A Big Secret

Snapdragon didn´t see Draco for more than a week. The blond didn´t come to the meals in the Great Hall. He avoided the library, a place where they had met frequently in the past, and he never sat in the Gryffindor Common Room. All the girl saw from him was a glimpse of his light hair when she came down for breakfast one day. He was heading towards the forest.

"It seems Mr. Malfoy has discovered a fondness of hiking," Albus said from somewhere behind Snapdragon. "I wonder what drove him out of the castle."

The girl turned and one look into the old man´s face told only too clearly that he knew exactly why Draco avoided her. Snapdragon wanted to shout at her godfather, but didn´t. For what would it change?

After a week the blond returned to the Great Hall, but he made sure never to sit beside Snapdragon during meals. He wolfed down his food and left early enough to hide away in his dorm before the girl returned to Gryffindor house.

The day before the other students returned, Snapdragon had had enough. She excused herself from the table after Draco had left – the content faces the older witches and wizards made over their quarrel were disgusting! – and followed him upstairs to Gryffindor Tower. Only this time she didn´t return to her own dorm. She crossed her fingers for the rules being the same as in her old home and stepped onto the staircase leading up to the boys´ rooms.

Nothing happened.

Snapdragon realized only then that she had been holding her breath. Slowly, but with determination, she climbed the stairs to the sixth years´ dormitory. She knocked, but didn´t wait for an answer before she stepped inside.

Draco looked up from his trunk, in which he had been rummaging.

"We have to talk," said the redhead.

"You´ve said enough, thank you."

"Draco!"

"I don´t see what you´d want to say? Haven´t you made your point clear? You regret having kissed me. I understood the first time you said it, thank you. I may be despicable, but I´m not stupid."

"You are not despicable and I don´t regret having kissed you."

"So, why did you say it? Did you think it was fun? That it would get you back in the others´ good books? Pity they didn´t see it, but maybe Potter told them."

"Will you stop that and just listen?" Snapdragon swallowed hard. Apologizing to Draco didn´t come easy, although she had accepted that this boy was nothing like the arrogant git she had left behind. "What I regret is not having kissed you, but having kissed you to annoy Sirius Potter. I used you. I regret that. I´m sorry."

"You don´t regret the kiss?"

"Not at all. I enjoyed it." Snapdragon blushed, but she felt she had to say it or Draco wouldn´t forgive her.

The blond abandoned whatever he had been looking for in his trunk and stepped closer to Snapdragon. He leant forward very slowly, searching the girl´s eyes for a sign of repulsion or refusal. When he found none, he touched his lips to hers carefully.

Snapdragon kissed back with equal care. This kiss, though full of doubt, was so much better than their first! It made Snapdragon feel cared for, wanted and protected. She felt like she was floating on a wave of joy.

After what could have been seconds or hours, Draco ended the kiss in favour of a tight embrace. "I enjoyed it, too, Ariana."

-x-

Snapdragon lay awake all night. Her lips still tingled with Draco´s kiss.

Draco.

Draco, who knew her as Ariana.

How was he going to react when he learned that she was Snapdragon?

She was going to lose him! Snapdragon cried a little about losing Draco and then she cried a lot about being all alone in a world where people looked so familiar, but were strangers. When she had calmed down, she cried a little more about losing Draco, before she fell into a restless sleep shortly before sunrise.

When Snapdragon left her dormitory for breakfast, Draco waited for her in the Common Room.

"Do you have time to go hiking with me today?" he asked after a peck on the girl´s cheek. "Surely the teachers are too busy today to give you extra lessons. I can´t believe your home schooling was so bad that you needed so many over the summer."

"Uncle Albus is just overprotective," lied the redhead. "He wants me to do well in my NEWTs."

Draco snorted. "That, and keep you away from the junior deatheater."

"He never said so, but probably you´re right," sighed Snapdragon. "I´d love to go hiking with you today." The girl changed topic.

Albus didn´t look pleased when Snapdragon told him where – and with whom – she was going to spend the day. He even pointed out that he had asked young Sirius to keep Snapdragon entertained, when he – Albus – had no time for her. As he could hardly forbid the girl to go, the headmaster ordered them to at least be back by four in the afternoon.

