Hidden Halfblood

Harry caught up with them, and held Bella's hand. He was so glad she didn't die or anything. Draco was carried to the hospital wing. Bella waited until she was allowed in, then immediately sat on his bed. She had asked the passing Mafalda to find a few of his favorite candies from her bag, promising to try to get Draco to give her some back. Then Caly and Griffith came back with her, and Harry walked away, not wanting to see Draco that much but knew Bella would be safe with Caly…

"Hullo," Draco moaned. "I'm hurt, but I'm being tough."

"I got you candy," Mafalda said. She reluctantly handed him her handful. Draco sat up.

"Yum!" he said, cheered already. "How'd you know what I like?"

"She made me give it," Mafalda sighed, pointing to Bella.

"Gee!" Draco grinned. He hugged Bella. She gasped and squealed.

"O golly he never hugs me," she whispered happily.

"How about, since you were mean to her a lot, so I heard," Mafalda drawled. "you can replace that candy."

"Aww," he whined.

"Honestly," Griffith cut in. "She's right."

"He's hurt, guys," Bella said. "And actually, I would ask that he doesn't tell about…you know…" she whispered to Mafalda, "the rat."

Mafalda shuttered. "That's a better idea," she muttered.

"Let's talk about something," Griffith said, sitting on the bed. "Like the games we used to play."

"O yea," Caly said, clapping her hands. "Griffith taught me to fight when I was a kid."

"Why?" Bella said in slight horror.

Caly shrugged. "Dunno. He's a boy." Griffith smirked.

"We would play hide and sneak," Draco said, munching on the first candy. "I usually won. Bella and Griff would forget they were playing and cuddle under a blanket."

"Oi we stopped doing that when I turned thirteen," Griffith said.

"Hmmf," Bella muttered, pink. "Honestly…Draco!" Griffith was laughing.

"We're still just friends, that's all," he said.

Caly said, "Well, obviously! Just friends. You really like Bella?"

"Not teenage kind of like," Griff said. "Not like—ok never mind I'm just making things confusing. Don't mind me! I'm just rambling on and on about stuff you won't understand until you're my age…but yea, just friends. A cute, sweet little butterfly she is."

Bella giggled. Draco wrinkled his nose.

"Eww why?" Draco muttered. He stuck his handful of candy on the bedside table, no longer interested.

"OI, and now we're all friends!" Caly said cheerfully.

"Sort of," Mafalda said softly. She frowned at Draco, who sneered back.

"Oi oi," Bella said, seeing it. "Come on!"

"I would visit," Mafalda said. "I'm one of the only few people who knew about Bella."

"Why?"

"Caly…she was secret."

"Yea, mum and dad wouldn't let me go to a school like Draco," Bella said. "I had a tutor. Draco had one too until he was eight."

"Yea," Draco agreed. "Mum and dad were scared she would get sick. Or die of panic. She still can't stand a lot of people."

"I've been forced to open up," Bella said softly. "Had to talk…in class…had no other choice."

"It's late!" Madam Pomphrey suddenly said. "Out, out! To bed, you all!"

"Whoa!" they jumped.

They left after Bella hugged Draco. They left while Caly suggested they all be friends, to which Mafalda said 'we're all purebloods, so our families would agree' and Griff took Bella by the waist and carried her out of the hospital wing just to be silly.

The next day, Draco was better around noon. He swaggered out of the hospital wing right as Bella was going in to see him. She immediately hugged him, and he only squirmed a bit.

The first thing Draco did when he got around people again was boast about his little sister.

"Why?" Zambini had asked, confused. "Just the other day you were saying she's weak and soft."

"She changed," Draco replied matter-of-factly. "She went after the seventh years fighting a troll for me. She got ahead of them and faced it alone. Didn't ask her to, either."

That news spread quickly, then even faster when the seventh years asked confirmed it. Bella, when asked, would go red and stutter she was scared to death chasing the troll. Then Lily pointed out (after a giant hug and bout of cooing) that it made the deed all the more impressive. Then Harry told Ron that he was glad Bella wasn't like her brother. Ron agreed through a mouthful of potato.

Everybody admired her after that. Bella didn't like it, but Draco would try at least to protect her from the crowds. He began to get colder again. She suspected it was because she was getting glory now, not him. She told him fervently that she didn't like the attention at all and anyway they were all going to forget it soon, which made him happier. Also she now something to tell her father that he would be proud of!

She made good friends with Neville to distract herself. She would let him borrow her books when he couldn't find his. To her relief, her popularity with the Slytherins declined now that she was a friend with a Gryffindor. They no longer crowded her in corridors or stared at her in the common room as much. Added to that, she and Lily would go together to watch Harry practice. Bella only went because Harry wanted her to, Lily went to watch the cutie first year. It did hurt to see people on brooms reminding her how firmly stuck she was on the ground, but since he was so good she would probably make a fool of herself anway.

