Chapter 18
"So is everybody ready?" Ginny poked her head into the fifth year girls' dorm to check on her friends. "We should be down stairs soon."
"Did you want Terry about your brothers?" Daisy asked.
"Yes, did you warn Neville about yours?" Ginny replied.
"No need. They've already gotten to him!" she laughed.
"Poor Neville," Pavarti said. "He shouldn't have to be subjected to that."
"Oh, I don't suppose you have any brothers, Pavarti?" Daisy said coolly.
"Nope!" came the cheerful response. "All girls. Drives Papa crazy."
"I can't imagine why," Hermione said giving Daisy a look that said she had an extremely good idea why.
"Well, Ginny's right we'd better be going." Daisy said getting up and without another word to the dark skinned girl.
Once they were a safe distance away Daisy let out a frustrated noise. "I swear she tries to be contrary."
"Towards you at least," Hermione said.
"Well, yeah," Ginny said, "Daze has taken her spot as prettiest girl in your year."
****************************************
"So you and Hermione are meeting your dates in the Entrance Hall?" Neville asked.
"Yup!" Ron said.
Harry sighed, "I don't know why you two just didn't get together for this. Oh wait you're both extremely stubborn."
Ron glared at his best friend. However Harry was saved the scathing reply when Ron caught site of Ginny's date. He also noticed Fred and George had stopped him too.
"Oy! Terry, over here," Ron called. Fred and George made their way over too.
"Terry, m'lad! How are ya?" Fred said and grasped the poor forth year tightly around the shoulders. It knocked the wind out of the kid.
"Fine!" He managed to choke out.
"Good, good!" George was saying now. Fred let go of his shoulders and George took his hand and began shaking, very hard. "We just wanted to make sure you and Ginny had fun tonight."
"As l,l,l,long a,a,as Gin,n,n,y's happy," he said.
"Well, just make sure she's not too happy!" Ron said, towering over all of them.
George let go and Terry ran as fast as he could. Harry couldn't help but laugh. Neville felt sympathetic having gotten a similar speech from the twins last year. He still chucked, though.
"Ron, I didn't know you could be so imposing," George said.
"That's because we remember the lad with his teddy," Fred said. "Come on, off to our own dates. Have fun lads!"
******************************
Harry, Ron, and Neville watched Fred and George go off with their dates. Harry checked Ron's watch; he had yet to get a new one of his own. There was still plenty of time before he had to go meet Blaise. She had seemed rather pleased with his new hairstyle. His dress robes were a royal blue that now matched his hair. The robes had a mandarin collar that fastened with a black button and the sleeves went perfectly down his arms with two black buttons at the cuff. And Hermione had helped him charm his eyes so he didn't need his glasses. It was only a semi-permanent charm but still had the dramatic effect of changing his whole appearance. (The blue hair helped too!)
Ron was wearing the same white and gold robes from Halloween, though the girls had helped lengthen them as he had grown again. His hair was slicked back. And he seemed a lot more relaxed than he had at Halloween.
Neville was wearing silver robes that looked just like the school robes. He actually looked very nice, but Harry couldn't help thinking he looked a bit frumpy.
The girls made a dazzling entrance. They hadn't meant to, they just couldn't help it! Hermione with her golden curls lightly dusting her shoulders was a vision in her pale blue robes. They had a square cut neck and a very tight bodice with skirt that seemed to float as she walked.
Ginny was wearing dark pink robes, the color of sunset. Her sleeves were shear and billowy with long cuffs, giving the impression she had wings. Not every redhead can pull off pink. Ginny Weasley looked as though she had never heard that. Pink had always looked good on her and she showed it now.
And in between them was Daisy. She wore old-fashioned robes of dark purple silk. A lavender belt was wrapped three time around her waist and perfectly matched the lavender trim at her cuffs, hem, and around her curved neckline.
They were laughing and talking in their own world. With about eight stairs to go, Daisy slipped. She caught Hermione and Ginny's arms to steady herself, and laughed even more. So they entered the Common Room arms laced together, inseparable.
*********
Hermione and Daisy went over to where Harry, Ron, and Neville were standing. Neville gapped at his date. She was beautiful!
"Wow!" he said.
