I didn't remember what I had dreamed in the morning, which was perhaps a good thing.

Sleepy as I was, I went into the shower to wake up.

It actually worked very well.

After I had eaten something I decided to go to Hagrid's to help him a bit with the magical creatures but mainly to distract myself.

When I opened the front door, there was a book in front of the door.

Confused, I picked it up.

It was a Potions book. Meant it wasn't mine because it was in my room but it was the same edition.

The edition we used in class with Professor Slughorn.

I opened it to see who it belonged to but before I got that far a note fell out of the pages.

«We need to talk. Ten o'clock, courtyard. M.», was written on the note in delicate but obviously fast writing.

I looked around on all sides but there was no one to be seen.

Yesterday I would have torn up this note and burned it but after the way Malfoy had looked last night, there was probably a lot for her to sort out too.


And since I also had a few things to say to him, I was actually standing in the courtyard where Malfoy had had his tantrum yesterday at ten o'clock on the dot.

"I didn't expect you to come", I heard his familiar voice behind me.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest directly in defence.

"I'm just good for surprises", I replied snappishly, trying convulsively not to look at him.

He said nothing.

"You wanted to talk, then talk.

Say what you have to say, I'm all ears."

He looked up from his shoes he had been staring at the whole time and looked me straight in the eye.

The circles under his eyes had become even darker and he hadn't really made an effort with his hair either.

He looked tired and feeble.

No pity, I called to myself again in my mind.

"I'm sorry," he began quietly.

"For everything, actually.

For always being such a dick to you, for never thanking you for saving my shitty little life several times.

For being so obnoxious and arrogant but mostly I'm sorry for that kiss."

He paused for a moment but spoke straight on before I could say anything back.

"You were right, as you are always right really.

I wasn't thinking. All I wanted was out of that situation.

I shouldn't have done it, I should have asked you first.

I can't undo it, and believe me, if I could, I would.

I know you won't believe me and you have every right to, I wouldn't believe me either.

I can't make this right, I've taken something from you that you can't get back.

Something that should have been special, with someone you deserve and not me."

He paused his monologue and took a deep breath, reached into his coat pocket and took out a small box.

"Don't think of it as restitution or an apology, think of it as thanks.

For saving my life, multiple times, for putting up with me.

For helping me when I didn't want it.

For being there for me but most of all for opening my eyes to what a bastard I was and am."

He held the small box out to me.

I just shook my head.

Whatever it was, I didn't want it.

"Please, Daisy", he whispered gently reaching for my hand.

He had never called me by my first name before, it felt strange to hear it come out of his mouth.

He placed the box in my hand and I still didn't know what to say.

He let go of my hand, ended eye contact and left.

"Thank you for listening", he said softly before leaving the courtyard for good.


I still remained rooted to the spot, staring at the box in my hand.

With trembling fingers I untied the bow and opened the lid.

Inside was a delicate silver necklace with a round pendant that looked like a Knut in shape and size.

It was engraved with a daisy in the middle of which sat a sparkling gemstone.

It was beautiful and looked incredibly expensive.

I would give it back to him. I didn't want it in the first place even if I did I couldn't have accepted it.

Just as I was about to close the box again I noticed a small note on the top.

«You don't have to wear it if you don't like it. But please keep it. M. »

I read the lines over and over, probably hoping that something would change but they remained the same as when I first read them.

He wouldn't take the necklace back even if I left it on his doorstep.

It was important to him that I kept it and as much as I wanted to resist, I actually had little argument for my reluctance.

The necklace was gorgeous, it was simple but elegant, I could wear it with anything and silver suited me much better than gold.

I didn't know if I would ever wear it but at least I would keep it, for now.

I closed the box again and put it safely in my pocket.

I wouldn't go to Hagrid today after all but I would ask Min if I could go to Hogsmeade.

There was a jeweller there and I was dying to find out what this necklace was worth and whether I should give it back to Malfoy.

She actually agreed on the condition that I brought her some things and that I was back in the castle before nightfall.


So a short time later I was standing in the jewellery shop.

"Happy New Year to you.

How can I help you?", asked a small, friendly-looking man behind the counter.

"I have a piece of jewellery here that I would like to have valued."

"Very well, let's see."

I rummaged the box with the necklace out of my pocket and pushed it over the counter to the man.

He looked at the delicate piece of jewellery from all sides, weighed it and looked at it closely under a magnifying glass.

"A very beautiful piece of jewellery you have there. Really remarkable work."

One of the man's colleagues came forward as another customer had entered the shop.

"Oh, is there something wrong with the necklace?", he asked me and I shook my head.

"The young lady wanted it valued", the little man explained.

"I know the necklace.

A young man bought it here a few days ago. The engraving is mine and I also put the stone in personally."

I was astonished.

So Malfoy had brought the necklace here before the kiss.

So he had already intended to give it to me.

"I could tell you the material value of this necklace but I'm sure the personal value is much higher.

Of course, only the highest quality materials were used.

The stone is uncut and only polished as the young man had requested. But what is different is that the spell that lies on it was not there before."

"A spell?", I asked confused, looking from one vendor to the other.

"Not a strong one, a simple touch spell.

You should have discovered that by now if it's your necklace."

