Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, so don't sue me! I hope everyone
enjoys this and I promise it will get better as it continues!
Goodbye and Hello
On the day before classes were to start again, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came to meet Sara and to bring her back home. Danielle went with them to make sure Sara was settled and to say goodbye.
Sara liked the Weasleys right from the start. Sara would share Ginny's room when Ginny was there, but other wise, she had it to herself. Sara was treated like one of their children, she was expected to help out around the house, but Mrs. Weasley never raised her voice at her.
Danielle basically only came with Sara to make sure Sara would like it there. Danielle knew that she would, it was a home with a mother and a father that cared about her. This was what all the children at the orphanage dreamed about, including Danielle.
Danielle hugged Sara goodbye and told her, "Now, you be a good girl, do you hear me. I'll come visit once a month. If you ever need me or you feel lonely, just sing our song and I'll be right here." Danielle finished pointing to Sara's heart.
Danielle hugged her once more and then picked up her broom to fly off. As Danielle took off, Sara ran from the Mrs. Weasley's arms and ran after Danielle.
"Wait, don't go, who's going to protect me?" Sara cried up to Danielle. Danielle tuned her broom around and flew back down to where Sara was standing; Danielle got off the broom and held Sara close to her.
"Sara, these are good people. This is the type of home and the kind of people that everyone back there dreams about. You don't need my protection anymore; these people are going to take care of you. You'll have everything you could ever want and more, go." Danielle said letting her go and giving her a slight push back to the house.
"But I won't have you and you're the only person I want." Sara said on the brink of tears.
Danielle sat down and pulled Sara unto her lap. Danielle slowly rocked her back and forth and started to sing.
"Baby mine don't you cry, Baby mine dry your eye, Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine. Little one when you play, don't you mind what they say, let those eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear, baby of mine. If they knew sweet little you, they'd end up loving you too. All those same people who scold you, what they'd give just for the right to hold you. From you head to your toes, you're not much goodness knows, but your so precious to me, sure as can be baby of mine."
The two girls just sat there after Danielle had finished singing. Finally Danielle broke the silence.
"Do you know where I learned that song?" Sara just shook her head no, "My mother used to sing it to me before she died. I learned that song from the women who loved me the most, just like you did." Sara started to cry silently.
Danielle just held her tighter and continued saying, "My mother isn't here to hold me, but she's in my heart, so she's always with me. Just like the song says, we never did part. Likewise, you and me will never part because you will always be in my heart and I will be in yours. All you have to do it look inside you and I'll be there to protect you and love you. No matter how much distance separates us, love brings us together." Danielle held the little girl tightly.
Danielle stood Sara up and then got up to her knees to look Sara in the eyes. "We will always be together in our hearts, and I'll come visit often. Now I really must go. Be a good girl, hear?"
Danielle got on her broom and didn't look back; she knew if she did, she would never leave. As she flew back to Hogwarts, a tear escaped from her eye for the first time in a long time. She couldn't seem to hold them back this time.
When Danielle got back to Hogwarts there was no one in Gryffindor Tower. Danielle saw Hedwig was sitting on her bed with a letter. "Tim!" Danielle screamed and ran over to the owl.
Danielle and Sara had sent a letter to Tim to wish him a Merry Christmas and sent him, and anyone that was with him, some Christmas cookies that the two girls had been allowed to bake down in the kitchen. Danielle had also enclosed a little money to help them out until they got jobs.
Danielle softly untied the letter from Hedwig's leg and petted the owl fondly as she excitedly opened the letter. Hedwig was content with the petting, she was feeling very neglected lately. Danielle opened the letter and read what Tim had written back.
