A Godfather's Vow Chapter 7

Content Warnings: Tsundere!Daphne, Semi-Public, Teasing.

“No,” Harry said, without even looking up. He was kneeling in front of Tonks’ trunk, carefully repacking everything she had chucked into it. He winced as he pulled out the shattered vials of her newly bought potions set.

“You didn’t even look!” Tonks pouted.

“I saw Sirius nod approvingly. That’s enough for me,” Harry murmured. He glanced at the hallway through the open door to make sure they were alone before tapping the broken potions set to repair it. The wards around Grimmauld Place shielded them from the Ministry’s prying eyes but Mrs. Weasley still freaked out whenever one of them did any magic. He knew she was just trying to keep them safe. But the paranoia was starting to get on his nerves and he was secretly glad it was time to leave. The only thing he regretted was the fact that they were leaving Sirius alone in a house he hated.

“Sirius has good taste in clothes.”

“He was trying to convince Hestia to borrow a Gryffindor uniform from Hermione. I highly doubt that his good taste is appropriate,” Harry snorted. 

“Hey! I’ll have you know Hermione was more than happy to give it to us,” Sirius said. “She even said we didn’t have to return it.”

“Probably because she knows what you two got up to while Hestia was wearing it.” Harry looked up and smirked at Sirius’ conspiratorial wink. His godfather was incapable of taking anything seriously, which was probably why Hestia was perfect for him. “Remind me to send that poor woman a gift.”

“For what?”

“For keeping you on a short leash,” Tonks teased. She strutted over to Harry and bent to brush her lips against his forehead. “Are you sure you want me to change?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. I will change out of this very short, very tight, black miniskirt that hugs my new ass perfectly,” Tonks huffed.

“Why aren’t you wearing your Hogwarts uniform? Didn’t Hestia grab you one during her shopping trip?” Harry asked as he carefully arranged Tonks’ books inside her trunk.

“She did. But I am ze new exchange student from Beauxbatons, ah,” Tonks whispered breathily, adopting a sultry French accent. She bent lower and traced the rim of Harry's ear with kisses. She playfully took his earlobe between her teeth and nibbled on it.

“Where… who taught you that accent?” Harry asked, his throat dry. Did accents come naturally to a metamorphmagus as well? He hoped not, otherwise he was in a world of trouble.

“Fleur did!” Tonks said brightly. She wrapped her arms around Harry’s waist and rested her palms on the rapidly growing tent in Harry’s pants. “I ran into her when I went to sign the documents Sirius had the goblins prepare. She and Bill were, ahem, talking.”

“And you asked her to teach you a French accent?”

“I asked her to teach me a lot of things, Harry,” Tonks whispered. “She’s a Veela, you know?”

“What kind of things?”

“I guess you’ll have to find out, mon amour,” Tonks purred as she stroked the tent in Harry’s woolen trousers with her slender fingers.

They were interrupted by Sirius’ uncomfortable cough. Tonks pulled away from her lover and glared at the man. 

“You know, one day you tell me nothing will make you happier than me marrying Harry. The next you try to stop that from happening,” Tonks grumbled.

“What do you think happens to your chances of marriage if Molly catches the two of you fucking?” Sirius asked sweetly.

“Tonks, go change,” Harry said. His entire face was red and he ducked into Tonks’ trunk to hide it. “Wear the Hogwarts uniform. Nothing else,”

“Okay, mother!” Tonks playfully smacked Harry’s ass. She giggled at his surprised yelp and stood, shooting Sirius a mock salute before walking out of the bedroom.

“She’s insane.”

“She’s in love,” Sirius teased. “Love does make you slightly insane.”

“She’s not… we’re not…” Harry spluttered but gave up almost immediately. There was no use trying to deny potential feelings when he wasn’t sure what he felt. He definitely cared for Nymphadora Tonks. Was it too early to think about love?

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, pup,” Sirius chuckled. He got up with a sigh and dusted his tattered jeans. “A word of warning. Don’t break her heart.”

“I wasn’t planning to. What happens if I do? Will you beat me up?”

“Not me,” Sirius chuckled. “Her mother. And trust me, she’s much scarier than I am.”

“If she’s more like you than the rest of her sisters, why didn’t she join the Order?” 

“Everyone in the Black family is passionate. They give everything to a cause. My mother had her hatred, I have the Order… Andy had her husband. Her first priority was keeping a low profile to keep her Muggleborn husband safe. Fighting Death Eaters as part of a secret organization doesn’t exactly fit the bill.”