Bella would get more nervous the colder the weather got, telling her friends that she got sick every winter. She would hobble through the corridors, thin body laden in sweaters and such her parents gave to her for the winter. They were good for hiding, she realized. Everyone seemed to overlook her more now.

The day of the first Quittich match, Lily told Draco very sternly that she was happy he was treating his sister better. She told him also that she had cleared a potions assignment confusion that looked like he was copying Bella, when she could have not.

Just then, Professor Trelawney the divination teacher happened to wander through the corridor. Draco opened his mouth to say something to Lily when Trelawney gasped. She suddenly had a very tight grip on his shoulder, her many necklaces and bracelets clattering, her gaudy scarves making Draco's eyes hurt.

"Beware," she whispered. "You, my boy, beware…be happy while you can. Your father's tea will grow stone cold tonight."

Draco couldn't help laughing. "O no I'm so scared!" he roared. Crabbe and Goyle grunted/laughed stupidly behind him. "Oh no tea getting cold is so scary!"

A livid Bella smacked her brother with her scarf. "That's not nice!" she squeaked, but Draco didn't hear her.

"Come on! The match is going to start!" Zambini shouted ahead.

"Oh!" Draco cried. He dragged Bella by the arm to the stands, where he shoved Pansy up for a front row seat. He chatted happily to Bella, Mae, and Mafalda, the excitement seeping into him. The game started, and the prediction of Trelawney was promptly driven completely from his mind.

He booed along with the rest of the Slytherins as Griffindor got the first point. They watched Harry Potter do a loop-the-loop after Slytherin's first point and Draco muttered grumpily, 'show off.'

After several more points for Gryffindor, Harry glanced at the stands to make sure Bella was watching. She was, eyes intently on him. Draco didn't look too happy to see his rival in the spot he wanted. Grinning, Harry swirled around, scanning for the tiny golden snitch.

He saw it! By Fred Weasley's ear!

He dove. He heard Bella cheer.

Arm outstretched, he dipped and dodged to avoid a couple of Gryffindors. He almost had it-he could do this-

Somebody slammed into him. He tumbled in confusion. Everything spun. He felt himself tip upside down. He barely managed to hold on.

"HARRY!" Bella squealed. "Harry, Harry!"

Grunting, Harry managed to right himself.

Down in the stands, "You can look now," Draco drawled. "Your precious Harry is on his broom."

"O blimey!" Bella gasped in relief. "And he's not prec—I mean, not like he's that close of a friend," she said firmly.

Up in the air, Harry faced off against the giant Gryffindor who had knocked into him.

The Gryffindor smiled tightly. "It got away, didn't it?" he said, grinning.

"Guess who's fault it is," Harry said softly. "I have to do well. I can't let Draco have this spot on the team."

"Well if you're good, I'm not going to let you get the snitch," the Gryffindor sneered.

Harry set his teeth. "O I'll get it alright."

The Gryffinor smirked. "I'd like to see you try…" and suddenly he dove up.

Knowing it might be to get him off the trail, Harry flew sharply down. Sure enough, there the golden glimmer sparkled near the ground.

In a seeming panic, the Gryffindor shot past him. But Harry got in close quarters underneath him and snatched the snitch before he did. He flew up, the tiny ball in his fist. The Gryffindor flew up alongside him amid explosive cheers from the Slytherins.

"Can't believe you figured that out so quickly," the Gryffindor said. "You knew that ply, didn't you? Good game, man."

Grinning, he shook hands with Harry.

The commentator shouted, "Whoa what a game! Amazing aerial display from the seekers there! The game is over, but Gryffindors won one hundred and ten to one hundred!"

In the hours after the match, Draco was more than annoyed that Gryffindor won. Mafalda shrugged and said 'well Harry did do well.' Draco glared at her.

"Some Slytherin you are," he snarled.

He spent the rest of his free time that day complaining to them even more than the other Slytherins. Bella more than once asked him to cut it out. So then he turned to making fun of Harry for not having a proper family.

"If you had a little sister, like me, then you wouldn't have almost died," he drawled in the corridor. "O, what's that? You don't? O right, you don't have a family of any sort. Not proper, anyway."

"Well, I did get the only points for Slytherin they got in that game," Harry returned coldly. "I stopped the Gryffindors from getting any more ahead. Did you notice?"

Glowering, Draco shut his mouth. Not worth it if Potter had a comeback.

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy rested in their mansion in the evening by the fire, looking through the mail for letters from their children. Nothing much had happened on their side of the story, aside from Mr. Malfoy boasting about the plot and having his wife help plan it. They were happy that their kids were. Draco was holding himself pretty well, and Bella had never tried to steal any of his treats.

"O how nice!" Lucius said, finding a letter from Draco. Narcissa's eyes widened.

