TITLE: Betrothed

DISCLAIMER: All things Harry Potter belong J K Rowling... basically, if you recognise it, it isn't mine... I'm just here for the fun.

AN: For those reviews saying that "Vernon Dursley can't sign documents for Harry as he's not a blood relative." Yes he can... it's already established in the books that he signs official documents for Harry for Hogwarts, I'm simply expanding that as married to Petunia, he is Head of House by laws of the wizarding world, and therefore can sign official documents as Harry's legal guardian by laws of both muggle and magical Britain.

As for comments about the Peverell and Malfoy family ages... the Peverell Brothers were born in 1214, while we don't have a date for Hardwin Potter and Iolanthe Peverell, it's clear they can't have been born before 1250 or later. The Malfoy family dates back to Armand Malfoy who arrived in Britain and established the family line around 1066, close to 200 prior to the Potter Family being established. The Peverell family might be older than the Malfoy's, we have no dates or proof to establish a line for either the Peverell's or Malfoy's prior to coming to England, but the House of Potter was established through marriage in the twelfth century.

Harry followed Professor McGonagall away from the great hall in silence, feeling a combination of shock and anger about what had happened, while Minister Fudge and Mugwump Greengrass, as he'd heard Minister Fudge address her as, were several paces behind them and arguing in hushed tones while both jabbing at the scroll of parchment Mugwump Greengrass was carrying with her.

"Both of you, in, now." Professor McGonagall ordered, holding her office door open for Daphne and then Harry to walk through, then waiting for Minister Fudge and Mugwump Greengrass to join them.

"But Potter isn't to know any of that!" Minister Fudge hissed under his breath as he walked into the office with Mugwump Greengrass, glaring at her while Professor McGonagall closed her office door behind them.

"He needs to know now!" Mugwump Greengrass said firmly. "Or do I need to bring notification before The Confederation that you are keeping the boy's family history and documents from him?" She spat back, raising her voice now that they were all in private.

"What do I need to know?" Harry automatically demanded for the first time, looking between the two adults and biting back the urge to shout.

"I think it's time I took my leave." Minister Fudge said, fixing Mugwump Greengrass with a glare. "Where's Albus anyway?"

"At The Ministry I assume, looking for documents to explain the unannounced appearance of a betrothal band on Mr Potter's finger." Professor McGonagall said sharply, her Scottish brogue coming through and hinting at the frustration she was feeling with todays events already.

"Wonderful," Minister Fudge muttered sarcastically before walking to the office fireplace and vanishing in a mutter and burst of green flame.

"What do I need to know?" Harry demanded again, looking now to Mugwump Greengrass. "What's going on? Why am I betrothed to..." He paused, looking over at the statuesque blonde girl standing with him. "Sorry, I can't even think at the moment."

Daphne barked a laugh out at that, covering her mouth quickly when she saw the look her mother was giving her. "I'm as shocked as he is." Daphne commented, gesturing to Harry. Her 'ice queen' persona completely shattered with the shock of what had been announced. "Old and Noble House of Potter?" She asked, looking to her mother.

"Indeed," Mugwump Greengrass nodded firmly, making sure her daughter paid rapt attention. "Mr Potter's blood can be traced back to the Peverell Brothers themselves bonding the House of Potter in the twelfth century."

"Who?" Harry asked, noting that both Daphne and Professor McGonagall were both looking at him in shock at that bit of news. "Seriously, who? What's going on?" He demanded as his anger bubbled to the surface again. Now that the shock of the events was wearing off, he was dangerously close to exploding at anyone who didn't answer his questions.

"A story for another time perhaps," Professor McGonagall said after a moment. "What needs explaining first is how Mr Potter became betrothed to Miss Greengrass." She said, looking to the two students. "I assume neither of you knew anything about this?"

"I came to you as soon as I saw the ring Professor," Harry said firmly. "That's the first I even knew wizards did this sort of thing." He bit out, ignoring the fact that Professor McGonagall had waved away his question to focus on the important matter, as he wanted answers to that too.

"You didn't know?" Mugwump Greengrass asked in shock, looking over to the young man.

