"Three," he replied. "Heir Longbottom, Heiress Bones and Miss Abbott. I expect Heir Longbottom will be escorting the other two when he comes. I'll be disappointed if he is not."
The auror gave a nod and said, "I'm capable of casting a messenger Patronus. If you'd prefer to wait inside, when they arrive I'll send one to you to let you know to come out to get them."
Surprised at the offer, Harry said, "Thank you; that's very kind of you. I accept."
With a smile back, the auror nodded towards the door. "You'd best see to your guests who've already arrived, then."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After a last look down the corridor, Harry re-entered the hallway before going to the door of the apartment and entering. As he stepped in, he noticed Hermione was taking the girls on a short 'tour' of the apartment.
Coming out of the kitchen, she was surprised to see him. "Where are the others?"
He smiled and replied, "The on-duty auror outside will send me a messenger Patronus when they get here, so I can go back outside and bring them in."
Hermione gave a snort of amusement and said, "Clever. It sounds like this one is not a daft moron."
Harry grinned back and, as he walked over to the 'sofa' area, looked to the girls and gestured to the seats. "Please be welcome to be seated."
As he expected, Daphne and Tracey sat together on one double sofa, leaving the identical one facing it to Harry and Hermione.
As soon as they sat, Dobby popped in with a tea set complete with crockery, teaspoons and a tray of little biscuits. For now, everyone ignored it.
Looking to Daphne and noticing how nervous she was, Harry asked, "Now, Daphne―"
When she looked back with a measure of intensity, he said, "Before we begin to talk about a Concubine Bond Agreement, I need you to answer a couple of questions for me."
She nodded. "I shall endeavour to answer them to the best of my ability, Lord Potter."
He smiled at her formality.
"Firstly, I need to know, is this something you want? Not your father... not your House... you."
Clearly a little surprised, she hesitated a long moment before she replied, "Not... really. However, if I do not do this, there will soon come a time my father will... have no choice, but to accept an offer from another."
Harry nodded and said, "I thought so. And, thank you for being honest."
He thought what to do next before he said, "So, you are willing to enter, or be entered, into such an arrangement because it offers you protection?"
"Yes," she firmly replied. "Plus, it protects my family."
"What about your sister?" he asked, curious.
"Other arrangements are being made for her."
"Fair enough," he nodded. "How far are you willing to go with such an arrangement? I mean, what if the agreement becomes a contract? It would mean you and I―" And gestured.
She blushed and replied, "I'm aware."
"It would mean you would be stuck with me," he said.
She looked at him in surprise for a moment before she gave a small snort of amusement. "I do not think that would be a hardship... Harry."
Tracey gave her own snort of amusement. And he was surprised Hermione made a similar non-verbal exclamation.
That had actually surprised Harry. When he looked to Hermione in what must have been confusion, she said, "Harry, you're no longer that scrawny, under-fed boy. You're now quite attractive."
That had him blush and look down for a long few moments.
Getting his blush under control he looked back up and between the three. He could see the truth of that remark in their faces.
"Hmm," he muttered.
Looking back to Daphne he said, "Here's my thoughts. Hermione says I have a 'saving people thing'. I cannot disagree. When I see someone in trouble I have the strong urge to help. And, I have a tendency not to ignore that urge.
"I'm aware of the difficulties your father is currently under regarding having only two daughters for heirs. And the pressure he would be under from those who see that situation as an opportunity to get their hands on the Greengrass estates.
"Because of that, I have already discussed with Hermione and her parents what I saw as the likelihood of your father approaching me, as an allied House, with the intent to request a Concubine Bond Agreement.
"At first, as you would likely expect, they were against it; as, I'm sure you'd also understand, was Hermione.
"However, once I discussed my views on the matter and why I would consider it, they found themselves in agreement. So, you have no need to fear Hermione and her family would be completely against this right from the start."
That had Daphne look to Hermione with gratitude. And that look was what satisfied him that she wanted this; and wasn't being pressured into it by her father.
"I won't go into the specific details for obvious reasons, but Hermione and my Betrothal Agreement has escape clauses that make it so either of us only need to say a certain phrase for the agreement to be voided in it's entirety, without penalty. Of course, it also has conditions that, if they're met, those escape clauses become void and the agreement becomes the contract. I do not think you lack the wherewithal to figure out what sort of conditions I'm talking about.
"If it is still your desire for your father and my legal representative to negotiate a Concubine Bond Agreement, it is a non-negotiable condition that similar escape clauses of the same ease will be included for both of us. If your father cannot accept such, there is no point the two even meeting. If, however, he can, then I believe I can enter such an arrangement."
It was a long few seconds before Daphne, who was looking at Harry in wide-eyed hope, suddenly seemed to collapse into herself, dropped her head almost onto her knees and broke down into deep heart-wrenching sobs.
Surprised at her reaction, Harry didn't know what to do. When Tracey slid over closer to her friend and wrapped her arms around her, Harry turned to look at Hermione in no small level of confusion.
"It's alright, Harry," she whispered. "Go wait outside for a while. Us girls are going to talk." Then she rose, went across and sat on the sofa on the other side of Daphne from Tracey, before moving in close.
When Harry hadn't moved, truly unsure of what to do, Hermione looked at him, glanced to the main door and flicked her chin at it before turning to help comfort Daphne.
He quietly rose and walked out. He decided he'd go and wait for Neville and the other two girls, after all. He had no idea how to otherwise help the girl, but it seemed Tracey and Hermione did. He left them to it.
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