"Ella"
"Ella wake up!"
She opened her eyes and stared at her friend then suddenly shouted "why are you in my room Draco!"
"to wake you up" Draco said simply
"why" she groaned
"Quidditch practice" Draco said
"then why do I have to wake up" she whined
"you'll see, get dressed and meet me in the common room" Draco smirked and left her room
15 minutes later Ella walked into the common room. She glared at her best friend, who just laughed and pulled her out. They met up with the rest of the Slytherin team. Ella was just confused and let Draco pull her with him. They walked onto the Quidditch field, broomsticks in their hands.
"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"
Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and George followed.
"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"
Marcus Flint had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."
Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man.
"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"
"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'. "
"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"
Draco came forward with Ella, smirking. Ella yawned, she just wanted to go back to sleep.
"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.
"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."
All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors'noses in the early morning sun.
"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" - he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives -" sweeps the board with them."
None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.
"Can I go back to bed?" Ella asked Draco
"not now" Draco sighed
"Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."
Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on.
"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's they doing here?"
He was looking at Malfoy and Ella.
"Ella's the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought the team."
Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.
"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."
The Slytherin team howled with laughter.
"wait.. i'm the new seeker?" Ella asked now realizing what he said
"yeah you are" Flint answered
"why didn't you tell me that when you woke me up!" Ella shouted at Draco
"because you don't have Quidditch robes yet so their was no need to tell you, it was a surprise" Draco answered
"Well at least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. " They got in on pure talent."
The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.
"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.
Harry knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him.
"Draco" Ella said squeezing his hand a bit tight
Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!"
Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face.
A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of Ron's wand.
Ella quickly took out her wand and went in front of Draco, she quickly shouted "Protego." Ron's spell was deflected back at him hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.
"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione.
Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.
The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.
Ella ran over "oh my god Weasley I'm sorry"
Hermione put a hand on her shoulder "Don't worry Ella he'll be alright, as much as I wish that spell hit him, you were brave for protecting Malfoy"
"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms. He and Hermione supported Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds toward the edge of the forest.
"Nice deflection spell Ella" Flint complemented as they left the Quidditch field
"thanks, I've been practicing my spells" Ella said as Draco put his arm on her shoulder
"That was hilarious" Draco laughed
"I didn't mean to hit him, I just didn't want it to hit you" Ella said sadly
"It's whatever, those Gryffindor's deserved everything they got so don't worry about it" Flint said patting her head
"Are you ok Draco?" Ella asked
"never better" Draco smiled
Ella smiled too, she couldn't help it. Draco's smile was beautiful and it made her smile too. She would give anything to keep that smile from disappearing. He's her best friend after all.
~Time Skip~
October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Ella and Draco were careful not to catch a cold.
One night Ella and Draco were sitting in the common room talking and laughing happily. Draco was teasing her for falling off the sofa. She was so clumsy, but they both had a good laugh about it. They were having fun until Ella heard it.
"... rip... tear... kill..."
Ella stopped laughing and stood up. Draco looked worried "Ella are you ok?"
Ella shook her head and looked around, she must've been hearing things again.
"... soo hungry... for so long..."
"Ella your breathing heavy, calm down" Draco said putting his hand on her shoulder
"... kill... time to kill..." The voice was growing fainter.
Ella ran out of the common room and heard the voice: "... I smell blood... I SMELL BLOOD!"
She ran down the corridor until she came upon Harry and his friends. Something was shining on the wall. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN
OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE
There was a large puddle of water on the . Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.
For a few seconds, nobody moved. Then Ron said, "Let's get out of here."
"Shouldn't we try and help -" Harry began awkwardly.
"Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here."
"Ella" Hermione said worried, seeing Ella breathing heavy
From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.
The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ella stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.
Then someone shouted through the quiet.
"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"
It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat. Draco's gin disappeared as he went over to Ella and put his arm around her, he was very worried and called to her "Ella." Ella was breathing really heavy, they needed Prrfessor Snape, now!