Chapter One
/b
Christmas holidays have passed and once again my Christmas was horrible. I just get more and more presents each year that aren't fun. Sure, my parents could afford the best gifts money could buy for their only son, but they don't. I think my mother would buy me some decent things, but my father, no, he wouldn't ever. He's much too strict for fun and games. He won't even allow me a dog or any pet for that matter. He says it will dirty our mansion up. Like it matters. We have house elves to clean up for us. Anyhow, back to Christmas. My father bought me some new dress robes from Madam Malkin's and also some new robes for school, new shoes that polish themselves, 2 new quills, some parchment, a few ink bottles, broom polish, a new golden pocketwatch, Literature II for Young Wizards, and of course you, my journal. I really don't understand why I'm forced to write in you. My father ordered me to write in you because you are a Malfoy family airloom. My father says he wrote in you as a boy, as my grandfather and his father, and so on. As each generation passes and you are passed down from father to son, you become blank again so the next unfortunate child can write in your stupid pages. At first, I just ignored your dragon-hide cover by throwing it under my bed. Then my mother started nagging me to write. And I thought she was on my side. Apparently, she isn't. Well this is the end of my first entry as it is late and tomorrow I return to Hogwarts.
/i
Draco woke early to the sound of his wizarding alarm clock. He opened up his closet and pulled out his brand new Hogwarts robes. They were very dark black and proudly held the Slytherin badge on the left side of the chest. He pulled the robes on and got some fresh socks. He then put on his black self-polishing shoes and called for his house elf. "Frachenzo!" The raggedy, sagged-faced elf appeared at Draco's side almost immediately. "You called, sir, Master Draco, sir. Master Malfoy Draco." "My name," said Draco angrily while hastily shoving clothes into his trunk, "Is Draco Malfoy, got that? Draco Malfoy. Now take this trunk downstairs to my father so he can send it to the train." Frachenzo did as he was told and left Draco to the silence of his bedroom. He sat on his bed and sighed. He almost fell back asleep when he heard a tap at his door before it flung open to emit a fuming Lucius Malfoy. "Draco I believe your mother has been calling up to you for a steady several minutes. Either you have very good ignoring skills or you are slightly deaf." He pulled Draco harshly by the arm and pushed him upright. "Come, we're leaving by portkey." "Why portkey, father?" said Draco slightly puzzled. "Why not the car? We always use the car." "Because I /i to use the portkey, Draco. But if your nosy self must know, I am letting a friend borrow it today." He pulled Draco out of the door and lead him down into the entry hallway. "We're off Narcissa, I shall be back in a few hours. I need to close some buisness up with Borgin in Knockturn Alley. Draco, go give your mother a kiss." Draco did as he was told. "Good-bye darling, I'll see you at the end of term." she said sweetly. Draco always thought, and still stood by his word that his mother did not sound like a Malfoy at all.
"Draco, over here! Draco!" Draco turned at the sound of his name. He saw Crabbe and Goyle with their fathers near the train entryway. "Ah." said Lucius. "Just the people I needed to see." he said while grasping each of the men's hands in a quick shake. They moved off into a vacant corner where they continued chatting seriously. "What is it do you think they're talking about?" asked Crabbe innocently. "You know, stupid, Death Eater stuff." said Goyle with a smirk. Draco punched Goyle in the side. "You're not supposed to speak about that you git! Do you want our fathers to end up in Azkaban?!" Goyle shook his head, "Well it's only us, Draco. There's nobody else here."
After their fathers finished speaking, they all said good-bye to their sons, each shaking his son's hand while still whispering desperately to eachother through the corner of their mouths. The three boys got onto the Hogwarts Express and found themselves seats. Kenan Davis passed them but moved back when he saw their faces. "Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle. Mind if my girlfriend and I share a seat?" Draco shook his head. Kenan and his girlfriend Kimberly Westfield, both in Slytherin, found seats next to Crabbe. "Push over Crabbe." said Kenan. Crabbe sighed but shifted over towards the window. Kimberly nodded to Draco. "New robes, Malfoy? Some holiday for you, eh?" "Tell me about it." said Draco. "My father is the worst. The absolute worst." Kimberly laughed. "Not as bad as my father. It's not easy being a proper young lady at home, you know." Kimberly giggled as she gave Kenan a kiss. "Proper young lady, ha! That's what I say." she said as Kenan put his arm around her. Draco looked out the window. He could hear Goyle's low, monotonious snoring beside him. It was amazing how quickly the old bloke could actually fall asleep. Draco was actually quite tired himself so he decided to leave Kimberly and Kenan to it and just fall asleep right there, so he did.
The sun was setting when Draco finally opened his eyes six hours later. Kenan's head was lolling to his side, his arm still around Kimberly who was wide awake, snapping bubblegum in her mouth and reading iThe Quibbler/i. She looked up when Draco stirred to sit up straight in his seat. "Nice to see some awake civilization after nearly six hours." she said while turning a page. "Why do you read that loony junk?" said Draco pointing to the magazine. "Junk it is, I won't deny. But it's better than nothing when you've got nobody to communicate with. Most of my friends are way at the back of the train in another compartment." She laughed. "Listen to this: iGiantess Dates Viktor Krum.
Viktor Krum and his new hubby, giantess Alphina were seen late yesterday evening in Bulgaria's finest Glace Cafe snuggling together with a warm cup of cocoa. The owner of the cafe, Maurice Vendeshako says that Viktor's Alphina was twenty-two feet tall and had had to bend on her knees on the snowy floor where her head still went through the ceiling. Vendeshako says he's charged Krum for the colossal hole in his ceiling and he hopes that Krum will pay so he doesn't have to take him to Wizard Court/i." Draco laughed. "Krum and a giantess? What a load of dung!" "I know. Just wait 'till Little Miss Granger finds out about this story! I wonder if she and Krum are still seeing eachother? What does he see in that girl anyways? She's just a little buck-toothed frizzball!" said Kimberly angrily. "I mean, I wonder if he even saw me at the ball? I was the belle of that ball! Do you think I'm prettier than her, Draco?!" "Huh? What?" said Draco suddenly. He had been studying the steady fall of the snowflakes out of the window. "Yeah..Yeah you're prettier..." "Thanks." she said as she smiled at him. Draco turned away again to look out the window, guessing that their conversation had ended." But he was wrong. He felt something grab his hand. He looked over and saw that Kimberly had taken his hand from across the seat. "Draco," she whispered. "Wake up Goyle and tell him to switch places with me." Draco did as he was told, not wanting to make Kimberly angry, even though her severe closeness was making him nervous. He didn't really like Kimberly that much, she just wasn't his type. When Goyle switched seats, Kimberly moved next to Draco, a sly grin on her face. She moved right up next to him and took his hand. "Draco, I like you, I really like you and I always have." Draco gulped. She moved a bit closer so that they were looking eye to eye. She moved in to kiss him but he pulled away. "Kimberly, don't." he said. She looked at him in surprise. "Don't?" she asked astonished. "Well why not? Kenan's asleep. I like you, you like me. I've been wanting to break up with Kenan since before holidays so what's wrong with it?" Draco sighed and cracked his knuckles. "I don't like you like that Kimberly. And Kenan's my friend." "iKenan's my friend/i?! You don't sound like a Slytherin to me." "A Slytherin? You know how I act towards people in my own house. If you weren't a girl..." "Oh so that's it?!" she interrupted. "Well good-bye Draco, I'm out of here!" and with that she left the compartment and headed towards the back to her friends. Draco shrugged it off and sat recollecting his thoughts of the strange occurance. "Anything off the trolley, dear?" asked the trolley witch pleasantly. "Pumpkin juice." Draco said handing the witch 15 sickles. It was going to be a long ride.
Draco guessed he had fallen back asleep because when the train stopped at Hogsmeade Station, he had no memory of what he had done after he drank his pumpkin juice. Kenan, Crabbe, and Goyle were still sleeping so he woke them up and they all crabbed their trunks. The wind outside the train was cold and bitter, with snowflakes coming down in every which way. Draco hadn't seen Kimberly since she left the compartment on the trunk but Kenan didn't seem concerned. "Kimberly broke up with me." he said angrily. Draco pretended to be surprised. "When did she do that?" "When you guys were sleeping. She woke me up and told me the news. Says she's found someone new. I reckon it won't last too long, she's always moving on, that one." Draco nodded like he understood as they continued up the steps to Hogwarts castle. He pulled open the heavy doors and was greeted by Filch. "Ah, Mr.Malfoy. Your father sent this earlier." He said through scummy yellow teeth. He held out the journal that Draco had thrown under his bed the night before. He had accidentally forgot to pack it, even though he was considering leaving it home on purpose. He grabbed the journal from Filch and shoved it under his arm, covered by the safety of his robes. "All students returning from the Hogwarts Express, please return to your dormitories and change robes if needed. The End-of-Holiday feast will proceed in the Great Hall in ten minutes. Please hurry, posthaste." Professor McGonagall shouted stoutly. Draco was glad for this excuse to head to his dormitory. His father had offered to pay wizard gold for Draco to have his own room in his first year, but Dumbledore wouldn't accept. "Part of Draco's time at Hogwarts will be with his friends, therefore he shall stay with his friends." Dumbledore had said slowly that day. So Draco hurried up the steps to beat Crabbe and Goyle to their dormitory so he could stash away his journal without them noticing.
After Draco had put away his journal and all of his posessions, he headed to the Great Hall and sat down with his fellow Slytherins. After the usual speech from Dumbledore, everyone dug in to the delicious food. Kimberly glared at him from across the table as he dug into his chicken legs and mashed potatoes. When he finished his 5th chicken leg, he looked up and discovered that she was still glaring at him, just as angry as before. He decided to go ahead and let her stare at him because he was hungry, so he continued to eat. He was still sitting at the Slytherin table an hour later laughing and joking with everyone when he saw Harry, Hermione, and Ron walk by. He turned around. "Hey Potty, Mudblood, and Weasel. How was /i Christmas? Get another jumper, Weasley? You must be tired of those, or is it your idea of a treat? And what about you, Granger? Did you get idental floss/i for Christmas?" The Slytherins all laughed. Ron, who was particularly red in the face, plunged at Draco but Harry held him back. "Don't, Ron." he said. He was also fuming. Hermione looked calm. "What did you get for Christmas, Malfoy? Another bag of wizard gold? If you've saved it all up, you might have enough to buy a life." Harry and Ron laughed as they walked away. "Don't let those gits get to you, Malfoy." said Frank Dutters. "They're just jelous of you, they are." But inside Draco knew that Frank was wrong.
