Chapter 5
By the end of November almost everyone was sick of Ron and Daisy. Harry and Cho had always had a slow, quite relationship, and Hermione wouldn't even call Viktor Krum her boyfriend even though she wrote to him almost daily and he to her. But Ron and Daisy were just obnoxiously happy. They held hands always, kissed whenever they could, and who knows what they did when people weren't looking. Their teachers had taken to separating them in class. Even with Harry and Hermione sitting between them they still managed to find some way to contact, even if was just a look.
Quidditch practice was the only exception. They both trained so hard. Harry was impressed when the play he had the team run went perfectly. Ron had been helping him in the evenings come up with Quidditch plays. This was the only time Ron and Daisy weren't within ten feet of each other. She seemed to disappear every evening.
"Where do you think she goes?" Hermione asked looking up from her Arthimacy book one evening.
"I don't know," said Ron. "We're not attached at the hip."
"You have fooled the rest of us!" Harry said.
"Oh, be quite, and don't you think Fred would be better positioned over here?" he said pointing to a Quidditch diagram.
"Maybe Daisy has the sense to study, you know some place quite. The O.W.L.'s are only eight months away!"
*********************** "Daisy!" called professor Blanc at the end of one Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "Stay a minute. We need to talk."
"Go on guys." she said squeezing Ron's hand good-bye. "I'll catch you up in a minute."
Just a few steps from class Harry realized he forgot his book. I'll go get it and wait for Daisy. You two go get us seats at lunch." he said turning back towards the Dark Art classroom.
Once again Harry heard the conversation inside.
"You know," Daisy was saying, "all the girls think that tiny French accent of yours is so cute!"
"I did not want to talk to you about accents. We certainly don't want to touch on yours, right?" he responded.
"Fair enough. So what's up, teach?"
"You should have a little more respect for me, you know."
"Sorry, not going to happen. Next you'll want me to stop calling Guy out of class."
"Anyway, I wanted make sure you're alright."
"Never better!" she said happily.
"You stopped wearing your glasses," he said solemnly.
Daisy pouted. "I hate those things!"
"And you have Quidditch practice all the time, or school work, or Ron. And then there's the pub..."
"I'm fine!" she insisted.
"I want you to wear your glasses," the young professor said. "Or take some time and relax. You shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself."
Daisy sighed. "I like the pressure. I've never had this much control over my own life."
"That's not true," Blanc said. "Up until that summer, you were uncontrollable."
"No," she said, "I was a cornered animal! I was just trying to escape. I'm not going to ever change what I am. I have to deal with being a Seer, and a young woman, and a gypsy! I am training my mind to use my gifts! I meditate and do concentration exercises and work really hard to maintain control. I have real friends for the first time in my life. I've always had the family, but never friends. And a boyfriend. I really care about him. I keep thinking 'I'm going to screw this up. I can't have it this good.' But I haven't and I need to do my part for the family. That's the only constant I've ever had and it's falling apart. If you're worried about me doing too much maybe you should do your part for the family and help at the pub, because I won't let Aunt Ro come home to a failing tavern. Maybe I am walking a tight rope but I'm balancing myself perfectly."
"For now Daze, but for who much longer?" he whispered.
At this point Daisy turned to leave and saw Harry's Book. She grabbed it on the way out.
"Potter!" she called down the hall. "I know you're there Harry. You have a bad habit of over hearing other people's conversations."
"You noticed too, huh?" he said sheepishly.
"Yeah," she said sternly. "I noticed. It's a recurring theme with you."
Harry got a little mad at that comment. "Well, how else are we supposed to find anything out about you! It's not like we'd hear anything from our friend."
"Oh, and you guys don't keep things from me? What about Snuffles? What about that invisibility cloak? What about you're sorting? I trust you to tell me what you can or want to when you can or have to! You should do the same for me." She held his book out to him.
"How did you...? Did the headmaster..?" Harry was flabbergasted that she knew so much. She knew more than Ron and Hermione, if she really knew about the sorting.
"No, no one told me anything! I'm a Seer Harry. I See things." Daisy sighed. "C'mon, let's go eat. I'm starving."
"Daisy..." Harry began.
"Look, Harry, I won't say anything about your secrets if you don't say anything about mine."
Harry thought about it for a moment. "Alright, but Ron and Hermione won't be happy with us if they find out."
"I know." she said.
********************** The first Gryffindor Quidditch match was the last Saturday in November against Huffelpuff. A lot of people had heard Harry had put together a good team but he feeling that anyone who hadn't seen the tryouts believed that Ron and Daisy had gotten on the team because the captain was their friend.
