Chapter 16

Daphne had hardly slept. She had stayed up quite late rewriting her Defense essay, and then laying awake worrying about what might be happening to Harry. He had been rather excited at thought of accompanying Dumbledore in an attempt to find pieces of Voldemort's soul. Harry had explained it all to her, but it had gone over her head a bit. She had decided to ask him again about it later.

So, Daphne had lied awake on her bed listening to Tracey talking in her sleep and Millicent's elephant-like snores, wondering if Harry had returned, and if he was alright. She also spent time wondering why Dumbledore had helped Draco Malfoy to escape. She had learned from Harry that Draco was taken to a safe house, but Harry didn't elaborate as to why.

Daphne felt a burning anger every time she thought about Dumbledore's attempt to protect the boy who was clearly working for Voldemort, and had stomped on her chest. Daphne was angry that she'd been unable to return the favor to Draco and donned a pair of spiked stiletto heels and driven them right into Draco's crotch.

Still, Daphne had to believe there was a reason, though it was most likely stupid, that Dumbledore was protecting Malfoy. She only wished she could talk to the man and question his intentions. She wanted to understand more of what was going on around her now. Since her feelings for Harry were growing and she…

"Harry." She sighed, smiling to herself. Daphne had been zoning out a lot earlier that night. It had taken her a very long time to rewrite her essay, because she would let her mind drift off reliving the moments they had shared wandering through the castle hand in hand. It was strange and exciting and comfortable and a thousand other things. Yet the memory of the day had warmed her deeply and made her hungry for more of the same.

Maybe that was why she'd been so unable to sleep. She was anxious to see her boyfriend again and make sure he was alright and that he had accomplished what he'd set out to do.

Boyfriend. How that word filled her with excitement. She had an honest to goodness boyfriend. One who wasn't just interested in her because she had a good body, or her family was of standing or something shallow like that. No, she and Harry had been steadily heading this way since they had learned they were going to be married. At first they'd been resistant to the idea, but they had gotten to know each other, and found something special.

Daphne wondered if it was normal for betrothed couples to fall for each other, or if she and Harry were a special case. Maybe she would ask her grandmother about it.

Daphne clutched her pillow to her chest, smiling again as she remembered kissing Harry goodnight, and how he'd stared into her eyes for the longest time. She liked that she left him speechless after she kissed him. He always looked so adorable when he was all confused. That puzzled her a bit. Harry sometimes flinched a bit when she touched him, and he always looked so surprised when they kissed, as if it was the last thing in the world he expected. He was very sweet, but he sometimes looked reluctant to hold her hand or kiss her, as if he were afraid she might strike him or something. But he was such a good kisser.

She shut her eyes, imagining again the moments they had shared that day.

Daphne awoke, surprised that she had actually fallen asleep. She saw that she still had an hour before breakfast was finished, and she raced to get dressed and presentable. She wanted to find Harry as soon as possible and learn what had happened the night before, and after that maybe she could get him to take another long walk where they might find some quiet places to be close.

She didn't bother with a shower, throwing on a comfortable pair of jeans and her favorite green sweater, and brushing out her blonde hair before throwing it into a loose ponytail. Satisfied with her rushed job, she practically sprinted to the Great Hall, pausing just outside to catch her breath and appear casual in her entrance.

As she strolled into the Great Hall, she was very surprised to see Ron and Hermione but no Harry. Daphne stood there for a minute before she joined her new Gryffindor friends. She wasn't close to either Ron or Hermione, and had sensed a growing tension between herself and the bushy haired witch. Hermione had not said anything, or even shot a dirty look Daphne's way, but she had picked up a strange feeling of untrust or something. Daphne was nonplussed about it, but had made a note to monitor the situation. She knew how important Hermione was to Harry and wasn't about to cause any friction if she could avoid it.

"Good morning." She smiled as she sat down.

"Mmmrning" Ron said through a mouthful of what appeared to once be eggs.

"Gross." Daphne muttered.

"I'm truly considering not kissing him anymore until he learns to eat properly." Hermione whispered.

"Wha?" Ron looked up from his plate.

"Nothing, dearest." Hermione smiled sweetly.

"Where's Harry? Did he finish breakfast already?"

"We don't know. Ron said he wasn't in his bed this morning, and he wasn't in the Hospital Wing. We checked first thing this morning."

