Chapter 54: Victory is mine!

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"Oh, I'm sure we can bluster through it, if you're not interested," I say airily.

"No need for that, Lerner," she growls. "Higher stakes means a bigger challenge. Besides, I find that our current patriarchal society does not suit me, and I imagine Potter's side is far more likely to change things for the better. I accept, so long as my involvement remains a secret until I say otherwise."

"Of course, Ms. Greengrass. Also, I would like it if you called me William."

She presses her lips together at me and seems to consider her response for several moments before she sighs. "I suppose you may call me Daphne."

I smile at her, and she gives me a small one back. "I'm glad you came to meet me, Daphne. I must say I greatly enjoyed our date."

"This was not a date."

"I have to admit I'm already finding myself liking you quite a bit."

"Stop talking right now."

"But why? You really can't blame me, with your startlingly gorgeous ice-blue eyes framed by an equally beautiful face and luscious raven-black hair."

She points her wand at my face. "You're going to make me make us both regret agreeing to this, aren't you?"

"But I had a lot more compliments lined up, and they weren't even about your outer beauty this time," I say with an exaggerated pout.

"You don't get to compliment me yet."

My face lights up into a smile. "Yet, huh? So you—"

"Ever. I mean ever."

I continue to grin. "I suppose you've had enough torture for today. Prepare yourself for plenty more shameless pandering where that came from upon our next rendezvous."

"I will hex you in the most painful way I know if you try."

"Daphne," I say, turning my voice serious again. "All kidding aside, I really am glad you came to meet me. You wouldn't stop me from complimenting you by saying I look forward to our next discussion, would you?" I gaze unblinkingly into her eyes. Idly I hope my mind can detect Legilimency, but I can't be sure.

After several moments she looks away with a huff. "I suppose I can't stop you since you already did."

"And I meant it," I say firmly. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Daphne."

I hold out my hand and after a moment's hesitation she takes it gently. "You, too...William."

I smile mischievously when I drop the privacy charm. "I would walk you back to your common room, but your friends are just around the corner," I say, jerking my thumb at the one behind me. I had spotted them peeking earlier. Taking advantage of her surprise, I bend over and lightly press my lips into the back of her hand, then release my light grip. "So I guess this is good night, Daphne."

I stride away in what I hope is a confident manner. I'm quite pleased with myself when I turn the corner without taking some kind of hex in the back.

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I actually tried to write the more lighthearted bit of the second dinner scene in this chapter several times, but it kept coming out too perverted for this story.

What follows is actually tame compared to what came out at first; it may have devolved into discussions of individual body parts at one point, but this version still didn't feel right to me.

So enjoy this little alternative/bonus scene below.

"Well, you guys already know that I've been carving, so I guess it won't be too much of a surprise," I say, rubbing my chin and looking upward as if considering it. "Oh alright. Don't tell her, but it's..." I lean in with my hand blocking my mouth from her view, but I whisper loud enough for her to hear, "...a wooden lingerie set."

"You...you prat!" Hermione shouts.

"What? He asked! You think that's embarrassing, you should have seen when Hagrid held it up to himself."

"You're disgusting!"

"Hey, look on the bright side, Harry is now picturing you wearing lingerie."

"I-I was not!" Harry insists.

"True, but now you are."

"I hate you."

"I don't see why, we're teenage boys, she's gorgeous...it was only a matter of time. It's not that we're objectifying you, Hermione. Far from it! We love you for a lot more reasons than your physical beauty; that's just a nice bonus."

"I really don't think I should be hearing this," Hermione whines, dropping her face into her hands.

"Well if you like, you can picture Harry in his underwear, too. Now I don't swing that way, but he's a good-lookin' bloke I think."

"You know, William, I think we need to work on this brutal honesty thing," Harry says, hiding his own face and shaking his head.

"In particular, keeping it to yourself," Hermione finishes.

"You wound me! But just look at the results: you two are finishing each other's sentences now."

"I think it's about time..."

"...we found a new friend."

They look at each other in horror. "Stop it!" they yell in unison.

I laugh uproariously at them. They respond by glaring at me silently, which of course makes me laugh harder. It takes a minute but I finally work myself down to fits of mirth. "Oh man, I love you guys."

"Pleased to know we amuse you," Hermione says in a huff, fast enough that Harry doesn't have time to finish her sentence.

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"I take it your meeting was a success, then?" Hermione's voice jolts me out of my reverie, and she and Harry appear from underneath the cloak on one of the staircase landings. Harry is folding up the Map.

"It was, indeed," I say, maintaining the grin plastered on my face. "Pay up, I won the bet!"

"We didn't make a bet," Harry says with a confused expression.

"We didn't? Blast!"

Hermione snorts. "What did I tell you about British accents?"

"Oh come on," I pout, "I thought that one was pretty good."

"I thought it was, too," Harry puts in.

"Ha ha! Victory is mine!"

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