Danielle Harker was a pupil at Waterloo Road from Series 3 to Series 5.
She is also the best friend of Aleesha Dillon.
She is portrayed by Lucy Dixon.
Series 3

Danielle in Series 3.
Danielle and Aleesha are first introduced in Series 3 as smart pupils whose parents have been bribed by Jack Rimmer into attending Waterloo Road. Early in the series, she and Aleesha are shown to be quite shallow and judgmental towards people who are different, especially towards Karla Bentham, who has Asperger's syndrome.
Danielle and Aleesha begin bullying Karla, but when they are caught, they are punished for their actions. Danielle loses her position on the school council and Aleesha loses the lead role in the school musical. The two of them continue to bully Karla, but when they notice that Karla had written nice things about them in her diary, the three of them become friends.
During Danielle's first year at Waterloo Road, she begins dating a boy named Ben McNulty while working on the sets of the school play. When Ben cuts himself while building the sets, he is rushed to the hospital. Danielle and Aleesha later discover that Ben is HIV-positive. Aleesha informs the whole school about it and she urges Danielle not to see Ben anymore. At first, Danielle is unsure what to do, but she later asks Ben out on another date.
During Parent-Teacher Interviews, Danielle doesn't want to attend and tries to stop her mother from going. Her teachers think that she's worried about her marks and assure Danielle that they're fine, but it doesn't console her.
During the interviews, Danielle shows up with unstraightened hair and her uniform is shown without the various alterations that she usually wears. She explains to Aleesha that her mother is very strict and she changes her clothes on the way to school. Aleesha tells Danielle not to worry and offers her a drawer at her house so she can change her clothes there in the mornings.
Danielle and Aleesha are involved in Mika Grainger and Brett Aspinall's eco warrior protest. They also protest the deporation of Sameen Azizi.
Series 4

Danielle in Series 4.
When Danielle's father, Andy returns, he plans to home-school her when he decides that Waterloo Road is not good enough for her. Danielle escapes from home-schooling to Waterloo Road because she misses it, but is dragged back home by Andy.
Out of desperation to attend school again, Danielle falsely tells her friends that Andy has been abusing her which causes Aleesha to organize a protest to keep her at school. When Danielle reveals that she lied about being abused, it causes a rift between herself, Aleesha and Karla, but the girls later become friends again.
Danielle and Aleesha get into an argument when student Tasha Lefton (who recently began modeling) starts bragging about it to them. Aleesha is interested in listening to Tasha talking about her modeling, but Danielle couldn't care less. When Tasha (who is diabetic) falls down the stairs, Danielle is blamed for causing the fall which causes Aleesha to behave coldly towards her. When the truth later comes out, the girls make up with each other and go to Aleesha's house, happily chatting about food.
She and Aleesha form a choir at school which features Karla, Sambuca Kelly, Lauren Andrews and Denzil Kelly. Together, they encourage other pupils to join.
With the help of their music teacher, Matt Wilding, they enter a choir competition. Danielle and Aleesha each have solos in the competition's final performance, and Waterloo Road wins the competition.
Series 5

Danielle in Series 5.
During Danielle's final year at Waterloo Road, another private school, John Fosters merges with Waterloo Road. Both she and Aleesha are judgmental towards the pupils from Johns Fosters. They even get involved in the massive playground war.
Danielle and Aleesha try to make the most of their last year at school by partying every night, often showing up to school either drunk or hungover which begins affecting their schoolwork.
Their partying reaches a climax when Danielle drinks some stolen ethanol from the science lab and passes out at school. Aleesha and Steph Haydock hide her inside of a cupboard, hoping that she will sleep it over; however, when Danielle is found to be still unconscious, she is rushed to the hospital to have her stomach pumped.
Later in the year, Danielle and other six formers engage in another protest over wanting to join the advanced university preparation scheme which was originally only offered to Ros. Danielle attempts to get onto the scheme, but she is unsuccessful with her attempt.
At the end of Series 5, Danielle graduates from Waterloo Road. She is shown attending the school formal with Aleesha and Karla.
Waterloo Road Reunited

A year after graduating from Waterloo Road, Danielle attends Michaela's reunion party.
Danielle wastes no time in forming a relationship with Bolton Smilie and the two of them form an exclusive holiday together much to Danielle's delight; however, Bolton breaks up with her when she appears to care more about her holiday than his best friend Paul's suicide attempt.
Since her days at Waterloo Road, Danielle has failed to win a place at her chosen university to do "business studies". She sits at home all day, stroking the cat, saying that she's depressed and annoying the hell out of her mother and friends.
Personality
Danielle coasted her way through school and was more concerned about looking good than working hard. She always wanted great things for her future as long as she didn't have to chip a nail.
Mentions
When Bolton Smilie returns in Series 8, he mentions that Danielle had a thing for him while looking at a netball trophy she won.
Trivia
- She was one of the original members of the girls football team. Her position is keeper.
- She is also an original member of the school choir.
- She was part of the student council, but was made to quit due to her bullying behaviour.
- She is one of the longest-serving female characters.
- She and Aleesha were originally bullies of Karla Bentham, but they later became good friends.
Quotes
- "I'd better be getting some serious treats for that money. A fortnight in Florida, the lot." (first line)
- "You said make a stand. It's Waterloo Road or nothing."
- "He says 'jump', I say 'how high'."
- "You wanted me to jump."
- Philip: "Come on mate, just leave it out, you're making it worse."
- Danielle: "Course he is. He's got a Y chromosome, hasn't he?"
- "It's not right keeping me here against my will!"
- "Miss, is it OK if we can go? We need to go and get ready." (final line in the main series)
- "A tenner? As if, Janeece, you know I don't have a job." (first line in Waterloo Road Reunited)
- "Registration with Miss Haydock?" (final line in Waterloo Road Reunited)