Leaving potions, Draco felt that he'd forgotten something. He started to check things off on his fingers. "Bag, parchment, ink, quill – quill!" Realizing what it was, he turned back down the corridor to retrieve his quill.

Just about to go through the door, he crashed into someone coming out. About to deliver a crushing insult, he stopped dead in his tracks. She was absolutely gorgeous!

She looked up, holding her elbow where it had hit the floor. When she saw who it was she'd collided with, her eyes widened in shock. After hurriedly picking up her hat and ramming it back on her head, she scooped her books up, muttered, "Sorry." and took off.

Draco watched her swiftly retreating back in awe. He'd never seen any girl that was so striking. He could still see a few stray strands of her deep ruby-red hair that had escaped from the confines of her cap.

"Tell me Draco. Are you going to come in or are you planning to sit out there all day?"

Draco cringed. He hadn't realized how long he'd been staring. "Sorry sir. I was just wondering who that girl was; I've never seen her before." He almost thought he heard Snape sigh softly, but dismissed it – it being Snape and all.

"She is in your house and your year. Just because you didn't notice her before doesn't mean she wasn't there. Now, if you're finished interrogating me I'd like to know why you're here before the next millennia."

Draco's cheeks flushed hotly. "Sorry sir. I forgot my quill."

Snape stood there for only a moment before walking off past him, saying wearily, "Just close the door behind you."

He retrieved his quill and wandered down to lunch in a mild daze. He had to know who that girl was and how – if she really had been there the whole time – had he been so blind not to notice her.

Later that day in the Slytheryn common room, Tamora sat in her usual chair. During first year, she had dragged it into the corner furthest from the fire and faced it towards the window. No one had noticed. Still in the same spot, it was her little island of refuge in this sea of people. No one ever bothered her here; she was free to read in peace. She was currently devouring a volume entitled, 'A History of Potions', and was steadily plowing through all the potion-related books the library held.

"Hello again."

Tamora's head shot up. It was Draco Malfoy AGAIN! What did he want now? "Wh- What do you want? I said I was sorry." She exclaimed, unable to keep the stammer out of her voice.

A cold dread began to set in as she realized that everyone in the common room had stopped what they were doing and were now watching intently, trying to fathom why Draco would be talking to her. She shrank back in her chair as if trying to dig her way through it to escape.

"What are you on about? I only wanted to –" he was cut off by Tamora taking off; she'd decided to not let him harass her in front of everyone. In her hurry to escape, a piece of parchment fell out of her pocket. It read; Remember: Tuesday, 7pm, Potions. He had no idea why she'd left all of a sudden, but at least now he had a chance to talk to her again.

Now in the Library, Tamora was trying to calm her twanging nerves. What could he have possibly wanted from her? Dozens of possible scenarios dashed through her mind. 'Maybe he knows about my family. No, that's too unlikely. What if…' With a groan of defeat she rested her head on the desk completely unable to think anymore.

But that didn't last long. All too soon she was being shooed out of the library by Madame Pince who scolded her for being out so late and told her to go to bed.

'Well, at least tomorrow is Tuesday, so I have something to look forward to.' That thought cheered her up no end as she wandered back up to the Slytheryn common room. This time of night was her favorite. Not late enough to get her in trouble, but late enough that almost everyone was settling down for the evening. There was no one about to judge her, she was free to be whoever she liked – a rare thing indeed.

Finally in curled up in her bed, Tamora sighed the happy sigh of one safe in the knowledge that tomorrow will be better than today.