Thank you for your reasoned explanation. I'm not a huge fan of your story, but that's only because it's Harry centric than Hermione centric. You do treat her with respect, which is why I haven't given up on this.
So... thinking of it as a Harry story, I'm glad he resorted to trickery and outright bluffing rather than superpowers. That said, this is still a superHarry fic; though kudos to you for attempting to keep it real. Or real-er :)
Your author's note was really quite good.
Is Harry going to ask Daphne for permission to court her in private or something of that ilk?
Author's response
- Being male, I don't really have the insight needed to write in a woman's voice without sounding like an idiot. The few times I've done it, it was arduous and the result, even after almost a dozen drafts, read very stilted. In short, I know what's creeping around in the darkest parts of a young man's mind, but the mind of a woman at any age is totally alien to me.
- I was trying something new. I've read politicalGenius!Harry resolutions, SUPERDUPER!Harry resolutions, and even Dark!Harry resolutions. I don't recall ever reading a lyingbastard!Harry, so, why not?
- My first love is History, most of my situations come from history.
- Pretty much, yes. While they are 'officially' married, they aren't in his head... Though they are in Daphne's. Bear in mind the culture she comes from.
- I am fortunate enough to have a co-worker who is in a contracted marriage. She met her husband on her wedding day, and had her first conversation with him after they consummated their marriage. She had just finished her degree, and was deeply in love with a former classmate.
- She tells me that while her first encounter with her husband wasn't exactly consensual, she didn't (and doesn't twenty odd years later) doesn't consider it to be rape due to her cultural expectations...
- I'm wondering how many people that would (will?) piss off...