Daisy sat at a table in the Leaky Cauldron, eating fish and chips and reading. Her dark hair fell in wild waves around her face and down her back, and she frequently glanced up at the other patrons. English witches and wizards were strange. Some of them were very unique, purple velvet robes, pointy hats, flamboyantly announcing themselves, not even trying to blend in with the no-mags. It amused her, the differences between American culture and European. She was smiling to herself when the young red-headed man walked in. He was cute, freckles and a broad smile. She felt herself flush and buried her face back in the book, not wanting to get caught staring. He strode up to the bar and ordered, she went back to reading, and he was gone from her mind… Until he sat down at her table.
"Witches Guide to Europe? Let me guess, you're from the States?"
Daisy's mouth fell open. The brown eyes laughed at her, teasing, flirting? She recovered quickly and smiled. "Yes. Florida."
"I'm George. Mind if I join you?"
"Please. I'm Daisy," she held out her hand, and he took it. They chatted easily, the server brought his food and she quickly found out he owed the joke shop she had passed earlier, and he that she was staying at the inn, with no plans of leaving anytime soon, even though she was supposed to touring all of the continent.
"Any reason why?" George asked casually, between bites.
"I'm looking for my father. My mother told me she met him here, at this tavern, when she was backpacking in the late 70's."
George nodded thoughtfully. "So what do you plan on doing while you look for him?"
"I haven't given it much thought."
"You'll be needing some money, right?"
"I guess I will," Daisy smiled.
"I can use a hand at my shop, I just lost my partner, so… Want a job?"
"Absolutely!"
"Good. You're cute, the customers will like you," He wiggled his eyebrows at her and Daisy felt herself blush. "Are you sure you can handle the attention?"
"From pre-teen boys? I think I'll be okay."
"I meant myself," He laughed heartily. "Just teasing. Or am I? Be there tomorrow at 9?"
Daisy laughed with him. "See you then."
The two became fast friends, and both wondered if it might be something more, but neither took the steps. Maybe George was still mourning his lost twin, maybe Daisy was a bit too shy, but by the time Christmas came they were still just friends, and Daisy still hadn't found her father. George hated the thought of her at the inn alone over the holiday, so he brought her home with him. The Weasley family was more than happy to welcome her, and George took a fair share of ribbing from Ron and Harry over his failure to close the deal with the pretty American girl.
Daisy was helping Molly and Ginny in the kitchen early Christmas morning when the clock behind her began to make noise. Ginny ran to it and exclaimed, "Mum! Charlie's here!" as the kitchen door burst open and a large, handsome red-headed man strode in and picked up the girl, hugging her off her feet.
"Oh, Charlie, we didn't know you were coming!" Molly gushed, hustling over to her son. Daisy smiled, watching the scene. He bent down and kissed his mother on the cheek, and then his eyes met Daisy's.
"I wanted to surprise you. Hello, there." He stepped forward and held out his hand to Daisy.
"Oh, this is George's friend, Daisy," Ginny told Charlie. Daisy shook his hand. She knew she was staring, but she couldn't seem to stop.
"George's friend?" Charlie grinned at her. "And I suppose my brother is still upstairs?"
"Don't tease the girl!" Molly scolded. "Poor thing's shy enough already! Of course your brothers are still sleeping. Your father is, too. So sit quietly and I'll make you some breakfast."
"Come on, Mum, you know that's not going to happen," Charlie told her as he turned and rushed for the stairs. Soon the sounds of shouting and laughter could be heard from the upper levels of the home.
The family began gathering in the kitchen a few minutes later and Daisy helped Molly and Ginny serve them breakfast, thinking what a wonderful family it was, how much they all seemed to like one another, when Molly pushed the two young women out into the dining room, plates of their own in hand. "Go eat, I'll be right behind you."
Harry and Ron slide apart to make room for Ginny on the bench between them, and George pushed Charlie. "Shove over." Charlie pushed back.
"You shove over. Share your friend, Georgie. Come sit in the middle," Charlie said to Daisy with a broad smile. "Let's chat." He patted the bench. George rolled his eyes, and the rest of the family responded in amusement.
Daisy sat between the two, and immediately Charlie began questioning her. "Daisy, that's not a common American name, is it? Your parents were hippies?"
Daisy laughed. "My Grandpa named me. He's a bit of a bibliophile, so he called me Daisy Fay Clairborne."
"From "The Great Gatsby"?" Hermoine asked. "Wasn't she kind of daft?"
"Yes, well, Elizabeth Bennet Clairborne was what he called my mom, and he said she was a disappointment. With Daisy Fay there was no way to go but up." Daisy smiled.
Molly came into the room with her breakfast and took her seat opposite Arthur. "Daisy was telling us last night, Charlie, that she was raised by her Grandpa. Mother left her there, poor thing."
"And your father?" Charlie inquired.
"He's why I'm here," Daisy told him. "My family has this tradition of traveling to Europe after finishing school, and my mother met him in London in 1977. Apparently he swept her off her feet, then disappeared. She came home and nine months later there's me."
"What's his name?" Charlie asked, after quickly swallowing.
"She won't say. I've been on that for months," George responded for her. Daisy elbowed him.
"You should, dear," Molly added. "Arthur works for the ministry. Maybe he can track down the rogue."
"Truth is I only know a nickname, but I have a picture. My mother, she's very impulsive. She just does things and then doesn't think about them afterword." Molly shook her head in dismay as Daisy spoke.
"She didn't know his name?" Hermoine squeaked.
