Our secret Love

A Draco Malfoy love story.

Chapter one: New Beginnings.

N

adia Bowman was a muggle, who lived an ordinary boring life in a small muggle town know as Cherry Tree. Her whole 14 years of life consisted of just this small town and she hated it. She was bored. Her whole life had been simple and uneventful. All she did most days was wake up and go to school, or if she was on term break she would stay inside her house, completely and utterly bored. Nadia however, was a popular girl and had numerous amounts of girl and boy friends. Yet she always found there was something missing. Even at home in her family life she felt like an outsider, like there was something missing. Maybe this was due to the fact that she was adopted. Her parents never told her this but as Nadia had gotten older she could tell from just looking at them, that she was not theirs. It was solely down to basis of skin complexion, her parents Wallace and Oliva Bowman were both white, Nadia was mixed race. There were other elements too, like both her parents had fair blonde hair, whereas Nadia had bushy, curly dark brown hair. Her eye colour was also that much darker then her parents and her face shape, height and body shape were completely different to that of her parents too.

She had also wondered late at night in the confines of her bedroom who her parents really were and what they were like. She desperately wanted if she had any siblings, because growing up an only child was quite boring and uneventful. She wondered where they were, what they were doing and who they were with. She wished upon every ounce of her body that one day she would know her parents again.

The last thing about Nadia that no one knew but herself was that Nadia was able to strange and unexplainable things when she was growing up, things she could never explain to herself. For example, at the age of 6 she decided to climb a tree, when after reaching a certain height she stumbled and began falling towards the ever approaching floor. However, instead of slamming into the ground and breaking a least 2 bones. She simply hovered in mid-air and slowly placed herself on the ground safety. A few similar occurrences happened throughout her childhood, however Nadia was never able to explain how and why they happened, but she always felt that there was something magical about it.

On the morning of August, the 31st the day before she went back to school Nadia felt rather excited for reasons she could not distinguish. Nadia hated school especially Cherry Tree High a place she couldn't wait to leave. The house sounded empty and Nadia began to trudge down the stairs wearing a tight laced up t-Shirt, tight ripped black jeans and a pair of black and white Nike trainers. She entered the kitchen as her stomach rumbled in annoyance, and she picked up a white note that lay discarded on the marble counter. She quickly skimmed over the note.

Dear Nadia

We've had to quickly pop out but hopefully we will be back before you leave. I don't want you to go but father is convinced that it will benefit you greatly. Have fun we love you.

Love

Mother and Father.

She stared at the cryptic note in confusion, what does she mean she doesn't want me to go? I'm not going anywhere. Suddenly the chiming of the doorbell alerted her thoughts and she left the kitchen to open the door. She gave a small tug of the handle and she opened the door to revel a very old man wearing peculiar clothes. Nadia stood there and studied his appearance with a look of awe. The man had long greying hair which was accompanying also by a long grey beard. His face was wrinkled and his eyes board into her with a look of years of knowledge. Perched atop his pointed nose was a pair of silver half mooned glasses, and the old man also appeared to be wearing a dark shade of purple robes. She had never seen anyone wear robes before, strange. She glanced back up to the old man's eyes and he gave Nadia a wise smile in return.

"May I come in Nadia? I have some important matters to discuss with you." The old man spoke in a wise manner and Nadia felt too stupid to be in the presence of this knowing man. She didn't ponder too hard on how this old man knew her name, instead she opened the door fully and gestured for the man to enter. He gave her a curt nod and proceeded over to Nadia's living room. After observing the numerous places to sit he decided to place himself on the black armchair beside the window. Once he had accepted himself comfortable he gestured for Nadia to sit on the sofa opposite, and she quickly accepted.

