanced at the distant building, far larger than the ones around it. Smoke billowed gently from the tall chimney that topped the roof, the thick white smoke rising into the grey Scottish skies like a pipe-puffing wizard.
Harry felt an idea spring to mind.
"Race you there?" He suggested.
"Loser buys the winner a warm butterbeer." Daphne didn't even question his suggestion. A competitive fire was already starting to roar to life in those large blue eyes of hers. Needless to say, Daphne was confident in winning this race, even with her winter gear on. All those exercises she had done to tone her lower body and bum had also given her good stamina and faster legs to run on.
"You're on." Harry agreed, stretching his legs.
With the terms and conditions set and agreed upon, the pair had a quick countdown before it was off to the races with them both.
Even with a majority of the Hogwarts student populace being present in the quaint village, Harry and Daphne barely even noticed the rest of them as they ran on equal footing.
And as a pair of mischievous Gryffindor twins had just started a large-scale snowball fight in the middle of the street, no one really noticed them either. Everyone was far too caught up in trying to run, survive, or fight back with snow of their own.
There were so many bodies that the pair were lost in a sea of sweat and snowballs.
They ran, laughing like a bunch of kids through the snow, past their peers and between the fluorescent streetlights, hopping over benches and ducking under loose snowballs.
Harry and Daphne were completely lost in their own little world.
*O*O*O*
Situated a dozen or so meters away from the Three Broomsticks, Daphne sat by herself on a bench that overlooked a small drop that led off into the Scottish wilderness. She could hear the hustle and bustle of the inn and its very busy bar from where she was, the interior of the establishment contrasting the near-silence she was experiencing on the bench.
She preferred it this way. Much easier to enjoy a drink in peace and quiet, surrounded by the tranquillity of nature.
In the distant horizon were the snow-capped mountains of the Scottish Highlands. There was a river snaking out from Hogsmeade, carving a reflective blue shimmer through the earth and towards the mountains. The winding river would occasionally be flanked by tufts of bushes and the occasional group of trees, all that and the ground covered in a gentle powdering of brilliant, blinding white.
The scenery looked just like the one she had seen out of her dreams.
She took a deep breath, trying to control her heart rate which was still high from the race. Her breathing was slightly heavy, and her cheeks were tinted red with exertion.
Running through snow and a snowball fight hadn't been easily accomplished, but her efforts in exercising had benefited her greatly in this trial. Her significantly smaller frame had also helped, slipping between the wave of students and avoiding most of the random projectiles that had come her way.
Harry, on the other hand, had not been so lucky.
Unable to move as well as Daphne had been through the mass of students, he had caught multiple snowballs with his face, which had slowed him down enough for Daphne to edge out the win!
Thankfully, he hadn't been hurt at all and had taken the loss in good spirits.
The soft crunching of snow coming from behind her indicated his return. She turned, watching as Harry carefully made his way over, doing his best not to spill the single, tall tankard of bubbling Butterbeer he carried in both his hands.
"One warm mug of Butterbeer!" Harry announced as he walked, imitating the inn's barkeep, "One warm mug of Butterbeer — for the pretty blonde with the fast legs!"
"Thank you, Harry, but I hope that's not all I'll be known for from now on." Daphne snorted as he settled in next to her on the bench. The mug was so full that some of the drink spilled over the edge and into the snow in front of them.
"It's a prestigious title, I'll have you know." It was a little too heavy for her to hold, so Harry had taken the liberty to help and hold the mug for her to sip from, "Don't know too many myself."
"I suppose then I'll have to take honour in that," Daphne said as she bobbed her head slightly in appreciation for his help.
She tucked strands of her loose hair behind her ear before leaning in. But instead of placing them onto the long straw that poked out from the sea of bubbles, she planted her plump lips on the edge of the mug, said lips quickly vanishing behind a small cloud of Butterbeer foam.
Harry said nothing, but his brows rose in surprise at the sight.
The silence was broken as the soft sounds of her sipping filled the air.
She could quite literally feel the heat of the creamy beverage as it went down her gullet and into her belly, warming her up significantly more than before. After a moment, Daphne broke from the lip of the mug, sighing contentedly as she leaned back, the sense of sweetness permeating throughout her mouth.
Harry gave her a pointed look, glancing between her and the straw in apparent confusion.