"She said his friends called him Pat. I assume it was Patrick?" Daisy shrugged.
"Well, let's see the picture, then," George prodded. With a heavy sigh Daisy stood up from the table and went to her backpack. She hated being the center of attention, and felt as though the whole family was staring at her. Retrieving the photo, she handed it reluctantly to George. He choked on his toast.
"What?" Daisy asked him. Coughing, he shook his head and handed the photo to his father. Arthur studied the picture for several seconds. Finally he looked up at the girl. Dark hair, pale skin, grey eyes.
"Molly, have a look at this," Arthur stood and took the photo to his wife, making sure not to let the others at the table see it yet. "Your mother told you this was a picture of her and your father?" He questioned.
"The night they met, at the Leaky Cauldron. She said they drank firewhiskey and he took her for a ride on his motorcycle. She swore it could fly, but my Grandpa always said that was the whiskey. Do you know him?" Daisy turned to Molly, and the older woman returned her gaze with tears in her eyes.
"Mum? Let's see it then," Ginny reached for the picture and Molly let her take it. The boys on either side of her leaned in for a look, and Hermoine stood and looked over her head. Daisy's surprised expression became contagious.
Charlie reached across the table and snatched to photo. After looking at it a moment and then at Daisy, he nodded his head. He handed her the picture. "I see it. The eyes."
"It's strange, because we haven't seen him in so long, but when you look at the picture, and then you look at her, it's so plain…" Hermoine agreed.
Then Harry smiled sadly at her. "I've actually seen this picture before. He must have really liked your mum, he kept a copy. She was wrong about the nickname though. His friends called him Pad. With a D. This is my godfather, Sirius, and I wish you could have met him. He was a great man. I think he would have been really happy to have a daughter."
Daisy dropped her fork. The sad faces looking at her said it all. "Oh. So, he's… dead."
George threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. "The best ones are."
The solemnity of the morning did not last long. It was Christmas, after all, and there was a grand meal to cook, puddings to bake, and presents to be exchanged. Daisy spent the day helping in the kitchen and getting to know George's family. Afternoon, during a calm moment, she put on her heaviest sweater and borrowed Ginny's rubber boots so George could show her the garden and grounds. Charlie accompanied them, and while Daisy was wandering ahead, Charlie's curiosity got the better of him.
"Your friend? That's what you call her?" He whispered to George.
"It's not like that. It might have been, at first, but now we're mates. She's like Ginny, in a way, or Hermoine." Both made faces at the thought.
"So, you wouldn't mind…"
George shrugged, then smirked. "You're old, though." Charlie shoved George, who shoved him back, and soon the two were wrestling about in the snow, to Daisy's bemusement.
"What are you doing?" Daisy asked the pair.
"Don't you have siblings?" Charlie replied.
"Nope. Just me. Suddenly I'm glad of it." As she turned and strode back towards the house, she heard a soft whoosh, and then felt a thump in the middle of her back.
"You do now!" George yelled and began packing a second snowball. Daisy made a dash for the house, George and Charlie chasing behind her. Ducking behind a bush she began packing her own armory, and when the boys rounded the corner she started pelting them with the slushy weapons.
Twenty minutes later the trio returned to the kitchen, dripping wet, rosy cheeked, grinning ear to ear. It was unclear who, if any, had won the battle. Molly, no end to her ability to mother, scolded all three and sent them to change and dry off, as it was almost time for dinner.
The family and their guests gathered around the formal dining table, lovely roast turkey and stuffing serving as center piece, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce surrounding it, and a side board set with plum pudding and mince pies. The food was delicious and Daisy found herself hungrier the usual. She had again been seated between George and Charlie.
Arthur stood at the head of the table. He raised his cup and spoke, "I look around our table and I see my wife, our family, and our friends, and I feel that I am one of the richest men on Earth. I'm so glad to have you all here today!" Everyone raised their glasses to him, sipped their drinks, and began feasting.
Unlike breakfast, the conversation was light-hearted. The family shared memories of past Christmases and of their brothers Bill, who was in France with his wife's family, and Percy, who was working abroad. Hermoine asked Daisy dozens of questions about Christmas in America, and Daisy did her best to answer them. "I can't say much about the average family, though. It was usually just my Grandpa and I. Sometimes my mom and her new boyfriend would come from California, but usually it was just us."
"Poor dear," Molly sympathsized. "No siblings, no mother. Those are the stories that make me the saddest. Did your Grandmother pass away when you were young, then?"
"I don't know. She may still be around, but when my mother was a kid she was caught being unfaithful, so my great grandmother sent her away. I never met her, but my Grandpa says that's where my mother gets her wild streak from. It doesn't matter thought. It was always Grandpa and me in this big old house, and we were good company."
"So, did you go to Ilvermorny, then?" Hermoine asked.
"I did," Daisy grinned. "Grandpa actually considered Beauxbatons, but my French isn't great and I think he didn't want me that far away."
"Is it true that you don't get your wand until you get to school for your first year?" Hermoine continued.
"Mostly. You can get a wand if your family takes you to a maker, and you are proven, but you also have to get a permit. It's cheaper to wait until you're there, but we went to Violetta Beauvais before I started. It's kind of a status symbol, the best of everything, blah, blah, blah."
"Do they have houses, like Hogwarts?" Charlie asked.
"Similar, yeah. I was a Pukwudgie, the side-kicks."
"I've seen those!" Charlie exclaimed. "They're like American house-elves, except they're pretty vicious in the wild. Hunt with poisoned arrows."
