A/N: Many many thanks to Averlovi who helped me with this last chapter and was instrumental in helping me close this story out. He also graciously read through two different versions of this chapter. And this officially becomes my first completed multichapter fic! I was honestly overwhelmed by the favorites and follows I received over the first few chapters - my highest ever. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

Harry returned back that evening to Grimmauld Place.

It was over.

His entire body felt heavy. He felt simultaneously in disbelief at the turn of events and felt the familiar feeling of loss from when he broke up with Ginny. However, this was worse. The void felt greater - more intense. Another layer of his life where he felt that he wasn't sure now what a new normal was supposed to be.

He wandered aimlessly around the house unsure what to do with himself. He steered clear of his bedroom, remembering Daphne had things in there. He eventually laid down on a sofa in his living room. He stayed there hoping that sleep might eventually come for him but he knew the likelihood of that happening was slim to none as that evening replayed over and over again in his mind.

The next morning, Harry struggled to concentrate as he carried out his work. He had multiple staff correct details for him, point out paperwork he missed signing off on, small things that Harry never usually missed a beat on.

He sat at his desk over lunch debating what he wanted to do next. He'd been distracted by wondering if he should find Daphne and try to speak with her. As much as he wanted to honor her request, he wasn't ready. He had tossed and turned all night as her words echoed in his ears.

"I hoped that you would want to move on with me."

He'd screwed it up. He should have been more bold when he realized he didn't want things to end - that he didn't want to stay in this state of ambiguity with her. If there was a way that he could correct it and she might be willing to give him a second chance, he wanted to take it.

A few more moments weighing the option and mustering up his courage, he felt his legs start moving toward his office door and out towards the lifts.

Harry arrived to the fifth floor and headed straight for her desk, feeling nervous, but determination had slowly grown in him as he made his way here. However, his steps slowed when he noticed that she was not at her desk when it came into sight. He continued to approach it. It looked like it had not been touched that morning. Harry felt his heart fall. He didn't know why but it hadn't crossed his mind that she might not have shown up that day - perhaps anticipating this very act could have taken place.

"Afternoon, Potter."

He looked over and saw Draco standing in his doorway. "I put a notification charm around Daphne's desk. She's not in - took a personal day. I imagine you might have an inclination as to why."

Harry stood looking towards Draco as he confirmed Harry's thought. He then watched Draco gesture towards his office - inviting him in for a chat.

Harry closed the door as they settled into Draco's office.

"Did you speak with her? How is she?"

Draco didn't immediately answer him - seemingly surveying him and also weighing what he wanted to say.

"She came in this morning - obviously off. I should note that there's very little that I've observed over time that throws off Daphne, especially bringing it into her work. She told me about your conversation last night and I gave her the day off." Draco relayed everything very matter of fact - Harry would have expected some form of bite or defensiveness considering his friendship with Daphne but Harry sensed none of that.

"I anticipated at some point today you might stop by. Thought perhaps you and I could have a conversation instead."

"No offense, Draco, but I think my primary conversation needs to be with Daphne."

"I realize that it should not be of my concern. However, Daphne is a long time friend of mine and you...dare I say you have become one as well."

Harry was rather touched. "Well, thanks, Draco, I-"

"We don't need to talk about it."

"Right. So, what did she tell you?"

"I don't want to betray her trust in what she confided in me. However, I'd like to know what your intentions would have been today."

Harry didn't anticipate whatever he might relay would make its way back to Daphne but on the off chance that it might, he decided to approach it as such. "I wanted to talk with her. Everything seemed to escalate so quickly - I didn't want things between us to end. I assumed we'd find a way, however messy it might get, to work our way through it."

"To what end were you hoping to work things through?"

"Look, I realize part of this is my fault. I've done a shite job giving her any indication of what I expected from her or where I expected things to go. It may not even have been a full day since we spoke but I know I want to be with her - and I want to try this again if she'll let me."

"But you need to make sure you're certain. That a future with Daphne is really what you want."

Harry's jaw clenched despite knowing Draco's comments were valid.

"Listen, it is obvious from my perspective that both of you like each other. You both obviously carry your own burdens - albeit significantly different burdens - she has her past relationship and you obviously have your own you're carrying but if I could give you my advice...take more time. She's my friend and I've seen her cope with enough that I don't need you and your baggage making things worse for her. Give things some reflection and sort through everything before you try to talk with her."

"I don't want her to sit around thinking that I don't care."

"Well, lucky for you it shouldn't turn out like that. If anything, I threw you a bone when I advised her of the exact same thing."

"She wanted to talk to me and you told her not to?" While Harry had felt initially that Draco was making sense throughout this conversation. He was frustrated that Draco would manipulate both of them to keep their distance with each other despite wanting to talk.

