Chapter 2

Delphina was woken up violently by Hermione the next morning. Hermione grabbed her shoulders and was shaking her until Delphina groggily brushed her tangled hair out of her face and said, "What's going on?" Hermione beamed at her when she saw she was awake.

"Today is our first day of classes!" She squealed. Delphina sat up and rubbed her face tiredly.

"What time is it?" Delphina asked. Hermione looked at her watch.

"It's six o'clock!" She said happily. Now that she had done her job and woken Delphina up, Hermione quickly went to her trunk and started pulling out her robes and books to get started for the day. Delphina groaned and fell back onto the bed.

After Hermione had shaken her awake two more times, Delphina got up and put on her robes and followed Hermione down to the Great Hall for breakfast and to get their schedules. Hermione talked excitedly about all the stuff they are going to learn and how she couldn't wait for homework on the way down the Gryffindor Tower. Delphina had to keep stifling yawns so she didn't offend Hermione. Delphina was just as excited as her to start classes, but it was nearly impossible to be that energetic so early in the morning.

When they finally made it down to the Great Hall, Hermione made for the Gryffindor table, but Delphina wanted to talk to Draco before the day started.

"I'll be right back, Hermione!" Delphina yelled over her shoulder on her way to the Slytherin table across the room. "Save me a seat!"

Delphina was relieved to see that Draco wasn't glaring at her like she had expected. Delphina gave him a grin and sat next to him after he shuffled over a little to give her room. Delphina picked up a piece of toast from his plate and started to nibble on it.

"Do you think he's going to be mad?" Delphina asked. Draco knew who she was talking about immediately. He shrugged as he spooned some porridge in a gold bowl.

"I don't know, Delphy," He said. "You know how he feels about those people," Delphina rolled her eyes.

"Those 'people' are becoming my friends, you know," she huffed. It was Draco's turn to roll his eyes.

"If you want to hang out with those people," He sneered. "Be my guest, but don't come crying to me when Father disowns you and gives the fortune to the most attractive and loved twin."

Delphina scoffed and shoved his shoulder. "We look the same, you git!"

Draco laughed and shoved her shoulder back lightly. "But seriously, Delphy, I have no idea what he is going to do," Draco said more seriously. "At least you weren't sorted into Hufflepuff,"

Delphina gave Draco a hug and went back to the Gryffindor table. Ron and Harry had arrived and were stuffing their faces with food.

"Did you have fun talking to your git brother?" Ron asked her with his mouth full of bacon.

"As a matter of fact, I did," Delphina retorted haughtily. She sat next to Hermione and started filling her plate. Professor McGonagall came by to hand them all their schedules.

"Ooh!" Hermione exclaimed. "We have Transfiguration first!" I grinned at Hermione and we went on finishing our breakfast.

During classes, it became clear that Harry and Ron were not fans of Hermione. In Transfiguration, Hermione was the only one who got close to turning her match into a needle. Delphina, on the other hand, enjoyed Hermione and was excited to have made a friend so quickly. Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't as exciting as everyone expected. It was painfully awkward to sit and listen to Professor Quirrell stutter and tell stories about his travels around the world.

Delphina was nervous about potions. It was the subject she was most looking forward to, but she was nervous about seeing Professor Snape. Severus Snape was an old friend of her Father's and she was quite fond of him. Delphina was worried that he was going to be rude to her because she got sorted into Gryffindor. The last time she saw him he mentioned how he was looking forward to her being in Slytherin.

Delphina and Hermione walked into the classroom and sat at a table together. Once everyone was seated and ready, Professor Snape swooped in dramatically. He glared at all the students and his eyes rested on Delphina's a fraction longer than other's until he moved on the mock the "'famous Harry Potter'.

Professor Snape was relentless questioning Harry about different potions and ingredients. Next to Delphina, Hermione was nearly bursting in her seat to answer the question. Delphina put her hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Put your hand down," Delphina whispered. "Snape is just trying to humiliate Harry!" Hermione frowned and slowly put her hand down.

"Why would he do that?" Hermione asked. Delphina sighed and looked over her shoulder hurriedly. Snape was still harassing Harry.

"I supposed Harry's father was really rude to Professor Snape when they were in school together," Delphina said quietly. "I overheard him talking to my Father about it one day. James Potter and his friends would practically torture him."

Hermione put her hand over her mouth and quietly gasped, "That's horrible!" Delphina nodded. She was about to say something else, but Professor Snape was finally ready to start the class. The rest of the lesson was uneventful, but afterwards Professor Snape called for Delphina to stay behind. Delphina grimaced a little and told Hermione to save her a seat at dinner.

Professor Snape was sitting at his desk and was peering at her with his black eyes. She gave a weak smile and sat down in a chair across from him. He didn't say anything for a few seconds and Delphina wondered for a moment if he was going to yell at her.

"Have you told Lucius?" He asked her. Delphina didn't want to look at him. She kept her eyes on a jar of eyeballs that was just over his shoulder.

"No," she answered finally. "I am going to write him a letter, though,"

Professor Snape sighed and ruffled a few papers on his desk. "Do not be shocked as his reaction," he said with a hint of a frown. "Lucius will be very upset by the news. Narcissa as well. Your father loves you, but he can be vicious,"

Delphina knew it. She could tell by the way he talked about Muggleborns (she refused to call them Mudbloods) and he was viciously mean to their House Elf, Dobby. Draco was modeling himself after him and Delphina thought he would grow up to be just like Father. Delphina knew she was different from her family at a very young age, but she didn't know how extreme the differences were until she saw Draco away from the family and separated into a different House.

"Do you think he will disown me?" Delphina questioned.

