"Daisy, are you ready to go?"
Daisy looked up at him from the grass, her face twisting. "What? No! Daddy, it hasn't even been that long!"
Harry smiled at her. "It's been a couple of hours now, sweetie. We should get home. Why don't you say goodbye to Ritchie, and we'll go. I'll give you five minutes."
Daisy looked sideways at her friend. "Can't we stay longer?"
"No, we can't," Harry told her, really hating himself for it. "But, look, if Ritchie wants you to, we can come back again tomorrow. Would you like to see her again?" he added to the boy kindly.
Ritchie looked at him, then at Daisy with clear disappointment and longing. The same expression Daisy had, right about then. The boy nodded. "Yes..."
"There you go," Harry said to Daisy. "We'll come back, alright? Promise."
Daisy sighed. "Ok. Promise. Now you have to give me my five minutes!"
"Alright." Harry gave her a wave and walked away to wait.
As expected of Daisy, she took advantage of every literal minute she could, leaning in close and talking with the boy. Right toward the end, she leaned in especially close, and said something in his ear. Ritchie blinked at her, then nodded to her. Daisy's face lit up, and she threw herself at the boy and hugged him. He hugged her back, a grin creeping onto his face.
Daisy let him go and jumped to her feet. She threw up her hands and gave a very loud, audible sigh, then came stalking right for Harry.
Harry offered her his hand; she sighed again and took it. She looked back over at Ritchie, giving a very thorough wave to the boy.
"Did you have fun today?" Harry asked as he began leading her away to the exit.
Daisy smiled. "Yes."
"Think you made a friend?"
Her smile grew. "Yes, definitely!" she cried, hopping and skipping.
"Great. I'm really happy for you, sweetie."
"You made friends too, didn't you?" she said, peering up at him.
"I did?"
Daisy pointed off into the distance, among the tables set up in the area. "I saw you talk to a man from over there."
Harry did his best to keep his face expressionless. "Yeah...yeah, I did."
"I saw you take your wand out. Did he make you mad?"
Harry hesitated. "I...it was- wrong of me to do that, Daisy. I just- got a little- I got mad, yeah. Mad and...a bit...I guess, scared." he admitted quietly. It was funny, that - he thought he had stopped being scared of Dudley years ago. But it seemed that wasn't true. A part of him was still that boy racing down the streets, flying up onto rooftops to get away...
Daisy stopped, tugging his hand firmly. Harry stopped, too, turning to look back at her. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed together. "Who was he?"
"Daisy-"
"Don't lie to me."
Harry gritted his teeth. He blew a breath and looked over Daisy's head. "I'm not going to lie to you. But I'm not going to tell you who he was, either. Not...yet," he finished hesitantly.
Daisy gazed up at him. She let his hand go and whirled away, stomping across the grass with closed fists. "Forget it, daddy - I don't need to know who he is to make him hurt!"
"Daisy, no!" Harry said firmly, chasing after her and reaching for her arm. "We don't just go and hurt people!"
"If he makes even you scared, he's somebody who should be hurt!" Daisy cried. "I'll make sure he doesn't do it again!"
"Daisy...it's- good of you want to want to defend me - that's so- sweet and good of you - but you do not just go off and hurt people! He hasn't done anything to me, and it's not your place anyway! It'd be mine, if it came to it. Okay? So just stop. Calm down, and come home."
Daisy stopped. She breathed ragged, furious breaths, her chest heaving. Her fingers curled and uncurled again. She dropped her head and let her arms relax. A long exhale. "If he tries to hurt you, daddy, I'll-"
"If he tries to hurt me, I'll deal with it. You think I can't protect myself?" Harry said evenly.
"Who was he?" Daisy threw out, her voice tight. Her head still down, face hidden behind long, shimmering dark hair. "Tell me now."
"Not yet - and not until you ask properly, don't just demand things," Harry scolded her firmly.
Daisy's head came up quickly, her hair flying back. She looked him in the eye. "Tell me who he was, please. If he could hurt you, he might hurt me too. I should know who he is, daddy - so I know whose name I have to yell if he tries to."
"Daisy, I- you don't have to worry about that." Harry knew what she was doing here, and he still couldn't help but buy into it. Reassure her anyway.
"How do you know? Somebody who makes you scared is somebody who can scare me even more! I'm just a little kid!"
Maybe it was still just a ploy on her part - she had never once in her life voluntarily referred to herself as a helpless little girl, except when she wanted to make a point - but maybe it was genuine. Her face looked it enough, in that moment.
Either way...
"Okay, I don't know," Harry told her. "But if anything ever happens, I'll stop it. Okay? And you can defend yourself however you like. You know how, too. We shouldn't worry about things like that."
Daisy stared at him for a minute. Her face changed, and she blinked rapidly. "Why won't you just tell me?"
Harry sighed. "Because I'm still...trying to figure some things out, okay? I have- a lot to think about before I even...talk to you about him."
Daisy's eyes widened. "Oh fuck," she swore under her breath, dropping her head again.
