A/N: So, after a few PMs, I decided to type this up and update. Thanks for everyone that pestered me! This one was all me again.
Thanks to TheFremioneGirl, Nitrogirl, AnimationNut, Muentiger, AnAddictedReader, Dark Lord Viper and serpentine097 for reviewing.
This is for serpentine097, who has reviewed with the greatest compliment, thank you! I do hope you review again. I bow down, sir, and I aim to please.
Chapter 9: The Diagonal Alley
The Weasleys (and co.) stared at Draco.
"What's so funny?" Ginny asked. Draco stopped laughing in an instant.
"You have no idea how weird that girl is." He said, clearing his throat awkwardly.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, eyeing Draco carefully.
"Zia is just incredibly odd. She thrives on secrecy and has a violent side." He smirked. "But she's also incredibly naïve…."
"Oh, gosh, Zia, since when are you so vulgar?" Eugene asked, his tone disgusted.
"Oh, I learnt from you, of course." She smiled sweetly at her cousin as they reached the bottom of the stairs. She looked away briefly to the crowd of people in the house before looking at Eugene again, only to nearly lose her balance as she looked at the crowd of people.
"Uh… Morning, everyone." She laughed nervously. Harry appeared behind her.
"Hey, all. So… um, this is Zia." He put a careful hand on the small of her back. "Zia this is… everyone. You know Ma… Draco, and that's Ron," he pointed to said red-head, who extended a hand to Zia.
"Morning, Ron." Zia smiled.
"Hey, Zia. Would you be insulted if I asked how old you were?" He asked, surprising Zia with his easy acceptance.
"No, I'm seventeen. Eighteen next month." She smiled.
"And that's Hermione." Harry went on, pointing to the woman at Ron's side. She smiled a kind smile, and Zia thought that she must've just gotten up, because her hair was wild, at attention. Zia shook her hand gladly, hoping she'd make friends with these people.
"And you know Mrs Weasley." Harry's tone had lightened.
"Yes, I do!" She said excitedly. She rushed to the Weasley mother and hugged her tightly. "Thank you so, so much, ma'am, for fixing me up and… and everything!"
"My… you're welcome, dearie, I take it you're feeling better?" Mrs Weasley asked, smiling fondly .
"Yes… thank you!"
From across the table Eugene stared. He'd never seen Zia so excited.
"Who is that?" He asked Harry.
"What do you mean?" Harry frowned.
"That. Zia Stine is no longer to be found. I've never seen her willingly get to know others." Eugene chuckled as Zia moved to Ginny. Ginny looked taken aback by Zia's approaches.
"I'm sorry we took over your room." Zia said after greeting Ginny.
"Not a problem at all, you were hurt… what happened?" Ginny asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. I remember a mask and the next Harry's looking at me." She shrugged. "But where did you sleep? Did you sleep okay?"
"Zia, I slept fine, I haven't slept in my room in a year." Ginny tried to calm her. Zia seemed giddy, her eyes kept flitting over the curious horde. "So, you're dating Harry?"
Zia's eyes flashed back to Ginny.
"What? Harry? Oh, yes." She shook her head. "Who are these people?" She whispered.
"These are Harry's friends and classmates from Hogwarts."
Ernie had shared tales of Hogwarts with her. She'd always been interested in the school. Ernie was probably still asleep.
"Oh… and you are?"
"I just told you my name." Ginny said uncertainly, wondering if she was quite all right.
"Yes, I know, but I was talking about how you know Harry." Zia explained quickly.
"His best friend is my brother."
"You're Draco's brother?" Zia asked, not making the connection. Ginny spluttered.
"Harry and Malfoy are best friends?" She asked, glancing at Draco, who had joined in on Harry and Eugene's discussion.
"I'm guessing you're not? I didn't see it, so I don't feel as stupid. Is Ron your brother, then?" Zia asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes, he and Harry were best friends at school." Ginny answered, eyeing Harry. Something had changed if his once enemy was now his best friend. And where did it leave Ron? Outside and alone? Well, he did have Hermione…
"Oh…" Was all Zia could say.
"And I had a brief relationship with Harry when he was sixteen." She went on. "You really are lucky to have him, you know."
Zia beamed. "I know." Her glance travelled across the room, meeting Harry's. He winked at her, a cocky smile on his lips. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully.
Eugene caught this, and continued to stare. Who was this girl, or was this what freedom did?
"Hello, I'm Dean." A dark-skinned man neared the two women. "Dean Thomas."
