Draco Malfoy had suffered the company of his "friends" through most of the journey to Hogwarts. Crabbe and Goyle both sat across from him, going on and on about their summer holidays. They had done nothing, really. Worked on their muscles, and talked about which girls they planned on shagging when school started again.
Pansy Parkinson had sat next to him, holding his hand, and smiling flirtatiously at him, as if they had just begun dating. Draco allowed her to cling to him, as he didn't wish to argue that she was nothing more to him than a means to relieve his tensions. He just couldn't spare the energy it would take to argue against the girl.
Theodore Nott sat on Pansy's other side, and was strangely quiet throughout the trip. Nott usually was the most vocal about what he wanted to accomplish in the coming year. Draco didn't really pay it any mind, however, as his own head was filled with plans.
He had two jobs to do. One was to repair the Vanishing Cabinet he knew to be resting in the Room of Lost Items, as his master had called it. The second was to kill the supposed Greatest Wizard to ever lived, Albus Dumbledore.
It was that task that was giving him such a headache. For every idea he thought of, he managed to find a way that Dumbledore might prevent it from working. He'd read everything in the Malfoy Family Library, and now had a very extensive knowledge of poisons and curses. He had several back up plans that would use that knowledge, but he was hoping for a bit of inspiration. Something grand. Something that would show the whole world just how powerful and cunning he was.
Just when it started to get dark, Draco found an excuse to break away from these sycophants and went to the bathroom to change into his robes. Two things kept repeating themselves in his mind's eye. The first was the very dire warning he had received from his Master about failing. He had watched the Dark Lord torture some Muggle that his followers had brought before him. The Muggle had writhed and screamed under the Cruciatus curse, until it began ripping flesh from its face. The act of self decimation had excited the Dark Lord, and he had intensified the curse.
When it was all over, the Muggle had died from blood loss. It had eventually ripped its own eyes out, and chewed off its own tongue. It had been…horrible didn't even begin to describe it. Yet, Draco had not felt the warning or the show had been necessary at all. He would succeed, if only to claim the rewards he'd been promised.
He'd seen Daphne Greengrass speaking with her family on the train platform. She looked even better than she had the previous year, and it had stirred him. Many nights over the summer he'd relieved himself thinking of what he would do to the Pureblood Princess once he had delivered Potter to his Lord. She was to be his, and would become the perfect example of Pure Blood matrimony. Even as he thought of her writhing under him in ecstasy, he felt his manhood react.
He thought for a moment of retrieving Pansy to help him, but decided against it almost at once. He'd made a vow to not succumb to the temptation of the flesh unless it was Daphne Greengrass herself, and besides, Pansy was, so far as he was concerned, quite used up. There was nothing more he could experience with her.
Locking the door, he decided to deal with his problem. Flashes of Daphne's dark, smoldering eyes staring up at him while she worshiped him on her knees helped to fuel his need. He shut his eyes tightly, and imagined Daphne giving herself to him. Lying on a bed of green silk, her back arched and her legs open to him. He longed to hear her moans of pleasure as he entered her, to feel the warmth of her velvety womanhood surrounding him, squeezing him.
"Make love to me, Draco. Make me yours." She would say. She would run her long nails down the flesh of his back as he filled her. She would wrap her legs around him, and urge him to go faster, harder. To make her scream with delight.
He felt his pleasure mounting as he imagined the different positions he would take her. The many ways in which he knew he would explore her, and with one final image of Daphne bucking her hips against him while he drove into her from behind, Draco felt himself reach his climax.
Panting, and feeling quite good after his private session, Draco clutched the sink. He looked in the mirror and smiled to himself. All he saw would be his, it was fate. All he had to do was kill that old fool, Dumbledore. Everything else would fall into place after that.
Quickly, he cleaned himself, and adjusted his new robes to make himself presentable. He gave himself one final look of pride as he turned to leave when the second image that had been haunting him flashed in his mind. His mother. Staring at him as he boarded the train. He'd seen her giving him the same look all summer, ever since he'd taken the mark. But that morning, she looked as if she thought she would never again see him. As if he were boarding a train that led to his death.
For most of the summer, he'd believed her look to be nothing less than disappointment, but that morning, as he gave one final wave, he understood that he had been partially correct. He had thought that she believed he would fail, but not because he was weak. She thought he would fail because he was given such an impossible task, and he would die at the Dark Lord's hand.