"Excuse me sir, who are you exactly? And I don't mean to sound rude but why are you here?" Nadia asked the old man quietly and the old man give her another knowing smile and began to answer her questions,

"My name is professor Albus Dumbledore, and I'm headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry..." Nadia's mouth dropped open in shock and she cut Dumbledore of mid-sentence with a small screech of "What? Witches? Wizards?" She glanced at Professor Dumbledore and she noticed that he was fighting back laughter,

"Yes Nadia, their such things as witches and wizards indeed. In fact, your one yourself." The revelation took Nadia by surprise and she chuckled quietly to herself. A witch her? It couldn't be. Suddenly as if Dumbledore could read her thoughts he spoke again in reassurance,

"Nadia it is true you are indeed a witch, and my reasoning for me being is that I'm here to offer you a place at Hogwarts for your 4th year. Of course I would of very much liked you to have joined Hogwarts in your 1st year but it seems like your parents weren't really accepting of that idea." She absorbed all the information Dumbledore had spoken and immediately decided her decision,

"I would very much like to attend, that is of course you will let me?" Nadia said quietly with a hint of excitement racing though her voice. Dumbledore shot her another wise smile and began to speak in his knowing voice,

"Of course I will let you Nadia! However, we have to leave now because time is short and we must get all you school supplies before tomorrow. Are you ready?" He stood up and offered Nadia his hand, however before Nadia took it she wanted one question to be answered first,

"Why couldn't I attend Hogwarts in 1St year, Dumbledore?" Nadia asked politely, hoping that Dumbledore answered her question well.

"Simply because your parents did not want you to find out the real you. They did not want you to know you were adopted and that Wallace and Oliva, were in fact not your real parents." Nadia stood and digested the words carefully before she spoke again,

"Do you know who my real parents are professor?"

Dumbledore smiled again and said rather cryptically, "Yes my dear but I couldn't tell, that my dear is something you have to find out on your own. Now we must really get going come." Nadia took Dumbledore's hand and he pulled her over to the fireplace, why Nadia did not know. The professor then took some powder from behind his robes, flung it over himself and Nadia and spoke rather clearly the words, "Diagon Alley." Suddenly Nadia felt a tugging sensation filter through her body and along her nasal making her feel nauseous. Eventually the sensation subsided and Nadia opened her eyes to find she was in a completely different fireplace in a warm, dark pub.

"What was that? And where are we professor?" Dumbledore looked at with an amused expression and proceeded to answer her questions,

"That my dear was floo powder which allows any witch or wizard to move from one place to another via fireplace, a very handy piece of magic if I say so myself. As for this place, this is the Leaky Cauldron, the entrance to Diagon alley is just through a wall out back." He finished speaking leaving Nadia to digest everything the professor had spoken. After a few short seconds Professor Dumbledore walked swiftly and purposefully up to the bar asked for 2 drinks Nadia did not recognise. The man behind the bar glanced over at Nadia and looked at her suspiciously, then the barman quickly changed his expression to a smile and Nadia felt herself relax.

"Hello my dear my names Tom and I'm the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, who might you be?" The landlord Tom asked rather politely.

Nadia looked at the man and smiled in response, "My names Nadia, sir."

"No need to call me sir Nadia just call me Tom." He gave Nadia ne more smile and turned away to make the drinks professor Dumbledore had ordered before. After a few minutes of silence and the hurrying of Tom, he finally placed 2 drinks in front of herself and professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore's drink was filled with a dark brown fizzy liquid, whereas her's was a light brown with a bubble of froth floating on the top.

"That's butter beer my dear, a drink found most liked by many child witches and wizards. Mine however is fire whiskey which you are forbidden to drink until you are of age."

Nadia turned back to her own drink and slowly picked up to take a sip. What surprised her the most was the feel of the warm hot liquid leaking through and warming her insides. The beer tasted like Autumn and she continued to drink the rest of the beer until it was gone. While Professor Dumbledore was finishing his own drink, Nadia proceeded to observing the pub around her. The walls and the furniture of the pub were old and drab, making the pub seem rather unsettling. However, the warm and the atmosphere seemed to contrast with this making the pub in fact feel rather homely to Nadia. Nadia wondered why the pub was rather quiet, where were all the children? Surely, she thought, there would be loads of children strolling through Diagon Alley purchasing last minute school supplies, however this was not the case. Which make Nadia continue to ponder why this was. Yet, Nadia wasn't able to think about the situation much longer, because she was thrown out of her thoughts by an approaching woman.

