'Italicized words with single quotation marks indicate thoughts.'

Chapter 7

It soon came apparent that Willow was having trouble with her lessons, which was very frustrating for her because she had always been an excellent student and things usually came easy to her. Her problems derived from the fact that Willow had develop her powers at such a late age. She was use to seeing the world through muggle eyes. She couldn't grasp the basic concepts of Magic. Willow had the annoying habit of asking how things work as if they can be explain by the describing the mere mechanics of it. How Muggle. Her difficulties of understanding the very basics of magic that even a first year would understand was very discouraging and left Willow feeling like a failure.

"Maybe this was a mistake. I can't seem to do anything right," sighed Willow sadly.

Snape stopped writing in mid sentence on the board and turned around to face Willow. One single dark eyebrow rose at the redhead's exclamation. He came from the front of the classroom, around the table and sat in the stool next to Willow. "Nonsense you have already proven you have the power. All you need to learn is focus. You will master it eventually," offered Snape sincerely. Snape never realized that he could be so patient. He had never shown a student such leniency. But it was obvious that the girl was trying and he couldn't fault her for her lack of training. The child was obviously intelligent and he was confident that with time she would eventually get it.

"I hope you're right professor," said Willow doubtfully.

"Oh course I'm right. Now when you're finish feeling sorry for yourself maybe we can try this again," said Snape finally as he rose gracefully from his seat.

With look of determination Willow straighten her shoulders and wrapped her fingers tightly around her wand in ready. "Yes Sir," said Willow in determination. She was going to do this even if it killed her.

Willow had thrown herself into her lessons with enough zeal that would rival Hogwarts' most conscience student. It was a noble effort but despite all her hard work Willow was showing very little improvement. It was like seeing Algebra for the first time. You either got it or you don't. But once you did, it made perfect sense. Sure Willow could annunciate the proper incantation and follow instructions to near perfection but she was just going through the motion and often times than not her spells would fizzle out before producing the correct results. Neither Snape nor McGonagall had the time or patience to offer Willow the personal attention that she needed. So with that thought in mind Dumbledore came to the conclusion the Willow needed a tutor.

It was for that very reason that Snape found himself in Headmaster's office one late afternoon.

"It is clear that the child needs more help than you or Minerva can provide at the moment," said Dumbledore thoughtfully as he leaned back into his comfortable arm chair next to the fireplace.

Snape stood stoically across the headmaster with his hands clasped behind his back. "I'm sure I'll be able to find some way to free up some additional time to assist Ms. Rosenberg in her studies," offered Snape sincerely.

Dumbledore looked up at the Potion Master knowingly. He had seen how attached Severus had become to the girl. Before Ms. Rosenberg arrived at Hogwarts Dumbledore feared that all those years of working as a spy had permanently harden Severus's heart. It was a refreshing sight to see Severus finally opening up to someone. Somehow Ms. Rosenberg had stirred some fraternal instinct in Snape and he truly thought it would do the professor some good. "Severus that is very generous of you but between preparing for classes and Order business you cannot possibly provide the additional amount of tutelage Ms. Rosenberg will need to catch up."

"Then what do you suggest Albus? You cannot possible be considering sending her back to that hellhole," asked Severus angrily as he began to pace the length of the room.

"Of course not. That's not even an option. I suggest that Ms. Rosenberg needs a tutor, one that can give her the personal attention that she needs," responded Dumbledore calmly.

Snape stopped pacing and stared at the fire in contemplatively. "A tutor. Hmm… that may work. Who do you have in mind?"

'Mr. Malfoy," said the headmaster simply.

Severus's head snapped up at the Headmaster's response. "Malfoy! Draco Malfoy! You can't be serious!" cried Severus in disbelief.

"Oh course. Mr. Malfoy is an excellent student and he is the only student available at the moment," argued the Headmaster and Snape could have sworn that Dumbledore eyes twinkled with mirth.
Draco Malfoy stomped angrily down the hall towards the dungeon. He was furious. He couldn't believe that he had to cut his holiday short just because some muggleborn 'wannabe' witch was having trouble with magic. Bloody Hell what did they expect from a mudblood, of course they would have trouble with magic. Draco didn't understand why they allowed those sort of people into Hogwarts in the first place. None of them had any real aptitude for magic anyway, well except for Granger but she was a freak. He was having a perfectly smashing summer until that old geezer, Dumbledore, sent word to his father requesting his assistant in tutoring a new student. At first Draco refused but his father 'strongly' suggested that he accept the position. Damn him!

