FicWad

Chapter 23 – A Late Wedding Present
. . .

For a long moment there was nothing other than the soft feel of Hermione's lips against his. It was a sensation that captivated the young wizard's entire attention. The man's natural reflexes took over and he returned the kiss with a fevered passion of his own. It was only when Hermione broke their kiss that Harry recalled who else was there with them. The witch in the doorway stepping around him and into the house suddenly reengaged the man's brain.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry exclaimed, frantically trying to figure out how to explain Daphne to Hermione and vice-versa. Hermione paused, her trunk floating directly behind her, and turned to regard Harry with an arched brow. Turning about Harry was able to see past Hermione and into the dining room, its emptiness surprising him as he was certain Daphne would've been there still. "What are you doing here?" he asked, repeating his previous question as he tried to figure out what had happened to his dinner partner.

"Honestly, Harry," Hermione answered with a small smile, the man before her appearing to be a bit distracted or flustered. I never knew my kiss could have that effect on him, she mused a bit triumphantly to herself. He's so cute like that!"You did say this was my home after all, so I decided to come home."

"A fact that I'm immensely pleased with," Harry stated."But why now? Won't you be missed at Hogwarts? I'm sure Professor McGonagall would be rather cross with finding her Head Girl here."

"I imagine she would be if I were her Head Girl," Hermione countered with. "I decided that I didn't wish to remain at Hogwarts, Harry. Being with you here made me realize just how different Hogwarts is without you there," Hermione told him. "Now that Luna is gone as well, it just isn't the same."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. This was the girl he'd grown up with for the past eight years who had constantly championed the virtues of having a good education. Now she's just going to throw it away? "But what about your education? You'll miss out on taking your NEWTs."

"I'll just sit the classes with the others here," Hermione told him. "I'm certain Mary won't mind one more in her class. Unless your agreement with her is only for the Daphne, Tracey and Luna?" Seeing Harry indicate that it wasn't, Hermione pressed on. "Then is shouldn't be a problem. Now, if you'll excuse me I'd like to get settled."

Harry couldn't think of any reason to disagree with Hermione and so escorted her up to her rooms. "I'll talk to Mary about it but I doubt it will be an issue. I expect her back the day after tomorrow," Harry said as they ascended the stairs. "I can't imagine McGonagall took the news too well," Harry stated with a small chuckle, envisioning just how that conversation must have gone.

Hermione's face took on a slightly vexed look. It was an expression Harry knew well as his best friend wore it every time she had a problem she was thinking on and had been unable to solve. "She took it rather well, all things considered. While I was packing she came by for a chat and stayed till I was done. Not once did she ask me to reconsider. In fact, I almost got the impression that she would have helped me pack if I had but asked her to."

"Really?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"It was almost like she knew I wouldn't be happy till I was here," Hermione said in a distracted tone, still working the issue in her head. While the bright witch had come to that conclusion it somehow didn't sit right with her and so she was still attempting to figure it out.

Harry gave a small chuckle. "Well, you have been one of her favorite students since first year, Hermione. She probably knows you fairly well by now I should think."

"Possibly," Hermione answered as they reached the doors to her rooms. After opening the door, the young witch gestured with her wand and her trunk floated into the room. "Well, I guess I'll see you at breakfast, Harry," Hermione said as she turned to face the wizard, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. Leaning in she gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek before stepping back into her room and closing the door after they exchanged good nights.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Hermione berated herself as she turned and leaned against the closed door. "Why did I do that?Whatever was I thinking?" she asked herself as she pushed off the door and made her way to the bedroom to put her things away. As she was unpacking she couldn't help but recall what had happened.

Professor McGonagall had escorted her down to the ward line of Hogwarts, wishing her good luck in a tone that made Hermione feel as though it wasn't in reference to her schooling. After a good-bye which both witches tried not to make tearful, and failed, she had apparated to the front of Westfield Manor. Though it was late, it was not so late that everyone would be abed already, she reasoned.

Mounting the front porch with her trunk floating behind her, Hermione had noticed that there were lights on. Stepping over to the side the young woman glanced through the window just in time to see Daphne stand and make her way over towards Harry only to fall into his lap.

A torrent of emotions flooded through the witch moving her without even her consciously thinking about it. Hermione's insistent pounding upon the front door brought Harry, as she knew it would. Upon seeing the man before her the young woman could only think of one thing. I have to tell Harry how I truly feel about him. It's now or never! Gathering her courage Hermione declared her love and then proceeded to capture Harry's lips with her own.

