Disclaimer: Jo's the genius who thought up HP and all that…I just throw in my own stuff. So don't sue me. Please.
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If September had been one of the worst months of Angela's life, October was definitely one of the best. Along with being on speaking terms with Harry again Lessons couldn't have been going better. Snape still didn't like her, but she was a Gryffindor so that was to be expected.
They had started to work on hexes and curses in Defense Against the Dark Arts. As they had all been shown the Unforgivable Curses in Fourth Year, Professor Anthony didn't see any point in covering material that had already been covered. Angela enjoyed 'learning' the hex defenses that they were being taught, as she already knew how to do the hexes that they were defending against. Professor Anthony seemed to know this and often called her to the front to help him demonstrate. So far he had never gotten a hex past her defenses and she had gotten two past his. Fortunately the red haired teacher had a sense of humor to match a Weasley's and took it all in stride. Several times he held her back to congratulate her or to ask her where she had learned the defense, but her answer was always the same. A smile.
She had finally figured put why he looked so familiar though. She was laying in bed one night, going over the hexes they had learned when she saw Professor Anthony as a sixteen year old laughing with the man she recognized from the photo album to be her father. The next class she had asked him if he had known the Armstrongs and he had said that he did, with a very sad look in his eye. Angela had stayed for hours talking to him about her parents and what they had been like. Before she left he gave her a very strange look.
"What are you looking at?" she had asked him, feeling self-conscious under his stare.
"Nothing, it's just that I just realized that you have Morgan's eyes. That's all."
Angela had blushed and left.
Ancient Runes was as exciting as Runes could be and Angela could enjoy it now that she didn't have an essay to write for the class every night. It quickly became one of her favorite classes and she and Hermione would often sit and have long discussions about it. Harry and Ron often looked at them and shook their heads when they heard them talking.
Angela had opted to drop Arithmancy in favor of Care of Magical Creatures though. She knew all of the Arithmancy, as her father had excelled at that, but neither of her parents had taken Care of Magical Creatures. According to Dumbledore they were both allergic to many animal hairs, so they couldn't. Angela had been blessed with an allergy to nothing, so she enjoyed all the time around the creatures that Hagrid found for them to study. They had studied Centaurs for a while, and Angela had met several of the centaurs from the Forbidden Forest. They seemed to be drawn to her for some reason, which Dumbledore only speculated to be her ability to tell the future that they could sense. In any case it was one thing that Angela had never imagined ever doing, as she had always thought Centaurs to be pure myth.
After Centaurs they had begun to study Phoenixes, with Fawkes being the main animal of attraction. Malfoy being Malfoy he found several nasty things to say about Fawkes, but often a threatening look from Angela was all it took to get him to shut up. He still had the need for revenge burning in his eyes, but she knew he wouldn't try it until he knew she couldn't or wouldn't fight back.
The odd thing was that Angela still found Malfoy watching her when she took walks by herself. When Harry was with her he was nowhere to be found, but if she decided to go on a noontime stroll around the lake alone she would see him looking at her from the same place. She had yet to figure out what he was doing, but until he tried something she wouldn't do anything about it. She didn't even tell Harry because she knew that he would start something with Malfoy. There was also something calming about Malfoy's presence when she was walking alone, almost like she knew that he wouldn't let anything happen to her and that made her feel good.
Ron's mother had been writing them letters, keeping them up to date on everything at home. Her most recent letter had brought some good news. At least, Angela had thought it was good. Apparantly Percy had joined the Order, though still not moving back with his parents. He and his father had completely made up, Percy apologizing for being "ignorant". Ron felt this was something that Percy would never do, but he knew it made his mum happy, so he didn't write anything of the sort in his reply letter.
The first Quidditch match of the season was approaching slowly. Harry had been unbanned from Quidditch to be named team captain. He was one of three returning players (the beaters that had replace Fred and George had quit), which meant that he had to recruit four new players, which he didn't mind. "That means I can put the perfect team together," he had told Angela.
The tryouts went superbly. Harry had a wonderful team that was almost better than the team Harry's third year, when they had won the Quidditch Cup the first time. Ron was still keeper, and a very good one at that, as Angela remembered from all of the games they had played over the summer. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas were the new beaters, and, from what Angela heard, they were beaters to rival the Weasley twins. Ginny Weasley had switched to chaser, sharing the position with Lavender Brown and Neville Longbottom, who had finally gotten over his fear of brooms and flying to become a very good chaser.
After only a month and a half of practicing they were fast becoming favorites to win the Quidditch Cup for the third year running (excluding Harry's fourth year, when Quidditch had been cancelled). As they basically had a team of people who had never played before they had gotten a note from Professor McGonagall to use the Quidditch Pitch for practice four days a week, leaving one day a week for each of the other teams to practice.
Angela often went for walks while they practiced, as she still had a great need to be alone. Having been alone most of her life, it was what she was used to. She also wanted to have the feeling of comfort that she knew she got from Malfoy watching her when she was alone, but she wouldn't admit that to herself.
