Author's note: This series follows the books but will include details from the movie series for drama. Please note that the major events of the story remain true to the series and will be summarized into small sections to help progress to the story's love interest. I do not want to be claimed for plagiarizing but the original story line is needed to explain the changes in character development.

M rating for sexual content anticipated in year 4.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter series. Thank you to J.K. Rowling for bringing us the wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The Doting Rival

Chapter 10

The remainder of the holiday was uneventful. Adelyn and Ron were still quite upset with Hermione for having the Firebolt confiscated. Hermione was avoiding the common room when at all possible, spending most of her time in the library.

Malfoy was not at breakfast most mornings anymore either. There was a part of Adelyn that wished he would show up and they could continue their previous exchanges. Then she would remember Buckbeak and Hagrid and get upset with herself for wanting to be around a guy like him.

It was with much relief that she welcomed the start of the term. She didn't even mind Professor Trelawney and her remarks of her impending death. That or she was just getting used to it. Today, it was palmistry. Adelyn's life line was of course shortest in the class.

Care of Magical Creatures was held outdoors. . . in the snow. Adelyn disliked being cold. Luckily, Hagrid had the class around a large bonfire tending to salamanders. It was an unusually good lesson. They would periodically collect dry leaves from the wood to keep the fire ablaze and watched as the salamanders turned red on the hot embers. Adelyn caught Malfoy staring at her a couple times. It was hard to read his expressions through the flame as they cast a red hue to his grey eyes. He looked neither happy nor upset. Maybe indifferent.

As the class was dismissed and they were trudging back up the hill towards the castle, Adelyn sighed in frustration.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"I'm missing one of my textbooks. Must've fell out of my bag by the fire." She had just finished rummaging through her bag.

"We can go back," Ron offered.

"No. You go ahead. No sense in both of us being late for Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'll meet you there."

"Alright. Save you a seat." Ron continued onward and Adelyn descended the hill.

The bonfire was starting to shrink in size. Adelyn searched the area she had been sitting, but was having no luck.

She didn't notice Malfoy on the opposite side of the fire. He watched on for a moment, appreciating this opportunity of being so near to her. The ends of her long black hair danced along the top of the snow as she bent down to look under the benches. Her cheeks were flush pink from the cold. He was absorbed by her beauty, cursing himself for not having been attentive to it sooner.

"Looking for this?" Adelyn shot up at the sound of his voice. He always had a refined air to him. Something he surely got from his father.

Malfoy made his way around the fire toward Adelyn, holding the book up towards his chest.

"Yes." As Adelyn reached for it, he pulled it back over his shoulder. "Give it back, Malfoy." She glowered at him.

"I will. Only if you speak with me first."

"I have nothing to say to you." Adelyn crossed her arms in defiance.

"You will after you read these." Malfoy held out two letters. One was in his handwriting. The other, Adelyn did not recognize.

"Why? What are they?" She was almost as curious as she was annoyed.

"You'll find out when you read them." He extended his arm further towards her. "Here."

Adelyn reluctantly took the letters. The first was addressed to Lucius Malfoy and post marked December twenty-sixth. The day after Christmas. As she began to read the contents, Malfoy noticed her body became less tense. Her brow furrowed in disbelief.

"What?" She looked up at Malfoy.

"I told you I would get you proof. Keep reading."

Adelyn continued on. The letter was from Malfoy to his father. He had expressed it was never his intention to seek legal action against the school. He further detailed he was at fault and requested his father drop the charges at once.

"Malfoy. I – I don't know what to say." Adelyn was astounded. She never expected this from him. She stood there, mouth gapped open, as she folded the letter back up.

"The next one isn't as nice." Malfoy pursed his lips and looked down at his feet.

Adelyn opened the second letter. It was addressed to Malfoy from his father. The contents were him being reprimanded for going against his father's wishes. He was belittled for not acting like a man and reminded he needed to follow through with something once it was started. He forbade Malfoy from bring up the issue again with threat of severe consequences.

"Wow." Adelyn was a bit shocked at the choice words used at Malfoy. It made her feel a bit guilty for how she acted towards him at Christmas. "Isn't HE the charming one?" she said sarcastically as she folded up the letter.

"I'm sorry, Adelyn. He won't listen to me." Malfoy was looking at her like a sad puppy waiting for its owner to acknowledge it.