"Thanks, Nev. You clean up pretty well your self," she said as she took his offered arm.
"They look good together," Hermione said to the boys standing next to her.
"Not as good as she looked with me though!" Ron said with a smile.
"Well, of course not oh-handsome-one" Hermione mocked.
Harry, however, did not feel like joking. He shook his head and said, "What does she see in him? Hermione, you're a girl, tell me."
Hermione smiled. 'Poor Harry,' she thought. "You mean besides the cute Liverpool accent and the big puppy dog eyes? He's just sweet. She doesn't feel any pressure around him and can relax. Don't look at me that way, either of you. Those are her words. And we better go. They're getting ahead of us, and we have dates to meet!"
*******
Ron, Hermione, and Harry came down the stairs together arms linked and laughing, muck the same way Ginny, Daisy and Hermione had come into the Common Room.
Daisy and Neville had made it down before them and got to watch they're entrance. "It's nice to see them like that. They haven't been spending much time together lately, have they?" Daisy said holding Neville's arm tightly.
"No," he said. "Especially compared to the past four years. They were inseparable. I guess they always will be really."
"I like watching them together," Daisy said. "Sometimes I feel like I just stumbled in and messed everything up."
"You haven't," Neville reassured her. "They've actually widened the group a lot. You, Ginny, me, and now Malfoy and Blaise. But it'll always be the three of them. They've gone through too much together for that to really change."
"The Golden Trio!" Draco sneered from behind them.
"Malfoy, don't you know it's rude to sneak up on people?" Neville asked.
"And didn't your grandmother ever teach you not to gossip? I resent being included in your little group by the way. I have my own friends thanks."
"Yes and lovely people too," Daisy said dryly looking at Crabbe and Goyle over Draco's shoulder.
They both looked extremely large and stupid, which she knew from experience, they were. Blaise had been the only one of Draco's Slytherin friends she could stand. She was almost glad Blaise and Harry had gotten together.
"Yes and you look lovely too, Wild Flower. I did mention that right?" Draco said.
"No, must have slipped your mind," she smiled sweetly. "Slimy place too I bet."
"Yes, but not as dirty as yours," he said.
She laughed loudly at that. "Point to you Young Nasty Man!"
"So, Malfoy, where's your date?" Neville said, trying to be civil.
"She's still making herself pretty for me I suppose. You know those Ravenclaw girls," he said.
"And what Ravenclaw would go with you?" Ron asked coming up with Susan Bones. Hermione and Justin and Harry and Blaise were right behind them.
"Padma Patil," he said smugly.
"Yes, and he wouldn't let any of the boys in our House forget it either," Blaise said coolly.
Padma came to meet Draco just before the doors opened, bringing with her, to Daisy's chagrin, Pavarti and her date, who was Dean and that was alright. Seamus and Lavender also followed.
"I'm surrounded by Gryffindors!" Draco complained.
"Your suppose to helping me end House animosity, Malfoy," Daisy said rather Snape-ishly. "Behave!"
Neville looked at her sideways for a moment. Harry noticed the odd look on his face and smiled.
"Blaise, you don't mind being with Gryffindors, do you?" he asked her smoothly.
She smiled broadly. "No Harry, not at all."
"Itch..." was all Malfoy said.
Daisy hit him on the arm. "Padma, can't you get your date to behave?"
"I hope not." The pretty Ravenclaw said with a smile.
Draco beamed.
"Okay, the doors really need to open now," Ron said.
Fortunately they did. Once inside, the group split up to mingle and dance and otherwise enjoy themselves.
******************************
Daisy had never liked large crowds. When in large groups she didn't really talk much except to her close friends. Tonight she had managed to avoid actually talking to anyone for a whole hour. She had managed to keep Neville on the dance floor for that long. Luckily her shoes were charmed to be indestructible and his feet didn't hurt her, only slowed the dancing.
Eventually though they both got thirsty. All the tables had been moved out of the Great Hall except one against a wall with refreshments. There were a few small tables scattered along the edge of the dance floor and out of the way. Neville had gone to get drinks. Daisy had claimed seats at an empty table.
She was watching Neville approach the drinks on the table. He really had a cute butt. Distracted by such thoughts she didn't see Cho Chang sit across from her.
