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Catherine or Cate

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The Library

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Harry Potter slipped into the library under the cover of night, softly closing the heavy library door behind him with a spell. Using the light of the moon streaming in through the upper windows to guide him through the stacks he prowled forward heading towards the limited number of shelves in the back corner where all the cross-cultural books were stored. Arriving at the section, Harry used sight and touch to locate the book he'd accidently stumbled over earlier in the day. Finding the thickish tome, he grinned victoriously before the smile slid from his face at the sound of a soft, feminine voice behind him.

"For a Muggle book, the Kama Sutra is filled with a fair bit of magic."

Not recognising the voice at first, Harry slowly turned around to discover that the young woman had snuck off down the stacks in the direction of the doors. In the moonlight however, he recognised the walk, and the sway of her robes.

"Greengrass?" the raven haired teen whispered in shock.

Regaining his senses, Harry dismantled the charms on the book and slipped it and his wand back into his pocket before also heading for the doors. Reaching the great porthole he saw a note stuck to the door, all it contained was two page numbers in narrow script. Taking the note, it too was added into his pocket and the Gryffindor teen made his way back to his own dorm for the night.

III

Over the next week, Harry found himself constantly in an aroused state, every time he caught a glimpse of the Slytherin Ice Queen. Having never been a fan of books, he now saw some of the advantages. It had taken the better part of a week to plan and set up but now he was ready to act.

Walking up the hall, he could see the Slytherin beauty heading towards him. Her casual black robes, longer than the school ones, billowed out behind her as she walked, but were wrapped tightly around her torso as she clutched a book to her chest.

He stood next to a suit of armour on the side close to her and waited.

He saw the moment she spotted him. Her eyes lit up and sparkled for a moment, losing the empty look that usually plagued them. Her hand drifted up and slid past her champagne coloured hair that was long enough to sit on to itch the back of her neck, a gesture she often made around him. Finally, her pace slowed.

"I've got something to show you," he told her after checking they were alone. "Somewhere, actually."

"What is it, Potter?" Daphne asked stopping and pretending to study the suit in front of her.

"If you remember this is the only suit of armour that doesn't sing Christmas carols. I wondered why and after some research I discovered my answer."

"I'll bite," Daphne replied. "Why?"

"Excuse me, Julius," Harry said tapping the suit with his wand.

The metal became animated without the clanking sound of metal on metal before stepping aside. Harry smiled at the young woman and stepped through the wall. Once on the other side he stuck his hand back through into the corridor and waited until a soft hand took his and allowed him to lead her through.

In the tight space of the stairwell, Harry was force to stand with his back against the wall and Daphne standing next to him, close enough that they barely touched.

Harry cleared his throat. "Hello, Greengrass."

"Hello," came the soft reply. "Why am I here?"

"I'm showing you a shortcut. This comes out in the history section of the library, from behind a tapestry of Julius. The password at that end is Julius, if you could be so kind."

"Why am I really here?" the young woman asked.

"The book you mentioned the other night in the library. I've read parts of it and was wondering if we could discuss it at some point?" Harry asked awkwardly.

"I ..." Daphne began her eye narrowed before they widened in shock. "Oh, of course," she covered. "It would probably be beneficial to discuss what this means before anyone else finds out about it. Do you have time now?"

Harry chuckled. "It's half-past two on a Saturday morning. I think I can spare some time considering how much effort I went to, to find you."

Daphne moved slightly, revealing a turquoise blue jumper, the same colour as a tropical ocean and her eyes, moulding gently to her body. "Come on, let's go somewhere comfortable."

Harry nodded. Not letting go of her hand he led the way up the stairs.

III

They snuck into the library and past the cross-cultural books and into one of the study rooms. Before he closed the door Harry noticed the book he'd taken had been replaced with another copy, looking just as new.

"Potter? Harry?" the same soft, feminine voice that had surprised him a week ago, asked.

Angry at himself for forgetting she was there, Harry closed the door and turned to look at the classic features of the Slytherin witch. She began to wave her wand and Harry noted that she was raising complicated wards.

"Is it really necessary to add repelling wards to all that?" Harry asked after a few minutes.

"How did you know?" Daphne asked. "You don't take runes."

"Hermione Granger is my best friend. I took an interest in wards, let's say, and borrowed some of her books, thus I can use some of those wards."

