Just a Quiet Girl

My name is Chloe Potter, yes my last name is Potter. I am the twin sister of Harry Potter, known as the quiet one. I'm only sixteen years old, and go to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was sorted into Slytherin house, while my brother got to go to Gryffindor.

Being in my sixth year at school you'd think I would have a lot of friends; however, I don't. Actually I have one friend, well he's really more than a friend. I have never really be able to make friends, it's like I have a hard time responding to people caring about me. I blame my aunt and uncle for that. They never cared about my brother or I the way that a real mother or father would. Actually, a few years back I was diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder. In other words, I don't react to loving acts from anyone. I never hug back, or look anyone in the eyes. I stay by myself to avoid talking to everyone else. That's why I don't have many friends.

Well enough about me, I have a story to tell about someone who brought me out of my shell. Wondering who he was? Well his name is Draco Malfoy, my brother's school enemy.

It had been a very long day and I was tired. I was tired of class, of school work, of people, and sadly I was only half way through the year. Dinner had just ended and I headed back to my dorm by myself. I kept my head bent down so that I was looking at the floor. I had come to know the floor better than any person in my life. I almost counted them as friends, almost.

When I almost made it back to the Slytherin common room, I found my path blocked by Pansy Parkinson. I stopped walking and sighed. She would do this every day. It was like she wanted to be friends or something. I didn't look up from the floor adn waited for her to start talking.

"Chloe," Pansy said as sweetly as she could.

Still no response.

"Chloe, I'm talking to you." She said taking a step closer to me.

Still no response.

"Chloe Potter," Her voice turned to anger. "I demand that you talk to me!"

Still no response.

"Fine," she said as she reached a hand to slap my face. I closed my eyes in preparation of the stinging pain that would soon land on my face. It never came.

"Leave her alone." I heard a voice say. The voice sounded male, probably my age.

Intrigued by the voice I glanced up to see who it was. The voice belonged to Draco Malfoy. He had grabbed Pansy's hand mid strike. My whole body started shaking, and my breath quickened. Why in the world would he care what Pansy was doing to me? It made no sense.

Pansy complained to Malfoy, but eventually pulled her hand away and left. I stood still the entire time, not knowing what to do. My mind raced with thoughts, but I didn't know what to do.

"Are you alright?" He asked trying to look at my face.

My face remained blank, not a single muscle moved.

"Your Harry's sister right?" He asked.

My eyes shifted to look at him again, but only for a second. I wanted to answer, but I had a hard time getting anything out my mouth. I found it hard to even nod my head.

"You better watch yourself," he continued as if I were answering his questions. "Pansy can be, well, difficult." He laughed as he walked away from me.

The second he was out of sight, my body regained it's ability to move. I quickly walked the rest of the way to the common room. As soon as I entered I took my usual route around the room to the door leading to the girls dormitory. I had learned quickly that if I walked through the middle of the room, people would try to talk to me.

The girls I slept with didn't acknowledge my existence, which was fine by me. I was already so used to not having anyone in my life it didn't make a difference. However, what Malfoy did today was something I was not used to.

Over the course of the next several days, I found that it was easier to get places without someone trying to talk to me. I was well aware of people making bets to see if I'd talk to them or not. Of course, those that bet they could make me talk would lose. Although it seemed like less people were making these bets. I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with Draco Malfoy stopping Pansy from slapping me.

One day I was sitting in the back of my transfiguration classes, minding my own business when someone sat next to me. Pretending to not to notice them, I kept my eyes on my parchment. Most of the class went by like normal, the person who had decided to sit next to me didn't say a word; which was fine by me.

It wasn't until the end of class when I saw who the person was, it was Draco Malfoy. Even though he hadn't said anything to me, I still thought it was weird. No one ever sat by me, not even my own brother. Having someone sit next to me and save me from getting slapped, made me feel... awkward.

Draco continued to sit next to me during transfiguration for the next several weeks. He never said a word, or even looked at me (as far as I know). The more he did sit next to me, though, the less awkward I felt. I was getting used to him being there, it was kind of nice. I liked the idea of not sitting by myself, of having someone next to me. Honestly I felt like he was my hero. He had told Pansy to leave me alone (I only know this I heard Pansy complaining about it), and she had.

Finally one day in transfiguration he talked to me. I had been preparing for him to talk for days by then. I didn't want to look like a jerk and ignore him.

I was sitting like I normally did, staring at a wall or my desk, when I saw Malfoy's head turn towards me.