“But-”

“I know what you’re going to say.” Sirius knelt in front of Harry and reached out to grasp his shoulder. “But the world isn’t black and white, Harry. Don’t try to look at everything as a binary choice. If Andy helps keep a single Muggleborn safe, she’s doing good in the world. That’s all that matters. Some people save the world. Others… protect a single soul. And they’re both equally important in the grand scheme of things.”

Harry nodded. 

“You don’t get it, do you?”

Harry shook his head sheepishly.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry. You will, one day.”

“What if I make the wrong choice?”

“You won’t. You have Red’s heart, kid. Trust it and you’ll be fine. That woman was never wrong in her entire life.”

Sirius stood and stretched. He extended his hand, wrapping his calloused fingers around Harry’s hand when he placed it in his. He pulled his godson to his feet and into his arms for a hug.

“I’m going to miss you. Don’t forget to write to me.”

“I won’t. Promise you won’t take unnecessary risks?”

“I promise. The only time I’ll leave this house is with Hestia.”

“Harry!” Hermione yelled from the bottom of the stairs. “We’re late! The taxis are waiting, let’s go!”

“Go on, then,” Sirius said gruffly as he pushed Harry out of the room. He waved his wand and the two trunks in the bedroom floated in the air and followed Harry down the stairs. 

The trunks traveled with him to the hallway on the ground floor where Tonks and Kingsley were waiting for them.

Harry could have sworn his heart stopped in his chest the minute he laid eyes on Tonks. She looked nothing like her old self. The only things that remained were her bright blue eyes and the playful smile dancing on her lips. Her hair was a familiar shade of platinum blonde. It was secured in a messy ponytail and the curls cascaded down to her hips. Her face was more sharply defined, with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline. The dark cloak obscured her body from view but he was certain she had her fair share of surprises in store for him. She was shorter and noticeably younger, her looks giving her an ephemeral, fairy-like appearance.

“Ready?”

Harry nodded nervously. Tonks smiled and reached out to take his hand, threading their fingers together. 

“A Veela?” Harry whispered.

“You don’t like it? Maybe it’s the hair. Should I change it to a different kind of blonde?”

“Didn’t say that,” Harry mumbled hastily. “The hair is perfect.”

“Remember,” Kingsley cut in, his deep baritone making even normal conversation sound deep and dignified. “No matter what happens, no magic. Our only mission is to get you to Hogwarts in one piece.”

“Uh… Mister Shacklebolt-”

“Call me Kingsley, please.”

“Kingsley, if it’s so dangerous for me to travel to King’s Cross why isn’t Professor Dumbledore or someone else taking me directly to Hogwarts?”

“Everyone thinks it would be unwise for you to use a magical mode of transportation so soon after your trial,” Kingsley said, sounding mildly impressed. “And we feel that the Dark Lord is not strong enough to move against you. But his attention will be drawn to you and this distraction will be… beneficial to the Order.”

Harry nodded. As much as he hated the idea of being a patsy if that was the only way he could contribute to the fight against Voldemort, he’d take it.

“Hey!” Hermione poked her head around the half-ajar front door. She kept her voice low to ensure that she didn’t wake Sirius' mother, who was snoozing peacefully in her portrait for a change. “Mrs. Weasley is really close to losing it. Let’s go!”

“Indeed. We wouldn’t want Mrs. Weasley to ‘lose it’,” Kingsley said dryly. He led them out of the house, with Sirius following them to the doorway but staying inside. 

“Do you think Sirius will keep his promise to me?” Harry asked as they walked down the street. To keep their location secure they had made the taxis hired by Hermione’s father wait at the intersection at the end of the road. The distance combined with a few well-placed confounding charms ensured that none of the drivers noticed which building they were exiting. 

“I think he will try.” Tonks squeezed Harry’s hand reassuringly. “Hestia and Remus will keep him out of trouble.”

“Madame Bones knows about his situation now, doesn’t she?”

“She does. While she can’t help him openly, she will do what she can to keep him safe.”

Harry and Tonks piled into the taxi Kingsley led them to. Kingsley joined them in it, much to Mrs. Weasley’s disapproval. She glared at the car for a second before entering the vehicle occupied by the Twins.

