"Is it true she hasn't spoken to anyone since?"

"Yeah," one of the Slytherin third years said before twirling a knot of red spaghetti on his fork and spoon. "Even past her birthday."

"Didn't even go to the Quidditch match no matter how much Davis insisted."

"What does Nott say?" Another asked as he drank his pumpkin juice.

The boy speaking shrugged and let out an incoherent sound.

"I don't think she's said much to either. She's mostly been keeping to herself," Blaise whispered as the four Slytherin boys kept a close eye on the dark-haired girl that was quietly eating just a couple of seats away from them.

"Do you think she's-" Crabbe began his voice on edge.
"Plotting something?" Goyle finished for him. "She hasn't been taking any clients either."

"I'm sure that must be especially hard on you," Malfoy sneered at his goons nastily. To this day he wasn't really sure if either of them actually knew how to read or write. He did know that the two had been almost singlehandedly funding Nel's underground empire of illicit homework and class notes.
At this point she must've amassed at least a small fortune; he couldn't help but wonder just what she was possibly saving it for. She certainly hadn't splurged on that fancy quill back at Hogsmeade.

They all once again turned to look at her in an indiscrete fashion. Nel could feel their eyes on her. This irritated her to no end. She fought the urge to tell them to take a picture or go flog themselves. It was then that their gazes shifted when they saw no other than Harry Potter turning around from the Gryffindor table. They all shot daggers at him.

"Hey," Harry greeted. She raised her head and looked at him with a dead expression on her face before taking a bite from a bread roll.

The humiliation from last week's incident wasn't what was keeping Elowen in an emotionally shut down mode. There were more than a handful of problems in Nel Saintday's hands at the moment that had seniority over whatever bullying the other Slytherins had done to her. She still couldn't summon a Patronus or even think of one particularly joyous memory to use with the charm. The many Dementors in the area were beginning to become a problem once knocking her out on way to Herbology class. Not to mention Professor Snape's "emotional control lessons" we're going terrible.

Also, what did he know about controlling his emotions to begin with? As far as anybody knew Professor Snape was a heartless, fowl nosed, prick.

Worst of all was that she still didn't know who had dropped her off at the abbey. She doubted if Malfoy had even known from the start. She felt foolish for even thinking he could've been a friend to her. She tried not to remember how nice he had been that day at Hogsmeade or how lovely his music was. Just like her Patronus, this memory had been corrupted too, it wasn't real.

It wasn't him.

"Did you hear that Professor Lupin is back?" Harry asked attempting to start a conversation. She said nothing in return and stared at him with a blank expression.

"I'll see you tonight then?" He asked. She was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Harry," her voice was hoarse at first. "What if I can't summon a Patronus?" Her eyes filled with pain as she asked the question which had been burdening her.

The Slytherin boys kept a close eye in the Gryffindor as he turned and instead took a seat before her in the Slytherin table.

Draco couldn't help but glare daggers at Harry.

Saint Potter.

So perfect.

So opportunistic.

Always so damn polite.

Can't help but gloat his goodness.

All Potter wanted was a show, why else would he have actually dared to sit in the Slytherin table? He wanted to be taught a lesson. He had to be asking for it. Malfoy was so sick of him. He seemed to be unescapable. He hated how much Potter was worshiped at school. How he couldn't even escape him at home where his father seemed to be just as intrigued with Scarhead's life; always probing questions about him and not his own son. It was the same thing with Saintday. He had never figured out why his father seemed to be so fascinated with the orphan girl. Why he spoke to her so respectfully almost as if he had some cold veneration towards her. Both Saintday and Potter were the same, they were names that were probably more familiar to his father's tongue than Draco's own name.

Malfoy looked at the hopeful smile on Potter's face as he interacted with Saintday. How dully typical of Potter acting in charity towards the most vulnerable members of the school.

Nel on the other hand…

His eyes shifted to the sad look in her eyes. He hadn't meant to hurt her like that. He hadn't meant for Zabini and the others to find out about their trip to Hogsmeade. That trip was something that was supposed to be his and only his.

He hated to think about that one Christmas Eve night the two had spent together last year. It had been his first Christmas away from home and from his family. The Ministry was running raids at the time seeking for cursed artifacts relating to the Dark Arts and You-Know-Who. Artifacts he knew were hidden home.
One wrong move, a misplaced book, wand or item and his family would lose everything. His father would go to jail. Their name would be stained with disgrace. What would happen to his mother?

