Overcoming Differences

Practice Makes Perfect?

Chapter 9

**A/N: Our wonderful thanks to J.K. Rowling for the use of her characters and her world. I do so enjoy having fun with them. Enjoy the new chapter guys, we've made it halfway through.**

Harry sat out in the field as spring had finally arrived. Flowers were sprouting everywhere and the weather was warmer. It was a beautiful day, but Harry knew that he may die during the final trial. He wasn't sure many people would care if he was gone. He knew Daphne, Hermione, and possibly Hagrid would miss him. His future looked bleak at best. His thoughts did not match the beautiful day in brightness, but were rather dark.

Daphne was walking toward the lake, when she spotted Harry. She turned and made a beeline to him. She came up on him and watched him for a moment. "Harry?"

"Oh hey." he said softly, hiding his thoughts from her.

She sat down next to him. "You alright?" She asked as she examined his facial expression, seeing he had something on his mind that he wasn't telling her, but she knew better than to press him.

"Just accepting possible death during this tournament." Harry replied as he closed his eyes and felt the warm air blowing against his face.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. "We're not going to let that happen Harry." She said as a small tear fell down her face.

"Daphne," he said softly, unsure of how to explain how he was feeling.

"Yes Harry," She said pulling away to look at him, feeling sad for him.

"I know how impossible this task will be for those who are of age, much less a fourth year student with very little support. I don't see myself living through this year." Harry sighed as he brought his knees to his chest.

She nodded but didn't speak. She sat with him in silence staring out into the beautiful field with him. A few moments later she looked at him. "I love you Harry. You know that right?" She asked him.

"Yeah, you always say that." He replied softly, fear of failure and being abandoned filling him as he resolutely picked at grass near his feet.

Her face turned to a look of confusion. "You don't believe me, do you?" She asked quietly, feeling slightly taken aback by his response.

"I know you love me, at least on some level. But you may leave me. Almost everyone leaves me in some form or another. I'm not used to people staying," he said sadly and a little angrily, as he held her hand.

She nodded not wanting to fight with him. She simply just laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm not going to leave you."

He lovingly stroked her head before he commanded, "If I die, take my cloak and broomstick."

"Okay," she said softly as she stared at the flowers in the field.

He wrapped his arms around Daphne as he asked her "Wanna help me train for the task?"

"Of course." She said with a small smile as she wrapped her arms around him.

He nodded as he opened his bag to reveal a large, leather back book titled Advance Combat Magic of Old.
Her eyebrows raised as she saw the tome. "What do you think you're preparing for?" She asked calmly.

"Anything and everything." He replied simply as he looked her in the eyes before saying "If I show you what I've been practicing, would you hate me?"

"Harry, I could never hate you." She said looking at him, then to the book and back. She took hold of his arm showing she'd support him no matter what he felt he needed to do.

He sighed softly before kissing her quickly as he flipped to a chapter that read: Curses of the Ancient Time: Light and Dark.

"Curses?" She whispered in shock as she read the words off the page in front of her.

"I almost died fleeing a damn dragon, so I need something to give me an edge. I was focused on mostly light spells, but now I know a few dark ones." He stated.

She nodded, "we can't practice here though." She said as a smile rolled across her face.

"Of course, let's go I wanna see someone first and see if they can find us a place." He stood up and held his hand out for Daphne, who took his hand and stood and allowed him to lead her.



Harry and Daphne walked through the corridors of the castle, to the painting of fruit. He tickled the pear, which giggled and opened to the kitchen. The elves were busily baking and cleaning, one looked up at him and asked, "Whats can we do for you, sir?"