Harry grumbled, he had been played. And who the heck still used Milord? What was she, 60? "What are you, 60?" But Harry wasn't able to get the response out in time before he heard Daphne's door close upstairs.
"Dammit." Harry cursed to himself quietly, he was losing his touch already. Knowing he had lost that round Harry headed over to the bathroom to check on Astoria.
***Break***
Astoria hovered up carefully, the Cleansweep holding her perfectly steady. Slow and steady. Slow and steady.
"Perfect. Now, gently lean forward just a bit. There it goes. The broom will listen to you, as long as you're confident. Are you confident? Okay, lean a bit more. Get a feel for it" Harry coached gently. They were on the Quidditch Pitch. Daphne rested under an umbrella with a book nearby, wanting to watch Astoria's first ride but not wanting a tan in doing so.
Astoria smiled wide as she started going a bit faster. She was flying! On a broom! She made sure to listen to Harry though, who had stressed the importance of safety. Harry was walking right below her, keeping her in a straight line. Once they got about 25 meters Harry spoke again, "Okay, turning. You're going to want to grip as you lean. The grip can affect the speed so you don't want to grip too hard, and then you lean into it. You have plenty of room so turn as wide as you want. Perfect. That's the basics so why don't you try a few things out, I have my wand ready but be careful"
The girl looked absolutely thrilled at her experience, exploring how the broom worked. She didn't go very fast but the movement was so new to her that she felt like it was fast. Balto barked happily and took Harry's spot beneath her, the dog barely keeping up with Astoria as she went a little faster.
"Woohoo!" Astoria yelled, giddy at the new experience. She floated happily for about 10 minutes until she landed, breathless.
"That was awesome!" She ran up to Daphne, who smiled at the girl. Daphne didn't really like brooms but wasn't going to stop Astoria from trying them out. The girl happily took a sip of the lemonade on the small table Daphne had brought out with the umbrella, Dolly having help set it up.
Astoria grimaced as a taste that was not tea assaulted her. "Yuck! What is this stuff, alcohol?"
Daphne couldn't help but laugh at the purely childlike moment Astoria just had. "No, Tori, its lemonade. I like it"
"It's gross." Astoria set it back down. Harry walked up from where he had been in the center of the Pitch running around with Balto for a moment. Harry picked up the drink that Tori had just set down and took a long swallow.
"Will everyone please stop drinking my drink?" Daphne complained. Get your own damn drink, if you're so thirsty, she thought.
"Oh, sorry, I thought it was mine." Harry apologized, out of breath. He set the cup down.
"It is, now." Daphne said, and resumed reading her book.
Shrugging, Harry picked the cup back up and walked away taking another drink. Balto somehow seemed able to match Harry's impressive Stamina, and Harry pet the dog as it ran by him. Astoria walked up next to him, watching a happy Balto chase a butterfly. "So did I do well?"
"A little slow, but it was your first time. Are you thinking about going again?" Harry asked the girl.
"Slow? Fine, can I ride with you since you're apparently so fast?" The girl asked, thinking that the paltry speed she had achieved was normal for the broom. The girl had never seen a Quidditch match before, so didn't know how fast it could be.
Harry grinned. A Firebolt appeared in his hand out of thin air, making Astoria jump. "You have to teach me how you do that."
"Maybe some day. Are you sure you want to ride with me? I go fast." Harry warned the girl.
"I can handle it."Astoria said defiantly.
Nodding, Harry walked over to Daphne. "Astoria and I are going to ride together. Are you okay with that?"
Daphne looked at her sister in surprise. Astoria wanted to ride with Harry? And then it dawned on Daphne that Astoria had no experience with brooms, they had never even owned one before. Remembering many a Quidditch match featuring Harry, Daphne kind of had an idea what Astoria was in for. Daphne greatly appreciated Harry asking her permission first though. "She can do what she likes, just go easy on her." Daphne turned a page in her book.
Astoria paled a bit. Go easy on her? Easy was faster than she had gone? Suddenly the girl wasn't so sure what she had signed up for. But she wasn't a wimp so when Harry mounted the Firebolt and held it steady for her, she climbed on. What she hadn't counted on was how close she was going to be to Harry, who had to wrap his arms around her to reach the broomstick, something that his long arms made pretty easy.
"Hang on tight, just in between my hands. Alright. You ready?" Harry gave her one last chance to change her mind. Astoria gulped but nodded.
Like a bullet Harry brought them up into the air. Astoria lost her breath for a moment at the sudden movement only it didn't stop as Harry climbed higher than she had earlier and took off. Astoria's stomach rose and then fell as they whipped around the Pitch. Finally she was able to catch her breath as she got used to the movement.
"This. Is. Awesome!" Astoria cheered, and Harry laughed behind her. "Does it go any faster?"
"Does it go any faster, she asks. Hang on!" Harry warned the girl and Harry started really showing what a Firebolt could do. Astoria screamed in exuberance and they rode around even higher. Harry took them around the grounds, letting loose for a moment. Astoria reached out with one hand and swiped at the water of the fountain as Harry flew by it. This was crazy!
Harry brought them up high into the air, and floated for a second to let the girl catch her breath. The view was amazing, and Harry's wards prevented anyone from potentially seeing them. "Wow." Astoria looked around in amazement.
"Pretty cool eh?" Harry said as he too looked around.
"Very cool." Astoria agreed.
"You ready to head down?" Astoria nodded, and then screamed as Harry tipped them into a sudden and steep dive. As fast as an arrow, faster yet than they had gone, the pair rocketed down to the ground.
"Woooooooo!" Astoria called out as Harry took them into an easy corkscrew, the world rotating around them. They pulled out of the dive smoothly and Harry touched them down just in front of Daphne. "That was amazing!" Astoria exclaimed.
Daphne eyed them both, a little jealous of Astoria at being able to get to ride like that. Even though Harry was the Gryffindor Seeker, no one at Hogwarts questioned the boy's flying skill. Harry laughed and messed up Astoria's hair. Or fixed it. It was hard to tell after the win had worked its magic. Harry headed over to the broom shed with the Firebolt when he noticed a scuff on the handle. Probably from his Lord's ring Harry thought to himself, but nothing a little buffer won't fix.
As if knowing what Daphne was thinking Astoria said to her sister, "You have got to try that!"
"I've ridden on a broom before," Daphne replied, flipping another page of her book.
"Yeah, but unless you've been keeping secrets you've never ridden a Firebolt. It was so fast!" Astoria plopped down onto the grass under the umbrella, Balto running over when he saw his human.
"I'm quite alright. I've gone plenty fast on the school brooms, and wasn't that good anyways" Daphne took a sip of the new lemonade she had gotten while Harry and Astoria had been in the air. Another page flip. Astoria noted the title to be a Charms themed book.
Astoria turned to look at Harry for a moment as the boy opened the door of the shed. "So ride with Harry! It was awesome, and he's really careful. I bet he'd agree!"
"I would hardly think that Harry wants to take another person into the air today" Daphne replied easily.