"What?" Harry said. Swearing usually either preceded or proceeded something extreme in her mind or body.
"Is it related to mummy? You were fighting with her, and she left, and she was mad, and now you met this man who you have to 'figure things out' about before you talk to me about him?" Daisy spoke furiously, more to herself than to him. "Are you in love with him and that's what you and mummy were fighting about? Because you want to marry someone else now?"
Harry blinked at her, his mind blanking as he tried to process what she had just said.
She glared up at him, tearing her arm free and putting her hands on her hips. "Well?"
Harry facepalmed. He rubbed his forehead. "Fine, fine! You win, Daisy! I do not want this idea taking root in your- adorable little head, so...I'll tell you. You clever little...argh. He's my cousin, Daisy. From when I was a kid. You remember, we talked about that a while ago? His name is Dudley."
Daisy froze. Her hands slipped from her hips. "Your...cousin?"
"Yes."
"Dudley Dursley?"
"Yes, Daisy."
"The one who used to call you names and shit like that?"
"Yes...that one."
Daisy stared into his face. She looked across the park, toward the gathering of tables. To one specific table, with a family still there. Her eyes became slits, and her lip curled viciously. In an instant, she threw up her arm, her fingers curling. "Dep-"
"NO!" Harry yelled, seizing her wrist and yanking her arm back. "DAISY, DON'T!"
Daisy twisted and shoved her other arm out in the direction of the tables. "Diff-"
Harry jerked his arm up and clenched his fist; Daisy's mouth shut tight. She stared up at him, shaking, her eyes blazing. He pulled her toward the exit swiftly, despite her squirms and resistance the whole way. He yanked her out into the pristine white hallway, closing the door to the indoor park behind him firmly.
A jolt of lightning went through Harry, and suddenly Daisy's mouth opened. She punched and kicked at him, screaming and snarling like an animal, her face contorted and burning red. Tears were forming in her eyes, falling.
"Daisy, stop it, this isn't okay, this isn't-" Harry gritted, trying to hold her apart, yet not wanting to risk letting her try to run back in and curse his cousin.
"Fuck you, let go, you dumb bastard, let me go!" Daisy yelled. "I'll blow him up for you, I'll make him scream - why the hell won't you just let me?! Are you fucking stupid?! You damn moron, you stupid prick!"
"DAISY, ENOUGH! RIGHT NOW!" Harry bellowed at her. "I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU CUSSING AT ME LIKE THIS! YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER WITH THIS SHITE!"
Harry froze as soon as the words left his mouth.
Daisy froze up, too. She stared at him, the color leaving her face. There wasn't inconsolable rage there any more, wasn't disgust or hate - just fear. Real fear. Small, but Harry saw it on her face. In her small, wide eyes. In the way her mouth opened...
Harry let out a heaving breath, and let her go. He stepped away, turned away to grasp the window sill on the left side of the hall. He let his head fall, his forehead striking the thick, spotlessly clean glass.
Sniffling, and little high noises behind him.
Harry breathed. "Daisy- I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that at you. I lost my temper, I- I just...god. Your mum, and then my cousin, and..." He fell silent. He held back a choked noise. "Can we just- can we just go home? Please? Just...just be quiet and go home?" he pleaded, not looking back at her.
No reply.
Harry pushed off and turned back to look.
Daisy stood trembling, gazing up at him. She dropped her head and hugged herself.
Harry breathed again. "Come on," he said softly, striding off down the hall.
He heard her little footsteps following after him.
He led her out into the lobby, finding a bowl of Floo powder by the door. He took a handful and strode outside, down the steps. Down the path, up to the standalone fireplace in the middle of the courtyard.
He threw half the powder in, and said the name of their home quietly.
He looked to Daisy.
She glanced at him, then walked past him and practically threw herself into the fires.
Harry followed her through after a minute of waiting.
He reemerged in Grimmauld Place's living room just in time to catch sight of Daisy racing off into the hall, with Kreacher scurrying along behind her.
"Mistress Daisy seems very upset - won't she tell Kreacher what's wrong?" the elf pressed, in his best "consoling" tones.
"No!" Daisy's voice drifted back thickly from the hall.
"But-"
"No buts, Kreacher - or I'll kick yours right down the stairs!"
Stomping footsteps up the stairs, retreating.
Harry knew he should talk to her about that threat. He knew he should probably just...
But he didn't trust himself to be any better than her right now.
So he instead made his way to his own bedroom alone.
He opened the door and stopped, staring inside.
Daphne was there on the bed - sprawled, and starkers.
"Um...hey...?" Harry said, muted. He stepped in and shut the door behind him.
She gazed at him, her face going through several emotions. Then she blew a breath and sat up, putting her back to the headboard. She drew her legs in and set her hands on them. "Hey..." she replied, just as muted - for her. Apprehension overtook her features, leaving nothing else. "You look like something terrible happened today."
"When did you get home?" Harry asked, quiet as he could, moving to sit on the bed with her. He couldn't even feel angry with her over this morning again - maybe that was a good thing. It had to be, didn't it?
