Chapter One
Isabel Stevens walked silently through the deserted trail with her wand steady in her hand. A cold sweat broke out and trickled down her frightened face. She sniffled and came out to a clearing, right in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. She scanned the dark forest with bewilderment. She was sure she had seen someone walking just ahead of her. Someone with silvery- blonde hair. Isabel hadn't walked two steps before she heard a rustling ahead.
"Who's there?" Isabel called out, her voice cracked.
There was no answer. Isabel ran a hand through her hair and sighed. She debated on walking farther. A nagging voice in the back of her head told her to go back up to the castle. Where it was warm, and safe. She was tired of being safe. If she was ever going to do anything with her life she should start now. She breathed in and then out, her fear escaping her. She fiddled with her cloak, closing it more tightly around her and stepped towards a very suspicious looking rock.
"Who's there?" Isabel repeated once more, only quieter.
A cloaked figure stepped out from behind the boulder with a smirk. Isabel squinted to make out who it was. 'Draco Malfoy.' Isabel though to herself. She could spot him anywhere. The steel gray eyes, the slick blonde hair and the infamous smirk that was always planted on his face. Isabel frowned, upset that he was the one to lure her to the mysterious forest. She spun around in disgust when his hand pulled her back. She looked back at him about to say something when she paused. A strangled look appeared on his face and called out to her.
"Malfoy," Isabel said aggitated. "What are you doing out here? Do you know you can get in serious trouble for being in here? We're prefects! You --"
Draco hushed her, with his hand covering her mouth. He pulled her closer, the smirk and any sign of happiness drained from his face. Isabel was so close, their noses slightly touching. She struggled to pull away. It wasn't right, standing in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with Draco Malfoy, but something about his escense, his aura, made it harder for her to pull away. She could feel his breath, his uneven breathing and how his hands craddled the back of her head. She could feel herself giving in, letting him hold her. He pulled his face closer and Isabel knew what was coming. She wanted it to happen she realized. She wanted to be with Draco Malfoy, in his arms, kissing him in the middle of the night.
Isabel awoke in the morning, harsh, uneven breaths escaping from her lungs. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and sighed. It was a dream, it was all a dream. She never followed the boy into the Forbidden Forest. She never allowed herself to be held by the most hated student in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Isabel swung her legs to the side of her four-poster bed and stretched before heading downstairs to the Prefects' bathroom. No one else was awake and Isabel was almost glad.
The trip downstairs was quite and peaceful. Exactly how it was every morning when Isabel awoke. She checked her watch and let herself smile. 6:30 AM. No one else would wake for at least another few hours or so. On weekends, breakfast started at eight o'clock. She reached a heavy wooden door leading to the Prefects' Bathroom and paused to recite the password: Willowy Wispets. To Isabel's pleasure not a single soul, er, human was occupying the grand bathroom. Isabel waved to the mermaid hanging on the wall and locked the door. She placed her clothing down by the sink and walked towards the showers in the back.
She turned the antique faucet and let the steamy water fall over her face and shoulders. She could feel her muscles starting to loosen up. She was grateful for this. Her hours of Quidditch practice were wearing her out and she just hoped that she'd been okay for the upcoming game next week. She turned back the faucet and stepped out of the shower, a white terry cloth towel wrapped around her body. 'The game against Slytherin', thought Isabel to herself. She shivered, last night's dream clouding her thoughts. She tried to quickly push them away as she walked over to the now steam- covered mirror. She could see the mermaid watching her, and she giggled.
Isabel studied her sixteen year old relfection. Her dark brown hair dried quickly, all thanks to: Gilderoy Lockhart's Lovely Lavender Hair Potion, and fell to about her shoulder blades. It lay straight with a slight under- curl, framing Isabel's face. The summer's sun gave her skin an unexpected honey-gold which also brought out some fairly light freckles scattered across Isabel's small slope nose. She frowned at the sight of them. She absolutely hated freckles but her mother would rather lock Isabel up in Azkaban before letting her use a spell to rid her of them. She rubbed her eyes and looked at them in the old mirror. Her wide brown eyes, dark lashes and brows. They were her best feature, well at least that was all she was ever complimented on.
