Four years earlier
I had gone off on my second year in the world without Hogwarts. It was strange to be so far away, I'd didn't think I could make it on my first year off but look at me I did, and it felt great. I was off with my best friend moving to Oxford for a new starting point in our careers sine she messed up the first time. I knew that things would be better for her the second time around, it always was, ever since I met her. Annette Marsh, is her name, my best friend, ever since we were in diapers, we've never had a fight about anything it was and that was cool.
"Hey Cho!" Annette called from behind. Her suitcase in her other hand as on waved for me.
"Hey! Are you ready to go?" I asked setting down my luggage in the cab.
"Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be, and by the way we'll be staying at my friends house in Oxford, until we can get an apartment." She said handing me her luggage and sitting herself down.
Annette was a fairly large girl with some flaws, but was also cool. It was although very annoying how she was perky 24/7 but it was also reassuring. But it was sad since she couldn't tell an insult from a compliment so defending her was pretty hard. We were headed for the same goal in our life for right now anyways, to be a journalist, not writing the fake stuff like Rita Skeeter, but like hardcore news about the relations with the muggle world and other things of that sort. Or that was my idea of it, but I believe it was Annette who wanted to be just like Rita. Oh well friendships have to run into bumps sometime.
I got in the cab a fell asleep on our long journey to Oxford.
It was about a good two-hour ride from home to here. The house of which her friend lived in was enormous, on of the largest house I have ever seen in my short little term of existence. It was beautiful too hard to believe this belonged to a . Slytherin. Draco Malfoy the boy almost everyone hated, the boy who loved being hated, the snotty one.
I don't think he was aware of my existence during Hogwarts but it didn't bother me much. Hard to believe that Annette and him were friends though.
"Hey Draco!" she said running towards the front of the house were he stood. She gave him a hug and his face went in disgust.
"What the bloody hell woman? Get off me!" He shouted.
"Oh silly, shut up!" she said giving him a little shove, "This is my friend Cho" she said waving her large hand at me.
I waved back, not staring at either of them but looking at the unique fountain they had in the front. A serpent wrapped around a man who seemed to be petrified.
"Well you both better come in before I look you both out." He said.
I walked in the house keeping my eyes on the fountain. It looked so realistic and it filled my heart with fear. What had I gotten myself into?
"Go ahead Cho. I'll get the luggage." Said Annette, running back towards the cab.
I walked into the house, it was dark, and there was a little lighting in some areas much like you would find on the street once the street lights were on. It had sculptures of horrible creatures at almost every corner. There had seemed to be a presence of a lot of dark magic there. But it felt very. well comfortable, if your not looking at the pictures of someone dieing.
"So who do you like my home?" appeared Draco walking from onside of the hallway.
I went white; he completely came out of the blue and scared my. I took a gulp, "Um... its unique."
"Yeah, that's what I thought of it too when I came home and saw it for the first time. My father decorated it, he said it should feel like home." He said picking up the smallest sculpture out of the group. He tossed it up in the air and caught it back in his hand, "do you know who many of these my father has given me?" he said stilling tossing it around.
I shook my head and looked down to the floor.
"Huh. neither do I." He said as he slammed the sculpture against the wall.
I shut my eyes tightly as I heard it crackle; it sent chills down my spine.
"Don't worry your precious little mind about anything in this whose." He said spitting down at the pile of dust.
Then came Annette with the luggage, "Hey you guys come help me I can't carry all of this."
Draco gave a smirk and left to help Annette. I looked back down at the broken sculpture but it was gone, I turned around and found it back where it was completely whole before Draco had even touched it. Strange.
I walked on around the house, discovering every dark or dime room they had, all with out color just black, until I stumbled into this one room. It was engraved with my name in it, as curious as I was of course I opened, I mean come on it had my name on it.