They found out just how wrong they were that Saturday!
Gryffindor flattened Huffelpuff, largely thanks to Ron and Daisy. Ron had scored 100 points in half an hour. Katie and Alicia both credited him with assists for the 60 combine points them had. Daisy didn't let a single quaffle by her. There were a few close calls but Harry suspected that was largely because she was board and trying to entertain herself. By the time Harry caught the snitch Ron had scored again giving Gryffindor a 320 to nothing victory in forty minutes.
"I don't think I've ever had a better time in my life! This week has been great." Daisy said as she flopped into an armchair too tired to move.
Life had been good at school. She and Ron were the talk of Hogwarts. They really had become the prefect Gryffindor couple. Quidditch whizzes, happy couple, some people just don't realize how good it was to be normal. When Harry, Hermione, Daisy, and Ron walked down the halls it was usually with a group of people talking to them about something. They had become the kids everyone wanted to be around. It wasn't hard to see why. Hermione was involved with an internationally famous wizard and was the smartest girl in school. Ron and Daisy had become everyone's ideal couple (even though the teachers still separated them in class), and Harry was dating the most popular girl in Ravenclaw, was captain of the best Quidditch team the school had seen in ages, and was, well Harry Potter! Who wouldn't want to be their friends? Because it's not like they had any problems.
Still sitting in the chair she had collapsed into Daisy called to her friends huddled around the common room notice board. "What's up guys?"
"Hogsmeade weekend!" Ron said.
"Daisy are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked, a note of concern in her voice.
"Yes. Fine. Why?" Daisy answered.
"Because you look like death," Harry said.
"Thank you. You look lovely too," she said with sarcasms dripping off her words.
"No, really love, you look like you should have been in bed hours ago. Where were you? It's nearly one in the morning." Ron said as he sat on the edge of her chair and put his arms around her.
"Oh, no where special. Just out. But you're right I am tired. I think I'll turn in." She got up kissed Ron and went up stairs with a wave to the others as she said. "G'night all."
"Night Daze." Ron called after her as he slid into the now vacant chair. "I'm getting worried about her. Where does she go every night?" Harry thought he heard a hint of paranoia in his friend's voice.
"I don't know," said Hermione, "but I know she's not sleeping well. Or at all as in last night's case. Something's up she's not telling us."
"Maybe she's having visions again?" Harry offered. "Or she's worried about her missing family."
"I don't know," said Ron, "I just wish she'd tell me something!"
********************* Daisy wanted to sleep so badly. She had been at Three Broomsticks for the past three hours serving drinks and being the perfect hostess. She had watched her aunt running the place most of the summer but she never realized how hard it was. All she wanted was sleep, but knew when she closed her eyes the visions would start again.
Since she had begun her extra training her visions had become clearer and she was more in control. That is, until last Saturday night. She thought it just might have been all the celebrating, or the emotional high of winning and having her friends there around her, but that night as she slept she had strange dreams. She didn't want to call them visions at first because she wasn't sure they were. Now she was sure and what she was seeing was so terrible she was afraid to close her eyes. So she pretended. She put on brave face and smiled. She was good at hiding her true emotions even from herself. She could almost convince herself she was happy. But look of worry in Ron's eye tonight had warned her she was slipping up. Something was going to have give, and soon.
Friday afternoon found Ron and Daisy sitting together the common room studying. She was explaining the evolution of poker from tarot cards for their Divination lessons.
"When are we going to be through with this stuff?" Ron asked.
She closed the book and kissed him. "Not for another few months," she said.
He wrapped his arms around her and began to kiss more.
Hermione came in and sat down in chair near the two lovebirds. She had a letter in her hand, which she began to read. After a moment she let out an excited squeak.
Out of the corner of her mouth Daisy asked. "What's up?"
"Viktor is coming! Tomorrow! He's going to meet me Hogsmeade!" she answered.
"Oh, he knew it was a Hogsmeade weekend?" Ron asked between kisses.
"Yes. I wrote him about it." Hermione said. Just then Harry came in looking very dejected. "Oh, Harry thank goodness. I couldn't take looking at them any more." Hermione said as she gestured towards Ron and Daisy, who had just fallen on the floor. "What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked seeing his mood.
"It's Cho. She was very cold to me today. And she didn't want to meet up tomorrow in town." Harry said.
Thud. "Ouch!" Daisy said. She emerged a moment later rubbing her head. Ron was mumbling an apology.
