Secrets

Part 1: Detentions and Tutoring Sessions

The hall was silent as Quinn slipped from the common room and into the darkened corridor. Keeping to the shadows, she stole her way towards the owlry. The letter that she held in her hand was intended for her older brother, she had to change his mind, she just had to. She couldn't let him make this mistake.

Spinning around the corner, she grabbed the first owl that she could reach and hastily tied the letter to its right leg.

"Hurry," she urged the bird, "Hurry and find Jasper Taylor before it's too late!"

The bird flew off with a hoot and Quinn slumped down on the bench. Just fifteen minutes before, she had received a letter from her mother warning her of Jasper's intention to propose to his current "girlfriend." She simply could not let him make that mistake, and she was the only one he would listen to.

"He'll regret this for the rest of his life if I let him go through with this." she mumbled to herself.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" drawled a voice. Quinn looked up to find Draco Malfoy staring down at her, his prefects' badge gleaming. "Out after curfew, Taylor? Tsk, tsk, you should know better."

"I had an emergency, Malfoy," she said as she stood and made her way towards the exit.

"Not so fast, Taylor. Detention, Friday night, eight o'clock."

"What?" she questioned, spinning on her heel to face him, "Are you serious?"

"Oh, I am. Don't be late. Now, run along back to your dormitory."

"You foul-"

"Watch it, Taylor," Malfoy interrupted, "wouldn't want to make that two, now would we?"

Quinn's eyes flashed, but before she could get herself into any more trouble she stormed off, back in the direction of the Common Room.

"I hate him!" Quinn exclaimed the next morning over breakfast.

"Hate who?" Harry asked as he sat down across from her and began piling eggs on his plate.

"Malfoy." The single word held all of the anger and loathing that she felt towards him. "Who does he think he is?"

"Well," Hermione began weakly, "You were breaking curfew."

"Oh, come on 'Mione, you know that Malfoy has it out for Quinn," Ron chimed in, "He hates her almost as much as he hates Harry."

Hermione shrugged and continued to eat her porridge.

Quinn sighed, "Only one more year after this one and then we never have to see that git again."

Harry chuckled, "With your luck you will get a desk job sitting right next to him."

"Don't even say that!" Harry, Ron and Hermione snickered, "I think I would kill myself, or maybe move to another country."

"So, what were you doing out past curfew anyways?" Harry asked.

"Trying to save Jasper from making his biggest mistake to date."

"And what would that be?"

"He wants to propose to Sarah Goyle." Hermione gasped and both boys pulled a face.

"You mean he is still seeing her, then?" Hermione asked.

"Unfortunately. I refuse to let him marry her."

Hermione tisked and shook her head. "We better get a move on, guys. Class is about to start."

The foursome grabbed their bags and exited the hall, heading for the dungeons. Their first class of the day was a double Potions session which they shared with the Slytherins.

"Miss Taylor," Snape called as soon as they stepped into the dungeon, "A word, please."

Harry grabbed her bag from her and made his way to their regular table while Quinn made her way to the Professor's desk.

"Yes, Professor Snape?" she asked in as polite a tone as she could muster.

"Miss Taylor, it has come to my attention that you are struggling a bit with the present material in this class."

"Yes, a little, sir," she answered honestly.

"For that reason I am setting you up with a tutoring session twice a week. Mr. Malfoy will be your tutor and you should speak with his as soon as possible to set up a schedule."

"Isn't there someone else? Surely Hermione or maybe even Hannah Abbott?"

"No, Draco is by far the best student in your year. He has kindly agreed to help you out and has committed to a solid four weeks of sessions. Take this seriously, Miss Taylor, and you just may pass my course."

Quinn scowled and made her way to her table. As her eyes scanned across Malfoy she saw his signature smirk plastered across his face.

Harry looked at her questioningly as she threw herself into the chair next to him. "I have to attend tutoring sessions twice a week," she spat, "With Malfoy."

Harry gave her a sympathetic look before turning his focus to Snape who had began to drone on at the front of the classroom.