Pity & Fear

by Lucinda Hailey

Who do you turn to when you have nobody? When everybody you ever trusted has been murdered by the light? You've heard potters story and taken it as gospel. There are two sides to every story. Try living the lives with Potter lovers...

1. I'm On Curfew Girl

Who do you turn to when everyone you ever trusted is dead? Killed by the light. Killed by Albus Dumbledore. Who do you turn to when you have no one? Do you turn to your worst enemy? Not likely when your worst enemy is Harry Come-Worship-Me Potter. Do you turn to your best friend? Kinda hard when all your friends are dead. Do you turn to your family? Again, hard when they are all murdered. Or do you turn to the most popular guy in your new school? Most likely. Because he is in the same situation. You've heard Potter's side of the story and taken it as fucking gospel. Here's the other side of the story. The one of survival, of betrayal, of pain, of brutal suffering. Of love. You think Potter had it bad? He wouldn't last a second in the place of the people within. Try living the lives within Potter lovers.

(A/N:- Rated M just incase. Read and Review!!)

CHAPTER 1:- I'm on curfew girl...

Lucinda Marx, Tanya Fulton and Seairah Hailey were standing with the first years waiting to be sorted. Lucinda was tallish, had deep chocolate brown eyes, dark brown (more of a chocolate-y colour) wavy hair that came to the top of her hips and she was pale and slender. Seairah was almost a whole head shorter than Lucinda, had dirty blue eyes, straight, short hair that was a diarrhoea colour and she was tanned and slightly overweight. Tanya was about Lucinda's height, pale and slender with shoulder length, slightly wavy hair that had been recently dyed black and stormy blue eyes. They were a couple weeks shy of sixteen and confidence radiated from two of the three. The first year in front of them was sorted into Gryffindor. Just the idea of Gryffindor made Lucinda and Tanya want to puke.

"Which house do you want to be placed in Lucinda?" Tanya asked quietly, her stormy blue eyes sparkling with excitement and unshed tears. Tanya and Lucinda had grown significantly closer since their decision to transfer to Hogwarts, out of the hell hole they were in before.

"Let us analyse the choices. Gryffindor. Full of halfbloods, blood traitors and mudbloods. A filthy house. Hufflepuff. They are timid and jump at shadows. The older ones are up-themselves. Ravenclaw. Snobby. All reading a different book. Probably read the whole goddamn library thirty six times between them. Slytherin. Relatively uninterested. Rebellious. And Sexy. So, I would have to say Slytherin. What about you?" Lucinda glanced sideways at the girl next to her.

Her deep brown eyes rimmed with tears that Lucinda stubbornly fought back. I am stronger than this. I will not be reduced to tears by a murderer. I will bring him to justice. His daughter too. Fucking blood traitors the lot of them. Lucinda thought murderous thoughts about her new headmaster for reducing her to this. No, wait, he did not reduce her to anything. It was she who reduced him to nothing more than she. That thought cheered her up immensely.

"Slytherin. Definitely. The blonde about halfway along is alright looks wise." Tanya tilted her head to emphasise her point and make sure Lucinda was looking in the right direction. Lucinda glanced in the boys' direction.

"I spose. Hey Seairah, which house do you prefer?" Lucinda called to her friend, but received no response.

"Seairah?? Earth to Seairah Jessika Jordon Hailey!" Lucinda waved her hand in front of Seairah's face. Seairah blinked, confused, focusing on Lucinda's irritated expression.

"Huh? What?"

"Which house?" Tanya asked boredom and disdain lacing her words like poison.

"Gryffindor?" Seairah asked nervously

"Eww. Cringe factor." Lucinda and Tanya said at exactly the same time. Seairah always did everything Lucinda and Tanya did. It irked Lucinda and Tanya sometimes, but they had been best friends since they were three. Tanya and Lucinda quite often preferred to do their own thing, but more often than not Seairah tagged along with one or the other. Lucinda and Tanya respected each other's space; Seairah didn't know the meaning of the word. Tanya and Lucinda were as close as sisters. The events of the summer just passed had cemented that closeness even more. Tanya was sorted first. She was placed in Slytherin. Tanya was thrilled, Lucinda was overjoyed. You see, Lucinda had a secret. A secret so secret that Lucinda had told only Tanya. This secret ensured Lucinda's placement in Slytherin.

"Marx, Lucinda!" The head of Gryffindor called Lucinda. Lucinda unconsciously shrank away from the older woman as she passed. This grabbed the attention of the whole Slytherin house. The oversized tatty hat had barely touched a hair on Lucinda's head before it opened its 'mouth' and screamed "SLYTHERIN!!" hurriedly.

Tanya jumped up and screamed as Lucinda walked over to join the table. She stood at the end of the long table for a few seconds, scrutinising every single face that was turned toward her. She chose a seat at the end of the table, a couple of seats away from the nearest person. Tanya slid down the bench to join her. Lucinda had always been a private person and with the exception of Seairah, Tanya, two other close friends (one of which was dead) and her man of the month she rarely kept much company. She found most girls tiresome and annoying.

"Hailey, Seairah!" The head of the despised house called. Seairah walked to the stool confidently.

"GRYFFINDOR!!" The hat screamed after ten minutes. Seairah waved at Lucinda. The table yelled various victorious phrases. Lucinda sighed. She hated that house with almost every fibre of her being already and it was only her first night, but she'd grown up with Seairah, it didn't sit well with her to just abandon her friend like that.

Within minutes of Seairah being sorted, Lucinda and Tanya were surrounded by a dozen chattering girls. Lucinda picked at her food with the makings of a serious migraine pounding in her left temple. Tanya pretended to be interested in the conversation while staring at the enchanted ceiling.

"Are you okay Lu?" Tanya asked randomly.

"Yeah, just got a serious migraine. I think I'm gonna go to bed. Tell me what I miss yeah?" Tanya nodded her head and Lucinda rose. She extricated herself from the gossiping girls and left the great hall. She then realised that she had no clue where she was going and sat at the base of the wall, next to the doors of the great hall.

Seairah was launched upon by a girl with fuzzy brown hair as soon as she sat at the Gryffindor table. The two were then joined by Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Seairah was falling asleep with the boring conversation. She glanced over at the Slytherin table. Lucinda and Tanya had gained a dozen friends instantly. Lucinda was like that, everybody was instantly drawn to her. Tanya was nice to your face, but look out if she doesn't like you. Your social life will be ruined instantly. However, if they are both against you, not only will you never have any friends, you will be practically invisible to everyone around you. You will never be noticed. AT ALL. EVER.

Lucinda had decided to wait for a Slytherin to come out so she could ask them where she was going. Nobody had except her. She was just falling asleep when someone sat next to her.

"You're Lucinda Marx aren't you?" A thoroughly male voice asked. She nodded without opening her eyes.

"I'm Draco Malfoy." The voice introduced itself. Lucinda nodded again.

"Draco is Latin for Dragon isn't it?" Lucinda asked, her eyes still closed. Lyrics started forming in her mind.

"Umm, yeah, it is. You speak much Latin?"

"Enough. You?"

"Not much. What school did you transfer from?"

"Neesha Presley's Academy of Magic."

"I know it. Why'd you leave?"

"Headmistress is a muggle-loving bitch. Teachers are all severely fucked in the head." Lucinda opened her eyes and glared at the wall on the opposite side of the hall.

"Yeah, the teachers are pretty fucked up here too."

"Teachers in general are fucked up."

"Yeah. Wasn't that your friend who got put in Gryffindor?"

"Yep. She wanted to be placed there though so it's no biggy."

"I spose. People are going to come out of the hall pretty soon. Wanna get going?" Draco gave her his smirk. She looked him over. He isn't half bad...she thought.

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Lucinda imitated his smirk.

"That's my smirk." Draco stood and offered his hand.

