"I swear, at this rate I will never pass potions," Mallory said to Sirius as they walked down the corridor. She wasn't as angry as she usually was when she got kicked out of Snape's class. She guessed that it was probably because of Sirius being there.
"Mallory, wait!" She heard behind her. She turned to see Malfoy running to catch up with them.
"What is it Malfoy? Did Snape send you to yell at me some more," she said. Sirius started growling at her side.
"No...," he said quietly. Mallory was shocked. Had it been her imagination or was Malfoy being truely sincere?
"Oh...well then what are you here for," Mallory asked him.
"I was just going to tell you that-"
"Draco! Son! There you are!" Lucius Malfoy was striding towards them. Draco quickly put on a smile.
"Father, I thought you weren't arriving untill tomorrow," he said, a sound of disappointment in his voice.
"I have some other business to take care of so I decided to come a day early," Malfoy told his son. "Is this the mongrel that bit you," he asked, kicking Sirius hard in the side. Sirius fell to the floor and let out a whimper. Mallory bent down to help him.
"You didn't have to kick him," she said angrily, trying to help Sirius stand up. "I think you broke his rib!"
"He deserved it," Lucius said nonchalantly. Mallory stood up and found herself looking directly into the face that haunted her dreams. She quickly backed away, bumping into Draco.
"I...I have to go," she said, scooping Sirius into her arms and running past Lucius, tears streaming down her face.
"Mallory...wait," she heard Draco yell after her, but she didn't stop. Once she had put enough distance between herself and Lucius Malfoy, she stopped. She sat against a wall in the empty hallway, setting Sirius beside her. Once again he changed from dog to man in front of her. Tears were still running down her cheeks when she looked at him.
He clutched his side as he said, "It's just a broken rib, nothing to cry over."
"It's not that," Mallory said, wiping the multiple tears from her eyes. Sirius put one hand on her quivering shoulder. His touch was comforting, and this startled Mallory. She quickly pulled her shoulder away.
"What is it," he asked, placing his hand back on his aching side.
"It's nothing, really," she said, quickly wiping away more tears from her face. Sirius frowned slightly. He knew she wasn't telling the truth.
"Look Mallory," Sirius said, still clutching his side. "I know you haven't known me for very long, but I want you to know that you can trust me. I give pretty good advice if I do say so myself! Just ask Harry! Whatever it is that is bothering you, you can tell me." He put the hand that wasn't holding his side gently on her shoulder once again.
Mallory didn't draw back this time. She looked into his dark, almost hollow black eyes. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a warm sensation that seemed to fill every inch of her body when she looked at him. She definitly felt safe with him. She sighed as she finally decided to tell the story she had been holding in for so long.