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Holiday at Wool's was exactly what one could expect.
Being locked up in the laundry room in complete isolation without the exception of Barberry, the owl that kept Nel company and allowed her to exchange letters with her few friends, and her magic books which kept her entertained and helped her pass the time. Any other year Lucy would've snuck her out or snuck in some pastries or anything to bring a little bit of light into the now fourteen-year old's life, but that had been years ago. It had been two years since she had last seen or heard from her friend Lucy and wherever she was Nel hoped she was okay.
Her third year started pretty much the same as the last two. She started getting off the wrong feet with Malfoy which by now was a very irritating tradition. This was also the year that Sirius Black, a mass murdered, had managed to escape from the Prison of Azkaban.
She fainted in the train when dementors attacked and made Tracey and Theodore swear not to tell anyone. As far as she knew nobody else knew. Instead rumors that Harry Potter had fainted spread like wildfire as well. Earning him taunts from Malfoy and the other Slytherins during Study of Magical Creatures. A class Nel did not like in the least due to the distaste most animals had for her.
"Shut up you insufferable lot," To everyone's surprise she defended Harry to the taunts of the Slytherin boys.
Harry was- well they weren't particularly friends, but they were friendly acquaintances. Even having spent a Christmas dinner together with a group last year.
She hadn't defended him because she wanted to defend Harry, she had done it because to her it was personal. She had also passed out from the Dementors, felt could still remember coldness that they brought with them and the numbing pain flooded her body when the dark creature had come near her.
"Oooooh, looks like you've got a girlfriend Potter," Draco taunted. Rolling up her sleeves Nel had had enough of him, she was ready to go and take it up with him personally. She had already punched him in the face once she wouldn't hesitate in doing it twice.
"Don't," Harry and Ron had to hold her back.
"What's wrong Malfoy? Run out of hair gel?" She commented on his new hair do. He had shed his gel helmet and now wore his hair lose, blonde bangs falling carelessly over his face.
He flushed as several other male students laughed at her comment.
After class Malfoy tailed after as the two headed towards Divination a class Nel hated due to the fact that Professor Trelawny had made a prophecy about her on the first day of class.
"My child you carry a terrible curse!" She had cried and reached for her face with both hands. "You bear the mark of the serpent-bearer on your face! You undead one!"
It was all of course, complete nonsense. It simply made her feel self-conscious about the several moles scattered on her face.
She didn't know what Malfoy wanted, but she was a feeling it was going to ruin her day.
"I didn't know you and Potter had a thing," He said walking next to her. She hated that he was prying into her personal life, why was it any of his business anyway? She hated the way he said 'Pottah' even more. She considered saying yes just to piss him off.
"I don't see how that's any of your business," she retorted dully eyes frozen ahead to the staircase leading to the classroom.
"Of course," he uttered with disgust. "Saint Potter and Saint Nel," he gagged. "Makes perfect sense if you ask me. Both of you have so much in common. Parselmouths, Muggle-borns, the fact both of you fainted in the train-"
There was no way on Earth that he could've know that. With her patience running thin she pulled out her wand and pointed it against his face as she cornered him. She hated that she had to look up to him since he had grown so much over the holiday.
"What do you want Malfoy?" She hissed out. "Or are you just bored out of your mind? Aren't you sick and tired of being at the end of my wand?"
He looked down at the tip of her wand before cooly moving it away from his face.
Whatever it was she was expecting him to say weren't the following words:
"Come to Hogsmeade with me."
Her expression shifted from one of anger to one of pure confusion. He never ceased to stop surprising her. It was typical of third and fourth years to go on dates to Hogsmeade together with their sweethearts or with their friends to split butterbeers and go to Honeydukes.
She lowered her wand slightly, blinking twice as she processed his words. "Yes," she answered softly.
"Really?" He asked just as shocked that she had actually accepted.
"Of course, not you git!" She said zapping him with a head swelling hex. She turned around huffing not finding his latest trick to be the slightest bit funny.
Over the years Nel had grown more bitter and alone. The cause of this bitterness her isolation back at Wool's orphanage. Her abandonment issues preventing her from allowing anybody that weren't her two friends into her personal life and even then they were kept at an arms distance. She grew to be resentful over the parental figures in her life, specially over whoever her parents were.
Several days passed and Nel was surprised to find a note on her desk during Defense Against the Dark Arts. A class she enjoyed, for the first time they actually had a competent professor.
Professor Lupin was lecturing about the dangers of grindylows, he had some in a water tank and was signalizing to them as he spoke.
