Chapter 9
"Video killed the radio star, Video kill the radio star. It's in my mind, It's in my car... "
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were looking at Daisy as she was singing to herself. They were walking down to Care of Magical Creatures.
"Daze, what are you singing?" Ron asked.
"Muggle pop hits! Classic eighties rock. My sister got me addicted."
The last word had a strange reaction on her friends. "Oh, lighten up you three!"
"And she stated singing again. I would walk 500 mile, and I would 500 hundred more, just to be the man who walked a thousand mile to fall down at your door."
"Well, you're in a good mood," Hermione said.
Daisy took a step in front of her friends and started walking backwards. She lifted her glasses and showed then the color of her eyes, a deep puppy dog brown. "And why shouldn't I be? I think I'm starting to feel better."
She wore a wide smile on her face. However walking backwards across snow covered castle grounds was not really a smart thing to do, as she demonstrated when she fell on her bum with a soft 'flump!' in the snow. Still smiling she held her hands out to Ron and Harry, who helped her up.
************************************
Harry couldn't remember when everyone last seemed to be this happy. Daisy really seemed to be feeling better. Hermione seemed to stop warring about her. Ron wasn't more than five feet from her side all day. Harry still felt guilty about something but he couldn't figure out what. Somehow though he still managed to flirt a little with a pretty fourth year Hufflepuff on the way down to the Quidditch pitch for practice.
As the girl walked away he heard a noise coming from the doorway.
"Tut, tut. Don't you have some where to be?" Daisy asked.
"Oh be quiet. She was cute. And I couldn't be rude, could I?" Harry said but still blushing a little.
"Whatever, Romeo. Come on the team's waiting. Fred and George were going to mount a full search and rescue operation. Sirens, searchlights, the whole bit. Your lucky I stopped them."
"Aw, what's the matter Dumbledore? Did your team see how bad they are without Potter? Not that you're very good with him." Draco Malfoy said as he emerged from the dungeons.
"Why don't you crawl back into your hole, Malfoy," Daisy hissed at him.
"Now that's not very lady-like." Malfoy said coming to stand right in front of her. "Not that you ever acted like a lady."
Harry could make a few guess at what he meant but didn't want to think of Daisy like that with Malfoy. He was standing a little behind Daisy, so he couldn't really see her face, but he knew what Daisy looked like when see was angry. Harry was amazed Malfoy was still standing.
"Come on, Daze. We'd better get to practice." Harry said putting his hand on her arm.
"Yes, well, I've better things to do too. I'll send Belle your love, Little One." Draco said as he walked away.
"Come on. Getting up in the air, it'll make you feel better," Harry said this time actually pulling on her arm.
Daisy sighed. "I just hope Belle's mission is worth it. I mean if she has to put up with the Malfoys."
Harry was amazed a few minutes later when they reached the Quidditch pitch and Daisy had managed to erase any hint there was something bothering her.
********************************
As the weeks went by Quidditch became all-consuming for Harry. Gryffindor had to beat Ravenclaw. He had to beat Mike Andrews. The match was the first weekend in February, just a few days away. Hermione had tried to get him calm down, but nothing worked. On the other hand nothing else bothered him. He was half way through Care of Magical Creatures before he realized that Malfoy had insulted him on the down. What was even more infuriating was that Daisy, Katie and Alicia seemed to think it was funny. At least Ron, Fred and George seemed to understand.
"Don't worry, Harry." Fred (we think it's Fred anyway) said at the end of one practice. "They won't know what hit them."
On Friday afternoon Harry was in Professor Blanc's office. He had been caught snogging with a sixth year Hufflepuff. The girl had been taken to Professor Vector's office. Harry wondered if she was getting the same lecture he was.
"I know how you feel, Harry. Really, I do. But you can't just be making out corridors..."
And blah, blah, blah. So it went for a full ten minutes. Harry remembered what Daisy had told him about the young teacher. Harry was not appreciating the irony. However it appeared all he was going to get in the way of punishment was the lecture and he hoped Emma, the Hufflepuff, would come off as well.
