Daphne's Gift

When Harry opened his eyes, squinting as he felt the sun's rays flooding his sight, he felt...good. He was confused, but he felt good. Why was that? It was after Christmas, the Yule Ball had been last night, and...Hermione had agreed to be his girlfriend!

Now he knew why he felt good, he and Hermione were now a couple!

Rising from his bed, he saw his dormmates still asleep, no doubt exhausted from dancing until midnight, as he was. But this feeling of joy and love, so unfamiliar after spending a decade with the Dursleys, gave him a newfound sense of strength and boundless energy. Now, he felt certain that he could run twenty laps around the Black Lake, run up and down every set of stairs in Hogwarts, TWICE, and it wouldn't hinder him. Not even slightly.

Yes, the future was looking up for him. First, he had Gnarl teaching him. Next, he had Andromeda helping to free Sirius. Now, Hermione was his girlfriend. All he needed now was a way to avoid returning to the Dursleys this summer, and nothing short of this bloody Tournament would bring his mood down.

Taking a quick, refreshing shower, Harry rushed down to the Common Room, where she was. Sitting next to the fire, Crookshanks dozing lightly in her lap, she gently stroked him. His girlfriend, Hermione. Girlfriend...it would be some time till he got used to the word, but it would never stop feeling good. Hearing the sound of feet rushing downstairs, Hermione turned to see Harry at the foot of the stairs, smiling at her. She smiled back, beckoning him over.

"Good morning, you." She reached up to kiss Harry. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, but I'm even happier to be awake."

"Why's that?"

"Because it means last night wasn't a dream."

Hermione smiled at Harry, gently setting Crookshanks down, so she could stand up and give Harry one of her signature Hermy hugs.

"Well, if this is a dream, I hope I never wake up."

Harry smiled sadly. With everything he had gone through, thanks to the Dursleys, this almost felt too good to be true. But he didn't say it, not out loud, and not to her. Right now, the Dursleys can go hang themselves for all he cared. Right now, he had the girl of his dreams in his arms. Nothing would change that. Except for...

"Come on, Hermione. Let's grab some breakfast."

Joined by his girlfriend, the pair made their way down to the Great Hall. As luck would have it, it was early enough in the day the Hall was mostly empty, only a handful of students were seated. Mostly younger students who, unlike most of the upper years, had gone to bed before the clocks struck midnight. Therefore, it was some time before the rest of the students began filing into the Hall, groggy and bleary-eyed after the events of the prior night. Ron, as groggy as the rest of them, eventually shuffled over to Harry and Hermione, both of whom had been enjoying the quiet atmosphere.

"How are you both up so early?" Ron rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he said this, before beginning to fill his plate.

"Aside from Harry and I going to bed right away? No idea."

Ron groaned in response. "I can barely feel my feet after last night."

Harry snickered. "I thought you'd enjoy being Lavender's favourite dance partner."

"I did, but she wanted to dance for almost every song. I'm just glad Parvati still wanted to talk with her. That was my one chance to take a break. But speaking of taking breaks, where did you two go?"

Harry and Hermione briefly froze before Hermione found her voice. "What are you talking about?"

"You two disappeared for a while before returning for the last dance. More than a few people were guessing where you went, and some even asked me and Lavender if we knew. So?"

Harry looked at Hermione, with confusion written on his face. Neither he nor Hermione had ever planned how they were going to broach the subject of 'going public.' Still, there wasn't any harm in telling their friend...right?

"Hermione and I...took a walk in the courtyard. I...asked her to be my girlfriend. And she said yes."

Ron didn't say anything, blinking his eyes in surprise, before looking back and forth between the two of them.

"So...you're a couple now?"

The boyfriend/girlfriend duo nodded. What came next was an absolute shock, something they never would have expected in a hundred years.

"Oh finally! Fred! George! It's official! As of last night!"

All talk at the Gryffindor table, and the tables closest, died immediately at Ron's words before one of these twins produced a small booklet and began flipping through it rapidly. Moments later, both twins stood, signalling for the attention of the Hall.

"Attention everyone!"

"The Harmony Pool has finally been won-"

"By Luna Lovegood-"

"For betting on the Yule Ball."

At that name, clapping could be heard coming from the Ravenclaw table. Turning to the source, Harry saw a girl a year younger, with long silvery blonde hair and a dreamy smile applauding her victory.

"We'll award Miss Lovegood-"

"Her Galleons tonight at dinner."

"Thank you everyone for participating!"

Scattered applause rang out as the twins retook their seats, accompanied by the occasional whistle. Though Harry swore he could hear Ginny's voice call out, 'You couldn't wait till New Year's Eve?'

When their brains finally reset themselves, the pair turned to look at Ron.

"What?"

"You were betting on if Hermione and I would get together?"

"No, the rest of the school was betting on when you two would get together. Twins wouldn't let me, said I had 'insider information.' But I do get a cut of the profits for telling them when it finally happened."

"And...just how long have people been making these bets?"