"So where are your groupies?" the girl asked.
"What? Cho? When did you get here?" Daisy asked.
"Figures off in your own little world. I asked where your groupies where?" she said coldly.
Daisy smiled. "Cho, love, if you knew anything, you'd know you don't get groupies following you until after a performance. If you meant my date, he's getting us drinks. If you meant my friends, they're off enjoying the dance. If you meant a specific friend of mine, like oh I don't know, the one who's heart you publicly stomped on, Harry's probably off snogging his girlfriend, Blaise Zambini. And who are you here with?"
Cho glared at her but then began to look smug. "Only the Head boy himself, Roger Davies."
"Oh good, I'm glad he found a date after I turned him down," Daisy said with a sweet smile.
Cho glared again then abruptly stood. "I'll leave you to your solitude, your majesty." She stamped her foot, turned on her heel and stomped off. All the while Daisy smiled as though it were Christmas all over again.
Neville came back with the drink and they sat enjoying the music in obscurity. At least they though, heads bent in conversation they were suddenly startled by a bright flash.
"What the...?"
"Just capturing the moment for posterity," said cold but familiar voice.
"Vince? What are you doing here?" Daisy asked.
"I came with the band. Ty and Lu are up there playing, or haven't you noticed?" he said.
"Of course I noticed!" she said rising to her feet.
Neville stood slowly and placed a hand on her elbow. He looked at Vince and said, "If you're with the band, why don't you go rejoin them? We're fine here, thanks."
Vince didn't move. He seemed to be assessing Neville's level of threat.
"I said sod off!" Neville yelled.
Vince smiled at them. "I'll see you around, Raven." And then he left.
There was something unsettlingly familiar about the camera hanging around his neck.
"He really seems to get your hackles up," Neville said.
"You have no idea," Daisy responded.
"Fancy another turn around the floor?" He asked.
She smiled. "I really just want to think by myself for a bit. I'll be back soon, I promise. In the mean time, why don't you see if Ginny wants to take a turn? I think her brothers scared off poor Terry."
"You sure then?" Neville asked and she nodded. "Don't let him get to you, love," he said with a smile and pecked her on the cheek.
Neville went off to rescue Ginny, and Daisy got out of the Hall as quick as she could.
**********************************
Harry watched Daisy leaving the Great Hall. She looked upset.
"Hey Blaise, did you see Daisy just now?" he asked.
"Yeah. She looked she was trying to escape. I wonder if she'd all right," the Slytherin mused.
"Mind if I go check?" he asked.
"No!" she said and he was gone.
Blaise was a great girl, really, but when they tried to have an actual conversation it never went well. They had pretty much decided not to talk. There were other, more pleasant uses for their mouths. But at the dance in a room full of people it was hard to do anything else with your lips.
So Harry, going after Daisy as she made her escape, was mostly an excuse for his own escape, or so he tried to convince himself.
'Probably just too many people and she wanted room to think,' he though.
He figured she was in the hidden room across the Entrance Hall that she used for music practice. Harry wondered vaguely if there was a music room in the castle. There really should be in a proper castle like Hogwarts.
When he entered the room he saw her. Daisy was sitting in the middle of the long table staring at the fire in front of her. There were big comfy- looking armchairs in front of the fire, but Daisy looked quite happy sitting on the tabletop. Her feet propped up on the long bench that ran the length of the table's side.
"Hey!" Harry said, sitting on the bench in front of her, also facing the fire.
"Mmm."
"You feeling alright?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Wanna talk?"
"Mmm-mmm."
"Kay."
It took almost a whole thirty seconds for her to speak, though.
"Why is everything so hard? Why can't I just have a nice normal date? I'd settle for a normal hour at this point!"
Harry was sympathetic. "What happened?"
"Vince is here," she said. "I was having a nice conversation with Nev and Vincent Timoldi showed up practicing his papparatizzi routine! As if that git hasn't done enough to me."
"You survived," Harry said, trying to be encouraging.
"Harry, you don't know what I was like around him. The things he did and the things I did because of him...or the things he did to me."
"Daze, what did he do to you to make you hate him so?" Harry asked. When she didn't say anything he asked. "It was him you were with, wasn't it? He left you to die."