"Charlie works with magical creatures," George told Daisy.
"Mostly dragons," Charlie said proudly, "But I've done research on many different beasts."
"Wow! I'm more of a healer myself, but I love animals!" Daisy told him.
"She's got a cat with seven toes on each foot," George remarked.
"Seven? On each?" Ginny repeated.
"He's not really that special. Grandpa called them Hemingway cats. Apparently the author had a whole island in the Keys full of them, but it's just what happens when cats are inbred. His name is Flipendo because he's kind of a klutz. I would love to hear more about the dragons!" George and Ron groaned.
"Don't encourage him! He won't stop!" George warned in a whisper, but it was too late. Charlie took over the conversation and continued until dinner was over. Daisy was fascinated, but the rest of the family had heard it all before and soon broke off into side talks.
Molly served the pudding and pies while Ginny and Hermoine carried the dinner left-overs back into the kitchen. Daisy made to help them, but they waved her back into her seat, to continue talking with Charlie. After dessert the women excused themselves to the kitchen to clean up.
When everything was put up and in its proper state the ladies went to the living room, and the family gathered round the tree to exchange gifts. Daisy sat to the side, there was nothing for her and that was okay. She watched as hand-knit sweaters and personal tokens were exchanged.
"Here," George thrust a small silver box at her.
"I thought we weren't doing gifts," Daisy responded, feeling immediately guilty for not getting him something.
"Just open it," He replied. Daisy opened the box and inside was a silver keychain of the Hogwarts Crest and a plain looking key. Daisy looked up at George and he grinned.
"I was thinking, you're a good worker, and I like having you around, but staying at the Cauldron isn't cheap, and I have this empty bedroom in my flat, so…"
Daisy hugged George hard. "Are you sure? Cause that would be amazing, but you don't have to!"
"I think I need to, you know?" Daisy nodded. Molly also stepped over, handing Daisy a bulky package.
"This is from all of us. Your joining us wasn't a complete surprise, and I thought you might like it." Daisy opened the package and pulled out a pink knitted sweater, with a large blue D on it, very much like the sweaters the rest of the family had received.
"Thank you so much!" She hugged Molly, both of them sniffling a bit. "Your family is so wonderful and I really appreciate being here with you all." Molly nodded and gave the girl a gentle pat.
"You're welcome, dear." Daisy pulled the sweater on over her clothes, as the rest of the family had done.
"I also want to invite you to come to 12 Grimmauld Place," Harry told Daisy. "It's not much of a gift, but it's where Sirius grew up. There's a lot of family history, and I might be able to convince Kreature to help you look around."
"Thank you. That would be great. I really appreciate it," Daisy told him sincerely. While it was hard to hear that her wish to meet her father was not going to happen, she suddenly felt like she had fallen into a family, and it felt better then she had imagined.
After all the gifts were opened, games were played, carols sung, and drinks consumed, the family began to trickle off to their respective beds. Only Ginny and Ron still lived at home, but the empty rooms were full tonight. Daisy and Hermoine had been sharing the room that had belonged to George and Fred, since George didn't like to be in it anymore. He was sleeping in the room Charlie and Bill used to share, with Charlie.
When Daisy heard the other girl's light snores she slipped out of the bed and crept down the stairs. Donning her new sweater and again taking Ginny's boots, Daisy slipped out into the snow. The moon glowed all around her, and she stared up at the stars, lost in the beauty of it.
"Kind of chilly for this, isn't it?" The quiet voice behind her startled her, and Daisy turned quickly. Charlie was bundled in his own sweater, his breath steaming out into the cold.
"I like it. It never snows on Islamorada. It never even gets cold, really."
"You're a strange girl, Daisy," Charlie told her, looking down, "and very short." Daisy smiled.
"So I've been told. On both points."
"I just want to ask you, about George…"
"We're just friends. I adore him, but it's not romantic. I'm not looking to break your brother's heart," Daisy smiled, assuming she understood what was going on.
"Friends," Charlie smirked. "That's what he said too. I think he never got his nerve up. I am not my brother." Charlie reached out for Daisy's waist and pulled her fully against him, before closing his mouth over hers. She slipped her hands around his neck and returned his kiss. Moments passed. She didn't know if it had been seconds or hours, but he broke away first and she stared at him, dazed.
"Can I visit you in London?" Charlie asked her. "I don't know when, or how often, but can I see you?"
"I'd like it if you did," Daisy replied, and he kissed her again, with the same fierce intensity. Daisy pulled back and their eyes met. Sharp tingles shot through her. Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a small hard object. Slightly curved, it reminded her of a very large fish scale.
"It's a dragon scale. I thought you might like it. From the first dragon I worked with in Romania." Charlie took her hand and started back towards the house. Outside the door Charlie kissed her again, both felt like once they stepped back inside the magic would be broken.
Finally opening the door, quietly as possible, the two slipped back inside and back to their beds, only pausing to leave boots at the door and share one more brief kiss in the hallway. Daisy fell silently back into bed and drifted off.
The next morning the family gathered for one last breakfast before returning to their own homes. There were tearful good-byes from Molly, along with packages of food. Daisy and Charlie exchanged many glances and an awkward hug, but nothing more. The dragon scale in her pocket reminded her that she hadn't dreamed the whole thing.
Daisy and George took the chimney to the Cauldron and he helped her gather her things, including a very happy Flipendo. Then they set off for his flat.
"Never lived with a cat before," George mused.
