"Happy birthday, Longbottom. Here, this is for you," Daphne said, handing over a wrapped present.

"Right, uh, thanks, Greengrass," he replied, awkwardly accepting the gift. "Lady Greengrass, my Gran is in the sitting room, I can take you to her."

"Thank you, young man. Daphne, come along," Ava replied, and Daphne obediently followed them to a room with vintage decoration. Waiting there, in fashion just as old as the decor, was an intimidating elderly woman. The Dowager Longbottom, Daphne guessed.

"Lady Greengrass, it's a pleasure to see you again, it's been too long." Despite her words, the elderly woman's tone and expression weren't all that hospitable.

"Yes, since last year's summer solstice celebration. We appreciate you extending the invitation to my daughter."

"Of course. Neville, why don't you take the young lady to the rest of your guests while I speak with Lady Greengrass?"

Daphne kept the frown off her face long enough to exit the room with some grace, well aware her mother had only come to explain the 'terms' of her attendance to Lady Longbottom. Still, she had no reason to linger and followed her host out of the room.

"I'm still surprised you actually came," Neville said, glancing in her direction as they walked through the corridors to exit into a large courtyard. "I mean, the idea you'd reach out to willingly spend time with me, after…"

He didn't need to finish his sentence for Daphne to understand. She'd spent years not trying to hide her giggles and laughter at Neville's lack of magical ability, his potions brewing, and so much more. "So why agree to let me come today, then?"

"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have made it to the Ministry that night, and I-... Anyway, Harry and Luna both trust you; that's enough for me."

And with that, their conversation came to a close, surrounded by Neville's friends. 'What was that about?' As far as she knew, Neville was an instrumental part of their battle in the Department of Mysteries, being the last one left fighting at Harry's side before their rescue.

Daphne stood off to the side while she mused, awkward and out of place among the crowd of Gryffs, Claws, and Puffs. She looked through the assembled partygoers, seeing few friendly faces among the lot of them. Conspicuously absent was the young man she'd come in search of.

'Where is he?' Neville's behaviour forgotten, Daphne stood on tip-toe, trying to see over the heads of the taller guests, but there was no sign of Harry anywhere. She did, however, catch sight of Luna, standing next to the youngest Weasley by the refreshment table.

"Hello Daphne!" Luna called out as she approached. "It's wonderful to see you!"

"Hi, Luna. Thank you for your letter. It was nice hearing from a friend." Luna beamed in reply, and Daphne greeted the other girl standing with them. "Hello, Weasley. I hope your summer has been well."

That her greeting was noticeably cooler went without comment from either girl. "What are you doing here?"

"Luna told me she was coming, so I secured an invitation of my own."

"You really make a habit of pushing yourself into uninvited places, don't you?"

It was hardly surprising that Weasley would know about her little excursion to Harry's home at the end of term, given her older brother had taken them out to dinner while she was there. "I've found assertiveness to be a rather desirable quality," she said. "I guess you could say I'm taking a page out of the Gryffindor playbook."

"You're nothing like-" Ginny started, but Luna interrupted before their nascent argument could get underway.

"Are those your party clothes? They don't seem all that different from what you usually wear."

Luna was correct; Daphne hadn't gone all out in her preparation for today. A simple yellow sundress with black flats, her hair down and loose just past her shoulders. "I guess you're right, but I like your outfit."

It was a bold choice, to be sure. The quirky blonde wore a ballroom gown, one more elaborate than what Daphne wore to the Yule Ball, years back. It was a shiny, silvery colour, complete with elbow-length gloves and a filmy veil that hung over the front of her face.

With the Weasley girl in simple jeans and a loose blouse, the three of them were comically mismatched.

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it! I'd never been invited to anything like this, and I didn't want to embarrass myself."

Both Daphne and Weasley were quiet at that, neither wanting to broach the subject of the little Ravenclaw's isolation from their peers. Instead, Daphne tried to ask, in a casual way, "Has Harry not arrived? I didn't see him on my way in."

"He's not coming," Weasley said in a flat tone. "He stayed at my house with Ron and Hermione. OWL results come in two days, and she's been a complete nightmare waiting for them."

