The Werewolf's Daughter

10: Christmas eve with a friend

Maya woke up the next morning to a faint tapping. She sat up with a start and looked around. The dormitory was empty; had she dreamt the noise? 'Tap, tap, tap.' Maya turned to the window and noticed an owl sitting there.

Maya sprung out of bed and rushed to open the window 'Hey little guy, got something for me?' The owl hooted and held out its claw which contained a rolled-up letter, tied with a ribbon.

Maya unrolled the letter and was delighted to see the same handwriting that had been on the letter she first received from Draco; this time in their code.

'Maya,

I hope you had a good sleep. I finally got peace – the whole Slytherin 3rd year boys dormitory to myself for the next two weeks!

I hope you will agree to meet me this morning; about 11am? Meet me on the seventh floor, opposite the Barnabas the Barmy painting. I'll show you one of my secret places.

Enjoy your breakfast,

Draco'

Maya quickly scribbled a reply to send back with the owl:

'Draco,

See you at 11am – I'll bring some chocolate to keep us going!

Maya'

Once she had sent the owl back to Draco, Maya skipped off to get ready for the day. Normally, Maya would throw on any old clothes when she didn't have class, this morning though she found herself taking more care over what she would wear. The jeans that aren't stained or ripped; the top that doesn't look like it needs to be put in the bin before it falls apart.

God Maya, they're just clothes. Put them on and go get breakfast.

Down in the Great Hall, Maya sat down with Hermione, Harry and Ron. Harry and Ron were so involved in a game of Wizards Chess they didn't even notice. Hermione did look up from her book, only for a moment though, just to say 'morning'.

'Morning!' Maya said back.

Maya looked at her watch, 10.30am – plenty of time to have something decent to eat. As she was helping herself to bacon, sausages and eggs Maya looked over at the Slytherin table. Malfoy was there, he wasn't staring at her today, but he did glance her way. Maya smiled and looked away; she was sure she could see him smile too. There was something different about him today…he looked relaxed. There weren't many Slytherins there, about a dozen, but all of them seemed more relaxed than normal, they were laughing and joking with each other. Maya made a mental note to ask Draco about that when she saw him.

'You're eating rather quick.' Hermione said, looking at Maya over the top of her book.

'Oh, yeah, research again!' Maya said back, shrugging.

At 10:55, 5 minutes after she had seen Draco leaving the Great Hall, Maya stood up and said bye to her friends. 'I probably won't be back down for lunch guys – so much to do!'

Once she was out of the Great Hall, Maya practically ran to the seventh floor and right to the portrait Draco had told her to meet him at.

As Maya turned the corner, she noticed Draco leaning against the wall. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a tight black t-shirt. His hair looked messier than normal, but it suited him. 'Hey' he said, as he noticed her coming along.

'Hi, sorry to keep you waiting. So' she said, looking around 'where is your secret place?'

'Stand back m'lady, this takes a bit of work.' he answered.

Maya stood back, and Draco started to walk 3 times in front of the opposite wall, he looked like he was thinking hard. Suddenly, a door started to appear.

'Woah, how the hell did you do that?' Maya asked gobsmacked 'Can you do non-verbal spells? I didn't see you saying anything!'

Draco laughed 'Come in and I'll explain.' he opened one of the doors and held it open for Maya to walk in.

'Seriously what is this place?' Maya asked, walking in to what looked like a big common room. There were couches on one side, but also desks and bookshelves on the other. There was plenty of paper, ink and quills.

'It's called the Room of Requirement or some know it as the come and go room. Basically, it is a magic place that will become whatever you need it to be. Not many people know about this place Maya and I would like to keep it that way if that's ok? It's a handy place to know about when you need peace.'

Maya was still looking around in awe. 'I'll not say anything, I promise'.

'Ok, shall we get to work?' Draco asked, smiling slightly at Maya's shock.

They both sat down on the same side of the table this time, and as Draco read through the letters, Maya wrote down some of the hints and important parts of the letter.

At 1.30pm they stopped for a break and Maya's stomach rumbled loudly. 'Oh, I thought breakfast would be enough but maybe not.' she said, 'Maybe we should go down for lunch?'

'No need' Draco answered and suddenly, loads of sandwiches, cakes and juice appeared on the table next to the couches. 'Wow, how did you do that?' Maya asked.

'It's the room; I mean I imagine the magic tells the house-elves in some way that food is needed here but it always just appears.'

'Great. You really wouldn't have to leave this room at all would you?'

'Nah, but I think someone would notice if you just disappeared one day.'

'True' Maya responded, smiling.

The two of them chattered about Christmas as they ate. 'Have you asked for anything in particular?' Maya asked Draco.

'No, I'll probably just get the usual – some new winter clothes, sweets, chocolate and other boring stuff. I don't really have to wait for Christmas to ask for anything; I can ask anytime I want, and I usually get it. So, at Christmas I never have anything to ask for.'

'Is there anything you do want this year? Something that can't be bought?'

