Author's Note: I started a fanfiction a couple of years ago called 'Birds of Different Feathers' but was unable to finish it. So, I decided to write a similar but new one using some scenes and inspiration from my original. I have written the first few chapters already and have planned out the rest but will of course take into account any critique to improve the story. I am going to try to update fairly regularly. Obviously, only Frances is mine, the rest belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter One
Every story needs a beginning but where to start with Frances Edwards? We could start from the day she first met Draco Malfoy on her first day at Hogwarts; when the arrogant silver-haired boy pushed past her on the Hogwarts Express and looked down his nose at her. We could go back further and start from the morning she received her Hogwarts letter, the day she also found out for the first time that she was a witch and would be swapping her secondary education for schooling in the art of magic. Alternatively, we could start it from the night that You-Know-Who returned and threatened the whole Wizarding World, sparking all the Death Eaters into action.
However, we are going to start her story from the beginning of her sixth year.
...
Frances woke up in the Gryffindor girls' dormitory at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She reached out for her glasses on the bedside cabinet and tied back her tangled brown hair. This was her sixth year at the school as a student of magic. Having been born into a muggle family, Frances awoke feeling comfortably at home in her four poster bed. Only at Hogwarts did she feel she was where she belonged. Frances loved her family, of course she did, but it was a constant struggle to get them to understand her life in the wizarding world; at Hogwarts she did not have to pretend to fit in somewhere that she didn't or explain herself to people who would never be able to comprehend her answers.
Noticing that the rest of the girls in the dormitory were still asleep, Frances took the opportunity to get up and make first use of the bathroom; she was not often the first one up.
Although not a messy person, Frances had the tendency to leave tedious tasks to the last minute and it is for that reason that she had failed to unpack her trunk the night before when they had all arrived at the castle for the start of the year. Therefore, it was whilst hunting for her school uniform, which had been placed very unhelpfully at the bottom of the trunk that Hermione began to stir in her bed.
"Sorry!" Frances whispered across the room in her roommates' direction as she gathered her clothes in a heap in her arms and quickly left the room in the direction of the girls' bathroom. Sure, it was time to get up but she doubted the rest of the girls with whom she shared a dormitory would thank her for waking them up after their late night catching up with one another after the annual feast.
By half past seven Frances was washed and dressed and making her way down to the Common Room.
"Everyone else must have spent most of last night up chatting," Frances thought to herself as she entered the Common Room to find only Harry Potter and Ron Weasley sitting on the comfy chairs by the fire.
"Morning Fran," Harry and Ron greeted her and invited her to sit with them.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron complained, "I'm hungry and don't want to be the last one at breakfast. All the sausages will be gone!"
"She was just waking up when I left the dorm to use the bathroom," Frances replied, "I'm sure she won't be much longer."
Ron groaned and threw his head back on the pillow behind his head. "I can't wait much longer."
"I know," said Harry, "why don't you two go on ahead and save us a seat at the Gryffindor table, I'll stay back and wait for Hermione and Ginny."
Ron jumped at this idea and Frances agreed. They both got up and walked towards the portrait.
"I think Harry likes Ginny," Frances said to Ron in a hushed tone.
"Of course he does Fran, they've known each other for a long time," Ron replied as they clambered through the portrait hole.
"No, Ron, I mean he likes her," she continued, "why else would he say that he'd wait for her as well as Hermione? She would otherwise go with the other fifth years."
"Nah," Ron looked at her before shaking his head as they reached the entrance to the Great Hall. "I don't think so Fran, you're reading too much into it." Ron suddenly clasped eyes on what would become his breakfast and started to fill his plate.
Soon enough Harry, Hermione and Ginny joined them. In the light of the Great Hall, Harry's bruise from his bloodied nose the evening before was visible.
"How's your nose, Harry?" Ginny asked, causing everyone to look up and inspect it for themselves. Harry just shrugged as though it was nothing. Frances supposed that after being through what Harry had been through, one broken nose was little more than a scratch.
"I can't believe Malfoy would do that," Frances said as she too took a closer look at her friend's nose.
"What's not to believe, it's Malfoy," Ginny answered.
"He's absolute scum," Ron added, backing his sister up.
"Speak of the devil," Hermione uttered just as Draco Malfoy himself walked past the Gryffindor table on his way to the Slytherin one.
"What happened to your nose, Potter?" screeched the voice of Pansy Parkinson who was accompanying Malfoy.
"Yeah, Potter, you ought to be more careful, walking in to things without your glasses on," Malfoy sneered.