"Perhaps we should first ascertain who signed the betrothal contract in place of Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked, looking to Mugwump Greengrass. "May I?" She asked, looking to the scroll of parchment she was holding.

"Mr Potter's guardian signed it after negations." Mugwump Greengrass explained as she handed over the parchment, watching as Professor McGonagall scrolled it open on her desk so she could read it comfortably.

"My guardian?" Harry asked, looking between the two adults again. "The Dursley's?" He asked in disgust.

"Vernon Dursley indeed." Professor McGonagall commented, reading the signature at the bottom of the parchment. "In blood I assume?" She asked in a tired voice.

"Of course," Mugwump Greengrass nodded. "A contract quill is always used for contracts like this." She explained, wondering why she was even being asked.

"Uncle Vernon's a muggle," Harry said quickly. "He can't sign something for me like that!"

"Sadly Mr Potter, he can." Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. "Remember, he signed the letter agreeing your attendance to Hogwarts your first year. A document with less far reaching consequences than this," She said, gesturing to the betrothal contract. "But a contract nonetheless."

"Oh," Harry whispered in shock, thinking about the other times he'd had to have Uncle Vernon sign papers from Hogwarts for things like Hogsmede visits. "I... I didn't think."

"Surely your guardian knew about magical contracts and what a betrothal contract was?" Mugwump Greengrass asked, looking solely at Harry now. "These things should have been explained to him when you were growing up."

"I didn't grow up knowing anything about magic," Harry said, feeling very confused now. "The first thing I knew was when Hagrid came and told me all about it."

"Hagrid?" Mugwump Greengrass asked, looking to Professor McGonagall. "One of the approved muggle introduction professors from the school?"

"Hagrid is..." Professor McGonagall winced, wishing fervently that Albus was here to have conversations like this.

"He's the grounds keeper mum," Daphne filled in with a snort of laughter.

"The grounds keeper?" Mugwump Greengrass practically demanded, looking to Professor McGonagall now. "And he gave your guardians the books and papers about the magical world, explaining everything to them?" She asked, ignoring Professor McGonagall in favour of looking to Harry now.

"He didn't give them anything," Harry frowned, wondering why Mugwump Greengrass was asking all of this, feeling a bit strange at being angry at the woman while she was obviously angry for him now. "What's going on? Can someone explain why this ring won't come off?" He asked in frustration, tugging at the ring again.

"It won't come off until we're bonded." Daphne explained. "Didn't anyone tell you any of this?" She asked, feeling a bit sorry for the Gryffindor now. Unlike how Malfoy and everyone had described Potter as being full of himself and a know it all, she could see now that he was angry and fed up with everyone talking about things he was expected to know but didn't.

"No," Harry said firmly. "Nobody told me any of this." He practically growled.

"What about your House?" Daphne questioned, raising an immaculate blonde eyebrow towards him in curiosity.

"What house?" Harry frowned back. "I live with my Uncle Vernon," He said in disgust. "Not that I want to." He added under his breath.

"Not your house, your House." Daphne said, shaking her head at the ignorance being show. "The Old and Noble House of Potter?" She prompted him. "Hasn't anyone told you any of this?" She asked, looking to her mother and then Professor McGonagall when he shook his head.

"Mr Potter hasn't even been told about his family house?" Mugwump Greengrass demanded, gritting her teeth and turning to face Professor McGonagall now. "Why not?" She asked firmly.

"I believed he had been." Professor McGonagall answered quickly. "Mr Potter, Professor Dumbledore never spoke to you about any of this?"

"No Professor," Harry shook his head quickly as he bit out a reply. "He never mentioned houses or anything."

"I'll be getting to the bottom of this Deputy Headmistress," Mugwump Greengrass bit out before turning to Harry and softening her face. "Your guardian truly did not know any of this?" She asked, her eyes going wide at the implications now.

"Uncle Vernon hates magic," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Even if Hagrid had given him books to read, he would have burnt them instead." He explained with a shrug.

"Then..." Mugwump Greengrass whispered, her knees buckling a bit before she held onto a table to keep herself upright. "Mr Potter, it would appear I owe you and my daughter an apology and a debt I can never repay."

Harry looked confused at this, turning to Professor McGonagall and then to Daphne to see if they knew what she was talking about.

