Chapter 20: Brotherly Love and Hate

Winter faded slowly around Hogwarts. The grounds stayed covered with snow and the weather was cold and gloomy. Many of the students had spent their time in side the school venturing out only for the Hogsmade trips and to help Mrs. Cross with her magical animals. The tracks in the snow around the castle were few and mostly left by Hagrid. Whenever the weather was warm enough to venture outside Harry, Ron and Dominic would fly a few short laps around the school before becoming to cold to stay outside. The lack of Quiddich for them had become hard to deal with and the work load was driving them insane. Harry spend many daydreaming hours staring out the windows of the castle just waiting for a glimpse of spring. Dominic on the other hand was pre-occupied with his sister and her new found involvement with Draco Malfoy.

In the beginning Amelia was very sceptic about working with Draco Malfoy. Her friends has warned her greatly about his family and his history, at the school, but she had already said she would help him and was not going to give up on him. His transfigurations weren't as bad as he made them out to be but it was true that he needed work on some of the more difficult spells. She had decided that, had he paid a little more attention in his classes he would have been fine, but as he spent a great deal of his time tormenting Harry and his friends, she concluded that was the reason for his lack of practice. She began spending more and more time with Draco during study periods in the library and the study halls, as the Slytherins were not aloud in the Gryffindor common room nor was she aloud near the slytherin dormitories. Amelia didn't mind spending her time in the library it was a neutral zone in the school. She was never really alone with Draco, there were always other students around as well as teachers in both the library and the study hall, making Amelia feel more comfortable with the situation. But Draco really wasn't as bad as he made himself out to be with the other Gryffindor students. As Amelia got to know him and worked more with him he seemed, in her opinion, very genuine, very dedicated to his schooling and striving for his schooling goals. He had told Amelia that he felt very pressured by his family to do well in everything and that his biggest stress was his fathers presence and involvement with the school and the ministry of magic. Amelia began to enjoy working with him. He could make her laugh and forget about all the trouble she was having worrying about her mother. Draco was also improving greatly and that gave Amelia some satisfaction as well. She was happy to see that she was able to relay her knowledge to others. The only problem with her tutoring Draco was she had begun to neglect her friends. She was spending all her free time away from the other Gryffindors and Dominic had become increasingly uneasy about his sister befriending Malfoy. She wasn't telling him anything about what was going on, as she believed nothing really was, she was merely helping him academically. Dominic, however didn't believe her. Her mind was always sealed very tight and she spoke very little around her friends anymore, if she spent any time with them at all. Hermione tried to convince Dominic that Amelia was just worried about her own schooling with all the dedications she was giving to Draco, but Dominic found this hard to believe. Something inside him was telling him that Amelia was hiding something, like their mother had been hiding things and Dominic became increasingly suspicions about the attraction that seems to run in his family toward students from Slytherin house. He finally decided, after Amelia had started to stay out even after curfew with Malfoy, to take maters into his own hands. With the help of Harry's invisibility cloak Dominic began spying on Amelia and Malfoy. Harry and Ron would take turns going with Dominic to check on Amelia. Ron believed that Dominic was right to be watching out for his sister, had Ginny been in the same situation Ron would have done the same but Harry was more reluctant about joining in. He felt that he could be using his time more wisely, as Hermione had scolded as Dominic and Ron continued to spy on Amelia but he was beginning to feel trapped within the school and became very agitated, so he decided one night to go with Dominic leaving Ron behind to be lectured by Hermione.

"You three are going to be in so much trouble!" Hermione scolded as she glared at the three of them as they pulled out the invisibility cloak.

"No one is going to catch us," Dominic stated with a laughed, "the professors are clueless."

"I didn't mean the teachers," Hermione rolled her eyes, "I meant Amelia!"

"The only way we'll be caught, Hermione, is if someone tells her," Dominic said as he gave her and accusing glare.

"I should tell her," Hermione growled, "this is invasion of privacy. If you were in her position you would be very angry if she was doing this to you!"