He had written to his father that day concerned about his well-being and instead received a scolding Howler in return instructing him to shut up, not write home, and keep a close eye on the happenings involving the Chamber of Secrets. There had been no Happy Christmas wishes or loving expressed concerns for his son. He had been miserable that night. He had even cried in the second-floor girl's bathroom where he knew nobody would see or hear him.

He still remembered the blank expression on her face when she approached him in the Slytherin Common room that night. He had seen her with the Weasley twins earlier. Two people who Malfoy thought were actually really funny although he would never publicly admit it.

There was no way he could've hidden his swollen red face from her. She had to have known he had been crying that night.

"Lost something Slugbreath?" He had insulted defensively hoping she'd go away before she laughed or mocked him.

"Are you okay?"

Nobody had ever asked him that simple question before. Not his friends, not his father, not a single professor least of all his family. Proper composure was simply something that was expected of him, emotional nonsense was absolutely unacceptable in the Malfoy household. It was seen as an unnecessary weakness.

She didn't have to stop and nosey in on his well-being. She didn't have to drag him to the servant-quarters, feed him that disgusting looking sandwich that was warm tasted like Christmas and keep him company from his loneliness. This uncommon kindness was rare to him.
Maybe some of the other Slytherin girls would've asked if he was okay. Maybe Parkinson would've attempted to snog him, but none would've kept him company like she did. He knew he certainly wouldn't have done the same and least of all for her.

Like Potter, Saintday was an orphan. Something he partially envied. Both weren't chain-balled to a golden name with high expectations and standards to maintain and live up to. Expectations that had been set for him from the moment of his birth into a life of privilege.

As the sole heir of the Malfoy name, Draco had a lot to live up to. His friendships had to be well rounded with other members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight Pureblood families in England no matter how despicable or dull this company was. He had to be the best in class, Quidditch Team, socially agreeable, he was certain that in the future he'd even have to marry a Pureblooded witch. These expectations confined him since his infancy and allowed no room for second guessing or mistakes.

What would Potter ever know about that? Or even Elowen.

He hadn't expected for the Three Broomsticks to blow up. For her to set him and Blaise on fire. He wasn't even aware Elowen had those kinds of problems.

He wanted to be friends with her. Her pranks were funny, and she had been nice to him. Not to mention bloody brilliant at Charms. But how could the two of them ever be friends? How? What would his family think?

His father had that morbid fascination for her. But his mother?
His mother was the most important person in his life, and he was certain she'd be more than disappointed in him if he decided to willingly keep that type of company around.

Elowen would never fit in to his world.

Born with no name, no blood right, dressed in rags, possessing atrocious manners and an infamously ill temperament. The thought of having her for dinner with his family…
It would be a catastrophe. He had no doubt plates would be thrown and something would probably explode.

He had long decided it was best to stay away from her.

The words left his mouth before he even realized.

"Come have lunch with your girlfriend Potter?" He butted loudly.

Neither acknowledged him. Regardless, the other Slytherins laughed at his comment. This only made Draco more determined to get under their skins.

"I can understand having your dog Weasley as your beating man, but isn't it pathetic making your girlfriend fight your fights for you Potter?" He said referencing what had happened in Care for Magical Creatures the other day.

Last time Nel had met with Lupin he had advised her to try and see the best in people. Even in the worst ones. He had advised to try to be empathetic and think about what the other person could be going through. She guessed he felt that if she saw the world in a more positive light it might help come up with a Patronus worthy memory. However, when she thought of Malfoy… All she could see was a smug, spoiled thirteen-year-old. The boy had literally had everything and more in the world. He had absolutely no reason or excuse to act like such an arse all the time.

In her eyes this made him disgusting.

"Sodd off Malfoy," Harry shot him a glare before turning his attention to his friend.

"Wish you could've been at Hogsmeade Potter. The trip was a blast!" He said mockingly inferring to the explosion. Nel stiffened at the mentioning of Hogsmeade. Of course, Harry knew what Malfoy was referring too. Hell, the whole school knew.

