A Fortuitous Arrangement Ch. 7 (Patreon)

Content Warnings: Semi-Public, Breast Play, Teasing.

“Sirius this is insane,” Harry hissed. His godfather had promised he’d only accompany them to the corner of the street. He had instead hopped onto the Knight Bus and refused to budge from the seat until the bus had shot off.

They were now standing in a Muggle bathroom in King’s Cross. Tonks had locked it from outside and was standing guard, allowing Sirius to say a quick goodbye to his godson. Everyone agreed that it would be too dangerous for him to enter the magical part of the station and even Sirius hadn't dared to push back against the Order members who had accompanied them. For that, Harry was thankful. The risk of running into someone like Malfoy was far too great and he had no desire to give the man any opportunity to take revenge on Sirius for the stunt he had pulled in Wizengamot.

“Relax. I just wanted to stretch my legs and say goodbye.” Sirius waved off Harry’s concern. “Who’s going to notice me here? The bathroom is empty and we’re in the Muggle part of the station.”

“You still took a risk coming here!” Harry hated how much he sounded like Mrs. Weasley, but when she was right she was right. Amelia Bones was trying her best to exonerate Sirius and all the man had to do until then was stay alive, something he was sure Pettigrew and the Death Eaters would do everything in their power to prevent. “What if Pettigrew has told them about your animagus form? I bet Malfoy has already slipped that information to the Minister! You heard what Lord Greengrass told Madame Bones.”

“He’s deluded if he thinks having me killed will magically transfer the Black title to his son. I’ve made sure my will is air-tight. There’s nothing he can do to challenge it.”

“What if he has you arrested and thrown back into Azkaban?” Harry challenged.

“All arrest requests go through Amy,” Sirius pointed out with a smirk. “She’s not going to toss my cute ass into Azkaban.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “Trying to reason with you is useless.”

“I just wanted to say goodbye to you,” Sirius said gruffly. “Listen, you… you are our proudest achievement.” He reached out and grasped Harry’s shoulder. “Mine, James’, and Lily’s. They’d be proud of the man you are today.”

Harry swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and nodded, unable to bring himself to say anything. Sirius was the one who knew his parents the best, and hearing this from him meant a lot.

“I mean, James would be slightly pissed with how easily you got your redhead. It took him seven years to achieve what you did in seven days,” Sirius teased with a grin. “But he’d be proud too. Speaking of redheads, Susan-”

“You don’t have to worry. I’ve already promised Madame Bones that I’ll keep her safe in Hogwarts,” Harry said. “I’ll take care of her.”

“That’s good. But I was going to ask you to let her take care of you too,” Sirius said, squeezing Harry’s shoulder. “Marriage is a partnership, Harry.”

“She does take care of me.”

“I’m not talking about things like letting her bring you breakfast in bed. As enjoyable as they found shagging and trust me I know just how much fun they had, they were annoyingly loud; your parents also did more important things together. Did you know your mother and father always paired up for Order missions?”

Harry frowned. “You want me to deliberately put her in danger?”

“I want you to let her watch your back. There’s a difference between protecting her and locking her away to keep her safe. Do not think keeping her in the dark is keeping her safe. Be honest and tell her everything. She’s the one person in the world you do not keep secrets from.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“She told me your nightmares are back and that you aren’t willing to tell her what they’re about.”

“I didn’t want to worry her.”

“Well, you achieved the exact opposite. Don’t keep things from her. She’s not a child. She’s your wife and you need to give her the respect she deserves. That includes treating her like the capable witch she is. How is what you’re doing any different from the way Dumbledore and Molly have been treating you all summer?”

Harry opened his mouth to argue but shut it just as quickly. Sirius’ words stung but he wasn’t wrong.

“I didn’t think of it that way.”

“If you think Molly and Dumbledore keeping things from you to ‘protect’ you was wrong then you doing the same with Susan has to be wrong too.”

Harry nodded. “Thanks,” he said with a small smile.

“Anytime. You want to tell me about the nightmares?”

“It’s always the same. There’s a snake slithering down a dark corridor that has walls made of pitch-black stone. There’s a door at the far end of the hallway. The moment it reaches that door I wake up because it feels like someone has set my scar on fire.”

Sirius frowned. “You’ve been having this same nightmare every night?”

“Not every night.”

“Interesting,” Sirius murmured to himself. “Is this the same nightmare as before?”