"They're easy to get along with. Food, water, a bit of milk now and then. He'll mostly hang out in the window and ignore you," Daisy told him.
"So, Charlie was in a good mood when he came back to our room last night," George told her. Daisy felt her cheeks get hot.
"How did you know?"
"We saw you out the window. We were sharing a whiskey and then there you were, standing in the snow looking at the moon," George grinned at her widely.
"He asked me if I wanted to go out after you, and said I was going to bed, so he said he was going. It was amusing to watch the two of you this morning, though." George laughed. "He mentioned I might be seeing him more often."
"You might."
"You hope," George teased, playfully shoving her.
The months passed quickly. George and Daisy got on well as room-mates. Charlie popped in whenever he could get away from work, which turned out to be more often than he had thought. The romance blossomed to a point of near annoyance for George, who found himself slipping out to a nearby pub frequently during the visits. He was quite surprised one evening when Angelina Johnson came in. The two began reminiscing about school days, and he suggested they stay in touch, which she was quite enthusiastic about.
Daisy also grew close with the rest of the family, meeting Ginny and Molly for shopping and tea, joining Hermoine's book club, and exploring 12 Grimmauld with Harry, who shared every story he had about Sirius. For Daisy the close knit family was a new experience and she found them all to be delightful, but seeing Charlie was the high point of her time. She quickly found herself falling for him.
"You could come to Romania," Charlie mentioned one evening. "I'll show you the dragons."
"And I'll follow you around like a punk?"
"Yeah, but you'd be my punk."
The next time Charlie came he gave her the portkey. A snitch he had saved from his school days, he had it enchanted to bring her directly to his cottage on the dragon preserve, and then back to her room in the flat. "Easier then apparition," He told her. "It won't drop you in the wrong place or cause splincing."
"Are you sure I wouldn't be intruding?" Daisy asked. She knew that Charlie's work was supremely important to him.
"No. I want to see you. Just understand that sometimes you might wait and I won't turn up, because I can't. Don't get stroppy about it."
Daisy nodded. "Of course not. I get that when you're working, you're working. You don't need to be hassled, you're busy. It's important to you."
"That!" Charlie grinned and pulled Daisy close. He kissed her quick and then let her go. "That is why I love you." Then with a crack he vanished.
Daisy and George arrived at The Burrow early that Christmas Eve. The rest of the family would be coming in throughout the day, but they were the first to arrive. Molly and Ginny greeted them in the kitchen, where they were already busy baking. Daisy took off her coat and stepped right in to help, so George left the three women chatting and went to find Ron.
Bill and Fleur were coming with their baby, Harry, Hermoine, and Charlie were all also expected, and surprisingly so was Percy, so the small home would be full. Everyone was very excited, it was going to be the first time the entire family had been together for Christmas since the war.
"I'm giving my room to Bill and Fleur, so we put a cot in George's old room," Ginny told Daisy.
"It'll be like a sleepover, just you girls!" Molly said with a smile. There was no sharing of beds outside of marriage under her roof, but no one seemed to mind. Daisy found the old-fashioned morals to be part of the woman's charm. She was a good woman and a great mother.
When a break could be made Daisy took her things upstairs and Ginny followed. They chatted while Daisy pulled gifts from her bag to put under the tree.
"What did you get me?" Ginny asked playfully.
"That Spice Girls cd you wanted." Daisy replied, laughing.
Ginny lounged on the bed, pulling at a string on one of the pillows. "So… Everyone seems happy lately. We're all paired up now. George and Angelina, never would have thought that, did you know she went to the Yule ball with Fred?"
"George told me. She said it was because Fred asked first."
"And you and Charlie…" Ginny probed. Daisy smiled, knowing that everyone had unanswered questions, since the two of them had chosen to keep their relationship quiet. "Well? Tell me anything! Please!"
"Romania is nice," Daisy replied. The younger girl buried her face in the pillow and squealed.
"I KNEW it! I knew it the minute he walked into the kitchen last Christmas. You just stopped and stared. True love. Same thing happened to me when I first met Harry. Well, second met, really, but still, same thing. I walked down stairs and he was sitting at our table and I felt like I couldn't breathe."
Daisy sat down on the bed across from Ginny. "I felt the same, but I don't think I realized it until he kissed me that night."
"He kissed you THAT night?" Realization crossed the Ginny's features. "That's why you were both acting so strange the next morning! I thought it was just because you didn't want to admit you liked each other!"
"We weren't acting any differently."
"You kept NOT looking at each other, and then you did the quick hugging thing. It was weird, even Hermoine said so, and she's usually too busy in her own head to notice those things. Mom and I talked about for like two days after you left."
Daisy felt immediately embarrassed. "Your Mom knows?"
"Are you kidding? My Mom knows everything that goes on around here, especially when you don't want her to! I was really surprised Charlie thought he could slip it past her."
"So why hasn't she said anything?"
"Well, I guess she figures Charlie will tell her when he's ready. Besides, she's already grilled it out of me and George, anyway," Ginny admitted. "Hope you're not mad."
"I'm not," Daisy replied truthfully. "It's no big deal, is it?"
"It's huge. Charlie doesn't have girlfriends. Charlie has work. Mom maybe holding back because she doesn't want to scare you off, but she's over the moon. We thought Charlie would never meet someone," Ginny confided. Daisy felt a bit overwhelmed.
"Well, for your brother's sake you may want to pretend it's nothing, because he really doesn't want it to be a big something." Ginny nodded thoughtfully.
"That's probably what Mom thinks, too. I bet that's why she hasn't brought it up."
