Disclaimer: If I was JK Rowling and had created Harry Potter, I would be writing the sixth book instead of this crap!

Author's note: Hi readers, long time no see. I've been busy with school, concerts since I'm in a music school, and I've been working on my other story, but finally, here's the next chapter of your beloved story, lol. Plus, I'm now on summer holiday so hopefully I'll be able to update a little more.

Again, sorry if details from the book are wrong, that's because I'm too lazy to look it up. Besides, I don't have the book here right now. Anyway, let's call it Author's Liberty.

But now I need to stop babbling and start the story.

Author's Note January 1st 2005 – Corrected some grammar mistakes )

Review-thank-yous:

ViviBlack – Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment since my own personality probably is reflected in hers )

Thank you also; Lily and James Potter, Pussin Boots, Kagome Sengoku and Gilraen


Chapter 10 – Home again?

I almost didn't sleep anything during that night. It was almost 3.00 AM when I finally went to bed. I slept very badly and by the time the clock had passed six, I decided to go up and eat some breakfast before everyone would be there.I got dressed in a zombie condition, did my hair and went out into the Great Hall. It was almost empty. At least no one from Gryffindor was there.

I sat down and took a glass of orange juice. Maybe that would be able to cheer me up a little? But no. I was exactly as tired as I had been before. I couldn't dare to think about how I'd pass the exams today!

An owl came flying, through one of the windows, making its way towards me. It dropped a letter on the table, and immediately took off again.

I stared at the letter, which was addressed to me. It was a howler. I looked around in the Great Hall. There weren't so many students there… I opened the letter and dropped it on the table when the voice started yelling.

"Tamara Malfoy! You are bringing nothing but shame upon the family! I'll expect you to come by to fetch your things and your inheritance by the day the term ends."

The voice echoed in the hall seconds after she had stopped yelling. I looked up, only to see that everyone in the great hall was staring at me. I quickly took my things and sprinted towards the entrance, but when I turned around the corner I bumped straight into someone.

"Sorry" I mumbled, blushing, collected my things from the floor and raised to continue.

"Tamara! How are you doing?"

I looked up, straight into Hagrid's big face.

"Not well. I… I've got to go."

"Come over for a cup of tea later, if you'd like."

"Maybe" I said before leaving.

I never went over to Hagrid's place. I barely passed the exams and avoided all the other students; which meant that I didn't eat lunch; only an early breakfast and a late dinner; which caused me to lose weight. Added to that, I had a lack of sleep. When all of the exams had passed a few days later, I looked like shadow of the old me.

I tried to avoid thinking of that howler. Tried to convince myself that she was exaggerating, that everything would be exactly the same, but deep inside I believe I knew that nothing was the same anymore. Mother would never send such a letter; she's not that kind of person who sends a howler at all (she thinks it is brutally); if she didn't really mean it.

But the day of departure from Hogwarts was coming closer, and soon I found myself facing the last evening. Since it was the last evening, it also was the last dinner, where the winner of the Inter-house competition was going to be announced. Of course, I had to be there, even though I didn't care.

But then I got an idea, and went up to the hospital wing fifteen minutes before the dinner was served.

"Madam Pomfrey? I've got such a bad headache…" I groaned.

"Oh dear, you look completely finished. Tell me, are you sleeping anything at all?"

"Not much" I admitted.

"Well, you'd better lie here and get some rest for an hour or two, and I'll get you something for your headache. Too bad you're missing the feast tonight."

"Yes, it's a shame" I lied and lay down onto the bed which she had shown me.

I closed my eyes. I couldn't flee anymore, I knew that. I would have to face mum, and Draco. And what had happened to father? I didn't know. Where would I stay, when I had picked up my things?

Madam Pomfrey returned with a bottle of some kind of potion.

"Here you go. Now sip this slowly."

I hesitated. I wasn't really having a headache at all. What if the was dangerous if you were faking it… Get a grip! Madam Pomfrey would never give a student a poisonous potion.

So I sipped it slowly, and it tasted quite good. Some kind of mix between strawberries and raspberries.

