Chapter 17
Truths and Rumours
It was Christmas yet again at Hogwarts. And yet again, Pansy went home for the holidays, leaving Draco here with me. Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Harry, Ivy, She-Cat, Sheila and Hermione were all staying as well, so I wouldn't get bored.
I spent my first couple of days in my common room, reading the articles about supposed Sirius Black sightings in the wizard world and taking notes on possible connections between the sightings and the apparent "attacks" on Gryffindors.
I also chewed on the Draco and Pansy rumour. What were the odds of Draco dumping Pansy actually happening. One in a thousand? Million? Not likely that was going to happen. Pansy wouldn't allow it to happen if she could help it.
I decided after the third day of holidays I wasn't going to focus it on the Draco rumour, or Sirius Black. I spent up until Christmas Eve writing songs.
Christmas Eve, however, as I was retuning my guitar I got in first year from Draco, I saw Draco for the first time since holidays began, since I spent nights and some days in Gryffindor Tower or in Nightshade's.
"Oh, so the Malfoy lives." I said, smirking as Draco plopped next to me, a radio being set on the table.
"Shut it." Draco said, turning to me and sneering at me mockingly.
"Oh, come on, that was a good one!" I teased, giving Draco a light slap. "Lighten up, Dray, it's not like Pansy's here."
Draco gave a dry laugh "Yeah, Pansy's a million laughs." he said coldly, as if his girlfriend's name was something horrid on his tongue.
I gave Draco a curious look. If Draco was talking about Pansy like that…does that mean that the rumour was true? "Hey, Dray, can I ask you something about something I heard."
Draco smirked at me and nodded "Sure, knock yourself out."
I took a deep breath and started "Well, Ivy told me that there's a rumour going around that you are…planning on dumping Pansy?"
Draco…nodded. "Yeah. I'm done with her. Besides, I already have someone else in mind."
I looked at him in my little way that said "Who?"
Draco shook his head "I'm not saying who." he said, flicking his wand at the radio, which sprang to life, playing He Could Be the One.
I rolled my eyes "A little girly, isn't it, Dray?" I asked, cocking my head to one side.
"Yes…your point?" Draco asked, picking me up by the upper arm and spinning me around.
I blanched "Draco, I can't dance!" I protested.
Draco rolled his eyes and gave me another spin "Oh, come on, anyone can dance."
"Not me…I'm too clumsy." I said, looking down at my trainers.
"Oh, come off it!" Draco teased "Spin around."
I raised my eyebrows, but did as I was told. When I looked up to Draco, he was nodding.
"See, you can dance." Draco said, smirking.
I gave him a cold glare. "Really, since when is spinning around like an idiot considered dancing?"
Draco just shot me a glare back and flicked his wand again "You make it really hard to have fun." he said, making a slower song play.
I bit my lip lightly. "Um…I still can't dance." I said quietly.
"This is good practice." Draco explained, taking hold of my wrist and wrapping arm and all around his back. "All you need to do is follow."
I hesitated slightly before grabbing Draco's outstretched hand. I listened to the song for a quick second…it was something familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it until I heard the chorus.
I remember we were sitting there, by the water, you put your arm around me, for the first time. You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter. You are the best thing that's ever been mine.
"Mine by Taylor Swift?" I asked, awestruck.
Draco just nodded and spun me around. "I kind of poked through your MP3 player and found it."
I blinked as I realized something "How did you get the radio to work? I thought Hogwarts made Muggle stuff go weird."
Draco laughed "If you have a father like mine, you learn at a pretty young age to find loopholes in everything."
I laughed as I was spun around again. "When you were raised in a hellhole house like I was, you learn to keep your trap shut."
Draco rolled his eyes "Seen and not heard."
I nodded in agreement "Just a little slave girl with no emotions."
Draco sighed and spun me around one last time and pulled me tight into him.
I bit my lip, uncertain of what was going on.
"Do you really want to know who I'm ditching Pansy for?" Draco whispered against my ear.
I nodded, incapable of saying anything else.
"Well, she's-" Just as Draco was about to finish, Ivy barged through the door, looking as livid as ever.
