Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, except the plot and Jessica.
Chapter One: The Encounter
It was a beautiful summer day when a couple of fourteen year old wizards and witches got their necessities letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For one fourteen year old it was a first time letter from Hogwarts. Hermione and Jessica Granger are Muggleborns, and showed magic somehow. Harry Potter on the other hand, was the son of a wizards couple. James Potter and Lilly Potter-Evans were his parents, the most famous wizard and witch of their time. When Harry was a one year old, he and his parents were attacked by an evil wizard. He was the most evil and darkest wizard there excisted, 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' is his known name. Harry got his letter from Rubeus Hagrid, key custodian and groundskeeper at Hogwarts for his first year three years ago, then Hagrid took Harry to Diagon Alley to purchase his necessities.
Meanwhile the Granger home was upside down. The last things were dealt with and not long after they were ready to go. They took their bags and got on their way to Diagon Ally, the both of them had shopped there in their previous years, Hermione for Hogwarts and Jessica for Beauxbatons. But after three years of complaining about Jessica missing her sister their parents finally gave in and let her go to Hogwarts after they had spoken with both of the schools headmasters. Jessica was thrilled she could finally join her sister at school, and the journey towards the school was much shorter then to France. First they stopped by at Gringotts and took some money out of their vaults. When they got out of Gringotts they purchased their books and other necessities, and walked into Harry and Ron. It seemed that Harry stayed over at Ron's and they were shopping together for their books and other things they needed. They talked for a while and wandered through Diagon Alley until they decided to buy some ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and ate their ice creams at the outdoor tables. After they finished their ice creams Harry and Ron bid their goodbyes to Hermione and Jessica and went home, they would meet each other tomorrow at King's Cross Station. When Harry and Ron had left the girls wandered one more time through Diagon Alley. They realized they needed some new robes and walked to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and stepped inside. Madam Malkin took their measurements when a blonde and pale boy about their age walked into the shop. "Granger." he greeted Hermione drawling, while his gaze fell on the girl next to her. Hermione and Jessica looked up at the greeting. "Malfoy." Hermione said haughtily. "Who's that, Hermione. Can you introduce me to him?" Jessica whispered softly to her sister, while Hermione looked at her skeptical, but nodded. "Jessica, meet Draco Malfoy. He's a Slytherin." she said annoyed, while Draco raised his eye brow and stepped forward. "I can speak for myself, Granger." he said snappy, and held out his hand. "Draco Malfoy." he introduced himself once more, while Jessica took his hand and shook it. "Jessica Granger, I'm Hermione's twin sister, this is going to be my first year at Hogwarts." she introduced herself with a little smile. "You're robes are done." Madam Malkin said, and Hermione and Jessica paid for their robes and left the shop, while bidding their goodbyes. "Are you insane! He is the worst person at Hogwarts." Hermione exclaimed, while Jessica had a puzzled look on her face. "What is wrong with introducing myself to him?" she asked, while they walked to The Leaky Cauldron. Hermione sighed and looked around to find their parents. "I'll explain to you later." she said and walked to their parents while Jessica followed her.
It was September 1st 1994 and it was extremely busy at King's Cross Station. Every Hogwarts student was on their way to platform 9¾. Harry and Ron were dropped at the platform by miss Weasley and boarded the train to wait there for Hermione, Neville and Jessica to join them. Hermione and Jessica bid their goodbyes to their parents and started walking to the wall. "Be careful okay? Write as soon as you get there." their mothers voice sounded behind them. "We will, mom." they replied before they disappeared through the wall. Draco too was dropped at the platform by his father and Lily. Draco bid his goodbyes to them and got on the train. Hermione and Jessica soon found Neville and his toad Trevor, Harry and Ron. "Hello, I'm Jessica. What's your name?" Jessica asked Neville. "I'm Neville Longbottom." the boy stammered, while Jessica held out her hand. The boy accepted her hand and shook it. "Is this your first year at Hogwarts?" Neville asked her, while Jessica nodded. "This is your fourth right? Just like Hermione, Harry and Ron?" she asked him, while he looked at her with a smile. "That's correct. What school did you go to before?" he asked then. "Didn't Hermione tell you I was a student at Beauxbatons for the last three years?" she asked surprised, while he shook his head. "Oh, well I didn't like it there anyways. It took me a lot of complaining to mom and dad about how I missed Hermione during school, and after three years they had enough and decided to apply me to Hogwarts and I got accepted." she explained with a little smile, while the others nodded.
Draco found his spot with Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini and Parkinson. When he came there was nothing more than a nod to greet each other and their journey went by in complete silence. A little further in the compartment where Hermione, Jessica, Ron, Harry and Neville took their seats was a lot of conversation. "We've had a lovely vacantion, how about you Neville?" Hermione asked, while Neville looked up and nodded. "My vacation was fine." he said, while he was looking for his toad. "O no, Trevor! Have you seen my toad?" he asked the girls panicking, while they both shook their heads. "You lost it again? Neville…" Hermione sighed and stood up and took Jessica by the hand and got out of the compartment on a search for Trevor. After a little while they came across a compartment with a couple of boys and a girl in it, one of the boys had black hair and a dark skin color, while another one had brown hair, and another was big, the girl had black hair, and Jessica recognized the pale blonde boy. "Hello, have you seen a toad? Neville's lost his." Jessica asked confident, while the boys and girl shook their heads. Hermione turned around disapointed but Jessica stopped her. "We're Hermione and Jessica Granger. Who are you?" Jessica asked nicely, the boys and girl looked up at them in annoyance and ignored them completely. Jessica turned around and stomped away. "Well, that was rude." she said annoyed, while Hermione sighed once more. "I told you Draco was the worst person at Hogwarts. And this is one of the reasons why. He thinks we are less, because we're Muggleborns, or Mudbloods as he likes to call people like us." she said, while she looked for Trevor. When they finally got back at their compartment, they found Trevor safe and sound at Neville's lap, so they decided to change into their robes, and left the compartment once more.