Harry was about to retort something clever but instead Nel's wand beat him to it. That had been more than enough empathetic thinking for the day. The noodles in each of their plates came to life and leeched over the Slytherin boys' heads pulling them down suffocating them in a plate with sauce and meatballs. She didn't stick around to wait and see their reactions leaving just as fast.

"I'm sorry about them," Harry apologized as he jogged outside of the Great Hall to catch up to his friend.

"Why should you be? It's not your fault they were dropped on their heads when they were born."

Harry would've laughed if her expression wasn't so sullen.

"I don't think I have a memory strong enough to cast a Patronus," she admitted regrettably.

"There has to be something, Nel," he insisted positively. It had also been hard for Harry to summon a charm of his own. "But like Professor Lupin said, we have to be positive."

Professor Lupin had said a lot of things…

"Maybe there is…" She spoke half-heartedly. "But bad things have happened to the people in them. They've all left my life. The root of the memory itself might be good, but by association it has become bitter." Almost as if a mist of fear and abonnement corrupted and poisoned her Patronus.

"Why don't we go make some memories then?" Harry suggested optimistically with a friendly smile. She eyed him cautiously. Her nature of being doubtful and wary of other people's kind gestures almost made her think it was probably some kind of trick.

"Sure," She said after a moment of hesitation. Afterall what was the worst thing that could happen?

The two decided to go and play with some Gobstones in the courtyard before going to Lupin's and it was actually a pleasant time.

"Don't get frustrated," Lupin said to her as she failed to summon a Patronus yet again. "Be patient."

"Be good. Make good memories," he kindly reassured her with a small smile before giving her a chocolate bar.

Part of her felt that the professor was slowly conditioning her to like him with the chocolate bars he gave her. He was also unusually kind. He almost seemed to genuinely care about her and Harry unlike most of the other professors. She hated to admit it, but it was working, he was starting to grow on her.

Nel was more than frustrated still at-least now she was able to stop herself before she released that ominous corrupted orb that seemed to emit from her Patronus.

Harry couldn't summon one which was refreshing considering everything seemed to come easy to him.

Lupin's lessons had been slowly progressing at the pace of a snail. Snape's were practically advancing at the same pace.

"I told you Saintday to empty yourself of emotion! Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked this easily — weak people, in other words — they stand no chance!" Snape instructed pointing his wand at her face from across his crowded office.

"Why do I have to do this?" She rasped as she looked at him with a wounded expression.

The Potions Master had been attempting to pry into her mind in order to agitate her explosive emotions. She found it disturbing allowing him to witness all of the terrible things she had endured throughout her life. Maybe this was an emotional control training but Nel almost felt as if it was more as if he was almost preparing her for something bigger. It almost seemed personal to him.

"Next time you go off like a firecracker somebody could die because of your infantile emotions. You must tame yourself! Empty yourself or emotion. Do not allow me to penetrate your mind with such absurd ease."

"Please… stop," she pleaded lowering her head as she sank deeper into the uncomfortable desk chair that was across from him. Sweat stains stained her clothes as she attempted to compose herself.

"Brace yourself." He warned.

It was then that she felt him enter her mind again. She winced as he witnessed all of her most vulnerable moments. Good days at the orphanage with Lucy, being locked in and crying and banging on the door of the laundry room to get out, cheering for Tracey at the Quidditch try outs, consoling her when she didn't make it for the second year in a row, Malfoy tapping her shoulder making me turn around in the middle of Astronomy and pretending he wasn't the one doing it. Hexing some Hufflepuffs that were bullying Bullstrode during dinner, the time Parkinson made her barf slugs in the middle of the Common Room.

"Make me stop!" She could hear Snape's voice in her head.

The vials I'm the room rattled threatening to explode before she let out a throaty scream as she for the first time managed to successfully slam the door of her thoughts on him. She was exhausted, completely drained, cold sweat beads sliding down her temple as she caught her breath.

"Sir… this is unhealthy… I'll be good. I promise," she begged him to stop these torturous lessons.

"If this will keep you from blowing up yourself and the school it'll be worth it. You did well, some progress for once."

Snape raised his wand and pointed it straight in between her eyes. It might've been some progress, but it was not enough for him. He had to do his best in teaching her how to close her mind from others. She had to be at least good enough to keep You-Know-Who-Out…

"Again."

"Hey Saintday heard you-" Pansy's shrill commanding voice was interrupted when a yellow potion vial was thrown across the room and cracked open against her black bed post.