Hermione paused in putting her clothes away, dropping onto her bed with a shirt clasped in her hands in her lap. "What am I doing?" she asked despondently in a sad little voice. For the first time in her life she didn't have a plan, with several contingency plans in case the original one didn't work out. The young woman found herself floundering in the waters of love without a clue as to how she should proceed.

-oOo-

Harry stared at the door for several long moments. Hermione is in love with me, he told himself as a smile spread across his face. The ecstatic young man did alittle jig right there in the hallway before turning and taking two steps only to slam back into reality. I'm married to Daphne and Luna.

"Bloody hell!" Harry swore, coming to an abrupt halt."Hermione is in love with me. Now what do I do?" The young wizard stood frozen with indecisiveness for several long moments as he pondered this latest predicament. There's really nothing I can do about it right at this moment, Harry finally decided. Marching back to her door and telling Hermione that it just wasn't possible wasn't all that appealing.

"I'm sure if I were to do that it would hurt her feelings to no end," Harry reasoned. Which was something the young man wanted to avoid at all costs. Of course the fact that Hermione was in love with him also felt wonderful and Harry wasn't quite ready to give that up just yet. Unable to do anything about it at the moment, the young wizard pushed it aside for later, much as he had the issue concerning Daphne and Tracey.

There was however a more pressing matter. One that Harry felt he could deal with, or better yet, had better deal with now rather than later. Making his way a bit further down the hallway, Harry stopped before the doors to Daphne's rooms and knocked. "Daphne, it's me, Harry. Can I come in?" he asked through the door only to receive no answer.

Opening the door Harry saw that the sitting room was empty and the door to the bedroom was closed. Stepping into the room the wizard closed the door behind him, being certain to lock it as he didn't want them to be interrupted and the wrong conclusion being drawn. On his way to the bedroom door Harry noticed an empty potion bottle and paused to inspect it. Reading the back of the bottle the wizard nodded in understanding. "Well, that certainly explains a few things," he mumbled to himself as he set the bottle down.

Harry crossed to the bedroom door and gave a small knock before repeating his earlier words. "Daphne, it's me, Harry. Can I come in?" His words were met with silence. "Look, I know you're in there. Can we at least talk about what happened?" he enquired. While he had asked to discuss the matter Harry had no clue how to explain Hermione's actions, or even his own for that matter.

"Go away. I don't want you seeing me," came Daphne's voice through the closed door. From the sound of her voice it was clear to Harry that she was upset.

"This is rubbish," Harry growled to himself. "I'm coming in," he warned the upset witch before forcing the door open with his magic. The bedroom was dark without a single light on. The bright light cast through the open door revealed a rather undistinguishable lump in the center of the overly large four-posted bed. Seeing the lump shy away from the light, Harry hastily closed the door, plunging the room back into darkness.

Well, I'm in. Now what? Harry asked himself feeling a bit awkward and conscientious of the fact that he had just barged into a girl's bedroom. Last time he had done that he had inadvertently walked in on Daphne and Tracey. That's right!Daphne is in love with Tracey, not me. Feeling a bit relieved by that fact, Harry made his way to the side of the bed before climbing onto it and laying down beside the witch.

Daphne was more than a little startled when she felt the bed shift as Harry lay down beside her. The fact that she was under the covers while he was apparently on top of them did very little to slow the rapid beating of her heart. "Go away, Harry," she told the man beside her once again."Why are you here?"

"I think we need to talk about it," Harry replied, still uncertain just how he was going to explain not only Hermione's kiss but the fact that the witch was moving in and would be attending classes with everyone else.

"There's nothing to talk about," Daphne stated with a small sniffle as she tried to hold back the tears.

"Oh I think there is and I'm not leaving till we've discussed it," said Harry rather stubbornly. Truth of the matter was that there were a great many things Harry wished to discuss with the witch beside him, Hermione's kiss only being the newest of them. There was the matter of their marriage as well as his own marriage to Luna.

Harry also wanted to ask Daphne about Tracey and just what her plans were for the future. It's only because of me that she is now married to me, Harry felt. He was fairly certain that had it been any other wizard things would not have gone as they had. No need for Daphne to miss out on being happy. The young wizard decided he was fine with Tracey and Daphne carrying on their relationship if it made them both happy.

