Aftermaths, Part 95

by Geri ([email protected])

Rating: Mostly PG-13, but NC-17 for overall story

Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise

Warning: AU; events that occurred at the end of Order of the Phoenix were significantly altered from the book.

Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, and Phoenix Rising.

Summary: The various characters deal with the aftermath of the war, and Snape and Lupin try to build a family together with Theodore and Dylan. However, some people are unable to let go of the past...

Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Hob, who belongs to William Mayne; no money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
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The R.A. met one more time before school started again. "None of the Slytherins confessed to being Death Eaters," Susan said. "The only thing we learned was that Theodore Snape and Blaise Zabini are gay."

"And that Ron likes a Slytherin girl," Dean muttered. "Though I guess I didn't need a potion to tell me that."

"The point is," Susan said impatiently, "that maybe we were wrong about them. Maybe they aren't interested in carrying on their parents' work, after all."

"No!" Stewart protested. "Maybe they didn't admit to being Death Eaters, but they never said they weren't, either!"

"Maybe their minds were just focused on sex instead of politics," Corbin suggested cynically. "The Yule Ball is traditionally a time for couples to sneak off and make out in the rose bushes, after all. And I hear that the more clever students find better hiding places, where they're less likely to be interrupted by a teacher."

Susan looked a little shocked to hear an eleven-year-old boy talking that way. "We've been watching them for months," she argued, "and we still don't have any evidence of them being Death Eaters or Death Eater sympathizers. I'm beginning to think that we're not finding any evidence because there isn't any to find!"

"What about the hexes cast at the Gryffindor-Slytherin match?" Jack argued. "Or the Porvora that exploded in Vector's class?"

"But those were attacks made on Slytherins," Susan pointed out. "If the Death Eaters were behind it, wouldn't they be attacking Gryffindors, Harry in particular?"

"There was a lot of infighting within the ranks of the Death Eaters, according to my dad and his colleagues," Stewart said. "They might be fighting amongst themselves."

"I don't know if I want to do this anymore," Susan said to Isabelle. "I feel like we're not going to find anything."

"We can't let our guard down now!" Isabelle protested. "We don't know for sure, so we have to keep watch on them. Wouldn't you feel terrible if something happened--like an attack on Harry--and we could have prevented it if we hadn't given up?"

Susan frowned, hesitating, then said reluctantly, "I guess it won't hurt to keep watching them. But I don't want to play any more sneaky tricks, like putting Truth Potion in the punch."

Isabelle, Stewart, and Corbin looked to Tristan for support, but the Hufflepuff boy looked dispirited and distracted. "I can't deal with this right now," he said. "Master Bleddri's taking Uncle Amos to court, and my mum and my uncle aren't speaking to each other. It feels like my family is falling apart."

"I know it's hard on you," Isabelle said gently, "but we can't give up. The safety of the your family, of the entire wizarding world, might depend on us."

"Let's just watch them for now," Tristan said halfheartedly. "We can't really do anything until we know what they're up to, anyway."

Jack and Andrew grumbled a bit, but they didn't have any better ideas, so they agreed to continue to observe the Slytherins, and the meeting was adjourned. Everyone left except for Stewart and Isabelle.

The normally calm and composed French girl paced back and forth across the room, looking more agitated than Stewart had ever seen her, even when she had been scolding him about the unauthorized Porvora attack. "This isn't how it was supposed to happen!" Isabelle cried in frustration. "They were supposed to show their true colors at the Ball! We have to show my--we have to show everyone how dangerous they are!"

"Slytherin has a match against Ravenclaw coming up in a couple of weeks," Stewart said. "Maybe we could arrange something--"

Isabelle shook her head, continuing to pace back and forth. "No, the teachers will be watching the game too closely. They examined all the players and equipment for hexes before the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw match in November, and I'm sure they'll be watching even more closely now that Slytherin is playing again." She looked very distraught, close to tears. "We have to do something!"

Stewart wondered about Isabelle's sudden sense of urgency, when she had always preached caution before. But it didn't matter, because he had chafed at the restrictions, and besides, he would do anything to make her feel better. "I think I was on the right track with the Porvora attack," he said musingly. "I just chose the wrong victim. You were right; I let my temper get the best of me. I was trying to get revenge on Dietrich, but there's no reason why a Death Eater would want to hurt him. Susan said it herself; a Death Eater would want to attack Harry Potter--the Savior of the Wizarding World, the hero who vanquished You-Know-Who."