"Am I to assume you cannot break the contract then?" Professor McGonagall asked wearily, having now caught on to what Mugwump Greengrass had realised. "Oh my word." She whispered when Mugwump Greengrass shook her head.

"So... we're stuck together?" Daphne asked in a small voice, looking at Harry with wide eyes.

"It would appear so Miss Greengrass," Professor McGonagall confirmed.

"What... what does the contract say?" Daphne asked quietly, trying to get herself under control and see what sort of negotiations had actually gone into the contract they were now bound to.

"That... appears to be one of the small slivers of silver lining for you both." Professor McGonagall said, looking at the contract herself. "While I have only a passing familiarity with such contracts, this betrothal contract is by far one of the most... pleasent... for both sides I have come across."

"Oh?" Daphne asked, her eyes going wide at that. Being bound to Potter was one thing, he wasn't as abhorrent as Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe or Goyle, but her brain had completely shut down before contemplating that the contract was for bonding them together for life.

"Indeed," Professor McGonagall nodded. "Might I assume you are the architect of this contract Mugwump Greengrass?" She asked, looking across the room.

"I..." Mugwump Greengrass started then simply nodded, taking a breath before continuing. "I hated all the ones I got asking for Daphne, they were basically demands turning her into a slave." She spat out, remembering the anger she'd felt when she'd read the contract Lucius Malfoy's lawyers had sent over. "When I found out about the Old and Noble House of Potter, I wanted to make one that would protect her, not just hand Daphne over to him."

"Quite," Professor McGonagall nodded, still frowning but accepting what she was being told. "Perhaps you should talk the pair of them through these details, I am sure you can speak with far greater knowledge to these than I can attest."

Mugwump Greengrass nodded at that, looking back to Harry and Daphne. "The... The Betrothal Contract binds Daphne to the House of Potter, to be bound after Harry's seventeenth birthday." She explained. "In exchange, both Daphne and Astoria receive the full protection of the Old and Noble House of Potter."

Daphne went wide eyed at that, not thinking that her mother could ever have negotiated protection for Astoria in the deal as well.

"In exchange for a house for you both, your first born son will keep the name Greengrass to keep our family traditions." Mugwump Greengrass explained, ignoring the shocked looked on Daphne's face and the horrified look on Harry's face.

"First... first..." Harry stammered out, his anger bleeding away to embarrassment, unable to form coherent thoughts while the woman was talking about him and her daughter having children together.

"You're buying us a house?" Daphne asked in shock.

"That was..." Mugwump Greengrass sighed. "I'd believed Mr Dursley was being subtle in negotiations when I added that to the contract at his request. Though knowing now what I do, I think I misinterpreted what he meant."

"What did he say?" Harry asked in a quiet voice, knowing his Uncle Vernon was not the most subtle person in the world.

"He wanted it written in the contract that you would not return to them." Mugwump Greengrass said softly, looking away from Harry as she spoke. "I had assumed he was being shrewd and hinting that he wanted a wizarding house for the pair of you."

It was Harry's turn to go wide eyed at that, this contract quite literally meant he was never going back to The Dursley's. It was his fondest wish, a dream come true, but it had come with the price of being bonded to Daphne Greengrass, basically married to a girl he'd never even spoken to before.

Harry turned and looked at Daphne at that thought, she was a few inches taller than him already, with poker straight white blonde hair that was tied back in a plat of some sort. The Slytherin green and silver looked surprisingly good on her, and she looked at shocked as he felt, a very different look to the arrogant and hate filled Slytherin's he'd always encountered so far at the school.

"The... the standard conditions of a betrothal contract also apply." Mugwump Greengrass added in, breaking Harry out of his thoughts and pulling his attention back to her.

"Conditions?" Harry asked angrily, not liking the sound of it at all.

"Being unfaithful will constitute a breach of contract, forfeiting the magic of the unfaithful party." Mugwump Greengrass explained with a wince. "Attempting to break the contract in bad faith will... forfeit the magic of the attempting party." She added before continuing. "Physical or magical abuse will forfeit the magic of the abusing party."

Both Professor McGonagall and Daphne swung their heads around at that one, both looking shocked at what Mugwump Greengrass had just stated.

