Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything.

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Erica and Dave

The Amalgamation Agreement

The Plot Against Harry

He was restless.

Blurry eyed and exhausted beyond words. He was knackered. Sleepy. Dizzy from insomnia, even as he yawned and his eyes watered. Unfortunately for him, his mind was fully alert and not at all willing to shut down and shut up. Which was a problem because it insisted on replaying The Incident from a day ago. Two days? It was gone midnight. The Incident happened Saturday. It was now early Monday.

It didn't matter. He was too tired to think straight.

Harry shifted, seeking a comfortable position on his uncommonly, uncomfortable bed.

He felt hot, itchy and annoyed because no position felt right. His sheets were tangled and out of place. His pillow- too lumpy.

Everything felt wrong. And it all started after the damn kiss and with her running away. Perhaps things would've been different if those damn bitches hadn't gasped, startling Daphne. But they had and she was. He'd come straight home and gone straight to his room rather than face her again.

Now, after two days, he was still hiding from her like the hero he was.

He was frustrated. Angry at his inability to sleep. Angry at himself. Angry with the blonde across the hall and to top it all off, he was very, very horny.

Life was hell.

He licked his lips and groaned as he felt the beginnings of an erection stir.

Soft lips. A velvet tongue. A feminine moan.

Harry threw his covers off and before he was aware of doing it, he was making his way downstairs

He moved into his kitchen and found nothing that interested him. His study... he didn't feel like doing work right now. He needed absolute focus for that and his focus was unfortunately, otherwise occupied.

Telly.

In the sitting room. Which was a preferable alternative to telly in his bedroom for obvious reasons. However, the moment he turned the corner, he realised he wasn't alone.

Daphne was sat on the couch, in the dark, and he swore.

A rush of need flooded him and a grunt escaped his lips. Heat rushed downwards, hardening his spent member, which it turned out, wasn't as spent as it should've been. Which was surprising because he didn't think he'd wanked as much in his entire life as he had the past two nights.

Daphne moaned, it was more of a sigh really, but he heard it nonetheless and his eyes slammed shut with overwhelming need.

He wanted to hear it again. More. As she lay beneath him and clutched at him with maddening desperation. To have her sweet mouth tease his as he pounded into her, asking him to go faster still. Or better yet, her begging him to go faster as he took his time.

Really, all options were good with him.

'Oh bloody hell,' groaned the blonde, her face covered in shadows. 'This is horrible.'

He nodded. It was. It was shite and his cock was throbbing and his bollocks felt heavy.

'You shouldn't have kissed me.'

Harry swallowed thickly, moving away from the shadows and leaning over the nearest couch.

'Ye-ah,' he stammered. His heartbeat pounding away in his ears. His throat. His chest. His dick.

Green eyes studied her silhouette- blonde hair peeking around her edges, surrounding her in a yellow halo. Though he couldn't see her face clearly, he knew she was watching him- could feel her eyes on him.

'Why are you in the dark?' he asked, sitting.

'Couldn't sleep.'

He nodded, even though that hadn't answered his question.

'And I couldn't figure out the things.'

'What things?' he asked, frowning as he reached for the lamp beside him. His curiosity momentarily outweighing the lust.

There was a flash of light and momentary blindness, followed by piercing blue eyes and a dishevelled blonde.

Daphne blinked at him as her eyes adjusted to the light.

'Those! How'd you do that?' she asked, squinting. 'I kept trying to figure it out.'

'You don't know how to work the lamps...?'

She shook her head, adjusting her blanket around her shoulders. 'I don't, no. Never had to.'

It took him a minute to process that and in the end, he realised two things: He'd taken Muggle technology for granted and that, due to her fondness of Muggle comics, he'd assumed that she would just... know.

Which was stupid. Really, really stupid. He should've known better.

Just because you liked one thing, it didn't automatically make you an expert on said subject. Nor did enjoying a comic make you an automatic enthusiast in all things Muggle.

Turns out, the pure-blood world wasn't split into Malfoys and Arthur Weasleys. Which brought up the subject...

'Have you always liked Muggle comics?' he asked her, willing away his potent erection. Moving carefully so as not to show her his tent.

The blonde shrugged, turning away, her head under the nearest lampshade. 'Not always,' she murmured, reaching for the lamp. 'Found one when I was walking through the village years ago. Everything else was weird and confusing and I didn't understand the things I was seeing until I saw the comic laying on a bench. I knew comics because of Madame Blanch and Martin Miggs so I figured why not?' She turned back towards him. Her hand moving underneath the lampshade. 'Did you tap it?'