"I'm so sorry I'm late Professor Dumbledore, Fred and George thought it would be funny to play a prank on me, which then took me further to eventually leave the house." The women said quickly, indicating that she was out of breath. The women in front of Nadia seemed friendly and welcoming. She was a rather plump lady and she had big bushy ginger hair. However, the most intriguing thing about this woman was in fact her eyes, that seemed to twinkle with love and warmth.

"Ohh that's very much alright Mrs Weasley, Nadia and I were able to enjoy a quick drink." The minute Dumbledore said 'Nadia' Mrs Weasley averted her big brown eyes from Dumbledore's and turned to look at Nadia. She then quickly grabbed Nadia into a bone-crushing hug, like they were long lost friends.

"Ahh Nadia, It's so nice to finally meet you! I'll be taking you around Diagon Alley this afternoon and then you'll be coming back to mine tonight before you all get the Hogwarts express to Hogwarts! Is that all alright dear?" Mrs Weasley spoke in warm voice that flowed like treacle and Nadia knew she was already starting to like this woman. However, what did she mean by you all?

"Yes that all seems alright Mrs Weasley, however what did you mean by you all?" She smiled up at Nadia warmly and replied,

"Call me Molly dear, and you didn't really think you were going alone did you? Well there's the twins Fred and George there in 6th year, then there's my son Ron and his two friends Hermione Granger and Harry Potter, who will be in the same year as you and then lastly my daughter Ginny, who's in 3rd year. Anyway times running short so shall we get going Nadia?" Nadia seemed to relax at the idea that she would know at least some people before she arrived at Hogwarts, hopefully she got one well with them all. The other thing she noticed was that Molly didn't speak about Dumbledore. She turned over to look at said professor,

"Professor aren't you coming?" Nadia asked sweetly, eager for him to yes, however she wouldn't mind if he didn't she would like to get to know Mrs Weasley a bit more.

"I'm afraid not Nadia, I have very important business to attend to, but her take this and spend it wisely." He placed a small velvet pouch into Nadia's hand and she heard the familiar sounds of clinking coins. Nadia smiled to herself, she loved shopping. She then said a quick goodbye to Professor Dumbledore and with a crack of the whip he was gone.

Nadia glanced behind her as the open doorway that herself and Mrs Weasley had just passed through changed and resumed back into a wall. The Alley was none liked she'd ever seen before, the floor was covered in tiny old-fashioned cobblestones and the buildings on either side of the alley look old and Victorian. However, just like the pub, the shops looked warm and inviting and Nadia couldn't wait to venture inside. Eventually Mrs Weasley began to walk and Nadia swiftly followed.

The alley was quiet and deserted like the Leaky Cauldron and Nadia couldn't help but think again where everyone was. Then right on que, as if Mrs Weasley was reading her thoughts, she answered Nadia's question,

"Diagon Alley is empty because every witch and wizard are currently at the qudditch world cup. Here we are Ollivander's wand shop." Nadia wondered what Molly meant by Qudditch, however she didn't ponder for too long because the shop that herself and Molly had just stepped into shocked Nadia to the bone. Rows and Rows, of shelves were stacked high to the ceiling with things Nadia could only assume were wands. Suddenly the sound of shuffling footsteps and a rumble of grunts broke the eerie silence of the wand shop, then a man stepped out from behind one of the wand shelves and stopped before Nadia and Molly at the wooden desk in front of them. The man in front of Nadia was old and had a series of wrinkles covering his face to emphasise that, his hair was a bone white and was frayed and his clothes looked beaten and tattered. This man before her, Nadia supposed was Mr Ollivander.

