Chapter One

The welcoming feast at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry never changed. House tables were always filled with chattering students catching up with friends they hadn't seen on the train. Candles floated above the tables bathing the room in a warm glow. Everyone waited for the first years to be sorted and the food to appear.

Harry potter wasn't in the mood to wait for anything right now, he wanted to be in his bed in Gryphindor tower right now. The noise of the great hall made his head ache. He just wanted to sleep. He looked at the first years being lead in for sorting with little interest. They looked the same as always to, scarred and anxious.

"Hey mate," Ron nudged his shoulder. "She cant be a first year."

Harry scanned the group of terrified first year until he saw the girl Ron was talking about. She was no more than a head taller then the first years. Her tightly curled hair bounced in time with her head to silent music. She wasn't wearing the normal girls uniform. Harry hadn't ever seen any of the other girls wear pants. He never knew they didn't have to wear skirts all the time. Her bronzed skin glowed against the black of her pants and shirt. She looked almost like a miniature version of the Professor Snape. But the black suited her better then the dour potions master.

The girl smiled and blew a kiss in the direction of Slytherin table. It was odd to say the least how bold this girl was. Maybe she was suicidal, or just plain crazy. He could hear Ron grouse about Slytherin groupies.

"

She's not even been sorted yet Ron," chided Hermione. "She probably has a friend or family in Slytherin. Not every one in the world goes to this school you know?"

Harry smiled, Hermione never changed. Every time Ron said something stupid she couldn't resist cutting the red head down to size. Some times he didn't know how those two stayed friends. Ron and him had Quidditch. Ron and Hermione were as different as oil and water.

The number of students to be sorted slowly dwindled down to one. "Melinda Johnson!" Professor M'Gonagal's voice rang out through the chatter.

The sorting hate was placed onto the girls head and Harry waited for what seemed like forever. She swung her feet back and forth a small smile one her face looking straight ahead. Every one stared at her wonder what house she would go into. The brim of the sorting hat opened and it shouted, "Gryphindor!"

Gryphindor table clapped enthusiasticly welcoming the newest addition. She looked at the Slytherin table and smirked sitting herself right next to Harry. "Melinda Johnson," she offered her hand and he took it. "Harry Potter. That is Ron and Hermione." He pointed to the other two.

"So... Does this place have any school clubs, any sports?"

"We have Quiditch, and that's it really," said Hermione.

"It's the best sport ever, gushed Ron. And.."

She held a hand up to stop him. "Nothing else?" The trio shook their heads. The brunette absent absentmindedly tugged on a curl, twirling it around a finger. "Pathetic. I suppose this school doesn't even have a physical education class on the roster."

"Where are you from," asked Hermione.

The brunette girl smiled. "The united states. I went to Salem Academy of Magical Arts." She looked around assessing the setting. "This place isn't as good though. My god-brother kept bothering my mother about us finishing our last couple of years of schooling together. Ma got tired of it and gave in."

The trios interest was peeked, but it was a nosy Lavender Brown that posed the question they were going to ask. "who's your god-brother?" The blond leaned in waiting for an answer. Melinda rolled her eyes. "Draco Malfoy."

Ignoring the ripple of disbelief that made its way through the upper years of her new house she looked at the Golden trios only female member. "He can be and ass but I assure you he was properly dissuaded from any future attempts to the king of bastards on the train ride over. You shouldn't be bothered any more."

Her gaze wandered to the blond Slytherin in question never wavering. "No matter how much of an ass he can be he's a good god-brother." She sneered when Pansy Parkinson stroked his arm in what could only be said to be an attempt at seduction. "If he would get rid of the riff raff he associates with then both my mother and his parents would be beyond happy."

"He fights good." She grinned at their disbelieving looks. "He really does fight well. Not like he would survive a sparing session with our god-brother Connor if he didn't fight at least half way decent. Connor does have the advantage though, being born with all the advantages of vampirism and none of the disadvantages. It also helps that his dad is one of two souled vampires in existence."

She chuckled when she saw the questions in Hermione's eyes. The bushy haired Gryphindor looked ready to burst with with anticipation. Melinda grinned. "Ask anything you want, I'm always happy to please a pretty girl."

