Adopted by the Malfoy's {Harry Potter fanfic}

16. The Quidditch Match

A/N: I own nothing except Lexie, Max & Ruby. Everything else is property of J.K. Rowling. I hope I don't make her appear weepy, she wasn't meant to be that way but I also don't have any of my future chapters written out. They're writing themselves so please don't let it deter you. I promise she'll get more likable in the future :) Also, any ideas for pranks - I'm not much of a prankster myself - are appreciated, I may use them!

Chapter 16: The Quidditch Match

Term began again and soon everyone's mind was on Quidditch, and their upcoming exams. Lexie busied herself spending a lot of time in the library or in abandoned classrooms, practicing wand movements, desperate to learn as much as she could before it was time for the end of year tests. Sometimes she would take a break and sit in the stands and watch a Quidditch practice, taking in the crisp air. She would split her attention between Harry and the twins. Usually after practice they would hang back and talk, and often the twins would join her in the stands and they would all walk back together, the boys talking Quidditch as they did.

Each night she read a little more in her father's journal. She was learning more about her family and quickly understood why her father had asked her not to think too badly of him, her grandparents seemed set in their Pureblood views. She could easily understand why Sirius seemed to drift from the family, and was saddened to see how this had affected her father. Regulus tried not to show it and dare not say so aloud, but he loved his big brother.

After one such practice in which Oliver Wood announced that Professor Snape was refereeing the Hufflepuff match, she watched Harry speed back to the Common room and followed, concerned for her raven-haired friend. She well remembered the first match in which Harry had nearly fallen off his broom, and later when she learned that it had been jinxed. Surely the Potions master didn't hate the boy enough to do something publicly?

"Harry! Wait up!" she called and he slowed so she could catch up to him, his expression clearly worried. They continued on till they reached the common room where they found Hermione and Ron playing chess. Harry sat down next to Ron and Lexie went up to her dorm to put her sketchbook away before joining them at their table.

Right as she sat down the portrait hole opened as Neville toppled into the common room. She wondered how he had gotten in, indeed down the hall seeing as his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized as the Leg-Locker curse.

Everyone laughed except the four of them as she and Hermione hurried to help the boy up and Hermione performed the counter-curse. Lexie ushered Neville over to sit with them as Hermione asked, "What happened?"

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. Lexie scowled, furious with her brother. "I met him outside the library; he said he'd been looking for someone to practice on."

"I'm so sorry, Neville," she muttered. Neville gave her a shaky half-smile but she wasn't reassured. She stood and swept out of the common room in search of her brother, knowing that she would find him laughing with his stupid friends.

She wasn't wrong, she found him nearby in the hallway, snickering with Crabbe and Goyle. "Draco!"

Her brother turned to see his sister scowling deeply at him, hands on her hips. "Why did you do that to Neville? He's never done anything to you!"

"As if he could, the great lump, did you see his face?"

"You had better not do that again—," Lexie warned, drawing her wand.

"What, you'll go to McGonagall? Remember who adopted you, Alexis." Lexie was struck and froze. How could he say such a thing? "You say a word and I'll tell Father about the company you've been keeping," Draco said snidely.