The day in the forest was wonderful. It was warm, but not too hot. Again, Draco carried a picnic basket and they walked for some time in silence. The blond led the way to a small lake in the middle of the forest and the redhead couldn´t but wonder whether this lake existed in the other world, too. She had never seen it.

The boy went to a beautiful place by the water with bushes and a willow and started to unpack his basket.

"I hope the location meets your wishes, Mylady," he said with a dramatical gesture at their surrounding at large.

"It does indeed, Mylord," Snapdragon answered in the same playful tone.

"In this case," Draco bowed, "lunch is served." He held out his hand to help Snapdragon sit down.

They had sandwiches, chicken salad and pumpkin juice. For dessert, the house elves had provided strawberry cake.

"That was delicious, thank you," sighed Snapdragon after the last bit of cake.

"I´m glad you enjoyed it," Draco shifted a little closer to the girl.

"A lot," smiled Snapdragon and leaned over to kiss him.

The kiss was short, but sweet. "Can we talk?" the blond asked awkwardly after he had retreated to his side of the blanket.

"Of course. What about?"

"This." Draco wiggled his finger between himself and Snapdragon.

"Oh." Snapdragon cast her eyes down to her knees. Had two days been enough to make Draco feel fed up with her?

"We should keep it secret," continued the boy, oblivious of Snapdragon´s fear.

"If you prefer to." So he was ashamed of her.

There was an awkward silence between them. Snapdragon registered that the squares on their blanket were exactly seven threads long and only six wide. Nevertheless they appeared square, not only rectangular. Strange.

"I think it´s wise," Draco said finally. "You don´t need to be known to be kissing the resident deatheater. The other Gryffindors avoid you enough for merely talking to me. And it might put you in danger if Father ever learned I love you."

Snapdragon looked at the boy, startled.

Draco blushed. "I´m sorry. It seems we both aren´t good at firsts. I shouldn´t have told you for the first time like this. What you have to know, Ariana, is that you´re the sweetest and kindest girl I´ve ever met. My heart is all yours."

It was strange how a confession of love could do it, but hearing Draco confess his love for the non-existant Ariana broke Snapdragon´s heart in two. How could this kind boy ever love her, when he had lost his heart to her alter ego? The girl fell on the blond´s neck and sobbed all the despair she felt into his robes.

Draco had no idea what was going on, but he put his arms around the crying girl and patted her back soothingly from time to time.

When Snapdragon and Draco returned to the castle five minutes after four, they were awaited by an impatient headmaster by the entrance.

"You are late."

"Sorry, Sir," chorussed the teenagers.

Albus looked at Snapdragon´s redrimmed eyes and then glared angrily at Draco. "What have you done to her?"

"Nothing, uncle," cried the girl before the blond could answer. "I´m alright."

"Are you sure, child?"

Snapdragon nodded and the old wizard let them pass.

Up in Gryffindor tower, the girl found that the sign at the door of her dorm had been changed to say ´Seventh years´ in her absence. She changed into her school robes and went downstairs to wait for the other students to arrive. Draco was waiting at the Common Room again and they walked downstairs together. They were careful not to touch, for when Snapdragon had calmed down by the lake, they had agreed to keep their love secret.

Draco thought it was for his girl´s protection, but Snapdragon didn´t even want to think what the Dark Lord would do to Draco if he found out that the boy was involved with the Girl Who Lived.

-x-

The other Gryffindors´ attitude towards their new housemate Ariana hadn´t changed one bit over the summer. They still weren´t ready to forgive her for talking to Draco, let alone follow her lead and make the blond a true member of their house. As a result Snapdragon spent a lot of time with her boyfriend, so she didn´t mind the Gryffindors´ hostility very much. They walked to lessons together and sat with each other during meals. Whenever Snapdragon wasn´t busy with extra lessons, they did their homework together.

