LLL- La la la la la la la dah dah dah

Snape- * Clearing throat*

LLL- can i help you?

Snape – the story?

LLL- Oh Oh! Sorry. Hey people. You are all so awesome and I'm sorry if this chapter isn't as exciting. I went brain dead and had a bit of writers block, but I got over it.

*Snape's POV*

I walk through the castle in the early Christmas Eve morning. There is much more activity than the previous days and it slightly irritates me. Everyone is jumping around carelessly exchanging gifts. It's not even Christmas yet. I knock on a painting that is a shortcut to the high table in the Great Hall. Once I enter, I regret it. The owls are busy and the students below are catching gifts and laughing. I grab bacon and sit down at the table. My pumpkin juice is in a very large cup, courtesy of Christmas Eve.

I look down at the Slytherin table. I see Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle sitting on the table. Pansy walks up to Draco and hugs him. Draco does nothing back and she simply sits down and watches him laugh. A jet black owl swings down and drops a package in his lap. 'Hope that didn't come from the dark lord. That owl could have been tracked. Maybe he will be smart enough not to open it in front of everyone.' Of course he isn't, and unwraps it. From here, it looks like a long stick. He takes out his wand and slides it in. It's a wand case. Nice.

I glance over the other tables and stop at Hermione. She is sitting next to Weasly and Longbottom. Potter is sitting across from them. Weasly opens a box and pulls out a sweater. Potter opens a matching one with and H on it. Hermione laughs. She looks so happy with her friends. I've never seen her smiling so much, or at least I've never noticed how beautiful it was. She playfully punches Longbottom because of a comment. She watches potter try to put on his sweater but it looks too small. She takes out her wand and does a spell that helps it fit better.

I smile. That's my girl. I wipe the grin off my face before anyone sees. Her magical abilities are just amazing and some people don't realize it. I hear the grand clock ring and that's when I know that it's time for me to leave. I look back over to Draco. His group has left him and he is also looking at me. He nods at me and I do the same. I stand and exit through the painting, knowing that Draco has also just left the Great Hall.

*A/Narrator- Little do they know, Hermione sees their interaction and timed exit. : )*

I walk down multiple hallways and Draco meets up with me.

"So, are you nervous," I ask.

"Not the slightest. I can't be nervous if I want to know what he's hiding."

"How many times do I have to tell you that the dark lord has nothing to hide."

"I know you felt your mark yesterday. Just after I left you. There's someone else. Someone more powerful than him and I want to know who."

"Keep your voice down. These walls have ears," I say, looking at the empty frames, "literally. And remember what I said before. We haven't been to a meeting in a while. This will be our first in months, which brings me back to the point that it might not even be a secret." I get outside, but Draco has slowed his walk. "What is wrong with you? Speed up already."

"I know you don't feel that."

"Feel what?"

"That fear. So obvious and I bet she doesn't even realize how scared she is."

"Draco, what are you talking about?"

"Shh." He creeps slowly back to the corner we just passed. He shoots around the other side and I hear a squeal. I follow and he has Hermione wrapped tightly in his arms, her wand on the ground. "Wow, Hermione," he jeers, "next time you try to sneak up on someone like me, try to be a little less scared to do it."

"What does me... being scared have... to do with anything?" she struggles. "Enlighten me." Despite her struggle, Draco has a firm hold on her. It takes all my will power not to rip his arms off.

"No little girl. You don't want me to enlighten you."

"Who are you calling a little girl?" She breaks one arm free and elbows him in the stomach. It doesn't have much effect, but it has enough for her to get to her wand. She points it at Draco.

"Hermione," I call, stepping in. "Drop your wand." She scolds me, but lowers it. "I don't appreciate you following me."

"I wasn't following you. I was following Draco and you appeared out of nowhere. So where were you two going?"

"That is none of your concern, now leave." She rolls her eyes, but when she takes another look at Draco, her expression changes. There is no trace of attitude what so ever. She scratches her head irritant and turns on her heels, walking away. I look at him, still smirking. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," he says, putting his hands up innocently. "I just reminded her of a couple fears she has."

"Just by looking at her?"

"It's not that hard."

"Whatever. Let's just go before someone else decides to follow us." We walk under the Whomping Willow, which appears to be asleep. Under it is a small silver serpent.

"Is that the portkey?"

"No, it's just a tree ornament... Of course, it's the portkey." We grab on to it and count to 3 mentally. It takes off. We land softly on the ground in front of Malfoy Manor. We phase through the gate.

"So how did we get off of campus so easily?"

"A spell was made by one of the stronger Sirians and it penetrated the protective spells around the castle."

"Then why haven't we invaded the entire castle yet?"

"The Sirian who made the hole is strong but Dumbledore is stronger. It won't be long before he finds the breach. Hopefully it won't be until after we return."

We enter the mansion. There are multiple pictures of Lucius on the walls. He can be a self-centered bastard sometimes. Nobody wants to that when they enter. Draco and I pause at the black oak doors. We take a deep breath and enter.

There is a long black table with multiple deatheaters and many more standing. At the very end is Voldemort and his Snake, but instead of Bellatrix at his right, there is a girl. Maybe about an year younger than Hermione. She stands straight and dignified. He black hair hangs with smoke at the ends. Literally. The end of her hair is whipping smoke. Her eyes are blue, but when she looks at me, the change to green. My eyes widen and Draco is squinting to make sure he saw it right. Her skin is light and clothes have Bellatrix written all over them.

"Nice of you to join us," Voldemort greets. He is obviously in a good mood. We are not the only ones curious about the girl. There are others in the room eyeing her. She looks at who I am looking at and rolls her eyes. Now they are a strange yellow. Maybe gold. "Now that these two have arrived she can introduce herself."

The girl steps up and a sly grin appears upon her face. "My name is Victoria and Voldemort is my father."

Everyone's mouth hits the ground. It isn't long before we have all gone into a bow on the floor.

\