Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. J.K. Rowling does. NO monetary gain is being made from this fanfic. (Tempest is my original character though)

Note: This is me test driving the characters. At one point there was supposed to be a long, chaptered fan fic. Not sure where that's going since the books are over now. Please be critical in your reviews of my short little fic. Next post will be longer.

Beta: Yes, by Kate

Draco ascended the staircase that would lead him to the castle's topmost level, silently screaming with nerves and excitement. He had received a summons from the Dark Lord, delivered by his aunt Bellatrix. He'd had fleeting thoughts that the summons was a trick, but brushed them off with the practiced ease of someone who was used to -and expected- to be considered in high regard.

This being his first ever encounter with the Dark Lord, Draco wanted to make a good first impression. He remembered that his father had once told him that it was dress and attitude that made the first impression. The words close at mind, he'd dressed in black pants and gray-ish white t-shirt that turned his grey eyes to ice. He'd also adopted a casual demeanor that implied power, but wouldn't offend.

Arriving at the mouth of the staircase, he was stopped by a Death Eater, who wanted to make sure Draco was allowed to be up there. The floor housed the Dark Lord's quarters, study and his aunt's rooms. It was also rumored to that there was another set of rooms for someone very close to the dark Lord- -blood close. So far if they existed, they remained unnamed and hidden.

It seemed to be taking a while for the Death eater to let him pass, causing Draco's emotions to take a turn for the worst. His palms were sweaty and he'd convinced himself that the summons was just his Aunt's idea of a joke, or maybe that he got the time or date wrong? Both? His relief was almost visible when he was let by, and given directions to the dark Lord's study.

By the time Draco reached a turn in the corridor his emotions were in check again. Turning he spotted a girl he put around his age, walking down from the opposite end of the corridor. Her skin was pale and flawless to the point that it reminded him of porcelain. Her eyes were a dark purple, adorned in dark grey eye make-up, her lips in dark purple lip make-up. Deep black hair fell in subtle curls, framing her pale skin. She seemed caught in between modern and traditional clothing styles, wearing black denim pants, purple top decorated with a abstract sun in black that was slightly to tight, and plain unbuttoned black robes over.

Draco watched, curious, as she walked through the door he'd earlier been directed to without knocking. A few more steps and he was in front of the study door. He took a breath.

He knocked.