"You added that as part of the contract?" Professor McGonagall asked in shock, a look of mild awe and pride on her face as she seemed to see Mugwump Greengrass for the first time.

"I was trying to protect my daughter," Mugwump Greengrass said firmly, refusing to look at anyone in the room. "I wasn't about to let her go into a bonding where she wouldn't be protected from her Lord." She whispered, barely managing to finish before Daphne jumped forward and hugged her tightly, breaking into tears against her grey and silver robes.

"What does that mean?" Harry whispered as he shuffled over to where Professor McGonagall was stood, feeling a bit uncomfortable at seeing Daphne crying to her mother over this.

"Historically, witches bound in betrothal contracts are given no rights Mr Potter, other than the rights their Lord, husband if you will, give to them." Professor McGonagall explained in a hushed voice. "Mugwump Greengrass wrote the betrothal contract to bind her daughter to protect her, not just from outside parties, but from abuse from her husband to be as well." She explained. "You." She said, nodding to Harry.

"What?!" Harry practically shouted. "Professor... I'd never... I mean, I don't... I'd..."

"Calm yourself Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall smiled, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder reassuringly. "I know you are not the kind of man to do anything to intentionally hurt a young woman. The protection was obviously written to protect Miss Greengrass if she were entered into the contract with someone who was not as noble as you."

"Oh," Harry nodded, not having thought of it like that. "Professor... is she right? That I can't get out of this I mean?"

Professor McGonagall sighed softly, looking down at Harry. "I'm afraid not Mr Potter." She said softly. "The mistake Mugwump Greengrass made was believing Mr Dursley knew what he was signing."

"He probably did," Harry frowned. "That's why he wanted to make sure she put in the contract that I wasn't to go back there." He explained.

"Mr Potter, you have my most abject apologies." Mugwump Greengrass said, calling his attention back to her. "If... If I'd known Mr Dursley was not signing the contract in your best interests, I never would have approached him with the idea."

"We must figure out where we go from here however." Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. "It is my responsibility to inform you, as a betrothed pair, that your accommodations will be made available tonight. I will have to inform the school elves of the change in your status."

"Accommodations?" Daphne asked from next to her mother where she was neatly wiping away the tears from her eyes and recomposing herself.

"Indeed Miss Greengrass." Professor McGonagall nodded. "Family chambers for betrothed pairs are on the third floor from the grand staircase." She explained. "Separate bed chambers will be required of course." She said sternly, looking between the two of them and causing Harry to blush again.

"Yes Professor." Harry said quickly, ducking his head so the three women in the room didn't see him blush.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to give the pair a chance to talk with each other," Professor McGonagall suggested, looking to Mugwump Greengrass. "Daffy?" She asked aloud, waiting a brief second before one of the Hogwarts elves popped into existence in her office. "Please take Mr Potter and Miss Greengrass to one of the betrothed rooms on the third floor corridor, one with two bedrooms. Show them how to secure and access the room and have their belongings transferred from their dorm rooms." She said before turning back to the two students. "I will inform your professors that neither of you will be in classes today for personal reasons." She added with a small smile. "Given the events already today, I believe they will understand."

"Yes Professors," The elf nodded quickly, looking to Harry and Daphne. "Be walkings with me," The elf smiled before heading to the office door and opening it, holding it open for the two students.

"Go ahead," Mugwump Greengrass nodded to her daughter when she saw the hesitation. "I will talk with Professor McGonagall and see what I can do to... mitigate things from here." She explained.

"Yes mum," Daphne nodded before following Harry out of the door and letting the elf close the office door behind him.

Mugwump Greengrass waited a few moments after she watched her daughter close the door, gathering her thoughts together before taking a deep breath. "I didn't know." She said clearly, looking to Professor McGonagall. "How is it Mr Potter's guardians... Morgana... how is he so ignorant about his heritage?" She all but demanded, looking at Professor McGonagall sternly now.

"I... I confess I do not know," Professor McGonagall admitted. "Albus told me Mr Potter was in safe hands, I... I didn't think to question his education growing up."

