Last Chance

Chapter One


Pulling my trunk behind me, my tawny owl throwing angry looks at the Muggles staring at it, I couldn't help but joining my messenger's mood, even if my anger was rather towards the wizards surrounding us. They were all so pathetic when the first of September finally showed the tip of its nose. I snorted loudly as the Weasley family ran past me in an orange flash of light. Except for famous Harry Potter at the far end of their never-ending queue, even a goblin would have given a better Muggle-disguise. And I thought that as Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department, Arthur Weasley would know better than to combine dusty pin-striped trousers with a loose hippy flower-embroidered blouse.

Finally deciding that those matters were far from being my problem, I flattened the black silk dress Narcissa had given me last Christmas and casually leaned again the barrier between platform nine and ten. A second later, I stood next to the great flaming red Hogwarts Express, thick white smoke issuing from the engine and covering the chatty crowd. I slightly sighted at the picture of dozens of Hogwarts students, young and older, flinging their arms around their parents' neck a last time before the departure of the train.

Taking my eyes off the Ravenclaw-Gryffindor Patil twins, another group of Potter-lovers - though Parvati might not be so fond of him any more since the Yule Ball - I finally entered the train. The Yule Ball … Of all the girls who threw themselves at Draco's feet in fourth year, how could he have chosen Pansy Parkinson and her bulldog face? If at least she was witty or funny … Dispelling any trace of anger from my face as I caught a glimpse of Draco's compartment, I greeted my friends with a face as blank of emotions as Crabbe's mind was blank of any spirit, as always, while Goyle hoisted my trunk up into the luggage rack.

"Alone once again, Granger?" commented Pansy as I took place in front of her, between Draco and Blaise. Pansy had never bared the idea that Draco always kept a seat for me next to him.

"Everybody doesn't need to be pampered until their majority" I backfired coolly. The guys slightly smirked. Pansy's parents wouldn't leave her alone before the last call, whatever we now were in sixth year now or not. In fact, they were both still standing behind the train's window, beaming at her.

"Funny, to me it rather sounds like you have something to hide." Pansy asked, boring deeper into my lies.

"My family is the purest of France. You wouldn't expect them to travel all the way here just to see their daughter step onto a train, would you? They are very busy people, I expect you can understand that, Draco." I explained, now gazing at Draco for some support.

"That's probably why they didn't send you to Beauxbâtons, because they have so much influence there" mocked Pansy.

His platinum-blond hair shining in the morning's light, Draco seemed to still be considering if he would or wouldn't take part in our constant squabbling. Last year, he would have jumped right into this occasion to talk about his family's wealth, but today he was somehow so silent that he resembled Blaise. Crabbe and Goyle also looked at him expectantly now, seeking any sign of the next best reaction to fake. They were completely at a loss since Draco had somewhat dumped them for Blaise, Pansy and me – though he and I were always close. Finally, he raised his head to meet my eyes, scratching his pointy chin.

"Pansy, we discussed this a thousand times. Hermione has been a Slytherin for over five years now, so she is one of us" he simply settled.

Pansy frowned for a moment, but quickly forgot our altercation as later Draco sent Crabbe and Goyle to properly greet some first years in his name, laying over their seats to let her play with his hair. As they started snogging, I finally looked away, quite surprised to see that they were now dating. Pansy ended up having what she wanted then. Deciding not to waste another second watching them, I turned over to Blaise.

"Mind looking for the food trolley?" she asked.

He shrugged and followed me out the compartment. We didn't go far though. A few feet from our compartment, we fell face to face with Ginny Weasley and famous Harry Potter, both raising their wands to Crabbe and Goyle. Blaise slightly scowled, much tenser than usual and slid a hand to his wand-pocket, but I was faster.

"What do you think you're doing Potter? I don't remember you being a Head Boy to allow yourself to rule in the corridors." I apostrophized him. Of course The Boy Who Lived would have thought that Saint Dumbledore would have named him Head Boy rather than King Weasley. I saw at his whitening fingers as he tightened his grip on his wand that I was right.

"The same doesn't go for me, Granger." stated the Weasley girl.

I gritted my teeth. Even though I couldn't explain why, I knew better than to provoke her. I got lost for a moment in the redhead's deep brown eyes and finally decided not to draw my own weapon.

"Oh come on. How would it be seen for a Prefect to be involved in a fight on her first day on duty." I argued.

"I don't know, you tell me" Weasley taunted, pointing at my Head Girl badge.