"A couple of hours ago," Daphne shrugged. "You and Daisy weren't around, so I had to find something to do with myself."
Harry eyed her naked form. "What...were you doing?"
"Mostly just making myself orgasm."
"For...several hours?"
"I know, right?" Daphne flashed a small, tentative grin, and reached down to swat herself right on her crotch. She winced at herself. "Whew, has this girl seen better days..."
Harry flushed intensely. "R-right...well, at least you...err, occupied yourself. Did you do anything else?"
"Is this an interrogation?" Daphne retorted, snorting.
"No. No, look, I- I'm sorry," Harry sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry for this morning, I'm sorry for getting so upset with you - no matter what you said, or how I felt - and I'm sorry I didn't even...give you a chance to really explain yourself. And you were right, if it was just your feelings, you- we should've talked about it, I shouldn't have just dismissed you like that, I shouldn't have just walked off. And I never should've told you you were a bad mother! It was all wrong, I was all wrong..."
Daphne looked at him. She nodded, then reached up and smacked herself in the face. Gave her head a good shake. "Yeah, alright. And I was wrong to cuss you out and leave. But you told me to, you wouldn't just hear me out, damnit!"
"I know - I'm sorry for that."
Daphne sighed as well. She shook her head again, more viciously; long, kinky locks flew everywhere. "So what the hell happened with you today? Daisy, too, if I heard right out there..."
Harry told her everything about the Refuge. Alina, Daisy's new friend - finding his cousin there. Daisy's total eruption and meltdown over it, her intent to harm. Him, screaming at her how he never had before in life. How he'd always tried never to. His damn temper he knew he had. Had always been so careful to manage...
"Well, shit, I can't say anything without being a gross hypocrite," Daphne muttered. She scooted forward on her butt and hesitantly touched his arm. Started to squeeze and caress, gazing at him. "The number of times I've lost my cool on both of you before...It was bound to happen for you someday, eh? Today was a really shitty day for us all, yeah?"
Harry just nodded, reaching up to put his hand over hers. He breathed, rubbing at the backs of her fingers. "So, d'you still think everything I do is great with her?" he couldn't resist saying.
Daphne looked at him, completely serious. "No, I don't. Obviously that wasn't true, alright? I was just...feeling the moment. It was how I felt."
"It was," Harry agreed softly. "And I'm...I'm sorry you've felt that way all this time. I'm sorry you feel like you're-"
"I get it," Daphne interjected. "You're sorry, I'm sorry - we're all sorry for being shitheads today. So what are we going to do about it?"
"Your feelings...you said you think you married too early, that you weren't- prepared to be a mum? That it's...you don't know what to do half the time?"
"All the time," Daphne corrected.
"Yeah...well, it might be the biggest shock of your life, but I don't know what I'm doing most the time either," Harry laughed. "I really don't. I just- go by what others do. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley - you know I'm asking them for advice all the time - and parenting books. I read loads of those, you know. Even now. Especially now. I need to keep up with things, as Daisy grows up. I don't just magically know what to do - I just...know what I can do, and...and I know Daisy. It might look easy and great, but it's just 'cause I've been at it a long time, and I- I pay real close attention to her. All the time."
"And I don't..." Daphne whispered bitterly.
"You said you wanted to stick around - get better at it," Harry went on quickly. "So let's do that, okay? We can- you can start reading the books with me, and- you can talk to me about her, we can talk about how you...you can get better with her. We can make things better there."
"Right." Daphne hesitated, then she threw herself onto him, her arms going around his neck. "Damnit, sorry for being such an asshole - you asshole..."
Harry wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back. "I'm sorry, too; we should've just done this from the start, instead of it all...instead of how I ruined it all, drove you away like that. I- I'm sorry. I should have just talked to you - and more importantly, I should've just let you talk. I should've just listened!"
"Well, I wasn't exactly in a mood to listen, either," Daphne choked. "You might have fired the first shots, but I returned fire and we both...blew up our ships or some crappy metaphor. Whatever..."
"Yeah."
Daphne pulled away, then pressed a firmly passionate kiss to his lips.
"You..." Harry breathed. He touched her face, started again. "Daphne, I- I don't want you to be...afraid to try with Daisy. To- you shouldn't have been feeling like this, it- I should've been supporting you - I am going to support you with this, I'm...you don't have to feel like this anymore. You- you won't. Alright? I'll help you."
"Alright..." Daphne mumbled, looking away. "Thanks."
"If you...want to say anything at all, I'll listen. I'll just sit right here and listen to you," Harry said quietly.
Daphne shook her head, leaning in to put her chin on his shoulder. "I've got nothing to say that I didn't already - even if it pissed you off..."
"I won't get angry again. I shouldn't have."
"I think we have this sorted out, alright? If you want to listen to me, then listen to this: I want to just be with you for a little while. Just like this."
"Just like this?" Harry echoed, a small smile coming to his face. "Nothing- err- more?"