"Did they come back yet?" Daphne asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

"I'm not sure." Hermione shrugged. "We were practically shoved out of the Infirmary by Madam Pomfrey. I'm sure everything's alright, though. Someone would have told us."

Daphne raised a skeptical eyebrow. Could Hermione be this naïve about what was going on? Daphne wondered how much Hermione actually knew about what Harry was being taught. She figured Harry had most likely told Ron and Hermione much more than he had told her, so she shrugged, bid them farewell, and joined Tracey at the Slytherin table.

After breakfast, Daphne decided she would take a look in the Hospital Wing for her wayward boyfriend. He was well known for getting himself hurt, and it stood to reason that Harry was laid up, bandaged from head to foot because he fell, or threw himself in front of some curse or spell to save Dumbledore.

After all, they'd been gone all night, surely they must be back by now, and Daphne was anxious to see Harry and hear all about his adventure. It wasn't everyday that Dumbledore asked a student to accompany him on a mission to stop Voldemort.

Daphne opened the door to the Hospital Wing and felt a chill run down her spine. At the far end of the Infirmary, a large privacy screen had been erected around a single bed, and Professor McGonagall stood with Professor Flitwick, listening to Madam Pomfrey, who was speaking quietly about that particular patient.

Fear gripped Daphne and she began running towards the bed in question.

"Harry!" She called out. The three grown ups turned, and Professor McGonagall caught her just before she reached the privacy screen.

"I'm afraid you can't be here." The Transfiguration professor said gently.

"But I need to see him." Daphne struggled.

"I'm sorry, but he's not able to take visitors." McGonagall said a bit more firmly.

"I'm not a visitor. Let me see him right now!" Daphne was shouting.

"It's not Potter," called another voice. Daphne turned to see Professor Snape sitting up in a bed across from where she was struggling with McGonagall. He looked very tired, as if he'd been kept awake for days against his will. The bedside table was loaded with a variety of potion vials, and there was a large bandage on Snape's pale shoulder.

"Sir?" Daphne asked, confused by the statement.

"It's not Potter." Snape said again, waving her over to him. Professor McGonagall released her grip on the teenager and watched her join Professor Snape, her own curiosity rising at what she had heard. McGonagall was unaware that Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass had become friends.

"Where is he, sir?" Daphne asked softly.

"I don't know. But he was very upset when he left here. I suspect he'll need someone with a level head on their shoulders right about now. You must find him, Miss Greengrass, and prevent him from doing anything stupid."

Daphne nodded quickly and turned to look back at the privacy screen, a million thoughts racing through her head.

"Do you have any idea where I might find him?" She asked tentatively.

"I've noticed that whenever Potter feels pressure, he'll take a flight around the Quidditch pitch." McGonagall said helpfully.

"Thank you." Daphne said before sprinting out of the Infirmary in search of Harry.

"Severus, what in the bloody hell is going on around here?" McGonagall asked.

"Where to begin…" Snape said coldly as he laid himself back against his pillows. "Albus' mistakes are catching up to us all." He sighed as he shut his eyes bitterly.

Daphne was out of the castle and onto the grounds in record time. She couldn't recall it exactly, but she could swear she had actually hurtled over a group of first years on her way out of the castle.

The air was crisp, and her lungs burned from breathing in the frigid air as she ran out to the Quidditch pitch, searching for Harry. Something very bad had happened, that much she was sure of. Snape hated Harry, everyone knew that, but the man was not a bitter empty shell like most believed. Daphne had seen a Snape exhibit some small amount of compassion on several different occasions in her years at Hogwarts, though she had never experienced it first hand.

Those moments were fleeting, and now that she really thought about it, Malfoy had really been the sole recipient of Snape's emotional support.

All right, so maybe Snape was the heartless bastard everyone said he was. Either way, he had gone against his nature and told her to find Harry and make sure he was alright. Whatever the reason, Daphne knew that she had to find Harry. She had to know what happened and that he was alright.

Daphne emerged onto the pitch and began scanning the skies for a glimpse of Harry. Her heart sank when she saw that the skies were clear of any broom riders. The sky was overcast, which made it much easier to see anyone who might be soaring about on a broom that morning.

