Disclaimer: I do not own the plot, the world, the characters, or any other aspect of the series Harry Potter written by J.K. Rowling. I do copy exact words from "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and I admit I do not own the text.

This plotline was original but it falls in line with the plot line of the sixth book.


Chapter Seven

Sophia's Theory


Sophia was home for the rest of vacation and even though she saw Draco in the Great Hall for the goodbye breakfast she didn't get a chance to talk to him. She couldn't talk to him on the train because he was a prefect and was in the prefect cabin for the majority of the time. She laughed silently to herself as she remembered him being a prefect. She thought that was quite odd.

It was Christmas Day and Jon, Sophia's father, had the video camera in his hand taping Sophia as she sat on the living room floor and placed her glass of cold eggnog on the coffee table. Elaine, Sophia's mother, was smiling broadly and handed a gift from underneath the tree to Sophia.

"Dad, you really don't have to tape this," Sophia groaned.

"Yes I do! I have taped every Christmas ever since you were little! Now go on, open your gifts!" he replied goofily. Sophia rolled her eyes and smiled. Her Dad was so insane.

Sophia was an only child, which was something she had in common with Draco. No! Don't think about him, it's Christmas and your mind should be totally focused on the moment and on your family. Don't think about Draco again.

Of course, through the week, it was a failed attempt.

Once the unwrapping of gifts was over, Sophia, Jon, and Elaine went to visit the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins of the family. Most of Sophia's cousins were younger than her because her father and mother were both the eldest of their families. She sadly admitted to herself that she would rather be at Hogwarts with her friends rather than here with her baby cousins and the absence of magic.

Sophia was only half present at the time, because the other half of her was wandering off thinking about Draco.

The rest of the week passed by slowly for Sophia, and she couldn't send a letter to Draco for fear that he would think her desperate. (Also the fact that his parents would hound him for information on "this Sophia girl".) That was the first time Sophia had thought about Draco's parents and she mentioned this fact to Carolyn on the way back to school on the Hogwarts express.

"His parents…hm. I wonder what they're like. Do you think they're nice?" Sophia pondered.

"Um, Soph, incase you have forgotten, let me remind you that his father is in Azkaban for being a Death Eater!" Carolyn shouted in a whispery tone.

"WHAT?" Sophia shrieked. The others in the cabin all turned and scowled. She shrunk into her seat and repeated in a hushed shout, "What!?"

"Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater and he was brought to Azkaban at the end of our fifth year! Don't you remember? The newspapers and whatnot?"

"Oh man…I remember now…" Sophia had forgotten all about that. How could she forget? Poor Draco…that must be hard to deal with…

Something snapped in Sophia's mind.

"MERLIN'S CHEST HAIR!" Everyone in the cabin turned to glare at her again.

"Sorry…" she whispered.

"What?" Carolyn asked.

"Uh, nothing, I just remembered and now I'm disappointed. That's all," Sophia lied. Carolyn raised an eyebrow at Sophia but soon ignored Sophia's hasty lie.

Something had just clicked for Sophia. Draco and his "secret"! His problem that he had been crying about in the library! It all had to do with his Dad!

All the way back to the school Sophia had been thinking up different scenarios and problems that Draco might have revolving around Lucius. Maybe he was trying to get his Dad out of Azkaban, or maybe Draco wanted to talk to his Father but the ministry wouldn't let him! (Damn Ministry. She was so mad at this point, Sophia wished them all dead.)

Sophia couldn't wait to talk to him, and she also had received the ingredients from her Aunt. She had gotten them on Christmas Day because Aunt Alice figured it would have taken longer if she had sent them by owl and Sophia would already have come home by then. Sophia loved her Aunt Alice, because she was the closest person she could relate to about magic in her family. Aunt Alice had married her mother's brother, so they weren't related directly, but there was still a strong connection between them because of their abilities. Sometimes her parents just didn't understand because they…

"Draco!" Her thoughts were interrupted the moment she laid eyes on him in the Great Hall. Everyone was just arriving, so no one was really paying any attention, so she figured this was a good time. "Here! The ingredients you asked for," and Sophia handed him the parcel. He took out a handful of sickles and galleons and asked how much it all cost. Sophia pushed his hand away and replied, "Happy Christmas." She thought she saw him crack a smile, but he instantly said he had to go talk to Crabbe and Goyle about something important and left to go to his House's table. Draco left and sat down in between Crabbe and Goyle and started jeering at a second year from Hufflepuff. Sophia's eyes narrowed and a strong dislike for Draco swam through her veins. Maybe you could call it hate. But can you really love and hate someone simultaneously?

Sophia lay in her bed thinking through her theory over and over again. It made perfect sense, and it concerned his father who was in jail, and anyone would cry over that; even Draco Malfoy. That's what she assumed, and she was even more determined now to find out the truth and to help Draco in any way possible. Whatever his predicament was, Sophia would let him now that she would always be there to help him out. Her theory had to be true, and it was the only one she could come up with since she had seen him crying in the library.

Sophia muttered to herself, "I mean, come on. What else could Draco possibly cry about?"