Hello dear readers, happy new year to you all! Here is a new chapter for you all I hope you enjoy it!
Effy finally discovered what the thing the Slytherins had been plotting the next Friday just before Potions. She, Harry and Hermione arrived at Snape's dungeon after lunch to find each Slytherin except Draco wearing a large badge on the front of his or her robes. In bright burning red letters, they read; 'Support Cedric Diggory – The REAL Hogwarts Champion!
"Like them Potter?" Theodore Knott asked loudly as they approached. "And this isn't all they do, look!" He pressed his badge into his chest, and the message upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one in green which read; 'Potter stinks!'
The Slytherins except Draco burst out into hysterical laughter. Everyone wearing the badge pressed it until the message was shining brightly all around the room.
Knott nudged Draco. "Come on Draco what's with you, you're not even wearing yours."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Why would I wear something so juvenile? Besides it's not like Potter chose this."
Everyone stared at him in shock except for Effy who was beaming at him.
Knott gaped at him. "What?"
"You heard me." Draco snarled and then broke away from the Slytherins and moved to stand next to Effy who took his hand in hers and gave it a supportive squeeze.
Knott laughed. "You can't be serious? What did she slip you a love potion? No way would you dirty yourself with a filthy Mudblood loving freak like her."
Draco and Harry drew their wands.
Knott laughed pulling out his own. "Go on then. I dare you. No one around to protect you now." He sneered.
All three boys shouted spells at the same time. Jets of light shot out and Harry's and Knott's ricocheted off each other. Harry's spell hit Goyle, Knott's hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and covered his nose where massive putrid boils were sprouting. Hermione whimpered in panic clutching at her mouth. But Draco's hit Knott right in the face and suddenly Knott's mouth disappeared. He grabbed at his face, his eyes wide and panicked.
"Hermione!" Ron hurried forward to see what was wrong with her.
Effy turned to her best friend and her eyes widened as she saw Ron pull Hermione's hand away to reveal Hermione's front teeth were growing to the point where she now resembled Bugs Bunny. The Slytherin girls were cackling at her.
"And what is all this noise about?"
Snape had arrived. All the Slytherins clamoured to give their version of events. Snape turned and pointed his finger at Draco. "Explain."
"Knott was shooting his mouth off, so I removed it. Knott and Potter's spells bounced off each other and hit Goyle and Granger." Malfoy explained.
Snape surveyed the scene. "Hospital wing, Goyle, Knott." He said calmly.
"And what about Hermione, look!" Ron forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth which she was still attempting to hide despite they had now grown down past her collar.
"I see no difference." Snape sneered.
Hermione let out a whimper, her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.
Luckily, perhaps, for Ron and Harry that they started shouting at Snape at the same time and their voices echoed in the stone corridor, that Snape couldn't hear exactly what they were saying but he got the gist.
"Let's see... Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside or it'll be a week's worth of detention."
"Professor." Malfoy spoke up.
Snape turned to him. "Yes Mr Malfoy."
Draco swallowed. "I think that was very unprofessional for you to say that to Hermione. You're her teacher, we're your pupils but you treat anyone who isn't a Slytherin like dirt on your shoe. You're even one student's fucking boggart! We're supposed to feel safe at school and in the classroom."
Everyone stared at him in stunned silence.
Snape sneered. "Detention. And twenty points from Slytherin. Inside now!"
Everyone shuffled into the dungeon and sat down in their usual seats.
"What the hell was that all about?" Harry hissed to Effy as they sat down.
Effy shook her head. "I'll tell you later." She whispered glancing over at Draco who was sitting on his own, all the Slytherins were glaring at him.
"Antidotes!" Snape snapped. "You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one..." His eyes landed on Harry. There was a pause of tense silence and then there was a knock at the door and Colin Creevey; he edged into the room and sidled up to Snape's desk at the front of the room.
Snape glared at the Gryffindor. "Yes?"
"Please, sir, I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs."
"Potter has another hour of Potions to complete. He will come upstairs when this class has finished." Snape replied coldly.
Colin bit his lip nervously. "Sir... Mr Bagman wants him. All the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs..."
Snape scoffed. "Very well, very well." He snapped. "Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote."
"Please sir, he's got to take his things with him. All the champions..."
"Very well!" Snape shouted. "Potter, take your bag and get out of my sight!"
Effy enviously watched her brother go and then went about making her antidote. She ignored everyone as she worked on her antidote. At the end of the class Snape decided to not test anyone's and simply had them hand them in. She shouldered her bag and left the class. She hung back as everyone left until she saw Draco and grabbed his arm pulling him into an empty classroom. Effy pulled him in for a tight hug. "Thank you."