The second man raised his eyebrows sceptically.

"Uh yes of course I knew about that one.

I thought you meant another spell", I tried to extricate myself from the situation.

"Now do you want me to tell you the value of that necklace?", the little man asked and I quickly shook my head.

"No thank you, you have helped me a lot anyway. Thank you."

I took the box back and quickly disappeared from the shop.

Malfoy had had an expensive necklace made for me. Just like that, as a thank you.

I felt bad for all I had said yesterday and that I had hit him.

Although it was my right to be angry, I still felt like the stupid one in the whole story.

What kind of spell had Malfoy put on it?

I hadn't touched the necklace yet, that was the reason I hadn't known about the touch spell.

I would touch it when I got back to my room.

I quickly got everything Min had told me to get to the bottom of the mystery as quickly as possible.


I sat at my desk, as I had the best light there and opened the lid of the box.

The necklace still looked the same as the first time I had seen it.

Carefully I lifted it out.

Nothing happened.

I turned it to the light but still no change.

I couldn't imagine that the two sellers had lied but for the life of me I couldn't find anything that indicated a spell.

I touched the pendant to look at it more closely.

On the back of the necklace I spotted Malfoy's filigree handwriting.

«Thank you », it said neatly and delicately.

But as soon as I let go of the pendant, the delicate letters disappeared.

So that was the magic, I thought.

Sort of sweet. Only I would ever be able to read it unless I showed it to someone while touching it.

He had really put some thought into it.

I had to smile.

I was still angry though, at least a little.

I undid the clasp of the necklace and put it around my neck.

It was just perfect.

It looked beautiful, the length was perfect and it just suited me.

The man had a sense of style, you couldn't deny him that.

I hid the necklace under my jumper because I didn't want to answer Min's questions about it.


I ate dinner alone, which was nothing new.

I hardly ever saw my godmother but sometimes I wished for a little more attention from her.

In three days school would start again and the day after tomorrow the students would return.

I had thought that the two weeks would seem like forever and in fact I couldn't imagine that it had all happened in just two weeks because it felt like months.

I was looking forward to seeing Neville again but he was with Hannah now and I didn't know what that would change for me.

I shouldn't worry about that now, I'd been on my own all my school years, I'd make it through the last six months too.

But now I had a glimpse of what my school days would have been like with a friend and I didn't want to miss it.


Saturday flew by and before I knew it the first students arrived back at Hogwarts.

I had almost forgotten how loud it was in the corridors and how many students passed through here every day.

The likelihood of meeting someone in the corridors in the last few weeks had been pretty slim and now it was almost impossible to walk through a corridor without someone else being there.

Life came back into the castle and with life came distraction, which I desperately needed.

I wanted to hear all about Neville's holidays at dinner, every little detail, just so I wouldn't think about everything that had happened during my holidays.

When Neville asked me how I had been, I lied and said it had been quiet.

That I had read and studied a lot and helped Hagrid.

I had done all those things, that wasn't a lie, but it had been anything but quiet.

Neville believed me though and didn't ask any more questions.

He thanked me profusely when I handed him his belated Christmas present.

He had also brought me something, the herbology book I had borrowed from him at the beginning of the school year.

Only now it was my own.

I had missed him. I had missed all this but I was dreading the moment when this would change.

It would have to change whether I wanted it to or not.

Hannah came up to us smiling and pressed a kiss to Neville's cheek.

"Hello, Daisy. Did you have a nice Christmas?", she asked beaming.

I beamed back at her, lying through my teeth.

She sat down with us and told us about her holidays.

She had a really pleasant voice and I enjoyed listening to her.

She made jokes and I immediately understood why Neville had fallen in love with her.

She was just wonderful, everything about her was magical.

From the way she spoke, to her dimples that popped up when she laughed, to her humour.

Neville was really lucky with her and she with him.

I was happy for them and their wonderful relationship.

My gaze briefly shifted from the two lovers and slid through the hall.

It caught two grey eyes that met my green ones.

He quickly looked away and turned back to Astoria, who was once again sitting on his lap.

She had only just arrived and he hadn't had time to talk to her yet but I knew he wasn't even planning to.

He would stay in this relationship because it was the most comfortable for him, because it brought the least problems.

Would he ever tell her what had happened in the last two weeks?

That he would rather take his own life than have to marry her?

Probably not.

He wouldn't want to risk his power and position, so he would just carry on as he was.

It stung me.

I had sacrificed so much to help him and yet he continued where he had started.

I turned my gaze from the unhappy back to the happy couple to bring myself back to positive thoughts.


"That's a pretty nice necklace. A Christmas present?", asked Hannah, snapping me out of my stupor.

I had actually subconsciously brought out the necklace and was playing around with its pendant.

I nodded in reply and leaned over to her so she could see the pendant better.

I did not touch it as I did so.

"A daisy", Hannah laughed. "Really pretty."

"Thank you", I said sheepishly and slid back into my seat.

The hall emptied and we too made our way to our respective common rooms, or in my case, Min's apartement.

School would start again tomorrow and we all wanted to be well rested.

It had been nice today with the three of us, I thought as I layed on my bed.

Hannah was great and I hoped she would eat with us more often.