"Zia Stine, though I think you knew that." She reached out a small hand and smiled. "You must be Ginny's boyfriend, then?"
"How'd you…" He started.
"Oh, I pick up on these things." Zia grinned, "Same with those two, though I don't think they want to make it official yet." Zia looked pointedly at Seamus and Parvati. "Same with Ron and Hermione." Zia had picked up on small smiles, tiny gestures the couples shared. It wasn't obvious and she only picked up on it because she had no experience at all.
"Really?" Dean was dumbstruck. Not about Hermione and Ron, everyone had known about that, but Seamus and Parvati, though, was a surprise.
"See? I told you!" Ginny said, pleased with herself.
"Rub it in, love, you'll get nowhere." Dean smirked. The pair turned back to Zia, but she was gone.
"Where'd she go?"
Zia crept up on Harry, grabbing his hand, making him jump.
"Come on, you promised!" She pouted. Eugene laughed, rather enjoying this side of her.
"Going to the wizard street?" He guessed. Harry nodded, joining in on the laughter.
"Yes, well, she's definitely excited." Draco commented. "Wait, you're not leaving me, are you?"
"Not alone, no." Harry answered. "Eugene's here too. You can keep each other company."
The bodyguard and assassin looked at one another. They were sizing each other up, wondering how it would be to spend the day with the other. The idea sort of terrified Eugene. Draco was, after all, one of the best assassins out there, but without Harry's teamwork, he was nothing.
Draco was equally terrified. He didn't know this man, but he was strong, even for non-magic folk. Worse, he was protective. Of Zia, yes, but he'd made it clear if either of them put a toe out of line they would be done for. Then again, without Zia there, he had no reason to be protective.
"Fine." They grumbled in unison.
"Come on, Harry!" Zia pulled his arm excitedly. "We should go!"
"Wait, not like that!" Eugene barked, gripping her shoulders and looking her up and down. "What are you wearing?"
"Harry's clothes. Mine was covered in blood, remember?" She said nonchalantly.
"Thank you, by the way, Draco." Harry said off-sidedly. Draco nodded, knowing he was referring to the clothes.
"Bring me back something sweet." He winked at Harry. Zia slapped him over the head.
"He's mine!" She said, pulling him out the door.
"Yes, Zia, he's yours!" Draco agreed. "And don't lose him!"
"And look after her, Harry!" Eugene called. The pair turned to face the room of spectators. All of them were staring. Mostly at Draco, the junior Death Eater once upon a time.
"I like her." Hermione said in an attempt to break the tension.
"Me too, though she's awfully giddy." Ginny added.
"Not normally, my cousin is a mess most days. But today's a good day, she won't attack anyone." Eugene smiled. "Though I warn you, don't anger her if you value your life. Just ask Draco."
Draco knew this was time to lie, and to break the tension he had to tell an anecdote. He was never good at that.
"Yes, I'll never forget the day she threw a cat at me." He started. "We were at her and Eugene's place for dinner. She'd gone through all the trouble of making Harry's favourite, and I made the mistake of asking what the food was, I was having a difficult time identifying it. She screamed and threw the cat at me."
"And he gave the poor cat a heart attack." Eugene went on. "It died a week later."
"It was not me!" Draco protested. "I…"
"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Ron interjected. "Why are you with Harry?"
Draco sighed. Now or never. "When Harry hid, so did I. I think we all know of the burden my family name is."
"You never seemed to mind." Hermione piped up.
"I know, and I'm sorry for what I'd done to you all during school, I won't even try to justify it, but I am sorry."
"He wasn't really all that bad guys." Luna said, appearing behind Draco.
"Hey, Luna. Haven't seen in you in years." He joked, hugging her briefly, much to the surprise of everyone.
"He did sneak food to me when they had me captive. And he kept me company, so I don't think Draco is all that bad." She went on.
"Thanks, Luna."
The first time Draco helped Luna was a day after they brought her into the manor. Narcissa had just confirmed that Luna Lovegood was in the cellar. As brainwashed as Draco had been, he didn't like the idea. Nor did his mother, though she never showed it. It would cost her her life. Draco had been in his room, and after having received the news he called on of the few remaining house elves they'd had. The elf took him down, showing him the blonde girl that was lying in a corner. He ordered the elf to get the needed potions before kneeling down next to her.
"Lovegood?"
She rolled around. Paler than she normally was, her one eye swollen and yellow pus oozed from it.