My Dearest Danny and Sweetest Sara, How are the two loves of my life? We have all missed you greatly since you left, but we all understand and are still very grateful for the chance you gave the rest of us to get away. Last I heard Mr. Hunt was still in the hospital from whatever Danny did to him, but let's not waist paper on him. Thank you very much for the cookies; they were a wonderful treat for all of us. We have an apartment here in London now. We are a little crowed, with eight of us in a one bedroom apartment, but it's a roof over our heads. I have found a job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant and Candy got one as a waitress at the same place. Samuel is working at a little bookstore and Michelle is working singer at this nightclub. Between the three of us that have REAL jobs, we have enough to pay the rent each month with a little to spare, which we are going to put in a bank. Michelle's tips cover food for all eight of us plus entertainment for the younger ones. I don't know what happened to all the others, they didn't want to come with us. I hope the two of you are both well. Sara, enjoy this house you are going to, it sounds like a dream come true. Danny, I hope everything is going great. I'm glad you found your brother and people to care for you. I would tell you not to forget us, but you obviously have not. Thank you for everything you have done for us, you are a goddess. I do love you with all my heart. You will probably meet a respectable guy and fall in love with him, but I do love you and I will never stop. We can still have that life I promised you a while ago. After you get out of your school of course. Please keep in touch and let me know how Sara is doing, I love that little girl like a daughter, like you do. I miss both of you tons and think of you often. Enjoy yourselves, my Dearest Danny and Sweetest Sara. Tim
Danielle lay on her bed reading it over and over. When she got cold, she went down by the fire and continued to read it. "He is so sweet!" Danielle said quietly before she realized there were people in the room.
Harry and Ron had just come in. "Who's so sweet?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.
Danielle jumped at the sound of his voice. "Harry, Ron," her eyes went very big.
Danielle liked Ron, she thought of him as more than a friend, but she couldn't just forget about Tim, she did love him as much as he wrote that loved her.
"I didn't know you were there." Danielle said blushing.
"That was obvious, but you still haven't answered the question." Ron pointed out. He was getting a little jealous.
"Just an old friend, I wrote him a letter and he wrote back, nothing more." Danielle said hoping he would leave it at that.
"Whatever." Ron said, "I'm so tired, I'm going to bed." He headed for the stairs, but noticed Harry wasn't following. "Coming Harry?" He asked getting annoyed. "I'll be up in a minute, I want to find out how Sara was settling in." Harry called to Ron with a look to Ron that said, I need to talk to my sister. Ron went up the stairs with a deep sigh of annoyance.
"Can I read it?" Harry seriously asked his sister. Danielle looked down on the ground and handed him the letter.
Harry read it without changing the look on his face. Danielle just looked at the ground, she felt incredibly guilty, but she loved Tim and couldn't just push him out of her life. When Harry finished he sat down next to her.
"This guy really loves you doesn't he." Danielle could only nod. "Do you love him?" again only a nod. "What about Ron?" Harry asked using Telepathy. He didn't want Ron of any of the Weasley's to hear this conversation.
Danielle looked down at the ground until she thought back, "I like Ron, but I don't know him well enough to love yet." She paused and there was silence.
Danielle continued with her explanation. "There are certain things that you now know, that I can't tell just anyone. Tim has always been there for me. He's the only person who has seen me cry since I was three. I trust him with my life and I love him. When I came here I didn't think I would ever see Tim again. It was like he was dead and I could do whatever I wanted with whoever I wanted." Again she paused.
Harry jumped in. "I understand, Tim has always been there and you know you can rely on him. But, I'm not the one who needs to understand, Ron is. You need to go tell him this." Harry didn't say anything more.
Danielle nodded and went upstairs. Ron heard a knock on his door. "Come in." He yelled and Danielle stood in the door.
"Can we go out for a walk?" She asked and once Ron looked into her eyes he couldn't say no, even if he wanted to. Ron nodded. "Good, we need to talk."
Danielle and Ron walked out of the castle and found a rock to sit on by the lake. The moon reflected it and shown on Danielle's long hair making it shine even more than usually.
"Here, please read it, it will help you understand. But then, I have some things to explain before you get mad and never talk to me again. Please let me get threw them."
Ron promised and she handed him the letter to read. Ron's eyes had tears in them by the time he got done reading. He didn't let them fall down, but Danielle could see he was hurt.
Danielle took off her robes and lifted up the back of her shirt. Ron looked at her puzzled until he saw the scars. "What are those?" He asked all traces of tears gone.
"This is difficult for me to say, so please bear with me." Danielle told him and he nodded with a look of great concern on him face.
