Chapter One: What a Shame

She seemed so lost. So completely unknowing of her surroundings, every 30 seconds looking down at the piece of parchment in her hands. The parchment was that of the first years, but there was no way she was a first year. Her body looked so soft, free of any wrinkles of stress and worry. Curves in all the right places, respectfully covered up with a yellow tee-shirt and tight jeans, which squeezed at her backside. Maybe I was inspecting her too much, or too obviously, because just a few moments had passed before I felt a familiar leather purse hit me in the back of my head.

"Draco!" I scowled

"There are other ways of getting my attention, 'lizabeth."

"Well you didn't respond the first five times." She sighed in annoyance. "What were you starring at anyways?" her eyes found the path to what I had been looking at before, she frowned. "Checking her out? Do you know her?" the last part seemed hopeful that that was it.

It was silly of her to assume she was in charge of me. Sure I took her to all the social events of Hogwarts, occasionally getting in a public argument, but that didn't mean we were anything. Elizabeth was merely the most physically appealing in the Slytherin. Besides, what would the audience of Hogwarts peers assume to never see me with a significant others. Not that their opinion mattered to me mind you, but trying to keep inconspicuous with my fellow classmates had to be done.

"No. She's new." I turned away from her, to keep my attention towards my group, who continuously talked about their summer trips to Paris, New York, and Verona. When asked about my summer, I merely stated that I had gone to Egypt with my mother.

She was sorted into Gryffindor. What a shame…

"This year, ladies and gentlemen, is your final year before we release you as presentable wizards and witches. Your classes will be testing you on what you have retained over the last 7 years. I hope you all remember if not, start tonight by going over your old textbooks…now, for the seating chart." She smiled.

The class groaned as they found out the inevitable. The Slytherin and Gryffindor students shared all the classes. I believe that the teachers hoped that the bitter feud would be someday being absent, but that was highly unlikely. Personally I thought that a seating chart was always great, then Elizabeth had no choice BUT to sit away from me, and I had sometime to collect my thoughts. I smirked.

By the time I sat down I KNEW they mixed the class for that very reason, since Harry Potter was sitting only a foot to my right. I wanted to complain, but I just waited till he would. But he didn't…he seemed sort of in a deep gaze at the figure in front of me. I paid attention and figured who it was. The new girl that caught my eye at the station…her backside was quite a lovely view. I smirked.

"Forget it, Potter. She's completely out of your range." I whispered to him, he rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you just NOT talk to me, Malfoy, for the rest of the year, then we could move on with our lives and never have to cross paths again."

That's what you think, I thought, you won't see past your first week of summer before you beg me to have mercy on you, before I tear you to shreds.

"I'm only looking out for your ego, wouldn't want it to be too bruised with rejection."

McGonagal spoke.

"We will start off the class with a quick verbal pop-quiz, to make sure you haven't forgotten your definitions and vocabulary. Mr. Creevy, what does the drought charm do?" I ignored her, having confidence in what my answer would be.

"That's very sweet of you Malfoy, maybe if your head would reach your ass you could-"

"Mr. Potter," Mcgonagal's voice was stern. "If you could stop your gossiping with Mr. Malfoy until the end of class, perhaps you could give me the definition of the spell I just asked?" He was stumped, I raised my hand.

"The Impedimenta spell stops an object, or slows it down." McGonagal nodded, pleased that I was listening. Potter scowled at me turning forward to pay attention. "Ms. Deveon?" No one recognized the name; the girl in front of us raised her hand a bit shyly. "There you are, what is the Patronus charm?"

"The Patronus charm is a silvery-white manifestation that is used to protect it's user against Dementors and Lethifolds." McGonagal nodded, impressed that her definition was so precise, I supposed.

"Hey," I heard Potter whisper to her, I kept my eyes to my parchment scribbled with notes as I eaves dropped.
Potters knowledge to talk to women was somewhat like a child learning to walk. Stumbling and falling, stuttering. McGonagal scolded him several times before taking away house points. That shut him up.

For some strange reason I couldn't look away from her. I felt Elizabeth's eyes piercing me through the back but I gave no mind to her. The girl in front of me, Gabrielle, (I caught her name as she introduced herself to the girl beside her), was so in consistent than the other girls here. Her face was bare from make-up, but still was stunning. Her eyes reminded me of walnuts. A dark brown on the outside, but closer to the pupil glowed a glint of yellow.

What was I doing? I was infatuating myself with a Gryffindor, with the enemy. No, get a hold of yourself Draco, I told myself, she's just a girl. A worthless, disgusting, goody-too shoes, full luscious lips- no! Stop!

As the day continued, she turned up for every one of my classes, and always within my visions distance. I tried, very hard, to put her in the back of my mind, but how could I possibly do that for more than ten minutes when every time I looked up, she was there! Finally the opportunity came for me to pay attention to something else. My mother had sent me a letter…soaked in tears of her being alone, and missing me. I grumbled. Times like this I wish my father had bore my mother another child.

I managed to write to her without feeling as guilty as I usually did when talking to her. Ever since I received the Dark Mark, not that I've ever had any second thoughts, but I have felt guilty. My mother was a very strong woman, and even if she tolerated Lucius' lifestyle, didn't mean she liked it. When they had taken him away she protected me completely, turning away any of father's 'company' families away. She made me promise not to follow in the same path. Of course I agreed, but in the back of my mind I always knew what I was going to do. She was still clueless.

Glancing up at the clock I noted it was close to dinner, which explained the strange quietness of the, usually, busy house. Quickly dabbling an 'I Love You' and a 'Take care of yourself' the letter was sealed up and on it's way back to mother. My robe was hanging off the chair when I grabbed it, stuffing my arms through the sleeves as I rushed out heading towards the stairs that were quickly changing. A frustrated feminine voice came from one of the passageways off the eastern wall.

"Ugggh! Dammit!" she cursed