Chapter 27:

Fourteen

Making her way through the halls towards the Great Hall on Saturday, September 22, Jessa was stayed quiet, stifling a yawn.

"Jessa? Are you alright?"

Startled a bit, she nodded. "Fine. Thank you. Just worn out."

"Then let's get to the Great Hall already. Lunch should help with that."

As the two girls rounded the corner, Harry came up behind her.

"Happy Birthday, Jessa!" he exclaimed, his emerald eyes sparkling.

"Thanks," she replied, hugging him swiftly.

"I was going to tell you at breakfast, but you weren't there."

"I slept late today since we don't have classes or Quidditch."

"Can you sit with us – me – today?" he asked, eyeing Taryn with suspicion in his eyes.

As she turned to ask, Taryn was unusually quiet and serious.

"What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me when your birthday was?"

"It – it never really crossed my mind…never seemed important."

"What never seemed important?" a newcomer's voice asked, and Jessa groaned, noting how the Gryffindors stiffened at the same time.

"Did you know it's her birthday?" Taryn cried, turning on Malfoy.

"What? You mean today? Why is it that I've known you for three years and didn't know when it was?"

"Like I said, it never seemed important…it was never a big deal," she persisted, not meeting his gaze.

"Not impor – " he started to say, before cursing under his breath and muttering, "I'm going to kill them."

"Draco, calm down," she begged quietly.

"I'm gong to sit with Harry. I'll see you later," she said, her voice still soft, giving him a weak little smile before taking her brother's hand and gong over to the Gryffindor table.

A few people stared at her while others didn't even give her a second glance. Harry and Ron took their seats across from her while Hermione sat next to her.

"Jessa, why did Malfoy react the way he did? Who does he want to kill?" Harry asked, perplexed by his enemy's reaction.

"The Dursleys. He – he found out more then I meant for him to over the summer. More than what he saw, even," she explained.

"What exactly does he know?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"You know already what he saw at the house. Well, then…he gave me my own room. You can imagine my reaction. Between those two things alone, along with the bruises on my wrists, he figured it out himself. I just – I just confirmed it for him," she confessed, looking down at her lap, ashamed.

"So what, did he dump you and tell his father?" Ron asked accusingly. They had been more…civil. But obviously that didn't extend to her friendship with Malfoy…not that she expected it to.

"Ron, if he had done that, then why would he have bothered to find out what she was talking about? If that had happened, why would she have continued to stay with him in the first place?" Hermione reasoned; Jessa shot her a grateful look in response.

"He took it fairly well, all things considered. And his parents don't know, though they might be suspicious. I – I didn't realize I would be going to the World Cup with them." She admitted, embarrassed. Harry, who had gone pale, noticed this.

"Jessa, what's done is done. Don't worry about it. Anyway, I got you something," he said earnestly, before trying to change the subject.

"Really? Like…something real?" she asked excitedly, glad to the distraction. Harry laughed.

"Yes Jessa, something real," he replied, pulling out a box of chocolates.

"It's from Honeydukes. In Hogsmeade," he said, unsure why his sister's face fell.

"Thanks, Harry," she replied softly, before rising to her feet. Harry shot a concerned look to his friends, before following her out.

"Jessa…please tell me what's wrong," he pleaded. Sighing, she turned to him and buried her face in his chest, surprising her brother greatly.

"I didn't want him to know," she mumbled. Harry's gaze softened as he looked down at her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I don't like it anymore than you do. It's already out there. But, if today's reaction is any indication, it seems as if it only brought the two of you closer…though I have to say, that's not something I'm particularly happy about." He said, and Jessa looked up at him, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Of all people, do you really have to be friends with him?"

"I didn't go looking for it to happen, Harry. It just sort of…did. I didn't plan to like him. When he began being…friendly, he didn't even know who I was. But I – Harry, please – I need you to try to understand. Being a Slytherin isn't exactly a picnic," she said, taking her brother's hand in hers and leading him towards the grounds.

"What exactly do you mean? They're not giving you a hard time, are they?"

"We've been through this, I'm your sister, of course it's not easy. I'm a half-blood, too; one with a Muggle-born mother – though most don't know that. But some do know I'm – we're – muggle-raised. That's not exactly earning me special treatment. I – I just don't know anymore. I like Slytherin, if you can believe it, but it's not – well, it's not exactly care-free."

Slowly he nodded. He could see her point(s).

"C'mon, cheer up – it's your birthday for Merlin's sake!" he said grabbing her hand and pulling her faster towards the entrance and without willing to hear another protest, pulled her towards the Quidditch pitch.

Grabbing his broom and a spare from the Gryffindor locker room, he gave his sacred Firebolt to Jessa.

"Are you sure?" she asked doubtfully. When her brother nodded, she mounted the broom and rocketed into the sky, Harry close behind her.

The two siblings stayed in the air an hour or two, chasing each other around and just spending time together, making up for when they couldn't. After returning the brooms, the two walked back up to the castle slowly, Harry's arm around his sister's petite body, she leaning into him as the sun began to set behind them.

"Thank you, Harry," she said quietly, causing him to look down.

"Anytime," he murmured back, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

The two walked in silence until someone clearing their throat behind them caused the Potters to turn. Immediately, Harry tensed, but he tried to resist the urge to protect Jessa in this instance.

"Can you come back now?" he asked, his tone as…neutral as it could be, even as the boys seemed to be in some form of staring match.

"Is that okay?" she asked her brother instead of answering directly.

"He can see, too. It isn't in the common room for a reason," Malfoy interrupted.

"Then where exactly are you taking us?"

"An empty classroom in the dungeons. And yes, we have Snape's permission to be there," he replied succinctly.

Harry's bright eyes narrowed, but he didn't replied again as Malfoy led the Potters to the aforementioned classroom. Pushing open the door, Jessa noted how dark it was.

Then someone flipped a switch. Light flooded the small room. Malfoy had joined Blaise, Taryn, and even Adrian. They stood under a small banner that read Happy Birthday, Jessa!

"Thank you," she whispered, stunned. They had even had the kitchens whip up a small cake. It was small – but it was a huge gesture as far as she was concerned.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Harry gaping at the small scene.

"See? Even with the…problems, I'm okay here."

"I can see that. I don't believe what I'm seeing, but clearly you've found your own group. I'll leave you to it. I hardly think I'm the Potter they want here."

She snorted, embracing him once more, before walking towards her friends as her brother left to join his.

"Jessa, the truth – why didn't you tell us?" Draco asked, coming up behind her as the others began to divide up the cake and other treats – probably from Hogsmeade. However, it was clear that though he kept his voice low, their small group was listening.

"You know now about my home life – more than I ever wanted you or anyone here to know. But as is – well, between us, I doubt the Dursleys even know when my birthday is," she admitted, cheeks red in shame and embarrassment.

"That changes today. We now know when it is. We won't forget. Promise."

"Draco, I – I'm sorry for the way I've been acting towards you."

"Don't be – I understand after what you said right before we boarded. What you've said – I'll keep it between us as much as possible. But it doesn't change anything for me. I'm not leaving you because of it. I'll try to be more mindful – but I am telling you right now I'm not going to get along with your brother anytime soon."

To his surprise, Jessa just laughed. "I know that. Thank you. This is – quite obviously – more than anyone's ever done for me."

He nodded. If they were alone, he would have give her a quick embrace, but as it was – he just squeezed her hand quickly, before pulling back and pulling her into the party meant for her.