Not yet.

He swallowed thickly, looking away. Her gorgeous lips, pursed in concentration. The couch creaked and he half hoped she was moving upstairs. His eyes flit back to her and he nearly groaned at the sight that met him.

She'd definitely moved and was currently bent over the armrest, her neck craned underneath that fucking lamp.

Arse up, on her knees and his brain switched off as something else twitched.

He ran his hands down his face, through his hair and shook his legs. Fidgeting where he sat and not at all trying to hide the fact.

Meanwhile, Daphne moved and bobbed and rocked trying to figure out that fucking lamp that was now his favourite.

'Oh fucking hell,' he whispered, adjusting himself and his robe. Green eyes trained on her, wondering if she'd move just like that under different circumstances.

'I can't work it.'

He'd teach her.

'You have to turn the knob,' he said, trying and failing to swallow the lump in his throat.

'Just grab it and turn it?'

'Ye-ah... but be gentle.'

Seconds later the room grew brighter and he glanced down at himself, making sure everything was in place. When he looked back, Daphne was staring at his crotch.

His lips parted as a blush bloomed on her cheeks and he wondered how far down it'd gone and whether or not she'd be willing to let him see.

The blonde licked her lips and he gripped the armchair with trembling hands.

It took all of his strength and will not to rush over to her and pin her beneath him.

He wanted to taste her lips- to feel their velvet warmth against his own as his tongue teased her pink flesh.

He also wanted to kiss her.

'Harry...?' she whispered and he shivered.

Her sweet voice a caress against his heated skin. His eyes slammed shut and he had to swallow thickly.

'Y-yeah?'

'This is shit.'

He nodded because yes it was. Very much so and speaking made the knot in his throat burn.

He was trembling. His body was taut and tight and desperate for movement. Release. More than primed and ready to take her here and now, damn the consequences.

It wasn't an option though.

This- this urge wasn't right. It was wrong. A by-product of his stupidity, impulse and a Horcrux contract.

If he wanted her this badly, because of a kiss, he didn't want to think of what might happen after he felt her wet heat around his more than willing shaft. He'd probably forgo food and drink and anything else just to stay bollocks deep in her.

He absolutely loathed how tempting that sounded.

Right. No. This. Had to stop.

He opened his eyes and turned to the blonde. Blue eyes on her feet.

'H-h-how are you Greengrass?' Fucking hell his voice was hoarse.

'Wet and sticky and I hate it.'

He could relate.

'I'm sorry,' he apologised and meant it, trying his hardest not to think about her being wet and failing.

'You shouldn't have kissed me.'

Harry swallowed thickly. 'Yeah.'

'I could handle the other things but this...' She shook her head. 'I'm tired of all the damn masturbating Potter. It's not fun anymore.'

It wasn't.

It'd stopped being fun after the first six times. Then it turned into a demanding need that had become automatic as opposed to pleasurable. And it'd only been two days- two nights and a day? Half a day?

Harry didn't know. Either way it felt like an eternity.

'Yeah.'

He didn't know what else to say. The silence steadily growing, engulfing them and he wanted to- Harry blinked and frowned down at his crotch, thinking.

'Why are you glaring at your little Potter?'

He should've been insulted at the little comment but-

'I'm not horny anymore.'

Her lips parted and her eyes grew wide, before scowling. 'Figures.' The blonde shook her head. 'Sexist wanker.'

'Are you still-?'

'Yes!'

Right. He hadn't counted on that, though it wasn't surprising either. After everything, this really shouldn't have been unexpected. It was still crap though.

Orion Black really was an arsehole.

'Is,' he cleared his throat, grateful that his voice had gone back to normal. 'Is it like- like before?'

Fuck, this was awkward. Talking to his fiancé about sex shouldn't have been this weird. But it was.

She frowned, squinting and with a tilt of her head she answered.

'No…' she said slowly. 'It's less... but still there. It's like being horny on your period.'

'Okay …' Harry replied. 'That's … shit right?'

She sighed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, sitting back on her seat. It took him a moment to realise he'd been just as tense and released his armrests from his iron grip. He too had been sat up. Ramrod straight and shoulders up. Harry took an inconspicuous deep breath and sagged against his recliner.

'I hate this,' he said, unaware he'd said it until it was out there.