Harry shook his head. “I used to dream of the graveyard and what happened there. That stopped when Susan started to, uh, sleep with me,” Harry explained with a faint blush coating his cheeks. “This is new.”

“We don’t have a lot of time but I’ll find a way to talk to you. This is interesting but I want you to be careful, Harry. Dreams can be very dangerous. You need to tell Susan to wake you the minute she notices you're dreaming.” Sirius murmured. He stared at his godson until Harry nodded reluctantly. He smiled and clapped Harry’s shoulder, then reluctantly pulled away from him. “Have a great year, Harry.”

“I’ll try.”

Harry slipped out of the bathroom and gave Tonks a smile.

“You’ll keep him out of trouble?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep him supplied with the latest editions of Witch Weekly. He’ll be too busy staring at Marlene McKinnon to do anything stupid.”

“What about you?” Harry asked with a smirk.

“What about me?”

“Are you going to keep staring at Madame Bones for the rest of your life or do something about it?”

“Shut up, Potter. I’m being subtle. Unlike you I actually know how to seduce a woman,” Tonks grumbled. She pulled Harry into a hug without warning. “Take care of yourself, okay? And tell Red not to worry. She’s the best fucking wife in the world.”

“I will,” Harry said, hugging her back. “Be safe. Remember, you can’t do anything about your problematic thing for stern older women if you’re dead.”

“You’re a little shit.” Tonks pulled away and playfully pushed him. “Your wife is staring at you like a lost puppy. Go be with her instead of giving me romantic advice.”

Harry smirked and walked over to where Susan was standing with her aunt.

“Madame Bones,” he murmured, nodding respectfully at the stern woman.

She gave him a small smile and adjusted her monocle. “Have a good year, Susie. You too, Harry.” She discreetly pressed a roll of paper into Harry’s hand. “This is the incantation for the private, warded floo connection to Bones Manor. Memorize it, then burn the parchment. If you ever need to get in touch with me, use this. Nothing sensitive through letters, understood?”

Harry and Susan nodded.

“Good.”

Madame Bones wrapped her arms around her niece and pulled her into a hug.

“I love you, Susie.”

“I love you too,” Susan mumbled, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.

“Don’t count me out just yet, poppet.” Amelia winked and pulled Susan into another hug. “Take care of her,” she mouthed at Harry before releasing Susan from the hug.

“I’ll be fine.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. Who else is going to stop Nymphadora from setting Umbridge’s hair on fire if I’m not around?”

Harry chuckled. He reached out and took Susan’s hand, threading their fingers together before giving it a gentle squeeze.

“I need you two to promise to be careful. Fudge is using that moronic law he passed to issue all sorts of Educational Decrees. I don’t know what’s waiting for you in Hogwarts. Whatever it is, keep your head down until we are in a position to kick him out, okay?”

Harry and Susan both nodded.

“I would highly appreciate it if you stayed out of trouble this year, Lord Potter,” Madame Bones said with a stern gaze.

“It usually finds me, Madame Bones,” Harry protested.

“You-”

She was interrupted by Bill Weasley rushing out of the magical barrier.

“The train is about to leave in five minutes. Your luggage is already in carriage three but the two of you need to get going now.”

“It’s alright. Go.”

Harry tugged on Susan’s hand and pulled her to the barrier. They dashed through it, emerging onto the lively and noisy smoke-covered platform. Platform 9 ¾ appeared unchanged, as was the red and black train waiting for them.

“On! Come on you two, you don’t want to miss the train!” Lupin yelled over the din of the crowd. He led Harry to the right carriage and helped him inside before stepping back and allowing the young man to help his wife climb aboard.

“Don’t forget to write to us!”

“We won’t!” Harry yelled.

They stayed by the door and waved at the Order members as the train shuddered and slowly pulled out of the station. Once it rounded the corner and the platform was out of view they withdrew and walked down the long corridor to find the right compartment.

“Where are Ron and Hermione?” Susan asked as they walked into the empty compartment that had all their trunks.

“Dunno. Said they had a meeting to attend. I presume the Head Boy and Girl want to give them patrolling duties or something.”

Harry lowered the curtain attached to the door to make sure no one could see into the compartment before he unfurled the piece of parchment in his hand. He memorized the incantation and then set the piece of paper on fire as instructed by Madame Bones.