"You know full well what happened, Parkinson," Harry said looking straight at Pansy Parkinson who stood next to Malfoy with a big grin on her face. "And you Malfoy, I know you were up to something in Knockt-..."
"Oh shut up, Potter!" Malfoy interjected. Suddenly Frances could feel his eyes on her. She had been looking at Harry and now didn't dare to turn around for fear of discovering Malfoy looking down at her. The two of them had never got on. It wasn't just because he was a Pureblood and she was a 'Mudblood' in his eyes. In that moment, she wanted nothing better than to look him in the eyes and tell him to stop looking at her and go away but she feared him slightly. Nevertheless, Frances was a Gryffindor, so she found the courage to at least turn and return the eye contact through her glasses. His mouth turned upwards slightly at the corners and his grey eyes squinted slightly. He stayed like that for a few seconds before tilting his head up in the air and striding away with Pansy Parkinson scurrying at his heels.
"I know he's up to something," Harry breathed angrily so that Ron and Hermione could hear him, "What we saw in Knockturn Alley, he's one of them..."
"Sshh!" Frances heard Hermione telling the boys to be quiet, "not here okay, people will overhear us." Frances was intrigued and would have pressed the trio on the matter if Professor McGonagall had not appeared with their timetables for the term.
"Miss Edwards," the transfiguration teacher said as she handed Frances her timetable, "I was glad to see that you performed so well in your OWLs, particularly your O in transfiguration." Frances was a bright student and had obtained Os and Es in all of her subjects, meaning that she was behind Hermione but a close second to her in all her classes. She was to be carrying on with Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Arithmancy this year. Unfortunately, Hermione was also taking these classes so she would remain in second place at best at NEWT level also. Although Frances admired Hermione, she had ambitions of her own to beat her when she could. So far, Frances had not succeeded.
As the rest of the Gryffindors were handed their own plans for the term, Frances began to make her way towards transfiguration. With the hustle and bustle of the first day, she decided that she would meet Harry, Ron and Hermione there rather than attempt to wait for them.
Professor McGonagall was not there when Frances reached the classroom of course because she had to finish distributing the timetables to all the Gryffindors. However, a number of other students were early. Frances took a seat at a desk about half way back from McGonagall's desk; two Hufflepuffs sat at a desk in the front row whilst one Ravenclaw sat three desks to her left. She wasn't sure how many people would be taking this class this year but she hoped it would be more than that.
Suddenly she regretted what she had wished for as a group of noisy students entered the room, Draco Malfoy leading them, striding across the threshold. He was followed by Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. He threw his satchel across the room so that it landed perfectly on the middle of a desk towards the back of the room. Frances knew that he had noticed her but he paid little attention to her. Instead, he sat down next to Zabini and began to engage in a conversation.
"Where's the rest of the Gryffindor lion pack?" Zabini called across the classroom at Frances who looked up from the parchment she had taken out of her bag. Draco Malfoy didn't say anything but smirked at his friend.
"Shut up!" Frances thought in her head but didn't dare say out loud with only two Hufflepuffs and a Ravenclaw to back her up. Luckily, Draco Malfoy regained Zabini's attention and Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the classroom. Harry and Ron took the desk to Frances' right and Hermione leant forward on their desk still deep in conversation. Frances turned her body so that she could listen in but Professor McGonagall had just arrived and was walking up the middle of the room. She stopped at her desk and began to address the class. Hermione quickly jumped into the seat next to Frances.
"This won't do," Professor McGonagall declared. "We're going to be small in number this year; that is the nature of a NEWT class. Therefore, I want you to move towards the front of the class so that you can actually hear me." As she said this she looked specifically at the Slytherins who were gathered at the back. Looking around the classroom, Frances counted four Gryffindors including herself, four Slytherins, two Hufflepuffs and one Ravenclaw, twelve students in total.
Nobody moved. The Slytherins would not move closer towards the other houses, the Ravenclaw was too self conscious to be the first to shift her things and the Gryffindors were too stubborn to go before the Slytherins.
"Fine!" McGonagall said sternly, "I'll decide where you sit." This invited a groan from the pupils. The Gryffindors hoped she would be kind to them but they were disappointed. She placed Blaise Zabini next to the Ravenclaw, Harry was paired with Theodore Nott, Ron had the particular misfortune of being sat next to Pansy Parkinson, the two Hufflepuffs were allowed to remain together as a reward for sitting in the front row in the first place and Frances was made to take a chair next to Draco Malfoy.
She moved her things quickly whilst he took his own sweet time to saunter over to the desk McGonagall had assigned them. He thumped his satchel down before slumping into his chair. He didn't even look at her.