Isabel dressed quickly in a short gray pleated skirt and a crisp white blouse that buttoned down the center. A tight gray sweater vest covered the blouse and she lazily pulled on the matching gray socks that reached her knees. After buckling the high-heeled MaryJanes she always wore, she grabbed her bag and raced to the Great Hall.
It was later than she thought when she reached to grand dinning hall. Students from every house were crowding the room chatting as they all ate their breakfast. She slowly scanned the Great Hall and soon spotted her three best friends, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Hermione saw her and waved her over, a large smile on her face. Isabel automatically walked over to her friends as she would every morning. As she sat down beside Harry, she hastily grabbed the pitcher of pumpkin juice and poured herself a glass.
"Easy there, Bel," Harry laughed watching Isabel down the goblet in seconds, calling her by her nickname. "Slow down, what's the rush?"
"Huh?" Isabel asked, her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. "Oh sorry, I'm just really thirsty, that's all."
"Can tell," Ron smiled. He looked over Harry and Isabel's shoulder and let out a disgusted breath.
Isabel and Harry followed Ron's gaze and spotted Draco Malfoy walking in the Great Hall. He looked around and his eyes landed on Isabel. She gulped and turned back around quickly, avoiding the stare he was giving her. She wasn't even paying attention to the flood of curses and insults escaping Ron's mouth.
"Ron," Hermione said lightly, squeezing his hand under the table. "Relax, he won't come over here anymore."
Harry nodded and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "That's right," he said quietly. "Ever since they'd thrown Lucius in Azkaban he's been real quite." Harry looked over at Isabel and gave her a small smile. Isabel's mother was the one to put him in there in the first place, she caught him during a house check a few months back.
*
Draco Malfoy came sauntering down the main staircase with Crabbe and Goyle following closely behind him, as they always did. His head ached and his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten dinner last night and was reeling from the effects. He brushed a hand through his silvery-blonde hair and cursed under his breath. With all the confusion of the dream he had that night, he had forgotten to put his hair gel into his hair that morning.
'That dream', thought Draco to himself. He couldn't understand why he had it. As if he, Draco Malfoy could ever have actual feelings for Isabel Stevens, a bloody Gryffindor! But then, there was something about it that made Draco want to rush back to bed. He wanted to lay on his bed and dream his strange dream once more. No! Draco shook his head angrily. He was not going to think about her.
The Great Hall was crowded and loud as usual. Draco reached the entrance and stopped Crabbe and Goyle from going any further. They stopped behind him like children. Draco looked around the Great Hall and his eyes absentmindedly landed on Isabel. He watched her with 'The Dream Team', what he had started calling them in the past few years, as she was laughing and enjoying her breakfast. Well she should be, she didn't have the strange dream he had! As Draco stared intently at her, their eyes met and Draco could see the strained expression on her face. As if, as if she was trying to say something but couldn't. She turned away from him and Draco sighed.
"Mornin' Draco," a sqeaky voice said coming from the Slytherin table.
Draco turned to see Pansy Parkinson and rolled his gray eyes. When was she ever going to realize that Draco didn't want her? True, they did go to the Yule Ball together, but that was all by force. Who else could he go with? Blaise Zabini? 'Bleh', Draco thought to himself. The girl was like a monster when it came to dating. Draco sighed once more and made his way over to the table, choosing to sit as far away from Pansy as possible.
*
Breakfast went on quickly and the four friends found themselves outside sitting by the shore of the lake. They watched the Giant Squid basking in the sunlight and discussed the upcoming Quidditch game. Ron lay on his back, Hermione leaning on him and Harry sat indian style next them. Isabel was leaning back on her elbows, shielding her eyes from the wicked sun.