Oh, that's right, OWLs. A tingle of dread went through Daphne when she considered her parents' reaction to her lacklustre marks. "But- why would he skip his friend's birthday for that?"

"I didn't invite him," Longbottom said from behind her.

Daphne felt her eyebrows raise involuntarily as she turned to face him. "Why not?" She cast a deliberate look around the courtyard. "It looks like half our year is in attendance. Why wouldn't you invite Harry?"

Neville opened his mouth to respond, then abruptly closed it. After a second, he started again. "We only became mates this year, I wasn't sure- I mean, his birthday is tomorrow, and all…"

She couldn't hide her irritation at his obvious lie, but swallowed any biting reply she might have come up with. Given the way she'd forced her way into his party already, she wouldn't win any favours by losing her temper. Still, it was hard to not be annoyed, given she'd been looking forward to seeing Harry for the first time in over a month. "I see. I guess I'll just mingle, then."

"I can make introductions!" Luna offered, cheerfully taking hold of Daphne's arm and guiding her towards the main body of guests.

"That's alright, Luna, there's no need to bother anyone."

"What bother? These are my friends!"

Daphne tugged on the arm Luna held, pulling both of them to a halt. "I don't think I'd fit in very well," she said, trying to convey her meaning without going into why several of the assorted students may not be eager to see her.

Unsurprisingly, Luna didn't take the offered hint. "I told them all about you at the meetings, don't worry." 'Of course!' The illegal duelling club! That explained the presence of several younger years, as well as the House diversity at the party.

Her new friend was true to her word - despite being paraded in front of a bevy of new faces, she didn't receive anywhere near the negative attention she'd expected as the sole Slytherin at the party. Luna was in her element, as happy as Daphne had ever seen her. Even with her unusual dress, the other students all reacted with either benign amusement or polite tolerance.

"Oi, Greengrass, surprised to see you here!"

She turned away from where she'd been listening to Padma Patil discuss arithmancy with Mandy Brocklehurst. "Hello, Finnegan."

He was chuckling, along with Dean Thomas and another boy she didn't recognise. "So you've moved on from Harry to Neville, then?"

"I don't know what you mean," she said, although his innuendo was clear. She turned back to the other girls, but their conversation had died down and they were instead watching her.

"No need to be embarrassed, Nev's a good guy" Finnegan continued, nudging Thomas, who was hiding his laughter behind his hand. "But if you're making the rounds through our dorm, I was wondering when I get my turn?"

"Seamus!" Longbottom appeared, grabbing hold of his roommate's arm and pulling him away from her, whispering harshly for several moments before angrily gesturing for him to go away. "Sorry about that, Greengrass."

She'd heard worse, but nonetheless, the jeers didn't do much to inspire hope for the coming school term. If this was the reaction she got from the other Houses, added to whatever misery Pansy was able to generate for her in the Slytherin dorms, it was going to be a lonely year. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. Seamus can be a real bell-end."

Patil and Brocklehurst had wandered away during his confrontation with Finnegan, leaving just the two of them. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yea, what is it?"

"What's the real reason Harry's not here?"

Neville's face took on an evasive look, and Daphne was transported back to that day in the Hospital Wing, when he wore the same expression. "Harry's got enough on his plate, as it is. I doubt he's got time to spend eating cake and watching me open gifts."

Daphne watched him closely, trying to keep her voice casual. "I suppose that's true."

"Is it true you stayed with him earlier this summer? How is he?"

"He's okay," she said slowly. Neville was obviously testing the waters about something involving Harry, but what? "I like to think he's coming to terms with losing his godfather, and focusing on the future."

Neville looked stricken at her generic and innocuous remark, before he grimly replied, "Yes, I don't doubt he would be."

Daphne took a quick look around to ensure none of the other party-goers were eavesdropping. "What is it? If there's something wrong with Harry, I need to know."

He bit his lip, eyes darting between her, the other guests, and the soft grass they stood on. "It's nothing. I'll talk to him on the Express."

She took a step closer, lowering her voice. "Harry and I are together. If you know about some danger, some threat, you have to tell us now, not in a month!"