Astoria grinned like a cat and turned to her sister, mischief in her eyes, "I'm going to ask him"
"What?" Daphne said only to see Astoria already running off to where Harry was. Ugh. Stupid girl, Daphne thought both at Astoria and to herself once she saw the trap for what it was.
"Harry! Can Daphne take a ride on your broomstick?" Astoria called out to him and Daphne choked on her lemonade. One of Daphne's only regrets in life was letting Astoria read their mother's private collection, the other being reading some of the books herself. Luckily the joke went over Harry's head, or he simply ignored it, Daphne couldn't tell as she walked up from where she had been seated in an attempt to put a stop to this.
"Really?" Harry asked looking up at the older sister quizzically as he buffed the Firebolt.
Daphne had been one of the few who, during his party, had displayed no interest in the pick up games they had played on the Pitch. She just didn't seem the type. "You can ride it if you want, I have no problem with it"
Daphne coughed into her hand, blushing slightly which was hidden by the flushed look that the heat of the day had already given her. Either Harry was entirely clueless or he was playing along with Astoria and Daphne didn't know which option was worse. But Daphne could tell that Astoria thought that her sister wouldn't go through with it, and had just asked to tease her sister a bit. 2 could play that game Astoria. Daphne thought to herself.
"Okay, but I'm not very good." Daphne admitted, and it was the truth. Part of why she didn't like broomsticks was that she had almost no talent for the things.
"Did you want me to ride with you?" Harry offered, just like Daphne thought that he would. Daphne nodded, and Astoria watched her plan fail. Harry put away the buffing rag and oil and smoothly mounted the broom.
***Break***
Riding with Daphne was much different as the older sibling had about 14 centimeters on the younger one. Harry's long arms once again proved up to the task but the two were much closer than Harry had been with Astoria. Luckily having her back to Harry hid Daphne's blush at the closeness as well as the small tongue that Daphne shot at Astoria who looked put out to have failed in her plan to embarrass her sister a bit. Astoria mock glared in return.
"Ready?" Harry asked once they were situated.
"Yes," Daphne replied confidently in defiance of her sister's glare.
It was only as they shot off at incredible speeds that Daphne realized the folly of what she had agreed to, Harry already starting her off faster than he had with Astoria. Daphne's eyes were wide and her body was rigid. The speed was incredible and Harry whipped through the air and across the grounds, always one to enjoy a good flight. But Harry's warm arms were wrapped around Daphne tightly and slowly she relaxed into the flight. She even found herself starting to enjoy the skillful way that Harry maneuvered through the air.
"How are you holding up?" Harry's voice, so close to her ear surprised Daphne "Do you want to go faster?"
"I'm fine!" She called back at him, and she was.
Harry smiled, and maintained their speed, but took them through a few more tricks than he had with Astoria, even going through the Quidditch rings at one point. Finally Harry brought them down to the ground and Daphne was as breathless as Astoria had been. That was thrilling, once you took away the feeling of risk associated with flying. Harry's confidence and skill had gone a long way into making Daphne feel safe even in the air.
With the rush of endorphins, the girls' usually calm demeanor was shattered and Daphne said, "That was awesome!" and actually allowed emotion to show on her face for once. A large smile that she aimed at Harry.
Harry couldn't help but smile back, entranced by how the smile seemed to transform Daphne's already pretty face. It would definitely be a look he tried to bring out of her more often. Astoria broke the moment though, and Harry had to take the jealous younger sister back up into the air. He didn't mind though.
***Break***
Molly Weasley wasn't sure what to make of it, to be honest, staring at the article. She always got the issue a day late, it was a bit more frugal that way and Arthur would let her know if there was exciting news so she didn't need to stay as current as most. The idea of some sort of affair, and at 13 no less, was absurd. But she had noticed the way that Harry had addressed the cool blonde at his birthday party. You didn't get to be a mother of 7 without picking up a few signs along the way. Charles had looked at that pink-haired girl much the same after a Quidditch game that Molly and Arthur had come to watch. Attraction that even the wielder was unaware of. Probably meant nothing, might not turn into anything like it hadn't for Charlie and Tonks, but it leant just a small enough nugget of truth to the words in Rita's that Molly was torn. Despite the red hair though, Harry was not one of her brood even if she happily treated him like one, and she tossed the article knowing that there was nothing she could do for it anyways.
It was as Ron was taking out the rubbish that he saw it. Normally the boy wouldn't bother with the Daily Prophet, but when the main picture clearly showed your best friend you at least gave it a glance. And when it contained the stuff that it did you gave it a hard read. Ron had played it cool around Harry, knowing that jealousy wouldn't do him any favors, but he was a teenage boy now and you didn't see your best friend with an arm around a pretty girl without feeling a twinge of jealousy. Harry was already growing up and dating girls, something that Ron wanted to do but wasn't as confident to try and pull off. And when the article insinuated that Harry was doing a bit more than some snogging Ron was honestly a bit pissed. Now Harry had 3 girls? What sort of guy did that? So with permission from his mother after a smooth lie saying Harry had invited Ron over he decided to find out. Ron tossed the article onto his bed and went down to the Floo.
Fred crept into his younger brother's room along with George, the two troublemakers always looking for an opportunity to prank Ron. So when Ron had called out that he was going to visit Harry, the twins jumped at the chance. They were going to just change a few of the boy's Hogwarts crests on the school robes to a more… flattering color, as well as hide one of every matched sock the boy owned. George was the one who noticed the picture of Harry on the bed, and was curious enough to check it out. After a few lines he nudged Fred and like so many things they read the article together as one. Ickle Harrikins was growing up. Fred and George looked at one another with matching grins, oh they were gonna tease Harry about this one good. They didn't believe a word of the article, of course, but that wouldn't stop them from using it as ammunition. They took the article upstairs to hide it before deciding to go for a fly before term. Wouldn't do for the dynamic duo to show up to school rusty, Oliver would have their heads.
Ginny easily picked the lock of her twin brother's room after noticing the boisterous twins stampede past her door on the landing. It was a skill that she had picked up from breaking into the broom shed for some sneaky late night flights. Satisfied at her successful entry, she looked over the room in interest. Her brothers always had the good stuff, and Ginny would be lying if she said that she didn't have a mischievous side almost as big as Fred and George's. She crept over to their closet, intent on burglarizing a few Wet-Start Fireworks. As she rustled through the messy closet, headed for their secret stash she saw it. Harry Potter. Always interested in something that involved her crush, she pulled the newspaper out of the stash. It was a teary eyed Ginny that would be running from the room past her brothers, newspaper in hand. Ginny had thought that once Tracey and Harry were done she might be able to work up the courage to show the boy that she was more than a shy, timid girl. But Harry had skipped right past that and was now living with 2 girls, one of whom was much prettier, taller, fuller, richer, Ginny stopped listing adjectives about Daphne as her head buried into her pillow and she cried.