"But I am not the one stupid enough to be falling for a Slytherin!" Dominic said throwing the cloak over Harry and himself, "and she's fallen for the worst one!" he said as he and Harry left the room.

"Honestly Ron," Hermione huffed, "does it really seem like Amelia is falling for Draco."

Ron hesitated for a moment not knowing weather or not Harry and Dominic were still in the room.

"Well?" Hermione persisted.

"Not really, no," Ron whispered, "every time we go down, Amelia a really far into the lessons."

"Dominic is going to be sorry for this," Hermione sighed, "Amelia is going to kill him."

"You are probably right," Rom said flipping thought another text book, "but honestly, spying on Amelia is way more fun than History of Giants or Slowroot application." he sighed as he pushed away his Herbology text.

"You're probably right," Hermione said as she too pushed aside her Herbology books, "how about a game a wizards chess."

"Really?" Ron asked excitedly.

"Yeah I think I could beat you this time," Hermione smiled.

"I doubt it!" Rob laughed as he hugged her.

"What kind of boyfriend are you," Hermione giggled, "you wont even pretend to let me win!"

"Cause you are smarter than me all around anyways!" Ron laughed and ran off to fetch the chess board.

Harry and Dominic walked slowly toward the library. The halls of the castle were deserted. The cold wind howled outside and rattled the glass windows. Harry walked slower behind Dominic watching over the Marauder's map for any signs of Mrs. Norris or Professor Snape. Harry slowed down even more to the point that the invisibility cloak was up over his feet and his shoes could be seen.

"Harry pick up the pace you are going to be seen!" Dominic said into his mind.

"Sorry," Harry said folding up the Marauder's map, "no one is around the library but that is were Amelia and Draco are," he said back to Dominic.

They quickly rounded a corner and ducked into the library. Harry led the way through the rows of books to where he knew Amelia and Draco were. They settled in behind a shelf of books still within ear shot of Amelia and listened in on the lesson.

"Alright Draco," Amelia said flipping to another chapter in his transfigurations text, "would you like to start another chapter tonight or call it quits?" she asked.

"It is getting late," Draco sighed looking over the notes he had taken, "I would have liked to get to cover food transfigurations too, but you are right it is already past curfew and if we go any longer we are almost guaranteed to get caught."

"You're right," Amelia smiled and began to pack up her books, "same time tomorrow then?"

"As long as it isn't nice out, yeah for sure!" he smiled.

"You know, you and Harry and Dominic have a lot in common. You'd probably get along well if you weren't well... enemies." Amelia laughed.

"Why do you say that?' he asked.

"Well because you are all suffering terribly from cabin fever!" she laughed, "they have been taking to the air even when its cold. A couple of laps around the castle and they are nearly frozen but at least they had gotten out!"

"That's actually a really good idea," he laughed.

"Oh sure it is, until your ears are frostbitten and you can't feel your toes!" Amelia said sarcastically.

"Oh that's nothing that one warming potion wouldn't fix," Draco laughed.

"Nice, use magic as the easy way out!" Amelia laughed.

"What do you mean?" he asked looking a little confused.

"I am sorry I had forgotten you were a pureblood," Amelia said as she blushed with embarrassment, "I just bug Dominic a lot because rather than being smart like we were taught when we were little, living in the muggle world and not do stupid things like going outside to long in below freezing weather, he would use magic to fix his stupidities. But you are a pure blood it would be what you were taught to do always living in the magical community."

Draco laughed a little as he listened to Amelia try to explain her blunder, "Amelia, don't worry about it," he smiled, "pure bloods are really the minority now. I hear stuff like that all the time."

"Oh but I am sorry," Amelia said still feeling bad for what she had said, "I should have thought more carefully before saying anything."

"Really don't worry about it, its no big deal," he smiled.

"But it is please let me make it up to you somehow," she said.

"Ok, if you really want to, how about coming with me on the next Hogsmade trip. We could go for butter beers or something. What do you say?" he asked.