Malfoy was still the same old jackass he had always been in the halls but when she was walking and he was watching her she could tell that something was different. Even the way he stood wasn't arrogant, like it always was elsewhere. She didn't know how she knew, but in her gut she had a feeling that when he was watching her he lost the guarded look in his eyes.
One afternoon, about a week before Halloween, Angela was walking after dinner, throwing some food to the giant squid. It was still fairly light out, as she had eaten early, and looking around she could see the Gryffindors practicing Quidditch. Even from this distance she could spot Harry and she smiled as she watched him fly around on his Firebolt. She could also see Malfoy watching her. She decided to sit under the shade of a tree for a few minutes, to think before she went back inside. She hadn't realized how tired she was and within minutes she was asleep.
She was having a dream. She couldn't tell where she was but she surmised from her surroundings that it was Hogwarts. She looked straight ahead and saw…herself! She was asleep against the tree. She must be Malfoy in the dream. She saw it getting dark and hoped that she would wake soon, so she wouldn't get in trouble. Just then she felt herself stiffen. She saw something that made her heart freeze. Two glowing red eyes staring at her not far from where she slept. She saw a smile spread across Voldemort's face and before she knew it she was running towards her form under the tree. She saw Voldemort lift his wand and felt Malfoy dive towards her sleeping form. Just as Malfoy hit her she jerked awake.
She saw at once that the dream was real. She saw Voldemort raising his wand, and her hands felt as though they were on fire. Malfoy was on top of her, protecting her, shielding her from what Voldemort wanted to do.
"Move, you foolish boy. This is none of your concern."
"I won't let you hurt her. You'll have to kill me first." Angela heard the hatred dripping from Malfoy's voice.
"Very well. Avada Kedavra!"
Without thinking Angela lifted her hands, putting her arms underneath Malfoy's, and shouted the block, followed by a few well-placed curses. "Desino Mortis! Infligo Caput! Prosterno!"
Again the blue light swallowed the green and was followed by a red light, which hit Voldemort upside the head and a bright purple that knocked him down. Angela quickly got from under the astounded Malfoy and walked over to Voldemort, muttering the pain relief spell as she walked. She saw his face looking up at her, and thought for a moment that she saw a flicker of fear on it. It was gone in an instant and Angela wouldn't be able to remember if it had actually happened or if she had just imagined it later.
"I should kill you now, but I know that it would do no good. You'd come back and we'd just have to do this all again. Expelliarmus!" She quickly caught Voldemort's wand and smiled down on him cruelly. "Let's see where you get without this."
"You silly witch. I can buy another wand."
"It won't work as well and you know it. I will do you a favor though and send you back where you came from. It's more that you deserve, asshole. I should send you to Hell, and soon enough I will. Reverti!" And with that Voldemort disappeared.
Angela took a few deep breaths to calm herself before she turned and looked at the now standing Malfoy who looked at her with wonder. There was an awkward silence while they stood there looking at each other. Angela was the first to speak, doing so after two minutes of complete silence.
"I guess we owe each other one, huh Malfoy?"
"I-how did you do that? I mean, first off, that's an unblockable curse. Second, you spoke to him like he was nothing! No one does that and lives!"
"Yeah, well, it's kind of a hobby of mine. Listen," she said, looking at the almost dark sky, "how about I tell you about it while we go back to the castle. I need to tell Dumbledore about this too…you should probably come with me."
"Right."
"First, before I answer any questions I want to know why you always watch me."
Malfoy looked away guiltily.
"Don't worry, I mean, I don't mind you watching me. It actually made me feel…safe. Almost safer than when Harry and I walk together. I just…don't understand. I mean, we've been nothing but mean to each other since we met."
"Well, I…I can't really tell you why."
"What? Why not?" Angela was quickly growing frustrated at his unwillingness to tell her.
"Well, I suppose I could," Malfoy said with a sigh, "but I don't think Dumbledore will be very happy with me."
"What does Dumbledore have to do with anything?"
"He told me to watch you. You see, my father is a Death Eater. He's actually one of Voldemort's closest supporters, so I get to hear about all of the plans. I heard how Voldemort had attempted to get Potter this summer and I actually had to laugh at Voldemort for being so bumbling as to mess that up. But I don't support the Dark Lord. He's got nothing that I want. In fact, I'm very against him. So, I went to Dumbledore and told him all that I had heard from my father and asked if there was anything that I could do to help. He became very interested when I said they were planning on killing a girl named Angela Harte. I had no idea who you were at the time. This was about a week before we came to Hogwarts, so I hadn't met you yet. Dumbledore asked me to watch you whenever you went out alone, as he knew you had a fondness for doing so."
"So, you've been watching me to protect me?"
"Yeah. I just, couldn't stand to see another innocent person die, especially not at Hogwarts. I guess you're not so innocent after all though." He added, looking down on her. There was a strange look in his eyes that looked almost like admiration. Angela tried to place the look for a second before she spoke.
"I suppose I'm not. But before you go calling Voldemort bumbling for this summer that was me too."
"What? You were here this summer?"
"Yeah. I had five years of education to catch up on."