Ron shrugged in response to Hermione's question. "Since our third year, I think. That was when I found out about it anyway."

The couple looked at each other, briefly blinking in surprise, before looking back at their friend.

"What?"

"HAH! Pay up, everyone!"

Groaning could be heard from the High Table in response to Minerva's demand, followed by the clinking of coins.

"Why do I keep making these bets?" Snape drawled as he handed Minerva her winnings.

"Why do we keep losing is the better question." Pomona knew she shouldn't pout. She really shouldn't.

"We're not finished yet. There's still a few more bets in the works." Filius was handling his loss better than most.

"I was so certain New Year was a safe bet."

"Well, if you want the Galleons back, Albus, we could go double or nothing."

"I know better than to take that bet, Minerva."

After the initial shock of discovering their love lives were the topic of popular gossip and gambling, Harry and Hermione took the time to publicly enjoy their new relationship. Simple holding hands in the halls, sneaking into hidden alcoves, and the occasional broom closet, for snogging, and cuddling in front of the Common Room fireplace were their favorite activities.

Even better, thanks to it being the Winter Break, an additional Hogsmeade weekend was being granted, allowing Harry to officially take Hermione on their first date. Plus, thanks to Ron and Lavender now being a couple, they didn't have to ditch him, instead letting them go off and do their own thing. Walking through the decorated streets of the village, arm in arm, with mugs of steaming hot chocolate, they took in the sights of a village in the Christmas spirit, grabbing some extra Christmas-themed candies and chocolates from Honeyduke's, before having lunch in Three Broomsticks.

It was a weekend filled with warmth, laughter, and above all else, a feeling of love Harry had desired all his life.

The only interruptions came in the form of his continued training with Gnarl. Andromeda, thrilled at seeing Harry and Hermione together, had elected to allow him to enjoy his break with her before they would resume his training. Gnarl, on the other hand, was having none of it. Now was the perfect time to progress his training, or so he said. The castle was mostly empty, so it was easy to avoid being found. The only problem was separating from Hermione. Simply put, no matter what Gnarl said, he didn't want to give up on any time with her.

Which is why his night training had resumed. Now, he stood in the training room, in the dead of night, well after the rest of the school had gone to sleep. Tonight, Harry had mastered the first of two spells necessary for the strategy he and Gnarl had developed for the Second Task. The first spell was a complicated, but impressive piece of transfiguration. They had focused on creating something out of driftwood from the Lake, but now Harry was confident he could simply conjure it at will. Admittedly, the conjuration was harder than the transfiguration, but he'd cross that bridge when he got to it. Right now was the time for the second spell, a very recent addition to the Potter grimoire.

"My mother helped make this spell?"

"Indeed, Master. When Charlus first learned of the muggle's 'radar' and 'sonar' he attempted to create a spell with similar effects. Cast the spell by pointing your wand in any direction, and the spell will create a small wave of magic, so weak that no one will detect it, but everything it passes through will appear in your vision. And unlike the limits of a sound wave, the magic will pass through even solid stone. Cast it at a wall, and you will be able to see what lies on the other side."

"That's...that's brilliant!"

"Of course it is, Sire. Charlus was a remarkably versatile wizard, while Lily was unmatched in her brilliance. Give them enough time, and they could work wonders."

Now that Harry had been given the fundamentals of the spell, it was time to cast it. Holding his wand out, he made a small circular motion as he voiced the incantation.

"Sonus Vistus."

A faint silver light immediately appeared, forming around the boundaries of the room, and disappeared into the wall as quickly as it appeared. Within milliseconds, Harry could see a silver outline appear, taking on the form of the next room, and it continued onward. Every second that passed, he could see more and more of the school, until he closed his eyes from the sheer information overload.

"Oh...blimey that's a headache."

"Apologies, Master. This is a fairly new spell, so I'm not as familiar with it as I would like. I didn't realize it could cause headaches."

"Not so much the spell, Gnarl, just the information. I could see almost the entirety of this floor, all outlined in silver. It's an impressive spell, just...seeing so much gave my head an information overload. I'll need to be careful with this for the Second Task. The last thing I need is a migraine because I'm not prepared."

Opening his eyes ever so slightly, Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the silver outline, but was no longer getting a headache. It was incredible, he could see the outline of the walls, the interior of the rooms, and even the moving form of a human, likely a prefect on patrol. Slowly turning his head, he noticed the silver didn't move with his vision. This wasn't a map imprinted into his sight, he could only see what the magic revealed as he looked at it. This had to have been one of the most remarkable spells in Britain...and his mother and grandfather made it!

Slowly, after a few seconds, the silver began to fade, and Harry's vision returned to normal.

"That...was remarkable."

"I'm glad you like it, Sire. The spell cannot be blocked because it causes no harm, so wards can't detect or block it. Likewise, no magical can recognize the spell, so they won't know if the spell has been used on them. Even for the most attuned of magicals, it's little more than a gentle breeze."

