~Mishap at The Three Broomsticks~
It was a chilling and somewhat cloudy Hallowe'en morning over the Scottish highlands as the third year students anticipated their first visit to Hogsmeade village.
Draco and Alyona had finished their morning meal in the great hall before perambulating back to their cozy common room.
On the journey back, they overhead many of the excited chinwags between students about what they had planned to do during their field trip.
Alyona sat on one of the common room sofas, heavily involved in reading the text that rested on her lap as she casually flipped through the pages.
Draco came up from his dormitory, dressed in a black turtleneck jumper, black trousers and a black fur lined hat to complete the look. He was ready and excited to accompany his fellow third year Slytherins to the Hogsmeade.
Alyona's attention was swiftly taken from her book when her peripheral vision caught glimps of Draco walking up to her.
"You know, all black really does you wonders," she mentioned, "I couldn't picture you any other way. You look really handsome."
Draco beamed with delight, flashing Alyona a bright smile in exchange for her sweet compliment.
"Thanks, Darling," Draco cooed.
The young Malfoy suddenly presented a look of intense thought, as if he was plotting something.
"Do you think you could do something for me?" Draco asked.
Alyona looked at him with great intrigue as she could tell by the look on his face that he had something mischievous in mind.
"And what would that be?"
Draco smirked, "Could you go put on some warmer clothes? All black, too~
Alyona gave Malfoy a confused stare. His request was odd, and she wasn't able to make out why he would ask this of her.
"All black? So no pink, like—at all?" She queried.
Draco nodded as the grin on his face remained, "That's right, no pink. I'll tell you why in a bit.
Alyona smiled at Draco as she hopped up from the comfy settee and strolled up to her dorm.
After about ten minutes had gone by, Alyona returned to the common room, wearing the ensemble that Draco had requested.
Alyona had returned wearing a black fitted jumper tucked into a black frilly skirt that fell to just above her knees. She added a pair of opaque black tights and finished off the look with a pair of black knee-high boots.
"Good, good," Draco said as he examined her clothing, "Did mother have a cloak packed for you?"
Alyona nodded and asked, "A black one, I presume?"
Draco chuckled at her correct assumption, "Preferably, yes."
Alyona turned around to head back up to her dorm only to return moments later with a black, hooded cloak trimmed with plush, black chinchilla fur.
"Perfect~," Malfoy said with a pleased look on his face.
"Draco, what's this all about?" Alyona asked.
Malfoy ignored her plea for an answer in order to give his next request.
"Oh nothing," Draco insisted, "Now, put the cloak on and twist your hair up into a bun for me."
Alyona was beginning to become somewhat impatient from the lack of knowing what his motivation was.
"Draco, what—"
"Just do as I say, Darling," Draco lovingly commanded.
Alyona did as she was told and once she had completed the task, Draco reached behind her, pulled the large hood over her head and fastened the silver clasp at the top of her chest.
"There we are, you're ready. Now, come with me."
Draco took hold of Alyona's hand and guided her out of the Slytherin common room and out to the clocktower courtyard.
The outdoor space was mostly empty when Draco led Alyona behind one of the wide stone pillars that supported the roof around the perimeter of the courtyard.
"Alright, Everyone should be beginning to assemble out here soon," Draco said, "Wait here until you see me passing by with the rest of the group."
Alyona smiled, as she now realized what was happening.
"You're sneaking me out to Hogsmeade with you?"
Draco grinned, "Well, of course. I want us to experience the village for the first time, together."
Alyona glowed with cheeriness. She was excited to share this experience with Draco, and was also rather exhilarated by his eagerness to go against the school's rules.
The two Slytherins looked back towards the open area of the courtyard to see the third-years beginning to gather into an unorganized crowd.
"Wait here. When you see me passing by, just slide into the group with the rest of us," Draco instructed as he placed a kiss on Alyona's delicate forhead and sped off to join his peers.
Alyona stood, leaned up against the wall as Professor McGonogall collected the signed permission slips provided by the students. She thought it was particularly funny when she overheard the Professor bar Harry Potter from attending due to lack of signed slip.
