Sansa Stark sat in the welcome silence of the library. She often came here in the evenings. She tended to avoid the common room at this time, it was pretty busy and with everyone chattering away to each other, she found it hard to concentrate. She loved reading, and frequented the library on a daily basis. Madame Pince, notorious for her dislike of the students, had a soft spot for the young Stark, offering a simple "Hello" as she passed her. Sometimes Sansa helped her with organising the books. Sansa sighed as she looked out of the window next to which she sat. Looking down to the courtyard, she smiled when she saw Jon, her brother, walking arm in arm with a red-headed Slytherin, both of them laughing heartily. Sansa was happy for him, glad somebody could put that look of joy on his face. But she couldn't help but feel a little wistful. Her own relationship had fireballed and blown up in her face the year previously as Joffrey – she shivered at his name – a Hufflepuff boy in her year had proven himself to be a little git. She had broken it off after he had slapped her in the face. Ned, her other brother, had nearly been expelled for the curse he placed on Joffrey. Sansa also knew that her sister, Arya, had done something sneaky to him, and it had left him in the hospital wing for a month. She was a lot warmer towards her sometimes irritating sister after that. Sansa realised how much of a brat she had been, and now, as she entered her fourth year, she was a lot wiser and mature after her experiences both in and out of school. Her father, an Auror, had been murdered by a rogue wizard; she didn't like to think about it. After that, the family had pulled together and leaned on each other. Ned had left and was now following in their father's footsteps, much to their mother's dislike. But she worked for the Ministry, so she worked closely with him, to keep an eye on him.

A noise behind her made her jump, accidentally bending the page as her hand clenched instinctively. Sansa was surprised that someone other than Madame Pince, who was on the second floor of the library, was in here. Another noise, a thud sounded, followed by a few mild curses. Sansa hopped off of the window ledge, leaving her book where she had previously been sitting and following the source of the sound, which was quickly followed by more thuds. Curiously, Sansa poked her head around the corner of one of the stacks to see a girl, head tilted to the ceiling, eyes closed and cursing to herself. A pile of books lay at her feet, lying at strange angles, like they had fallen off.

"Need a hand?" asked Sansa, knowing Pince would throw a fit if she saw this. The girl snapped her clear blue eyes widening in surprise. She was wearing a gold and scarlet striped tie.

"Oh, no, no, I'm okay, thank you," she said, blushing slightly as she bent and began gathering the books. Sansa smiled and knelt down beside her, helping her anyway.

"Madame Pince probably heard that, we should hurry," Sansa said, piling the books up and beginning to place then quickly on the shelf.

"Probably," said the girl on the ground, who began handing books up to Sansa. "I was just looking through these for a project, but I slipped and knocked them off." Sansa smiled down at her, brushing a lock of ginger hair from her face. The girl looked familiar, and Sansa was sure she couldn't forget that strikingly bright blonde, nearly silvery white hair. Putting together the familiarity and the tie, she remembered she shared Transfiguration class with the girl.

"You're… Sansa, aren't you?" asked the girl, who was also looking at Sansa quizzically. "Sansa Stark."

"Yes," replied Sansa.

"I'm sorry about your father…" the girl said quietly. Sansa's eyes widened a little, but nodded.

"It's fine."

"I know what you're going through, if it helps," the girl shrugged, handing her a book.

"Oh, you're… you're Daenerys Targaryen!" gasped Sansa. Daenerys nodded. The Targaryens were an old, old family, full of magical secrets, one of which being the ancient Dragons. Looking at the book in her hand, Sansa realised Daenerys was researching her family heritage. Sansa had heard about Daenerys' past, it was more than intriguing. The girl had travelled everywhere, she had been a student for a short while in a foreign school, and it was rumoured that she had restored her family's fortune, and secured more dragons. As the last remaining Targaryen, she was being educated while her loyal protectors looked after her estate.

"Dragons?" smiled Sansa. Daenerys nodded. "So the rumours are true?" she asked with a grin.

"Yes, don't tell anyone, though," smiled Daenerys in reply. Suddenly, there was the sound of a door closing.

"Pince!" hissed Sansa. There was still a mess of books on the floor as the two girls began hurling them back on the shelf. She was getting closer, they could hear the clacks of her boots as she walked. Sansa was really hoping to get out of this, she really didn't need a detention or worse, to be banned from the library. Suddenly, a new set of footsteps drew closer, from the opposite directions. A figure appeared at the end of the stack and looked down the aisle. Sansa stood frozen for a moment. It was a Ravenclaw, Sansa had seen her in a few classes she had. Long, curly brown hair. A book held in one hand, her bag in the other. Holding herself with a graceful ease. She looked neither surprised nor concerned, just a little curious. However, she too seemed to hear Madame Pince's footsteps. Sansa wasn't entirely sure, but the girl seemed to smile as she continued walking. Daenerys and Sansa continued to freeze, listening as the girl met the approaching footsteps only a short distance away. If Pince walked the next few metres and looked down the aisle, she'd see the mess. The two Gryffindors stared at each other, arms full of books, Sansa's arms aching with the weight as they awaited their fate.

"Madame Pince? I'm so forgetful, could you maybe show me where the books on Divination are?" the girl asked in a delightfully sweet and airy voice.

"In a second, dear," said Madame Pince, sounding rather surprised, as if the girl had just popped up out of nowhere in front of her. "I have to check-"

"No, please, I really need to finish this essay," the girl insisted. "Just this and I'll be out of your hair. Besides, I think I heard something falling from the other side of the library, didn't you?"

"Well, I heard something-"

"Well, you should probably check…" said the girl in the same insufferably sweet and innocent voice.

"Alright dear, come with me," said Pince. Daenerys and Sansa breathed a sigh of relief as they shoved the rest of the books onto the shelf.

"That was lucky," said Daenerys, picking up the last book from the wooden floor, the cover black with a large, red dragon emblazoned on the front. "We should probably get out of here before she notices we've mucked up the order."

"Good idea," replied Sansa, darting out of the aisle to the window and gathering her bag and book. Turning, she saw Daenerys waiting for her.

"Thank you," said Daenerys, as they checked the coast was clear and hurried out of the library. As they reached the door, they heard Pince and the girl talking. Daenerys slipped through the door, but Sansa stayed for a moment, halfway out of said door, looking back at the stacks. Pince was hidden from her view, but across the circular table, she could see the girl pointing to a book on the shelf, facing away from her. But then she turned, just for a moment, and shot Sansa a knowing smile. Sansa was transfixed for a moment, but then caught herself and gave her a small nod of acknowledgment, of thanks, before disappearing, closing the door quietly.

"Well, that was close," commented Daenerys, straightening her tie and slipping the book into her bag.

"It was," agreed Sansa. They looked at each other for a moment, Sansa realised she was a little taller than the other girl. They met each other's gaze and then burst out laughing.

"Great to meet you, Sansa," said the white-haired girl, holding out her hand as they walked up the stairs.

"Likewise, Daenerys," replied Sansa, shaking her hand.

"Dany, please, Daenerys is such a mouthful," said Daenerys with a smile.

"Lovely to meet you, Dany."