"What? Every respectable witch and wizard knows you take the first sip straight from the mug! It's the only way to properly drink Butterbeer!" She looked absolutely ridiculous with that small foam moustache lining her upper lip as she defended herself. The Gryffindor laughed loudly at the sight but did not question the veracity of her statement.
"I suppose that I'll have to take the word of the one who's been involved in the magical world more than I have." Harry brought the mug closer to himself, taking a sip of the drink the same way she had. He took a big gulp before lowering it, greeting her with a thick foam moustache of his own.
"How do I look?" He took a hand off the mug, flexing his arm under his robes as if he were an old-school circus strongman with a handlebar moustache.
"So manly." She complimented him with a giggle, licking her lips of the residual sugary goodness, "Especially when you took that snowball to the nose."
"Okay, first of all, I took that on behalf of that little Ravenclaw girl—"
The pair continued to chatter for a while longer, indulging in the warm drink and the company of each other amidst the cold before they eventually fell into a comfortable silence.
It truly was just like how Daphne had envisioned it to be.
All was quiet.
All was good.
Having spent a satisfying day talking, shopping, running, and just generally having fun together, they were now both feeling a little lethargic.
As they lounged on the bench in silence, Harry couldn't help but think of the day he had told Hermione his feelings for Daphne and the conviction that had been in his own voice…
He closed his eyes and knew deep down in his gut that this was the perfect time.
It was time to finally bite the bullet. To tell her what he had been wanting for the longest time now. To let his feelings for her be known.
Be it the minute amount of alcohol in the Butterbeer that was providing him with liquid courage, or maybe he had just finally found his nerve after weeks of contemplation, but it wasn't until they could see the bottom of the mug of their shared drink that Harry decided to speak up.
He was not going to let this moment pass.
"I like you, Daphne." The words poured from his lips. "I really, really like you."
Even while seated and unmoving, Harry could literally feel his heartbeat picking up, each pulse drumming away in his ears. It was deafening. His blood was racing. His breathing got heavier. His mind felt like melting putty.
He had fought a troll in his first year and slain a sixty-foot-long basilisk with a sword in his second. In his third, he had faced down a horde of Azkaban's worst and sent them packing.
But this?
This felt so much scarier.
Harry swore he could hear Daphne's eyes widening in surprise at his words.
A moment passed between them, and he could sense that his sincere words were still being digested by the blonde.
What if she doesn't feel the same?
What if she just sees him as a friend?
What if he messed things up between them?
What if…?
There were so many 'what ifs' that it was starting to chip away at his confidence. He felt it start to crumble like a sandcastle getting soaked by an errant wave.
Neither of them looked away from the horizon but it was easy to tell that both of them now shared the same cherry-red tint to their cheeks at his confession. They were shoulder to shoulder, both still staring out into the great wilderness ahead when she had finally turned to him, but couldn't find it in herself to look him in the eye.
The swell of emotions she was similarly feeling was now boiling over in her head and heart, overriding all of her senses.
Then she managed to find the words she, like Harry, hadn't had the courage to say but had dreamed of expressing over the last few weeks.
"...I really, really like you too, Harry." She mumbled his own words back to him through the unbelievably happy smile that was now present on her sharp features.
Blinking absently as he processed that information, Harry could only wonder if he was dreaming lucidly now. But before the positive reaction from Daphne could fully shortcircuit his brain, he pushed through and got the rest of what he wanted to say out.
"Daphne… You're beautiful, smart, and funny, and I don't know how, but you've found some way to always make me happy when I'm with you." He was struggling to keep his eyes on her face now, feeling the same sense of awkwardness, wondering if he was rambling. But he wasn't done speaking from the heart yet.
"Today… has been one of the best days of my life. And I know that if I keep spending them with you, they'll just keep on adding up." He was speaking in a reserved and steady tone, doing his best not to stumble over his words like he normally would. "And, so… well… I just wanted to know if you felt the same way…"
"You've made today more special than I could have ever dreamed about. I don't think I would want to spend another day without you either." There was a hint of pride in that look she gave him — as if she was proud that he had finally gotten around to asking her.
Had she known?
They leaned in close to each other, a romantic haze settling in around them. Their eyes went unfocused as the rest of the world was quickly forgotten. The passion in the air was so thick it felt like wading through wet cement.
