Chapter Text
Chapter 1
September 1st,
Platform 9 3/4
Daphne was sure she was in love as she watched Harry Potter enter the train station.
He had been the target of her obsession since 4th year. The bravery he had shown during the tournament had won her heart completely. She'd made do with little conversations and attempts at flirting since then.
And then, Astoria happened.
Of course she couldn't help herself, and had decided, in her infinite wisdom, that this was the perfect time to confess her own feelings to Ginny Weasley.
The two girls had been joined at the lips ever since, and it was all doomed. Everything was doomed.
Now, her sister was dating the ex-girlfriend of Harry Potter.
But with this being a redo of the final year, she had to make a move. And she had to do it now.
Icy blue eyes followed his every move. The way his arms moved when he walked and the careless way he pushed the sleeves of his jumper up over his forearms. His veins alone were so erotic, they felt like something that would have been written by Shakespeare himself.
Daphne wiped the little bit of drool from her mouth, glancing around before realizing there really was no one paying that close of attention to her. Sure, superficial looks were thrown her way, she was universally known as the prettiest girl in school, but none of her friends were here, nobody was paying that close of attention to her.
It worked for the best, she supposed, that she was head girl. It meant one roommate. Only one person who could possibly be an annoyance to her, maybe they could be friends though? With Tracey gone, all she really had was Astoria. So maybe she could make a new fri-
There was absolutely no fucking way. Harry fucking Potter was head boy. Because of course he was. He had the badge pinned to his jumper as if he didn't want to lose it. Merlin this would be awkward, given the fact that she was unable to stop drooling just looking at him. And he was of course followed by Ron and Hermione seemingly at every step.
She hurriedly stepped onto the train, ignoring the looks from several of the 6th and 7th year boys. As she did, she bundled her hair up into a messy bun, letting the sides hang loose.
She had to make it to the prefect's compartment, where of course she'd meet Harry.
For nearly anyone else, it was no big deal to show off little emotions, being the cold and calculating slytherin that everyone expected from her. But with Harry, she already knew this would be difficult. Especially when as she opened the door to the compartment it was just him inside, his jumper off and wearing a tight black t-shirt.
Merlin help her.
“H-Hey.” Daphne said in a quiet voice, eyes meeting his for the briefest second before dropping to her shoes. She flushed a bit and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, trying not to resemble a blushing schoolgirl.
“Hey Greengrass. I should have known you'd be head girl.”
—
Harry was sure he was in love the second he saw her step onto the platform. He'd known it deep in his heart since he was 11 years old and he'd watched her sorted into Slytherin, hugging her brunette friend as she sat and shot him a flash of a grin.
She'd never given him weird looks during the time he’d been accused as the heir, casting sympathetic looks instead. She'd been one of the few people who hadn't worried about his status, willingly partnering with him on a few occasions, though she always seemed very awkward and clumsy which was odd given her poise with seemingly everyone else.
In third year they'd been potions partners through the entire year. It solidified a bond, though just one as acquaintances. Fourth year had her refusing the ‘Potter Stinks’ badges from Draco. And all of the years after that, she'd done nothing but support him, going so far as to visit him in the hospital wing.
She'd always been a name he watched on the map during the horcrux hunt, unable to keep himself from it. It was hard not to when his ex girlfriend's name continuously popped up on the map extremely close to Daphne's little sister. It made sense since they were from the same year, but it gave Harry a weird feeling anyway.
“Harry, you've got to stop drooling.” Hermione reprimanded, “She's not gonna talk to you if you're continuously open mouth staring.”
“Daphne may be into that.” Ron mentioned offhand, “The two of you get along pretty well.”
“I thought you hated Slytherins, Ron.” Hermione teased, earning a glare from the redhead, “Or is it different because her sister is dating your's?”
“It's different not only because we're basically in-laws…” Ron glared at Hermione making all of them chuckle, “But because Daphne and I both have been in the chess league together since first year. Bonds made in chess go beyond house rivalries.”
Harry laughed awkwardly, still watching her. “Maybe she'll think it's cool that I'm Head Boy.”
“Keep dreaming, Head Boy.” Ron teased. “Go on and do your duties.”
Harry gave him a rather rude gesture and walked off towards the prefect's compartment, still dreaming about Daphne.
He tugged his jumper over his head, tossing it into the back of his chair as he sat down, rubbing his forearms and letting out a groan.
After everything they’d gone through, this was going to be a good year. He just knew it.
As he finished stretching, he heard the door open and a quiet, familiar voice greeting him.
And there she was. The goddess he’d been quietly pining for. In the flesh.