"You are coming with me!" she spat, ripping me from Draco and dragging me out of the dungeons, muttering "Stupid Harry." all the way down to the Gryffindor common room.
I was pushed into a chair with Harry, Ron and Hermione facing me. Ivy joined them and stood behind Harry.
"Do you have anything to say to your sister?" she asked, leering down at a silent Harry.
Harry bit his lip and said nothing.
"Tell her what you just told me!" Ivy shouted, belting Harry around the head.
"OK, OK!" Harry shouted, rubbing at where Ivy smacked him. "Sirius Black is in the castle looking for you and me!"
I gaped. "He's looking for us!" I squeaked.
Everyone nodded. "And Harry didn't tell us that Black was after you until now!" Hermione added, glaring at Harry.
"She's my sister!" Harry said defensively "I didn't want her to freak out."
"Well, you told us he was after you and we freaked out." Ron pointed out.
I glared at Harry and shot up.
"You're in trouble!" Ron whispered to Harry.
"No!" I shouted "All of you are. How could you know that Harry was being hunted down by a murderer and not even bother to think that I could be in trouble too! Did anyone ever think 'Oh, maybe Hannah's being hunted down by an astringed murderer. I should go tell her!'"
"Hannah…" Ivy started. "maybe Sirius is innocent and won't come after you and Harry to kill you."
"Ha!" I said, giving a dry laugh "The next thing you're gonna tell me is that Draco's ditching Pansy for one of you guys."
Everyone shook their heads "Yeah…like Malfoy will ever be with any of us." Mione said, retching "The very thought of it makes me puke."
Ron, Harry and Ivy nodded in agreement as started for the door once again.
"Yeah. I'm going to go find Sheila and She-Cat." I said walking out "See you guys later."
At that moment, She-Cat in her cat form walked into the Tower, wearing a black and yellow collar that had the letter "I" on it. Sheila and Fireball followed her, Sheila ditching her book bag by the fireplace before taking She-Cat's collar.
"I like the collar." Ivy and I said together.
"Thanks. It's a way that you can get instant humour." She-Cat said, transforming back into herself. "Sheila came up with the idea for a collar that's blank on one side." She-Cat explained, turning the 'I' on the collar pendant around so it was blank. "So I could wear it when I'm human. But the 'I' side," She-Cat flipped it back to the 'I' "can be switched around so that it can be an 'H' for Hannah, so I can get in the Slytherin dorms, so everyone thinks I'm your cat." She-Cat turned the pendant to a side, so it looked like my first initial. "And the 'I' is so I can come in here and be with Ivy."
My eyes lit up "Genius." I complemented, slapping both Sheila and She-Cat a high five.
"We know." Sheila and She-Cat said together "Anyone for a nice little snowball fight?"
Ivy, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I all raised our hands as I grabbed my extra cloak from Ivy's dorm. "I'm gonna see if Draco wants to come too." I said, starting out the portrait hole, only to be grabbed by Harry.
"No gits." Harry announced, slipping my mittens onto me. "Come on, let's go have a little fun."
I smiled a little and followed my friends out to the grounds, when we were split into two teams. Me, Ivy, Sheila and She-Cat against Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny (she came down with us to even out our numbers.)
…
We went back into the castle soaking wet and freezing, and my group went in victorious, finishing off the fight with a ceasefire and surrender from Harry's team after a pretty bad snowball bombing.
I wanted a nice shower, so I went down to the dungeons for one.
A small box was waiting on the table for me. It was silver, wrapped in a nice deep green ribbon with a note underneath.
Han,
Found this in Hogsmeade and thought you'd like it. Merry Christmas.
Draco.
P.S. Nott's not what you think he is.
I smiled as I opened the box. I gasped when I saw what was inside.
Two earrings were resting neatly in the silver padded box. A snake weaved around each hook you put in your ear and held an emerald in their mouths.
I squealed and put them on. Good thing I have my ears pierced. I thought as I set them in.
Then I looked back at the note and had one question:
What did Draco mean when he said that Theo isn't what I think he was?
