Chapter One: A Project to Dread
First Day of his Sixth Year and McGonagall was assigning them a project. He groaned internally.
"For this project, you will be working with a partner-"
The class started to erupt in cheers.
"That I will assign to you," She interjected causing the class to groan. "Now, Millicent Bulstrode and Mandy Brocklehurst. Daphne Greengrass and Sue Li. Padma Patil and Hannah Abbott. Hermione Granger and Susan Bones. Harry Potter and Lisa Turpin. Ronald Weasley and Wayne Hopkins. Neville Longbottom and Megan Jones. Vincent Crabbe and Anthony Goldstein. Gregory Goyle and Seamus Finnegan. Justin Finch-Fletchley and Dean Thomas. Kevin Entwistle and Sophie Roper. Emma Vane and Ernest Macmillan. Draco Malfoy and-"
He perked up at his name, cringing.
"And Aleanie Stency." Fuck. She really paired him with the mudblood from Ravenclaw. He turned around to look at her. She frowned and her forehead scrunched up as she looked back at him.
Goyle nudged him and he turned back around. "She's making you work with the mudblood."
"I know," he groaned.
"At least she's not an ugly mudblood."
Draco snorted, "That's true. Could be worse that way." He sighed.
As McGonagall explained the assignment, he turned to look at Aleanie again. She was jotting down notes and pushed her dark brown corkscrew curls from her face and glared at him. She half rolled her eyes at him with a huff and shook her head before going back to writing. At least he knew she seemed just as happy as he was to be his partner.
Draco turned back to his paper, writing down the instructions for this unfortunately long assignment.
"Okay, this project will be due when we return from the winter holidays. I expect an update every two weeks on your progress. You will write a summary of your current findings and work and present it to the class as well. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know, but unless I deem the relationship bad, no, I won't be assigning you a new partner, so do not bother to ask."
Once class ended, she walked up to him. "So, when do you want to start doing this project?"
Draco internally groaned again, "As soon as we can I guess so we can get this over with."
She scoffed, "Fine with me. Meet me at the library then after classes today." She started to walk away, "Oh and, Draco, you even think of calling me a mudblood, I'll kick your scrawny ass." With an eye roll, she walked away.
He rolled his eyes too and gathered his belongings before leaving class. Once the day ended, he slowly made his way to the library, half shuffling his feet as he tried to think of a project that would work, and they could do and finish well before the time it's due.
Draco found Aleanie sitting at a table in a corner near the window. She glanced up. "At least you showed up."
"I want to pass, obviously." He set his bag down on the table and took out his quill and paper and book. She had a handful of books scattered around her. He took one of the books and let out a heavy sigh as he sat down across from her. "Any ideas yet?"
"No. It's not an easy assignment to figure out what to transform into multiple transformations."
"Yeah, I don't have any ideas yet either."
"I checked out a handful of books about transfiguration. I figured I had to get some quickly before everyone else made a grab too."
"That was a good idea." He admitted and opened one of the books about deep transfiguration. They didn't say much as they looked through some of the books, rejecting more ideas than they could come up with in the end. After a couple hours of studying and making a list of ideas, they decided to call it a day.
"I think we should continue this tomorrow after dinner." Aleanie stated.
He nodded, "Yeah, fine." He packed his bag and included some of the books she'd checked out.
"Don't you lose those books. If you lose them, I'll get the blame. I know you loathe us mudbloods, as you and your friends call me, but don't put me in a bind requiring me to pay fines I can't afford. Got it?"
His mouth gaped a little as his eyes grew slightly wide in surprise, "Of course I won't lose them. Your muggle family too poor to pay basic fees?"
Her forehead scrunched, "My family is hardly a concern of yours. Don't pretend it is. Just don't lose the books." She threw her bag over her shoulder.
"I said I won't, didn't I?" He snapped.
She scoffed, "I don't know what you'd do, Malfoy. I know your dad is a Death Eater. I don't know what a spoiled only child of one would do to someone like me, do I?"
"I won't lose the books. I want this project to go well and get a top grade too. What good would it do me to cause you issues in this project?"
"So, you can get a new partner, duh."
"You heard McGonagall; we aren't getting a new one. So, we just have to put up with each other until it's over."
"Fine. I can put up with you. The question is if you are willing to put up with me?"
"I really don't have a choice, do I?" He put the bag on his shoulder as they began to exit the library.
She sighed, "You know, it's a shame. That your family hates groups of people. It must be sad and miserable to be so angry all the time." She opened the door ahead of him and he just stood there and blinked. Before he could respond, the door closed, and she was gone.