"In two months?" Malfoy sounded incredulous.
"Month and a half. It's a long story that I might tell you sometime. I guess I owe you some answers though. The spell that he cast isn't unblockable. Not anymore, as you saw. I think I may be the only one that knows it right now, but others are learning. And the reason I talk to him like he's nothing is because he is nothing. I mean, why should I be afraid of someone whose ass I can kick with a wave of my hand?"
Malfoy had to laugh at that. "I've never heard anyone say that. Not even Potter. But then, I guess he can't do what you can."
"No," Angela began thoughtfully, "I don't think he can. But I don't think it's his fault. I mean…well, I can't say what I mean."
Malfoy looked at her and she was surprised to see something that resembled amusement in his eyes. "I told you my secret, surely you can tell me yours."
Angela looked up at him, smiled and said, "Well, I could…but then I'd have to kill you."
Malfoy looked at her, confused, but before he could say anything they reached the front doors, where Dumbledore stood waiting for them. There wasn't a trace of a smile on his face when he said, "Please follow me."
Angela and Malfoy exchanged looks as they followed Dumbledore. He led them to his office where he motioned for them both to sit in chairs opposite his.
"Why are you out after dark?" Dumbledore began without hesitation, looking back and forth from Angela to Malfoy. They looked at each other then at Dumbledore, beginning to explain at the same moment.
"Well, sir—"
"You see—"
Malfoy motioned for her to go first.
She told Dumbledore about her walk and how she had fallen asleep under the tree. She told him about her dream and how she had woken up when Malfoy had protected her. She told what she had done to Voldemort and gave a censored version of what she had said to him. Dumbledore nodded slightly as she finished her story. He looked at Malfoy who nodded and added "That's exactly what happened," before giving Angela an astonished look.
"Do you have the wand?" Dumbledore asked, looking back at Angela.
"Oh, yeah. Here it is." She pulled the wand out of the pocket of her robe and laid it on his desk. Dumbledore picked it up gingerly and looked at it for several minutes, looking thoughtful and very tired all at the same time.
"Um, sir?" Angela said tentatively. Dumbledore looked at her and she continued, "What are you looking for?"
Dumbledore smiled sadly. "I was merely thinking about all the pain that a single wand can cause. I was also thinking about Tom when he was at school. I often wonder what he could have been."
Angela and Malfoy looked at each other, and Angela was once again surprised by the look in his steel eyes. She saw something similar to concern, something that it was commonly thought impossible for all Malfoys to feel. They both looked at Dumbledore as he sighed. "I suppose you should both return to your common rooms. Please don't be out after dark again." Dumbledore looked pointedly at Angela when he said that. She knew that he was probably tired of her skirmishes with Voldemort.
"Yes, sir." They said together before leaving the office. Angela hesitated for a moment outside the door before moving toward the stairs.
"I hope he's going to be ok," Angela said, glancing back at the door before joining Malfoy on the stairs.
"I'm sure he'll be fine. What did you mean earlier when you said you would have to kill me if you told me your secret?"
It was obvious that this had bothered him and Angela couldn't help but laugh lightly. "I didn't really mean that I would have to kill you. It's just an American saying. I guess it doesn't really matter now though, you already know most of my secrets anyway." Angela proceeded to tell Malfoy everything about her parents and her past. She didn't know why she was telling him this when Ron and Hermione didn't even know, but somehow she felt that she could tell Malfoy anything, like they had a bond that couldn't be broken. Malfoy seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say and before they knew it they were in front of the Fat Lady. Angela turned to Malfoy and decided to ask him something that had been bothering her for a while.
"How do I know that you aren't going to run and send an owl to your Daddy? Voldemort would love to get his hands on all of the goodies I just told you."
She could see Malfoy's eyes visibly darken at the mention of his father. "I would never, ever do anything my father wanted me to do with Voldemort."
Angela knew that he was telling the truth and nodded to let him know that she understood.
"Now it's my turn to ask you something." Malfoy began, "That day in the hall outside of Potions, why did you hex me?"
"Were you not going to perform the same hex on Harry?"
"Well, yeah, but that was between Potter and I."
"I couldn't let you hurt him."
Malfoy looked her in the eye. "You really do care for him, don't you?"
"I love him." At that Angela saw the familiar guarded look come back in Malfoy's eyes. "Thank you for walking me back." She turned to say the password when Malfoy spoke again.
"It's not going to change."
She turned back to face him. "I know, but that's the way life is sometimes," she said, smiling sadly.
With that they had an agreement that nothing would be different. As much as they both would have wanted it to change they would still be Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince, and Angela Harte, Gryffindor Wonder.
Angela climbed through the portrait hole, thinking about what had just happened. She ran right into Harry who had apparently just been about to leave.
"Angela! I was just about to go look for you! Where were you?"
Angela told them all everything in a quiet corner of the common room, omitting Malfoy from the whole story. The last thing that she needed was Harry and Malfoy to be fighting over something pointless again.
But Angela couldn't help but notice that Malfoy was in all of her dreams that night.