"Then… will you be mine?" Harry's voice felt far softer than any silk. The innocent and hopeful tone in his voice made her heart quiver with delight.
The thought of officially becoming Harry's girlfriend brought her a joy Daphne had not previously known. The sensation felt like she was floating away into space.
She had the tiniest smirk on her lips now, just inches away from his face.
"God, yes."
Misty green and foggy blue eyes slowly shut as they leaned closer and closer.
Lingering dregs of Butterbeer filled their noses with the sweet smell of butterscotch and caramel, forever searing the moment into the pair's mind whenever they'd think of the delicious drink.
They were so close now.
Their lips felt atoms apart.
But before they could seal the beginning of their relationship with their first kiss—
—BANG!
Behind them, the doors of the inn had been forcefully shoved open as a number of Hogwarts students were thrown out for making a ruckus.
The pair snapped to attention, leaping up from their seats, eyes wide open in shock.
Both were painfully aware of just how close they had been to planting their first kiss on the other.
"Neville, mate! Why'd you spill all that Butterbeer?!" Ron cried in annoyance, brushing the snow from his bum where he had landed.
Harry noted Hermione's absence from the bunch.
"Damn it! You shouldn't have shoved him, Ron." Dean groaned, annoyed at his friends for getting them all kicked out. "Gah, I wasn't even done with my drink…"
"It was a little push! I didn't think he was going to spill it all over the bartop!" With how focused they were on their heated discussion, none of the boys seemed to have noticed either Harry or Daphne.
"You know how clumsy I am!" Neville bemoaned, saddened over the missed opportunity for a nice mug of Butterbeer. "I didn't even get to taste a drop!"
"Ya dolts are going 'ta get us in trouble!" Sheamus clicked his tongue, kicking snow at the redhead, "Let's get out 'ta here 'fore we do!"
With that said, the four boys scampered off back towards the village, leaving Harry and Daphne back to themselves.
The silence was broken as the cold wind blew past them, returning them from their stunned states.
"Ha!" Harry scratched the back of his head, looking rather awkwardly at Daphne, and how they had almost just shared their first kiss. "That was… uh… unfortunate timing, I suppose…"
"Unfortunate, indeed." Daphne fumed, still glaring at where the Gryffindor boys had once been. Knowing that the special moment she had been so close to sharing with Harry had been ruined by their peers, she felt a vein pop in her head.
Fuck!
So close!
God, she had never felt the urge to really strangle anything before, but now she desperately wanted to wring the necks of those four idiots so badly!
However, instead of strangling, she cooled her thoughts as her fingers reached out to the necklace that hung from her slender neck. Dainty digits toyed with the small faux jewel as she continued.
"Still, all things considered, I think today has been an overwhelming success. I got a beautiful present, a nice mug of warm and sweet Butterbeer, an even sweeter confession, and a…"
"...a what?" Harry asked, smiling down at his girlfriend.
Then it really hit him. Wow. Girlfriend. It was kind of weird to think that she was his girlfriend now.
But weird in a good way.
Like a really good way.
"...a boyfriend, you dolt!" It seemed as though she felt the same way about it too as she was using the word rather meekly.
Much like Harry, she was trying to get used to that word, though she did enjoy the way it rolled effortlessly off her tongue.
To be honest, Daphne still felt like she was in a dream. In fact, this far surpassed any dream she ever had. Never would she have been expecting this outcome!
"I was actually about to say the same."
"Oh, you got a boyfriend too?" At that cheeky response, Harry pulled Daphne in by the waist and she squealed with laughter as they fell back together onto the bench.
One would've thought it strange that they had suddenly been so comfortable with each other's physical touch, but there was absolutely nothing sexual about it. After the miss on the kiss, which they felt had been stolen from them, the two were making up for it with simple, playful cuddling.
Besides, now that they were officially dating, all semblance of 'pre-courting behaviour' went out the window as the two indulged in each other's physical presence. Years of repressed physical contact had been freed, emerging in the form of hugs, snuggles, and cuddles as the two basked in each other's touch.
The Gryffindor and the Slytherin were just enjoying each other's embrace. They playfully wrestled and struggled against each other for a few moments, giggling like kids as Daphne twisted like a snake in Harry's arms.
Eventually, worn out, they loosened up, with Daphne settling into her position of half-lying on top of Harry, and half on the bench. His arms were still wrapped around her waist, and words could not properly express just how secure she felt with them around her.
