Three Years Later.
The dingy potions class was alive with the stink from massive cauldrons of the students. Professor Snape with his indifferent expression and outward disgust of some of his students patrolled the classroom.
"After your measure of doxy eggs and twelve counter-clockwise stirs your potion should be pink in colour. If it is not – Mr Longbottom, ten points from Gryffindor – then you shall have to start once again from the beginning." The potions masters droning tone was one that unsettled most students, but Elena who was mixing her concoction of Girding Potion perfectly she found it almost relaxing and her teacher's sudden moods and deduction of house points amusing.
"Miss Le Fay, you haven't added enough dragonfly thoraxes,"
Elena looked up from her bubbling brew to the face of Snape, who was watching her with curious eyes.
"I've followed your instructions to the tiniest detail, Professor Snape; I doubt I haven't added enough of an ingredient." She said, putting down her wand and stepping away from the stench of the potion.
"Miss Le Fay, the fact that you question my obvious knowledge in the subject does not become you. You have not added enough dragonfly thoraxes, and I know this because your hair has turned white."
"Excuse me?" The whole potions class turned to stare at Elena, who picked up a once chocolate coloured curl that had turned a shade of snowy silver. How curious.
"I'm afraid that the outcome of your mistake is irreversible."
"This is permanent, Professor Snape?" The potions master did not reply but turned away.
"I shall not deduct any points as that in itself if punishment enough." Elena wondered what her mother would say, would she tell her it was an embarrassment to the family name. She fingered a shimmering white curl. Somehow she quite liked it. Shrugging off the stares of her classmates, she returned to her potion. Adding more of the ingredient that had cost her the brown curls her family had passed down from Morgana herself.
"I quite like it," proclaimed Draco, who was in the table in front of her. He had turned away from his cauldron to look at Elena, smirking at her bleached locks. "You look almost like a Malfoy, you should be happy."
"Shut up, Draco. Besides you're blonde and this is positively silver." She quipped, throwing the length of it over her shoulder.
The two Slytherins quieted as their Head of House concluded the end of the lesson, and walked out of the room to his office. The class picked up their belongings and hurried to lunch.
Elena listened to whispers about her white hair, heading to the Great Hall with Draco to have something to eat. She was very tempted to throw a silencing charm at the next person to mention it but held her wand in the deep pocket of her Slytherin robes.
She took a seat next to Draco, before she was bombarded by Pansy.
"Oh my god, Elena what happened to your hair?!" she shrieked, practically alerting the whole hall of the white haired witches predicament.
"Pansy, quiet down if you don't mind, you will give me a migraine." She waited for the witch to sit and the other students to continue their mindless chatter. "I made a mistake in potions class, I know, very rarely do I make an error."
"And it turned you're hair white," gasped Pansy dramatically.
"Yes obviously. I don't really mind it; I think it looks quite daring." Pansy nodded, quietly taking in her friends new look.
"Somehow, it suits you." She decided. Draco grumbled in agreement, focused more on his lunch than his friends. Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle had joined the three conversing Slytherins and immediately asked about their friend's new hair-do.
"I'd rather not explain –"
"Elena made a mistake in potions, I know, she never does and now we know why!" giggled Pansy, clapping her hand over her mouth in a coquettish fashion. Elena sighed, her head in her crossed arms on the table. Must people make a spectacle of her?
"Pansy do you ever shut up?" sneered Draco. Elena looked up from her position, and smiled at the young wizard. Pansy pouted, making a sad face in what Elena supposed was meant to be endearing.
"Don't be mean to me, Draco, I know you like me really," grumbled the dark haired witch, batting her lashes flirtatiously. Draco ignored her, getting up from the table.
"I'm going to quidditch practice, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle are you coming?" The boys nodded, getting up from their seats to join their pack leader. Once the boys had left the Hall, Pansy jumped up animatedly.
"Oh did you see the way he looked at me, Elena?" She cried.
"Sorry?" Elena sighed, "What on earth are you on about?"
"Draco. Of course! I think I'd make a brilliant Malfoy." The witch sighed, "Pansy Malfoy. Do you think his parents will like me?" Elena was immediately reminded of Lucius Malfoy's cruel smile and his wife, Narcissa's quiet submission.