"'Us'?" Neville queried, letting out a nervous laugh. "I hardly think Harry would want me to tell you, Greengrass."

Daphne paused at his refusal, then made a gamble. "It's about that night, isn't it? At the Ministry?"

"It's got nothing to do with you," he said brusquely, turning away to leave.

She grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her. "Yes, it does." The next morning, while Weasley had been reading The Daily Prophet, the mood was cheerful. Despite their injuries, the six of them were flush with victory, all except Harry… 'And Neville' she remembered. "This is about the Department of Mysteries."

"I said leave it alone, Greengrass."

He pulled his arm out of her grasp and walked away, filling a glass with punch and taking a seat nearby his roommates. Daphne let him go, trying to recall everything about the aftermath of that night two months prior. It wasn't easy; there was a great deal of her own distress tied in with that time period.

Harry hadn't told her much about what happened after they left her in the Forbidden Forest, and then the term was over. The others had been hurt, and the papers started calling Harry 'The Chosen One' because the battle started in the Hall of Prophecy…

'I don't know,' Luna had said, that morning in the Hospital Wing, 'The Death Eaters seemed to think there was something to the prophecy we were fighting over.'

Daphne, almost unconsciously, had started walking towards where Neville was seated, her feet carrying her even while the scene continued to replay in her mind.

'It's a shame that it broke before we could hear it,' Weasley had said.

"Longbottom."

"I'm done talking to you," he said without looking in her direction.

"No, you're not."

Thomas and Finnegan exchanged curious glances. "Look, I don't know what this is about," Thomas said, "but if Nev says to piss off, then-"

"You know. You heard it, didn't you?" she asked Neville, ignoring the others entirely.

"We've had just about enough of you, Greengrass, why don't you-"

"It's okay, Dean. I'll handle this," Neville said, rising from his seat with newfound urgency and escorting her away from the courtyard and towards the manor.

"I'm right, aren't I?" she asked as they walked, keeping her voice quiet. "The trap, it was all about a prophecy, wasn't it?"

He bit his lip and nodded. "Yes."

"About Harry?"

They were in the shadow of the large home now, darkening Neville's features. "Maybe. I think so."

She was growing frustrated with the way he wouldn't just answer her questions. "What does that mean?"

"You're not in Divination. It's not always straightforward."

That, at least, she understood. The subject was widely considered a complete joke among the student body, an easy OWL to pad one's marks. "Okay, that's fair. But it has something to do with him, and why he's not here today. I- he means a lot to me, Longbottom."

His pale blue eyes met hers for a long moment, then he leaned back against the wall of his home, jamming his hands into his pockets. "Do you know about my- about what happened to my parents?"

"No," she said, truthfully. "Were they killed in the war?"

"They were attacked, just days after Voldemort fell. They'd been in hiding, but the war was supposed to be over… they thought it was safe. The Lestranges tortured them, and they never recovered."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know."

"I heard about their courage, their heroism my whole life," he continued, his voice growing stronger. "My gran told me all about how they stood up to Voldemort, part of a group that fought against him and his Death Eaters. Three different times they faced him and managed to escape."

Daphne said nothing. The first war, despite ending shortly after their birth, was a sensitive topic even before the Dark Lord somehow resurrected and kicked off its sequel.

"Harry's parents were in the same group. Just like my parents, they were in hiding, too; only Voldemort found them." Still she remained silent, and he went on. "The prophecy, it was about someone who could beat Voldemort. Someone whose parents defied him three times, someone born at the end of July."

"Harry's parents…?"

He shrugged. "I don't know about them as well as my own, but they must have faced off with Voldemort, too. And you know his birthday's tomorrow."

"So, it could be him or you?"

"No," Neville said firmly. "It's him. There was more, but I'm not- no offence, Greengrass, but I'm not going to tell it to you."

"Does Harry know? Did he hear it, too?"

Neville removed his hands from his pockets and rubbed his eyes. "It was in the middle of the battle. My wand was broken, and Harry and I were the last ones standing. They'd come for the prophecy, only Harry or Voldemort could remove it. It was why we lasted so long; they needed it intact, and we used that vulnerability to fight back.