Just as Professor Blanc was finishing, and Harry was preparing to leave the door flew open.
"Your sister is the most obstinate student ever! I don't know how she expects me to help her when she won't listen to anything I say!" said Professor Trewlany, apparently not noticing Harry. "Well Hermione Granger comes close, maybe it's her influence. Your sister is a naturally gifted seer, but really Guy, someone needs to talk some sense into that girl!"
"Sybil, calm down. I'll talk to her. She needs your help even if she doesn't admit it. I know she's grateful for everything you've been doing."
"Well, see that see comes to her senses!" And with the rustle of bat like shawls, she was gone without ever having acknowledged Harry.
"What's she helping Daisy with?" he asked turning back to his Professor.
Blanc stared at Harry for a moment so he tentatively said, "I sort of guessed what was going on. She told me a little bit of it too. Guy, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault Harry. Really, I'm glad she has someone she can talk to. And Trewlany's been trying to help her with her gift."
"Not going well then?" Harry asked
"You know my sweet little sister. Always a joy to teach." Daisy had been giving Guy attitude problems again in class.
"Bit temperamental, closed off, but other wise sweet girl?" Harry asked smiling. "Yeah I think we met once or twice."
They bothlaughed. "Go on get out of here. I'll make sure Emma doesn't have to serve detention or anything."
**************************
Harry loved the feeling of playing Quidditch. He could do without the nerves he usually suffered, but today he was waiting with a kind of quite fury. He was going to make sure Mike Andrews knew who he'd messed with. When ever Harry had seen him in the halls, Andrews always gave him a smug look. Harry had a feeling Andrews only went after Cho to prove he was better than Harry or some sick reason like that. After talking to Hermione, she seemed to think he was right as Andrews was now making passes at her.
Harry was getting over Cho. He had actually had a civil conversation with her out side the Great Hall before breakfast. They had even wished each other good luck.
But Andrews was another matter. Harry was going to enjoy wiping the Quidditch field with him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The little girl toddled over to her and raised her arms. "Up! Up!" the tot said.
Daisy, looking about twenty, lifted the baby from the floor to the ceiling, and continued to toss her lightly as she squealed with delight. Then Daisy drew the child close and kissed her on the cheek before tossing her again causing the child the giggle even louder, her tiny pig tails of fine curly black hair flying in the air. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daisy was in the Quidditch changing rooms. "Earth to Daisy!" said Katie waving her hand in front of Daisy face. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah fine." And she smiled broadly. "You know I think everything will work out OK."
"Of course. Were going to beat Ravenclaw into the ground"
"You got that right!" Daisy said, but she hadn't been thinking about the game. She looked over to where Harry and Ron were doing some last minute strategizing. Her smile spread even further across her face.
Somehow, Harry felt very calm going out on to the Quidditch field. He could hear Lee announce him and the rest of the team. He could he hear the crowd cheer. He could hear everything that was going on, but he didn't pay any attention. Harry flew to the center of the pitch with his team behind him. He was facing the Ravenclaw team. More specifically he was facing Andrews.
"Careful, Potter," Harry nearly jumped when he heard Daisy's voice in his ear. "If you look at him with any more hate Malfoy might get jealous."
Harry glared at her. All she did was smile at him. "Madame Hooch is speaking."
Harry turned back to see Andrews coming at him hand extended. Harry shook, and as he glared at Andrews he heard Daisy's words in his head. He really was being ridiculous. He had always enjoyed Quidditch. Now he was turning it into some sort of grudge match. As he was turning back to the team he smiled at his team.
"Alright everyone. You all know how important this game is, but just have fun," Harry said to the team.
"Now that's our captain!" Katie whispered to Daisy as Madame Hooch blew her whistle and the players flew off.