Draco tried to shake the sudden rush of fear that washed over him. He knew that he was the only thing his mother cared about. His parents had decidedly different ideas on how to raise him. While his mother had been caring and nurturing, his father had been a strict taskmaster, and had always kept his son at a distance. The only times his father had ever done anything for his son had been because it served him in some way. But his mother had always been there, with support and understanding. Draco now felt suddenly guilty in how he had always treated her. Much like his father, he had been aloof, and abhorrent of her affections.
Yet, she had never stopped being there for him. His mother had never lost faith in her son, and had done all she could to try and dissuade him from his vengeance for the insults he had suffered during the previous year. And then, after he had defied her wishes and taken the Mark, she had barely spoken to him during the rest of the summer, though she was always there, worrying for his safety.
She was wrong to worry. He was not going to fail. He was not going to die. He would be rewarded above all others, and he would get what was rightfully his.
Draco unlocked the bathroom door and stepped into the corridor, just as Harry Potter was coming his way. Potter stopped, and Draco had looked the "Chosen One" in the eye, sizing him up. Potter stared right back.
It was hard at first not to throw insults, or even hex, his rival, but he fought down the urge. The time would come, and Potter would know once and for all who the superior wizard was. After Draco had stripped Potter of everything he held dear, Potter would know. And then, the Dark Lord would end his life.
Draco gave a little smirk, and then made his way past the Golden Boy, pushing him with his shoulder as he passed. He didn't even spare a glance as he made his way back to his friends. When the train finally stopped and he and the rest of his Slytherin circle, all Draco could think was how great the year promised to be.
Daphne sat alone at the Slytherin table, as her best friend had yet to appear. Daphne was actually starting to worry about Tracey as the Great Hall began filling with students. She saw Draco Malfoy followed by his loyal cronies pass her, with little more than a quick glance at her. He wasn't strutting or posturing as he usually did, but he strode with purpose, and pride.
She remembered Harry and Neville mention encountering the so-called Slytherin Prince on the train and how he hadn't tried to insult them, or hex them. In fact, he'd acted as if Harry wasn't worth his time. It was so out of character for a boy who'd taken every opportunity to impress upon people he felt were beneath him how superior he felt he was.
"Odd." She thought.
Even more strange to her was the strange way the Slytherin table was filling up. Never before had she seen her house mates shooting such looks at one another. People whom she believed to be close friends the year before were now sitting on opposite sides of the table, not speaking, and looking ready to start dueling. Had something happened to divide the one House of Hogwarts that had essentially always been unified?
"Hi, Daphne."
Daphne looked up and gave a half hearted wave, and then did a double take.
"Millie?"
Millicent Bulstrode was now sitting down across from her dorm mate, and Daphne was in shock. Millie was easily one of the bigger girls in the entirety of the school. She was always taller and broader than any of the others, and had a reputation for being somewhat of a brute. However, Daphne knew that she was a very gentle person, and quite good natured. They had become friends in the previous year, and helped her break away from the poor influence of Pansy Parkinson.
Millicent looked very different from the previous year. She had lost quite a bit of weight, as well as having had her hair done, and makeup on her face. While she would never be a model, she was quite pretty now. Daphne was speechless looking at her dorm mate.
"Wow, look at you." Daphne smiled. Millie smiled gratefully.
"Thank you. I've never felt better in my life. It's really amazing what a diet and a bit of exercise will do for you."
"Why the change?" Daphne asked curiously.
"Well, after everything we went through last year, with the DA and all, and how I actually made some real friends, I was feeling pretty good about myself, except for how I looked. When I got home, I asked my mum to help me figure out a diet and stuff. She's a medi-witch, you know, and she and my Aunt helped me keep with it all summer. While we were in Bulgaria visiting family, I got a makeover with my cousin, and now…" She waved her hands in front of herself, showing off the results.
"Well, I'm truly happy for you. I'm completely gob smacked by how good you look."
"Thanks. You look good, too. It looks like you got a lot of sun and stuff." Millie complimented.
"Yeah. I was at the beach most of the summer." Daphne admitted, looking at the doors.
"Where's Tracey?" Millie asked, following Daphne's gaze.
Daphne shrugged. "She kind of had a big crush on Blaise Zabini all summer, and when she saw him on the train, she acted on it. I haven't seen her since."
"I haven't seen Blaise, either." Millie said. "I guess that explains it."
"There she is." Daphne smiled, spotting her best friend coming towards them and taking a seat next to Daphne. Her silky blonde hair looked quite dishelmed, and she didn't meet Daphne's eyes as she took her seat and tried to smooth her hair down.