"Yes."
Harry turned and looked at her. She was telling the truth but she was hiding something else.
"But there's more?" he pressed.
"Yes." But that was all she said.
"Well?" Harry said. "Are you going to tell me?"
"What does it matter? It was over three years ago. I was barely twelve when he..." She trailed off with a far away look in her eyes. He could just barely see her eyes through her glasses, but he could tell she was somewhere else.
"What did he do to you?" Harry asked quietly. He took her hand in his. He almost thought she would tell him.
But she didn't she stood and walked away from him. "It doesn't matter. I wasn't smart enough. No one is going to take advantage of me like that ever again! I'm in control!"
Harry stood behind her and put his arms around her. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, and it was. She turned in his arms and looked at him. Her glasses made her eyes look so big this close. And her tears where all the more visible. He reached up and took off her glasses and gently stroked her cheek.
She turned her face down from him and he lifted it back up.
"Hey, you don't ever have to look away from me. You don't ever have to be ashamed with me," Harry said trying to smile.
But then he made his mistake. He looked in her eyes again. She was so vulnerable and in so much pain. He did what seemed the most natural thing in the world. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.
Daisy was in complete shock. Harry was kissing her. Harry was kissing her! Harry wasn't suppose to kiss her. Harry was suppose to kiss Blaise or other random girls, not her.
But it was so nice. And she almost kissed him back. But then he would be in control. Had she just told him she needed to be in control. She needed someone who she knew couldn't hurt her, like Draco. Or someone who she could influence, even if subtly, like Ron, or Neville.
Neville! She was in the middle of a date with another boy, and Harry was kissing her. And was in the middle of a date with another girl! How could he kiss her like this?
'He couldn't on his own,' she thought. 'You started kissing him back! '
"No!" she said and pulled away. "Harry, what the hell is wrong with you?"
Daisy turned and ran from the room, firmly slamming the door behind her.
***********************************
Harry slumped down on the bench. "What is the hell is the matter with me?" he repeated her question quietly.
"That's exactly what I was wondering Potter," said a disembodied voice by the fire.
"Malfoy?"
Draco stood up from a chair by the fire. "Very good, Potter. You listened and heard me. Shame you couldn't do that with Daisy."
"Sod off, Malfoy." Harry was not in the mood right now to deal with Draco Malfoy, even if he was right. Especially if he was right.
"Oh no, Potter. You didn't listen to her, but you'll listen to me. You claim to be her friend," Draco began. "You say you care about her. Do you really? You'd better think bout how you act around her, Potter! T-H-I-N-K. With your head, by the way, nothing else."
"Malfoy, your disgusting. I wasn't trying to..."
"Get in her pants? Good because you couldn't. And I'll tell you why if you want."
"Malfoy your such a git." Harry said irritated. "Alright, then. Why? Why would any other girl in school be happy to be with me but I can't kiss the girl I really like?"
"Because you could have any other girl. Daisy feels safe around you physically. You'd die rather than see her get a paper-cut and she knows it. But Potter, that girl has never had a stable relationship in her life. She's only just learning how. Weasley was the closest she came and just as she was opening up to him she was having visions of him with another girl. One of her best friends no less. What do you think that does to a girl's confidence? And you should have been reading into what she was telling you. That Vince guy, he damaged her. And even though she's never said it, I'm willing to bet some of that was physical damage. And he could do this to her because she trusted him with her heart! She's trying to heal her emotional wounds and you through salt in them!"
"I'd never hurt her," Harry said.
"What do you think you just did!" Draco screamed. "You're both on dates with other people but it looks like you have an in with her and you take it. She told you she needs to regain control and you take it without a second thought. She doesn't need another boy kissing her, Potter. She needs a friend to listen to her without feeling like you're an emotional threat.
"And you're on a date with Blaise! Shouldn't you be with you date?"
"I saw Daisy leaving the Great Hall. She looked like she needed a friend." Harry said. Malfoy was right. "I'm an idiot."
"No kidding. Go back to you date. I'll find Daisy," he said.
"What about your date?" Harry asked.
"Padma won't mind. She's too busy talking about what a wonderful date I am to her sister," Draco said with a smug smile.
