Daphne had made the mistake of stopping by the Hufflepuff table at breakfast the next morning to set up a time for her sister to properly meet Harry. Her plan of meeting quietly in the Library...perhaps Wednesday or Thursday...went up in flames immediately.

"What about tonight?" her sister had quickly countered. "And why would I want to meet him to study? In the library? I'd actually like to talk to him."

"We can cast a privacy spell...and I can't meet tonight anyway as I'm studying with Her-, someone else."

Astoria sighed dramatically as she pushed herself up from the table. "Why do you have to make things so complicated?" she drawled and began walking over to the Gryffindor table. She was walking directly toward where Harry was seated.

Everything seemed to slow down as she watched her sister tap Harry on the shoulder and begin talking to him. Astoria pointed to her and Harry smiled and nodded. Astoria waved goodbye brightly, quickly making her way back beside Daphne.

"It's all sorted. You and Harry are going to sit with me at lunch today. See? Simple."

"You said you weren't going to tease me about Harry," Daphne grit out as she took a bite of food, purposely avoiding looking toward the Gryffindor table.

"This isn't teasing Daphne. This is me helping you, as I always do, get out of your head. Harry didn't care...he actually looked pleased. You worry too much."

Astoria was never more irritating than when she used logic and reason. She chanced a glance at Harry to see that he was watching them and seemed to be highly amused. She subtly stuck out her tongue, causing Harry to spit out what he was drinking. She did her best to ignore Ginny frowning a few seats away. She was definitely on the girl's bad side.

"Fine," she stubbornly replied. "Just don't be an idiot."

"Oh don't worry Daphne. I have many well thought out questions and insights for your boyfriend. Okay...that bit was teasing." Then she immediately dug into her breakfast, a smug expression on her face.

"Idiot," Daphne muttered as she punched her sister discreetly under the table.

As she left her Transfiguration class with Tracey that morning she was surprised to see Harry leaning against the wall, apparently waiting for her.

"You seemed a bit worried about eating lunch with your sister today...thought I'd walk with you," he said simply.

"Hi Harry. See you tomorrow night," she heard Tracey say and looked to see her walking quickly down the hall so they could be alone.

Harry waved and nodded uncertainly. "So I guess we are studying with Tracey tomorrow night? Good."

"Don't you have Charms right now?" she asked, suddenly embarrassed at inadvertently revealing she had memorized Harry's schedule. The embarrassment vanished as she realized Harry had apparently memorized her schedule as well.

"I told Flitwick my scar was itching and he let me leave early. After I collapsed taking my OWL exam last year I think all the teachers are terrified I could drop dead at any moment in their class. Well...everyone but Snape."

She ignored Harry making another nonchalant joke about his death and spoke. "I'm sorry about all this," she said with a sigh as they began walking down the hall. "I didn't mean for my sister to ambush you like that."

He nudged her on the shoulder and spoke. "You and I have entirely different ideas of what constitutes an ambush. It was fine...everything is fine." She knew he was right. She was worrying about nothing. It was nice to hear him say it though.

They remained silent as they made their way to lunch. Harry's words had calmed her until they neared the Great Hall and she could hear the rumbling conversations of the students on the other side. This was the first time they would be together. In public. In front of an audience. A few nosy people staring at them in the library was one thing. This was something entirely different.

She felt Harry take her hand as he began to speak. "Everyone might stop talking for a moment when we walk in together but it will feel much quieter and seem to last longer than it really is. Just focus on your sister while you are walking and everyone will move on. Trust me, it isn't a big deal."

She did as he instructed and it played out exactly as he predicted. It was fine. Everything was fine. Astoria had saved two spaces directly across from where she was and they quickly took a seat.

"Hi Harry. It's good to see you again," Astoria greeted.

"Again?" Daphne asked.

Astoria rolled her eyes and replied. "How do you think he found out it was your birthday? I waited for you to do it...should have known you wouldn't."

Harry laughed. "Yeah, thanks for that." Daphne felt him pat her leg encouragingly. In spite of her best efforts to worry for no reason she relaxed.

Astoria turned her gaze to Harry. "You know you're supposed to be making Daphne a bit more exciting but apparently she is making you more boring. A pen? Really?"

"I think it's brilliant," Daphne interjected. "And it's not just a pen... it's a self inking quill meant to look like a pen."

Daphne looked at Harry and could tell that her sister had immediately put him at ease. She wished she knew how Astoria managed it so easily.

"Oh I take it all back...I didn't realize it was really a self inking quill."

"Apology accepted," Harry joined in. "Besides, exciting is highly overrated. I will take boring whenever I can."

It was meant as a joke for her sister but Daphne knew it was the truth. Daphne smirked as she realized Astoria had no idea how much excitement Harry had provided.