'I'm just annoyed.'

Her words caught him off-guard and he voiced something he'd been wondering about for some time.

'Daphne,' he called to the blonde, catching her eyes, wondering how to phrase his thoughts and in the end deciding to just say them.

'Why are you okay with this? I mean... I know you don't want this but... why weren't you fighting it like I was?'

Greengrass gave him an amused smile. She shrugged. 'Didn't see a point to it anymore.'

His confusion must've shown because she opened her mouth to elaborate.

'My parents had been looking for a husband for me since sixth year. I... sorta made peace with it during that time. Figured my Mum and Dad were going to fix me up one way or another.' She shrugged again. 'Didn't see a point in fighting it anymore...'

He nodded, his bullshit radar blaring. 'Yeah. Alright. What's the real reason?'

A tinkling laugh rang throughout the room and he smiled. Twinkling, blue eyes met his own.

'That obvious huh?'

'A bit.'

The blonde turned her body, facing him. Her back to the armrest, bare feet tucked under her. The whites of her eyes tinged pink with insomnia.

'I wasn't lying when I told you my parents thought I'd die alone. With the war as bad as it got, they were scared about me and Ass. They wanted us married in case something happened to my Dad. Death Eaters came knocking a few times you know.'

He'd suspected as much. While half-bloods and pure-bloods without status were coerced into joining, the rich ones were 'encouraged' to join. Whether with their wands or wealth or both, they were usually given the courtesy to think they had a say in the matter. Usually in the form of unannounced visits and casual threats.

'It was common practice, yeah.'

'Mm,' she hummed. 'We were home, getting ready to head to France when some blokes came over and asked to speak with my dad. One of them was one of those that'd escaped from Azkaban. I don't remember his name but he was the big, blonde one. Said we, my mum, Ass and me, were pretty and my dad moved them to his study. When they left, he was white and off and the next day, as soon as we landed in our chateau, he started mentioning marriage contracts. I sort of... stopped fighting it after a while. The war was bad and Mum was scared and Hogwarts attendance had just turned mandatory. Ass and I figured there was no point so we just... let it go. Plus, it helped me that no contract was binding and as the oldest, I had to be married off first which helped Ass. Eventually, when we figured out you were the cause, we...'

She looked sheepish then and he knew what she was thinking.

'You thought I was going to die.'

The blonde squirmed, not meeting his eyes. 'Sorry.'

Harry shook his head. 'Don't worry about it.'

Really, all things considered, she'd not been wrong. Technically he had sort of died, so their assumptions were fair.

'Anyway,' she said. 'Even if you hadn't, who knew how long the war would go on? Worst case scenario, I would've had to die finding you before my birthday or he found out somehow and used me to find you... Best case scenario, you'd have died, again, sorry. And even then, if none of that would've happened- which it clearly didn't- I would've been bound to you. A national hero. The Chosen One who defeated the Dark Lord and would bring honour to my family and would boost me up all while knowing that this wouldn't be a permanent thing because you wouldn't want it.'

He frowned at her. 'And you would?'

She shook her head. 'Potter, I don't want this anymore than you do and while I don't fancy being forced into this, unlike you- I don't have much to lose in this equation. Marrying you would benefit me more than it would you. Do I want to be forced into marriage? No. Am I going to look a gift Hippogriff in the mouth? Fuck. No. If being stuck with you for a year guarantees my continued safety, keeps my Mum off my back and makes me look good in the eyes of all those fuckers who talked shit about me for years... then yes. I'm more than okay with this. There is nothing wrong with settling.

He slouched into his seat, getting comfortable. 'Don't you want more than that though?'

'What? You mean love and all that shit? Nah.' She waved a hand. 'I mean, I get the appeal but I can't imagine myself being in love. I have friends to go out with and a fuck buddy for when the itch strikes, what else do I need?'

Harry blinked at the blonde.

'Besides, I really don't see myself marrying some stiff pure-blood Potter. I don't... truth is, you're the lesser of all evils. So why would I complain?'

He didn't really know what to say to that. His eyes darted towards the clock and he sighed. It was nearing three in the morning.

'Have you always been this pragmatic Greengrass?'

She huffed a laugh. 'No. I just know when to pick my fights.' The witch fiddled with a thread on her blanket. 'Do you hate me Potter?' she asked quietly.

Harry frowned, his eyes darting to her steadily reddening face. 'No. Why do you say that?'