After all that tension it was great to get up into the air. The match itself however was quite a let down. Harry caught the snitch in six minutes. It wasn't even that great a capture. He had just been flying when the little glint of gold appeared not more than five feet below him. Cho had been staying on the far side of the field, so couldn't get there in time. Harry just turned his broom down and caught it before anyone even scored. So Gryffindor won 150-0.
Cho landed near Harry and he went over to her. He held out his hand and said, "Good game. It was just a lucky catch."
Cho looked at him, then looked like she was about to cry. "So, so you forgive me?"
"Yeah, well," he said as he ran his hand through his hair, "I guess it was silly to stay mad so long."
She went over to him and hugged him. "Oh Harry I've felt so horrible."
Standing near by were Hermione, Ron, and Daisy. Daisy leaned over to Hermione. "She should have."
"Yeah, well you didn't have to watch the show," Hermione said with disguist.
Harry separated from Cho and came over to his friends. He put an arm around Ron and Hermione, and Hermione put her other arm around Daisy and they headed off to Gryffindor tower.
After all that training and practice, not to mention the stored up malice, Harry was feeling a little deflated. But still, a win was a win. The rest off Gryffindor had the usual celebration. Harry was talking with Fred, George, Ginny, and Hermione when the porthole cover opened.
Daisy came over to them and said, "He is absolutely the most infuriating person ever!"
And with they she marched up to her room.
"Well, that wasn't pleasant." Fred said.
"Trouble in Paradise?" George asked as Ron entered.
"Humph!" was the only answer they got.
"What happened?" Hermione asked.
"She's disappearing on me again, that's what! I know she not going down to town anymore, I asked Blanc. And when I told her that she blew up at me!" Ron said.
"You were checking up on her. And you told her?" Fred asked.
"Come on," Ginny said nudging Hermione. "Let's go to her. You really are an idiot, aren't you?" she shot at her brother.
"Great take her side!" Ron yelled after the girls.
"Well you really should trust her," Harry started to say. "She'd never do anything."
"Anything what?" Ron interrupted. "Anything stupid, like take a dangerous potion? Anything sneaky, like meet with a shadowy figure from her past and not tell us? Or just plain keep everything from me? Because she has a habit of doing things like that!"
"Ron, people have reasons for keeping secrets." Harry said quietly. "You just need to have faith."
**********************************
"That absolutely insufferable git!" Daisy said. "I can't believe he would be keeping tabs on me like that."
"Well, you have to admit, you don't really give up a lot of information." Hermione said.
"Herm, I really wasn't keeping anything from him. I've been going to boring and frustrating training sessions with Trewlany. He never even asked me!"
"My brother's a git. We know that. And he should have asked you what was going on. But it's kind of like the boy who cried wolf, you know. Sooner or later the towns people give up," Ginny said.
Daisy sighed. "I'm sorry."
"So tell him!" Hermione said.
"No! I didn't do anything wrong." Daisy said stubbornly.
"Alright," Ginny said. "Hey, next week is a Hogsmeade weekend. Why don't we go? Girls only. Might help to have a brake to look forward to."
Saturday night was starting to turn into Sunday morning. Daisy still couldn't sleep. She had been in bed since Ginny and Hermione left hours ago. She had heard Pavrati, Lavender, and Hermione come up to bed. She had kept the curtains drawn around her four-poster and not responded when they tried to talk to her. Her turned over again trying unsuccessfully to force sleep. With a sigh she gave up. Swinging her legs over the side of her bed she opened stretched and looked at her sleeping roommates. She noticed Hermione's bed was empty.
Good. She thought. She's probably downstairs and can keep me company.
Dressing quickly and grabbing her favorite black boots from by her bed she quietly left the room. Hopping down the hall as she put her shoes on, she stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned against the wall to give one finial tug. She couldn't help but smile. She loved these boots. The two inch heels made her just feel better, about herself, about the world, about everything. While she took another minute to admire the newly polished dragon hide on her feet, she heard voices. That was another benefit of her shoes, they were enchanted not to make a sound. Hermione, Harry, and Ron didn't hear her coming down the steps.