Divorce was not an option in the Wizarding world apparently. While Harry knew he was in love with Daphne he knew she did not feel the same way about him. What kind of monster would I be to stand in their way at a chance at happiness? We can go through the motions of being married, he reasoned. Attending functions together so outwardly they appeared to have a loving marriage. Isn't that what old married couples do? If Tracey should happen to come with us as Daphne's best friend, well who would be the wiser?

"You're really not going to leave?" Daphne asked from beneath the covers. The young woman cringed upon hearing the hopeful note in her voice.

"I'm prepared to stay here all night if I must," Harry told her as he shifted into a slightly more comfortable position.

There was a long silence through which neither of them spoke."I'm sorry. How can you stand to look at me?" Daphne asked suddenly, her voice thick with tears.

Whatever Harry had expected the witch to say it certainly hadn't been those words. "Whatever could you possibly be sorry for?" Harry asked, rolling onto his side to face the witch's back. The fact that Daphne was crying over his actions suddenly had the wizard feeling miserable and lower than dirt.

"I threw myself at you like some common slag!" Daphne exclaimed as the tears broke free at last. "How can you even be in the same room as me, Harry? I must disgust you!"

Harry could see the covers tremble as the witch cried. Reaching out he laid a hand upon Daphne's shoulder. "It's alright," he tried to assure her.

"No, it's not alright!" Daphne said, a tinge of anger in her words. "I'm so confused that I don't know what I'm doing these days. My life was all set, or so I thought, before father decided to marry me off like a prize bull at a country fair. Then you come along and rescued me only you're nothing like I thought you'd be! You were sweet and kind and you didn't want anything in return for it either."

Harry remained silent, having learned through his many years with Hermione, that it was often best to let her get it out of her system before trying to say anything. Opening his mouth opened the possibility for Hermione to be mad at him after all. It had taken Harry a few years to learn that one.

"You not only took me in but also wanted to see that I was able to complete my schooling. You took me shopping and never once complained, even when I stayed longer than I needed to! You even gave me my own muggle galleon card so I could shop whenever I wanted to! You knew I had arrange to run into you in London and yet you still took me!"

"You've been nearly perfect Harry! I say nearly as you do seem to have a few too many witches about you to be completely perfect. Even with that, you genuinely care for them all and try to make them happy as best you can. You took in Luna when her father passed. You even got Tracey to open up to you, something I thought no male would ever be able to do! Not only did you do that but I think she is in love with you as well!" Daphne told him, rolling over to try and read Harry's face in the darkness.

"How could I not fall in love with you? You're almost too good to be true, Harry! Then father had to go a ruin it all by selling you my wand and making you marry me! Now I have to give you an heir which means I have to get pregnant in three months and that's only if I survive my meeting with father tomorrow, which is not a certainty. My life has become so chaotic and out of my control that I don't know what to do anymore," Daphne vomited forth, finally running out of steam.

Harry, completely overwhelmed by the torrent of words and emotions didn't know what to say. Acting on impulse the wizard did the one thing he could do, he reached out and drew the distraught witch into his arms and held her tightly to his chest. No sooner had he pulled Daphne in close then she started to sob into his shirt. Harry held the crying girl, absently rubbing her back and placing soft kisses on the crown of her head every now and then while murmuring what he hoped were words of comfort.

Eventually the sobs turned to quiet tears and sniffles. Harry waited till the witch in his arms had stopped trembling before he said anything. "I love you too, Daphne," he confessed softly.

"Really?" Daphne asked after a long pause, her voice sounding meek and subdued to the wizard.

"I hadn't planned on it," Harry told her. "I knew you loved someone else and figured I didn't have a chance. It just sort of happened I guess."

Daphne lay with her head upon Harry's chest, one hand absently playing with a button on the wizard's shirt. "Are you sure? It would be very cruel for you to tell me that and not mean it."

Harry chuckled deep in his chest, the sound reaching Daphne through her ear that was laid there. The young witch found the sound rather enjoyable. "I would be the first to admit that I know little about love," Harry told her. "Professor Dumbledore told me once that the power I had to defeat Voldemort was love." Harry noticed that Daphne didn't shiver at the name of the former Dark Lord as so many others still did.

"It was the power he knew not," Harry continued to explain. "The Headmaster believed that I had the ability to love others and that from that love I drew my strength. Voldemort, never having received love or having ever given it, couldn't understand it. When you truly love someone there isn't anything you wouldn't do for them to see them happy. Just as there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, Daphne, to see you happy," Harry told the startled witch. "So yes, I'm sure."