"O yes!" she said, a smile breaking her face. She waited patiently while her husband opened the letter. It said,

Dear Mum and Dad,

Things are doing nicely. Yesterday I got fifteen points for Slytherin! And so did Bella. Well ok she got twenty. She's pretty good at school. I'm still Professor Snape's favorite student. He also favors Bella. Maybe because he says she's the Slytherin he wants us all to be. I am too, of course. Clever and handsome, that's me.

You should have seen the look on Potter's face when she got her potion perfect and his spilled all over the floor! It was brilliant. I had a hard time stopping laughing. She was trying to help Potter, but I didn't let her. But she cleaned up the floor so Professor Snape didn't have to.

Earlier today, Bella was begging for one of my treats you always send me. I had to remind her that she can't have sugar. She said she was hungry. So I gave her my vegetables. Don't worry I ate some before she did.

Love, (as always)

Your perfect little Slytherin

"He is so cute," Narcissa said. "He comes up with a different signature every time."

"Yes, very cute," Lucius said. He couldn't help smiling. He sifted through the mail for a letter from Bella. They always sent one together—what was this. They heard a knock at the door.

"I forgot!" Lucius muttered, standing. "Snape was coming today!"

"O right, Dobby, do be a dear and fetch us tea!" Narcissa said cheerfully.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Lucius said as he opened the door. Snape stood, shivering in the cold. He staggered in. "Come sit. Tea?"

"Glad," Snape muttered. "Yes. Thank you."

When they were all seated and the mail was whisked away by the house elves to be read later, Dobby poured tea for the Malfoys and Snape.

"Our little Draco is saved, Bella chased a troll I heard," Narcissa said. "She went ahead of the others, is that right?"

Snape nodded. "I had told her to stay behind, but she tagged along and look how it turned out. She has more respect from the Slytherins now."

"Excellent!" Lucious said excitedly.

Narcissa looked nervous as she said, "And how's Draco? Is he doing any better?"

"I assume he told you he's fine?" Snape drawled, lowering his cup.

"Well," she said slowly. "He has said that, but often he's told us he's fine when something isn't right."

"Little imp," Lucius smirked. "Yea he's done that. He'll learn."

"Doesn't that bother you?" Snape said slowly. "It would if my daughter did that."

"It does bother me," Narcissa said in slight pain while Lucius waved a hand.

"We can always tell when he does that," he said. "Besides, he just likes to figure out how to solve things on his own. Nothing wrong with that."

Snape diverted an incredulous look with a sip of tea.

"It's hard to tell with letters. That makes me worried," Narcisssa went on. "But I know him well and I can tell when he's lying, for the most part. But you dropped by and I had to be sure. Can we talk about something pleasant now?"

Lucius, eyes sparkling again with the grand plans he had for Bella, (his confidence in them renewed after the troll) seemed to know something to talk about. "Now about my daughter…she's doing excellent as usual?" Lucius said, leaning back confidently on the couch. "Such a fine little pureblood she is!" he finished proudly. Narcissa smiled joyfully. Totally something pleasant.

Snape leaned forward as though choking on his tea. He coughed. "So, errr, Lucius," Snape said hesitantly, then coughed again. "About that…"

"About what?" Lucius said, grin faltering.

"Her grades are fine, better actually…" Narcissa said, then gasped.

Waveringly, reluctantly, Snape took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Lucius.

It was a letter addressed 'To my servant in the inner circle.' It could only be from one person.

Lucius went pale.

"O no," Narcissa said softly.

Hands shaking, Lucius forced himself to tear it open. He gulped several times and forced himself to read it out loud. It started,

Ah, Lucius…my slippery friend,

DO NOT TELL ANYONE I AM STILL ALIVE. You will pretend I am dead, and will not come back for me. I must remain hidden. I have the Averys and Quirrel for me. You must keep up your face to the world. I am not yet strong enough for you to return to me. When I come back, you must pretend to the others I have not told you this. You must pretend that you have not come to my Hiding Place to return that Avery girl, because that would indicate that you knew I was alive. The Averys would only be there since I was alive.

"I had hoped he wasn't…" Lucius muttered mournfully.

"Why?" Snape said, raising an eyebrow.

"We would have had more power and a stronger position under…a different dark lady," Narcissa said softly. "Lucius. Keep reading…"

Through Narcissus, there is something you need to know:

I cannot believe in the power you think your girl has. Her? Stronger than me? Please. Don't be silly.

I need you to disown that Bellatrix girl.

She is a half blood.

"No," Narcissa choked, setting down her tea before she broke the cup. She sobbed into her hands. "No no no no…"

"Sorry," Snape said softly. "You can give her to Mrs. Bane if the others find out."

Lucius's hands were shaking. He reread it several times to be sure. "This can't be happening," he whispered, his eyes dimming. "We had all those plans for her...she was going to be powerful…she was going to be the next one...we adopted her for a reason!" He forced himself to read the rest of it.

Your master,

The Dark Lord