She shrugged, a humourless smile on her lips. 'I don't know,' she mumbled.

'Greengrass.'

Daphne hesitated and before he could say anything else, she spoke. Her tone soft and meek.

'I invaded your privacy and turned your life around.'

It was his turn to shrug and he studied the witch. 'It wasn't intentional... on your end anyway.'

She nodded, an occasional glance in his direction.

'It'll be okay Potter,' she eventually said. Her voice back to its usual tone. 'Just a few more months to go and you'll be well rid of me.'

He gave her a tight lipped smile, nodding once, unsure of what to say.

'Do-do you like The Wilting Banshees...?'

'The what?'

Daphne looked at him like he'd just insulted her grandmother.

'The Wilting Banshees Potter... The band?"

He shook his head and her eyes got bigger. It was borderline insulting and he scowled.

'Do you like Led Zeppelin?'

'The what?'

'Exactly.'

She gave him a side eye, muttering touché under her breath.

He eyed the vintage records on his shelf. All first editions and in their original sleeves. All acquired throughout the years with help from a lot of money and some less than honourable bribing.

Daphne sat up, squinting at his collection. She turned and smiled at him and he was once again caught off-guard by the fact that yes, she was beautiful.

'You tired?'

He thought about it for a second and shook his head. He was sleepy but it wouldn't amount to anything, experience told him so.

'I-I-I'm going to go get my glasses and my records...' She blinked several times. 'Do-do you want some magical, musical education Potter?'

He smiled. The idea of being taught about wizard's music was odd. Being introduced to it after all these years by Daphne Greengrass at this hour in the morning even more so. Yet, it oddly made sense.

'Sure,' he said. 'You show me yours,' he nodded at his Muggle records. 'And I'll show you mine.'

The pull ebbed away mercifully and the image of Daphne naked trickled out of his mind.

Thank fuck he wasn't horny anymore and his focus was only on her smile. 'You still okay?'

Daphne blushed lightly, Harry knew he was blushing more, and nodded. 'Yeah. It's definitely less and the extra couple of hours of just sitting helped. But I think it'll always be there.'

Forcing down the blush Harry stood. 'Right, so we know being this close helps … and we know being apart doesn't make us ill anymore just …'

'Like animals in heat,' Daphne finished with a sigh. 'Anything else and our hands will be tired. And why are you still blushing?' She grumbled.

Yeah … he'd been starting to cramp in his hand and he'd never been more thankful for healing charms. He'd had to swap hands at least once and using his left had felt so bloody weird.

Unlike before, where they could be separate, ever since the bloody Incident, it seemed they couldn't even leave the house without each other. If they did, they'd become immediately horny. Something they would've figured out days ago if they hadn't hidden in their rooms like children.

They weren't sure what exactly had happened, but it seemed like The Incident had amped everything up to eleven. And while it would probably have been smarter to ask for help from Hermione or Percy … they just hadn't.

'Alright, let's see how far apart from each other we can be now.' Harry said, starting to move towards the furthest edge of his sitting room. He stopped and turned, resting his legs against the radiator, the warmth of the morning sun heating his back as it poured through the window.

Daphne moved, taking up residence by the record player, her foot tapping and her head bobbing along to the beat of the music.

'How you feeling Daphne?' Harry said loudly over the music, eternally thankful he didn't have neighbours.

'Good so far,' Daphne said back. 'I don't want to mount you like the pony song yet.'

Harry blushed and laughed in shock. 'To the point there?'

The blonde stepped from foot to foot. 'No point not to be, we already know it's making you handle your wand more. And that it's making me put Aguamenti to shame,' she said back, unfazed. Her fingers fidgeting with her sleeves. 'Are you hard?'

His hands went instinctively to his crotch as he blushed again. 'Daphne!'

'Hey, I've already seen you hard,' Daphne snapped, a frown on her face. 'It was impossible to ignore with the bloody contract, alright? Stop being such a wuss about it.'

He chuckled as he felt the heat radiate from his face, his hands uncovering his groin and messing with his hair. 'No, not hard.'

This had to be one of the most uncomfortable mornings he'd ever had, it shouldn't have been this much fun.

'So you wouldn't mind me asking if you were wet?' Harry shouted back.

'Potter,' Daphne said slowly with a mild grumble. 'I haven't stopped being horny it's just less. Don't ask stupid questions.'

He blushed some more, heat radiated down his back.

