Disclaimer: I defiantly do not own any of the Harry Potter books or intend to sell this for money. This is for the entertainment of others and myself only…. Have fun reading it for free
Daisy was sitting at the far end of the bar trying to enjoy the butterbeer, but she was having extreme difficulty due to the fact that only three people were in the room at the moment, including herself. Only a few stray souls found themselves at the Leaky Cauldron nowadays. Most people seemed to be scared out of their wits to even leave the house unless they had to, now that Voldemort was back. Daisy didn't like that they were doing this. She thought that it gave Voldemort even more power knowing that he was feared among his fellow wizards and even though they did have a right to be afraid she thought they could at least save some dignity and pride by at least not hurting the businesses they so loved once before. Several stores had already gone out of business in Diagon Alley, the only few beloved stores that remained was purely due to their entertainment services and owl delivery. The Leaky Cauldron was losing its touch, no one had stayed over night in weeks and maybe twelve customers came a day. Instead of the days going by fast with several people in demand for drinks and food, they were now going by slowly and Daisy had a knot in her stomach at the very thought of losing her job and Tom closing down the store.
She looked over at Tom who was polishing the bar, looking more depressed than ever. She frowned, not knowing what to do or say that could make him once more his cheery self. She didn't even know what she could do to lift her own spirits. She took another sip of butterbeer and slid off the leather stool and made her way to around the bar where she put up the butterbeer and glanced around the room again, hoping that someone might appear from the cackling fire or open the dirty door. She heard a squeak and a clank of the door opening and then shutting.
Daisy looked up to see who had just walked in, ready to take their order, but to her surprise it was someone that was quite familiar. The tall physique and red hair gave him away in an instant and she ran over to the man and gave him a rather big hug. He in return hugged her back and didn't let go at all, just stood there, subjecting happily to their embrace.
"Oh Dais, I've missed you more than you can imagine." he said squeezing her for a moment. She smiled up at him and squeezed him back.
"You have no idea how much I've missed you either. It's been years!" Daisy said as they fell out of their embrace to check one another out. The man smiled and looked her up and down.
"Its really only been two years." He said. "You've changed a bit, different hair style and you're wearing high heels and an apron. Didn't know you could cook."
"Bill, of all the people in the world you should know that I can't cook worth crap." She smiled playfully at him "And I'm not the only one whose changed. You're actually dressed in something somewhat presentable."
They laughed and then stood for only a moment of silence that Bill soon broke.
"I have some great news to tell you." He said hurriedly, as if he missed this chance at this particular time he would never be able to say it again. "I'm getting married."
"No way? To that French woman, Fleur, was it?" Daisy asked in disbelief. Bill nodded, his grin widening by the second.
"Yup, in just a week." He said. "I was trying to find out where you were so I could send you the invitation, but you seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. But then news came that you were back in England and working here, so I thought I'd stop by and tell you personally."
"Well thanks, I'm sure it will be a lovely wedding. From what you wrote me a couple months ago, Fleur seems like a great gal. Your lucky to have met someone so right for you." Daisy said, trying to seem sweet, but the words had a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Things not go well with you and Italian bloke?" Bill asked. Daisy shook her head and sat down.
"Nah , we got in a fight a couple weeks ago so I just decided to travel a bit and see where it lead me and ironically it brought me back here. To England, my home." Daisy said. "Wet, drizzly England."
"Well, it's a good thing that it didn't work out. The twins were going to have a fit if that relationship lasted any longer. They've been waiting for you." Bill said, smiling his dazzling smile. Daisy giggled girlishly.
"Those two are really still waiting on me? I thought they would have learned by now I'm not the one for either of them." Daisy said "And apparently not any other guy I've dated."
"Don't be so hard on yourself." He said. "So, what are you doing the rest of the day?"
"I get off work pretty soon," she glanced over at Tom and the empty room, "and after that I was just going to head home and do nothing."
"Great! Well, why don't you come with Fleur, Charlie and I." Bill offered "We're about to meet up in Diagon Alley and eat lunch and talk about the wedding plans."
"Oh, I don't know, Bill. I'm not even in your wedding. Why should I help out?" Daisy looked around uneasily.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Bill said and he grabbed Daisy's hand pleadingly. "Please come"
"Alright, let me just go ask Tom and then we can go." Daisy said, as she walked over to Tom, who simply nodded as she hung her apron up. "Well bye, Tom, I'll see you."