“Is it uncomfortable?” Harry asked when he noticed Susan playing with the choker around her neck.

Susan blushed and shook her head, embarrassed that he had caught her playing with her new bespoke collar. “It’s just something I like doing,” she admitted shyly.

Harry flopped onto the long seat and scooted over to be by the large window. He reached out to grab Susan’s wrist and pulled her into his lap. He chuckled at her quiet whine when wrapped his arm around her waist, trapping her in place.

“We should go see where they are,” Susan suggested breathlessly.

“I’m sure they’ll come here eventually. Their trunks are here and I’m in no hurry to find them. I’ve spent three years riding the train with them. Time for something new,” Harry whispered. His fingers danced along the edge of Susan’s skirt, tracing random patterns on her creamy skin with a feather-light touch.

“I don’t think that’s anything new, sir,” Susan protested with a giggle. Despite her words she grabbed his shoulders and spread her legs, pulling herself deeper into his lap.

“We’ve never done it on a train before.”

“Do you really want to tell our child we made them in a train compartment on a hot September afternoon?”

“I doubt our child will ever want to know where or how we made them.”

“Fair point. But I can’t start Hogwarts with a limp, my lord. It’s not proper,” Susan murmured. She kept her eyes locked with Harry’s. Her hands stayed on his shoulders for support as she started to slowly grind against his crotch. A quiet whimper escaped her lips every time her soft lips brushed against the rough wool of his trousers.

“Bold words for a girl who isn’t wearing any panties.”

“You didn't give me permission to wear them today. I vowed to love and obey my husband. I’m not the kind of girl who forgets her promises-”

An embarrassed cough shattered the tension in the air. Preoccupied as they were, they hadn’t noticed Hermione pull open the door to the compartment.

Susan froze, unable to muster the courage to turn around and find out the identity of the person who had walked in on her attempt to seduce Harry.

“Hermione,” Harry drawled, appearing utterly unfazed by contrast. It wasn’t the first time Hermione had walked in on them and he had a hunch it wouldn’t be the last.

Susan relaxed and slumped into Harry’s embrace, hiding her red face in his chest.

“How was your meeting?” Harry asked, wrapping an arm around Susan. She sighed and cuddled him, content to simply listen to them talk.

“Very informative!” Hermione beamed happily, getting over her initial embarrassment. “I’m excited!”

“I’m glad. Being a Prefect suits you. Where’s Ron?”

“He got the first patrol shift with Parkinson.” Hermione grimaced. “Can you believe it? They made Malfoy and Parkinson prefects.”

“They’ll be twice as insufferable now.” Harry sighed. “Still, can’t be helped. Who else could they have chosen from Slytherin?”

“I mean they could have picked Greengrass but I doubt she’d have agreed to spend so much time in close proximity to Malfoy. She’s the only person I know who hates him more than we do.”

“You know Daphne?”

Hermione stared at Susan. “We are class partners in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. She’s quiet but oddly intense. Why?”

“N-no reason,” Susan stammered, glad that neither of them could see her red cheeks. Telling Harry was one thing but she wasn’t about to tell Hermione that the Ice Queen of Hogwarts had given her shagging tips!

“She’s terrifying.”

“Everyone with half a brain shares that opinion, Harry,” Hermione said briskly. “Did you know the Black Widow herself is Greengrass’ godmother?”

Harry stared at Hermione blankly but Susan sucked in a breath.

“Simone Zabini is Daphne’s godmother? How do you know that?”

“That's all Lavender and Parvati would talk about last year after Witch Weekly broke the news of her husband’s death. Five husbands in five years. No wonder the magazine dubbed her the Black Widow.”

“It’s also because she only wears black in public,” Susan explained, pushing herself off Harry’s chest. “She told a reporter she’s in perpetual mourning.”

“Surely they don’t believe she had nothing to do with the deaths?!”

“Oh, everyone knows she did it,” Susan replied with a shrug. “The investigators couldn’t find any proof so auntie had to close every single case.”

“Wow. I pity the man who marries Greengrass.”

“She’s not that bad. I just think she’s misunderstood.” Susan blushed when both Harry and Hermione stared at her incredulously. “I ran into her in Diagon Alley. She’s scary and intense but she’s not mean.”

“I never said she was. Just that I wouldn’t bet on her husband surviving their wedding night if she’s forced to marry someone she doesn't like.” Hermione ran a hand through her messy, bushy hair. “I need to change.”