It felt like that time he had supported her back in her attempts at learning Reducto but amplified by a thousand times.
"So tell me more about your new boyfriend." Daphne snickered as she lay her head on his chest. The sounds of his heart beating rhythmically were oddly comforting to her.
Harry's fingers stroked her head, brushing back her hair lightly. Her blonde locks truly felt as silky as they looked.
He never knew it felt so good to touch something you loved.
Meanwhile, Daphne suppressed the urge to purr at the way his fingers combed through her hair.
She never knew a boy's touch could be as soft and gentle as Harry's.
"Like I told you, Cedric's just a friend." Harry muttered absently, his attention focused entirely on running his fingers through Daphne's hair. "So don't get jealous, alright?"
They were back to comfortably bantering with each other. It seemed as though, even with their new relationship status, some things didn't change
"You're such an idiot." Her laughter was muffled as she snuggled into his chest. It felt so warm and comfortable and she just never wanted to get up from where she was.
Unfortunately, as the trip was drawing ever so close to an end, Daphne did have to.
Reluctantly, she pushed herself off of her boyfriend. It had taken her quite a surprising bit of willpower to actually go through with the action too.
She didn't think that 'getting into a relationship' was going to fly as a reason for being late to the carriages back to Hogwarts.
Besides, she still had one last place she wanted to visit before the day was over.
"Heeeyyy…" Harry was the one whining now, hugging the space where Daphne had once been, "Come back. I'm still in a cuddling mooood…"
Daphne gave her boyfriend an amused look before pulling him up to his feet. Despite his unwillingness, there was little resistance from him.
"Come on, Potter. Don't be such a baby." She pulled him along, back towards the streets of Hogsmeade, "And stop dragging your feet! There's plenty of time for cuddling in the future! We still have one last stop."
Hands clasped together as one to affirm their newly cemented relationship, Harry let himself get dragged along with her, smiling all the way.
The only traces left of one of the happiest moments in either of their lives were their footprints and an empty tankard of Butterbeer, which now lay forgotten in the snow.
*O*O*O*O*
Daphne and Harry finally came to a stop in front of a small shack that stood on the sidewalk between two larger stores.
It was more of a booth. A photobooth to be exact. One of the magical varieties that wizards had adopted from muggles.
Seeing that it was empty, Daphne hopped in with Harry.
Inside was a small bench, a small hole on the other wall where a camera lens stuck out, and a box full of silly props for them to pose with. It looked small and cramped, but fit the two of them snugly.
"It'll take six photos. We can prompt it to take a picture whenever we want." Daphne helpfully informed him as she rummaged through the box of props. She pulled out a pair of tiny signs, both reading 'Stuck with this idiot' with arrows pointing in opposite directions. She handed one to him.
"Ready?" She asked, posing.
"Yes?" He followed her actions and held the sign up to the camera.
There was a flash of light coming from a pinhole above the camera lens.
Harry had stuck his tongue out at her playfully, while Daphne pretended like she was throwing a punch at him with one hand, holding the sign up with the other. She performed the entire motion slowly, stopping just shy of his face.
Then there was a hum of energy and the sound of sizzling as their photo developed behind the wall.
She returned back to normal.
"Okay, next one!"
*O*O*O*O*
By the time they were done taking photos, the call for students to return was being announced.
Not one to be late, Daphne had snatched up the developed photos as they were deposited outside of the booth, running with Harry back towards their carriages with heavy flushes on their faces.
They had made it in time, boarding the same carriage as before just moments before the doors closed and they started moving back.
They chatted briefly with the rest on the ride, not mentioning the change in their relationship since alighting the coach in the morning. If they had shared how the two of them had gotten together over the course of a day at Hogsmeade, it would've likely stunned all three of the chatty girls into silence.
But they hadn't. After all, if no one asked, why bring it up?
The two leaned in close and Daphne held out the row of moving photographs for them both to see.
It was two sets of the same six pictures.
With it being a magical photo booth with slightly limited capabilities, the development time for the photos was significantly shorter, although the framerate of the moving photo was severely affected.
Instead of the usual smooth sixty frames a second, their moving photograph looked less like a muggle video and more like a stop-motion clip that repeated endlessly.
Still, it had a certain charm to it that their normal moving photographs could not properly capture.