***Break***
It was Thursday now, and Harry sat with Daphne in the sitting room with a book in each of their respective hands. Astoria was outside with Balto under the watchful beady eyes of Dolly. The 2 teenagers were content to just relax and read a bit. The noise in the sitting room was quiet and relaxing, only broken by the sound of a page turning. Daphne had chosen another Charms book, as it was her best and favorite subject, while Harry was reading, Daphne squinted just a bit at the title, a book about engines. Weird, but hardly harming to Daphne and she ignored it.
This was the scene that was shattered by the flames of the Floo. Harry was up in a flash with wand in hand and standing in front of Daphne. He was not expecting visitors so was suitably cautious. The wand was lowered when Ron Weasley stepped out of the flames.
"Ron! Mate, you scared me there" Harry laughed easily and walked up to say hello. He paused a moment though at the look in Ron's eyes, aimed at Daphne behind him.
"Harry." Ron said, anger clear in his voice, and Harry sighed, knowing that look, but didn't stop walking forward.
Ron was surprised at the strength of Harry when Harry's arm wrapped around his shoulders in what was normally a friendly hug. Instead of a hug though, Harry wrapped him up in almost a headlock and started dragging the boy out of the room, Ron's head under his arm.
"Oi! Let me go, you prat!" Ron grunted at his friend, trying to dislodge himself. Even a few punches were ignored by Harry's iron grip and easy steps. Harry debated for a moment before deciding on the Study as the best setting for this, the room's silencing wards still as strong as when he had first cast them just a couple days ago. Daphne looked a bit worried at the pair, but didn't quite know what they were doing.
***Break***
"She clearly brainwashed you!" Ron finished his rant to Harry as Harry sat at his desk calmly. The boy had let his frustrations out in the privacy of the Study, detailing what he thought was some sort of conspiracy by the Slytherin girls to get to his fortune.
"Are you done?" Harry said calmly, figuring it was best to let Ron say his piece first. Ron nodded and flopped down onto a chair, finally looking around the room in interest.
"Good. First off, what business is it of yours who I do and do not date? That was rhetorical, Ron" Harry silenced Ron with a spell when the boy tried to interrupt, "I let you say your piece and you'll let me say mine. Secondly, where on earth did you get the idea that I would be capable of having an affair, an affair Ron, at 13. Mate, I've kissed a girl less times than I have fingers. Plus, that duel was crazy and I had no idea it was going to end up this way but despite that this is my home Ron, mine, and I'll have whoever the hell I want in it whenever the bloody hell I please. You don't know Daphne and Astoria, hell I don't even know them, but it was my own bloody stupidity that brought them into my home. Tracey left me, mate, with how this all went down and those girls out there lost their home and their father because of my mistakes, no one else's. I had to take responsibility for that. That's not going to change anytime soon. But if you think for one second, for one bloody second, that I'm doing anything to those girls then you don't know me at all Ron and that's the real tragedy."
Harry let out a sigh of frustration, and lifted the silencing spell. Ron suitably looked like the wind had been taken from his sails.
"You're right, Harry… I'm sorry" Ron said, looking down at his feet and meaning it.
It wasn't enough though, not for Harry. "Mate, you can't just barge into my home and start throwing stuff like that around. You're lucky I brought us in here and not let you blow up outside. A letter, a simple Floo call, hell even asking to speak to me privately. There's certain things you do and don't do, Ron, and throwing around accusations of people sleeping together or conspiring to steal my money is pretty high up on the list of don't do."
Ron at least had the decency to look sheepish, but ever the black mark of his personality his jealousy wasn't quite gone. "But are you?"
"Are I what, Ron?" Harry asked warningly. Surely Ron wouldn't.
"Sleeping together." Ron said callously, yet innocently. As jealous as Ron was of Harry for already doing that with a girl, Ron was honestly a bit curious what that was like.
"Get out." Harry said, venom clear in his voice. Ron looked startled at the change, and didn't move.
"Get out, Ron, before I throw you out." Harry stood up, fury in his eyes.
"It's just a question, mate" Ron said in an attempt to calm his friend.
"It's a bloody rude violation of my privacy! And a slap in my face! GET. OUT." Harry started walking around the desk, and Ron remembered the iron grip that Harry had developed this summer. Ron got to his feet in a hurry.
"Mate, calm down. If it's that big of a deal just say no" Ron tried again at the calming route.
"NO, Ron, we're not bloody sleeping together!" Harry roared at his friend. He was furious, the idea that Ron would think so little of him, of any girl, hitting Harry's proud moral code in every wrong way.
"See? That wasn-"Ron didn't get to finish the thought. Harry's fist smacking his face might have had something to do with it.
Ron fell back at the heavy blow, shocked to feel that his lip had split and his eye hurt like hell. Harry stood over him like a towering giant, fury still in his eyes. Ron scrambled to his feet and looked at the door, how the hell did he open this thing. A wave of Harry's hand opened the door for Ron, and he dashed into the hallway.
"You're bloody mental, mate! You could have just said you weren't sleeping together!" Ron said to his friend, looking back at Harry. "Who punches someone for a question?"
Harry roared once more and followed Ron out into the hallway. Ron saw that his friend was clearly intent on hitting him again, and ran to the sitting room. There, Daphne glared and Astoria looked up at Ron who dashed over to the fireplace, the younger girl having wanted a break from the heat outside and curling up at Daphne's side while the older girl had clearly heard the words Ron had let slip in the hallway. A quick pinch of Floo powder had the green flames burning.
"Your bloody boyfriend is mental" Ron threw at the girl, clearly drawing the wrong conclusion to Harry's rage. Daphne looked at the boy, shocked at the unexpected words but still angry as well. Harry came around the corner in a fury, and Ron dodged the Impedimenta to yell out, "The Burrow!" as he dove into the flames.
Harry glared at the fireplace, arguing the merits of following Ron through the Floo. The audacity of Ron's callousness reminded Harry that as far as the Weasley had come that Summer, he still had the emotional range of a teaspoon.
***Break***
Daphne looked at Harry, concern on her face, while Astoria looked more worried. Harry rarely showed rage in front of Daphne, the only time she could think of was when her father had called Daphne a whore and started the duel. Astoria had never seen it before, only knowing Harry to be carefree, gentle, and caring. It was frightening, even when the rage wasn't pointed at you, as Harry's eyes seemed to almost glow with fire.
"Harry?" Daphne asked softly, knowing what had set the boy off but also putting into her voice a reminder that she was unharmed by the words.
And like a candle in the wind, Daphne's voice broke through Harry's rage and put out that fire. Harry still breathed heavily but he no longer looked like he was about to blow up the fireplace. Harry stomped into the kitchen for a moment to take a breath, away from the two sisters. In. Out. Harry calmed himself and walked back into the room.
Astoria looked at Harry for a moment and then glanced at the fireplace. "What was that about? Who was that?"
Harry glared at the fireplace for a moment, wondering how much he should say to the girl. "That was Ron. Bloody idiot said some rude things."
Astoria looked confused, "He looked like you had punched him. What did he say?"
Damning Astoria's inquisitive nature and incessant need to have the answers Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. There wasn't much to do about it, unless he wanted to fault Astoria for simply being an innocent girl with a lot of questions.