Draco scoffed at him, "Please, you can pretend to be angry about that but I think if you take another moment to think about it, you'll know that was for the best. All I'm trying to encourage is that you take time."

Harry decided that his conversation wasn't going to accomplish anything additional. He'd heed the advice apparently given to the both of them. He gave him some small reassurance to know that she'd apparently been tempted to find him as well. Harry excused himself and stepped out of his office and headed towards the lifts.

A few days had passed since Harry's exchange with Draco. He'd done as advised, as much as he loathed admitting it, and had not attempted to approach Daphne again.

Harry thought back to dinner at the Burrow the week following when he had brought Daphne. It was uncomfortable, to say the least. Mrs. Wealsey, despite her best intentions, would not stop inquiring as to what had happened in such a short timeframe to end their relationship. Word had apparently traveled quickly through Ginny that they'd been seeing each other for months, making it even more suspicious at the sudden end.

It was that evening though that Ginny had asked him if he had time to meet for coffee again. The last time they had gotten together she'd told him about her and Blaise. As it turns out their schedules did not coincide well. However, it gave him time to process everything.

Several weeks passed before they were able to meet and the only thing that he felt was carrying him through it was the hope that Daphne might be waiting for him just as he was for her. He'd had several moments though where he'd questioned if this waiting might be all for nothing, if perhaps Draco may have misled him or if Daphne might also get abruptly swept off her feet by some bloke just like Ginny had. Outside of awaiting a calendar date in which he had Ginny penciled in for coffee, his thoughts were less and less dwelling on the absence of his first relationship and more and more on the absence of Daphne.

"You're starting to show." Harry was sitting across from Ginny. They were back at their usual coffee shop. It honestly hadn't occurred to him before he arrived that perhaps Ginny had come up with some other major life event to share with him as that seemed to be the pattern of their most recent interactions.

Ginny quirked an eyebrow at him. "Harry it shouldn't even be noticeable, especially not in this outfit."

Harry felt his cheeks grow hot. He cleared his throat. "So, what did you want to meet about?"

Her eyes softened. "When I heard that you and Daphne weren't seeing each other anymore, it just seemed rather sudden after you had brought her over for dinner. I wanted to see if you were okay."

"Well, yes-I mean-we haven't seen each other recently but you never know, there's a chance that we might reconnect at some point." Something about those words spilling from his mouth made him sound so naive - like a child's insistence that their parents would get back together.

At the same time, he wasn't quite sure how to approach this topic with Ginny given that his failure to cope with the end of their relationship ultimately played a factor in the end of his relationship with Daphne.

He took a deep breath. "Ginny, if I had to be honest, I haven't had the greatest time coping since we broke up."

"Are you attempting to change the subject or does that relate?" Ginny asked in clarification.

"Unfortunately, it relates. One of the contributing factors might have been my lack of ability to cope - with the end, I mean. I know we made the right decision and…," he paused, "despite some of my early reactions, I am truly happy for you Ginny."

She glanced away from him. "You know, Harry. It was not easy for me at first either. I know that I was the one who didn't really come around to things being over until the very end there, but it was devastating. If I could be honest, it is actually comforting to hear you say you had a hard time coping. You came to terms with it before I did. I felt partly miserable thinking that you'd probably move on so quickly - that it wouldn't have even impacted you when I finally came around."

Harry nodded in response - understanding her sentiments.

He suddenly felt her hand give his forearm a light squeeze. He looked up to meet her gaze. "We're okay, Harry. You and I both know we had forever in mind, which honestly at the time was probably not to either of our benefit when it came to moving on." She paused. "But don't let it cripple you."

Harry didn't reply but rather gave her hand a light pat just before she withdrew her grasp.

"Now, you seem miserable. So, stop being a bloody idiot and grovel or do whatever you need to get Daphne back. I'll even help you plot."

After his conversation with Draco, Harry hadn't been able to determine an event he was waiting for which might tell him when the appropriate time would be to approach Daphne again. However, after talking with Ginny, he thought that moment might be as good as any. He'd been looking for something - any excuse perhaps.

As he strolled up to Draco's office, he noticed immediately that Daphne was decidedly absent and there was a gentleman seated at Daphne's desk that he had never seen before.

"Good morning," he greeted as Harry approached the desk. His welcome didn't have the same warmth that Daphne's carried. Harry wondered if he'd been brought in for the day on a temp assignment.

"Morning," Harry nodded. "Is Daphne out today?"

"No, she's received a promotion, she's now in patents. Are you here to see Mr. Malfoy? Unfortunately, he's out at the moment."