"Maybe it's nothing Harry. She could just want some time alone." Ron suggested.
"Yeah maybe, guess it's you and me?" he said looking at Hermione.
"Well, I, ah..." She began.
"Krum is coming for a visit tomorrow." Daisy answered for her. "I guess you'll just have to settle for Ron."
Ron looked at her. "And where will you be?" he asked his girlfriend.
She kissed his nose, "You'll see tomorrow. Don't worry I'll be there."
**************************** Harry and Ron were both very distracted as they walked around Hogsmeade. They tried to distant themselves in Zonko's Joke Shop, or by checking out new brooms; there was talk of new Firebolt model coming out soon. However, they couldn't seem to get out of their funk.
"I'm hungry." Ron finally said. "Three Broomsticks?"
It then was Harry remember what Daisy had said to professor Blanc about running the pub. At least one of them could be happy, he though. "Yes, I think that's a good idea. Can't be miserable on an empty stomach."
As they entered the Three Broomsticks Harry looked around for Daisy. It wasn't breaking his word if they ran into her, and she was probable expecting to see them.
"The new waitress is cute." Ron said with a little less enthusiasm then usual.
Harry looked at the new waitress. She wasn't facing them but from the back she was really cute. Her hair was tied up in scarf, she wore a blue tank top (because it was so cold outside it was really warm inside), black bra straps were showing slightly, and her mid-drift was just exposed. She had black pants tied at the waist with another scarf, black boots, and loads of silver jewelry completed the outfit. Every male pair of eyes in the place glanced over at the young woman once or twice.
"Doesn't she look sort of familiar?" Harry asked.
"She looks like Daisy." Ron said with a sigh.
"Genius, she is Daisy." Harry pointed out to his friend.
"Don't be daft." Ron said. "I'd know my own girlfriend."
"Oh really!" Harry answered back. Then he shouted. "Oy! Daze! Over here. Two butterbeers."
The pretty young waitress turned and smiled. "Give me a sec guys. I'll be right there."
"See, I told you." Harry said to a speechless Ron.
Daisy came over with two butterbeers and a drink for her that Harry didn't recognize.
"So, this is where you've been?" Ron asked as she sat down next to him.
"Yeah, mostly." she answered. "With my aunt missing I didn't want to see the pub fail. I kinda took it upon my self to run the tavern."
"And the Headmaster agreed to this?" Ron asked.
"Well, for a while he didn't know. After he found out I had already been in control for a week and a half. He said as long as I could still keep up with all my studies, I could keep working here."
Ron was quite for a minute. "You could have told us. Told me at least. We'd have helped. I...I'd do anything to help you." he said all this in clear but quite voice.
"I'm sorry, Ron" Daisy said. "I just didn't know how. I don't ask for help well."
"No kidding." he shot back.
Harry hadn't wanted to interrupt, but now that saw he friends on the verge of a fight he said. "Well now that we all know we can help. I'm sure Hermione will want to help too. That is if she can separate herself from her books and letters."
Daisy smiled and took Ron's hand. "I really am sorry," she said as she squeezed tightly. "I never meant to keep this a secret."
Ron smiled back, "Yeah I know." And he squeezed her hand too
"Daisy?" Harry said a few minutes later. "I've been wanting to ask you something."
"Shoot, Potter." she said cheerfully.
"You were the first person who said Cho liked me, how did you know she was interested?" he blushed a bit as he asked.
"Well, I could just kinda tell. Why?"
"Can you 'just kinda tell' how she feels now?" Harry asked.
Daisy looked to Ron for help but found none. "Well, Harry you can tell yourself now can't you?"
"She's been really cool to me lately. I think she wants to brake things off between us." It was the first time Harry had voiced his fear. He was hoping his friends would convince him he was wrong.
"I think you might be right." Daisy said, sensing his loss of hope added, "But who knows, right? I meant teenage girls can be really hard to figure out."
"No kidding." Ron said dryly, and Daisy hit his arm.
Daisy and Ron decide Harry needed some serious cheering up and where doing there best to make him smile. They finally succeeded when Daisy plopped into Ron's lap and said, "You know you really are a strange guy."
"Me, I'm not the one who runs into strangers in the street, where's sunglasses constantly, and dated Draco Malfoy."
"Hey, just because I'm a klutz who can't see and makes poor decisions, doesn't mean I'm not completely normal."
At the description of Daisy as completely normal Harry and Ron looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.
The three teenagers were sitting there laughing as Hermione walked in with Viktor Krum. At the sight of them Daisy immediately bristled.