"Oh Harry," Daphne said as she raised her head, stretched forward and captured the wizards lips in a heated kiss. It was some time before their lips parted upon which they discovered Harry's shirt had become unbuttoned so that Daphne's hands could explore. Additionally, Harry had a rather firm grasp of Daphne's bum, a fact both rather enjoyed. "Harry we need to talk," Daphne gasped as their lips finally separated.

Harry reluctantly agreed and situated himself upon the pillows with Daphne once again laying her head upon his now bare chest. The snog had been a rather wonderfully distracting pastime for the both of them, however they each knew there were things to discuss. "Do you want me to go with you tomorrow?" Harry asked once Daphne seemed to be settled and he had slipped his arm around her, pulling her in close.

"Tempting," Daphne confessed, "But I would rather handle father on my own. I've lived in fear of that man for my entire life. If I don't do something now I'll always be afraid of him. It's also a Greengrass family matter. Mister Wright will be there as well so it's not like I will be going it alone."

"I don't fancy you going at all," Harry told her honestly. The young wizard was one who was used to doing things himself. Having someone else go in his stead was not in his nature, especially if it placed someone he loved in danger. "I'm not one for sitting on the sidelines. If something should happen to you…,"

Daphne was touched by his caring words. "I'll be fine, Harry," she tried to assure him as one hand caressed the wizards bare chest affectionately. "I don't really expect father to try anything after all. He's not the type to make any rash decisions without a plan or two to back him up. I'm hoping to catch him unprepared and be in and out well before lunch."

Harry grumbled about it but finally accepted it for something Daphne needed to do herself. "How about we go out to lunch then afterwards, just the two of us," Harry offered.

"Really?" Daphne asked, an excited edge to her tone."Just you and I?" to which she received a grunt of agreement."Then I get to pick the place."

"As long as it is anywhere other than Madam Puddifoot's that should be fine," Harry told Daphne, barely managing to suppress a shudder at the memory of the hideous decor of the tea shop in Hogsmeade. If it hadn't been for the presence of the beautiful witch with him at the time Harry was certain that he would have fled the place as soon as he had stepped within it.

"Oh darn, and here I was so looking forward to being surrounded by ghastly shades of pink too!" Daphne quipped back with a grin. "Actually I was thinking more along the lines of that French place you first took Andi and me to that time. It was supposed to be just the two of us and now it can be."

Harry quickly agreed, making a mental note not to try the snails still. "So, do you want to tell me what happened downstairs? I'm assuming that has to do with the whole heir thing you mentioned? Is that why you…," the young man's words trailed off as he wasn't really certain how to say the rest politely.

"Tried to seduce you? Threw myself at you like some brazen street harlot?" Daphne offered helpfully as her cheeks heated into an embarrassed blush. "The law that married us also stated that I had to provide you an heir within the first year," Daphne explained. "I didn't see a reason for waiting. I had one of the elves fetch me a potion to insure that any child conceived would be a boy."

Harry gently kissed the crown of Daphne's head, certain she was probably feeling rather embarrassed at the moment. "Did you bother to read the directions on the potion or did you just drink it down?"

"I drank it," Daphne replied in a slightly puzzled tone. Like most in the Wizarding world they trusted the house elves to do exactly as they were told. There was no doubt in her mind that the elf had brought her the correct potion. "Why would I need to read the directions?"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. "If you had read the directions you would have seen the warning. The potion contains a mild lust charm."

"What?" Daphne exclaimed, sitting up in bed and turning to face the wizard with her.

"You would have also read that the potion you had contained not just one but rather three doses in it," Harry went on to tell her what he had read from the back of the bottle. "My guess is that your actions were not your own when combined with the bottle of wine you had drank and the three doses of that potion."

"Why ever would they put a lust potion into something like that?" Daphne enquired aloud, more to herself than to Harry. No need to tell him that was the third bottle of wine.

"If I had to guess I would say that a number of women might get cold feet when it came time to do the deed," Harry offered only to see a confused look upon Daphne's face.

"Why would their feet be cold at such a time? Is that normal?" the curious witch asked.

"How would I know?" Harry answered before waving away her question. "I mean they might get scared and decide not to go through with it. A little lust potion would probably ensure that a child was conceived."

"So it wasn't all me?" Daphne voiced her concerns, sounding more than a little disappointed to discover that she had been under the influence of a lust potion. "But I really wanted you, Harry."

