2. Questions of Likeness

"If you have any questions about anything, just ask, alright?" Draco asked Soleil, who had offered to show her around.

"Sure thing. Umm..."

"What is it?"

"Dumbledore... he kind of ... gave me and Lune our own rooms and I have no idea, a) where they're at, or b) if you would know where they're at."

"Do you have any idea? Or directions that I could help you figure out?"

"Well he did give me this scroll that has directions, but naturally they make no sense to me whatsoever." Draco took the scroll from her hand gently as they stepped onto the moving staircases, still exploring the school, and began to look at it. He sat down on the moving staircase and studied it for a moment. She followed suit and sat down next to him. A few levels lower, Harry and Hermione who were headed up to the dormitories, noticed the two sitting on the stairs.

"Well that's a peculiar sight, if I've ever seen one." Hermione commented quietly.

"I think it's kind of cute." Harry replied. "Draco has a crush on the exchange student."

"So does Ron...are you jealous?"

"Nah... I think I've just about had it with girls. I feel happy for Ron, if she really likes him."

"Did you just say that you've had it with girls?"

"Yeah, why?"
"That doesn't seem quite fair Harry. One girlfriend doesn't work out so you won't like any? It doesn't make sense."
"Why would you care Hermione?"
"No reason." She said turning red. "But it would kind of stink for any girls who would happen to have a crush on you. What about Draco? Do you feel happy for him to?"
"He's being nice. I feel happy for the girl that can manage to make him be sincerely nice." The staircase that they were standing on jumped into place and connected with the one that Soleil and Draco were sitting on. Harry and Hermione passed by the Slytherins as the two got up and glared at the passing Gryffindors.
"I just can't imagine my best friend as on of those obnoxious brats." Soleil commented as the pairs passed each other.
"It'll be fine. Alright, your room is in the basement, just farther back than the common room. It's actually hidden. You and Lune must be pretty important to Dumbledore considering that he gave you like...security systems."
"He's just a lazy oaf that doesn't want anything to happen to his granddaughter... and knows she'll be angry if anything happens to me. Of course, there's always the part about me being picky and wanting my own room."
"Lune is his granddaughter?"
"Yep. That's half the reason behind her wanting to be a Gryffindor... Could you imagine Dumbledore's own granddaughter being anything other than a Gryffindor? What if she were a Hufflepuff?" A look of disgust came over her face. "In that scenario, I would have killed myself if I were him."
"That's always nice to know."
"What?" Soleil asked him.
"The beautiful girl has all of the same feelings towards things as I do."
She stopped in the middle of the dark hallway. "You think... I'm beautiful... like you really do... and I wasn't just being an egotistical brat back there?" She was obviously stunned.
"Do you want me to lie to you?" Draco asked her. "Or do you want the truth?"
"Preferably the truth." Soleil answered quietly.
"Truth it is then. Yes... you are. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on in my life." HE watched her reaction for a moment then began to walk forward, leaving her standing where she was.
Soleil jogged a little ways to catch up with Draco, and with red cheeks said, "Thank you."
"No problem. Hmmm..." He led her down another corridor, looking at tapestries on the wall as he went. Finally they came upon a full-length tapestry of the planets revolving around the sun.
"Well let's see, shall we?" Draco said as he pulled back the tapestry, revealing a wooden door behind it. In the middle of the door was a silver lock, set as the sun and several key stars. "I'll leave opening it up to you."
Soleil placed her finger on one of the stars and rotated it a certain degree from the sun, finally she placed her hand over the sun and watched as the door slid backwards.
For a room hidden behind a tapestry, the room was huge. The walls looked as if there was green and silver water running down behind a large slab of glass, sparkling as it ran and giving off a serene glow in absence of windows. The room had several green, silver and black armchairs strategically placed around it, two in front of the fireplace made of black quartz; one in a little seating area accompanied by a couch; and yet two more around a small glass table in a corner. There was also a small kitchen area in what looked like an extension. In the far left corner of the room was a spiral staircase, leading to a loft that created an 'L' around the room. One could see everything in the loft from the bottom floor, even though it was quite spacious. The longer side jutted out into a triangle in the area where the queen size pencil post bed stood. A small night table sat on either side of the bed, each adorned with candles of difference sizes. In the smaller side, a small bathroom was walled in. Along the walls and forming isles, were bookshelves, half open for books and half glassed for what looked like trophies. A desk and work area was also included. The only look to the outside, were to small round windows located high up in the loft section. One on the eastern side of the room and the other on the western side. The ceiling of this room resembled that of the Great hall, and was enchanted to look like the sky, at the moment, thousands of stars shined as well as the quarter moon that threw its light into the room to accompany the glow from the walls.