He half-expected Isabelle to protest that they only wanted to hurt Death Eaters, not innocent people, but she stopped pacing and looked thoughtful. "Maybe you're right..." she said slowly.

"Of course we wouldn't really hurt Harry," Stewart added hastily. "All we need to do is scare him, and make people realize that there are still Death Eaters at large."

Isabelle's tears were gone, and she had that distant look in her eyes that meant she was forming a new plot. "Yes, that might be the solution. But the Porvoras are gone, so we'll have to come up with a new plan. Let me think about it."

"Okay," Stewart said, feeling relieved and excited. "And I'll talk to some of my dad's colleagues. They're still suspicious about the so-called reformed Death Eaters. Maybe I could try and get some information out of them, find out if there are hints of Death Eater activity outside Hogwarts. And maybe I could drop a few hints about our suspicions."

"Subtly," Isabelle warned. "Just mention that you're concerned, and don't bring up the R.A."

"Of course I won't!" Stewart said indignantly. "I'll be careful, I promise. I think it's worth the risk to get some Aurors on our side."

"You're right," Isabelle said, smiling at him warmly. "Thank you." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then headed to her dorm to continue plotting. Stewart remained behind in the empty classroom, grinning widely as he lifted a hand to touch his cheek reverently.
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Harry returned to Hogwarts, and Ginny greeted him a little too brightly and cheerfully, and Harry responded in an equally cheerful voice that sounded just as fake as hers did. She acted as if she were trying to pretend that things were the same as they had been before the Yule Ball, so Harry went along with it, but it only reminded him of how different things were now, and how awkward they felt around each other.

Ron was having a difficult time, too. "I don't know what to say to Daphne," he told Harry. "That potion made me feel as if I were as smooth as Rosier--I can't believe I had the nerve to say those things to her!"

"I know how you feel," Harry said fervently. "I feel so weird around Ginny now. So...what has Daphne said?"

"Nothing," Ron groaned. "She just blushes and looks away every time I catch her eye. I guess I should apologize to her, but she seems to be avoiding me..."

"No, you mustn't apologize to her!" Hermione said emphatically.

"Huh?" a startled Ron asked. "Why not?"

Hermione sighed impatiently. "Because it would be an insult, of course. You told her at the Ball that you liked her and thought she was pretty, right?"

"Right," Ron mumbled, his face turning red.

Hermione gave him a look that was similar to the one Snape gave his students when they had bungled (what was in Snape's opinion) a particularly simple Potions assignment. "If you apologize," she said, carefully enunciating each word, as if she were talking to a simpleton, "it would be like saying that you DON'T like her or think she's pretty."

"Oh!" Ron exclaimed. "That's not what I meant!"

"But that's what she'll think," Hermione told him.

"But if she's mad at me, shouldn't I apologize?" Ron asked uncertainly.

Hermione sighed again. Harry and Ron exchanged a look; Hermione was their best friend, but she could be infuriating at times. And what was most infuriating was that she was usually right. "I don't think she's mad at you," Hermione said when she was done sighing and shaking her head. "She's very shy, and she's probably just a little embarrassed that she was kissing you in front of half the school."

"Oh," Ron said, suddenly cheering up. "Then...do you think that means she still likes me?"

"She said so, didn't she?" Hermione said impatiently. "Snape said at the Ball that he thought the punch was spiked with a Potion of Liberation. That means that you and she and everyone else who drank it said whatever was on their minds without your normal inhibitions to stop you."

"But Snape said later--" Ron started to argue.

"Snape was just trying to help Theodore and Blaise save face," Hermione said dismissively. "Were you telling the truth when you said those things?"

Ron blushed again and looked down at the floor, avoiding her gaze. "Um...yeah, I think so. I mean, I never thought I could like a Slytherin girl, but she doesn't really act like a Slytherin, and...well, yeah, I guess I do like her."

"Then I'm pretty sure that Daphne was telling the truth, too," Hermione said. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then continued, "I think what you should say is that you didn't mean to embarrass her, and that you wish you could have said those things in a more private setting."

"I can't say that!" Ron protested.

"Why not?" Hermione asked.

"I...I just can't!" Ron insisted. "I can't even look at her without getting tongue-tied! If I was brave enough to tell a girl I liked her, would I still be single at seventeen?"