"As flattering as that is, Daphne, it was probably just the potion's effect on you," Harry said. "You were slightly on the aggressive side," he added. Though he would never admit it, Harry had actually rather enjoyed Daphne's 'assertiveness'. He could only hope that the witch was the same without a potion or wine in her.

"You know you're taking this whole heir thing far better than I would expect a male of your age to," Daphne said.

"After my life, I've learned to just sort of roll with things," Harry told her with a grin she couldn't see. "Even the occasional aggressive witch," he teased.

"Quiet you," Daphne mockingly scolded him before the settle into a comfortable silence for several long moments. "Do I seem alright now, Harry?" enquired Daphne.

"Back to your normal self," Harry replied with a nod of his head.

"I still want you though," Daphne inform the man with her as she tossed off the covers, straddled his legs, and planted herself within Harry's lap. "Show me that you want me, Harry," Daphne said in a soft and begging tone as she captured his lips with her own.

Not one to say no to a pretty witch, Harry returned the kiss with a desire that rather startled him. Feeling his body responding to the witch in his lap, Harry broke their kiss, causing them both to gasp and suck in large quantities of much needed air. "I think I better go," Harry managed to get out.

"Don't you want me?" Daphne asked, a pretty little pout upon her features.

"If you only knew," Harry growled as the blonde witch squirmed in his lap and rubbed up against him. How can she doubt if I want her when she can clearly feel that poking her? he wondered. The fact that Daphne was dressed only in her nightgown made it all too easy for his hands to wander into areas that teenage boys constantly dream of.

Daphne's breathing quicken as Harry's hand slid under her gown and slowly crept upwards along her body. Feeling Harry very prominent desire for her poking her bum the young witch began to rock back and forth, riding the wizard beneath her. Apparently it was the correct thing to do as Harry's hand shot upwards and began to deliciously fondle her chest. "Yes…," Daphne breathed out in appreciation as she leaned forward and once again attacked Harry's lips with her own.

It was rapidly becoming difficult to think for Harry. There was only so much a man could withstand after all before he would be forced to just give into his basest desires. Harry tore his lips from Daphne after several long and enjoyable minutes of snogging. "Merlin, but I can't believe I'm the one saying this," he growled aloud. "Daphne, we should stop."

"What? Why?" a confused Daphne asked. She had been rather enjoying Harry's hand upon her chest and how his thumb and forefinger had teased her into erect hardness. "Don't you want me, Harry?"

"I do, but not like this," Harry said with a supreme effort of will, slipping his hand from the soft goodness of Daphne's chest."Are you doing this because you want to or because of the potion? I can't help but feel that you're afraid something will happen tomorrow with your father."

Daphne opened her mouth to refute Harry accusation but found that she couldn't with an absolute certainty. She was in fact worried about what would happen tomorrow with her father. There was a lot riding on it after all and the outcome of the meeting would not only impact her and Harry but also Astoria. Still, the spreading warmth in her nether regions was a clear indication of just how much she truly wanted Harry. Is it me or the potion though?

It was a very confused witch that slumped dejectedly before tumbling to lay on the bed beside Harry. "I can't even think straight at the moment," Daphne finally confessed as Harry's arms slipped around her and pulled her in close. "I truly love you and I do want you, Harry. I'm just so confused right now!"

"Sshh," Harry hushed her, once more gently kissing the crown of her head. "It's alright, Daphne. I want you too," Harry assured her, feeling it was important she know that fact. "But not like this. I want it to be when we're both ready and have decided to take this step together without the benefit of a potion or wine deciding for us."

"We've only got three months," Daphne whined. "Even less now."

"Then we have plenty of time," Harry told her. "I would rather wait and make it something memorable that we chose rather than something that was forced upon us by some potion."

"But we need the potion to ensure it is a boy," Daphne pointed out.

"When we decide it is time you can take the potion then but only after we've decided," Harry conceded, hating the law that had forced the two of them into this marriage that require an heir within the first year. I'll be damned if I am snapping her wand and sending her back to her parents!

"You really are too perfect, Harry Potter," Daphne said as she slipped her arms around Harry and snuggled in. Several long minutes passed before the witch spoke again. "Despite everything that's happened, Harry. I'm glad it was you that father married me to. I truly do love you."