"Hi guys!" Hermione said cheerfully. "Viktor, you know Harry and Ron, and this is Daisy."
"Ah, Miss Dumbledore, Her-my-ninny as been talking about you in her letters. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said and politely extended his hand.
Daisy took it as said coolly, "Pleasure."
She was still sitting on Ron's lap and he noticed her grip on him was a little tighter.
"That is a lovely pendent." Krum said.
"Thank you. It was my grandmother's. I'd better get back to work." she said as she got up and began to move away.
"Hey," Ron said grabbing her wrist lightly and with a smile.
Daisy smiled back at him. "Sorry, love." she said and kissed him before disappearing.
"You know," said Hermione sitting down in the chair Viktor had pulled out for her, "I've never seen her without that necklace. Even on the rare occasion she takes of all her jewelry."
Ron and Harry both realized the same thing. And although none of them said they noticed the color of the stone was a very unique, very pale blue, almost white. The only time they had every seen a color like that was in Daisy's eye's in the midst of a vision.
After about an hour of sitting and laughing in the Three Broomsticks Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Viktor Krum decided to walk around town a bit.
"Has Hermione taken you to the Quidditch shop?" Harry asked.
"No," he said. "I vould really like to see this new broom. Some of my teammates wrote to say how excellent it is."
"Oh good, just what I want to do." Hermione said sarcastically.
"Excellent, we'll be off then shall we?" Ron said as he looked around for Daisy. "Where did she go?" he mumbled to himself. "I'll go pay the tab," he said a little louder.
Daisy was hiding out behind the bar. "Hey! I couldn't find you back here. Is something wrong?" Ron said when he spotted her.
She leaned in the bar and said, "I just don't like him."
"Who? Krum? Well he's not my favorite person either, but he's alright. Anyway, how much do we owe you?"
"Pay? No way I'm charging you guys." She lean forward even more and kissed him. Ron couldn't help noticing that her tank top was very low cut. "It's one of the perks of dating the manager."
"Just one?" he asked. "You'll have to let me in on the others soon." He smiled and kissed her back. Finally, he pulled away and said "I'd better go."
"Alright," she sighed. "I'll see you later."
Daisy waved good-bye to her friends and they waved back as they left.
"Aw, poor little barmaid. Left all alone," said a cold voice from the end of the bar.
"What do want Malfoy?" She said with a flash of anger.
"Four butterbeers. But I couldn't help noticing you and the weasel. So will you give it a way free again?"
"Watch your mouth. There aren't any teachers here to protect you," she said. It wasn't quite true. There were a few teachers at odd tables but still...
"I just though I'd see if I could get some of those, what did you say? 'Perks?' You know, if you've started giving it out again," he said with a sneer.
Daisy's voice went very low. "Get. Out."
"I beg your pardon?" he said trying to egg her into making a scene.
She took a breath and with her eyes flashing said. "Get out. If I ever have the misfortune to see your vile face in here again, I will curse you so badly you won't even know who you are."
It is said that Albus Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in the world, and the only one the Dark Lord fears. If He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named could have seen the young witch just then, list would have grown to two. Seeing that look in her eyes, Draco Malfoy turned around, gathered his friends and left.
***************************
Harry was still kind of down, but he didn't want to ruin everyone else's good time. He laughed and joked with the others. Krum really didn't talk much, he seemed to be taking everything in. Harry watched the way Krum was with Hermione. They certainly weren't as affectionate as Ron and Daisy, but then, few people were. Watching them however, Harry got the impression Hermione and Krum were just friends.
However, even though he was wild about Daisy, every time Hermione and Krum touched or shared some private joke, Ron would go red around his ears and the back of his neck.
They finally reached the Quidditch shop. Once inside they began to look around, but before they could really look around Harry noticed a couple of students making-out in a corner. "At least you and Daisy aren't the only ones," Harry said to Ron.
"Do we really look like that? Sorry, mate." Ron said with a smile. "Who are those two anyway?"
"I can't tell who the girl is, but the boy is Mike Andrews, he's the new Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. Cho introduced us a few weeks ago." Harry said, but thinking about Cho took all the amusement out of watching Andrews with this girl.
Just then Hermione came over from the other side of the room, she had seen Andrews too, but she had also seen the girl. "I think we should go, now," she said firmly.
"Hermione, we just got here." Ron said in a loud voice.
Loud enough that it seemed to be a mood killer for Andrews' girl, because just then she stopped kissing him and tried to get out the shop unseen. Sadly though, Harry had seen who it was, Cho.
"I think leaving would be a very good idea," he said.