"I do not know," Snape said quietly. The answer worried Delphina. She thought his answer would be like Draco's, but Severus Snape knew the other side of Lucius Malfoy more than the two Malfoy siblings. Delphina nodded while trying to hold back tears. She grabbed her bag and stumbled out of Professor Snape's classroom before he could see her crying.

By the time Delphina made it back up to the Gryffindor Common Room, her tears had dried up. She didn't want Hermione asking her too many questions until Delphina figured out what to do.

The next two weeks were spent getting used to their classes and memorizing how to get around the giant castle. Hermione and Delphina were inseparable, and for that Delphina was grateful. Several of the Gryffindors, especially the Weasley's, were skeptical about her because she was a Malfoy. Hermione, who as Muggleborn, didn't know much of her family's reputation. Delphina assured Hermione that she didn't care that she had Muggle parents and that she was a better witch that Delphina, who was a Pureblood.

One day during breakfast, the Gryffindors learned that they had flying lessons with the Slytherins. Delphina overheard how Harry and Ron were annoyed about that because Draco had been bullying them for the past few weeks. A few weeks ago, Delphina would have thought she could keep Draco from being rude to the duo, but now she wasn't so sure. Although he wasn't outright mean to her, he was becoming colder and more callous every day he was with the other Slytherins.

At the lesson, Hermione was getting increasingly more nervous. Delphina was murmuring quietly to her that it was going to be fine. It was clear that Hermione wasn't good at everything.

After learning the basics, Madam Hooch told them they were going to hover on the ground. But before she blew her whistle, poor Neville Longbottom lost control of his broom and broke his wrist. Delphina caught a glimpse of red in the ground, but before she could get an idea of what it was, Draco picked it up.

"Draco give that to me," Delphina walked over to him with her hand out. Draco looked like he was going to give it to her, but changed his mind when Harry shouted, "Give that back, Malfoy,"

Draco sneered and turned away from Delphina. "Come get it, Potter," Draco got on his broom and flew up in the air. Delphina stamped her foot in frustration and went to get her broom to follow him, but Harry beat her to it. Delphina walked over to Hermione, who was wringing her hands into her robes.

"He's going to get expelled!" Hermione exclaimed. Delphina shrugged.

"I doubt it," she said. "I think it would take a lot for Harry Potter to be expelled." There was a gasp and Delphina looked up to see that Draco had thrown the ball and Harry was diving to get it. She had to admit that he was a great flyer. Delphina saw that Draco was flying to the ground and she stormed over to him.

"What's come over you?" She fumed. "Ever since we got here you've turned into even more of a prat than before!"

Draco, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of all the Slytherins, scowled at her. "Go away, Delphy," He snarled at her. "Go be with your precious Mudblood,"

Delphina clenched her jaw and glared. "She's a better witch than anyone here and you know it," she snarled back at him. Before he could say anything else, she stormed away from him and went back to Hermione.

When she got over to her, all the other Gryffindors were chatting excitedly about Harry's excellent flying and wondered if he was going to be expelled.

"Are you alright, Delphina?" Hermione asked her with concern. Delphina sighed.

"Yeah, Mione, I'm fine," she said. "My brother is just being a prat as usual," Hermione took her arm in hers and walked back to the castle with Delphina.

The rest of the day went by quickly and it was uneventful compared to the exciting morning. While Hermione and Delphina were working on homework later in the day, Harry and Ron came back with grim looks on their face.

"What wrong with you guys?" Delphina asked after looking up from her parchment. Ron scowled at her.

"Your git brother," he said.

"He challenged them to a wizard's duel," Hermione exclaimed to Delphina. "I told them they were breaking all kinds of school rules if they went!"

Delphina frowned at Harry and Ron. "A duel?" She questioned. "Draco wouldn't do something so stupid. He is probably tricking you and telling a teacher right now that you will be out of bed."

Ron scowled at her again. Harry shuffled his feet while looking uncomfortable.

"I don't know, Delphina," Harry said. "He seemed pretty serious to me," Delphina shrugged.

"Alright, but it's your funeral if Filch catches you," she replied as she packed her books into her bag and stood up.

"I'm going to bed early," she told Hermione.

"I'll come with you," she responded as she glared at Ron and Harry.

On their way up to their dormitory, Hermione went on and on about how they were going to get expelled and that she should stop them.

"They're going to do it anyway, Hermione," Delphina said tiredly as she put on her pajamas. Hermione didn't seem to hear her and went on telling her exactly which school rules they were breaking.

Finally, Hermione seemed to be done lecturing her. Delphina settled into her four-poster bed and shut the curtains around her. After getting comfortable, she drifted off into sleep.

Delphina was shaken awake what seem like just two seconds later by Hermione. "Delphina!" She exclaimed. "Wake up!"

Delphina sat up and ran a hand through her tangled hair. Hermione was breathing heavily, and her face was sweaty.

"What's going on?" Delphina asked groggily.

"Well, after you went to bed I went down to the Common room to stop Harry and Ron from going to that Wizard's Duel," Hermione explained. "But when I went out of the portrait to stop them, the fat lady was gone, and I couldn't get back in!" Delphina gasped.

"What happened?" She asked, fully awake now.

"Well, you were right! Draco never showed up and Filch was looking for us!" she continued. "We ran away from him and ended up in the locked third corridor!"

Delphina gaped at Hermione as she went on with her story.

"A three-headed dog?" She asked. "Why on earth would they need one of those?"

"Well, it was standing on a trap door! It's hiding something!" Hermione exclaimed. Delphina and Hermione spent the rest of the night discussing what Hogwarts could be hiding.