Chapter 4 - Star Grass Salve

Harry Potter knew is entire body ached but he was still numb from seeing Dumbledore fall from an unforgivable. So numb that he had no concept of time nor spacial awareness to notice that he had been moved to the hospital wing - his mind was playing the events of that night over and over again. He knew there were people all around him trying to talk to him but he heard nothing - nothing but the cruel voice of Snape as he ended Dumbledore's life. The twinkle of Dumbledore's eyes was gone the instant the sickly green curse hit the headmaster and all Harry saw was the lifeless eyes of his dead professor as his body became grey and cold.

His mind raced, trying to think of every possibility of how something like this could happen. Yet instead of trying to put everything together, his thoughts instantly shifted towards revenge - hatred for those who killed his beloved Headmaster. Another thought hit him, as if his mind had been a pond and a stone had rippled the water - the one person he could think of came to his head: Daphne Greengrass.

"Mr. Potter, please stay still." Harry was awoken by the stern voice of Poppy Pomfrey and had just realized his body had been shaking with the thought of the Slytherin girl.

The wrinkle face of Madam Pomfrey came into his view and Harry spotted a star shaped container within the grasp of the nurse's hand - a mated green colour cream was contained within the star and it only infuriated Harry further. Somehow in his mind he had begun to associate anything of green colour with the Dark Lord and even the name Greengrass was one and the same in his mind.

The events of that entire year played throughout his daydreaming mind. She had given him a love potion so she could give his secrets to Voldemort and she had even admitted that Draco's mother was her godmother. Harry Potter didn't know how, but he was sure Daphne Greengrass had something to do with the death of Dumbledore. And now, every time he thought of the beautiful chocolate haired girl, he instantly became enraged.

He had to seek her down, it was the only thought that continuously played in his mind. He wanted revenge and his first victim was going to be Daphne Greengrass. She just had to be connected - she was a Slytherin, her godmother was a Malfoy, even her name had the word green in it and green was Slytherin's colour, it was enough to connect her to Voldemort. He knew it made no sense but it made enough sense to him.

Harry gasp the thin blankets of the hospital wing's bed tight in his fist and he could see Madam Pomfrey look disapprovingly at him as he continued to shake. The old school nurse had been applying the green cream on to his bruises but it only made him sick to see such a colour. Green was the same colour as the killing curse and green was the same green as Greengrass.

And as soon as his mind was filled with random ideas of how Daphne Greengrass must have been related to the Dark Lord, his mind raced and was soon replaced with memories of his time with the Slytherin girl. Their first date - how Hermione had found out through using her womanly charms on Ron and how they spent hours the night before, correcting Harry on what not to do. He remember that day clearly, the time they spent talking aimlessly at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop - with moments of their awkward silence - follow by spending the rest of their free time that Hogsmeade day together, just walking around and enjoying each other's company. Then his mind shift to early spring, when Daphne had invited him to spend Easter with her own family - and to officially sign the marriage contract with her father.

Just thinking about that day had stopped Harry from shaking with more rage and his lips almost turned into a smile - but he had become calm. He had remember arriving with a stumble, falling flat on his back and being met with the shocked faces of two chocolate haired Greengrass'. An elegant face which had a stern look to her eyes and the other, of innocence but Harry Potter could tell it was also mischievous - the same grin the Weasley twin's had. The elegant face had belong to Mrs. Greengrass, Daphne's pure-blooded mother and the mischievous face had belonged to Astoria Greengrass, Daphne's little sister. Harry's eyes also followed Mrs. Greengrass when it came upon him that he had broken an expensive vase dating back to the dark ages - his only solution was to apologize to Mrs. Greengrass profusely and offer to pay whatever the worth of the vase was - double to buy into Mrs. Greengrass' good books.

He soon met Mr. Greengrass. At first glance, Mr. Greengrass did not look pleased to be associating his family with Harry Potter - Daphne had couched Harry on how to approach her family; she had said Mr. Greengrass was a closet supporter of the Dark Lord but he was open to allying himself with anyone with power. However, after an hour of discussing the marriage contract, Mr. Greengrass opened to Harry - money had indeed talked, especially old money from the Potter account and more importantly, money from the Black family.