She looked at the note on her desk, it was folded in the shape of a paper crane also known as Draco's trademark. Who woul've thought the bastard was so crafty with his origami?
She should've just swatted it off her desk but the contents of it were curious to her. She was expecting him to make a joke comparing her apperance to the one of a grindylow but instead the bold word starred back at her:
'Hogsmead?'
She set the note on fire without a second thought. Her answer clear. Lupin raised an eyebrow at her?
"Anything you'd like to share with the class Ms. Saintday?" She shrugged and shook her head. Thankfully Lupin let it go.
Malfoy was insane if he thought she would willingly go with him to Hogsmeade.
Presently, Nel was keeping busy writing one of Crabbe's parchment during History of Magic. Also known as the most boring class ever and the one that Nel would use to catch up on her side gig of writing essays for other students. By now, with little expenses she had amassed what she considered to be a small fortune. One she was saving in case of an emergency. Afterall it wasn't like she was allowed to go out and spend her money when she was locked up back at Wool's. Who knows, maybe she'd treat herself to something nice when she visited Hogsmeade for the first time. Professor Bins didn't even seem to either notice or care what was happening in class, sometimes he'd just pass out on his desk which often times lead to a chaotic environment. She felt a hand pull at her shoulder length dark hair and ignored it already knowing who it was.
She ignored the pull, then she felt it again. That tug in the back of her scalp annoyingly commanding her attention.
This year was going to be different. She wasn't going to spare Malfoy an ounce of attention. She was better than that.
"I know something you don't," She felt a voice singsong behind her ear.
"I could care less about anything you have to say Malfoy," she huffed quickly not removing her hand or eye from the parchment she was currently writing on Animagi. Completely disinterested in the Medieval Witch-hunts that Binns was lecturing about or in whatever Draco had to say. She had a feeling it had to go with his weird obsession to get her to go to Hogsmeade with her.
"Is that so?" She didn't see his expression, but the teen raised an eyebrow. He braced himself waiting for the bomb to drop and savor the bait he was about to dangle in front of her. "It's about your parents."
The only thing Nel knew about her parents was that they had abandoned her in an abbey on October 31st of the year 1981. She had always assumed they were muggle-born until last year when she learned she was a Parselmouth, a dark skill that only the descendants of Salazar Slytherin possessed. She had mixed feeling about them to the day. Sure, as an orphan she was naturally curious, but now she didn't know if she would be happy or not when she found out who they were. After all being related to You-Know-Who was not a good thing…
Malfoy saw how her hand froze and her back visibly stiffened. She gripped the quill hard as she paused writing the parchment. He didn't stop to wonder just whose essay she was writing this time.
"Yeah, right," He saw her shoulders slightly move up before she scoffed shook her head in denial.
What would he know about her parents? He had to be bluffing.
Draco sat back on his seat and patiently waited for her to take the bite. After years of observing her behavior he knew just what would make her tick and what wouldn't. He was sure she'd bite.
A moment later Nel turned around with a visible frown. Her dark eyes meeting his light ones. "What do you know about anything, anyways?" She eyed him warily with mistrust.
She had already trusted him once before and it had not ended well. It was something neither of them seem to speak about or mention. It was something she certainly hadn't told Nott or Davis, nor she expected him to share with Crabbe, Goyle or Zabini.
"I know who it was," he said slowly savoring the moment. "The person that left you on the doorstep of the abbey."
He saw her eyes go wide at the revelation. That was confidential information. A little-known fact that only a select number of people knew. How would he know? He probably wouldn't, but his father would. Lucius Malfoy, that odd man that seemed to be unreasonably interested in Elowen's life.
Class was dismissed and Malfoy stood up self-righteously and left his seat walking out of the class with a satisfied smiled.
"Wait!" She called after him. However, he did not stop.
"Wait!" She called again and trotted after him. Catching up to him and reaching for his arm holding him back. He slowed his pace and glanced at her with the edge of his lips turned up.
"How do you know that?"
The arrogant look on his face only stretched wider across his lips. Guess for once sitting in during one of his father's dull conversations had actually paid off.
"How do you know?" She repeated. Draco remained silent secretly enjoying the attention he was receiving from the hostile girl. "Are you going to tell me?" She asked.
He remained silent, marinating in the moment.
"Tell me please!" She implored him slapping his arm roughly. Still he remained deadly silent simply walking away from her.
"Please!" She pleaded. "I'll give you or do whatever you want," she bartered. Maybe she couldn't buy Malfoy but she could offer her business and services to him.