"Ariana," said Albus as he shrugged out of his heavy robes for a duel, "you really shouldn´t associate so closely with Draco Malfoy. It´s not wise to alienate the rest of Gryffindor house."

"My name is Snapdragon, not Ariana. I´d prefer you to use it when we´re in private," replied the redhead. "And it´s none of your business how closely I associate with whom. The way Draco Malfoy is treated in Gryffindor is a shame. It´s against anything Gryffindor stands for and I don´t understand why you let them get away with it."

Albus looked at the girl inquiringly. "What does Gryffindor house stand for, in your opinion?"

"Bravery, loyalty, friendship. Gryffindors do what is right, not what is convenient. Gryffindors recognize courage where they find it and they respect it even in their worst enemy. The sorting hat put Draco Malfoy into the house after he stood up against his own family. The hat is a magical item and cannot be fooled. If it says Draco is a true Gryffindor, then he is, and it should be good enough for the rest of the house."

Albus chuckled. "My dear child. I put a confundus spell on the hat to get Draco out of Slytherin. And it wasn´t even a very strong one."

"Are you sure it worked?" Snapdragon met Albus eyes unblinkingly. "The hat was created by a founder. You are powerful, Albus, but are you more powerful than Godric Gryffindor himself?"

That evening Snapdragon had to use all her power to withstand Albus´ attacks. The old man was angry and he put all his skill into his assaults.

"That was a good lesson," Albus said when they ended the fight. "Perhaps we should quarrel before each training session. I stick with what I said, though. Keep away from the Malfoy boy!"

From this evening on Snapdragon´s number of extra lessons increased.

-x-

Shortly before Halloween the redhead hid away in the Room of Requirement. She felt lonely and miserable, because she could hardly ever steal a private minute with the one person she felt comfortable with in this world.

She needed to know how her loved ones were.

With well-practiced moves she brewed her potion and moved closer to the little window that formed in the silver mist.

She saw the headmaster´s office and – oh joy! – Dad was there!

Carefully, she watched whether she could see another person and when she was sure he was alone, she cried out to him.

"Dad!"

"Snapdragon, my girl!" Dad looked around in the office to see where the voice came from. "Where are you? – No! Wait! Don´t tell me!"

"I won´t. How are you, Dad? What are you doing in Albus´s office?"

"The Dark Lord has taken over the ministry. I´m the new headmaster of Hogwarts on his behalf. I´m less able to protect you than ever, my child." Dad sounded very sad about that.

"Don´t be sad, I´m safe here. I just wanted to see how you are and the others. Tell me, what happened?"

Dad´s face became a mask of grieve. "I killed Albus, like he had asked me to."

"And you did a very good job, Severus," Albus´ portrait chimed in from behind the potions master. "I couldn´t have wished for a better assassin! – Hello, Snapdragon."

"Hello, Albus. How are Harry and the others, with the Dark Lord in control of Hogwarts?"

"Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the run," Dad informed her. "Your other friends are here and they aren´t very well. The Dark Lord replaced several teachers with his servants and they treat Gryffindor very badly. I try to protect them, but there´s not much I can do without compromising my position with the Dark Lord."

"I´m sure you´re doing a good job," Snapdragon said soothingly.

"And you, child? How are you?"

"I´m safe, but troubled. I found a boy I really like," Dad smiled at that and Snapdragon didn´t dare mention the boy´s name, "but he doesn´t know my true name. I´m using an alias over here. I´m so sad I have to lie to him."

The mist started to waver and Snapdragon knew the connection was about to break. "I love you, Dad!"

"If that boy loves you, he´ll understand when he finds out about the alias. I love you, too, my daughter."

The mist turned grey and Snapdragon was alone again.

-x-

The Halloween festivities at home had always been Snapdragon´s favourite time of the year, but perhaps Christmas. Never was the castle more colourful, joyous and full of life. The decorations she found at her new home, when she came down for breakfast, made it clear that she couldn´t expect anything equally cheerful here.

There were some pumpkin lanterns, but not much more.

Lessons were continued until the late afternoon and nobody wore costumes for the feast. By evening Snapdragon was surprised that there was a feast at all. The only difference to any other ordinary evening was a wide assortment of sweets as dessert.

