Unexpected Relationship

CHAPTER 2

Maybe you're wondering why I find this so surprising. It's because just like the rest of the students at Hogwarts, I thought Draco was a Death Eater just like his father. I mean he acted no different than usual when Voldemort returned. He still spent a large amount of his time making all Gryffindor's as miserable as he possibly could, the Trio especially. I wonder what happened to him to cause him to change sides.

Anyway, summer is nearly over and the first day of school is rapidly approaching. The parts of the school that were ruined during the battle have been rebuilt to their original state but it won't be the same. The student population will be decreased and there will be four new teachers to replace those that were killed during the battle, Flitwick, Sprout, Hagrid and Trelawney. But just my luck (note the sarcasm in that statement), Charlie is taking the Care of Magical Creatures job, another brother at school with me. Like overprotective Ron and Harry weren't already intimidating enough to any male who may show an interest. I am never going to have a boyfriend.

But seeing as though I can't do anything about that at the moment, I'll dwell on my other problem. What to do when I see Draco at school? I know I need to thank him for saving my life but I'm a little scared of how he will react. Will he be bastard Malfoy, or the Draco who smiled at me when he helped me to my feet. While I think I would really like to see smiley Draco I really don't think it's going to happen.

From what I've heard, this summer hasn't been a good one for him. And that may be an understatement. Both his father and his mother were found dead in their Death Eater robes on the lawn of Hogwarts. Even though they were evil, they were his parents and he probably loved them. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if mum and dad died. He now lives with his Aunt who is a mediwitch at St. Mungo's and who, from what I've heard, isn't exactly the maternal type. Let's just say not for a million galleons would I want to be him at the moment.

My family I think is starting to wonder why I'm so interested in what's happening to Draco. I haven't told any of them what happened, but it's not like I'm avoiding the issue or anything, it's just that there is an unspoken agreement between Harry, Hermione, Ron and myself that we don't talk about the details of what we either did, or what was done to us. It's too recent, one day we'll talk about it, but not now. We've tried to spend the summer being the carefree teenagers we should have been if Voldemort had never existed. Even so, when you've spent the last two years looking over your shoulder, it's not as easy to let go, as you would think.

On the happier front it looks to Harry and I that Ron has finally realised what he feels for Hermoine and has spent the last couple of weeks trying to gather the courage to tell her. What he doesn't realise is the she feels the same way. We, Harry and I, have to laugh over their predicament, but we've promised them both separately that we wouldn't interfere. They'll figure it out eventually, at least I hope so.

But to get back to the problem at hand, which I rambled off of, what am I going to say to Draco when I see him. I'll have to get him alone because I don't know whether he'll want other people to know what he did or even whether I want others to know just yet. Okay, here's the plan, I get him alone, say 'thanks for saving my life', make a really quick departure as I don't know how he'll react, and my duty is done. Except for the fact that I now have a bond with him.

CHAPTER 3

School has been back for a week now. It has been strange in some ways but completely the same in others. I'll start with the welcoming feast. Walking into the great hall inspired the same amount of awe as usual, but it wasn't until we were all sitting waiting for the first years to be bought in by McGonagall that I started looking around and began noticing all the empty seats. It hit me hard then, people whom I used to talk to, or wave to, were no longer sitting in their normal spots. I'd never see them again. It took all I had not to start crying, but I don't think I hid what I was feeling very well cause when I looked up I saw Harry watching me. Looking into his eyes I knew that he was feeling exactly the same way I was.

It's funny how things work sometimes. I spent years crushing on Harry wishing that he would notice me, notice that I wasn't just Ron's little sister. Realising that I no longer felt that way about him was somewhat a relief. It happened the first day that he came to stay at the Burrow the summer after Voldemort returned. He was in a horrible shape because that awful Muggle family of his hadn't been feeding him properly or giving the emotional support he needed after what happened in the third task. I took one look at him and started fussing over him, just like I would have if it had been one of my brothers that looked that bad. It was that night that I realised that whatever feelings I used to have about Harry all I felt now was the same love that I felt for my brothers. That day I gained my seventh brother.

