Sixteen year old Coral Young stood in the train yard, completely surrounded by students and parents trying to get to the Hogwarts train. Her large baggage was already loaded onto the train and her small bags were saving a compartment.

"Coral!" Coral heard someone call.

She turned and saw Hermione running towards her. "Hey!"

Hermione pulled her into a hug. "Its good to see you again."

"Summers been to long!" Coral agreed. They pulled apart. "Where's Harry and Ron?"

"Over here, come on." Hermione snaked her way through the crowd until they found Harry and Ron.

Ron gave her a hug. "How was your summer?"

"Long." Coral answered. She turned to give Harry a hug but he refused. "Harry...what is it?"

He didn't answer, but he stared at the Daily Prophet she held in her hand.

Coral followed his gaze. "Harry, you wouldn't think that I believe that?"

"Your git Malfoy does." Harry answered flatly.

"Harry! Just because I'm a Slytherin-"

"Every time I confide in you, you run off and tell Malfoy! He is dangerous, Coral. You shouldn't be around him. I'm sick of you and him! You know its wrong!"

"Don't you dare talk about Draco like that! He's a good guy put in a bad situation!"

"Oh really, I think you have the choice whether to become a death eater or not ."

Coral's face went white. "Harry! You don't-"

Hermione put a hand on Coral's shoulder.

With tears in her eyes, Coral shrugged her away and gave Harry a final glare before turning on her heel and marching away.

-}:{-

Draco walked through the crowd on platform nine and three quarters, trying to get to the train. He stopped and stared suddenly when he spotted his girlfriend, Coral.

She stood, light brown hair resting on her shoulders. Her slender build was covered in a layered, dark blue and green short sleeve shirt and dark denim jeans with dark blue converses. She turned and her bright blue eyes met his icy grey-blue ones. She smiled and ran to him.

Draco pulled Coral into a hug and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Hey, I stopped by your place to pick you up, but you weren't there. I thought your parents were still gone training dragons."

"They got home, but had to leave right away. They dropped me off early."

They pulled apart and Draco grabbed Coral's hand.

"I saved us a compartment on the train." Coral told him and led him to the train.

Draco smiled at her and followed.

-}:{-

Coral sighed contently as they sat in the compartment of the traveling Hogwarts train. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Draco's shoulder. He entwined his fingers with hers and sighed.

"Coral?"

"Hmm?"

"How are you and... your friends?"

"What do you mean?"

"Potter and the others. I know they don't like you with me. Think I'm dangerous to be around."

Coral sighed heavily. "Well... Harry's pretty upset with me right now."

"Really?"

"He thinks that I'm just passing information to you."

Draco scowled. "What a-"

"Don't." Coral interrupted. "Just forget about it... like I'm trying to."

Draco looked down. "Coral, I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you look bad..."

"It's okay. They don't know you." Coral insisted and looked into Draco's pale blue grey eyes. "Don't put yourself down. I can't stand it."

Draco swallowed hard and nodded. He turned his head and stared out the window, his gaze distant as if he'd left reality behind.

Coral studied his face, concern etched through her mind. He'd been doing that a lot lately. He'd start thinking and then it was as if he was somewhere else. Something was bothering him. She gave him a few minutes before speaking. "Draco, whats wrong?"

"What?"

"Something is wrong. What is it?"

Draco shook his head. "Nothing."

"Don't lie to me Draco. Tell me."

For a few seconds Draco's face turned grave and it looked as if he were about to say something, but then he shook his head as if clearing away the thought. "It's not important."

He began to ask Coral questions about her parents. Coral knew that he was changing the subject, but she let it go. She'd get it out of him later.

-}:{-

Later at the feast, Draco sat next to Coral at the Slytherin table, his eye on her as she absently continued to push around the small amount of food on her plate. It seemed that she was still bothered by Harry's assumption. He clenched his fists. He was fine with Potter and his friends putting him down, but now they'd dragged Coral into it. Mentally, he took a deep breath and let it out. Let it go, he thought, for now. He turned towards Coral.

"Coral, aren't you hungry?" He asked her gently, knowing she'd been deep in thought.

Coral looked up. "Oh," she gave a faint smile. "Not really."

"Me neither." He gave her a mischievous smile. "How about we ditch the feast and head to the common room?"

Coral glanced down at her plate. "Yeah let's go."

They stood and Draco took her hand, leading her out. They walked hand in hand silently for a few minutes until they reached the Slytherin Common Room. Both Draco and Coral studied the door, realization dawning on them. Coral looked at Draco, a small smile upon her face. Draco returned her gaze.

"I don't suppose you have the password, do you."

Draco grinned. "No, no I don't."

They stood there, enormous grins upon their faces as they realized their mistake.

Draco shrugged. "I guess we'll be waiting here for the next half hour or so."

"I guess so."

They sat down near to the door, backs to the wall. Draco let out a heavy sigh and leaned his head back against the wall. He slipped a hand into the inside pocket of his robe, fingering the silver chain. Excitement rippled through him. Glancing over at Coral, whose eyes were closed, he thought, Not yet. Now isn't the time.

-}:{-

Coral smiled as she looked around the Slytherin common room. All around her Slytherins laughed and chatted away as they caught up with friends. Beside her, Draco talked with Blaise Zabini who was one of his closest friends. Coral frowned. She'd never really had a friend in the Slytherin house and now that Harry had turned his back on her, Hermione was the only one.

To her left, Coral saw a group of girls giggling and talking together. They would point out a boy in the room and begin giggling and nudging each other. Coral looked away. Those kind of girls were just too much. Thank goodness they hadn't tried to be her friend. She scanned the room. She wanted a girl who was down to earth and honestly friendly. Coral gave up and shook her head, turning back to Draco and Blaise.

-}:{-

About an hour later, Coral walked into the girls dormitory where she shared a room with Pansy, Ranell, and Trish, ignoring the snickers and comments that she heard as she passed. She stopped next to her bed and found her trunk set neatly next to it. Thankfully the other girls hadn't tampered with it ...this year. Kneeling down, Coral unzipped the trunk and pulled out her pajamas for the night; grey sweats and a T-shirt. She changed quickly and began putting her clothes back in. Finding a small, framed picture of she and Draco, she set it on her nightstand.

"Just how long do you think Draco is going to keep you around?"

Coral chose to ignore Pansy's remark.

"Hello? I'm talking to you."

Coral stood and turned to face Pansy and the other girls slowly. "I'm very much aware." She turned back around.

Pansy continued to make fun of her and her family and the other two girls began to join in. Coral paid no heed. Pansy had always been jealous of her. Ever since she and her family had moved to London in her fourth year. But Pansy had become especially resentful since Christmas last year when Draco and Coral had made it official they were together.

Eventually Pansy, Trish and Ranell gave up went to their beds. They didn't go to sleep though; they began to talk and giggle and brag about various subjects.

Coral brushed her teeth in the bathroom but when she emerged the girls were still giggling. Rolling her eyes, Coral climbed into bed. She pull the dark emerald green and silver covers up to her chin. She closed her eyes and began to wonder what this year at Hogwarts would bring.