My little Malfoy Girl

Day One At Hogwarts (Part 2)

Next class: Transfiguration. I'm a master at this. Harry, obviously, was not having a great day, We were supposed to be turning a beetle into a button. Harry's beetle kept avoiding his wand tip.

Ron was having worse problems. He had patched his wand up with SpelloTape, which, if you ask me, didn't do much, because it seemed like Ron's wand was damaged beyond repair. It kept crackling and sparking at random moments, and every time he tried to transform his beetle, he was engulfed in thick grey smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. It was disgusting, and it happened a lot. In one of these clouds, he couldn't see and accidentally squashed his beetle, and had to ask for a new one. Professor McGonagall was not pleased.

Hermione and I, on the other hand, managed to turn every single one of our beetles into cute, black buttons. By the end of class, me and Hermione had handfuls of buttons, but Harry and Ron looked wrung out and exhausted. 

Everyone was glad for lunch, though. I was starving, and Harry and Ron just wanted a break. Everyone else rushed out the classroom, and soon it was just us four packing up. Ron was not in high spirits.

"Stupid... Useless... Thing..."  He said, banging his wand furiously on the desk. 

"Write home for another one," Harry suggested as the wand let off a volley of bangs like a firecracker. 

"Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back," said Ron, stuffing the now hissing wand into his bag. " 'It's your own fault your wand got snapped--' "

"OK, you two. Let's go, " I said.

We headed down to lunch, and Ron' mood was not improved by Hermione bragging about how well our buttons turned out.

"What've we got this afternoon?" I said hastily, trying to change the subject. 

Instantly, Hermione answered, "Defense Against The Dark Arts."

"Why," demanded Ron, who seized Hermione's schedule, "have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?" 

I covered up a snort with a cough.

Hermione snatched back her schedule, blushing profusely.

We finished lunch and went outside in the (very nice, might I add) overcast courtyard. Hermione immediately sat down and buried her face in Voyages with Vampires.

I sat down next to Ron and Harry. He turned to me and said, " So. You're pretty smart, aren't you?"

I smiled. 

"Glad someone noticed something other than the fact that Draco's my brother." 

We started talking about Quidditch, when all of a sudden, Harry turned around really fast.

A bright snap and a loud flash came from nowhere. 

I shrieked. 

"WHAT IS THAT THING?!?! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!"

Harry stared at the...um... thing. Well, rather, the boy behind it.

"All right, Harry? I'm- I'm Collin Creevy," the boy said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think - would it be alright if - can I have a picture? "

I almost died, trying to hold in my laughter. I didn't want to laugh at this boy and hurt his feelings, but come on, a picture???

"Come on, Harry! I mean, who could say no to such an adowable wittle face???" I said, getting my baby voice out.

Collin blushed profusely at that comment. Hehehe.

Harry, on the other hand, just stared blankly at Collin. 

"A picture?"

"So I can prove I've met you," Collin said eagerly, edging forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You - Know - Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lighting scar on your forehead." His eyes raked Harry's hairline. 

"And a boy in my dormitory said that if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move!"

He paused and took a great, shuddering breath of excitement. 

"It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do with magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you - " He looked imploringly at Harry - " and maybe your friend could take it? With your... lady...friend and me, and then, I was thinking, you could sign it?"

I had no idea what half the stuff was that this kid said, (milkman? What the heck is a milkman?), but before I could ask, I heard a very familiar voice. 

"Signed photos?  You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" 

I saw Draco come out of nowhere, walking up behind Collin. 

"Draco..." I said softly, pleading with my brother not to start anything. I hated when he was like this. So full of anger and hate. Or maybe he was always like this, and I just never noticed. The thought brought tears to my eyes.

Draco didn't seem to notice, roaring to the courtyard, "Everyone line up! Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!" 

"No, I'm not," said Harry angrily, his fists clenching. "Shut up, Malfoy."

"You're just jealous," said Collin, very brave considering the fact that Collin's whole body was about as thick as one of Draco's goons' neck.

"Jealous?"  said my brother, who didn't need to shout anymore, now that the whole courtyard was huddled around, listening. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar across my forehead, thanks. I don't think getting my head cut open makes you that special myself. "

His cronies sniggered stupidly.

"Draco, you're being a jerk!" I cried.

It was like he was just now noticing that I was there. His eyes widened, just a tiny bit, and he almost looked like he never wanted me to see that side of him. He is my older brother, after all, if only by a couple of minutes. But then, of course Ron had to ruin it by saying, "Yeah, listen to your sister, Malfoy! And go eat slugs while you're at it!" 

Draco instantly snapped his head in Ron's direction, all of my older brother gone in a second, back into miniature Father, me instantly forgotten, as always.

"Careful, Weasely, you don't want to start any trouble or your mommy'll have to come take you out of school." He put on a shrill voice, mimicking the kind woman that helped me at the train station.

" 'If you put another toe out of line -- ' "

 A group of Slytherin fifth years nearby laughed loudly st this. I turned and glared at them, then turned to Draco.

"Draco, how could you? These are my friends!"

"They were my enemies first, Leila. You would do well to remember that. I don't want to see you get hurt, even if you are a blood traitor." 

I gasped. Tears welled up and threatened to escape. My throat closed up, and I looked at the only brother I ever had, and said. "I thought you of all people would still love me, Draco. Regardless of whatever house I was in." I couldn't help it anymore. The tears started coming. My breath turned ragged, and I barely noticed when Harry saw me crying, and glowered at Draco furiously. He was about to yell when all of a sudden, Hermione closed her book she'd been  pretending to read during this, and said, "Look out! Lockhart's coming!"

Oh, great, I thought. Just what everyone needed. Another git.

"What's all this, what's all this?" He said, striding  in like he owned the place. 

"Who's giving out signed photos?" 

He then saw Harry. "Ah, shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!"