"Shut your beak Parkinson," Nel said mindlessly not removing her eyes from the beanie she was attempting to knit. No matter how much she knit she was never very good at it. Maybe it was because she was usually distracted or trying to multitask which lead to most of her crafts having gaping holes or being wavy and uneven on the sides.

She didn't even enjoy Pansy's transformation into a large yellow canary.

"Will you two stop it?" Daphne snapped at the two girls looking up from a canvas she was currently painting on. "It is so annoying to see you two fight over the pettiest of things!" She huffed exasperated.

"You're too sensitive," Millicent said to Greengrass before helping the giant canary to Madame Pomfrey's.

"Thanks Daph," Tracey shot her a lopsided smile as she leafed through a Quidditch magazine.

"Can't even concentrate with these two in the room," she shot Nel a look before returning to her painting. The girl smirked slightly in her direction.

Like the past two years before, Elowen was to spend the Winter break and Christmas in the castle. She was hoping this would mean no more emotional control lessons with Professor Snape but boy was she wrong. Snape had instead cited her into his office every day to torture her with these painful lessons. He almost seemed to have an urgency in her mastering the subject. In her time with him she felt almost some empathy towards the older man. Why was he so bitter? Why was he so alone that he had nothing better to do but to educate her over the Christmas holiday? Maybe his loneliness had caused him to be this way.

It seemed like the only people that were staying over the break that Nel knew of were Harry and his friends.

Having a terrible headache and overall just being drained from working on her lessons all night Nel stayed in the Slytherin Common Room Christmas Eve. Loneliness had grown to be her only company. The dim green lights of the dormitory were soothing. It was unusually quiet, almost peaceful. That night Nel stayed up all night knitting one extra pair of black hand gloves. She later ventured into the kitchens to help herself to a Christmas leftover sandwhich.

The next morning, she awoke not expecting more than two Christmas gifts instead under the tree but instead there were a handful lot. Some chocolates from Professor Lupin, a chocolate frog from Harry, "The Tales of Beadle the Bard" from Theodore and a Quidditch t-shirt from Tracey's favorite team. Something Nel suspected she'd borrow often. Under the Christmas tree at the very end there was a small black box. No tag. It simply had her name written on it. She pulled the string that held it together and opened it to reveal the fancy black feathered quill she had been eyeing back at the shop in Hogsmeade. It came with a pack of violet ink and some parchment.

There was no way.

She eyed the quill curiously wondering if it was cursed.

There was only one other person that knew she had wanted this specific quill set. Nobody else knew. She hadn't mentioned it to another soul, but there was no absolute way. There was no way in hellMalfoy had bothered to gift her something so thoughtful. Again, she wondered if it was from Professor Snape. Considering he had actually been inside of her head. This was just like the sweater from last year.

Later that same day Nel arrived to Professor Snape's office ready for her lessons. She'd ask him if he had been the mysterious character behind this year's quill and last year's fine sweater.

Snape didn't look or act as if it was Christmas day. He was dressed in his classic noir fashion hovering over some parchments he was grading. Nel couldn't help but wonder if her professor did anything for Christmas or if he even received any gifts. Did he have parents? Or was he an orphan like her too?

"Professor, sir," Nel stood before his desk rolling her weight on the balls of her feet. She held the humble gift behind her back. Slowly he raised his head simply acknowledging her.

"Happy Christmas, Professor, I made these for you," She offered the gift to him. He looked at the knitted material in her hands. Standing up he rounded around his desk and took them from her hands hesitation. Snape looked down at the knitted gloves he was holding and clutched them tightly. It was probably the worst gift he had ever received. They had many small holes and he was sure the finger spaces were too short on some odd ones. She might as well have given him a lump of trash.

The professor said nothing, he turned around and placed the ugly gloves on the desk and turned his back to her. Nel looked at the back of his dark head oddly.
Did he hate them? She knew she wasn't the best knitter but a thank you would've been appreciated…

"It…" He grumbled, his voice sounding loud and heavy in the silence that the two shared. "It may not have escaped your notice Saintday, but life isn't fair." He spoke ominously.

She blinked twice confused by his words. "Sir?"

