When Daisy got Harry's letter on Thursday, which was later than Daisy had ever expected, she didn't tell Fred nor Rose nor Albus. She went to James.

"Wait─ what?"

"Harry says I can come stay with you all!"

"Dad said that? He didn't tell you to take the high road and go home? He told you to stay with us?"

"Well, he told me to take the high road. He suggested I write Dad, but I think he would like if I lived with you guys."

"I see…"

"Somehow I thought you would be more excited; you're the only person I've told," Daisy pouted.

"I am, I am! I'm just… Thinking." In fact, James was thinking. Thinking about the fact that Fred would be at his house a lot and vice versa. Thinking about Fred going to Daisy's room instead of his. Fred trading Chocolate Frog cards with Daisy.

"James? Would you rather me stay at home?" Daisy's bottom lip quivered and she looked up at James.

James sighed and pulled Daisy close to him. "No, Daisy. I'm sorry. Of course, I'd love for you to stay with us."

"Are you sure? Because if you'd rather, I'll stay at the Leaky Cauldron. I don't mind."

James took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the first year. "Daisy, shh…" The third year patted Daisy's back gingerly. "It's okay. You're gonna be okay."

Daisy was releasing all the tears and frustration she had held back since the day her grandparents had decided to disown her. She was crying because she was worried James didn't like her. She was crying because Vernon and Petunia didn't love her anymore. She was crying because her father didn't want her. She was crying because Harry might have lied, maybe no one wanted her. "You're the only person I've told. Only you know, only you know."

"Daisy, calm down. Take a deep breath. You're going to be okay."

"D-do you think Harry was lying? Maybe he doesn't w-want me at all."

"Of course, Dad wants you! Are you kidding me? He would have adopted you when you were born if Dudley had let him!"

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since we were little, Dad has gone on and on about you being a star. He thinks you're the Golden Child."

"Does not," Daisy sniffed.

"Does too!"

Daisy laughed lightly and looked up at James. "I'm sorry I got your robes wet."

"Oh, I don't mind. But Fred's going to have a heart attack if we don't get to breakfast soon, okay?"

"Let's go." Daisy wiped her eyes and nose on the sleeve of her robes and straightened her hair. James straightened his tie out and led Daisy out of the abandoned classroom that was full of overgrown plants.

At breakfast, James "let it slip" that Daisy would be staying at his house during Christmas and would be moving in during the summer holiday. His excuse was that he was so excited, he couldn't contain himself. Fred believes it was a way to rub it in Fred's face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Fred turned to Daisy and the expression on his face showed the hurt.

"I was going to, but I wanted to tell James first. I didn't want him to be mad at me if I moved in."

James gave Daisy a sad smile that didn't go unnoticed by Fred. He looked between the two curiously. He had never really seen them bond before and he wondered what happened in the last twenty-four hours that had made them such good friends without Fred noticing. He would find out though because James pulled him aside before Transfiguration that day.

"She's upset, really upset and you need to watch out for her."

"What happened this morning?"

"She broke. Just… Everything she's been bottling up for so long, out. She's going to break again soon if someone doesn't help her through it. She needs help."

"What happened to make her 'break'? She's stronger than that, she's not like that."

"I… I hesitated."

"Hesitated? What do you mean hesitated?"

"When she told me that Dad said she could stay with us… I hesitated."

"Why? Why would you do that?"

"I didn't expect it to happen. I didn't think that something like this would come along."

"So you… Hesitated?"

James gave a slight nod and said, "So I hesitated."

Fred gave his best mate a faint smile and pat his shoulder. "Don't worry about it mate. I'll take care of her." Together, the blokes made their way into the Transfiguration classroom where they were greeted by Professor Macmillan.

Daisy walked into Greenhouse One and was greeted by a very cool Neville Longbottom. He smiled kindly at her. "Hey Daisy, how are you?"

"I'm fine, what about you, Professor?"

"Well, I could use some help, you don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all." Daisy made her way to the supplies cabinet and got out her protective gloves and earmuffs. She could tell Professor Longbottom was holding a mandrake root, ready to pull it out of the pot.

"Earmuffs, everyone!" Professor Longbottom called to people that were in the Greenhouse already. "Daisy, hold right here!" He pointed to the very bottom of the plant like thing. "When I say go, pull!"

Daisy placed her hands as asked and adjusted her body so she was at a good angle. She was uncomfortably close to her Herbology teacher, the head of Gryffindor House, but this man would probably be at Christmas dinner with her.

"GO!"

And Daisy pulled the root up and the entire room was filled with an ear-splitting scream. Daisy winced; she had read about mandrakes before but she had never had to deal with one. Professor Longbottom quickly shoved the screaming plant back into the pots of dirt.

"Anyone want to guess what we'll be studying today?"

A Slytherin boy raised his hand and Professor Longbottom looked at him. "Greg?"

"Mandrake roots?"

"Precisely, take your seats, guys!" Professor Longbottom gave Daisy a gentle push and smiled kindly at her. "Good job," he told her as she walked back to her seat. "Five points to Ravenclaw."