************************************
"So is everybody ready?" Ginny poked her head into the fifth year girls' dorm to check on her friends. "We should be down stairs soon."
"Did you want Terry about your brothers?" Daisy asked.
"Yes, did you warn Neville about yours?" Ginny replied.
"No need. They've already gotten to him!" she laughed.
"Poor Neville," Pavarti said. "He shouldn't have to be subjected to that."
"Oh, I don't suppose you have any brothers, Pavarti?" Daisy said coolly.
"Nope!" came the cheerful response. "All girls. Drives Papa crazy."
"I can't imagine why," Hermione said giving Daisy a look that said she had an extremely good idea why.
"Well, Ginny's right we'd better be going." Daisy said getting up and without another word to the dark skinned girl.
Once they were a safe distance away Daisy let out a frustrated noise. "I swear she tries to be contrary."
"Towards you at least," Hermione said.
"Well, yeah," Ginny said, "Daze has taken her spot as prettiest girl in your year."
****************************************
"So you and Hermione are meeting your dates in the Entrance Hall?" Neville asked.
"Yup!" Ron said.
Harry sighed, "I don't know why you two just didn't get together for this. Oh wait you're both extremely stubborn."
Ron glared at his best friend. However Harry was saved the scathing reply when Ron caught site of Ginny's date. He also noticed Fred and George had stopped him too.
"Oy! Terry, over here," Ron called. Fred and George made their way over too.
"Terry, m'lad! How are ya?" Fred said and grasped the poor forth year tightly around the shoulders. It knocked the wind out of the kid.
"Fine!" He managed to choke out.
"Good, good!" George was saying now. Fred let go of his shoulders and George took his hand and began shaking, very hard. "We just wanted to make sure you and Ginny had fun tonight."
"As l,l,l,long a,a,as Gin,n,n,y's happy," he said.
"Well, just make sure she's not too happy!" Ron said, towering over all of them.
George let go and Terry ran as fast as he could. Harry couldn't help but laugh. Neville felt sympathetic having gotten a similar speech from the twins last year. He still chucked, though.
"Ron, I didn't know you could be so imposing," George said.
"That's because we remember the lad with his teddy," Fred said. "Come on, off to our own dates. Have fun lads!"
******************************
Harry, Ron, and Neville watched Fred and George go off with their dates. Harry checked Ron's watch; he had yet to get a new one of his own. There was still plenty of time before he had to go meet Blaise. She had seemed rather pleased with his new hairstyle. His dress robes were a royal blue that now matched his hair. The robes had a mandarin collar that fastened with a black button and the sleeves went perfectly down his arms with two black buttons at the cuff. And Hermione had helped him charm his eyes so he didn't need his glasses. It was only a semi-permanent charm but still had the dramatic effect of changing his whole appearance. (The blue hair helped too!)
Ron was wearing the same white and gold robes from Halloween, though the girls had helped lengthen them as he had grown again. His hair was slicked back. And he seemed a lot more relaxed than he had at Halloween.
Neville was wearing silver robes that looked just like the school robes. He actually looked very nice, but Harry couldn't help thinking he looked a bit frumpy.
The girls made a dazzling entrance. They hadn't meant to, they just couldn't help it! Hermione with her golden curls lightly dusting her shoulders was a vision in her pale blue robes. They had a square cut neck and a very tight bodice with skirt that seemed to float as she walked.
Ginny was wearing dark pink robes, the color of sunset. Her sleeves were shear and billowy with long cuffs, giving the impression she had wings. Not every redhead can pull off pink. Ginny Weasley looked as though she had never heard that. Pink had always looked good on her and she showed it now.
And in between them was Daisy. She wore old-fashioned robes of dark purple silk. A lavender belt was wrapped three time around her waist and perfectly matched the lavender trim at her cuffs, hem, and around her curved neckline.
They were laughing and talking in their own world. With about eight stairs to go, Daisy slipped. She caught Hermione and Ginny's arms to steady herself, and laughed even more. So they entered the Common Room arms laced together, inseparable.
*********
Hermione and Daisy went over to where Harry, Ron, and Neville were standing. Neville gapped at his date. She was beautiful!
"Wow!" he said.