I opened the door as quietly as I could, and at the first sight of it, I saw this light pink room so cheerful and princess like. It made me feel like a little girl again talking about how I wanted to be Snow White; it was like a little fairytale place. Very girlish but cute, my attention was caught by the ceiling with its beautiful painting. it was of a woman, I had seen her before but I just didn't remember where or when, she seemed so familiar but in the painting she seemed sadden, like something she lost meant so much to her, it was the look I had for weeks when I lost Cedric.
I got settled into my room and fell asleep. All in all the day went quirt well, unique but well.
I woke up the next morning by the knocks of Draco's maid Isabella. She knocked in a pattern of two every five seconds. Isabella was cool; the only think I didn't understand about her is why on earth would she want to be a maid.
I walked down the stairs to eat breakfast. I found Annette in black, I didn't say anything about it I figured she was trying to look sliming for Draco, not like he'd notice though.
"Good morning Annette" I said placing my self at the opposite end of the table.
"Morning," she said swallowing her porridge.
"Hello everybody, did you all have I nice sleep?" asked Isabella coming out with more delectable breakfast treats.
"Um fine best sleep I've had since . well ever." I said.
"Yes well mister Malfoy has picked it out for you he seemed to have known you'd like it." She said wiping her hands on her apron. I loved her Jamaican accent, it was so authentic and brilliant it made her even more grateful to have around.
I looked over at her giving her a smile, I turned to Annette, my smile had turned into a frown, and she was looking at me devilishly. I knew I had done something wrong to piss her off.
"Um. Annette. what's wrong?" I asked trying to avoid I contact.
"Nothing, nothings wrong." She said looking back down at her porridge.
"So how did you sleep?" I asked spreading butter on my bagel.
She looked up at me again with her evil wicked eyes, "I slept on the floor and it was as hard as a rock." The floor screeched as she pushed back her chair and got up from the table.
She stormed out of the room to the living room, passed Draco almost knocking him over.
"What's wrong with her?" he asked me biting into an apple.
"Nothing, I think she's just having a hard time finding a job." I said looking back down at me bagel.
"I know you're lying, but it doesn't matte because I don't care anyway," he took another big bite out of the apple and munched it as loud as he could.
He was a silly man, I through pieces of my bagel at him when he wasn't looking, but other than that the morning was fine, at least he didn't try to freak me out.
That day Annette and I went out to find a job; I already had an appointment with WIZARD &WITCHES DAILY and FANTASIA. Annette had no appointment at all; she was like a free loader just hanging around in front of magazine and newspaper places until someone asked her what she was doing just standing there. Draco had driven Her around during my appointments helping her look for a job.
I met with Mr. Wayden, President of WIZARD & WITCHES DAILY.
He was a tall man with a large nose. He's eyes were very small and his lips too.
He held out his big hand for me to shake, and I shook it his hand was bigger than my face, which was pretty funny to me anyway.
"Hello there um. Cho" he said reading my name off my résumé. "Very impressive, us to work for the Daily Prophet?" he asked taking his eyes off the paper and looking at me.
I shook my head, "Yes sir, I was working there for about one year."
"Why did you leave?" he asked looking back down at my résumé.
"I left because I was tried of Rita Skeeter getting good reviews because of all the lies she puts up." I sad firmly focusing not on him but putting my words together quickly.
"Well then, let me just give the news right now," he said putting my resume down, I was nervous I knew it had to be something bad, "you start next week, as our new WIZARD & WITCH DAILY World Wide Magic Journalist."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" I cheered as I jumped out of my seat to give him a hug.
"Your welcome, and I'm pleased to have you as apart of our WZARD & WITCH DAILY Family." He said as I let him go, "Have a nice day and I expect to see you here at 8:00 a.m. sharp next Monday." He said with a smile as he waved me off. I ran out of there excited and happy to find Annette in the car depressed and sadden.
"So. who did it go for you?" I asked her as I got in the car.
"It went fine," she said putting a smile on her face.
Draco in front gave a chuckle, "Yeah right it went perfectly well, the janitor came out of the building shooing her away and threaten to call the cops."
"Shut up Draco!" I hissed at him, giving him a flick on the ear.
"So how did it go for you?" he asked getting out of the parking area.
