Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Maera's POV.
Waking up was an odd experience. Maera was quite confused, honestly. The soft surface that she was currently laying on, not to mention the pillow, made her question whether or not she was in heaven. The only explanation for not waking up on her lumpy old mattress was that she had died. Her Aunt Petunia had killed her and that voice from before had taken her to heaven. That voice must have been an angel, that was the only explanation that her eleven year old mind could conjure up. But what was she supposed to think? The only person that had been kind to her that she could remember to any extent was Mr. Snape, and there was no way that he had run after her given how she had left him at the park. The only problem with her current theory, however, was that she didn't think you were supposed to feel pain anymore if you were dead and she definitely had a headache. Scrunching her face in annoyance at the pain, Maera slowly blinked her eyes open and let them adjust to the light. Noting that the world was blurrier than usual she slowly sat up to locate her glasses. Thankfully, they were sitting on the side table of the small bed that she had been laying in. Still confused with everything going on, she decided that the best course of action she could take right now would be to explore and maybe even figure out where she was.
Just as she was about to get out of the bed, however, the door to the room that she was in creaked open slowly. Holding her breath, the girl was pleasantly surprised to see Mr. Snape. So she wasn't in heaven, she thought to herself, but Mr. Snape was like an angel to her. He had taken her from her angry aunt and was now letting her sleep in a bed! As the thought crossed her mind, she realised that she had just been laying in a nice and clean bed in her dirty hammy downs and felt terrible for doing so. Before she could get upset over doing so, however, she realised that Mr. Snape had to have been alright with the bed getting dirty otherwise he wouldn't have let her sleep there in the first place. Calmed by the rational thought, she looked to the man standing in the doorway, hoping to find out what the next step of his plan was.
Mr. Snape smiled at Maera, though she found it funny that he didn't seem very used to them because the smile came across rather awkwardly. "I see that you are doing better, that's good. We'll be going shopping today, and I'll be discussing where you'll remain for the rest of the summer with you while we are out." He told her this all in a gentle and kind manner, something that she did not think many people would associate with him.
Nodding she jumped from the bed and walked up to him, ready to go on their journey. He raised an eyebrow at her attire before shaking his head for a second and telling her to wait while he called some friends for help. Maera didn't quite understand why he needed help, but waited patiently for him to return. Or, she tried to. She wasn't used to being allowed to be curious, but it seemed that Mr. Snape was different from her relatives and wouldn't punish her for following him to see what exactly it was he was doing. After all, he mentioned fire at the same time that he talked about calling, how could that not make her curious? Quietly tiptoeing out of the small room, she found Mr. Snape kneeling on the ground by what she thought would be the fireplace. She watched in a mix of wonder and horror as he grabbed some neon green powder out of a bowl and proceeded to throw it into the fire whilst saying something and then sticking his head into the fire. Sure, the fire was now green, but that didn't take away from the fact that it was fire and that he had just stuck his entire head into it!
Mr. Snape stayed in that position for about five minutes while Maera watched, stupefied. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, but she found that she couldn't look away from what was happening in front of her. Finally, Mr. Snape moved back and his head came out of the fire. There was some soot on his face but overall he looked the same as before so she let out a sigh of relief. She didn't know what that was exactly, but it was both terrifying and amazing at the same time. She had a sinking feeling that most magic would be like that. Just when she thought that everything would go back to some semblance of normal she noticed that the flames in the fireplace had grown larger and that Mr. Snape had moved back. Taking a step back herself, she watched as two people moved gracefully out of the fire closely followed by a third, taller figure.
The people that had just appeared in Mr. Snape's living room looked to be a part of a family, each sharing the same white blonde hair. They were dressed nicely and had an air of superiority about them for about a minute after they had walked into the room before relaxing and turning to Mr. Snape.
"How are you, Severus?" The woman asked. She seemed very kind, her smile appeared genuine and loving. If Maera were to imagine what her mother was like, she'd hope that she was similar to this woman. The man was more intimidating from where he was standing behind his family, but she gathered that he was also kind - just in his own way. Finally, her eyes went to the son. He seemed to be wearing a mask of indifference, but his eyes showed his excitement at being in Mr. Snape's home. She initially thought of Dudley when she looked at him, but quickly discarded that thought. The boy may appear mean, but she wanted - no needed to make friends and if this boy was the first she'd meet then she wanted to do whatever she could to be his friend. Not to mention, he can't be that bad if his mom was as nice as she seemed.