The Second Task was going to be an easy win.

"So an apothecary would have the gillyweed?"

Harry and Hermione were currently sitting in the library, with Neville across from them. It was the last day before the new term began, and Harry was looking to get everything he needed for the Second Task ready as quickly as possible. To that end, he was asking Neville multiple questions about gillyweed, about its properties, its effects, and most important of all, how to get some.

"That's right. And you'd want it fresh. The longer it's been since being harvested, the weaker the effects become. Your best bet would be to specify the need for freshness, that way they know to charm the package to prevent any premature aging."

"Do you think they'll deliver for me on a specific date?"

"Absolutely. Apothecaries get orders for the delivery of specific ingredients at specific times regularly. Getting it in time for the Second Task shouldn't be a problem."

"Wonderful. Any side effects I should know about?"

"Well, there is a debate among Herbologists on the length of the effects in salt water versus fresh water, but nothing definitive. A good clump, enough to fit in your fist, should give you plenty of time."

"Buy some extra just to be certain, Harry." Hermione wasn't aware of Harry's plan, at least not entirely, him wanting it to be a surprise, but the key aspect was the requirement for gillyweed. This magical ingredient not only lets the user breathe underwater but also gives them webbing between the fingers and toes, allowing them to swim much like one of the merpeople. That was especially important because, according to Harry, swimming wasn't something he had much experience with.

Hopefully, Andromeda would have something in mind to help Harry in that regard, but it never hurt to be prepared.

"Maybe. The Task gives me an hour time limit, so even if I don't use the second clump, I can always use it later."

"Hey guys, what are you talking about?"

The trio turned to see Ron, who was supposed to spend the day with Lavender, grabbing a seat at the table.

"My plan for the Second Task. Aren't you supposed to be with Lavender today?"

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "Parvati showed up with some 'major gossip' and they both kind of...forgot I was even there. Told her I was going to let them talk, and found my way here. I like her but, Merlin, I can't listen to another talk about who's dating who."

"There are worse things a girl can discuss, Weasley." The group turned to the new voice and found Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis approaching them. "For instance, we like to discuss the many ways to get back at those that irk us, isn't that right Tracey?"

"Naturally."

"What are you two snakes doing here?" Ron's instinctive mistrust of Slytherin was in full swing. Neville looked perplexed to see the two girls, while Harry and Hermione were working out ways to keep the situation from escalating. But Tracey seemed to have that in mind and beat him to the punch.

"Relax, Weasley. We're not here to cause trouble. Well, not for you four. I came here to thank Harry."

The rest of the table turned to look at Harry, who himself was confused by Tracey's words.

"Thank...me?"

"Draco Loudmouth went on a tangent a few days ago about half-bloods and...well, I'm not saying that word. Since you offered to help us make Draco miserable, I might have mentioned you by name when I went to the Weasley Twins."

"And...how did that go?"

"Swimmingly. They were hesitant until I mentioned you. Then they were happy to help. Once I told them what I wanted, and who it was for, I think they wanted to make me an honourary sister. Speaking of," she turned to a table, where Draco and his cronies were seated, "it should be kicking in any second now."

Seconds ticked by with Tracey's words, and just as Harry was about to ask what was supposed to happen, he got his answer from Draco himself.

"Bugger me, are you bloody retarded!?"

The entire library somehow became even quieter with Draco's outburst, until a certain librarian spoke up.

"MR.MALFOY!"

"Piss off ya bleeding bint!"

Madam Pince went red in the face at Draco's antics. Nobody had ever, in their entire time at Hogwarts, seen her this outraged before.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

"I told you to piss off and-" Draco clamped his hands over his mouth, trying to stop himself from speaking further, but it did little good as his hands moved of their own accord. "-and go bugger someone else, ya bleeding bint!"

Pince stormed across the library, grabbing Draco by his arm and yanking him out of his seat.

"100 POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN AND A WEEK'S DETENTION!"

"But ya got the wrong cocksucker! Bugger me, are you deaf as well as daft!?"

"200 POINTS!"

Madam Pince all but dragged Malfoy out of the library as she steadily deducted points from Slytherin in massive numbers. When they were finally out of earshot, the entire library, sans Draco's cronies who simply looked bewildered by what just happened, burst out into laughter. Between the laughs, and gasps for breath, Harry turned to Tracey.

"How...did you..."

"Ah ah ah. That's gonna remain my little secret. Let me know if you have any ideas of your own. I'd love to hear them."

"You said my brothers, wanted to make you an honourary sister?"

Tracey nodded at Ron's question, a smirk on her face.

"Welcome to the family."

His piece said, Ron resumed his laughter, clutching his gut as he all but collapsed on the floor from watching Draco's display. Neville, likewise, was trying to stay in his chair as he laughed. Even Hermione, normally a stickler for the rules, especially in the library, had devolved into a fit of giggles as she tried, and failed, to maintain a straight face.

Even with the Second Task looming ahead, Harry felt quite happy with what the new term held in store.