"Didn't you think Harry looked like me?" Jessica asked Hermione, while Hermione shook her head. Shortly after that the train lost speed and stopped at a little station in Hogsmeade. "First years, this way!" Hagrid shouted over the heads of the children. Every first year student walked straight to Hagrid. While the older students walked the other way to the carriages. Hermione dragged Jessica along and told her she would be sorted with the first years, but that she needed to join the older students on their way to school. When they arrived at the carriages Hermione joined Harry, Neville and Ron, while Jessica had to share a carriage with Crabbe, Goyle and Draco. They travelled in silence and when the ride was over Jessica sped over to Hermione and the others. Hermione told her that she needed to wait at the teachers table to be sorted, Jessica nodded and walked over. Jessica already knew about the houses and that Slytherin was boys only and Ravenclaw girls only. All to soon professor McGonagall came in with the first year students and told her to take a place in line.
The first names went by, Louise Gladstone was sorted in Huffelpuff and Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor followed suit. "Ronald Webber!" McGonagall said, while Ronald jumped and walked over to the stool with the Sorting hat on it. He took seat at the stool and put on the Sorting hat. After a little hesitation the Sorting hat knew where to put Ronald. "SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting hat shouted through the Great Hall. The whole Ravenclaw table burst out in loud cheering and applauded. Brendon Sweeney was next to be sorted, he was sorted into Slytherin as were Nigel Smith and Lionell Matthews. Of course Amanda Smith was sorted into Ravenclaw, since Slytherin was boys only and Ravenclaw girls only. "Lavender Grey!" reverberated McGonagall's voice through the Great Hall. Lavender took seat on the stool and put on the Sorting hat. After a long time the hat finally sorted Lavender. "GRYFFINDOR!" it sounded through the Great Hall. "William Brown!" McGonagall shouted, while William walked nervously toward the stool and waited with the hat on his head to be sorted. "GRYFFONDOR!" it sounded once more, while William stood up and walked toward the cheering and applauding table.
Now it was Jessica's turn. "Jessica Granger!" McGonagall said, while Jessica walked over to the stool and took seat as nervous as she was she put on the Sorting hat. It looked like it took hours for the Sorting hat to make his decision. "SLYTHERIN!" thundered through the Great Hall. Slytherin… I'm in Slytherin, I'm bad. SLYTHERIN?! I'm all alone with all those boys!? ran through her mind. She walked toward an astonished Slytherin table, and took seat at the end of the table across from Malfoy, who ignored her further on, although he caught himself for staring at her for a while now. The whole Great Hall was astonished and it buzzed with whispers. "Daniel MacCoy!" McGonagall continued like nothing had happened. Daniel walked with an confident grin towards the stool, and before the hat was on his head it said his house. "HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting hat shouted, while Daniel with more confidence jumped of the stool and walked towards the Hufflepuff table.
Still nobody understood how it was possible that Jessica was the only girl sorted in Slytherin. The Sorting hat always knew if you're a boy or a girl, if you were a Slytherin as a girl you automatically would be sorted in Ravenclaw. But in this case, something wasn't right. Dumbledore seemed not bothered about it, and closed his speech and told everyone they could eat. The complete hall was a buzzing noise caused by clinking glasses and cutlery. They all ate their tummy's full and were brought soon by their prefects to their dormitory's. Meanwhile Jessica felt like someone was watching her. "What are you looking at?" she cried sharply to the boy, while she followed slowly her fellow Slytherins to their common room. "I wasn't looking at you!" Draco shot back. When they finally were in the common room and all the boys in their beds, she decided to ask the prefect where she would sleep, not knowing Draco was still listening at the stairs. "I'll get professor Snape for you. He'll tell you where you sleep. Although it is highly uncommon for a girl to be in Slytherin for the last two years." the prefect told her, Jessica nodded and sat down at the couch waiting for professor Snape. "Seriously. It's obvious this is a mistake, you don't belong here!" Draco hissed to her. She looked at him haughtily but ignored him and waited patiently for professor Snape. She dozed off just a bit when the door opened and closed with a loud bang, professor Snape had arrived. "You asked where you needed to sleep miss Granger?" professor Snape asked. Jessica jumped when she heard her name and nodded. "I understood from professor Dumbledore you needed to share a room with the boys as long as you're here, that will be the same for the following years." Snape said friendly. "You've got to be kidding me, professor?" Draco exclaimed indignantly, while Jessica stared at professor Snape in shock. "Y…Yo…You mean that, professor?" she stammered, while Snape nodded, ignored Draco and turned around. "Goodnight miss Granger. Don't worry about it, nothing will happen to you." Snape said at a soothing tone and left the common room. "Goodnight, professor." she said softly, while she walked towards to dormitory with a sigh and changed into her pajama's in the bathroom. She curled up at the only empty bed and fell asleep quickly while Simba was purring above her head on the pillow.
Draco awoke and saw the girl he admired so much in the Great Hall in the bed beside his. It looked like she didn't appreciate his attention and she had made that known. He didn't liked it that someone turned down his attention that way. How dare this Granger to snap at me like that! She had to be happy that I look at her. She's beautiful… What am I thinking about, she doesn't even deserve my attention! She snapped at me when she finally after thirty minutes realized I was looking at her! ran through his mind, while he looked at her. He got out of bed and went to the bathroom, when he came back he couldn't keep his eyes of her. It didn't take Draco that long to fall asleep again.
