Chapter 4 is finally up! Writing and job hunting simultaneously keep a girl busy :P

Even though Zara had spent many a summer and afternoons post-school at Salazar Institute and the Malfoy home, this Thursday morning felt as though she were going for the first time. It had barely been a month since her mother had past and the truth of the young girl's parentage came to light, and to be honest Zara was a bit annoyed that she hadn't figured it out sooner. Let's be real, here; a black with ice grey eyes and a very striking and very natural blonde highlight aren't exactly common. Not to mention said features matched those of "Mr. Malfoy" and Draco a little to personally. Thinking about Draco gave her pause and almost caused her to miss a step walking to the front door of the large house; what did he think about all of this? Sure, they were close and sibling-like, but now they were actually siblings…due to his father's infidelity no less. Zara looked back to where she parked her modest car, seriously contemplating getting back in the car, getting a job somewhere, and finding a small apartment far away from SIPA and the Malfoys. Her fist betrayed her and knocked on the door, which was opened rather immediately to show Lucius's wife, Narcissa, looking as posh as ever in her black and pink skirt set. For a moment, Zara felt rather small and downy in her plain t-shirt, high waisted skinny jeans, and worn-down converse. Narcissa looked down her nose at the biracial girl and walked back into the home, leaving the door open. Zara took that as an invitation to enter, leaving the feeling of smallness at the doorstep. Narcissa was never one to hide her dislike for Zara, and today was no different.

"Lucius! The girl's here!" Zara rolled her eyes at the obvious disgust in the older woman's voice coming from the kitchen. 'The girl'…it's as if she didn't have a name; in fact, it was as if Zara purposely decided to be born and-

"Zara, you're here."

Zara's train of thought halted hearing the voice of Mr. Malfoy. He looked exactly the same as he always did- pressed black trousers, pressed dress shirt, his hair pulled into a low ponytail-and yet, he looked different. I supposed that's what happens when the man you saw as a mentor turned into your father in a single breath.

"It would appear so Mr. Mal- Lucius."

Lucius shifted his stance slightly. "Yes, I supposed Mr. Malfoy wouldn't be appropriate anymore, now would it? You know, given the circumstance, 'Father' or 'Dad'…"

"No, I think I'll stick with Lucius," Zara cut him off, crossing her arms.

Lucius nodded slowly, lips pursed. "Touché. Well, darling, whenever you're ready, Draco or I can show you to your room and you can begin moving you things in. We'll look through what you have, and we may have to take a quick shopping trip for some semi-formal and formal attire, but we can iron out those details later."

Lucius wasn't sure if Zara heard him because for a few moments she didn't move; eventually she turned on her heel towards to stairs. She ran into Draco the moment she hit the top step. He stepped back slightly allowing her to take the last step to the second floor, and the two stood awkwardly figuring out who should say what first. Draco eventually decided to break the silence.

"Sorry about your mum. Ms. Taylor…well, you know she was more a mother to me than my own."

Zara nodded mutely, not quite sure how to respond with words. There was more awkward shuffling and purposeful lack of eye contact before Draco decided to speak again.

"Your room's down the hall to the right. If you need help with your stuff, let me know…I should…I should be around."

Zara nodded and mumbled a soft but kind "thanks", and walked swiftly in the direction Draco pointed out to her. It seemed that Lucius took it upon himself to furnish the room with a queen bed set and dresser, and had attempted to do some decorating with the navy blue bedding and pillows. He even placed an oversized teddy bear with a green and silver bowtie in the center of the bed; the man really did try and Zara had to give him some credit. Zara went back downstairs to try to find Draco to help her unload her car, but he was nowhere to be found. She wandered around the house for a while, noticing the door of the study closed as an attempt to muffle Lucius and Narcissa's heated argument (note: it was failing miserably and Zara may or may not have heard Narcissa's complaint about "that mulatto brat in my house"), before heading outside figuring Draco might have stepped outside to get away from the arguing. She checked the pool and the three-car garage before coming to the conclusion that Draco had left the house completely, and Zara purposefully ignored the tight feeling in her chest and the tears that pricked the back of her eyes. Swallowing her mirage of feelings that were starting to build, Zara went back to her car and began unpacking the suitcases and other miscellaneous items in her backseat and trunk. This was the only thing her mother asked of her daughter, and dammit Zara was going to honor her mother's wish.

Zara hugged the old and large teddy bear close to her chest, as she lay awake in the early hours of the morning. She hadn't realized she was crying until she tasted the salt on her lips. It was still unbelievable to her that her mother was gone, and she didn't quite have anyone to talk with in the house because, well, it was a touchy subject and many levels. Zara took a deep breath and rolled over, chuckling slightly at Princeton sprawled out across his doggy bed in the corner completely oblivious to his human or the world around him. She drifted back to sleep a few moments later, wondering how the pup could've possibly ended up like that.

