Chapter 18
They were in their compartment on the train, catching up with Luna and Neville on their vacation when a girl entered, handing envelopes to Daisy, Harry, and Neville.
Daisy groaned in exasperation when inside she found an invitation to a lunch with Professor Slughorn. She hoped he was unaware of her existence but was not so lucky.
They headed for the indicated compartment where inside they found the professor surrounded by other students. She knew almost no one but was pleasantly surprised to find Ginny, Blaise and Theo posing as if they didn't want to be there at the moment. They were more alike than they would ever admit.
Daisy could not help smiling when her gaze met Theo's, and the boy was no different either. It was Slughorn who brought them back to reality, shouting Harry's name as soon as he saw him.
After introductions and a round of boring questions, the professor brought all his attention back to Harry. He contemplated him as if he were a big, juicy piece of pheasant before stating, " The 'Chosen One,' that's what they call you now. Rumors have been circulating about you for years and after that terrible night ... you were said to have extraordinary powers. "
Daisy, had to bite her tongue to stop herself from attacking the man. Could it be that he didn't realize how uncomfortable he made people feel?
Blaise, on the other hand, made no bones about it and coughed with amused skepticism.
" What talent do yo have, Zabini? "asked Ginny, angrily. Her friend had totally misunderstood the Slytherin's attitude, and Daisy was loving every moment of it. " The one of showing off? "
" Watch out, Blaise! " Slughorn chuckled. " I saw this young lady cast a wonderful Bat-Bogey Hex as I passed by her compartment. I would avoid antagonizing her! "
Blaise assumed a scornful expression, and Daisy had to cough to hide the laughter that escaped her. Unfortunately for her, her friend noticed because he glowered at her, promising revenge. It was going to be a fun year, she felt.
They spent their afternoon in the most boring way there could be as they listened to their new professor go on bragging about some old students who had joined what he called Lumaclub. The name was awful and, in her heart, Daisy knew that being a part of it would be equally so.
She hoped she had made herself so insignificant in the man's eyes as to avert the possibility of a second invitation, but she didn't count on it. At least she would be able to take advantage of it to spend more time with Theo and, she hoped, attempt to unite the two groups so as to reduce her dose of trouble.
His gaze kept following Theo's figure. She watched the way he gesticulated elegantly as he answered the professor's questions, the way he moistened his lips with his tongue with each sentence making it increasingly difficult not to kiss him in front of everyone. She especially observed his figure, which had changed considerably during the vacation. His clothes wrapped his figure like a glove, showing off his lean, muscular physique, but what Daisy noticed immediately, to her disappointment, was the boy's height. He had grown several inches and she knew her boyfriend would gloat over the even greater height difference between the two. It would have been annoying, she was sure. But it was also because of that annoying personality trait that she had fallen in love with him so she could not complain.
The only thing she wanted to do, however, was to make sure that his time at home had not been violent. She needed to know how he really was, without the mask he was wearing because all those people were there. She needed time alone with him and hoped that this pathetic excuse of a meeting would end soon.
She could not help but blush when Theo raised an eyebrow in her direction. He had noticed the way she looked at him and seemed pleased by her reaction.
When the professor realized how much he had held them back, he closed the meeting. Something extraordinary happened next: Harry and Blaise cooperated.
While his brother asked Neville and Ginny if they could leave him alone because he had to talk to Daisy, Blaise made sure everyone left the compartment.
" We will stand guard. " announced Harry, proud of the task at hand.
" Five minutes, not a minute more. " Blaise admonished them, leaving the compartment after greeting her with a kiss in the cheek.
When they were alone, Theo took her in his arms and held her tightly against his chest. With her face pressed against his sternum, Daisy closed her eyes as she listened to the boy's heartbeat become more and more regular. His posture, kept rigid so as to play the part of the typical thoroughbred heir well, began to relax under the girl's touch. He knew her so well that he reassured her, swearing that he was fine.
" I missed you so much. " he admitted, stepping back just far enough to look into her eyes. He touched her cheek affectionately with his thumb as he told her that, with Umbridge gone, he once again had the private dormitory that was every prefect's due. " We will meet in the dungeon after dinner, bring the cloak so I am more comfortable. "
" Guys I'm sorry but we're starting to get a little conspicuous. " Harry warned them, opening the door.
" See you tonight. " she promised, leaving a tender kiss against her boyfriend's lips before following her brother out of there.
Turning around, she saw Theo looking in her direction with a goofy smile on his face that only increased when she mimicked "I love you" with her lips. He seemed about to follow her when Blaise hit him on the back of the head, bringing him back to his senses.