“She doesn't like you,” Kingsley murmured after he had instructed the driver to take them to King’s Cross. He leaned back in the seat but did not relax. His right hand was buried in the pocket of his trousers, fingers curled around his wand. 

Harry and Tonks exchanged a glance. Mrs. Weasley hadn’t tried to hide her disapproval of their relationship but the fact that others had noticed was news to them. 

“Really? That’s… news to me,” Tonks murmured, trying her best not to smile. Annoying that woman was an unexpected benefit of snagging the perfect boyfriend. 

“She was not in favor of you returning to Hogwarts. She asked Dumbledore to forbid it.”

“Bitch,” Tonks muttered under her breath. Thinking she was a bad influence on Harry was one thing. Actively trying to keep them apart crossed several lines. 

“Nym,” Harry whispered. “It’s okay.”

He gently traced circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. Tonks sighed and leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. Kingsley assiduously looked out the window, giving them their privacy. 

“She thinks she gets a say in our relationship,” Tonks mumbled. She blushed when Harry turned his head and kissed her head.

“She doesn’t.” 

With that reassurance, they lapsed into comfortable silence for the rest of the ride. The driver skilfully navigated the busy streets of London and reached King’s Cross well in time. Their taxi was the last to arrive. Harry and Tonks walked over to the boot to retrieve their trunks while Kingsley paid the driver. 

“What House do you think I’ll be in?” Tonks asked as they strolled into the station. They got a trolley for their trunks and Hedwig’s empty cage. Tonks let Harry shift their luggage to avoid any unexpected accidents. She simply stared at him, shamelessly enjoying the way his muscles rippled under his shirt as he lifted the heavy trunks. 

“Hufflepuff,” Harry replied without hesitation. He straightened and began to push their trolley to where Hermione and Ron were waiting for them. Kingsley trailed them at a respectful distance, close enough to intervene if required but far enough to give them as much privacy as could be had on a busy train station. 

“Why?”

Tonks attracted more glances than usual. Harry had to wonder if Fleur had taught Tonks how to create an Allure as well. Was that even something that could be taught? 

He really needed to get to know his friends better. Other than Hermione and Ron there was little he knew about anyone, even Tonks to an extent. 

“Harry?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked how you’d feel if I was sorted into Gryffindor.”

“If the Sorting Hat decided you were a Hufflepuff last time why would it put you in Gryffindor this time around?”

“Because I’ll ask. That’s how you got in, didn’t you?” Tonks raised an eyebrow. “I’ll tell the Hat where I want to be.”

“I’d be delighted,” Harry chuckled. He had to wonder if it was that easy. Did the Hat honor everyone’s demands? Would it sort his girlfriend into Gryffindor simply because she was brave enough to ask for it? “It’s strange how you know everything about me but there’s still so much I don’t know about you.”

“That’s because you do most of the talking when we’re alone. It’s hard to talk with a big, fat cock in your mouth,” Tonks said loudly. She smirked when everyone around them turned to look and skipped ahead to join Hermione and Ron. 

“Fuck,” Harry swore under his breath. He rushed to join his friends, ignoring all the scandalized people staring at him. 

“You’re an ass,” Harry growled. He gently bumped the trolley against Tonks’ shins as they lined up to cross the barrier one by one.

“I have a great ass,” Tonks corrected. She playfully swayed her hips as she followed Hermione to the barrier and effortlessly crossed over. 

Harry shook his head and crossed the barrier himself, emerging on a smoke-covered Platform 9 ¾. White smoke from the engine of the Hogwarts Express billowed around the station, obscuring everyone from view. Harry blindly pushed through the smog until he located Tonks, Ron, and Hermione standing with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. The Twins and Kingsley were nowhere to be seen.

“Ah, Harry!” Mr. Weasley exclaimed, beckoning them over. “Come here, I need to talk to you before you board.”

Harry frowned and walked over to the man. The redhead looked more harried than ever before. The grim expression told him he needed to brace for bad news and Harry had the sudden desire to run off with Tonks and hide. He didn’t need much, he’d be happy with a small cottage in the Himalayas and Tonks, far away from all the madness. 

Maybe Dumbledore had a point. He’d never had a normal life and now that he had a taste, he was beginning to realize just how much he had missed. 

“Arthur,” Mrs. Weasley said, exchanging a look with her husband as Harry walked over. 

“He needs to know, Molly. There’s a lot he needs to know but this is absolutely essential. He’s in much bigger danger than he realizes.”