"The idiot, like always, spoke without letting his mind put the words together. He accused Daphne and I of sleeping together" Harry stated, still with a bit of heat in his voice.
Astoria gasped and looked at her sister, who looked shocked at the admission and was blushing a bit at the idea that she would be sleeping with anyone. Harry and Daphne? Sure, the younger girl liked to tease them a bit at their reluctant attraction of one another. But sleeping together? Those were bold words.
In uncharacteristic fashion, Daphne was the one to speak, "That is an absolutely rude thing to imply, A Pureblood should know better"
"Oh, he didn't imply it." Harry said, and he stomped off to his Dueling Room to blow off some steam.
Astoria watched her sister. Daphne was processing the idea of someone, a Pureblood no less, being so clueless as to just come out and ask if 2 people were shagging. Astoria's words matched Daphne's thoughts, "What an idiot"
***Break***
Hermione carefully set the bookmark in to mark her place. The Ancient Runes text that she was reading was fascinating and she was glad that she had picked up the supplemental text during her shopping. She looked around the room to make sure, once again, that she had everything she needed. Nodding to herself, Hermione gently set the book at the top of her trunk and closed the lid. Mr. Weasley was due over shortly to bring her to the Burrow. Her parents were going to a conference for the weekend so Molly had offered to let Hermione stay over and head to King's Cross with them. Hermione's parents had jumped at the kind offer and so here she was.
"Hermione! Mr. Weasley is here! Come down!" Her father, Decklin, called up from the bottom of the stairs. Hermione grabbed the handle of the trunk and carefully guided it from the room. At the top of the stairs she saw her father, thick glasses and curly hair, standing with Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley waved his wand at the girl, offer clear, and Hermione nodded.
Mr. Weasley levitated the trunk down the stairs and Hermione followed, "Thank you, Mr. Weasley"
"Not a problem, Hermione. These things can get heavy when you have a fondness for books" Mr. Weasley smiled knowingly. The man had been an avid reader in his own Hogwarts days so understood the struggles.
With the trunk safely on the floor Mr. Weasley shook Mr. Granger's hand firmly. A quick hat tip said goodbye to Mrs. Granger, whose long flowing hair was always such a contrast to Hermione's with how straight it was. Hermione hugged both of her parents, accepting a kiss on the cheek from her mother.
"You behave yourself, and don't give the Weasleys any trouble, okay?" Her mother stated firmly, she was always one who promoted good behaviour and manners especially in someone else's home.
"I won't, Mum, don't worry. Bye Dad!" Hermione called over her shoulder, running to catch up with Mr. Weasley who was pulling the girl's trunk outside. They were going to Side-Along Apparate from the backyard which had a high private fence. Mr. Weasley stared longingly at the lawn mower that Mr. Granger had, trying to divine its purpose. Hermione's hand on his arm made him aware that it was time to go and he spun in place.
***Break***
Hermione didn't like the feeling of Apparation, but she didn't dislike it. It wasn't comfortable but it was fascinating to see the scene around you change so suddenly. Hermione walked into the Burrow while Arthur excused himself to go tinker in his shed.
Hermione was just heading to the stairs after greeting Molly Weasley, when the flash of green flames alerted her to the arrival of Ron. Seeing her friend made her happy for just a moment, until she saw the split lip and the slowly blackening eye. Indeed, the way that Ron almost fell out of the fireplace worried her.
"Ron! What on earth! What happened?" Hermione called out to him and dashed to his side. The lip was bleeding just a bit. Hermione's call out pulled Molly from the kitchen where she had been starting on lunch for the kids.
"Ronald, dear! What happened? I thought you were going to visit Harry" Molly fussed over her boy, using a hand towel to wipe the blood.
"I did! And that mental idiot punched me!" Ron complained, and flinched at his mother's touch against his eye.
Hermione was confused. Harry punched Ron? That certainly didn't sound like Harry, not unless he had a good reason. Her tone was disbelieving, "Why would Harry punch you?"
Ron flinched once more as Molly put a rag against his eye. He sighed in relief though as magic made the rag ice cold and soothing. "I was talking to him about the article"
Molly gasped, she had thrown that piece of rubbish away for a reason. Clearly her boy had gotten hold of it. Hermione though, who did not get the Prophet, only asked "Article?"
"Yeah. He apparently fought some duel, and lives with the 2 Greengrass girls now" Ron said, as blunt as always.
Shocked was only the tip of the iceberg for Hermione, whose quick mind ran through a ton of information. Harry fought a duel, Hermione knew of the concept of a duel but not what it meant in Wizarding society. And now her friend lived with 2 girls? Alone? Odd, but one thing she knew about Harry was that he was pretty much the epitome of chivalry so she didn't think he would be doing anything unscrupulous with the girls. Which mean that for Harry to punch Ron it would mean that Ron said something stupid. Her mind flashed to Ron's own words he had sent at Hermione in 1st year that had sent her to the bathroom crying, and she knew Ron was capable of saying things that could hurt or insult without even really trying. She had her theory now, time to confirm it.
"Did you say something to him that might have upset him?" Hermione asked curiously.
"No! I only asked him about Daphne, and if he was sure that the snake wasn't trying to trick him!" Ron argued. There it was.
"What did you ask him, Ronald?" This time it was Molly who chimed in. She didn't like the idea of Ron being hit, but boys sometimes roughhoused or spoke with their fists. Not that girls were much better, she thought to herself, remembering many times when she had kicked her brothers Gideon and Fabian in her youth for their prankster ways. So very like Fred and George, she thought wistfully.
Ron blushed, and looked away. Here was Hermione, a girl, and his mother both asking him to basically fess up to asking Harry if he had slept with Daphne. What was he supposed to say? So he said, "Nothing"
Hermione's alarm bells rung in her head, Ron had said something stupid or offensive or both. "Ron." She warned him with just his name that she was going to get to the bottom of this whether he liked it or not so he might as well come clean.
"IaskedhimifhewassleepingwithDaphne." Ron said in a rush, deciding to just get it over with. Like a Baid-and his dad would say.
Hermione gasped, able to decipher the words. His mother too looked outraged. "You did what?!" They both yelled at him.
"Honestly, Ronald." Hermione chided him. Molly simply hauled him to his feet by his ear. Why she ought to teach her boy a lesson, thinking that that sweet boy would do something so crude.
"What? It was in the article! And she's sleeping at his house Hermione!" Ron yelled, slightly pained at his mother's firm grip on his ear.
"That's hardly the point! Harry wouldn't do something like that! He's dating Tracey, for one, and he's 13 for Merlin's sake!" Hermione seethed.
Ron had had enough. Being blamed for being the one who got punched, annoyed at his mother for pinching his ear, his lip hurt, his eye hurt. So he lashed out, "Tracey left him! Good riddance too, if he's so violent. You better watch out for him, or what, are you sleeping with him too?"
Slap! Hermione's hand whipped across his face, the same side that Harry had hit. Molly couldn't blame the girl, she wanted to paddle her son for being rude to Hermione like that. Hermione's eyes teared up. Ron never seemed to learn that words can hurt.