"You're already not listening!" Daphne chortled. "Even with magic in the mix, I've turned my twat into raw salami here. She won't be ready to see any action for a good long while!"
"Alright," Harry said, letting his amusement run freely. "I hear you on that."
Daphne tugged on his neck and threw herself back, pulling him down to the bed with her. He twisted to avoid crushing her at the last second, laying with her.
Settling with her.
At some point, Daphne lifted herself up and rolled over Harry bodily, falling to his other side. She then pressed herself to his back and looped her arms around him, stroking and toying with his chest under his shirt.
After several minutes like this, Harry spoke again.
"If you...wanted to know," he began softly. "I need to go apologize to Daisy again, sooner rather than later - and then I think that we both...should go and let her know that you and I are okay now, as well. She needs that - she was worried about us fighting this morning, and she was worried about you last night, too. You know she's sharp, but she is still a kid; she thought you were upset with her. We need to fix that. You- you are her mother, and we're her parents together. So we need to do these things together. That is...something I think you need to change now. You can't just be- leaving it all up to me," Harry finished, as neutral and soft as he could be. "I know you just feel- lost- like you don't know what to do, I hear you on that, but-" he went on quickly.
"Sure, yeah," Daphne interrupted, just as quick. "If that's...what we've got to do for her, I'll do...do my best. I want to do my best for her - I don't want to just leave, I don't want to divorce; I want to be a good mum, I do! I know I haven't been, all right? But I do want to stick around and do better. I'm sorry I suck!"
"It's okay," Harry said. "Let's just focus on making things better in the future now."
"Right. Let's do that."
Silence fell between them again.
Daphne broke it, her sly tones in Harry's ear. "You probably don't want to even hear it, but I think Daisy had the right idea about what to do with your cousin..."
"I knew you'd think that," Harry grinned, out of her sight. But he couldn't keep it from his voice. "But just like I told her - it wouldn't be right to just attack him for no real reason. And...he did apologize. I think he might...maybe...I mean, it's possible," he concluded, shrugging. "No attacking until we're sure," he joked.
"Alright, I'll follow your lead on this one, too. But I'm not too pleased about it."
"Neither is Daisy. You know, she actually gets quite a lot more from you than you realize," Harry said slowly. He paused. "Anyway, I'm not unleashing either of your wraths on Dudley until we know he even deserves it. If he does anything to me, or to Daisy, when we go back there..."
"Here's hoping, eh?"
Harry laughed again. "I suppose..." He couldn't lie to himself and say he didn't have at least some desire to get one over Dudley for once. The first thing he had wanted to do on learning about magic was to curse him, after all, and throughout their years together after Harry had been waiting for any excuse to just hex him...
Of course, he was a grown man now - they both were. And he had to set a good example for Daisy (and Daphne, as well, in all likelihood).
"Hey, err, are you...ready to go and talk to her yet?" Harry said quietly, after a few minutes.
"Alright, yeah. Let's go." Daphne's arms squeezed at him, then withdrew. She rolled off the bed, getting to her feet.
Harry got up to join her. He stood gazing down into her eyes, then he touched her face and stooped to kiss her.
Daphne returned the kiss, rising on her toes and grabbing his face in both her hands.
"Alright, how are we doing this?" she spoke, in a very even, quiet tone after releasing him. She snatched up her wand and tapped it to herself, conjuring a short little night silk dress onto her body. "You go in and talk to her, then I go in - or did you mean together together?"
"Together together, would probably be best," Harry said, as measured in tone as his wife was. "She needs to know we're both sorry, and that things are okay between us now - so she knows it won't happen again."
"Sure. On your lead." Daphne gestured to the door.
Harry took her arm, smiling. "Why don't we just apparate?"
Daphne's face fell. But she quickly hid it, giving a nod. "Right - I almost forgot that's something I can do..."
Harry paused. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just do it."
"You can say it - I'll listen to you. I won't get mad, okay?"
Daphne blew a breath, shaking her head. "Fine. It's no big deal - I was just hoping to use the walk up there to come up with a speech for her."
"You don't need a speech," Harry said softly. "Just...talk from the heart. She has to feel it. She has to see it in your eyes, and know it's the truth. That's all. If you can get it across to her, it doesn't really matter how you manage it."
"That's your big secret, is it?" Daphne snorted. "All this time, and you've just been bullshitting her - making everything up on the fly?"
Harry grinned. "Well...if you wanted to see it that way, then, yeah. I guess I have. I told you: I've never known what to do - I just do my best. I try and tell her...what feels right. That's all."
Daphne put her hand over his on her arm, gazing up at him. Another little snort. "Wonderful. Take it away, babe."
Harry nodded, and focused on relocating them through the house - from downstairs to upstairs. A quick trip through nothingness, and they reappeared directly in front of the door to Daisy's bedroom.
Harry stepped forward and gave a gentle, single knock. "Daisy?"
Silence - then various thudding and banging noises from within. "Go away."
"Daisy, your mum and I would like to talk to you."
"No," came Daisy's hard, muffled voice.