Chapter Two
/b
No classes today because it's Sunday. I keep thinking about that git, Potter. He thinks he's so wonderful with his Firebolt and that ugly scar of his. Well he isn't. And that Granger, she's too smart for her own good. Somebody ought to shut her up. And Weasley! His whole family are disgraces to the wizarding world, as my father says. He says they're ingrates, ungrateful for the fact that they are pure-blooded wizards and that they are even accepted at Hogwarts. I can't even understand how they make ends meet. But enough about those gnats. Yesterday was just plain awkward with Kimberly. I don't even like her but she can't take a hint. I'm usually nice towards the people in my own house, besides Crabbe and Goyle but it's not like they can comprehend what I'm saying. I don't know what I'm going to do today. There are no quidditch practices scheduled for today besides the Gryffindor team. They try too hard, they do. Without anything else to write about, I'm going to sign off.
/i
Draco put down his quill and ink bottle and locked his journal. He peered over at Crabbe and Goyle's four-posters. They were still fast asleep. Checking his pocketwatch, he decided if he was quick, he could probably squeeze in ten minutes for breakfast. He hurried dressing, pulling on his robes as fast as he could and exited the dormitory. There were students walking along the corridors talking about what they received for Christmas, girls giggling over that twit Lockhart's picture, a few Gryffindors rushing to their quidditch practice, and Professor Snape patrolling the area. "Good morning Draco." he said without expression. "I was wondering if I could have a word..." Draco nodded. "Yes sir, what would you like?" Snape shook his head. "Well actually I was thinking more about a conversation in my office if you please. Follow me." He turned, his pitch black robes trailing behind him. Draco stood there for a minute but ran to catch up with Snape. Snape held the door open for Draco as they arrived at his office. They both stepped in. "Sit." He said sternly as fire swirled out of his wand and into the large stone-arched fireplace. Snape sat in the chair behind is desk and rubbed his temple. "Well I suppose you don't know why you're here. So I'll just tell you." He looked Draco in the eye. "There are rumours..which I'm very sure are false, of course...that your father is an accomplice..of..of, well He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Draco could feel sweat beading at the top of his forhead. Did Snape know something he wasn't supposed to know? He then remembered that he was supposed to be acting shocked. "A-an accomplice of You-Know-Who? Why, that's insane Professor!" "Yes, yes I did think it was a tad bit phony, but you know my duties here." he said. "You may proceed on your way."
Draco dusted his arms off and walked out the door, closing it gently until he heard it click. He looked at his watch. He had only ten more minutes to eat breakfast so he ran the rest of the way to the Great Hall, occasionally running into now angry students without apology. He finally arrived at the hall and headed towards the Slytherin table. He sat down on one of the benches and a plate of buttered toast, eggs, and sausages appeared before him. He picked up his fork and began to prod around the sausages and eggs, eating quickly and talking once in awhile to his fellow Slytherins. Kimberly was snuggled up close to her new boyfriend, Raymond Richmond as she sipped her pumpkin juice daintily. Kenan looked like he was going to fall out of his seat. He was squeezing his napkin in his palm and Draco could see his hand reaching in his pocket for his wand. "Hey!" Draco whispered desperately. "Hey Kenan!" Kenan looked over. "What?" Draco grinned. "Get him!" Kenan stood up. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted. Raymond's wand flew out of his pocket and landed in Kenan's other hand. He threw it on the floor and shouted at Raymond, "Get off my girlfriend you dumb git!" He swung his want dramatically and performed a spell that Draco had never heard before. It threw Raymond harshly against the stone wall of the Great Hall and Kimberly flew into Kenan's arms. "Get off me!" she screamed as she flailed her arms and legs in every which way. "Get away from me!" Raymond who was still a little dizzy from his wall encounter charged at Kenan and tackled him to the ground. Kimberly was whacking Kenan over the head with her wand. Professor McGonagall ran to the scene. "Mr.Davis, Mr.Richmond, Ms.Westfield!" she shrieked shrilly. "What /i you doing?! GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF! LOCOMOTOR MORTIS!" she shouted. She had performed the body-binding spell that left the three out of control students bound together with wizard rope. Professor Flitwick used the wingardium leviosa charm to wisk the students away from the large crowd that had gathered around the Slytherin table. Crabbe and Goyle had finally wandered downstairs looking as bewildered as usual. "What's going on?" Crabbe asked scratching his head. "Nothing you would understand." said Draco as he brushed the crumbs off his robes. "I'm going ice skating, are you two coming along?" Crabbe and Goyle nodded and the three headed back towards their dormitory to retrieve their ice skates and get dressed in warmer clothing.
It was a cold, crisp morning. The ice was hard and think on the lake and there were many students taking advantage of the nice winter weather. Colin Creevey was skating around taking pictures of people in motion- falling down, slipping, skating fast. Two girls from Ravenclaw were performing a much-practiced duet for Professor Sprout, a few people from Slytherin were throwing snowballs at people, mainly the group of Gryffindor girls talking along the frozen lakeside. And out of the corner of his right eye he could see Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger clutching on to eachother. He skated over to them, laughing. "What's the matter Mudblood and Weasel? Can't skate?" Ron bit his lip but Hermione remained as cool, calm, and collected as ever. "No Malfoy, I can't skate. Ron is simply letting me hold on to his arm for support. Now if you don't mind, we'd like to be alone." Draco laughed again before skating off back to Crabbe and Goyle. He knew Hermione was lying. She was the one keeping Ron steady. But it didn't matter now. He had already had the satisfaction of humiliating Ron last evening and this morning.
Draco continued to skate for a few more hours, occasionally throwing a snowball or two at passerbys with his fellow Slytherins. When he decided that he was cold enough and that his feet were nearing sore point, he trudged back up to the castle, skates dangling on his shoulder, by himself. He thought about Kimberly's actions on the train and Kenan's actions that morning. And he thought of the journal and what it must mean to his father for him to actually have feelings for such a stupid thing. It had started to snow thickly on his voyage back to the castle; so thickly that it was hard to see. He tried to cover his eyes from the harsh cold wind and snowflakes but it was impossible, so he started to run. He ran under the weight of his ice skates until he felt a sharp slam and a cry erupt from nowhere. At first he thought he had run into a wall, but then where would the cry have come from? He couldnt see anything but white blurrying his vision, so he just lay there thinking about what had just happened, as if he didn't already have enough things to think about. He was cold, wet, and felt pain surging through his arm. That's just what he needed on his day off- a lovely broken arm. He heard a whimper somewhere near him and he tried to feel around for the someone or the something that he had slammed in to. No luck. With no vision but whiteness all around and a suspected broken arm, he decided to just lay there until someone came searching for him.
It must have been late because when Draco awoke frum his snowy stupor, it was dark outside and there were no people to be seen anywhere, not even the dinner patrols. He sat up and rubbed his arm softly, then his head, and then found his ice skates. He had almost completely been buried by the thick snow. He had also forgotten the thing he had run into until he heard a faint crying noise. He listened carefully in the dark quietness of the Hogwarts grounds. "Hello!" he called out, hoping to hear the sound again. The cry came louder this time and Draco noticed that it was coming from the ground. He started digging up the snow as fast as he could until his muscles started to hurt. He then rested before repeating. After what seemed like forever, he still couldn't find the thing so he stopped and rested. Just then, something grabbed his hand as he yelped out in surprise. It was cold and slimy, so eerie that Draco fainted.
Chapter Three
"Wake up! Hey, wake up!" Draco heard a girl's voice say. He opened his eyes to a pretty girl with a blue scarf- a Ravenclaw, no doubt. "You..you fainted." She stumbled on her words as she felt Draco's forehead. "We ran into eachother during the blizzard. I..I think my arm is broken." "I think mine is, too." Draco said as he sat up. He looked at his surroundings and stood up. The girl also stood up. "I think we've both been sleeping all along. It's pretty late, look at the time." She held out a golden pocketwatch in which the glass was cracked visibly in three places. "Hey!" Draco shouted. "That's mine!" The girl nodded. "I know, I used it to check the time when you fainted. Well, are you going to have a look or not?" He snatched his pocketwatch and glanced at it. It was half past twelve in the morning. "You're telling me that we've been lying in the snow for ten hours?" he asked in complete awe. The girl shrugged. "Well I suppose. I'm Brieanne Mielson." She held out her hand and Draco shook it. "I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." "We'd better get to the hospital wing, we're both banged up pretty bad. You've got a bruise just there." She said as she put her finger on his cheek. "Does that hurt?" He shook his head. "No but my arm does." There was something about Brieanne that Draco just liked. It wasn't just that she was really pretty- beautiful you could say, but she was wise and didn't snap at Draco or call him names for being in Slytherin. He supposed you could tell, as his Slytherin badge was gleaming even in the darkness and his scarf had patches of deep green. The two stepped slowly through the crisp, crunchy snow on their way to the castle, not talking, but maybe enjoying the first few minutes of peacefulness that they had had all day. When they arrived at the heavy oak doors, Draco pulled the door open and they both stepped inside to find Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Snape, Professor Sprout, and Professor Flitwick standing with worried looks spread widely on all of their faces, jabbering away in fearful tones. Professor McGonagall was the first to realize the doors had opened. She was closest to the doors, no doubt waiting anxiously for the two students. "Great Merlin, children! Where have you been?" she asked in exclamation as two warm towels appeared for them. She wrapped them both up. "Everybody, everybody over here! The children, they're alive!" "Minerva, please bring them to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey is no doubt going to be out of her mind about this, and please explain to them what has happened. As for the rest of us," Dumbledore said pointing to the other teachers, "We've had a rough night, I suggest we all get some shut-eye." Before Draco could even comprehend what was happening, he was whisked away to the hospital wing where an extremely anxious Madam Pomfrey awaited.
