Draco was walking slowly down the halls, he didn't understand how everyone else could move through the halls so fast, he just got lost everywhere. He made another turn and groaned when it was the one he needed. Then, after walking though quiet halls for twenty minutes, he heard a whimper, then a growl and the sound of skin hitting stone. He'd recognize those sounds anywhere. He walked towards the noise and peeked into the empty potions class room. The guys had a first year cornered, she had brown hair, blue eyes and books were scattered across the floor. Her hair kind of reminded him of Hermione's but that wasn't the point right now. First he had to figure out who the guys were from behind. Terrence Higgs, he had been held back a few years but McGonagall assured him that this was certainly his last year, whether he failed or not. The second of the three he identified as Marcus Flint, another student that had been held back. The third he didn't recognize. Marcus and Terrence feared Draco so they were easy to deal with.
"Think your smarter than us Ravenclaw?" The unrecognizable boy asked.
"No." The girl whimpered, she shook her head and sank deeper into her corner. The boy lifted his fist and the girl tried to get down enough to dodge a punch, luckily she didn't have to. Draco grabbed the guy's fist before he could swing it. Marcus and Terrence were gone before he could look at them. The new guy just smirked right at Draco. The girl hid safely behind Draco.
"Why? Are you so much of a git that a first year is smarter than you?" Draco asked. The guy laughed.
"Do you even know who I am?" He asked. Draco tried not to look confused, he held the same sneer he had before.
"The question is, do you know who I am?" Draco asked firmly.
"Draco, the 'all-powerful Slytherin'." He said sarcastically. "Oh but wait, your a softy now aren't you?" He asked as he tucked a strand of his shoulder-length dirty blonde hair behind his ear and crossed his arms.
"And why would you ask that?" Draco asked, tightening his grip on the guy's fist. He was not a softy.
"Because of the mud-"
"You really don't want to call her that." Draco growled before shoving the guy up against the wall. He smirked wider and raised his hands up now that they were free.
"I surrender, maybe you aren't as soft as I thought." He teased. "Ivan Avanstead. Maybe you should learn from your little Mudblood girlfriend, she knows all the students at the school. Pay attention softy.' The guy said as he walked towards the door, shoving the girl on hi way out. If Draco could just kill people without going to Azkaban. Draco looked at the girl as she shook. His past self would have just left her standing there crying but, he really had become a softy. He knelt down and held her shoulders at arms length before hugging her. She tried to stop crying but it was hard for her. Draco noticed scratched on her hands and face. He lifted her sleeve to reveal some scars.
"Its ok, he wont ever hurt you again. None of them will." Draco soothed her. "What's your name?"
"J-Jenna... G-g-grace." She said softly as she hiccupped from trying to stop crying suddenly.
"I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy. Your safe now. Do you want to go back to your dorm? Or do you have family here I could bring you to?" Draco asked.
"My-My sister is a Gryffindor, but she doesn't know I'm being bullied. Just, take me somewhere safe. Please." Jenna said softly. Draco grabbed her hand and squeezed it before walking to the door. He peeked out to make sure no one was waiting for them on the outside.
"So your a Ravenclaw?" Draco asked.
"Yes." The first years whispered, she sounded afraid, more than afraid, she was scared.
"I wont hurt you." Draco said softly. She glanced at him but kept her eyes on the floor.
"I-I know." She said, her voice still full of fear.
"Are you afraid of being a Ravenclaw?" He asked when he realized she wasn't afraid of him.
"Not afraid, ashamed." She said, she closed her eyes and continued to walk. He stopped her and knelt in front of her, a hand on her shoulder.
"Jenna, never be ashamed of your house. It represents you. The real you, your smart, and talented, you can find your way through any situation. One of my friends used to be a Ravenclaw." Draco said. She turned pink and smiled brightly.
"Used to be a Ravenclaw?" Jenna asked when they started walking again.
"She switched houses after the war. You know about that right? Your not entirely new to the wizarding world?" Draco asked. She shook her head.
"Pureblood. I know about the war and your place in it." Jenna said softly.
"You really are a Ravenclaw, the wit is certainly there." Draco said. She turned pink again. He forgot how easy it was to make young girls blush. Hermione didn't turn pink often. "You said your sister was Gryffindor? What's her name?"
"Stella Grace. She transferred here from the all girl school." Jenna said.
"She's the first girl in ages to transfer out of that school." Draco mumbled. Jenna nodded.
"She came here for me, to protect me. She's in your year."
"How is she going to protect you if you don't tell her about the bullying?" Draco asked, he didn't mean for it to but it sounded quite fatherly.
"She'll figure it out, with all these scars and scratches." Jenna mumbled as she itched her arm for the fifth time since they'd started walking.
"This is the Ravenclaw dorms." He said as they approached the entrance. Jenna smiled.
"Ivan was right, you are a softy." Jenna said as she hugged her books tighter to her chest at the thought of Ivan. Draco knelt down and leaned forward slightly.
"Don't tell anyone about that. Even if everyone already knows, don't tell anyone. Got it kid?" Draco warned.
"Got it. Thanks Draco. Please don't tell my sister, I know you spend a lot of time with the Gryffindors." Jenna said.
"I wont tell anyone-Is that the time!?" He yelled as he looked at his watch.
"Did you miss something?" Jenna asked.
"Hermione and my mother are going to Avada me." Draco mumbled. "Nice to meet you Jenna, stay safe. I have to go." Draco said as he ran down the hall and turned into lynx.
"Woah." He heard Jenna say when she saw him transform. He smiled to himself for a brief second before focusing on running to the gates where he was supposed to meet Hermione.