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. More risk?

Oh, joy.

He wondered what could be more dangerous than having a crazy but extremely powerful evil wizard out for his blood. 

“Hogwarts has always been a safe… well, somewhat safe place for you. That might not be the case this year. You-Know-Who isn’t the only one you need to worry about,” Mr. Weasley said, glancing at the train. The warning whistle rang again, letting them know they had five minutes to board before the doors closed and the train departed. 

“I-”

“We don’t have time for a discussion,” Mr. Weasley said urgently, cutting Harry off. “Listen to me. You need to keep your head down. Fudge isn’t done with you.”

“Tell him to get in line,” Harry muttered under his breath.

Tonks giggled and bumped her shoulder against his. 

 “Don’t worry. I’ll keep him from doing anything rash.”

Mr. Weasley gave Tonks a look that made it clear he highly doubted that would be the case. 

“Oi! You lot planning to take a Muggle taxi to Hogwarts?” Fred yelled, poking his head out of a window just as the whistle sounded again.

“Go! Go!” Mrs. Weasley grabbed Ron’s arm and practically shoved him onto the train. “You have a minute and your luggage isn’t even on the train yet.”

Eager not to have a repeat of the year two fiasco, all of them rushed onto the train with Tonks using a discreet bit of magic to help Harry get their trunks up into the carriage. 

“Alright. See you two in a bit,” Hermione said once the doors were closed and the train had pulled out of the station. 

Harry stared blankly at his best friend until she turned and tapped the Prefect badge on her chest. She and Ron were already in uniform. He was the only one who had decided to change on the train. That was what they did every year but he’d forgotten that he wouldn’t be riding with Hermione and Ron as usual. 

He was strangely fine with it. Some alone time with Tonks in her new avatar wasn’t the worst idea in the world, especially with the possibility of her being sorted into a different House. He wondered how he’d manage to sleep without her presence comforting him. The nightmares had all but disappeared. On the rare occasion that he had one, a simple kiss was all she needed to pull him back to reality. 

He was not looking forward to them returning.

“See you around. Throw Malfoy in detention for me, would you?”

“I am not going to misuse my authority, Harry!”

“I don’t have a problem misusing mine but given our luck, he’s probably a Prefect too.” Ron reached out and clapped Harry’s back. “See you in a bit, mate.”

Harry waited for them to leave before turning around and walking down the carriage, dragging their trunks behind him. He and his ‘unknown’ Veela companion attracted a fair share of stares from the people in the compartments that they passed but Harry ignored them all. Tonks seemed unfazed as well, humming happily and playing with a stray strand of her platinum-blonde hair as she followed Harry. 

They paused in front of a cabin that was thankfully empty and Harry dragged their luggage inside, hoisting them up onto the racks above the seats.

“You know, you could’ve helped,” he grunted, wiping his forehead with his sleeve.

“I could have. But then I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to ogle you.” Tonks waited for him to sit by the window before flopping onto his lap. She patted her cloak and her skirt, then groaned.

“Right. The stupid uniform has no pockets. It’s why I always nicked shirts from the guys I dated.”

“See, this is why I told you not to burn Dudley’s old clothes.”

“Darling, I’ll stuff my candy stash in my bra before I put on anything your cousin once wore.” Tonks turned and rested her head on Harry’s chest. Her hand pushed into the left pocket of his jeans and she pulled out a lollipop with a triumphant grin. “Besides, I have you as my portable stash now.” 

She unwrapped the lollipop and offered it to Harry. She shrugged and popped it in her own mouth when he declined the offer.

“A lollipop?” Harry asked, eyebrows raised. How could the bloody woman look so sinful while she sucked on a piece of crystallized sugar? He watched as she pulled the round candy out of her mouth and rolled it over her full, pouty pink lips. She was teasing him, slowly grinding against his awakening arousal even as she captivated his attention with the little show she was putting on for him.

“I have a major oral fixation. I’d much rather have something else in my mouth but the lock’s broken and the cabin isn’t soundproof,” Tonks said. She giggled and pulled away seconds before Harry’s lips could make contact with hers.

“For now, a lollipop will have to do,” she said and popped it back into her mouth.

“Tease.”

“If you think I’m teasing you there’s nothing stopping you from responding to it.”

