The Importance of Intent: After the Credits

Meet the Fockers - Part 1

There had been a small part inside Daphne, the insecure part she normally did her best to squash down, that had worried she and Harry would drift apart now that their project was complete...that their attraction was based only on the camaraderie and intensity surrounding the high stakes game they had been playing. She couldn't have been more wrong. Even though they spent virtually all of their free time together Daphne felt herself still wanting more. Summer was going to be brilliant.

All the previous time spent on their project had been transferred to other non-academic activities and it was glorious. Let the rabble sneak around and snog in broom closets. She and Harry had dozens of empty classrooms, cushioning charms, and most importantly, an invisibility cloak. The castle was their oyster. Harry had been so relaxed and so attentive. She adored noble Harry but she could not get enough of relaxed, attentive Harry.

Daphne smiled as she gazed down at Harry who was currently using her lap as a pillow to take a nap. As she gently ran her fingers through his hair she was thankful he had this final moment of peace before officially closing the door on the last part of his wretched past: The Dursleys.

He had been unusually tense that morning and she knew his relatives were the reason why. He had repeatedly asked her to hold her tongue when she met them. She assured him she would do her best but did not make any promises.

"About five minutes," Hermione offered as she looked at her watch. "Are you ready?"

"How bad are they really?" Daphne asked instead of answering. "Harry has told me some stories but he purposely avoids talking about them."

Hermione looked as if she had just tasted something that had gone bad. "His aunt isn't as horrible...well she is horrible...but she doesn't say much...she just looks like she is thinking horrible things about Harry instead of saying them. I suppose she's much worse in the privacy of her own home but Harry never wants to talk about it. I think his cousin stays quiet when other people are around so he shouldn't be too bad, either."

"His uncle though...his uncle is unbearable," she muttered, shaking her head. "His normal voice is this cross between a grunt and a scream. I've only seen him a few times at Kings Cross and it's clear he hates all of us. And as much as he hates us he somehow hates Harry even more."

Hermione's gaze turned down to look at Harry and immediately softened. "I know you want to tell them off and hex their bits but Harry is right. It won't do any good because they don't care. Just act as normal as possible."

Hermione's coaching was interrupted by the telltale squealing of the train coming to a stop. She gently shook Harry awake.

"Time to meet the relatives!" she chirped. "I hope they like me!"

Harry snorted a laugh as he stood up and stretched. "Just let me do the talking...and don't give them that smug look you do. That will just make Vernon angry."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she lied horribly.

"Really? Are you sure?" Harry asked. "Because you're doing it right now."

"Am I?" she asked innocently. "I had no idea."

"If you two are quite finished it's time to leave," Tracey muttered as she opened the door of their cabin. "I'll see you all next week. Good luck, Harry. Be nice, Daphne," she commanded before waving goodbye and heading for the exit.

"I'm always nice," she said dismissively to Harry as she headed toward the door. From behind she heard Ron let loose a cough that sounded remarkably like the word "McClaggen."

"That was different," she replied with a wave of her hand, "he had it coming."

Ron clapped her on the shoulder and replied. "That's the thing though isn't it? They have it coming. They've got sixteen years of it coming."

"Bugger, I hadn't thought of that," she frowned insincerely, breaking into a laugh when she saw Harry's look of annoyance.

"Just teasing, Harry," she reassured as she grasped his hand, leading him toward the exit. "Everything is fine."

"It will be in ten minutes," he grunted before leaning over and kissing her on the temple.