'"Lily, take the kids into safety and run as fast as you can!" a male voice called out. A high pitch laugh followed together with a flash of green light. She felt the warm skin of her mother pressed to her face, not long after that there was only cold, a high pitched laugh and a flash of green light…'
"AAAAH" Jessica screamed and sat up in terror. Draco was wide awake after that and looked straight towards Jessica. She sat up on her bed, and it seemed that she sobbed. He stood and walked over and sat down next to her. She felt someone sitting next to her and tried to wipe away her tears quickly. "Are you alright?" Draco asked drawling. "Yes, I'm fine. Why?" she asked sobbing. Draco gave her a smile and looked at her. "You woke me with your scream, and then I heard you sob. But if everything is alright, I'll go back to bed." he said without meaning to be friendly. She looked at him in surprise and burrowed her head in her hands, while sobbing. He looked at her and chuckled. I knew it, she was crying.I need to do something for her he thought. Slowly she laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed softly. He looked at the girl in surprise and tried to cheer her up. "My name is Draco Malfoy, by the way. And what was yours again?" he asked anything but sweet. She smiled when she looked up at him. "My name is Jessica Granger." she said friendly and held out her hand, which he took and shook once more. They talked a little more after that, and slowly they started to trust each other.
"What was wrong, why were you screaming?" he asked carefully, trying not to make her cry again. She looked at him sadly. "I had a bad dream, nothing to worry about." she said softly, while petting her sleeping kitten Simba. Draco looked at the little cat and petted him carefully. "Normally you don't start crying after a bad dream." he said. Merlin's beard, she's sweet and beautiful ran through his mind. Jessica looked at him with teary eyes. "I dreamed about something strange. I heard a man calling towards someone called Lily to take the kids into safety and then ran, they were a boy and a girl. I also heard a high pitched laugh and saw a flash of green light, nothing more." she said with a lump in her throat. "It was so scary." she said sobbing, and laid her head in her hands again, while crying softly. He laid an arm around her and comforted her. "It will be okay. I'm here with you, you're safe. I'll be here to protect you." he said softly, when he noticed she began to calm down, he gave her a hug.
"You know what!" he suddenly said louder than he had meant for. "I'll push my bed against yours, than you are never alone in bed. You're my best friend and nothing may happen to you." he said bravely. She nodded in agreement and laid down, Simba was still curled up at her pillow. Meanwhile Draco shoved his bed against hers and laid down too. After a little bit of small talk they both fell asleep content. The next morning Jessica woke up early, she felt something odd underneath her cheek, when she checked what is was, she let out a soft scream. She sat up on the bed and woke up the person next to her. "What are you doing here!? she cried out louder then she meant to do. "There has to be at least two meters in between our beds." she continued whisper yelling. Meanwhile the others were awake too and saw the scene. "You had a bad dream last night, that's why we agreed to push my bed against yours, so you could sleep peacefully." he whispered back softly so the others couldn't hear. When she remembered she nodded with a smile, and took her Hogwarts uniform and walked into the bathroom to change her clothes.
"You've got guts, to lay down next to that Mudblood. Where is your proud to be a pure blood, and since when do you care about someone whose less than a pure blood?!" Zabini attacked Draco. Draco's eyes widened when he looked at Zabini. "She had shoved her bed against mine herself, you know how girls are." he sneered, while Zabini shook his head. "That's not possible since the distance between hers and mine is still the same, just like the others, about two meters." Zabini told him while he looked around the dormitory. Crabbe and Goyle nodded in agreement, while Draco furiously pushed his bed back into place and changed into his Hogwarts uniform. Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini left the dormitory and took seat in the common room. Jessica had heard their conversation and stomped angry into the common room. "MUDBLOOD!? I'm a MUDBLOOD?! How dare you say such things! As if the Sorting hat a Muggleborn would sort into Slytherin! Come on! Do you believe it yourself!" she cried angry at Zabini. Zabini looked at her with a big grin on his face. "For your information, your parents are Muggles, am I right?" he sneered. "I mean, you look exactly like that other Granger girl, so you must be a Muggleborn. Although I have to admit, that I think you look like that Potter too. But that's probably just me." he continued sneering.
Draco had noticed the commotion at the common room and decided to wait until it was over. I'm a Muggleborn. How could I forget what Mudblood meant. How could I think that Draco was sincere last night. Without looking at Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle she stomped furiously towards the dormitory. Draco saw how Jessica came in furiously and watched her when she took seat at her bed and took Simba onto her lap. He decided to sit down next to her and tried to comfort her, but she didn't accept his attempts and moved further away from him. "Don't you dare to think I don't know it was all a scheme last night, Draco! When Zabini thinks about me like that, you sure do too. And especially if you're trying to blame me for pushing YOUR bed against mine! I'm sorry Draco, but with someone who thinks about me like that, I can't and won't be friends." she said with a lump in her throat. Draco looked at her surprised. "I had to Jessica. His parents are Death eaters, just like my father once was. Only they still don't know about my father not being a Death eater anymore. Although I have a feeling they suspect things. That's why Zabini was testing me, only my answer didn't satisfy his wishes. And especially after what I did for you last night there will be little credibility for my father being a Death eater." he said softly, Jessica looked away. "Look at me! I'm talking to you, I'm trying to explain something to you. Okay I get it, you're furious with Zabini, and yes he shouldn't have said that to you. But that doesn't mean that I was there for you last night when you needed me! And I want to be able to that from now on." he continued, she looked at him with teary eyes, whilst hugging Simba. "I can't be a Muggleborn if I'm in Slytherin, it can't be, right?" she asked sobbing. Draco shook his head. "It's not possible, there has to be something about you that made the Sorting hat think you are a worthy Slytherin and not a Ravenclaw. We'll find out about it sometime." he said reassuring. Jessica stood while she petted Simba for the last time and walked into the common room. "I'm to the owlery, to say hello to Pebbles." she said and left the common room.
Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle were now nowhere to be seen, and she didn't trust it at all. Slowly she continued her way towards the owlery she opened the door and saw instantly two Snowy owls. Oh, who of those two is Pebbles. Oh, this only happens to me! she thought. "Pebbles, come over here." she said softly and the Snowy owl on the left side came towards her and nibbled softly on her finger. She gave Pebbles an owl treat and sat down on the floor with a piece of parchment, a feather and some ink. Pebbles sat down next to her. Slowly she started to write her letters, one for her parents, the other for Hermione.
Hermione,
Could you meet me as soon as possible at the courtyard? I'll finish the letter to mom and dad first and then I'll meet you there. Please write back.
Love,
Jess.
"Here you go, Pebbles. Take this to Hermione please, and wait until she wrote back." she said while she tied the note to her leg and gave her another owl treat. Pebbles nibbled softly on her finger as a reply and flew away. Meanwhile Jessica started on her letter to her parents.
Dear dad and mom,
Hermione and I arrived safe and sound at Hogwarts. I made some new friends on our way here at the train, and I made another friend in my common room. I'm not sorted at Gryffindor, like I thought I would be, I'm sorted into Slytherin, a boys only house. Yes, I'm the only girl between all those boys. It's a bit weird though, but there will be a solution for it, I guess. We'll write soon again.
We miss you and we love you,
Love,
Hermione and Jess.
Pebbles was back already with the note from Hermione for Jessica. She looked up and took the note from Pebbles her leg and tied the letter to her parents to Pebbles little leg. She gave Pebbles another owl treat and send her off to London, where her parents lived. "Take this to mommy and daddy. Stay safe, sweet Pebbles." she said to her owl.
Jess,
I'll be there as soon as I can. Is it okay with you if I bring Ron and Harry along? I'll see you soon at the courtyard.
X
Hermione.
She jumped up and ran as fast as she could towards the courtyard. When she was nearly there she slowed her pace and saw that Hermione, Harry and Ron were there already. "Hi, Hermione, Harry and Ron." she said all but cheerful. Harry, Ron and Hermione noticed something was up and look at Jessica quizzically. "Hi Jess, is something wrong?" they asked in unison. She knew she couldn't get out of it, so she nodded. "I had a nightmare last night. I heard man call out to a women named Lily that she had to take the kids to safety and then run for her life. Then I heard a high pitched laugh and saw a flash of green light, and I woke up." she told without taking a breath. The three of them looked at her with wide eyes. Hermione gave Harry a meaningful look. "Isn't that about the same as you told us this morning, Harry?" Ron asked suddenly, and Harry nodded. "I told you on the train that I felt some strange connection with Jessica, like I knew her for years. And that I thought she looked a little like me?" Harry said, while Ron nodded and took a good look at Jessica. "Bloody hell! She does look like you. She has the exact same green eyes as you have and your nose and mouth are the same. Further on she just looks like Hermione." Ron stated cheerfully, while Hermione also took a good look at Jessica and Harry. "It will not? No it's not possible." she said more to herself than to anyone else.
"I think we should take this to professor Dumbledore." a drawling voice said. Jessica turned abruptly and saw a man who looked exactly like Draco, she turned and saw Draco watching with an anxious look on his face. "May I ask why we should take this to professor Dumbledore?" she asked impatiently, the tall blonde man grinned. "Oh, I didn't meant the thing you were talking about, I meant the mistake the Sorting hat made. What does a girl like you in Slytherin." he said drawling. "I'm Lucius Malfoy by the way, Draco's father. But for you it's mister Malfoy of course." he continued, Draco nodded and was still watching somewhat anxious towards his father. Jessica looked at the man with narrowed eyes. "I'm Jessica Granger, and this is my sister Hermione Granger, and my friends Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." she said distrustful, while Lucius look at her in shock when he heard her name. "I need to go to Dumbledore." he said in shock. "Come Draco!" he bellowed, and Draco trotted behind his father.
"What a nasty guy, that Malfoy." Ron said when Draco and Lucius finally had left. "Why did he have such a shocked look on his face when he heard the name Jessica Granger, is there something about you we don't know, Jessica?" he asked, while Jessica shook her head. She couldn't remember anything. "THE DREAM!" she suddenly cried. The others looked at her in surprise. "That dream Harry and I told you about. That was the same right?" she asked, while the other three nodded. "Surely it would not be that Harry and I are family or something?" she asked more to herself then to someone else. "Technically that's impossible, but if you compare your eyes, nose and mouth with Harry's, you two do look like each other what could be some kind of familiar connection. But then again, you also look just like me. So it's logical to outsiders to think you're my sister. I think they know in this world more about you than yourself, what they would like to keep a secret from you." Hermione said in her usual pedantic tone, while Jessica nodded absently and followed the others inside. "Jess, what's the matter with you. You're so absent as can be and when you see that Draco guy it looks like you're mad at him or something." Hermione suddenly said, Jessica nodded, still absent and suddenly startled out of her thoughts. "Huh… What… Did you say something?" she asked Hermione, while Hermione sighed and shook her head. "I asked what's wrong with you, you seem so absent and when you see that Draco or whatever his name may be you seem angry with him or something?" she repeated her question once more. Jessica's eyes widened while she looked at her sister. "There's nothing wrong, honestly. I'm not angry with Draco. It's just that I know his father is a Death eater or was as Draco claimed. But other than that he is a nice guy, he was there for me last night, when I woke up scared after that nightmare. This morning he did the same after Zabini called me a Mudblood, he comforted me once more." she told them.
