Chapter 12:

Tongue-Tied

Jessa looked up as the common room door slid open to reveal a hoard of Slytherins, all talking animatedly. She knew the new duelling club's first meaning had just occurred. First years weren't allowed to attend. Honestly, she had been surprised when second years had been.

Then again, her brother, her very famous brother, was (only) a second year. And given that Lockhart loved being the centre of attention, it was not a huge surprise that he would want Harry with him – to show off together.

Malfoy spotted her and quickly crossed to where she sat with a few of her year mates.

"Did you know your brother's a Parselmouth?"

Her brow furrowed. "I don't know what that is."

"Someone who can speak Parseltongue."

"Again – what is that?"

Draco's own brow furrowed and he leaned on the arm of her chair. "Parseltongue is "snake language". Being a Parselmouth means your brother can speak to snakes."

"I don't understand. Is that bad?"

"It's rare. Very rare." He paused. "Are you a Parseltongue?"

"I – I don't know. I haven't exactly had many chances to find out."

He just nodded. Glancing about, he looked back to her. It was clear he wanted to say more.

"Fancy a fly?" she offered.

Only once they were airborne, tossing a quaffle gently back and forth did he speak again.

"How come you don't know anything about Wizarding culture?"

"Harry and I were raised by our aunt and uncle, alongside our cousin. Our muggle family. They hate magic; anything abnormal, really. We didn't even know…anything about Hogwarts or the magical world until last summer, when Hagrid barged in to personally deliver Harry's letter."

Draco froze. "Nothing?"

"Nothing," she confirmed. "We were told our parents had died in a car crash."

"Seriously?" He just held the quaffle, stunned, watching as his new friend shrugged.

"Being here is…we aren't anyone important back home. It's certainly different here."

Draco eyed her carefully, but didn't comment. He wasn't sure what to make of that last remark.

"Hang on. You said, 'muggle family'. I thought you were pureblood."

Jessa shook her head. "Half. My mum was muggle-born."

Draco looked shocked. "Really? I mean – considering…"

"…she sacrificed her life for us? That she was supposedly quite talented? Being muggle-born doesn't make that any less possible."

He didn't respond verbally, but Jessa could read his disbelieving expression clearly across the darkening sky.

"I've heard you talking, you know. I know you don't think they're worthy of attending."

Draco gaped. "Jessa, I wouldn't…I didn't say that. I just think Slytherin had the right idea – "

" – so you do think muggle-borns should be forbidden from attending school. They're muggle-born, not muggles, Malfoy. I'm muggle-raised. Does that mean you think I'm not worthy of attending Hogwarts with you? Of being in the same house as you?"

"NO! that isn't what I meant at all. I – " he broke off, flushing. "I like having you here."

She almost missed the quaffle at that remark.

"Will you be going home for the holidays?" Taryn asked in the middle of one of their study sessions.

Jessa looked up and snorted. "Not a chance. What about you?" she asked.

Taryn nodded. "Mum and Dad like it when Adrian and I go home for the holidays."

"Adrian?"

"My older brother. He's a chaser on the quidditch team."

She thought back to the one game she had subbed in, before shaking her head.

"You'd probably know him if you saw him. Anyways, why'd you say 'not a chance'?"

"The Dursleys hate me – us. The less time I spend there, the better."

Taryn's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

She shrugged. "How could you have known?"

Christmas break arrived before she knew it. She, like about a quarter of the Hogwarts population, stayed behind. Unfortunately, she was one of only about ten Slytherins to stay behind.

A few days before Christmas day itself, she wandered down to the common room, feeling restless and hoping to run across someone she knew.

As luck would have it, Draco sat on one of the couches, his two idiotic sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, across from him. He was reading over an edition of some newspaper. She walked over, perching on the arm next to him.

"Anything interesting?"

He jumped, clearly not having noticed her walk in. "N – no, nothing."

She raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Crabbe and Goyle simply stared at her.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"How no good headmaster would ever – " he broke off suddenly, not meeting her eye.

Crabbe and Goyle shot each other a confused look.

" – no good headmaster would ever what?"

" – would ever have allowed muggle-borns to come here, let alone stay, with the chamber open."

It was clearly not what he was originally going to say. It was also clearly him making an attempt not to offend her. She appreciated the gesture and just nodded slowly.

"So have you heard all the rumours?"

"What, about Harry? Yeah, why?"

"Well it's all a load of rubbish, if you ask me. One of his best friends is a stupid mud – muggle-born. And people think he's Slytherin's heir!"

"People keep asking me who my brother is going to attack next so that they can be ready. It's pathetic." Jessalyn replied.

"I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."

"Excuse me!" Jessalyn said, glaring at him. But he just shrugged, ignoring her look.

