The Girl Who Lived (Draco Malfoy x OC)

The First Match

June 4th 1992

Harper was sore for an eleven year old.

First she had to sing a three headed beastly monster-dog to sleep, then she was nearly suffocated to death by Devil's Snare. Finally, she spent close to an hour chasing a flying key with wings. The whole ordeal left the small girl tired and pained. The Devil's Snare having left bruises on her arms and legs. What other obstacles did she have to get through to get to the sorcerer's stone?

She glimpsed back at her two new friends. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Thank God for Hermione otherwise the plant would have killed her and Ron, she was grateful that the intelligent wizard was wasting her time with them to be honest. Ron on the other hand, he wasn't as helpful, but had offered a great deal of friendship to Harper. She owed him the same in return. Especially since he made Harper laugh in every class, helping her adjust to this crazy new life at Hogwarts. It's what made him so charming to her, she supposed. There was never a time he was around where she wasn't grinning like mad. Yeah, she was glad that both of them were with her.

She opened the door leading to the next chamber only to be submerged in darkness. Once they stepped out and into the light, the room revealed a rather astonishing sight. Harper gasped.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard.

"The white chessman are terrifying," Hermione said, folding her arms and taking a step behind Ron and Harper. "They have no faces!"

"You don't need to tell me that," Harper agreed. "What do you think we do now?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron stepped forward. "We have to play our way across!"

"How?" Hermione asked, her voice small.

"I think we're going to have to be chessmen. Now, don't be offended or anything, but you're shocking at chess Harper."

"I'm not offended," she quickly replied. "You beat me in three consecutive games this year." She would have laughed had the situation not made her so nervous.

"Just tell us what to do." Hermione said.

"Right, Harper, you take the place of that bishop. Hermione, you can replace the castle."

Harper took back her earlier thoughts. She was thankful Ron had come with her too as neither herself or Hermione understood the game. She swallowed nervously, watching Ron take the knight's square.

"I don't know a lot, but I know white always plays first in chess," Harper said.

"You're right, Harper. Look," he pointed as a white pawn moved forward two squares.

It didn't take long for them to get into the thick of the game. Ron started directing the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. The entire thing had Harper almost trembling, what if they lost? She watched Ron with avid admiration. He had never seemed so in control and dominant before. She was glad he was in charge. It was like watching a whole different person.

The breath was stolen away from Harper when the first knight was taken. It smashed into pieces, explosive bits of porcelain raining across the board. She shut her eyes tight, believing Ron would keep her and Hermione safe. Another castle was gone, then a pawn. Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall.

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think, let me think."

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.