"It was fine, I got hired and I start next Monday." I said excitedly.
"Ugh!" Muttered Annette. She gave me the same look she gave me this morning. My success was too much for her to hear, was she mad with me because I had the talent for journalism? Or was she just jealous? I thought to myself.
The rest of the way back to Draco's house was spent in silence, but every no and then Draco would hum a song, but that was about it.
The week flew by fast, Annette finally got a job, but it wasn't really what she wanted, she was working as a mascot for Joe's Crab Shack, a muggle restaurant if you will, she was dressed up as a crab standing outside the building waving at cars. Well at least she got free meals and that was the only good thing I could think about her job. She was also able to talk to me again without giving me an evil glare.
Draco on the other hand was acting well. like a fool. His actions towards me were completely different to when he was around Annette. There had now seem to be a lost of words in my presence. I mean I thought he had a stuttering problem or something. Like I'd say something and he'd blank out.
It was now Sunday, and tomorrow I start my new job. I went down stairs to have dinner. I met up with Annette in the hall and walked down with her.
We were talking about some world facts on magic right now and that's when we saw a candle light dinner set for three. It was beautiful, and there on the side holding a tray with a pitcher full of lemonade stood Isabella, in what look like to be a dark royal blue new uniform.
"Good evening ladies, please have a seat, Mr. Malfoy will be down in a second." Said Isabella pouring lemonade in to our glasses.
"Um. thank you Isabella but what's the candle light dinner for?" I asked sipping my lemonade.
She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a voice around the corner, "It's a congratulation dinner on your job." Said Draco.
"Um. thanks," said Annette trying to make eye contact with him.
"It's not for you, you silly girl, it's for Cho, when you get a better job then you can have a congratulation dinner, but not now," he hissed at her as he sat down.
He picked up the glass already filled with champagne, "To Cho, Congratulation on your new job!" he said and we all drank the glass of champagne.
*************************************************
A/N
Please tell me how it is so I can continue and not have to remove it like I did with other stories.
I had gone off on my second year in the world without Hogwarts. It was strange to be so far away, I'd didn't think I could make it on my first year off but look at me I did, and it felt great. I was off with my best friend moving to Oxford for a new starting point in our careers sine she messed up the first time. I knew that things would be better for her the second time around, it always was, ever since I met her. Annette Marsh, is her name, my best friend, ever since we were in diapers, we've never had a fight about anything it was and that was cool.
"Hey Cho!" Annette called from behind. Her suitcase in her other hand as on waved for me.
"Hey! Are you ready to go?" I asked setting down my luggage in the cab.
"Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be, and by the way we'll be staying at my friends house in Oxford, until we can get an apartment." She said handing me her luggage and sitting herself down.
Annette was a fairly large girl with some flaws, but was also cool. It was although very annoying how she was perky 24/7 but it was also reassuring. But it was sad since she couldn't tell an insult from a compliment so defending her was pretty hard. We were headed for the same goal in our life for right now anyways, to be a journalist, not writing the fake stuff like Rita Skeeter, but like hardcore news about the relations with the muggle world and other things of that sort. Or that was my idea of it, but I believe it was Annette who wanted to be just like Rita. Oh well friendships have to run into bumps sometime.
I got in the cab a fell asleep on our long journey to Oxford.
It was about a good two-hour ride from home to here. The house of which her friend lived in was enormous, on of the largest house I have ever seen in my short little term of existence. It was beautiful too hard to believe this belonged to a . Slytherin. Draco Malfoy the boy almost everyone hated, the boy who loved being hated, the snotty one.
I don't think he was aware of my existence during Hogwarts but it didn't bother me much. Hard to believe that Annette and him were friends though.
"Hey Draco!" she said running towards the front of the house were he stood. She gave him a hug and his face went in disgust.
"What the bloody hell woman? Get off me!" He shouted.
"Oh silly, shut up!" she said giving him a little shove, "This is my friend Cho" she said waving her large hand at me.