Snape always knew more than he was letting on. Specially about Elowen Saintday…

It hadn't been a coincidence that Dumbledore had asked him to escort her to Diagon Alley when she was first introduced to the Wizarding World. He had connected the dots and knew it wasn't a coincidence that her wand was composed of omens of death, that she could see Therstals, that she could speak to snakes.
He knew what was to come and what would be expected of the girl and he was sure he hadn't been the only one who had connected the dots.

"Get out," he said quietly his fingers pressing into the edges of his desk.

She looked at him with innocent concern. "Professor Snape?" She prodded sounding almost concerned.

"Get out!" He roared in a dangerous tone that made the girl flinch and scrambled out of the room. It was almost as if her small gestured had triggered something in the man. She closed the door behind her and looked at the closed wooden door. Half of her was expecting to hear violent crashing noises but instead there was only silence. She made a mental note never to gift Professor Snape anything ever again in her life. Specially gloves. Maybe Snape really was beyond reason.
As she stood outside, she heard loud cackling. Looking up she saw Peeves translucent body levitating above her carrying buckets that seemed to swoosh with a dark foul smelling liquid. Smirking, having nothing better to do, she decided to follow after the poltergeist she felt a perverse fondness for.

A couple of weeks later the school term resumed and the Slytherin girl was happy to see her friends. She was also happy to know that most of their knitted gifts had turned out alright and fit their heads well. Tracey specially loved her since hers had been made with the yellow and blue colors of the Puddlemere United.

Of course, that meant that her main tormentor was back. She suspected Malfoy had given her the quill she was using in class yet said nothing to him. She didn't have enough evidence and the thought was offsetting enough it. Besides, next time the coward should put his name on the tag.

She didn't know why he had decided he was in a mood in the middle of History of Magic. He had been passing notes to her in the middle of class. She never bothered opening of reading. However, as the class passed by and she refused to give him an ounce of attention his teasing evolved from note passing to throwing balled up parchments to the back of her head and eventually tapping her shoulder and pulling her hair.

"You did your hair different today Saintday, any particular reason why?" He leaned across his desk and whispered. Of course, he had noticed that today she was wearing her medium length hair on a low ponytail over her shoulder.

"So, you won't pull at it you entitled prick," she retorted through gritted teeth shooting him a nasty glare her patience growing from thin to nonexistent.

You'd think Professor Binns would notice the two students bickering in the back of the class. Even Granger shot them a look to quiet down since they were disturbing her learning. At some point during the class Nel became so fed up she turned and casted a bat-boogey hex on Malfoy which made monstrously green bats made out of mucus painfully fly out of his nose. The students in the room roared with laughter at the painful sight.

"Merlin, you're unbearable Saintday!" he managed to speak in a nasal voice both of his hands were attempting to cover his nose.

Served him well for being a snotty prick. Whatever it was Malfoy had been planning on snapping with she wasn't expecting what he said next.

"This is why your parents didn't want you!"

His words were sharp and dropped making the room immediately grow silent. You could hear a pin drop as the laughter in the room ceased. The only voice in the background being Binns dull lecturing about who-even-cares what.

Even the Slytherins sitting around him looked at him struck by the cruel comment. The only person laughing was Pansy Parkinson. Nel visibly recoiled at his spiteful words.

He had struck a low nerve.

Just in cue class was dismissed and she quickly exited the room before the tears could begin to sting her eyes.

Draco watched her back as she left the room before anybody could say or do anything for her. It was then that he felt someone shove him.

"What is your problem?" He was surprised to see Theodore Nott out of all people aggressively shove at him. "She has feelings you fucking arse." He glowered at him, a chilly green-eyed glare before stalking off after his friend. Tracey shook her head and followed after him looking almost disturbed.

Even Blaise looked at Malfoy with uneasiness. Maybe he had crossed the line this time…

"Don't pay any attention to Nott," Pansy snorted as she reached Malfoy's side. "You know he chases after her like some sort of lovesick puppy. I thought it was brilliant!" she said giddily before hugging his arm.

Daphne shook her head lightly and left. Millicent and Goyle exchange a look in the background.

Moments later Nel was exiting the Slytherin dormitory walking towards Lupin's office to prepare herself for her evening lesson with him and Harry. Malfoy's words still stirring in the back of her head. It was every orphan's worst thought being unwanted. The two people who were supposed to unconditionally love and care for you – even they didn't want you. It made her terrible fear of abandonment more real.