"We were the last ones, but I couldn't fight. It was just Harry. Professor Dumbledore hadn't arrived yet." Neville's breathing had quickened, short and fast inhalations, his eyes distant and clouded. "Lestrange, the vile bitch, she- she said she was going to do the same thing to me she did to my parents."

His fists clenched. "They were desperate for the prophecy. That was when reinforcements arrived. Harry tried to get me out of there, he gave me the prophecy orb and helped me escape. I'd been jinxed, and couldn't hang onto it. It shattered, just as Dumbledore arrived, but I heard it. I heard the whole thing."

"Did Harry? Does he know?"

"I don't think so," he said pensively. "He was watching- that was when Sirius…"

"Oh." They were quiet for several seconds, Neville lost in the memories of that night, Daphne going over everything she'd just learned. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"At first, it was because he'd just lost his godfather. It would've been pretty insensitive to drop that on him right away, y'know? But the more I thought about it, the more I realised how horrible it was-"

"Why?" Daphne asked, feeling urgency over what information the prophecy contained. "What does it say?"

"I already said- look, it's not what's in the prophecy. It's about the prophecy itself." Daphne's confusion must have shown, because he went on. "It's why our parents were in hiding, why they were targeted, why his parents were killed and why mine were attacked. Because of us."

"You?"

Neville wiped furiously at his eyes. "If they'd never had me, my parents would still- they'd be-" He took a deep breath. "You can't understand what it's like. It's hard enough, not having them, but to know they suffered because of me… I didn't want to do that to him."

"I'm sorry," she said, but despite the sympathy that welled up inside her, Daphne didn't give up. "If the prophecy is about him, though, he deserves to know. You have to tell him."

"I know," he said. "I'll tell him on the Express."

"No! Send him a letter, or, hell, go visit him at the Weasley's."

"It's his birthday tomorrow," Neville said. "That's some present to give him."

His response only confirmed the prophecy wasn't good news. "This can't wait, Longbottom!"

"Fine, fine! I'll send him an owl tonight!" Neville shook his head in an almost disbelieving way. "I never thought I'd see the day where you were so worried about Harry Potter's welfare."

"Things have changed," Daphne said, too distracted at the thought of what horrors fate had in store for her boyfriend to give that statement any serious consideration. "I'm going to go find Luna. Thanks, you're doing the right thing."

"I think I saw her over with Ginny."

"Okay." Daphne turned, then paused, adding as she walked away, "Happy birthday, Neville."

It wasn't hard to find Luna, not with what she was wearing. "Hello, Daphne!"

"Hi, are you having a good time?"

"I am!" Luna nodded fervently. "Ginny was just telling me about what to expect tomorrow."

"For Harry's party?"

"That's right," Weasley said, voice somewhat strained. "I was just explaining to Luna something more casual might be appropriate. The Burrow's not quite as hoity-toity as this place."

"Got it," Luna said with an affirmative nod.

"Okay, well, I should get going. Bye, Luna." Then, somewhat grudgingly, the redhead glanced her way. "Greengrass."

Daphne watched her go, some of the stress from her conversation with Neville bleeding over into irritation at the way Weasley treated her. It wasn't a pleasant thought, the idea that she had Harry all to herself for half of the summer. What was it Elysant had said about the fickleness of teenage boys?

If only there was a way she could see him, surely that would alleviate her insecurities. Daphne missed him; a few days of snogs and snuggles was a tease, nowhere near enough to sustain her for months! It was the entire reason she'd come here, to begin with!

"Say, Luna," she started in a thoughtful tone, "Have you ever had a sleepover before?"

Silvery eyes wide, Luna shook her head. "No, but I've heard all about them."

"If you like- I mean, this party seems to be winding down, maybe I could come over and we could give it a try-"

"That would be wonderful!" Luna bounced up and down, the movement jostling her veil and leaving it hanging askew. "I could show you my paintings, and our library, and-"

Daphne held out her hands, trying to settle her. "We'd need to make certain your parents don't object, first."