Draco had dressed into his pajamas and gotten into the hospital bed. His arm was fully healed but he still felt quite dizzy and rather tired. Brieanne was in a similar bed next to his. "Where were you going when we smacked into eachother earlier?" she asked curiously. Draco sighed. "I was coming back to the castle after ice skating on the lake. What were you doing out there?" "Uh, nothing. No I was doing nothing..going for a stroll." Sure, he thought as he nestled himself under the covers, waiting for Professor McGonagall to explain to them what had happened. A few minutes later, McGonagall appeared by their bedsides and cleared her throat. "You two are very lucky to be alive. Did you know that?" she asked, rather impatiently. "An alpblizzard occurred this evening. An alpblizzard is not just your average blizzard. It makes the sky pitch black and attracts giants who do come even when the most powerful spells keep them away." "Wait a second." said Brieanne. "Y-you mean there were loose giants on the grounds during the blizzard and we were lying there in the snow?!" Professor McGonagall nodded. "I'm quite afraid so. But we were most fortunate to only have a few students who were injured, and none killed. I myself almost game in contact with one of the giants. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm off to bed. Good evening and good luck with those injuries." She whisked herself away from the hospital wing and out the doors. "Draco, aren't you the least bit scared?" Brieanne asked when he had almost fallen back to sleep. Irritated, he answered, "No, now leave me alone. I'm trying to sleep." Brieanne sighed and turned over in her bed.
Later in the night, Draco heard Brieanne get up for a glass of water several times. Each time she would whisper his name, but he would never answer. But he thought about her. He wondered if she liked quidditch as much as he did. Most people thought Draco's father had given the Slytherin quidditch team the Nimbus 2001s in exchange for his son to be on the team. But that was wrong. Draco had indeed tried out to be the new seeker, and upon becoming it, his father had awarded the team. He wondered how Brieanne's eyes were so blue, matching the blue colour of her Ravenclaw robes. He wondered about her until he fell asleep, not dreaming, but just silently sleeping.
/b
I am lucky that I was caught in the alpblizzard yesterday because I get to miss classes today. I am still residing in the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey sent me upstairs to my dormitory to retrieve my belongings. I met a girl who was trapped with me in the blizzard, also. Her name is Brieanne and she is from Ravenclaw. I can't stop thinking about her. Wait, does that mean that I like her? But she's in Ravenclaw! What would my father say about that? I am supposed to like Pansy Parkinson in that way, but I don't. What will I do if Brieanne is a mudblood? I could never confess that I like a mudblood, never. So here I sit thinking about Brieanne until I gain up enough courage to talk to her about her family. Maybe I should wait. But I'm fed up with this waiting. I did enough of it last night. Something else that was good happened yesterday morning. Kenan Davis cast a few spells on Raymond Richmond for stealing his girlfriend, Kimberly Westfield. Did I mention that Kimberly was all over me on the train back to school from holidays? A bit scary, we almost kissed. I'm off.
/i
He put down his quill and hid his journal in the bedside cabinet. He waited for Brieanne to finish up in the shower. She had already been in there for at least an hour. Madam Pomfrey walked out of her office, two trays of breakfast floating behind her. "Miss Mielson is /i in the shower? Do me a favor, dear and watch over her tray. The house elves do like to clear away the food when nobody is watching." She walked away back to the office and started filing papers as Draco could see through the window.
Finally, Brieanne emerged from the shower, her wet hair tied neatly back in a ponytail. Draco stared at her. "What?" she asked innocently. "A girl's got to have time to herself, you know." She got back underneath the covers of her own bed and pulled them up to her chin. The tray that sat neatly on her bed had disappeared. "Hey, where is /i breakfast?" she asked. "The house elves got it." Draco said, remembering that he was supposed to be watching her food. He snickered a little before offering her some of his toast. "Are you sure you're in Slytherin?" Brieanne asked, eating her toast and drinking a glass of water. "Not many Slytherins would offer a Ravenclaw a piece of their toast. Even if it is a small piece." "I am in Slytherin!" Draco said defensively. "I just..." "You just like her, Malfoy!" he heard someone say from a few beds down. Seamus Finnegan was sitting up in his bed laughing. "Of course, I don't blame you! Nice-looking one, she is." Draco got up from his bed but Brieanne got up first, walking over furiously to Seamus' bed. "Hey there Miss Ravenclaw. Come to utterly insult me with your witty brain talk? How about a kiss instead?" Brieanne raised her hand and smacked Seamus clear across the face. "I may be a Ravenclaw, Finnegan, but I prefer physical violence when it's needed." And with that, she walked back to her bed, pulling up the covers again. The 4 other patients in the hospital wing laughed until their sides hurt. "That one," laughed Gregorias Switch, "is cute iand feisty!/i" The laughter went on for ages until Madam Pomfrey settled everyone down again. Draco had drifted off to sleep again and woke up around dinner time. He wasn't hungry but just lie there while he watched the others eat their dinner. He wanted to be in his dormitory, to sleep in his own, much more comfortable four-poster, with the drapes clear around so nobody could see through. He wanted to eat in the Great Hall with his friends. And surprisingly, he wanted to go to class. He peered over at Brieanne who was eating her dinner and reading a book at the same time. Without thinking, he called out her name. She looked over at him with a tear-stained face. "Yes?" she asked solemnly. He wondered if this was the right time to ask her about her family, and everything else he wanted to ask her. "Why were you really in the woods yesterday?" he asked curiously. "Oh." she sobbed, putting her face in her hands. "Oh." She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "It's..it's my boyfriend." A sinking feeling developed in Draco's stomach, like all of the food he had eaten earlier was turning to stone. His heart felt saddened, a feeling that he had never once, not one time, experience. "Oh, uh, did you, uh, break up or something?" he asked. "No." she sobbed. "No! He-he-he. He's not. Well he is, but...I...He's making me go out with him. I hate him, I hate him so much! He saw me do it. He saw me!" "Saw you do what?" Draco asked. "He saw me go into Snape's office and look at the answers for one of our potions' tests. So he made me go out with him. And if I refused, he would tell, and you know that Snape only believes the students in his own house!" "What do you mean his own house? Someone from Slytherin saw you?" "Yeah." she nodded. "Ian Welnick. You know, tall, blonde hair, brown eyes." "I know who he is." Draco said, feeling anger suddenly arising within him. He couldn't wait until he was allowed to go back to his normal life. He would give Ian a piece of his mind tomorrow. "Well, I was going to see him. To tell him that I was breaking off our deal, that it didn't matter because I wouldn't even like him as a friend. And then the blizzard started and I got stranded underneath the snow, until you dug me out, that is." She smiled at him with teary eyes. "Well I guess I had to." said Draco, feeling his heart beat faster in his chest. "No, Draco. You didn't have to. But I'm really glad and thankful that you did, because if you didn't, I would have died down there and nobody would have ever found me." After she realized that her food had disappeared, she lay back down and turned over, crying herself to an early sleep.
Chapter Four
Draco couldn't sleep that night. He kept tossing and turning. He thought about how he had saved Brieanne's life. He had saved a life. What would his father say? Would he be proud that he saved someone's life, or angry because he saved a possible mudblood's life? Draco could have sworn he saw Brieanne's eyes open, and his thoughts were confirmed when she called out his name in a whisper. "I'm awake." he said quietly. "Come over here. I can't whisper to you all the way over there." she said. He could make out her figure sitting up in her bed. He got up carefully in the silent darkness and felt for her bed, and sat down on it. "I can't sleep." she said. Draco yawned. "Neither can I. I've been up all night. What am I doing over here anyways?" he asked, slightly flustered. "I don't know. I just thought we could talk, you know? Since we can't do anything else. Here, let's light a candle." She felt for the candle sitting on her cabinet but couldn't get to it. "Accio candle." she said as the candle flew into her hand. She then chanted a spell that send fire onto the wick of the candle, and set it down, flickering, onto the cabinet. Draco could now see her face clearly in the dim firelight, just as beautiful as ever. "What do you want to talk about?" asked Draco, his heart hammering inside of him. "I want to talk about you." she said. "Tell me about yourself." "Ok.." he said shyly. "My name is Draco Malfoy. I live in Surrey away from school. My father's name is Lucius Malfoy, he works at the Ministry of Magic, and my mother's name is Narcissa. I don't have any brothers or sisters, and no pets. Just a house elf name Frachenzo. I'm the seeker onthe Slytherin quidditch team, and my worst enemy is Harry Potter. Is that good enough?" he asked, slightly embarrassed. "Yes, I suppose. Now me." she began, "My name is Brieanne Mielson. I also live in Surrey away from school with my parents, Samuel and Emily Mielson, and my sister Laurella. All of my family are wizards dating back thousands of years ago..." She's pure-blooded, thought Draco. "Brieanne? he interrupted, looking into her electric blue eyes. "What?" she asked nervously, looking back at him. Before he could answer her, she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. "What was that for?" he asked, his heart hammering in his chest again. "I like you, too." she said, smiling.
The next day Draco was feeling good as he brought his belongings back up to his dormitory early in the morning. He was dressed in his robes and ready to meet with Ian Welnick in the common room, where most of the Slytherins got together before class. When he came back down from his dormitory, he saw Ian chatting with two girls in the corner. He walked over. "Hey Ian, my pal. I thought you had a girlfriend?" Ian looked embarrassed. "What? No I don't!" he said angrily. "Don't lie to me, you git! Does the name Brieanne ring a bell to you? Brieanne Mielson?!" He grabbed Ian's robes and pulled him closer to his face. "You leave her alone. Got it, Welnick?" Ian nodded and sulked off to another corner, leaving a satisfied Draco by himself with the two girls. "Brieanne Mielson, huh?" asked one girl interested. "A Slytherin and a Ravenclaw? Not such a good mix, Malfoy, if you ask me." "I'm not asking you." said Draco. He left the girls and headed out the common room entrance and to his first class.