"Chloe," Malfoy said softly.

I gathered up my courage and looked at him. His gray eyes met my green eyes. His lips turned up in a small smile, and he leaned in towards me.

"Do you understand what the old bat is talking about?" He questioned.

Not being able to talk, I stiffly nodded my head.

"Really?" He whispered, bringing his face closer.

I couldn't handle it, I turned away and stared at my desk. I heard him sigh, but he left me alone. In fact, he didn't say anything else to me until a week later.

Springtime was rolling around the corner, and it was beautiful outside. One days when the sky was blue and the sun shining, I would go outside and study. One this fateful day, Draco Malfoy decided to join me. I hadn't expected him to acknowledge me outside of class, so I was startled.

As he sat down, I felt my body flinch.

"Did I scare you?" He asked as he made himself comfortable.

No response.

"I hope you don't mind," he continued. "I hate to see you sit by yourself."

"Why?" I asked. The second the word slipped out my mouth I panicked. How had I done that?

"She speaks!" He cried joyfully. "And here I thought I would never get you to say anything." He smiled.

"I-"

"Yes?"

No response.

"Chloe, you can talk to me. In fact, I'd enjoy it."

No response.

"Please?"

I couldn't get anything to come out of my mouth. I felt like an idiot.

"Alright, how about I just talk and you listen?" He said, the smile still on his face.

He talked and talked and talked. He told me about school, and how he thought transfiguration was hard. He mentioned his family, and that he had some special project that need to be soon. Some sort of reparation for his father.

Draco joined many times after this incident. Sometimes I would get a word out, other times I remained silent. Even in class I would try to talk to him. Slowly it became easier and easier. I was accepting the fact that he wouldn't leave me alone.

"Chloe?" Draco asked me one day in class.

"Mmm?" Was my quite response.

"Can you explain what McGonagall just said?"

"Yeah," I said continuing on with a hurried explanation.

"Ahh, I see. It's all crystal clear now." Draco said sighing with relief. "You just saved my grade." He smiled at me.

I smiled back, proud of myself. That had been the longest I had ever spoken to him, or anyone, in such a long time. It felt wonderful. Then I remembered...

Aunt Petunia was yelling from the kitchen for Harry and me. Scared, we climbed down the stairs to meet her terrible glare. There was a broken glass shattered across the floor.

"Who did this?" She fumed, her eyes dancing with flames.

"I don't know," Harry said holding my hand.

"It wasn't us." I whispered my face burning. Dudley had probably smashed the glass to get us in trouble.

"Don't lie to me," Aunt Petunia said sweetly even though her words dripped with anger she had tried to sound nice.

"We aren't," I said meeting her gaze. "We have been in our room all day, there's no way-"

"QUIET!" She shrieked. Her hand lifted in the air, and before I knew it, I was laying on the kitchen floor. Her slap had been so hard, it knocked me over.

After that incident, I had never been able to speak properly.

"Chloe?" Draco asked, he sounded concerned.

"What?" I asked back.

"You alright? You just spaced out."

"I'm fine," I lied. I gathered my books and hurried from the room.

I made it down two corridors before my hand was grabbed from behind. Shocked, I spun around and came face to face with Draco.

"You're not fine." He said simply.

"Yes I am," I argued.

"You can tell me," he whispered. For a moment I wanted to scream, but I didn't. I sighed, and fell to the floor. All of my books scattered around me as I sobbed.

Seconds later Draco wrapped his arms around me. I cried into his shoulder, not caring anymore. Then everything came out, the flashback I had just had. He didn't speak a word, and just listened.

When I finished he still said nothing. Then I became worried. Had I scared him away? Was he going to go back to ignoring me?

"I shouldn't have said anything." I said wiping my eyes.

"You should have, I'm glad you did." He responded quickly.

"Why?"

"Why? It's simple, it means you trust me."

I looked into his stormy gray eyes and realized just how long he had waited for me to open up. It had been months since he started sitting next to me. Months since I started to think of him as my hero. Then I realized he was right, I did trust him.

Draco leaned his face closer to mine, and I didn't pull away. A small smile crept onto his face as the distance between us lessened. Finally I couldn't take it anymore, I closed the distance that remained between our lips.

AN: This is an AU story for Chloe and Draco, from my Potter Twins series. Being chaser 2, I am to write about my OTP having a mental illness.

Team: Tutshill Tornados

9. (phrase) crystal clear

11. (narrative device) flashback

14. (word) reparation

Words: 1947