Once everyone was accounted for, the group began to make their way to the bridge connecting the castle to the grounds.
Alyona watched the students pass by until she and Draco locked eyes with one another. Alyona quickly ran over to the platinum haired boy and disappeared into the crowd with him.
Upon looking up at Draco, she didn't realize that her face had become partially visible to those who were within a close proximity of her.
"Hey, what's she doing here?" Vincent Crabbe asked out if confusion.
"Shut up, you twit," Draco snarled, "You'll get us in trouble."
Alyona giggled at Draco's bluntness as she kept her head down, fearing that someone would recognize her.
"This is why I asked you to skip on the pink today; Too many people would recognize you," Malfoy said.
"Makes sense," Alyona replied.
"Be sure to keep your hood up and your head down until we get to the village," Draco instructed as he put an arm around her, "We can't have risk having McGonogall spot you."
Alyona was able to remain undetected as the group traveled across the grassy hills of the Hogwarts grounds until they finally reached their destination.
"Now before you all take off on your own, I want everyone to meet back here at precisely four-thirty," McGonogall said.
And with that, the students were off to explore the various shoppes and eateries sprinkled through the small village.
Draco quickly guided Alyona and his minions Crabbe and Goyle away from the crowd and down the street and into The Three Broomsticks inn, where they took a seat in one of the corner booths.
Under the dim lights, The four Slytherins look around at the locals enjoying their pints of butter beer while sat at the various tables and bar tops. The whole place was full of cheers and laughter as upbeat music was played by the enchanted instruments.
"What would you like, Princess?" Draco asked, "Should we try some butter beer? I've heard it's best drink on the menu."
"Don't we have to be sixteen to drink alcohol?" Alyona mentioned.
"There's hardly any alcohol in it," Draco chuckled, "Anyone can order it."
Draco proceeded to reach into his pocket and pull out a sack of galleons, to which he handed over to Crabbe.
"Go get Alyona and I some butter beers."
Crabbe began to stand up with the money, then hesitated for a moment.
"Well, go on. Don't make us wait."
Crabbe looked at Draco with an expectant expression, "Should I get two for me and Goyle also…?"
Draco furrowed his brow, annoyed that his request wasn't already being fulfilled.
"Did I say for you to order some for yourselves, as well?" Malfoy asked angrily.
Crabbe looked saddened as he hung his head, "No…I suppose you didn't…"
"Exactly, now hurry up! Alyona and I should both have drinks in our hands by now."
Draco's crony reluctantly got up and made his way over to the bar and brought back the two drinks in record time.
"Thanks, Crabbe," Alyona said gratefully.
Vincent nodded with a subtle smile on his face. He was grateful to hear someone verbally express their appreciation for his efforts.
Draco and his beloved were sipping on their drinks and chatting it up when they heard the door to the establishment open up.
Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson made their way into The Three Broomsticks and grabbed a table on the other side of the room.
"Oh great," Draco said sarcastically, "Let's hope they keep their distance."
After a few minutes, while they were waiting for their order, Theo spotted Draco, his goons, and a fourth person who was very obviously trying to shield their face as they sipped on their drink.
"Who's that over there with Malfoy?" Theo asked.
Blaise and Pansy looked over in the direction that Theo was gesturing towards.
"I can't tell," Pansy said, "Why do they have their hood up inside? It's not that cold in here."
"Wait a minute," said Theo as he stood up to approach the other group, "Oi, Malfoy!
Draco quickly took notice of the boy that was walking up to them and sighed.
"Oh for god's sake, what does he want?"
With a pompous smile on his face, Theo looked directly at the hooded figure sitting next to Draco.
"Well well well, who do we have here?"
Theo tried to reach over and push the hood off of Alyona's head, but not before Draco had a chance to slap his hand away.
"What are you doing, Nott?"
Theo maintained his smug grin as he answered with, "I just wanted to know who your little friend was, Malfoy. Why are they hiding?"
