"Isabelle…Isabelle, you gotta get up," whispers Draco, gently shacking me.
I let out a groan but sit up none the less, "Flip! I'm going to blow it."
"What wrong," Draco questions, tilting my chin up so he can look into my electric blue eyes that I've always wished where green.
"I fell asleep and woke up in the Slytherin common room," I state searching the couch and floor for my Gryffindor crest.
"Looking for this?" asks Malfoy, holding up my crest between his middle and index finger.
"Thank you," I say grabbing it from him before heading towards the exit of the common room.
"I'll see you at breakfast then?" questions Draco.
I turn to look at him making odd faces as I try to make up my mind, "Yes, I'll see you at breakfast."
With that I blow Malfoy a kiss before stepping out into the hall, running smack into Snape. Most definitely not what I need this morning, I have no desire to be hassled by Severus about what I've been up too.
"A bit early for breakfast is it not?" Snape questions, his monotone voice sounding a tad bit frightening in the empty dungeon hall.
"I…but…the…really…and then…I just…you…." I stutter eventually giving up, rolling my eyes into the back of my head.
"I know where you have been Isabelle," states Snape, "and I think you should try not being so sloppy. Check your crest."
As Snape brushes past me I look down at my Gryffindor crest; it's falling off at the corner. Mumbling a quick stick spell I dash up the stairs toward the Gryffindor common room.
"Someone's rushing in rather early," says a girl who is sitting in the same chair I was in just the night before.
"I have absolutely not idea what you're babbling about silly little first – year. I went out for air." I lie, taking a seat by the fire.
"Really? Then why are you wearing the same clothes you had on last night?' the first – year continues.
"The people I was staying with didn't get my trunk in time so I have on other clothes," I explain not really knowing why. In truth my things are in the Slytherin girls dormitory.
"Isabelle!" exclaims Ron saving me from more questions. "Harry went a bit crazy, started going after Seamus' mum."
"Harry wouldn't do that without a reason Ron, what was Seamus saying?" I say.
I know Harry now. He's hot headed but only when people are attacking him. Harry wouldn't have gone off for no reason. Unless he really is different than I thought. But…no, no Seamus was doing or saying something to provoke Harry. That's it.
"He told Harry that his mum believes the Daily Prophet and thinks Harry and Dumbledore are both nutters," replies Ron shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
"Then Harry has a right to go after his mum or any other member of Seamus' family for that matter. I would do the same thing if someone's mother was calling me a mutter," I answer, telling the truth for the first time since I'd stepped in the Gryffindor common room.
"Right," states Ron as if that wasn't the answer he was expecting to get.
"Where you two talking about me? Do you think I'm crazy too, Isabelle?" Harry accuses eyeing me with angry eyes.
"Harry," I state, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I'm practically related to you. I don't think you're a nutter. Besides, I've told you I believe you."
"Sorry," mumbles Harry. "Let's just go to breakfast."
"Shouldn't we wait for…?" Ron starts but it cut off by Hermione.
"Who is it we are waiting for?" she questions before heading towards the door.
"Hermione," Ron murmurs, finishing off his sentence.
I follow behind the others, occasionally looking over my shoulder, praying to Merlin that Draco will magically appear but he doesn't. Once we have entered the Great – Hall I look towards the Slytherin table, upon seeing Draco I make my way quickly over to the table, sliding in between him and Goyle.
"Draco, my books are in my trunk still, which happens to be in the girl's dormitory," I state knowing he will understand what I am trying to say.
"I'll get someone to get them for you. We have potions with Gryffindor this year as normal so it won't be a hassle," replies Draco wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
"Thank you," I whisper before grabbing a piece of toast off the platter in front of me.
Not ten minutes into breakfast does a swarm of owls fly thought the Great – Hall, delivering mail to everyone. A rather large, jet black owl sails towards me…Padfoot. Attached to his left leg is a letter which I quickly remove before telling Padfoot, my owl I had gotten at the start of my schooling at Hogwarts, to go to the Owlery.
"Who's it from?" Draco asks, unrolling his copy of the Daily Prophet.
"My dad," I reply bluntly as I unfold the yellowed piece of parchment.
Dear Isabelle,
It's boring here just as it was before Harry and you showed up. How is Hogwarts? How are you and Harry fairing? I still believe it could work between the both of you. About Christmas break, I want the both of you to come see me. A father should get to see his daughter more than once every five years. Be good. You have my love and my best wishes.
Padfoot
His letter is signed with a paw print, jet black on a yellow white, "Great," I mumble, folding my father's letter back up.
"What's going on?" Malfoy asks his baby blue eyes full of concern.
"He wants me to go see him over Christmas break," I whisper.
"Go for a week at the end, tell him you had a prior engagement," answers Draco shoving a bit of bagel into his mouth.
Closing my eyes for a second I smile at him. How is it that Draco always manages to take car of things? He's the best thing that has happened to me in a long while. He's the stable in my completely unstable life. I like that.
"Right, and I just have to hope he won't ask about my said 'prior engagement," I retort frustrated more at myself than Malfoy. He did solve my problem.
"We're just going to have to make it work," mumbles Draco, twisting a strand of my hair around his finger.
"I live to serve him, it's what I was meant to do," I state giving Draco a rather stern look as if it was him, and not myself that I need to convince of this fact.
"I know that, and so does he," replies Draco.
"Look at you Isabelle, acting like you really deserve what you're getting," jeers Pansy.
"You're not worth my time, Parkinson," I announce, standing.
"See you in potions," says Draco before I make my way over to the Gryffindor table.
"Padfoot sent me a letter," I announce dropping it on Harry's empty plate. "He wants me to visit him over Christmas break but I have a prior engagement so I thought why don't you go and I'll meet you there for the last week of break."
"Sounds good," answers Harry, reading over my father's note one more time before handing it back to me.
"Harry, aren't you going to ask her where she's been all of breakfast?" Hermione asks, looking up at me.
Her eyes are eager and her brown hair could use a brushing through but other than that she is normal, plain Hermione. She's nice but much too curious about the affairs of others than she should be.
"No, what Isabelle does is her business, not mine," Harry replies scooting over so I am able to sit.
"But are you not curious?" Hermione continues.
"If you're so apt to know why don't you ask me yourself mu…Hermione," I say hoping no one noticed my almost slip up.
"I just find it odd that you always seem to magically disappear," states Hermione.
"Yeah, and I find it odd that you have to stick your nose into everyone else's business," I remark before standing and marching out of the Great – Hall.