"Oh, Daddy will be so pleased, you don't need to worry! He's said for years I should have a friend visit."

She hadn't anticipated any resistance from her younger friend, but it was still a good feeling to see Luna's enthusiasm. "My mother will probably need to speak with him before I can stay."

"Oh?" Luna peered at her closely, and Daphne recalled the passage in her surreptitious letter via The Quibbler how she'd been told by Harry the Greengrasses might not approve of post sent through regular methods.

Hurriedly, Daphne tried to smooth over any suspicions the other girl might harbour. "It's nothing serious, but you know how parents are. They'll always see us as kids!" She added some fake laughter to the end of her statement, hoping Luna would take her word at face value. The last thing she needed was someone else thinking her parents mistreated her.

"Of course," Luna eventually replied, her tone strangely neutral. "Well, there's no point in waiting. Let me go thank Neville for inviting me, and then we can use his Floo."

If Ava Greengrass seemed surprised her daughter was so determined to attend the Longbottom heir's birthday as to invite herself, the news that Daphne sought her permission to spend the night at the Lovegoods left her downright flabbergasted.

"You want what?"

"Luna asked me to stay the night at her house," Daphne repeated, standing in the corridor outside the Longbottom's parlour. Inside, Luna waited with her father by the fireplace.

Her mother pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Why would you want to do such a thing?"

Gods, her mother was so embarrassing! "To spend more time with her. She's my friend, I don't see what the big deal is. I used to go over to Pansy's all the time!"

"The Parkinsons aren't completely mad! Really, Daphne - I know you're upset with us, but decisions like this don't say much for your maturity."

"Would you- if you're going to insult my friends, can you at least lower your voice?" Daphne followed her own advice, speaking quietly as she made her argument. "Luna's in the year below mine. I don't see her as often as I'd like in school."

"Still…"

"It's not enough you want to choose my boyfriend, now you're going to pick my friends, too?"

Ava sighed. "Of course not. I'm sorry, you're right. Very well, run along, and I'll speak with Mr Lovegood."

Xenophilius Lovegood smiled and waved when they reentered the parlour, although Luna glared at her mother with a venom she'd never seen on the cheerful blonde's face.

"Why don't you girls head home now while Lady Greengrass and I chat?" he said, and after a moment Luna nodded, taking Daphne's arm and reaching out for a pinch of Floo powder.

She called out "The Rookery!" and the two girls stepped through the green flames.

Daphne wasn't sure what to expect, given the Lovegood's reputation, but what greeted her upon emerging from the Floo was rather underwhelming in its normality. Luna's home was small in comparison to her own, and rather sparsely decorated. The walls were largely bare, shelves bereft of ornamentation in favour of haphazard stacks of books and pamphlets.

The room they stood in took up the entirety of the first floor, an open, circular design that welded kitchen, dining area, and sitting room together. Here and there, potted plants in various states of bloom produced herbs, spices, and potions ingredients.

Everything was dated, but in a much different way than the Longbottom's home. At Neville's, the traditional and vintage atmosphere was intentional, maintained to create the aesthetic of wealth and heritage. The Rookery, in contrast, had an air of decay, a static setting fixed in time, the original intent fading slowly into ruin with each passing day.

"Would you like to see my room?" Luna asked. Her voice bore an unusual note of hesitance, and Daphne reminded herself that she was likely the first person in several years - if ever - to accept an invitation to visit with the younger girl.

"I'd like that," she replied, and the two ascended a spiral staircase up to another floor, this one divided into a more standard design.

Entering Luna's room was like stepping into an entirely different home. Nearly every inch of the walls were covered; maps of faraway locations, hand-drawn creatures, fanciful abstract paintings, and countless moving photographs bearing an image of the same woman captured in various moments in time.

"Is that your mother?" Daphne asked, making the obvious connection between the woman's silvery eyes, petite figure, and familiar features. "She's very beautiful."

"Yes, she was," Luna said, standing next to her and looking at the photographs. "Daddy let me put them up in here after- so I could remember her the way she was."

Daphne felt herself tense involuntarily, glancing at the girl standing alongside her. "I didn't know she passed away. I'm sorry."