Harry and Ron looked at each other dumbfounded. "A Malfoy who cares about a girl, that's called a Mudblood by his friends?! That's impossible, honestly." Ron cried. "I mean HELLO… His father is a Death eater, every father of the boys in Slytherin are Death eaters, just like the fathers of the majority of the Ravenclaw girls. It's the same for Pansy Parkinson's father, Draco's girlfriend!" he exclaimed, while Hermione took a look at her watch and saw that lunch was about to start. "Guys, it's time for lunch. Let's go to the Great Hall." she said, while Ron's last words about Pansy Parkinson still resounded through Jessica's head as she walked to the table of Slytherin. "I'll catch up with you after lunch." she said absently. She sat for a while at the table when she suddenly saw Draco who came in with a grim face and Pansy Parkinson hanging on his arm, her gaze froze. Ron was right, that girl is his girlfriend. She felt a pang of jealousy and she looked away from the pair. Draco saw Jessica's face and felt guilty, as he walked annoyed to the Slytherin table, while Pansy went cheerful and fake in love to the Ravenclaw table. Where Pansy conjured an evil grin of her face, that Jessica noticed. Furious Jessica took a sandwich from the basket and tried frantically to cut it open. To make matters worse it went wrong and she cut herself heavily in her fingers. "That girl seems to me…" she said before she saw the blood and fainted.
"What happened? How could this happen?" Snape asked irritated with Draco, who apparently had been sitting in front of Jessica and had seen the whole thing happen. "She tried to cut open her sandwich, cut in her fingers, and found it apparently necessary to faint when she saw the blood." Draco recited bored, while Jessica was taken to the hospital wing by Snape, who was tailed by Draco. Jessica heard the voices around her, and began slowly to regain consciousness. She blinked a couple of times. "W… Wha… What happened?" she asked hoarsely, while Draco jumped from hearing her voice and immediately tapped professor Snape on his shoulder. "I think she regained consciousness, professor." he said, while Snape turned around and looked friendly but concerned toward his only female Slytherin student. "You cut your finger and then fainted. You saw the blood and passed out." he said anxiously. He looked worried from Jessica to Madam Pomfrey. "She can leave the hospital wing." Madam Pomfrey said friendly. "She can't stand blood." she continued.
Snape helped Jessica from the bed and left the hospital wing with Draco and Jessica on his tail. "From now on I want you to be with her non-stop, Draco. Don't let her out of your sight for a minute. It might just happen again." Snape ordered, while Draco looked at him and nodded. "Yes, professor." he said irritably. Snape hadn't paid attention to Jessica and hadn't seen that she walked outside to find a nice spot where she could sit. "Where is she, Draco?! I told you not to let her out of your sight!" Snape snarled. "She's outside, professor." he said, still annoyed and walked out. Snape watched him go in surprise while he was wondering why Draco was so deadly irritated. "I want you and Jessica in my office NOW, and hurry up!" he exclaimed snappy at Draco. Draco searched for Jessica for a long time, when he finally found her and was almost at her, Pansy had to ruin it. "Draky, there you are. Where were you all this time." she cooed with fake happiness. She wouldn't have anything to do with him anymore when she got wind of Lucius in all likelihood was not being a Death eater anymore. Draco rolled his eyes annoyed and hoped Jessica wouldn't see, he noticed that the first time during lunch this had happened she liked it just as much as he did, when Pansy was with him. He pushed Pansy away from him and glared at her. "You really don't realize that I don't like you, do you?! Go annoy someone else and leave me alone!" he cried at her, while Pansy's lip started trembling and not long after she burst into tears. "You don't mean this, you know you love me, and you only want me. You don't know what you're talking about!" she cried crying, while Draco shook his head. "Oh, I do know what I'm talking about. I don't like you and don't want to have anything to do with you, just leave me alone and go annoy someone else!" he cried, while Pansy felt he really meant it and turned around and ran back to the castle crying. "Wait for it, I will get you! If I can't have you, no one can!" she shrieked and then disappeared into the castle.
Jessica had heard the discussion and was walking towards Draco. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked softly and laid her hand carefully on his shoulder. He walked a little away from her and took seat at a bench with his hands in his hair. "No I'm not okay, thank you for asking, how about you? I'm fine, Draco thanks for asking." she said all but angry, while Draco looked up to her apologetically and beckoned her towards him. She wanted to sit on the bench when he pulled her onto his lap. "Sorry Jessica, Pansy was making me crazy. She's clinging to me since our first year, and I just don't want to have to do anything with her." he said softly, while he let her go. She felt uncomfortable on his lap, so she sat down next to him. "That you don't like her and don't want to deal with her I heard loud and clear." she said chuckling. "But what did she mean with 'If I can't have you, no one can'?" she continued, while Draco shook his head. "Anyways, how are your finger and head?" he asked anxiously, while she smiled at him. "Well, to be honest it's fine. I have a little headache, but otherwise I'm fine. Thanks." she said chuckling, while they sat for a while on the bench. "What was it what you wanted to tell me, before you fainted?" Draco suddenly asked, and Jessica looked at him quizzically. "Well, you said something like, that girl seems to me… and then you fainted." he said, while Jessica remembered what he was talking about. "Oh, I just wanted to tell you that Pansy or whatever her name is, didn't seemed to be in love with you. When she was walking toward the Ravenclaw table she had a face as if she was in love, but when she sat down, she had an evil smirk on her face. And in my opinion that says she is definitely not in love with you." she told him in one breath, while Draco had a puzzled look on his face. "So you think she faked her crying?" he asked in surprise, while Jessica nodded and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Like you mind that she isn't in love with you?!" she said smiling, while Draco shook his head and pulled her on his lap again.
"Holy cricket! We've got to go to Snape! Come with me, quickly!" he said in a hurry, and they jumped up from the bench and ran as fast as they could to Snape's office. Jessica knocked on the door and waited for a reply. "Come in." it sounded from behind the door, they opened the door and looked at their feet while they closed the door behind them. "And why did it take so long, Draco?" Snape asked angry, Draco felt his blood crawl up to his face and looked apologetically at him. "I'm so sorry professor, Pakinson got a hold of me, before I found Jessica." he said softly, while Snape nodded. "I saw that on miss Parkinson's face. She ran by with a big smile on her face, when I was looking for the two of you in the hallway, Draco. I don't know what you said to her, but I'm sure she was happy about it." Snape said, while Draco looked at him quizzically. "Told you so." Jessica whispered to Draco, while Draco nodded in surprise.