“So early?”

“All Prefects except the ones who have the first shift are supposed to be in uniform when they patrol the train.”

“We should get changed too,” Susan suggested.

Harry nodded. “I’ll step out. Once you’re done, I’ll change.”

                                                                                      ---

He helped Susan out of his lap before climbing onto his feet. He walked out of the compartment and shut the door behind him, stepping away from it when he heard the quiet click of the lock.

“Do you think he’s upset?” Hermione asked the moment Susan shut and locked the door.

“Harry? About what?”

“Not being made a Prefect. I… all of us expected he’d be Gryffindor’s prefect, not Ron.”

“I don’t think so. He hasn’t said anything to me.” Susan pulled her trunk out from under the seat and popped open its lid. “I doubt he cares.”

“I thought he was avoiding me because he was upset. We spent nearly every evening together before the trial. He’s been locked in the study with Sirius for the past couple of weeks. I barely got to talk to him,” Hermione said, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice. She missed her best friend.

Susan shook her head. “He was just busy learning everything he can from my auntie and Padfoot. I doubt he even realized he’s barely spent any time with you these past couple of weeks,” Susan said. She fished out pieces of her uniform and neatly arranged it on the seat.

Hermione had already stripped out of her shirt and jeans by the time she stood. Susan couldn’t help but admire her petite, toned body and tanned skin as she walked around the compartment to grab her trunk.

“I’m sorry about interrupting you. I didn’t think…” Hermione waved her hands in the air, a pretty blush coating her cheeks.

“It’s okay,” Susan said with a shy grin. “Harry’s stamina is both a blessing and a curse,” she added with a giggle. “I’m probably the happiest wife in the world but I swear if I have to come up with another excuse for my limp my brain will explode.”

“Oh.” Hermione sucked in a breath. “Is uh… is it really that frequent?”

Susan's grin grew wider. She still found it difficult to talk about the intimate parts of her relationship with anyone but Hermione not being able to even call what they were talking about by name was strangely adorable.

“If you hadn’t come when you did we’d probably have gone two rounds before the train reached Hogsmeade.”

“Two… two rounds?! Of…”

“That.” Susan bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She reminded herself that she wasn’t too different a month ago and was only coming out of her shell because of Daphne. “I’d be very sore and very happy.”

“Do you want me to tell him to stop?! I can’t believe he won’t listen to you.”

“Why do you think I want him to stop?”

Hermione blinked. “You just told me you’re sore all the time. Why don’t you ask him to stop if it hurts?”

“It doesn’t hurt, Mione. It hasn’t hurt since our first time. That sucked for a quick minute, I won’t lie, but everything after that had been pure bliss. I don’t tell him to stop because I don’t want him to stop. There’s no better feeling than going about your day with an ache between your legs and the memory of what your husband did to cause that in your mind.”

“Oh.” Hermione blushed furiously as she mulled over Susan’s words. “I’ve never-”

“I guessed. Harry was my first too. You can talk to me about anything, alright?”

Hermione nodded meekly.

“Is it really that good?” Hermione asked in a whisper after getting dressed in silence. Her voice was barely audible over the rattling of the train.

Susan smiled and moved closer. She took the tie from Hermione’s hands and wrapped it around her neck, pushing it under the collar and securing it with the perfect knot.

“I mean, I don’t have a lot of experience but I think it depends. When it’s with the right person it’s like eating a box of your favorite toffee. You know if you eat too much you’ll get a tummy ache and you might even promise yourself that you’ll only eat one.” Susan gently dropped the maroon and gold tie after properly tying it. “But then the lid comes off. You have one, then two… before you know it the entire box is empty and you still want more. It might be different for different people but I feel the soreness and pain is half the fun.”

“I think I get it. Thanks.”

“If you want my advice the only thing you have to worry about is finding a person whose favorite toffee is the same as yours. As long as you're on the same page you can figure out everything else together.”

Hermione nodded and gave the curvy redhead a grateful smile.

“Do you mind turning around so I can change?”

“I can leave if you want some privacy,” Hermione offered as she turned around.

“I don’t mind changing in your presence. It’s just uh… I’m not wearing any underwear and I don’t want to flash you,” Susan explained. She blushed and busied herself with taking off her blouse and skirt, hoping Hermione wouldn’t question her explanation.