Hermione knew that she was stuck, she couldn't go home as her parents were headed to the train station just after Hermione had left. And now she was trapped in a house with a boy that would think so little of her. She wanted to leave.
Harry came across her mind once more and she decided to try that. "Mrs. Weasley thank you for having me over but I don't think I can stay here. Would you mind if I went to Harry's?"
A conflicted look came across the mother's face. She had told Mrs. Granger that Hermione would be staying with them but also understood why Hermione wanted to leave. Deciding that it would probably be best if Hermione wasn't in the house for the firm thrashing that Molly was planning for Ron's backside she said "I think that would be fine dear. There's some Floo powder on the mantle. Just a pinch. You head right back here though if Harry can't take you."
Hermione nodded and dragged her trunk to the fireplace. It was tricky, but she was able to get the trunk into the fireplace with her and with a small pinch of Floo powder thrown down she said "Potter Manor" while maintaining a teary eyed glare at Ron. With the bushy-haired girl gone Molly pulled Ron over her knee by his ear. Teenager or not, no one got away with talking like that in her house.
***Break***
Astoria was the only one in the sitting room at this point, Daphne having gone upstairs to calm herself at that Ron boy's thoughtless words. So when the fireplace flared in front of her she was rightfully scared. Luckily, Balto was there and the dog jumped up to her defense when Astoria let out a cry of fright.
Balto's barking echoed through the house that Hermione had entered. While Hermione didn't fear dogs, with maybe the exception of Fluffy, Balto was a fairly large Husky and his message he was sending was pretty clear. Take one step towards my human, and I'll be showing you these teeth. And behind the dog was a girl that Hermione had never seen who ducked behind a couch. Ron had mentioned 2 girls so this must be Daphne's sister. Hermione was pretty much stuck.
Daphne had heard the cry of fright as well as Balto's barking that was still echoing through the house. Those 2 things meant her sister was in danger so Daphne took the stairs 2 at a time. The girl had been in the process of changing for an afternoon nap so was only in her brassiere and the skirt she hadn't yet removed. That didn't matter to the girl who would always come to Astoria's side if her sister was in trouble.
Harry too, even over the sound of his spellfire, could at least hear Balto's barking. Balto, while an excitable dog, had yet to actually bark at anything and never so loudly or urgently. Taking the stairs in 3 long bounds, he rushed upstairs to find out what was going on.
Daphne got there first, and took in the scene. Hermione, who Daphne knew from school, was in the fireplace. Astoria was crouched behind the couch. Balto was barking loudly. Putting the scene together in her mind Daphne restored order. "Balto! Heel!"
Like a switch, Balto stopped barking. The dog knew better than to ignore Daphne's tone, danger to his human or not. And he understood the command to heel. That didn't mean the dog would move though, and planted his furry butt right where he was.
Hermione was grateful for the girl and took that moment to step out of the deep fireplace. Her eyes were quizzical when she caught sight of Daphne, having previously been focused on Balto. Why was the girl only in a bra and skirt? "Daphne?"
"Daphne?" came Harry's voice as well as he burst out of the door to the basement. He took in the sight of Daphne. Her hair was down, and her make-up was off. Her wide eyes at the appearance of Harry, as she realized the state of her attire, were bright blue. Harry's eyes wandered lower, entranced. Then his mind caught up with the moment and he spun around to hide his embarrassment. His voice was considerably higher when he repeated, "Daphne!"
Hermione, who had wondered for a moment what the state of Daphne's clothes meant about Ron's theory, knew the truth instantly by Harry's reaction. At the absurdity of the scene she started laughing, her tears in her eyes from Ron's earlier words being replaced by tears of laughter at Harry's embarrassment. Daphne covered herself and fled the room, prompting Astoria to start laughing as well.
***Break***
Harry took a moment to compose himself, his back to the room. He could hear who he guessed was Daphne running up the stairs. The sight of the girl in nothing but her undergarments had lit a fire in Harry, and he needed to pull himself together. Now. He also heard Astoria and who he could tell was Hermione from their years of friendship. It was curiosity as to his friend's presence that finally enabled him to turn around.
Once he did, and after hearing the reason as to his friend's sudden appearance, he spoke, "Of course you can stay here, Hermione. You're always welcome over, you know that."
After debating a moment to go upstairs and apologize to Daphne, Harry decided that was probably not the best move right now. He instead realized that he was being rude. "Here, let me get that for you. Hermione, this is Astoria and the little barkbox here is Balto." Harry nudged the dog with his foot who only tried to lick Harry's toes at the gesture.
"Hello," Astoria waved, still laughing a little at Daphne's earlier embarrassment. Even she had never seen Daphne in her brassiere.
Hermione greeted the girl, and followed Harry up the stairs behind her trunk. Harry seemed to have no issue with the weight of it, simply heaving it up and carrying it over his shoulder as he walked up the stairs. "Why don't you just levitate it, Harry?"
"Oh… you're right, but at this point I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear you. La la la" Harry replied, kicking himself for forgetting magic but too stubborn to admit he was stupid.
Hermione and Astoria giggled at the boy's antics, Astoria passing a keen eye onto Harry's arms as the boy was still in his workout gear from being in the Dueling Room.
At the top of the stairs Harry motioned to Hermione, "You probably don't care, but pick any room you like. Astoria and Daphne's rooms are at the end of the hall next to mine."
Hermione thanked him and chose a room at random, she was only there for 2 nights anyways before term started. Harry followed behind her and hefted the trunk over his head and onto the floor like it weighed as much as a pillow.
"You have some serious strength there Harry, I have about 25 books in there" Hermione commented, and not small books either.
At the mention of books Astoria welcomed herself into the room and asked, "Ooo which ones?" Always interested in reading something new.
Harry let the two talk for a moment, Astoria relishing the chance to talk to someone new and especially about books. Hermione was impressed to find that Astoria had read some of the material she had in the trunk, and found her interest in the written word matched in Astoria.
"Are you hungry, Hermione?" Harry asked when there was a free moment, and the girl was suddenly aware that she hadn't eaten since breakfast which was about 5 hours ago now.
"Starving actually." Hermione admitted.
"Perfect. Just ask for Dobby if you need anything else, I'll go whip something together" Harry said.
"Whip something together?" Hermione asked, confused at Harry's almost mothering words but also teasing him for sounding so much like Molly Weasley for a moment.
"Dobby isn't allowed in the kitchen right now. You won't believe what he did" Astoria drew the other girl back into their conversation which let Harry escape. His ears had the faintest hint of pink for realizing he acted like a mother hen sometimes.
***Break***
Lunch was a boisterous affair. Astoria found Hermione frighteningly intelligent and always ready to answer whatever question the younger girl threw at her. Hermione found the tiny girl's presence bubbly and honestly a bit refreshing, always being the only girl in Harry's group of friends. And Astoria always seemed to be ready to tease Harry over the slightest thing, often making Hermione laugh. Together they made fast friends.