Daphne felt her shoulders sag in disappointment. She decided she would go find Weasley and Granger and have them look in his dorm to see if he'd gone back there, when a flash of red caught her eye.

Daphne heard a laugh coming from the stands nearest her, and she could see two people play fighting above her.

"Little Weasley." She whispered to herself, feeling a little relief.

Daphne raced up the stairs and onto the stands. Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley were laughing and tussling about like normal teenage lovers might do, and Daphne felt a twinge of jealousy at the sight. She and Harry had never wrestled with one another. Daphne had to remind herself that things were still new and developing. There'd be plenty of opportunities to make Harry submit to her superior will. There were more important things going on right now.

"Weasley!" Daphne called out, interrupting what looked like Ginny's conquering of the tall dark skinned boy. Ginny looked up, eyes bright with laughter and her cheeks flushed from the exertion.

Daphne approached the two lovers, looking sorry she had disturbed them, but she needed help.

"Have you seen Harry this morning?"

"No. You're Daphne, right?" Ginny asked, already knowing the answer. She'd not had a chance to speak with Harry's betrothed since she'd found out who it was. Ginny was smart enough to stay out of the whole situation, though she'd overheard Ron and Hermione's conversations about the girl.

"Yeah. I'm sorry to interrupt you guys, but I really need to find Harry. It's rather important."

"You're not going to hurt him, are you?" Dean asked, a little defensively.

"Dean, behave." Ginny said sternly, then turning her eyes to the worried looking blonde, "You're not going to hurt him, are you?"

"What? No. I just need to find him. Professor McGonagall said he might be out here, but clearly he's not, and it's a big castle." Daphne said, a pleading look in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, but would it be possible for you to check Gryffindor tower for me?"

Ginny considered the girl's request a moment before nodding. She understood the look in Daphne's eyes, for it had been a look she had once worn herself. Ginny could see that Daphne truly cared for Harry. It was hard not to. Harry had that ability to make a girl swoon, though he was unaware of it himself.

But more than that, Harry was a friend. Ginny would do anything to help her friends. Ginny had been watching Harry over the last few weeks, and she had seen him smile a lot more. He was more at ease, as if the invisible weight he normally carried on his shoulders had disappeared. Ginny was smart enough to know that Daphne was the reason for it all.

Though a year ago she might have been threatened, or upset by it, Ginny was over her crush on Harry, and very happy where she was now. She had a good boyfriend, and Harry had become a good friend, though they had not spent a lot of time together of late. Ginny didn't care about that, because she could see that Harry was happy.

"All right. Come on." Ginny nodded, helping Dean to his feet. The three trudged their way back up to the castle. They walked in silence until they were on the staircases, heading upward.

"Can I ask you a question?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, sure." Daphne said.

"How do you feel about Harry? I know about your situation, and I know he's been smiling a lot more, which is very un-Harry like. He's relaxed in ways I never imagine he could, and he seems, well there's no other way to describe it. He's happy. So, I was just wondering how you felt about him, because I don't want to see him hurt."

"You really care for him, don't you?" Daphne asked.

"To be honest, he's like a brother to me, but it wasn't always that way. If my mother had her way, she be planning our wedding right now. She was devastated to learn of your situation, and it'll be a long time before she forgives him for it." Ginny said matter-of-factly.

"And you? How do you feel?" Daphne asked, cocking her head a bit, gauging the girls reaction.

"Honestly, if Harry had come to me last year and admitted he liked me, well things would be very different. But the fact is, I grew up, and I saw that Harry was not the boy for me. I was in love with a storybook character. Harry's wonderful, but he's flawed, and anxious, and worry's too much about things. In other words, he's normal. More normal than he realizes, which is all he wants to be. Once I understood that, and could see him objectively, I realized that him and I together wouldn't work, not in the way I wanted it to work. He's a good man, one of the best, but he wasn't for me. Not in a romantic way, anyway."

Dean gave out a relieved sigh, and Ginny squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"Well, I don't know exactly what I feel for him, but I like the way I feel when he's around. I like how he makes me smile, and how I make him smile. I get nervous when I'm going to see him, and I find myself doing things I don't normally do." Daphne admitted.

"Like spending a little extra time in front of the mirror? Making sure your hair and make-up are just right?" Ginny asked knowingly.

