Daisy Potter and the Fallen Angel (Book 7, Harry Potter ff)

Chapter 16 - Escape

Terry let out a great sob and flew into my arms; I collapsed back against the sofa with the force of him, the wind being knocked out of me.

"Woah, there." I said.

"You're back." Terry wept into my shoulder. "My best friend is back..."

"I was always right here." I said, amused, waving a hand over myself.

Terry pulled back, his eyes full of tears. "No, Softpaw... no, you weren't. Not really."

"What's all this commotion?" Draco meandered out of the room with the double bed, rubbing his eyes, and I grinned. "I swear someone's been crying out here for an hour."

"Drake, baby, Softpaw's back!" Terry wailed, staggering out of my arms and throwing himself at Draco, who stumbled back, eyes widening as he struggled to hold his boyfriend up. "She's back, baby, back!"

"BACK back?" Draco's eyes widened even more, turning to me. I beamed at him.

"Back back." I confirmed.

Draco's face split into a wide grin, and he looked more awake than ever. He guided Terry aside and ran to me, collapsing on top of me on the sofa and wrapping his arms tight around me. Terry joined us a moment later, and the three of us group-hugged, laughing and crying.

"What's all this about?" Kylie emerged from the dorm room, yawning.

"Are we getting attacked?" Louis swung around the doorway, his wand out. "Oh, it's just you three." He lowered it.

"Daisy's back!" Draco said over the top of Terry's head with a huge smile. "Guys, she's not delusional anymore!"

"Thanks, Dragon." I rolled my eyes. But Kylie and Louis were suddenly grinning, too, and they flung themselves at us, joining our heap. Arms squeezed me from all angles, at least two people's tears wetting my skin; someone was laughing in relief, another was repeating, "Thank Godric, thank Godric," over and over again into my neck.

Eventually, what seemed simultaneously like two minutes and two hours later, we all separated, flopping onto the sofa or in Kylie's case, lounging on the armrest. Everyone's eyes were twinkling; there was a hope in their faces that I hadn't seen for a while.

"So, when are we making our escape? Today?"

Terry, Draco, Kylie, and Louis all exchanged a glance.

"I mean, I feel like we're on the cusp of a revolution here." Louis said. "Everyone else is getting all riled up, everyone's sick of the regime, we're all fighting back... sure, everyone was pissed off that they wouldn't let us go home for the Christmas holidays. I'm not sure I wanna leave."

Terry and Kylie turned to glare at him. Louis held his hands up, looking harassed.

"No, I mean, you guys go on ahead with Daisy, and I'll help in any way I can, of course. But I think I'll stay, in the Room of Requirement, and help the rebellion."

"That's fair enough." I said. "Y'know, I think I would probably have wanted to stay if I wasn't the Chosen One and had a mission to do. I'd have loved to be the leader of a student-led rebellion."

I gazed wistfully off into the distance. Terry sniggered.

"You already were. Remember fifth year?"

"Oh, yeah." I said. "Anyway, who's coming with me?"

"Obviously me." Terry said.

"Me too." Kylie said. "I miss Hermione. Plus, Harry and Ron are my best friends. I want to help."

"I think..." Draco said slowly. "I think I might stay with Louis. I want to fight back against Snape's regime."

"Are you sure, baby?" Terry said, his eyes widening slightly. "You'll be in a lot of -"