It was that moment Harry Potter had thought he had fallen in love with Daphne Greengrass, as she hurried rushed into the room right after Harry and Mr. Greengrass finished signing the contract - Daphne had rushed in with only a silk nightgown. His heart stopped, his voice caught in his throut, and his stomach began to churn. He had never felt such a thing when he was in the presence of a girl he liked, not even Cho Chang - although he vaguely felt the same thing the first time his eyes peered over the picture of his own mother, who was very beautiful in his mind but not beautiful compared to Daphne Greengrass in a nightgown.

However it was only the start, as Harry Potter had thought the nightgown would leaving him speechless but that was not the case - she had changed before joining Harry and the rest of her family. It had been an unusually warm winter for England and even warmer spring, which ultimately had lead Daphne Greengrass - in Harry's mind - to wear a summer dress. Harry had thought the red dress which Daphne had wore to be stunning and the nightgown to be heart-stopping, but the yellow summer dress which Daphne had decided to wear that afternoon was beyond any words he knew to describe. Again the unusually silence in which followed the two returned, but this time it had only been Harry who had been effected, as with her parents around, Daphne seemed relaxed.

Harry did not remember what they talked about that afternoon, but he had remember the family stayed around the garden's dinning table until the March sun began to set. And for the first time, he had felt what it was like to have a family. He had learned a lot about the Greengrass family and when he had thought the Dursley's had been a normal family - which had been drilled into him - the Greengrass were exactly opposite. He had found them to be wonderful - he had found young Astoria to be very charming and very direct as she would ask embarrassing questions even Mr. Greengrass had blushed at. Mrs. Greengrass was elegant, every action she had was fluid and her language was one that had been raised in high society - she would ask questions about Harry's muggle family, to which Harry would often shy away from. And Mr. Greengrass - a stern man with a soft heart for his family, as Harry Potter could see he loved his family very much even though he did not outwardly show it.

And of course Daphne. She was shy - or at least she was shy when she was around him and he was shy when he was within two hundred feet of her. She had a certain glow and Harry Potter was absolutely captivated by it. It did not put him off that her belly had grown ten sizes to what it had originally been - she had been and was still very beautiful. Daphne certainly did not have the same elegance as her mother but she was much more human to Harry that way. Although he did not remember a single thing they had talked about that day, it was clear to Harry Potter that whatever happened the night their innocence was lost, it was more than just lust - no, Harry Potter knew he was slowly falling in love with the girl.

Then he remember his promise to her - that he would protect her and their child, no matter what the cost. He finally released his grip of the hospital wing's blankets and his mind again concentrated on what had happen last night. He knew he could not be mad at the beautiful chocolate haired witch and he knew she had nothing to do with Dumbledore's death but he had been angry and anger never allowed him to concentrate. He remembered what he had overheard from Dudley's television once, "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

Harry knew he could not break his promise and he knew with the Dark Lord now going unopposed, Daphne would be in great danger if the fact of her being pregnant ever reached the Dark Lord's ears. With the Malfoy's now under the Dark Lord's keep, Harry knew it would be any minute such an event would happen. He had to keep her safe and he had to keep her family safe - and the only way such a thing could happen, in Harry's mind was to keep her away from himself - after all, he had a prophecy to fulfil and his own safety was not a guarantee.

Harry Potter knew what he had to do. And when he found his entire body nearly covered in the green salve Madam Pomfrey had applied, he once again fell asleep in the hospital bed - this time his head was not full of nightmares concerning Professor Dumbledore's death but of how he would keep the Greengrass' safe.

O O O

He found himself in a dark room, only lit by a single candle, flickering as the cold night air blew from the open window. Harry Potter did not know where he was but he felt as though it was familiar to him - yet he was sure he had never once stepped into the room.

"Why have you called me at such an hour my servant?" Harry heard a raspy voice, it was cold but familiar. He tried to look around the room for where it came from only to realize it was himself who had spoken.

"I bring important news concerning the Potter boy, master." Harry looked down on to his servant, a man cloaked in black and a silver mask concealing the man's face - but it did not preserve the man's secret identity, as Harry Potter knew who it was.

"Well speak up!" Harry found himself demanding.

"The Potter boy has an heir master, worse is that he has soiled the purest of pure bloods."