"I don't remember being the one who provoked the duel. But I am sure that Professor Snape would love to hear about this if you don't clear off the way."

Both Potter and the Weasley girl lowered their wands a little bit, mister famous throwing a questioning look at his friend. She nodded and put her wand back into her robes, inviting Potter to do the same. A victorious smile curled up my rose lips. Brains would always triumph, whatever some of my friends might think.

"It seems like you're smarter than the average Slytherin – though that can't be too hard" commented the Gryffindor girl through clenched teeth.

"I could give you back this compliment, though I thought that you Gryffindors wore those terrible red ties for bravery, not cowardice." I mocked. "Let's go guys, we have nothing more to lose around those people" I added to Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise.

The boys didn't object and simply followed me back into the compartment, though Blaise seemed to hesitate for a second. When we were back, Draco and Pansy were finally off each other and were already wearing their black robes, Draco reading the Prophet on his bench and Pansy lost in Witch Weekly on hers. Draco didn't even seem to realise that we hadn't brought any food with us and simply slid to the side to let me and Blaise get to our trunks and robes.

Later that evening, we all had regained our favourite couches next to the stained glass windows behind which the black lake lay, its green light drawing soft shadows onto the common room floor. Blaise, Draco, Pansy and I had earned the honorific title of "the Silver Four" for we all had our reasons to be the most envied Slytherins; Blaise was mostly admired for his uncanny beauty and wealth both inherited from his mother, Draco for the influence and reputation of his family and his natural charisma, Hermione for her astonishing wit and wisdom and Pansy … well, she was Draco's puffer whenever he needed affection or only just to release his anger or needs. Moreover, we were all from the purest blood. At least I made sure that everybody kept believing this.

How could I have explained that by the day I was sure to be able to produce a strong enough memory charm in third year, I had erased my existence from my Muggle parents' memory and sent them to live in Ireland? Since then I had survived the summer holidays at a certain friend's place on Spinner's End, devouring the books that covered the walls of his sitting room when he let her out of the attic hidden beneath a tricked bookshelf. He wasn't there very often anyway, too busy working his wand off for that old crackpot's sake. I didn't think we could really have lived together for that long otherwise. He might be the most pleasant teacher at Hogwarts if you were in Slytherin, but he still only took me in because he pitied my situation and I cooked and cleaned for him - though he didn't let me touch an inch of his clothing, thank God.

I turned back to Draco who was in a deep conversation with Blaise about how reduced the Slytherin Quidditch team would be without him as a Seeker this year, Pansy's head resting on his torso, fast asleep.

"Why would you give away such a good occasion to wash off Potter's smile though?" I suddenly asked, my voice ringing through the nearly empty common room.

Draco's smirk faded right away, his calculating look quickly gauging me. I was extremely rare that I participated in Quidditch-based discussions. Then, his smile re-emerged from its ashes, accompanied by a hearty laugh.

"I have been given better plans to turn down Potter for quite a longer time than a Quidditch match" he said, contemplating his short nails.

I was quite sure that Pansy would have been highly interested in hearing about this mysterious announcement, but right now I couldn't be happier that she was in a deep sleep. Something about Draco was definitely odd lately. Blaise snorted loudly.

"And what is it now? Are you going to lurk him into another Chamber of Secret like Ginny Weasley? If you want my point of view, I think that Potter and his friends are quite good at getting into mortal danger themselves. Do I need to remind you of the troll and the Philosopher's Stone in first year? Even that whole story with Umbridge last year could have ended badly. And I haven't even mentioned the Triwizard Tournament" Blaise observed quite sceptically.

Draco suddenly lifted his feet from the low table to sit upright, facing him. Pansy's head unexpectedly fell onto his lap, waking her from her drowsiness. As she looked up, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles, Draco's temper exploded.

"No, Blaise, I did not ask for your opinion!" he bellowed.

Then, still breathing quite heavily and rejecting the hand Pansy put on his arm, he continued on a colder tone.

"The problem about Potter is that he is as good at getting into trouble than getting out of it. People like him too much, protect him. And that has to come to an end."

I couldn't control the shiver that ran through my spine. It wasn't as if it were the first time Draco spoke like that about Potter. Yet still, I couldn't help but feeling like this time was different.


Hi guys, thank you very much for reading this chapter! I hope that you appreciated it and that I'll see you on the next one. Please leave a comment and tell me what you liked or disliked.

Ps: I am currently looking for a Beta