Daphne also noticed that she didn't look happy at all. In fact, she looked upset.
"Are you ok?" Daphne asked, but Tracey simply nodded and remained silent. Daphne realized that whatever it was, Tracey was not about to start talking about it in the Great Hall. Blaise walked past at that moment, and Tracey's eyes darkened ever so slightly. Daphne didn't miss the look, and knew that things must not have gone as well as Tracey had hoped.
Millicent didn't remark on the sudden awkwardness, and the three girls sat in silence until the first years were escorted in and the Sorting Ceremony began.
During the ceremony, Daphne noticed that Tracey didn't applauded for any of the new Slytherins. She also noticed that other Slytherins withheld their applause as certain first years were sorted into their house.
When the Sorting had finished, and the golden plates filled with food, Daphne and Millicent both began to fill their dishes, while Tracey only took a small roll, and began slowly picking it apart, nibbling on the pieces. Daphne sighed heavily as she saw how hard Tracey was trying to keep herself together.
"Do you want to go to the Common Room?" She whispered, but Tracey shook her head.
"Later." Tracey whispered. Daphne nodded, and went back to her meal, feeling her concern swelling.
"So, where were you all summer?" Millicent asked, trying to find something to talk about.
"We were on this little island. It was so nice." Daphne said, turning back to the tall girl.
"Did you see Harry?"
"Almost all summer." Daphne smiled. "He tried to dump me at Ron's funeral, but I went to see him and made him realize his mistake."
"Why the hell would he try and dump you?" Millicent asked in shock. "You two always looked so happy."
"We are." Daphne confirmed. "He was feeling really guilty about what happened."
"What did happen?" Millicent asked, leaning forward and lowering her voice.
"I…I'm not allowed to talk about it." Daphne said, looking up and down the table. "None of us are."
"I won't be the only one to ask." Mille said. "There have been rumors all summer. You know the papers are calling him the Chosen One? They're convinced he's going to be the one to finish You-Know-Who. Last year, they were saying he'd gone round the twist."
"More proof that you can't put any stock in anything they report." Daphne sighed.
"He looks a lot better than I remember ever seeing him look at the start of the year. He always looked half starved or something." Millicent remarked looking over her shoulder and across the Great Hall.
"We did a lot of working out." Daphne said, and Millicent turned and gave a lecherous grin.
"Exactly what kind of exercise?" Millie asked, arching her eyebrow.
Tracey snorted into her juice, and Daphne felt herself blushing.
"Have you been talking with my sister?" Daphne hissed, again looking to see if anyone else was listening to their conversation. Her face was quickly starting to glow red, while Tracey was wiping juice off her face with a napkin.
"No, why?" Millie asked, looking down the table, to see Astoria Greengrass talking animatedly with her friends.
"Because she kept hounding me for details on my sex life. Like I'd ever tell her anything that happens between me and Harry." Daphne hissed angrily.
"Not that anything did, right?" Tracey commented softly, not looking up.
"Wait, you're saying you were with him all summer, and NOTHING happened?" Millie looked truly surprised.
"Yes. Nothing happened. Not that we didn't want to do anything, but we just couldn't." Daphne admitted, feeling even more humiliated.
Millie looked to Tracey, who nodded to confirm Daphne's statement.
"Oh, you poor, deprived, frustrated girl." Millie looked sadly. "I thought for sure you and Harry would be shagging all summer. God, I even managed to get a bit of action while I was in Bulgaria. "
"Ohhhhhh." Daphne sighed, shoving her plate away, and dropping her head to the table. The last thing she wanted to hear was that Millicent Bulstrode, who could have been related to gorillas, if you believed the awful things people said behind her back, had managed to become intimate with a boy she barely knew, while she, Daphne, who'd been dating a boy for nearly a year now, had only gotten a nice rubdown, once.
"Maybe he's gay." Millie shrugged.
Daphne remembered more than a few times during the summer when she had felt Harry's attraction to her press against her while they got a moment to have a good snog.
"No, he's definitely not gay." Daphne said, finally sitting back up. "I have a theory though, and I think the Headmaster is behind it."
"Huh?" Millie looked thoroughly confused.
"Later." Daphne said, not wanting to discuss the subject where anyone could hear.
"So, tell us about your Bulgarin romance, Millie?" Tracey asked, her cheerful tone sounding forced. Daphne gave a look of gratitude to her friend, who still would no look her in the eye. Daphne wanted the feast to end so she could find out what was wrong.