She waved but was soon being pulled by an overly excited Bill out of the Leaky Cauldron and into a less cluttered Diagon Alley and into a nice restaurant. Bill lead Daisy to a table near a window where two occupants we're already sitting. One of them rose with excitement and gave a welcoming kiss to Bill. Daisy backed up a bit and studied the beautiful blonde woman wearing a breezy pink summer dress. Daisy looked down at her own appearance which was a simple blue dress with a less fancy design. The woman came over to Daisy and kissed both her cheeks.
"I am Fleur Delacour .It is so nice to finally meet you!" Fleur said with a wonderful smile on her face; Daisy smiled back. "Bill 'as told me all about you!"
"Oh really? He has?" Daisy looked over at Bill, who was smiling sheepishly back at Daisy.
"Oui and I already feel as if I know you." Fleur said, as Daisy nodded absently, looking back over at Bill.
"He told you everything?" Daisy said and Fleur nodded. "Even that embarrassing story with the squid and the lake."
"Yes and where you had to make a outfit out of seaweed."
Daisy glared over at Bill who shrugged his shoulders innocently, Daisy rolled her eyes and looked at the other person who was now standing up. She nearly fell backwards at the sight of him, not because he was revolting to look at, no, quite the opposite. He had the same flaming red hair that Bill possessed , but was a little shorter and more muscularly built. His arms were covered with so many freckles that he could have easily been mistaken for actually being tan. Several burn scars were quite visible and Daisy winced slightly at the sight of them, but then rethought and realized that he would have liked the idea of having a scar. He smiled.
"Hello, Daisy!" He said warmly; Daisy smiled back awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Hug him or give him a hand shake or kiss him? No, defiantly not kiss. Hug? No, not a hug, they had never hugged….Maybe once, but she had been excited about something, that she couldn't remember.
"Hey, Charlie!" Daisy said back and was relieved when he just held out his hand to shake. She shook it and they sat down next to Charlie. "So, how has Romania been?"
"Good, the dragons are great and I actually just got out of St. Mungo's because of one of them." He motioned to a newly added scar.
"Oh, wow." Daisy touched the scar, " I don't know how you do it."
"All I know is that I love it!" Charlie said and Daisy giggled. But she stopped soon after that. "What about you? Doing anything interesting?"
"Uhh…no not really. I love working at the Leaky Cauldron, don't get me wrong. It's like a home to me, but with everyone rightfully freaking out, we haven't had too much service and it's just been really dull. But I like it a lot better than working at the stupid ministry. I hate sitting at that desk all day, I need to be up and about doing things."
"Yeah, I know how that is." Charlie said "Except for the whole dull thing. Working with dragons day in and out is most definitely not dull."
Daisy nodded in agreement and took a brave glance over at Bill and Fleur who were now composing themselves to act like normal wizard beings just in time for the waiter to come over and take their drink orders.
"Hello, my name is Alan. I'll be your waiter this afternoon. Can I start you off with something to drink?" their waiter asked.
"Oh, I'll have a butterbeer" Bill said "and the lovely lady here would like an ice tea."
"I'll have a butter beer too." Charlie said.
"And I'll just have hot tea, peach, please." Daisy said and the waiter walked away. She looked over at Bill "What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Oh, well Fleur and I have been talking," Bill said lacing his fingers with Fleur's "and we were trying to decided who we wanted in the wedding and who we would pick as the best man and the Maid of Honor."
"And we want the two of you to be them." Fleur said, smiling at Daisy.
"But I can't be your maid of honor, I barely know you." Daisy said.
"Well, no one else can be it. Gabrielle is too young. Besides its like you are Bills sister. And that's good enough to be my sister." Fleur smiled. " And we have a week to get to know each ozer just like sisters"
"Well…I suppose I could-"
"Good it is settled. We can go get your dress today" Fleur said happily.
"And you don't mind being best man Char?" Bill asked.
"Of course not" Charlie said " I guess I'll have to buy some better dress robes now"
"Great!" Bill said as their drinks came to the table. Daisy took a rather large sip of her tea. Trying to buy her time to think out the mistake she just made.