"I love you too, Daphne," Harry replied with a warm smile realizing that Daphne was now the third witch to say that she loved him. I still can't believe Hermione said she is in love with me, Harry thought as he lay there holding his wife and pondering his life of late. His thoughts turned to Luna as they often did when he was with Daphne. I need to tell her. She deserves to know. Why ruin the moment? a small voice in the back of his head asked.

Minutes slipped by as Harry wrestled with the decision within his head. "Daphne," Harry finally said, gathering his vaunted Gryffindor courage. "There's something I need to tell you." His words were met by silence. "Daphne?" The only answer was the soft gentle breathing of the slumbering witch in his arms.

-oOo-

Daphne awoke to the smell of breakfast. As she opened her eyes she smiled, seeing Harry standing there with a tray in hand. "What's this all about?" she enquired. The young woman had awaken in the middle of the night only to find herself snuggled into Harry's side. Rather than be scared or suspicious of the fact she found that she rather enjoyed the thought of Harry spending the night with her.

"Well, I knew you had a busy morning planned so I thought I would bring you a bit of breakfast in bed,"
Harry replied as he waited for the witch to prop herself up on pillows so that he could set the tray down. "Nothing too fancy. Winky doesn't like when I borrow her kitchen from her," he added with a small chuckle.

"You cooked it yourself?" Daphne asked in disbelief as Harry set the tray before her laden with a hearty traditional breakfast."It looks delicious," she told him, setting the linen napkin in place and reaching for a fork to sample the food that smelled wonderful. A girl could really get used to this, she thought with the first savory bite.

"Never let it be said that I don't know my way around a kitchen," Harry responded with a touch of pride in his voice. The young wizard took a seat in a chair that was near the bed and the two of them spoke about a great deal of nothing as Daphne ate. Both were avoiding the issue of her confronting Gerald Greengrass and just what might happen.

It wasn't long before Daphne shewed Harry from the room so she could get ready. While tempting to have the young man stay, Daphne thought that might be too great a distraction for the both of them. In due course Daphne made her way downstairs dressed in traditional witch's robes carrying a small black purse with the Black Family coat of arms embroidered upon it. "How do I look?" Daphne asked upon seeing Harry waiting for her near the fireplace.

"Stunning, as always," Harry assured her. "You sure you don't want me to come with?" Now that the time was here, Harry found he was having second thoughts about letting Daphne go alone. If anything were to happen to her he would never forgive himself. "I could be the brooding husband that stands in the back and glowers at him while you tear him a new one."

"That's very sweet of you, Harry" Daphne said with a small appreciative smile, reaching up and caressing the wizard's cheek."I'll be alright. Mister Wright will see to it. Father wouldn't try anything with a witness there," she added, hoping she was right. "I'm certain everything will be fine," Daphne stated upon seeing the concerned look upon Harry's face.

"Alright," Harry relented. "But for the record, I don't like it." Harry stepped forward and hugged Daphne, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips. "Don't forget we have a lunch date, Missus Black."

Daphne blushed, truly touched by how caring Harry was being."I will, Mister Black," she replied with a radiant smile that was only partially forced. Taking a pinch of floo powder she tossed it into the fireplace and was gone in a flash of green flames only to emerge in the offices of Wilburn, Wright and Pinkerton.

"Good morning Miss Greengrass," Daniel Wright offered, having heard the floo activate and come to greet his client. "I trust you are well?" he asked as the witch brushed ashes from her clothes with a flick of her wand.

"As well as one can expect, all things considered," Daphne assured him. Without Harry there beside her Daphne was starting to get nervous. It's one thing to tell Harry everything will be alright and entirely another thing to believe it will be. "Is everything in place?" Daphne enquired, mostly to distract herself and keep her mind from running off into areas she'd rather it didn't, such what her father could possibly do.

"As requested," Mister Wright assured her, offering what he hoped was a supportive smile. "Whenever you're ready, Miss Greengrass."

"I think it would be best to refer to me as Missus Black for this visit," Daphne stated, feeling that as the Black family was an ancient and noble one, the name carried more weight. Taking a pinch of floo powder Daphne tossed it into the fireplace she had just emerged from not all that long ago. A short time later the two emerged into the greeting hall of Greengrass Manor.

The young witch set off with a determine stride, believing she knew precisely where her father would be at this time. It wasn't long before Daphne was walking down the long hallway where the portraits of her dead ancestors hung. Well, at least the male ones. The doors to her father's study were open indicating that he wasn't entertaining company at the moment."Good morning, Father," Daphne stated politely as she swept through the large doorway.