Harry and his Gryffindor friends were thoroughly enjoying their meal as well as catching up with one another. As always, the food was simply delicious, and after a sumptuous feast, Harry had three helpings of his favorite Treacle Tart.
As the plates cleared, Dumbledore stood to make the usual start-of-term announcements. The Great Hall fell silent as every head turned to watch the Headmaster, as he strode to the podium to address them all.
"It is very good to meet all of our new students, and even better to see all of our returning students." He said, a soft smile on his weathered face.
"I would like to introduce Professor Horace Slughorn, who will be teaching Potions, as Professor Severus Snape has been asked to fill the position as Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher."
There was a lot of murmuring, and an explosion of applause from the Slytherin table. Only Daphne and Tracey remained quiet, as they had already had a bit of his teaching style during the summer.
"As always, I must warn that the Forbidden Forest is just that, forbidden to all students. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to tell you all that there is a blanket ban on any product from Weasley Wizard Wheezes. For the full list of banned items, please refer to the list posted outside Mr. Filch's office.
"Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will be posted on your Common Room notice boards. If you have any questions, please see your Head of House. Now, if I may have just a few more minutes of your time, I would like to impress upon you the serious situation we find ourselves in this year. As you are all aware, an organization calling themselves the Death Eaters have once again risen up to grip our society in fear. It is our duty to resist them, for freedom is our right. I would ask that you report any activity that you find suspicious, or even outright dangerous to others, immediately. All reports will remain anonymous, and be investigated immediately. Now, to bed."
The students rose almost as one, and Harry and Neville began to flow with the current. Harry smiled at Hermione and Dean Thomas, who'd replaced Ron as the sixth year Prefect, as they helped the fifth year Prefects herd the first year students towards the Common Room.
"Mr. Potter, might I have a moment?"
Professor McGonagall had appeared at his side, and Harry found himself looking back towards the Head Table, wondering how she had moved so fast through the throng of students.
"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office. The password is Ice Mice."
Harry thanked her relaying the message, and began making his way to the Headmaster's office. He knew that Dumbledore had already planned on beginning their lessons next week, besides it was getting late, and Harry doubted that the Headmaster wanted to teach him anything tonight.
"Ice Mice." Harry said to the Gargoyle that stood guard before the Headmaster's office. The stone statue stretched and yawned as it stepped aside to allow Harry entrance. Harry shook his head, still amazed by the wonder of magic, and stepped onto the rising staircase. He knocked on the door.
"Enter."
Harry opened the door, and found Dumbledore pouring two cups of tea.
"Ah, Harry. Thank you for coming. Have a seat."
"Thank you, sir." Harry said politely, as he took his customary seat across from the Headmaster, who was taking his own chair. "May I ask what this is about, sir?"
"I have two requests to make of you this evening. I had planned on discussing them with you during the summer, but as you know, we were all quite busy, and sometimes, things get forgotten."
Harry nodded, and sipped his tea, waiting for the Headmaster to continue. Dumbledore looked very tired at the moment, and Harry felt a surge of concern for the old man.
"Sir, are you alright?"
"I am quite old, and as such, no longer have the energy that I did in my youth. But I am well, thank you for your concern, Harry."
Harry nodded, though his uneasiness remained. Dumbledore took a long breath before he finally began speaking, addressing the reason he had invited Harry to his office.
"Firstly, I do plan to start your education, just as we discussed, beginning at the end of next week. I must ask, however, that you keep what you learn to yourself. I know that you trust your friends, as do I, but, anyone can be broken."
Dumbledore gave Harry a meaningful look, and Harry found himself nodding. "I know they will understand once you explain that it is on my request."
"Alright, sir. If you feel it's truly that important."
"For now, I do. Yes. The things I plan to show you will no doubt give you an advantage in your coming trials. However, I will save that for our lessons. Now, for the true reason I asked you here tonight. Professor McGonagall has asked that you take over as Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team."
Harry's eyes lit up, and he sat up a bit straighter. "I would be honored."
"I thought you might. You can inform Professor McGonagall tomorrow morning. She will be most pleased, I am sure. I expect you will provide the school with thrilling matches with the team you put together. Though, I think Madam Pomfrey will be a bit distraught to learn you will be returning to the field. You have more than your fair share of sports related injuries, if I might be so bold."
Harry chuckled, as did Dumbledore.
"Now, I know that your schedule will be most hectic with all you are taking on, but I must ask if you would be willing to restart the Defense Association club from last year. It seems such a shame that something so helpful be abandoned. I know that quite a few people benefited from your assistance. Hogwarts has not had so many Outstandings in one subject in many, many years."