Luna merely nodded in reply, and for a few moments they stood in silence. Eventually, she spoke again. "I had a lot of fun at the party today, I see why everyone gets so excited for them now. I can't wait for Harry's party tomorrow!"

Tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear, Daphne made her way over to the bed and took a seat. "Would you like me to help you pick out what you're going to wear?"

"Okay!" Luna went over to a large armoire, pulling the doors open and revealing a mess of clothes haphazardly piled inside.

What followed was surely one of the strangest 'fashion shows' in history. It didn't take long to realise they had vastly different expectations of what sort of outfit she should wear, and so a compromise was struck: Luna would pick one piece of clothing, Daphne would pick another, and so on.

"What do you think?" Luna asked, spinning in a circle.

She wore a loose tan skirt that extended past her knees (Daphne's choice), a pink and green floral frock-top (Luna's pick), topped with a cream-coloured fringe scarf and a wide-brimmed explorer's hat. "It's perfect."

Luna laughed, and her infectious merriment left Daphne giggling as well. It was fun, harkening back to days long past when she and Astoria used to play dress up in their mother's clothing.

Once they settled down, Daphne brought up the original purpose that brought her there. "I bet tomorrow will be a lot of fun."

"I can't wait!"

"It'd be nice to see Harry on his birthday."

Luna wasn't a Ravenclaw for nothing. "I wish you could come, too."

"Do you know what a plus one is?" Luna shook her head, so Daphne explained, "It's the term for bringing someone with you to a party."

"I see…" Luna stroked her chin, eyeing her speculatively. "I suppose this is something most people know about?"

"I'd say so, yes." Daphne deliberately left out the fact that explicit permission to bring a guest was the norm.

"Right, then you could be my plus one!"

"That would be great, thank you Luna."

The rest of the night was a mixture of the familiar - like having a dinner of steamed carrots and shepherd's pie with Mr Lovegood - and the unusual - such as when Mr Lovegood, with Luna's assistance, spent much of the dinner explaining how carrots were an essential component of the people's resistance against the nefarious Rotfang Conspiracy. Still, Daphne couldn't deny she enjoyed the extra time with her newest friend.

"Comfy?"

Presently, she lay in Luna's bed, helpfully expanded thanks to Mr Lovegood's Engorgio spell. Her borrowed nightclothes were constricting, given Luna's size, but not to the point of discomfort. "I am, thanks."

"Okay. Sweet dreams, goodnight!" And with that, Luna rolled onto her side and was snoring loudly in a matter of minutes.

Sleep did not come as easily for Daphne. She tried to focus on seeing Harry tomorrow, on how her goal of saving Astoria was progressing, and with unexpected benefits at that. The single-minded determination she showed in securing an opportunity to meet her boyfriend again was rather impressive. Elysant would be proud, she thought to herself bitterly.

Turning her head to face the sleeping blonde next to her, she couldn't stop the sour feeling that rose within her. Tomorrow, she would see Harry, and all it took was manipulating an innocent and vulnerable girl. At least one Weasley was going to be furious with Luna tomorrow, one that the lonely Ravenclaw thought of as a friend. What right did Daphne have to burn that bridge for her?

And at what point did she think up this plan to worm her way into an 'invitation' to Harry's party? As soon as she realised Harry wasn't at Longbottom's? Maybe, unconsciously, she'd started thinking of it as a backup when Luna confessed she'd never been invited to a party before.

'This is for your sister' she thought to herself, trying her best to force down any guilt. But Luna was so much like Astoria in so many ways. Sweet, kind, forgiving; both girls isolated from their peers, Luna because of her quirks and Astoria her illness, but neither resentful for it.

Things were going well. She didn't have to do this. Harry wasn't the sort to be wooed away by his friend's little sister, Daphne told herself. Even thinking such a thing, though, brought with it a spike of fury. It wasn't fair there was so much standing between her and Harry.

Eventually, despite the turmoil roiling inside her, Daphne's eyes grew heavy. Tomorrow was waiting, a new day to decide the kind of person she wanted to be.