"Daphne," Gerald Greengrass replied from his seat at his desk where he had apparently been enjoying a cup of tea while reading the morning addition of the Prophet. The head of the Greengrass family arched a brow upon seeing Daniel Wright enter behind his daughter.

"This is Daniel Wright, my solicitor," Daphne stated, introducing the wizard with her to her father as was polite. "Mister Wright is here to simply observe."

"Of Wilburn, Wright and Pinkerton," stated Gerald as he gave a polite nod towards the solicitor. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Daphne?"

"Actually that would be Lady Black as we are here in a rather official capacity today," Daphne replied. The Blacks were one of the few Houses that actually carried a title of nobility. While a great many Houses were ancient, not many could claim the moniker of Noble as well. The House of Black out ranked the House of Greengrass not only in gold and prestige but in the fact that it had a noble title that Gerald Greengrass would love to hold. I could claim the title of Marchioness if I wanted, Daphne recalled, having been rather surprised by that fact.

Daphne's father just regarded her calmly and waited for her to continue. The fact that her father seemed unconcerned set the butterflies to doing acrobatic backflips and summersaults in the young witch's stomach."I'm here to give you want you wanted. A means by which to make the Black family gold available to the Greengrass Head of House. That is what you wanted, was it not?"

"If you say so," Gerald replied calmly. The wizard was not about to admit to telling Daphne that very thing, at least not when there was a witness there to hear it. The shrewd man was taking a wait and see approach. Better to see just what she wants before crushing her, Gerald thought to himself smugly.

"I can only assume that was your intention when you tricked Harry Potter into marrying me," Daphne continued with as she strolled along the bookcase along one wall, apparently browsing the titles found there. In actuality her nerves were getting the best of her and she just couldn't stand there and look at her father any longer. "Using the purchase of my wand to seal the deal. Well played," Daphne said in a complimentary tone.

"Thank you," Gerald answered in that insufferably calm tone that said he was still in control of the situation. "If you could please get to your point I would greatly appreciate it, Lady Black. Unlike some," he said with a small smirk aimed at his daughter, "I actually have work to do and would like to return to it."

"Very well then," Daphne said, turning from the bookcase and making her way directly to her father's desk. "I brought you something to read," she stated as she pulled forth a piece of rolled parchment and set it upon the desk before her father. "I'm sure you'll find it all rather entertaining."

Gerald Greengrass eyed the parchment for a long moment before picking it up and unrolling it. As the man's eyes traversed the words there the expression on his face did not change at all. Once done Gerald casually tossed the parchment back onto the desktop. "That is a fine bit of fiction you have there, Lady Black. Too bad you have no proof to support it."

"That's the beauty of fiction, Mister Greengrass, one does not require proof for the masses to believe it," Daphne said with a feral grin. "I may not be able to get the charges for line theft to stick but that isn't really the point, is it?" Daphne asked rhetorically."Currently there are two other copies of that story. One resides with a man who is at this moment seated in the lobby of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Gerald realized that this wouldn't be as easy as he had first thought. Apparently Daphne has given this a great deal of thought, he acknowledged begrudgingly. Both impressed and frustrated by his daughter's actions. The crafty business man quickly rethought his first plan of killing them both and destroying the parchment. I can send our elf to capture whoever has the story. While difficult, it certainly wouldn't be the first time someone died within the ministry.

"The second copy is with an acquaintance who is at this very moment seated within a conference room in Gringotts. For a rather hefty sum the Goblins have agreed to see to his safety," Daphne explained, much to the chagrin of her father. "If both of them do not see us healthy and whole within the next hour they will take the story to press."

While Gerald knew that the man in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was a doable kill. Why else would I have Aurors on my payroll if not for circumstance just like this after all? The real issue was the one in Gringotts, making that one untouchable. If the Goblins had taken the job to protect the man they would die before allowing harm to come to him. I'm certain I can stop anything the Prophet will try and publish though, the wizard thought, feeling as if he was still in control.

Seeing the calculating look upon her father's face Daphne hastened to burst his bubble. "I have little doubt that you have connections within the Daily Prophet. Which is why one of those men will be paying a visit to Le Monde Magique in Paris and the other will provide his copy of the document to The Magical Times in New York. I think even you will have trouble stopping them both, father."

"Again, what care I if you print your little work of fiction or not," Gerald enquired, though his frustration at being out played slipped into his tone despite his best efforts.

