The Heart Is Not Black or White

Chapter 9

~Draco Malfoy's POV~

I looked out the window of the Hogwarts Express at the green fields passing by in a blur. Crabbe and Goyle, whom I was sharing a compartment with, were already boring me, and we weren't even halfway through the train ride. I couldn't imagine spending the next seven years with them.

"How much longer until we get there?" Crabbe asked once again.

"It's only been five minutes since you last asked that, so... five minutes less than last time," I answered impatiently.

Crabbe furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He was about to open his mouth again when there was a knock on the door of the compartment.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened to reveal a petite girl with the blackest hair and palest skin I've ever seen. Her skin was even paler than mine. She looked like that muggle fairy tale Snow White. But the most noticeable feature was her eyes. She had emerald eyes that seemed to pierce your soul. It haunted me.

"Excuse me," she started in a light voice. Her eyes were looking into mine and I was transfixed. "Have you seen a toad by any chance? A boy named Neville lost it."

"Neville Longbottom?" I asked, snickering with Crabbe and Goyle.

"I don't know his last name," she said with great impatience, narrowing her eyes into slits. "Have you seen the blimey toad or not?"

"Who are you?" I asked, completely ignoring her question and trying to forget the look of her eyes. "I'm Malfoy. This is Crabbe and Goyle. We're all purebloods."

"I'm Marissa L'amare," she said, mocking my dignified tone. "I'm pureblood. Like it makes me more superior."

"It sure doesn't with that last name," snorted Goyle.

"Excuse me?" The L'amare girl didn't look offended but utterly confused. Her eyes widened and green eyes seemed to pull you in more. I was also confused, and annoyed that Goyle knew something I didn't.

"Shut it, Goyle," I snapped. Turning back to the L'amare girl, I said, "Did you say you were a pureblood?"

"Yes," she retorted. With annoyance, she repeated, "Have you seen a toad, you bloody git?"

The comment made me furious. No one got away with calling me a 'bloody git'. But the girl was attractive and a pureblood. She seemed like a more interesting friend than Crabbe and Goyle. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I said, "No, I have not seen the toad. Would you like to sit with us?"

She arched her delicate eyebrows, but cautiously took a seat next to me. Crabbe and Goyle gave each other a look, and I gave them one telling them to shut it.

"So, L'amare," I started. "What house do you hope to be in?"

"I don't have a preference," she huffed. "What about you three?"

"We're betting on getting into Slytherin," I replied. "Everyone in our families so far have been in Slytherin. What houses were your parents in?"

"They never told me."

This seemed very odd. As long as I could remember, my family had been teaching me to act like them, pure Slytherins. Pushing this asked I asked her, "You may not have a preference, but is there a house you think fits you best?"

"Um," she seemed to ponder this, then said, "Many of my friends think I'll be in Gryffindor, but I think... maybe... Slytherin may fit me best."

"Good choice," I said beaming, secretly hoping this girl with the haunting green eyes would be in Slytherin with me.

"Right," she said, slowly standing up. "I should be going then."

"Well," I said, slightly disappointed. "I hope we see each other in Slytherin."

The L'amare girl nodded and quickly headed out of the compartment. I looked over to see Crabbe and Goyle snickering.

"Oh, shut it you two," I snapped.