"He has no idea what mantle is going to be thrust on his shoulders when he grows of age!" Mugwump Greengrass bit out. "The last heir of an Old and Noble House, and he has absolutely no clue what any of it means!" She frowned, glaring at Professor McGonagall. "What has he learnt here if he is ignorant of his entire magical history?" She demanded.

Professor McGonagall bristled at that, fixing Mugwump Greengrass with a defiant stare until she thought about what she was being told. Mr Potter obviously had no idea about his heritage, his family history, the Noble House of his parents or the responsibilities of the Wizengamot that would fall on his shoulders when he turned seventeen. All in all, Mr Potter's education, from that perspective at least, was not only sorely lacking, but woefully ignorant and damaging to the boy's prospective future.

"While I may have wronged Mr Potter unintentionally, I have not done anything that would harm him or his future." Mugwump Greengrass frowned. "It's obvious to me now that Albus Dumbledore has." She bit out in disgust. "Did you hear how he spoke of his relatives? Not only were they ignorant of our world, but actually wanting to be rid of Mr Potter himself at the soonest opportunity. I dread to think what his home life must have been like."

Professor McGonagall couldn't say a thing again, her mind was already racing as she remembered Harry telling her about his repeated requests not to go back to Privet Drive, but Albus had over ruled him every time, as she believed was proper, to send him back to his 'loving' family.

"I will tell you now Deputy Headmistress, I will take this matter to the Wizengamot next session and bring this all to light." Mugwump Greengrass bit out. "I have wronged The House of Potter, and correcting these matters is the smallest part of the penance I must pay." She said before turning and leaving the office, closing the heavy door behind her with a bang that echoed through the castle stone corridors.

Potter Family Room
Third Floor Corridor

Harry and Daphne awkwardly walked into the room after the house elf Professor McGonagall had called 'Daffy' had shown him how to activate the room and claim it for his family, the ancient wooden door was now shining and new, with a family crest over the top of the door that apparently belonged to the House of Potter.

The room was surprisingly large, while not as large as the school common rooms, there was a comfortable couch, a small fire place, two other chairs, two desks, and then two archways leading off of the main room to private chambers. A large window that spread the wall between the two desks let in the morning sun and lit up the room with a warm glow.

It was a calmer room than the Gryffindor common room, with soft creams and lighter woods that were welcoming and accommodating, rather than the brash reds and golds of the Gryffindor common room, or the darker greens and silvers of the Slytherin common room.

"You're angry,"

Harry turned around at the question, no, statement. Looking at Daphne where she was stood at the far end of the room while he'd walked in to look around in awe. "No," Harry said automatically. "Wait, why did I say that?" He demanded, frowning at the word that came out of his mouth. He had every right to be angry, he... he wasn't. "Why aren't I?" He admitted, thinking about it now.

Daphne smirked at that barrage of words, holding up her hand so she could show him the ring on her finger. "It's the magic woven into the bands." She explained. "Goblin magic." She confirmed.

"The rings won't let me be angry?" Harry frowned, staring down at his ring now.

Daphne snorted at that, shaking her head. "The betrothal bands make it so we can't lie to each other." She explained. "It's a family tradition, goes back generations." She said with a small shrug.

"I can't lie?" Harry was still frowning at the ring, wondering what spell he could use to blast the thing off of his finger without hurting himself.

"You can to anyone else, just not to me." Daphne explained. "But... you're not angry?"

"No," Harry said automatically. "Ok, that's not fair." He said grumpily when he realised the ring was forcing him to tell the truth.

"It does it to me too." Daphne sighed. "I mean, I can't lie to you either." She clarified when she saw Harry looking up at her. "It's just to each other because of the bands, not to everyone. That'd be like a charmed Veritaserum band, the aurors would love that." She said with a laugh. "Why aren't you angry?" She asked, cocking her head to the side and examining him like she was seeing him for the first time.

"I'm... I think I'm just resigned to it now." Harry said as he ruffled his hair in frustration. "First the Goblet of Fire, then all the stuff with Ron, now this." He explained, looking around the room again or looking for anything he could glare at so he wouldn't glare at the girl standing with him. "That's just this year," He said with a sigh of frustration. "Nobody ever believes me anyway, it's not like anyone's actually helping me with any of this. So why bother?" He said finally, his anger bubbling to the surface again. "Ok, I'm angry now." He bit out.