"Why in deed?" Daphne asked as she turned away from the desk and sat in one of the chairs that was situated before it. The fact was that despite her outward appearance she was so scared that she feared her legs wouldn't support her any longer. "If anything you should know that people don't want the truth, Father. They'll believe anything they read in a rag such as the Prophet after all. Once the story gets out other news outlets will pick it up and carry it. It's hard to keep a good story down after all. Before long the entire Wizarding world will read of what you've done."

"People will see that I was a caring father who looked out after his daughter's best interest," Gerald countered with, though his words were lacking their customary certainty.

"That might be true," Daphne conceded with an amused chuckle, "If you had done it to anyone other than Harry Potter. My Harry is not just the hero of Britain. He's the hero of the entire Wizarding World. How do you think everyone will take the fact that you tricked their hero in order to advance your own business and standing?"

"I'll tell you what will happen. The Greengrass name will become worthless. Your business contracts will dry up or be dropped quicker than a Goblin will grab at free gold. You will soon find yourself alone and shunned by everyone," Daphne explained. "When that story is published along with Harry's endorsement that he knew nothing of the arrangement you'll be finished."

Public opinion was a fickle thing, Gerald knew. He'd spent enough time manipulating it to suit himself to know just how true that was. The image Daphne was painting was all too real for his liking. There really wasn't much that he could do at the moment. "So what do you propose then?"

"Here is how this will play out," Daphne replied, slipping another piece of parchment from her purse. "You will designate Harry as the Greengrass heir and then advocate as Head of House stepping down and into retirement. You can think of it as a late wedding present to Harry and me, if it will help you sleep at night. Mother and you can live here of course," the young witch said as she got to her feet. "There will even be a stipend so that you may both continue to live out your days here in the manner to which you are accustomed."

"And if I refuse?" Gerald asked as he read over the document which would make Harry Potter the Head of the Greengrass family and owner of everything he himself had worked so hard to achieve.

"You can take your chances with the masses," Daphne replied. "I think we both know just how that will go though." In the end Gerald signed just as Daphne knew he would. It's better to be a minor part of a wealthy House than apart of a poor one, she reasoned. Gerald quickly pulled forth his wand and swore the same oath that Benjamin Davis had sworn to Harry, relinquishing his position as Head of the Greengrass family.

Daphne, knowing nothing of what transpired with the Davis Head of house, had just thought it the best way to free Astoria from the marriage contract their father had agreed to. Apparently great minds do occasionally think alike. By including the threat of line theft she had added some additional weight to the plot. Even the old pure-bloods believed line theft to be the lowest of crimes. If they allowed it to happen to someone else it could happen to them after all.

Daphne collected the signed parchment making Harry the heir to the Greengrass family and walked it over to Mister Wright who had remained silent during the entire exchange. "I must say, your education at Hogwarts certainly seems to have been completely thorough. I'm glad to see that you're a true Slytherin," came Gerald voice from behind Daphne.

"Why father, I'm rather surprised. I would have thought a man of your caliber would have known this wasn't taught at Hogwarts," Daphne replied, turning to look at her father over her shoulder. "I learned everything I needed to do this by simply watching you." Turning about once more Daphne hastily left the study and made her way to the floo with Daniel Wright in tow behind her. The young woman couldn't be gone from the premises fast enough for her liking.

"That went rather well," Mister Wright commented once they had stepped from the floo into the offices of Wilburn, Wright and Pinkerton.

"You think so?" Daphne enquired as Mister Wilburn and Mister Pinkerton stepped from Daniel's office to greet them. The young witch, as an added layer of precaution, had lied to her father as to the whereabouts of the men. It was the other two solicitors who actually had possession of the copies of the story. "I'm certain there will be repercussions once father has had time to think things through and formulate a plan."

Daphne thanked the gentlemen for their time and effort. The three copies of the story Daphne had written were tossed into the fire to be hungrily consumed by the flames. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a lunch date with my husband." After exchanging farewells Daphne stepped into the floo headed for home and Harry.

-oOo-

Harry looked down at his hand as the Greengrass Head of House ring appeared. Holding his hands up before him the young wizard wiggled his fingers allowing the other Head of House rings to appear. The Black and Lovegood rings were on his left hand, ring finger and middle finger respectively. The Davis, Potter and now Greengrass rings sat heavily upon his right hand. "I either need more fingers or fewer rings," he said aloud before dismissing them all back to being invisible. "Something to ponder another day," he added as he stood and made his way to the fireplace to welcome his wife.