"Whatever." Lucinda took Draco's hand and he pulled her up. They walked to the common room, taking the most direct route, chatting about nothing yet everything. Lucinda was not one to make unnecessary conversation, and she sensed that Draco wasn't either. Granted he got the ball rolling by asking her a few questions, but he was genuinely interested. She was the new girl, the hottest topic on everyone's lips, along with Tanya of course, and he was the first person she'd talked to all night apart from that Gryffindor. He'd already forgotten the other girl's name, as had many others. The other one was hereafter known as that Gryffindor. Tanya and Lucinda were the only names they could remember of the three.

"Pride" Draco spoke the password. They travelled into the common room in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence like you get with most guys, but a companionable silence. A comfortable silence. Neither felt the need to fill it with mindless chatter.

The common room was extravagant but plain at the same time. Lucinda couldn't decide which it was. The walls were a soft emerald green, the furniture black and mostly leather. The fireplace had fine intricate carvings laid into the stone. There was a fire roaring in the grate.

"Wow." Was all Lucinda could say. Draco chuckled at her expression.

"I'm guessing you didn't have an elaborate common room at your old school."

"We didn't have common rooms at all. Or houses. We had a girls' dorm for each year and a boys' dorm for each year. I'm guessing you've never known anything different to this?"

"No. How did you—"

"Guess? Easy, I know your type."

"My type? What is that exactly?"

"Rich boys. Boys who are used to extravagant surroundings and exquisite food and clothes."

"Believe me, my life has been far from easy."

"I know. I know of your father."

"You know of my wealth then."

"No. I was guessing when I said you were a rich boy. We were forced to study and memorise the profiles of each powerful death eater. Your father was amongst Voldemort's inner circle before he fell."

"Wow, good guess. It's scary how you say that so casually."

"I don't really judge people on their family or wealth. I judge them more on their personality and how they treat me, their friends and the people around them."

"Sweet. I guess you shouldn't get too close to me then."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say I'm not your type and leave it there." Draco was staring sullenly into the fire.

"Okay. I will prove you wrong though. What's the time?" Lucinda asked. Draco glanced around for the clock.

"9.30"

"Why aren't people here yet?"

"The feast must have gone longer than usual." Draco had gone back to staring into the flames of the fire.

"Okay. Well, I'm tired as, so I'm gonna go up to bed." Lucinda said, turning towards the staircase labelled 'girls'. She was stopped by a cool hand on her wrist.

"Goodnight." Draco said, kissing her lightly and swiftly on her cheek.

"Sweet dreams." Lucinda said softly before turning and taking the staircase two steps at a time.

"Sweet dreams." Draco whispered to her retreating back.

When Lucinda reached the solace of her dorm room she took her plain black robe off, dumped it on the floor and climbed into bed. She pulled the sleeves of her white turtle neck down over her hands. It was colder here than she was used to. She remained fully clothed, unable to bring herself to change into her pyjamas. When she was snuggled down into her blankets she lifted her hand to the place on her cheek where Draco had kissed her. She had never felt that electricity with a guy before. Just as Lucinda was contemplating getting up and running a couple of laps around the common room to warm up a bit, the other girls in her dorm entered, chatting excitedly and loudly about some guy or other. A girl addressed her. She stuck her head out from under the covers.

"Yes?" She asked, looking at the six other girls innocently.

"I saw Draco follow you out. Are you interested in him or something?" A girl with pitch black hair and a face like a pug asked her.

"Umm, well actually he came out randomly and he's quite good looking."

"Yes, we know Draco's hot, but are you interested?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business. Umm...?"

"Pansy. It is my business because every girl in this dorm had tried to get with him, but each has failed miserably. We were thinking that it's high time our new girl had a try."

"I've been here a whole of four hours."

"Five actually."

"My point exactly. Tanya's new too you know. However, I will suss him out, see if he's my type and I'll get back to you." Lucinda buried her head once more and feigned sleep. Apparently the girls at this school are easier to fool than those at my old school Lucinda thought. It was the last thought to pass through her mind as a sense of numbness claimed her.

The next morning she was shaken 'awake' and had a Slytherin uniform thrown at her. She turned her back to her roommates and changed. The other girls gaped at her. Her body was practically perfect, except for its paleness. Her legs were long and slender, her stomach flat and toned, her breasts a little larger than the rest of them and even just out of bed her hair was perfect, falling in soft but defined curls. Her hair had been falling in soft waves the night before. She turned around to face her room mates and they gaped even more. Even with her mascara and eyeliner all smudged under her eyes from sleep she was still beautiful. She wore her uniform like it was merely a prop. The top three buttons of her blouse were undone, showing just the tiniest bit of cleavage, her tie was tied loosely and her skirt came to about mid thigh. In short, they were sure that she could have any man she wanted with just a look. Tanya was no where in sight. Lucinda had a fair idea where she was and was confident that she would see her in first period.

She glanced at the clock and decided there was just enough time to grab a piece of toast and her schedule before classes started for the day. As she ran down the stairs, she remembered she needed her book bag, so she sprinted back up the stairs, took her book bag from the floor and sprinted back down the stairs and out into the corridor, up the dungeon steps to the entrance hall and slid to a stop behind Draco Malfoy.

"Excuse me." She whispered as she reached around Draco's shoulders to get a piece of toast.

"Morning. Sleep well?" Draco asked, conversationally.

"Very. Yourself?" Lucinda was glancing around the hall anxiously to see if everyone already had their schedules. They did.

"Yeah, it was alright."

"That's good. Do you have your schedule yet?"

"Umm yeah, I do. Snape will have yours. He's the one with the greasy black hair and hooked nose up at the teachers table. Go ask him."

"Ok, will do."

"See you in first?"

"Maybe. See ya later Draco." Lucinda darted up the aisle between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables to the staff table where she spied the teacher she was looking for easily. It wasn't hard.

"Professor?" Lucinda asked, approaching the formidable looking man.

"What do you want Miss Marx?" He snapped without looking up.

"I was wondering if you had my schedule." Snape tossed it across the table at her as if telling her to get out of his sight asap. She took the hint and walked slowly back down the aisle, nibbling on her toast, reading her schedule for the day. She had double Potions first, then a free, then Charms, then Transfiguration then Defence Against the Dark Arts. Could my day get any worse? She asked herself miserably. Though tomorrow is mostly free's all day. Although, on the plus side I know Tanya will be in all my classes.

Lucinda arrived in the dungeons a few minutes before everyone else. She chose a table in the very back. She put her bag on the floor next to her chair, folded her arms on the table, placed her head against her arms and closed her eyes. She intended to nap for a few minutes.

"You know, it's not polite to fall asleep before the class even begins." A very familiar voice drawled.

"And did you know that there's nothing more unpleasant than me when I'm sleep deprived?" Lucinda countered.

"Hmm, I'm not intending to find that out."

"So don't interrupt my nap."

"Sorry."

Lucinda turned her head to the side and opened her eyes. She was looking straight into the depths of Draco's silvery orbs. Snape entered the Dungeon at exactly that moment and announced that as he was feeling particularly nice, they were going to do two hours of potions theory.

"Don't be. I was done anyway." Lucinda lifted her head to glance at the board that was automatically filling up with notes then rested it back on her arms.

"See? This is why I sit up the back, then copy Blaise's notes later."

"Who?"

"A close mate. You can copy mine after I've copied his. My handwriting is much more legible than his."

"I'm sure. But thanks. Potions was my best subject at my old school."

"Potions is my best subject."

"Interesting. I think I'm going to go back to sleep now. Wake me up at the end of this two hour torture?"

"Sure. If you will wake me up."

"I think we need a third party to wake us both up."

"Probably. I'm sure Snape will do that."

"Most likely. I'm so glad I have a free next. I can go and lie in the sun and sleep."

"Under the pretence of studying of course."

"Of course." Draco chuckled to himself as Lucinda got comfortable on the table after arranging all her stuff to make it appear as if she was working. The dungeon door flew open at the exact moment when Lucinda looked convincingly asleep. A very sexy looking Tanya stood in the doorway.

"Miss Fulton. I assume you have a good reason for being so incredibly late on your first day?" Snape had turned red.

"Yes I do sir." Tanya stacked her things neatly on the other side of Lucinda, as each table had the capacity for three people to sit comfortably side by side.