'Hold on,' Daphne said. 'Let me put Abracadabra on.'

Abracadabra … a Wizarding band made up of half-bloods and Muggle-borns, with one hell of a sense of humour. They had to be the best thing that Daphne had brought down from her collection last night.

He was going to have see if he could get hold of their records. He was sure Daphne could take him to a magical record shop.

The thought of walking down Diagon Alley on his own after this … well Heaven forbid someone should see him with an erection.

'Potter?' Daphne said, turning the music down. 'You alright?'

Harry looked down and shook his head. 'No, yeah … sorry Daphne, I was just thinking.'

'Oh,' Daphne said, licking her lip. A slight blush on her face as she swallowed thickly. 'Not about?'

'No!' Harry said quickly. 'More … consequences and stuff. Let's just keep going.'

The blonde nodded, her loose ponytail bobbing behind her head as she fiddled with her bracelet. 'Wanna try other rooms now?'

He swallowed thickly and resisted the urge to glance down. This would be the real test of the limits if the last couple of nights were anything to go by. They'd only had to be in rooms across the hall to both be so uncontrollably horny that they'd masturbated until it'd stop feeling good.

Harry drew closer, scooping up their empty bowls and the cereal box, who knew a witch would love Coco Pops? Though he supposed, chocolate was chocolate.

'Yeah, I'll go to the kitchen see how that works out okay?' Harry asked as the blonde came nearer, her pale skin standing out against the darker colours of her sleep wear. 'It's closer to here than our rooms are.'

Daphne nodded, her fingers gripping the edges of her sleeves as she sat on the sofa. Looking as tense as he felt. A rush of sympathy went through him. He'd at least had some respite. It hadn't stopped for her at all, he couldn't blame her for occasionally snapping at him.

Hopefully, being around him for a couple of hours had helped her a bit.

They'd listened to quite a bit of music before they'd stopped for breakfast. He'd introduced her to some old school rock, Daphne's favourite being most assuredly Queen, but she'd also quite enjoyed The Who and Black Sabbath. He'd had to swallow a laugh when she'd been put out over Iron Man not being about Tony Stark. It'd been kind of cute.

In return she'd introduced him to Abracadabra, who actually kinda reminded him of seventies rock now he thought about it … The Wilting Banshees, who Daphne was obsessed with, Toadstoolz, a band who'd come together through a shared loved of Herbology, and Knight Bus Survivors, a pure-blood couple who played ironically quite calm acoustic music.

He'd mentioned Celestina Warbeck, who he'd actually met once … not that he mentioned that part because he hated people who did that … and Daphne had seemed respectfully unimpressed.

She was someone Daphne's mother and auntie had liked apparently, and while she knew all of her songs they were only … okay.

He should've expected that. It was only because of Mrs Weasley that he knew who she was.

'So, kitchen is our first test yeah?' Harry said.

Daphne nodded, a nervous smile on her face as she relaxed into the sofa. 'Let's just get it over with Potter, we can always take a break in here after.'

And with that, Harry made his way into the kitchen and placed the bowls on the side of the sink, putting away the cereal and praying for any other reason not to focus on whether or not he was getting hard.

Please, let him at least be in another room, just for some freaking privacy. The shower he'd had yesterday had been the longest shower he'd had in ages. The fact that his brain had kept giving him the image of Daphne being in there with him … hadn't helped.

The last thing either he or Daphne would need to make this even more difficult was if they couldn't even go to the bathroom without the other being in the room.

Hell, he'd only ever been in the same bathroom as a woman when they were dating … it had never been for anything other than showers. The idea of having to go to the toilet with Daphne sat nearby with her eyes closed was beyond mortifying.

So, when he finally had nothing else to distract himself with, he was beyond relieved that he wasn't walking around with a tent just for being out of the room.

'Huh,' he said. He gave himself a slight shift, feeling remarkably silly, and smiled. Not even a little hard. That was a plus.

There was a faint pull towards the sitting room though, like his body wanted to be there even if it wasn't insistent yet. Daphne's smile swam in his mind.

'Daphne?' Harry shouted out to the blonde, the music turning down the second he started calling. 'You okay in there?'

'Sort of,' Daphne called back. 'You?'

'Yup,' Harry replied. 'You … um…'

'No worse than before.' Followed by a slight tinkling laugh, pleasant in his ears.

'What's funny?' He asked as the pull grew just a little bit more. Okay, so there was a time limit. Though he still wasn't horny for her so …

'We can shit in peace,' Daphne freaking cheered. 'That was something I was actively worrying about.'