A sudden ruckus from downstairs brought them both to their feet, rushing down the steps to see who had arrived.
By dinnertime the entire family was there. Everyone, even Daisy herself, had been surprised when Charlie strode in last and greeted her by sweeping her up and kissing her, in front of the whole family, not showing the least bit of concern.
Molly sent the family off to the living room to chat, except for Ginny and Daisy. "Well, that was something," Molly said bluntly, giving Daisy a mom-look. Daisy's cheeks reddened. "It's fine, dear, don't be embarrassed. Arthur and I were young, too."
"MUM!" Ginny groaned.
"What? We were! Sometimes we pretend we still are," She teased her daughter, who buried her face in a tea towel.
"I just hope you're not upset that I didn't tell you," Daisy looked at the older woman.
"Not at all, dear. I have a different relationships with all my children, because they are all different. I don't expect them all to tell me everything," She winked.
After dinner the family gathered in the living room to play games, talk and laugh, everyone with stories to share and catching up to do. Daisy loved the closeness, the togetherness, and she spend the time getting to know the two brothers she hadn't met, and the sister-in-law, Fleur, who seemed impressed by Daisy's bare minimum grasp of French. The girl kept trying to get Daisy to hold her child, and Daisy kept politely declining.
"Je ne tenais pas un bébé," Daisy told her.
"Si bête! C'est pas difficile," Fleur insisted, passing the little girl to her. Daisy held Victoire awkwardly, but the beautiful child beamed at her, and soon she was smiling, too. "Elle t'aime bien, tu vois?" Until the child let out a small wail, startling them both.
"You broke her," Charlie teased as Fleur took the baby and began fussing over her, carrying the child upstairs.
"I thought you said your French wasn't that good?" Hermoine asked.
"It's really not. I'm surprised she's not offended," Daisy replied, causing Bill to chuckle.
"I think she's just happy someone else can understand her," Bill confided. "I should go help." He stood and made his way to the stairs.
"We should all think about retiring," Arthur said pointedly, and then stood up and made for the stairs himself. Molly hugged each of them and then followed her husband.
"I'm going to go talk to Angelina," George told them, stretching as he stood. Leaving behind the three couples and Percy, who looked slightly uncomfortable.
"Well, you all heard Dad. We should go to bed," Percy told them.
"You go to bed," Ron replied. Hermoine smacked his arm.
"Be nice," she whispered.
"Ah, Ron, clever as always. Good night."
"I'm thinking about stepping outside," Charlie whispered to Daisy.
"I thought it was too cold for stargazing," Daisy teased. Charlie stood and held out his hand. Daisy took it and he pulled her to her feet and out into the dim kitchen. They stopped at the door to put on boots and coats, and then he took her hand again, opening the door and leading her out.
They walked across the snow covered lawn, Charlie leading her towards a large tree at the edge of the property. "When I was a kid I used to climb up this tree for privacy," He told her, smiling. "It was sometimes the only place I could hear myself think." They both stopped under the bare branches. Charlie pointed at the trunk, about two sets of branches high.
"You can still see where I carved my name there," He gestured.
Daisy couldn't make it out, so she took out her wand and whispered, "Lumos." The tip lit just bright enough for her to read the blocky letters. "Nox." The light went out, and Charlie bent his lips to hers. Under the branches, under the stars, they stayed until they were both a bit too cold. Then he tucked her under his arm and they walked back to the house.
Christmas Morning found the family gathered around the table, same as the year before, but a bit less room and a bit more happiness. Victoire squeal with delight as she sat on Molly's lap, stuffing a scone into her mouth with both hands.
Fleur had insisted she sit next to Daisy and was speaking to her rapidly in French, to which Daisy had to keep reminding her "Ralentissez! Mon français est pauvre." Fleur would nod and then continue, which amused Bill a great deal.
Ginny was talking about trying out for the Harpies Quidditch team, a subject that almost everyone in the family had an opinion on, and this began a light-hearted debate. Charlie thought it was an excellent idea and offered to give her some pointers, whereas Percy thought it was a waste of her time. Molly feared she'd be hurt, but Arthur enjoyed the idea of her pursuing a dream.
Finally Molly had decided it was time for her to go to the kitchen and the girls followed her, Fleur brought baby Victoire along. While they were cooking Molly admitted to Ginny that she'd rather see her focus on her "future", to which Ginny responded she had plenty of time to get married. Molly began violently stuffing the turkey.
Incredibly uncomfortable, Hermoine and Daisy both made to slip out of the kitchen. "Oh, no you don't!" Molly scolded. "You girls can get these potatoes started. This is for all three of you. I want to see some brides, and soon."
Ron had the misfortune of stepping into the room at that exact moment. His face turned pink and he turned a quickly headed back to the living room.
"What's your mother on about, then?" Arthur asked.
"Marriage," Ron muttered. "We're all doomed." Arthur reached out and patted his youngest son's arm, stifling a chuckle.
"Is that an owl?" Bill asked, looking out the window. George turned and saw it, too. He got up and opened the door. The bird flew in, dropped a creamy pink envelope, and the swooped back out.
"Daisy Fay Clairborne, England," He read. "It smells like flowers." Then he shouted, "Dais?"
"Yeah?" She entered the room, and George held the letter out to her. She didn't reach for it. "Nope. Burn it." She turned and went back to the kitchen.
George flipped the envelope, found no other writing, and then with a shrug tossed it toward the fireplace. Charlie caught it.