"Hello Mr Ollivander, this here is Nadia, she starts at Hogwarts tomorrow and is looking for a wand." The old man glanced at Nadia for a few minutes before he smiled, nodded his hand and disappeared behind the shelves. A few anxious moments later Mr Ollivander reappeared and presented Nadia with a very pretty wand. The wand was a light brown with vine carvings with roses running along it, the wand felt surprisingly light and strangely felt right.

"This wand is very special, it is crafted from the wood of an elm tree and has a core of unicorn hair. This I find has chosen you." She looked at the wand again and realized that without a doubt this was the wand for her.

"Can I have it Mr Ollivander?" She smiled excitingly up at the wand maker and he smiled gently back.

"Of course you can my dear, this wand is yours." He gently took the wand back from Nadia and wrapped it up carefully in a simple blood red box and passed it back to Nadia. Mrs Weasley and Nadia gracefully said goodbye and left Mr Ollivander's wand shop.

After a few more stops at different places Nadia, had got everything she needed, like robes, school boxes, a new broom named The Fire bolt and a shiny black cauldron. However, there was one thing missing, something Nadia was overjoyed to be getting, an Owl. Finally, Mrs Weasley and Nadia reached Eeylops owls Euphorium and entered. The cacophony of owl chirps and cats meowing echoed through Nadia's ears and she giggled to herself. They walked up to the counter to greet the owner. The owner was an old kind lady with a wrinkled face and twinkling eyes. Her hands were frail and her clothes were smeared with things Nadia didn't even want to think about. Nadia smiled warmly up and the old lady and said,

"Hello miss, I'm here to purchase an owl." The old lady smiled back gracefully and nodded. She turned away to the back of the shop and came back with an owl. The owl was the most beautiful thing Nadia had ever seen. It was a charcoal black and had flecks of white dotted over its feathers like snow. Lastly, the owl's eyes were a piercing amber, and Nadia felt herself getting lost in them.

"She's beautiful! Can I keep her?" Nadia asked excitedly.

The old lady nodded her head gently, "Of course you can keep her, I know she was the one for you."

Nadia placed 15 galleons into the old lady's hand and took her new black snowy owl. She placed her in the cage and locked it shut.

"What would you like to call her my dear?" Mrs Weasley said kindly, Nadia thought for a moment before she replied.

"I think I'm going to call her Athena." She glanced up at Mrs Weasley and the shopkeeper to find that they were both nodding in approval.

"What a lovely name my dear, now we must get going it's getting rather late." They both said goodbye to the old lady and exited the shop, with Mrs Weasley arm linked through hers they made their descent down the alley back towards the Leaky cauldron.

"Have you had a good day my dear?" Molly asked breaking the calm silence.

"Yes I have, thank you ever so much for taking me, it was such great fun." Nadia smiled up at Mrs Weasley, however Molly's expression intrigued Nadia and she began to wonder why Molly was looking at her in such a peculiar way. Before she could ask why however Molly's face turned back into her normal warm expression.

"My dear you really look like someone I used to know, but I just can't put my finger on it. Anyway your welcome, I've enjoyed today also. It's nice to get away from a house full of men!" Molly's words intrigued her and also made Nadia laugh. She began to ponder who Molly must have thought she looked like, however no answers seemed to a rise for her. Surely Mrs Weasley didn't know her parents, she would have told Nadia who they were by now surely? Although maybe professor Dumbledore forbade her to tell me because perhaps he wants me to found out on my own. This revelation seemed to anger her. How could she? She knew next to nothing about the magical world, she would never be able to find them, ever!

"I bet your excited for you first day of Hogwarts Nadia, It's such a wonderful place. I'm sure you will love it." Molly's words made her cut away from all thoughts of her parents and instead made her think about Hogwarts.

"Yes actually I am excited! Tomorrow can't come quick enough!"