"How are you feeling, Jessica?" Snape asked anxiously, while Jessica smiled at Snape. "I'm feeling fine, to be honest, I only have a light headache, professor." she said smiling, while Snape nodded smiling and told them they were allowed to leave. "Oh, Draco why are you so deadly irritated?" Snape asked when Jessica had just laid her hand on the doorknob. "Because Parkinson is annoying me." Draco said, while he turned around and laid his hand on Jessica's back to let her know he wanted to leave. "You can go now." Snape said before they opened the door. The door closed behind them and they walked out to the courtyard, where they found Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Where were you half the afternoon?" Hermione asked worriedly as she looked at Draco suspiciously. Jessica looked at her feet. "Well, lunch went not so great. I wanted to cut open a sandwich and cut myself in my finger, and thought it was necessary to faint when I saw the blood, like Draco told professor Snape earlier today." she said chuckling, while Draco chuckled too. Hermione on the other hand didn't think it was funny and showed that. "Oh, and you think that's funny Jessica Lily Granger!? Are you out of your mind?!" she said angrily to her sister, while Jessica looked at her sister indignantly. "Where were you when I regained consciousness at the hospital wing. You had to be there at my bed, not professor Snape or Draco, but YOU! You weren't even there. And you want to tell me what's funny and what's not?!" she yelled back furiously, while Hermione began to feel guilty when her sister rebuked her in her place. Draco on the other hand felt better than another as usual and grinned.
"What are you grinning at?! You heard her anyway, YOU weren't supposed to be on her bed, but I did! Who do you think you are, to stand at my sisters sickbed!" she cried furiously toward Draco for no apparent reason, while Draco looked at her indignantly. "You've got guts, you weren't at your sisters sickbed and then you think you can forbid me as her house mate to be there for her?! At least she can trust me to be there if it's necessary!" he shouted back at her, when Jessica saw that Hermione wanted to say something she interfered. "Stop it! From now on I want the two of you to accept each other. And most of all YOU are going to accept that Draco is friend of mine. And YES he was the only one of you who was there for me when I was at the hospital wing regaining consciousness. I can't say that of the three of you. Or is it because I'm in Slytherin and you Gryffindors hate Slytherin?!" she shrieked furiously at Harry, Ron and Hermione, and after that she ran away leaving a bewildered Hermione, Harry, Ron and a broad grinning Draco behind.
Hermione wanted to run after her when Draco stopped her. "I think it's for the best if you don't go after her. I leave her to it too. Come let's get inside." he said well-meant to Hermione, while Hermione followed Draco steadily and parted their ways at the hallway. When Hermione was out of sight Draco went after Jessica, soon he had found her. She sat crying in front of a stone which was familiar to him from pictures he had seen from his parents. That's the stone where dad and mom met each other he thought. He walked towards her slowly, sat down and laid an arm around her shoulder. She accepted his attempt to comfort her, and let her head drop on his shoulder and hugged him. Why do I feel so at ease with him? Why is he always there for me if something happens? Why am I the only girl in Slytherin and what startled his father so much, when he heard my name? she wondered.
"What are you thinking?" Draco suddenly asked, it startled her out of her thoughts and shook her head. "It's nothing important. I was just wondering why some things happened, and why I'm feeling things that I don't understand." she said in one breath, it made Draco laugh. "If you to tell me more detailed which things you're talking about and what you feel, I could maybe give you some answers to it, or not. Whatever you want." he said in one breath and Jessica started to blush. "Well… I was wondering why I am the only girl in Slytherin and what startled your father when he heard my name." she told him, while Draco shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't give an answer to that, unfortunately." he said apologetically. "And I was wondering why I feel so at ease with you, and why you're always there for me." she said blushing. "Well I'm always there for you because I'm your friend, and friends should be there for each other in my opinion. And why you feel so at ease with can mean two things. Or you trust me completely. Or you are in love with me." he said blushing. "I noticed the angry look on your face when Parkinson was hanging on my arm a couple of hours ago, which was completely against my will." he continued. "Gross, I can't be in love you. You're my best friend! Silly!" she immediately shot in defense, while Draco burst out in laughter and pulled her closer to him, which made her blush more. "You see it's true, you shoot right in the middle and if I give you a big hug you become as red as a lobster." he said laughing.
She wriggled loose and gave him a playful shove. "Joker! Draco, you're really funny." she said laughing. Draco gave her a playful shove back and started tickling her. "Me a joker? What made you think that, I was completely serious." he tried to say it as seriously as possible until he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. "Aahahaha Draco, don't do this! I can't stand this." she cried laughing, while hear scream was to be heard all over the place. Hermione, Harry and Ron immediately responded to it and followed the sound, but they had only heard Aah and Don't do this, that's why they were following the sound in a panic state. When they arrived at the place where the sound came, they found a laughing Jessica and a tickling Draco on the ground. Hermione became furious with her sister when she saw her having fun with the son of a death eater. "Ahum! What do you think you're doing?!" she screeched, while Draco stopped immediately with the tickling and Jessica just ignored her screeching sister and was helped to get up by Draco. Harry found Hermione went overboard with this and decided to say something about it. "Hermione, don't you think you went a little bit overboard? They share a house, and apparently became friends, something I still can't believe for myself, but still. You have to accept it, otherwise Jess probably won't listen to you anymore." he tried and Hermione nodded while she looked at him. "You're probably right, I screwed up." she said in agreement. "Quite so!" Jessica said, while she was glaring daggers at Hermione, because she didn't want to see her for a while. "I think it's for the best if we leave." Harry said to Hermione and Ron, while they walked away.