"How are those plays coming along Isabel?" Ron asked, his arm around Hermione. "Have you taught Collin and Dennis them yet?"
"Almost," Isabel said with a smile. "Though I've got to tell you, teaching those two without Harry there sure is tough. They are always fooling around!"
The previous summer an almost new Gryffindor Quidditch team came about. Harry had become a full-fledge captain after Wood left, Ron joined as Keeper, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan took over for the Weasley twins as Beaters, and Isabel, Dennis and Collin Creevey became the Chasers. With alot of hard work and practice, they've become one of the better Quidditch teams in Hogwarts.
"That's because they don't have me to boss them around," Harry said proudly. "You're too easy on them."
Isabel watched Hermione glance at her watch and gasp. "Harry, Ron, Isabel! We're leaving for Hogsmead in five minutes." She said surprised. "We better head back up to the castle."
Harry and Ron both got up with Hermione but a yawning Isabel did not. She stretched up lazily and smiled at her three friends. "I think I'm just going to hang out here today, guys." She said rubbing the back of her head. "I'm awfully tired and couldn't bear another trip to Hogsmead this month."
Harry laughed as he remembered their last trip to Hogsmead. Harry and Ron both tricked Isabel into eating one of Fred and George's new candies. They had finally opened up their shop in Hogsmead and were making a fortune. She was blowing flames for nearly four hours.
"Alright Bel," Hermione smiled. She inter-laced her fingers with Ron's and waved goodbye to Isabel. "We'll see you later tonight then."
Isabel watched as her three friends and loads of other students rushed back into the castle. She smiled and decided the best thing that will wake her up would be a walk. She grabbed her bag and rummaged inside for her wand. She charmed her things back to the castle and started to wander around the Hogwarts grounds.
After much walking she came to the garden. No one was about and Isabel took it upon herself to take a seat on one of the cold stone benches. The place had become a secret hideout for Isabel the past year. She could come here at night, or during off periods and no one would bother her. No one that is...until now.
She was charming one of the tulips to turn blue when she heard a cough come from behind her. She quickly changed the flower back to it's normal color, pink, and turned around. Leaning against the not-so-far away wall was Draco Malfoy. He had his head bent and one of his legs was resting on the wall. He must not have noticed her because he didn't look her way. Isabel studied him closely.
'Maybe Harry's right', she found herself thinking. 'Maybe he has changed this year'. She watched as he stood there, a deep serene expression on his face. She could feel herself thinking about the dream. How he looked at her with those eyes, those beautiful gray eyes. She stopped herself and almost started to walk away when he turned to look at her. Their eyes locked for a moment. Isabel's stomach fluttered and she blinked. Was she seeing right? Did Draco Malfoy just smile at her? Of course it was a small smile but it was still a smile. He came toward her and this time, he didn't have his wand out.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Isabel said coldly. He may have smiled at her, but that didn't mean she'd be nice to him. It was only a smile right? "What? No Crabbe or Goyle?"
"They're off at Hogsmeade looking for more candy to rot out their already tiny brains," Draco said nonchalanty. He stood in front of her, looking down at her as she sat on the stone bench. Isabel gulped. His stare sure was peircing.
"Look Malfoy," Isabel said looking up at him. "If you've come here for trouble than go look somewhere else. I'm not in the mood at the moment."
Draco let out a small laugh and shook his head. "Always looking for a fight," he said with a smirk. "Not that it's any of your buisness, but for your information I just came here to relax. I come here all the time."
Isabel looked at him strangely. She brushed a hand through her hair and thought for a moment. She had never noticed this before, but he was right. He came there all the time. Isabel just thought, 'Maybe I just never saw him here...' He walked back to his spot at the wall and shook his head again at Isabel. She thought she saw him mutter something under his breath, but she wasn't sure. She just grabbed her wand and headed back to the castle. Hopefully she wouldn't run into him again...