Draco hugged her back. "Don't mention it." He gently rubbed her back before pulling away from her. "I guess it's out then?"
Effy nodded. "Yeah, I have some serious explaining to do with Harry." She ran her hand through her hair.
"Do you want help with that?" Draco asked her.
"Er... I think to start with it would be better if it's just me." Effy bit her lip.
Draco nodded. "Yeah. Probably right." He smiled at her. "Thank you."
Effy frowned. "What are you thanking me for?"
"For giving me a second chance. For helping me. For everything." Draco shrugged.
"Anytime." Effy leant over and kissed his cheek. "See you later." She turned and left the room heading up to the Great Hall to find Harry stabbing a sausage with his fork. She sat down next to him. "So... How was pictures?"
Harry shot her a look.
Effy nodded. "That good. Okay."
"What's the deal with Malfoy?" Harry asked her.
"Er... I'll explain later." Effy glanced around and saw several people staring at them.
Harry nodded. "Right." He stabbed the sausage again.
Effy reached over and grabbed the fork from him. "Okay let's stop abusing our food." She set the fork down. "It's going to get better Harry." She promised him.
"No, it isn't it's just going to get worse." Harry shook his head. "Now there's going to be an article in the paper, and everyone is going to think I put my name in that stupid goblet. And then there's the actual tournament to survive through."
"And you will survive it. As long as I have a say in it." Effy promised him.
Harry gave her a weak smile and nodded. "Thanks sis."
The two of them silently ate dinner and then headed up to the common room and found a quiet corner in a couple of armchairs.
"Okay. Malfoy." Harry fixed her with a stern look.
Effy sighed. "Yeah. Okay I'll explain but you have to promise me you'll listen to the full story before you freak."
Harry nodded. "Fine."
Effy explained the whole thing to him and once she was done there was a long pause as Harry stared at her. "Ok you can freak out now."
"Sorry I'm just trying to process all of that." Harry rubbed his jaw. "Are you insane? You can't trust Malfoy."
"Harry look at what he did today. He really wants to change and do better. Please, just... trust me, please, hear him out. For me? Your one and only sister and family member..."
Harry sighed. "Fine. I'll hear him out. But I'm not promising anything more. It was cool what he did but I'm not about to become best friends with him."
Effy laughed. "I wouldn't expect you to. I just I don't know I've seen a different side of him recently and he's not so bad, just bad parenting." She rubbed the back of her neck.
Harry nodded. "I'll hear him out."
"Thank you." Effy smiled at him.
Effy arranged a sit down between Harry and Draco the next day in an empty classroom after dinner before their detention but once in the room all the two boys did was stare at each other with Effy sitting there waiting for one of them to speak or blink. She sighed and glanced up at the clock it had been ten minutes.
"Okay for Merlin's sake one of you speak! Or at least blink." Effy exclaimed.
Both boys blinked and shifted in their seats. Draco cleared his throat. "Okay, I know I've been a monumental ass since the moment we first met." He sighed. "And well I got a taste of my own medicine and it sucked and I don't want to make people feel that way ever again. When we first met, I told you, you didn't want to be making friends with the wrong sort of wizard, but I realise now that I was the wrong sort, and I don't want to be that anymore." He shook his head. "Effy has helped me realise that too and well I'm sorry about everything that happened, and I want to do better. And I don't expect us to be friends or anything, but I'd like to be friendly?"
Effy looked over at her brother. "Harry?"
Harry sighed and held out his hand.
Draco reached out and shook his hand.
Harry held onto his hand. "My sister is a very good judge of people. You hurt her and I will end you." He told him.
Draco nodded. "Fair enough." He let go of Harry's hand.
Effy rolled her eyes. "Ok well I'm going to go and get some homework done. I guess you guys should head to the detention." She got up and left the room and headed to find Hermione who had been released from the Hospital Wing.
Things certainly didn't get better for Harry as they drew closer to the first task especially with the release of Rita Skeeter's article about the tournament. To make matters worse Ron still wasn't speaking to Harry and by omission Emily. Hermione was furious with both Harry and Ron and spent a load of time going between the two of them trying to force them to talk to each other. Emily found herself spending more time with Draco in the public eye, they usually ate all meals together now either Draco would sit with her at the Gryffindor table, or she would sit at the Slytherin table with him.
Draco and Hermione were becoming friendlier as Draco was close to being as much of a nerd as her and even Harry was warming to the idea of him being around. The four of them were currently sat in the library as Hermione had insisted Harry would get over his block on Summoning Charms if he studied the theory.