Daphne laughed at his last words, shaking her head in amusement. "But not at me?" She asked hopefully.

"No," Harry said automatically before staring down at the ring again. "I already hate this." He said, poking the ring with a finger mockingly. "Your mum signed you into this just like Uncle Vernon signed me up for it. You didn't know." He said, surprising himself with what he was saying. It was the truth though, he could feel it as he said the words.

"Thanks," Daphne nodded, her respect for Harry growing as he spoke. "A lot of wizards would hate me just because it was my mum." She admitted. "As much as I hate to say it, you're a better option than a lot of the ones I had."

"Why did your mum do this?" Harry asked, ignoring the urge to look away from Daphne at her complement. "The whole contract thing, why did she set it up for you anyway?" He asked with a frown. "It's not as if you're not pretty enough to have boys lining up to ask you out." As he finished he clamped his hand over his mouth, realising what he was saying, causing Daphne to laugh at him again which made him blush more.

Deciding to take pity on him, Daphne walked slowly into the room, looking to one of the comfortable looking chairs by the fireplace before sitting down slowly in it, trying to smile reassuringly at Harry and hoping that he would take the hint to sit in one of the other chairs. "It's not like that." She explained, watching as Harry made his way to the larger couch and sat down gingerly while looking away from her. "Dad... my dad died when I was little, it's just me and my sister with mum." She explained.

"Sorry... I... I didn't know," Harry said softly.

"No reason you would have," Daphne shrugged. "I don't really talk about with the gossip girls around." She explained. "Since it's just me and Tori, we don't have anyone to keep the family going." She said quietly. "And I'm the eldest, so anyone I marry would get control of the family." She said with a sigh.

"What about your mum?" Harry asked in confusion, causing Daphne to stare at him. "What?" He asked when he caught her look. "Is this another thing I'm supposed to know but nobody told me?" He demanded, his anger coming to the surface again.

"Yes," Daphne sighed. "Sorry, I keep forgetting nobody taught you anything." She frowned in thought before continuing. "Family blood lines are passed on through the men as the Lords of the family, in the old houses anyway." She clarified for him when she saw his confused look. "Mum kept the family going as much as she could, but she's had men coming to her for years now trying to marry in and take control of the family from her." She explained. "Mum's strong enough to hold them off, politically anyway." She added. "That's why she needed to have a contract signed for me before I came of age, so nobody could hold me once I was old enough."

"Oh," Harry frowned, trying to think about it. It didn't really make sense to him, but was obviously some old pure blood tradition or something that would probably never make sense to him anyway.

"So you didn't put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"No," Harry answered automatically before spinning his head around to look at Daphne, surprised at the random question that seemed to come out of nowhere. "Why did you ask that?" He demanded.

"Because I wanted to hear it from you," Daphne said with a shrug. "Not the rumours or gossip, but the truth."

"The ring," Harry realised, looking down at the ring on his finger. "You asked because I can't lie to you." He said, looking back to Daphne and ignoring her correction of 'band'.

"Of course," Daphne smirked back. "Wouldn't you ask questions you wanted to know if someone couldn't lie to you?" She asked curiously.

Harry frowned at that, of course he would. If he knew someone couldn't lie to him, maybe he could actually get the truth from people for once instead of half truths and controlling stories designed to influence him one way or another. "Yes." He admitted.

"So there is a bit of Slytherin in there," Daphne laughed, getting comfortable in the chair while watching Harry argue with himself. He was absolutely nothing like Malfoy or Parkinson had said he was, they'd always painted Harry as an ego driven idiot who couldn't think for himself, but the Harry she was talking to was forgiving, and quiet, but angry at being controlled and fed up with being lied to. Nothing like the rumours and stories about him being Dumbledore's golden boy or the stories of The Boy Who Lived.

He was nothing like she'd imagined, he wasn't lording privilege or money over her, or staring at her body while fantasising about her, like she knew some of the boys in the Slytherin common room did whenever she was there. He was thoughtful and wanted to understand why she'd been put in the situation with him, he hadn't tried to take advantage of it or anything. It was a puzzle that didn't fit with anything she knew about him.