"Mr. Hunt, the man who run the orphanage would beat us. Sometimes with his fist, but other times he would hit us with his belt. Those are scars on my back that are too old and deep for magic to heal. All the others have been healed. I don't expect you to understand this all, but my childhood was not happy. I was beaten with a belt at least once a week and slapped across the face or punched in the stomach at least once a day. Tim was always there for me. He's the only person who has seen me cry since around the age of three. He always told me we could run away and live together, get married. But I couldn't leave all the other little children there alone with Mr. Hunt. When I came here, I didn't think I would ever go back let alone see Tim again. I figured he would leave soon after I did. But he stayed to take care of the little ones like Sara, so Mr. Hunt wouldn't hurt them, like he hurt us. I love him. I can't deny that I love him. But I like you also. I don't know you well enough to say I love you, but I am attracted to you and I know I would be deeply hurt if this was the other way around. So maybe I do love you. But I don't know what to do. I love you both and I don't think I could live without either of you." Danielle stopped there to look at Ron.
Ron was looking at the moon reflected in the lake. When she stopped he turned to look at her.
"I love you Danielle." He said simply. "And I want you to be happy, even if that means that you're with him. Just be happy." He was looking her in the eyes and Danielle knew he meant it.
Danielle was overcome with love for him right then. "I'm not leaving you." She said her eyes meeting his. "I'm just asking you to understand while I sort everything out. He's a long way away, so you don't have to worry about me running off with him. I love you very much. You understand me better than anyone here. You haven't gotten upset I didn't tell you about Mr. Hunt, or about my back. I just need a few days to clear my head, to figure out what is going on with my life now a-days. It's been crazy ever since I went back to get Sara out. I am sorry for any pain I've caused you." Danielle said looking at Ron's face as he was trying to pretend he wasn't upset.
"I never wanted to cause you pain, never." Danielle started shivering. Ron noticed and put his arms around her pulling her close to him. She smiled at him and leaned in closer. Danielle had soon fallen asleep in his arms.
Ron sat there cradling her for a while. "I love you Danielle Lynn Potter, God help me, I love you." He whispered brushing her hair out of her face to watch her sleeping.
After about an hour of sitting there, holding Danielle in his arms, Ron picked her up. She stirred a little but didn't wake up.
Ron brought her back upstairs. He laid her in her bed. The pulled the covers up and tucked her in tightly.
He kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "Good night my love." Then left.
Goodbye and Hello
On the day before classes were to start again, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came to meet Sara and to bring her back home. Danielle went with them to make sure Sara was settled and to say goodbye.
Sara liked the Weasleys right from the start. Sara would share Ginny's room when Ginny was there, but other wise, she had it to herself. Sara was treated like one of their children, she was expected to help out around the house, but Mrs. Weasley never raised her voice at her.
Danielle basically only came with Sara to make sure Sara would like it there. Danielle knew that she would, it was a home with a mother and a father that cared about her. This was what all the children at the orphanage dreamed about, including Danielle.
Danielle hugged Sara goodbye and told her, "Now, you be a good girl, do you hear me. I'll come visit once a month. If you ever need me or you feel lonely, just sing our song and I'll be right here." Danielle finished pointing to Sara's heart.
Danielle hugged her once more and then picked up her broom to fly off. As Danielle took off, Sara ran from the Mrs. Weasley's arms and ran after Danielle.
"Wait, don't go, who's going to protect me?" Sara cried up to Danielle. Danielle tuned her broom around and flew back down to where Sara was standing; Danielle got off the broom and held Sara close to her.
"Sara, these are good people. This is the type of home and the kind of people that everyone back there dreams about. You don't need my protection anymore; these people are going to take care of you. You'll have everything you could ever want and more, go." Danielle said letting her go and giving her a slight push back to the house.
"But I won't have you and you're the only person I want." Sara said on the brink of tears.
Danielle sat down and pulled Sara unto her lap. Danielle slowly rocked her back and forth and started to sing.
"Baby mine don't you cry, Baby mine dry your eye, Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine. Little one when you play, don't you mind what they say, let those eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear, baby of mine. If they knew sweet little you, they'd end up loving you too. All those same people who scold you, what they'd give just for the right to hold you. From you head to your toes, you're not much goodness knows, but your so precious to me, sure as can be baby of mine."
The two girls just sat there after Danielle had finished singing. Finally Danielle broke the silence.