They weren't the only ones occupying the library as Viktor Krum was once again about in the library followed by his fan club who spent their time giggling and spying on him through the shelves much to Hermione's annoyance.
"He's not even good-looking! They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky-Faint thing..."
"Wronski Feint." Harry and Draco said at the same time. The two boys locked eyes for a second and both had a small smile as if a shared understanding passed between them.
The Saturday before the first task was the first Hogsmeade weekend and Effy was scheduled to meet up with Remus at the Three Broomsticks and she invited Draco to come with along with Harry and Hermione but the two declined.
Effy and Draco walked side by side down to Hogsmeade, halfway down to the village Draco's hand intertwined with hers. Effy glanced down at their hands and blushed but didn't let go. They arrived at the pub and Draco opened the door stepping back to let her inside. Effy smiled and stepped into the busy pub, she looked around and spotted her godfather in a quiet corner with three hot chocolates ready and waiting.
Effy pulled Draco over to him with a huge smile on her face. "Hey Remus." She hugged the man who had stood to greet them.
Remus hugged her tightly. "Good to see you Euphemia." He broke away and held out his hand to Draco. "And good to see you again Draco."
Draco shook his hand. "You too sir."
"Call me Remus." Remus smiled at him letting go of his hand and motioned for them to sit.
"How are you doing?" Effy asked him, noticing he looked thinner and more tired than the last time she saw him.
Remus gave her a warm smile. "I'm doing just fine. How are you? How's Harry?"
Effy sighed. "Not great. Especially since that cow Rita Skeeter published that ridiculous article." She rolled her eyes. "I don't know what to do." She admitted.
Draco reached out and placed his hand on her arm. "He'll get through it; we'll help him, and he'll be fine. He's got you on his team and if that doesn't give him a major advantage then I don't know what will." He smiled at her.
Remus nodded. "He has a point."
Effy bit her lip and ran her hand through her hair. "If you say so."
"So how are you finding fourth year?" Remus asked her. "How are your classes? I know you've been struggling with Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"Oh no I'm acing the class..."
"She just isn't attending any of the lessons." Draco told Remus.
Remus frowned. "Not at all?"
Effy shook her head. "I can't be in the same room as that maniac. Remus, he's putting the Imperius Curse on the class." She whispered the last part.
Remus's eyes widened. "He's doing what? Is Dumbledore aware?"
Effy shrugged. "I guess so. He's not stopped him."
"I don't know much about Alastor Moody except he was an exceptional Auror and a very good man." Remus pressed his lips together. "If Dumbledore trusts him then..."
"Yeah, Remus apart from you Dumbledore doesn't have the best track record when it comes to hiring staff." Effy cut him off.
Remus smiled. "Thank you. I understand why you don't want to attend class but..."
Effy shook her head. "I'm not going to those classes."
"All right." Remus held up his hand. "I won't say anymore. Draco how are you doing? Changing your life is a very difficult thing to do when everyone around you doesn't understand why you're changing. It's a very brave thing to do."
"Oh no, it's not... I'm not brave." Draco shook his head.
"I think you're really brave." Effy nudged him.
Draco blushed.
"Well, I have to take my leave." Remus stood up. "I have an interview tomorrow I need to prepare for." He hugged Effy and shook Draco's hand. "Enjoy the rest of your weekend and write me if you need anything. You too Draco."
Draco nodded.
Remus left the pub leaving the two of them alone.
"Another drink?" Draco asked her.
Effy nodded. "Sure."
Draco got up and walked over to the bar and ordered two butterbeers. He crossed the pub and sat down passing one of the mugs to Effy. "So, I'm close to finishing the Return of the King." He told her.
Effy's eyes widened as she took a sip of butterbeer. "Mmm, what do you think?"
"I love it. It's really good." Draco exclaimed. "Who's your favourite character?"
"Er... I think Pippin." Effy answered. "Yeah. Pippin. What about you?"
Draco pressed his lips together. "Sam."
"Oooo good choice." Effy nodded her head.
The two of them just sat and talked more about various books and things drinking their butterbeer when a woman in an acid green pant suit with an ugly crocodile skinned handbag walked over to them. "Excuse me, so sorry to bother you but you are Euphemia Potter, correct?"
Effy nodded squinting at the blond woman. "Yes."
"Rita Skeeter. I was wondering if you might give me a small interview about your brother and how he's dealing with being the fourth champion?" She pulled out a chair and sat down at the table pulling out an acid green quill.
