Daisy Potter and You-Know-Poo's Return (Book 4, Harry Potter ff)

Chapter 23 - Captured

The party continued long after we woke up in the Great Hall. We had candyfloss and Nutella toast for breakfast, and then we flowed out onto the lawns outside the castle, out into the sun, the heat encouraging us to wear school shorts and skirts instead of the usual school trousers, unbutton and untuck our shirts, and shrug off our school cloaks, using them as picnic rugs instead.

The whole squad partied until the sun went down again, and the older students set up stalls along the lawn. Some were sweet stands, some were barbecuing mouth-wateringly good-smelling meat. Fresh lemonade stands stood beside stands selling mini fans and game stands, like what you would find at a carnival.

Music was blasting, and we were all having the time of our lives. We were currently chowing down on burgers and hot dogs, cups of cool lemonade beside each of us, and the twins' arms were slung around me.

"You liking magic, Dudders?" I asked, taking a bite out of my hot dog.

"LOVING it." Dudley said happily as he finished off his burger, reaching for another off the plate in the middle. "This place is so cool. I wish I could come here."

"I wish you could too. This place would be extra bants with you here." I told him. Harry nodded.

"Sorry for the toffee, Dudley." Fred grinned at him. Dudley eyed him with a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"S'alright." Dudley said casually. "It was funny once my parents stopped freaking out. That was a week after you'd left, by the way."

The twins and I snickered.

~~~

Soon, it was sunset yet again. The whole school watched as the sun went down together, the mass of whispering and quiet giggles floating over the crowd like a blanket. Despite the rapidly approaching darkness, it was still quite warm.

I looked around at all my friends, all of us gathered together in a little group near the Lake. Me, lounging on my cloak, my tenth lemonade beside me. Harry, nudging Ron and grinning at whatever they were talking about. Ron, rolling his eyes and laughing. Terry, snickering to Draco, before leaning in and kissing him. Draco, pulling slowly away from the kiss and beaming. George, whispering something to Fred, and Fred, slapping George on the arm, sniggering. Dudley, chatting to Suzanne and Hermione, munching on a large packet of crisps, Suzanne replying before sticking her face in a huge candyfloss, Hermione picking a fluff of said-candyfloss off of Suzanne's nose, giggling. Amy, grinning and throwing her arm around Shannon, as the Slytherin girl blushed. Cedric, who had joined us, his arm slung around my shoulders, lounging beside me as he watched the sunset. Our other friends, all gathered beside our group, all chattering amongst themselves - Colin, Louis, Lewis, Kurt, Seamus, Dean, Katie, Leanne, and Ginny.

I've never felt this happy.

But of course, like all good things, it only lasted for so long.

"Hey, Weakling!" Floppy shouted from behind a tree, closer to the Lake. I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want, fuckface?" I yelled back. A low chorus of "Oooh"s and giggles rose from the crowd.

"Come and find out." He muttered darkly, but it carried across the wind-less night air. I rolled my eyes again, getting to my feet.

"I'll come and kick your pasty ass, more like." I said loudly, picking my way across my classmates towards him. More "Oooh"s rose around me, and Harry, the twins, Terry, Amy, and Cedric hurried along behind me.

"Daisy, don't - he's going to push you in the lake or something -" Amy hissed.

"I'll drown him if he does." Harry said matter-of-factly.