Two weeks in, and Hermione seemed to get the hang of her new surroundings. She had gotten a few of her decorative items from her place at Godric and after some online shopping her room was now very cozy and just to her liking. It was still very evident that Hermione wasn't quite the typical SIPA student; she had reduced the amount of Godric apparel she wore on a regular basis (but she still refused to purchase anything SIPA), but her casual, relaxed style and big curly hair seemed to clash with the preppy and posh atmosphere of SIPA. It wasn't bad, just different. She ran into Draco every so often around campus; they even shared an elective together- The Basics of Musical Theatre. He was always with the same three people- Hermione eventually found out their names were Theo, Blaise, and Pansy- and Pansy still gave her a stink eye whenever Hermione and Draco spoke. If Hermione knew Draco a little better, she'd ask if he and Pansy had a thing. Hermione had also taken the initiative to introduce herself to Dr. Snape, and to say it was an interesting meeting would be an understatement. Dr. Snape was a rather dry man and it felt like he was in a perpetual state of judging whoever crossed his path; Hermione wasn't quite sure about the man, but she figured she'd need to maintain some type of professional relationship with him during the year.

It was a Friday afternoon in September, and Hermione was at the student café getting her usual chai latte before heading to work. She was getting ready to pay when a pale hand holding a credit card reached over her shoulder. Before she could react and get irritated at the rude and impatient customer behind her, the low, familiar voice put her at ease.

"Put her purchase on my card, please. And add a small black tea to that order, if you could," Draco said to the barista, sliding next to Hermione with a smile. Hermione rolled her eyes with a breathy laugh and readjusted the sunglasses atop her head.

"Well, aren't you charming, Mr. Malfoy?" she said, stepping to the side to wait for her drink.

"Mr. Malfoy is my father," he responded cheekily, "where are you always off to on a Friday evening?"

"Are you stalking me now?" Hermione asked with a smirk and quirked eyebrow, grabbing her and Draco's drinks from the window. "I don't suppose your girlfriend would appreciate that." She handed him his tea and pulled her sunglasses down as she walked outside.

Draco's long legs allowed him to easily beat her to the door, and he held it open for her. "Stalking? Never. Just observant. And Pansy is not my girlfriend."

"Really? Shocker; poor girl doesn't seem to be aware of that."

Draco chuckled slightly, taking a cautionary sip of the hot drink. "Yea…it's been like that for years. It's harmless; she's fine once you get to know her."

"Hmm, I think I'll pass. Besides," Hermione pulled her car keys from her back pocket and pressed the button to unlock the small two-seater (she finally was able to get a parking permit), "I think she already has it in her mind that I'm out to steal you away from her."

"She thinks that about every woman," Draco remarked, holding the car door open as Hermione slid into the front seat and started the car, "And, you never answered my question. Where are you always off to on Fridays?"

"Work, since you're so curious. I'm a bartender…and I'm going to be late if you don't close my door." She reached and tried to pull the door close, but Draco wouldn't budge.

"Last question, I promise…I promise!...What are you doing tomorrow night?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked over the rim of her sunglasses at the blond calmly sipping his tea waiting for a response. After realizing he wasn't going to let her close the door until she answered, Hermione sighed loudly and turned her car off; gas was too expensive to waste.

"Probably homework, and working on my portfolio in a practice room."

Hermione didn't like the mischievous smile that appeared on Draco Malfoy's handsome face; she didn't like it one bit. She was about to voice her distrust, when someone happened to walk up and do it for her.

"Oh God, that's still a thing?" Zara said, leaning against the car. She had been looking for Draco to confirm the supposed dinner with his parents that night, and happened to walk into the tail end of his and Hermione's conversation.

"Of course it is, why wouldn't it be?" Draco replied.

"Because it's stupid?"

"Hi, hello…still have to get to work, and still very confused on what you're going on about," Hermione said in between the two Malfoys.

"Sadly, Godric," Zara said, having decided she liked the nickname for the Granger girl, "'tis a SIPA tradition and, though I think it's a ridiculous tradition, I won't be the one to break it today."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Aren't you kind?" he said dryly, "Well, I suppose we should let Hermione get on to work. You and I have a dinner to get ready for, don't we, sis?"

Hermione laughed as she restarted her car having caught a look at Zara narrowing her eyes at her brother. "Yea, well you two enjoy dinner," she said shutting the door and rolling down the window, "I'll see you tomorrow apparently." With that, Hermione pulled out of her space and headed to work leaving the two Malfoys standing facing each other for a moment. Zara ran a hand through her hair and turned away from him slightly while Draco finished off the last of his tea.

"Do you know what this dinner is about?" Zara asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Families can't go out to dinner just because?" Draco asked, walking past the girl only to stop a few steps later upon hearing her hearty laughter. She all but gently patted his shoulder, dramatically wiping fake tears from her lined eyes.

"You forget the family you're in, dear. They can't do 'just because'."

What do we think? We have more Dramione interactions, school year's starting up, things are starting to happen...keep the reviews coming with your thoughts and reactions! Until next chapter...xoxo, Nova Porter