I had some extra time over and finished this chapter rather quick.

Thank you as always for keep reading my story! :)

And special thanks to neocreate and HermioneandMarcus for reviewing!

.

Chapter 15

.

They'd reached middle of October, winter was coming and it was coming fast. They were only days away from snow. But at the same time it gave the castle a bit of a cosy feeling, with all the flames and the fireplaces lith. Draco was on his way to the library and Blaise Zabini had for some unknown reason chosen to follow him around.

"Blaise, what do you want?" Draco finally asked. They turned the corner and stopped outside the library entrance.

"I'm bored", Blaise said. "You amuse me." Draco turned away from him and walked in to the library. He walked straight through, to the other side of the large room. He'd seen the book he was after before and knew at least which shelf it stood in.

"What are you looking for?" Blaise asked; and Draco, whom was rather tired of his follower just said;

"A book." Draco turned in between the bookshelves. By the window in the far and, at one of the tables she sat. Her long brown hair was pulled in to a braid as most of the time and her beautiful blue eyes were fixed in the paper she was writing. He turned to the books before his mind would drift too far away.

"Who is that girl?" Blaise asked. Draco turned around to see who he was talking about, of course it was her. He ignored Blaise's question. "I've seen you talking to her several times", Blaise said, as if he demanded Draco to answer.

"Yes, I know her", Draco said, still looking after the specific book in the bookshelves.

"And?" Draco turned around to face him again, and thereby also looking over at Alice. He understood why Blaise had got his eyes opened for her.

"She's nothing for you", Draco said.

"Why? Jealous that I might succeed?" Blaise studied Draco's face carefully as he spoke. "Afraid she'll pick me over you?" Draco decided to not answer again. "Besides you got Pansy, what do you need her for?"

"Alice is..." Blaise interrupted him.

"Ah! Her name is Alice", he yelped out. "Pretty name for a pretty girl."

"Why is she so interesting suddenly?" Blaise didn't take his eyes away from her, she was stunning. Who wouldn't be interested in her?

Alice looked over at the two boys standing not too far away from her. She got the feeling that they were talking about her. Determined to know what they were saying, and if it actually was about her, Alice stood up, put the books in her bag and walked over to them. They both stood numbed and just starred.

"Hi boys", she said with a shy smile. "It's getting a bit dark and I was just wondering if someone could accompany me back to the common room?" They both straightened up and took one step forward towards her. She couldn't help but to break an amused smile.

"Draco, weren't you looking for that book?" Blaise said, pushing Draco away.

"Well, yes", Draco started and once again he was interrupted.

"Have you found it then?" Draco knew he was beaten. Alice watched Blaise from the corner of her eye as they started walking down the corridor. He was rather beautiful, long, lean and dark, with a proud posture.

"So, are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Blaise asked.

"I wasn't planning on it, no", Alice admitted, even though all of her friends were going there.

"Why, are you busy?" They rounded a corner and walked straight into Pansy Parkinson and a couple of other sixth years Slytherin girls. Pansy watched Alice with disgrace before purposely bumping in to her so that Alice fell right on her bum.

"Watch where you're going!" Pansy said, rubbing her shoulder as if she was hurt. Blaise reached out his hand and helped Alice on her feet. "What are you doing with her, Blaise?"

"Don't let it get out over Alice just because you can't handle the competition, Pansy", he said, putting an arm around Alice's shoulders. Pansy looked as if she'd chocked on something before she grabbed her friends and stomped away from the scene. "Are you alright?" Blaise asked.

"I'm fine, thank you", Alice said, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Pansy and her gang wasn't following.

"Would you like to join me for Hogsmeade?" Alice looked up on him, why would he want her company? He was rather handsome though.

"Sure", Alice said, smiling. They rounded the corner and stopped in front of the wall leading in to the Slytherin common room.

"As a date", he added. Alice felt flattered, how could she turn this down?

"Of course", she said and they walked through the wall in to the greenish room. "I'm heading for bed straight away", Alice said and gave Blaise a soft smile.

"Sweet dreams beautiful", Blaise said, kissing her hand but not letting go of her gaze. Redness played across Alice's face and she smiled shyly at the attention. Blaise left her and headed for the group of boys sitting by the fireplace. Alice looked up and her eyes met with Draco's. He just looked at her, without any particular expression and walked with fast steps to the boy's dormitory. Even though she didn't want it; it hurt for just a second in her chest before she pushed that feeling away. They weren't friends anymore. She hadn't got any obligations towards him, at all.

.

The Great Hall was full of students; some of them had just got up and for some of them it was their second meal. Alice was one of those whom were having their second meal for the day. She was meting up with Blaise in about one and a half hour before leaving for Hogsmeade.

