Chapter 1

Year One

We first met in our first year at Hogwarts, as most students do. Well, unless you're a Pureblood elitist, such as myself; and then that's only other Pureblood elitists. We normally don't meet Muggle-borns and Half-bloods until we reach Hogwarts age. That doesn't mean that some families don't talk about them; in fact my family was the worst bigots in the Wizarding world. I was taught at a young age that the Mudbloods were evil and wanted to steal our magic. It wasn't until after Edward Theodore Tonks (who preferred to be called Ted) came into my life and taught me differently.

The first week of my first year was difficult for me; mainly because people kept confusing me for my sister, Bellatrix, whom I bear a striking resemblance to. While she has curly black hair and black eyes, I have dark brown hair that lies in waves and wide brown eyes. Our personalities, however, couldn't be more different as night and day. She was loud and very out spoken and landed a detention at least once a week. I was more quiet and reserved and normally didn't land myself in detention. Or at least I didn't intentionally place myself there. That was how I first met Ted.

I was leaving the Great Hall after breakfast and Ted was rushing in. Well, he had always been very clumsy, even at eleven years old, and he ran into me, knocking me down. Back then I felt entitled because I was a Pureblood and a Black, thus when I was rudely knocked down, I didn't take it very well.

"Why don't you watch were you're going, Mudblood?" I sneered at the blonde haired, blue eyed boy that landed on top of me. "And get off."

"It was an accident," he said as he pried himself from me. "I was just running late"

He stood and then offered me his hand so he could help me up. I sneered at him again and stood without his help. "I don't need help from a filthy Mudblood," I said as I gave him a once over and noticed he was in Hufflepuff, "much less, one from Hufflepuff."

"Miss Black!" I voice rang out behind me and I cringed. It belonged to Professor McGonagall and so far, it seemed like she had a strong dislike for my sister and I. I suppose it's because of all the trouble Bella causes. But that shouldn't be held against me; it's not as if I could control what Bella does. "There is no need for such language! Detention; tonight. You will be in the trophy room."

I gaped at my teacher, "that's not fair! He's the one who ran into me!"

"You're such a drama queen, Black! It was a bloody accident!" Ted snapped at me.

"Mr. Tonks! There is no need for you to be rude either," McGonagall said. "In fact, you can join her in detention." She then turned on her heal and walked back to the Head's Table.

We both turned and glared at each other before we left in opposite directions. We kept away from each other the whole day throughout classes and when we caught each other's eyes, we'd give the other a hateful glare.

I eventually found myself dreading the detention as I walked towards the trophy room. I was honestly disappointed in myself; I was trying to show people that, although we're sisters and we look alike, I was not Bellatrix. Then I had to land myself in detention, all because of that Hufflepuff Muggle-born. Why, oh why, was I born with such a short temper?

"Good of you to finally join us, Miss Black," McGonagall said as I entered the trophy room.

"I apologize for being late; my sister had detained me," I answered. It wasn't a complete lie, Bella did corner me as I was leaving, but it was the sense of dread I felt over this detention that had kept me from being on time.

McGonagall eyed me before nodding her head once. "Very well; the two of you shall be cleaning the trophy room. Without the use of magic."

Ted and I both nodded our heads in understanding. She inclined her head at us and left us. I gave Ted a hateful glare and walked to the opposite side of the room and set to work. We worked in silence for the first hour of our detention; that was until Ted decided to speak to me.

"Why do you feel the need to call people names?" he asked of me.

"I only call people what they are," I answered tersely. This was not a conversation I wanted to be having.

"I believe the proper name for my blood status would be 'Muggle-born', not Mudblood," he said. "Where as yours is 'Pureblood', not bitch."

"Take that back!" I yelled as I turned towards him. "Take that back right now!"

"Not so funny when it's you being called names now is it?" he said as he too turned and faced me. "However, I wasn't calling you a bitch; but if the shoe fits."

"What does a shoe have to do with anything?" I asked.

Ted shook his head, some of this blonde hair falling into his eyes, "nothing, it's just a muggle saying. Let's finish up; we're almost done."

I shook my head and turned back around. This Hufflepuff defiantly was puzzling. We finished and parted ways, but my mind kept straying back to Ted. I did I let him get under my skin like that? But I had, and I had yet to realize that he would be there for a very long time.

Thus, dear reader was our beginning; and as you can tell, it did not start with a kiss, but a rude and demeaning word.