What Draco had conveniently forgotten was that he was also having difficulties with his studies, well to be specific in muggle studies. His father and the headmaster had agreed to this arrangement as a means for him to make up the work and remain Perfect this year. Draco was a superb student and excelled in all his classes accept for muggle studies. The Slytherin Prince just couldn't understand why he, a pureblood, would need to study the muggle world. Draco simply had no interest in the subject.

Draco's mental rant was interrupted by the sound of a young woman yelling. The sound drew him to the Potion classroom. Draco took in a quick intake of breath when he caught first sight of the most gorgeous creature he had ever seen. She was absolutely beautiful. The girl was petite almost tiny. Her long black school robes stopped just past her knees and swished ever so slightly about her shapely bare legs. Her porcelain white skin was flawless except for a few faint freckles that dotted across her cheek. Her long copper red hair fell past her shoulders down the small of her back and seemed to shimmer in the dark gloomy dungeon. She had a heart shape face, a perky nose and thin pink lips that were press tightly together in frustration. Her cheeks were flushed and her brow was creased in concentration. And her eyes…they were amazing. Her large emerald green eyes that at the moment were gleaming with anger sparkled like precious jewels. She looked ravishing. And Draco decided right than and there that the girl looked absolutely gorgeous when she was angry.

Draco took a moment to rein in his hormones. Even though the girl was undeniably beautiful she was still a mudblood, nothing to get too excited over. Even if he was interested in pursuing the girl nothing could come of it. He was a pureblood and she was a mudblood. They had absolutely nothing in common.

"Arrrgh...I don't understand why won't it work," yelled Willow in frustration.

"It not something you can learn really. You either have it or you don't," interjected Draco as he strolled gracefully into the room.

Willow looked up from the spell she was practicing in surprise. She had been so focus in her lesson she hadn't notice anyone entered the room. Willow almost swooned when her eyes fell on the strange boy. He was quite handsome. He carried himself as if he was royalty. His tailored black and green trimmed robes were immaculate. His complexion was fair with cold gray eyes and a pale, pointed face. His hair was shockingly white like Spike's except his was straight while the vampire's was curly. An arrogant smirk was plastered on his handsome face that projected an air of confidence and pride.

"What do you mean?" asked Willow suspiciously.

"How can they aspect a muggleborn to understand the fine art of Magic. Magic runs in the blood, you see. If you think about it mudbloods are no better than muggles, inferior blood runs through your veins. Purebloods are far more superior. Your kind was built more for manual labor then magic, no talent for it really," smirked Draco arrogantly.

Willow bristle at his words. "Oh is that so," said Willow angrily. How dare he! He didn't even know her! They had spoken for less than five minutes and already he had the gall to judge her! Draco Malfoy was nothing but a prejudice little snot and that was all to it. Well she was going to set him straight once and for all. Willow had enough of the Cordelia Chases in the world and she refused to be bullied around by another one.

"But of course you wouldn't know anything about that," said Willow offhandedly.

"What's that mudblood," sneered Draco menacely.

"You're use to things coming easy to you either by magic or by other means. I even bet you have a rich Daddy somewhere who buys you everything that you ever wanted. You never had to work for anything in your life. What… do you pay someone to wipe your ass for you too? We don't want to get your pretty little hands dirty, wouldn't we, PRINCESS. Yeah…you wouldn't last one day in the muggle world. You're too weak. You never had to stand on your own two feet before. I bet if you ever had to face real adversity you would crumble without even a fight," said Willow vehemently. She gave herself a mental pat on the back; she didn't know she could sound so bitchy.

Willow had struck a nerve. Draco never did like the fact that his father bought his way onto the Quidditch team. He was the second best seeker in the whole school next to freaking' Harry Potter, the constant thorn in his side. He had earned the position of seeker himself, but he had always wondered how much was due to his own skill and how much was due to who his father was. "You're wrong! You don't even know me!" shouted Draco a little too defensively.

"EXACTLY. I don't know anything about you, at least not enough to make any judgments. So next time think twice before you assume things about people," said Willow finally before she turned and left the room in a flourish, that would make Snape proud, with her head held high leaving a very stunned Draco behind.

AN:

Since this story is unbeta'd I'll would greatly appreciate any feedback. I like to know what you think of this story. Thanks for reading. :)