"I suppose the only person who has read Hogwarts: A History thoroughly is Miss Granger." Professor Binns droned on. History was not a very good subject to begin the day. Draco's head was resting lightly on the desk that he shared with Crabbe. He couldn't stand History or Professor Binns, both the most boring things in Hogwarts. What made everything worse was that he had to share this hour with the Gryffindors. Hermione Granger, who was sitting up tall and straight in her seat was wildly raising her hand to various questions that nobody else in the class was paying attention to. iWhat a showoff/i, he thought, annoyed at the fact that the Gryffindor house was receiving points for Hemione's answers. When the point-giving session was over, Professor Binns cleared his throat. "What did you think of Miss Granger's answers class? Hmm? I'm disappointed that she is the only pupil who answers my questions. Comments please." Draco sat up quickly and shot up his hand. "Well," he started, thinking of things to say that would embarrass Hermione. "I think that her answers were all correct, as usual. But you wouldn't expect a wrong answer from Little Miss Know-it-All, now would you? The only reason she knows all the answers is because she has nothing better to do than read thousand-page books about things nobody cares about, for endless hours. Even when she's eating in the Great Hall, she always has that nose of hers shoved in a book, and all because she likes being the teacher's pet. You know that, Professor, as well as all of us. Even the other goody-goody Gryffindors know /i much information." Professor Binns didn't say anything, but moreso looked over at Hermione who stared blankly at her desk. She closed her book and retrieved her ink bottle, quill, and parchment, shoved them angrily into her bag, and walked out of the classroom. Draco beamed, quite satisfied with himself as Professor Binns cleared his throat again. "Well, yes yes. Let her go." he said to Harry and Ron who had both got up and started walking to the door. They stopped and seated themselves again, Ron glaring at Draco and shaking his head. Finally after another agonizing ten minutes, the class was let out and the students proceeded to the corridors to continue on to their next classes. Draco walked with Crabbe and Goyle by his side, both looking tired and clueless. Draco was feeling such himself until he heard a familiar voice. It was Brieanne. She walked up to Draco and kissed him, her arms around his neck. When the kiss finished, she looked him in the eyes. "You never told me your father was a..was a Death Eater." she whispered nervously, darting her eyes to make sure nobody was close enough to listen. "What? I don't know what you're talking about!" Draco snapped. She sighed. "Draco, don't lie. I have to tell you that..my father...he's..he's also a Death Eater..he knows your father, Lucius Malfoy. I got it in a letter today, after writing to my family the other day about our incident where we ran into eachother in the storm, so they know I'm alright. I mentioned that you were the person I ran into and my father, well he told me." "Oh." said Draco, still nervous. "But you're a Ravenclaw. What about your family?" he asked curiously. "Half Ravenclaw, half Hufflepuff, two or three Slytherin. My immediate family was all in Ravenclaw, though." she answered. Draco looked puzzled. "But I thought only those who've been in Slytherin....?" "Don't be so dense!" she said to him. "My father is a Death Eater because of his beliefs, as well as your father, not because of the house he was in at school. So it turns out we have more in common than we think, eh?" Draco nodded. "Is this a good thing?" "I suppose..." Brieanne shrugged. "Hey, listen, I've got Divination next and I highly doubt that old bat Trelawney will know I'm missing. So I was thinking, I mean if you want to, we could skip class and go somewhere I know of." "Really?" Draco asked, not knowing that Brieanne would do such a Slytherin sort of thing. She nodded and grabbed his hand, leading him down the corridor. "Come on." "Wait, wait." he said, slowing them down. "I've got Potions next. I have to get a note from Snape. It'll be easy, I'll just say I'm feeling ill; you know how he is with students from his own house." The couple walked off to Snapes classroom, Brieanne stopping to hide in a girls' bathroom as she waited. Crabbe and Goyle were already inside the class. Draco put on his ill act and stalked over to Snape, limping a little. "Professor. Ugh. Professor I feel sick." Snape looked up from his book and peered at Draco's form. "I suppose the blizzard has still got a hold of your immunities." Snape said, beginning to write small script on a piece of parchment. "It'll do you some good to see Madam Pomfrey. Off with you now." he said, handing Draco the small piece of parchment. He thanked Snape and walked off into the hall, checking to see if the coast was clear. Brieanne swung the door to the bathroom open and met Draco in the corridor. They held hands and snuck around each corner carefully and quietly so they wouldn't run into anybody or any school ghosts. They ran down different corridors and staircases until finally they were at the front doors. Brieanne pushed them open and pulled Draco out, looking around to make sure nobody was around. They ran and stopped before the Whomping Willow. "What, we're going near that thing?!" Draco asked, his heart pounding. Brieanne pulled out her wand. "Locomotor Mortis!" she shouted, pointing the want at the tree's branches. The branches became entwined. "Weird." said Draco, watching the struggling tree. "Come on!" shouted Brieanne, tugging on his robes. "We only have a few seconds before the binds break!" Brieanne and Draco stopped in front of the tree as she touched a knot on the trunk and a secret compartment revealed itself. Brieanne stumbled in, Draco following her. "Luminate." Draco said, light shooting out of his wand. "What is this place? How did you find it?" he asked. Brieanne smiled in the bright light. "Remember the night with Potter and Granger and the dementors and everything? After you got bitten by that hippogriff?" "Yeah." "Well I was serving detention with Hagrid, and I saw them come in here. So now I come here alot. Just to think about some things, relax, you know?" Draco nodded. He looked down the long pathway. "Where does this lead to?" he asked. "The Shrieking Shack. Although, it's not really haunted you know." "I know about that. My father told me." he said. "Let's go down there." They got up and started walking through the dark tunnel with their wands glowing in the darkness. They walked in silence for a very long time. They rested once but then ran the rest of the way as to not waste too much time. Finally they reached the end of the tunnel, the dark Shrieking Shack. They lit a few candles and sat down on the floor. Draco moved closer to Brieanne and kissed her. "We can do something else besides kissing." said Draco. "What?" asked Brieanne. "You mean sex?" "No, no I didn't mean that." Draco laughed. "I mean, we can go out somewhere. Hogsmeade maybe." "Perfect." said Brieanne. "Although we're in Hogsmeade right now. The next trip is in two days. I'll meet you at Honeydukes." Draco nodded. The two just lay there for awhile until Brieanne gasped. "Draco, we've been here for nearly two hours!" "I'm in the hospital wing, remember?" asked Draco. "But what about me?!" asked Brieanne worriedly. "I don't have double Divination today! I have charms and Professor Flitwick is head of my house! He'd know if I was gone anywhere!" She put her head in her hands. "What am I going to do?" she wailed. Draco put his arm around her and thought hard. "Oh no." he said. "I said I was going to the hospital wing, but I never did." "So what?" asked Brieanne. "So..so the teachers are supposed to send down the names of students who go down there..and I didn't show. And you didn't show up for classes. So that means..." "They're out looking for us!" Brieanne wailed again. "We'd better get going and make up an excuse along the way." she said. "A good excuse, as well." They got up and headed for the tunnel, lighting up their wands again and shining them in the darkness. They walked and came up with plans at the same time. Draco's was to pretend on his way to the hospital wing, he fainted and nobody had found him, except Brieanne who had seen his body before her Charms class had started. They couldn't think of a reason of why Brieanne wouldn't have gotten a teacher, though, so they sulked all the way back through the tunnel until they reached the end. The passage opened. They stepped out. "Locomotor Mor....Draco!" The whomping willow had whomped Draco right in the forehead, leaving a bloody gash that most likely needed stictches. "LOCOMOTOR MORTIS!" Brieanne helped pull Draco off the ground as they ran back into the school, choosing an almost always deserted hallway that would be sensible to use in their plan. Draco lied on the ground and Brieanne snapped her fingers. "I didn't go get a teacher because when I saw the gash on your forehead, I fainted." "Brilliant." said Draco. "But how did I cut my head?" Brieanne sat there looking thoughtful for a moment before starting up again. "The lantern on the wall. When you fainted, you fell forwards and bumped your head on the lantern, and I'm guessing you rolled over sometime during the period you fainted. So let's lie here. You can be sprawled out, but I have to be sort of straight. Ok, good luck." "You too." Draco replied, setting himself down.
The two had been lying there in the hallway for a long time before Filch came along. "Students on my floor? My, my. Trouble for you two. Trouble it is. Mrs.Norris, take this message to Professor McGonagall." Draco opened his eye to a slit and watched Filch scribble some words onto a piece of parchment, roll it up into a mini scroll, and tie it to Mrs.Norris' collar with some twine. The cat that had been petrified in the second year leaped with joy to be asked to do a task, and set off for the Professor's office. Filch waited for five minutes before coming over to them and checking for their pulses. "Alive. Pity it is. At least no messes for me to clean up." Mrs.Norris came running down the corridor with Professor McGonagall at her heels. "Ah, Professor, these students are lying in my hallway and I don't know why." Professor McGonagall held smelling salts under their noses so they couldn't bear to pretend to be unconcious any more. "Where am I?" asked Draco, faking his confusion. "Why am I lying in the hallway?" Professor McGonagall stood up. "Explain yourselves." she said crossly. "I..I don't remember anything, just not feeling well earlier this morning. I asked Professor Snape for permission to lie down in the hospital wing for a bit. I chose this hallway to get their quicker, mind you I felt very ill, and I don't remember anything else." Brieanne rubbed her head. "I remember some. I also chose this short cut as means to get to my Charms class when I saw a body at the end of the corridor. I ran to see who it was and I found Draco, the person who I had run into in the blizzard the other night. I saw the gash on his head and I fainted. I'm not very good with blood, Professor." "Very well." McGonagall said. "I'll escort you to the hospital wing, the both of you again." Draco winked at Brieanne as they walked off down the hall.