"That's none of your business. Why don't you go back to your table. I see that your food has been brought out," Draco suggested angrily.
"You have your guest covered up so no one recognizes them, isn't that right?" Theo mocked.
Draco was fuming now, "What are you trying to do, huh!? Get us in trouble on purpose!?"
Theo laughed, "Why would you get in trouble? You're all third years, aren't you?"
"Yes, we are. Now leave us alone," Draco snarled.
"Alright alright, as you wish," Theo chuckled as he turned around to go back to his friends.
"So," Pansy said, "Who was it?"
Theo gave her a smart look and said, "I mean come on, who do you think it is?"
Pansy huffed after realizing what what Theo was insinuating, which made Blaise snicker.
"She's just mad because she wants a boy who would go to the extent that Malfoy goes to for Blossom."
Pansy snapped her head over to Blaise, "Not just a boy, I want Draco. What does he see in the Blossom girl? What does she have that I don't?"
Theo chimed in after taking a bite of his food, "Do you really want the honest answer to that? Because I don't think you do."
"I don't think she does, either," Blaise said with great confidence.
"I really do," said Pansy insistently, "You can tell me, I can handle it."
Theo took a sip of his butter beer and cleared his throat, so as to make sure Pansy would hear him loud and clear.
"Well, for starters, she's bloody gorgeous."
"Agreed," said Blaise almost instantaneously.
Pansy's face twisted with anger after those words left Theo's mouth.
"Secondly, she's rather pleasant to be around," Theo added, "I'd have courted her myself if Malfoy hadn't swooped in and taken her first. Lord knows my parents were also hoping for that when they found out she was a Blossom."
"Ugh, tell me about it. I was thirty minutes too late. Malfoy had already made his move way back on the express last year, lucky bloke," said Blaise.
"So what, you're telling me I'm not pretty or pleasant to be around?" Pansy questioned the two boys.
They gave each other a side glance before Theo spoke up.
"Well, you're…you're…something…."
"I'm something….wow, thanks, I guess—" Pansy said sarcastically.
Blaise let out a laugh at the sight of her reaction.
"Hey, you wanted the truth."
Pansy glared back over in the direction of Draco and his group, plotting someway to take out her anger upon his hooded companion.
"Well, second-years aren't allowed in Hogsmeade," Pansy stated, "So I'm going to go do something about it."
What no one realized, was that while these conversations had been taking place, some of the workers on the second floor had been attempting to carefully bring a large barrel of butter beer down to the main floor so that it could be connected to the tap.
As Pansy began walking over to her adversaries table, the barrel had slipped out of the workers grasp, crashed through the wooden railing and began its decent down toward the civilians below.
As luck would have it, both Alyona and Pansy looked up at the same time, with Alyona being the only one able to withdraw her wand quick enough.
She successfully cast Wingardium Leviosa onto the barrel, slowing it down just enough for the workers to also use their magic to help lift it away from Pansy.
"Oh my goodness! Are you alright, my dear?! Im so sorry about that close call," Madam Rosemerta exclaimed with panic.
"I—I'm alright," said Pansy in a shaky voice.
Pansy looked over at the hooded patron that helped slow the barrel's fall. While she never saw a face, she recognized the brilliant, bright white aspen wand that could have only belonged to one owner.
Instead of approaching, Pansy turned back around to her friend group and sat back down as the two boys obsessed over her near death experience.
"I can't believe that just happened!" Theo said, "You almost died right there!!"
"She…saved me…," Pansy murmured in disbelief.
Across the pub, Draco showcased a more subdued reaction
"Wow…those were some good reflexes. Still, I'm surprised you were so quick to save her. She did try to have you killed last year, after all."
Alyona nodded, "I know. But, if her family has been the one targeting mine, I might have just solved the problem."
~ooOOOoo~
Later that same day, Alyona was residing in the Slytherin common while having a chat with Flora and Hestia Carrow when all three witches heard the Slytherin entrance open.
They turned to see a tall, slender frame with white-blond hair heading their way.
"Ooo, It's Aly's boyfriend," Hestia mocked.