Isabel Stevens walked silently through the deserted trail with her wand steady in her hand. A cold sweat broke out and trickled down her frightened face. She sniffled and came out to a clearing, right in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. She scanned the dark forest with bewilderment. She was sure she had seen someone walking just ahead of her. Someone with silvery- blonde hair. Isabel hadn't walked two steps before she heard a rustling ahead.
"Who's there?" Isabel called out, her voice cracked.
There was no answer. Isabel ran a hand through her hair and sighed. She debated on walking farther. A nagging voice in the back of her head told her to go back up to the castle. Where it was warm, and safe. She was tired of being safe. If she was ever going to do anything with her life she should start now. She breathed in and then out, her fear escaping her. She fiddled with her cloak, closing it more tightly around her and stepped towards a very suspicious looking rock.
"Who's there?" Isabel repeated once more, only quieter.
A cloaked figure stepped out from behind the boulder with a smirk. Isabel squinted to make out who it was. 'Draco Malfoy.' Isabel though to herself. She could spot him anywhere. The steel gray eyes, the slick blonde hair and the infamous smirk that was always planted on his face. Isabel frowned, upset that he was the one to lure her to the mysterious forest. She spun around in disgust when his hand pulled her back. She looked back at him about to say something when she paused. A strangled look appeared on his face and called out to her.
"Malfoy," Isabel said aggitated. "What are you doing out here? Do you know you can get in serious trouble for being in here? We're prefects! You --"
Draco hushed her, with his hand covering her mouth. He pulled her closer, the smirk and any sign of happiness drained from his face. Isabel was so close, their noses slightly touching. She struggled to pull away. It wasn't right, standing in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with Draco Malfoy, but something about his escense, his aura, made it harder for her to pull away. She could feel his breath, his uneven breathing and how his hands craddled the back of her head. She could feel herself giving in, letting him hold her. He pulled his face closer and Isabel knew what was coming. She wanted it to happen she realized. She wanted to be with Draco Malfoy, in his arms, kissing him in the middle of the night.
Isabel awoke in the morning, harsh, uneven breaths escaping from her lungs. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and sighed. It was a dream, it was all a dream. She never followed the boy into the Forbidden Forest. She never allowed herself to be held by the most hated student in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Isabel swung her legs to the side of her four-poster bed and stretched before heading downstairs to the Prefects' bathroom. No one else was awake and Isabel was almost glad.
The trip downstairs was quite and peaceful. Exactly how it was every morning when Isabel awoke. She checked her watch and let herself smile. 6:30 AM. No one else would wake for at least another few hours or so. On weekends, breakfast started at eight o'clock. She reached a heavy wooden door leading to the Prefects' Bathroom and paused to recite the password: Willowy Wispets. To Isabel's pleasure not a single soul, er, human was occupying the grand bathroom. Isabel waved to the mermaid hanging on the wall and locked the door. She placed her clothing down by the sink and walked towards the showers in the back.
She turned the antique faucet and let the steamy water fall over her face and shoulders. She could feel her muscles starting to loosen up. She was grateful for this. Her hours of Quidditch practice were wearing her out and she just hoped that she'd been okay for the upcoming game next week. She turned back the faucet and stepped out of the shower, a white terry cloth towel wrapped around her body. 'The game against Slytherin', thought Isabel to herself. She shivered, last night's dream clouding her thoughts. She tried to quickly push them away as she walked over to the now steam- covered mirror. She could see the mermaid watching her, and she giggled.
Isabel studied her sixteen year old relfection. Her dark brown hair dried quickly, all thanks to: Gilderoy Lockhart's Lovely Lavender Hair Potion, and fell to about her shoulder blades. It lay straight with a slight under- curl, framing Isabel's face. The summer's sun gave her skin an unexpected honey-gold which also brought out some fairly light freckles scattered across Isabel's small slope nose. She frowned at the sight of them. She absolutely hated freckles but her mother would rather lock Isabel up in Azkaban before letting her use a spell to rid her of them. She rubbed her eyes and looked at them in the old mirror. Her wide brown eyes, dark lashes and brows. They were her best feature, well at least that was all she was ever complimented on.