Harry's jaw dropped in shock at the news though he quickly collected himself. "Oh." Well, he attempted to collect himself. He wondered when that had happened. Daphne hadn't mentioned it in their most recent exchanges and Hermione nor Draco had mentioned that to him either.

He was not sure how long he was simply standing there processing that news but when he looked back to the man in front of him he was waiting expectantly. It suddenly dawned on him the man had asked a question.

"Sorry, no, I was looking for Daphne. Any chance you can direct me towards her new workspace?"

"The patent division is down the hall and to the right. I can't tell you which workspace is Ms. Greengrass' but I imagine you can ask someone when you get there."

"Right, thank you." Certainly not as warm as Daphne. He'd have to remember to ask Draco later if he was her permanent replacement.

Harry was able to find someone when he made it to the patent division who had pointed him in Daphne's direction. He was happy to see that she did have an office with her new position, a rather small one but that was more than most ministry employee's got.

Harry hesitated though as he saw her for the first time since they broke up. She was right there - within feet of him. He watched her through the small window next to her door. She moved with grace as she worked on whatever project laid before her. Her focus was intent. He gazed at her and felt his heart lift in ways it hadn't in weeks. She was so close but yet, at that moment, he stopped himself. Now didn't feel like the right time. Perhaps it was how quickly he'd headed here after his coffee with Ginny, his lack of preparation for what he would say, or maybe it was the environment. Whatever it was, he didn't want to risk carrying on if the impact would be adverse. So, he started to step away and returned to his office.

As he waited on the bench outside her apartment building, he suddenly realized this may have not been the better time that he had originally envisioned. Staking out her apartment building could be viewed in a rather uncomfortable manner. He anticipated that she'd be home soon. He glanced up at her apartment, the windows still dark, signaling she hadn't yet arrived home through her floo.

He was so focused on keeping his eyes on her apartment building, he didn't register the sound of steps approaching him.

"Harry?" A disbelieving voice inquired.

He turned and found himself in front of Daphne holding a few bags beside her.

"Hey." Harry cringed. Weeks without seeing each other and his first word to her was hey. He stood from the bench. "Sorry, uh, I was just waiting to see when you might arrive home. I figured you would come home through the floo." Harry responded while nervously rubbing at the back of his neck.

She took tentative steps towards him. "I was just coming from the market around the corner on my way home."

Awkward silence passed between the two of them.

"So," Daphne started, "What are you doing here?"

He should have anticipated that she would be straight to the point. After all, their last conversation was more reflective of that question than, 'how are you' or some other form of small talk.

"I was hoping that we could talk - if you had some time." He gestured towards the bench.

She obliged and seated herself next to him and waited for him to speak.

Harry tried to regroup his thoughts, he had rehearsed his opening statements, his appeal to her and an apology, in that respective order but now all of it suddenly seemed jumbled. His eloquent speech diminished to what crossed his mind as afterthoughts. However, he went with the words that appeared to continue to press on the forefront of his mind.

"I'm sorry, Daphne."

She stiffened at this apology. It either being not what she anticipated or perhaps she might have reacted that way no matter what he said.

"I owed you a lot more than what I gave you when we were together. To some extent, I've been reflecting on why I've struggled so much this past year. I feel like I owe you some explanation. I was the first one to suggest that Ginny and I should break up. At that point, she wasn't there yet. I can't explain exactly why I thought that because I had accepted it first, that in some cosmic reality I created, I believed that meant I deserved to be the one to move on first. I've been resenting that fact that it wasn't me and I've coped terribly. None of that was fair to you. You've done nothing but care for me, and I did nothing but create a mess."

He watched her as she fidgeted with the handles on the bags she was carrying. She looked about ready to say something but Harry hadn't quite said all that he should.

"In the time that we were together, despite that we entered into this without expectations. I should have been bolder. I should have communicated better rather than carry on as if nothing had changed." He swallowed, begging his next words forward and hoping they might dismantle the hinges on the doors they had hesitated to open for one another.

"The truth is that I missed you incredibly. I honestly had to force myself to actually take the time for my own reflection because the desire to see you again consumed me. I missed everything about what we developed with each other - our routines and conversations. I don't even think I've even been able to bring myself to eat breakfast in the mornings without you. I'm sorry for what it took to help me figure things out."

She'd moved her gaze towards him as he laid what he could out for her. He watched her after he was done speaking - her face unreadable. She then turned to look ahead at her building.

"I'm sorry too," she breathed. It was Harry's turn to react stiffly to her response. He honestly hadn't shown up tonight with any expectation of an apology from her.

"As much as I wanted for us to take things further, I didn't help things much either. What happened with Theo was so embarrassing for me and I obviously did not demonstrate trust on my end by withholding from you what had happened with him and my family." She let out a shaky breath.

