Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters created by J.k. Rowling in her books. Haven't I said this before, eh? Hmm. Yes, I do think I have said this before, but I say it again, because I don't wish to be sued by the scary lawyers with their shiny briefcases... Enjoy!

Chapter Four

Dawn didn't have to wait long before she was joined by Draco, Aubrey, and Sai. Neither Draco, nor Aubrey looked very happy about having to walk with the other. The second Sai was out the door of the dining room, she raced forward, clasping onto Dawn's waist in a hug, "I hate having dinner with your father, Dawn. He's so stiff..." She mumbled. At her own home, she never had to eat dinner with her family. She'd simply eat with the house elves, or in her room by herself.

Dawn shook her head and returned her cousin's hug, "I know, Sai, sweetie. I don't like dining with Father any more than you do, I assure you..." She smiled and disengaged herself from the younger girl, "So, boys, ready for the tour?" She teased, cocking her head to one side, "No fighting, or I'll have to call Father to seperate the two of you." She added, noticing the glares the two kept sending one another.

Draco shrugged and rolled his eyes, "Right, Chandler. Masters isn't worth my time. I wouldn't want to soil my robes fighting someone as low, or as weak as him..." He sneered, silver eyes gleaming dangerously as they narrowed in Aubrey's direction.

Aubrey chuckled at this and stepped forward, slipping an arm about Dawn's waist, "Ah, I'm sure that's why you would not fight me, Malfoy. Perhaps it is because you do not have your baboons around to help you in your fight? Otherwise you would have no chance... Besides, I'm the one allowed to do magic. You won't be allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts for quite awhile. Remember that one, Malfoy..." He warned, pulling Dawn closer to his side.

Sai pursed her lips together in a displeased frown, folding her arms over her chest, her own eyes narrowing up at the much taller Slytherin boy at having stolen Dawn from her. When Draco noticed this, he stepped forward and put a hand on Sai's shoulder, offering his own hand to her with a small smirk, "Come on, Sai. You can walk with me, while those two get better aquainted..." He teased, squeezing her hand gently when she giggled and put it into his.

Dawn rolled her eyes, "Oh, please. Spare me, Malfoy... Don't you dare hex my cousin, or I'll have your head. I swear it..." She reached up and tossed her braid over her shoulder, smacking Aubrey in the face. He narrowed his eyes at this, but said nothing, as Dawn was still watching Draco with a warning glare. Then, remembering what Aubrey had done, she turned and pressed her palms against his chest, pushing away from him and out of his grasp, "And, you. Did I tell you that you had permission to touch me?" She shook her head and started forward, not waiting to see whether the others would follow or not.

Sai giggled once more and shook her head, "Aw, Dawn... Don't be angry." She pleaded playfully, "If you're not happy, I'll pout for the rest of the night..." She said this with warning in her voice, making the older cousin laugh and shake her head, relenting to the small girl's wishes.

Aubrey folded his arms over his chest, still angry about having to have the brat and Malfoy tag along. Had they not, he wouldn't have had to put up with Dawn's resistance. He would have put an end to it. But, with those two around, he had little choice but to remain quiet, for now. Following behind the girl, with Sai and Draco following him, the four made their way outside and into the back yard.

When they reached this area, Sai released Draco's hand and ran forward, heading towards one of the smaller trees at the edge of the woods lining the back of Chandler Estate. Dawn watched her with a small smile dancing on her lips and in her eyes, not moving her gaze from the smaller girl as she began to climb the tree, perching in one of the lower branches, "Sai. Be careful. I don't want you to fall from another tree and hurt yourself, again..." She called, biting down on her lower lip.

Draco shrugged and followed after Sai, his cloak whipping behind him with his swift steps. As he walked away, Dawn smiled, watching him move beneath the limb on which Sai sat, grabbing the limb and swinging easily up onto it, sitting astride it, much like he would sit upon a broom. Daw ncould see him begin to talk with Sai, many times extracting a laugh from the girl.

Dawn shook her head, before being distracted by a hand on her waist. Aubrey stood behind her, his hands resting on either side of her waist, a smirk playing on his lips, "Dawn... Do you know what your Father has been discussing with mine?" He asked her softly, speaking into her ear, making her skin crawl, his breath warm against her neck.

She slowly shook her head, not moving away from him this time but closing her eyes tightly, her shoulders tensing, "No, Masters, I don't. Why don't you tell me?" She growled through clenched teeth, anger flooding her cheeks and eyes once more, her fingers curling into fists.

He nodded, knowing the two older men would not tell her until they had to. He chuckled softly, not moving his lips away from her ear, "Why, my dearest Dawn... They've been discussing a contract of sorts. The contract to an arranged marriage between you and me..." He waited for her reaction, his lips brushing the skin of her neck, though this only proved to heighten her anger.