"I don't care!" Ron was yelling. "Why are you taking her side anyway, Harry?"
"Because this time she's right, Ron. Maybe she isn't always, but she is now. You need to calm down and apologize to her," Harry said.
"I will not!" Ron said.
"Fine! You talk some sense into, Hermione. I don't seem to be able to."
Daisy heard Harry go up the stairs. She was sitting on the steps now. She heard Ron sigh.
"Am I really being that unreasonable?" He asked.
It took Hermione a moment to answer. "No," she said in a quite voice. "But, neither is she. You need just need to try to understand her."
"I don't know if I'll ever understand her. She and I just don't talk like you and I do."
"Ron, it's alright you two will work..."
When Hermione stopped mid-sentence like that, Daisy's heart stopped beating in her chest. She peaked around to corner to see Ron kissing Hermione.
"Oh my God! What are you two doing?" Harry had come back down stairs. "Are you insane?" Now he was walking towards them. "How could you do that to Daisy?"
"Like she'd care!" Ron said.
"I think she'd care very much," said Hermione, who was now looking straight at Daisy.
To Daisy it seemed very surreal. She was aware of them watching her, and the tears that were starting to build in her eyes. She seemed to be walking forward. They didn't seem to be able to move. When she was half way across the room Ron tried to speak.
"Daze, I..."
But what ever else he was saying she didn't hear. She ran from the Common Room without even looking at them.
Harry found her, close to dawn. She was sitting on top of the highest Astronomy Tower. Harry flew his broom close to her and just hovered.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
"I just saw my boyfriend kiss my best friend," she said.
He sat and put his arm around her. She leaned into her shoulder.
"What's wrong with me?" she asked.
"What, why aren't you good enough for him?" Harry asked. Her head nodded against his shoulder. "But the thing is you are, he just needs realize he needs to accept you as you are, what you can give him. It's not like you ever kept the fact that you don't share well a secret. In fact it's one of the few things we know."
She gave a dry laugh. "Yeah well that's me. You know even Lupin tried to warn him about that."
"How would he know?"
Daisy sat up and drew her knees to her chest. "Remus used to date my sister. Years ago. But he knows enough to try and warn Ron. This was over a month ago, at Christmas, but he still didn't listen."
"It'll be ok," Harry said. "How did you get up here anyway?"
"Ah, that my friend is another one of my many secrets. Give me a ride down?"
******************************
Ron was in the Common Room. Daisy came in and they began to fight. Thankfully no one was there because they were both screaming.
"How could you do that to me?" she screamed.
"Because you don't let me in. I feel so alone. I shouldn't feel alone with my girlfriend. She made me feel appreciated." Ron answered.
"I'll bet she did!" Daisy screamed and stormed up the girls stairs. She heard Ron's frustrated scream from somewhere behind her as she closed the door to her room.
The only one there was Hermione. Daisy didn't say anything see just went over to her bed and took out her tarot cards. Mad as she was, she sprayed all 78 cards across the room and let out her own frustrated scream.
"Ah, here," Hermione said handing her a small stack of cards.
Daisy looked up and took the cards without saying anything.
"Should I go, then?" Hermione asked.
Daisy sighed. "I think I saw one fly under Lavender's bed. Could you get it please?"
Hermione came back with the card. Daisy looked at it and laughed. She showed it to Hermione. "Ace of Pentacles. I always thought it was your card."
"What does, what does it mean?" Hermione asked.
"Prosperity, abundance, trust, security, groundedness are generally associated with it."
"Trust." Hermione repeated.
"I don't blame you. I know you wouldn't do that to me. And I know he was just angry. But still, we're over. Actually we've been over. We just didn't say it. I think it's been coming for a while now."
Hermione didn't quite know what to say. "So um, what's card your?"
Daisy smiled. "My card? Mine is the ace of cups, in reverse I think. Harry is the ace of wands, and Ron ace of swords."
"We're all ace then?" Hermione asked
"We're all fools. But come, this fool is hungry and were missing breakfast."