She saw him come to a halt. Crabbe and Goyle who were walking with him also stopped on their tracks. He raised his hand indicating that he would later meet them at the Great Hall later.
"Anything?" He swaggered towards her, arching an eyebrow. A suggestive smirk on his face.
Her face flushed in unflattering red patches as she looked away from his icy eyes. "Well," She pondered.
Just how far was she willing to go for this vital information?
Also - this was Malfoy. Whoever knew if he was being sincere or not. If anything, it was probably a cruel trick he was playing on her.
Also, Merlin knows just how twisted Draco's imagination could stretch when making his vile demands.
"Would I lie to you?" He said seeing the uncertainty in her face.
"Yes," She said with an incredulous scoff. He most definitely would. In a heartbeat and without hesitation. He was not to be trusted.
"Not about that," He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I wouldn't waste my time with such nonsense," he said self-importantly.
Nel strongly fought the urge to roll her eyes. His time? What did he spend his time doing? Talking Quidditch with Marcus Flint and the other Slytherin boys? Ogling the other Slytherin girls?
"What do you want Malfoy?" She crossed her arms over her chest growing impatient from walking around in circles with the conversation.
He didn't look away from her perturbing gaze. She was looking at him so intensely almost as if she was trying to read his mind.
"I want Parkinson off my back," He said slowly walking towards her. It was no secret that Pansy Parkinson was thirsting over Draco. She had warned all of her chamber mates to back off because she had claimed her 'Drakey' as hers. It was disgusting. Even the way she threw herself at him and always attempted to cling off his arm.
Nel was known for having the reputation of being a hustler in the school. You wanted something done you went to her.
Homework Check.
Test answers Check.
Wanted to hex someone? Check.
Slip a love note or potion? Consider it done.
Of course, her services did not come cheap.
"Consider it done," She clapped her hands together and licked her lips thinking of all the vicious things she could do to Pansy Parkinson. Someone she already despised. She would greatly enjoy this.
"It's different," He clarified almost as if he could read her mind.
"She won't take no for an answer which is why I need you to come to Hogsmeade with me."
So that's why he had been so insistent…
Wait-
"What?" She gaped at him. Horrified at the ridiculous request. At what he was implying. He was asking her out on a date? Why couldn't he just tell Parkinson to shove off? She had endured three years of Malfoy's torture, why couldn't he be just as crude to the insufferable girl?
She was still waiting for him to admit it was all a horrid prank, but his expression told her otherwise. He was dead serious. He really did want her to go to Hogsmeade with him. It hadn't been some kind of trick. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but it hadn't been this.
"Please Saintday, don't flatter yourself," he scoffed at her shaken expression. Again, she felt vulnerable almost as if he could read her mind. "Believe me, I would've preferred asking anybody else, but seeing she already has it out for you - it makes things easier for me," he flashed her his most charming smile.
"Also, we've been civil to each other in the past and it wasn't completely unbearable."
She shushed him immediately. Not wanting to remember that Christmas Eve the two had spent together during their second year. It wasn't something she liked to remember, much less talk about.
Normally this would've come at a very expensive price for anybody else, but in these circumstances…
He possessed something she needed. Priceless information about her life. What was one trip to Hogsmeade? Really, what was the worst thing that could happen? She'd get stuck having butterbeers with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle and listening to them talk about this seasons Quidditch. There were worse things happening out in the world right now.
"Fine," She caved adjusting her bag strap.
He stretched out a hand and hesitantly she shook it. She didn't know why she had expected it to be slimy like a reptiles but instead his hand was soft and warm. He definitely had the hands of somebody who had never worked a day in his life.
"You're also to carry my bag and write all my parchments."
"What?" She looked at him incredulously pulling her hand back as if she had been burnt, as if she had just signed a deal with the devil himself. "For how long?"
"Until I feel like it."
"You're not being fair now," She said beginning to walk away.
"Fine," He bartered. "For a month."
"A month?" Her eyebrows went up so far they almost reached her hairline. "Make it a two weeks."
"Three," He pressed.
"One and a trip to Hogsmeade or you've got nothing."
"Deal." They shook hands again finalizing their deal.
He smirked pleased with the transaction. She rolled her eyes and began to walk away.
"Oh, and Saintday," he called after her making her stop and turn to face him. "Most girls would kill to go to Hogsmeade with me," he said pompously.
"I'm sure," She responded her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Who? Besides Parkinson and your mom?"
His eyes widened at the comment.
"Let me know so I can get in line," she flashed him a charming smile before turning away.