I waved back, not staring at either of them but looking at the unique fountain they had in the front. A serpent wrapped around a man who seemed to be petrified.
"Well you both better come in before I look you both out." He said.
I walked in the house keeping my eyes on the fountain. It looked so realistic and it filled my heart with fear. What had I gotten myself into?
"Go ahead Cho. I'll get the luggage." Said Annette, running back towards the cab.
I walked into the house, it was dark, and there was a little lighting in some areas much like you would find on the street once the street lights were on. It had sculptures of horrible creatures at almost every corner. There had seemed to be a presence of a lot of dark magic there. But it felt very. well comfortable, if your not looking at the pictures of someone dieing.
"So who do you like my home?" appeared Draco walking from onside of the hallway.
I went white; he completely came out of the blue and scared my. I took a gulp, "Um... its unique."
"Yeah, that's what I thought of it too when I came home and saw it for the first time. My father decorated it, he said it should feel like home." He said picking up the smallest sculpture out of the group. He tossed it up in the air and caught it back in his hand, "do you know who many of these my father has given me?" he said stilling tossing it around.
I shook my head and looked down to the floor.
"Huh. neither do I." He said as he slammed the sculpture against the wall.
I shut my eyes tightly as I heard it crackle; it sent chills down my spine.
"Don't worry your precious little mind about anything in this whose." He said spitting down at the pile of dust.
Then came Annette with the luggage, "Hey you guys come help me I can't carry all of this."
Draco gave a smirk and left to help Annette. I looked back down at the broken sculpture but it was gone, I turned around and found it back where it was completely whole before Draco had even touched it. Strange.
I walked on around the house, discovering every dark or dime room they had, all with out color just black, until I stumbled into this one room. It was engraved with my name in it, as curious as I was of course I opened, I mean come on it had my name on it.
I opened the door as quietly as I could, and at the first sight of it, I saw this light pink room so cheerful and princess like. It made me feel like a little girl again talking about how I wanted to be Snow White; it was like a little fairytale place. Very girlish but cute, my attention was caught by the ceiling with its beautiful painting. it was of a woman, I had seen her before but I just didn't remember where or when, she seemed so familiar but in the painting she seemed sadden, like something she lost meant so much to her, it was the look I had for weeks when I lost Cedric.
I got settled into my room and fell asleep. All in all the day went quirt well, unique but well.
I woke up the next morning by the knocks of Draco's maid Isabella. She knocked in a pattern of two every five seconds. Isabella was cool; the only think I didn't understand about her is why on earth would she want to be a maid.
I walked down the stairs to eat breakfast. I found Annette in black, I didn't say anything about it I figured she was trying to look sliming for Draco, not like he'd notice though.
"Good morning Annette" I said placing my self at the opposite end of the table.
"Morning," she said swallowing her porridge.
"Hello everybody, did you all have I nice sleep?" asked Isabella coming out with more delectable breakfast treats.
"Um fine best sleep I've had since . well ever." I said.
"Yes well mister Malfoy has picked it out for you he seemed to have known you'd like it." She said wiping her hands on her apron. I loved her Jamaican accent, it was so authentic and brilliant it made her even more grateful to have around.
I looked over at her giving her a smile, I turned to Annette, my smile had turned into a frown, and she was looking at me devilishly. I knew I had done something wrong to piss her off.
"Um. Annette. what's wrong?" I asked trying to avoid I contact.
"Nothing, nothings wrong." She said looking back down at her porridge.
"So how did you sleep?" I asked spreading butter on my bagel.
She looked up at me again with her evil wicked eyes, "I slept on the floor and it was as hard as a rock." The floor screeched as she pushed back her chair and got up from the table.
She stormed out of the room to the living room, passed Draco almost knocking him over.
"What's wrong with her?" he asked me biting into an apple.
"Nothing, I think she's just having a hard time finding a job." I said looking back down at me bagel.
"I know you're lying, but it doesn't matte because I don't care anyway," he took another big bite out of the apple and munched it as loud as he could.
