The Mercado Girl
Part one.
Chantal Mercado sighed as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror. This is it she thought dismally. Time for everything to change again. Her parents were making her change schools so they could travel without worrying about her getting into "trouble" at Beauxbatons. She was moving in with old friends of her parents, the Malfoys. They had a son, Draco, who was her age. Chantal shook her head to clear her thoughts and quickly French braided her golden-blonde hair, dabbing a bit of makeup on her face before grabbing her clutch purse and heading down the stairs to her waiting luggage and parents.
Rachelle Mercado was an older version of her daughter, lovely and petite with golden-blonde hair that was pulled sternly back in a French twist. She smiled as her daughter came down the stairs.
"Don't forget, darling, the Malfoys have graciously opened their home to you, and are intending to welcome you with a ball this evening. Do try to present yourself well, dear. All of the notable families will be there."
Chantal nodded. She had already packed all of her formal dresses and gowns for occasions such as these. It was expected in Pureblood society.
"Darling, it's time to go," Gerard Mercado said, coming in the door from overseeing the house-elves packing Chantal's extensive wardrobe into the family limo for the ride to Malfoy Manor. Chantal kissed her mother and father goodbye and stepped inside her limo. She resisted the urge to look back at what she was leaving behind. She was starting over, and Merlin witness, she was not going to screw it up.
"Begging your pardon, Miss Mercado, but we've arrived," the driver said, gently touching her shoulder to wake her. Chantal blinked and straightened her clothes and makeup with a wave of her wand. She stepped out of the limo onto the circle drive in front of Malfoy Manor, squared her shoulders and walked towards the large front door. Before she could knock, a house-elf opened the door.
"Yes?" the small elf said.
"That will be all, Jessie," a haughty voice said from within. "Please come in, Chantal. I am Narcissa."
Chantal stepped into the large foyer and was embraced by the forbidding Narcissa Malfoy.
"Thank you for having me, Mrs. Malfoy. It is most kind of you." Chantal said when Narcissa released her.
"It's Narcissa, dear. Mrs. Malfoy is my mother-in-law." The forbidding exterior was cracked when she smiled. Chantal nodded graciously. "Now where is that son of mine? Draco!"
"Yes, mother?" a bored voice replied.
"Come and greet Chantal, she is staying with us for the remainder of the summer and will be returning with you to Hogwarts this year."
A boy came around the corner; he had pale blonde hair and piercing blue-gray eyes. He was gorgeous. Chantal had to resist the urge to swoon.
"This is her? I was expecting someone prettier from the Mercado family." The boy said. Chantal gasped, she had never been so humiliated.
"Draco! Apologize to Chantal immediately!" Narcissa was fuming.
The boy was silent and turned to head back up the stairs. Chantal just stood there. No one had ever said she wasn't pretty, or insulted her so deeply.
"Chantal, I apologize for my son. He usually is not so rude. He will have a change in attitude before the party tonight."
Chantal smiled graciously. "It's all right Narcissa. I'm sure we'll become great friends," over my dead body.
Narcissa smiled at the younger girl and called one of the house-elves to show her to her room. Chantal followed the small elf to a spacious room, where she found her clothes all unpacked.
"Will Miss need help with preparations for tonight?" the small elf asked.
"Yes, I will thank you. And you may call me Chantal."
"Chrissy would not presume to use Miss's first name. Mistress Malfoy would be most displeased."
"Well then, Chrissy, we shall not displease Mistress Malfoy," she said kindly to the small elf, who bowed deeply and disappeared.
Chantal stepped out onto her balcony and let the wind whip through the loose strands of her hair. She closed her eyes and pulled the tie out of her braid, letting her hair fly free in the wind. It seemed like only seconds later that Chrissy the house elf had returned to help her dress for the ball.
Chantal had a beautiful strapless pale turquoise gown, with a beaded satin bodice and layers of tulle decked with sequins for the full-length skirt. Chrissy styled her hair into a low side ponytail with cascades of curls along the side of her face. Chantal finished off her makeup just as Chrissy finished strapping her silver heels and another elf came to tell her that the guests had all arrived. The Malfoys had planned for her to come down the grand staircase when everyone arrived, giving everyone a fair chance to see the new member of Britain's Pureblood high society.
Chantal sighed deeply before nodding to the elves to open the doors at the top of the stairs.
"Miss Chantal Mercado," a voice said and every set of eyes in the room were fixed on her. Just don't trip, and everything will be fine she thought to herself as she successfully reached the bottom of the stairs. Everyone was silent, even that mean, insulting Draco Malfoy.
A/N: I hope you like this story. Please Review! I love to hear everyone's opinions!