Harry had to stifle a laugh when Hermione blushed crimson. Ron rolled his eyes. It was a miracle the temperamental red head hadn't blown his top yet. This girl definitely wasn't like any of the other girls in the school. He hid a smiled behind a sip of pumpkin juice as he heard his best friend stumble over her words.

"Vamp...vampires are real?

That let open a flood gate of questions that the other girl surprisingly had no trouble following. The Bushy haired Gryphindor asked everything from; "How do they live in the world? What stage of life are they the weakest? To; Do you think that they are animals or people.

To her credit the curly haired Gryphindor had no issue answering the other girls questions. In fact Harry was almost positive that she reveled in the chance to show off some of her knowledge. He was reminded of Hermione. The way she answered the question as quickly as Hermione asked them was more then impressive. Not even professors could keep up with his bushy haired friend when she got into this type of mood. They both seemed to live for knowledge.

"Trying to seduce some pretty little thing with your brain already love?" Said a tall blond man. He was just as odd as she was. He didn't wear a robe, opting instead to wear a worn leather duster. A silk shirt and leather pants completed his outfit. He looked like a muggle.

The trio trained their wands on the man wondering why none of the professors were coming to find out what was going on. The blond man raised an eyebrow. "Protective new friends you got there love." Melinda smiled from ear to ear. The gleam in her eyes suddenly turned from one of happiness to one of cunning. "Does uncle Wesley know your here Spike?"

The blond man huffed. "Specsy git is in our rooms going over ruddy lesson plans. Stupid watcher is revising his lessons for the third time today."Melinda laughed, "that's what you get for mating to a obsessive scholar. He's worse then aunty Fred and you know it."

Spike folded his arms like a petulant child. "Peaches sent the whelp with us. He said something about making sure you and the arrogant snake didn't get into more trouble then was easily controlled. Seemed to think you were going to start another apocalypse." He raised an eyebrow.

"Apocalypse!" The trio yelled. "Why would some one need to schedule the next time they had to divert disaster," asked Hermione.

The pair ignored them more then contented to carry on their conversation. Melinda propped her head up on a balled fist. "So where is Connor anyway?" She paled when he smirked. "Don't tell me you left him alone to roam the castle, he might try to slay something!"

"Glad for the vote of confidence sister." The trio once again trained their wands on a newcomer. A pale skinned, green eyed, brunette. This one also somehow connected to their new classmate. Harry wondered how many people that knew this girl would turn up. Melinda huffed annoyed. "You tried to slay my first girl friend!" She turned to the trio. "And would you put those things away?"

The group sheepishly put their wands away. Well the boys did, Hermione set it next to her plate. Spike smirked. "I like this one. She has balls, I vote for her." The three Gryphindors looked at him puzzled. What was the blond man talking about? Harry decided it must have been an inside joke or something.

None of the Gryphindors were ready for the arrival of some one else, let alone Draco Malfoy. "Why is he here?" The blond pointed at Connor ignoring the everyone else. He waited impatiently for an answer tapping his foot. He looked ready to throw a fit.

Melinda sighed and rolled her eyes. "When the hell are you going to give up on this Draco? Its been a long time." Standing she walked over to her god-brother and whispered in his ear. "You ended it Dragon. You knew it wouldn't last forever, that he wasn't the one for you."

Pulling him the rest of the way to the Gryphindor table she forced him to sit next to her. "Maybe you guys should go pull uncle Wesley away from his work before he starves himself to death or something." She threw the sentence over her should clearly intent on not paying any more attention to the two males.

She made Draco a plate ignoring his yell. "I can make my own bloody plate, I'm not three!" And the snickering of the Gryphindors around them. Rolling her eyes she placed the platter of food in front of him and returned to her own meal. The blond scowled at her, clearly pissed.

Melinda swore she could hear the trio across from them snickering. She would of put high steaks on it. Just out of the corner of her eye she could see Harry trying to hide the urge to laugh. The raven haired boy was fighting a losing battle, and Draco had noticed. Harry would be dead if looks alone could kill. Draco never had had enough sense of humor to deal with this type of situation with out blowing up.

A vein in his temple pulsed ominously in warning. Smiling to herself she suppressed a laugh. She would bet no one at Hogwarts knew that Draco could be so cute when mad. She looked at Harry. Well maybe some one did.

Chapter End

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