Poor Harry was outnumbered by the twin attacks they would shoot at him, Hermione bringing up past stories from their 2 years at Hogwarts. But he took it as the good fun that it was and they enjoyed themselves immensely. Daphne rejoined them after about 30 minutes, having foregone her afternoon nap in favor of composing herself after Harry had seen her in such a state. She made no mention of the incident as she entered, instead letting Dobby place a plate of Harry's fish and chips in front of her. Just because Dobby was banned from the kitchen didn't mean that the Elf couldn't still serve them some food. Harry didn't appreciate the egregious amount of salt that Dobby had snuck onto his fish though.
Astoria, who often ignored such decorum, merely chimed in, "Hey Daph! That's a nice shirt."
And it was, being flowy and well fitted, but Daphne knew that wasn't why the girl had brought it up. She glared at her sister who laughed at her own joke.
"Yes it is" Harry commented, hoping that chiming in would pull away from the joke but Astoria only laughed harder at his attempt at normality. Hermione looked between them all and was holding back a giggle of her own.
"You… shut up, you brat" Daphne tried to come up with something, but failed miserably and Astoria crumpled onto the floor laughing. Daphne couldn't not crack a smile at the girl, but decided to make Astoria squirm by poking her repeatedly in the side with her toe. That was Astoria's biggest ticklish spot and she made feeble attempt to block while still laughing.
Hermione smiled at the exchange, seeing a new side to the normally cool and quiet girl she remembered from school and the birthday party. But her curiosity had been building steadily and she turned to Harry, "So Harry, how did all of this happen? What happened with Tracey? What the heck constitutes a duel in Wizarding society? And how did these 2 come to live with you, no offense of course Daphne"
Daphne nodded, taking none. Harry took his last bite and placed the plates aside. He took a heavy breath and launched into the story, Astoria finally coming up off the floor much to Balto's disappointment who had come up to give his human some kisses.
***Break***
Hermione stared at the ceiling of the dark room, processing everything they had talked about late into the evening. She had any small concern about Harry's new living situation and any questions Hermione had about how it had come to be put to bed, much like she was now, but still the news had been shocking. She thought about the developments her friend's life had taken long into the night until sleep finally claimed her.
It was a different Hermione that woke up in the morning, having come to a few conclusions. The largest being that Harry Potter was different. Physical changes aside, not that Hermione hadn't noticed those as well, it was the personality changes that were becoming more and more apparent. In the span of a summer Harry seemed to have grown up in a lot of ways and changed in a lot of others. It was… different, but if Hermione was honest with herself it wasn't unwelcome. The more things change the more they stay the same, some would say. As different as Harry was to her now he was still Harry in so many ways. It painted her friend in a new light for her. And she found herself intrigued, and not in the way that she would have expected. Hermione wasn't sure what to do about it, but she knew that she would find out. The answers were always there, it was merely the journey to find them and she was well practiced at that.
She stepped into the spacious bathroom, and found out the wonders of the shower within. Harry had told her that today he would be going to the Ministry to accept an Order of Merlin for the Chamber incident, and that it was up to Hermione if she wanted to accompany him. Astoria was staying behind in favor of some bed rest, the girl's treatment from a few days ago starting to fail and the small girl's frailties becoming more apparent. That had been an interesting fact to learn about Harry's new living situation. Not only was he now responsible for 2 girls who had basically nothing except for some clothes, one of them was sick with a Blood Malediction that Hermione likened to chemo treatments and the oh so common cancer that plagued Muggles. Those of Magical Heritage were luckily immune to such things but Hermione had found many similarities between the description that Daphne had shared with them and what her Uncle had gone through a few years back with Leukemia. Astoria would have maybe 3-4 days after weekly treatments feeling fine and then 1-2 days slowly getting weaker until she finally had a day of bedrest hooked up to some equipment and the cycle would start again.
She finished up in the shower and dried her hair, the task always taking quite some time as her hair was very thick. That was why she always woke up very early, even if she stayed up late, and would often find herself exactly in the position she was in now. In a bed, still naked except for the robe wrapped around her and a towel in her hair, and a book in hand.
A soft knock sounded at her door, shocking her, and Harry's voice through the door shocked her more. "Hermione?'
What on earth was he doing up so early? Hermione had heard him pass her door at around 3 AM so she hadn't expected him to be up at 6. In a rush, she cinched the luckily long robe around her midriff tighter and walked up to the door so she could respond in a low voice, "Yes, Harry? What is it?"
"Can I come in? I wanted to talk to you for a bit" Harry's tone let her know that it was serious, so against her usually better judgement she cracked the door just a bit and poked her head around.
"Oh, I had no idea you weren't dressed. I'll come back later" Harry said, but it was the boy's look that prompted Hermione to open the door the rest of the way open and pull him inside. He wasn't crying, but she knew her friend well enough to see that he was struggling with something.
"I'll be just a moment," Hermione said, and she walked off to the bathroom while Harry sat on the bed, elbows on his knees. After just a moment she was dressed in the same pajamas that she had slept in, having no better options and not wanting to get her day clothes wet from her hair.
She sat next to him on the bed, "What's wrong, Harry?"
This was so unlike her friend. Not the brooding part, that she had seen enough of in their 2 years of friendship. It was that he was actually opening up, and coming to her to talk. Something he had never done before.
Harry took a shuddering breath. His emotions raged at him, still a bit raw from the past 4 days of just constant bombardment. After he had come to his room last night Harry had thought for a long while, instead of just using the floating menu above the bed to rest like he usually did. Harry realized that in the entirety of his summer, he had never spent a true moment with his most steadfast friend. It was the bite of loss from past memories mixed with missing the bushy haired girl, who had so often stood by his side, that brought Harry to her door. Hermione's hand rested on his back, gentle in its reassurance.
"Am I doing this right?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Doing what right?" Hermione asked in response.
"This. All of this. Emancipating myself, building a manor, living this almost reckless lifestyle, and then dueling Lord Greengrass. Now I'm saddled with the responsibility of Daphne, and especially Astoria's well-being I… I just don't know what to do. I'm not ready for all of that. Caring for myself, I can do that. But I had no idea Astoria's sickness affected her so. I had no idea." Harry ranted for a moment, and then slowly his tears started to fall. He had no idea what he was going to do. The only side to Astoria he had seen so far had been a bubbly girl so full of life, and now the reality of what the poor girl went through on a weekly basis was revealed to Harry. Daphne had also revealed that most of her ancestors who suffered from the same thing didn't live past 35. So short of a life for a witch or wizard who often had lives over 150 years old. He didn't know what he would do, being responsible for the girl now and dealing with the knowledge of what Astoria went through.
Hermione merely pulled Harry close when his tears started to fall, for once not having the boy fight her at the contact. She had inferred a lot at Harry's life, but never really pried. Hermione had known what it meant when Ron had detailed the living situation of Harry when the Weasley brothers had rescued him from the Dursely's last summer. It was the knowledge of the fact that Harry had went through that, the full scope of which probably hadn't been shared with anyone, but still somehow emerging out the other side as the selfless, brave, chivalrous, and caring boy that she knew him to be that gave Hermione an immense respect of the young Lord. So she pulled him into a warm embrace, letting Harry cry into her chest, as the boy finally opened up to her and let out some of that pain that he carried around all the time.