"Lets hear it then Fulton."

"I was hunting sir." Lucinda shifted in her seat at the mention of hunting. Tanya smiled softly at Lucinda's reaction. Lucinda had looked in the mirror that morning and discovered that her brown irises were rimmed with red. She felt incredibly thirsty.

"Of course you were. Copy these notes Fulton." Draco spent the double period sketching various objects. He drew everything from a tree to an owl, from a mountain to a dragon. At the end of the double period Draco gently shook Lucinda's shoulder. Her eyelids fluttered open and her deep brown eyes focused on Draco's face.

"Hey" Lucinda said tiredly, raising her head off her arms.

"Hey. Good sleep?" Draco began packing up Lucinda's stuff for her. He slipped one of his drawing of a dragon in to her bag with her Potions book.

"Mmm, kind of. Fairly uncomfortable, but it made up the sleep I needed." Lucinda stretched.

"That's good."

"Yeah I guess. What are you going to do in your free?" Lucinda asked as they left the dungeons. Tanya walking quietly beside them.

"Copy Blaise's notes. Hang out in the common room. I'm not in the mood to be out on the grounds with the Gryffindors."

"Eww, Gryffindors."

"I've never heard a new student dislike Gryffindor so soon after starting here."

"Mm, well, I have my reasons. See ya later then Draco." Lucinda headed out onto the grounds while Draco went to find Blaise. Tanya disappeared behind a statue, relaxing. Lucinda passed a group of babbling Gryffindors who paused their conversation to send insults at her. She ignored them. She had more pressing matters on her mind than a bunch of immature Gryffindors. She left her bag near the broom shed and jogged out onto the quidditch pitch. She needed to fly.

"Accio Broom" Lucinda muttered. She waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, after about ten minutes her broom came flying straight to her. She mounted and took off around the quidditch pitch. She didn't notice the Slytherin sitting in the stands, watching her fly. She flew at break neck speeds around and around the pitch for half an hour. When she dismounted she was sweating slightly. The Slytherin girl approached her.

"Hi. You're Lucinda Marx right?" A voice sounded behind Lucinda as she picked up her bag. Lucinda turned to face the speaker. She was about two inches taller than Lucinda, sturdily built with short brown hair and light brown eyes. Lucinda recognised her from her dorm. She wondered if anyone would miss the girl standing before her. She could have slapped herself as that thought ran through her mind.

"Yeah. And you are?"

"Antonia Van Asperen. I'm in your dorm."

"Yeah, I recognised you, I just never asked your name. Or anyone's name in our dorm actually." Knowing the girls name helped Lucinda clear the blurred line for a minute.

"Well, anyway. I'm the captain of our quidditch team, and I was wondering if you're going to try out for the team." Yes. Somebody would definitely miss her...damn. Lucinda was having trouble controlling her thoughts, then heard Tanya's laugh in her head. GET OUT!!! Lucinda screamed at her closest friend in the world with her mind.

"I was contemplating it. I was the seeker on my team at my old school."

"That was you? Nice. We already have a seeker, but I'm sure I can fit you in somewhere."

"I can play any position, I was just put in seeker because I was the fastest flyer on the team."

"Ok. That's good. We need a couple of chasers and a keeper. Ours graduated last year."

"Bummer. Anyway, I have to get going. See ya later." Lucinda turned on her heel and walked briskly back to the castle. She reached the doors as Draco was coming out of them. Can I never escape temptation these days? Jesus...wait, he was yummy...no. bad thought. Bad Lucinda. Bad. Lucinda struggled to hear her own mental voice above the noise of everyone elses. Why the fuck are you berating yourself you dope? Tanya's mental voice rang clearly through her mind. None of your business. Butt out girly. Lucinda's mental voice carried a warning. Yes ma'am. Lucinda felt Tanya withdraw from her mind.

"Crap, sorry." Lucinda said as she ran straight into Draco.

"My fault. Where did you get off to?"

"The quidditch pitch."

"Do you play?"

"Yeah. But I needed to fly. And now I need a shower. I'll see you at lunch." Lucinda jogged across the entrance hall, through the common room and into the girls' dorm bathroom. She ran the shower and stepped under the steaming water.

Two minutes later Draco walked into the common room and threw himself onto the black leather couch. He had just been talking to Antonia and she had said that Lucinda was a good candidate for chaser if she flies as good in the trials as she did out on the pitch. Draco was pulled out his thoughts when he heard sweet singing. He followed the sound up the girls' staircase and to their bathroom door. The door was locked. The sound was definitely coming from in there. Draco pressed his ear to the door and listened. The sound was lulling him to sleep. He slid to the foot of the door and relaxed against the door, listening to the girl's sweet, sweet voice. The water in the shower stopped running, she kept singing. Three minutes later the door opened and Draco fell flat on his back. He opened his eyes and came face to face with a very amused Lucinda. She had smelt him as soon as he had entered the dorm.

"Do you make a habit of sitting against bathroom doors?" Lucinda asked, amusement dancing in her eyes. Draco scrambled up, regaining some semblance of the dignity he had lost when she caught him listening at the door.

"No. I was just listening to your singing. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Okay. Don't let me catch you next time. Walk with me to lunch?"

"Sure. What was that song you were singing?"

"China Roses. My mother used to sing it to me as a lullabye when ever I'd had a bad dream when I was an infant. Those were the only times she was ever around."

"If I may be so bold, what do you mean?"

"You may. My grandmother practically raised me. She was more my mother than my mother was."

"What about your father?"

"What father? He left before I was born."

"I'm sorry." Draco said as they walked down the Slytherin table to the end seat that Lucinda and Tanya had occupied the night before. The Slytherins let them be.

"It's fine. I was only at home until I was seven. Then I was only home for three months of every year."

"You went away to school at seven?" Draco picked up a roll and started nibbling on the end of it.

"Yep. NPMA came to collect me as soon as my magical talents started showing. It was the same for everyone. Some were seven, some were eight. There were even a rare few who were six."

"And your mother had no problem with that?"

"Not at all. My mother spent her time marrying and divorcing rich men. She had no time for me. I was more a burden. When I went away to school I was no longer her problem. I hadn't been her problem since I was old enough to have baby formula instead of breast milk."

"What a screwed up childhood."

"Tell me about it. And in the three months that I was home I would spend a grand total of three days with my mother. I learned pretty early on to take care of myself. Look out for myself, because no body else is going to."

"What about your grandmother?"

"She died last year. So I transferred out of the shit hole I'd grown up in. The only reason I stayed as long as I did was because my grandmother wanted me to and I loved her. She'd been the only one to look out for me. I figured it was the least I could do."

"I'd have gotten out of there too. It's not a nice place."

"What do you know of NPMA?" Lucinda asked, laying a couple of pieces of roast beef on her roll and taking a measured bite out of it. It turned to ash in her mouth.

"My cousin Lilly went there. One day she wrote me about all the shit that they put her through. The next morning we got an owl off the school informing us that she was dead."

"That was your cousin? I mean, we knew she came from an influential family that had been around for generations, but I never connected the dots. Even when your letter arrived that morning for her..."

"Who took it?"

"What do you mean?"

"The letter. Who took it from the owl?"

"I did. What does that matter?"

"Did you read it?"

"I glimpsed over it. We all shared our mail in our dorm. That made it harder for the teachers to fabricate something against us. It looked personal, so I hid it."

"Do you still have it?"

"No. I buried it with her."

"Thank god for that."

"Why? What was so important that you wrote it down instead of waiting the couple of days for summer?"

"If I told you you'd be killed. Was Lilly happy?"

"As happy as she could be in that hell hole. I found she was happiest when sitting at a piano, or writing. She composed quite a bit. It was her escape I suppose."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my escape was quidditch. I pushed myself to be the best seeker the school had ever seen, to make a point. But flying relaxes me. I can easily gain more perspective on the back of a broom. There were often times when I would study flying around the quidditch pitch. Lilly would yell out questions to me and I'd answer straight away. It was the same for her when she was sitting at a piano or writing one of her many stories. She wrote one about you. Did you know?"