**********************************
"Video killed the radio star, Video kill the radio star. It's in my mind, It's in my car... "
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were looking at Daisy as she was singing to herself. They were walking down to Care of Magical Creatures.
"Daze, what are you singing?" Ron asked.
"Muggle pop hits! Classic eighties rock. My sister got me addicted."
The last word had a strange reaction on her friends. "Oh, lighten up you three!"
"And she stated singing again. I would walk 500 mile, and I would 500 hundred more, just to be the man who walked a thousand mile to fall down at your door."
"Well, you're in a good mood," Hermione said.
Daisy took a step in front of her friends and started walking backwards. She lifted her glasses and showed then the color of her eyes, a deep puppy dog brown. "And why shouldn't I be? I think I'm starting to feel better."
She wore a wide smile on her face. However walking backwards across snow covered castle grounds was not really a smart thing to do, as she demonstrated when she fell on her bum with a soft 'flump!' in the snow. Still smiling she held her hands out to Ron and Harry, who helped her up.
************************************
Harry couldn't remember when everyone last seemed to be this happy. Daisy really seemed to be feeling better. Hermione seemed to stop warring about her. Ron wasn't more than five feet from her side all day. Harry still felt guilty about something but he couldn't figure out what. Somehow though he still managed to flirt a little with a pretty fourth year Hufflepuff on the way down to the Quidditch pitch for practice.
As the girl walked away he heard a noise coming from the doorway.
"Tut, tut. Don't you have some where to be?" Daisy asked.
"Oh be quiet. She was cute. And I couldn't be rude, could I?" Harry said but still blushing a little.
"Whatever, Romeo. Come on the team's waiting. Fred and George were going to mount a full search and rescue operation. Sirens, searchlights, the whole bit. Your lucky I stopped them."
"Aw, what's the matter Dumbledore? Did your team see how bad they are without Potter? Not that you're very good with him." Draco Malfoy said as he emerged from the dungeons.
"Why don't you crawl back into your hole, Malfoy," Daisy hissed at him.
"Now that's not very lady-like." Malfoy said coming to stand right in front of her. "Not that you ever acted like a lady."
Harry could make a few guess at what he meant but didn't want to think of Daisy like that with Malfoy. He was standing a little behind Daisy, so he couldn't really see her face, but he knew what Daisy looked like when see was angry. Harry was amazed Malfoy was still standing.
"Come on, Daze. We'd better get to practice." Harry said putting his hand on her arm.
"Yes, well, I've better things to do too. I'll send Belle your love, Little One." Draco said as he walked away.
"Come on. Getting up in the air, it'll make you feel better," Harry said this time actually pulling on her arm.
Daisy sighed. "I just hope Belle's mission is worth it. I mean if she has to put up with the Malfoys."
Harry was amazed a few minutes later when they reached the Quidditch pitch and Daisy had managed to erase any hint there was something bothering her.
********************************
As the weeks went by Quidditch became all-consuming for Harry. Gryffindor had to beat Ravenclaw. He had to beat Mike Andrews. The match was the first weekend in February, just a few days away. Hermione had tried to get him calm down, but nothing worked. On the other hand nothing else bothered him. He was half way through Care of Magical Creatures before he realized that Malfoy had insulted him on the down. What was even more infuriating was that Daisy, Katie and Alicia seemed to think it was funny. At least Ron, Fred and George seemed to understand.
"Don't worry, Harry." Fred (we think it's Fred anyway) said at the end of one practice. "They won't know what hit them."
On Friday afternoon Harry was in Professor Blanc's office. He had been caught snogging with a sixth year Hufflepuff. The girl had been taken to Professor Vector's office. Harry wondered if she was getting the same lecture he was.
"I know how you feel, Harry. Really, I do. But you can't just be making out corridors..."
And blah, blah, blah. So it went for a full ten minutes. Harry remembered what Daisy had told him about the young teacher. Harry was not appreciating the irony. However it appeared all he was going to get in the way of punishment was the lecture and he hoped Emma, the Hufflepuff, would come off as well.