Harry shifted on his feet. "Daisy-"
"I don't want to talk to you, so respect my privacy and go away!"
Daphne moved for the door handle, rolling her eyes. "Oh, just let us in, hon!" She stopped, finding the door firmly locked.
"Don't just try to open my door- I'm- changing clothes!" Daisy's tone was one of panic - edged with sharp outrage.
Harry shook his head at Daphne, glaring at her silently.
She held up her hands and backed away, turning away from the door completely.
"That was your mum, and she's sorry for that, too-" Harry started to say.
"Don't try that again - I'm- um- having private time!" Daisy's wild voice interrupted him loudly. "If you open it I'll throw you out, I mean it!"
Harry's cheeks burned. He took a breath. "Daisy, nobody's trying to get in - look, just...when you feel ready, could we talk? It doesn't have to be today, but...tomorrow, yeah. Please?"
A long silence.
"Ok. Tomorrow," Daisy's flat voice issued. "Now leave me alone."
"Okay. We love you, Daisy." Harry gave Daphne a look, and started off down the hall toward the stairs.
Daphne followed him, subdued and embarrassed. "So we're postponing this whole thing for tomorrow, huh?"
"It's what Daisy wants," Harry replied. "I don't want to force it on her. We can wait a night."
Daphne sighed, nodding as they started down the steps. "You know better than I do with her..."
"We'll change that," Harry assured. "It's just going to take...time, and effort. Real work. But we can work at it together."
"Sure. All right. What do you want to do for the evening, then?"
Harry shrugged. "We could go back to bed together?"
"Brilliant idea - cuddles or sex?"
"How about both?"
"Whatever you want," Daphne grinned, taking his hand.
A week later, and Harry, Daphne and Daisy went out to the beach, all on their own.
An isolated area, late in the evening. A place scouted out by Harry days prior, with frequent apparition trips onto and off of the coast.
Funnily enough, the idea to do this had actually been Daphne's - suggested one afternoon at the Refuge to Daisy, with a winning smile to accompany it. Daisy had taken to the idea immediately, and they had spent the week leading up to this outing preparing properly for it. Fortunately enough, they had taught Daisy to swim two years ago, and had infrequently gone to public muggle pools since then. As well, just a few days ago, Daisy had gone swimming in the Refuge's crystal clear indoor lake with many of the other children there.
But the beach - the ocean, more precisely - was a far different beast than a pool or a magical lake.
"Come on, swim, swim, swim! Take your stupid shirts off already!" Daisy chanted, as she removed hers and threw it down in the sand. "Why did we even bring them?!"
"Because sunburns exist, honey," Daphne retorted. "You're going to be really happy for them later."
"Daisy, hold on! Don't just go running in like that! The waves can knock you over...or drag you out!" Harry called after her.
Daisy twirled around, grinning at him. She stuck out her tongue, then turned on a heel and raced off into the tides.
"Dammit," Harry said, starting after her. "Daisy, I'm serious! We don't need you drowning!"
"I know how to swim!" Daisy shouted, kicking her legs and taking furious strokes of her arms to go further out into the shallows.
"Daisy, that's not the point! I know how to swim, and I'm still cautious about just jumping in like this! You have to be careful - about the weather, the waves, and dangerous animals that might in there! Daisy - just stop, please! Stay put!" Harry looked to Daphne frantically as he entered the water. She was still standing there on the beach, dry and unassuming.
Daphne frowned, then threw her hands up. She worked her jaw and opened her mouth, starting forward. "H-hey! Daisy! Why don't you...listen to your daddy! Come on, come back here!" she shouted out uncertainly.
Daisy had somehow gotten quite far out - probably magic was involved. She came to a halt, spinning around to look at them in shock, as she began to swish her arms and legs, treading in place as taught. Even from afar, Harry could tell she was looking at her mother like she had a screw loose. Fair enough; Daphne never really participated in discipline of any kind - she had only ever backed Harry up half heartedly, a few times, to get Harry off her back about it. But never of her own accord (or, nearly). It was only recently that they had started to really change that; it was going to be a huge work in progress.
At least it got Daisy to stop.
Harry and Daphne were able to catch up to her. Out in the waters together, Harry spoke first. "Daisy...you need to listen to me - to us - when I, we, tell you not to do something. I know you're excited, but try to have some patience? Please? Swimming can be dangerous - especially out in the ocean. A lot of things can go wrong, even for full grown adults like us!"
"But you said the green sign means it's ok!" Daisy retorted, pointing back toward the shore, and the old, rickety green signpost.
"It does - it is - but even still. This is your first time being out here. It's different here than it is at the Refuge. Waves and currents can be really, really dangerous. I'm serious. You need to listen and-"
Daisy sighed, crossing her arms. She flipped over in the water with a cry of surprise, splashing and righting herself.
"See - that's what I mean," Harry said quickly, reaching for her to steady her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, daddy - bleck." She spat out water and pushed her hair out of her face furiously.
Daphne glanced at Harry. She moved forward, reaching out for Daisy too. "Sure you're okay there?"