The repetitive crows of a rooster woke her, bleary-eyed and irritated.

"Good morning!" Luna's chipper voice greeted, and Daphne rolled over to see her out of bed and fully awake. "Isn't it wonderful to wake up at dawn?"

Daphne groaned, muttering under her breath, and pulled a pillow over her face. "Can't someone shut that stupid bird up?"

"If you like, you can yell at it later today when we go to the Burrow, but I don't know how effective that will be."

Their brief conversation had the unfortunate side effect of leaving Daphne wide-awake. Reluctantly moving the pillow aside, she sat up and looked over to where Luna stood in front of her window, framed by the orange glow of the early morning. "You already showered? How long have you been up?"

"Not that long," Luna airily replied. "I wanted to make sure I had time to get ready. Do you want breakfast? I started some porridge, it's probably ready by now."

"Let me get dressed, I'll meet you down there."

Luna skipped out of the room, and Daphne slowly pulled on her dress from the day before, combing her fingers through her hair to work through the tangles and knots.

Settling into a seat at the Lovegood's cluttered table, she accepted a steaming bowl of porridge with brown sugar sprinkled over the top from Luna. "Thank you."

While she tucked in, Luna idly stirred her own food. "I was wondering…" she started, trailing off and taking a bite instead of finishing her sentence.

Daphne glanced up, seeing her friend's nervousness, and set her spoon down. "Yes?"

"Well, it's just- the others, for Hogsmeade weekends, and the Yule Ball-"

"What is it? You can tell me."

"Would you help me with my hair?"

That didn't seem like such a big favour. "Is that all?"

"Daddy's not so good with things like that," Luna said, continuing to move the porridge back and forth in her bowl. "My mum used to, but since she's been gone, there hasn't been- I mean, no one-"

Daphne reached across the table, catching the girl's hand to still her restless movement. "I'd love to help. Eat your breakfast, then we'll get you fixed up."

They finished their porridge and went back upstairs. Mr Lovegood must have been otherwise occupied, for there was no sign of him as they moved about the house. Daphne took a seat on the bed, Luna cross-legged on the floor in front of her.

"Can I see it?"

"Not yet, almost," Daphne replied, diligently working at her long, ash-blonde hair. "I know it's taking a long time, but it'll be worth it, I promise!"

They sat in silence, Luna motionless while Daphne threaded her hair in more and more intricate patterns. "Listen, Luna, about today; I think, maybe I shouldn't go to the Burrow."

"What? But-"

"Stay still, sweetheart," Daphne chided. "I know what I said before, but I don't want the Weasleys to be upset with you."

"Why would they be upset? You're my plus one!"

"That's true, but it's considered somewhat impolite to not alert your hosts you're planning to bring someone. I guess I was too excited at the thought of going to mention that before." She patted Luna's back, walking her over to the mirror on her dresser. "Okay, I'm finished. What do you think?"

She'd done her hair into a Dutch flower braid; the braid was arranged in an elaborate fashion to form an approximation of a flower lying against the nape of Luna's neck. Examining it closely over her shoulder, Luna turned twice to examine Daphne's work. She took a slow, deep breath, softly remarking, "It's wonderful!"

Luna wrapped her up in a desperate hug and Daphne returned her embrace, giving her a gentle squeeze before letting go. "I'm glad you like it. You've got beautiful hair, anytime you need it done just let me know, alright?"

Luna nodded. "You're sure you don't want to come? I thought you wanted to see Harry."

"I do, I really do. But I think if I show up, it will cause a scene. He deserves to have a fun and happy birthday without any drama." Given what Neville had told him the night before, that was doubly true. "We'll get you all set, and I can head home when you leave for the party."

"Alright," Luna agreed, though doubt was still obviously present in her reply.

Luna dressed for the party in the outfit they'd selected the day before, with Daphne helping her carefully perch the explorer's hat over her newly made-up hair. That task accomplished, she stood and smoothed out her dress.

"I guess I should be going."

"There's still an hour until the party starts! Why don't you take a shower, and then we can talk until I have to leave?"

