Ella Potter (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 15

Soon enough Winter break came along and Ella hung out with her dad and Draco a lot. Draco took her out to the lake and taught her how to ice skate. It was so much fun. On their way inside they spotted Crabbe, Goyle, and Percy. Ronald Weasley's prefect brother.

"There you are" Draco drawled, looking at them. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? I've been looking for you; I want to show you something really funny."

"You'll love it" Ella added

Draco glanced witheringly at Percy "And what're you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.

Percy looked outraged "You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he said. "I don't like your attitude!"

Draco sneered and motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him and Ella. As they turned into the next passage Draco said "That Peter Weasley -"

"Percy," Crabbe corrected him automatically.

"Whatever," said Draco

"I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. He probably thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed." Ella said

Draco gave a short, derisive laugh. He paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.

"What's the new password again?" He said

"Pure-blood!" Ella said and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open "Which is ironic cause I'm not a pure-blood."

The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.

"Wait here," Draco said to Crabbe and Goyle motioning them to a pair of empty chairs set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it my father's just sent it to me -"

Ella sat down across from them. Draco came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Crabbe's nose.

"That'll give you a laugh," he said.

"Well?" said Malfoy impatiently as they handed the clipping back to him. "Don't you think it's funny?"

"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them," said Draco scornfully. "You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave."

Crabbe's face was contorted with fury.

"What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Malfoy.

"Stomachache," he grunted.

"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Malfoy, snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."

Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"

Ella laughed, Draco dropped his hands and looked at Crabbe and Goyle "What's the matter with you two?"

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think he's Slytherin's heir!"

"I'm just surprised nobody's questioned me." Ella commented "I mean, I am the Potter in Slytherin."

"I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."

Goyle asked "You must have some idea who's behind it all?"

"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing - last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time.. I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.

"I don't," Ella nudged him "You know I like talking her her."

"Let me have my thoughts El," Draco said "I'm ranting."

"D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?" Goyle asked

"Oh, yeah.. whoever it was was expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban."

Crabbe and Goyle looked confused

"Azkaban the wizard prison" Ella explained

Draco shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week? Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor -" 

"So cool" Ella said sarcastically "hey did you guys know I beat Draco in a duel?"

"Don't tell them that," Draco nudged her playfully "if one Potter can beat me they'll think the other one can too."

"My brother's soft," Ella told him "I love him but he is."

Crabbe and Goyle both jumped to their feet.

"Medicine for my stomach" Crabbe grunted, and without further ado they sprinted the length of the Slytherin common room, hurled themselves at the stone wall, and dashed up the passage.

Draco and Ella shrugged and just talked about random things