Twin Potter And The Boy Who Lived

Happy Christmas

The aftermath of Harry being found with more victims caused a swift and immediate panic amongst the students. This leads to nearly everyone rushing to ensure they are going home for the holidays.

Rumors fly wildly all centering around Harry, of course. It doesn't help that the Weasley twins parade him around announcing the arrival of "Slytherin's Heir."

Thankfully it seems to take the accusations from Vanessa. Some students still eye her apprehensively, whisper when she passes, but it's nothing compared to the reactions to Harry. The muttering, pointing, and hissing. As bad as she feels for him, there's a bit of her that is relishing the negative attention he's receiving. Since they found out about the magic world everyone has been fawning over him, climbing over each other to bow down to "The Boy Who Lived." For once it's nice to see the tide turned against him.

Draco hates all of it. Behind the doors of the common room, he rants about it.

"Can you believe those morons believe Potter is the Heir?" He throws himself onto the chair near her, his brow furrowed in frustration. Vanessa shares a look with Blaise who is seated next to her on the couch as they go over last-minute papers before break.

"Yes, I can believe it. My brother has been in the spotlight since we were babies. Besides, people will believe anything with enough fear." She twiddles her quill between her fingers, trying to focus on the scroll of parchment before her.

"Well, I'm not scared." Draco puffs his chest. "Got no reason to be. It's only going after the mud--Muggleborns anyways." She hears how quick he is to correct himself and she feels touched that he seems to be making an effort not to be insulting around her.

"Still, whatever it is got a ghost too. The teachers don't even seem to know what it is and no one knows how to stop it. Potter has been in the center of all of it, so it's natural for anyone to blame the obvious answer." Blaise adds as he fiddles with the edge of his parchment. "All signs do point to him though."

"It's definitely not him. I know my brother and he would never be the cause for any of this." Vanessa shakes her head.

"How well do you actually know him now, though?" Blaise looks at her.

"He's my twin, I know him better than anyone." Her gaze sharpens on him.

"But you didn't even know he was a Parseltongue." Draco points out. Vanessa's cheeks flush. "And I noticed how much you've been watching him lately. Like you're suspicious of something. Not that I'm saying he's the Heir, but I don't think you know him as well as you used to."

"I'm not hearing anymore of this." She stands abruptly, grabbing her books and packing everything away.

"Oh, come on, Malfoy, you ruined my tutoring." Blaise groans.

"You brought it up." Draco shoots back. She ignores their conversation. She knows she can't ignore the signs, she really doesn't know Harry as well as she once did. The divide between them has grown. She can't imagine what she could possibly do to lessen it, much less stop it from growing.

When end of term came the Slytherin dorm completely cleared out save for a few older years, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Vanessa. It was a bit strange not having the soft snores of others in the dorm with her. She's been so used to sleeping in the company of others that it's abnormal to sleep alone. Even at Malfoy manor, there were many nights she and Draco would fall asleep in the same room as one another.

Despite the jarring emptiness in the dorm, Draco made sure she wasn't so alone in the common room. He spent time with her, between playing wizard chess, talking about Quidditch, and making plans for the summer, she never felt alone. And on top of it all, no dreams.