"No, I didn't know. I'm glad she found an escape."

"Rumour had it she died at the piano in the foyer of the school."

"Do you know how she died?"

"The school didn't tell you?"

"No."

"They didn't tell us either. We only had the numerous, disgusting rumours that would occasionally reach our ears. Seairah, Tanya, Rosemary and I were depressed for ages after she died. Then my grandmother died and Tanya and I decided to transfer out. Seairah tagged along. As per usual. Poor Rosemary. We left her all on her own. I feel so bad."

"You were friends with my cousin?"

"She was one of my best friends."

"Why did Seairah transfer out with you?"

"I wasn't the same after Lilly died. Neither was Tanya really. And then my grandmother died and I didn't eat, didn't speak. I withdrew completely. I just kept thinking first my best friend, then the only person in the world who ever cared about what happened to me. Why is this happening to me? Why should I live when everyone I care about is dying? Tanya was going through the same thing, but her entire family. Seairah often heard us crying, heard me screaming. Once she came down to the quidditch pitch with some food to find us flying round and round I was screaming my lungs out and crying so hard I couldn't see. Tanya had tears flowing down her cheeks like a river. If she hadn't called out to me and Tanya we would have flown head first into the ground and we all knew it. So she transferred out to keep an eye on us, make sure that us transferring out wasn't our way of being alone long enough to kill ourselves." Lucinda was staring at the table top, tearing what was left of her roll into tiny pieces.

"Oh my god. Lucinda, I know where your coming from, but surely you know that death is not the answer to anything?"

"I do. But at the time I was so depressed I couldn't have cared less. They reckoned Lilly killed herself. The kids at school. But she wasn't like that. She'd found her escape before I'd found mine. She said it was because she hadn't been in the hell hole as long as I had. She transferred in when she was eleven. I was voted the most likely to commit suicide in school. They took that vote at the end of my first year there."

"I don't believe she had it in her to kill herself. And I don't think you do either." Draco placed his hand over Lucinda's, causing her to look up at the handsome young man sitting opposite her. Lucinda opened her mouth to reply and the bell for the end of lunch rang through the castle and grounds.

"Charms. Goodie." Lucinda said sarcastically. She left with Draco, without a backward glance. Or a glance at the Gryffindor table.

As Charms was a practical lesson, Lucinda paired up with Draco and Tanya. Flitwick informed them that the partners or groups they had just chosen was the person they would be paired with for the rest of the year. Lucinda and Tanya had already covered the lesson in NPMA so she spent the hour giving Draco tips on perfecting the charm. Seairah was paired with Hermione Granger. The Golden Trio had become The Golden Quartet.

Lucinda sat next to Draco in Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Tanya had elected not to take those subjects as she wasn't going to need them anytime soon. Tanya met them outside the DADA room and Lucinda and Tanya exchanged looks of apprehension that Draco couldn't place. As they were entering the great hall for dinner, a group of Gryffindors cornered them just outside the doors.

"Ah! If it isn't the Golden Fuck Tarts plus one! To what do we owe this unfortunate displeasure?" Draco drawled, fingering his wand. Lucinda laughed quietly. Weasley began to draw his wand on her. Draco, Tanya and Lucinda had all sent different curses at Ron before he had time to completely draw his wand. Weasley's skin turned purple, his hair green, he inflated to gigantic proportions and puss filled boils covered his entire body.

"What did you do!?" Potter yelled at them.

"None of your business." Lucinda taunted.

"Then tell me how to put him back to normal!" Granger screeched.

"I don't think so." Draco drawled. Granger slapped him hard. Leaving a bright red hand print on his left cheek. Before Granger had time to lower her hand from the slap, Lucinda had seized the mudbloods wrist and squeezed gently. The bones beneath Lucinda's hand snapped instantly. Granger screamed in agony. She then broke Granger's arm in three places. Granger was in hysterics, tears running freely down her face. Tanya laughed softly. Seairah looked like she was going to be sick. Draco grabbed Lucinda's hand and pushed past Scarhead and Seairah. Note to self: create a nickname for the new one. Draco thought as he, Tanya and Lucinda took their seats at the end of the table. McGonagall stood from her chair at the staff table and exited the hall furiously. Lucinda pointed this out to Draco and they burst out laughing. Lucinda shot a few colour change curses randomly at the other three tables and it caused chaos. The students were blaming their friends and cursing each other, but completely ignoring the Slytherins. The whole table was roaring with laughter at the hilarious outcomes of some of the curses that the students were using on each other. Lucinda, Tanya and Draco slipped out of the hall undetected in the chaos and destruction.

"That was bloody hilarious!" Draco said once they were a fair distance away and he was able to breathe again. Lucinda was still laughing.

"Did you see the look on Longbottom's face when he started growing a hot pink beard?!"

"What colour was that that you changed his face to?" Tanya smiled in the opposite direction and slipped off into the darkness.

"A mix between lavender and a light puce." This made Draco crack up. He was clutching his sides when they heard footsteps coming towards them. They exchanged horrified expressions and Draco dragged Lucinda into the closest broom cupboard. The cupboard was tiny. Draco and Lucinda were pushed up against each other just to fit. They heard the footsteps pass their cupboard, pause, then continue down another corridor.

"Who the hell?" Draco breathed.

"Not a clue." Lucinda breathed back, trying not to move too much. She was sandwiched between Draco's quidditch-perfected body and the stone wall. Granted he was sandwiched between her quidditch-perfected body and the wall as well.

"We are deep within the dungeon corridors. No one would be down here—" Lucinda cut Draco off by pressing her lips to his. She had heard what he had not—the footsteps returning, and he was about to give them away. Draco kissed her back for a moment before realising who he was kissing. He pulled back with a puzzled look on his face, then he heard the steps and his mouth formed a perfect 0. The steps passed again and Lucinda relaxed.

"No one would be down here unless they were looking for something. Or someone." Lucinda finished Draco's sentence.

"Exactly. Do you think whoever it is is looking for us?" Draco looked slightly worried.

"Probably not. Although, no one in their right mind would be in this far."

"We are."

"My point exactly."

"I don't get it." Draco had a confusion swimming in his gorgeous eyes even though his very handsome face portrayed irritation. He is so adorable Lucinda thought. She is so beautiful Draco thought. Lucinda listened carefully and when she heard nothing, pulled Draco from the cupboard and sprinted to the Slytherin common room. Lucinda lay down comfortably on the floor in front of the hearth and Draco placed his body gingerly on the couch. He had been having unexplained pain course through his body unexpectedly since the third week of the summer holidays. Draco fell asleep without a word. Lucinda sat up when she heard Tanya come padding down the stairs.

"Can't sleep?" Tanya asked sarcastically.

"No. What the hell is with you?? Hunting??? You DON'T HUNT!!!"

"Lucinda. Calm down. You might wake the mortal." Something clicked in Lucinda's head.

"Oh my fucking god."

"My god too."

"Same guy??"

"Yes. I'd been keeping tabs on him since you and he caught me unaware on night. I'd become careless."

"When?"

"Summer."

"BASTARD!! Oh well. At least we have leverage now. We have a majority. Go back upstairs. The girls might get suss if they wake up and you're not there." Lucinda curled up in a ball and feigned sleep.

Draco woke the next morning with a kink in his neck. He had always been very quiet when waking up. Draco ran through his schedule for the day in his head. Free, Arithmancy, Free, Lunch, Free, Divination, Potions, Dinner, Detention. Another brilliant day. Maybe I'll ask Lucinda to train with me this morning...Draco thought. He looked over to the subject of his dreams the previous night and nearly laughed out loud. She looked so cute curled up in a fetal position with her hair flung wildly across her pale face. He glanced up at the clock, 8.30. His first free for the day was halfway over. He wasn't going to wake Lucinda up. He went across to the kitchens and took a stack of food back to the common room. When he got there Lucinda was waking up silently and stretching out. She saw him and smiled.