Daphne smiled in response, and Ginny smiled back.

"Is that why it takes you so long to come down each morning?" Dean asked of Ginny, a smile on his face. "You're trying to look good for me?"

"No, sweetie." Ginny gave a sly wink to Daphne. "I just enjoy making you wait on me." She patted his cheek tenderly.

They came to the portrait of the fat lady and Ginny whispered the password. Daphne was Harry's girlfriend, but she was still a Slytherin.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, either with Harry or his whereabouts." Ginny smiled and Daphne smiled her gratitude.

Ginny, followed by Dean entered the Common Room, and there was no sign of the messy hair anywhere.

"Maybe he's sleeping." Dean offered.

"Let's go check. If not, I know something that will help us in finding him." Ginny smiled, taking Dean's hand. The two young lovers ran up to the sixth year boys dorm, and Ginny ripped open Harry's bed curtains to see the bed made perfectly.

"I don't think he ever came here last night." Dean admitted. "He wasn't here when I got up this morning."

"I didn't think he'd be here anyway." Ginny admitted, going to Harry's trunk.

"Hey!" Dean cried out indignantly. "You can't go through his stuff."

"Relax, I'm not taking anything. I'm just looking for something that will help us find him. And, here it is."

Ginny removed a old folded piece of parchment, and opened it up on Harry's bed. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She said tapping her wand against the parchment.

"Whoa." Dean said breathlessly as the Marauder's Map came to life.

He was amazed at the detail the map showed, and the little dots with people's names moving all about.

"Where is he?" Ginny asked of no one.

"Where did he get this?" Dean asked.

"It's a long story, but the shortened version is that his father and his friends were very interesting people. They made this when they went here."

"This is so cool." Dean sighed longingly. "Do you think he'd let me borrow this sometime?"

"Don't you dare mention this to him." Ginny glared. "It's one of his most treasure belongings, and it's supposed to be a secret."

"Alright." Dean said sadly. "But this is really cool."

"There he is." Ginny said pointing to a spot on the map. "Mischief managed." Ginny smiled, folding the map back up and replacing it in Harry's trunk.

"Come on, Dean." Ginny said, tugging Dean's arm and returning to the stairs where Daphne was waiting. They found the blonde Slytherin pacing impatiently back and forth. She'd been questioned by a few suspicious Gryffindors who either exited, or were returning to their Common Room.

"Sorry it took so long. Harry's in the Astronomy tower." Ginny said as she emerged from the portrait hole.

"Thank you so much." Daphne said before racing off again.

Ginny watched her go, thinking that she was a very lucky girl to be falling for Harry, and having Harry return her feelings. Regret filled her for a moment before she felt Dean's arms wrap around her middle. She smiled warmly at Dean, sighing comfortably as he held her close.

Daphne was cursing as she slumped against the door to the Astronomy tower. She was not an athletic girl, and she had truly gotten a workout this morning.

"Why are there so many bloody stairs in this place?" She asked, clutching the stitch in her side. She propped herself against the wall, trying to steady her breathing and her pounding heartbeat.

After several moments, she felt steady enough to continue on and find Harry, who was supposed to be here in the Astronomy tower. She only hoped he hadn't left in the time it had taken her to get here.

Daphne opened the door, and climbed the last staircase to the open tower. She found Harry sitting, huddled on the frozen stone floor, back against the wall. He was shivering violently, and his hair was messier than ever. He didn't look up at her approach, but remained tightly coiled, as if he was holding onto himself for dear life.

"How long have you been up here?" She asked softly. Harry's head shot up and Daphne felt her heart falter.

His brilliant green eyes were dulled. There were deep red circles around them, and they appeared puffy and bloodshot. His face was drained of color, and he looked exhausted. Harry looked almost frightened at the sight of her. His eyes were wide with horror, and he looked like he wanted to run away.

"Are you alright?" She asked starting towards him but stopped when he backed away.

"You should leave." His voice was hoarse and scratchy.

"I've spent my entire morning looking for you. What happened? When did you get back?" Daphne asked trying to get closer to him again.

"Please, just stay away." Harry begged. "I can't…" He faltered, and his head fell onto his arms which were hugging his knees tightly.

"Harry, tell me what happened. What's going on?"

