Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Harry Potter Series. That right belongs solely to the amazing J.K. Rowling. I DO, however, own the plot, Oura (not her last name, again the literary goddess J.K. Rowling) and my favorite cat Sterling.

xXx Hello my little Owlettes! Just a couple of things. One; I'm SUPER sorry that I haven't updated in so long, I had just come back from a trip to Cuba when I last updated and I only published it then because my beta sent a revised version back while I was there, so I got the email once I was back in the states. I didn't really have the motivation to really write more after that. Thanks for staying with me, though. I promise I'll do my best to be regular about this. If I'm not, bug me in reviews and even pm me. And second, I wanted to answer some reviews. First off, Annaismyname and The-Darkened Abyss, thanks for the amazing support! It's great that people who really like my writing. Second, Trust-Me-I-Speak-Gibberish, Oura's last name is Voldemort's middle name, when he was Tom Riddle. Any other questions, don't be afraid to ask! I think that's about it, so... Enjoy! xXx

Chapter 10

Draco didn't find Oura that night. In fact, he didn't see her at all during Christmas break. His father heard of an unregistered portkey being made on the night she disappeared from some people at the Ministry. Strangely, though, word of offense dissolved and nothing ever came of it. Lucius must have reported this to the Dark Lord, because Voldemort never questioned the young boy about it. Not that Draco ever saw his Master. The Dark Lord held parts of the Manor as his own and no one was ever allowed to enter those areas. Only one house elf served Him, and the creature was both blind and deaf. How He was able to get the elf to do as he wanted was lost on Draco. The platinum haired boy decided he'd rather not know. He heard of extremely skilled wizards being able to enter another's mind, and he had no doubt the Dark Lord had the ability. He just hoped he never had to experience it for himself.

The next time he saw Oura was the Sunday he got back to Hogwarts. It seemed that Oura had not left for vacation, other than that first night. It must have been frightfully boring, basically alone in the castle. Not that he cared, of course. Draco just couldn't imagine having such a... great wizard as his father. He had arrived at the castle a week early to avoid the crowded train, and because a meeting was being held in the Manor, one to which he was not invited. He absently wondered what it might be about as he stepped out of the Floo in Professor Umbridge's room. It had been some time since the woman had been appointed as High Inquisitor, and she had made him part of her Inquisitor Squad, so he could use the Floo as he pleased.

The toad-like woman looked up as he entered and tut-tutted as he got ash all over her hot pink rug. Draco's lip curled a bit as he turned to clean it up with a swish of his wand. The woman was worse than his mother when it came to keeping her room perfect. As part of the I.S., he had to make sure he stayed in her favor, so he could keep the power he had over the other students. If that meant cleaning up the rug, he would do it, even if he did so begrudgingly. He needed to feel in power.

He didn't see the flame-haired girl until he almost ran into her, he was so preoccupied about the meeting he was missing. He knocked the books out of her hands, as she was deeply engrossed in the one that was perched precariously on top. The girl uttered a soft apology as she stooped down to pick them up, before she glanced up and noticed who it was. Her eyes flashed dangerously and she suddenly whipped her wand out of what seemed like nowhere. Immediately, she had him backed up against the wall, hand with a fist full of his shirt and tip of her wand pressing his jugular. Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered in a rough, deadly voice.

"If word of who my father is gets spread ANYWHERE..." She released Draco, leaving him to fill in the blank. It wasn't hard. She glared at him one last time, and then disappeared around the corner, a trail books following her pulled by an invisible force.

Draco let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. Usually, he took pride in the fact that no one could take him by surprise, but this girl had bested him twice. He disliked her even more for it. She had said that if he knew her father, he would worship the ground she walked on. Well, he didn't really feel in the worshiping mood today. Indeed, he felt quite irritated by the red head. She wasn't going to make befriending her any easier. Draco really hated her.

Oura really hated him. Whether it was him knowing her secret, his bullying of first years or just his better-than-everyone-else attitude, she had no clue. Perhaps it was all three. What drove her crazy, though, was the stir in her midriff she felt when her body was pressed against his as she threatened him. Maybe, it was her imagination. Yes, that had to be it. Her imagination was running wild again. Like last time they were that close. When he had stolen galleons from a first year. His eyes were like quicksilver, and danced as he had looked her straight in the eyes. Oura shook her head, he had just been trying to distract her from the gold coins he was trying to pocket. Nothing good would ever come of knowing him.

She sighed and let her memory drift to that horrid night. The look on the pure blooded boy's face was something she wished she had a picture of. She had never seen him so surprised, and... was it worry that had been etched into his features as well? Probably not. If he was a Death Eater that young, he had to have about as much caring in his icy heart as her father.

Oura didn't have much time for an internal dispute, though. She had to finish the research she was doing. Anxiously, she looked out a window of the castle as she walked by. The sky was an unbroken mass of grey clouds. There wouldn't be any problem tonight, at least. She let out the small breath she was holding. She had been checking the weather every few minutes, and it remained unchanged. She had cast a weather predicting spell as well. It said that the night would be cloudy, and apologized to all the stargazers. The weather spell wasn't always accurate, but it seemed to be right today. That, at least, was one thing she was glad of. She would prefer the castle to be empty of a certain blonde, but she couldn't have everything. Ah well, she would be able to tolerate him. With an almost deserted castle, it wouldn't be hard to avoid him.

xXx So, this chapter was kinda a bit of filler. I'm trying to get back in my groove, so try to bear with me. Thanks for staying with me :) xXx