No one smiled at Daisy for her points.

Daisy met Fred in the Entrance Hall of the castle after coming in from the grounds. "You weren't waiting for me."

"I got held up."

"With?"

"I got detention."

"How did you manage that?!" Daisy cried.

"Oh, James and I just pulled a small prank on old Ernie. He'll get over it."

"You can't call him that, Fred! He's your teacher."

"Oh, well. I won't be a prefect, boo-hoo. My dad wasn't a prefect either."

Daisy rolled her eyes dramatically. "You can't just go around getting detentions because you don't want to be a prefect."

"Yes, I can. And I will. Everyone is pretty sure McGonagall is retiring this year and all of the professors know Harry and Dad personally. I don't want to be made prefect because my dad wants me to be."

Daisy punched Fred's shoulder and he feigned pain. "You have Care for Magical Creatures to get to."

"So I do."

With that, Fred walked away and Daisy made her way to the Defence Against Dark Arts classroom. DADA was not as fun as Herbology. And it felt like the class kept going on and on and on and─ LUNCH TIME!

Daisy met Fred in the Great Hall. "I want to be a Herbology professor."

Fred laughed, but when his eyes met Daisy's, he saw she was serious. "Are you kidding? Professors never have children!"

Daisy laughed quietly. "Obviously, with my family history, it's probably best I don't breed."

Fred hit his forehead with his hand and sighed. "We'll talk after lunch, alright?"

"Alright?" Daisy was more than confused, but she followed Fred out of the Great Hall and into an empty classroom anyway.

"Let's talk about Christmas."

"I should have known this wasn't about my desire to become a Professor."

"Listen, maybe you can stay with me at the Burrow, just for the Christmas holiday while Harry and Ginny get everything ready for you."

"Is this some kind of sick trick that James asked you to do so he can talk Harry out of taking me?"

"No! James wants you there, he does. I'll just…" Fred's face turned bright red and Daisy cocked her head. Fred whispered something that Daisy couldn't understand.

"Pardon?"

"I'll miss you."

"WHAT?"

"Miss. You."

"You'll still see me."

Fred let out an extremely dry laugh and Daisy took a step back. "James will have us separated for as long as possible. He's jealous of you."

Daisy giggled and rolled her eyes at her best friend. "He is not. He's just mad because you've been avoiding him."

"Have not!"

"Have, too! You barely go to Quidditch matches to watch him play anymore."

"You can't see him half the time."

"He's keeper! Of course you can see him! You're avoiding him for some reason! You don't have to tell me why, but maybe you should spend some time with your best mate and then we won't have to stay separated for Christmas." Daisy smiled cheekily and Fred couldn't help but laugh.

The room was silent as the laughter died down, but the silence was comfortable. The two of them sat down at different tables and just looked around the classroom. Occasionally they would make eye contact and smile at each other, but they said nothing to each other. Fred reached out and held Daisy's hand. Daisy smiled at him gratefully. She suddenly wished she had told Fred about Harry's house before James. But James was like a big brother to the first year and she couldn't not tell him that she was moving into his house.

"Fred?" Daisy's voice was a bit hoarse from not talking, so she cleared her throat. "Can I ask you something? I want an honest answer."

"Of course," Fred's reply came immediately which made Daisy less nervous to ask.

"Does James really want me to move in? I saw you guys talking before your Transfiguration class. Did he tell you that he does or doesn't want me?"

"He does! Of course he does! Daisy, I don't know how much reassurance you need, but we love you. All of us. And we'd love to get you out of Dudley's care if he's going to mistreat you." Fred paused and looked away from Daisy. "We're just not sure if you're ready to leave him."

"Of course I am."

"That's what you say now," Fred sighed and flashed Daisy a sad smile.

Daisy returned a less sad smile and Fred nodded firmly. Fred stood suddenly and slid through the room. He stood behind Daisy and she looked up at him. "Wha─?"

Fred grabbed Daisy by her sides and worked his fingers over her ribcage. Daisy squealed with laughter. "NO!" Daisy cried and tried to stand to avoid the hands that were tickling her mercilessly. She untangled herself from her chair and ran. She hid under the abandoned teacher's desk and tried to silence her gasping breaths. Fred had lost sight of her as she dived under tables and chairs through the room.

Daisy saw feet in front of her and bit her lip tightly. "Daisy! It's almost time for class again! C'mon out." The feet took a small step forward and Daisy gasped. Fred stopped mid-step and grinned to himself. He had heard her under the desk, he had known she was there, but she'd blame him for cheating.

Fred ducked his head and found the eleven-year-old, smiling, with her bottom lip between her teeth. "C'mon Zee. Let's go."

What happened after that was a bit of a blur to both of them. Daisy will tell you that he leaned forward, but Fred will say that he was attacked. But there was one thing for sure…

Their lips touched. It was Daisy's first kiss and Fred's second. Fred jumped backward and almost fell and Daisy hid her face in her hands. Fred jumped over a desk and ran out of the room and Daisy sat in the classroom until her cousin found her hours later.