"Thanks, Nev. You clean up pretty well your self," she said as she took his offered arm.
"They look good together," Hermione said to the boys standing next to her.
"Not as good as she looked with me though!" Ron said with a smile.
"Well, of course not oh-handsome-one" Hermione mocked.
Harry, however, did not feel like joking. He shook his head and said, "What does she see in him? Hermione, you're a girl, tell me."
Hermione smiled. 'Poor Harry,' she thought. "You mean besides the cute Liverpool accent and the big puppy dog eyes? He's just sweet. She doesn't feel any pressure around him and can relax. Don't look at me that way, either of you. Those are her words. And we better go. They're getting ahead of us, and we have dates to meet!"
*******
Ron, Hermione, and Harry came down the stairs together arms linked and laughing, muck the same way Ginny, Daisy and Hermione had come into the Common Room.
Daisy and Neville had made it down before them and got to watch they're entrance. "It's nice to see them like that. They haven't been spending much time together lately, have they?" Daisy said holding Neville's arm tightly.
"No," he said. "Especially compared to the past four years. They were inseparable. I guess they always will be really."
"I like watching them together," Daisy said. "Sometimes I feel like I just stumbled in and messed everything up."
"You haven't," Neville reassured her. "They've actually widened the group a lot. You, Ginny, me, and now Malfoy and Blaise. But it'll always be the three of them. They've gone through too much together for that to really change."
"The Golden Trio!" Draco sneered from behind them.
"Malfoy, don't you know it's rude to sneak up on people?" Neville asked.
"And didn't your grandmother ever teach you not to gossip? I resent being included in your little group by the way. I have my own friends thanks."
"Yes and lovely people too," Daisy said dryly looking at Crabbe and Goyle over Draco's shoulder.
They both looked extremely large and stupid, which she knew from experience, they were. Blaise had been the only one of Draco's Slytherin friends she could stand. She was almost glad Blaise and Harry had gotten together.
"Yes and you look lovely too, Wild Flower. I did mention that right?" Draco said.
"No, must have slipped your mind," she smiled sweetly. "Slimy place too I bet."
"Yes, but not as dirty as yours," he said.
She laughed loudly at that. "Point to you Young Nasty Man!"
"So, Malfoy, where's your date?" Neville said, trying to be civil.
"She's still making herself pretty for me I suppose. You know those Ravenclaw girls," he said.
"And what Ravenclaw would go with you?" Ron asked coming up with Susan Bones. Hermione and Justin and Harry and Blaise were right behind them.
"Padma Patil," he said smugly.
"Yes, and he wouldn't let any of the boys in our House forget it either," Blaise said coolly.
Padma came to meet Draco just before the doors opened, bringing with her, to Daisy's chagrin, Pavarti and her date, who was Dean and that was alright. Seamus and Lavender also followed.
"I'm surrounded by Gryffindors!" Draco complained.
"Your suppose to helping me end House animosity, Malfoy," Daisy said rather Snape-ishly. "Behave!"
Neville looked at her sideways for a moment. Harry noticed the odd look on his face and smiled.
"Blaise, you don't mind being with Gryffindors, do you?" he asked her smoothly.
She smiled broadly. "No Harry, not at all."
"Itch..." was all Malfoy said.
Daisy hit him on the arm. "Padma, can't you get your date to behave?"
"I hope not." The pretty Ravenclaw said with a smile.
Draco beamed.
"Okay, the doors really need to open now," Ron said.
Fortunately they did. Once inside, the group split up to mingle and dance and otherwise enjoy themselves.
******************************
Daisy had never liked large crowds. When in large groups she didn't really talk much except to her close friends. Tonight she had managed to avoid actually talking to anyone for a whole hour. She had managed to keep Neville on the dance floor for that long. Luckily her shoes were charmed to be indestructible and his feet didn't hurt her, only slowed the dancing.
Eventually though they both got thirsty. All the tables had been moved out of the Great Hall except one against a wall with refreshments. There were a few small tables scattered along the edge of the dance floor and out of the way. Neville had gone to get drinks. Daisy had claimed seats at an empty table.
She was watching Neville approach the drinks on the table. He really had a cute butt. Distracted by such thoughts she didn't see Cho Chang sit across from her.
