Why hadn't Narcissa found some way to warn her about this? She hated to admit it, but understood Draco's disdain at her presence. There wasn't a place for her here and too many difficult questions were being asked to keep her association with the Malfoys under wraps. There was also far more going on than what met the eye and neither Draco, nor Narcissa, were going to fill her in properly. Enola wasn't sure she'd be able to fulfil her promise to Narcissa under these circumstances. Besides, Draco wasn't interested in being friends.
In an attempt to distract herself, Enola hauled her books from her trunk. She wasn't going to end up in the goldfish department if it could be helped. As she did so, a glint caught her eye. Narcissa had returned the necklace. She inspected the crest on the pendant, but she could feel a certainty that it didn't mean anything to her. It seemed like it might be a family heirloom. She decided it could've belonged to her attacker and vowed to get something out of the stupid Malfoy boy about who the Serpens were. For now, she clipped the necklace back around her neck for safekeeping and hid it beneath her top.
Her mood did begin to lift as she got started on her books. They brought her a sense of comfort and the words were actually familiar, like she'd read them once before. She'd even gotten brave enough to try one of the spells on her pillow and watched in awe as her pillow floated above her head. After a couple hours, she was content enough that she plonked her books on top of her trunk and laid her head to rest.
"Early night?" Came Pansy's voice.
Oh, just shut up.
"Yep." Enola replied.
"Your books." Pansy paused. "They are yours, right?" She pointed to the books on Enola's trunk.
"Yep." She repeated.
Pansy's face distorted with glee. "They're for first years. I'm not even joking." And she burst into her loudest most annoying laugh yet.
So Enola said exactly what she'd been dying to all night. "Pansy, can you shut the fuck up?"
*
The next day, students were comparing timetables at breakfast, eating toast as they chattered about which NEWTs they were going to take.
"Go on then, Inkwood. Show us yours." Pansy leaned across the table with a spiteful smile.
Draco lifted his head slightly in mild interest.
"It's blank." Enola said. "I need to report to a Professor Snape."
"Suppose he's arranging something special for you." Pansy sniggered.
"Probably." Enola didn't bite back and served herself some golden syrupped porridge.
"I don't really see the point in taking NEWTs this year. I'll be moving on soon." Draco said dismissively.
Pansy may as well have had hearts for eyes as she watched him talk and Blaise was once again feigning disinterest.
"Where to?" Enola asked candidly.
"It would take all day to explain that to someone like you." Pansy said nastily.
"Enough." Blaise rolled his eyes at Pansy. "Do us all a favour and wise up. You're both annoying." He said irritably to Enola as he left the table.
Enola watched after him, shocked by his rudeness. Like she'd chosen to wake up with no memory. But Pansy simply smiled at the departure and stroked back a stray blonde hair of Draco's.
"I think he's jealous of you." She simpered.
*
Enola left Professor Snape's office feeling much brighter than she did previously. Not that she liked the man very much, he was greasy and foreboding. She was just elated that she wouldn't be in with the first years.
She was to complete the assignments and then sit the exams independently for each missing year as soon as she was ready. There wasn't any hope of her sitting her NEWTs this year, she was warned, but it was a better result than she could've hoped for. She thought that if she really applied herself she could do a few years. Snape had walked her to the Headmaster's office in utter silence. She was almost more nervous for this meeting than she had been at the Sorting.
She reached the gargoyle with Snape who muttered the words "Acid Pops". And ushered her up the stairs, leaving her at a wooden door with a brass knocker. She knocked.
"Come in." Came Dumbledore's voice.
She stepped inside coyly and made her way to the chair opposite his desk. "You wanted to see me?" She asked.
YOU ARE READING
The Stranger (Dramione)
Fanfiction"Draco Malfoy meets a stranger in Knockturn Alley. Little does he know, they've already met." A fan-fiction set in sixth year, following the plot of the Half-Blood Prince, with a Dramione twist.
