Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.
Author's Notes: Look at bottom, thanks.
Back to Hogwarts. She was on her way back to the place she had run from, back to the people that had caused her so much pain. Why you ask? Her 'parents' had felt bad about heaving her off on her Aunt and had decided that they wanted her closer to home. Also Death Eater attacks had been becoming more common and for some reason they had thought Hogwarts would be safer than Beauxbatons.
It had been devastating when she found out she would not be returning to complete her seventh year with her friends at Beauxbatons. Though her folks were at least nice enough to let her spend most of her summer over in France with them. It was one of the hardest things she ever did, telling her only friends that she was leaving, going back to Hogwarts. They were upset to say the least but had decided to make the most of the time remaining and hadn't mentioned it since then. Of course they had bide their goodbyes with many promises to write and Mya had struggled not to let them see her cry.
But now that was all over and the carriage bumped and jostled her as it made its way up the road. She had launched herself into the first carriage after vacating the train, and thankfully nobody had followed her in. During the train ride she hadn't shared a compartment but that was due to a handy little locking charm that didn't open with the word, 'Alohamora.'
Belatedly she realized the carriage had stopped and she shook herself out of her daze. 'Time to face everyone.' Though it did nothing to ease the mounting panic within her, it at least enable Mya to be able to steel herself for the task ahead, whatever it may be.
'Hogwarts is still Hogwarts.' But though the castle hadn't changed she couldn't place why it felt so much colder and unfriendlier than now. Then again it was a very different environment than that of Beauxbatons castle, the former existing in a tropical region allowing for open archways and colorful, diaphanous fabric, the only separation from the outside, which danced in the breeze as you walked through the halls to get to the classrooms. (There was also a handy little charm that keep the elements out and the temperature balmy inside.) The castle was done with light marbles, the veins forming intricate patterns of their own, which allowed the space to seem more open and less forbidding. Beautiful paintings of landscapes and animals decorated the halls creating a serene welcoming environment. It felt as if she had left her true home and was now left to once again dwell within the dark, chilly stone walls of the daunting building where so much pain had been inflected upon her.
Deciding to not let her depression and longing get the better of her, Mya straighten her back and with chin held high proceeded to the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling above was oppressive with the electrical energy waiting to be spent. With a grace belying her inner tension she took a seat at the end of the Gryffindor table, away from the middle where the hub-bub and melee was sure to be, where the people she once knew as friends would sit in the middle, glorying in the attentions others would give them. Demands would be made to hear of the adventures and fabulous feats that they had done, they of course being Harry and Ron, and she had no desire to be party to any of it.
The Hall by now was filled with students, chattering away before the first years arrived to be sorted. Mya wisely decided to ignore the murmur and finger pointing that went up when people finally began to notice her presence. Apparently a year had done a lot to idle peoples brain cells because most didn't even realize who the bloody hell she was, though that was about to change.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little mudblood, back to beg forgiveness of the duo over there perhaps?" There was a distinctive sneer in his voice and when Mya looked up, as she expected, the Malfoy smirk was in place. Draco couldn't help but notice how much difference a year could make in a person. Hermione was to say the least, gorgeous. She had been pretty before but now it seemed she had matured into herself more and her presence was one that you couldn't help but notice. Her skin was a soft sun-kissed golden, while warm caramel colored hair spilled out to frame a face that had a lovely structure with high cheek-bones and large almond shaped eyes. Amber met silver and Draco knew himself to be lost.
Hermione gave a look of pure distain shot straight at Draco for the comment. "I would never beg for their forgiveness, though they should be on their knees asking for mine, and I would advice people who have no knowledge on the information to keep their traps shut instead of opening them and proving how truly dull witted they are." Mya looked at Draco and couldn't help but notice how the year had been good to him, or maybe he had always been so devilishly handsome and she had just chosen not to notice. Smooth, silky, platinum blonde hair feel freely around his face, attracting attention to the fact that some deity had seen to bless him with the looks of a Greek hero, while sharp silver eyes caught all the details of what was going on around him. He was smart and she now realized what a mistake it had been to underestimate him all those years. Had she ever really knew him? The news startled her and shook her to her core, for someone who always scored perfect and beyond on everything, it was hard to acknowledge that she had been so erroneous in her judgment.
Draco looked at her with something akin to admiration in his eyes. "It appears that you have grown more of a backbone while you were gone. Tired of lingering in the shadows Granger?" His voice was melodious and sent shivers through her skin. His eyebrows were lifted in a mocking inquiry and she cursed the fact that she had finally seen him as something other than an enemy.
She had another acidic remark on her tongue but before she had a chance to utter it, he turned away in a swirling of robes and Dumbledore stood to silence the hall for the sorting. 'I will have to remain away from him in the future, his effect on me, well I just won't consider it.'
"Thank you all for returning to another year of Hogwarts," Dumbledore's voice boomed out through the hall. "As you know, some of our number have left us while some of our number has seen fit to return," his eyes rested on her briefly, "The head boy and girl this year are Harry Potter and Lavender Brown, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to go to them. With that the sorting will begin." The first years had been standing up in the front waiting for it to begin with apprehension written all over their faces during Dumbledore's beginning announcement. Mya couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for them. At Beaxubatons' they simply had an enchanted quill that wrote down what house you belonged in and you were told where you would be sitting as you entered the hall. They had four houses with pretty much the same qualities as their Hogwarts equivalents, only different names. Though the Slytherin one didn't have such a horrible reputation. But houses were rather irrelevant considering everyone sat, slept, and ate where they wanted. All they really served was as a placement for when and with who you would take your classes, though she had ended up in their Slytherin which was odd, to her anyway.