'There is something, but I don't think I'll get it.' Maya raised her eyebrows and Draco carried on, 'To get rid of the nightmares that I have almost every night.' Maya was shocked; that wasn't what she was expecting.

'Can I ask what they're about?'

'Mainly my father and his horrific temper'. Maya didn't know what to say so she just leaned across and held Draco's hand.

Draco looked down at their hands and started to stroke Maya's with one of his fingers. 'I'm sorry, I'm being a downer – shall we carry on with the research?'

Maya nodded and followed Draco back to the table where all their paperwork was sitting. 'So, one last letter to go through and then we can look at what we've got.'

The last letter was the shortest one of the lot, it was from Maya's mother to Lyra and seemed to be the first letter that Maya's father was mentioned in.

'Lyra,

I hope you're well and your last year at Hogwarts is going well. Have you been studying?

I love my internship deciding to become a healer is the best thing I have done!

The house is ready for you to move into when you leave Hogwarts; I can't wait for us to live together again!

Now for some exciting news; I'm seeing someone! It's very new and I'm not sure how he feels about me, but I REALLY like him. The only thing is, he has an "affliction" as he calls it – I'll explain more about that when I see you. You'll know him, he was in Gryffindor and in my year at school – I don't want to tell you his name just now thought, just in case it doesn't work out! We went out at school, but split in seventh year. Hopefully it works out now!

Let me know if you need anything,

I love you,

Moira

Xx'

Maya wrote down the important parts of this letter. 'Ok, so we have the following noted down:

'Same age as Mum – would have went to school the same years

In Gryffindor

Had a nickname "Moony"

Half-blood

Had own house – parents deceased

Has some kind of "affliction"?

Ill quite a lot

Maya sighed 'Draco…I don't think I'm ever going to find my dad!' she wailed, laying her head down on the desk.

'Come on Maya, we can try and work this out together. We could also speak to Professors you know? Most of them would have been here at the same time as your parents.'

Maya lifted her head. 'What if we don't? I love Hogwarts, but I don't want to live here all the time. I want family. It's Christmas tomorrow and I don't even know if I'll actually get anything because I have nobody in the world. I want a father.' Maya started to cry. 'Sorry, it's just this is the first time it's hitting me properly that I have no one now.'

'You have me.' Draco said quietly 'And your friends. Plus, the Professors love you'.

Maya smiled 'I am so grateful to have all of you, but I just want a member of my own family. Even just to know where I come from.'

'We will find your father Maya. I can't promise it, but I will do everything I can to help you ok? Now, on these bookshelves are yearbooks from when your mother was at school – maybe we should go through them?'

Draco pulled the first photo album off of the shelf and they sat together on the couch to look through it. Maya found herself leaning in toward Draco with her head on his shoulder. Eventually, he put an arm around her shoulder. 'Maya, is this your mum?' Maya leaned forward and touched the photo of the young girl, she was laughing with another young girl.

'Yes, that's her; she's with Lily Evans. Harry's mum.'

'I thought that was her – he has her eyes.' Draco responded, 'You look just like your mum you know?'

'You think? I don't think so…she was so beautiful. Look how happy she is.'

'You're beautiful too Maya; so, so beautiful. I can't believe you don't know that.'

Maya blushed. 'Let's keep looking'.

It was teatime by the time they finished looking through the photo albums and Maya had noted down a few names on her list:

'James Potter

Sirius Black

Peter Pettigrew

Remus Lupin'

'Draco, Remus Lupin – that's Professor Lupin! I wonder if he would know? I mean, it can't be him because it says something about an "affliction" which he doesn't have. Maybe it's Peter Pettigrew? I know it won't be James Potter and I really hope it's not Sirius Black…'

'I hope it's not Sirius Black too…. I'm related to him through my mum you know? They're first cousins.'

'Oh, I never knew…sorry!'

'No, we have nothing to do with him. He was a "blood traitor" that ran away when he was 16 – I guess he wasn't so much of a blood traitor though. Also, I would hope we weren't both related to him…'

Maya looked confused and Draco raised his eyebrows. 'Ohh, I get you' Maya finally said, blushing.

'I think we should go down for tea now and I won't be able to come and see you again tonight. I promised one of the first years a game of wizard's chess this evening.'

'Oh, I meant to ask you; the atmosphere at the Slytherin table today was so much more relaxed – why?'

'I think it's just because all of the actual bullies have gone home for the holidays and once they realised I wasn't going to be an issue, they relaxed a bit. They're good kids really.'

Maya smiled up at Draco; she was still tucked under his arm leaning on him. 'Draco…I don't know how we're going to do it, but ever since yesterday and you telling me how you've been feeling, I've realised I feel the same.' As she was talking, Maya sat up and looked Draco straight in the eyes. 'I like you; lets take it slow but let's try and be more than friends. If you still want me?'

Draco looked down at Maya and smiled; in response he kissed her on the lips. It was amazing and took Maya's breath away. In fact, it was so good that Maya was still thinking about it when she sat down to have her tea 20 minutes later.