Professor McGonagall led the first part of the lesson, dictating notes and giving practical demonstrations to the class. However, the second half of the lesson was to be spent practicing what they had been taught and whilst this was a task to be performed alone, it would of course lead to private discussions taking place as they did so.
Draco Malfoy and Frances didn't say a word to each other for the first ten minutes. They had no need to. Instead they just focused on their own spells and getting it right. Eventually Frances broke the silence.
"Why were you looking at me this morning?" she demanded of him, plucking up the courage to speak to the Slytherin. It was not aggressive or accusing, it was just a simple question, in her mind at least.
"What?" he replied, frowning slightly.
"This morning at the Gryffindor table, I felt you looking at me."
Draco Malfoy let out a laugh. "Felt? What does that mean?"
"You know what I mean, I knew you were looking at me."
"I was not." He denied it flatly but not passionately.
"Yes you were," she quietly persisted. She was treading carefully.
"Why would I be looking at you, Edwards? Barely noticed you to be honest." His face betrayed him though. She just looked at him. "Who would want to be looking at you? Dirty mudblood, you wish," his voice had turned sinister.
"No need to be so rude to me!" she cried, "I knew you were looking, in fact I might even say staring. If you're not going to say why then fine, but I know you were."
"Miss Edwards, Mr Malfoy, what's going on?" Professor McGonagall gazed over towards their desk, "that does not sound like the spell you are supposed to be perfecting."
Frances muttered a sorry under her breath. Draco Malfoy picked up his wand and fiddled with it in his hand.
"Shut up, you bitch," Draco cursed at her, adding a number of other expletives. Frances was too polite to return such vulgar language.
"Do you always have to be so coarse?" she questioned him but did not allow him to answer. "I might have muggles for parents, but rather that than your parents!"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Miss Edwards and Mr Malfoy, if you carry on talking I will have to put you both in detention," McGonagall threatened.
Frances and Draco lowered their voices but continued their argument.
"Go on," Draco insisted, "what was that comment supposed to mean?" Frances knew she was going too far in insulting his parents.
"This is not about your parents, Malfoy, it's about why you were staring at me," she said, cleverly changing the subject.
"I don't have to answer to you," he replied. "I know you're desperate, even Granger's had a boyfriend but I don't remember you ever having one." It was true; Frances had not attracted much attention from the male population of the school. She has symmetrical features, a small mouth and high cheek bones but she appeared very ordinary.
"I am not desperate," she hissed, feeling emotionally stung by this reminder. "I would rather die alone than be with you."
"Oh be quiet, you filthy mudblood. And it's a good thing too that you've already considered dying a spinster because I don't think even Weasley would fancy you."
"Malfoy, have I ever told you how much I resent you," Frances cried. They hadn't realised it but their voices had been growing increasingly louder.
"That's it!" Professor McGonagall interjected, "Miss Edwards and Mr Malfoy, I will see you in detention on Saturday evening. I warned you. And I expected more from one of my best students, Miss Edwards." The whole class had turned to look at them. Frances felt ashamed to have let her teacher and head of house down. Draco Malfoy just felt annoyed that he'd have to spend his Saturday night in detention.
...
"What happened in there, Fran?" Hermione demanded of Frances once they had left transfiguration. She shrugged her shoulders because she honestly didn't know how to answer her.
"You got detention for talking to Malfoy," Ron said stating the obvious, "since when do you two talk during class at all?"
"It was more of an argument than a conversation actually Ron," she corrected him.
"Well whatever it was bad luck Fran. Our first Saturday night at Hogwarts and you're going to have to spend it in detention," Harry added. She pulled a face to signify that she was not looking forward to it.
...
That afternoon Frances had Arithmancy. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy also took that class. They had managed to avoid one another throughout the entirety of the lesson. It was whilst she was packing up that she was forced to come into contact with him. As he was walking past her desk, his satchel bumped against it and knocked her quills on to the floor. He smirked when he realised he had caused her trouble and she expected him to carry on by however he stopped and leaned back against one of the desks, watching her as she got onto the floor to gather her things. She looked up at him and glared.
"You're doing it again," she said, "looking at me." She said it accusingly.
"Oh, hell, not this again," he groaned.
"Well go on, you never said earlier why you did it. You made it very clear that it's not because you fancy me, so why?" she asked.
"Honestly?" He sighed, "I was looking at you because I was wondering what you were doing with Potter and the rest of them."
Frances looked puzzled. "What do you mean? They're my friends."
"Really?" he asked, "doesn't seem like it to me. They're the 'golden trio' or whatever. Since when did they include you in all their schemes?"