The laugh that burst from Harry had a life of its own. He had to put a hand out on the counter as the image of Daphne doing a little happy dance on the sofa filled his mind. Because they'd be able to shit in peace.

'Yeah, that's a relief. Quick question though,' Harry said as Daphne stopped cheering. 'Are you feeling a pull towards the kitchen?'

There was a long pause and he could hear Daphne get up and walk through to the kitchen, a thoughtful look on her face as she stood in the doorway.

'Daphne?'

'The pull was towards you yes,' Daphne said. Harry felt it lessen as Daphne crossed the threshold into the kitchen. 'So we can't be in separate rooms for too long. But leaving the room doesn't immediately make us want to go at each other like bunnies. Want me to try going upstairs and see how that feels?'

'Yeah,' Harry said as he frowned, thinking. Had this been how the horny had started after her party? It didn't feel the same, that had been immediate and if they'd let it get over them that night … they'd probably have shagged the second they'd gotten somewhere even remotely private.

This was much tamer.

'So … the bathroom is the furthest bit away from the kitchen yeah?' Daphne asked, pointing up at the ceiling roughly where the bathroom was. 'Best to see just how bad it is by going furthest away.'

Harry agreed, resting back against the counter and fiddling idly with his wand. 'Let's try that, then we can move to the different rooms upstairs.'

'Sounds like a plan,' Daphne said with a certain nod. 'And if it is too much when I go upstairs, my room is right there and I can change.'

She disappeared from the kitchen, the pull towards her becoming stronger the further away she got until he could hear her walking upstairs. The need to have her near growing with each of her steps.

He stood in silence for a few moments, waiting for something to happen. For Daphne to shout down or tell him she'd found where the horniness would strike like a coiled snake.

'Harry?' Daphne's melodious voice came from upstairs. 'It's not worse, are you feeling anything?'

He hadn't realised how much he liked the sound of her voice now he thought about it. Such a simple thing to like about a person. It was like her laugh, there was something real about it and that was … nice.

'Harry?'

Her voice tugged at him, still not stirring anywhere but he started to fidget, pins and needles in his feet starting and urging him to move upstairs. It wasn't pressing but even his skin seemed to promise it would be nicer just to be near Daphne.

'Harry?'

'Yeah,' he shouted back. 'There's a pull like before, bit stronger. But I'm not hard. You okay?'

'Pins and needles in my feet, body is urging me back to you. But the horny is still the same. It's getting harder to resist the longer I stay up here though. Is that what it's like for you?'

'Exactly. Shouldn't we be crazy horny by now?'

Daphne made a non-committal noise and he found himself walking closer to be able to hear her. Until he was almost going up the steps. 'Daphne?'

'Yeah?' Daphne's head appeared over the bannister, long blonde hair falling down to surround her face. Damn, she was pretty.

'When did you stop calling me Potter?'

Daphne pursed her lips and rested her chin on the heel of her palm. 'I hadn't noticed … could be the contract? How many engaged couples call each other by their surnames? Anyway, best come up here Potter, I wanna check something.'

Letting the pull towards her guide him, Harry jogged up the stairs. The relief of being near her starting to wash away the desire.

'What did you want to check?'

'Bedrooms,' Daphne said simply. 'We're only across the landing from each other but it was so bad that I almost came into your room last night. And I couldn't get the thought out of my head. It's why I had to go downstairs in the first place. Make it harder to simply do it.'

'Yeah,' Harry shook his head as he eyed his bedroom door with trepidation. 'It was even worse knowing you were only across the hall.' He gestured to the room. 'Both at once or one at a time?'

Daphne looked at the room, shifting awkwardly in place. 'I think let's try being separate first?'

He nodded and opened his door. The smell of a man having clearly masturbated all day long hitting him in the face.

Harry made it halfway to his bed before he started to harden. It wasn't like his dick had sprung to life but he was definitely getting stiff.

'Daphne?' He called over his shoulder. 'You feeling this?'

'Uh huh,' Daphne said with a slight sigh.

He turned to look at her, her long hair swaying with her shaking her head. His eyes moved over her hair, drinking in the way her back slimmed as he looked down to her waist. His fingers twitching as he imagined running them down her back, making her giggle and shudder at his touch. His head tilted slightly as he felt his tongue dab at his lip, her shirt may be baggy but her bottoms clung to the curve of her arse.