He said my name again. She handed back his letters. "I can see that."

"You believe me now, don't you?"

"Why does that matter to you? My believing you?" Adelyn was curious. What were his intentions?

"Um. Well, I –" Malfoy cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair nervously. His voice got softer, difficult to hear. "Just is."

He was avoiding eye contact and shuffled his feet around. She chuckled at the sight of him. Never had she imagined the day when Draco Malfoy would be bashful.

He looked up at the sound to find her smiling at him. An instant wave of relief set in. It worked! Adelyn was happy with him again. Thank, Merlin! He did not want to go back to her being angry with him ever again.

"Thank you. I appreciate you trying to rectify the situation."

"I won't stop. I'll do everything I can to prevent this trial from going forward."

"Such a Slytherin, aren't you?" Adelyn's smiled widened.

"What do you mean by that?" Malfoy teased back at her.

"Oy! What are yeh ter doin' here still?" Hagrid had just come from the woods with a large pail of water. "Don' yeh have a class ter be off ter?"

"Oh, sorry, Professor. I left behind my book on accident." Adelyn held her hand out to Malfoy.

"Yea. Found it in the snow." Malfoy passed it to her.

"Righ'." Hagrid eyed them suspiciously. "Best be off then." He shooed them up towards the hill as he continued cleaning up from his lesson.

Adelyn and Malfoy made their way into the castle in awkward silence. This was unusual for them. They had only ever been alone a few times over breakfast this past holiday. Though the air had been cleared between them, they didn't know what to say.

Malfoy attempted to strike conversation as they walked through the corridors to class. "You know, I much prefer it when you're not avoiding me." He was trying not to look at Adelyn as he waited for her response in anticipation.

"Really? You act otherwise most of the time."

As they turned the bend, they noticed the rest of the third years entering Professor Lupin's classroom. Malfoy whispered, "I won't anymore."

She looked him up and down, trying to assess him. She was apprehensive, but could feel a genuine change between them.

"Comin', Malfoy?" Goyle called.

"Yea," Malfoy called back as he looked at Adelyn with a side smile and meandered ahead of her into class.

At the end of class, Adelyn reminded professor Lupin of his promise.

"Ah, yes." Lupin looked at his calendar. "Let me see. . . how about Thursday evening? Eight o'clock in the History of Magic classroom."

"Great! I'll be there." She was eager to get started as soon as possible.

"He looks quite ill still, doesn't he?" Ron said as they headed to dinner. "Wonder what's wrong with him.

There was a loud scoff behind them. Hermione was sitting at the feet of a suit of armor repacking her bag. She had caught Ron and Adelyn's attention. "Isn't it OBVIOUS?"

"If you don't want to tell us, then don't!" Ron snapped back in reply.

"Fine." Hermione huffed off. Things were still not sorted out between them yet over the Firebolt.

They met the twins and Wood in the Great Hall for dinner.

"What's this Ron's told us about you getting a Firebolt, Adelyn?" Fred was leaning across the table eagerly awaiting her reply.

"What?" Wood's eyes grew wide and he looked excitedly amongst the group. "A Firebolt? Really, Adelyn? This is great news! We will surely win the next Quidditch match!"

"Actually. . . I don't have it currently." Adelyn sullenly looked down. "Professor McGonagall confiscated it to have it stripped for jinxes."

"Whatever for?" Wood's face turned puzzled in astonishment with this sudden information. His emotions could change faster than a girl's.

"We don't know who sent it. She's worried it's meant to do me harm." Adelyn rolled her eyes as she recounted the event.

"What rubbish!" George burst.

"Want us to get it back for you, Adelyn?" Fred offered with a wink.

"No way!" Wood prevented Adelyn from answering. "I can't have any of you risking not being able to play in the game. I'll talk to Professor McGonagall and see what I can do."

"Thank you, Wood. That's be great." Adelyn was appreciative of his commitment to the team, though she knew it was partly selfish for him to do it.

On Thursday evening, Adelyn entered the dark and empty History of Magic classroom. She lit the candles with her wand and waited only a few short minutes for Professor Lupin to arrive. He was carrying a large packing case and heaved it onto the desk.

"What's that?" Adelyn asked.

"Another boggart," Lupin replied. "I found this once lurking inside Mr. Flich's filing cabinet. I can store him in my office when we're not using him."

"Ok." Adelyn was trying to sound not at all bothered. In all honestly, she was a bit apprehensive.