"Alice", she turned around. "Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office", Neville said while trying to catch his breath.

"Okay, thanks", she said and smiled at Neville before leaving the hall and heading for the headmaster's office. The castle felt pretty empty; most of the students were probably lurking around the main entrance in the wait for leaving for Hogsmeade. She walked passed a corner and bumped in to a broad stomach.

"Professor Slughorn", she said. "I'm sorry sir."

"No worries, Alice. Oh by the way, I was wondering if you would be interested in joining for a supper party sometime soon in my office? Select students only of course", professor Slughorn asked with a big smile.

"Absolutely sir", she said and smiled back at him.

"Splendid, my owl will be arriving in a day or two!" He said while walking down the corridor. Alice didn't really have time to take in what just happened; she continued her hasty walk towards professor Dumbledore's office. She stopped before the stone figure; spoke the password and stepped on the spinning staircase. She knocked on the door two times before it opened. Professor Dumbledore was as always sitting behind his desk, with his white hair and calming blue eyes behind the half-moon shaped glasses. He smiled at Alice who sat down before him.

"How are we feeling today?" He asked.

"Good, thank you sir. I'm feeling a bit nervous though", she said.

"Ah, yes. I heard about you date with Mr. Zabini." Dumbledore smiled. "I'm glad you're making friends."

"How's your hand doing, sir?" Alice asked and made a gesture towards his black hand.

"Not too well I'm afraid Alice", professor Dumbledore said. Alice noticed a ring with a black stone lying on the desk; it seemed familiar in some way. She reached out and touched it. Images appeared in her mind. She saw and old, dirty man sitting on a worn armchair, whispering; then she saw her father taking the ring from the old man's weak hand. The name Gaunt appeared in her mind as well. Then she saw her father, placing the ring by and old foundation.

"This was ours", she said before she could stop herself. "It belonged to us."

"What are you talking about Alice?" Anger spread inside of her.

"Did you steal it?" The words didn't come out as Alice had imagined. She spitted out a hissing, snakelike sound while making an outburst towards the old man. Then she put a hand over her mouth and fell back into the chair. She looked up and met his kind eyes.

"I'm not judging you Alice", he said softly. "The name Gaunt is not unfamiliar to me. I presume it's a family name?" Alice felt safe, she could trust this man. He would protect her.

"Yes, I couldn't take fathers name. It would be too obvious", Alice admitted.

"Too many that still remembers it?" Alice nodded.

"You already knew." It was clearly a statement, the questions wasn't needed.

"I knew you were coming; many felt it. And when your mother sent me that letter, forgive me Alice but I knew your mother wasn't married. Then I met you, the resemblance between the two of you is so strong..."

"Do you think anyone else knows?" Dumbledore smiled but shook his head.

"I doubt anyone dares to make that assumption." They sat quiet for a moment. "Do you remember what you told me last time we met?"

"That I can speak to snakes?" He didn't need to say anything for Alice to understand. "Did you understand then already?" He smiled.

"I'm not going to keep you any longer Alice", he said and picked up a small piece of parchment. "Make sure Harry Potter get's this." Alice took the parchment and left the room. She thought about what professor Dumbledore had said. Could it really be true? She walked down the stairs and somewhere in the crowd she saw a redhead and prayed that it would be Ginny.

"Ginny!" She called over the mass of heads. "Will you give this to Harry Potter?" Ginny took the parchment and nodded. She didn't get the chance to say anything before Alice was off again.

"Alice!" Alice kept walking. It was a bit early, she knew that. But she didn't want to have to wait the long line later on. Everybody was getting searched before leaving and before entering the castle; it had something to do with the new security – Alice hadn't paid much attention when the teachers had spoken of it.

"Alice?" Draco grabbed her arm and made her turn facing him.

"I'm not speaking to you", Alice said and tried to walk away from him. She knew that if he had the chance to really look at her with those grey eyes of his; she wouldn't be able to resist.

"I'm sorry", he said after her. She stopped, but didn't turn to look at him.

"Are you going to Hogsmeade?" Even if he was, she wouldn't be able to see him anyway. She was going with Blaise.

"No, I... I have detention with professor McGonagall." He was ashamed of that fact; no doubt about it. Alice now turned to face him, she felt sorry for him.

"Are you alright?" She asked and took one step closer to him. He reached out, took the piece of hair that was laying out of its place and pushed it out of her face, gently stroking her cheek before letting his hand fall down to his side again.

"Blaise is waiting for you", he said with a forced smile. Alice glanced over her shoulder; Blaise was standing a few meters away, leaning against a pillar not far from the main entrance. Alice looked back at Draco; or where Draco had been. He was gone again.