Daisy looked at her weirdly again. She looked at Harry, her eyes narrowing. She really was too sharp for her own good. She knew how things worked in their house, and family. And this was markedly different. "Daddy..." she said slowly.
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Did you put a spell on mummy or something?"
"Ouch," Daphne commented, grinning at Harry. "Although, Daisy, hon, that's more than a little insulting to me. Like I couldn't hold off your dad's wand if it came to it."
"Sorry," Daisy said swiftly, giggling. "You're just being weird lately."
Harry opened his mouth, but Daphne cut across him.
"Weird, huh? I'm not being weird, I'm being a parent."
"And that's weird!" Daisy insisted. "You're acting like daddy!"
Daphne really winced, hurt flashing in her eyes. "Yeah well, get used to it - it's how I'm supposed to be with you, according to this man here. I haven't been a good mum, I know that much. But I want to be better. So could you cut me some slack and go with it, honey?"
Daisy stared at her in surprise - and guilt. "Sorry..." she said quietly. She moved for Daphne and hugged her neck, clinging to her. "I'm just not used to it," she agreed honestly.
"You will be," Harry assured. "Just...give it time. Your mum is really trying, and- and it's a good thing."
"Ok," Daisy said, nodding into her mother's shoulder. She smiled, then gave her mother's neck a long lick and jumped away from her into the water.
"What the- hey!" Daphne exclaimed, furiously wiping at her neck in disbelief.
Harry stared down into the waters, then dove under himself. I taught her how to hold her breath, but I didn't bubble charm her yet so she wouldn't have to! What if Daisy drowned? What if she made a wrong move, sucked in some water, choked and...
He found Daisy slicing through the water like a mermaid, twisting and circling right around Daphne - no doubt preparing some kind of trick to be done on her unsuspecting mother.
Daisy stopped, squinting at him, her cheeks puffed out.
Harry took his Holly wand from his swim trunks, focusing intently. He cast the Bubble-Head Charm, thinking the incantation with all his might. He was relieved to see the bubble swirl to life around Daisy's head, the water in her skull's immediate vicinity being displaced by the sudden air.
Daisy blinked, looking around herself, watching the bubble move. Then she let her breath go, a smile coming to her face. She gave him a small wave, then kicked her way straight up behind her mother, bursting above water with a great spread of her arms.
Harry followed after her again, resurfacing.
"-ROAR!"
Daphne turned to face Daisy, humor crossing her features. "Roar?"
Daisy looked disappointed, settling into the water with a frown. "I was a shark, mummy, and you were going to be eaten!"
"Were you?" Daphne laughed. "You're not too frightening, you-"
Daisy lunged forward and attached her mouth to her mother's shoulder.
Daphne stared down at her.
Daisy blinked back at her. Her eyes narrowed. She glanced at Harry. "Daddy - mahke mhe a shawrk."
"Make you a what?" Harry said, chuckling.
"Mahke me ah- oh, fine!" Daisy detached from her mother, lifting a hand from the water to point at Harry. "Transfigure me into a big shark!"
"That could be really dangerous in a dozen different ways," Harry replied automatically, shaking his head at her. "I could end up hurting you by doing it wrong, and if I even did it right, you wouldn't be you anymore, Daisy. You'd have the mind of a real shark. A dangerous animal."
"But- but- I want to be a shark!" Daisy exclaimed, waving her arms about and then crashing them down in the water, causing it to splash everywhere.
"Well..." Harry began, flashing a secretive grin. "There is actually a way for mages to turn into animals and still be themselves. It's called being an-"
"Animagus!" Daisy burst out excitedly. "Your daddy was one - that's how he got to spend time with Uncle Remus when he transformed! How do I do that?" she demanded.
"Well, uh, it's a lot of hard work, and it's dangerous," Harry told her. "And you don't get to pick what animal you are, sweetie. It depends on your...your personality, I guess. Your nature."
Daisy pursed her lips in a significant pout. Then she brightened. "What animal do you think I'd be then, daddy?"
"Uh...I- I don't know," Harry answered honestly. "I've never really thought about it."
"Since I can talk to snakes, maybe I'm already part snake!" Daisy went on. "I bet I'd be a snake animagus."
Daphne chortled, pushing her hair from her face. "Amazing logic, honey...flawless."
Daisy glared. "I think you'd be a walrus. With a huge arse."
Daphne rolled her eyes, looking to Harry, an amused smile on her lips. "That wouldn't be so terrible, would it, Harry? Not for you."
"Um-" Harry blanked, flushing furiously. "-you'd- make a great...any animal you were, yeah! Great."
"What do you think you'd be?" Daisy pressed, her dark eyes burrowing into Harry.
Harry shrugged. "I don't really know."
Daisy gave a great big sigh. "What do you even think about, daddy?"
"Not being an animagus," Harry said lightly.
Daisy looked at him with pure pity, her thoughts written all over her face: How can you not think about becoming an animal?!
Daphne moved for Daisy suddenly, grinning widely. She raised a hand slowly, and then smacked it down into the water, splashing Daisy in the face. "Got you, honey."