He was a silly man, I through pieces of my bagel at him when he wasn't looking, but other than that the morning was fine, at least he didn't try to freak me out.
That day Annette and I went out to find a job; I already had an appointment with WIZARD &WITCHES DAILY and FANTASIA. Annette had no appointment at all; she was like a free loader just hanging around in front of magazine and newspaper places until someone asked her what she was doing just standing there. Draco had driven Her around during my appointments helping her look for a job.
I met with Mr. Wayden, President of WIZARD & WITCHES DAILY.
He was a tall man with a large nose. He's eyes were very small and his lips too.
He held out his big hand for me to shake, and I shook it his hand was bigger than my face, which was pretty funny to me anyway.
"Hello there um. Cho" he said reading my name off my résumé. "Very impressive, us to work for the Daily Prophet?" he asked taking his eyes off the paper and looking at me.
I shook my head, "Yes sir, I was working there for about one year."
"Why did you leave?" he asked looking back down at my résumé.
"I left because I was tried of Rita Skeeter getting good reviews because of all the lies she puts up." I sad firmly focusing not on him but putting my words together quickly.
"Well then, let me just give the news right now," he said putting my resume down, I was nervous I knew it had to be something bad, "you start next week, as our new WIZARD & WITCH DAILY World Wide Magic Journalist."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" I cheered as I jumped out of my seat to give him a hug.
"Your welcome, and I'm pleased to have you as apart of our WZARD & WITCH DAILY Family." He said as I let him go, "Have a nice day and I expect to see you here at 8:00 a.m. sharp next Monday." He said with a smile as he waved me off. I ran out of there excited and happy to find Annette in the car depressed and sadden.
"So. who did it go for you?" I asked her as I got in the car.
"It went fine," she said putting a smile on her face.
Draco in front gave a chuckle, "Yeah right it went perfectly well, the janitor came out of the building shooing her away and threaten to call the cops."
"Shut up Draco!" I hissed at him, giving him a flick on the ear.
"So how did it go for you?" he asked getting out of the parking area.
"It was fine, I got hired and I start next Monday." I said excitedly.
"Ugh!" Muttered Annette. She gave me the same look she gave me this morning. My success was too much for her to hear, was she mad with me because I had the talent for journalism? Or was she just jealous? I thought to myself.
The rest of the way back to Draco's house was spent in silence, but every no and then Draco would hum a song, but that was about it.
The week flew by fast, Annette finally got a job, but it wasn't really what she wanted, she was working as a mascot for Joe's Crab Shack, a muggle restaurant if you will, she was dressed up as a crab standing outside the building waving at cars. Well at least she got free meals and that was the only good thing I could think about her job. She was also able to talk to me again without giving me an evil glare.
Draco on the other hand was acting well. like a fool. His actions towards me were completely different to when he was around Annette. There had now seem to be a lost of words in my presence. I mean I thought he had a stuttering problem or something. Like I'd say something and he'd blank out.
It was now Sunday, and tomorrow I start my new job. I went down stairs to have dinner. I met up with Annette in the hall and walked down with her.
We were talking about some world facts on magic right now and that's when we saw a candle light dinner set for three. It was beautiful, and there on the side holding a tray with a pitcher full of lemonade stood Isabella, in what look like to be a dark royal blue new uniform.
"Good evening ladies, please have a seat, Mr. Malfoy will be down in a second." Said Isabella pouring lemonade in to our glasses.
"Um. thank you Isabella but what's the candle light dinner for?" I asked sipping my lemonade.
She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a voice around the corner, "It's a congratulation dinner on your job." Said Draco.
"Um. thanks," said Annette trying to make eye contact with him.
"It's not for you, you silly girl, it's for Cho, when you get a better job then you can have a congratulation dinner, but not now," he hissed at her as he sat down.
He picked up the glass already filled with champagne, "To Cho, Congratulation on your new job!" he said and we all drank the glass of champagne.
*************************************************
A/N
Please tell me how it is so I can continue and not have to remove it like I did with other stories.