"So where are your groupies?" the girl asked.
"What? Cho? When did you get here?" Daisy asked.
"Figures off in your own little world. I asked where your groupies where?" she said coldly.
Daisy smiled. "Cho, love, if you knew anything, you'd know you don't get groupies following you until after a performance. If you meant my date, he's getting us drinks. If you meant my friends, they're off enjoying the dance. If you meant a specific friend of mine, like oh I don't know, the one who's heart you publicly stomped on, Harry's probably off snogging his girlfriend, Blaise Zambini. And who are you here with?"
Cho glared at her but then began to look smug. "Only the Head boy himself, Roger Davies."
"Oh good, I'm glad he found a date after I turned him down," Daisy said with a sweet smile.
Cho glared again then abruptly stood. "I'll leave you to your solitude, your majesty." She stamped her foot, turned on her heel and stomped off. All the while Daisy smiled as though it were Christmas all over again.
Neville came back with the drink and they sat enjoying the music in obscurity. At least they though, heads bent in conversation they were suddenly startled by a bright flash.
"What the...?"
"Just capturing the moment for posterity," said cold but familiar voice.
"Vince? What are you doing here?" Daisy asked.
"I came with the band. Ty and Lu are up there playing, or haven't you noticed?" he said.
"Of course I noticed!" she said rising to her feet.
Neville stood slowly and placed a hand on her elbow. He looked at Vince and said, "If you're with the band, why don't you go rejoin them? We're fine here, thanks."
Vince didn't move. He seemed to be assessing Neville's level of threat.
"I said sod off!" Neville yelled.
Vince smiled at them. "I'll see you around, Raven." And then he left.
There was something unsettlingly familiar about the camera hanging around his neck.
"He really seems to get your hackles up," Neville said.
"You have no idea," Daisy responded.
"Fancy another turn around the floor?" He asked.
She smiled. "I really just want to think by myself for a bit. I'll be back soon, I promise. In the mean time, why don't you see if Ginny wants to take a turn? I think her brothers scared off poor Terry."
"You sure then?" Neville asked and she nodded. "Don't let him get to you, love," he said with a smile and pecked her on the cheek.
Neville went off to rescue Ginny, and Daisy got out of the Hall as quick as she could.
**********************************
Harry watched Daisy leaving the Great Hall. She looked upset.
"Hey Blaise, did you see Daisy just now?" he asked.
"Yeah. She looked she was trying to escape. I wonder if she'd all right," the Slytherin mused.
"Mind if I go check?" he asked.
"No!" she said and he was gone.
Blaise was a great girl, really, but when they tried to have an actual conversation it never went well. They had pretty much decided not to talk. There were other, more pleasant uses for their mouths. But at the dance in a room full of people it was hard to do anything else with your lips.
So Harry, going after Daisy as she made her escape, was mostly an excuse for his own escape, or so he tried to convince himself.
'Probably just too many people and she wanted room to think,' he though.
He figured she was in the hidden room across the Entrance Hall that she used for music practice. Harry wondered vaguely if there was a music room in the castle. There really should be in a proper castle like Hogwarts.
When he entered the room he saw her. Daisy was sitting in the middle of the long table staring at the fire in front of her. There were big comfy- looking armchairs in front of the fire, but Daisy looked quite happy sitting on the tabletop. Her feet propped up on the long bench that ran the length of the table's side.
"Hey!" Harry said, sitting on the bench in front of her, also facing the fire.
"Mmm."
"You feeling alright?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Wanna talk?"
"Mmm-mmm."
"Kay."
It took almost a whole thirty seconds for her to speak, though.
"Why is everything so hard? Why can't I just have a nice normal date? I'd settle for a normal hour at this point!"
Harry was sympathetic. "What happened?"
"Vince is here," she said. "I was having a nice conversation with Nev and Vincent Timoldi showed up practicing his papparatizzi routine! As if that git hasn't done enough to me."
"You survived," Harry said, trying to be encouraging.
"Harry, you don't know what I was like around him. The things he did and the things I did because of him...or the things he did to me."
"Daze, what did he do to you to make you hate him so?" Harry asked. When she didn't say anything he asked. "It was him you were with, wasn't it? He left you to die."