Harry fought to not drool as she stood in front of him in her cute little sweater, icy blue and fuzzy. The colour matched her eyes.
Her hair was in a bun, her makeup lightly done and standing just barely shorter than him. She looked utterly kissable and he fought the urge to do just that.
“Hey, Greengrass. I should have known you'd be Head Girl.”
“Why is that?” Daphne asked, head slightly tilted. The light hit her lips just right and it took Harry the barest second to get his brain under control.
“Because you're the most brilliant Slytherin I know.” Daphne smiled prettily at the compliment, flushing and tucking hair behind her ear.
“And when did you get so charming, Potter? Did you flirt your way into being Head Boy too?” she teased.
“I didn't, uh…” Harry was flustered but still grinning, “So, I was thinking… Times have been dour. Maybe we could set up a Halloween, Yule, and Valentines Ball. You know, lighten the mood and give students things to look forward to.”
Daphne appreciated the change of subject as she kicked her shoes off and fell into her seat next to him. “Ooh. It’ll promote some form of school unity. Maybe the first two could be for everyone, with the Valentine's one being just for the upper years?”
They talked about possibilities for other activities for a long time, their knees just barely touching. Daphne loved the entire exchange, and appreciated the passion that Harry had for bringing some unity to the school.
The new prefects came in an hour or so later, and they ran through the usuals of restricted items, prefect rounds and the like. The subject of the dances were brought up and all prefects seemed to like the idea, with the Hufflepuffs putting more ideas in the mix, such as holding fundraisers for them.
Finally they finished up and the other prefects left their carriage, leaving Harry and Daphne alone again.
“You're a born leader, Potter.” Daphne said, shooting him a smile.
“You are too. You definitely make this whole head boy thing easy.” Daphne flushed at the praise, loving every bit of it.
“I keep you around, Potter and I won't need to wear blush with the amount of compliments you give me.”
“Well it's good you're stuck with me for the year, then.” Harry quipped and both of them grinned at one another. “It's gonna be like one long potions lesson, just with less Snape and more talking without getting yelled at by him.”
—
The rest of the journey to the school had been a breeze, but the feast and getting the first years to their respective rooms took longer than they expected. Harry and Daphne hadn't even made it back to their shared common room until well past midnight, though they made sure to share glances and smiles the whole time.
Being Head Boy and Girl didn’t just come with extra work. It had its fair share of privileges too, such as the privacy afforded by their shared living space.
“This is cozy.” Daphne said as they stepped in and started to wander around. She casually slipped a pack of sterlings from her pocket and lit one.
“Greengrass, you better be sharing that with me.” He warned with a grin, causing the blonde to laugh as she kicked her shoes off and sat onto the couch.
Harry made a show of conjuring an ashtray and sat on the cushion next to her.
“Wine?” Daphne asked as she grabbed her purse, pulling a bottle of Moscato. She pulled the cork and took a long drink, wiping her mouth off before passing it to him. Daphne smiled as she watched him take a long drag of the cigarette and a drink from the bottle.
“Never thought I'd be here, ya know?” Harry asked.
“What? Being in the Head common room? With me?” Daphne teased as she stretched out, resting her feet on the table in front of them.
Harry coughed, smiling. “Er, the former. But that too. Mainly, I never thought I'd be alive this long. Especially not to enjoy some cigarettes and wine with the sister of my ex girlfriend's girlfriend.” He flashed her a smile.
“Glad that's all I am to you, Potter.” Daphne pretended to be hurt. “I know someone who isn't getting a Christmas present.”
“Take it back.” He teased, taking another drink and leaning into the couch.
“Never.”
The two went back and forth for hours, getting close enough with each other that, at some point neither had really noticed, they had slipped into using the other’s first name. By then, it was nearly two in the morning, and the bottle had long been emptied.
Daphne yawned. “I think it's time for me to go to bed.” She stood up, hissing at the cold floor she could feel even through her socks. “Night, Harry.”
Harry couldn't help but stare up after her, watching the way she tiptoed up the stairs and the gentle sway of her hips.
“Night, Daph.”
—
That night
Sleep hadn't gotten any easier since the war. Harry was up and down multiple times through the night, checking windows, shadows, and whatever else caught his sleep deprived eye.
The second nightmare was what really did him in. He could hear the sobs from upstairs in Malfoy Manor, with screams punctuating the sobs.
“I've gotta get up there.” He muttered, glancing at Ron as Ron covered his ears, crying quietly.