"I will have to leave you alone here, to attend the dinner. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay, dear. Try to get some sleep, then."

"Of course."

I never thought I'd actually get any sleep, but five minutes after she had walked away, my eyelids were heavier and heavier and heavier…

When I woke up, it was in the crack of dawn. I needed to go and get my things packed together. I decided that it probably was the best to leave Madam Pomfrey a note, just in case she would wonder were I'd gone, so I quickly wrote something about me having to pack my things and left the note on the now empty bed.

Two hours later, I had all my stuff packed together in my trunk and went downstairs into the Great Hall to have some breakfast. It appeared as though that most of the students had woken up rather early, because there was rather many of them sitting in the Great Hall, eating breakfast.

I was going to sit on my own at the end of the table to keep avoiding people. But then I decided that I should go and sit next to some of the other students. I would have to face them sooner or later, wouldn't I? However, I took a deep breath, walked over and sat down next to Ginny, and therefore opposite Hermione.

"Good morning" I said cheerfully.

"Mornin'" Ginny said and yawned.

"Hi, Tamara" Hermione said. "I haven't seen you around for the last few days, where've you been?"

"Around" I said. "Tired, in the hospital wing last night."

"Oh."

I grabbed a muffin and started to eat. This is going well, just keep calm, they won't say anything abo-

"Er… Tamara?" Hermione said.

"Huh?"

"I heard about… I heard that you knocked your dad down."

I swallowed.

"Yeah…" I said.

"I think that proved something about you" she continued. "That you're not like your family."

Oh, really? Never thought about that before!

But I couldn't say that, of course.

"Okay…" I said instead.

"Yeah, I just wanted to say that I think it was brave of you."

"Oh… thanks… I guess."

"Is the rumour about the howler from your mum true?" Ginny asked, suddenly breaking into our conversation.

"Er… kind of" I said.

"What, what did she say?" Ginny asked curiously.

I stared at the muffin I was holding in my right hand. Suddenly I didn't feel that hungry any more.

"She said I am supposed to come by and pick up my things and my inheritance er… today."

"And then what?" Hermione asked worriedly.

I shrugged.

"I don't know" I said. "Disappear out of her life, I guess."

"What?!" Ginny almost shouted.

Harry, who was sitting next to Hermione and opposite Ginny, looked up.

"Huh?" he said.

"Tamara's mum has thrown her out of the family" Hermione related.

"What? Where are you going to be living during the summer, then?"

I shrugged again.

"I don't know" I said. "I'll get my future inheritance so I'll have money; I suppose I'll be able to stay at some kind of hotel, perhaps the Leaky Cauldron or something."

Harry sighed.

"Families sucks, don't they?" he said.

"Huh?" I said, surprised by this sudden announcement, but he didn't explain what he was talking about, just returned to peck his food.

"That's horrible!" Ginny said. "I'd ask you to come and stay with us, really, but I don't think that would be a good idea right now."

"It's okay, really" I said.

"We'll keep in touch during the summer" Ginny promised. "So if you're in trouble, just send me an owl."

"Thanks" I said.

"We should be going" Hermione said. "The train leaves in an hour."

I sat with the others on the train, even though I wasn't participating in their conversation, just staring out through the window. It was foggy and raining and it wasn't really possible to see the beautiful surroundings, but I wouldn't have noticed them anyway since I could concentrate on nothing but my worries.

Stop worrying! I told myself. What was there to worry about? I mean, I would have money, and with money anything is possible. Almost. I'd just check in at the Leaky Cauldron. Piece of cake!

I hadn't even noticed that everyone had raised their wands before they had attacked the target, which appeared to be my brother and his two big gorilla-friends. Obviously he had provoked them by saying something I hadn't noticed. When I saw what they turned into (A/N Read in the book!), I couldn't help smiling. The others apparently found it very amusing as well, because they all laughed when they saw the result.

When the train had arrived and stopped at King's Cross, Platform 9 ¾, and we all were getting off the train, my brother's trio were left in one of the compartments, unable to move. I was just going out through one of the doors when I suddenly changed my mind and turned around.