"You're going to be single for the rest of your life, at this rate!" Hermione said tartly, and Ron groaned. "Classes start again tomorrow, so that means your Herbology tutoring sessions will be starting again too, right? You can talk to her then. She won't be able to avoid you, and you'll be able to talk to her in private."

"You can do it, Ron," Harry said encouragingly, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"I'll try," Ron said, without much confidence. "So what about you and Ginny?"

"Um...well...er..." Harry stammered.

Ron grinned, perhaps enjoying seeing someone else squirm for a change. "As her older brother, maybe I should beat you up for getting fresh with my little sister," he teased.

"But she was the one who kissed me!" Harry protested.

"I didn't see you pushing her away," Ron said, still grinning.

"I didn't think you were paying attention to anything but Daphne!"

"So," Ron said, slipping an arm around Harry's shoulders, "are you going to do the right thing by my sister, or am I going to have to challenge you to a duel to protect her virtue?"

"That's not funny!" Harry said, but he couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"You're all being so silly about the whole thing," Hermione said in a slightly patronizing tone.

"Easy for you to say!" Ron retorted. "You had Rosier chasing after you ever since he got here; you didn't have worry about telling him that you liked him!"

"Yeah, it's not really fair that guys always have to ask the girls out," Harry chimed in. "I mean, we're the ones who always have to risk rejection."

"As I recall," Hermione said dryly, "Ginny was the one who asked YOU to the Ball." Harry's face turned scarlet. "So if we're trying to be fair, I would say that it's your turn to ask her out. You too, Ron; technically, Daphne asked you to the Ball by sending you that letter."

"Hey, that's right!" Ron said, looking relieved. "So that must mean she really does likes me!"

"Sirius told me that I should ask Ginny out on a date," Harry admitted.

"Hey, maybe we could double-date on Valentine's Day!" Ron suggested, then glanced at Hermione. "Er...I mean, triple-date, if Rosier's up for it."

"I think the point of Valentine's Day is to be alone with the person you like," Hermione said.

"Ah, I get it," Ron said, smiling slyly, "you want to be alone with lover boy!"

Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. "You're so childish!" she sniffed indignantly.

Harry grinned. "Well, maybe we could all meet at The Three Broomsticks, then go off on our own afterwards," he suggested.

"I suppose so," Hermione said, still sounding a little huffy. "But hadn't you better ask Ginny and Daphne first?"

"Oh, right," Harry said, and he and Ron smiled at each other sheepishly.

Harry didn't want to talk to Ginny in front of all the other Gryffindors in the common room, nor did he want to attract attention to himself by asking if they could speak in private. A number of Gryffindor boys had already given him knowing smiles and winks, and the girls giggled whenever he was around, causing Ginny to blush and look irritated. Eventually, she went to the library, probably to get away from all the giggling. Harry waited a few minutes, to make it less obvious that he was following her, then headed to the library himself. He found her alone in a quiet corner of the library, which was mostly empty anyway, since classes hadn't started yet.

"Hi, Ginny," he said, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, hi, Harry," Ginny said, blushing a little.

Harry took a deep breath and gathered up all his courage, then said, "I know it's a bit early, but Ron was thinking that we could all go out together on our next Hogsmeade Day--you and me, Ron and Daphne, and Hermione and Dylan." Harry's face colored a little. "On, er, you know, Valentine's Day."

Ginny smiled, suddenly looking like her old self, and the awkwardness between them seemed to vanish. She cocked her head to one side, a mischievous little glint in her eyes, and said, "Why Harry, are you asking me out on a date?"

Harry shuffled his feet nervously. "Um...er...well...yes. It's sort of my turn, isn't it? Since you asked me to the Ball."

"Then I guess it will be my turn the next time," Ginny said lightly.

Harry felt relieved and elated. Next time...that meant he was guaranteed another date after Valentine's Day, didn't it? "Right," he said, grinning at her.

"Okay then," Ginny said. "It sounds like fun. Going to Hogsmeade, I mean."

"Great!" Harry said, grinning from ear to ear.

Ginny turned a page in the book she had been reading. "You guys must have had the same assignment in Advanced Potions last year, right? We're going to be working on poison antidotes; maybe you could help me study?"