Just as Professor Blanc was finishing, and Harry was preparing to leave the door flew open.
"Your sister is the most obstinate student ever! I don't know how she expects me to help her when she won't listen to anything I say!" said Professor Trewlany, apparently not noticing Harry. "Well Hermione Granger comes close, maybe it's her influence. Your sister is a naturally gifted seer, but really Guy, someone needs to talk some sense into that girl!"
"Sybil, calm down. I'll talk to her. She needs your help even if she doesn't admit it. I know she's grateful for everything you've been doing."
"Well, see that see comes to her senses!" And with the rustle of bat like shawls, she was gone without ever having acknowledged Harry.
"What's she helping Daisy with?" he asked turning back to his Professor.
Blanc stared at Harry for a moment so he tentatively said, "I sort of guessed what was going on. She told me a little bit of it too. Guy, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault Harry. Really, I'm glad she has someone she can talk to. And Trewlany's been trying to help her with her gift."
"Not going well then?" Harry asked
"You know my sweet little sister. Always a joy to teach." Daisy had been giving Guy attitude problems again in class.
"Bit temperamental, closed off, but other wise sweet girl?" Harry asked smiling. "Yeah I think we met once or twice."
They bothlaughed. "Go on get out of here. I'll make sure Emma doesn't have to serve detention or anything."
**************************
Harry loved the feeling of playing Quidditch. He could do without the nerves he usually suffered, but today he was waiting with a kind of quite fury. He was going to make sure Mike Andrews knew who he'd messed with. When ever Harry had seen him in the halls, Andrews always gave him a smug look. Harry had a feeling Andrews only went after Cho to prove he was better than Harry or some sick reason like that. After talking to Hermione, she seemed to think he was right as Andrews was now making passes at her.
Harry was getting over Cho. He had actually had a civil conversation with her out side the Great Hall before breakfast. They had even wished each other good luck.
But Andrews was another matter. Harry was going to enjoy wiping the Quidditch field with him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The little girl toddled over to her and raised her arms. "Up! Up!" the tot said.
Daisy, looking about twenty, lifted the baby from the floor to the ceiling, and continued to toss her lightly as she squealed with delight. Then Daisy drew the child close and kissed her on the cheek before tossing her again causing the child the giggle even louder, her tiny pig tails of fine curly black hair flying in the air. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daisy was in the Quidditch changing rooms. "Earth to Daisy!" said Katie waving her hand in front of Daisy face. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah fine." And she smiled broadly. "You know I think everything will work out OK."
"Of course. Were going to beat Ravenclaw into the ground"
"You got that right!" Daisy said, but she hadn't been thinking about the game. She looked over to where Harry and Ron were doing some last minute strategizing. Her smile spread even further across her face.
Somehow, Harry felt very calm going out on to the Quidditch field. He could hear Lee announce him and the rest of the team. He could he hear the crowd cheer. He could hear everything that was going on, but he didn't pay any attention. Harry flew to the center of the pitch with his team behind him. He was facing the Ravenclaw team. More specifically he was facing Andrews.
"Careful, Potter," Harry nearly jumped when he heard Daisy's voice in his ear. "If you look at him with any more hate Malfoy might get jealous."
Harry glared at her. All she did was smile at him. "Madame Hooch is speaking."
Harry turned back to see Andrews coming at him hand extended. Harry shook, and as he glared at Andrews he heard Daisy's words in his head. He really was being ridiculous. He had always enjoyed Quidditch. Now he was turning it into some sort of grudge match. As he was turning back to the team he smiled at his team.
"Alright everyone. You all know how important this game is, but just have fun," Harry said to the team.
"Now that's our captain!" Katie whispered to Daisy as Madame Hooch blew her whistle and the players flew off.