"Do you know where I learned that song?" Sara just shook her head no, "My mother used to sing it to me before she died. I learned that song from the women who loved me the most, just like you did." Sara started to cry silently.
Danielle just held her tighter and continued saying, "My mother isn't here to hold me, but she's in my heart, so she's always with me. Just like the song says, we never did part. Likewise, you and me will never part because you will always be in my heart and I will be in yours. All you have to do it look inside you and I'll be there to protect you and love you. No matter how much distance separates us, love brings us together." Danielle held the little girl tightly.
Danielle stood Sara up and then got up to her knees to look Sara in the eyes. "We will always be together in our hearts, and I'll come visit often. Now I really must go. Be a good girl, hear?"
Danielle got on her broom and didn't look back; she knew if she did, she would never leave. As she flew back to Hogwarts, a tear escaped from her eye for the first time in a long time. She couldn't seem to hold them back this time.
When Danielle got back to Hogwarts there was no one in Gryffindor Tower. Danielle saw Hedwig was sitting on her bed with a letter. "Tim!" Danielle screamed and ran over to the owl.
Danielle and Sara had sent a letter to Tim to wish him a Merry Christmas and sent him, and anyone that was with him, some Christmas cookies that the two girls had been allowed to bake down in the kitchen. Danielle had also enclosed a little money to help them out until they got jobs.
Danielle softly untied the letter from Hedwig's leg and petted the owl fondly as she excitedly opened the letter. Hedwig was content with the petting, she was feeling very neglected lately. Danielle opened the letter and read what Tim had written back.
My Dearest Danny and Sweetest Sara, How are the two loves of my life? We have all missed you greatly since you left, but we all understand and are still very grateful for the chance you gave the rest of us to get away. Last I heard Mr. Hunt was still in the hospital from whatever Danny did to him, but let's not waist paper on him. Thank you very much for the cookies; they were a wonderful treat for all of us. We have an apartment here in London now. We are a little crowed, with eight of us in a one bedroom apartment, but it's a roof over our heads. I have found a job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant and Candy got one as a waitress at the same place. Samuel is working at a little bookstore and Michelle is working singer at this nightclub. Between the three of us that have REAL jobs, we have enough to pay the rent each month with a little to spare, which we are going to put in a bank. Michelle's tips cover food for all eight of us plus entertainment for the younger ones. I don't know what happened to all the others, they didn't want to come with us. I hope the two of you are both well. Sara, enjoy this house you are going to, it sounds like a dream come true. Danny, I hope everything is going great. I'm glad you found your brother and people to care for you. I would tell you not to forget us, but you obviously have not. Thank you for everything you have done for us, you are a goddess. I do love you with all my heart. You will probably meet a respectable guy and fall in love with him, but I do love you and I will never stop. We can still have that life I promised you a while ago. After you get out of your school of course. Please keep in touch and let me know how Sara is doing, I love that little girl like a daughter, like you do. I miss both of you tons and think of you often. Enjoy yourselves, my Dearest Danny and Sweetest Sara. Tim
Danielle lay on her bed reading it over and over. When she got cold, she went down by the fire and continued to read it. "He is so sweet!" Danielle said quietly before she realized there were people in the room.
Harry and Ron had just come in. "Who's so sweet?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.
Danielle jumped at the sound of his voice. "Harry, Ron," her eyes went very big.
Danielle liked Ron, she thought of him as more than a friend, but she couldn't just forget about Tim, she did love him as much as he wrote that loved her.
"I didn't know you were there." Danielle said blushing.
"That was obvious, but you still haven't answered the question." Ron pointed out. He was getting a little jealous.
"Just an old friend, I wrote him a letter and he wrote back, nothing more." Danielle said hoping he would leave it at that.
"Whatever." Ron said, "I'm so tired, I'm going to bed." He headed for the stairs, but noticed Harry wasn't following. "Coming Harry?" He asked getting annoyed. "I'll be up in a minute, I want to find out how Sara was settling in." Harry called to Ron with a look to Ron that said, I need to talk to my sister. Ron went up the stairs with a deep sigh of annoyance.
"Can I read it?" Harry seriously asked his sister. Danielle looked down on the ground and handed him the letter.
Harry read it without changing the look on his face. Danielle just looked at the ground, she felt incredibly guilty, but she loved Tim and couldn't just push him out of her life. When Harry finished he sat down next to her.