/b
Christmas holidays have passed and once again my Christmas was horrible. I just get more and more presents each year that aren't fun. Sure, my parents could afford the best gifts money could buy for their only son, but they don't. I think my mother would buy me some decent things, but my father, no, he wouldn't ever. He's much too strict for fun and games. He won't even allow me a dog or any pet for that matter. He says it will dirty our mansion up. Like it matters. We have house elves to clean up for us. Anyhow, back to Christmas. My father bought me some new dress robes from Madam Malkin's and also some new robes for school, new shoes that polish themselves, 2 new quills, some parchment, a few ink bottles, broom polish, a new golden pocketwatch, Literature II for Young Wizards, and of course you, my journal. I really don't understand why I'm forced to write in you. My father ordered me to write in you because you are a Malfoy family airloom. My father says he wrote in you as a boy, as my grandfather and his father, and so on. As each generation passes and you are passed down from father to son, you become blank again so the next unfortunate child can write in your stupid pages. At first, I just ignored your dragon-hide cover by throwing it under my bed. Then my mother started nagging me to write. And I thought she was on my side. Apparently, she isn't. Well this is the end of my first entry as it is late and tomorrow I return to Hogwarts.
/i
Draco woke early to the sound of his wizarding alarm clock. He opened up his closet and pulled out his brand new Hogwarts robes. They were very dark black and proudly held the Slytherin badge on the left side of the chest. He pulled the robes on and got some fresh socks. He then put on his black self-polishing shoes and called for his house elf. "Frachenzo!" The raggedy, sagged-faced elf appeared at Draco's side almost immediately. "You called, sir, Master Draco, sir. Master Malfoy Draco." "My name," said Draco angrily while hastily shoving clothes into his trunk, "Is Draco Malfoy, got that? Draco Malfoy. Now take this trunk downstairs to my father so he can send it to the train." Frachenzo did as he was told and left Draco to the silence of his bedroom. He sat on his bed and sighed. He almost fell back asleep when he heard a tap at his door before it flung open to emit a fuming Lucius Malfoy. "Draco I believe your mother has been calling up to you for a steady several minutes. Either you have very good ignoring skills or you are slightly deaf." He pulled Draco harshly by the arm and pushed him upright. "Come, we're leaving by portkey." "Why portkey, father?" said Draco slightly puzzled. "Why not the car? We always use the car." "Because I /i to use the portkey, Draco. But if your nosy self must know, I am letting a friend borrow it today." He pulled Draco out of the door and lead him down into the entry hallway. "We're off Narcissa, I shall be back in a few hours. I need to close some buisness up with Borgin in Knockturn Alley. Draco, go give your mother a kiss." Draco did as he was told. "Good-bye darling, I'll see you at the end of term." she said sweetly. Draco always thought, and still stood by his word that his mother did not sound like a Malfoy at all.
"Draco, over here! Draco!" Draco turned at the sound of his name. He saw Crabbe and Goyle with their fathers near the train entryway. "Ah." said Lucius. "Just the people I needed to see." he said while grasping each of the men's hands in a quick shake. They moved off into a vacant corner where they continued chatting seriously. "What is it do you think they're talking about?" asked Crabbe innocently. "You know, stupid, Death Eater stuff." said Goyle with a smirk. Draco punched Goyle in the side. "You're not supposed to speak about that you git! Do you want our fathers to end up in Azkaban?!" Goyle shook his head, "Well it's only us, Draco. There's nobody else here."
After their fathers finished speaking, they all said good-bye to their sons, each shaking his son's hand while still whispering desperately to eachother through the corner of their mouths. The three boys got onto the Hogwarts Express and found themselves seats. Kenan Davis passed them but moved back when he saw their faces. "Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle. Mind if my girlfriend and I share a seat?" Draco shook his head. Kenan and his girlfriend Kimberly Westfield, both in Slytherin, found seats next to Crabbe. "Push over Crabbe." said Kenan. Crabbe sighed but shifted over towards the window. Kimberly nodded to Draco. "New robes, Malfoy? Some holiday for you, eh?" "Tell me about it." said Draco. "My father is the worst. The absolute worst." Kimberly laughed. "Not as bad as my father. It's not easy being a proper young lady at home, you know." Kimberly giggled as she gave Kenan a kiss. "Proper young lady, ha! That's what I say." she said as Kenan put his arm around her. Draco looked out the window. He could hear Goyle's low, monotonious snoring beside him. It was amazing how quickly the old bloke could actually fall asleep. Draco was actually quite tired himself so he decided to leave Kimberly and Kenan to it and just fall asleep right there, so he did.
The sun was setting when Draco finally opened his eyes six hours later. Kenan's head was lolling to his side, his arm still around Kimberly who was wide awake, snapping bubblegum in her mouth and reading iThe Quibbler/i. She looked up when Draco stirred to sit up straight in his seat. "Nice to see some awake civilization after nearly six hours." she said while turning a page. "Why do you read that loony junk?" said Draco pointing to the magazine. "Junk it is, I won't deny. But it's better than nothing when you've got nobody to communicate with. Most of my friends are way at the back of the train in another compartment." She laughed. "Listen to this: iGiantess Dates Viktor Krum.
Viktor Krum and his new hubby, giantess Alphina were seen late yesterday evening in Bulgaria's finest Glace Cafe snuggling together with a warm cup of cocoa. The owner of the cafe, Maurice Vendeshako says that Viktor's Alphina was twenty-two feet tall and had had to bend on her knees on the snowy floor where her head still went through the ceiling. Vendeshako says he's charged Krum for the colossal hole in his ceiling and he hopes that Krum will pay so he doesn't have to take him to Wizard Court/i." Draco laughed. "Krum and a giantess? What a load of dung!" "I know. Just wait 'till Little Miss Granger finds out about this story! I wonder if she and Krum are still seeing eachother? What does he see in that girl anyways? She's just a little buck-toothed frizzball!" said Kimberly angrily. "I mean, I wonder if he even saw me at the ball? I was the belle of that ball! Do you think I'm prettier than her, Draco?!" "Huh? What?" said Draco suddenly. He had been studying the steady fall of the snowflakes out of the window. "Yeah..Yeah you're prettier..." "Thanks." she said as she smiled at him. Draco turned away again to look out the window, guessing that their conversation had ended." But he was wrong. He felt something grab his hand. He looked over and saw that Kimberly had taken his hand from across the seat. "Draco," she whispered. "Wake up Goyle and tell him to switch places with me." Draco did as he was told, not wanting to make Kimberly angry, even though her severe closeness was making him nervous. He didn't really like Kimberly that much, she just wasn't his type. When Goyle switched seats, Kimberly moved next to Draco, a sly grin on her face. She moved right up next to him and took his hand. "Draco, I like you, I really like you and I always have." Draco gulped. She moved a bit closer so that they were looking eye to eye. She moved in to kiss him but he pulled away. "Kimberly, don't." he said. She looked at him in surprise. "Don't?" she asked astonished. "Well why not? Kenan's asleep. I like you, you like me. I've been wanting to break up with Kenan since before holidays so what's wrong with it?" Draco sighed and cracked his knuckles. "I don't like you like that Kimberly. And Kenan's my friend." "iKenan's my friend/i?! You don't sound like a Slytherin to me." "A Slytherin? You know how I act towards people in my own house. If you weren't a girl..." "Oh so that's it?!" she interrupted. "Well good-bye Draco, I'm out of here!" and with that she left the compartment and headed towards the back to her friends. Draco shrugged it off and sat recollecting his thoughts of the strange occurance. "Anything off the trolley, dear?" asked the trolley witch pleasantly. "Pumpkin juice." Draco said handing the witch 15 sickles. It was going to be a long ride.
Draco guessed he had fallen back asleep because when the train stopped at Hogsmeade Station, he had no memory of what he had done after he drank his pumpkin juice. Kenan, Crabbe, and Goyle were still sleeping so he woke them up and they all crabbed their trunks. The wind outside the train was cold and bitter, with snowflakes coming down in every which way. Draco hadn't seen Kimberly since she left the compartment on the trunk but Kenan didn't seem concerned. "Kimberly broke up with me." he said angrily. Draco pretended to be surprised. "When did she do that?" "When you guys were sleeping. She woke me up and told me the news. Says she's found someone new. I reckon it won't last too long, she's always moving on, that one." Draco nodded like he understood as they continued up the steps to Hogwarts castle. He pulled open the heavy doors and was greeted by Filch. "Ah, Mr.Malfoy. Your father sent this earlier." He said through scummy yellow teeth. He held out the journal that Draco had thrown under his bed the night before. He had accidentally forgot to pack it, even though he was considering leaving it home on purpose. He grabbed the journal from Filch and shoved it under his arm, covered by the safety of his robes. "All students returning from the Hogwarts Express, please return to your dormitories and change robes if needed. The End-of-Holiday feast will proceed in the Great Hall in ten minutes. Please hurry, posthaste." Professor McGonagall shouted stoutly. Draco was glad for this excuse to head to his dormitory. His father had offered to pay wizard gold for Draco to have his own room in his first year, but Dumbledore wouldn't accept. "Part of Draco's time at Hogwarts will be with his friends, therefore he shall stay with his friends." Dumbledore had said slowly that day. So Draco hurried up the steps to beat Crabbe and Goyle to their dormitory so he could stash away his journal without them noticing.
After Draco had put away his journal and all of his posessions, he headed to the Great Hall and sat down with his fellow Slytherins. After the usual speech from Dumbledore, everyone dug in to the delicious food. Kimberly glared at him from across the table as he dug into his chicken legs and mashed potatoes. When he finished his 5th chicken leg, he looked up and discovered that she was still glaring at him, just as angry as before. He decided to go ahead and let her stare at him because he was hungry, so he continued to eat. He was still sitting at the Slytherin table an hour later laughing and joking with everyone when he saw Harry, Hermione, and Ron walk by. He turned around. "Hey Potty, Mudblood, and Weasel. How was /i Christmas? Get another jumper, Weasley? You must be tired of those, or is it your idea of a treat? And what about you, Granger? Did you get idental floss/i for Christmas?" The Slytherins all laughed. Ron, who was particularly red in the face, plunged at Draco but Harry held him back. "Don't, Ron." he said. He was also fuming. Hermione looked calm. "What did you get for Christmas, Malfoy? Another bag of wizard gold? If you've saved it all up, you might have enough to buy a life." Harry and Ron laughed as they walked away. "Don't let those gits get to you, Malfoy." said Frank Dutters. "They're just jelous of you, they are." But inside Draco knew that Frank was wrong.