"Draco?" She'd never bothered with last names.
He'd nursed the potions into her, feeding her if necessary. A week later she was much better.
"Why'd you help me?" Luna asked.
"Because you don't deserve this." He'd answered.
"None of us do." She pointed out.
"Which is why I'm not allowing any of you to starve down here." He said in finality. Luna accepted it with a satisfied nod.
As time wore on, they got used to each other's company. That was until Harry broke Luna and the others out.
Draco nearly smiled at the memory. Too much had happened to pick up what they had, if they even had anything.
"Everyone deserves a second chance." Draco said softly. "And if not for me, do it for Harry."
Ron smiled. Draco played the 'do it for Harry' card. No way he was going to stand back.
"Sure, Malfoy. But you don't have to ask what'll happen if you double cross him." Ron accepted Draco's stretched out hand.
"Always the Gryffindor, eh, Weasley?" Draco drawled. "But yes, and you have no idea what'll happen to you if you try to teach me a lesson."
"Still meddling with the Dark Arts?"
"No, they seem sort of… meek, now." Draco teased.
"Draco, shut the hell up." Eugene snarled.
. . .
Harry and Zia arrived in Diagon Alley with a loud pop. Zia doubled up, her insides similar to the Atlantic ocean midst a storm.
"What the heck was that?" She demanded, clutching her stomach.
"Apparition, we did it yesterday too. After you, uh, you know, passed out." He shifted his balance from one foot to the other.
"Couldn't you hit me over the head with that stick of yours and make me sleep?" She asked, pointing to his wand.
"I could, but I won't. I haven't done magic in ages." He shrugged. "Besides Apparating, that is."
"Why did you stop doing magic?"
"Didn't I already tell you?" He asked as they stepped onto the busy street.
"No. Or you did, I can't remember. Tell me anyways." She hooked her hand through his arm.
"It's a long story. How about I tell you afterwards?" He suggested.
"All right.. but you're not getting out of it."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
He led her to Ollivander's. The little bell rang eerily, and the old man stepped out of the dusty darkness. Harry was quite surprised that he still made wands, seeing as he nearly lost his life over it.
"Mr Potter, how wonderful to see you." The old wandmaker wheezed. "And you, dear lady… Miss Stine, if I'm not mistaken."
Zia stared. "How'd you know my name?"
"Your mother was legendary, dear girl. Now, let's see…" Mr Ollivander started to run his hands over several boxes, stopping at one. "Hmm… try this." He took the wand out and placed it in her hand. She threw it across the room quickly, as if it had bitten her. Harry laughed, he'd smashed a vase, but she was playing netball. Mr Ollivander laughed too.
''Try this one.'' He handed her another, but soon snatched it back. It went on for an hour. Then he did the same thing he'd done with Harry.
''I wonder...'' He picked up a ratty box. Taking the wand out gently, he handed it to her. Zia knew it was it. This was the wand. Her wand.
''Miss Stine... What are you going to do?'' Ollivander asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Zia's brow scrunched up. ''I'm getting justice.'' She declared. ''For all those my father murdered.''
Harry shifted umcomfortably. He was one of the murderers she so openly despised.
''You wand warns of power, but speaks of greatness. I advise caution.'' Ollivander had never lost the eerie factor. ''Fir, 13 inches, nice and springy, good for defensive spells... Thestral core.''
''Wasn't the Elder Wand the only wand with this core?'' She asked, suprising Harry. He hadn't known she knew that. Then again, Ernie had been her tutor. Maybe he'd simply forgotten (or purposely left it out) to tell her about the great wizard war. If he had, she'd have known who Harry Potter was.
''It was, Miss Stine, that wand is one of the first I made. I'm quite proud I'd achieved it.'' The old man sounded smug.
''Sir, you, mentioned my mother.'' She set the wand down. ''Can you tell me about her?''
Ollivander paled. ''We don't talk about her. She disgraces the name of wizards and witches everywhere.''
''Please?''
He sighed. ''You'll regret it.''
"I don't care, I want to know." She remained steadfast.
"Your mother is someone who tortured many. Mr Potter too." Ollivander pointed to Harry. More specifically, to Harry's hand.
For the first time in years, the words I must not tell lies tingled on the back of Harry's hand.
A/N: Please review! And yes, I am evil for leaving you with a cliffe. Though it's not much of a cliffe, seeing as my last line gave one very large hint as to who Zia's mother is. Any guesses? Tell me in a review!