"Wow." Draco said in awe as he scanned the room.
Soleil spotted her things in one corner of the room and dragged them into the middle to begin unpacking.
"So... you should have fun here... You've only got the best room in the entire building. If you ask me, I think it's probably better than Dumbledore's."
"I have no doubt. Dumbledore's room isn't that impressive. He puts all of his thought into his office... and anyway, his room is just an extension of his office so... no big deal."
"It seems like you don't like him very much, do you have a specific reason?"
"It's not that I don't like him. He's still treating me like a child though, after 10 years of it you begin to get pretty annoyed."
"I would imagine." He replied sweetly. Draco took a seat in one of the armchairs and watched Soleil as she pulled out a wand.
"We'll do it this way." She said matter-of-factly. She flicked her wand once and all of her clothes began to go to their given places. As they were doing this, Soleil got onto her knees and manually opened another chest sitting in front of her. Out of this she pulled a Firebolt racing broom.
"You have a firebolt?" Draco asked her in amazement.
"Yeah."
"You play Quidditch then?" His voice had turned to one of disbelief. She nodded in reply.
"I've been Quidditch for as long as I can remember. But--" She paused for a moment.
"What?"
"I've heard that the Slytherin team is all against putting girls on their team."
"It's true that in my 6 years here we've never put a girl on the team, but if you're any good I don't see why they wouldn't." He said in a semi-comforting tone. He noticed her disappointed and downtrodden look and decided he needed to lighten things up.
"What do you play? Out of curiosity..." He asked her carefully.
She picked her head up slowly then turned and grabbed a small club from the chest she had gotten her broom out of. She held it up to him without speaking.
"You're a beater!"
She nodded sadly, and he felt guilty for it. Draco stood up and walked over to her, where he grabbed her by the hands and pulled her to her feet.
"Listen... I can't promise you that they'll put you on the team, but even if they don't... you could always do something else for Quidditch... I think. But I mean, who cares anyway?"
"You're right." She replied. "Why worry about something that I'm not going to get?" She finished unpacking her things.
After about an hour, Draco headed towards the door.
"I think I should probably go ahead an leave." He commented.
"Do you have to?" She looked down nervously. "I mean... you could... stay if you wanted. It's your choice... doesn't really matter to me." She avoided his eyes.
"Do you want me to stay?"
"Oh... me? I don't care." Still not looking up from the floor.
Draco grinned slightly and said quietly, "Nah... I'd hate to be any trouble, you don't have to be nice to me I'm not expecting you to ask me to stay... and I know you don't like me or anything so don't worry about it. No hurt feelings." He turned and cracked open the door.
"WAIT!" She jumped forward and grabbed him his farther shoulder, turning him half of the way back around. Realizing what she'd done she backed off gently. "Uhh... are you sure you didn't forget anything?" She asked casually.
"Soleil, I didn't bring anything in." He turned and leaned one arm on the door, looking at her with a smirk on his face. "Or... maybe I was wrong in saying that you don't like me? Is that the case? You really do like me and want me stay?"
Soleil gave in and gave up. "Yes." She muttered whilst staring at hard wood floor.
"Well all you had to do was say 'Draco, I like you... would you mind staying here with me because I'm a chicken whose afraid of the dark?' It really isn't that hard!" He laughed at her.
"I am NOT a chicken!" She giggled back, pushing him into the door with a smile. "If you don't watch it, I'll send my devil cat after you!"
"Devil cat?"

"ARIES!" Soleil called, and within seconds a black cat came bounding down the spiral stares and leapt into Soleil's arms. "Draco, meet Aries, Aries meet Draco." She said quietly. "You two are going to be best friends. Maybe not." She reconsidered.
"Back onto subject... do you really want me to stay here tonight?"
"Yes."
"Okay then... here it is." He replied.