"Oi," She heard the one voice she did not want to hear. "Saintday!"

She didn't turn around. Instead she gripped her wand inside of her cloak's pocket tighter and walked faster ignoring the person calling after her. She didn't react until she felt a hand come down her shoulder.

"Dupulso!" She casted spinning on her heel.

Malfoy staggered and fell on his bottom from the impact of her spell.

"Elowen," he managed to speak sorely before struggling back to his feet. She looked at him with distaste and wariness.

"Stay away from me!" She shouted at him cross once again before turning away. Regardless he persisted once again reaching for her arm.

"Don't listen to a word I say," he insisted.

He was conflicted. He hated himself for saying what he had said. The cruel words came out before he had even realized, but he was embarrassed, frustrated and beyond irritated. She wouldn't even look his way; wouldn't even read the notes he had been passing her way. Didn't even realize he had been the one to gift her the quill set she was using.

She whipped her arm away from his touch and pointed directly at the wall behind him. "Confrigo!" She casted purposely exploding a brick in the wall which created a small cavity on it. Malfoy ducked and covered his head looking at her with a shocked expression.

"Next time I won't miss," She threatened before turning around for the third time.

"Saintday," again he attempted to reach her.

"Flipendo," She was fast in her casting and with that the boy was thrown against the opposite wall of the corridor where he painfully crashed and then pitifully slid down to the floor.

Her back was already to him as she continued in her trek. He didn't have time. Especially when she wasn't going to stick around and listen. Specailly not after he had behaved like an arse.

"I want to tell you who it was." He said loudly trying to get her to turn around and listen to him. "I don't want to hear it or anything that comes out of your filthy mouth Malfoy!" She screamed. She turned and glared. "Never speak to me again," she threatened.

"I didn't lie to you," He attempted to bargain for her time, for her attention.

"No," She agreed. "But you lied to everybody else!" She pressed on her threatening tone getting closer. "You made me look like an idiot- and you know what? I'm glad I blew up the Three Broomsticks. And I am especially glad I set you on fire. I hope it hurt!" She spat sounding hurt. "And then today-" She thought of what he had said to her. It had been so childish, so unnecessary. He saw her lower lip tremble before she swiftly turned in the opposite direction.

Nott's words echoed in Draco's head.

"She has feelings you fucking arse."

It was probably the first time he had ever witnesses such a strong vulnerable emotion on her features. But how could he even apologize or even begin to explain to her why he felt the need to be such a complete jackass all the time?

"I want to be friends," he blurted. He eyed her fearfully dreading for the expected rejection to come.

She gave him a sour look before beginning to laugh at his words in disbelief. Okay. Maybe he did deserve that. "You sure have a funny way of showing it."

"Elowen," he pleaded in a hurt voice.

"No," She spat in a cross tone pointing her wand at his face dangerously close. "You will NOTcall me by my name. You are NOT my friend. I don't want to ever hear my name come out of that disgusting mouth of yours!"

"Will you please listen to me?" He insisted getting closer.

She was ready to hex him. When her wand flew out of her hand.

"Not my Draco!" An unbearably familiar voice butted between the two of them. They both turned to see Pansy who was walking in the opposite direction of them. Neither had heard her enter the dungeon or even cast the Expeliarmus.

"Have your girlfriend to fight your fights for you Malfoy?" She seethed in the anger that was beginning to boil in the pits of her stomach. Tossing an insult he had once tossed at Harry. Nel wanted to hurt them both. Especially Parkinson, but she couldn't. She let out a low breath as she attempted to rid herself of these impulsive emotions just like Snape had taught her. What reason did Parkinson have to be so vile? Raw insecurity maybe? Who knows?

To her surprise Elowen actually gained control of her emotions. She calmly turned to face Parkinson and simply glared before her head began to swell into a balloon. She cried out and Bullstrode began escorting her to Madame Pomfrey's.

Malfoy had her want in his hand and handed it to her. She snatched it out of his hand and shot him a dirty look before finally leaving.

Throughout the rest of the year Malfoy continued wanting to want to talk to her, but at this point Nel was completely disinterested in anything he had to say. Specially about whomever had abandoned her at the abbey. As he had said whoever had done this didn't want her so why should she want them?