After all that tension it was great to get up into the air. The match itself however was quite a let down. Harry caught the snitch in six minutes. It wasn't even that great a capture. He had just been flying when the little glint of gold appeared not more than five feet below him. Cho had been staying on the far side of the field, so couldn't get there in time. Harry just turned his broom down and caught it before anyone even scored. So Gryffindor won 150-0.
Cho landed near Harry and he went over to her. He held out his hand and said, "Good game. It was just a lucky catch."
Cho looked at him, then looked like she was about to cry. "So, so you forgive me?"
"Yeah, well," he said as he ran his hand through his hair, "I guess it was silly to stay mad so long."
She went over to him and hugged him. "Oh Harry I've felt so horrible."
Standing near by were Hermione, Ron, and Daisy. Daisy leaned over to Hermione. "She should have."
"Yeah, well you didn't have to watch the show," Hermione said with disguist.
Harry separated from Cho and came over to his friends. He put an arm around Ron and Hermione, and Hermione put her other arm around Daisy and they headed off to Gryffindor tower.
After all that training and practice, not to mention the stored up malice, Harry was feeling a little deflated. But still, a win was a win. The rest off Gryffindor had the usual celebration. Harry was talking with Fred, George, Ginny, and Hermione when the porthole cover opened.
Daisy came over to them and said, "He is absolutely the most infuriating person ever!"
And with they she marched up to her room.
"Well, that wasn't pleasant." Fred said.
"Trouble in Paradise?" George asked as Ron entered.
"Humph!" was the only answer they got.
"What happened?" Hermione asked.
"She's disappearing on me again, that's what! I know she not going down to town anymore, I asked Blanc. And when I told her that she blew up at me!" Ron said.
"You were checking up on her. And you told her?" Fred asked.
"Come on," Ginny said nudging Hermione. "Let's go to her. You really are an idiot, aren't you?" she shot at her brother.
"Great take her side!" Ron yelled after the girls.
"Well you really should trust her," Harry started to say. "She'd never do anything."
"Anything what?" Ron interrupted. "Anything stupid, like take a dangerous potion? Anything sneaky, like meet with a shadowy figure from her past and not tell us? Or just plain keep everything from me? Because she has a habit of doing things like that!"
"Ron, people have reasons for keeping secrets." Harry said quietly. "You just need to have faith."
**********************************
"That absolutely insufferable git!" Daisy said. "I can't believe he would be keeping tabs on me like that."
"Well, you have to admit, you don't really give up a lot of information." Hermione said.
"Herm, I really wasn't keeping anything from him. I've been going to boring and frustrating training sessions with Trewlany. He never even asked me!"
"My brother's a git. We know that. And he should have asked you what was going on. But it's kind of like the boy who cried wolf, you know. Sooner or later the towns people give up," Ginny said.
Daisy sighed. "I'm sorry."
"So tell him!" Hermione said.
"No! I didn't do anything wrong." Daisy said stubbornly.
"Alright," Ginny said. "Hey, next week is a Hogsmeade weekend. Why don't we go? Girls only. Might help to have a brake to look forward to."
Saturday night was starting to turn into Sunday morning. Daisy still couldn't sleep. She had been in bed since Ginny and Hermione left hours ago. She had heard Pavrati, Lavender, and Hermione come up to bed. She had kept the curtains drawn around her four-poster and not responded when they tried to talk to her. Her turned over again trying unsuccessfully to force sleep. With a sigh she gave up. Swinging her legs over the side of her bed she opened stretched and looked at her sleeping roommates. She noticed Hermione's bed was empty.
Good. She thought. She's probably downstairs and can keep me company.
Dressing quickly and grabbing her favorite black boots from by her bed she quietly left the room. Hopping down the hall as she put her shoes on, she stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned against the wall to give one finial tug. She couldn't help but smile. She loved these boots. The two inch heels made her just feel better, about herself, about the world, about everything. While she took another minute to admire the newly polished dragon hide on her feet, she heard voices. That was another benefit of her shoes, they were enchanted not to make a sound. Hermione, Harry, and Ron didn't hear her coming down the steps.