The first photo was the aforementioned one where they had held up the signs while Daphne had thrown a punch. It merely showed her starting the punch, her in the middle of it, and the punch 'connecting' with Harry's face, his tongue still sticking out. Then it replayed itself again from the first frame in an endless loop.
The second was the two of them wearing the same shirt that read 'FROM HOGWARTS TO HOGSMEADE, AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY SHIRT'. The two looked at the camera in one frame, heavy frowns on both their faces. In the next frame, they were looking at each other's shirts, and in the final frame, they were mid-groan, had their eyes rolled, and were giving each other a thumbs down.
The third had Harry in a colourful clown wig and big red nose, while Daphne had on a cowboy's hat and a moustache that was so thick and furry, it had hidden her mouth altogether. In the first frame, she looked like she had just gotten a nose full of ground pepper. In the next she was in the middle of a big sneeze with her moustache mid-air, having been shot off her face, while Harry sat wide-eyed on the side. The last frame had the teenage clown laughing hysterically at his shocked girlfriend's expression.
The fourth showed the two with their faces pressed up against each other by the cheek, staring directly into the camera. The first frame had Daphne sticking her tongue out slightly. By the next, she had kept it, but now Harry's tongue was out. The photo endlessly repeated, showing the two constantly sticking their tongues out one after the other like they were snakes. In time, they would forget who had stuck their tongue out first.
The fifth had Harry dressed up as Cupid, with a bow, heart-tipped arrow, silly little wings, and halo to complete his look. He had fired the arrow straight towards Daphne, who held it between her arm and breast to pretend that she had been shot in the chest. She collapsed dramatically in the next frame, eyes closed and leaning backwards with the back of her palm pressed on her forehead.
The sixth and final photograph continued off from the last. A collapsed Daphne sat back up and leaned forward towards Harry. Arrow still stuck in her chest, she pressed her lips to his cheek with her eyes closed, giving him a small smooch. Mouth hanging ajar, the surprised expression on Harry's face carried through from the second frame to the last, where a satisfied but blushing Daphne was leaning back now, smiling at the sight of her boyfriend's shocked, crimson face.
"I can't believe you had the nerve to kiss me like that, Greengrass." Looking away from the final photo to Daphne, Harry muttered to her under his breath, quiet enough that none of the others could hear. Not that they really could, considering how loudly the three girls were talking. "I guess Ron was right. Slytherins really are slippery ones."
She had drawn first blood by landing the first kiss on him. And the spot where she had pecked him still felt like it had been touched by fire. And boy, was he glad they had caught that moment in the photo because his synapses had pretty much stopped firing when he realised what had happened.
"That's what you get for making me so jealous, Potter." Daphne matched his tone, splitting the row of photos into two and handing one of them to him.
"I will have my revenge, you know."
His threat was welcomed by his girlfriend.
"Oh, you'd better." Daphne crinkled her nose at him, "I'll be waiting."
The pair would continue to make silly veiled threats of further kisses in the future to each other while they returned to the castle.
Needless to say, Harry's first official trip to Hogsmeade also happened to be his best.
*O*O*O*O*
Chapter 6: End
*O*O*O*O*
Important A/N 2:
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, along with the last.
As of this A/N, I have just finished Chapter 6 about 9 - 10 days after finishing Chapter 5.
In any case, if there was ever a chapter I'd beg for a review, it'd be this. I'd love to know what you guys think of the chapter(s) I've spent the most time on so far. Chapters 5 and 6 together took a total of 16 - 17 days of work with about 19k worth of words to show for it.
Wasn't too sure how it'd turn out before I started but I really liked the style I took with it. I liked the way I wrote the dialogue between the dates. Took forever as I fleshed things out, but I had a great time writing it! I came up with a lot of the ideas on the fly with no planning at all. Not sure if it'll come off that way or not for you readers.
I also pray I've done a decent job conveying the thoughts and feelings of the characters throughout the confession!
Less Important A/N 2:
Sorry for the delays. Wanted to get both out a little earlier but my physical health has taken a severe dip due to my medical condition. It has not been easy, but thankfully, working on this chapter has given me a goal during this period.
In the event that I ever stop writing this fic in any capacity, just know that I at least got them together before I stopped!
I'll be slowly working on the next chapters so please bear with me!