"So, the spell I'm going to teach you is highly advanced magic, Adelyn. Well beyond ordinary wizarding level."

Lupin proceeded to explain the working of the Patronus Charm. It was a shield of positive force, everything a dementor fed upon, but can't be hurt as it doesn't feel like a human. A single, very happy memory was required to cast it.

Adelyn chose the first time she rode a broom. She loved flying and that was the first time she had felt free. Surely, it would be a strong enough memory. She repeated the incantation. "Expecto patronum."

"Concentrate on your happy memory."

"Oh, right." She focused on the memory. "Expecto patronum. Expecto patronum."

A wisp of slivery fog escaped the tip of her wand. "Did you see that?" she said suddenly.

"Very good." Lupin smiled. "Ready to try the dementor?"

"Yes." Adelyn took a deep breath as Lupin grasped the lid of the case. She tried to keep flying in her foremind, but couldn't help her thoughts from wandering. She was getting nervous at the anticipation of hearing her mother's voice again.

Lupin lifted the packing case lid. A dementor slowly rose from the box and turned toward Adelyn. She planted both her feet, gripped her wand firmly, and yelled, "Expecto patronum!"

The dementor drew nearer. "Expecto patronum! Expecto -"

Adelyn's vision was fading. She could hear her mother's voice in her head. "Not Adelyn! Please – I'll do anything -"

"Stand aside, girl!"

"Adelyn!" Lupin jerked her back to reality. He helped sit her up from lying on the floor and offered a chocolate frog. "Here. Eat this before trying again."

Adelyn obeyed. She recalled how quickly chocolate helped after these incidents. "It's getting worse. I can hear her louder. And him, Voldemort."

Lupin looked up abruptly, eyes widened slightly. "Adelyn, if you don't want to continue -"

"I do!" Adelyn was adamant she had to continue. "I have to be prepared. What if the dementors return during the next Quidditch match?"

"Alright. Alright. You may want to select another memory, though. The last one doesn't seem to have been enough. . ."

As she finished her chocolate, Adelyn decided a happier thought would be last year when Gryffindor won the House Championship. She got back into position.

"Ready?" Lupin gripped the box lid.

"Ready."

The dementor was released again. It glided toward her, extending a hand.

"Expecto patronum!" Adelyn yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto pa -"

Her eyes became foggy, everything blurring in front of her. Then came a new voice, a man's voice.

"Lily, take Adelyn and go! It's him! Run! I'll hold him off -" Sound of a door bursting open and a cackle of high-pitched laughter.

"Adelyn! Adelyn. . . wake up. . ." Lupin was tapping her hard on the face.

Adelyn sat up, tears running down her face. "I hear my dad," she mumbled. "That's the first time I've heard his voice – trying to take on Voldemort himself to save my mum and I. . ."

"You heard James?" Lupin asked a bit choked up.

"Yeah. . . why? You didn't know him, did you?" Adelyn looked at Lupin.

"I - I did," Lupin answered. "We were friends at Hogwarts."

"If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well."

Lupin turned very quickly.

"I know they were friends at Hogwarts too. . ." Adelyn added.

"Yes, I knew him," Lupin reluctantly said. "At least I thought I did. Listen, Adelyn. Perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this. . ."

"No!" Adelyn got up again. "I'll have one more go! I just need a happier memory." She closed her eyes and racked her thoughts. The day she found out she was a witch and would be leaving the Dursley's for Hogwarts! She didn't know what could be a happier thought.

Lupin looked as if he was doing this against his better judgement. "Ready? Concentrate hard."

He pulled of the lid. The room grew cold as the dementor made its third entrance.

"Expecto patronum!" Adelyn yelled. "EXPECTO PATRUNUM!"

The screaming in Adelyn's head was only a soft echo this time. She could still see the dementor. It halted. A huge, silver shadow burst forth from the end of her wand, hovering between her and the dementor.

"Riddikulus!" Lupin sprung forward to diminish the boggart. Adelyn slumped in a nearby chair exhausted as Lupin forced the boggart back into the packing case.

"Excellent!" Lupin congratulated as he strode over to Adelyn. He handed her a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate. "Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after me. Same time next week?"

"Okay." She began eating the chocolate readily.

"Best be off. It's quite late."

She did as instructed, eager to get to bed. She was drained from the training.