He'd been watching her. All day long he'd been silently observing her, the girl who, if rumours were to be believed, was the daughter of the 'Angel of Death'.
He'd been following her, attending all her classes, making sure she was going. A task given to him by Dumbledore, but one that he wished he was doing solely through his own free will.
The students gave her a wide berth. It was as if they thought she'd attack them at the slightest chance she got.
But he knew different.
She wouldn't attack.
She was nothing but a young new girl, trying to get by in a new school, despite all the torment her peers gave her.
She didn't deserve this, didn't deserve to be treated like a freak.
The teachers were useless. They'd silence the class but the whispers about her continued as soon as the teacher's back was turned.
She pretended she didn't care. She hid herself behind her waterfall of pale blonde hair, her ice blue eyes intently focusing on her textbook, willing herself not to let the tears fall.
He'd had enough. He wanted to do something, something to help her.
The bell rung and the students rushed out, still giving her the cold shoulder, except this time, instead of avoiding her, they shoved and jostled her every which way.
She tripped, falling to the ground. They looked down their noses and laughed, their cruel cold laughs echoing off the corridor walls as they headed to their next class.
Anger welled up inside him. Not just anger, but pure seething rage.
"You think that was funny, do you?" he yelled at the trio who'd tripped her, striding up to the obvious leader of the group.
The leader looked him in the eye, smirking. "And so what if i do? The freak deserved it."
Draco's eyes flashed with fury. "Don't you dare call her a freak!" he uttered, grabbing the boy by the front of his robes and pulling him towards him. "Got that?!"
"Just who the hell do you think you are?!" the boy cried, attempting to mask his fear with false bravery.
"I'm Draco Malfoy. And if you ever say a single thing against her, or harm her in any way, I won't hesitate to hand you over to Filch. And trust me, he'll be the least of your problems. You'd have me to deal with after. And possibly Prosfessor Snape." His voice was dangerously low, but in the silent corridor every word was crystal clear. "And you can pass that info on to your buddies," he finished, dropping the boy.
The terrified trio and the rest of the crowd quickly dispersed, running, fleeing, to their next class.
She stood there, her eyes round with shock. No one had ever stood up for her like that.
She looked at him, his blue eyes still blazing, his breaths coming in short sharp bursts. "Why...Why'd you do that? Why'd you stand up for me like that?" she asked curiously. Her voice was low, melodic.
"You didn't deserve that," he told her, crouching down to retrieve a book she'd missed.
"No one...No one's stood up for me. Ever..." she replied, still in awe of him, her blue eyes fill with gratefulness.
"Come on, let's get you to Potions," he replied, heading off in the direction of the dungeons. After a moment he turned back, seeing if she was following.
"You want to know why?" he asked. She nodded. "Because you, Jess, are worth protecting..."