"Forgot my... sweater" I mumbled to the ones who looked wonderingly.

I went into the compartment in which Draco, Crabbe and Goyle was lying. Even though they were rather unrecognisable, I recognized one of them as my big brother. I took out my wand, pointed it at him and said a spell, which made him turn into normal again.

We stood there, staring at each other in silence for a while. He was slightly blushing, something I can honestly say that I hadn't ever seen him do before.

"Er... thanks, I guess" he said finally.

"You're welcome... I guess."

"What was that spell? I've never heard it before. Maybe you could..." he said, pointing at the two others.

I snorted.

"No way! They're not my problem."

"Come on..."

But I walked out into the corridor and towards the exit.

"Fine, then!" he said and followed me out.

Most of the students had already left Platform 9 ¾ through the barrier, so it was easy to find mother. She was dressed all in black, her hair up, looking irreproachable as always. The difference from earlier years was that she was standing alone, not talking to some of her lady friends who happened to have children at Hogwarts.

"There you are," she said. "Come on, I've brought the car."

We exited Platform 9 ¾ and walked out of King's Cross and to the car, which was parked a bit away. It's a silver cabriolet, new, shiny, cool one. Mother walked unusually fast.

"Hurry up!" she urged.

We got into the car; mother in the driving seat and Draco and I in the back.

"What's the rush?" he asked when she had started the car and we were driving crazily fast through the streets of London towards Malfoy Manor, which was seated a couple of kilometres outside London.

"Someone is coming over, she wanted to have a look on the room before she makes a decision" she said shortly.

"What room?" he asked, a little bit puzzled.

"Your sister's room" mother said coolly. "We're renting it out. We need the money because of the loss of your father's income."

She glared at me in the rear view mirror.

"Yes, I heard about the... howler" he said. "But I didn't think you were being serious."

"Of course I was being serious! I have already transferred her money to another account at Gringotts" she snorted. "End of discussion!"

I walked slowly towards the house, dreading the following happenings, pulling my trunk behind me. Mother and Draco were already inside. I heard their voices from the living room when I entered, but the door was closed and I didn't dare to open it.

I walked upstairs into my room and pulled out another trunk from the wardrobe. I decided to keep my Hogwarts stuff in the trunk where it already was, and take the new trunk and fill it with stuff I wanted from my room. I looked around in the room. What did I want? Some of my drawings, maybe. My old teddy bear, some books. I was making a list of the things I was going to bring when mother suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"I transferred back your money to our family account," she informed me.

"Huh?" I said, not understanding.

What was she talking about? Because, if I hadn't got any money, no chance that I would be able to-

"Huh?! What have I said about manners, Tamara? You should say pardon or at least sorry."

"Sorry. I don't really understand-"

"Unpack your things," she interrupted. "I'm cancelling advertisement of your room being able to rent."

I stared at her when she abruptly turned around and walked away. I was staying?!

I walked out into the corridor and over to Draco's room and knocked.

"Come in!"

I opened the door and stuck my head in.

"What did you say to her?" I asked, amazed and thankful.

"It worked then, I assume?" he said.

"Yes! Gosh, thanks."

"You're welcome."


Author's note:
Sorry if Draco is a bit out of character, but I don't want him to be that really evil guy, I want him to have another side, you know...

Oh yeah, I was wondering something. I don't have the books here right now so I can't check but if anyone knows; what is Professor Flitwick teaching and who is teaching Charms? Or maybe he is? Please help me so that I can put my mind at rest, and maybe I'll need it for future chapters. Thanks!

I just have to tell you, I'm so happy, I've got all those ideas for the upcoming years and I can't wait to write it. So hopefully updates will come frequent now. Please notice, though, I do not update until I've gotten at least one review for the previous chapter. So: REVIEW! Love all kind of reviews and its reviewers as well, who keep me writing.

Always yours,

Megafreak

Ps. I wrote a short one-shot called The Yule Ball about a week ago, check it out! It's a RW/HG fic, including some HP/GW. Thanks!