DURSLEY ― harry potter

‣︎︎CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE:

DAISY

☍︎︎

THEO'S PALMS WERE SWEATY AS HE ENTERED THE HOSPITAL WING. 

He could see a group crowding someone. He spotted Harry Potter, standing next to a bed, blinking back tears, and his two friends next to him — the Weasley one that Daisy was mostly indifferent about, and the know-it-all Granger that Draco hated — and a group of fourth years. 

Theo spotted Blaise standing off to the side and moved to walk towards him when someone came up next to him. 

"What're you doing here?"

Theo turned his head from trying to get a look at Daisy, spotting Cedric Diggory, her fourth year Hufflepuff friend. He had nothing against Diggory. The guy seemed nice. He was a Hufflepuff after all. 

"I came to see her."

"You can go."

"What?" Theo asked with a frown. "She's my best friend."

"Oh, do you normally call your best friends slur words or is that reserved just for her?"

Theo's face flooded with guilt, then anger. Stupid Diggory. What did he know? He didn't know anything. "Is she — all I know is that she's here. Is she okay?"

Diggory watched him for a long moment, before he nodded finally. "She's petrified. But they think she'll be okay."

Theo breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. Good, she needs — she needs to be okay."

Diggory watched him again. "She doesn't need you," he said, crossing his arms. "You know that, right? If you're going to treat her terribly — don't bother being in her life. She can do better."

Theo sank into himself, averting his eyes from Diggory's face. "I know. It's complicated — but I love her very much. She's my best friend, just — just please make sure she knows that when she wakes up."

Diggory nodded, patting Theo on the arm. Theo looked at his hand, bewildered. 

"Everything will work out, Nott," he said gently. "Friendship always wins out."

Theo scoffed. "That's the most Hufflepuff thing I've ever heard in my entire life."

Diggory shrugged, dropping his arm. "That's what I'm here for. Listen, I'm going to get my group out of here in a few minutes, if you and Blaise want to stay for awhile? You'll have to fight Potter off, but..." he trailed off with a small smile. 

Theo let out a light laugh. "Yeah, sounds good. Thank you."

Diggory nodded politely. "You're important to her," he said simply. "I don't understand why — you only bring her pain — but she loves you. And she'd want you here."

— 

Her body was pale, too pale. And cold. Like ice. 

That's what Theo noticed first. 

Potter was saying something to him — Diggory's group had been gone for at least ten minutes now — but Theo couldn't hear him. 

He brushed back a piece of loose hair from Daisy's face. Why hadn't anyone taken care of that?

Her eyes were wide, like she was staring into the distance but they were unseeing. She wasn't breathing, moving, Madam Pomfrey said she wasn't even thinking. 

He wondered if she could feel it. 

Theo hoped not. 

He grabbed her hand, which was clutched into a fist, and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. Potter was saying something louder now, but he could hear Blaise speak up on his behalf. 

Thanks, Blaise, he thought. He'd have to thank him later. He owed him for this and for his secrecy. 

Theo moved his free hand to Daisy's head, running his thumb along her forehead, smiling thinly, though his eyes filled with unshed tears. 

"It'll be okay, flower," he said quietly. "I promise. They'll fix you up in no time."

"Get out of here, Nott," Weasley grabbed his attention then, scowling at Theo. 

Theo looked up with a frown. "Why do you care?" He asked with a light shrug. "Potter I get, that's her family. But you? When have you ever genuinely cared for her well-being? When have you sought her out for anything other than to incriminate her for things she hasn't even done? Shut up, Weasel."

"Don't talk to him like that!" Potter glared at Theo. 

Theo scoffed. "Whatever, Potter," he turned back to Daisy, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to her head, then on her nose. "See you soon, flower. I'll visit everyday, okay?"

He knew she couldn't hear him — but it felt nice to say. To try and make up for how he'd treated her the past few months. Diggory was right, she did deserve better than him. 

But he was selfish and he'd keep her in his life for as long as possible, even if it hurt them both in the long run. 

As much as she was Potter's blood, she was Theo's family. His very best friend. He wouldn't let her suffer alone — not with this. 

Not with anything, he promised himself. If — when she woke up, he'd be there for her. He could get Mrs. M's help. She adored Theo. Surely, she'd understand? Stop him from dying at the hands of his own father?

Seeing Daisy's fearful expression and vacant eyes, he decided it didn't matter. If he could hear her laugh once more, or make her smile — feel her warmth or comfort, then he'd count his lucky stars and thank his father for waiting so long. 

He'd die for her, too, he thought. In a heartbeat, if she asked. 

Funny how nearly losing someone made you want to die for them. But he would. He'd do it for her, for Blaise. For Draco (even if he'd never admit it to him) and he wouldn't apologize for it. 

His father wasn't his family. 

Daisy was his family, and he'd be damned if she died when he could instead. 

—