It had been a week since Alex and Draco had come to Hogwarts and gradually, everything was slipping into a state of normalcy. Alex started receiving a small stipend from the Ministry of Magic as a kind of payment for staying at Hogwarts. The money could be used as she wished but most of it ended up going to school supplies and clothing.

After dinner, Alex would be taught the very basics of magic by McGonagall as a kind of way to prepare her for her classes. For the first time in her life, Alex felt as though she finally belonged somewhere. She was slowly yet surely building friendships and she was no longer the odd one out. She was content in her new surroundings, oblivious to the danger that she was in.

Draco easily fit back into Hogwarts, now as mean and evil as ever. With the help of the Malfoy fortune, he was again abounding with the best supplies and dressed in the finest of robes. Crabbe and Goyle were once again his lackey's, following him wherever he went while the female population of Hogwarts was once again falling at the feet of their Slytherin Prince. The only thing that troubled the young boy was the fact that he didn't know what had become of his mother…he needed closure.

Although Alexa was friends with Harry, Ron and Hermione, Alex found herself spending time with other Gryffindors more than the trio. She felt as though she were intruding when she tried to talk to them, and Ron made it no easier on her by being snippy and often just blatantly rude.

In all of this, no one asked why Draco had come back or how Alexa was still alive…it was as if, like Draco said, the shit never went down.

 While Alex didn't care much for Ron, she really liked Ginny, Ron's younger sister, and Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan were also nice to talk to. She had some classes with Ginny, as her charm and Defense against the Dark Arts skills were not yet up to sixth year requirements. Alex didn't care though; she enjoyed learning all about magic, regardless of what degree or skill level it was. One morning at breakfast, she noticed a girl sitting by herself about six seats down on the opposite end of the Gryffindor table. She decided to ask Ginny about her.

"Hey Gin?"

Gin turned to face Alex, pulling herself away from a conversation with Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown.

"Hmmm?"

Alex nodded her head in the direction of the girl. She had long brown hair which was pulled back into a neat ponytail and her chestnut eyes brought out her light, tawny colored complexion.

"Oh that's Eliza Dishque. She's a sixth year but she tends to keep to herself. If you ever try to talk to her she's nice enough, she just prefers to be alone."

Alex nodded and promised herself that before the week was through she would talk to this Eliza girl and maybe even become her friend.

As Alex walked out of the Great Hall on the way to Potions, she quickly became lost in the maze of corridors and stairways. As she was about to give up trying to find her way to the dungeons and start yelling for help, she ran headlong into non other than a one Draco Malfoy.

"Hey Miller watch it!"

Alex recollected herself and put on her best annoyed face.

"I do believe it was you who walked into me. And since when are we on a last name basis?"

Draco threw her a look of utmost disdain.

"Since you started hanging out with that half-blood Thomas and rubbish of an Irishman, Finnigan."

Alex smirked inwardly. Was Draco jealous? If she just played her cards right…

"Well you didn't exactly tell me who I wasn't supposed hang out with and Dean and Seamus are nice enough so I thought why not?"

Alex flashed an innocent smiled at Draco who raised his eyebrows in return.

"I told you that Alexa hung out with Potter and his Merry Band of Thieves."

Alex shrugged simply.

"I don't really care much for them though…who else did you say Alexa hung out with?"

Draco smirked.

"Me."

Alex nodded, linking her arm in Draco's.

"Well since you two hung out, I guess I could give it a whirl. Walk me to potions?"

As Draco and Alex walked in the direction of the dungeons, Draco thought for a second about his weird relationship with Alex. With Alexa he had had friendship and love. With Alex, he barely even had friendship. Why then was he drawn to her so forcefully? What was it about her that he didn't see in Alexa? Alexa. He missed her. But wasn't this her here, walking next to him? No. This was Alex. Not Alexa.

When the two approached the door to the dungeons, Alex quickly walked in and practically ran to the seat that Dean had saved for her in between him and Seamus. It bugged Draco that she didn't bother to even ask where he was sitting, and what bugged him even more was the fact that she was sitting next to Thomas. She had hung around him the most since they had been here it was annoying to see them together. Why did it bug him though? That, he couldn't answer so, instead of thinking about it, he plopped down next Goyle and gave Snape his full attention

******

After potions that day, Alex left the dungeons without so much as a backward glance at Draco and walked out with Dean, who was trying to explain to her the fundamentals of quidditch. This bugged Draco but he pushed all thoughts of her from his head.

******

Later that night, Alex was trying to do homework in the common room but kept getting disturbed by Seamus, who chattered away constantly, annoying not only Alex, but a number of other people at the table trying to study as well.

"That's great Seamus," said Alex, not looking up from her potions essay, "If you ever get it to work, I wouldn't mind some rum myself. This essay is killing me."

Harry looked up from his Divination and eyed Alex suspiciously.

"Wait. Seamus is trying to turn water into rum?"

Alex looked up at Harry strangely.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?"

Harry glanced at Hermione and Ron, who were also sitting at the table in the cozy, crimson Gryffindor common room. Ron, who had warmed up considerably toward Alex, started to laugh uncontrollably.

"You see," he began through chuckles, "Seamus has tried that potion almost every year and every time he tries…

BOOM!!!!

Everyone in the common room stopped what they were doing and looked at Seamus. In front of him, were the remains of a goblet and down the front of his shirt was the water that he'd been trying to turn into rum. After a few seconds of silence the whole of the common room shrugged and went back to their various activities. Alex was amazed at the lack of concern over Seamus' safety and amused the others by fussing over him, trying to make sure that he was alright. This especially amused Ron who explained, in between laughter, why no one was too concerned.

"You see Alex..a, You see Alexa, Seamus has tried to turn his water into rum every year since he came to Hogwarts. And every year to no avail, he blows something up. So you see, this isn't exactly the first time he's done that.

Hermione looked up long from her studies long enough to add in.

"And it won't be the last."

Alex nodded in understanding and went back to her potions essay. About a half an hour later, while she was going over Arithmancy with Hermione, Alex felt a small tap on her shoulder. She turned around, and looked up to see Dean Thomas standing over her. She smiled, showing off her straight, pearly, whites.

"Hi Dean, come to study with us?"

Dean shook his head and returned Alex's smile.

"No, but I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second?"

Alex turned to look at Hermione, who gave her an excited look and nodded. She turned back to Dean, the color rising in her cheeks.

"Sure. Let's go someplace a little farther away from all these prying ears."

Dean glanced around. Everyone who had been sitting at the table with Alex was now focused on the duo, obviously interested.

"Okay then. How about a walk?"