The desire to step behind her, squeeze her arse as he kissed her neck and then …

He shook his head and tore his eyes away, his dick stiff and aching to be touched. 'Shit.'

'Yeah,' Daphne groaned and Harry had to resist the urge to slam the door shut and touch himself. 'Do you think it'd help if we were in the same bedroom?'

He was in her room before she'd fully turned around and Daphne jumped back from shock. He expected anger to follow but as Daphne's eyes met his there was stillness.

It was heavy and he couldn't tear his eyes away from hers, his fingers itched to touch her. To rip her clothing from her, to put her on her back and have her ankles over his shoulders. To hear her cry out his name …

'Harry,' her voice was low, deep blue eyes swimming with lust and Harry felt his feet inch forwards.

He could taste her breath he was so close. All he had to do was reach out and take her … it'd be that easy.

Would giving in be so bad? To give in to what they both clearly wanted and needed? To feel the softness of her lips, the warmth. Their sweet taste. To have them wrapped around him.

'We need to get out of the bedroom,' Daphne said, biting her lip as her eyes dipped to his chest, staying there as she spoke. 'Harry we have to. Before we can't.'

She was blushing deep, his own blush burning with its heat. 'Yeah, you're right. Get to the other side of the bed.'

But she didn't. She lifted up on her toes bringing her lips, her warm, soft lips closer. They were a hairsbreadth away but she couldn't reach. He was about to meet her the rest of the way when her hand rested on his shoulder, Daphne using him to steady herself.

The second her hand touched him she pulled away like she'd been burned.

It was like someone had thrown a glass of ice water in his face. Stinging with the sharpness of it. Daphne pulled back instinctively as he was left reeling, pins and needles rushing up his arms as his body ran hot and cold. Sweat pouring down his back as his head span.

'Shit,' Daphne hissed as she forced her way past him, her body shoving him to the side as she bolted from the room.

He had to force himself not to move, taking every bit of training and endurance techniques the Aurors had taught him to stay still. It was like the times he'd been put under the Imperius. Only instead of a soft whisper telling him what to do, it was a roaring order to chase after Daphne. With only the vaguest notion to ignore it.

He spared one last look at Daphne, her body heaving as her eyes locked onto his.

Fuck he wanted her so damn badly right now.

He threw himself out of her room and down to the bathroom as fast as he could. The urge to rush back and throw Daphne against a wall screaming in his mind the whole way.

'Harry,' she said through the door. 'We almost ...'

He nodded feverishly. 'Bedrooms were a mistake.'

'Yeah,' she said.

Harry splashed cold water on his face, the collar of his t-shirt sticking to his chest as he soaked himself. It didn't help.

'We can't let that happen again,' Daphne said, her voice muffled as if she was right up against the door.

Yeah, because if all of this came from one kiss …

'The touching helped.' He was still shaking, as he turned off the taps.

'Yeah,' her voice was breathy. 'It did.'

He managed his way back to the door, pulling it open to reveal the blonde.

Her hand whipped out and was against his chest instantly.

The uncontrollable horny was gone, ebbing away to a mild need instead of a burning desire.

'Damn,' she muttered with relief. 'At least we know this helps.'

Harry nodded, not trusting his mouth. Doing his best to keep his eyes from running up and down her.

Daphne shrugged and pulled down on her shirt a little, a nervous gesture that caused the fabric to cling slightly under her breasts.

Damn it.

'Focus Potter. As long as we're near each other we won't get horny,' Daphne said, her eyes coaxing a response.

'And it goes away when we touch,' he said. 'I'm okay.'

'I'm going to let go of you now,' Daphne said as she took her hand back.

He nodded, taking slow steadying breaths as mercifully nothing more drastic entered his mind. No taking Daphne against the wall or the thought of her breath cascading over his ear in quick pants and moans.

'Is Little Potter calming down?' Daphne asked, the tension easing as he laughed.

'A bit. Daphne, we need to talk about something, distract us from … what nearly happened.' His bedroom door was still open. He should have closed it like she had hers.

'Like what?' Daphne asked. 'Ground rules?'

'Yeah, first one. We don't go in each other's bedrooms.' He ran a hand through his hair. 'I don't know w-what that was. Bu-but it can't happen again.'

The blonde shuddered and held her arms. 'Okay sure.'

They were quiet for a long moment, their slow breathing the only sound.