Harry felt himself blush a bit at Dumbledore's compliments, and found himself nodding before thinking too much about it.
"Wonderful." Dumbledore smiled. "It would be my pleasure to have the announcement posted on the Common Room notice boards. It will be up to you to set up a regular meeting schedule, and Professor Snape has consented to be the faculty advisor."
Harry suddenly bristled. "With all due respect, sir…"
"Harry, I am well aware of your dislike for Professor Snape, and his… distaste for you. I have tried many times over this last summer to convince him that you are not your father. Alas, he is one of the most stubborn individuals I have ever met. He clings to his hatred of your father as if it is a lifeline. It is my deepest hope that one day the two of you might find a common ground. I had hoped it would happen last year as he taught you Occlumency. In the meantime, I have made it clear that he is no longer to treat you any differently than any other student."
Harry rolled his eyes, as he knew very well that Snape would not abide by the Headmaster's order on this occasion. However, Harry was quite used to the treatment, and so long as Snape didn't push him too far, Harry felt he could handle it for another year.
"Well, that is all for now. You are dismissed to get your rest. Classes begin tomorrow, and I expect you to do your very best, just as you have done all summer. Goodnight, Harry."
"Goodnight, sir." Harry smiled as he left. He made his way back to the Common Room, thinking over what Dumbledore had said. He had tried to convince Snape to treat him better, and that he'd been aware of Snape's feeling toward him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, something wasn't making sense. There was something that Dumbledore wasn't saying, but Harry felt he wanted to. He also knew it was about Snape, and that filled Harry with a very unnerving feeling.
Daphne, Tracey, and Millicent had all walked down to their Common Room together after the feast. Daphne had hoped to kiss her boyfriend goodnight before leaving the Great Hall, but he had been stopped by Professor McGonagall, and she could not wait where she was, as the flow of students was too much. She sighed, and tried to make herself feel better with the knowledge that tomorrow she would be able to actually sit with him at meal times.
When she arrived in the Slytherin Common Room, she had expected to find Draco holding court as he usually did. However, Draco was not to be seen. Nor were Crabbe or Goyle. Pansy and Nott were whispering together in a corner, and a few others were about, but it looked like most people had gone to bed already.
Daphne and Tracey looked at each other and headed off to their dorm. Unfortunately, Millicent followed them, and Daphne knew that she was not going to find out what was bothering her best friend so badly.
It was quiet as the three girls changed into their sleep wear, and prepared for bed. Daphne kept glancing at Tracey hoping her friend would open up, and tell her what had happened, but Tracey remained resolutely silent.
Giving up, Daphne climbed into her bed, and closed the curtains to shut out the rest of the world. She heard Tracey climb into the bed next to hers, and a little while later, Millicent climbed into her own, and the lights went out. A few minutes later, someone opened the curtains to Daphne's bed and climbed onto the mattress with her, before closing the curtains again and casting privacy charms. Daphne sat up and saw Tracey staring back with tears in her eyes.
"What is going on with you?" Daphne asked.
"I'm the biggest idiot there is." Tracey fell into Daphne's arms, and began sobbing uncontrollably. Daphne was in shock, and held her best friend until she could get herself under control. Tracey shook with her sobs, and Daphne felt her heart breaking. It took a little while, but Tracey managed calm herself.
"What happened?" Daphne asked again.
"I lost control. I never thought it would go that far. I mean, I dreamt about it all summer. I mean, it's all we talked about. My gods, I have never spent so much time trying to relieve myself, because all we did was imagine what it would be like."
"What are you talking about?" Daphne asked, full of confusion.
"I had sex with Blaise. On the train." Tracey finally confessed.
"Oh." Daphne's eyes went wide.
"It was a mistake. It just felt so good."
"Wait. Let's take this slow." Daphne said, trying to wrap her head around what she was being told. "What exactly happened?"
"Well, I saw Blaise, and I walked up to him…"
"Yeah, I know, I saw that. Did you even get any of your speech out?"
Tracey shook her head. "The moment I saw him, and was standing so close, my brain just shut down. All I wanted to do was kiss him, so that's what I did. Then, we found a cabin, and locked it. We started to talk for a bit, and I told him that I really liked him, and he said that he knew. He said that he sensed it last year, but wasn't sure, so he didn't try anything. Then, we started snogging again, and he kept touching me, and gods it felt like heaven. He tasted so good, and the more he touched me, the more I wanted."
Tracey hiccupped, and took a few moments to compose herself again.
