How do you like it so far? I have about 5 chapters typed so far, and I'm liking it. We'll see how it goes... Please, read and review! I'm always looking for criticism.

- K


October:

"Vianne, hurry up, we're going to be late!" Hermione yelled up the stairs. "I cannot believe it takes you this long to get ready."

Vianne rolled her eyes, coming down the stairs. "Well obviously, considering the way you dress." She muttered under her breath.

It was about half way through the month of October, and Vianne was fed up with Hermione. As close as they once were, the two had grown up, and were not similar in the least. Despite their matching long, unruly curls, the two girls could not look more different, especially in the way they dressed: While Hermione wore her uniform pressed and ironed, buttoned to the top and with her skirt the proper length, Vianne wore hers unbuttoned, untucked, and too short – which happened to be the way that every one else in the school wore theirs. But it angered Hermione because it was Vianne, who was her responsibility. Their mother had put her in charge of Vianne's wellbeing and safety, and Merlin help her, she would set Vianne straight, once and for all.

Hermione pushed open the dungeon door, rushing towards her seat next to Ron and Harry. Walking in after her, Vianne looked around for an empty seat. All of the seats next to Gryffindors were taken, leaving only a seat between Malfoy and Blaise unoccupied.

"Take a seat, Miss Granger, as I would like to begin class." Snape snarled. Vianne walked to the two Slytherins, sliding into the seat between them. They both smirked at her. Malfoy turned and grinned at Hermione from across the room. She scowled. Snape strode to the front of the room.

"Turn to page three hundred and ninety four."


Hermione frowned over her oatmeal. Quarter grades had come in, along with the class ranking. Although she was first (as always), Vianne was not far behind her. It was her, Malfoy and Vianne, with another few people mixed in... Vianne was tenth in her class, Draco second. At the rate her sister was moving, she might have some competition for head of the class. That was simply unacceptable.

Hermione, being head girl, lived in the small dormitory in between all of the house dorms, but since the Head Boy was Malfoy, she chose to spend a majority of her time in the Gryffindor common room with Harry and Ron. She was glad of this, because she was able to spend nights with Ginny when Malfoy brought his girlfriend(s) home. She also, obviously, spend a lot of time in the library, finding books she hadn't read and trying to figure out ways to improve Vianne. It wasn't surprising how quickly she had found friends in Hogwarts; she had always been the more sociable of the two, but it did trouble her that she had made friends with Slytherins, especially when the Slytherins in question were Malfoy and Zambini. She would be more worried if not for the fact that Vianne seemed to be straying away from them, and spent more time with Harry and Ron and Ginny and Neville. She was still young and impressionable, and as the elder sibling, it was Hermione's responsibility to steer her in the right direction, and that direction did not, under any circumstances, include the Slytherins. Vianne knew that her old ways were no good; she had been silly and young and had gotten hurt for it, and it was on their mother's orders that Hermione took the task of making over Vianne, and turning her into a better person, a good person, a person who didn't get into trouble or drink or smoke and knew when to say no. A model citizen. A perfect student. Just like Hermione.


Hogsmeade

"...So, basically, there's nothing to do here?" Vianne asked, her brows furrowed in frustration.

"There's loads to do here! There's Zonkos, and the owlry, and the Shrieking Shack, and - "

"So basically, there's nothing to do here."

"That's about right." Malfoy interrupted, striding over to their table in the Three Broomsticks, Blaise and Pansy trailing close behind. Crabbe and Goyle grumbled in the background.

"No one asked you, Malfoy." Ron snarled.

"No one asked you either, Weasley, so keep your mouth shut." He turned to Vianne, who sat quietly, stirring her Firewhiskey with a straw. "You'll find that once you're over the age of twelve, the candy shop doesn't really cut it any more. At least not for people like us."

"She's nothing like you, Malfoy." Hermione said angrily.

"Yeah, Malfoy, what makes you think I'm anything like you?" Vianne half smiled, her golden brown eyes connecting with Malfoy's silver ones.

"Just a hunch." He smirked again. "But maybe I've overestimated you..."

"Mate, we've got to go." Blaise tapped him on the arm.

Malfoy nodded. "If you're interested..." He turned to leave. "You know where to find me."

"He's a horrid person, Vi. Trust me." Hermione said urgently, seeing her eyes follow Malfoy's retreating figure.

"And how would you know? You've never even spoken to the man."

"I've known him long enough to know he's not good for you. He's not good for anyone. Especially given your past..."

"Oh, bugger off, 'Mione. I'm old enough to know what is and isn't good for me."

"Are you? Because I seem to recall - "

"So, I hear the Chudley Cannons are ahead two teams towards the next Quidditch World Cup." Harry said hurriedly.


"She really does mean well, Vi." Harry sat across from her, dropping his bag on the library floor. The one thing about Grangers, it seemed, was that they were always in the library.

"The thing is, Harry, she doesn't. She means well for herself. She doesn't care about me. She cares about how people see me as it relates to her."

"Oh, come on, that can't be true.."

"Harry."

"Fine. You know, if you just stay away from Malfoy, she'll get off your back..."

"I don't see why you all hate him so much. I mean, sure he's kind of an arse, but aren't we all?"

Harry laughed. "True. I tend to agree with her on this one though. He's not exactly a model citizen."

"So? Neither am I."


Vianne walked through the portrait dropping her bag and robes on the floor, grabbed a pear from the kitchen, and flopped down on the couch with book in hand.

"You know, you don't actually live here." Malfoy grumbled from across the room. He was sitting in the armchair by the fireplace reading a Potions book and looking annoyed.

She looked up, surprised. "I didn't feel like talking to people."

"You're talking to me."

"You don't count." She grinned, catching his glare. "It's quieter in here."

"Go to the library."

"Hermione's in the library."

He paused. "I see your problem. You'd rather deal with me than her?"

"Yes."

"You're supposed to hate me."

"I'm supposed to do a lot of things."

"You have juice on your chin."

Vianne blushed, quickly wiping it away. "Thanks."

"You're very odd, you know."

Vianne grinned. "How so?"

"...Honestly, I don't know. I think it's just because I'm so used to Granger, and you're nothing like her."

"Just because we're related doesn't mean we have to be the same."

"Right..." Draco put his book down, turning to face her. "How are you two related again?"

"We're half sisters. Same mum, different dads."

"But she's older...?"

"Only by about a year. Mum had her first, but had an affair with dad right after, which is why I'm here. But I lived with him 'til I was about thirteen."

"Why...?"

"Because Mum's a twat."

"Ah, I see." He grinned.

"She wanted me to finish my schooling in France, but Beauxbatons works differently, so I came here to finish out my year. I'd rather be here for an extra year than have to spend a year at home with her."

"Don't get along?"

She looked at him sideways. "Is there a reason you want to know everything about me? Can't I keep some things to myself?" She grinned.

"I'm interested."

"What, Parkinson isn't good enough for you?"

"I like to keep my options open."

"Oh, of course."

"Look;" He stood up, walking over to her chair. "There's a party on Saturday, in the Slytherin common room. We have them every now and then. Technically, only Slytherins are allowed, but... You're new here, I'll make an exception."

She examined her finger nails. "And what if I have a prior engagement?"

He smirked, leaning in towards her. "Break it." He started walking towards the door.

"And what if I don't have anything to wear?"

"I don't care what you wear, but by god, don't borrow anything from Hermione."