Mr. Snape took a moment before saying, "I'm doing fine, but I do need your help. I know you all are going to Diagon Alley today and I was hoping that we might be able to join you."
"We?" The nice woman said. She seemed surprised and it didn't seem like she was the only one.
"Yes, I have a student that will be joining the first years and I think that Narcissa's help would be great. Not to mention, you might make a new friend, Draco." At this, the boy looked at Mr. Snape suspiciously. Maera took this to mean that the boy was willing to make new friends, but she wasn't sure and she was nervous that he would simply look at her and dismiss her friendship.
As she was thinking this, she didn't notice Mr. Snape walk closer to her hiding area at the edge of the hallway. It was only when he rested a hand on her shoulder that she realised he was going to introduce her to these people. She didn't know what to do. How was she supposed to act? Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia always made her stay in her cupboard whenever people came around to their house and no one at school wanted to meet her because of Dudley's influence. Gulping she stared at her feet, not wanting to see the disdain she was sure that these nicely dressed and put together people would feel for her.
Clearing his throat, Mr. Snape pushed her slightly in front of him and said "This is Maera Potter. Maera, meet Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy as well as their son Draco."
Pushing past her fear and doubts, she looked up shyly at the people in front of her. Smiling as well as she could, she held her hand out as she had seen her uncle do many times from the small slits in the door of her cupboard. The beautiful woman took her hand calmly and shook it firmly before allowing her husband and son to follow in her footsteps. Maera was happy that they hadn't laughed at her and felt courage begin to blossom in her chest. She could do this. She wasn't completely repulsive for being a freak as her relatives liked to tell her.
"It's n-nice to meet you." She said, only stuttering slightly.
"It's nice to meet you, too, Miss Potter." Mrs. Malfoy said, smiling kindly at her. This smile was a mother's smile, Maera decided. It was warm and kind just as a mother should be. "Draco, darling," Mrs. Malfoy started as she turned to her son, "why don't you go play with Miss Potter for a second while we discuss our shopping plans?" Nodding, Draco grabbed her hand and dragged her back down the hallway and into the room that she had first woken up in.
He stared at her for a second while seeming to contemplate something. Finally, he gestured for them both to sit on the floor and said, "So, Potter, what are you doing here?"
She blinked in confusion. She honestly didn't know the answer to that question, but she also didn't understand why he was asking. "Um, I'm not sure." She said, thinking that the truth would be the best course of action.
He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Sure you don't".
Her temper started to rise with his disbelief. How dare this boy be mean to her after she had told the truth! She didn't insult him or claim anything absurd so how dare he scoff at her. Little did Maera know, however, but her control was slowly slipping as her temper rose, the tips of her hair beginning to turn a fiery red.
Draco's POV.
Draco raised a pale eyebrow at her, noting that she seemed to be getting angry but not caring - she was a half-blood after all, what could she do to him. He turned to look at the door of the room, wishing that he could have stayed with his mother, father, and Uncle Sev. He didn't understand why he had to sit with Potter. She didn't seem to be very interesting and she looked terrible. If he had to guess he would say that she didn't know how to shower or dress properly. Sniffing imperiously to himself, as he had seen his father do many times, he crossed his arms over his chest and ignored the girl sitting next to him. He didn't think she would or even could do anything to him so it didn't matter if he didn't try to talk or get to know her as his mother had implied he should do. Honestly, it was as if his mother didn't even care that she was below them in society. They were purebloods, why should he even have to deign being in the same room as this mess?
He began to grow bored with simply staring at the door, but he didn't want to acknowledge the girl sitting across from him. With very limited options, he tried to listen in to what the adults were saying in the drawing room. He could only assume that they were discussing what to do with the orphan. After all, there was obviously a reason that she was at Uncle Sev's, even if she didn't know what that reason was. Another reason to dislike the girl, she was stupid. How could she not know why she was at his Uncle's house? What, Uncle Sev kidnapped her or something? As if his Uncle would ever want this girl. Who would?
