Chapter 29: Aftermath

The Ford Anglia soared through the night sky, its enchanted engine humming softly as it cut through the clouds. Inside, silence hung heavy between the five passengers.

Harry sat in the back, exhaustion weighing on him like a physical force. His ribs ached from the earlier beating, and his mind still reeled from everything that had happened. Daphne was beside him, her fingers laced with his in a firm grip, as if grounding herself as much as she was grounding him.

Fred and George, having only seen the aftermath at Privet Drive, were still buzzing with curiosity.

"So, what exactly happened back there?" Fred finally asked, glancing at Daphne with something between awe and wariness.

"We saw the damage," George added. "Looked like something out of a horror story—doors blasted open, the place in shambles, looked like a bomb went off."

"Not a bomb," Fred corrected. "More like an avenging angel." He smirked, looking back at Daphne. "Or a Dark witch in training."

Daphne shot him a glare, her grip on Harry tightening. "If I were a Dark witch, your Ministry wouldn't have a house left to inspect."

The twins exchanged amused glances, but Ron, sitting up front, wasn't as entertained. He twisted around in his seat, watching Daphne warily. "What did you do?" His voice held an edge.

Daphne stayed silent.

Harry exhaled. "She saved me, Ron. That's all that matters."

"But I saw—" Ron hesitated. "That was something else. The whole house was basically glowing when we showed up! We stopped at Harrys window and saw harrys uncle all crumpled over, thats when we decided to leave. Lucky for you two we saw you guys running a few blocks away."

Daphne remained impassive, but Harry could feel the tension through their bond. He wasn't sure how to explain what had happened—how Daphne had nearly lost herself in the moment, how something dark had surged within her.

"I don't know what you saw, Ron," Harry said carefully. "But whatever it was, Daphne saved me back there. She didn't hurt anyone, at least nothing that couldn't be fixed."

Ron frowned but didn't argue further. The silence stretched until George clapped his hands together. "Well, either way, that was some damn fine spellwork. I mean, you stormed in, took on a house full of Muggles, and vanished with Harry? Legendary."

Fred grinned. "Honorary Weasley, if you ask me."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh, sure, let's adopt a Greengrass."

"You adopted me, and knew me for less time than youve known Daphne." Harry pointed out.

Ron huffed but didn't argue.

Daphne, however, remained quiet, gazing out at the stars. She knew there would be repercussions for what she did. But she would do it all over again.

The Burrow came into view, its crooked structure bathed in moonlight. As they descended, Ron grimaced. "Mum's going to kill us."

Harry sighed. "At least we'll die together."

Daphne, for the first time that night, let out a small, tired chuckle.

The moment they landed, the Burrow's front door burst open, and Molly Weasley stormed outside, her red hair practically sparking with rage.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Her voice cut through the night, sending a visible shiver through Ron. "WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

The boys clambered out of the car, Harry and Daphne following behind.

"And you two—" she rounded on Fred and George, "how many times do I have to tell you not to steal that car?"

Fred and George exchanged guilty looks. "Technically, Ron stole it this time," Fred muttered.

Molly turned to her youngest son. "You stole the car?"

Ron turned red. "I was rescuing Harry!"

Molly's fury sputtered, her gaze flickering to Harry. The moment she saw him, the anger drained from her face, replaced by motherly concern.

"Oh, Harry," she said, stepping forward, her voice softening. "Are you alright, dear?"

Harry, overwhelmed, simply nodded.

Molly's gaze then shifted to Daphne, and the warmth in her expression cooled. She took in the girl standing beside Harry—tall, regal in posture, but with a hardness in her eyes that didn't match the usual crowd Ron brought home.

Molly knew exactly who she was looking at.

"Miss Greengrass," she said, her voice unreadable.

Daphne met her gaze without flinching. "Mrs. Weasley."

Molly's lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't say anything else, but the weight of her scrutiny was clear.

Ron, sensing the tension, quickly jumped in. "Mum, Daphne saved Harry. We wouldn't have even gotten to him if it wasn't for her."

Molly's expression didn't change. She simply turned to Daphne and said, "Inside. Now."

Inside the Burrow, the warmth of the house did little to thaw the frost between Molly and Daphne. The kitchen smelled of bread and spices, but the mood was tense.

Ron and Molly were in the middle of an argument, with Fred and George watching from the sidelines like spectators at a Quidditch match.

"You cannot seriously be asking me to let her stay here!" Molly hissed.

"And why not?" Ron shot back. "She saved Harry!"

"She is a Greengrass, Ronald!" Molly said sharply. "Do you have any idea what that means?"

Ron crossed his arms. "Yeah. It means she's got a horrible family, but she isn't like them! You don't think Harry is bad because of who raised him!"

Molly glanced at Daphne, who had been standing silently at the edge of the room. "I find that hard to believe."

"Believe what you want," Daphne said coolly. "It doesn't change the fact that I was the only one who was able to save him."

Molly stiffened. The bluntness, the cold confidence—it was exactly what she expected from a Slytherin.

And yet… there had been something else in her voice.

Molly sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. You can stay—for now. But understand me, young lady—I will not allow any dark business in this house."

Daphne met her gaze. "Understood."

Molly studied her for a long moment before nodding. "You'll sleep in Ginny's room for the night."

Daphne nodded in agreement, though she didn't miss the way Molly still looked at her with caution.

Ron huffed. "Honestly, Mum, you're making this a bigger deal than it is—"

"Bed. Now," Molly ordered.

Ron grumbled but obeyed.

Daphne turned to head outside to get some air, but before she did, she felt a familiar pull in her chest.

Harry was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking at her.

She walked toward him slowly, exhaustion pressing down on them both. The air between them was charged with something unspoken, something fragile and deep.

Harry squeezed her hand. She squeezed back.

Neither of them said a word.

When they reached the landing, Harry slowed his pace, glancing at her. His voice was soft, tired. "You okay?"

Daphne tilted her head slightly. "I should be asking you that."

A shadow passed over his face, but he only offered a small smile. "We're both okay. That's what matters."

For a brief moment, neither moved. There was a pull between them, something deep and unspoken. Daphne felt it in the way his magic brushed against hers, a silent acknowledgment of everything they had gone through that night.

She exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Goodnight, Harry."

Harry quickly closed the gap between them pulling her into a hug charged with emotion. As they pulled apart Harry bent down and kissed her cheek. A small fleeting kiss but it sent a shock wave through Daphne's core. His smile lingered for a beat longer before he turned toward Ron's room. "Goodnight, Daphne.".

She watched him go before heading to Ginny's room. Still feeling the warmth that enveloped her, she opened the door to Ginny's room. The younger girl was fast asleep, her red hair sprawled over her pillow. Daphne moved quietly, settling onto the extra bed.

As she lay staring at the ceiling, the weight of the night finally settled onto her chest. The image of Harry in that room—his back covered in welts and bruises, his quiet acceptance of pain—burned in her mind.

Her hands clenched the blanket.

She had nearly lost control. The darkness inside of her had almost swallowed her whole, but then… there was him. The warmth of their bond, his presence, his light, the kiss.

Daphne turned onto her side, breathing out slowly.

She had done what she needed to do. And she would do it again if it meant keeping Harry safe.

Sleep didn't come easy, but when it finally did, it was with the steady hum of their connection grounding her in the dark.