"This guy really loves you doesn't he." Danielle could only nod. "Do you love him?" again only a nod. "What about Ron?" Harry asked using Telepathy. He didn't want Ron of any of the Weasley's to hear this conversation.
Danielle looked down at the ground until she thought back, "I like Ron, but I don't know him well enough to love yet." She paused and there was silence.
Danielle continued with her explanation. "There are certain things that you now know, that I can't tell just anyone. Tim has always been there for me. He's the only person who has seen me cry since I was three. I trust him with my life and I love him. When I came here I didn't think I would ever see Tim again. It was like he was dead and I could do whatever I wanted with whoever I wanted." Again she paused.
Harry jumped in. "I understand, Tim has always been there and you know you can rely on him. But, I'm not the one who needs to understand, Ron is. You need to go tell him this." Harry didn't say anything more.
Danielle nodded and went upstairs. Ron heard a knock on his door. "Come in." He yelled and Danielle stood in the door.
"Can we go out for a walk?" She asked and once Ron looked into her eyes he couldn't say no, even if he wanted to. Ron nodded. "Good, we need to talk."
Danielle and Ron walked out of the castle and found a rock to sit on by the lake. The moon reflected it and shown on Danielle's long hair making it shine even more than usually.
"Here, please read it, it will help you understand. But then, I have some things to explain before you get mad and never talk to me again. Please let me get threw them."
Ron promised and she handed him the letter to read. Ron's eyes had tears in them by the time he got done reading. He didn't let them fall down, but Danielle could see he was hurt.
Danielle took off her robes and lifted up the back of her shirt. Ron looked at her puzzled until he saw the scars. "What are those?" He asked all traces of tears gone.
"This is difficult for me to say, so please bear with me." Danielle told him and he nodded with a look of great concern on him face.
"Mr. Hunt, the man who run the orphanage would beat us. Sometimes with his fist, but other times he would hit us with his belt. Those are scars on my back that are too old and deep for magic to heal. All the others have been healed. I don't expect you to understand this all, but my childhood was not happy. I was beaten with a belt at least once a week and slapped across the face or punched in the stomach at least once a day. Tim was always there for me. He's the only person who has seen me cry since around the age of three. He always told me we could run away and live together, get married. But I couldn't leave all the other little children there alone with Mr. Hunt. When I came here, I didn't think I would ever go back let alone see Tim again. I figured he would leave soon after I did. But he stayed to take care of the little ones like Sara, so Mr. Hunt wouldn't hurt them, like he hurt us. I love him. I can't deny that I love him. But I like you also. I don't know you well enough to say I love you, but I am attracted to you and I know I would be deeply hurt if this was the other way around. So maybe I do love you. But I don't know what to do. I love you both and I don't think I could live without either of you." Danielle stopped there to look at Ron.
Ron was looking at the moon reflected in the lake. When she stopped he turned to look at her.
"I love you Danielle." He said simply. "And I want you to be happy, even if that means that you're with him. Just be happy." He was looking her in the eyes and Danielle knew he meant it.
Danielle was overcome with love for him right then. "I'm not leaving you." She said her eyes meeting his. "I'm just asking you to understand while I sort everything out. He's a long way away, so you don't have to worry about me running off with him. I love you very much. You understand me better than anyone here. You haven't gotten upset I didn't tell you about Mr. Hunt, or about my back. I just need a few days to clear my head, to figure out what is going on with my life now a-days. It's been crazy ever since I went back to get Sara out. I am sorry for any pain I've caused you." Danielle said looking at Ron's face as he was trying to pretend he wasn't upset.
"I never wanted to cause you pain, never." Danielle started shivering. Ron noticed and put his arms around her pulling her close to him. She smiled at him and leaned in closer. Danielle had soon fallen asleep in his arms.
Ron sat there cradling her for a while. "I love you Danielle Lynn Potter, God help me, I love you." He whispered brushing her hair out of her face to watch her sleeping.
After about an hour of sitting there, holding Danielle in his arms, Ron picked her up. She stirred a little but didn't wake up.
Ron brought her back upstairs. He laid her in her bed. The pulled the covers up and tucked her in tightly.
He kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "Good night my love." Then left.