"Morning sleeping beauty." Draco said, setting down the tray of food.

"Morning.." Lucinda stated hopefully.

"And what were you dreaming about last night?" Draco smirked playfully.

"I dreamt you murdered me in my sleep. Why? I've got a migraine from sleeping on the floor."

"Just wondering. You get a migraine from sleeping on the floor?"

"Yeah, but only when my head's against the floor."

"Oh, that reminds me. Blaise told me to ask you if you wanted to come play truth or dare with us tonight."

"I would, but I have something to do after dinner. Sorry."

"No, we play after curfew."

"Where?"

"It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises."

"It's a room on the seventh floor that you can't find unless you know where it is. I know where it is because I discovered it."

"If you found it, how do you know others haven't."

"Because the headmaster found it one night in a similar fashion to me, but when he went back to find it again the next morning, he couldn't. If the old goat couldn't find it the second time, then nobody else can."

"You did."

"Yes, but I am exceptional."

"Yes. Yes you are. Can Tanya come too??"

"Ah yes..I can't see why not."

"I'll ask her later."

"Has anyone ever told you, you are a weird one?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"I will find out your secrets. Tonight. We are playing a special kind of truth or dare."

"Should I be scared?" Lucinda's stomach growled audibly.

"Probably. What's your schedule like today?" Draco picked up a croissant and Lucinda moved closer to the lounge to scavenge some food. It felt like she was eating dirt. She knew she needed to feed properly. One day and two nights in this place had completely ruined her self control.

"Free, Free, Free, Lunch, Free, Ancient Runes, Potions, Dinner, My thing, Truth or Dare. You?" Lucinda picked up a piece of toast.

"Free, Arithmancy, Free, Lunch, Free, Divination, Potions, Dinner, Relaxation, Truth or Dare. Got any plans for your free's?" Draco asked, taking another bite out of his croissant.

"Umm, yeah. Copy your potions notes, hang out in the student lounge, skip lunch and go for a fly. You?"

"Watch you copy my potions notes, skip lunch and get in some relaxed quidditch practice before Antonia starts training the hell into us."

"Normally it's the hell out of you."

"Yeah, but Antonia trains us so hard that it get us so riled up and so pissed off that we're like demons straight from hell when we're faced against some other poor house."

"Poor opposing quidditch teams. By the way, you better be prepared to roll over for a girl. Release the snitch today in our free before lunch and we'll see who can catch it first."

"I'll roll over for a girl anytime. In my room, not on the quidditch pitch. Seeker is my position. Back off." Draco snapped playfully.

"I can play anything. But I'm fast. That's all I'm saying. I'm not after your position, I just want to see what the standard of seekers are like here."

"Pretty low actually. I'm the best."

"I'm sure. How is it that Gryffindor manage to beat you every time you come up against each other then?"

"Keep out of it."

"It's okay. I'm here now. And I WON'T roll over for anyone on the quidditch pitch. They want a demon from hell? I'll give them one."

"I'm sure you will. Didn't you take Arithmancy?"

"No. I'm not really an Arithmancy type of girl. Come find me in the student lounge after Arithmancy and bring the snitch. I'll give you a run for your money."

"How much do you wanna bet?"

"Twenty galleons. Take it or leave it."

"That's half my daily allowance!"

"Take it or leave it."

"Shake on it." Draco said, sticking his hand out. Lucinda shook his hand just as the clock tolled the start of second hour lessons.

Draco sprinted out the portrait hole as students filed in. Lucinda looked around and realised Draco had left his potions notes on the table. She picked them up and added them to her book bag. She then had a shower, dressed in a figure hugging emerald green off the shoulder t-shirt, jeans and joggers and set off to the student lounge. Tanya had disappeared again. The student lounge was just off the side of the entrance hall. It had cream coloured lounges, little mahogany study tables with matching chairs and an entertainment system. Lucinda sauntered over to the DVD collection lining one wall. She picked out The Da Vinci Code and put it into the DVD player for background noise. She had done a film study on it at her last school. Lucinda sat at one of the little study tables and spread her stuff all over the table as a deterrent to the other students in the room. Most were Gryffindor anyway. An hour later, she was so absorbed in pretending to be absorbed in what she was doing that she didn't notice the gorgeous blonde drop into the seat opposite her. It wasn't until he cleared his throat, startling her, that she looked up.

"Oh, hey Draco. How was Arithmancy?" Lucinda asked, packing up her stuff in less time that it had taken her to spread it out.

"Boring. As usual. Are you ready?" Draco asked, eyeing her clothing choice.

"Almost. I have to quickly run back to the common room. I'll meet you at the doors?"

"Sure. See you in ten minutes." Draco rose gracefully from his chair.

"I'll be five." Lucinda rose and sprinted back to her dorm room. She burst through the door, startling the five occupants and began ransacking her trunk, clothes went flying in every direction.

"What are you looking for?" One of the girls said disdainfully as a skirt hit her in the face. She had wheat blonde hair, pouty lips and eyes a little too large for her face.

"My black thong. Have you seen it?" Lucinda asked distractedly. Completely forgetting that the bookworm, Scarhead, and her ex-best friend had spread the news of the 'fuck off you stupid Gryffindors, we're fucking' incident.

"No I haven't. Why in merlins pants would I be looking in your trunk?" Lucinda suddenly remembered the girl's name. It was Hyacinth Rommel. She was annoying as and had this whiny voice that drove most of them up the wall within minutes of her opening her stupid pouty mouth. This was one of those times. Lucinda tossed aside her white version of the shirt she was wearing and saw the object she desired. There you are you little bugger She thought happily.

"I have no idea why you would be in Merlin's pants, but I assure you I don't want to know. Never mind, I found it." Lucinda slipped her jeans off and swapped the black lacy knickers for the black thong. It was at this moment that the five other girls that occupied the room noticed Lucinda had a tattoo. It was a midnight black butterfly with 'Lucinda' written in blood red cursive underneath it. The butterfly was on her lower back, closer to her hips than her ass. Her room mates were impressed. And slight gossips. The majority of the school would know about the tattoo by lunch. Six minutes later Lucinda was dashing across the entrance hall towards Draco, broom in hand.

"You said you'd be five minutes." Draco said, pouting slightly.

"Surely you didn't think I'd stand you up?" Lucinda asked, faking injured shock.

"I was contemplating coming to find you."

"The stupid girls in my dorm insisted on conversation. I'm sorry." Lucinda said, taking his hand in her own and pulling him out into the sun. They walked briskly across the grounds to the quidditch pitch, hand in hand. The Gryffindors who were out on the grounds had a field day.

"So what did you have to go back to the common room for?" Draco called as Lucinda bent over her broom, showing both her thong and tattoo clearly, while Draco was walking back from the Slytherin change rooms with his broom.

"Ah, nothing. Turns out I forgot to pack it." Lucinda quickly lied. She didn't like lying, she was too good at it, and she didn't want to make a habit of lying to Draco. He was nice, and cute to boot.

"Right. So you were already wearing that thong?" Draco asked as he stopped next to her. He had a triumphant look in his eyes. As if he knew he'd caught her in her lie.

"Umm, well no. I find it's easier to fly in a thong. Plus it distracts the opposition when you fly in front of them."

"I can see why. Nice tattoo by the way."

"Thanks. I got it done last year. After my grandmother died, but before I transferred."

"Always had a thing for midnight and blood?"

"Surprisingly yes. Now, I've noticed something about you." Lucinda swiftly changed the topic. She had survived NPMA without revealing how wealthy her family was, how supportive of the dark lord her family was and quite how old her family name was. Also she had concealed her mother's betrayal of pureblood protocol as if her life depended on it. Which it kind of does.

"And what's that?" Draco asked dismissively as he mounted his broom and kicked off from the ground. Lucinda caught up to him easily.

"You always wear long sleeves. I haven't seen you in a T-shirt yet. Meaning you're either permanently cold or you're a death eater. Which one?" Lucinda looked at him. He looked back at her.

"I'm a death eater. But no one knows, so can you keep it to yourself?" Draco whispered as he sped up. He hadn't released the snitch yet.