No such luck.

“Why?” the inquisitive bookworm asked. “Do you always go commando?”

“Not always. Uhm, things were such a mess in the house today that Harry forgot to pick out a pair for me to wear.” Susan traced the basilisk skin choker around her neck, drawing courage from it. “Since I didn’t know what he wanted me to wear I didn’t wear anything.”

“Why would he decide what underwear you wear?”

“It’s just… a thing we do.”

“Married couples? Is this a Pureblood custom?”

Susan groaned internally. “No, not married couples. And most Pureblood couples don’t even share a bedroom, it’s definitely not a Pureblood custom. It’s something Harry and I do.”

“Why?”

Susan pondered over the best way to answer that question as she changed into her uniform. She didn’t want to lie to Hermione but she also didn’t want to corrupt her innocent friend.

Because we’re kinkier than a pretzel and I’m a good kitty, Susan thought but didn’t say out loud.

“You know how you like rules? I like them too,” Susan said after a minute of silence. “So Harry has some rules for me and I follow them. One of those rules is that he picks out what lingerie I wear.”

“Oh,” Hermione squeaked.

“Yep. You can turn around now.”

Hermione slowly turned to face Susan. Both girls stared at each other for a few awkward moments, both of them blushing heavily.

“Right.” Susan coughed and cleared her throat. “We should step out and let Harry change.”

“Mhm.”

Susan walked over to the door, unlocked it, and pulled it open. She couldn’t see Harry so she poked her head out and looked both ways but the corridor was empty.

“Where’s Harry?”

“Dunno.” Susan shrugged and shut the door. “Maybe he ran into a friend and went to their compartment? I know the Twins were excited to show him what they've done with his money.”

                                                                                          ---

Fifteen Minutes Ago:

Harry leaned against the wall of the carriage and stared at the shut door, trying his best to ignore the stares he garnered from the people walking past him. Some were hostile, some sympathetic, but the majority were simply inquisitive, like he was a museum exhibition to be gawked at.

Keep his head low. That was what everyone had asked him to do. How exactly was he supposed to achieve that when there was nowhere for him to hide?

He walked down the corridor, trying to find a compartment with friendly faces. The Twins and Ginny were nowhere to be seen and Harry found no signs of his fellow Gryffindors either. He was about to give up and move to the next carriage when he spotted Draco Malfoy in it. The Slytherin had already changed into his uniform and had the shiny Prefect’s badge pinned to his chest. Worst of all, he was walking down the adjoining carriage and in his direction.

Why did I make that promise? Harry groaned in his mind.

Racking his brain for options and finding none, he pushed open the door to the bathroom and dashed inside before Malfoy spotted him. His foot caught in the doorway and he tripped. He flailed and grabbed the first thing he could reach to break his fall.

Unfortunately for him that ‘thing’ turned out to be a person.

“You better have a ring and a marriage contract in your pocket if you want to keep your hands, Potter,” Daphne drawled, staring at the hands that were pressed against her chest.

Harry’s eyes widened and he hastily withdrew his hands. He straightened and whirled around to slam the door shut before Malfoy entered the carriage and saw them together.

“I’m beginning to think the Daily Prophet has a point.”

Harry raised an eyebrow once he had turned around to face Daphne again. The bathroom they were in was small, much smaller than normal. There was barely enough room for both of them. They were uncomfortably close but even if he wanted to move away from her, he had no space to do so. “Well, your choices are between Malfoy and a supposed murderer. You can decide for yourself who is worse.”

“Oh, I don’t hold a little homicide against anyone. I think they were right in that you’re insane, Potter.” Daphne leaned against the wall to put some distance between them. “Why else would you trap yourself in a small space with me seconds after fondling my breasts?”

“I didn’t fondle them! I didn’t even know you were there. I tripped and grabbed the first thing I could reach to break my fall.”

“The first thing being my chest.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“That still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here in the first place.”

“Trying to hide from Malfoy. What’re you doing here? Why is this bathroom so small?”

“Since when do you hide from Malfoy?”

“Since he became a Prefect and because every single person I know has asked me to lay low for a while,” Harry answered grumpily.

“Makes sense. At least I can take comfort in the fact that I can walk out of here and hex him without any consequences. Almost makes me want to forgive you for assaulting me.”

“I didn’t…” Harry paused when he noticed the small smile. “You’re messing with me.”