"I don't know…" Daphne started, but a shower did sound tempting. Sitting outside the day before, in the late July heat, left her feeling rather grimy. "Okay, I guess you're right."

"I'll grab you a towel!"

Once she was situated in the bathroom, Daphne disrobed and started the shower. Her back pressed against the cool tile while the steaming water rained down, she closed her eyes and accepted this small defeat. Once she got home, she'd write a quick letter, wishing him a happy birthday. There was plenty of time to find a present to give to him on the Express, after all.

What to do about the prophecy, though? Harry would need support, now that he knew what portent the orb held. Who would he turn to, in her absence? Maybe she really was making a mistake, putting her concern for Luna over not just her future with Harry, but his future in general.

'What was I thinking?' she wondered with an audible groan.

Even before that question was posed, though, the answer was readily apparent. Luna, over the last year, became important to Daphne. Protecting her mattered, and that wasn't something to lament. She didn't need to exploit the younger girl's naivete, her isolation and loneliness.

Shutting off the water, Daphne reached for her towel and began to dry off, content with her self-justification. Pulling on the tired old sundress she'd been wearing, she wrapped the towel around her hair and opened the bathroom door, stepping into Luna's room amid an accompanying rush of steam.

"Hey." Daphne stood stock-still, blinking in surprise. "It's really great to see-"

His words were cut off as she lurched forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and capturing his lips in a hungry kiss. Harry responded, and she felt his arms close around her, his fingertips digging into her back to press her more firmly against him.

A quiet laugh sounded from the other side of the room, and Luna's cheerful "Happy birthday, Harry!" announced her presence.

He broke off their kiss to turn in her direction, and Daphne could feel the rumble in his chest against her own as he chuckled in response. "Thanks, Luna."

"You brought him here?" she asked. "When?"

"Luna Floo-ed over to the Burrow a few minutes ago. It's my fault, really; I didn't know you were available to come to the party."

Daphne tried to fake a frown, but the broad smile on her face didn't waver. "You're terrible at this, really. Remembering to invite your girlfriend to your birthday party isn't exactly NEWT-level thinking."

He raised a hand to cup her cheek, pressing his forehead against hers. "Surely an in-person invitation makes up for that error in judgment?"

"It's a start," she impishly replied, closing the gap to kiss him once more. "You're sure it's okay if I come?"

"It's my party, isn't it?"

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Luna said, coming closer and pushing them apart. "You need to get back to the Burrow, we'll see you soon enough."

Harry grudgingly released her, taking advantage of the distance between them to rake his eyes up and down Daphne's figure. "Um, I thought I could spend the time until the party with Daphne."

"No, that won't do at all!" Luna said, taking hold of his arm and walking him to the door. "There's not a lot of time until the party starts, and every minute counts!"

"Alright, I'm going, no need to push!" Harry shot her a grin over his shoulder, waving goodbye. "I'll see you soon!"

"What's going on? Why'd you send him away?" Daphne asked as Luna closed the door behind him.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, turning around with an eager expression. "Now that you've got an invitation, we need to pick out an outfit for you. Then, I'll do your hair!"

Daphne gave a weak smile at the younger girl's enthusiasm. 'Uh-oh'

A/N: A few things happened in this chapter. I pinched it off; my outline was about double what's in this chapter.

A few reccs to tide you over while I'm away -

'Recovery and Reconciliation' by Luq707, which is a super creative Haphne fic set just after Grindelwald's defeat. It's... sort of a Haphne Regency fic (think Jane Austen setting), but I loved how fearless the author was with taking the characters out of time and putting them into a unique and nontraditional setting. Give it a chance, you'll like it!

Also (self-promo here), if you haven't read 'In Living Company' yet, my H/Su Li fic, you're missing out. I think it's the best thing I've written to date, and it's a complete 25k longshot. Like all my rare-pairs, it hasn't exactly caught a lot of people's attention.

I'm continuing my 'oneshot winter' with a H/Katie Bell fic coming in December, followed by a H/Lilith Moon fic in January. The KB fic will be immediately after the events of DH, while the LM fic will take place when Harry is in his early 30s.

Stay safe, healthy, and happy! ~Frickles