*********************************
By the end of November almost everyone was sick of Ron and Daisy. Harry and Cho had always had a slow, quite relationship, and Hermione wouldn't even call Viktor Krum her boyfriend even though she wrote to him almost daily and he to her. But Ron and Daisy were just obnoxiously happy. They held hands always, kissed whenever they could, and who knows what they did when people weren't looking. Their teachers had taken to separating them in class. Even with Harry and Hermione sitting between them they still managed to find some way to contact, even if was just a look.
Quidditch practice was the only exception. They both trained so hard. Harry was impressed when the play he had the team run went perfectly. Ron had been helping him in the evenings come up with Quidditch plays. This was the only time Ron and Daisy weren't within ten feet of each other. She seemed to disappear every evening.
"Where do you think she goes?" Hermione asked looking up from her Arthimacy book one evening.
"I don't know," said Ron. "We're not attached at the hip."
"You have fooled the rest of us!" Harry said.
"Oh, be quite, and don't you think Fred would be better positioned over here?" he said pointing to a Quidditch diagram.
"Maybe Daisy has the sense to study, you know some place quite. The O.W.L.'s are only eight months away!"
*********************** "Daisy!" called professor Blanc at the end of one Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "Stay a minute. We need to talk."
"Go on guys." she said squeezing Ron's hand good-bye. "I'll catch you up in a minute."
Just a few steps from class Harry realized he forgot his book. I'll go get it and wait for Daisy. You two go get us seats at lunch." he said turning back towards the Dark Art classroom.
Once again Harry heard the conversation inside.
"You know," Daisy was saying, "all the girls think that tiny French accent of yours is so cute!"
"I did not want to talk to you about accents. We certainly don't want to touch on yours, right?" he responded.
"Fair enough. So what's up, teach?"
"You should have a little more respect for me, you know."
"Sorry, not going to happen. Next you'll want me to stop calling Guy out of class."
"Anyway, I wanted make sure you're alright."
"Never better!" she said happily.
"You stopped wearing your glasses," he said solemnly.
Daisy pouted. "I hate those things!"
"And you have Quidditch practice all the time, or school work, or Ron. And then there's the pub..."
"I'm fine!" she insisted.
"I want you to wear your glasses," the young professor said. "Or take some time and relax. You shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself."
Daisy sighed. "I like the pressure. I've never had this much control over my own life."
"That's not true," Blanc said. "Up until that summer, you were uncontrollable."
"No," she said, "I was a cornered animal! I was just trying to escape. I'm not going to ever change what I am. I have to deal with being a Seer, and a young woman, and a gypsy! I am training my mind to use my gifts! I meditate and do concentration exercises and work really hard to maintain control. I have real friends for the first time in my life. I've always had the family, but never friends. And a boyfriend. I really care about him. I keep thinking 'I'm going to screw this up. I can't have it this good.' But I haven't and I need to do my part for the family. That's the only constant I've ever had and it's falling apart. If you're worried about me doing too much maybe you should do your part for the family and help at the pub, because I won't let Aunt Ro come home to a failing tavern. Maybe I am walking a tight rope but I'm balancing myself perfectly."
"For now Daze, but for who much longer?" he whispered.
At this point Daisy turned to leave and saw Harry's Book. She grabbed it on the way out.
"Potter!" she called down the hall. "I know you're there Harry. You have a bad habit of over hearing other people's conversations."
"You noticed too, huh?" he said sheepishly.
"Yeah," she said sternly. "I noticed. It's a recurring theme with you."
Harry got a little mad at that comment. "Well, how else are we supposed to find anything out about you! It's not like we'd hear anything from our friend."
"Oh, and you guys don't keep things from me? What about Snuffles? What about that invisibility cloak? What about you're sorting? I trust you to tell me what you can or want to when you can or have to! You should do the same for me." She held his book out to him.
"How did you...? Did the headmaster..?" Harry was flabbergasted that she knew so much. She knew more than Ron and Hermione, if she really knew about the sorting.
"No, no one told me anything! I'm a Seer Harry. I See things." Daisy sighed. "C'mon, let's go eat. I'm starving."
"Daisy..." Harry began.
"Look, Harry, I won't say anything about your secrets if you don't say anything about mine."
Harry thought about it for a moment. "Alright, but Ron and Hermione won't be happy with us if they find out."
"I know." she said.
********************** The first Gryffindor Quidditch match was the last Saturday in November against Huffelpuff. A lot of people had heard Harry had put together a good team but he feeling that anyone who hadn't seen the tryouts believed that Ron and Daisy had gotten on the team because the captain was their friend.
