Black coffee, with sugar

Chapter 20

"Hey, mum, can I go with Molly to the Quidditch cup?", Lilian asked, over breakfast, and Daphne, wondering why she was hosting Molly Weasley, of all people, in her house, frowned. The girl had appeared for breakfast, and Daphne hadn't had the heart to kick her out.

"Why is that, sweetheart?", Daphne asked, lowering her newspaper, and Molly and Lilian changed looks.

"My mum can't go, so we have an extra ticket. My dad said I could bring Lily if you gave her permission, mrs. Greengrass.", Molly blushed slightly, and Daphne had to bite her tongue to not wince at Lily. She should have named her child Arachne, instead of bitterly clinging to what she had discussed with Harry once or twice.

"Please? Pretty please, mum, can I go to the Quidditch world cup?", Lilian asked, and Daphne pondered for a second, eyes fixed on the teacup in front of her. In one hand, Lilian would be able to see a professional Quidditch team live - Daphne couldn't exactly take her daughter to all matches -, and it would be a good bonding experience for her and Molly.

On the other hand, if Percy Weasley was going, weren't the rest of the lot? It meant Ginevra Weasley would go - and whenever Ginevra went, Harry followed, if only to keep the "happy family" image. If any journalist noticed, it'd be a field day for them and a splitting headache for Daphne.

But still - looking into Lilian's pleading eyes, how could she say no? Daphne sighed.

"You can go,", she started, the two girls started commemorating, like the children they were, before she could even stop talking. "But you're going to firecall me every day, young lady, and you are to obey whatever mr. Weasley says."

"That's it?", Lilian asked, surprise clear as day in her voice, and Daphne blinked.

"Should I put more conditions, then? Because I can think a few of them,", Daphne replied, and Lilian protested.

"Not needed, and thank you so much, mum!", Lilian chirped, and Daphne was almost sure, had it not been for Molly's shy presence, Lilian would be jumping over breakfast to hug her. How kids grew up fast these days.

As if she'd ever do that to her parents, though. Daphne jumped over the table to do anything emotional to her parents, and she'd be hit with a curse faster than she could say whatever she had wanted to say. Daphne had been on the line once or twice until she learned, and her sister was much of the same.

"Alright, alright then.", Daphne laughed, patting her daughter on the back as Molly's eyes shone behind the thick rim of her glasses. "Should I help you pack, or do you girls want to do it alone? Besides, when is it?"

"Tomorrow!", Lilian chirped, and it was almost as if she had been violently thrown to the left. Tomorrow? A quick look into the newspaper cover told that yes, Lilian was absolutely right - and to top it off, it was on the Patagonian desert. Where, in Merlin's blessed name, was that? And to top it off, it was a desert?

"And you told me this today?", Daphne said, exasperation finding a way to her tongue. Lilian looked a bit guilty at this, twiddling her thumbs. Molly, whoever, spoke up, pushing her glasses back.

"Sorry, mrs. Greengrass, I only learned of it yesterday, and only told Lily today, before breakfast,", the girl explained, blushing slightly, and Daphne nodded. Molly seemed a bit anxious about the whole thing, and Lilian's eyes wouldn't rise, so she sighed."

"Very well, then there is nothing I can do, if that's what happened.", Daphne rose up from the table, and the two of them visibly relaxed. She stared at them for a long moment, before making a decision. "Can I let you two girls alone for an hour or two, at most, or should I worry?"

"Sure you can!", Lilian said, bright and cheery once more. "But why?"

"Sweetheart, I know how can a Quidditch Cup can go. I'm going to buy you an emergency portkey,", Daphne replied, and when Lilian protested, she sighed. "Lilian, I know how bad can a Quidditch cup go. If anything happens, I want you to be able to get home as quickly as possible."

Daphne hadn't been able to go the Quidditch cup in her fourth year - not that she had wanted to, anyway, but Astoria had -, but her parents had gone, clad in black and white masks slipping out of their pockets. The following morning, they had a pair of twin satisfied smiles while reading the news, the headline of an attack after the end of the game clear as the picture of the giant skull with a snake coming out of its eye socket. Daphne and Astoria had only exchanged looks and stayed silent.

"There's not a war going on anymore, mum,", Lilian whined, and Daphne smiled, trying to contain any bite out of it.

"What's that, young lady? You want to come home a day earlier? Just in the day of the final match?", Daphne said, and Lilian protested once more, more of a whine than actual words. She accio'd her purse, and put a bang of hair behind her ear. "Very well, then. I'll be right back. Put out all fires you start."

"Ye's, ma'am,", both girls said, and Daphne smiled to them before leaving.

However, in her entrance hall, almost hidden in the dark, was Harry, and Daphne bit her tongue to not cuss - and as such, alert Lilian and Molly of something odd going on - as Harry waved a bit, almost shy.

"You," she hissed, grabbing his wrist."What are you doing here?"

Harry seemed amused, but Daphne wasn't, opening the door and bringing him with her outside.

"I thought I'd pick up some coffee, but I heard Molly speaking when I came in, and I didn't want to explain to Molly why I was on your house so casually,", Harry said, passing a hand through his dark hair, and Daphne let go of his wrist. "Also, I've heard of Lilian and Molly's plans. I didn't know that either, I thought Audrey would be going."

Daphne nodded, and twirled a stray strand of hair, looking away. Harry touched her hair quietly. She sighed, content, for one mere moment, before brushing him away. It'd be hard to explain to the neighbors (even though Daphne was sure they thought she was his mistress. Well, she was.).

She motioned for him to walk, and Harry obeyed, side by side with her, to the stairs.

"I'll keep an eye on her, if that pleases you,", Harry said, humming quietly, and Daphne considered it for a moment. An eye on Lilian - an eye she trusted, to begin with - was still better than nothing at all. But then, wasn't Harry pretending to not know her so that no one would ask questions? Wouldn't it make matters worse than they already were?

"Won't it trouble you?", Daphne asked, stopping, and he stared at her with familiar green eyes.

"I wouldn't offer if it would," Harry retorted, and Daphne laughed, dryly.

"Says the Gryffindor."

"Says the Slytherin.", he kissed her, and Daphne allowed it for a moment, before stepping back, forgetting she was in a staircase for a second as she lost her sense of balance. Harry, luckily for Daphne, catched her. "It's nothing, by the way."

She rolled her eyes, letting herself go of his grip.

"Meet you in Diagon Alley, or are you going to work?", Daphne asked.

"Work, unfortunately. Something or another, but we can meet later, perhaps,", he offered, instead, and Daphne smirked. "Like, let's say, on that coffee shop near the Ministry."

"Sounds good to me.", Daphne kissed him once more and Appareted away, arriving at the Leaky Cauldron. She took a deep breath and went to her own business. Perhaps a nice bracelet portkey would be inconspicuous enough...