Goyle spoke, and Jessalyn just stared as he did so. "You must have some idea who's behind it all…"

"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing — last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a mud – muggle-born died."

"Please don't tell me you're hoping for that to happen again."

"Er – of course not," he replied, albeit hesitantly, just as Crabbe and Goyle suddenly – and suspiciously – ran out of the common room.

"Draco?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Er – alright then," she paused. "I know that wasn't what you meant. But I appreciate you trying. For my sake."

He glanced up at her, before nodding slowly. "You're welcome."

Christmas morning came with a flurry of snow. Jessa sat up, rubbing her eyes and putting on her glasses. As she ran a brush through her hair, she noticed two packages on top of her trunk.

Odd.

The first package contained a box of chocolates and a pin of a snake's body coiled into a heart.

Jessa –

Hope you enjoy! I've got a matching pin to yours – they're a set.

Happy Christmas!

- Taryn

Swallowing hard, she nodded. It was amazing and for her, unheard of.

Opening the second package, she gasped. Inside lay a small, silver medallion necklace. It had a starburst design and in the middle of the starburst lay a small snake. Immediately, she put the necklace on, pleased when it fit perfectly without attracting much attention.

Happy Christmas. Welcome to Slytherin – I'm glad to you're here to stay.

She just nodded, very grateful.

Once dressed, Jessa went down to the Great Hall with a small box in hand. She sat across from her brother at the Gryffindor table.

"Happy Christmas, Jessa. I got you something." Harry said.

"What, a toothpick?"

"Better – a coat hanger," He replied, holding the object up.

"Well I got you an empty box," she said, mimicking her brother's actions. The two started to laugh.

"I don't get it. Why are you laughing over that?" Ron asked.

"You know how the Dursleys are. Well, these are the kinds of presents we'd get. So Jessa and I made it a custom to exchange whatever we could find around the house with each other," Harry explained.

"So how's Christmas been for you?" she asked, and the two boys began to look uncomfortable.

"Eventful." Ron answered.

"Ok-ay then. Where's Hermione?" she asked, trying to change subjects.

"Hospital Wing," Ron answered shortly again.

She looked over at him, her expression hardening. "Have I done something wrong? I was just being polite."

"Jessa, it's nothing. We just can't tell you any more. It's for a…project we're working on."

"Let me guess; you don't want a Slytherin involved."

Harry shifted. "I also don't want my little sister to get hurt."

She dropped her gaze. She could understand that – he'd always been protective, and with good reason.

"Right. Sorry," she said simply, reaching over to fill up her glass.

"What's that?" Harry asked suddenly, noticing something new around his sister's neck.

"A necklace."

"And where'd you get it?"

"A friend," she replied. She could hear the suspicion in his voice.

"Harry, can you believe it? I actually received presents this year. Like – real ones," she exclaimed, pulling out the box of chocolates she had received to share.

"Do you mean to say you've never received a present before?" a familiar voice asked, surprised.

Even if she hadn't recognized the voice, all it took was one look at Harry and Ron's hardening expressions to guess who stood behind her.

She just shook her head as she turned to face Draco Malfoy, who wasn't watching her, but of course, glaring at his own classmates.

Glancing down, his surprise morphed into a smirk. "Pretty necklace."

Without fully meaning to, her hand flew to the new piece of jewelry and she blushed a bit. "It really is. Thank you."

"You gave her that necklace?" Harry asked, shocked and dumbfounded.

"I did. Got a problem with that, Potter?"

"As a matter of fact – "

" – Harry," she said, quietly but clearly. "We're friends. Don't spoil this for me. Please," Jessa begged.

Harry nodded slowly, verbally backing off, even as he still glared at his school rival.

Sensing the tension, Jessa simply announced, "I'm going to head back to my common room. I'll see you later, yeah?"

Harry nodded. Unfortunately, Jessa tripped on the schoolbag laying on the floor. Fortunately, Draco still stood behind her and was able to catch her arm, preventing her from falling.

"Thanks."

He simply nodded once.

Meanwhile, as Harry watched the interaction, he was surprised to find that he could detect a small hint of worry and concern in the blonde's expression. Could Draco Malfoy possibly care for his younger sister?

"Why the rush?" Ron asked.

"Snape assigned my class a huge essay due the day we get back," she explained and both Harry and Ron grimaced in understanding. She gave a small smile, and left the Great Hall, Malfoy falling along in step beside her.

Harry stared after his sister, unnerved. Was it just him, or did the two seem close, even after only a few months of knowing each other? And sure, she had come over to sit with him two days in a row, but every time he saw her, she seemed to be enjoying her placement in Slytherin more and more. He sighed. What was he going to do with her?