Lilian came back from the Quidditch Cup decked in Bulgarian regalia, a grin adorning her face, and Daphne - who had managed to make the old radio work just to keep an ear on the news of it - smiled to her daughter. She thanked Percy Weasley for bringing her daughter home, and he simply nodded, curtly and mumbling something about duty before leaving, Molly nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she had stayed home? Who knew. Daphne didn't care enough, really.
"I see your favorite won,", she stated, and Lilian nodded, still grinning like a madman, her trunk trailing behind her. "How about you put your trunk in your room, and then join me in the kitchen? There's breakfast."
"I've already eaten at Molly's house, mum, but if there's hot chocolate I want it!", Lilian chirped, passing by with her trunk, and Daphne allowed herself a smile.
"Very well, then. Also, if you want to put other clothes on, do so. The Bulgarian uniform is nice, but perhaps too much in normal, day to day life, sweetheart.", she suggested, moving towards the kitchen as she spoke. Lilian hummed an agreement, and Daphne, with a heavy sigh, wondered where, in Merlin's thrice-damned name, she would be able to put the Bulgarian flag Lilian was using as a cape. Had she even slept, between last night's game and today morning? Good grief. Yes, the game had been exciting - Daphne had listened to it in her old, terrible radio, Ginevra's voice a background constant while she read over some work reports. Apparently, one of the experiments had grown a new arm, and while they'd have to cut it, it did give another layer to the entire Quidditch World Cup experience. A perhaps bizarre layer, but it had been good fun.
The fact Daphne still had a few, pleasant memories of Viktor Krum sitting a few seats away from her added to it, definitely. Who didn't have a crush on him, back in the day, really? She had been a bit jealous of Granger, sure, but it was her who sat almost near him every day. Separated by a wall of other Durmstrang students, but still somewhat near him.
She sighed, wondering if she had marshmallows to put in Lilian's hot chocolate, and as she opened a cabinet to see if there was still a few laying around, she heard a familiar voice.
"So, how was your time without me?", Harry asked, and Daphne closed the cabinet door quickly, looking at him with wide gray eyes. He was grinning, way too cheery to be real.
"Absolutely normal. I worked, unlike some, who can take long vacations without a care in the world.", Daphne replied, and Harry laughed as she went back to looking for the marshmallows, he sitting on her counters like a child.
"Aw, sorry. I thought of you the entire time, though,", Harry hummed, playing with the lone strands of her hair that weren't on a sloppy bun.
"Did you?", Daphne asked, the tone of surprise in her voice more from actually finding a bag of marshmallows than for Harry's statement.
"Oh, yes, the entire time. I also kept an eye out for Lilian, even though it was a bit hard,", he said, and Daphne, humming to herself, went back to her hot chocolate preparation.
"Why is that?", Lilian's voice asked, as if coming back from nowhere, but Daphne, even though she bit her tongue in surprise, knew her daughter had been inside the entire time. She faced her daughter, back to her normal clothes, but still with a Bulgaria wristband, instead of the emergency Portkey Daphne had bought her, the bracelet being put carefully on the table. It was pretty, yes, but now it wasn't useful anymore.
"Well, Percy kept you and Molly pretty much locked up in the Ministry box, for starters,", Harry stated, getting off the counter and sitting on the table, Lilian watching him with careful eyes. Had she…? "And I really didn't want Skeeter to tell the entire world that I was watching the Ministry box instead of the game, so I had to do with glances."
"Yes, okay, but why?", Lilian pressed, sitting in front of Harry and staring at him. They looked so much alike, it was a wonder no one else had picked up. Well, no one other than Lilian's teachers, from what Millicent had said, but mostly no one. "Why do I need a babysitter?"
Daphne gently put the hot chocolate in front of Lilian, and the girl looked from the mug - two marshmallows on top floating gently, melting together - to her mother.