Harry's shoulders began shaking, and Daphne could barely keep her own tears at bay. Something truly horrible had happened to him, and she needed to find out. It was only way to help him.

"He lied to me." came Harry's muffled response. "That self righteous bastard lied."

Daphne was confused, but slowly approached the boy, whose body was trembling more violently.

"Start from the beginning." She said as she slowly sat beside him. She wanted desperately to grab him and pull him closer to her, to comfort him. "I'm confused here, so you need to start at the beginning and tell me everything."

"He was never going to teach me how to win." Harry's voice was thick, as if he were crying, which Daphne was sure he was doing. "I was never meant to beat Voldemort. It was all a lie."

Realization hit Daphne like a freight train. Harry was talking about Dumbledore. Dumbledore had been lying to Harry about training him to defeat Voldemort. Harry had somehow found out that he was not going to fight the Dark Lord, but merely be sent to die.

"Ok, Harry. Let's start at the beginning, and go slow. Maybe you misunderstood or something. Tell me everything." Daphne said, putting a gentle hand on Harry's back, feeling hurt when he flinched away.

"He said I had to die." came Harry's muffled response.

Harry staggered under Professor Snape's weight as they came into the Hospital Wing. It had been a long walk up from the front gates with Snape leaning heavily on the younger man's shoulder. Harry wasn't sure how badly Snape was hurt, but it must have been bad if Snape were relying on Harry to get him to the hospital wing.

"Madam Pomfrey." Harry called as the two men finally stumbled into the infirmary. He saw the nurse bending over a bed, with Hagrid standing sentinel near by. Hagrid looked up and rushed over to help Harry with his burden, taking Snape to a nearby bed and setting him down easily.

"Thank you Hagrid." Snape whispered..

"Sit down there." Pomfrey ordered Harry before she turned and went back to looking over Dumbledore. Harry fell exhausted on the nearby bed, breathing heavily. He felt the bundle in his sweatshirt pocket, and reached a hand in to grasp the locket. It felt warm, and almost comforting in his hand, like it belong to him somehow, a long lost treasure. At the same time, his scar flared with pain. Harry had been too preoccupied to notice that it had been throbbing somewhat ever since he'd first lain hands on the locket.

Harry sat up to watch as Pomfrey was now looking over Professor Snape, and asking a million questions. The school nurse was running her wand over the torn flesh where Snape had been bitten by the Inferi. Harry wondered if the bite might infect Snape and turn him into a Inferi as well. He brushed the thought away remembering Dumbledore's comment about Harry watching to many movies.

"Some kind of potion" Snape said quietly. "He insisted on drinking it."

"What about the poison?"

"What poison?" Snape asked indifferently as Pomfrey probed the bite in the Defense teacher's shoulder.

"The poison that's creeping up his arm. I recognize your magical signature, Severus. I want answers." Pomfrey insisted. "I can't help him if I don't know what I'm up against."

"I'm not the one who's able to give you those answers." Snape said sadly defiant. "Only Albus knows why he does what he does. The rest of us are pawns in his game. OW!"

"You shouldn't talk like that." Pomfrey scolded.

"Severus." Came a feeble voice. Dumbledore was reaching out a hand from his bed. "I must speak to Severus."

Snape stood, causing Madam Pomfrey to cluck her tongue and put her hands to her hips. "That will not heal itself, Severus." She chided.

Harry could only watch as the two men spoke, as he was too far away to overhear their whispered conversation, but Harry saw Snape look at him several times, a look of shameful disgust on his sallow face..

"Are you hurt, Mr. Potter?" Pomfrey asked, running her wand over Harry. Harry hadn't even noticed her approach him, and jumped slightly at the sound of her voice.

"I don't think so. Just really tired." Harry admitted.

"Very well. I shall give you a sleeping potion and you can rest up here tonight." Pomfrey bustled off to fetch what she needed.

"Potter." Snape called. Harry looked up to see Snape waving him over. Harry got to his feet and rushed over.

Dumbledore looked very weak and tired, lying in the hospital bed. He'd been covered in the crisp white linens to keep the Headmaster warm. Dumbledore's eyes were rimmed in black, and he looked every bit his advanced age.

"Harry, I'm so very sorry. It was not the way I wanted you to find out." Dumbledore said weakly. "I never wanted for this to happen."