“A little. Have to do something to pass the time.”

“Why are you here?” Harry asked, trying to change the topic and settling on the most obvious question. It wasn’t like she was using the facilities. She hadn’t even locked the door!

“This isn’t a bathroom. Well, it is, but nobody uses it as one. Someone someday charmed it to be smaller for reasons unknown. Someone else replaced the toilet with a cushioned wooden seat.” Daphne leaned to her right to show Harry the seat behind her. “And now Hogwarts students use it as a shag room. That’s why it’s so small. You don’t need a lot of space unless you’re inviting more people, aye?”

“Oh.” Harry blushed. She had answered his question without answering it.

“I’m surprised you don’t know about this.”

Harry shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I should go.”

“Didn’t you just tell me you needed a place to lay low until Malfoy left?”

“If I had to choose between facing a boyfriend who thinks I’m trying to shag his girlfriend and Malfoy being a dick I’m going to choose Malfoy.”

“Why do you have to…” Daphne frowned. “Wait. You think I’m here to fuck?” she scoffed and rolled her eyes. “As if I’d ever let a man take me someplace so hideous.” She glanced at the cushion on the seat and rolled her eyes again. “That cushion doesn’t match the floor and the floor doesn’t match the door. This place is for desperate couples who can’t find someplace better.”

Daphne pulled out her wand and murmured an incantation. The lock behind Harry engaged with a click.

“The bathroom is now ‘occupied’. Even the Prefects respect the rule of not disturbing a couple when they’re in here.”

“But we aren’t doing anything!”

“You were all over my breasts just five minutes ago, Potter. Your foreplay is sloppy but at least you didn’t whip your dick out right away like most men.”

Harry stared at her.

“You’re still messing with me.”

“Just a little. It’s nice to see that blush on your cheeks. Very adorable,” Daphne teased.

“Why are you doing this?” It wasn’t like they were friends. He had barely talked to the girl on more than a few occasions, and never outside a classroom. “If this is about me accidentally touching your-”

“Grabbing them. You grabbed them, Potter.”

“I’m so sorry!”

“But I’m not fucking with you because you copped a feel. Normally I chop off the offending hand with a rusty knife but I’ll give you a pass.”

“So kind of you,” Harry muttered sarcastically.

“I’m doing it because I’ve spent two weeks listening to Susan tell me how great you are in her letters. I just wanted to see how much her adoring worship has gone to your head. I’m glad and somewhat disappointed to see that you’re still a normal person.”

“… thanks?”

“You’re welcome.”

“If you’re not waiting for your boyfriend, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to wash my face.” Daphne pointed to the still functional sink. She had also needed a private moment to gather her courage, but she wasn’t about to admit that to Harry. “Susan invited me to spend some time with her during the train ride.”

“Oh.”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“Would that change your plans?”

“Only if you do have a problem. I’ll knee you in the groin before walking out of here so that I get some quality alone time with her before you recover from the pain and join us.”

“Do you solve all your problems with violence?”

“Most of them. If it’s not working you’re probably not using enough of it.”

“I thought Slytherins preferred to be subtle.”

“I’m subtle when it suits me. If you’re thinking about trying to stop me from meeting my friend you’re a nail and I’m a hammer. This situation doesn’t require subtlety.”

Harry threw his hands up in surrender. “How about you don’t attack me at all and just follow me back to our compartment?”

“No pain?”

“Preferably not.”

“What about your transgression against my purity? Should that go unpunished?” she asked in an amused tone.

“I have a feeling my answer doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t. As punishment for what you did, you owe me a favor that I can cash in whenever I want.”

“What kind of favor?”

“Anything I want,” Daphne smirked. She extended her hand in Harry’s direction.

That’s not ominous at all, Harry thought sarcastically.

Acting on gut instinct he grasped her hand and shook it, sealing their deal.

What did I just do?!

Notes:

Forgive me if I ramble a bit, but I just had this realization as I was uploading this chapter. I think one of the ways I've grown as a writer is that I'm no longer afraid to make up tiny bits of lore to make the story more interesting. And I do think that makes the story more enjoyable to read and to write. Things like the connection between Mrs. Zabini and Daphne in this chapter. Let me know what bit of lore you love best from any of my stories! If you'd like to talk about my stories or stay updated with what I'm working on next, join my Discord Server!