"Why wouldn't she want this? The bird obviously went through some trouble to find her."
"Dunno," George replied, "But she doesn't. I'd burn it if I were you."
"I agree," Bill added. "If Fleur says no, its no. Choose your battles."
Charlie thought about it for a moment and then slipped the envelope into his pocket. "I think she might want it later."
"I think you'd be better off just asking her about it," George told him. "She's not going to be happy about you keeping it."
"Dad, what do you think?" Charlie asked.
"I think women are strange creatures, and we'd all be happier if we just do what they tell us to do," Arthur said sagely. Charlie took the envelope back out of his pocket and dropped it on top of the logs. The flowery scent filled the room briefly, then dissipated.
With the food tucked into the ovens and roasting away, there was time for other things. Charlie and Daisy snuck up the stairs to his bedroom, where he showed her things he had kept from childhood, his days at school, and then finally asked her about the letter.
"It was from my mother," Daisy revealed, curling up beside him on his bed. "There's not much she has to say that I want to hear. It's not a big deal, I'm just not interested."
"Why would she write if it wasn't important?" Charlie asked, tucking her head under his chin.
"She wants me to give her Grandpa's house, or more of his money. He left her well enough, but knowing her it's gone."
"You never told me your Grandpa died. You never told me you own his house."
"I didn't think it mattered. I don't care about the house. Do you?" Daisy turned to face him, searching for what he really thought in his expression.
"It doesn't make a difference," Charlie told her. "I'm just surprised." He kissed her nose.
"Can we not talk about it?" Daisy asked. "I'd rather be happy about right now, than sad about the past," she stated, pressing her face against his chest.
"Only if you promise to tell me someday," Charlie responded, hugging her tight.
"Someday," Daisy agreed.
Christmas dinner was a feast very similar to the prior year, and when the family gathered to exchange gifts they were all in good spirits. Molly made Daisy another sweater, this one a creamy white, knitted from soft fluffy yarn. She had given each of the girls similar white sweaters, without initials this year. The hint was not lost on any of them.
Daisy pulled her sweater on, same as last year, and when her head popped out Charlie was holding out a slim gold chain, and from it dangled blocks of different metals. Daisy reached out and took the necklace, looking at it more closely. A black square with C + D, a silver rectangle with the word "Punk", a copper square with a heart, a gold rectangle reading "say yes", and a rose colored square with a diamond in its center.
Daisy looked at Charlie. He grinned. He raised his eyebrows. He was waiting for her to say something, and for a moment she had forgotten how to speak. She read the words again. Say yes…
"Yes."
Charlie kissed her and his family all cheered, except Percy, who whispered to George, "Did he just propose? With a necklace?" George elbowed Percy.
"We should celebrate!" Molly insisted, and went to the pantry for a bottle of wine. Bill thumped his brother on the back, while Ginny, Fleur, and Hermoine examined Daisy's necklace.
"Punk?" Hermoine asked.
"It's a joke between us," Daisy explained. "I'm his punk."
"It's adorable," Ginny insisted.
"Très belle," Fleur agreed.
"You know Mom's in the kitchen thinking we're next," Ron whispered to Harry.
"She's not wrong," Harry replied.
Molly returned with glasses on a tray and the family sipped wine and exchange a few more gifts, told more stories of past Christmases, and enjoyed each other's company. Soon it was late, and everyone had to go back to real life the next day, so they began to head for their beds.
Charlie and Daisy were the last left in the living room. Curled up on the couch together, Charlie whispered, "So do you like it? I could have gotten you a ring, but this seems more..."
"Special." Daisy finished. "It's perfect. You put yourself into it. I love it." She kissed him.
"I love you," He kissed her back.
"I love you, too."
The morning after Christmas was a flurry of good-byes. Charlie had been the first to leave, hurrying back to work, but the rest followed shortly. Daisy was a bit surprised when Fleur pulled her aside and insisted they must get together soon.
"Nous serons sœurs maintenant!" Fleur told her, excitedly. "Peut-être que bientôt nos bébés pourront jouer ensemble!"
Daisy laughed, "Je ne suis pas prêt pour ça!" Fleur shook her head and tsked at Daisy.
"Nous verrons," she replied, and then kissed Daisy on both cheeks before stepping into the fireplace with Victoire. In a poof of soot Fleur was gone, and Bill carried their bags into the fireplace to follow behind her.
Molly hugged Daisy tightly, beaming at her. "I'm just so happy!"
"So am I," Daisy told her.
"We'll visit soon! We can go look at dresses," Molly suggested.
"I want to come!" Ginny added.
"We'll do that," Daisy agreed, a bit hesitantly. "Soon." She looked at George, a silent plea for help. He stood up and gestured towards the fireplace.
"Mum, we should go. We have a lot of work to do," he said before grabbing a handful of floo and stepping into the fireplace. "Come on, Dais." George vanished and Daisy steeped into the fireplace. She waved to Molly and then was gone.
"Thanks for that," Daisy told George when she reached their flat.
"No problem. My Mum gets a bit carried away. Probably why Charlie begged off first thing," George replied.
"So, did you know?"
"Nah, it's not like we talk about these things. That's what you girls do, isn't it?" George teased.
"I forgot, you all drink pints and watch Quidditch and tell each other how awesome you are," Daisy responded.
"We only say it because it's true. What would you do without us? Who would open your jars and carry your packages?" George feigned seriousness, until Daisy pushed him. They laughed at each other for a moment, and then Flipendo came into the room, squalling to be fed and loved, for they had left him alone forever.