"Sure, we covered that last year," Harry said, taking a seat next to her. They looked through the Potions text and chatted with each other, and Harry felt as if everything had been restored to normal--almost. He felt very comfortable slipping back into his familiar role as Ginny's friend, but at the same time there was a hint of something else. A sort of eagerness or anticipation, like waiting for a birthday or Christmas; they were still friends, but there was the promise, or at least the potential, of something more in the future. That was enough for Harry right now. As they discussed antidotes, Harry felt an unexpected bit of warmth and gratitude towards Snape for inadvertently helping him patch things up with Ginny.
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Classes resumed the next day, and Harry was in such a good mood that he didn't even mind that his first class was Potions, although normally he didn't care to start off the day with a grumpy Snape. And this time, instead of looking away when Daphne walked into the classroom with the other Slytherins, Ron smiled at her. She quickly blushed and looked away, but not before giving him a timid smile in return. Harry grinned to himself; things seemed to be looking up for Ron, too. Pansy and Millicent giggled, then leaned over and whispered something to Daphne, who turned even redder. She glanced over nervously at Draco, but he just ignored the girls, looking bored.

"Vacation is over!" Snape snapped, and the girls instantly stopped giggling. "I expect to have your full attention during this class; is that clear?" Everyone nodded and murmured assent. Snape nodded curtly and turned towards the blackboard, saying, "Good, because this potion is one that will likely show up on your N.E.W.T...."

Later, in DADA class, Lupin came over to give Harry a few pointers on the curse-breaking spell that the students were practicing. "By the way, Harry," Lupin said, lowering his voice so that only Harry could hear him, "would you mind stopping by my office afterschool today?"

"Uh, sure, Professor," Harry said, wondering what Lupin wanted, and the werewolf smiled cheerfully at him and moved on to help another student.

"Do you think he's giving you detention or something?" Ron asked during lunch.

"He didn't seem mad," Harry replied, "and besides, I haven't done anything wrong. Not that I know of, anyway."

"I'm sure it's nothing like that, Harry," Hermione said calmly. "Maybe he just wants to talk to you about your N.E.W.T.s or something. And you are his best friend's son, so it's not unusual that he might want to talk to you every now and then."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Harry said, relaxing a little.

So after classes were over for the day, he reported to Lupin's office, where his teacher poured him a cup of tea and offered him some candy from a box on his desk.

"Thanks," Harry said, helping himself to some Honeydukes fudge. "A Christmas present?" he asked.

"One of Dylan's, actually," Lupin said with a grin. "Apparently he always gets more than he can eat." Lupin's pet rat squeaked hopefully, poking its nose out between the bars of its cage. "Well...just a little," Lupin said to the rat, giving it a small crumb of chocolate. "We wouldn't want you to get fat."

"So...um...what did you want to talk to me about, sir?" Harry asked.

"Well, for one thing, I wanted to thank you for the Canary Creams you gave me for Christmas," Lupin said.

"You're welcome," Harry said. "And thank you for the book." This year Lupin had given him a novel instead of a textbook, a book called "The Once and Future King," a story about King Arthur and Merlin. It was a Muggle book, and Harry had been surprisingly happy to receive it. He wasn't really big on reading for pleasure, the way Hermione was; he'd much rather practice Quidditch or magic, or play games with his friends. But although he was happy to have left behind his old life and become a wizard, the wizarding world was still a little strange to him at times, and he could never quite forget that he was part Muggle. And Harry was pleased that Lupin seemed to understand that, and had given him a gift that belonged to both worlds. Maybe it was because of Lupin's own dual nature, being both a man and a werewolf.

"I'm enjoying the book," Harry said, and it was the truth. "Is that really what Merlin was like?"

Lupin laughed, but gently, in a way that didn't seem to be mocking Harry's ignorance. "No one really knows what Merlin was like, Harry. No one alive today, not even Dumbledore, is old enough to have known him. I am sure there is a grain of truth in the tales and legends about him, but tales grow in the telling. Merlin is regarded as a great hero, almost a god, by wizards today, but I'm sure that the stories of his adventures became more exaggerated and grandiose each time they were told, until they became what they are today."

Harry rubbed the scar on his forehead. "Like the stories about me in the Daily Prophet? Er...not that I'm saying I'm anything like Merlin, of course!"

