Bloodline - Draco Malfoy

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It was early September and the school year was beginning. A dreary time for many, but the best for others. Mila Davie, in particular, was elated to begin her fifth year at Hogwarts. In part because her parents were unbearably strict during her summers at home, but otherwise, simply because she missed her friends there. 

She had sent weekly, or in some cases, daily, owls to her closest classmates, but over the summer had traveled so much it was never possible to see them in person. This was a particularly disappointing thing, as most of her fellow Slytherins were of important, noble and ministry families, which meant plenty of invitations to countless dinner parties and galas and various other occasions where Mila longed to strut her feathers among the rich. The best of all had been a dinner held at Malfoy Mansion the weekend before her return to Hogwarts. She had desperately hoped attend and visit with her housemates before school began, but her parents expanded their trip to America another two days, making Mila miss the Malfoys' invitation by less than twelve hours. Her parents had claimed it was coincidence, but Mila and her sister, Genevieve, speculated it had been very much on purpose. It was fairly well known between the sisters that their parents did not approve of the Malfoys. 

As Mila held tightly to her cat, Godfrey, she spotted Draco Malfoy across the platform and waved in polite greeting. He glanced over with a tight lipped smile, but continued talking to his parents, with no sign of coming over to say hello. Mila shook off his lack of enthusiasm at seeing her for the first time in months, and busied herself with getting her sister and their belongings onto the Hogwarts Express.

"You'll owl every weekend, won't you?" Her mother asked Mila, cupping her cheek within her hand. Mila rolled her eyes.

"Mother, I'll be quite busy with OWLs, you know," Mila said. "And Gen with her NEWTs. Every weekend is quite the high expectation."

"We expect great things from you both," her father chimed in. "But at the the very least..." He hugged both his daughters. "...a letter each week." 

Once again, Mila rolled her eyes, but her parents were preoccupied talking to her sister now. She saw her opportunity and took it, venturing into the train in search of her friends. It wasn't a far walk before she heard Vincent Crabbe and Greggory Goyle arguing somewhere inside one of the cars. Beside them was Blaise Zabini, with space enough for three others. One spot was certainly for Mila, the two others, most likely, soon to be occupied by Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy, if he had managed to board on time with his parents lecturing him, most likely about his pureblood lineage, on the platform. 

The Davie family was as pureblood as the Malfoys, though less willing to capitalize on it. They worked a high end cafe in Diagon Alley, spending their family fortune on travel, rather than shows of wealth and were far more tolerant toward those who were muggleborn. Mila, however, knew her parents, though they put on a good show, were still quite proud to be pureblood and refused to cross any line that would have them labeled as bloodtraitors. This kept Mila from social outcast as a Slytherin and allowed Geniveve to make and keep friends as a Gryffindor. 

"Davie, would you mind keeping that stupid cat of yours on a tighter leash? We haven't even left the station yet and he's bit my ankle twice," Zabini complained, kicking Godfrey off his pant leg.

Mila crouched down and scooped her fluffy, black cat into her arms with a frown. "He's only trying to get your attention. It's been so long since he's seen you." She knew for a fact that Godfrey actually, in fact, was less than fond of Zabini, but that wouldn't help his case. 

"Wretched furball made me buy a new robe last year," Zabini reminded Mila. "Tore straight through the last one."

"You poor baby," Mila cooed. She rolled her eyes, turning her attention to the window as they began their journey back to Hogwarts. Her parents waved as they picked up speed until suddenly they disappeared from sight.