His bipolar personality in which he would be nice to her one moment and then terribly rude the next, especially when the other Slytherin boys were around, didn't help his case.

She wanted to plan and execute her terrible revenge, but Lupin had advised her no to. He was right, no matter what she did or didn't do they wouldn't stop. Her vengeance would be terribly sweet, but it wouldn't make things right. Oh, but how long she longed to watch them suffer-
She was learning to try something new, she was learning empathy, she was trying to understand why they were the way they were- However, today would not be the day. After all learning was a long process.

Nel sat in the Slytherin Common Room waiting for the Slytherin boys' rude awakening. Moments later rivers of large toads and frogs came sliding down the staircase. They were big, small, some were green, and others were murky brown. They croaked and jumped to the carpet. Moments later Crabbe came running down pulling frogs out of his pants. The girl's in the Common Room shrieked at the yucky grossness glaring in disgust. Blaise Zabini threw up. Malfoy walked down with a large frog on his blonde head as he descended down the stairs. It seemed like he had given up on getting the frogs out of his robes.

Theodore looked beyond irritated. Sadly he had been collateral damage.

She said nothing to them that morning but would often smugly ribbit at them and swell her cheeks when things were awfully quiet in the middle of class or in the common room. It had been weeks and the staff hadn't figured out how to disenchant the plumping from pouring out amphibians instead of water. She had a feeling that Lupin knew but he didn't have any proof.

That had been a couple of weeks ago.

Presently, Nel was in the back of the library doing some research about the history of the Patronus charm when somebody slid into the chair in front of her. She wasn't taking any clients at the moment and with the year ending people were beginning to grow desperate for her services. She raised her wand ready to attack whomever disturbed but instead she found she couldn't move her hand. A hand slapped over hers and pinned it against the desk roughly. Her eyes snapped up from the text she was reading to meet a pair of grey ones.

"Will you quit being a knob head and listen to me for a second?"

It was Malfoy and he looked angry.

She didn't know if he was angry because of the frogs that had been coming out of his enchanted bathroom for weeks or his frustration of being unable to communicate with her.

"Which one of your personalities do you want me to listen to? The one that's an insufferable arsehole or the one that's an arrogant son of a witch?" She challenged with a nasty look.

"Can you get your head of your arse for a moment," he asked gruffly. He had been trying to have a conversation with her for months now and every time he got close he would get either embarrassingly hexed or tossed against a nearby wall.

"Can you?" She shot back and pulled her hand back from his hand grip standing up and gathering her belongings.

"Elowen, please."

That was it. He was on her last nerve. Sodd emotional control classes with Snape. She had been more than clear with him stating she didn't want him near her.

"Stop calling me by my name Malfoy. Stop calling me at all! I already told you!" She slammed her books on the table angrily. "You are vile, and despicable and like to humiliate others because you are so small and insignificant it makes you feel better about your sad and pitiful life! You think you're all that because you can trace your family back a couple of generations. Big deal! Whoop-de-doo. Congratulations. But guess what? Nobody cares you freakishly albino inbreed!"

She snapped angrily almost spitting fire in his direction.
Malfoy was stunned, he had never seen such an angry look in her eyes, her neck so red from the word vomit she had just hatefully spewed at him. He thought she was going to stop there but she didn't.

"Your head is so damn big I sometimes wonder if it's so swelled up because of your massive ego or because it is filled with air! Yeah- maybe you do have a fancy name and more money than I will ever have, but what's the use of it if it can't buy you any manners."

Nel caught her breath and leaned her weight on the desk. Her shoulders slumped slightly. She couldn't believe she had said such horrible things to him. So much for her emotional control lessons. On the brightside nothing had exploded this time. She looked away from him not wanting to meet his hurt eyes. He looked pale, almost sick. It almost looked like he could have cried. She caught her breath and looked at him with hard eyes.

"Leave me alone," she whispered hauntingly before leaving Draco alone in the library, just as Madame Pince was rounding about to ask the students to leave her library from the loud outburst.

He knew she was never going to listen to him. She had given him no choice.

"It was Black," he burst making her stop. "It was Sirius Black, that left you in the abbey that night."

Not turning around she continued on her way back to the dormitory brewing on the name she hadn't been expecting. Her heart hammering in her chest. Eyes wide in horror at the revelation.