"That sounds like fun," Amelia smiled, "I wouldn't be able to spend the whole trip with you but defiantly a coffee or something would be cool."

"What is she doing?" Dominic whispered to Harry.

"I think Draco just asked her out on a date!" Harry said in a shocked tone.

"I know and did she just say yes?" Dominic asked.

"Um... yeah I think she did," Harry said as he watched anger grow in Dominic's eyes.

"If you don't mind me asking," Draco said feeling a little embarrassed himself, "you aren't just saying yes because you feel bad because of your little slip up are you?"

"Oh no!" Amelia smiled, " I do regard you as one of my friend Draco, I don't care what the others say. But I do have to spend some time with them as well. I have been neglecting them."

"I understand," he smiled, "I am just happy you said yes."

"Are you sure Pansy wont be jealous?" Amelia asked.

"Oh no," Draco said, "she and I broke up. Her parents don't approve of me so she had to break up with me."

"Oh I am sorry to hear that," Amelia said feeling a little awkward.

"Oh don't be," Draco smiled, "I'll always be in the shadows of my parents and what they do, I wont deny that, but believe me when I say I am not like them."

"I do believe you," Amelia smiled.

"Amelia what are you doing he's lying though his teeth!" Dominic yelled out to her in his mind.

"You know what Draco, on second though I would really like to spend the day with you. I mean all we talk about now is transfigurations I would like to get to know you better. I am sure my friends will understand," Amelia said as she smiled and walked with him to the doors.

"Really?" Draco asked filled with excitement, "why the change of heart."

"Oh because I really do believe that you aren't what everyone says you are," she smiled.

"Wow thanks," he said, "but I guess we should get back to our dorms, Mrs. Norris is going to catch us and that will mean point for our houses. Slytherin can't afford to loose any right now." he said and waved to her.

"Bye!" she waved back then rushed back into the Library, "Dominic Charles Cross where the hell are you!" she screamed into silently out to her brother, "come out wand drawn cause I am going to kill you!"

"You are going to kill me!" Dominic yelled, "I'm not the one going on a date with Draco Malfoy, son of Voldemort's head death eater!"

"Guys be quiet we are going to get caught!" Harry whispered.

"Harry!" Amelia gasped, "how could you do this to me? Take part in eavesdropping on me? I can't believe you two!"

"I'm sorry Amelia," Harry said and slumped back behind the bookshelf.

"Don't be sorry Harry, this is entirely Amelia's fault!" Dominic yelled.

"What are you talking about!" Amelia screamed, "you are the one that in invading my privacy, filling my head with bad things about Draco who is, I will have you know, a very nice person!"

"You are just like mom!" Dominic yelled, "ready to believe the first thing you hear! God you are going to get yourself killed or worse all of us!"

"I am not!" Amelia screamed as tears began to run down her face, "I can't believe you would do this to me. This is far worst than anything you have ever done Dominic. I am ashamed to even have to call you my brother!" she said as she stormed out of the library.

"Oh don't think you are going to get out of this that easily!" Dominic yelled as he began to run after her.

"Dominic don't!" Harry said gabbing the back of his shirt, "you've gone and upset her enough nothing good is going to come out of yelling at each other."

"You are not taking her side Harry, let me go!" Dominic said angrily.

"I'll let you go long enough to cast the Imobulus charm on you, Dominic, if you try and go after her now," Harry said sternly.

"You are taking her side!" Dominic gasped, "Draco is your enemy!"

"Yes, he's mine, not Amelia's," Harry said, "I can't tell her who to be friends with and you can't either." he said letting go of Dominic's shirt.

"Oh yes I can!" Dominic huffed, "just watch me!" he said and stormed out of the library.

"Fine," Harry said to himself as he gathered the cloak and the map and headed out of the library, "I'm not going to be the stupid one running around the school after curfew for all to see," he huffed and flung the cloak over his shoulders and headed back to the Gryffindor tower.