"I asked Harry to keep an eye on you, sweetheart. I was worried, since it was your first big event, and I wasn't able to go.", Daphne sat on Harry's side, and her daughter looked from Daphne to Harry. "And, speaking of which, how it was? I heard on the radio, but I'm sure it was better than what it seemed."
Lilian seemed to forget whatever feelings she had been having, a smile breaking on her face as she started describing how cool Viktor Krum's feints were, and Daphne smiled. She had been just like that, once, hadn't she?
Well, minus being able to see him in action, but alas, no one could have everything.
"If you want, Lilian, I could get you his autograph?", Harry said, and Lilian stopped speaking for a whole five seconds, but her eyes were shining like emeralds.
"Really? How do you know Viktor Krum, uncle Harry?", Lilian asked, and Harry smiled, softly, as Lilian sipped her hot chocolate.
"We played together once.", he replied, and Daphne rolled her eyes. "Well, technically."
"The Triwizard Tournament isn't a Quidditch match, Harry,", Daphne offered, falsely helpful, and Harry laughed.
"But we were against each other, so that counts in my books,", he replied, and Lilian looked from one to another. "I mean, we faced a dragon together."
"You faced one and he faced another.", Daphne sighed, and Lilian looked to Harry.
"You faced a dragon?", her tone didn't sound too surprised, and Daphne wondered how much of Harry Potter's history was being taught at Hogwarts. All of it, perhaps? She had no idea. "Can you tell me about it? It must be a cool story!"
Harry grinned, excited about it, and Daphne allowed herself a smile.
"Well, it all started at the Halloween feast…", Harry started, and Lilian's grin grew. Merlin, it seemed like it had been such a long time ago, that everyone knew about it, but she gathered this generation didn't. Not yet, at least.
Shaking her head minimally, Daphne allowed herself to listen to a story she knew already, quietly watching her daughter and her daughter's father, even though one didn't know about the other.
Well, at least that was her hope, that Lilian was ignorant of Harry's presence in her life and what it meant. Of course nothing was so picture perfect.
"You know what, uncle Harry, you're kind of like a dad to me.", she said, and Daphne froze, just like Harry. "I mean, you're always here for me!"
Harry did his best polite smile, and Daphne would have said something, if there wasn't something suddenly blocking her throat, not allowing her speech.
Did she know? And if so, how? Daphne and Harry had been so discrete. Had Lilian picked up on something?
"What do you mean, sweetheart?", Daphne managed, somehow not choking in her own spit, and Lilian seemed to glow with childish innocence.
"I don't have a dad, and so I can't assume what having one is like, but I think uncle Harry is pretty close.", Lilian jumped up from her spot on the table, eyes shining with something Daphne couldn't exactly name. "Wait, hold on, I forgot I brought souvenirs! Let me grab them!"
As soon as Lilian left the kitchen, Daphne hurriedly threw a silencing ward around the room, turning to face Harry with panic written clear as day on her face.
"Do you think Lilian knows?", she asked, hating how her voice was tinged with fear, and Harry - looking almost paranoically to the door where Lilian had left - shook his head. "Harry…"
"I was the same when I found my godfather, Daphne. I don't think she found out.", there was a pause, and he touched Daphne's face lightly. "Stay calm. Besides, if she finds out, we deal with it. She doesn't, you tell her whenever you deem appropriate."
It sounded fair, but Daphne still threw a worried look at the door's direction, pursing her lips. Lilian was too young to carry that burden. It would be best if she didn't find it out, not yet.
With a heavy sigh, Daphne let down the ward, Lilian zooming in soon after with a smile on her face and several…
"Are those miniatures dragons?", Daphne asked, forgetting her fears as several small dragons started flying around, Lilian grinning from ear to ear as Harry started laughing, Salem jumping on the table and trying to pick up at least one. "Lilian Arachne Greengrass, you better find a nice new home for these!"
Lilian didn't answer, joining in the laughter, and Daphne sighed. Yes, there would be no way a childish girl such as Lilian would be able to know anything about her parentage.