"He cast some charms to make sure we were left alone, and then things got more intense. Everything felt so good, and I just… I just lost all control. He started taking my clothes off, and at first, I was scared, but he just kept kissing me, and my body was just humming with excitement. His hands felt so good, and he spent so much time exploring every part of my body, and it felt so good. He kept taking my clothes off, and I started taking his clothes off, and the next thing I knew… he…he… he was inside of me."
Tracey collapsed into Daphne's arms again, and Daphne held her best friend tightly. She had no words for Tracey, nothing to help her. All she could do was let Tracey cry. Daphne couldn't believe that her best friend had just lost her virginity. She really couldn't believe that Tracey had had sex before she had. Tracey had only been with Blaise for a day. It was just so hard to comprehend everything she had just heard.
"It felt so good, and I was convinced that I was in heaven. I thought he loved me, and that's why I had let it get so far." Tracey continued. "I wanted to feel loved, and important. I wanted Blaise to look at me the way Harry looks at you, or get that same goofy smile Hermione gets after she's been with Neville. I wanted it so much that I didn't think. I just let it all happen." She sobbed for a little longer before once again managing to pull herself together.
"When it was over, I tried to talk to him about it all. I wanted to make sure that he felt the same thing. But…" Tracey sniffled, and her eyes fell. "He just thanked me for a good time, and said if I needed to get off again to let him know. I asked him why we couldn't be together, and he laughed. He asked if I was really ready for another go. When I explained that I wanted to be his girlfriend, he just laughed. He said his mother taught him never to be with one girl, or he could meet the same fate as his father."
Daphne was now seething with rage now. Her best friend had been used by a boy she had been in love with. Blaise was all Tracey had talked about all summer, and he had taken advantage of her feelings and used her just as Malfoy had done to Pansy for years. The difference was, Tracey now understood it, and it had broken her heart.
"I can't believe I let him have sex with me. He didn't love me. I threw myself at him, and he just…" Tracey wailed, and Daphne's heart broke more. "I'm such an idiot."
"No, you're not an idiot. Blaise is the idiot. You just wanted what any of us want." Daphne tried. "It's not your fault."
"I let it happen, Daph. I let him… use me." Tracey groaned pitifully.
"No. He took advantage of you. You felt something for him, and he used it. You deserve better."
"But, I thought for sure…"
"Because you spent all summer thinking he would be the perfect guy for you. You didn't really know him, nobody really does. He never talks to anyone, really, so how could you know? And I didn't help, because I was with Harry, and Hermione was with Neville. How can you spend all summer with that and not want it for yourself?"
Tracey nodded, and wiped at her eyes. "I really did a great job of screwing everything up."
"Exactly how did you do that?" Daphne asked with a wry look.
"I had this whole perfect picture in my head. I was going to start with a great boyfriend, and this was going to be such a great year. After all summer listening to you and Hermione whine about getting physical, and how randy I've been, I guess I couldn't help it when I managed to get some attention. I just never intended…"
"I know. I know. You're not going to do yourself any good by dwelling on it." Daphne said, giving her friend a reassuring squeeze. "But now you know to use your head, and not let it happen again."
"I think I'm done with boys." Tracey groaned, wiping her eyes, while Daphne chuckled at her declaration.
"No, you're not." Daphne said. "You'll just do better research before you go allowing another boy to get in your knickers. You'll take your time and get to know him, and build trust before you shag him."
Tracey moaned, and covered her face with her hands.
"I'm sorry." Daphne said softly.
"You're right, though." Tracey sniffled. "It'll be a long time before I let anyone get that close to me."
"Unless you meet the right one. Don't build up a wall that no one has any hope of breaching, or you could miss out. I'm truly sorry that things went so wrong with Blaise, but that doesn't mean there isn't' someone more deserving of you. You're my best friend, Tracey, and I know that you're going to do great things. I have no doubt in my mind that some guy is going to fall madly in love with you, and you'll get all the happiness you deserve."
Tracey hugged Daphne tightly and thanked her. Daphne promised that she would see to it that Blaise got what he deserved for his actions, but Tracey shook her head.
"Just let it alone. He doesn't deserve anymore attention from either of us."
Daphne nodded, and sighed. Her brain was burning with questions, but she knew now was not the time to ask any of them. Tracey needed time to heal from her heartbreak, and Daphne planned to do all she could to help, because Tracey would have done it for her if the situation was reversed. They had been friends since they met three years before coming to Hogwarts, and Daphne couldn't imagine her life without Tracey at her side.