After several minutes of light conversation Astoria leaned in, speaking in a slightly lower volume. "I promise I won't ask about all the rumors about you but I do have one question."

"Merlin, here we go," Daphne muttered, causing Harry to laugh.

Astoria stuck her tongue out at Daphne then continued. To Daphne's surprise Astoria looked slightly embarrassed. "Sue Bones said you taught her how to cast a Patronus. Would you be willing...if you have time...to teach me? They really affected me on the train my first year."

"Astoria, that spell can really drain you. I'm not sure-"

"Daphne. Don't." Astoria interrupted forcefully. "I never want to feel that way again. It's worth it."

"But-"

This time it was Harry who interrupted. "I'd be glad to help. Dementors are foul."

He then turned and looked pointedly at her. "Daphne, you and Tracey should join as well. We'll make sure no-one overexerts themselves."

Daphne knew Astoria was stubborn and would learn it anyway eventually. Best to learn it from Harry while she could watch her. She nodded her agreement.

"It will be a mini-Dumbledore's Army!" Astoria joked.

"Potter's Army," Daphne quickly corrected. Astoria grinned.

"If you end up dumping Daphne you can't back out Harry," Astoria warned.

"No worries. If anything it will be the other way around," Harry corrected.

Daphne rolled her eyes. "So we're all agreed then, no one is getting dumped. Brilliant."

She suddenly realized that lunch was ending and she hadn't given their audience in the Great Hall a thought.

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully and soon enough it was time to meet Hermione. As she walked into the library she spotted her and noticed she looked worried. Very worried. The girl was much better than Harry at hiding her emotions from people she didn't like but for those she trusted she was an open book. A very open book.

"All right there Hermione?" Daphne asked as she sat down.

Hermione smiled at her nervously. It appeared that the girl was working out what she was going to say. Then it came out in a rush.

"I'm really sorry for yesterday. I had been frustrated with Ron and I took it out on Harry and I embarrassed him and we were having such a good time. Ron was even behaving by then and I was the one to-"

Gryffindors were so emotional. "Harry told me what you were arguing about," she interrupted. "I think you are wrong about the book Hermione."

Daphne had paused, expecting Hermione to immediately interrupt. But she remained quiet...thinking. Eventually she spoke.

"I can't believe you agree with him. We don't even know who that book belonged to. He's probably involved you in his Draco nonsense as well."

Harry had mentioned nothing about Draco so she ignored the comment for now. It was a classic distraction technique to bring up another topic when losing an argument. Daphne returned the focus to the book.

"So this Prince fellow's nefarious plan is to what? Brew better potions? Isn't that the point of the course? If you know a better method to do something you'd be an idiot not to follow it. Harry didn't say but I'm curious...has he offered to let you use the book as well?"

Hermione nodded reluctantly. Daphne could see her resolve was weakening. She still had some fight left however.

"I suppose he conveniently forgot to mention the spells he's tried without knowing the effect. He levitated-"

"Ron over his bed. He told me. I told him that was well and truly stupid. He agreed."

"Well that's something I suppose."

"Be honest. It's driving you insane that Harry is doing better than you in Potions isn't it?"

"Yes!" she blurted out before laughing. She quickly quieted after being shushed by Madam Pince. "I'm such a horrible person. I should apologize."

"I think you should but not about the spells. And start using the book! Harry doesn't care if he is doing better in Potions but he hates fighting with you. Between the two of us I think we can get him to be smarter about trying out the spells."

Hermione nodded her head reluctantly and smiled. "It's much harder to win an argument with you than the boys. I'm not sure which I prefer."

"Don't feel too bad...I've been learning how to argue and debate from my father since I was ten. Besides, boys are idiots."

"Harry is okay but Ron is definitely an idiot." Hermione smiled and her mind seemed to linger on something. Based on Harry's earlier comment she presumed Hermione was thinking about Ron. Hermione eventually came back to herself and spoke.

"Oh by the way we have a few more people who've asked to join us. I hope that's all right."

As if on cue Daphne heard a group approaching from behind. She turned to see Sue Bones, Hannah Abbott and Finch Fletchley (Jason?). They only looked slightly afraid of her which was an improvement.

Daphne didn't know much about Hannah or Jason but Sue was one of Astoria's favorite housemates. She said her positive outlook was infectious. To Daphne it always sounded annoying. Tiring and annoying.

But looking through her new lens the last few weeks...thinking about how many people Sue had lost to Voldemort...Daphne realized she was incredibly brave and stubborn to somehow stay so positive. Daphne imagined Susan was still annoying most likely and was most likely absolutely rubbish at chess...but brave.

"Hi!" Bones said nervously but with earnest enthusiasm. "Are we starting with Runes or Arithmancy? I'm fine either way!"

Daphne unconsciously smiled in reply. What was wrong with her?