***Break***
Harry felt much lighter, and lighter still by the moment, as he let himself be held by Hermione. It was a hard thing for him, to realize that he wasn't quite as strong as he portrayed. It was the easy camaraderie that Hermione had provided yesterday, never once blaming him for everything that had happened, that had ignited his emotions and sparked the pang of loss Harry hadn't realized he had had at the lack of his best friends by his side. Especially Hermione. Ron may be the older friend, just barely, but even in his past life it had been Hermione that was his most stable presence in his crazy life. No hardship, no trial, bar a very rare few, had lacked Hermione's steadfast presence. So when his life had gotten just a little bit more complicated yesterday as Astoria's situation had been revealed, it was that presence that he let himself turn to instead of trying to deal with it all alone.
Hermione pulled Harry further onto the bed, as they had been in an awkward position before and it was not comfortable, and Harry moved compliantly. She maneuvered the pillows a bit with a free hand and rested back, letting Harry rest his head onto her. The bushy haired bookworm was honestly a bit surprised at what was happening. Never had Harry shown such emotion with her. But it also warmed her heart, being able, suddenly and surprisingly, to give back a little bit of support for the boy that always seemed to carry the weight of everyone around him.
They stayed like that for a long while, Harry eventually wrapping his arms around her stomach and resting more of his weight onto her. Hermione didn't complain though. She ran her fingers through his shockingly soft hair and let him take as long as he needed.
***Break***
It was a refreshed Harry that stood up in front of the crowd at the Ministry. Indeed he felt lighter than he had in a long long while. Harry shot a smile at Hermione who was behind him on the stage with Daphne, the gratefulness at his friend's unquestioning support clear in his eyes. Hermione smiled back. Harry grinned at Arthur Weasley and most of the Weasley clan that was also behind him, even young Ginny who was a bit teary eyed from the reminder of the Chamber but still standing strong. Ron stood at his side, the tension between the both still a little clear.
They were at the Order of Merlin Award Ceremony. Harry was surprised that Cornelius had actually gone through with it, but here they were. Both Harry and Ron turned their attention to the Minister as the pudgy man finally quieted the crowd.
"Thank you, thank you. And thank you all for coming to this long overdue ceremony. Earlier this summer, Harry Potter shocked us all with his retelling of the events that had plagued the illustrious school of Hogwarts and then again when he vowed upon his magic as to their authenticity. Well clearly, Lord Potter has not lost his magic!" Cornelius reminded the crowd of the duel that Harry had fought, and many in the crowded Atrium cheered, "So we stand here now. When the school of Hogwarts was plagued last term by a string of Petrifications we were all rightfully worried. But 2 young Gryffindors rose to the challenge. With courage dwarfing that of even some decorated Aurors, the pair of young 2nd years delved into the Chamber of Secrets and confronted, amazingly, a very old and by all accounts very large Basilisk. They emerged from this ordeal victorious and it is with great honor that I stand here today to present an Order of Merlin, First Class, as well as an award of Special Services to the School, to both Ronald Bilius Weasley and Lord Harry James Potter!"
The crowd erupted as the duo of a golden medal with a green ribbon and large engraved plaque each were levitated over to Ron and Harry along with a small satchel of money, to contain 1,000 Galleons. Ronald was beaming, in spite of the large black eye he was sporting, as the crowd cheered. The boy, the youngest of the Weasley males, finally had something that his brothers did not. And 1,000 Galleons to boot! For a boy who got 3 Sickles a week as an allowance, it was a fortune. Harry merely smiled and waved at the crowd. He didn't really care for recognition, and hardly needed the money. When he had made his demand to have Ron awarded the same Award it had been to pay his friend back and give him some recognition in the eyes of the public. The plaque for Special Services was a nice touch, Harry admitted, but honestly after the fight yesterday between Ron and Harry the whole thing was a bit soured for him. Harry wasn't going to ruin the moment for Ron though, who looked postively thrilled.
***Break***
"Hurry up!" Harry called up the stairs. He had loaded everything he would even possibly need into his Inventory which now sported a staggering 3600 slots. Harry could not dream of a moment where he would need that many slots but merely enjoyed the freedoms it allowed him. He was dressed in his finest Acromantula Silk robes in preparation for their departure. This was it, Harry thought, the day he would finally be heading to Hogwarts. What an honestly crazy summer. It had so many ups and downs that it felt like it had gone on forever.
"Shut up! Where the hell are my parchment and quills?" Astoria called back. The sound of bangs and thumps resounded from Astoria's rooms.
"Tori! Language!" Both Hermione and Daphne called out from their own rooms, and Harry chuckled. Hermione had started using the nickname for the younger sister yesterday accidentally and it had stuck. Neither older girl stood for improper language, one of only a few similarities the girls shared.
"Dobby! Go help Astoria!" Harry ordered and heard a pop and a cry of fright from the girl upstairs as Dobby must have popped in on her unexpectedly. Chuckling once more Harry headed up the stairs to see where he could be of assistance.
He started with Hermione, a gentle knock on the door granting him access. The girl had apparently brought quite a few things out yesterday to show Astoria, and so was more unpacked than the would have been otherwise. Now she was having trouble locating her Charms textbook.
"What's the book?" Harry asked her, once he realized what was holding her up.
"Charms: A Charming Thesis of Enchanting Arts" Hermione replied, "It's about this big with a blue cover and I cannot find it anywhere!"
Harry did his best to picture the book in his head, and held up his hand. "Accio Book"
From the bathroom of all places the book rattled against the door in a vain attempt to get through. Harry kept up the spell, knowing that to drop Hermione's book would spell his demise. He carefully opened the door and retrieved the book from the other side. Harry handed it to a grateful Hermione who placed it on top of her things and closed her trunk.
"Dolly!" Harry stated firmly and the female Elf popped in to bring the trunk to the entryway.
One down, he headed to the youngest Greengrass's room while Hermione headed downstairs to get herself a plate of the breakfast Harry had prepared. She had been suitably wowed by his cooking prowess the past couple of days and did not want to miss out on what was surely a delicious meal. Harry made it to Astoria's door and knocked.
Astoria, who had received her treatment the day before, was back to her bubbly self once more and showed that energy with how she ripped open the door. "What?" She ordered.
"Whoa, killer. Just here to see if I can help." Harry laughed at the tiny girl, the picture of fiestiness which was honestly adorable in such a tiny package.
Astoria looked relieved at his offer and let him in. Astoria's room was slowly becoming her own. The walls were a pastel purple and light pink, the colors complementary. Her bedspread that Harry had picked out for her was a constellation, Libra, like the girl's birth sign. The bookcase was packed full, many of the books being from Harry's own Library that the girl had picked out for future reading. The desk however looked like it had not been touched.
"Alright, what are you missing?" Harry asked, and stepped over the girl's trunk that she had pulled into the middle of the room.
"I'm missing my corset, my shoes. Honestly I don't even know." Astoria looked around worried, not wanting to leave anything behind. Her equipment was with Harry's things and he was going to be bringing it to Madam Pomfrey when they got to Hogwarts.