"Exactly, Harry," Lupin said with a smile. "Very perceptive of you. Which is not to say that Merlin was not a great wizard, or that you were not a hero, just that people made your stories even grander than they were to begin with. But in troubled times, it isn't uncommon for people to create a hero to look up to."

Harry flushed, feeling a little embarrassed. "Well, anyway, thanks for the book, Professor."

"I got an interesting gift this Christmas from the Slytherins," Lupin said casually. "A green and silver robe, with a Slytherin crest."

"Uh, yeah," Harry mumbled, flushing again. "I saw you wearing it at the Ball."

"It seemed to me," Lupin continued, "that some of the Gryffindors seemed a little upset, and I was afraid they might have taken it the wrong way."

"Dylan explained it to us," Harry said quickly. "He said that the Slytherins wanted to thank you for looking after them, and make up for how they gave you a bad time when you first started teaching here."

"I'm glad you understand, Harry," Lupin said warmly. "It really does mean a lot to me that the Slytherins have accepted me, but I certainly wouldn't want anyone to think that I was ashamed of being a Gryffindor."

"You...you're not?" Harry asked hesitantly. "Even though my dad and Sirius behaved like idiots sometimes?"

Lupin shook his head. "All of us are idiots sometimes when we're young, Harry," he said gently. "Including me. But hopefully we learn from our mistakes as we get older. And I assure you that prejudice is not a flaw restricted solely to Gryffindor--I have seen it in all the Houses, to a greater or lesser extent, over the years. Gryffindors can be stubborn and narrow-minded at times, it is true. But they can also be brave, compassionate, and loyal. I'm very proud to be a Gryffindor, Harry. And I'm equally proud that Severus is a Slytherin. Each of us has strengths--and weaknesses--that the other does not. We complement each other so well precisely because we are so different."

"I...see," Harry said slowly, beginning to grasp what Lupin meant. "Sort of like me needing to accept my Slytherin side?"

"Yes," Lupin said, smiling approvingly. "And Harry...not every Gryffindor is alike, nor every Slytherin. Each student is unique and special. James was bold and fearless, while Neville is shy and timid. Yet he is a true Gryffindor because he was brave enough to overcome his fears and join the D.A. and fight the Death Eaters."

"There are different types of Gryffindors," Harry said, feeling as if he'd just had a major revelation. "And different ways of being brave."

"Exactly," Lupin said, looking very proud of him. Then he smiled tenderly and said, "You're unique, too, Harry."

"I am?" Harry asked, startled.

Lupin nodded. "I know that everyone says you remind them of James, and I do see a little of your father in you, as well as a little of Lily. But mostly I see you, Harry. Your father would never have had the patience to learn and master Occlumency, and I don't think that even Lily could have embraced her Slytherin side, if she'd had one. She was a sweet girl, and more open-minded than James, but she grew up in a warm, loving family, and I don't think she entirely understood the darker side of humanity. In theory, perhaps, but deep in her heart, she didn't know what it was like to feel bitter and lonely and jealous, which is, perhaps, why she never entirely understood the depths of her sister's jealousy. She always chalked up Petunia's antipathy to fear of magic and simple sibling rivalry." Harry nodded, thinking of Aunt Petunia and her bitter hatred for her own sister. "And no one, not even Severus, ever thought of using Occlumency techniques to imprison someone in their own mind, as you did to Voldemort. So you see, Harry, you are very unique and special."

Harry beamed at Lupin, feeling a sudden warmth that banished any last traces of resentment that might have been lingering behind over the Slytherin robe. People often compared him to James, which at first had made him both happy and curious, because he had known so little about his father. But now it made him uncomfortable, because he wanted people to like him for himself, not just because he was a Potter, and also because he had seen in the Pensieve that his father wasn't as perfect as he had thought. He still loved his dad, but he didn't want to be like James--or at least, not like the young James in Snape's memories. Once again he wondered what his dad would have thought about Harry being descended from both Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin, or about Lupin's relationship with Snape. But all he said was, "Thank you, Professor."

"You're welcome, Harry," Lupin replied. "Oh, and I wanted to ask you...did Morrigan talk to you about testifying at Master Bleddri's trial?"

"Yes, Professor," Harry said unhappily. "Ms. De Lacy came over during Christmas vacation to talk to me and Sirius and Professor Blackmore. She wants me to testify about what I overheard at the Quidditch match, when Mr. Diggory said that he helped fake Master Bleddri's death. I like Master Bleddri, but I feel bad about testifying against Cedric's father..."