"So, it's true then?" Harry asked, his anger rising a bit. "I have to die?"

"Harry you must understand some things. Please sit down."

Harry stood defiantly, staring at the Headmaster, who looked truly heartbroken.

"Very well. When I found you in the wreckage of your parents house, I was shocked to discover you were still alive. I placed you in the care of your Aunt and Uncle…"

"I know all this. Because of my mother's sacrifice. The blood wards…"

"I knew it was the only way to keep you safe." Dumbledore pressed on. "I also knew something horrible had happened to you other than just the Killing Curse. Something which I am sure was unintended by Voldemort."

"Why were you showing me all this stuff if you never meant for me to survive? Why go through all the charade of keeping me safe? Why was I so bloody important if all I am is a fucking sacrificial lamb?" Harry wanted to scream, but kept his voice even.

"It was my hope to find a way to avoid all of this, to remove what lies within you and save you. I could find no way to destroy it without killing you." Dumbledore said, his eyes filling with tears. Harry saw Snape looking rather angry as he examined the hem of his robes intently.

"What? What's inside me?"

"Have you not guessed? Why is it you can see into Voldemort's mind? Why do you feel when he is happy, or angry, or upset? You have a piece of him inside of you. You are the seventh Horcrux, the one he did not intend to make." Dumbledore said, a single tear spilling down his cheek.

Harry felt his breath catch, and his heart pounding. He looked to Snape who avoided the young man's eyes. Harry felt his legs growing weaker, and forced himself to sit down in the nearby chair. He clutched the armrests, his fingers going stark white with the force of his grip.

"No. You're just saying this so I'll believe I have to die." He said disbelievingly.

"I'm so sorry, Harry." Dumbledore said weakly as he tried to take the boy's hand. "I've tried for so long to find a way to rid you of this burden so you might have a chance to live, to find the happiness you so richly deserve. You've proven time and again that you are a strong, generous, selfless man. A better man than I am."

"Stop it." Harry's voice was low, his eyes burned with livid tears. He could not even look at the old man now, his y threatening to swallow him completely.

"I wanted you to find the remaining Horcruxes and destroy them. And then you would face him. When it was all over and he was truly mortal again, then someone would be able to kill him." Dumbledore pushed on.

"Who? You? Getting my glory and being a hero for the world once again?" Harry demanded.

"No. I will be most unable to help you for much longer. It was my hope to make you more independent, so that you could do it all on your own. So that you would not have to rely on your friends. That was what I was trying to accomplish with you. To prepare you for the quest which now must fall to you. I had hoped that we could…"

"To isolate me." Harry grimaced thinking of his friends. Of Ron, Hermione and Daphne. Ron who'd been his very first friend, and his closest confidant. Hermione who'd stuck by him no matter what, and become the closest thing to a sister he'd ever known. And Daphne who had recently come into his life and turned it on it's head. Daphne who had stolen his heart, and had no idea. Daphne whom he was falling so desperately for.

"Stop it. Just stop it. I wanted to beat him. I wanted to fight him and defeat him and go on with my life. That's what you were supposed to teach me. I don't want to do this, I don't want to die." Harry said bitterly.

"Harry, I am truly sorry, but you must." Dumbledore pleaded. "No one else can do this. It must be you. That's what the prophecy meant. Neither can live while the other survives. If you live, so shall Voldemort. Eventually the piece of him that resides in you will overpower you and take over. Then all those you hold dear will die by your own hands."

"No! Stop it! That's not true." Harry shouted.

"I am afraid it is. You must understand Harry, I've exhausted every possibility to save you, but so long as you live, Voldemort can come back. You must face him and he must kill you. There is no other way." Dumbledore was nearly sobbing now, heartsick by his admission and Harry's burden.

"NO!"

And with that, Harry ran from the Infirmary.

"Severus, you must get him back here." Dumbledore said weakly, eyes blurry with his tears. "I still have much to tell him. He must know where to look and what they are."

Snape stood slowly, looking to where Harry had left. "No."

Dumbledore's face melted from tortured sadness to disbelief at his long time friend's defiance.

"You have finally asked too much of me, Albus." Snape turned back to look pitifully at the old man whose face was a mask of shock at being defied, and then returned to his own bed, sighing with agony as he lay back to await treatment by the medi-witch.

