Arie- My fantabulous beta-er again, whom without I would be posting a chapter full of grammar errors… well, not grammar per say… but comma usage rambles
Jo- My crazy Muse… to busy writing bad poetry grins
And Jenny- Whom has given me more ideas than she will ever know, and will probably continue to. huggles
Chapter two"We're in the same house!" was the first thing Victoria said as Sydney sat down at her new table amidst cheers, pats on the back, and welcomes to the "best house at Hogwarts."
She grinned like a Cheshire cat and laughed, "I knew I'd go to Slytherin… Just not for the reasons you think," she added to herself.
"Oh! Who's that Syd?" Victoria asked giddily.
"Who's who?"
"The cute blonde staring at you."
"I have no idea actually."
"How could you not know?!" she asked, surprise in her voice.
"Like I said, I don't know…" Sydney didn't feel like explaining this to a girl whom she'd just met… it would take more than a boat ride and a saved seat to earn her trust, and more than that to earn her friendship. Friends were normally bad news, at least to Sydney they were. And she wasn't planning on hanging around this blasted place long enough to gain any. She was high-tailing it out of here as soon as she could. She was a seventh year anyway.
A voice broke through her thoughts, "Welcome to yet another year at Hogwarts!" The man with the long white beard beamed at the students. "Before we tuck into the fine feast awaiting us, I have a few announcements. As always, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students," his eyes glimmered as he met the eyes of a group of students at another table.
"Mr. Filch would also like me to remind you that the list of banned objects now include most, if not all, of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products; the list is posted on his door for any student wishing to check all 1,437 banned items. Now, for the feast!"
Sydney gasped as the golden plates in front of her filled with food. So much food at one time! Roast beef, potatoes in three different ways, pies, tarts, pastries, and onion soup. Onion soup! It made her smile sadly. Her mother - the mere memory brought a tear to her eye as she quickly wiped it off her cheek before anyone noticed. Her mother's specialty was French onion soup. She would skip that for now.
After avoiding conversation with Victoria while she ate, the white bearded man - Dumbledore, someone near her had said with a sneer - stood up to speak. "Now, please follow your prefects of house to your house, good night and good luck, oddment and tweak!"
A cheer erupted as the man sat down.
"Slytherins this way, please," Sydney looked up to find it was her blonde leading them.
"You too DiAngelo, stay near now," he said to her with an impish grin that trailed up to his eyes and made them light up with some hidden fire. "It's far too easy to get turned around here, and it will take a while to find you," He told her as he led the group through the tunnels of the dungeon.
"Great," Sydney told the blonde. "Now I'm going to end up getting lost going to my first class!" she said with a laugh.
"No worries!" the blonde replied. "We're in the same year…. Actually, hey Pansy! Can you take them to the dorm? I'll be back within the hour." And before either Pansy or Sydney could respond, the blond took Sydney's hand and sprinted down the corridor. Sydney could do nothing but keep up with him.
"Where are we going?!" she cried breathlessly as they continued running even though they were probably on the other side of the castle by now.
Just as she was about to ask again, the blonde stopped, peeked behind a door, and pulled her into the room. She had expected a drafty classroom, but was surprised.
Upon hearing her gasp, the blonde laughed. "Like my little hide away, do you?" he asked with a smirk.
"Its beautiful…" she murmured, staring around at the room. It was lit entirely by candles and smelled slightly of cinnamon. There was a luscious looking velvet couch and what looked like a waterfall in the corner of the room. It was like no room she had ever seen before.
"What can I say? I like my own space… a place to get away from the idiots around me."
"I know what you mean. I used to have my own place where I went to be alone… to think… but my mum helped me make it, so after she passed on-" she faltered and could only hope the blonde didn't see her tears in the candlelight. "After she passed on, I refused to use it again. And then when the time came and I was able to handle being around the place again, my father decided that in all his infinite wisdom we were moving."
The blonde noted the hint of venom in her voice and decided to proceed cautiously. "Your dad made you move?" he asked quietly.
"Yes… or at least the man that calls himself my father, for I claim him no more. The bastard took everything in life from me and put me here in this godforsaken place!" She pounded her fist hard into the couch, though she probably would have rather put it into someone's face.
"What did he do to make you so angry at him?" the blonde asked.
"You know too much as it is. I don't even know who the hell you are, much less pour out my heart and life story for you just because you brought me here! Now, if you're planning on taking advantage of me, be warned, I don't have to have my wand to inflict damage," she said with a bite of ice while the fire blazed in her eyes.
The blonde simply smirked at her and laughed.
"I'm bloody well glad you find this all funny and grand! Because I sure as hell don't!"
"I'm Draco Malfoy," he replied with a smirk and offered his hand.
"Draco Malfoy? I'm Sydney... Sydney DiAngelo. Even though you already know that." She took his hand with a wary look.
"Well Sydney DiAngelo it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"And Draco Malfoy, not sure if it's a pleasure at all, but we shall see won't we?" she asked with an icy laugh that chilled him to the bone.
"You're an interesting one, you know that?" he asked, surveying her up and down.
Sydney merely crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "If I knew how to get back to the dorm, I'd get up and leave right now, but seeing as I don't feel like being lost on my first night here, I will simply ask you to lead me back."
Draco sighed, this wasn't going as planned, but he really had no choice, got up to take her back to the dorm, and on an impulse, leaned down to brush his lips with hers. She turned her head, and he brushed his lips against her cheek instead. "Turned her cheek to a Malfoy!" he thought bitterly. "Who does she think she is?!"
"If you're quite finished with your… antics, I'd appreciate you taking me back to the dorm. I have classes tomorrow, as do you, and I don't feel like being labeled my first day here. Although, thanks to you, I probably have been!"
"Labeled! As what?!"
"What else would you think?! A WHORE!"
Draco was speechless - a whore? Is that why she thought he had brought her here? Here to the place Pansy didn't even know about, even while they dated last year? This was his sanctuary; he had never once brought a girl here, not even for a good shag. That was what the Room of Requirement was for.
"I can assure you, missus, that my intentions were never dishonorable, and I'm sorry about the kiss. Now follow me, and I'll take you back to your dorm." He told her stiffly as he stood again and walked toward the door. "Your highness," he though to himself and had to smirk. Just wait, Sydney DiAngelo. Before this is over, you will be mine. Whether you like it or not…