'So I've been meaning to ask,' Daphne said suddenly, her fingers fidgeting. 'Any scary exes I should keep an eye out for?'

'No,' Harry laughed out. 'You?'

'Not really, other than the fuck buddy I just kinda had summer flings on holidays. Busy,' Daphne said biting her nails and staring anywhere but him. 'I more hang out with my friends than worry about finding a boyfriend. How about you?'

Harry shrugged, a shiver of cold running down his spine that helped calm him. Ignoring that she'd already asked him that once. 'A couple girlfriends since Hogwarts. Muggle girls mostly, not a big fan of the whole groupie thing that comes with some of the witches I dated. They didn't want me, they wanted to be The Chosen One's girlfriend.'

The blonde nodded sagely. 'Is that why you were so angry about our arrangement? Cus my family will benefit from being associated with you?'

'A bit, it comes with the territory though, it's part of why I like being an Auror. I had to prove I deserved to be there.' Harry's fingers wrapped around the rim of the tub and he wiggled his toes to avoid cramp. 'They didn't go easy on me, I had to earn my place. It was great.'

'What about your love life?' Daphne asked, a guilty look across her face. 'D-did I fuck th-that up for you?'

Harry shook his head. 'No, my last girlfriend was a Muggle over a year ago. It was only for a few months anyway.'

'What happened?'

'Someone tracked her down at home and they threatened her,' Harry said quietly. 'I spent the next couple days camping out in her house. She was still freaked out. We never knew who it was and I didn't want it to happen again, so I had to Obliviate her. To keep her safe.'

'Did you love her?'

He stopped, putting his hands together and thought for a minute. 'No, but I think if we'd had more time I would have.'

'Sorry,' Daphne said, and he felt that she meant it.

He smiled. It was nice and warm to sit and talk with her.

'But hey, can't complain I've got a good job that I love. That's more than some people can say.'

Daphne nodded. 'And after a year of me you can only go up. There's nothing more attractive to gold diggers than a man with deep pockets and a broken heart.'

Harry frowned as Daphne sighed and seemed to visibly relax as the tension slipped away from them both.

Did she really think she was so repulsive? Hell, she might not think she was the sexiest woman on the planet but that didn't mean she wasn't beautiful.

It was part of what was so annoying about the way the contract worked. He didn't need to be forced to find her attractive. She was attractive. Hell, Daphne Greengrass had possibly one of the most beautiful smiles he'd ever seen. And that was before the contract had turned them into walking sex drives.

'Well I think I feel better now Potter,' she beamed at him and stood. 'Let's get out of your bathroom. I want to listen to some more Queen and then maybe w-we could t-take a walk around the v-village? I don't think I'll need to sleep any time soon.'

He let her go and it wasn't until she was at the steps that Harry shouted out to her. Because there was no way in hell that self-deprecation was going to stand when it just wasn't true.

'Daphne?'

The blonde turned back around as she smiled curiously. 'Yeah?'

'You do know you're beautiful right?' Harry blushed saying it. 'And I'm not just saying that because of the contract. I'm completely soft, look.' He gestured at his crotch to prove his point, his blush getting redder. 'And your taste in music is awesome, you're really funny and clearly clever and … I just … don't sell yourself short alright? You've got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen.'

Daphne pinked as she tried to covertly look at his crotch, as if questioning everything he'd said. Because it had to be from the contract and he had to still be horny to say that to her.

But he wasn't and he walked closer to her, so she was only an arm's length away from him. 'I mean it Daphne. Seriously.'

There was a long pause and Daphne blushed again and looked away. But he could see the hint of a smile hid behind her long hair. 'Thank you Harry.'

'No problem,' Harry said stiffly. 'Well, you go listen to Queen and then we'll go to the village – no, wait! We can't, because of the contract.' He scowled to himself.

'I don't think it's that we can't …' Daphne said, a thoughtful frown on her face. 'More that we shouldn't.'

'Maybe,' he said. 'But do you really want to risk it?'

She hummed. 'Suppose.' Then she smiled radiantly. 'I know exactly where to go.'

'Where?'

She looked at the clock on the landing, still smiling. 'Go get ready, we'll leave in an hour.'

He frowned as Daphne went down the stairs and the sound of Queen blared through his house. Shaking his head, a smile that matched her own on his face, he summoned a towel and a change of clothes. He was still thinking about her smile when he noticed it.

'Fuck's sake,' he said at his rigid dick.