Realising that he had not even tried to listen in on the adults, he frowned and turned his attention back to the voices that were coming from the end of the hallway. He could only pick up a few words, however, so it didn't seem like a useful distraction. It seemed that they were discussing the girl's clothes? Something about appropriate attire, maybe? Draco had to agree that she needed new clothes, there was no way that she wouldn't be laughed at for what she was currently wearing. It looked like she had decided to steal someone else's old and nasty garbage and wear it around. Not to mention the glasses and shoes she was wearing were obviously meant for a male. And her hair! How could someone's hair be as terribly messy and knotted? He shuddered at the thought of ever looking the way that she did.
Once more he found that his thoughts had strayed to the girl sitting across from him. Ugh, why did he keep thinking of her? She wasn't special. Well, she wasn't very special aside from being the 'Girl who lived'. Groaning to himself, he was ashamed that he had only just remembered that it would be good to be friends with her because of her political pull. He could facepalm from being so dense. Sighing internally, he knew that he needed to do something to repair the damage he had already caused and that something was acknowledging the girl. Of course, he had to realise this at the same moment that the voices were growing louder indicating that the adults were coming their way.
He turned to talk to the Potter heir, but stopped short at actually saying anything. He stared in shock at the girl across from him. Hair that had previously been a deep and dark black, the color that everyone said the 'Girl who lived' was meant to have, was currently a red that would be more at home on a fire truck. His jaw fell open with shock and Draco could only stare in silence at her.
Maera's POV.
The boy was making her so angry. Why couldn't he try talking to her? All he had been doing since deciding that she wasn't worth even talking to had been staring at the door. Though, she had noticed many emotions pass over his face as he did so. She didn't know what he was thinking about, but she didn't care anymore. If that boy didn't want to be her friend, then she would move on and find other friends. She didn't need him.
She was surprised however, when he turned as if to talk to her. That is, she thought he was finally going to talk to her. Instead he just stared stupidly at her without saying anything. Fueling her anger further, she was about to say something when the door opened and Mr. Snape as well as Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy came into the room before stopping short at the two of them on the floor. Maera, once again unsure of how to act, looked at her hands in her lap. Because of this, she missed the looks of surprise that the adults shared quickly amongst themselves.
"Miss Potter," Mr. Snape began, calling her attention to him quite quickly. "What happened to your hair?"
She was not expecting the question and she felt her confusion was visible on her face as she carefully touched her hair. Nothing felt different. Grabbing a piece, she pulled it into her eyesight and paled at the color. She had done so well on learning to control it, how could she have lost control so easily? The answer was the boy sitting across from her with his mouth still hanging open like a fish. Looking back up at Mr. Snape nervously, she saw nothing but confusion and surprise in his eyes. He was safe, she reminded herself, he wasn't going to hurt her for changing her appearance like her family had.
Taking a steadying breath, she said calmly, "I can change my appearance?" It came out more unsure than she had hoped, but she was quick to add, "I normally can control it better, but I guess that when I'm feeling strongly about something it reacts?" This was definitely more of a question than the first part had been, but she hoped that her explanation was enough.
"You can change your appearance, dear?" Mrs. Malfoy said soothingly, coming to crouch on Maera's other side.
Maera nodded before saying, "Yes, I always have been able to. Or, as long as I can remember at least. My guardians don't like it, though, and would always tell me to keep my hair black and my eyes green." At this the adults looked upset so she said, "It didn't bother me cause I think my hair and eyes are normally those colors anyway, but I didn't realise that the wizarding world expected a specific shade of green for the eyes - I'll be sure to change them accordingly though for school."
Her affirmations didn't seem to make the adults any happier and Maera wasn't sure what to do. She looked over to Draco to see if he would be of any help, but the boy was just staring at her still. Annoyance surged through her briefly, unknowingly changing her features to reflect the object of her annoyance. The resemblance between the two was uncanny, Maera might have been able to pass for the other boy's younger sister even.
The adults once more looked at each other before Mrs. Malfoy turned to Maera once more. "Miss Potter," She said, pulling Maera's attention away from Draco, "would you be willing to change your appearance for our shopping trip?"