They found out just how wrong they were that Saturday!
Gryffindor flattened Huffelpuff, largely thanks to Ron and Daisy. Ron had scored 100 points in half an hour. Katie and Alicia both credited him with assists for the 60 combine points them had. Daisy didn't let a single quaffle by her. There were a few close calls but Harry suspected that was largely because she was board and trying to entertain herself. By the time Harry caught the snitch Ron had scored again giving Gryffindor a 320 to nothing victory in forty minutes.
"I don't think I've ever had a better time in my life! This week has been great." Daisy said as she flopped into an armchair too tired to move.
Life had been good at school. She and Ron were the talk of Hogwarts. They really had become the prefect Gryffindor couple. Quidditch whizzes, happy couple, some people just don't realize how good it was to be normal. When Harry, Hermione, Daisy, and Ron walked down the halls it was usually with a group of people talking to them about something. They had become the kids everyone wanted to be around. It wasn't hard to see why. Hermione was involved with an internationally famous wizard and was the smartest girl in school. Ron and Daisy had become everyone's ideal couple (even though the teachers still separated them in class), and Harry was dating the most popular girl in Ravenclaw, was captain of the best Quidditch team the school had seen in ages, and was, well Harry Potter! Who wouldn't want to be their friends? Because it's not like they had any problems.
Still sitting in the chair she had collapsed into Daisy called to her friends huddled around the common room notice board. "What's up guys?"
"Hogsmeade weekend!" Ron said.
"Daisy are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked, a note of concern in her voice.
"Yes. Fine. Why?" Daisy answered.
"Because you look like death," Harry said.
"Thank you. You look lovely too," she said with sarcasms dripping off her words.
"No, really love, you look like you should have been in bed hours ago. Where were you? It's nearly one in the morning." Ron said as he sat on the edge of her chair and put his arms around her.
"Oh, no where special. Just out. But you're right I am tired. I think I'll turn in." She got up kissed Ron and went up stairs with a wave to the others as she said. "G'night all."
"Night Daze." Ron called after her as he slid into the now vacant chair. "I'm getting worried about her. Where does she go every night?" Harry thought he heard a hint of paranoia in his friend's voice.
"I don't know," said Hermione, "but I know she's not sleeping well. Or at all as in last night's case. Something's up she's not telling us."
"Maybe she's having visions again?" Harry offered. "Or she's worried about her missing family."
"I don't know," said Ron, "I just wish she'd tell me something!"
********************* Daisy wanted to sleep so badly. She had been at Three Broomsticks for the past three hours serving drinks and being the perfect hostess. She had watched her aunt running the place most of the summer but she never realized how hard it was. All she wanted was sleep, but knew when she closed her eyes the visions would start again.
Since she had begun her extra training her visions had become clearer and she was more in control. That is, until last Saturday night. She thought it just might have been all the celebrating, or the emotional high of winning and having her friends there around her, but that night as she slept she had strange dreams. She didn't want to call them visions at first because she wasn't sure they were. Now she was sure and what she was seeing was so terrible she was afraid to close her eyes. So she pretended. She put on brave face and smiled. She was good at hiding her true emotions even from herself. She could almost convince herself she was happy. But look of worry in Ron's eye tonight had warned her she was slipping up. Something was going to have give, and soon.
Friday afternoon found Ron and Daisy sitting together the common room studying. She was explaining the evolution of poker from tarot cards for their Divination lessons.
"When are we going to be through with this stuff?" Ron asked.
She closed the book and kissed him. "Not for another few months," she said.
He wrapped his arms around her and began to kiss more.
Hermione came in and sat down in chair near the two lovebirds. She had a letter in her hand, which she began to read. After a moment she let out an excited squeak.
Out of the corner of her mouth Daisy asked. "What's up?"
"Viktor is coming! Tomorrow! He's going to meet me Hogsmeade!" she answered.
"Oh, he knew it was a Hogsmeade weekend?" Ron asked between kisses.
"Yes. I wrote him about it." Hermione said. Just then Harry came in looking very dejected. "Oh, Harry thank goodness. I couldn't take looking at them any more." Hermione said as she gestured towards Ron and Daisy, who had just fallen on the floor. "What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked seeing his mood.
"It's Cho. She was very cold to me today. And she didn't want to meet up tomorrow in town." Harry said.
Thud. "Ouch!" Daisy said. She emerged a moment later rubbing her head. Ron was mumbling an apology.