Chapter Two
/b
No classes today because it's Sunday. I keep thinking about that git, Potter. He thinks he's so wonderful with his Firebolt and that ugly scar of his. Well he isn't. And that Granger, she's too smart for her own good. Somebody ought to shut her up. And Weasley! His whole family are disgraces to the wizarding world, as my father says. He says they're ingrates, ungrateful for the fact that they are pure-blooded wizards and that they are even accepted at Hogwarts. I can't even understand how they make ends meet. But enough about those gnats. Yesterday was just plain awkward with Kimberly. I don't even like her but she can't take a hint. I'm usually nice towards the people in my own house, besides Crabbe and Goyle but it's not like they can comprehend what I'm saying. I don't know what I'm going to do today. There are no quidditch practices scheduled for today besides the Gryffindor team. They try too hard, they do. Without anything else to write about, I'm going to sign off.
/i
Draco put down his quill and ink bottle and locked his journal. He peered over at Crabbe and Goyle's four-posters. They were still fast asleep. Checking his pocketwatch, he decided if he was quick, he could probably squeeze in ten minutes for breakfast. He hurried dressing, pulling on his robes as fast as he could and exited the dormitory. There were students walking along the corridors talking about what they received for Christmas, girls giggling over that twit Lockhart's picture, a few Gryffindors rushing to their quidditch practice, and Professor Snape patrolling the area. "Good morning Draco." he said without expression. "I was wondering if I could have a word..." Draco nodded. "Yes sir, what would you like?" Snape shook his head. "Well actually I was thinking more about a conversation in my office if you please. Follow me." He turned, his pitch black robes trailing behind him. Draco stood there for a minute but ran to catch up with Snape. Snape held the door open for Draco as they arrived at his office. They both stepped in. "Sit." He said sternly as fire swirled out of his wand and into the large stone-arched fireplace. Snape sat in the chair behind is desk and rubbed his temple. "Well I suppose you don't know why you're here. So I'll just tell you." He looked Draco in the eye. "There are rumours..which I'm very sure are false, of course...that your father is an accomplice..of..of, well He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Draco could feel sweat beading at the top of his forhead. Did Snape know something he wasn't supposed to know? He then remembered that he was supposed to be acting shocked. "A-an accomplice of You-Know-Who? Why, that's insane Professor!" "Yes, yes I did think it was a tad bit phony, but you know my duties here." he said. "You may proceed on your way."
Draco dusted his arms off and walked out the door, closing it gently until he heard it click. He looked at his watch. He had only ten more minutes to eat breakfast so he ran the rest of the way to the Great Hall, occasionally running into now angry students without apology. He finally arrived at the hall and headed towards the Slytherin table. He sat down on one of the benches and a plate of buttered toast, eggs, and sausages appeared before him. He picked up his fork and began to prod around the sausages and eggs, eating quickly and talking once in awhile to his fellow Slytherins. Kimberly was snuggled up close to her new boyfriend, Raymond Richmond as she sipped her pumpkin juice daintily. Kenan looked like he was going to fall out of his seat. He was squeezing his napkin in his palm and Draco could see his hand reaching in his pocket for his wand. "Hey!" Draco whispered desperately. "Hey Kenan!" Kenan looked over. "What?" Draco grinned. "Get him!" Kenan stood up. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted. Raymond's wand flew out of his pocket and landed in Kenan's other hand. He threw it on the floor and shouted at Raymond, "Get off my girlfriend you dumb git!" He swung his want dramatically and performed a spell that Draco had never heard before. It threw Raymond harshly against the stone wall of the Great Hall and Kimberly flew into Kenan's arms. "Get off me!" she screamed as she flailed her arms and legs in every which way. "Get away from me!" Raymond who was still a little dizzy from his wall encounter charged at Kenan and tackled him to the ground. Kimberly was whacking Kenan over the head with her wand. Professor McGonagall ran to the scene. "Mr.Davis, Mr.Richmond, Ms.Westfield!" she shrieked shrilly. "What /i you doing?! GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF! LOCOMOTOR MORTIS!" she shouted. She had performed the body-binding spell that left the three out of control students bound together with wizard rope. Professor Flitwick used the wingardium leviosa charm to wisk the students away from the large crowd that had gathered around the Slytherin table. Crabbe and Goyle had finally wandered downstairs looking as bewildered as usual. "What's going on?" Crabbe asked scratching his head. "Nothing you would understand." said Draco as he brushed the crumbs off his robes. "I'm going ice skating, are you two coming along?" Crabbe and Goyle nodded and the three headed back towards their dormitory to retrieve their ice skates and get dressed in warmer clothing.
It was a cold, crisp morning. The ice was hard and think on the lake and there were many students taking advantage of the nice winter weather. Colin Creevey was skating around taking pictures of people in motion- falling down, slipping, skating fast. Two girls from Ravenclaw were performing a much-practiced duet for Professor Sprout, a few people from Slytherin were throwing snowballs at people, mainly the group of Gryffindor girls talking along the frozen lakeside. And out of the corner of his right eye he could see Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger clutching on to eachother. He skated over to them, laughing. "What's the matter Mudblood and Weasel? Can't skate?" Ron bit his lip but Hermione remained as cool, calm, and collected as ever. "No Malfoy, I can't skate. Ron is simply letting me hold on to his arm for support. Now if you don't mind, we'd like to be alone." Draco laughed again before skating off back to Crabbe and Goyle. He knew Hermione was lying. She was the one keeping Ron steady. But it didn't matter now. He had already had the satisfaction of humiliating Ron last evening and this morning.
Draco continued to skate for a few more hours, occasionally throwing a snowball or two at passerbys with his fellow Slytherins. When he decided that he was cold enough and that his feet were nearing sore point, he trudged back up to the castle, skates dangling on his shoulder, by himself. He thought about Kimberly's actions on the train and Kenan's actions that morning. And he thought of the journal and what it must mean to his father for him to actually have feelings for such a stupid thing. It had started to snow thickly on his voyage back to the castle; so thickly that it was hard to see. He tried to cover his eyes from the harsh cold wind and snowflakes but it was impossible, so he started to run. He ran under the weight of his ice skates until he felt a sharp slam and a cry erupt from nowhere. At first he thought he had run into a wall, but then where would the cry have come from? He couldnt see anything but white blurrying his vision, so he just lay there thinking about what had just happened, as if he didn't already have enough things to think about. He was cold, wet, and felt pain surging through his arm. That's just what he needed on his day off- a lovely broken arm. He heard a whimper somewhere near him and he tried to feel around for the someone or the something that he had slammed in to. No luck. With no vision but whiteness all around and a suspected broken arm, he decided to just lay there until someone came searching for him.
It must have been late because when Draco awoke frum his snowy stupor, it was dark outside and there were no people to be seen anywhere, not even the dinner patrols. He sat up and rubbed his arm softly, then his head, and then found his ice skates. He had almost completely been buried by the thick snow. He had also forgotten the thing he had run into until he heard a faint crying noise. He listened carefully in the dark quietness of the Hogwarts grounds. "Hello!" he called out, hoping to hear the sound again. The cry came louder this time and Draco noticed that it was coming from the ground. He started digging up the snow as fast as he could until his muscles started to hurt. He then rested before repeating. After what seemed like forever, he still couldn't find the thing so he stopped and rested. Just then, something grabbed his hand as he yelped out in surprise. It was cold and slimy, so eerie that Draco fainted.
Chapter Three
"Wake up! Hey, wake up!" Draco heard a girl's voice say. He opened his eyes to a pretty girl with a blue scarf- a Ravenclaw, no doubt. "You..you fainted." She stumbled on her words as she felt Draco's forehead. "We ran into eachother during the blizzard. I..I think my arm is broken." "I think mine is, too." Draco said as he sat up. He looked at his surroundings and stood up. The girl also stood up. "I think we've both been sleeping all along. It's pretty late, look at the time." She held out a golden pocketwatch in which the glass was cracked visibly in three places. "Hey!" Draco shouted. "That's mine!" The girl nodded. "I know, I used it to check the time when you fainted. Well, are you going to have a look or not?" He snatched his pocketwatch and glanced at it. It was half past twelve in the morning. "You're telling me that we've been lying in the snow for ten hours?" he asked in complete awe. The girl shrugged. "Well I suppose. I'm Brieanne Mielson." She held out her hand and Draco shook it. "I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." "We'd better get to the hospital wing, we're both banged up pretty bad. You've got a bruise just there." She said as she put her finger on his cheek. "Does that hurt?" He shook his head. "No but my arm does." There was something about Brieanne that Draco just liked. It wasn't just that she was really pretty- beautiful you could say, but she was wise and didn't snap at Draco or call him names for being in Slytherin. He supposed you could tell, as his Slytherin badge was gleaming even in the darkness and his scarf had patches of deep green. The two stepped slowly through the crisp, crunchy snow on their way to the castle, not talking, but maybe enjoying the first few minutes of peacefulness that they had had all day. When they arrived at the heavy oak doors, Draco pulled the door open and they both stepped inside to find Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Snape, Professor Sprout, and Professor Flitwick standing with worried looks spread widely on all of their faces, jabbering away in fearful tones. Professor McGonagall was the first to realize the doors had opened. She was closest to the doors, no doubt waiting anxiously for the two students. "Great Merlin, children! Where have you been?" she asked in exclamation as two warm towels appeared for them. She wrapped them both up. "Everybody, everybody over here! The children, they're alive!" "Minerva, please bring them to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey is no doubt going to be out of her mind about this, and please explain to them what has happened. As for the rest of us," Dumbledore said pointing to the other teachers, "We've had a rough night, I suggest we all get some shut-eye." Before Draco could even comprehend what was happening, he was whisked away to the hospital wing where an extremely anxious Madam Pomfrey awaited.
