AN: Ten down one to go. Thanks for bearing with me.
Disclaimer: Everyone loves a good cover your ass statement! None of the characters except for Faith belong to me. Every thing besides her and the wacky chain if events belong to the genius we all know through reading and love, JK Rowling.
Chapter 10: Alls Well That Ends
A few weeks later Ron and Harry were sitting in the library with Seamus and a few other students working on a Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment. Everyone had been waiting for something terribly exciting to happen regarding Faith Malfoy but there hadn't been anything of interest since the first night. At the moment she was sitting at another table looking over a few books. After a few minutes of skimming through the pages she stood up and walked over to a table next to her where some Ravenclaws were sitting.
"Excuse me, but do any of you have the Advanced Potions Text with you?" she asked politely. All the students shook their heads. "Right, thanks anyway." She tried another table with out any luck before going over to where Harry and Ron were. "Does anyone have the Advanced Potions Text with them?" Ron stared at her blankly. No one else spoke. "Mmmm, well when you lot manage to pull your heads out of your asses let me know if you have a copy of the damn book will you, thanks." Faith said coldly before going back to her table.
Harry sat quietly for a minute before reaching into his bag and pulling out his copy. He looked at Ron and shrugged before getting up from his seat. Harry started to walk away despite Ron's statements of "What?" "Where is he…?" and "Bloody hell." Harry put the book down in front of Faith. "Thought you should know I got my head out my ass." he said. Faith just started at him in surprise. "I'll probably be leaving soon so just give it back to me later in the tower." There was still no response from Faith as she looked at his book. "And I think the word you're searching for is 'thanks'" he added with a slight smile before leaving.
Harry had almost reached his table when Faith managed "Umm, thanks." Harry turned around and nodded in acceptance. Faith opened the book and went back to her work.
Harry picked up his quill and went back to work on his essay. When he glanced up a few of his study mates were still looking at him. "What?"
"You…and…she…what…how" was all Ron got out.
"Ron just say it, for all our sakes." Harry said a bit annoyed.
"What the hell just happened?" Ron stammered.
"Well you see," Harry began slowly "Faith asked for a book, I had a copy of it, so I lent it to her. What part aren't you clear on?"
"The part where you gave her your book for starters!"
"Ron just shut up and finish your essay." Harry said angrily.
No one said anything else about what Harry had done. They all finished their essays without mentioning Faith Malfoy. Harry left the library first. When Ron and the others left they finally broke their silence.
"What was he thinking?" Ron asked loudly when they were outside the library.
"Is it really that big a deal?" Seamus asked.
"Yeah, it's just a book." added another boy.
Ron stopped walking and started at them. "Have you all gone mental?"
The others stopped and looked at him. "How much longer can you keep this up Ron?" Seamus asked him. "Faith is actually a decent person from what I've seen."
"It's not like she's tried to start anything." A fourth year mentioned.
"And she gets load of points in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts." Seamus pointed out. "All in all, I'd say a team player."
Ron looked he had just had the wind knocked out of him. "Faith Malfoy is not a decent person. Faith Malfoy's not a team player. Faith Malfoy is a rotten, evil, slimy, twisted individual. Faith Malfoy's"
"Brother is standing right behind you" said a voice so icy it could have frozen fire.
Ron's face went scarlet. He turned around slowly and came face to face with none other then Draco Malfoy. Ron's eyes went wide. He couldn't think of anything to say and didn't dare move.
"Anything else you care to add Weasel?" Draco asked.
Ron shook his head.
"Good, now you prats listen up." he warned. "If I hear any of you say anything about my sister that can be interpreted as an insult I'll make you wish you were never born. If anyone tells me that any of you cause trouble for my sister, I will personally see to it that your remaining years in this school are worse than hell. Any questions?" No one spoke; usually Draco would skip the threats and just jumped right to the hexing. But this technique would leave them all looking over their shoulders for the rest of their time at Hogwarts. "Good, glad we understand each other. Now fuck off." Ron didn't need to be told twice. He and the group made their way up the stairs as fast as they could without flat out running away. As Draco watched them leave a smirk came over his face.
"Well what the hell that?" someone asked. Draco spun around quickly thinking it might have been a teacher, but it was Faith. She had a wicked grin on her face. "Big bad Draco Malfoy sticking up for a Gryffindor? What ever will the rest of the lame brains think?"
Draco just glared at her. "I hate Weasley, so it's no big deal. Any excuse to make him fear for his life is good enough for me."
Faith walked toward him a patted him on the shoulder. "Admit it Drake, you still kind of like me."
"Now hang on Fay, just because I told off a pouf doesn't mean we're best mates."
"Of course not Draco, if that's the way you need it, so be it." Faith said with a faint sigh. She started to walk away before Draco spoke again.
"Not so fast, don't get on your moral high horse yet missy."
"Did you just 'missy' me?" Faith asked in a stunned laughter.
"What? No I didn't." he said harshly.
"Yes you did." Faith said argumentatively. "You said 'missy'. I heard you."
"You heard bullocks." Draco snapped.
"Sure, if bullocks is another word for missy." Faith jeered.
"Shut up Faith." Draco barked. He walked away towards his common room.
"So, does this mean we're all right?" Faith called after him.
Draco turned around slowly. "I don't think it does. It just means…you're my sister. Like it or not." They looked at each other silently. "I'll see around"
Faith watched Draco walk away and smiled. She was his sister. She wasn't sure if she was, or ever would be, completely all right with that fact. But at least they would be there for one another when someone bad mouthed one of them behind their back.
The school year progressed without anything terribly exciting happening. Harry was made captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and Draco of the Slytherin Team. Faith made the Gryffindor Team as a chaser, it was no contest. Hermione and Faith came to understand each other fairly well and spent a lot of hours complaining about Ron. Draco continued to stick up for Faith but they weren't truly friends. Ron eventually learned to keep his mouth shut about most things after Faith hexed him into a gig for them better part of an hour one night.
Maybe the strangest thing that happened was that Faith Malfoy and Harry Potter became friends. They talked Quidditch and made fun of Snape's nose. Faith wasn't sure if Harry was just being nice because of her broom or because of her brother or if her mother had paid him. And Harry wasn't sure if he really liked spending time with Faith. They fought a lot and disagreed about most things. Hermione had said it was probably because of Sirius that Harry spent so much time with Faith. They were cousins after all and Harry was Sirius's god son so that almost made them family on some distant level.
Narcissa watched Faith through the passing months and saw her get more comfortable with every passing day. She watched her daughter laugh, make friends, play quidditch and generally enjoy her life. It was the best think Narcissa could have hoped for. However, all the good couldn't off set the bad and the ugly. Everyday she worried about Lucius. The school year would be over sooner rather than later and then what? Faith would be out of school and Draco would probably go home. That would give Lucius two horrible months to poison his mind.
None of this occurred to Faith. She was just having fun simply being.