"I know it's difficult," Lupin said sympathetically. "But none of this is your fault, and it's not up to you to determine Mr. Diggory's guilt or innocence. Just tell the truth about what you heard."

"That's what Professor Blackmore said," Harry said, not feeling much better about it. "Do you really think that Mr. Diggory or his parents killed Master Bleddri's father?"

"I don't know," Lupin said quietly. "But I do believe that they not only denied Lukas his inheritance, but the support and love of his family when he needed it most."

"How could they be so mean to him, their own grandson and nephew?" Harry asked. "Mr. and Mrs. Diggory seemed like nice enough people; they really loved Cedric."

"Because they didn't see Lukas as a member of their family," Lupin said sadly. "They thought of him as less than human, a monster." Lupin patted Harry comfortingly on the shoulder. "Your testimony will be brief; you should only have to appear in court once, for a few minutes. And I'm sure that this is difficult for Master Bleddri, too, and that he would appreciate the support of his students. By that, I don't mean openly taking sides, just..." Lupin hesitated, as if searching for the right words. "Just be there for him."

Harry wasn't exactly how sure he was supposed to comfort the fierce and slightly standoffish Physical Defense teacher, but he said, "Yes, sir."

Lupin smiled and said, "Thank you, Harry." He reached over and laid his hand on Harry's shoulder and said, "Don't forget, you can always stop by anytime you need someone to talk to."

They chatted for a little while more over tea about more trivial matters, like future DADA assignments Lupin had planned, or what presents they had received for Christmas. Then Harry left and returned to the dorm, feeling a little bit better, but still solemn. Here he'd been so worried about his not-quite romance with Ginny, while other people like the Diggorys and Master Bleddri had much more serious problems. Not that Ginny wasn't important to him, but it put things into perspective. Worrying about whether a girl liked you or not was nothing compared to having your family fighting with each other over an inheritance, or knowing that your uncle and grandparents had tried to cheat you of your inheritance, and possibly even killed your father to get it.
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Daphne had been flustered ever since the Yule Ball; she had never been so forward with a boy before, and more importantly, had never drawn attention to herself like that before--well, except for the time that she had hit Draco in the nose. So she was embarrassed and nervous; she liked Ron, but she didn't know him very well, and wasn't quite sure how she felt about him, because she had never considered dating a Gryffindor before he asked her to the Ball. (Though actually, she had never dated anyone before, Gryffindor or otherwise.) But Ron seemed nice--he had comforted her on the day she had hit Draco, the anniversary of her brother's death--and he seemed safe, in a way that the Slytherin boys did not. No Weasley had ever been accused of being a Death Eater, and even if Ron had sometimes said mean things about the Slytherins in the past, she couldn't picture him actually trying to hurt someone, like the way Crabbe had thrown a Bludger at Harry Potter back in fifth year, or the way Draco had cast a Serpensortia spell during his dueling match with Potter in second year.

But Ron had been avoiding her since the night of the Ball, so maybe he regretted kissing a Slytherin girl. He had never liked the Slytherins very much before, after all. She was surprised to find how much that thought hurt and disappointed her. But having no friends to confide in, she kept those feelings to herself. She had expected her housemates to tease her about it, but they were much too busy gossiping about Theodore and Blaise, which was a relief, although she felt a little bit sorry for the two boys.

So she was surprised but happy when Ron gave her a friendly smile when she entered the Potions classroom and took her seat. She smiled back at him before becoming self-conscious and looking away again. Millicent and Pansy giggled, then Pansy leaned over and whispered coyly, "You know, the Minister's son would be a good catch."

Never in a million years would Daphne have thought that one of Draco's in-crowd would describe Ron Weasley as "a good catch"! She cast a nervous glance at Draco to see if he was offended, but he was ignoring them, seeming indifferent to Pansy's and Millicent's giggling. Daphne relaxed; well, things were different now. Draco no longer seemed so hostile towards the Gryffindors, and he no longer wielded the power that he used to when his father was alive, so maybe it was safe for her to date a Gryffindor boy. Dylan was dating Hermione, after all, and Brad Doherty seemed to be dating Melissa Carroll. That was presuming that Ron wanted to date her, of course.