Jessica lowered herself along the stone onto the ground with her knees drawn to her and staring out. Draco decided to sit down next to and pulled her to him, she said against him and laid her head on his shoulder. He caught himself looking at her, and that he felt at ease with her, just as she felt at ease with him. It surprised him that his father hadn't forbidden to be friends with her. "Let's go Jessica, dinner starts soon." he told her softly, while they got up together and walked towards the castle. With her arm hooked in his they walked to the Slytherin table and flopped down on the bench. Pansy was furious when she saw her Draco walking with Jessica, with a blow she put down her fork in Millicent Bulstrode's hand who cried out in pain. "Don't be such a baby!" Pansy snapped at Millicent, while Draco and Jessica took their food and ate it slowly. After the desert, they walked outside together, and going back to the stone where they sat before dinner. They hadn't noticed that they were followed by Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini. "I'm so glad I met you." Jessica told Draco when she looked at as she blushed slightly, Draco started blushing and smiled at her. "I'm honestly glad that I met you." he said, and gave her a hug.
"Oh, is that so. You're glad you met that Mudblood. What would your daddy say about this. Oh wait, that's right! Your father WAS a Death eater!" Zabini sneered, and Jessica got beyond mad. "I may have been raised by Muggles, but I'm just as good a witch as you guys are wizards! Whether you guys like it or not. I'm simply in Slytherin even if you guys don't agree with that. It just happened so and will remain that way. And then some, who says the Grangers are really my family. Perhaps that's not the case! There will be a good reason for it that I'm the only girl in Slytherin. And so what, I look like Potter, what's wrong with that?!" she screeched. "You're just like Hermione! Everything that others like, is rejected! Why do you actually interfere with it?! It is Draco's and my life not yours! If we want to be friends than we are! I couldn't care less about what the rest of the world thinks about it!" she raged on furiously, she hadn't noticed that Crabbe drew his wand. Before she could go on with her speech, Draco got in the middle of it and shoved her out of the way, when he saw that Crabbe drew his wand and pointed at her. "Get out!" he whispered to her, she did as told and Crabbe's curse hit Draco. "Crucio!" Crabbe bellowed, while Draco collapsed and screamed and writhed in pain. "Draco, NO!" Jessica cried, while she dropped down on her knees at Draco's side and Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle stood there just grinning. When she looked up she saw Pebbles flying. "Pebbles, come over here!" she said softly and her owl came to her. She quickly scribbled a note to professor Snap and gave that to Pebbles. "Take this as quickly as you can to professor Snape!" she hissed at Pebbles, while she watched how her owl flew away. All to soon Pebbles came back with professor Snape tailing her, cursing at her because she was flying that fast. Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini saw Snape coming and quickly walked toward the bushes they were hiding in before. Jessica couldn't see the boys anymore, and looked around in panic. Where are they she wondered. "Are you okay?" she asked sniffling, while Draco nodded and pointed into the air. "Professor Snape! All of a sudden they ran away. They went that way." she said while, she pointed at the bush where she saw them hiding behind earlier. Meanwhile the boys had ran off to the castle and hadn't thought about stopping the curse, so Draco still suffered an intense pain.
Draco was still writhing and moaning in pain, when Snape sat next to him on the ground. "How come he still is in pain, professor?" she asked shocked. "Did the attacker lift the curse before they ran away?" Snape asked. "Not that I know of, professor." she replied. "Stay here, I'll get professor Dumbledore." Snape said hastily, while he got up and ran toward the castle. Jessica was still on her knees next to Draco shaking in fear. "It will be alright, professor Dumbledore is on his way. Soon you won't be having pain anymore." she whispered sobbing, soon enough Dumbledore and Snape arrived. "Jessica, would you please step aside?" Dumbledore asked friendly, while she nodded and stood at Snape's side. "Finite." Dumbledore said calmly, she immediately saw Draco stop writhing and moaning. Still shaking in fear she helped Draco up and walking towards the castle, with Snape and Dumbledore behind them. Not much later, she walked into the common room while supporting Draco, she hadn't noticed Lucius. "It's her fault, mister Malfoy!"Crabbe said while pointing at her, before Lucius could say anything Draco held up his hand. "It's not Jessica's fault. Crabbe wanted to curse her, and I told her to get out. I didn't want for her to get cursed. So Crabbe's curse hit me instead of her." he said calmly, while Lucius nodded and walked with Jessica and Draco toward their dormitory. Not much later a howler arrived for Crabbe. "Draco, what kind of curse did Crabbe use?" Lucius asked anxiously. "The Cruciatus curse, mister Malfoy." Jessica said softly and Lucius's gaze froze, while he shook his head. "This can't be?! They should expel that boy!" Lucius said firmly, while Jessica nodded even though she felt guilty.
"You're feeling guilty, aren't you?" Draco asked suddenly at Jessica, she nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. He gave her a hug, and then she lead him toward his bed so he could sit down. "You don't have to feel guilty. It will be fine." he said calmly. Draco felt drowsy, and tried to lie down, it just wouldn't work that well. "You want to lie down? Let me help you." she said caring, while she helped him to lie down, and sat down next him on his bed. She noticed he had fallen asleep and violently shook his head and was sweating heavily. She stood and grabbed a cloth which she made damp and dabbed his head with. She hadn't notices that Lucius had gone back home, and not much later professor Snape arrived with Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey pointed her wand at Draco and levitated him in front of her to the hospital wing, with Jessica and Snape tailing her. "He will be fine, right?" she asked anxiously, while Madam Pomfrey nodded with a smile. "It's for the best if he stays at the hospital wing for the night, miss Granger." she told her friendly. "You should go back to your common room." she continued.
