Chapter 8: First Week Fireworks
Daphne looked to Harry in shock as he seemed to be waiting on her answer, his eyes on hers while he remained kneeled before her, clearly knowing the old ways for announcing such an offer. However, what Daphne couldn't understand was why he would do such a thing for someone he hardly knew when, as far as she had seen and known, Harry was secluded, private and a little cold in attitude.
Clearing her throat, Daphne asked, "Harry, before I give you my answer, I must know: do you know the full details behind such an offer and a betrothal like this one?"
"I know that you're really curious as to my motives given what you've just gone through," Harry answered, rising off of his knees as he faced her, "But you don't have to worry, Daphne: I don't do this to take advantage of you; quite the contrary, I do it to ensure that no-one else can do such a thing."
"How so?" asked Daphne, a little confused at the nobility of her newest friend.
"Well," Harry explained, looking again to Neville and Blaise as he remarked, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I wanted to make sure that nobody else could hurt Daphne, then I'd offer her protection under my House or even an alliance with her House Head, am I right?"
"That's the normal method of protecting someone else," Neville answered, swallowing slightly as he added, "It was how my parents and yours joined forces: Dad wanted to honour the House friendship that he and your Dad had shared by doing anything he could to protect your Mother while she was pregnant with you. After it was done, your Dad offered a House Brotherhood between our two families, which is a little similar to a vassal's vow, but with less of a risk to magic or physical consequences."
"Right," Harry reasoned, a part of him growing even more curious about Neville and his ties to the young Slytherin before he returned his attention to Daphne as he explained, "However, even under vassal's vow, the House can still be threatened. However, according to ancient laws regarding pairings and betrothals, if the target was a betrothed to an Ancient House like mine, then even Dumbledore wouldn't be able to protect them. I could do anything I desired to make them feel sorry about whatever it is or was that they had done. I know it may not make sense"
"No," Daphne cut in, shaking her head as she laughed, "Actually, itit makes pretty good sense, Harry: you want toto keep an eye on me and see if I'm really worthy of your friendship, but, even more to the point, you want to make sure that no-one can hurt meagain, right?"
"Right," Harry answered, "And from what I know of terms of betrothal and the like, I'm willing to allow you to break it off for any legitimate reasons that you wish to enact, Daphne: though I should warn you that I don't really know how to love someone, but I do know how to care for them."
'Thank you, Serena,' he added in thought, his mind concentrating on the way that he looked out for the dark-elf half-breed whenever she'd been uncomfortable or scared about her past. She had stopped sharing his bed at his request, but Harry, in a brief moment of caring, had created a second bed for Serena to share his room so that she didn't need to be alone if she was scared.
"And so," Harry continued, looking back to Daphne as he made his point clear, "I want you to know that I can protect you: you've seen it; in time, as part of our betrothal, I may even share the secret of my powers with you. After all, you're my equal in this, Daphne, not my lesser: I once made a promise about another young lady that I wouldn't see any females suffer for beingdifferent or because of laws or traditions: now, I'm trying to keep my word."
"And" Daphne remarked, a little alarmed at the confidence in Harry's statement: his amber eyes were actually glowing with raw power and emotion as he spoke to her, but she needed to be sure of this. "If Isaid yes, would you allow me to inform mymy Father about this? It would be part of his role as Head of House Greengrass to finalise the details and arrange things like dowries and agreements between us in case I did wish to sever the betrothal."