Stopping the reminiscing and getting back on the topic at hand, it was the next morning at breakfast when I first noticed Draco. He looked different. Just little things, his hair was no longer slicked back and he actually had a tan like he had been outside over the summer. I decided to get this thank you I needed to say to him out of the way as soon as possible, so when he left the hall after he had finished breakfast I followed him outside.

On the whole it didn't go well at all.

"DRACO," I called to him. I knew he heard me because he stilled for a second then continued walking.

"MALFOY," I called this time but yet again he ignores me.

At this stage I'm starting to get annoyed. I run to catch up to him, grab his arm to get him to stop walking.

"What do you want Weasel?" So I was right, no smiley Draco for this but I decided to forge ahead anyway, wanting it over and done with. I opened my mouth ready to say my prepared speech but he started talking first.

"Is there any reason why you need to waste my time, Weasel; there is nothing you could say that I would ever want to hear." I couldn't believe it. I stood there stunned while he walked away. My thoughts that he had changed had just been proved wrong.

Anyway continuing with my story of the week. That night in the common room gave some comic relief that we all needed. I was sitting on the couch in the common room doing some of the homework the teachers had piled on. It was the first day of school. You'd think they'd give us a break but, alas, no. Anyhow the trio entered, the boys loudly complaining about classes. Potions especially. It seems even though Snape has seemed slightly nicer to the rest of the Griffindors, he was still a complete bastard to them. Hermione then starts on her spiel about the NEWTS coming soon so they would have to start studying harder than ever. I find this rather ridiculous. The last two years those three had done so much extra training to prepare them for the war they probably know how to do the majority of the seventh year curriculum already. But that's just my opinion. Now back to the story. All of a sudden there is a great laugh from the other side of the room. It was Seamus, he gets up walks over and hands something to Harry asking jokingly if he could get it autographed. Get this; Harry now has his own chocolate frog collector card. This is what it says

'Harry Potter first became famous for defeating the evil wizard Voldemort when he was one year old. In the Battle of Hogwarts he once again battled and defeated, for good, Voldemort with the help of his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger.'

As you can imagine, Ron was ecstatic that his name was on the card. Whether he'll still feel that way after Fred and George get through teasing him about it, we'll see.

Of course this being Hogwarts, the incident has spread throughout the school by the next morning. I wasn't there but I heard that Malfoy made some crack about it that got Ron fuming for the rest of the day. Speaking of fuming, I don't know who to be more pissed at, Bill or Professor Wilter the new Charms Professor. Sally Wilter is one of Bill's ex girlfriends that he broke up with a couple of years ago. Problem is she's still bitter and is taking it out on Ron and me. Charms is my favourite subject and she's ruining it for me, but enough of the ranting for now. I had another surprise this week at the prefect meeting.

Hermione and Justin are the Head Boy and Girl this year and they called a prefects meeting mid week to introduce the new prefects. Now just like many Weasleys before me I am the sixth year prefect. When I walked into the prefects meeting room I see Blaise Zambini's replacement (Blaise died in the battle), guess who. Yep, you guessed it, Draco Malfoy. Now while I was sitting there during the meeting half listening to Hermione hand out the new passwords to the prefects bathrooms I realised I would have to try and talk to Malfoy again. I wish I could just leave it alone but I wont be able to feel better until I say it. I came out of my deep thoughts just in time to hear Justin close the meeting and to remind us of the meeting next week. As I stood up to leave what should happen but my bag should split spilling my things everywhere. I start to pick up my things and notice that HE has stayed behind to talk to Justin about something. When I finish I stand up and notice he's on his way to the door and Justin's gone so I decide now's the time.

"Just wait a second. I have something to say to you. It won't take more than ten seconds," I say very quickly. He pauses by the door.

"What?" he says in that harsh tone of his.

"I just want to say ..." And there she is, Pansy, ready to interrupt me before I get to finish.

"Have you finished yet Draco? Remember we have plans," she says.

"Yeah let's go." He walks out with her, not even bothering to let me finish.

Oh he is so infuriating.

TBC