"Of course. On one condition." Lucinda caught him easily yet again. Draco was getting fairly irritated at the ease with which she flew. He had never seen a girl so relaxed on a broom. Nor so natural a flyer. Most of the girls on his team had trained for hours at a time, sometimes all night, to get to where they were, yet Lucinda was better than all of them combined and it didn't even look like she was trying. She was even laughing. Granted it was at the expression on his face, but he didn't care.

"What's the condition?" Draco asked, eager to keep his deadly secret a secret at all costs.

"Don't mention my name to any of the death eaters."

"Why not?" Draco was definitely confused.

"Because I have a past. A past I wish to keep hidden."

"You're running from someone?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Swear to me that you won't tell my secret though."

"I swear on your life."

"My life?! Why my life?!"

"I don't care about my life. I have absolutely no sense of self preservation. However, I care about your life. So it makes sense to swear on the life I care about. It makes sure I wont break it." Lucinda explained her reasoning and the only part of it that sunk into Draco's brain was that she cared about his life.

"Why do you care about my life?" Draco asked bluntly.

"Because you were nice to me on the first night here. You are nice to me. You're the first guy I've met who's able to be nice to a girl."

"Oh. Okay. Makes sense."

"Okay, now that we've come to the conclusion that my logic isn't as wacked as it sounds, can you release the snitch? This is our fifteenth lap of the pitch in two minutes." Lucinda frowned slightly at Draco to emphasise her point. He didn't reply, he just let the snitch go. They gave the snitch a five minute head start, then circled in opposite directions looking for the snitch. An hour and a half later Lucinda spotted it hovering near the centre goal post at the opposite end of the field. She pushed her broom into a break neck speed. Draco, who had been keeping one eye on her, saw her lurch forward in a burst of speed that he could only attribute to the fact that she had seen the snitch first. He pushed his broom to it's top speed, pulling into line with her. She laughed and accelerated, reaching out her hand and grasping the small fluttering ball.

She landed and bowed to a pretend audience. Draco landed beside her. She turned to him and flung her arms around his neck. He didn't realise how sweaty he was until she hugged him. They hadn't heard the bell for lunch. Lucinda bowed again, as her stomach growled audibly, and she and Draco walked into the Slytherin change rooms.

"There is a girls' change room." Draco stated, as Lucinda took off her shirt.

"No, I'm good. Unless..." Lucinda turned to face Draco and smirked.

"Unless what?" Draco asked, trying not to look at her near perfect body.

"Unless you want me to use the girls' change room..." Lucinda turned her back to him and put her school blouse on.

"Umm, well, I suppose you're almost changed so there's no point now."

"Mmm, you do have a point." Lucinda slipped out of her jeans and into her school skirt. She then put her Slytherin robes on over the top and let her hair fall out of its bun, over her shoulders and down her back. When Lucinda turned around, Draco was changed into his school uniform and held both her book bag and his own.

"Ready?" Draco asked, trying not to remember her toned torso. He needed his self control now more than ever.

"As ready as I'll ever be for Ancient Runes." Lucinda took her book bag from Draco and slung it over her shoulder.

"You take Ancient Runes?"

"It was either that or Divination. Divination is such an obscure and imprecise branch of magic that I chose the subject I'm more practised in."

"Of course."

"Why did you choose Divination?" Lucinda asked as they took the back door out of the change rooms.

"I didn't want to be stuck in a class with Granger."

"Fair enough. Do you know who else takes Ancient Runes in our year?"

"As far as I know two others."

"Who?" Lucinda asked apprehensively. If I don't like them, maybe I can convince Draco to ditch with me... Lucinda thought.

"Granger and this prat called Ernie McMillan."

"I know him. Bastard tried to talk to me on the train. Halfblood, Hufflepuff, prefect, mother was killed last year by a couple of death eaters."

"You remember the murder?"

"Of course. I grew up with death eaters in the house; my grandmother followed the dark lord's return obsessively. She searched for him obsessively when he fell."

"Was your grandmother Annabelle Marx?"

"Der Draco. One of only three women to be in the dark lord's inner circle."

"Three? I only ever saw two after he returned."

"Yes, well, she had her reasons. She was too old she said. She said it was my turn to be of use to the cause."

"She called it the cause?"

"Yep. Funny eh? She was like that. She was a strict pureblood. Raised me to obey the pureblood rules, live by the traditions of our blood." They were taking the most isolated route to the Ancient Runes room.

"What are you doing playing quidditch then? Or having a tattoo?"

"Small rebellions against NPMA and my aunt."

"Susanne. Yes, I know her. She is a very conservative pureblood. Obsessed with the old traditions."

"Obsessed with torture, death and punishment. That's why she makes such a good follower. She does what she's told, ruthlessly."

"Yes, the dark lord is talking of promoting her to the leader of one of the elimination teams. Apparently the guy he has in that position at the moment is giving him some trouble."

"I heard. There have been rumours of Snape's disloyalty for some time now. My grandmother believed he was a spy, but the dark lord refused to listen." They had reached the Ancient Runes class room.

"He's stubborn like that. Anyway, I'll see you in potions." Draco said, lingering, reluctant to return the way he had come.

"Oh, yeah, potions with the spy. Great." Lucinda said sarcastically, entering the classroom as the clock tolled the start of the lesson. Draco hurried to take the most abandoned route to Divination. Lucinda watched him go, chuckling as he kept looking over his shoulder.

"Move Slytherin." A rude voice came from behind her. Lucinda turned to glare at the newcomer.

"Move yourself halfblood." Lucinda spat as she moved out of the doorway, taking a seat at a table at the very back of the room. She spread her stuff around her, not that the Hufflepuff or the Gryffindor would sit next to her, but just in case. Professor Vector entered the room and distributed a quick quiz. It had two columns. One column had various symbols, the other various meanings. The symbols were seemingly in an order known only to the professor, the meanings jumbled.

"The meanings of the symbols are jumbled. Draw a line connecting the symbol to its meaning. You have the hour to complete the quiz. When you are finished, turn your paper in to me and leave. You may begin." Professor Vector settled herself behind her desk and scribbled away on a piece of parchment.

Lucinda looked around the room. Hermione Granger, seated in the very front desk, was hunched over her quiz scribbling furiously. Ernie McMillan, seated at a desk about halfway up the room, was chewing on the end of his quill staring at his quiz looking seriously confused. Lucinda flipped through the five pages of symbols and scrambled meanings. This is simple. I could do this quiz in my sleep Lucinda thought as she began her quiz.

Twenty minutes later Lucinda had checked and re-checked her answers out of habit. She leant back in her chair, propping her feet up on the table. She saw McMillan glance back at her. She waved. He blushed and looked down. He took a piece of parchment out of his bag, scribbled something on it, scrunched it into a ball and threw it at Granger. It hit her in the back of the head and lodged in the fuzz she called hair. She reached behind her to pluck it out of her hair. She flattened it out, her eyes scanning it quickly and then she twisted in her seat to look at Lucinda. Lucinda waved at her and smirked evilly, Granger glared and went back to her quiz, scribbling even more furiously. When Lucinda decided that she had sat for long enough to be able to take her quiz up without causing suspicion, she walked up to Professor Vectors' desk.

"Done already dear?" Professor Vector asked surprised.

"Yes. Can I go?" Lucinda asked, boredom ringing clear in her voice.

"Yes, yes of course. Go straight to your next class, don't linger child. It isn't safe."

"Of course it is. You don't honestly think the dark lord would attack Hogwarts so soon after his return." Lucinda commented disdainfully. Granger looked up at 'the dark lord'. Curious, very curious. I must tell this to Harry and Ron. I mean, who calls Voldemort the dark lord apart from death eaters? Granger thought. As Lucinda made to walk past Granger's desk, Granger caught her arm.

"How dare you touch me, Mudblood!" Lucinda hissed.

"I know your secret. I will tell." Granger threatened, tightening her grip on Lucinda's arm.