"I moved here after Theo and I broke up. I've rarely spoken to my sister since. You know, they didn't even see each other again after it happened. They didn't really even like each other. I think it ripped me apart more than if they would have had genuine feelings for each other. The only times I've seen her are when we're with our parents. I told you they were furious when we broke up. I took all the fault and bore their anger so they wouldn't know. I couldn't handle it though - the obligation and inability to defend myself. So I moved to give myself some space."

As he listened to her further open up to him, he could feel the hope stir in him that perhaps they might be progressing in the right direction.

"You don't need to apologize. I know now it wasn't the same. I shouldn't have pushed you - I can't relate to the situation you were in, what pain it brought to you and your relationship with your family."

Daphne gave him a soft smile. "I appreciate that but I know I should have also been more open." She let out a breathy laugh. "We might have been good at doing life together but we were obviously terrible at open communication."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at her attempt to lighten the conversation, albeit true. He dared reaching over and grabbing her hand.

"I'm ready to move on...and I want to move forward with you. That is, if you'd like to try again."

He'd laid it out there but when she didn't answer immediately his anxiety started to grow in the pit of his stomach. Maybe he'd waited too long. Perhaps she wanted to close the book on their time together rather than start over. His nerves overtook him and he started backtracking.

"You know, you can think about it. If-"

He felt her hands grab his face and pull him towards her. Her lips connected with his. He could sense her passion. Bringing his hands up to her face, he responded with his own affection.

After a few moments, he pulled back and smiled at her. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," she answered, extending him another kiss. "I want to, Harry."

Starting over was what Harry had hoped, but they seamlessly fell back into their normal routine. Daphne had invited him in and made him dinner. Harry had moved to go home but it wasn't until their goodnight kiss in front of the fireplace that Daphne had prompted him.

"You know, I didn't overlook you mentioning you haven't eaten breakfast without me. It's an important meal, Mr. Potter. Perhaps you could stay." He couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face as he watched her cheeks develop a rosy tint.

They had moved to the bedroom after that and hadn't yet gone to sleep, laying in her bed together. Harry sat up against her headboard while Daphne was snuggled up against his chest.

"I saw your office the other day," Harry inserted as he recalled as his mind had drifted to his first attempt at speaking with her.

"My office?" She perked up. "You were in patents?"

Harry nodded. "I had come to find you and was greeted rather unpleasantly by a gentleman outside of Draco's office."

"Yes. Oscar." He watched as Daphne's rolled her eyes. "He's terrible. Draco can't stand him. He's just temporary though until they find my replacement." Harry smiled in amusement. She hadn't acknowledged her new position. Improving their communication was going to be work.

"What made you apply for the opening?"

"Emotion," she stated simply while smiling at him. "I don't think I had fully thought through it. After we broke up, I felt the need to do something rash and do something that would mean a change. Before I knew it, I had applied for the job."

Harry brushed her hair off her shoulder. "I wish I would have known. I would have liked to have celebrated your promotion with you."

"We still can. I didn't officially start it that long ago."

Harry tried to visualize an alternative timeline. One where she came home to tell him she had taken the bold step of applying for the job, listening to her relay to him their questions and her answers from the interview, expressing her apprehension that she had not done well enough to get the job while he reassured her that her answers were solid. Finally, the moment she would have come home, or perhaps even, taken the lifts up to his department to tell him that she had gotten the job. While he was happy their break had spurred her to make the change, he regretted the circumstances that prevented him from experiencing an important moment of her life with him. He realized that he didn't want to miss another one - he wanted to be with her for every big and small moment and he wanted her to be there when he experienced something similar.

"Daphne…" Harry prompted to get her attention.

She focused on him. He sighed tentatively, wondering if the words at the tip of his tongue should come out so soon after they'd reconciled. He could feel his anxiety rising and his heart racing in his chest.

"I think I may be falling in love with you."

He could feel his body begin to shake slightly when the words were out.

Her body pressed against him, he could feel her breath hitch when she heard him and if he was not mistaken her own heartbeat began to race. What was perhaps only seconds felt like hours of torment - he might rather face Voldemort all over again.

However, her eyes began to soften and shimmer and a wide smile development on her face

"I think I'm falling in love with you too," she returned. He could still feel his body shake but his anxiety slowing began to dissipate and replace itself with joy. They continued to stare at each other before both of them joined each other in soft laughter at their mutual confession. It was then that Daphne moved to wrap her arms around his neck and then embraced one another.

It wasn't long after, still entangled in one another's arms that they shared various exchanges of affection as they eventually drifted off to sleep.

Before Harry knew it he was awoken by the familiar aroma of breakfast.