Winter passed and spring finally came, and Daisy agreed to let Molly take her bridal shopping, but only under the condition that Fleur was invited as well. Ginny tried out for the Harpies, got a spot, and they were all proud of her. Angelina and George became more serious, and the flat Daisy shared with him often felt crowded, so she found herself popping to Romania more often.
Daisy and Charlie often talked about her moving there permanently, what kind of work she might do, and how life might be, typical pre-marital concerns, but by summer Daisy could tell Charlie was getting a bit irritated, so she told him the shop was busier with the kids on holiday from school, and stayed home more. She took a bit of time to think.
Daisy didn't tell anyone that it bothered her, and by September Charlie seemed to be more enthusiastic about spending time together. Daisy decided that it was perfectly normal for people to struggle with having someone else around when they were used to being alone, and let the whole thing blow over, not mentioning to Charlie that he had hurt her feelings quite a bit, and perhaps that was her mistake.
As fall arrived Daisy found herself waiting patiently for Charlie to come to see her, instead of going to him, mainly because she felt a bit unwelcome. She wanted him to want her around, so she tried to give him more space. She was trying to be understanding, but in the end just feeling a little lonely, and a bit dejected.
It was late November when Charlie told her that he wasn't going to be able to make it home for Christmas this year, but perhaps they could spend the holiday together in Romania. Daisy thought it was a great idea and was happy to agree. She hadn't been feeling well lately, and didn't necessarily want to be around a lot of people.
The morning of Christmas Eve Daisy gave George the gifts she had gotten his family and hugged him good-bye before taking the portkey to Charlie's. George had invited Angelina home for Christmas, and she had accepted. Daisy knew he was a bit nervous, but she also knew it was going to be fine. "Your family is wonderful, and she's going to have a great time," Daisy reassured him.
"I hope you're right," He replied.
"You'll see," Daisy told him. "Have a Happy Christmas, and tell everyone I'll miss them." Then she grabbed the snitch. The familiar pulling sensation from her bellybutton, and then she was standing in Charlie's cottage.
He was sleeping peacefully and the room was dark. Daisy didn't have any idea what time Charlie had gotten home the night before, or if he worked all evening. She didn't want to wake him, so she quietly put down her overnight bag, tucked her well-loved copy of "Les Miserables" under her arm, and decided to go into the nearby village for a cup of coffee. She grabbed Charlie's red and gold scarf from a hook by the door and wrapped it around her as she headed out.
The nearby Wizard's village was quiet and quaint. It had a name she couldn't pronounce and most of the people who lived there were involved with the dragon preserve. She had been a few times before during visits and knew her way around fairly well. There was a bakery/café of sorts were they had gotten lunch once, and Daisy headed there.
The old witch behind the counter smiled at her when she came in, unwinding the scarf and draping it over a chair in the corner and then setting down her book, Daisy approached her and asked for a cup of coffee. The woman nodded and then said "You must eat, too?"
"No, thank you," Daisy replied. "I'm not feeling well." She touched her stomach, using the gesture to breech the small language barrier.
"Yes, this is why you must eat," The woman responded. "I make you something." She gestured Daisy to sit at her table with a shooing motion. "I bring. You go."
Daisy sat at the table and opened the book. Shortly the woman arrived, setting down a steaming mug and a small plate with a round glazed pastry, similar to a donut, and then to Daisy's surprise she took out her wand and waved it over the plate, whispering a charm Daisy hadn't heard before. The woman beamed at her.
"Here. You eat. Then you know," the woman told her, patting her shoulder before walking back to her spot at the counter. Daisy wrinkled her nose, sniffing the donut, and then took a bite. She tasted strawberries and cream. It was delicous, so she took another bite. That was when she realized what the old witch wanted her to know.
It was nearly noon when Daisy made her way back to Charlie's, and he was sitting at the small table, looking as if he had just woken up, hair tussled, bleary eyed, a mug in front of him. He smiled when he saw her and she dropped her shopping near the door and went over to him. He slide his chair back and pulled her down onto his lap and she kissed his forehead.
"Rough night?" Daisy asked. Charlie grunted. "Anything I can do?"
"Shh…" He put his finger over her lips and just pulled her in closer, pressing his face against her neck. A knock on the door made her jump, and she stood up quickly. Charlie got to his feet and went to the door, roughly yanking it open.
A young wizard in charred clothes stood outside. He looked sheepishly at Charlie, and then said, "Hey. Sorry about this, but we need you." The boy glanced at Daisy, and then back to Charlie. "Didn't know you had company."
"Its fine, John. I'll be right there, just let me get dressed," Charlie closed the door and then went to change. Daisy picked up the packages she had left by the door and began pulling things out and putting them into the cupboards. Charlie returned a moment later and went to the door to pull on his boots.
"I'll be back when I can," he told her as he hurried out the door. With a small sigh she took out the recipe Molly had given her for the pudding Charlie loved. She thought about the difference between her idea of "pudding" and theirs, smiling to herself as she began measuring and mixing.
Several hours passed and Daisy had kept herself quite busy, prepping their evening meal, putting up a few decorations, just generally trying to make it feel more like a holiday. It was dark outside when Charlie came back in, and he was surprised to see what she had done.
"It looks good," He told her as they sat down to eat. "I'm starving."
"I bet. You haven't had a chance to stop all day."
"That's how it is sometimes," He took a huge bite of his steak and began chewing before he continued. "Nice to come back to a meal. Usually I just have a can of something before I go to bed."
