Harry just gestured to Daphne's room and said, "In there."
The two girls grinned back and hurried to the door. This time, Harry decided to just leave the door open.
He was glad when, less than thirty seconds later and he'd just returned to sit on the sofa, Neville stood in the doorway. "Harry?"
"Come on in, Nev," he replied. "Your two are in with my two and Tracey in Daphne's room."
Coming over and sitting on the sofa opposite, Neville smiled and asked, "So, the signing obviously went ahead as planned?"
"Yep," he replied. He gave a quick glance to the door, leaned towards his friend and quietly said, "But, Daphne kinda... broke down... immediately after it. I think she's been so stressed with worry for so long that... when the signing was done and she became my concubine presumptive and, therefore, protected... it all caught up with her.
"As soon as we got back, she went into her room. Hermione said she did a quick check to make sure all her effects were here, collapsed onto the bed, laid down and almost immediately went to sleep."
"Understandable," said Neville. "The pressure that was put on Lord Greengrass has been going on for years. It's only recently that its really been brought to bear. I have no idea how he was able to hold out for so long. And he's not been one to keep Daphne or Astoria in the dark about that."
Harry said, "Mmm..." Then sat back again. "I'm organising dinner for just her, Hermione and I for tonight. I think we need a little alone time to start to get comfortable with one another. And, I'd definitely not leave Hermione out of that."
"Good idea," his friend returned. "My two and I will go to the Great Hall for dinner. I also have an idea I want to put to you."
Surprised, Harry asked, "Oh?"
With a grin, he replied, "In order for Daphne to be protected, others need to know that she's now in a Concubine Bond Agreement with you. I was wondering if you'd like my two, as you call them, to... let slip... to Parvati and Lavender about the truth of that."
Harry looked back in surprise for a moment before he let out a quiet chuckle. "Neville, that's brilliant! I know Ted left here immediately after the signing to go to the Daily Prophet to 'officially' inform them of the CBA; and Lord Greengrass will confirm it. But, it being 'confirmed' by rumours already within the castle? Hah!
"What a truly Slytherin thing to do. Just the right amount of political shenanigans to have others sit up and take notice you're a 'player', without pissing anyone off."
Grinning wider and clearly pleased, Neville said, "I'll let the girls know. They're looking forward to it."
After the time crept closer towards the scheduled dinner time in the Great Hall, Harry called Betsy to have the elf inform the girls that dinner would soon be served and they needed to get a wriggle on.
Five minutes later, the door to Daphne's room opened and disgorged witches.
As Susan and Hannah walked over to Neville, who'd just stood up, he said, "Harry said, do it."
That had both turn to Harry and grin. "This is going to be fun," said Susan.
"Just... don't go overboard," he warned. "Stick to the facts, no matter how much they try to demand more."
"Oh, don't worry so much, Harry," said Hannah. "We can handle those two witches."
The way she said 'witches' Harry knew it was with a silent initial 'B', not a 'W'.
As Neville and his two left, Tracey left with them. Which left Harry's two in the living room with him.
Following Tracey, he closed the door behind her and turn to face them. Looking to Daphne and concerned, he asked, "Are you feeling better? I hope you don't mind, but I've organised with Dobby for us to have dinner in here―"
It was as far as he got before Daphne quickly covered the intervening distance and wrapped him in another tight hug. She'd not said a word and still hadn't while hugging him.
Not knowing what else to do he wrapped his own arms around her and tried to rub her back in such a way it didn't come off as if he was trying to 'cop a feel'.
Hermione just stood back and watched with a small smile of contentment on her face. While Harry was worried she might turn a little jealous, she hadn't yet.
After a long few seconds, Daphne eased back until she was standing just close enough to have her hands holding him by his sides under his arms.
"You... are amazing," she firmly said.
Instantly blushing a little, he stumbled over his words before he said, "I... just... only know how to do the right thing. That's all I'm doing."
"No," she smiled. "Thank you." Then she leaned in and kissed him.
It wasn't a snog of an engaged or newly-wed couple. It wasn't the peck of a friend to a friend. It was... a simple lips-to-lips kiss.
His blush deepening a little, he tried to change the subject.
"How's the room?" he asked. "Is it alright? We can change it, if you want. Or, just replace the furniture. You can also add anything you want. If you still feel threatened, or anything, I won't even mind if you put a lock on the door, or something―"
As he kept trying to find something else to talk about she stepped back a bit more and turned with a grin at Hermione. "You're right. When he blushes he gets real cute and babbles."
Suddenly stopping, he asked, "Hunh?"
"I was telling her how cute you looked when you blush," replied Hermione. "She wanted to see it for herself."
"Oh," he softly said, and blushed again.
Daphne said, "In answer to some of your questions; I love my room. I don't think I'll change anything for a while. And, even then, only to put up some pictures or something. And, no, I will not be putting a lock on my door. I do not feel threatened by you; I actually feel a great deal safer."
Managing to not blush this time because of her remarks, he asked, "What about a personal elf―"
"Hermione's already offered to share Betsy with me," she replied.
He then gave a massive pout and said, "And here I was, hoping to come across a hero by asking Hermione to share her, and she beats me to it."
She gave a laugh, said, "You didn't need to do that to be my hero, Harry. You did that by the offer and wording of the agreement." Then she stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek before stepping back again.
As soon as she saw he blushed again, she turned to Hermione with a grin and asked, "Does that ever get old?"
Hermione smiled and said, "No."
Trying his best to clamp down on his blush he said, "I'm going to go see how Dobby is getting on with dinner." And left for the kitchen.
Or, perhaps it was better to say, fled to the kitchen.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After a delicious Dobby dinner, the three returned to completing assignments. Or, rather, Harry and Hermione returned to them while Daphne made a start on hers.
When Daphne found out from Hermione Harry had caused for a great swag of Potter family library books relating to the subjects they were studying to be brought to the school to populate the bookcases in the library, she was quick to dash in there to look for herself.
Seconds later she gave a small, 'un-Daphne-like' squeal of joy; and Hermione grinned at Harry. He just smiled back and gave one of his half-shrugs.
He knew 'The Ice Queen' was as much of a façade as 'old' Harry. But, he had no idea she was or would be this free with her emotions when not forced to be her 'public' self. It was pleasing to see and hear. She wasn't even this free with herself when it was in the company of the Alliance. For him, it demonstrated she truly did trust him and Hermione.
They'd been at their work for almost an hour when there was a knock on the door. Harry rose and answered it to find the Longbottom's grinning at him.
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