"Maybe it's nothing Harry. She could just want some time alone." Ron suggested.
"Yeah maybe, guess it's you and me?" he said looking at Hermione.
"Well, I, ah..." She began.
"Krum is coming for a visit tomorrow." Daisy answered for her. "I guess you'll just have to settle for Ron."
Ron looked at her. "And where will you be?" he asked his girlfriend.
She kissed his nose, "You'll see tomorrow. Don't worry I'll be there."
**************************** Harry and Ron were both very distracted as they walked around Hogsmeade. They tried to distant themselves in Zonko's Joke Shop, or by checking out new brooms; there was talk of new Firebolt model coming out soon. However, they couldn't seem to get out of their funk.
"I'm hungry." Ron finally said. "Three Broomsticks?"
It then was Harry remember what Daisy had said to professor Blanc about running the pub. At least one of them could be happy, he though. "Yes, I think that's a good idea. Can't be miserable on an empty stomach."
As they entered the Three Broomsticks Harry looked around for Daisy. It wasn't breaking his word if they ran into her, and she was probable expecting to see them.
"The new waitress is cute." Ron said with a little less enthusiasm then usual.
Harry looked at the new waitress. She wasn't facing them but from the back she was really cute. Her hair was tied up in scarf, she wore a blue tank top (because it was so cold outside it was really warm inside), black bra straps were showing slightly, and her mid-drift was just exposed. She had black pants tied at the waist with another scarf, black boots, and loads of silver jewelry completed the outfit. Every male pair of eyes in the place glanced over at the young woman once or twice.
"Doesn't she look sort of familiar?" Harry asked.
"She looks like Daisy." Ron said with a sigh.
"Genius, she is Daisy." Harry pointed out to his friend.
"Don't be daft." Ron said. "I'd know my own girlfriend."
"Oh really!" Harry answered back. Then he shouted. "Oy! Daze! Over here. Two butterbeers."
The pretty young waitress turned and smiled. "Give me a sec guys. I'll be right there."
"See, I told you." Harry said to a speechless Ron.
Daisy came over with two butterbeers and a drink for her that Harry didn't recognize.
"So, this is where you've been?" Ron asked as she sat down next to him.
"Yeah, mostly." she answered. "With my aunt missing I didn't want to see the pub fail. I kinda took it upon my self to run the tavern."
"And the Headmaster agreed to this?" Ron asked.
"Well, for a while he didn't know. After he found out I had already been in control for a week and a half. He said as long as I could still keep up with all my studies, I could keep working here."
Ron was quite for a minute. "You could have told us. Told me at least. We'd have helped. I...I'd do anything to help you." he said all this in clear but quite voice.
"I'm sorry, Ron" Daisy said. "I just didn't know how. I don't ask for help well."
"No kidding." he shot back.
Harry hadn't wanted to interrupt, but now that saw he friends on the verge of a fight he said. "Well now that we all know we can help. I'm sure Hermione will want to help too. That is if she can separate herself from her books and letters."
Daisy smiled and took Ron's hand. "I really am sorry," she said as she squeezed tightly. "I never meant to keep this a secret."
Ron smiled back, "Yeah I know." And he squeezed her hand too
"Daisy?" Harry said a few minutes later. "I've been wanting to ask you something."
"Shoot, Potter." she said cheerfully.
"You were the first person who said Cho liked me, how did you know she was interested?" he blushed a bit as he asked.
"Well, I could just kinda tell. Why?"
"Can you 'just kinda tell' how she feels now?" Harry asked.
Daisy looked to Ron for help but found none. "Well, Harry you can tell yourself now can't you?"
"She's been really cool to me lately. I think she wants to brake things off between us." It was the first time Harry had voiced his fear. He was hoping his friends would convince him he was wrong.
"I think you might be right." Daisy said, sensing his loss of hope added, "But who knows, right? I meant teenage girls can be really hard to figure out."
"No kidding." Ron said dryly, and Daisy hit his arm.
Daisy and Ron decide Harry needed some serious cheering up and where doing there best to make him smile. They finally succeeded when Daisy plopped into Ron's lap and said, "You know you really are a strange guy."
"Me, I'm not the one who runs into strangers in the street, where's sunglasses constantly, and dated Draco Malfoy."
"Hey, just because I'm a klutz who can't see and makes poor decisions, doesn't mean I'm not completely normal."
At the description of Daisy as completely normal Harry and Ron looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.
The three teenagers were sitting there laughing as Hermione walked in with Viktor Krum. At the sight of them Daisy immediately bristled.