Daisy looked stunned. Then she raised an arm and splashed her mother right back - and then again and again. Amidst this water fight, of diving and resurfacing to catch each other off guard, Daisy suddenly turned and swept her arm at Harry, sending a shimmering, miniature crescent wave at him that hit his face with a startling force.
"H-hey- I wasn't even involved in this," Harry protested, half seriously. "You two are fighting - I'm just a spectator, sweetie."
Daisy shook her head, giving him a very serious, yet sympathetic look. "Sorry, daddy: you're involved by...proximity."
"Big word," Daphne remarked. "Where'd you learn that one?"
"Not from you," Daisy replied, smirking. "So you see, daddy, you just have to-"
Harry splashed her mid sentence, grinning at her.
She sputtered, pushing long dark strands from her face - pulling them out of her mouth and spitting furiously. "Ok, now you're part of this! I'm not going to hold back, daddy!" she swore vengefully.
"I wouldn't want you to," Harry laughed.
The water war became more intense and heightened as things went on in earnest now - and became much more strange. Daisy's flaring, wild emotions, of joy and excitement and mirth spurred her magic to life; little cyclones and whirlpools formed all about, significantly larger waves would rise from calmness to sweep Harry and Daphne away!
It was tiring, exhausting fun - and potentially dangerous because of that.
After a while, Harry called an end to it, leading the way back to the shore.
Daisy wasn't happy about it, of course.
"I want to go back out - I want to go down." Daisy protested, her breathing heavy as she crawled onto the sand. She flipped herself over onto her back, pushing her hair back. "I want to find stuff!" she insisted. "Like...rocks, and shells, and fish, and crabs, and treasure."
"I...don't think you'll find any treasure, Daisy." Harry said, clutching the stitch in his side as he sat down with her.
Daphne just threw herself down on her side, resting her head on her own arm. Her finger trailed in the sand, tracing at it nonsensically as a smile stayed on her face.
"I could!" Daisy countered Harry fiercely, turning her head to glare at him.
"I don't doubt that you could," Harry replied. "But we're not going back out right now. Give it an hour or two, okay? Until then, we can have fun here."
"Fine," Daisy huffed, putting her hand on her forehead. A pause. "I want to meet a mermaid and become her friend and swim with her every day."
Harry grinned. Of course he wasn't free of this yet. "Do you?"
"Yes!" Daisy faltered. "Where exactly do mermaids live?"
"Really, really far out, Daisy. Places so deep that it gets dark, and muggles have to use air tanks and submarines to reach."
"But they don't stay there all the time! Otherwise how come there's lots of muggle stories about mermaids saving people on ships and stuff? Even they see them a lot out here!" Daisy argued.
"True, but...it's still really rare, Daisy. And we can't just spend hours swimming way out in the sea hoping to find a mermaid."
"We can get a boat, and go out for a few days on it. We can go fishing, and swimming, and look at sharks and fish and whales - and also meet a mermaid totally by accident while we do," Daisy said innocently.
"That...might be something we could do someday," Harry allowed. "And, yeah, we might meet a mermaid that way - by accident."
"Yes! When can you get a boat?"
"Daisy, I can't just go out and get a boat like that. Boats are really expensive. And you have to take care of them and everything, too, I'd imagine."
"Can you buy a boat next summer?"
"You really want to do this, don't you?" Harry sighed.
"Yes."
Harry looked to Daphne. "I'll...your mum and I will see about saving up for a boat. Okay? I'll- we'll look into it - but we can't promise anything."
"YAY! Thanks, daddy!" Daisy sprang up from the sands and threw herself at him, hugging him tightly around the neck. "We can go on a boat adventure! Like real pirates!" she went on, whirling around and launching herself onto Daphne's side, hugging her bodily. Daphne started to protest, then gave in and let it be.
"You want to be a pirate now, huh?" Daphne spoke, giving Daisy a light little push up off her after a moment.
"Uh-huh," Daisy said seriously. "A pirate witch, on the hunt for mermaid friends! Like Silvia DeJohns! Silvia also found treasure," Daisy finished, narrowing her eyes at Harry, as if daring him to challenge her.
"There is a chance of finding lost things out in deeper waters," Harry permitted, smiling. "Who knows? If we went that far out, we really might."
"DeJohns didn't make friends with mermaids - she cut out their eggs and-" Daphne started.
"I know, mummy - I read the book," Daisy interrupted. "But she made friends with them before she did that," she added matter-of-factly.
"So you only want to do that first part?" Daphne sought clarification.
"Yes," Daisy retorted, glowering. "What do you think I am, mummy, some kind of sicko?"
"Course not," Harry said swiftly. "You know your mum - she just likes to joke."
Daisy considered him. She looked at Daphne. "I'll let the joke go this time - if you get me a boat!" she added hurriedly.
Daphne laughed, rolling away in the sand. "Not a chance, honey - but nice try there."
Harry stood, gesturing to the vast array of items they had brought along with them, including but not limited to: beach parasols, large towels, and a great big ice chest. "Hey, why don't we move on over up there now? Further away from the water."
