Chapter 7
Valentine
My eyes wouldn't open when I first woke up. It was like they were glued shut or something and when I reached my hand up to claw at my eyes, I realized they were. The salt from my earlier tears had stuck my eyelashes together. I rubbed at them until they opened and looked down curiously at my hand. My eyelashes were apparently black, despite the fact that my hair was now light blonde. How very bizarre. And cold. Why was it so cold? When I sat up, I realized two things: one, my blanket was thrown on the floor, and two, the body heating up my feet was gone. I picked up the blanket again and wrapped it around my shoulders, even throwing an edge up on top of my head to disguise myself. Judging by the noise outside the compartment, there were some already agitated people out there and I didn't want to remind them that I had probably body checked some of them a little while ago.
I slid my hand into the door handle and barely cracked it open, trying to be as quiet as I could. Through that minute sliver of light I could see some very blonde hair and Harry's enraged face. It looked like the two were having a shouting match and I couldn't believe anyone could make Harry so angry. I mean, I'd only known him a few hours, but he really seemed pretty amicable. Which led me to wonder what that blonde boy could've done.
"If you touched her, I'll hex you into a cell next to your father's, ferret!"
"Why the bloody hell would you care Potter? Fancy the newbie already, huh? That'll make the weaslette pretty mad, won't it? Ah but she's probably used to being second best by now."
"Don't talk about Ginny, Malfoy! Ten points from Slytherins!"
….Malfoy?
Oh god it couldn't be that Malfoy. It was impossible that the boy who had spit in my face and dragged me around the train station could be the same one who had carried me into a private compartment and tucked me in after I practically assaulted him! It couldn't! …Could it?
Hermione had said something earlier about being unsurprised that Malfoy hadn't changed. Maybe he had, but only around certain people? What had happened between those two boys fighting outside in the corridor? And why did I just feel a twinge of something, maybe unease, roll through me when Harry defended some girl named Ginny?
Argh! Too many questions, too many people! I knew I should've just stayed home. Without magic. Being constantly looked down on. No, leaving had been the right decision. Unfortunately, life as a witch in England had not amounted to as much as she had imagined. But still, it was better than that poor excuse for a life she had before.
'God! Look at me. Here I am with a brand new life and brand new powers in a brand new place, and what am I doing? I'm hiding. What was the point of running away if I'm just going to be the same timid little mouse I was before?'
And with that little scolding, I opened the door all the way.
Harry
'How dare Malfoy insult Ginny like that? I mean, I know the Weasleys aren't exactly well off, but to say Ginny was second best at everything? That was a downright lie! She was easily the most attractive girl in school. Not like Malfoy's little witch.'
"Ginny's a thousand times better than Pansy! Who in their right mind names a girl Pansy? Especially when she's as snot-nosed and un-ladylike as Parkinson!"
I watched as Draco's face went from its usual milk white to a red that actually rivaled Ron. Perhaps I had gone too far? No! HE started it, not me! HE insulted Ginny first, and you don't just stand by and take it when someone like Malfoy insults your woman! It just doesn't work that way.
"First off, Potter, Parkinson is NOT my wench! She's a nice little shag on the side. And she's a thousand times better than your blood-traitor Weasley! Second, what right do you have to insul-"
"Oi! Hawwy! Didjou fine 'er yeh?"
Thank God Ron came bursting through the doors when he did, because I'm pretty sure there would be blood over this one. And chances are it wouldn't look to well if the head boy was seen fighting before they even reached the school. And to make matters worse, it would've been a Gryffindor slytherin fight which means a billion fights would've broken out between the other house members. Sometimes, this whole house prejudice thing really sucked.
"Oh you've found her, then."
Thank god Ron had finally swallowed. He sounded like a normal human being again. And that's when I realized what he said. I whirled around and was face to face with the Veela girl. Oh, Valentine. Apparently that bath had really done her some good cause she looked amazing, like a little porcelain doll. She still did that shy little thing where she almost peeked up at you from under her eyelashes and she hid most of her face behind her hair, but even with most of her form hidden beneath baggy clothes and long silver hair, you could tell she was stunning. And when I looked over, I could tell Draco was having some very similar, albeit much less appropriate, thoughts about her as well.
"Come on Valentine, let's get you back to our compartment."
She looked over at Draco, a confused look taking hold in her eyes, before she accepted my outstretched hand and shook it. I quirked an eyebrow at that, but figured it was a French thing, and just held onto her hand while Ron and I walked her back to Hermione.