Draco had dressed into his pajamas and gotten into the hospital bed. His arm was fully healed but he still felt quite dizzy and rather tired. Brieanne was in a similar bed next to his. "Where were you going when we smacked into eachother earlier?" she asked curiously. Draco sighed. "I was coming back to the castle after ice skating on the lake. What were you doing out there?" "Uh, nothing. No I was doing nothing..going for a stroll." Sure, he thought as he nestled himself under the covers, waiting for Professor McGonagall to explain to them what had happened. A few minutes later, McGonagall appeared by their bedsides and cleared her throat. "You two are very lucky to be alive. Did you know that?" she asked, rather impatiently. "An alpblizzard occurred this evening. An alpblizzard is not just your average blizzard. It makes the sky pitch black and attracts giants who do come even when the most powerful spells keep them away." "Wait a second." said Brieanne. "Y-you mean there were loose giants on the grounds during the blizzard and we were lying there in the snow?!" Professor McGonagall nodded. "I'm quite afraid so. But we were most fortunate to only have a few students who were injured, and none killed. I myself almost game in contact with one of the giants. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm off to bed. Good evening and good luck with those injuries." She whisked herself away from the hospital wing and out the doors. "Draco, aren't you the least bit scared?" Brieanne asked when he had almost fallen back to sleep. Irritated, he answered, "No, now leave me alone. I'm trying to sleep." Brieanne sighed and turned over in her bed.
Later in the night, Draco heard Brieanne get up for a glass of water several times. Each time she would whisper his name, but he would never answer. But he thought about her. He wondered if she liked quidditch as much as he did. Most people thought Draco's father had given the Slytherin quidditch team the Nimbus 2001s in exchange for his son to be on the team. But that was wrong. Draco had indeed tried out to be the new seeker, and upon becoming it, his father had awarded the team. He wondered how Brieanne's eyes were so blue, matching the blue colour of her Ravenclaw robes. He wondered about her until he fell asleep, not dreaming, but just silently sleeping.
/b
I am lucky that I was caught in the alpblizzard yesterday because I get to miss classes today. I am still residing in the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey sent me upstairs to my dormitory to retrieve my belongings. I met a girl who was trapped with me in the blizzard, also. Her name is Brieanne and she is from Ravenclaw. I can't stop thinking about her. Wait, does that mean that I like her? But she's in Ravenclaw! What would my father say about that? I am supposed to like Pansy Parkinson in that way, but I don't. What will I do if Brieanne is a mudblood? I could never confess that I like a mudblood, never. So here I sit thinking about Brieanne until I gain up enough courage to talk to her about her family. Maybe I should wait. But I'm fed up with this waiting. I did enough of it last night. Something else that was good happened yesterday morning. Kenan Davis cast a few spells on Raymond Richmond for stealing his girlfriend, Kimberly Westfield. Did I mention that Kimberly was all over me on the train back to school from holidays? A bit scary, we almost kissed. I'm off.
/i
He put down his quill and hid his journal in the bedside cabinet. He waited for Brieanne to finish up in the shower. She had already been in there for at least an hour. Madam Pomfrey walked out of her office, two trays of breakfast floating behind her. "Miss Mielson is /i in the shower? Do me a favor, dear and watch over her tray. The house elves do like to clear away the food when nobody is watching." She walked away back to the office and started filing papers as Draco could see through the window.
Finally, Brieanne emerged from the shower, her wet hair tied neatly back in a ponytail. Draco stared at her. "What?" she asked innocently. "A girl's got to have time to herself, you know." She got back underneath the covers of her own bed and pulled them up to her chin. The tray that sat neatly on her bed had disappeared. "Hey, where is /i breakfast?" she asked. "The house elves got it." Draco said, remembering that he was supposed to be watching her food. He snickered a little before offering her some of his toast. "Are you sure you're in Slytherin?" Brieanne asked, eating her toast and drinking a glass of water. "Not many Slytherins would offer a Ravenclaw a piece of their toast. Even if it is a small piece." "I am in Slytherin!" Draco said defensively. "I just..." "You just like her, Malfoy!" he heard someone say from a few beds down. Seamus Finnegan was sitting up in his bed laughing. "Of course, I don't blame you! Nice-looking one, she is." Draco got up from his bed but Brieanne got up first, walking over furiously to Seamus' bed. "Hey there Miss Ravenclaw. Come to utterly insult me with your witty brain talk? How about a kiss instead?" Brieanne raised her hand and smacked Seamus clear across the face. "I may be a Ravenclaw, Finnegan, but I prefer physical violence when it's needed." And with that, she walked back to her bed, pulling up the covers again. The 4 other patients in the hospital wing laughed until their sides hurt. "That one," laughed Gregorias Switch, "is cute iand feisty!/i" The laughter went on for ages until Madam Pomfrey settled everyone down again. Draco had drifted off to sleep again and woke up around dinner time. He wasn't hungry but just lie there while he watched the others eat their dinner. He wanted to be in his dormitory, to sleep in his own, much more comfortable four-poster, with the drapes clear around so nobody could see through. He wanted to eat in the Great Hall with his friends. And surprisingly, he wanted to go to class. He peered over at Brieanne who was eating her dinner and reading a book at the same time. Without thinking, he called out her name. She looked over at him with a tear-stained face. "Yes?" she asked solemnly. He wondered if this was the right time to ask her about her family, and everything else he wanted to ask her. "Why were you really in the woods yesterday?" he asked curiously. "Oh." she sobbed, putting her face in her hands. "Oh." She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "It's..it's my boyfriend." A sinking feeling developed in Draco's stomach, like all of the food he had eaten earlier was turning to stone. His heart felt saddened, a feeling that he had never once, not one time, experience. "Oh, uh, did you, uh, break up or something?" he asked. "No." she sobbed. "No! He-he-he. He's not. Well he is, but...I...He's making me go out with him. I hate him, I hate him so much! He saw me do it. He saw me!" "Saw you do what?" Draco asked. "He saw me go into Snape's office and look at the answers for one of our potions' tests. So he made me go out with him. And if I refused, he would tell, and you know that Snape only believes the students in his own house!" "What do you mean his own house? Someone from Slytherin saw you?" "Yeah." she nodded. "Ian Welnick. You know, tall, blonde hair, brown eyes." "I know who he is." Draco said, feeling anger suddenly arising within him. He couldn't wait until he was allowed to go back to his normal life. He would give Ian a piece of his mind tomorrow. "Well, I was going to see him. To tell him that I was breaking off our deal, that it didn't matter because I wouldn't even like him as a friend. And then the blizzard started and I got stranded underneath the snow, until you dug me out, that is." She smiled at him with teary eyes. "Well I guess I had to." said Draco, feeling his heart beat faster in his chest. "No, Draco. You didn't have to. But I'm really glad and thankful that you did, because if you didn't, I would have died down there and nobody would have ever found me." After she realized that her food had disappeared, she lay back down and turned over, crying herself to an early sleep.
Chapter Four
Draco couldn't sleep that night. He kept tossing and turning. He thought about how he had saved Brieanne's life. He had saved a life. What would his father say? Would he be proud that he saved someone's life, or angry because he saved a possible mudblood's life? Draco could have sworn he saw Brieanne's eyes open, and his thoughts were confirmed when she called out his name in a whisper. "I'm awake." he said quietly. "Come over here. I can't whisper to you all the way over there." she said. He could make out her figure sitting up in her bed. He got up carefully in the silent darkness and felt for her bed, and sat down on it. "I can't sleep." she said. Draco yawned. "Neither can I. I've been up all night. What am I doing over here anyways?" he asked, slightly flustered. "I don't know. I just thought we could talk, you know? Since we can't do anything else. Here, let's light a candle." She felt for the candle sitting on her cabinet but couldn't get to it. "Accio candle." she said as the candle flew into her hand. She then chanted a spell that send fire onto the wick of the candle, and set it down, flickering, onto the cabinet. Draco could now see her face clearly in the dim firelight, just as beautiful as ever. "What do you want to talk about?" asked Draco, his heart hammering inside of him. "I want to talk about you." she said. "Tell me about yourself." "Ok.." he said shyly. "My name is Draco Malfoy. I live in Surrey away from school. My father's name is Lucius Malfoy, he works at the Ministry of Magic, and my mother's name is Narcissa. I don't have any brothers or sisters, and no pets. Just a house elf name Frachenzo. I'm the seeker onthe Slytherin quidditch team, and my worst enemy is Harry Potter. Is that good enough?" he asked, slightly embarrassed. "Yes, I suppose. Now me." she began, "My name is Brieanne Mielson. I also live in Surrey away from school with my parents, Samuel and Emily Mielson, and my sister Laurella. All of my family are wizards dating back thousands of years ago..." She's pure-blooded, thought Draco. "Brieanne? he interrupted, looking into her electric blue eyes. "What?" she asked nervously, looking back at him. Before he could answer her, she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. "What was that for?" he asked, his heart hammering in his chest again. "I like you, too." she said, smiling.
The next day Draco was feeling good as he brought his belongings back up to his dormitory early in the morning. He was dressed in his robes and ready to meet with Ian Welnick in the common room, where most of the Slytherins got together before class. When he came back down from his dormitory, he saw Ian chatting with two girls in the corner. He walked over. "Hey Ian, my pal. I thought you had a girlfriend?" Ian looked embarrassed. "What? No I don't!" he said angrily. "Don't lie to me, you git! Does the name Brieanne ring a bell to you? Brieanne Mielson?!" He grabbed Ian's robes and pulled him closer to his face. "You leave her alone. Got it, Welnick?" Ian nodded and sulked off to another corner, leaving a satisfied Draco by himself with the two girls. "Brieanne Mielson, huh?" asked one girl interested. "A Slytherin and a Ravenclaw? Not such a good mix, Malfoy, if you ask me." "I'm not asking you." said Draco. He left the girls and headed out the common room entrance and to his first class.