Dumbledore's head fell back against his pillows, and he felt his chest ache with bitter defeat. If he could not convince Harry to do what needed to be done, then the entire wizarding world would suffer, and Albus Dumbledore was running out of time quickly.

"I don't understand." Daphne said after Harry had finished. "He's known that there was a piece of Voldemort's soul inside of you, and he thinks the only way to destroy it is to let Voldemort kill you?"

Harry nodded, his face blank.

"Then why didn't he just let Voldemort do it at the Ministry? You told me that he protected you there. His actions are contradicting everything he says." Daphne puzzled. "What about like an exorcism or something. There's got to be a way to get it out."

"He says anything that he could try would kill me."

"No. There has to be a way."

"I don't understand it. I don't know why I have to find all of these fucking things." Harry said removing the Horcrux locket from his sweatshirt.

"Is that what you went to get last night?" Daphne asked.

"Yeah." Harry said as he handed the locket to Daphne. She turned it over in her hands, feeling the dark, sinister energy and quickly handing it back to Harry.

"I don't like that. You should really destroy it. It feels tainted or something."

"I know." Harry said, a soft glow in his eyes as he held the locket, his fingers caressing it lightly.

"Harry!" Daphne shouted, and Harry dropped the locket to the floor. His eyes cleared and he looked a bit surprised to find himself outside.

"You really need to destroy that thing. If it's true and you have a piece of Him in you, then the piece of Him in that locket might be trying to reconnect. And if it isn't true, than it's trying to enchant you. To take you over, and I'm not about to let anyone else have you."

Daphne felt proud that she had gotten Harry to smile at her remark. He'd looked so troubled and scared when she had found him. He looked at her for a moment, and Daphne felt so much from him in that moment. She gently took his hand and felt him relax a bit at her touch. She smiled warmly up at him, but felt tension as his smile melted away.

"It might be best for you to stay away from me." Harry said sadly. "Whatever was happening between us is over now. There's no point in you getting hurt over all of this."

"What are you saying?" Daphne asked her breath catching in her throat.

"I'm saying that we shouldn't be together. I have no future. Voldemort's going to kill me, and there's nothing that can be done. You're better of trying to find someone else. Once I'm dead you'll be free to…"

SMACK!

"How dare you!" Daphne shouted. "One little hiccup and you're ready to toss me aside? You're not getting off that easy, Potter!" Daphne shouted, her cheeks burning with anger.

"You don't get to make me fall for you, only to toss me aside like some used up slag. That's not how this works. Like it or not, you and I are together, and that means we face our problems together."

"What's the point? I'm as good as dead, and there's nothing I can do about it." Harry said.

"You coward." Daphne screamed, rising to her feet. "I have spent the past few months trying to build something with you. I allow myself to feel something for you, something that my mind is constantly fighting against. But despite it all, I allow myself to get closer to you, and this is what you do? You try and get rid of me? For what? To save my life against someone who's most likely going to kill me anyway? No, It's not going to happen Potter."

Harry looked awed of what he was hearing. He tried to interrupt her, to argue that it was all pointless, but she wouldn't let him speak at all.

Daphne sat back down, facing Harry, and grabbing both his hands.

"I'm falling for you, and I know that you feel something for me, Harry. Don't you want to see what happens next? Don't you deserve a bit of happiness?"

Harry stared at her, her words making him embarrassed and ashamed at what he'd said. He knew that both Ron and Hermione would say the very same when he tried to get away from them as well. He looked into her teary brown eyes and felt strength there. He nodded his head slowly and she squeezed his hands comfortingly.

"I don't know how, but you and I are going to find a way out of this mess together. We will find a way to correct the great Albus Dumbledore's fuck up, and we will get through this."

Harry regarded her for several moments as she stared back at him. She was determined, more determined than he'd ever seen Hermione. There was a passionate fire in her brown eyes that actually made him believe that they could find a way, and he wanted to hold on to that shining glimmer of hope, if anything so he could be with her.

"You really believe that we can find a way?"

Daphne's eyes softened and she leaned against him, her eyes misting with confidence.

"So long as we trust in each other, I truly believe we can do this."

Harry leaned forward and took her lips with his in a soft kiss that left her breathless.

"Ok." Harry said softly, feeling his first moment of true optimism. "What do we do now?"