Frances stopped to think. After a few seconds she gave her reply: "What do you know about friends, Malfoy? All of your so-called 'friends' follow you around helplessly but you hardly seem to have a close relationship with any of them. And anyway, how would you have any idea what my friendship with Harry, Ron and Hermione is like? Have you been watching us of something?"
"So you don't deny it then, that you're not part of Potter's 'secret gang'? And no, I have not been watching you; it's obvious to everyone that you're just a hanger-on." Draco Malfoy retorted.
Frances thought back to transfiguration when the three of them had been deep in a conversation that she had been excluded from. She also thought back to breakfast when Hermione had been keen to keep a secret, even from her. She even remembered the fact that they had all spent a majority of the summer holidays at the Weasleys' house together whilst she'd been with her family. She daren't think back any further. It was true that she wasn't part of the 'golden trio' as Malfoy had termed it, but it had taken him to point it out to her that she was just another one of their fellow pupils. Certainly, she had a good relationship with Hermione as they both did well in class and had similar attitudes towards school work and she got on with the boys well as she did with most people but she was far from having the same relationship with them that they had with each other.
"Shut up, Malfoy," she said to him as she had nothing else to say but knew he was kind of right.
He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I'm right though." He looked smug as he said it. By now Frances had collected all of her things from the floor and had packed them into her bag. Feeling embarrassed, she pushed past him and left the classroom. She picked up the pace as she walked down the corridor, worried that he might follow her but he didn't. Once she'd slowed down she wondered why she ever thought he would.
...
Between the first day of term and Saturday's detention, Frances tried very hard to ignore Draco Malfoy. She was not only embarrassed by what he'd said at the end of Arithmancy but she was also not in the mood for further arguing. Every time she caught a glimpse of him she thought about what he had said. She refused to admit that it was entirely true and whenever she was around Harry, Ron and Hermione, she attempted to prove to herself that they were friends. However, most of the time she realised they talked about trivial things like Quidditch or class. It was only regarding 'girl's' topics that Hermione ventured to talk to her about something deeper.
During Transfiguration, Frances was still forced to sit next to him so she could not avoid him. However, the harder she tried to ignore him, the harder it got. Draco sensed this and used it to his advantage. He called her names because he knew that it hurt. He had been right about her relationship with her friends and he felt her becoming self-conscious and doubtful about herself, which then made her more susceptible to his taunts. She still feared him but fear was turning into hatred. Frances didn't really hate anyone but this was the closest she had ever been to doing so and hence she believed she hated him.
It was after potions on Friday afternoon that Frances had to encounter Draco Malfoy again.
"Is this yours?" a dreadfully smug sounding voice said. He strolled over to her, clasping her advanced book of potions in his right hand and smiling self-righteously. His sleek blonde hair swished to the side as he continued to walk. She has dropped her book on the way out of class. The corridor was empty apart from the two of them.
"Yes," she replied bluntly, trying snatching the book from him, but he was too tall for her.
"Manners, Edwards," Draco Malfoy countered, "Or didn't those dirty muggle parents of yours teach you any?" She had discovered that he was in a particularly foul mood today.
"Leave them out of this," she stared him down until he handed over the book reluctantly. She muttered a quick word of thanks.
"You know what, Edwards?" he began, knowing that this confrontation was bothering her.
"What?" she replied, regretting it straight away, knowing that what was coming next was not going to be something she would enjoy listening to.
"I don't see why Potter and the rest of them don't want you in their 'gang'."
"Are you being sarcastic, Malfoy?" she answered him, "Just go away."
"Well, now I see why, only trying to have a conversation with you."
"Whatever," she spat out and walked past him put he caught her arm on the way passed and stopped her in her tracks. He did hold her tightly but she was too anxious to pull away quickly.
"Let go of me, Malfoy," she warned him. He smiled thoughtfully, wondering what she would do if else. Decidedly, he began to take the risk. He held on to her and drew nearer. He was about six inches taller than her but in that moment she felt as though she was much smaller than him as he got closer. She looked up at him over the rim of her glasses and she tightened her thin lips together. When, for a split second, his body touched hers, she felt a rushing feeling in her head.
"No, I mustn't like this, it's Draco Malfoy, for goodness sake", she told herself and brought herself back to reality.
She pulled away suddenly, escaping his clutches. He smiled with the edges of his lips as she turned her back on him and carried on round the corner until he was out of view. As she headed towards the Gryffindor Common Room, she realised that she didn't even hate Draco Malfoy. She found him infuriating, arrogant, egotistical and damn right rude but what she felt was not hate.