The Importance of Intent: After the Credits

Avengers: Endgame - Part 2

Daphne's eyes snapped toward Harry. "That wasn't your secret to tell," she admonished him.

"He didn't!" Hermione replied quickly. "Not right away..."

"Astoria gave me permission to tell her," Harry interjected. "You know how Hermione is....she figured out something was going on with Astoria over the winter holiday last year and kept badgering me about what was going on."

Daphne closed her eyes and took a breath. As much as she wanted to lecture Hermione on all the experts they had consulted...all the galleons they had wasted...all the failures that had sucked the hope out of Astoria and her family over the years...she willed herself to hear her out and stay calm. She promised Harry she would stay calm.

"You've been working on this since last year?" she asked. Daphne could not imagine a scenario where Hermione and Harry could have kept such a secret from her for that long.

"No. Last year was spent on my apparition project and N.E.W.T.'s," Hermione replied.

Despite herself Daphne's defensiveness regarding Astoria rose once again. "So now that those are over you are moving onto the next experiment? My sister isn't some project you can choose to work on until you get bored and move to something else you find more interesting."

"Daphne-" Harry began before being interrupted by Hermione.

"No, Harry...it's fair," Hermione continued, much calmer than before. She took a drink of tea and gathered herself. "You asked the same questions. Daphne deserves to get the same answers as well."

"When I started at Hogwarts...when I learned about magic...I read anything and everything I could. I remembered reading in Hogwarts: A History that it was impossible to apparate in or out of Hogwarts and immediately resolved to do it. I promised myself by the time I left school I would figure it out."

Daphne's frustration grew as she just wanted Hermione to get to the point. "I'm not sure what this has to do with-"

Harry pulled his chair closer and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to his side. "Just give her a chance, Daph."

She leaned in and and instantly relaxed. She trusted Harry and she trusted Hermione. She nodded for Hermione to continue.

"I actually started learning about apparition straight-away at the start of term. I'd frightened away everyone else so I had plenty of free time on my own. Then I became friends with Harry and Ron and I didn't give my project another thought for years. There were too many practical things I needed to study and learn about to help Harry."

She stopped looking at her tea and met Daphne's eyes. "But then you two saved us all and I was so relieved! I thought I had done my part in bringing you two together and was so happy to just enjoy my seventh year and go back to studying and my old project."

"Then on my birthday when you told me that Harry had a plan all along and had purposely set me up to learn about you-"

"I didn't tell you that to make you feel foolish, Hermione...I just thought it was funny," Daphne interjected.

"It's got nothing to do with being mad at Harry for tricking me, Daphne," Hermione continued. "I realized a few days later that he should have never had to do that...that I should have been the one to help him."

"So...you're jealous of me?" Daphne asked in confusion. It didn't jibe with how Hermione had treated her over the last year...at all.

"Hermione thinks it's her fault that I-" Harry interrupted before Hermione raised her hands to stop him.

"We talked about this, Harry...it's okay. You explained your reasons and you were right. I probably would have done exactly what you predicted," Hermione said in resignation. She turned her eyes back to Daphne.

"It wasn't jealousy, Daphne. It was disappointment...disappointment with myself...that I had led Harry to the point where he didn't think I trusted or believed in him any more." She looked so ashamed.

"After I realized all that I didn't know what to do with myself. So I did what I always do when I'm unmoored...I threw myself into my studies and became obsessed with my apparition project. I thought that it would make me feel...I don't know...like I'd accomplished something important."

"And then I did it...and gave my presentation...and was published in an academic journal...and I felt...nothing. Nothing like what it felt like when I helped Harry. I had wasted a year on something that meant nothing. If anything I had exposed security weaknesses of the castle. And I realized I didn't want to do that any more...to waste my time on things that didn't matter."

"Your sister isn't a project to me, Daphne," she continued, determination now clear in her voice. "She's someone that I think I can help...that we can help."

Daphne felt long dormant emotions surging but quickly squashed them down. Having to watch her sister go through the cycle of false hope once again...she didn't think she could bear it.

"My family has been trying to cure this condition for hundreds of years...spent countless hours and galleons on research and donations to charity to make amends," she said, the skepticism clear in her voice.

"She understands all that, Daph," Harry interjected. "Your parents explained-"

"You've spoken to my parents about this?" she asked abruptly. "When?"

"Harry didn't want to involve you or Astoria unless we thought there was a real possibility of success. So we started talking with them two weeks ago. After talking to them and diving into their research I'm even more convinced we have a shot...and Harry is too."

As much as she wanted to be angry that they'd gone behind her back the logic was sound. And it was heartwarming to know that Harry was trying to save her and Astoria further unnecessary grief if the idea didn't pan out.

"You've said 'we' several times now. Who is 'we'? You and Harry?"

Hermione smiled...clearly relieved that they had made it this far. "Me, Harry, and you hopefully...but it's more than that."

Hermione speaking in vague riddles reminded her of Dumbledore at his most frustrating. No more beating around the bush.

"Convince me," she commanded.