Harry growled and wrapped his arms around Tonks’ waist, preventing her from pulling back any further. He kept her pinned in place with one hand on her hip and used the other to reach up and pull the lollipop out of her mouth. He kept his gaze locked with hers as he pushed the candy into his mouth and slowly sucked on it.

“You want it?”

“I’d rather have something else,” Tonks whispered. Her breath hitched. Her pupils were blown and she was breathing heavily, her sensuous grinding now jerky and erratic. 

“Can’t lock the door.”

“Mhm. Guess I’ll just have to settle for the lollipop.”

Tonks leaned in and clamped her teeth around the plastic stick of the candy, gently teasing the ball out of Harry’s mouth. She held it between them as their lips met. Their tongues sparred in a playful duel, each of them taking turns to push the other away from the flavored sugar.

The door to the compartment opened with a loud SLAM! 

Tonks and Harry jumped and instinctively pulled away from each other. Tonks lost her grip on the lollipop and it fell onto her skirt, staining the dark fabric. She grabbed her wand from the table by the window and banished the sticky sweet with a pout. 

“Ronald I promise we were just kiss-” she started, turning to look at the person who had interrupted them once she had cleaned her skirt.

Her frown immediately transformed into a grin when she realized Harry’s prudish best friend hadn’t been the one to interrupt them.

Daphne Greengrass, with her delicate features contorted into a glare cold enough to freeze fire, was standing in the doorway.

“Lord Potter,” she said, her greeting icy and stiff. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

Her expression made it clear that she considered it to be anything but pleasant.

“Daphne!” Harry hastily corrected himself when Tonks elbowed his chest. “Lady Greengrass,” he said, adopting a more formal tone.

“My mother is Lady Greengrass.”

“Miss Greengrass,” Tonks murmured, slipping into a heavy French accent. Accents did not come naturally to metamorphmagi. She had picked up a few pointers from Fleur. Most of them revolved around insulting British cuisine but she doubted that would be appropriate so she simply decided to wing it. “Eet is ze pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine, madam,” Daphne said. 

Tonks bit her lip to stop herself from grinning. If insulting someone with simple gestures and expressions while sounding unfailingly polite was a sport…

Daphne hadn’t so much as glanced at her, deeming her completely unworthy of attention. She still stood in the doorway, not leaving but making no attempt to enter the compartment either.

“Miss Greengrass, this is Aurelia. She is a transfer student from Beauxbatons.”

“I’m sure she will enjoy exploring everything… British,” Daphne murmured and her eyes flickered to Tonks’ hands on Harry’s chest. 

“Who the fuck-” Ernie Macmillan swore as he tripped over Daphne’s trunk in the hallway. “Whose fucking trunk is this?!”

His eyes widened when Daphne turned to look at him.

“Mine,” she answered evenly.

“Sorry!” Ernie squeaked. People were terrified of the Ice Queen on her good days. Given the fact that she was practically radiating anger and he was highly allergic to being turned into a hamster Ernie decided to be smart and ran down the hallway as fast as he could.

Daphne’s grip on the doorframe tightened. Her perfectly manicured nails dug into the wood and she appeared torn about something before she sighed and forced herself to step into the room, dragging her trunk in with her. “I must talk to you. It is important.”

“Sure.” 

Harry frowned. Daphne was nothing like her usual self. He was used to her correcting him, but her admonishments were always verbal and playfully delivered. Even when they fought (which was often) she had never been as frigid as she was being at the moment. 

“Alone.” Daphne glared at Tonks. “The matter is rather delicate. If this is an inopportune moment I can come back later.”

“I trust Aurelia. I tell her everything,” Harry replied. “Anything you want to tell me, you can say in front of her.”

Tonks wondered how far her sweet, oblivious boyfriend could push the blonde Slytherin before she exploded and hexed him out of existence. She buried her face in Harry’s chest and grinned. Her first meeting with Daphne Greengrass was turning out to be a lot more fun than expected.

Daphne balled up her fists. Her nails dug into the palms of her hands with enough force to leave marks and turned, apparently having changed her mind. However, instead of leaving, she simply slammed the door shut and waved her wand to send her trunk on top of Harry’s on the rack above their seat. She gracefully sat down and studied Harry with a guarded expression.

“Does your… friend think the British will eat her?” she asked mildly. “She seems scared to let go.

