I unfortunately do not own the world of Harry Potter.

I would just like to say a quick thanks to The Queen of Confusion, Dani4ever, sweet19gurl, PhoenixFeatherQueens, Clydelives, and One Of The Fallen.

This is my first fan-fic. Hope you like it! (And if you haven't guessed by now, reviews are greatly appreciated!)

Just so you all know - I have just started writing a new fan-fic - Mysterious Last Name. I would really appreciate it if you would check it out. Thanks!

Chapter 11:

The Express, Grades, and Summer Encounters

Ariella walked quickly behind Draco up to the Hogwarts Express. He was chatting, or rather bragging about what he was going to do that summer, which included practicing Quidditch in his life-size pitch in the backyard. They boarded the train, and it was only then, as they were filing into a compartment, that Draco noticed her.
"What are you doing here?" he snarled.

"I'm supposed to stay with you unless told otherwise, remember" she retorted back.

"Well, I certainly don't need you here. Get away from us, and don't bother us again on the ride back. Meet me by my parents when you get off. Now, get out of my sight." Draco finished speaking, and Ariella was only to happy to oblige. She wandered down the hallway, looking for an empty compartment. She found one, and quickly ducked inside. With nothing else to do, Ariella took out her quill, ink jar, and Potions book, and started on the 3 feet essay that Professor Snape had assigned to them. (She had decided that packing all of her school things was a bad idea, since she would probably be bored on the ride home.)

Not less then five minutes later, the door to her compartment opened, and looking up, she found herself looking into the faces of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"If you need somewhere to sit, you're more then welcome to join me." she offered the trio.

"Thanks, but we don't accept seats in the same area as a low-life Slytherin such as your self. Come on Harry, Hermione, let's go find somewhere else." Ron retorted back, disgust etched on his face. Ariella looked hurt for a moment, but then started to gather up her belongings.

"Well, in that case, you can have this compartment, and I'll go find another." The look on the three Gryffindors' faces was priceless. They were all shocked as she pushed through them into the hall. Unfortunately, she tripped, sending all of her work onto the floor. Ariella groaned as she bent down to pick up her work.

"Is that...are you..is that homework that you were working on?" Hermione asked, looking shocked. Even she didn't start on homework so soon.

"Yeah, the Potions essay to be exact. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to another compartment, before someone sees you with a low-life Slytherin such as myself. Have a good holiday." she said, spitting the word Slytherin out. And with that, Ariella turned on her heal, and stalked off, leaving three, very astonished Gryffindors to themselves.

Ariella quickly found the smaller compartment that she had been in on the ride to Hogwarts at the beginning of the year. That seemed like so long ago. She sat down and banged her head against the back of the seat. She was so stupid. All she wanted was to be accepted, to have friends, and three people who she really wanted to become friends with, she had just made really angry at her. Things were not going her way that year. And they certainly weren't going to get any better during the summer. Ariella sighed, then got out her Potions essay, and continued to work on it.

The sky was darkening quickly as the Hogwarts Express pulled up into the station. Ariella quickly packed up her things, grabbed her trunk, and made her way outside to find Draco's parents. Despite the small argument on the train with the trio of Gryffindors, she felt pleased with herself. She had managed to finish her Potions, Charms, and History of Magic essays. She still had a good amount left to do, but now it would be a whole lot less. She suddenly spotted Lucius and Narcissa in the distance. She slowly made her way over to them. As she approached, Lucius gave her a small nod as acknowledgement, and Narcissa, a small smile. She smiled back, and stood waiting for Draco. He finally came after saying good-bye to his friends, and then they were off, back to Malfoy Manor.

Upon reaching the Manor, Ariella reached the kitchen only to find that dinner was already well into preparation.

"You can start up again in the morning. We figured you must be tired." Ariella had whirled around at the voice.

"Th-Thank you." Narcissa smiled briefly at the girl, nodded, and left. Ariella stood stunned for a moment, before grabbing her trunk, and heading upstairs to her room.

Throughout the next few days, things started to go back to "normal", whatever normal was around here. Then came grades.

Ariella was in her room. She had just finished washing the breakfast dishes. All of the sudden, she heard raised voices downstairs, and the next thing she knew, the door to her room swung open, and there stood an enraged Lucius.