"Hi guys!" Hermione said cheerfully. "Viktor, you know Harry and Ron, and this is Daisy."
"Ah, Miss Dumbledore, Her-my-ninny as been talking about you in her letters. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said and politely extended his hand.
Daisy took it as said coolly, "Pleasure."
She was still sitting on Ron's lap and he noticed her grip on him was a little tighter.
"That is a lovely pendent." Krum said.
"Thank you. It was my grandmother's. I'd better get back to work." she said as she got up and began to move away.
"Hey," Ron said grabbing her wrist lightly and with a smile.
Daisy smiled back at him. "Sorry, love." she said and kissed him before disappearing.
"You know," said Hermione sitting down in the chair Viktor had pulled out for her, "I've never seen her without that necklace. Even on the rare occasion she takes of all her jewelry."
Ron and Harry both realized the same thing. And although none of them said they noticed the color of the stone was a very unique, very pale blue, almost white. The only time they had every seen a color like that was in Daisy's eye's in the midst of a vision.
After about an hour of sitting and laughing in the Three Broomsticks Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Viktor Krum decided to walk around town a bit.
"Has Hermione taken you to the Quidditch shop?" Harry asked.
"No," he said. "I vould really like to see this new broom. Some of my teammates wrote to say how excellent it is."
"Oh good, just what I want to do." Hermione said sarcastically.
"Excellent, we'll be off then shall we?" Ron said as he looked around for Daisy. "Where did she go?" he mumbled to himself. "I'll go pay the tab," he said a little louder.
Daisy was hiding out behind the bar. "Hey! I couldn't find you back here. Is something wrong?" Ron said when he spotted her.
She leaned in the bar and said, "I just don't like him."
"Who? Krum? Well he's not my favorite person either, but he's alright. Anyway, how much do we owe you?"
"Pay? No way I'm charging you guys." She lean forward even more and kissed him. Ron couldn't help noticing that her tank top was very low cut. "It's one of the perks of dating the manager."
"Just one?" he asked. "You'll have to let me in on the others soon." He smiled and kissed her back. Finally, he pulled away and said "I'd better go."
"Alright," she sighed. "I'll see you later."
Daisy waved good-bye to her friends and they waved back as they left.
"Aw, poor little barmaid. Left all alone," said a cold voice from the end of the bar.
"What do want Malfoy?" She said with a flash of anger.
"Four butterbeers. But I couldn't help noticing you and the weasel. So will you give it a way free again?"
"Watch your mouth. There aren't any teachers here to protect you," she said. It wasn't quite true. There were a few teachers at odd tables but still...
"I just though I'd see if I could get some of those, what did you say? 'Perks?' You know, if you've started giving it out again," he said with a sneer.
Daisy's voice went very low. "Get. Out."
"I beg your pardon?" he said trying to egg her into making a scene.
She took a breath and with her eyes flashing said. "Get out. If I ever have the misfortune to see your vile face in here again, I will curse you so badly you won't even know who you are."
It is said that Albus Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in the world, and the only one the Dark Lord fears. If He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named could have seen the young witch just then, list would have grown to two. Seeing that look in her eyes, Draco Malfoy turned around, gathered his friends and left.
***************************
Harry was still kind of down, but he didn't want to ruin everyone else's good time. He laughed and joked with the others. Krum really didn't talk much, he seemed to be taking everything in. Harry watched the way Krum was with Hermione. They certainly weren't as affectionate as Ron and Daisy, but then, few people were. Watching them however, Harry got the impression Hermione and Krum were just friends.
However, even though he was wild about Daisy, every time Hermione and Krum touched or shared some private joke, Ron would go red around his ears and the back of his neck.
They finally reached the Quidditch shop. Once inside they began to look around, but before they could really look around Harry noticed a couple of students making-out in a corner. "At least you and Daisy aren't the only ones," Harry said to Ron.
"Do we really look like that? Sorry, mate." Ron said with a smile. "Who are those two anyway?"
"I can't tell who the girl is, but the boy is Mike Andrews, he's the new Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. Cho introduced us a few weeks ago." Harry said, but thinking about Cho took all the amusement out of watching Andrews with this girl.
Just then Hermione came over from the other side of the room, she had seen Andrews too, but she had also seen the girl. "I think we should go, now," she said firmly.
"Hermione, we just got here." Ron said in a loud voice.
Loud enough that it seemed to be a mood killer for Andrews' girl, because just then she stopped kissing him and tried to get out the shop unseen. Sadly though, Harry had seen who it was, Cho.
"I think leaving would be a very good idea," he said.
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