The sorting hat finished the song and the calling of the names began. Mya couldn't seem to help the pall of gloom that fell upon her as it progressed. All she thought of was the long year ahead without her friends in an environment that seemed to be set against her. She began to wonder if she had it in her to make it through the year with no one to help her through the rough patches that were sure to come to her thanks to the new trio over there. Of course Harry would be made head, after all he was Hogwarts golden boy. She hadn't made it because she hadn't been here last year and had waited until everyone else had received their letters to inform them she was coming back, but then again she really didn't want it. Maybe it would be best if she faded into the shadows and let everyone go about without her participating, though she didn't think that would be possible either. With a sigh she accepted the fact that she was no longer hungry and that this year was not looking to be a good one.
Dumbledore stood after the sorting was over, "normally this would be the time when I would start the feast but it seems we have some transfer students to be introduced from Beaxbutons. They are going into seventh year and have already been sorted since it seemed pointless to include them with the first years and that they arrived well before the Hogwarts express. For some reason I cannot fathom though, they have all been sorted into Gryffindor when the houses they belonged to in their previous school all had such varying characteristics," he smiled then, amusement on his face. "Well here they are, I hope that you will make them feel welcome."
All eyes turned to the doors of the Great Hall where four gorgeous people were entering. Most of the boys where drooling while the girls looked on with hearts in their eyes. Devin simply basked in the attention, acting as if it was his due. Karn on the other hand just smirked, not caring about it at all. Bella and Aimee simply brushed it off, far to used to males being pigs and pricks to care.
"Mya, come out of whatever corner you have secluded yourself in and greet us properly right this minute," Bella demanded in accented English with her hands on her hips while the others took up positions around and beside her.
At the sound of her name Mya looked up, coming out of the daze she had been in to realize that all her friends were here. She stood and hurried over to them, hugging Bella first, who had opened her arms and Mya launched into rapid French.
"What are you all doing here? I was so upset that I would be spending my year alone here, you have no idea how happy I am to see you all!" Devin was upon her next hugging and dipping her back before he spun her over to Karn though not before responding.
"We decided that it wouldn't be wise to let you fend for your own here, where you obviously needed us most." Karn proceeded to pick her up and spin her around, making her disoriented.
"Madame Maxine whole heartedly agreed with us, saying that she would miss us. Though I think she was more than happy to get rid of us. I'm telling' you it won't be the same there without my pranks."
"Ignore Karn," Aimee came out greeting her with a hug and kiss on the cheek, "she had a soft spot for you and was really sad to see us all leave. I know she was really fond of us all, after all we were her prodigal students."
"Besides after the condition we received you in last year, we were not going to let them have at you again without some sort of defense," Bella spat with fire in her eyes, she was going to get some sort of payment for the wrong that was done to her friend.
"But how did you all get into Gryffindor? I mean you all don't truly belong there, and I really don't see how you could sway the hat otherwise."
"Well that was more Devin's and Aimee's doings, we let them go before me and Karn. To let's say, persuade the hat to put us all in Gryffindor," Bella said in way of enlightenment. Mya looked over at the two and couldn't help but answer with a smirk identical to both of theirs. She lifted an eyebrow, a silent question.
"Well it wouldn't have been beneficial if we were all in different houses, would it?" Aimee said.
"So we used finesse," Karn's eyes lit with their devious sparkle.
"And suggested the many things that we could use that ratty old hat for if we were not put in Gryffindor," Aimee's eyes were laughing.
Mya couldn't help the answering laugh that bubbled up. "So you two did all the dirty work and
'convincing,' right?"
"Yep you got it about right," Devin answered, "after all why should I get my hands dirty when there are so many others willing to do it for me?"
"Well, I would have been put in here regardless," Bella decided to add in defense, "though it was nice to have a guarantee."
"If you are all done greeting each other," Dumbledore smiled at them, "then the rest of us would like to precede with dinner."
Where at one time Mya would have blushed about being the center of attention, she simply smiled and led the others over to the table to sit. Karn and Devin sat on either side of her while Bella and Aimee sat in front. Mya had the distinct impression that they had correlated this to keep her insulated from the rest of the school, for that she was immensely grateful. 'This year might not be so bad after all.'
Bella glanced around the hall, trying to get impression of peoples feelings towards them and Mya. Most of the Gryffindors felt hostile, 'we've really entered the lion's den,' she thought to herself with a smirk. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw no longer knew what to make the situation while Slytherin treated the drama within with cold indifference and amusement. Bella's eyes stopped upon Draco, recognition within their depths. 'I wonder what he has been up to. I haven't seen him since the last summer he spent with our grandmother over in France, which was the year before we all went off to school. It will be interesting to see what occurs, especially since he keeps flickering his eyes over to Mya.' Bella laughed to herself, secretly pleased with the developments and the speed with which they were occurring. 'We'll just have to see what happens, and give the occasional pushes when necessary. Both can be awfully stubborn at times.' With that thought Bella joined back into the rapid conversation taking place in French and eating the food that was much different than their own.
Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long. I don't really have time anymore but I don't want to leave it unfinished. Its hard because I work and go to school, so I'm tired most of the time. But I promised I'll finish unless circumstances beyond my control prevent me from doing so (like death.) Anyway, thanks for being patient, and for reviewing. I tried to make this one longer, especially since the update was so long in coming. Well I hope you enjoyed and review please. Hopefully I'll update soon, Thanks. Also more interaction between Draco and Mya will come in the next chapter!