Jessica shook her head and seemed to be determined that she wanted to stay with him. "No, I'll stay with him. He also stayed with me." she said firmly, while Madam Pomfrey nodded but looked troubled. "I don't know if professor Snape agrees to that, miss Granger. I'll send him an owl to inform him that you'll remain here tonight." she said anxiously. Jessica sat on his bed and walked to and fro with a damp cloth that she put on his head. She took his hand remained seated like that for a while. "You will be better soon." she whispered softly into his ear, not much later she noticed he wanted to say something she jumped up and was just about to get Madam Pomfrey when she heard him talking softly. "Jessica, where's Jessica?" he asked softly, it seemed that Pansy had sneaked into the hospital wing and when she heard him softly asking for Jessica she walked out screaming and stomping. That got Madam Pomfrey's attention and she saw that Draco was waking up slowly. Jessica had grasped his hand. "I'm here." she said softly, and she felt a soft squeeze in her hand, after that she put down her head on his stomach and fell asleep with a smile on her face. Madam Pomfrey observed the scene and decided to go to bed herself, not much later Draco too had fallen asleep.
In the middle of the night Draco woke up, and saw Jessica with her head on his belly asleep. Not long after he was awake, Snape came in. Snape saw Jessica asleep and decided to wake her. "Jessica, wake up. We're going to the common room, with Draco." Snape said softly, while Jessica awoke slowly. She lifted her head and immediately saw a smiling Draco sitting on the bed, while she immediately felt her heart do a jump with joy. Together they left the hospital wing and walked toward the common room, when they had arrived at the common room, they sat down on the couch and talked for a while, when Snape had left. "Why are Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini so mean to us, we share a house don't we?" Jessica asked frustrated at Draco, while Draco shook his head and laid an arm around her. "What does that matter, we still have each other right?" he said, while she nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm going to freshen up." she said and walked to the dormitory, when she arrived she found a huge mess around her trunk. Of course Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini were nowhere to be found. "Draco! Get in here!" she cried panicking, even Draco's trunk was a mess. Draco walked as fast as he could to the dormitory. "By Merlin's beard, what happened here!" he exclaimed when he saw the havoc, while Jessica shook her head and looked at him shocked. "I really don't know, what I do know is that Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini should be in their beds, it's two o'clock in the morning. And their beds aren't slept in." she said firmly, while Draco nodded and decided that it maybe should be for the best that they would go to bed, and send Snape an owl the next morning.
"No, first we send Snape a note, and then when he saw the havoc and has left, we can go to bed." she said determined, while they walked together to the common room, and Jessica wrote the note.
Dear professor Snape,
Could you get to the common room as soon as possible? Someone has rummaged through the trunks of Draco and me.
Yours sincerely,
Jessica.
They were lucky that Draco's owl Bambam was in the common room. They tied the note onto his paw and send him off to Snape, not much later a very sleepy Snape came in and followed Draco and Jessica immediately. "Do you miss anything out of you trunks?" he asked them, while they both shook their heads. "No, so far I ain't missing anything. I only miss a couple of students who belong in their beds, professor." Jessica said, while Draco nodded in agreement. Snape looked around and noticed the empty beds that belonged to Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini. "Oh look at that, we have a couple of night owls who might be somewhere roaming the castle." Snape said sarcastically. "Pack up your trunks, and get some sleep. I'll take care of your fellow students so they won't forget about this night." he continued angrily.
Draco and Jessica cleared their belongings while in the Gryffindor tower everyone slept peacefully, except Harry. Harry couldn't bear the fact that Hermione had a fight with Jessica, so he decided to write Jessica a note to ask her if she had some free time tomorrow morning after breakfast.
Jess,
Do you have some free time tomorrow after breakfast? I would like to talk to you about Hermione.
Harry.
"Take this to Jessica." he whispered then to Hedwig and saw her fly away. When Hedwig was out of sight, he went back to bed and fell into a deep sleep. Meanwhile in the Slytherin dormitory Draco and Jessica just finished clearing their belongings, Jessica closed her trunk and sat down on her bed while she watched how Draco closed his trunk. She smiled when she thought how angry Pansy got, when Draco asked for Jessica instead of Pansy and she chuckled. "What's up?" he asked immediately, while she shook her head and looked at him smiling. She was just about to give him a hug, when she heard a soft ticking at the window and saw a white owl. "Pebbles?! What's Pebbles doing here? She has a note tied to her paw!" she exclaimed and took the note of her paw and gave the owl a treat. "Go and hunt." she said lovingly to Hedwig, she opened the note and saw it was from Harry. "Harry wants to talk to me about Hermione tomorrow after breakfast." she said in shock. "That wasn't Pebbles! That was Harry's owl! There wouldn't be something serious with Hermione, right?! Oh.." were the last words she spoke before she fainted.
"Jessica!" Draco exclaimed, before everything went black before her eyes. Draco picked her up and was about to run out of the common room when Snape arrived. "And where do you think you're going, Draco. You should be in bed." Snape said curtly, while Draco looked at Snape desperately, turned around with Jessica still in his arms and walked to the dormitory, but before he got to the stairs that took him downstairs he collapsed under Jessica's weight of fatigue. Then Snape realized there was something wrong with Jessica, he pointed his want at both of them and levitated them into the dormitory and onto their own beds and made sure they laid comfortable. He took care of Jessica as if she was his own, and Draco had fallen asleep almost immediately. "W… Wha… What happened?" Jessica suddenly stammered. "I think you fainted, Draco was about to take you to the hospital wing when I send him back to bed. He was almost at the stairs when he collapsed of fatigue. Go to sleep, my dear. It will be fine, with both of you." he said lovingly. He laid the blanket on top of her and left, not much later, Draco and Jessica were in a deep sleep.
N/A: I hope you liked it. Please let me know what you think about it via the review button! I don't have a beta, but as far as I could tell the majority of miss spellings are changed and forgotten words added.