"Do you want to explain this to me?" he demanded, anger and rage filling his voice. He was waving some papers in his hand.

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about sir," Ariella replied, trying to keep calm.

"I want to know how is it that you beat Draco in practically every class this year. He should have been the best, but you interfered. You and that little mudblood Granger. Tell me...." But he was cut off as Ariella sprang to her feet, at the same time shouting,

"Don't CALL her that! She's one of the nicest people I know, and smartest at that. If Draco didn't beat us, well then it's probably because he didn't care. Either that, or that's his best! So..."

"Crucio!" Lucius yelled, cutting her off. Ariella fell to the floor, writhing in pain, screaming. No one else in the house could hear her, however, because Lucius had put a silencing charm on the room. After a few more moments, he lifted the spell. Then, leaning down close to her ear, he said

"I don't take insults to my family from anyone, especially not someone like you. And next year, you are to make sure that you are not ahead of my son. It's insulting, being shown up by a mere servant."

And without another word, Lucius turned and walked out of the room, leaving a very shaken girl on the floor, the pain only starting to go away. She slowly got to her feet, determination showing on her face. She would do her very best in class, and if Draco was behind her, well, then, oh well for him. She only had one question left as she made for the bathroom to grab a pain killer. What was that spell? Unfortunately for Ariella, that may have been the first time that the Cruciatus Curse was placed upon her, but in certainly wasn't the last.

Towards the end of July, Ariella got up like any other normal day. But, as she was to discover, it was far from normal. Well, sort of. That morning, Dobby was supposed to be helping her, but when he didn't show, Ariella headed to the house elves "room" to find out why. When she got there, however, he wasn't there. Puzzled, she turned to leave, but hearing a Pop, spun around to face Dobby.

"Dobby, where were you?" she questioned the house elf.

"Er, um, well Mistress..." but Ariella quickly cut him off.

"Don't call me mistress, Dobby. I am not your mistress," then, in a calmer voice, she said,

"Please tell me where you were. I won't be mad." Dobby paused for a moment, then said:

"Dobby was warning Harry Potter, Miss, that he's in danger if he goes back to Hogwarts. Dobby had to. Dobby..." but was once again cut off by Ariella.

"I understand. I'm glad you did. But Dobby, what is ..." but trailed off at the look on the house elf's face. Ariella nodded, thanked him, and went to the kitchen to start preparing lunch, all the while trying to figure out what Dobby meant.

The next exciting thing to happen that summer was the trip to Diagon Alley at the end of August. Florish and Bott's to be exact. After what had happened last summer, she was really hoping that today wasn't going to be too horrible.

After seeing Harry get pulled uncomfortably to the front of the room for a picture with Gilderoy Lockhart, Draco met him, Ron, Hermione, and a red-haired girl, at the front of the store, taunting the group. Typical, Ariella thought, we're not even at school, and he starts on them. It's only because he's jealous. He has been complaining to his father all summer about "how it's not fair" and all that crap. Oh, I so don't want to hear it." She suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice, saying to Draco

"Leave him alone." It was that little red-haired girl. Go whatever her name is!. She was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts by a crashing sound. Mr. Malfoy, and Mr. Weasly were fighting. If the situation weren't so serious, she would be laughing right now. Finally, the two men were pulled away from each other. Finally, she thought someone is standing up to them. It was then that Ariella suddenly noticed that in the red-haired girl's cauldron, there was a small, black book stuck into another. One that looked similar to something that Lucius owned. Something weird was going on here.Is this what Dobby meant? But she didn't have anymore time to think about it, because just then, all the books that the elder Malfoy had originally been carrying were stuck down hard into her arms. When his back turned, she glared at him. The opposite group caught this look and looked surprised. Then Lucius turned back to the general area where she and Draco were standing, beckoned to Draco, and left. She followed, not needing to be told, but smiled, and waved, at Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the red-haired girl, (doing the best she could with the books in her arms), and left.

Ariella smiled to herself as she thought Maybe today wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Please let me know if you think this chapter was too long. I'll try and make most chapters in between previous chapters and this chapter as far as length goes.

Thanks to all who are reading, and liking it. If you have any suggestions, questions, or comments, please feel free to review/private message me. Also, if you have any ideas at all, or would like to see something happen, let me know, and I'll consider putting them into a chapter. Thanks! ~ Leanora