"Ok," Daisy agreed, leaping up and stalking past him. There was a smirk fixed on her face. "I want my bucket."
"Honey, quit pouring the sand directly over my tits!"
"They're called breasts, mummy, really - and I'm not!"
"Yeah you are," Daphne huffed, swiping at her chest furiously as she lay in the sand.
"You said you wanted to be buried, so I'm burying you," Daisy smirked widely.
"Yeah, burying me tits-first...do you have a grudge against them for me not breastfeeding you or something?"
Daisy considered her mother, thoughtful and serious. "Why didn't you give me milk that way when I was little?"
"Because your dad had you before we got together, and his tits don't make milk," Daphne replied, honest but flippant.
Daisy looked to Harry. "Why couldn't you just use magic to make them do that? Couldn't you, I don't know, transfigure them like we do our hair and faces when we go outside?"
"Uh...I- think that is- entirely possible," Harry hedged, flushing. "But I was...young, then, Daisy, and I- never could've found out how to...do that. The spell, if there even is one. Probably a medical one..."
"Well I guess that's my loss," Daisy sighed theatrically.
"No, it wasn't," Harry corrected her. "Magical...artificial milk is just as healthy as- natural...milk. You're as healthy as anyone, Daisy."
"Oh. That's good, then," Daisy said, with real relief. She moved her bucket again, starting to tilt it over her mother's chest.
"Not on the tits, come on!" Daphne protested, covering herself mutinously.
Daisy paused, lowering her bucket. "What tits?" she said sweetly.
"What do you mean, what tits?!"
"I don't see what you're talking about," Daisy said innocently. "I don't see any tits around-"
"Okay, can we all just stop saying- tits?" Harry interjected, flushing furiously as the burning sun. "If we're going to even talk about it, use the right terminology..."
"-the ones you've been dumping sand on for the past twenty minutes!"
"All I see is sand."
"Alright, who the hell raised her to make fun of someone's size?" Daphne sputtered, sitting up and letting the sand fall like a waterfall. "My size is fine!"
"Of course, mummy."
"And- and like you can talk anyways, little miss flatty!"
"Please..." Harry pleaded to the empty beach.
"Well I might not have anything yet, but you just wait: by the time I'm half your age I'll have, like...ten times bigger breasts than you've ever had!" Daisy said furiously. She rounded on Harry, her eyes narrowed. "Right, daddy?"
Harry opened his mouth a few times - closed it again. He floundered in the sand, then did his best to meet Daisy's eye. "Erm- uh- I certainly, uh, hope that you have- you know- healthy...growth, sure, but it- doesn't- it doesn't matter what...size anything is. People - bodies - come in all shapes and sizes, and they're all perfectly fine, remember? No matter how much or...in what way your...your body grows, you should be happy and confident with what you...end up having. And, for that reason, you really shouldn't be teasing your mother like this!" he went on hurriedly. "You don't tease people about things they don't have control over."
There. He'd managed to say the right thing.
"But we have magic," Daisy countered. "She can just go boop-" She tapped her own chest with a finger. "-and they could just go...fwoop!" She cupped her palms and moved her arms far out from her body - and back again. Repeatedly.
"Oh god, honey, is that your example of 'ten times as big'?" Daphne chortled, clutching at her sides as she rolled over in the sand. "That's going to cause major problems, I can tell you! If you could even walk, you'd have two hundred years worth of back pain compressed into a single day!"
"You can't tell me, because you-"
"Okay, Daisy, seriously - enough teasing, please?" Harry interrupted, a bit firm. "Can we get back to burying her instead?"
Daisy looked between him and Daphne. She nodded. "Ok. Sorry." She took up her bucket and scooped up a large amount of sand, shuffling toward her mother on her knees. "You should lay down again."
Daphne rolled her eyes, and complied, falling back into the sand heavily. She rested her arms over her chest again, glowering at her daughter. Daring her.
Daisy glanced at Harry, then sighed and began pouring the sand over Daphne's feet and ankles. "I guess we'll just start here," she told Harry. "Help me out, daddy."
"Okay, sweetie..." Harry grinned, snatching up a second bucket. He mouthed a 'sorry' to Daphne. She surreptitiously flipped him off with her crossed arms, though there was a small grin on her face as well.
Once their work was finished, all the way up to Daphne's neck, Daisy stood back with her bucket at her waist to admire her handiwork. There was a beautiful smile on her lips. One that she turned on Harry as she spoke her next words.
"Thanks for showing me how to bury a body out here, daddy."
Harry stared. As did Daphne.
Daisy held her expression for several beats - and then she broke. She erupted into mad giggles, throwing her bucket away and hugging her sides. "T-take that, mummy! I got you for earlier! And you too, daddy - your face was hilarious!"
Daphne began to laugh as well, loud and rich.
Harry laughed too, shaking his head and gazing up at the sky and the low sun.
Daisy really did get too much from her mother!
What was he going to do with either of them?