She ripped herself out of his reach, spinning around to face him, eyes narrowed, "How dare you? I'm not even sixteen, and you fools are discussing who I am to marry? That is a decision I should, and will, make on my own. My father will not tell me what to do, especially with something as important as the one who I will marry. I don't even like you, Aubrey..." She added, shaking her head and taking another step back.

Aubrey shook his head, a harsh laugh coming from his throat as he grabbed her wrist, his grip tightening as he opened his mouth to speak. But, before he could do so, something began to happen to Dawn which made him release the girl's wrist. She slowly began to take on a new form, snow-white furr growing over her skin while black markings made intricate patterns along her body, now standing one four legs.

A large, white tiger stood in her place moments later, onyx eyes gleaming. A black rose could be seen within the strips on the back of her strong, right shoulder. By this time, the scene had drawn Draco and Sai's attention as well. Dawn's eyes widened and she slowly backed away, before turning and bounding into the woods, away from the shocked Aubrey, and past Draco and Sai, who had by now climbed down from the tree.

"Dawn! Wait!" Sai began to run after her, but Draco grabbed her shoulder and shook his head, keeping her from going after her cousin, who had disappeared farther into the bushes and trees, "Draco! Let go. I have to go after Dawn..." She pleaded, but Draco refused to allow her to go.

"Go back to the house, Sai. Aubrey, you go, too..." He muttered, shaking his head, a frown on his lips, before he took off into the woods after the girl, arms pumping by his side. He knew the smaller girl couldn't catch a tiger running through the woods, and there was no need for that Chandler girl to get herself lost because she couldn't control her own emotions, or whatever had just gone one back there with Masters.

He came to a halt when he saw the white-tiger sitting in the middle of a clearing in the woods. In front of her, a large black dog stood, but when the dog saw Draco, it turned and ran back into the darkness of the woods, and Draco dismissed it from his mind, "Chandler...?" He came closer to the tiger, but Dawn simply backed away from him, her glowing eyes fixed on the ground.

After a moment, she had regained her composure and was able to change back to the fifteen year old girl she'd been before Aubrey made her angry, "What do you want, Malfoy? Go ahead and laugh, or tell whoever you wish. I'm already in trouble. Father will be furious that I've learned to become an Animagus, even after he told me not to look any further into it..." She fell back against the trunk of a large oak, burying her face behind her hands.

Draco shook his head, feeling a pang of sympathy for the Slytherin girl he'd always held a mixture of dislike and interest in, or more likely, curiousity for, as she slid to the groud and tucked her feet beneath her, "Chandler... Pull yourself together, will you? Atleast it'll get Aubrey off your case. He'll be too frightened to even come near you. He'll think you're going to bite him..." His attempt at a joke was weak, but it made Dawn smile, as he saw when she lifted her head to look at him.

"Thanks, Malfoy..." She murmured, pushing herself to her feet once more and fixing her cloak on her shoulders. Straightening her hair, she shook her head, "Let's just go back. Father's already angry with me. I can handle whatever else he has in store for me. I'm pretty sure I can, anyway..." She muttered, starting back towards the house.

Draco walked behind her, his hands shoved into his pockets, and his lips pressed together in silence. Neither one said a word until they'd reached the back yard of Chandler Estate once more. When they reached it, Draco and Dawn discovered that Aubrey and Sai were waiting for them. So they hadn't gone running to the house like Draco had ordered them to do, after all.

Aubrey stepped forward, cocking his head to one side and studying Dawn for a moment, "Bloody hell, Chandler..." He smirked, walking forward and slipping an arm back around her waist. When she tried to pull away from him, he clicked his tongue, tightened his grip, and leaned back towards her ear, "Now, now... Do you want me to tell your father what I just saw?" He murmured, a cruel smirk on his lips.

Dawn's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head, "Aubrey. Please don't tell Father... He'll be absolutely furious with me. I promised him I wouldn't learn to become an animagus... You won't tell him, will you?" She pleaded, turning so that she was facing him.

He took the opportunity to slip his other arm about her waist as well, glaring at Draco and Sai without saying anything to them, before smirking down at Dawn, "Hmm... I don't think I will. But, you've got to stop being so rude to me, Dawn. After all, you and I will be married after you finish school. You can count on me to keep your secrets..." He said softly, chuckling before kissing the top of her head. Once this was said and done, he let her go, turning on his heel and walking towards the house, leaving the other three to do as they pleased.

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Author's Note: Well, there you go. Now, read and review. Always remember that, okay? Now, all I have to do is get started on Chapter Five. A lot has happened in this chapter, and I got it done fairly quickly, so give me a bit of time to decide on number five. Don't worry, though. You'll still get it, even if it takes a bit longer because of my limited time. Too much school and practice. . Reviews always loved! I love my readers. XD