"No but I'll tell you where you can stick that quill?" Effy glared at her.
"So, tell me how you're feeling having your brother be the centre of attention all the time must be hard on you? I mean he's the Boy Who Lived and you're just his sister, no one thinks there's anything special about you..."
Draco stood up. "That's it we're leaving." He grabbed his and Effy's coats.
Effy rose to her feet and followed Draco out of the pub.
"That woman!" Draco snarled. "Who does she think she is?" He exclaimed, linking arms with Effy and steering her up towards the Shrieking Shack away from the crowded village. "I mean honestly you might not have a stupid scar on your head but you're amazing and completely special and for people to disregard you like that is..."
Effy pulled him round to face her and cut him off with a kiss.
Draco froze for a second before his hands rested on her waist and he kissed her back. He pulled back after a moment and looked down at her. "Not that I didn't enjoy that but... Why?" He asked her.
Effy smiled at him. "For being the first person to see me as more than just Harry Potter's sister." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Draco reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand. "Because you're so much more than just that." He told her sincerely.
Effy felt her cheeks heat as she looked into his swirling pale blue eyes. She felt like her heart was going to jump out of her throat as Draco leant in and brushed his lips against hers again. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer, his hands felt like they were burning resting on her waist.
Draco pulled away again and smiled at her. "I think you're amazing Effy Potter. Truly."
Effy blushed. "You're not so bad yourself Draco Malfoy." She leant up and kissed him quickly. "Come on, there's this book shop I've been dying to show you, you're going to love it." She grabbed his hand and led him down the cobbled path.
Draco followed Effy down a small path off the main street and over to a small shop with a Halloween display with a skeleton reading a book. He followed Effy inside and was shocked at the actual size of the place, it just seemed to keep going with floor to ceiling bookshelves crammed with books, all of them muggle by the looks of things. An old man with dark black hair with silver streaks was sat behind the counter, his nose buried behind a paperback. He looked up at them with dark green eyes behind silver rimmed glasses and smiled. "Euphemia I was wondering if I'd see you today and you've brought a friend?" He smiled at Draco. "Welcome to the Book Nook. Please look around, I'm sure Effy will be able to explain the system."
"Will do Arnie." Effy motioned for Draco to follow her into the next room. "So, every book has a colour sticker which is like the pricing system and value. It depends on like the quality of the book, but everything is super reasonable. The front room is like general muggle fiction, this room is science fiction, horror and fantasy, the next room is classics, plays and poems and the final room is biographies, autobiographies and non-fiction." She explained to him with a huge grin.
Draco looked around in awe. "This place is amazing." He gasped.
"I know right!" Effy smiled.
Draco walked over to the stand with horror books on it and started looking at the titles. "This Stephen King guy has certainly written a lot of books." He reached out and plucked one off the shelf, entitled Carrie.
"Oh yeah, he's like a big name in the horror genre, writes some really good books. I love that one. It was so good." Effy motioned to the book in his hands. "I also really liked The Shining and Misery, that one screwed with my head."
On the front of the cover was a picture of a girl covered in blood with bulging eyes. He flipped it over and read the back, it sounded interesting. He scanned the shelves and found the other two recommendations and added them to the pile. Draco turned to see Effy looking over a book entitled Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He made his way into the next room and started looking through the classics, picking up Sense and Sensibility, another one Effy had mentioned a little while ago, he also picked up a copy of a book that sounded interesting called Great Expectations. Walking into the back room he scanned over the books and found one called 200 years of History and decided it might be worth reading up on muggle history to help him understand the world a bit more.
He joined Effy back into the room he'd left her and smiled seeing her holding more books and attempting to jump up for the highest shelf. "Need a hand."
"Hahaha, yeah I'm short." Effy rolled her eyes. "Please." She motioned to the book she was reaching for.
Draco reached up and handed it to her. "Here you go." He smiled at her. "And you're not that short." He kissed the top of her head. "Ready to go? Or would prefer to buy the whole shop?" He teased her.
Effy chuckled and shook her head. "Nope, I think I'm good."
The two made their way to the front room and paid for their books before leaving the shop. Draco reached out and took Effy's hand as they walked back up the street, stopping at Honeydukes to buy some chocolate and candy before heading back up to Hogwarts.
"I had a really great time today." Effy told him with a big smile as they stood in the Entrance Hall together.
"Me too." Draco nodded leaning in and kissed her softly. "See you later."
"Bye." Effy waved and headed up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower a huge smile on her face. Halfway there she stopped in her tracks as something hit her. Dear God, she was falling for Draco Malfoy!
Everything is coming out now! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.