“Oh, madam,” Tonks sighed dramatically. She knew she was being mean but she couldn’t help teasing the girl. She had to wonder how much more obvious she had to get about her feelings before Harry noticed. “Eet is so so cold here. I need ze heat. I asked ‘arry to take off his shirt but he refused.”

Daphne grabbed the edges of the seat. Her sharp nails dug into the soft cushion. She took deep breaths, lapsing into silence as she forced herself to calm down.

“Perhaps he does not wish to scare the good people of Hogwarts. I have heard his tattoo is truly terrifying.”

“Tattoo?” Harry asked.

“I walked across Hannah Abbott telling Padma Patil about your hippogriff tattoo. She saw it when she met you during summer break. Apparently, it’s quite badly drawn.”

“Oui. Miss Abbott was quite scared of ze tattoo. She couldn’t stop staring at it.”

“You were there?! She wasn’t lying? She saw Harry shirtless?!”

“Monsieur Potter is usually in a state of undress around me,” Tonks giggled.

“I- You-” Daphne abruptly pushed herself to her feet. “I’ll be back,” she muttered and ran out of the compartment.

Tonks waited a few seconds before pushing herself off Harry’s lap. 

“I’ll be back too.”

“Where are you going?”

“Bathroom,” Tonks replied, having a fairly good idea of where Daphne had run off to. “Why don’t you get changed? Don’t want to be the only person not in uniform when we pull into Hogsmeade.”

Harry looked at the darkening sky. The train was rapidly making its way across the countryside. They’d be in Hogsmeade before he knew it. 

“Good idea. If Snape sees me in these clothes he’ll give me detention for a month.”

“Your evenings are already mine so you better make sure that doesn’t happen,” Tonks whispered as she bent to peck Harry’s lips. 

She strolled out of the compartment and considered both directions. Each side had a bathroom and she had a fifty-fifty chance of coming across Daphne. In the end she decided to go left, ignoring the stares she gathered as she sauntered down the corridor to the bathroom.

Tonks pushed open the door and slipped inside. She grinned when she saw that one of the stalls was occupied but her smile disappeared the minute she heard a quiet sniffle.

Suddenly hating herself, she resisted the urge to knock on the door and apologize for her immature behavior. 

“Men, huh?” Tonks said in her normal voice. She pointed her wand at the door to lock it before morphing herself to her usual appearance. Studying her appearance in the mirror, she grinned. As fun as being a Veela was, she missed her pink hair already. Tonks turned the tap and pretended to wash her hands.

“Men are pigs.” Daphne’s voice was as poised as ever but there was a noticeable quiver to it. She was in control but Tonks could sense the toll it was taking on her. 

“Is that so?”

“That is what my mother told me. In that, as in other things, she was absolutely right.”

“There are some good ones out there. My boyfriend is pretty swell?”

“Who’s your boyfriend?” Daphne asked disinterestedly. Good sense had prevailed and she realized just how vulnerable she was being with a stranger. She decided to navigate the conversation to more neutral waters. The unknown boyfriend seemed like a safe neutral topic.

“Harry. Harry Potter. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”

Another one?!

Daphne practically ripped the door to the stall she was occupying off its hinges and stepped outside, her eyes blazing. 

“Uh… Miss Tonks?!” Daphne asked, stopping dead in her tracks. Her anger disappeared, replaced by confusion

“Wotcher.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, Fudge fired me after the trial so I thought I’d come back to Hogwarts and pick up some new skills. Have you seen Harry?”

“Yes. He’s with his new… paramour,” Daphne bit out. “Have you met her?”

“Met her?” Tonks smirked and decided to put the poor girl out of her misery. “Sweetie, I am her.”

She closed her eyes and focused her powers, morphing her appearance back to the disguise she had picked.

Daphne watched with wide eyes as the metamorphmagus transformed into the Veela she had met. It took her a few seconds to get over the shock and find her voice again.

“So Harry does not have another lover?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Just the one so far. Why do you ask?”

“I was worried he was cheating on you,” Daphne replied primly.

“Wouldn’t have been cheating. He has my blessing to pursue someone he likes.”

“What about Hannah Abbott?”

“Hannah Abbott didn’t come within ten miles of Harry during summer break. And before you ask, no, he doesn’t have a hippogriff tattoo on his chest. Although between the two of us we could definitely convince him to get one.”

“I do not think Harry needs a tattoo. Why change your appearance?” Daphne asked as she squeezed around Tonks to wash her hands. 