Daphne gave a half smile and removed her robes before sitting in one of the chairs. Harry followed her lead as the unwelcome sensation of butterflies raced through his stomach before he looked at his companion.

She was well dressed for the wee small hours of the morning and a secret jaunt to the library. Her blue jumper hugged her tiny, pixie like frame and stopped no more than two inches above her knees. Black leggings then took over and they were tucked into black boots. She looked tired, pale, scared and inquisitive. Then Harry noticed the title of the book; Wards to Protect Your Life.

"Well, talking to me is going to mean you're going to have to get your own personal copy of that book," Harry said regretfully. "I don't mean to endanger you."

"My family isn't popular right now anyway for remaining neutral in this war. Slytherin was always going to be a tough place to live."

Harry let silence lapse before he looked up into the startling blue eyes.

"Why do I want to be near you always? Why do I want to know why you won't smile? Why did I want to killed Crabbe when he threatened you in the hall outside transfiguration on Wednesday?"

"You too!" Daphne said in surprise. "I thought it was just me."

"What?" Harry asked inarticulately.

Daphne frowned slightly, her lips coming together in an oh shape. "In the magical world the Kama Sutra brings couples together. Couples that are equal to each other, that complement and complete each other."

Harry nodded his head. "Alright. This must be fate giving me something to balance all the crap in my life."

"I was given my copy by my parents on the occasion of my thirteenth birthday. It was in order to help me find a suitable husband," Daphne explained. "Ever since I've had the urge to be near you. I've been jealous of Granger and Patil and Chang. And you never noticed me."

"That's not true," Harry replied. "I always watch you in potions because you're far more methodical than Hermione. And the Weasley twins made your hair silver for a week. I think that was the only time I told them their joke wasn't funny."

He looked at Daphne for a moment. Her hands were clamped together in her lap, the only sign of her nervousness. Her blue eyes, he noted were flecked with sea green and they watched him, just as keenly as his emerald ones watched her.

"How do we know?" Harry asked, using his hand to gesture back and forth between the two of them.

A frown marred pretty features for a minute before the young woman stood, moved around the table and pushed her lips against his own.

In an instant, Harry's hands moved to cradle and hold Daphne as the tingles ran through his body starting from every point their bodies made contact. Running out of breath he pulled away to see and feel the Slytherin relax into his arms.

"I guess we know then," he replied quietly.

"No-one can know," Daphne announced suddenly pulling away. "Not with the world as it is. Voldemort being back and you. You can't afford to be chasing after a kidnapped damsel. I won't have our connection distracting you from saving us, Harry. And being bonded to me is dangerous for you."

Harry laughed and kissed her hair. "Being bonded to you is dangerous for me?" he asked. "You've got it all wrong."

"I haven't. You'll be up against fierce competition for my hand and you don't need any extra enemies."

"That's a risk I am happy to take," he told her, cradling her face in his hands.

III

No-one had known about them. No-one had any idea of what they meant to each other until the final battle was over. The moment Voldemort was dead, he stowed his wand turned on his heel and rushed up the staircases to the library.

She was there, waiting for him in the study room where they had shared their first kiss.

He threw open the door and stopped in the doorway just to look at her.

She stood nervously.

"Is it over?"

He crossed the floor and placing one hand at the base of her skull and the other on the last of her ribs he pulled her in close to him as his lips hit hers in a hard, heavy kiss.

She clung to him, her nails digging in as she returned the kiss with equal fervour trying to convey every emotion she'd been feeling. Somehow they discarded his jumper and glasses and her robes parting their lips for just a few seconds.

"We're alive," he whispered finally as tears tumbled from his eyes. "You're so blurry you'll have to tell me if you're alright or not."

"I'm fine," she whispered. "Better than fine now your back here where you belong."

"Fred won't ever be again. Moony and Tonks won't be there for Teddy. Not everyone is where they belong."

"Shh," she whispered. "You shouldn't be a true hero and take on everyone else's pain. Share it with me so it doesn't hurt so much. Let me help you."

"Marry me, Daphne," he whispered. "Tell me you want to wake up to me every day for the next hundred years even though I killed a man today."

"Just the next hundred years?" she asked him.

He looked at her in surprise.

"I'll wake up next to you every day, forever, Harry. You and me."

He smiled and kissed her. She smiled and kissed him back. The weight of the world then came to rest on his shoulders and that's how they were found, holding each other as they sat of the library floor.

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