Harry had never been a man of inaction. He'd kept the knife Sirius had given him on the small of his back, usually hidden by his shirt. The Bowie knife was pulled and Harry waited next to the staircase.
Draco was the first victim, and as he stepped further into the room, Harry leapt from his cover of shadows, forcing the knife through Draco's throat. The gurgle was unlike anything Harry had heard before as he lowered the boy to the ground, his wand being taken out from his pocket and put in Potter's hand.
He tried not to stare at the viscera and blood splayed across the doorway, but Harry was unable to stop. He watched as the light slowly left his former schoolyard enemy's eyes.
With a shake of the head as if to clear his thoughts, Harry crept slowly up the stairs, a quietly crying Ron behind him as he held the wand up. They reached the top of the stairs and-
Harry woke with a gasp.. He could hear crying from the common room as he woke up. He lit a cigarette and pulled his sweatpants on, pushing his feet into his slippers. He stepped into the common room to see Daphne on the couch, quietly crying to herself.
“Daphne?” He yawned.
“S-Sorry, Harry. Just a bad dream. Please, go back to bed.” Daphne shivered and in an instant, Harry was sitting next to her.
“I’d rather not. I just had one too.” He said gently. “Need to talk?” Harry sat next to her and watched as she took a drag from the cigarette.
“It was just about the battle. Holding Tracey as she bled out after- after Dolohov and- and-” she sniffed, trying but failing to wipe her eyes. Harry's eyes glanced at the scars marring Daphne's thighs and wrists.
Daphne almost jumped a little as a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders. “Mine was that night at Malfoy Manor.” He said quietly, “The first time I purposefully took a life.”
Daphne looked up to his face, seeing the haunted look there and wanting more than anything to make it go away, make him feel better. “Who…? Do you want to talk about it?”
“Malfoy had been helping Bellatrix keep Hermione under the Cruciatus Curse. I slit his throat.” Harry said simply and Daphne's hand found his, squeezing it. “I think about it a lot. Obsess over what I could have done differently. I don't think there's much I could have changed. Is it bad to say that I wouldn't have changed anything?”
Daphne shook her head, “There's nothing wrong with getting rid of evil, Harry. And Draco was evil. The things he did the first six years. The things he did to Pansy. And made her do the last year..” she trailed off and squeezed his hand.
Harry changed the subject subtly, “I know the battle here was hard. It was hard out there too. I respect and appreciate everything you did, you know that?”
Daphne nodded, leaning up to peck his cheek. Both their cheeks were on fire as she nestled against his chest, speaking softly, “You’re a sweetheart.”
The sleepless night caused both of them to forget about any inhibitions, holding each other for comfort against their collective bad dreams.
“Tomorrow is gonna be miserable for classes.” Harry mentioned offhand and Daphne raised a perfectly maintained eyebrow.
“No, it isn't. We don't have class until 11.”
“Thank Merlin.”
Daphne laughed at the sheer normalcy in his comment. She sniffed and wiped her eyes one more time before letting out a slow breath. “I don't know if I can go back to sleep.”
“We should try anyway. It's still early.” Harry said quietly, raising his hand and a second later, her blanket laid covering them. Daphne cuddled closer to his chest and yawned.
“Comfortable?” Harry asked and she nodded slowly fading into sleep.
—
When Harry woke up, he cast a quick Tempus charm and saw that they had an hour till class. With a gentle shake, he woke Daphne. “Daphne, it's an hour till class.”
Daphne yawned, stretching against him, a flush to her cheeks. “Thanks, Harry.”
And though she meant it as such, she also meant it as ‘Thanks-for-staying-with-me-and-not-letting-me-wallow-in-my-own-terror.’
“Anytime, princess.” Harry winked at her, teasing her with a name for royalty. She'd been called the Ice Queen for so many years, Harry had never understood it. Daphne was a quiet girl, sure. But she always gave him smiles, smirks, grins. He loved the expressions she'd constantly shoot his way.
Daphne smiled to herself, wondering if he'd still call her that if they were dating and merlin- why couldn't she stop thinking about this? She huffed against his chest, tickling his sides as she started to stand up. “You're a brat, Potter.”
“And you love it, Greengrass.” In one quick motion he stood up, tickling her hips and making her laugh out loud as he moved past her. “I'm gonna get ready. Meet you here in a few?”
“So sure that I want to hang out with- Oh.” Daphne was suddenly frowning, eyes wet with unshed tears as she realized that he and Ron and to a lesser extent Hermione, would be her only friends this year.
“What's wrong, Daph?” Harry asked, quickly hugging her as it seemed to work the previous night.