They ate their meal and he told her about a dragon that was giving them some problems lately, hoarding things and then trying to burn anyone who came too close, and Daisy listened thoughtfully, nodding, picking at her plate. Charlie, however, wolfed down his own meal and then half of hers before standing up and telling her he needed to go to bed. She followed him, even though she wasn't tired, and found that she was awake and thinking long after she heard him start to snore.
Waking up early had always been Daisy's habit, and so when the sunlight came streaming in the window she found herself drawn out of bed, to the kitchen. She began making breakfast as quietly as she could manage and by the time she had finished Charlie was barefoot in the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee and rubbing his eyes.
He sat at the table and Daisy brought him a plate before she made her own. They were sitting silently at the table, chewing and sipping, when the clock chimed eight. Charlie groaned and then shoveled the rest of his eggs into his mouth. He washed it down quickly with the remainder of his coffee and then bent down and kissed Daisy's cheek.
"I have to go. Feedings and such," He said, before sprint to get dressed and then heading out the door.
Daisy finished eating and sat quietly at the table for a moment before getting up to do the dishes. Once they were drying in the rack she decided to start cooking, thinking about how Molly and Ginny would be doing the same about this time. Stuffing the turkey and putting it in the oven, she worked her way through the entire meal, and it was only noon.
Daisy was bored, and lonely. She thought that Charlie would have more time to spend with her, since he had asked her to come, but now she was starting to realize that this could be her whole life. She needed something to do. She wasn't angry with him, she had always known how passionate he was about his work, but she was surprised at the feelings of disappointment. What had she expected? She asked herself, and didn't know the real answer.
When Charlie returned that evening he seemed even more exhausted. "It's harder when everyone is on holiday," He told her.
"I can see that," she replied.
"What is that supposed to mean, then?" He asked her angrily.
"Nothing! You look so tired! I was just trying to let you know I understand how you feel."
"Whatever. You know, I work really hard, and its Christmas, and I don't want to have a row with you now, too."
"I don't want that either!" Daisy plead. "I have something to tell you. It's important." As soon as she said it she realized it had made Charlie even more agitated.
"You know what? I need a break."
"A break?" Daisy asked.
"I need some time to think. I don't know if I can handle someone else, always around, looking at me with sad eyes," Charlie stood up then, and walked off to his room. He return at moment later with Daisy's bag. Daisy stood then and took it from him.
Charlie reached out and took Daisy's arm, and then stepped towards the door. He reached for the portkey, which lay in a ceramic bowl on the counter. They zapped back to her flat in an instant. Charlie let go of her arm, set the snitch down and then picked it back up again, vanishing in front of her.
Daisy curled up on her bed and cried. She didn't even know what had happened, what she had done. Her misery came pouring out of her, and she felt herself shaking as she cried. Flipendo came to her and she hugged him close, and though she felt completely abandoned, she also kept hoping that any minute he would pop back in and tell her he was sorry.
A week past and it was New Year's Eve. Charlie didn't feel like celebrating. He went to bed early and that night he had a dream. He was standing on a sandy beach, the air was hotter than he was used to, and the sun shone down brightly. Waves crashed next to him. He looked ahead and saw Daisy, her back to him, long dark curls blowing in the breeze.
She was walking with a small girl and they were only a few meters ahead of him, but when he called her name she didn't respond. Charlie started walking towards her, but the faster he walked the further away she seemed to get, until he found himself running even though he couldn't see her anymore.
Charlie sat up in his bed. His chest was pounding and he was sweating, as if he had actually been running. Getting up quickly he wrestled on a pair of jeans and a shirt and then went to the kitchen, where he snatched up the portkey.
Daisy's room was dark when Charlie arrived, and he walked towards the bed, reaching for the lamp on the bedside table. It hit the floor with a loud crash, and he heard his brother yell from another room. The door flew open and Charlie was blinded as the light was flipped on.
George stood in the doorway, wand out. "Bloody hell, I almost killed you!" Charlie looked around the empty room as his brother tucked his wand away. "I was wondering when you'd turn up, to be honest. I didn't think you'd be so stupid."
"She's gone, then?" Charlie asked, again surveying the room.
"Left this morning. Said she was going back to the states. Asked me to give you this," George grabbed the necklace off the dresser and handed it to his brother. They looked at each other for a moment and Charlie nodded.
"Suppose its for the best. I'd have been a crap husband."
"You could go find her," George suggested.
"Nah, they need me at the preserve," Charlie replied. He knew that George was right, that he COULD go after her, but there was a nagging thought that even if he did, even if he found her, maybe he'd just mess it up again.
"You want a whiskey?" George offered.
"Yeah, I think I do." Charlie followed his brother out of the room.
George looked up from the paper when the doorbell over the entrance rang. His wife had gone to pick up their children from the Hogwarts train and they would be heading to the Burrow first thing tomorrow morning. He was supposed to be closing the store, but had wanted to give holiday shoppers a last chance to get a gift.
The young woman in the doorway had a ring in her freckled nose, lips tinted a dark red, and large grey eyes. She pushed back the hood of her parka, revealing a head full of red curls. She had a photo in her hand and a dragon scale hung from her neck. She stared at him for a moment, before approaching the counter.
"Are you George Weasley?" She asked, studying him.
"I am," he told her. The girl held out the picture and George smiled, remembering the Christmas when the photo had been taken. Himself, Daisy, and Charlie, seated at the family dining table.
"I'm Cosette Clairborne. My Mom said you could tell me where to find my father."