The Serpent's Song

Dinner

Draco played with his food, only paying partial attention to his parents as they reminded him how crucial it was for him to succeed.

"When do you believe the Vanishing Cabinet in Hogwarts will be ready?" his mother asked. He shrugged.

"It's still not working properly. It might be a while."

"And your mission?" his father asked, though he already knew the answer. Draco could tell by the disappointed glare in his eyes.

"I failed last week, but I'll get it done."

"He's getting help from an exceptional student," Professor Snape informed as he took a bite of his meal. Since he'd made an Unbreakable Vow with Mrs. Malfoy to protect Draco, he's been staying close to the family and kept an eye on the young man. Even stayed over most nights and hung around at the manor during the day. "A young Ravenclaw girl. She's helping him with charms, spells, and hexes. For academic reasons."

Draco recalled the other night when he secretly admitted to his professor that he was getting close to Serena. The man asked him if he was falling in love with her. Though he didn't admit it, the blonde boy thought he might be. Still, he asked the teacher to also look after the girl, make sure that nothing happened to her at school once his mission took action and succeeded. To his surprise, the melancholy man agreed to protect Serena if he had to, and keep everything he'd told him a secret. However, they had to at least allow his parents to know that the girl was now an acquaintance of Draco's.

"So, she doesn't know anything about. . . ?" Mrs. Malfoy asked.

"No. I'm paying her to help me and keep our study sessions a secret." Draco lied. He actually offered to pay her at least a month ago, but she refused. I volunteered, she said. You don't have to pay me for willingly helping you.

"And who is this girl?"

"Serena Chanson. She's second in the class, next to that Mudblood, Granger."

"Chanson?" Draco's father repeated in disbelief. "That man had a daughter?"

The young man stared in confusion. "You knew her father?"

"He wasn't much, back in those days. Keeper on the Quidditch team, very clever. He always acted as though he knew something no one did. He made me sick."

Draco caught his mother rolling her eyes. Everyone makes Lucius Malfoy sick.

"Which House was he in?" the young Malfoy asked.

"You don't know?"

"No one does. I don't think she told anyone."

"Gregory Chanson was a Gryffindor." 

Draco almost dropped his fork. A Gryffindor. . .

In that moment, he knew that if he continued to grow closer to Serena, perhaps even pursue into a relationship with her, his family would never approve. Mostly, his father. Though he could never figure out all the reasons, Draco knew that the Malfoy family despised anyone in the Gryffindor House. They were very proud and prideful Slytherins.

The young Malfoy glanced at his teacher, who simply gave him a sympathetic look and nodded. Why did he agree to look after Serena while at Hogwarts? Does he somehow understand what I'm going through? But what does he know? Snape is practically emotionless, save for the unpleasant ones like anger, annoyance, and frustration. Still. . .

Draco didn't get much sleep that night. His head spent hours thinking of Serena, contemplating his feelings toward her. . . Would it be worth it?