Songbird ; Fred Weasley

Eighty-two

I woke up in the middle of the night, still cuddled up with Fred.

I couldn't fall asleep again, so I decided to walk downstairs to get myself something to eat, but when I stepped into the kitchen, Daniel was sitting at the kitchen island, eating the very same sandwich he always made back when he was eleven years old and was happy at home.

He looked almost the same. He wore a pair of pyjamas pants, and gripped the sandwich with both hands, looking like he was enjoying every bite.

I walked through the door, and his head snapped up, his eyes landing on me.

He swallowed, then offered me a soft smile.

"Hey. Couldn't sleep?"

"Nope." I sighed, walking for the fridge. "Well, I woke up and I couldn't fall back asleep so... figured I'd look for something to eat."

I grabbed one of the muffins in the fridge and then closed the door, turning towards Daniel.

"Have you gotten any sleep?" I asked, taking a bite of the muffin.

Daniel shook his head.

"I haven't slept for eighteen years." He joked before turning serious. "I have nightmares so I do everything in my power to stay awake."

I frowned.

"That's not healthy."

"No, but I'd rather be awake than be stuck in some nightmare. Though my waking life hasn't been much of a dream either."

He laughed a sad laugh, taking another bite of his muffin.

"Are you— which room are you staying in?"

"Harvey's." He told me. "But it doesn't feel right. You've all grown up, made lives of your own and I'm stuck with no idea what to do now."

He looked down.

"I'm supposed to be happy that I'm free, but it terrifies me. What am I supposed to do now? I never really attended Hogwarts. Only one semester and then he kidnapped me."

I pushed off the counter and approached him, leaning on the other side of the island.

"There's one thing I still don't get. On the surveillance, it was a woman who took you." I said, biting into my muffin.

Daniel nodded.

"Polyjuice potion." He said.

I nodded slowly.

"But hey. You're not stuck." I assured him. "I'm sure dad can get you a job at his firm. Or maybe you can work for mum. She's working on one of her books, and she could use an assistant even if just temporary."

"Yeah, maybe." He shrugged. "Anyway, mum will probably be talking to me about therapy, so maybe I should go ahead and research it so she doesn't waste her time."

He slid off the stool and took his sandwich with him as he walked back upstairs.

I sighed and ate the rest of my muffin in silence. When I finished, I threw out the wrapping and made my way upstairs again.

I walked to the guest room next to my childhood bedroom, and I quietly opened the door to check on my girls.

Phoebe was sleeping peacefully on the single bed in there, while Theodora slept in the crib that I figured my mum had brought down from the attic.

I walked over to the crib and gazed down at her. She was asleep on her back, swaddled to keep her from scratching herself.

I stood there for a while, watching her before I walked over to the bed and made sure Phoebe was tucked in properly.