"Which one? You think you're so great don't you, you little Mudblood? Well I hate to tell you this Granger, but you're not. You're not worth the breath to insult you." Lucinda hissed venom dripping from every syllable.

Lucinda wrenched her arm out of Granger's grip, almost throwing Granger from her chair. Lucinda shoved her stuff in her bag and slammed the door behind her as she stormed from the room. Stupid Mudblood and her stupid mouth and her stupid over analysing brain and her stupid friends. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Lucinda ranted in her head as she took the back way to the Divination tower. When she reached the door to the classroom, she put her bag at her feet and leant against the window sill. She pulled her Potions book from her bag, looking over the various potions. Some she had made before, most she hadn't. She flipped the page and sitting there was an ornately drawn dragon in mid flight with DM written on the right wing.

"Draco." Lucinda breathed. At that exact moment the door flung open and Gryffindors came spilling out. Lucinda pressed herself against the wall to escape being touched by such...filth. As she relaxed a body rammed straight into her, sending them both to the ground, her book and Draco's drawing flying over the edge of the tower, the book landed with a resounding thump.

"Watch where you're going retard!" Lucinda snapped as the body that ran into her extended a pale hand and mumbled an apology. Lucinda slapped the hand away and lifted herself gingerly from the ground. Looking out the window she nearly wept. Draco's beautiful drawing had fluttered into the lake.

"There's no need to cry. I can always draw you another one." The body's voice spoke. Lucinda whirled around and realised that it was Draco who'd run into her.

"Sorry I snapped. I didn't know it was you. And I'm not crying." Lucinda mumbled, picking up her bag and making her way down the stairs, to collect her potions book.

"It's understandable, it was a beautiful drawing. Not my best, but close to it. You definitely belong in Slytherin. Just swap retard for disgusting filth and your there." Draco commented.

"Whatever you reckon. I just want my book back and for this day to be over." As she finished talking, Lucinda's potions book came flying down the staircase behind them and landed softly in Draco's hands. He handed it to her. She mumbled a 'thanks' and hurried down the stairs. They were close to being very late. Snape would give them another detention for sure.

"Snape's going to kick our asses if we are not in our seats in the next five seconds. You realise this right?" Draco asked, glancing at the clock above the doorway, five flights of stairs down.

"Take my hand and hold on tight." Lucinda instructed. Draco did. To the students passing them in the opposite direction they looked like a happy couple ditching class. Then they weren't there.

Draco felt like he was flying. Like he was soaring. Images flashed before his eyes. He saw snippets from Hogwarts fifty years ago, Hogwarts fifty years to come and then finally he was sitting in his chair in the dungeons. He looked across to Lucinda to find her doubled over in her chair, gripping her middle with both hands, as if trying to hold herself together. She was panting slightly, there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead and tears were slipping down her cheeks. Her complexion had turned waxy, sallow. Draco put one hand on her back and peered closely at her face.

"What's wrong Luc? What is it?" Draco asked, worried.

"It's...nothing." Lucinda forced out quietly, a look of excruciating pain crossing her face as she spoke.

"Obviously it is. You're in pain. Tell me what's wrong. I want to help." Draco whispered as the dungeon door flung open.

"You can't help. Why do you care?"

"Because I do. Let me help." Draco pleaded as Lucinda's breathing returned to normal and she sat up straight. She looked to the front of the classroom and frowned. What's with the walrus? Lucinda wrote on a piece of parchment and pushed it into Draco's arm. Oh, that's Slughorn. I thought he was the new DADA teacher. Draco slipped the paper back. His neat elegant script made Lucinda so jealous. Apparently Snape's finally got the post he's always wanted. Lucinda mused. Apparently so. The Walrus just assigned a potion and I missed what page it's on. Did you get it? Draco asked, seemingly worried. Page 122. Felix Felicis. It's the potion we'll be making for this term. Luckily for you, I've made this before. Look at Potter would you? He looks like he thinks he's the best or something. Lucinda wrote quickly. Yeah, he's like that. It's just too bad he's gonna die soon, I rather liked making his life a living hell. Draco reminisced. Lucinda laughed, earning the attention of the whole class.

"Did I say something you found amusing Miss Marx?" Slughorn asked, irritated.

"Ahh, yes, actually you did."

"Would you care to enlighten us?" Slughorn's face turned a deep shade of puce.

"You said the potion you've assigned is difficult and will take some time. It isn't and it doesn't."

"I'll assume you've made it before then."

"Of course. When I was seven."

"Of course. Class dismissed." Slughorn was slowly returning to normal colour. Draco cornered her outside.

"Did you really make this potion when you were seven?" Draco asked, placing one arm on either side of her head against the wall.

"Yes. And once every year since. It was one of the first potions I learnt to brew."

"Good. We should pass then." Draco said, walking back to the common room.

"Of course we'll pass!!" Lucinda yelled after him, earning reproachful looks from her classmates. She glared in return and stomped off to dinner. Instantly regretting her decision to go alone. Halfway through dinner it seemed Draco had decided to skip dinner. Fifteen minutes after Lucinda came to this conclusion owls swooped through the hall, delivering the evening mail. Lucinda instantly recognised her grandmother's owl and her tattoo prickled uncomfortably. Lucinda tore the envelope from the owl, the owl took off. The prickling subsided almost instantly. She tucked the letter inside her robes and departed the hall for McGonagall's office. Draco was already there. The despised teacher was nowhere in sight.

"Our detention is to sort the school records by the year then by house and alphabetical order within that." Draco mumbled as he frowned at a faded student card. Lucinda waved her wand and all their work was done for them. Draco looked up and frowned quizzically at her.

"You didn't say that she specified that we do it without magic."

"She didn't."

"Well then why aren't you thanking me?"

"Thank you."

"I have to go read and reply to a letter. Meet me at eleven at the portrait of the three legged dog on the fourth floor." Lucinda didn't wait for a reply. She turned her back on the room and strolled out the door, wandering down the hallway, looking for an empty classroom. She found what she was looking for in the DADA classroom the floor above.

She clicked the door behind her, making sure it was locked before she perched on the teachers' desk. Taking the envelope out, she stared at it for a fraction of a second before tearing it open and extracting the letter carefully. She knew the sender had placed a curse on it to prevent unwanted eyes reading the contents. She recognised her father's handwriting. That's different...he usually doesn't write his own letters...She thought distractedly. The letter read like so:

My dear Lucinda,

I may walk through valleys as dark as death and I will not be afraid. For I know the darkness is my own. My creation. My friends. My family. My soul.

I know you are probably trying to fit in and make friends, but I would like you to try to focus more on your studies and responsibilities than your social life this year. You're 16th birthday is coming up and I was wondering what you wanted for your birthday. If you want a party, let me know so I can organise it and get me the names of the classmates you want to attend.

Onto more pressing matters, the Malfoy's have approached me about the marriage contract your mother and I signed with them when you were born. Before you order your howler, listen to me. Lucius and I are old friends and we agreed when we were seventeen that our first borns would marry. When you and Draco were born Lucius called in the deal. It is a good match. I know you've never thought much of arranged marriage, but Draco is a good kid. A bit rough round the edges, but a fine young man. Think about it honey. The Malfoy's have been trying to merge the Malfoy and the Slytherin line for as long as our families have existed. If you and Draco wed, it would be a very glorious day indeed. And a very happy moment in history for our families.

Your grandmother's will was executed today. She left everything she owned to you. Her little princess. You have her estate, her fortune, everything. Including her spell books that I know you were so fond of.

I am planning on revealing you as my daughter at the next meeting, so I would like you to be there. Thursday night, midnight. You know the clearing. Your grandmother used to take you to play there as a child, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding it.

I await your reply my child. Congratulations on your placement.

V

Lucinda was absolutely livid at the news that her father had agreed to an arranged marriage. He hated arranged marriages, so why the hell was he forcing her into one?! She knew it was her father from the second line of his letter. It was their way to tell each other it was really them.