Isabel dressed quickly in a short gray pleated skirt and a crisp white blouse that buttoned down the center. A tight gray sweater vest covered the blouse and she lazily pulled on the matching gray socks that reached her knees. After buckling the high-heeled MaryJanes she always wore, she grabbed her bag and raced to the Great Hall.
It was later than she thought when she reached to grand dinning hall. Students from every house were crowding the room chatting as they all ate their breakfast. She slowly scanned the Great Hall and soon spotted her three best friends, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Hermione saw her and waved her over, a large smile on her face. Isabel automatically walked over to her friends as she would every morning. As she sat down beside Harry, she hastily grabbed the pitcher of pumpkin juice and poured herself a glass.
"Easy there, Bel," Harry laughed watching Isabel down the goblet in seconds, calling her by her nickname. "Slow down, what's the rush?"
"Huh?" Isabel asked, her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. "Oh sorry, I'm just really thirsty, that's all."
"Can tell," Ron smiled. He looked over Harry and Isabel's shoulder and let out a disgusted breath.
Isabel and Harry followed Ron's gaze and spotted Draco Malfoy walking in the Great Hall. He looked around and his eyes landed on Isabel. She gulped and turned back around quickly, avoiding the stare he was giving her. She wasn't even paying attention to the flood of curses and insults escaping Ron's mouth.
"Ron," Hermione said lightly, squeezing his hand under the table. "Relax, he won't come over here anymore."
Harry nodded and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "That's right," he said quietly. "Ever since they'd thrown Lucius in Azkaban he's been real quite." Harry looked over at Isabel and gave her a small smile. Isabel's mother was the one to put him in there in the first place, she caught him during a house check a few months back.
*
Draco Malfoy came sauntering down the main staircase with Crabbe and Goyle following closely behind him, as they always did. His head ached and his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten dinner last night and was reeling from the effects. He brushed a hand through his silvery-blonde hair and cursed under his breath. With all the confusion of the dream he had that night, he had forgotten to put his hair gel into his hair that morning.
'That dream', thought Draco to himself. He couldn't understand why he had it. As if he, Draco Malfoy could ever have actual feelings for Isabel Stevens, a bloody Gryffindor! But then, there was something about it that made Draco want to rush back to bed. He wanted to lay on his bed and dream his strange dream once more. No! Draco shook his head angrily. He was not going to think about her.
The Great Hall was crowded and loud as usual. Draco reached the entrance and stopped Crabbe and Goyle from going any further. They stopped behind him like children. Draco looked around the Great Hall and his eyes absentmindedly landed on Isabel. He watched her with 'The Dream Team', what he had started calling them in the past few years, as she was laughing and enjoying her breakfast. Well she should be, she didn't have the strange dream he had! As Draco stared intently at her, their eyes met and Draco could see the strained expression on her face. As if, as if she was trying to say something but couldn't. She turned away from him and Draco sighed.
"Mornin' Draco," a sqeaky voice said coming from the Slytherin table.
Draco turned to see Pansy Parkinson and rolled his gray eyes. When was she ever going to realize that Draco didn't want her? True, they did go to the Yule Ball together, but that was all by force. Who else could he go with? Blaise Zabini? 'Bleh', Draco thought to himself. The girl was like a monster when it came to dating. Draco sighed once more and made his way over to the table, choosing to sit as far away from Pansy as possible.
*
Breakfast went on quickly and the four friends found themselves outside sitting by the shore of the lake. They watched the Giant Squid basking in the sunlight and discussed the upcoming Quidditch game. Ron lay on his back, Hermione leaning on him and Harry sat indian style next them. Isabel was leaning back on her elbows, shielding her eyes from the wicked sun.