"What now?" Harry asked, breaking Daphne out of her thoughts. "We're... what did you call it?"

"Betrothed," Daphne said with a nod. "I'm... I'm sorry, for what mum did you know?" She said softly. "I didn't know she was going to do this and take your home away from you."

Harry snorted at that, smiling for the first time today and shocking Daphne with his snort of laughter. "You know, that's actually the one bit of good news that's making this all worth while." He said after thinking about it. "I don't have to go back." He whispered, letting that sink in for him. "Dumbledore can't make me go back."

"You... you don't mind not going back to your family?" Daphne asked, frowning at the confusing notion.

"Not at all," Harry said, shaking his head. "I'd have stayed in Hogwarts after my first year if I could, I even asked Dumbledore but he wouldn't let me." He explained with a sigh before looking down at the ring again. "I really can't lie to you can I?" He asked.

"Or me to you," Daphne confirmed with a nod. "Why didn't you want to go home?" She asked, curious now.

Harry frowned back at her, torn between looking at her and the ring on his finger. "I don't want to talk about it." He said after a few moments. "Can you just leave it?"

"If you want," Daphne nodded, inwardly making a note to find out more about Harry's home life through other means. It was obviously not the idyllic life that everyone assumed the Boy Who Lived had away from Hogwarts, filled with pampering and riches that nobody else could dream of. "Is it true you can cast a Patronus."

"Yes," Harry said automatically before staring at her again. "Stop that." He said with a frown, thankful for the change in subject but not happy that she was using his inability to lie against him.

"What?" Daphne laughed. "We might as well get to know each other right? It's obvious you're nothing like all the stories and rumours say you are, so I've got to start from scratch." She said with a shrug. "I thought that was just a rumour though," She added thoughtfully. "You can really do it?"

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "So, what, we should just ask each other questions all day?" He asked in confusion.

"You've got something better to do?" Daphne smirked, rolling her eyes when Harry looked away from her. "We can take it in turns, I'll ask you, then you ask me." She explained her idea, turning it into a game of sorts for Harry. "What's your favorite subject?" She asked, starting with something easy and boring to ease him into the idea.

"Does Quidditch count?" Harry asked with a small smile.

"No," Daphne laughed, shaking her head.

"Probably Defence," Harry said thoughtfully, thinking to the strange lessons he'd had so far with Professor Moody. "You?" He asked, curious now.

"Arithmancy or transfiguration." Daphne answered easily, happy that Harry was getting into the spirit now. "Who's your best friend?" She asked her next question quickly to keep things moving.

"Hermione," Harry answered automatically before frowning in thought.

"Ok, that surprised me," Daphne admitted, her eyes a bit wide at that.

"You've got a problem with Hermione?" Harry demanded quickly.

"I just thought it'd be Weasley," Daphne clarified, holding up her hands in a surrender pose, seeing Harry's anger fighting to the surface again.

"Ron..." Harry sighed, ruffling his hair again. "Ron didn't believe me when I told him I didn't put my name in the goblet, they all thought I'd done it to be famous or whatever stupid reason they were thinking of." He explained. "Hermione believed me." He said with a shrug. "Ron's apologised but... it's still weird ok?" He said softly.

Daphne nodded at that, accepting that Harry meant Ron was still a friend but he'd obviously been hurt by Ron not believing him when he needed him to. Having his friend turn on him like that must have been tough. Now she could see Harry definitely wasn't the egocentric boy strutting around Hogwarts that everyone said he was, he certainly wasn't the Golden Boy the rumours talked about him being. He was just as unsure and insecure as everyone else was, it made him more human and approachable somehow and very different from everything she'd expected.

"Go on, your turn." Daphne prompted him a bit. "What's your question?"

Harry nodded at her words before taking a minute to think about it. "Who are your friends then?" He asked, resiting the urge to cross his fingers and pray that she didn't say Malfoy.

Daphne laughed before nodding at his question and answering, taking the time to tell him about the small group of people in Slytherin she actually spoke to regularly and considered friends, rather than the people she knew were just trying to get close to her and use her for their own ends.