The redhead was considering whether to have a candy apple or a pumpkin pasty when the door of the Great Hall opened and Sybil Trelawney entered. Her huge glasses were askew and the woman was a bit unsteady on her feet. If this Sybil Trelawney had anything in common with the one Snapdragon had known for years, she must have been near her favourite sherry earlier that evening.

"Praise the Gods!" cried the devination teacher. "I´ve seen her! The Chosen One will return and save us all! Fate will show mercy and grant us salvation!"

Her words caused an uproar. Most of the students cheered. Several Slytherins left the Great Hall at a run. The headmaster came to meet the seer halfway down the aisle and helped her to the Head Table.

When the woman had settled down and the turmoil had calmed, Albus Dumbledore rose.

"Silence!" he ordered in a firm voice and caused the last excited cries to stop. "These are good news, indeed, which professor Trelawney delivered to us, my children. Let´s not forget, however, that the fine art of devination rarely gives us a precise time when to expect an event. So let´s take this for what it really is: an encouraging look into the future. And let´s hope it´s not a very distant one. Good night." Before he sat down, the headmaster gestured everybody to leave and the students obeyed.

Snapdragon and Draco were among the last to leave the Great Hall. They ascended the stairs slowly and, when the other Gryffindors were out of sight, sneaked into an empty classroom.

"What do you think?" Draco asked, excited.

"Think?"

"About the Saviour coming back!"

"I´m not sure."

"Not sure? Ariana! If the Girl of the Prophecy comes back and vanquishes this dark creature for good, I´ll be free to leave Hogwarts! I´ll be able to take you to wonderful places! We can see the world! – Oh, sometimes I hate her for not being here when we need her so desperately!"

Snapdragon shuddered. Draco hated her!

The boy pulled her in a tight embrace, oblivious to the emotional turmoil he had just caused. "Don´t be afraid, sweetheart. The seer said she is near. Soon our lives will be ours to live as we please." He stroked Snapdragon´s hair some times before he disentangled himself from her desperate grip enough to kiss her. Snapdragon kissed back as if there was no tomorrow, for if Draco ever found out, there wasn´t.

They were interrupted rudely by none other than professor Potter.

"Miss Dumbledore!" the potions mistress snapped from behind them. "Stop this inappropriate behaviour at once! Mr. Malfoy, take your hands off this girl!"

The teenagers broke the kiss, but Draco held Snapdragon´s hand when they turned to face the irate teacher.

"My son hasn´t been speaking of any other girl ever since he met you," Iris Potter continued. "He´s completely infatuated with you, but seemingly your taste runs for other criteria than integrity and loyalty! I should have guessed when you knew all that dark stuff when you returned. What have those people taught you? They took a little angel from us and sent back a dark creature at the edge of the abyss. I really can´t see how a fallen angel is supposed to save us all!"

Draco looked at the seething woman and his girlfriend – who was radiating fury in waves – in turn.

"Ah, didn´t you tell him?" laughed Madam Potter. "Doesn´t the junior deatheater know that he´s snogging his master´s downfall? Has he overlooked the famous scar in the throes of passion?" The woman giggled and then became very serious. "To bed, both of you! Now!"

Draco gaped at the teacher, while Snapdragon stood motionlessly. Then he turned and slowly lifted Snapdragon´s fringe. A flash of betrayal showed in his silver grey eyes before they narrowed.

"Liar!"

That said the blond stomped out of the classroom, up to Gryffindor Tower. Snapdragon stood small, trying to fight back the tears. When she thought she had herself under enough control not to cry in front of Mrs. Potter, she set out to follow him.

"I´m sure Sirius is still interested," smiled Mrs. Potter, her sweet self again.

"So am I," Snapdragon hissed through gritted teeth. "Draco, wait for me!" she cried although she knew he was too far to hear her. Without looking back at the woman she fell into a run and didn´t stop until she had reached her dorm.

Once there, she scrambled under her sheets, cast a nonverbal silencing charm and cried to her heart´s content.