"HOW DARE HE?!?" Lucinda screamed at the empty room. The news of the contents of her grandmothers will and her reveal was pleasing though. She was sure that her father was not happy that she had gotten everything, but her grandmother had loved and raised Lucinda like she was her own daughter. She walked around the desk and rummaged through the drawers, looking for a sheet of parchment, a quill and some black ink. She found the items she was looking for. She wrote a relatively long letter to her father, trying not to sound bitter about the arranged marriage.

Dad,

I may walk through valleys as dark as death and I will not be afraid. For I know the darkness is my own.

Yeah, a party sounds great. Umm, my invites are Slytherin house, Seairah Hailey & Rosemary Thyme. As for the arranged marriage, I will live. Draco's really sweet. Although if you tell anyone I said that I will deny it vehemently. What do I want for my birthday?? I have absolutely no idea. Umm, how about a new outfit or two? I could do with some new clothes. I haven't been shopping in a while. Anything black will be fine.

The people here have been very welcoming. Draco invited me to play Truth or Dare with him and some other Slytherins tonight. It's a bit hard to focus on study when I'm constantly in detention. It's only the second night and I've had two after dinner detentions already.

Can you not reveal me this Thursday? It might come as a bit of a shock to Draco...I've grown used to my fake history, so when he asked me about my father I used the lie I always used at NPMA. I told the truth about everything else. I don't like lying to Draco.

Did you know that the headmistress at NPMA is Dumbledore's daughter?? And I did some digging, and I found out that she killed Lilly Malfoy. Draco's cousin that died last year. Do you remember? It was just after your return...anyway, I was thinking of a return visit for a little revenge of my own...stupid bitch deserves what's coming to her.

Anyway, I've gotta go...I'm meeting Draco in a minute. It's way past curfew, I don't wanna get caught. I'm using an empty classroom to write this. Oh, and don't send Gran's owl again. She stands out too much.

LM xox

Lucinda whistled and her grandmother's owl came soaring through the open window and Lucinda's tattoo seared painfully. Her father wasn't happy about something. Lucinda folded her letter into thirds and held it out to the owl. The owl grasped the letter in its mahogany beak and jumped out the window, plummeting a few feet before spreading her black wings and flying towards the moon.

Lucinda hurried out of the room, extinguishing the lamps as she went. She strolled casually down the hall and felt a hand close around her mouth. She went rigid.

"Relax Lucinda. It's just me." Draco whispered into her ear. Lucinda instantly relaxed into him. The idea of marrying Draco was beginning to grow on her. That didn't mean she supported her father's decision, but she wasn't opposed to it as much as she would have been under other circumstances.

"What the hell Draco? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Lucinda hissed as she started ascending the closest staircase. Tanya materialised out of the darkness. Lucinda gave her a questioning glance and Tanya nodded her head slightly.

Draco trailed them slowly. When they had walked past the stretch of wall they needed, Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her back. The door to the room of requirement appeared and they entered. There was a circle of Slytherins seated in the centre of the room. There was another door adjacent to the one they had just entered. The room looked almost identical to the Slytherin common room. Except for the four or five fires burning around the room. There was a black leather couch at the west end of the room and a king sized bed at the east end. Lucinda had thought she and Draco would be the first to arrive, but it looked like everyone else was waiting for them. She had wanted to talk to Draco but apparently that was going to be impossible.

"Draco!! Finally!! We were about to start without you...Who are the new girls?" A boy with dark curly hair, a dark tan and baby blue eyes spoke to Draco.

"Blaise. I seriously doubt you would start without me. I'm me. You are the only one in this room who doesn't know Lucinda or Tanya. Well, now that we're here, let's start." Draco drawled self-importantly sitting next to the boy, pulling Lucinda into his lap. She slapped his hands playfully and slid off his lap, sitting very close to his side. She felt like a deer caught in headlights. The girls in the circle were glaring at her as if she had bewitched Draco or something. From the looks of things, she was the only one who knew that she and Draco were betrothed.

"Double, double, toil and trouble those in this room shall tell naught but the truth and reject naught but lies. Eye of newt and adder's fork, naught but yes shall pass their lips when a dare is delivered. Blind mans toil and cauldron bubble naught of this night shall pass the lips of those present outside of this room. Something evil this way comes and it is sitting in this circle." Antonia cast a notorious dark spell that was used to ensure the utmost secrecy and compliance within whatever field the caster chose. Antonia happened to elect this game of truth or dare. It made no sense to Lucinda. They were just kids playing a game. There was no need for a secrecy and compliance spell. Lucinda wasn't sure what happened to the one who broke their secrecy but she didn't want to be the one to find out.

"Who's going to start?" Antonia asked.

"I will. Lucinda. Truth or Dare?" Pansy started. Draco winced. Pansy was notorious for her ultra embarrassing dares. Lucinda had never said no to a dare and she wasn't going to start now, but truth could be dangerous for her. Especially with the secrecy and compliance spell.

"Truth." Lucinda decided to risk it. She had been mostly truthful since she arrived there. What could Pansy-Pug-Faced-Parkinson ask that could potentially put her in danger anyway?

"Make it good Parkinson." Blaise said. Pansy decided to jump in feet first and ask the personal question that no one liked answering.

"Lucinda. Are you a virgin?" Pansy smirked as all eyes went straight to Lucinda, each of the teens in the room were eagerly awaiting her response.

"No. Far from it." Lucinda could feel the tears forming in her eyes as the truth was dragged from her lips. It was as if her lips and voice were acting of their own accord.

"What!?" Draco yelped. Everyone, including Lucinda, turned to look at him. Stunned and confused that he cared so much.

"Truth or Dare Draco?" Lucinda asked.

"Truth."

"Are you a virgin?" Lucinda had no clue what motivated her to ask his virginal status. She came to the conclusion that it was because she was betrothed to him and she had a right to know.

"No."

"Then why are you judging me?" Lucinda didn't know why she was reacting badly. She didn't know why she cared.

"I'm not. I was just surprised. Blaise, Truth or Dare?" Draco successfully dodged Lucinda's questioning gaze. The night continued in this fashion until, at about midnight there were three people left. Lucinda, Draco and Pansy. Tanya had left pretty soon after the game began. Said she was tired. It was Pansy's turn to dare someone.

"Lucinda. TOD?" They had shortened truth or dare to tod at about eleven thirty. It was easier and took less effort to enunciate.

"Dare." Lucinda was beginning to regret agreeing to play. Pansy always gave her the worst dares. And Pansy's dares were the worst. Pansy produced a goblet filled with thick yellowy goo. Pansy passed the goblet to Lucinda.

"Drink. All of it. The goblet has to be empty for you to pass this dare." As Lucinda gazed into the goblet, Draco peeked into it and his face turned horror stricken.

"No Pansy." Draco spoke firmly and tried to take the goblet out of Lucinda's hand.

"It's Lucinda's choice Draco. She hasn't turned down one of my dares yet. And I'm thinking she's not about to start." Lucinda wrapped both her hands around Draco's wrist and tipped the goo into her mouth. She tried not to think about what she was swallowing. She had drained the goblet in three seconds flat.

"BAH!! That was horrible. It normally tastes better than that Parkinson. What did you put in it?"

"Bit of this, bit of that. If you knew, you would regret drinking that. In about two minutes, you will start feeling horrible."

"You didn't." Draco was paler than normal. And that was hard to achieve.

"I did." Two minutes passed and Lucinda didn't feel any different. They waited ten and nothing had happened.

"You brewed it incorrectly Parkinson. Although, next time you try to turn me into a vampire, let me know so I can write an apology note to the school before hand." Lucinda stood and left the room. Draco threw a glare in Pansy's direction and left before the door had closed behind Lucinda. Pansy was not happy. She was absolutely furious. When Lucinda and Draco arrived back at the common room, Draco's father's owl was waiting for Draco.

"Take it. I'm gonna go up to bed. I'm stuffed. Night." Lucinda sprinted up the girls' staircase before Draco had a chance to respond. The letter was delivered with the Malfoy family owl, the envelope was sealed with Voldemort's seal. As he took the letter from Maggot (the owl) the dark mark on his arm burned.