"Yes."
Harry turned and looked at her. She was telling the truth but she was hiding something else.
"But there's more?" he pressed.
"Yes." But that was all she said.
"Well?" Harry said. "Are you going to tell me?"
"What does it matter? It was over three years ago. I was barely twelve when he..." She trailed off with a far away look in her eyes. He could just barely see her eyes through her glasses, but he could tell she was somewhere else.
"What did he do to you?" Harry asked quietly. He took her hand in his. He almost thought she would tell him.
But she didn't she stood and walked away from him. "It doesn't matter. I wasn't smart enough. No one is going to take advantage of me like that ever again! I'm in control!"
Harry stood behind her and put his arms around her. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, and it was. She turned in his arms and looked at him. Her glasses made her eyes look so big this close. And her tears where all the more visible. He reached up and took off her glasses and gently stroked her cheek.
She turned her face down from him and he lifted it back up.
"Hey, you don't ever have to look away from me. You don't ever have to be ashamed with me," Harry said trying to smile.
But then he made his mistake. He looked in her eyes again. She was so vulnerable and in so much pain. He did what seemed the most natural thing in the world. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.
Daisy was in complete shock. Harry was kissing her. Harry was kissing her! Harry wasn't suppose to kiss her. Harry was suppose to kiss Blaise or other random girls, not her.
But it was so nice. And she almost kissed him back. But then he would be in control. Had she just told him she needed to be in control. She needed someone who she knew couldn't hurt her, like Draco. Or someone who she could influence, even if subtly, like Ron, or Neville.
Neville! She was in the middle of a date with another boy, and Harry was kissing her. And was in the middle of a date with another girl! How could he kiss her like this?
'He couldn't on his own,' she thought. 'You started kissing him back! '
"No!" she said and pulled away. "Harry, what the hell is wrong with you?"
Daisy turned and ran from the room, firmly slamming the door behind her.
***********************************
Harry slumped down on the bench. "What is the hell is the matter with me?" he repeated her question quietly.
"That's exactly what I was wondering Potter," said a disembodied voice by the fire.
"Malfoy?"
Draco stood up from a chair by the fire. "Very good, Potter. You listened and heard me. Shame you couldn't do that with Daisy."
"Sod off, Malfoy." Harry was not in the mood right now to deal with Draco Malfoy, even if he was right. Especially if he was right.
"Oh no, Potter. You didn't listen to her, but you'll listen to me. You claim to be her friend," Draco began. "You say you care about her. Do you really? You'd better think bout how you act around her, Potter! T-H-I-N-K. With your head, by the way, nothing else."
"Malfoy, your disgusting. I wasn't trying to..."
"Get in her pants? Good because you couldn't. And I'll tell you why if you want."
"Malfoy your such a git." Harry said irritated. "Alright, then. Why? Why would any other girl in school be happy to be with me but I can't kiss the girl I really like?"
"Because you could have any other girl. Daisy feels safe around you physically. You'd die rather than see her get a paper-cut and she knows it. But Potter, that girl has never had a stable relationship in her life. She's only just learning how. Weasley was the closest she came and just as she was opening up to him she was having visions of him with another girl. One of her best friends no less. What do you think that does to a girl's confidence? And you should have been reading into what she was telling you. That Vince guy, he damaged her. And even though she's never said it, I'm willing to bet some of that was physical damage. And he could do this to her because she trusted him with her heart! She's trying to heal her emotional wounds and you through salt in them!"
"I'd never hurt her," Harry said.
"What do you think you just did!" Draco screamed. "You're both on dates with other people but it looks like you have an in with her and you take it. She told you she needs to regain control and you take it without a second thought. She doesn't need another boy kissing her, Potter. She needs a friend to listen to her without feeling like you're an emotional threat.
"And you're on a date with Blaise! Shouldn't you be with you date?"
"I saw Daisy leaving the Great Hall. She looked like she needed a friend." Harry said. Malfoy was right. "I'm an idiot."
"No kidding. Go back to you date. I'll find Daisy," he said.
"What about your date?" Harry asked.
"Padma won't mind. She's too busy talking about what a wonderful date I am to her sister," Draco said with a smug smile.
************************************