A/N: New story!

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Claire Chapter 1

"Claire, darling, how was your trip?" Gushed Madeline Voyant as she grabbed her daughter in a long embrace. "Celeste!" Madeline rushed past Claire and then to her younger daughter Celeste. "Dear, how was the train? Did you have something to eat? You're getting much too thin!" She wrapped her arm around Celeste's shoulders and they walked off. Claire stood a moment, holding her cart, alone by the train.

"It was wonderful, Mother. I got some reading in and I wrote a letter to Vanessa back at school. Her father's ill so she's staying at Hogwarts for Christmas." She said to no one as she walked a ways behind her mother and sister.

"Did you say something, Love?" Her mother called from behind, her arm still around Celeste.

"No, not a word."

Claire brushed back her long, black hair and knocked her hair out of her eyes. She looked in the mirror as she pulled down on the hem of her skirt. There was a knock at the door and she told who ever it was to come in. Celeste poked her head in the door and a brown ponytail fell in front of her shoulder.

"Claire, may I borrow your potions book?"

"Why? It's my book. Didn't you bring your potions book for your year."

"Yeah, but I want to be a head of the game. You know?" Claire rolled her eyes on the inside and handed her the book charmingly.

"Celeste, are you ready for the party?"

"Sure am." She said cheerily and opened the door for Claire to see her outfit that their mother bought her which looked much more extravagant than the ensemble Claire found laying on her bed that afternoon.

A few hours later the guests for the annual Voyant Christmas party were arriving. All the usual drab, dull people showed up with their usual drab, dull presents and drab, dull smiles. Uncle Rick came drunk, as usual. Patty Wellesley brought Scotch and Uncle Rick got drunker. The Malfoys arrived just in time for the customary debate on whether or not the 'other types' should be allowed in the school. They, as usual, were vehemently against 'Mudbloods' dirtying up the place.

And, as usual, the children were huddled on the back porch laughing and joking. Delilah Wellesley also brought Scotch, thusly, a few kids were kissing and being loud. Claire sat in a chair, away from the group, her feet tucked under her butt and her skirt wafting in the cold breeze.

'Yes,' Claire thought to herself. 'all the usual suspects are up to all the usual crimes.' She sighed and picked up her glass of cider off the table next to her. Suddenly, there was a warm arm resting against the back of her neck. She jumped and looked up at Draco. She turned back and stared off into the dark distance.

"Claire Voyant." He said and started laughing.

"Merry Christmas, Draco." She said blankly.

"Merry Christmas to you, too." He said and clanked his glass of Scotch against her cider. She clutched the glass and put it back on the table. "You know, you never cease to make me laugh, Claire." He said and sat on the arm of her chair. It tipped and he fell off, but caught his balance before falling to the concrete ground.

"Why's that, Draco?" She said with annoyance.

"Huh? Oh yeah, your name Claire. It's hilarious." My, these parties are getting repetitive.

"Right." She grunted and took another sip of her cider and kept looking straight ahead. He kneeled on the ground and rested his elbows on the chair. "What are you doing?"

"Thinking."

"About."

"How you and Celeste can be so different." She bit the corner of her lower lip and raised her eyebrows at a loss.

"I don't know what to tell you, Draco. We just are."

"I mean," He started, as if she hadn't spoken. "Celeste is a Slytherin, a proud, talented, beautiful, intelligent Slytherin. Claire, that's you, is a Ravenclaw, a nice Ravenclaw. Pretty much, that's it. You're nice and all, but no Celeste."

"Thanks. Thanks a lot Draco." She drank her cider to keep herself from saying anything else.

"But hey!" He said and slapped her on the back as he sat up. She coughed on her cider as he did so and she looked up at him. "At least you're not in Gryffindor or anything." He said and walked away.

"Yes, business as usual." She said to herself.

I have a good life. I'm a Prefect, sixth year Ravenclaw. My family is well off. We're pure-blooded, you know. Very well known. My friends are just as affluent as I am. My teachers like me. I'm in the top 10 in the Sixth Year.

But I'm bored.

Draco's right. I am 'nice' and that's all I am. And how far is 'nice' going to get me? Not very.

What boy's going to like someone who's just 'nice?' I can't think of any. The boys seem to like girls who are proud, talented, intelligent and beautiful. Not 'nice' girls. I'm done being nice.

No one likes mean people either, so maybe just a change of pace. Yes that would do.

A/N: Woo thanks for reading. Please come again!