" You're embarrassing, really. " Blaise said, dejected as he pushed him toward their compartment and away from the two Potters who were laughing at the ridiculous scene they had witnessed.
" He's crazy about you. " commented Harry, smiling at his sister's blush.
" As if Cedric wasn't worse. " she huffed, trying to push away the arm that was wrapped around his shoulder. " I'm pretty sure he'll find a way to visit you because he won't be able to stay away. "
" I would have a plan to sneak him in during our next visit to the village. " he admitted, holding her even tighter against his side and whispering in her ear, " Maybe we will use the Room of Requirement... "
" Yes? " she asked, understanding the implications of the sentence. " But don't waste time planning everything or it will never be right. "
" I know. " he blushed, wondering if she had already taken that important step. Any other sibling would have been embarrassed or overprotective on such a topic but it wasn't something Harry would ever do. It had been just the two of them for most of their lives, telling each other anything, so honesty characterized their relationship. They were not afraid to reveal their thoughts because they would never judge each other.
Daisy denied it, stating that she did not feel ready yet. " I wouldn't mind if we explored more though. "
" Now that you're distracted while thinking about your boyfriend's body I should tell you that Ginny and Neville definitely noticed the way you were looking at Theo. " Harry said, smiling stiffly as they entered their compartment. Noting the absence of his two best friends, he asked where they had gone.
" Prefects' meeting. " hummed Luna, as her girlfriend braided her long blonde hair.
" So... " began Ginny, raising an eyebrow in Daisy's direction.
" We said not to ask her any questions about it. " whispered Neville, scolding her. " You don't have to tell us anything, it's none of our business. "
" Of course they concern us, she is our friend! " replied the redhead, looking at her for answers. " What if he is using her? We can't let her get hurt. "
" She seems happy, that's all that matters. " stammered Neville, embarrassed.
Daisy gasped at that unexpected show of affection. She had expected shouts and hasty judgments but all she found in the eyes of the two boys was curiosity and concern. Sighing, he took a seat in front of them as she smiled slightly.
" I can't say anything for the moment ... but yes, I'm happy. " she told them, asking them not to mention it to anyone
" That's enough for me. " nodded Neville, ending the discussion. Daisy adored the boy, and every day she thought with regret about how much she wished Neville had been sorted with her in Hufflepuff. But they became great friends anyway so the thought didn't assail her as much as it did during her first year. She remembered how disappointed she had been because she had been sorted into a different house than her first friend but she soon learned that true friendships lasted in spite of everything.
" How was Theodore doing? The last day of school was full of Bibbering Humbidgers . " commented Luna, as she read a copy of the quibble. She wore fanciful and absolutely adorable glasses on her figure that she called spectrespecs.
" She seemed to have enchanted him. " snorted Harry, remembering the Slytherin's face as he looked at his sister. " He's certainly better off now than... "
Daisy shushed him, hitting him in the side with her elbow.
" What are Bibbering Humbidgers? " Neville asked, interested.
" They are invisible creatures. " she answered promptly, without taking her eyes off the magazine. Ginny meanwhile looked at all of them fiercely, promising them revenge if they would even upset her girlfriend. Of course, she knew they wouldn't dare do such a thing, but it was a habit she had picked up over the past year and everyone understood her protective streak. " They get in your ears and confuse your brain. "
" And are they dangerous? " Daisy asked, worried. Unlike everyone else, she had learned to take everything her best friend said seriously. She might not believe many things but she knew that Luna had a gift, that she saw more than anyone else, and that she was often misunderstood by others because of it.
" It shouldn't if he got rid of them. " Luna said, looking up and smiling reassuringly at her. " Maybe he has figured out what to do. "
" Yes, perhaps. " Daisy repeated, looking distractedly out the window. Thinking again of Theo's father and with worry gripping her, she didn't hear Hermione and Ron return. It was only when Ron tossed her a piece of candy, drawing her attention, that she realized she had isolated herself in her mind.
" Everything okay? " the redhead asked, looking worried. Daisy smiled, reassuring him, before asking him how the meeting had gone. " As usual, a real bore. "
" I don't understand how Dumbledore could make Pansy Parkinson a prefect. " snorted Hermione, annoyed. " Nott is smart and takes his position seriously without taking advantage of it while that girl is having a little too much fun using her power. "
" Do you have a crush on a Slytherin? " muttered Ron, annoyed. Daisy did not take it personally, rather she smiled amusedly noting the obvious jealousy that was emanating from the boy.
" Of course not! " she babbled, indignant. " I was just thinking that the principal could have made a better choice. "
We all sighed dramatically, mocking her. All Hermione did was roll her eyes, the corners of her lips rising slightly to form a soft, amused smile.