"I don't care!" Ron was yelling. "Why are you taking her side anyway, Harry?"
"Because this time she's right, Ron. Maybe she isn't always, but she is now. You need to calm down and apologize to her," Harry said.
"I will not!" Ron said.
"Fine! You talk some sense into, Hermione. I don't seem to be able to."
Daisy heard Harry go up the stairs. She was sitting on the steps now. She heard Ron sigh.
"Am I really being that unreasonable?" He asked.
It took Hermione a moment to answer. "No," she said in a quite voice. "But, neither is she. You need just need to try to understand her."
"I don't know if I'll ever understand her. She and I just don't talk like you and I do."
"Ron, it's alright you two will work..."
When Hermione stopped mid-sentence like that, Daisy's heart stopped beating in her chest. She peaked around to corner to see Ron kissing Hermione.
"Oh my God! What are you two doing?" Harry had come back down stairs. "Are you insane?" Now he was walking towards them. "How could you do that to Daisy?"
"Like she'd care!" Ron said.
"I think she'd care very much," said Hermione, who was now looking straight at Daisy.
To Daisy it seemed very surreal. She was aware of them watching her, and the tears that were starting to build in her eyes. She seemed to be walking forward. They didn't seem to be able to move. When she was half way across the room Ron tried to speak.
"Daze, I..."
But what ever else he was saying she didn't hear. She ran from the Common Room without even looking at them.
Harry found her, close to dawn. She was sitting on top of the highest Astronomy Tower. Harry flew his broom close to her and just hovered.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
"I just saw my boyfriend kiss my best friend," she said.
He sat and put his arm around her. She leaned into her shoulder.
"What's wrong with me?" she asked.
"What, why aren't you good enough for him?" Harry asked. Her head nodded against his shoulder. "But the thing is you are, he just needs realize he needs to accept you as you are, what you can give him. It's not like you ever kept the fact that you don't share well a secret. In fact it's one of the few things we know."
She gave a dry laugh. "Yeah well that's me. You know even Lupin tried to warn him about that."
"How would he know?"
Daisy sat up and drew her knees to her chest. "Remus used to date my sister. Years ago. But he knows enough to try and warn Ron. This was over a month ago, at Christmas, but he still didn't listen."
"It'll be ok," Harry said. "How did you get up here anyway?"
"Ah, that my friend is another one of my many secrets. Give me a ride down?"
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Ron was in the Common Room. Daisy came in and they began to fight. Thankfully no one was there because they were both screaming.
"How could you do that to me?" she screamed.
"Because you don't let me in. I feel so alone. I shouldn't feel alone with my girlfriend. She made me feel appreciated." Ron answered.
"I'll bet she did!" Daisy screamed and stormed up the girls stairs. She heard Ron's frustrated scream from somewhere behind her as she closed the door to her room.
The only one there was Hermione. Daisy didn't say anything see just went over to her bed and took out her tarot cards. Mad as she was, she sprayed all 78 cards across the room and let out her own frustrated scream.
"Ah, here," Hermione said handing her a small stack of cards.
Daisy looked up and took the cards without saying anything.
"Should I go, then?" Hermione asked.
Daisy sighed. "I think I saw one fly under Lavender's bed. Could you get it please?"
Hermione came back with the card. Daisy looked at it and laughed. She showed it to Hermione. "Ace of Pentacles. I always thought it was your card."
"What does, what does it mean?" Hermione asked.
"Prosperity, abundance, trust, security, groundedness are generally associated with it."
"Trust." Hermione repeated.
"I don't blame you. I know you wouldn't do that to me. And I know he was just angry. But still, we're over. Actually we've been over. We just didn't say it. I think it's been coming for a while now."
Hermione didn't quite know what to say. "So um, what's card your?"
Daisy smiled. "My card? Mine is the ace of cups, in reverse I think. Harry is the ace of wands, and Ron ace of swords."
"We're all ace then?" Hermione asked
"We're all fools. But come, this fool is hungry and were missing breakfast."
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