"As long as you're a pureblood you'll be fine." Elena said honestly, knowing what her family would be like.
"Oh and our children would be beautiful!" Elena felt the beginnings of a migraine at her friends girlish ranting.
"I'm feeling a bit sick, must be another side effect of the potion, I'm going to go and see Madam Pomfrey." She said, rising from her seat at the Slytherin table and gathering her belongings. She felt the eyes of many students burn into the back of her head as she left the Great Hall and strode confidently down to the Slytherin Dungeons where she finally felt lingering eyes leave her.
Elena hated when Pansy talked about Draco like he was hers. Like they were destined and he had no choice in the matter. Elena stalked into the girls dormitories and sat on the side of the bed. Her dorm was empty except for her. Everyone being out for lunch, probably making Hufflepuff's feel inferior or the like.
She began raiding through her beside drawers and pulled out a silver handheld mirror. Eyeing her reflection, she felt relieved.
The long once boring brown curls were now a lustrous, glossy wave of silver. Elena had grown considerably since her first year. Now as a third year, her once rounded face had grown more angular. Her large green eyes were more fitting. The silver hair complimented her creamy complexion and deep pink lips. She felt lucky she'd never had a pimple or blemish like other girls often got - though they took a potion to get rid of them.
Elena put down the mirror and found that curled up at her feet was her cat, Humphrey. He was a blue Persian with round amber eyes, and very affectionate. Humphrey meowed, rubbing at Elena's ankles before hopping onto her bed and laying down next to her.
"I know you don't care that I look different, Humph, you just care when you don't get any cuddles." Elena lay back on the bed, taking care not to crush her cat. Suddenly quite tired, the young witch fell asleep; Humphrey lay next to her comfortingly.
"Elena, are you up there?" Elena shot up from the bed, spooking Humphrey who ran out of the room. How long had she been asleep? Had she missed class?
"I'm coming." She called, getting up from the bed and fixing her skirt; she left her robe on the bed and walked down the stairs. A Le Fay never runs. She thought watching her steps as she walked.
"There you are." Elena looked up to see Draco, his usually slick hair a disarray and his grey eyes stormy.
"Yes, here I am. Is everything alright, Draco?" The blonde wizard looked her up and down, as if checking everything was in place and then shrugged combing his fingers through his hair.
"Everything's fine." He replaced his indifferent mask with a smirk, "I'd just wondered whether Pansy had finally driven you off the deep end."
Elena laughed, "I was so close to using a silencing charm on her."
"You're not alone," joked Draco, his eyes alight with mirth. His smile faltered, "I have some news from home."
"Well, don't hold back. What's wrong?" Draco moved to stand by the fireplace with its Slytherin monogram above the mantel. Elena followed him over.
"My father has told me that I am arranged to be married." Elena held back a gasp of horror. Her eyes worried.
"To who?" The young wizard turned back to Elena, his eyes confused.
"To you, Elena. We are to be married when we turn eighteen." Draco watched as Elena sat on one of the green leather loveseats by the roaring fireplace. "Well don't get too excited." He added sarcastically.
"Excuse me! I'm shocked is all, don't expect me to run into your arms and tell you I'm thrilled!" Draco sat down next to his betrothed, smoothing her silver curls as she stared into the flames in the enchanted fireplace.
"I'm just glad it's not Pansy Parkinson." He sighed.
"Nice to know you're happy it's me too, Draco."
Draco didn't know what to say, it was awkward at worst. The two were good friends, but not lovers and to be engaged to marry at thirteen years old was a scary thought.
So, he took her feminine hands in his larger ones turning her to face him. Releasing her hands, he gently held her face. Elena looked up into his face noting his strong jaw, straight nose and high cheekbones along with his grey-blue eyes that were deep like a stormy sea. She closed her eyes as he moved in. His soft lips pressing against her full mouth in a searing yet sweet kiss. Elena's first kiss, she shared with Draco Malfoy.
Elena could smell his expensive cologne which was spicy and masculine mixed with the scent of the fresh air from his recent quidditch practice. Draco lightly bit at her bottom lip, making her gasp as he deepened the kiss his tongue tracing the inside of her mouth and tangling with hers as she kissed back.
Reluctantly Draco pulled away, both breathing heavily from the heat of the kiss.
"I am happy that it is you, Elena."