"I suppose the only person who has read Hogwarts: A History thoroughly is Miss Granger." Professor Binns droned on. History was not a very good subject to begin the day. Draco's head was resting lightly on the desk that he shared with Crabbe. He couldn't stand History or Professor Binns, both the most boring things in Hogwarts. What made everything worse was that he had to share this hour with the Gryffindors. Hermione Granger, who was sitting up tall and straight in her seat was wildly raising her hand to various questions that nobody else in the class was paying attention to. iWhat a showoff/i, he thought, annoyed at the fact that the Gryffindor house was receiving points for Hemione's answers. When the point-giving session was over, Professor Binns cleared his throat. "What did you think of Miss Granger's answers class? Hmm? I'm disappointed that she is the only pupil who answers my questions. Comments please." Draco sat up quickly and shot up his hand. "Well," he started, thinking of things to say that would embarrass Hermione. "I think that her answers were all correct, as usual. But you wouldn't expect a wrong answer from Little Miss Know-it-All, now would you? The only reason she knows all the answers is because she has nothing better to do than read thousand-page books about things nobody cares about, for endless hours. Even when she's eating in the Great Hall, she always has that nose of hers shoved in a book, and all because she likes being the teacher's pet. You know that, Professor, as well as all of us. Even the other goody-goody Gryffindors know /i much information." Professor Binns didn't say anything, but moreso looked over at Hermione who stared blankly at her desk. She closed her book and retrieved her ink bottle, quill, and parchment, shoved them angrily into her bag, and walked out of the classroom. Draco beamed, quite satisfied with himself as Professor Binns cleared his throat again. "Well, yes yes. Let her go." he said to Harry and Ron who had both got up and started walking to the door. They stopped and seated themselves again, Ron glaring at Draco and shaking his head. Finally after another agonizing ten minutes, the class was let out and the students proceeded to the corridors to continue on to their next classes. Draco walked with Crabbe and Goyle by his side, both looking tired and clueless. Draco was feeling such himself until he heard a familiar voice. It was Brieanne. She walked up to Draco and kissed him, her arms around his neck. When the kiss finished, she looked him in the eyes. "You never told me your father was a..was a Death Eater." she whispered nervously, darting her eyes to make sure nobody was close enough to listen. "What? I don't know what you're talking about!" Draco snapped. She sighed. "Draco, don't lie. I have to tell you that..my father...he's..he's also a Death Eater..he knows your father, Lucius Malfoy. I got it in a letter today, after writing to my family the other day about our incident where we ran into eachother in the storm, so they know I'm alright. I mentioned that you were the person I ran into and my father, well he told me." "Oh." said Draco, still nervous. "But you're a Ravenclaw. What about your family?" he asked curiously. "Half Ravenclaw, half Hufflepuff, two or three Slytherin. My immediate family was all in Ravenclaw, though." she answered. Draco looked puzzled. "But I thought only those who've been in Slytherin....?" "Don't be so dense!" she said to him. "My father is a Death Eater because of his beliefs, as well as your father, not because of the house he was in at school. So it turns out we have more in common than we think, eh?" Draco nodded. "Is this a good thing?" "I suppose..." Brieanne shrugged. "Hey, listen, I've got Divination next and I highly doubt that old bat Trelawney will know I'm missing. So I was thinking, I mean if you want to, we could skip class and go somewhere I know of." "Really?" Draco asked, not knowing that Brieanne would do such a Slytherin sort of thing. She nodded and grabbed his hand, leading him down the corridor. "Come on." "Wait, wait." he said, slowing them down. "I've got Potions next. I have to get a note from Snape. It'll be easy, I'll just say I'm feeling ill; you know how he is with students from his own house." The couple walked off to Snapes classroom, Brieanne stopping to hide in a girls' bathroom as she waited. Crabbe and Goyle were already inside the class. Draco put on his ill act and stalked over to Snape, limping a little. "Professor. Ugh. Professor I feel sick." Snape looked up from his book and peered at Draco's form. "I suppose the blizzard has still got a hold of your immunities." Snape said, beginning to write small script on a piece of parchment. "It'll do you some good to see Madam Pomfrey. Off with you now." he said, handing Draco the small piece of parchment. He thanked Snape and walked off into the hall, checking to see if the coast was clear. Brieanne swung the door to the bathroom open and met Draco in the corridor. They held hands and snuck around each corner carefully and quietly so they wouldn't run into anybody or any school ghosts. They ran down different corridors and staircases until finally they were at the front doors. Brieanne pushed them open and pulled Draco out, looking around to make sure nobody was around. They ran and stopped before the Whomping Willow. "What, we're going near that thing?!" Draco asked, his heart pounding. Brieanne pulled out her wand. "Locomotor Mortis!" she shouted, pointing the want at the tree's branches. The branches became entwined. "Weird." said Draco, watching the struggling tree. "Come on!" shouted Brieanne, tugging on his robes. "We only have a few seconds before the binds break!" Brieanne and Draco stopped in front of the tree as she touched a knot on the trunk and a secret compartment revealed itself. Brieanne stumbled in, Draco following her. "Luminate." Draco said, light shooting out of his wand. "What is this place? How did you find it?" he asked. Brieanne smiled in the bright light. "Remember the night with Potter and Granger and the dementors and everything? After you got bitten by that hippogriff?" "Yeah." "Well I was serving detention with Hagrid, and I saw them come in here. So now I come here alot. Just to think about some things, relax, you know?" Draco nodded. He looked down the long pathway. "Where does this lead to?" he asked. "The Shrieking Shack. Although, it's not really haunted you know." "I know about that. My father told me." he said. "Let's go down there." They got up and started walking through the dark tunnel with their wands glowing in the darkness. They walked in silence for a very long time. They rested once but then ran the rest of the way as to not waste too much time. Finally they reached the end of the tunnel, the dark Shrieking Shack. They lit a few candles and sat down on the floor. Draco moved closer to Brieanne and kissed her. "We can do something else besides kissing." said Draco. "What?" asked Brieanne. "You mean sex?" "No, no I didn't mean that." Draco laughed. "I mean, we can go out somewhere. Hogsmeade maybe." "Perfect." said Brieanne. "Although we're in Hogsmeade right now. The next trip is in two days. I'll meet you at Honeydukes." Draco nodded. The two just lay there for awhile until Brieanne gasped. "Draco, we've been here for nearly two hours!" "I'm in the hospital wing, remember?" asked Draco. "But what about me?!" asked Brieanne worriedly. "I don't have double Divination today! I have charms and Professor Flitwick is head of my house! He'd know if I was gone anywhere!" She put her head in her hands. "What am I going to do?" she wailed. Draco put his arm around her and thought hard. "Oh no." he said. "I said I was going to the hospital wing, but I never did." "So what?" asked Brieanne. "So..so the teachers are supposed to send down the names of students who go down there..and I didn't show. And you didn't show up for classes. So that means..." "They're out looking for us!" Brieanne wailed again. "We'd better get going and make up an excuse along the way." she said. "A good excuse, as well." They got up and headed for the tunnel, lighting up their wands again and shining them in the darkness. They walked and came up with plans at the same time. Draco's was to pretend on his way to the hospital wing, he fainted and nobody had found him, except Brieanne who had seen his body before her Charms class had started. They couldn't think of a reason of why Brieanne wouldn't have gotten a teacher, though, so they sulked all the way back through the tunnel until they reached the end. The passage opened. They stepped out. "Locomotor Mor....Draco!" The whomping willow had whomped Draco right in the forehead, leaving a bloody gash that most likely needed stictches. "LOCOMOTOR MORTIS!" Brieanne helped pull Draco off the ground as they ran back into the school, choosing an almost always deserted hallway that would be sensible to use in their plan. Draco lied on the ground and Brieanne snapped her fingers. "I didn't go get a teacher because when I saw the gash on your forehead, I fainted." "Brilliant." said Draco. "But how did I cut my head?" Brieanne sat there looking thoughtful for a moment before starting up again. "The lantern on the wall. When you fainted, you fell forwards and bumped your head on the lantern, and I'm guessing you rolled over sometime during the period you fainted. So let's lie here. You can be sprawled out, but I have to be sort of straight. Ok, good luck." "You too." Draco replied, setting himself down.
The two had been lying there in the hallway for a long time before Filch came along. "Students on my floor? My, my. Trouble for you two. Trouble it is. Mrs.Norris, take this message to Professor McGonagall." Draco opened his eye to a slit and watched Filch scribble some words onto a piece of parchment, roll it up into a mini scroll, and tie it to Mrs.Norris' collar with some twine. The cat that had been petrified in the second year leaped with joy to be asked to do a task, and set off for the Professor's office. Filch waited for five minutes before coming over to them and checking for their pulses. "Alive. Pity it is. At least no messes for me to clean up." Mrs.Norris came running down the corridor with Professor McGonagall at her heels. "Ah, Professor, these students are lying in my hallway and I don't know why." Professor McGonagall held smelling salts under their noses so they couldn't bear to pretend to be unconcious any more. "Where am I?" asked Draco, faking his confusion. "Why am I lying in the hallway?" Professor McGonagall stood up. "Explain yourselves." she said crossly. "I..I don't remember anything, just not feeling well earlier this morning. I asked Professor Snape for permission to lie down in the hospital wing for a bit. I chose this hallway to get their quicker, mind you I felt very ill, and I don't remember anything else." Brieanne rubbed her head. "I remember some. I also chose this short cut as means to get to my Charms class when I saw a body at the end of the corridor. I ran to see who it was and I found Draco, the person who I had run into in the blizzard the other night. I saw the gash on his head and I fainted. I'm not very good with blood, Professor." "Very well." McGonagall said. "I'll escort you to the hospital wing, the both of you again." Draco winked at Brieanne as they walked off down the hall.