A/N - New story! I hope you like it. I warned all in...Chapter 3? of Forever Mine that I might put this up. I decided I would when I got chapter 3 of this written today. Let me know what you think, I'm open to criticism xD. And we all know I love reviews!
Disclaimer: I own Dani and the plot, the rest is JKR's. Of course. Ya know? I really wish I'd written it first, that way I could be rich lol. Anyway, READ NOW!
Dani sat alone, like every day. It was lunch time and one would think she'd be sitting with a friend, someone to talk to and laugh with and share inside jokes with. But no, not her. She was the girl with her hair over her face, a tear in her eye every day, and coasting through life all on her own, doing only what she needed to get through and nothing more.
She honestly didn't know how to have friends. She'd had one before, her name was Katie and she'd known her from birth. They were even set right next to each other in the nursery when they were born. But when they were seven, Katie moved away, and Dani never heard from her again. Now, at seventeen years old, in her last year of school, and she was still friendless.
And it wasn't just because she didn't know how to have a friend, or because she was afraid to lose her friend again, but because she was afraid of being hurt. Her family was terrible. In fact, besides Katie, everyone she'd ever met was terrible. Mean, abusive, uncaring, so she figured, what's the point in trying to befriend someone who's just going to hurt her more anyway?
It made her feel deprived of the goodness she knew was part of life, but when pain is all you've ever felt, how bad can it really hurt anymore? That's what she wondered every day.
This was her first day back in school. She was a seventh year, finally. But there was something odd about her schedule. There was a class on it that she'd never heard of. It was called 'Adult Life'. She figured maybe it was some new required class or something, but it was her last class of the day so she had two more classes before she had to worry about that one.
Dani picked up her book bag and left for her fourth hour Transfiguration class. She had a full schedule in her last year. Studies were the only thing she had in life so she had to make the most of it. She stepped into class and set her bag down in the back of the room, sitting next to it. The room filled quickly as students poured in for class, but no one took the seat next to her. Once again, she was partner-less.
Professor McGonagall went through how to transfigure a dog into a butterfly, reminding Dani of the song Dog and Butterfly by Heart. She did the transfiguration then set her wand down in front of her and watched the butterfly flutter around the room trying to get out.
Laughter sounded at the front of the room causing Dani to look away from the butterfly she was thinking about changing back to a dog. What was the point to the lesson anyway?
Dani looked toward the front of the room and saw Malfoy and Blaise laughing at their butterfly hitting the window trying to get out. The room went silent in her ears as she looked at Malfoy. She'd had a crush on him since first year, but with her being in Hufflepuff, the thought of her even having a shot with him was impossible, let alone actually having a shot.
She sighed almost inaudibly. And then the bell rang and she picked up her things to go to potions. She had that class with the Gryffindors.
Once again, she sat in the back of the room all by herself. Granted, Griffindors were a hundred times nicer than the Slytherins, they still didn't know she existed.
"Eye of Newt, lucky rabbits foot, scale of a dragon, three, ew, crushed up beetles, and stir for ten minutes counter clockwise. Blah." Dani whispered to herself as each ingredient was added. After ten minutes of stirring she continued her whispering, "Chopped up tiger fur? Ok. Half a spoonful of fairy dust, and finally, stir fifty times clockwise to get a royal blue...sludge? Well alrighty then." Dani finished.
Dani ladled her sludge into her glass vial, left it on Snape's desk, the cleaned up her station so she could get to her 'Adult Life' class.
She was the first one there. She sat there, reading, and hoping this class wouldn't be what she was afraid it probably was. Therefore, she started praying she would at least get a partner she could stand and not have to deal with too much.
The class filed in and took their seats. There were only about twenty people in the class, all of which were in her own house. Professor Binns, her least favorite professor, told the class that they'd be going down to the Great Hall for the class. It was a class that involved the whole of seventh year. So all together, they went to the Great Hall and sat waiting for Professor McGonagall to speak as she would be the official teacher for that class.
Dani looked around the room, she saw the Golden Trio talking and wondering, like everyone else, what the class would be about. She saw the Patil twins gossiping about all the hot boys in the school. Then her eyes landed on Draco Malfoy, again. He was sitting across from Blaise Zabini and next to Pansy Parkinson who was clinging to him and probably purring. Malfoy was doing his best to remove her velcro like grip from his arm.
"Your attention please!" McGonagall yelled from the front of the room. All students silenced at once and turned to her, "This is a new class. And I want you all to take it seriously. Three things will be happening in this class." She paused, seemingly for effect, which caused all students to hold their breath in anticipation of what would be said, "First, you will be partnered with a student of the opposite sex and you will enact a relationship with them. That means that when you go to Hogsmeade, you will treat it like a date, and go with your partner. Professor Snape and myself will be giving you tasks and surprises that typical couples face every day." A light, excited chattering went through the room, and then quieted as McGonagall continued, "After a month, each pair will wake up to find a magic ring on your finger symbolizing marriage, and you will be given a new dorm to share. But you will not get to share a bed." at that she pointedly looked at a few certain students, "Then, after another month, all girls will be magically impregnated. It will not be real, but when it's born, it will look like both you and your partner. But this magical child won't be born for a month. It will not be actual labor. We're trying to be kind about this, so when it's time for the birth, you will fall asleep and when you wake up, the child will be in the hospital wing. Then you will have the responsibility of taking care of the child. You will treat it as if it were real. This child will last until May first, when it will go away. In this time, it will grow to be about five years old. The first month it will age normally. By the end of the second month, it will be a year old, end of third month, two years, and so on." All the girls seemed excited about this, smiling and talking about their kids, and names, already. "Now, because of some surprises that occur during the dating process, some of you girls will become pregnant before the first two months are up. It could happen at any time so be weary of that. Now, I will announce partners." She pulled out a roll of parchment and began naming people off. Dani dazed out, only getting to hear certain names. For example, Harry Potter was with Pansy Parkinson, Ronald Weasley was with Hannah Abbott, Hermione Granger was with Justin Filch-Fletchly, Cho Chang was with Blaise Zabini, and finally, Danielle Whitegrass was with Draco Malfoy.
Dani's eyes bugged out and she shook her head to let her hair cover her face again. She was housing like mad and couldn't get it to stop, so she just hid herself and prayed that Draco wasn't looking at her. However, she had a feeling he was wondering who on earth Danielle Whitegrass was. She was right of course, but she tried to pretend he knew her.
Professor McGonagall finished her roll of parchment and set it aside, "Tomorrow you will have a trip to Hogsmeade together so I suggest you find your partner and get acquainted. Find a place to meet tomorrow."
Dani sighed and moved to get to Draco in the midst of all the bustling students. He was standing in the corner not even bothering to try and find her, so she stepped up next to him and said, "Hi."
"Is there something I can do for you?" Draco asked.
"Uhm, I'm Dani Whitegrass. I'm your partner." she replied shyly.
He turned to her, "Let's just get one thing straight, we may be partners, but I don't associate with," he looked her up and down, "Hufflepuff rejects. So we will get this project thing done, however long it takes, and while we are, you leave me alone as much as possible, got it?"
Dani nodded and said, "Let's just meet at the gate tomorrow for the trip." then she turned to walk away, letting only one tear fall from her eye because she knew the guy she liked so much would never like her back.
A/N - So what'd ya think? Good? Bad? Average? Let me know! Thanks!