“Just the sudden realization that most of my friends are dead or gone from school.” Daphne sniffed as she pressed against his chest. “I guess that means I do need to hangout with you.” She muttered, trying to lighten the subject.
“Welcome to the golden trio. You're replacing Ron.”
“There's no way I can keep up with Weasley's eating habits.” Daphne said, laughing against his chest and smacking it lightly. “I'm going to shower and get the tears and wine off of me. You better not be joking about hanging out with me all day. I'm counting on you, Potter.”
“As if any guy would ever shrug off a chance to hang out with you all day.” He teased, winking at her and delighting himself with the way her cheeks seemed to redden almost instantly.
“Shut up, brat.” Daphne muttered, grinning as she pushed against his solid chest and made her way up to her bathroom.
Daphne could feel the stress and worry slowly easing itself out of her muscles and joints as she lathered up and washed the soap from her pale skin. She couldn't help but imagine the warm water was Harry's strong arms, his hands running down her, and…
Daphne physically shook her head, stopping herself.
“Merlin, this is gonna be a long day.” She muttered as the shampoo ran from her hair and down to her feet, temporarily covering the black polish on her toes. Harry had once complimented her black fingernails and she kept them painted impeccably ever since.
After finishing in the shower, making sure to condition twice, Daphne stepped out, drying off and began putting on her makeup. She added a little extra eyeliner and a little extra lip gloss compared to her usual. She took her time putting her hair up in a carefully crafted bun and looked herself over in the mirror.
Her school uniform was pulled on, making sure to pin her head girl badge on the chest of her outer robes.
Daphne smiled briefly in the mirror, making sure to spray herself a few times with her vanilla based perfume and stepped from the bathroom. She looked down and into the common room from the loft that held the upstairs bedrooms and the shared bathroom. Harry sat on the couch flipping through a book and casually waiting for her.
She couldn't help but feel her heart flutter seeing him waiting for her, his messy hair still slightly damp. She longed to run her fingers through his hair, to scratch his scalp. Daphne shivered at the thought as she stepped down the stairs, flushing just slightly at the way Harry's eyes lit up and he smiled.
“Wow, Daphne. You look great this morning.” Harry said, his voice more confident than normal as he looked at her appraisingly.
“Can barely tell I fell asleep on your chest for like, 6 hours, right?” Daphne countered, a grin on her lips, “You look quite handsome yourself.” Her hips swayed a little more that morning as they walked from the Head's common room, both grinning at one another.
—
It seemed only fitting, as Daphne went to class with Harry and the rest of the trio all morning, that she seemed to be paired in every class with him. It was a step up from last year, and she could feel the webs of loneliness ebbing away for the first time in a long time.
“Exactly. I just don't get it, Daph.” Harry said, almost exasperated as the four stepped into the Transfiguration classroom. Daphne reached out as they sat down and grabbed Harry's hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Tracey's favorite class.” Daphne mumbled to which Harry squeezed her hand back, letting her know he was here for her.
Ron and Hermione watched the two with smiles on their faces, sharing hushed whispers back and forth.
“Then we need to keep the spirit alive. In her honor, right?” Harry asked as Professor McGonagall made her way into the room, beginning her lecture on human Transfiguration and self Transfiguration.
Daphne realized a few minutes in that she was still holding onto Harry's hand and he didn't seem to mind.
“Which is why we will be pairing up for one final project this year. You choose your own subject and I will oversee your projects. Remember, your final grade comes not from your success, but from the effort you put in.” McGonagall said, looking between them all. The 8th year class was small, maybe 24 students tops.
“The best project will receive my personal recommendation to either another Transfiguration master, towards myself as an apprentice, or a letter of recommendation to whatever other career you might go into. I'll give you all a few minutes to discuss.”
“Did you mean what you said?” Daphne asked, looking up at Harry with puppy dog eyes.
“I always mean what I say, but you have to be a little more descriptive.” Harry got a smirk and a playful roll of the eyes from that.
“That we can carry on her legacy? Tracey's goal. Her only one at Hogwarts was to be an animagus. And between us, we’ve got the skills for Transfigurations and Potions.” Daphne spoke confidently.
“It's supposed to be incredibly difficult. But two very important people in my life were Animagi. And a very important person in yours wanted to be one. Let's do it. If anyone can do this, it's Harry fucking Potter and Daphne fucking Greengrass.” Harry said with a smirk as her grin grew wide.
She let go of his hand to hug his neck.
“Thanks Harry. Though our matching middle names surprised me a bit.” Daphne said with a wink, letting go of his neck and sitting up properly.