"And which innocent blood has he tainted?" Harry asked intrigued.

"Greengrass milord."

"You have done well my servant. We will wait when the time is right, for tonight we must celebrate. With Dumbledore no more, it is only a matter of time."

"Yes milord." The man continued to stare blankly at the floor.

"Come now Nott, I am but a friend amongst friends. We have known each other for fifty years, I not think that time together has broken our friendship." Harry's wispy voice sly replied as he offered his hand to the man kneeling before him. An overwhelming sense of joy and accomplishment filled him, and he could feel a great big grin upon his face. Harry Potter was celebrating tonight, Lord Voldemort was celebrating tonight.

Harry Potter awoke, sweat pouring down his body and he felt he could not breath properly. He could not see, he could not feel anything but coldness, and he could not breath. Only one single thought filled his head - Voldemort knew about Daphne.

He wanted to rush out and find the girl but once he regained his senses, his body once again ached and Harry found that he could not move and when he did, his body burned. He peered out of the Hospital Wing's windows, there was light but it was still hours from dawn. He knew he did not have time - he fumbled for his glasses only to find that they had dropped to the floor from his search. He tried to leave his bed, his body burned but it did not stop him - and minutes later he found himself on the cold Hospital floor, using his arms to drag himself towards the giant doors.

He reached for the handles to find the doors latched - he pulled himself up, knowing that his body would be needed to pry the doors open. He shook the door handle - he did not care if he was making such a ruckus. He grew increasingly frustrated as he could not unlatch the door and when he finally did, they were too heavy for his weakened body to open. His breath became harder and his body was now burning so much, his mind could no longer feel it.

Harry finally felt the door give and once open, he was again on the cold stone floor and above him, the disgruntled faces of Hogwarts' staff.

"Mister Potter, what is the meaning of this. You must rest!" The stern voice belonged to Professor McGonagall.

"He knows!" Harry cried out.

"I'm sorry Mister Potter, but what was that?" Professor McGonagall made a questioning face.

"He knows!" Harry repeated out of desperation, "He knows about Daphne!"

Harry did not recall much of what happened after that. Only that he was forced back to bed and forced to drink an awful tasting potion. And when he next regained his thoughts, it was already well past morning and the smiling face of Daphne Greengrass sat, holding his hand.

O O O

It was only a few days after did the end of the term come for Hogwarts students, but the air was not filled with the usual excitement of students ready for a well deserved holiday but of somber as their dear headmaster would be laid to rest on this rain filled day. The shores of the Black Lake were filled with people as far as the eye could see, but to Harry Potter that did not matter - only that his headmaster was now dead and the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

Hundreds of people alone came up to him and wished him luck - as if they all knew the darkness that was soon coming. He greeted each the best he could and each gave him words of encouragement but none could whisk away the dread of the unknown for Harry. He only wished for someone to tell him everything was going to be okay but he knew it was not going to happen - everything was not okay and it never would be.

He felt a warm hand intertwine with his and he looked over to the somber face of Daphne Greengrass. She had not left his side since he had awoken all those days before. It was a comforting feeling when she was near - and although they spent most of it in silence, Daphne Greengrass made Harry Potter whole. She would be there when he cried and she was there when he was angry, and she was there when he needed her the most.

His friends stood behind him but they knew they could not comfort Harry as Daphne had. They knew Harry only had a little time left with the girl he loved - they would have to say goodbye soon. Dumbledore had left him the task of finding Voldemort's souls and Harry knew very well the pragnent teen could not join them, no matter how much she wanted to or how much he would long for her.

Daphne's family had gone into hiding - not even Daphne herself knew where. Astoria had joined them, leaving the safety of Daphne upon Harry and the rest of the Order. It was decided already - the only safe place hiding place for Daphne was with Harry's only remaining family.

And so, they knew once their time was up, Harry would be going on a journey he may not return from and Daphne to raise their child by himself, alone in a world where magic did not exist.

Part 1 End

Notes:
What? You mean there's a part 2?
Err...there's a 2k worded part two that was written 3 months ago but I really haven't been working on that or anything for the matter. So the chances of you seeing it anytime soon is not likely. You could message me and I can give you the big wtf moment I was planning in two words if you're so desperate for a spoiler.