"Ugh, I hate that name," Alyona said as she rose from the leather sofa.
Alyona barely had to take a step forward before Draco had already made it to where she had been sitting.
"Hey, Darling," Draco said as he gave her a gentle kiss to the forehead, "I have some news, just…don't lose you head."
With a look of concern, Alyona gazed up at his grey eyes and serious expression.
"Okay…what's going on?"
Draco drew in a deep breath, "So, all students are required to meet in the great hall. We'll be…sleeping there tonight."
This sudden and nonsensical news made the blonde witch even more concerned.
"Uh…why's that?" She asked.
"Well—"
Draco was interrupted by Snape who had just entered their Slytherin dwelling.
"All Slytherin students are to come with me to the great hall, this instant," the Professor said in an uninterested sounding voice, "For those who are still up in their dorms, I'll need a few of you to fetch them down so they can join us."
"Professor, what's going on?" Alden asked as he held Daphne in his arms.
"It has been recently discovered that Sirius Black has made an attempt to break into Gryffindor tower just this evening."
Alden's face paled, as well as his sister, who was standing across the room with the young Malfoy heir.
That night, with less than comfortable sleeping bags all occupied by the students, Draco and Alyona laid next to each other amongst the rest of the Slytherins.
Draco had received several slaps the the back of the head with Snape's handy potions book for trying to pull Alyona and her sleeping bag closer to himself to cuddle her, warranting quiet fits of laughter from the surrounding students.
~ooOOOoo~
During Pansy's next potions class, as the lesson for the day had ended, the class began to disperse when Snape called out to her.
"Miss Parkinson, please stay behind for a moment."
A few students gasped mockingly at the Slytherin girl as they left. Despite her nonchalant behavior, Pansy was nervous. She hadn't acted out in class, so what was the reason for Snape asking her to stay?
The Professor glided up to her with a cold, expressionless face as he spoke.
"I heard about your incident the other, in Hogsmeade."
Pansy nodded, "Yes sir, it was quite terrifying."
"Quite," Snape agreed, "I wanted to ask about your visit to The Three Broomsticks. Specifically, the students present at the time."
"Oh, Alright. What would you like to know, Professor?"
"It has been brought to my attention by another student that miss Blossom had attended the school sanctioned trip without authorization from any faculty members," Snape informed her, "While you were there, did you happen to see miss Blossom at any point in time?"
Pansy normally would have taken the chance to exact her revenge on Alyona out of jealousy and spite. However, in this moment, she didn't feel the desire to get her in trouble.
"No, Professor. I was with Nott and Zabini the whole time. The only people we noticed during the visit was Malfoy and his friends."
Snape gave her a look as if he was trying to analyze her thoughts when he asked, "His friends?"
Pansy nodded, "Yes sir. You know, Crabbe and Goyle. He's always seen with those two."
"Be that as it may, mister Malfoy is also always seen with miss Blossom, as well," Snape added, "And I have reason to believe that she was at The Three Broomsticks with him at the time of your incident."
Pansy shook her head, "I was on my way over to talk with Draco when the barrel fell towards me. He was there with Crabbe and Goyle, no one else."
Snape gazed down at Pansy, all the while looking as if he didn't believe a word she was saying. Unfortunately, without any proof, he would just have to take her word for it.
"Very well, miss Parkinson, you may go."
Pansy turned on her heals and swiftly left the potions classroom, feeling relief as she escaped her nerve racking interrogation.
~ooOOOoo~
Back in the common room, Draco and Alyona sat by the large fireplace when Pansy entered the room and walked by them.
"Hey," said Pansy in a pleasant tone.
"Oh, uh—hey," Alyona hesitantly replied.
After Pansy had walked away, Draco turned to Alyona with a surprised look.
"I think you might have just made a friend."
Alyona chuckled, "Maybe. But what I'm really hoping for is that I just saved the rest of my family's lives. Has your mother found a match to the letter yet?"
Draco shook his head, "No, I'm still waiting to hear back from her. But don't worry, I'm sure it'll be soon."
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