"So what's up with you and Weasley?" Millicent asked as they left the dungeon after class ended. She and Pansy were still giggling, but their laughter seemed friendly rather than malicious. Never before had any of the Slytherin girls tried to befriend her--mostly they ignored her, and every now and then one of them would drop a catty remark about her family, alluding to the possible impurity of their blood.

"Um...nothing right now," Daphne replied hesitantly.

"Weasley's a bit dense," Pansy informed her. "I'm sure that he likes you, but you'll have to give him a little encouragement for him to make a move."

Daphne cautiously evaluated the other girl's expression and tone of voice for signs of mockery, but she seemed to be sincere. "How do you know that he likes me?"

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Oh, it's only so obvious! Didn't he go rushing to your rescue like a knight in shining armor after you clobbered Malfoy in Physical Defense class?" Daphne flushed at that memory. "And he asked you to the Ball, didn't he? He's always been suspicious of Slytherins before, so he must really like you, to ask out a girl from an enemy House."

"That's so cute," Millicent giggled. "Like Romeo and Juliet!"

"Well, that might be exaggerating a bit," Pansy admitted. "And that story was a tragedy. I wouldn't want to kill myself over someone like Weasley."

"Ron's a nice guy," Daphne said defensively, then fell silent and blushed, stunned at her audacity.

Pansy and Millicent just grinned, not looking at all offended. "Ah, it must be love," Pansy said.

"And Weasley's father is Minister of Magic now," Millicent added practically. "It's not like he's a pauper anymore."

"I don't like Ron because he's the Minister's son," Daphne said quietly. "I just like him because...because he's nice, that's all."

"A true romantic," Pansy said.

"Look who's talking," Millicent teased good-naturedly. "Wasn't your family furious about you and Justin?"

Feeling a little bemused, Daphne walked along with the other girls to their next class. She was enough of a Slytherin to be a little suspicious of their sudden friendliness, but she also knew it would be regarded as an insult if she rejected it, so she meekly walked with them, letting them do most of the talking, just smiling and nodding every now and then. And it felt surprisingly nice to feel like a normal girl for once, to have friends to walk to class and gossip with. She'd remain on her guard, of course, but Daphne found herself hoping that their offer of friendship was real. If the other Slytherins had changed, maybe Pansy and Millicent had, too. Pansy was dating a Muggle-born boy, after all.

Ron's Herbology grades had improved, so Professor Sprout suggested that Daphne keep tutoring him. "He's making good progress, and I wouldn't want him to backslide," she said.

So they met in the greenhouse as usual, and Ron smiled at her, still blushing a little, but looking much more confident and sure of himself than he usually did. "Listen...about the Ball, I, um, didn't mean to embarrass you or anything."

"It's okay," Daphne said quickly. "It was the punch."

"No, it wasn't just the punch," Ron said, his face turning as red as his hair. "I...I meant what I said. Only, I wish I didn't say it just then. No, wait--that came out wrong. What I mean to say is...uh...well...I should have said those things in private. So I'm sorry--no, wait, I wasn't supposed to apologize! Blast it--"

Daphne smiled; Ron actually looked kind of cute as he blushed and stammered. She preferred his blunt and awkward sincerity to the practiced calculation of most of the Slytherin boys. Dylan Rosier, for example, was incredibly handsome and charming, but his words were so smooth that it was as if he had rehearsed them in advance. Probably all the other girls in the school would think she was crazy if they knew what she thought, but she much preferred Ron to Dylan. Impulsively, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I like you, too, Ron," she said.

She couldn't help but giggle at how absolutely flabbergasted he looked. Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times; at first, all that would come out was a faint squeak. Then he cleared his throat and said, "Uh, well, I guess everything's all right, then." Daphne smiled and nodded. Ron grinned, looking relieved. "So, I know it's not for another month and all, but would you like to go out to Hogsmeade with me on Valentine's Day? I thought maybe we could get a drink at The Three Broomsticks with Harry and Ginny, and Hermione and Dylan, and then maybe we could go off on our own to...uh...Puddifoot's, maybe?"

He stared at her hopefully, and Daphne answered, "Yes, I would like that very much."

"Great!" Ron said, and they just sat there grinning at each other with wide, silly smiles on both their faces, until finally Daphne said, "Well, I guess we should get started..."

"Oh, right," Ron said, and opened his Herbology textbook, still grinning.

Part 96