"Okay, okay. No worries. Accio Astoria's Shoes" Harry tried the same spell as before. What he wasn't prepared for however was to be assaulted by a blast of footwear from deep within her closet. There must be like 10 pairs, Harry thought to himself as the footwear careened towards him. Quick as a flash he deftly caught each shoe as it came and tossed it to her trunk, Seeker reflexes paying off. Astoria watched in amazement at Harry's quick hands.
Fisticuffs Skill has increased! It is now 3!
Fisticuffs Skill has increased! It is now 4!
Surprised at the skill that the Game associated with catching flying footwear Harry merely noted the exercise for future use as potential training material. He would probably stick with conjured balls or the like, instead of shoes, but figured that that would produce the same result.
"Alright, shoes secure. You probably don't need 10 pairs though, so be sure to put a few away." Harry ruffled Astoria's hair as he was prone to do, earning him a kick to the rear in response, as he walked by and headed to the closet. The kick was ignored, honestly not even costing Harry any Health, and he stepped into the absolute mess that was Astoria's closet.
"I'm not going to find something I don't want to see in here am I?" Harry joked as he sorted through her pile of clothes.
"I don't know, you seemed to like my sister's brassiere just fine the other day" Astoria shot back, sorting her hair out in the mirror by her bed. She laughed when she heard a thump and a grunt from Harry inside her closet, when he had jumped at the reminder and hit his head on a shelf.
"Brat. Not like your tiny chest has anything like that in here" Harry returned fire and dodged the hairbrush that Astoria tried to throw at him, laughing.
He tossed a few more things, and then found the corset. "This one?" He held it out the door.
"You found it!" Astoria cheered and rushed over to grab it. It joined the rest of the clothes in her trunk.
"Anything else? Bear in mind that Dobby can probably bring us anything you find yourself forgetting." Harry reminded the girl.
"That's true. But no, I think that's everything" Astoria closed her trunk.
"Good, there's some breakfast downstairs so go eat. Dolly! Trunk, entryway, you know the drill" Mama Harry once more came to bear, and Astoria skipped off down the hall to get some food.
Daphne was next. Harry scratched his head as he looked at her door. Things had been a bit awkward since he had caught the girl in her underwear, and they had shot many looks at one another since. Harry decided that there wasn't much he could do about it besides move on, he knocked gently on the door.
"Come in," came Daphne's soft voice.
"Oh, I thought you were Astoria" Daphne said as she looked over at Harry. She was gently folding some clothes and packing her trunk neatly. Despite years of having a House Elf there were certain things she liked to do for herself and packing was one of them.
"Sorry, I can leave if you'd like," Harry scratched his head once more, a little nervous.
"No, it's fine you can come in," Daphne replied evenly. She folded a blouse and added it to the trunk.
"Okay. Anything I can do to help?" Harry asked the girl.
"Hmm. You can come fold with me I guess" She eventually decided. Her school supplies were already safely in her trunk where they had been since she first moved into the room.
Harry nodded and walked over to sit next to the girl. She had a surprising amount of clothes, one of the Heiress's few vices, so still had a large pile next to her.
Daphne's room was much neater than Astoria's, being a more fastidious person than her sister. The forest green walls with silver detailing, similar to Harry's own, gave the room a much more mellow energy. She had, at Harry's permission of course, exchanged the furniture which had been plain and white with dark and rich Oak furniture. Harry made it to the bed, which had a simple dark gray bedspread.
Together they sat in companionable silence, Harry once more surprising Daphne with how elegantly he folded the clothes, not knowing that the task had been a common chore for him with the Dursleys with Petunia accepting nothing less than the best. None of that even crossed Harry's mind and he actually found himself enjoying the simple task.
The pile slowly shrank, until "Err… Daphne?" drew her attention to the Lord seated next to her.
Harry was holding what had looked to him at first glance like a small thing of lace. He had picked it up without a thought before realizing what exactly he was holding when he had started to fold it. Daphne's eyes were wide and blush very obvious as she came to the cold realization that Harry Potter was holding her pair of lace panties.
Her hand shot forward in a flash and pulled it out of Harry's hands then threw it into the trunk like it was on fire. Daphne had thought that all of that sort of clothing had been put into the bottom of the trunk otherwise she would have never accepted Harry's help. She remembered when Tracey had convinced the girl to get the pair, the piece unique in her wardrobe and the primary reason that she had forgotten about its existence. Harry's blush matched her own as the boy's imagination got the best of him.
"You will say nothing about this," Daphne said warningly.
"Yep," Harry said, already walking out of the room.
***Break***
They gathered together in the breakfast nook, Daphne joining them after a few more minutes. Harry noted that no sign of her earlier blush was showing. Harry and Daphne kept their composure and ate the meal that Harry had prepared, keeping it light and snacky with some scones and danishes so that they all would have an appetite on the train for when the Sweets Trolley passed their compartments.
Harry took away the dishes as was his norm and sent them to washing, as was his norm, with a spoken spell. He mentally thanked Molly for teaching him some of the woman's tricks and trades of housekeeping she had picked up in her years as a housewife.
Charms Skill has increased! It is now 58!
"Need anything else before we go?" Harry asked the group and they all replied with various nays. He pocketed his wand and checked his robes and attire once more. Daphne reached over without a word and straightened his collar.
"Thanks," Harry said with a smile.
Daphne nodded and Astoria spoke up, "Let's goooo" the girl clearly excited to see the train hurried them along.
"Dobby! Dolly! We're headed out. Keep the house in order, Dobby, I hereby lift your ban from the kitchen and demand you repaint the shed something sensible. Dolly, keep an eye on Balto, like we discussed. I expect him to be house trained and no longer jumping all over the furniture when we return for the holidays." At the mention of her dog, and the reminder that she would be leaving him behind, Astoria rushed over to the pooch and gave him a hug. She was crying softly, wishing that she could bring the dog with her. Balto merely made her giggle by licking away the tears.
Daphne fussed over her sister, brushing off dog hair and fixing her mussed up collar, when the girl rejoined them. She thanked Harry with an appreciative smile when he Vanished the hair away with a silent wave.
"Alright. Dobby, be sure to pop over if something comes up. Try not to burn the house down. Everyone got their trunks?" Harry looked around and they headed off.
"Where's your trunk, Harry?" Astoria asked as they walked to the entryway together. Hermione was drawn back into her book, and was reading it as she walked. The girl's multitasking capabilities never ceased to amaze Harry.
"Right here," Harry patted his chest pocket. Not technically true, the trunk was in his Inventory, but it wasn't technically wrong either.
"That's not fair, why didn't you shrink ours?" Astoria whined, already annoyed at dragging her trunk along.
"Why, tradition of course," Harry laughed and they all gathered into the Portkey spot. He had gotten a One-Way Portkey for a pretty decent price, and the group collectively all placed a hand on the rope.
"King's Cross Station" Harry said the activating phrase, and with a swirl of magic they disappeared from Potter Manor.