“It was the only way I could attend Hogwarts,” Tonks shrugged. “With both the Ministry and Voldemort out for Harry’s blood I wanted to make sure he’d always have someone to watch his back.”

Daphne opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it. 

“Why the Veela?”

“Being an exchange student from Beauxbatons is easy to explain. If someone from the Ministry goes snooping our friends in the French Consulate and Beauxbatons can tell them to go kick rocks.”

“You were pretending to be French?”

“Yes,” Tonks said proudly.

“That is not what a French woman sounds like.”

“How do you know?” Tonks asked indignantly.

“My grandmother is French and I spend every summer in France?”

“I am a different kind of French woman, Miss Greengrass.” Tonks sniffed snootily. “Polished. Refined. Elegant.”

“Whatever you say.” Daphne dried her hands with a paper towel and tossed it into the bin. “Let’s go.”

“I’m going to freshen up. Go ahead, I’ll join you and Harry in the compartment in a bit,” Tonks said, struggling to keep a straight face.

If they weren’t going to act on their feelings, she was going to force their hand.

Daphne nodded and slipped out of the bathroom, her mind racing with a million different thoughts. Harry wasn’t sleeping around like she had feared. He wasn’t cheating on his partner. He wasn’t that kind of man.

Would he consider her a suitable wife?

She shook her head as she approached the door to their compartment. She had more important things to contend with. She’d made a promise and she fully intended to keep it. 

An embarrassed squeak made Harry look up from the scar he was examining. His face turned red when he noticed Daphne staring at his bare chest with wide eyes. 

He was naked. Without a stitch of clothing covering his body. And one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on was standing mere inches away from him.

Given his luck, he shouldn’t have been surprised when his cock decided it was the best moment to stir to life. Panicking, he made another bad decision.

He leaned closer. 

Daphne stood as still as a statue as she watched him move towards her. She released a breath she wasn’t even aware she was holding when he closed the door and withdrew.

“Why are you naked?” 

She forced herself to look at his face and nowhere else. She would not lower her gaze. She would not lower her gaze. She would not-

Oh, Morgana. He’s so big!

Would he fit? What if her womanhood was too small for him?! What would he think of her if he found out they’d never have babies?!

“Daphne.” Harry reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder.

“Hmm?” 

She was going to combust. She was going to be a pile of ash on the floor because Harry Potter was too hot, too handsome.

And so, so big!

“I spilled soda on my lap,” Harry repeated, pointing to the can on the table. “That’s why I had to take off all my clothes. I’m sorry, I forgot to lock the door.”

“That’s alright!” Daphne squeaked, sounding nothing like her usual self. “I’ll just uh-”

She turned around before she completely lost her senses and did something she would never recover from. Something like asking if she could run her fingers along the pretty veins running along the length of his-

“I’m going!” she declared loudly. It was as much for his benefit as it was for the voice in her head that kept demanding she copulate with him. She made it as far as the door before the voices in the hallway stopped her. There were people outside and they didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move away.

She heard a feminine voice and in a fit of petty jealousy stepped away from the door. The door would not open, she decided, if there was a chance of someone getting a peek at Harry’s perfection.

“There’s people outside,” Daphne said unnecessarily. “I’ll stay like this while you change. I promise not to look.”

“I mean, it’s fine if you want to turn around now,” Harry said once he had pulled on a fresh pair of boxers. “You won’t be looking at anything special.”

Nothing special?!

I need you to wrap those perfect, muscular legs around my waist while you plunge-

“False modesty isn’t a good look on you, Lord Potter,” Daphne said, trying her best to sound normal and not like a kitten in heat. “You are going to lead two great houses. Act like it.”

“If you turn around you’ll get to look at the best sight you’ll ever get to see in your life?”

“Bragging is just as bad,” Daphne admonished. Her lips curled into a small smile. He was so adorable when he tried to overcome his insecurities.

All she wanted was to run her hand through his hair and tell him he was a magnificent, handsome, sexy- 

“Daphne?”

“Hmm?”

“I said you can turn around now. Are you alright?”

“I just have a lot on my mind.” 

Daphne turned around and suppressed a pang of disappointment when she realized he had already buttoned up his shirt. He was struggling with his tie and Daphne couldn’t help herself.

“You are going to make a terrible Head of House,” she muttered as she walked over and slapped her hands away from the dismal knot he had constructed. “I pity your future wives. They’ll have to put up with this.”