"How are those plays coming along Isabel?" Ron asked, his arm around Hermione. "Have you taught Collin and Dennis them yet?"
"Almost," Isabel said with a smile. "Though I've got to tell you, teaching those two without Harry there sure is tough. They are always fooling around!"
The previous summer an almost new Gryffindor Quidditch team came about. Harry had become a full-fledge captain after Wood left, Ron joined as Keeper, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan took over for the Weasley twins as Beaters, and Isabel, Dennis and Collin Creevey became the Chasers. With alot of hard work and practice, they've become one of the better Quidditch teams in Hogwarts.
"That's because they don't have me to boss them around," Harry said proudly. "You're too easy on them."
Isabel watched Hermione glance at her watch and gasp. "Harry, Ron, Isabel! We're leaving for Hogsmead in five minutes." She said surprised. "We better head back up to the castle."
Harry and Ron both got up with Hermione but a yawning Isabel did not. She stretched up lazily and smiled at her three friends. "I think I'm just going to hang out here today, guys." She said rubbing the back of her head. "I'm awfully tired and couldn't bear another trip to Hogsmead this month."
Harry laughed as he remembered their last trip to Hogsmead. Harry and Ron both tricked Isabel into eating one of Fred and George's new candies. They had finally opened up their shop in Hogsmead and were making a fortune. She was blowing flames for nearly four hours.
"Alright Bel," Hermione smiled. She inter-laced her fingers with Ron's and waved goodbye to Isabel. "We'll see you later tonight then."
Isabel watched as her three friends and loads of other students rushed back into the castle. She smiled and decided the best thing that will wake her up would be a walk. She grabbed her bag and rummaged inside for her wand. She charmed her things back to the castle and started to wander around the Hogwarts grounds.
After much walking she came to the garden. No one was about and Isabel took it upon herself to take a seat on one of the cold stone benches. The place had become a secret hideout for Isabel the past year. She could come here at night, or during off periods and no one would bother her. No one that is...until now.
She was charming one of the tulips to turn blue when she heard a cough come from behind her. She quickly changed the flower back to it's normal color, pink, and turned around. Leaning against the not-so-far away wall was Draco Malfoy. He had his head bent and one of his legs was resting on the wall. He must not have noticed her because he didn't look her way. Isabel studied him closely.
'Maybe Harry's right', she found herself thinking. 'Maybe he has changed this year'. She watched as he stood there, a deep serene expression on his face. She could feel herself thinking about the dream. How he looked at her with those eyes, those beautiful gray eyes. She stopped herself and almost started to walk away when he turned to look at her. Their eyes locked for a moment. Isabel's stomach fluttered and she blinked. Was she seeing right? Did Draco Malfoy just smile at her? Of course it was a small smile but it was still a smile. He came toward her and this time, he didn't have his wand out.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Isabel said coldly. He may have smiled at her, but that didn't mean she'd be nice to him. It was only a smile right? "What? No Crabbe or Goyle?"
"They're off at Hogsmeade looking for more candy to rot out their already tiny brains," Draco said nonchalanty. He stood in front of her, looking down at her as she sat on the stone bench. Isabel gulped. His stare sure was peircing.
"Look Malfoy," Isabel said looking up at him. "If you've come here for trouble than go look somewhere else. I'm not in the mood at the moment."
Draco let out a small laugh and shook his head. "Always looking for a fight," he said with a smirk. "Not that it's any of your buisness, but for your information I just came here to relax. I come here all the time."
Isabel looked at him strangely. She brushed a hand through her hair and thought for a moment. She had never noticed this before, but he was right. He came there all the time. Isabel just thought, 'Maybe I just never saw him here...' He walked back to his spot at the wall and shook his head again at Isabel. She thought she saw him mutter something under his breath, but she wasn't sure. She just grabbed her wand and headed back to the castle. Hopefully she wouldn't run into him again...