“Would I really make such a bad husband?”

“The worst,” Daphne teased as her nimble fingers secured the tie around his neck. Her eyes widened when she noticed his sad expression. Had he taken her teasing seriously? Had she overstepped? 

Gwarpin’s book had taught her that she needed to be demure and proper but flirtatious if she needed to successfully court someone. Had it lied to her?!

She would hunt down Gwarpin and tear him a new one if that was the case.

“Thankfully I’m absolutely certain you will have wonderful wives who will make up for any shortcomings,” Daphne murmured, patting his tie. 

There. That should be enough to mollify him. 

She frowned when she noticed that wasn’t the case. Why wasn’t her praise working? She was doing everything Gwarpin had asked her to do!

“Daphne?”

“Yes?” 

“Don’t you want to change?” Harry glanced out the window. “We will be in Hogsmeade soon.”

“That’s… yes. That’s a good idea.” 

She walked over to the seat and climbed on it to reach her trunk. She pulled out various pieces of her uniform and dropped them onto the seat below, finding everything but her tie. She leaned up on her toes and rummaged deeper in the trunk in an attempt to find it. She eventually found it trapped under a pile of books but lost her balance while attempting to pull it out.

“I-”

Harry was behind her in the blink of an eye. He grabbed her waist, his fingers digging into her soft skin with enough force to bruise. His body broke her fall.

“Daphne-”

I’m going to claim your maidenhead.

“-are you alright?”

“Mhm!” 

Looks like a hard fucking is off the table.

Shut up, Daphne growled at the voice in her head.

Harry gently lifted Daphne off the seat and set her down on the floor. 

“Do you want me to grab something from the trunk for you?”

“My tie, please,” Daphne said hoarsely. She licked her dry lips as she watched Harry climb onto the seat and effortlessly pull out her tie for her. She took the opportunity to shamelessly admire the contours of his broad shoulders. 

Why did he have to be so damn perfect?!

Daphne stomped her foot in frustration. 

“Did I get the wrong one?” Harry asked, holding her tie out for her.

“No. No! I thought I spotted a cockroach. I can’t abide bugs,” Daphne lied. “Thanks.” She took the tie from him and tossed it on top of the rest of her clothes.

She gathered up her clothes and decided to flee before she made a bigger fool of herself. Everything she had read was wrong. She had no idea how to court a man, to show Harry the depth of her affection for him. 

He’d find a suitable wife and forget all about her. 

“I’ll be back soon,” she muttered, pulling open the door and running out into the corridor. She ran towards the bathroom, mentally cursing herself, Gwarpin, and fate itself for the mess she was in.

She didn’t notice Tonks walking down from the opposite direction and slammed into her.

“You-” She relaxed when she noticed who it was. “You’re a Veela again.”

“Incognito, remember?”

“What happened to the terrible accent?”

“I’m still workshopping it.”

“Good idea.”

“Are you going to change?” Tonks asked, stepping to one side to make space for Daphne.

“Mhm.” Daphne walked around Tonks and turned to look at the older woman. “You are experienced in matters of the heart, aren’t you?”

“I’d say so. I managed to land the man I think I want to spend the rest of my life with so I like to think I’ve been fairly successful.”

“Can you teach me how to court a man?”

“A man?”

“Yes.”

“Anyone in particular?”

“Not really,” Daphne lied. She kept fidgeting with her tie. The gentle throb where Harry had grabbed her hips reminded her of the encounter in the compartment and she forced herself to take a deep breath to calm herself. “My parents will want me to marry soon and I wish to learn before I have to search for a suitable partner.”

“I’ll teach you.”

“Thank you.”

Tonks turned away from the flustered Slytherin and smirked. 

Phase one of her plan was going splendidly. 

Notes:

Hi. It's been a while since I wrote one of these. I missed all of you and I'm sorry. I don't know exactly why but I really struggled with my mental health this past week. I spent hours staring at a blank document. Because of how I was raised I find it difficult to ask for help but I'm really glad that my partner convinced me to do so. I feel much better now that I have someone to talk to. The human brain is a funny thing. This chapter was honestly the perfect comeback for me, lighthearted and fun, just what I needed to get back in my groove! Tonks as a Veela, are you looking forward to it? And it's been a while since I got to write Tsundere!Daphne, god I love writing her like that. Just a little scary and not exactly sure how to express her feelings, I swear her heart is in the right place.