Red Ribbons, A Black Heart

Red Ribbons, A Black Heart

boreaswindstorm

Chapter One: Thoughts of Enchanted Minds

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Draco sighed as he walked to Double Potions. It was the first class of his seventh year at Hogwarts, and already the day sucked. *I don't know how much more of Crabbe and Goyle I can take. We've nothing in common-they are complete idiots.* He glared at the infamous trio as they walked into the class ahead of him. *Why can't I have a relationship with someone like they do?* He frowned.

*What the hell am I thinking?!?!* Draco shook his head as he sat down beside Goyle. *I'm a Slytherin, for bloody's sake!*

Ron nudged Harry and pointed at Draco. "Hey, I wonder what's wrong with him? It never takes him this long to start arguing with us." Hermione, sitting behind them, nodded in agreement.

"True, but with the numskulls he hangs with might have given him a headache," she added.

"Nah, they couldn't have," Harry commented. "He wasn't in the Hall this morning for breakfast." Just then Snape walked in, so the class stopped talking-they didn't need to lose many points the first day.

"Today you'll be taking a test in order to see if you remember at least something from last year." The entire class groaned. "Now, if you'll get out your quills we can-"

"Not now, Severus," a voice commanded from the doorway. It was Dumbuldore and McGonagall. "We have a new student who will join the Gryffindors until she can be sorted tonight." He glanced around the room. "Everyone, please meet Alana Terranford." The two teachers parted, and to Draco, it seemed as if the world around him had ceased to exist.

She had black and chestnut-streaked hair pulled up into a ponytail that looked like it had been doubled over to seem shorter. She was wearing baggy pants and a loose-fitting green sweater. She had a small, sharp nose and full lips. But the thing that caught Draco's attention was her dark green eyes flecked with bright, neon green. *Hmm...* Then Goyle just had to nudge him.

"She's prrreeeettty, huh Dr-Draco?" He asked in his slow way. Putting on an annoyed face, Draco tore his eyes away from Alana to look at the fat oaf.

"She's not even okay," *Liar...* "-and even if she was she's a Gryffindor, and that means off limits." *To you, anyway...*

Alana scanned the room, and her eyes landed on a very sexy boy in a green robe. His eyes held a cloudy expression as he stared back at her. His pale, silverish hair was down in spikes, complementing his angular face. But just as it happened, it ended-the fat guy beside him had asked him something. Alana shook her head slightly and moved toward the only empty seat in the room-beside a beautiful brown-headed girl in red robes.

"Hello Alana, my name is Hermione," the girl said to her. She prodded the two boys in front of her, one black-haired and the other red, who turned to greet her. "And these two are Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." They all must have been expecting her to gasp or something, because they gaped at her when she just nodded.

"Harry Potter, eh. Nice to meet you all," Alana replied. *Great, now I definitely know I'm in trouble. At least 'Lord Voldemort' is dead.* Harry noticed her frowning.

"Is something wrong, Alana?" She looked at him.

"No, not really...but-" she nodded to the back of Draco's head. "Who's that?" Ron snorted.

"Him? -That arse-hole is a Malfoy" he sneered, as if that explained it all.

"He's Draco Malfoy," Hermione intervened, seeing Alana slightly confused. "He is a Slytherin-rude, crooked... the worst of us all, I'm afraid." *I wonder why she asked about him?* She then smiled inwardly. *Oh, she must think he's cute or something.*

"Oh," Alana simply stated, then looked to Professor Snape, who had finished talking with Dumbuldore and McGonagall and was now standing where she first saw him. *Well, here goes nothing...*

"Miss Terranford," Snape began, "we start our tests, let's see how knowledged you are." Draco twitched in his seat, anxious. *There's no telling what he'll throw at her...* The entire class was thinking the same thing for everyone turned to face her. Alana merely raised an eyebrow. "What is the pherefiniate plant used for-and no helping Granger." Hermione gasped. How could she help when even she didn't know the answer? She only knew that very-very skilled wizards learned that, and even the Restricted section in the library couldn't help her out-not many knew of its usage.

"The pherefiniate plant is used in only the most highly volatile and potent potions used in dark magic--it gives the user complete control over its intended victim, almost like the Imperius Curse. However, without using the right precautions both the user and victim can be killed instantly after the 'charm' is lifted." Hermione's jaw dropped.

"I must admit Miss Terranford, that that is the best description I have ever heard," Snape said, slightly dazed. "Five points to Gryffindor." Alana stifled a giggle at all the open mouths-even Snape himself looked baffled. *Even that cute guy...Draco-he's shocked.* They locked gazes for a moment, then both turned away, flushed. "I would like to know though," he added. "Did you attend Durmstrang?"

"No sir," Alana answered.

"Beauxbatons, then?" She smiled grimly.

"No sir. My parents home schooled me." This time Snape gaped at her along with the class. "I was asked to attend both, but I preferred home."

"What changed your mind?" he pressured.

"I-uh-I just wanted to get away..." her eyes glazed over. *...before I hurt someone else...* Snape sensed her discomfort on the subject.

"Well, next time you visit them, tell your parents they are fine teachers." Alana smiled at him, pushing her thoughts away. *Not now...* Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, however, were thinking together--*What the heck's wrong with him?" Snape then thought the exact same thing. "Urmm...let's just get on with the tests, shall we?" Groans. "And if you'll please, Mr. Potter, switch seats with Miss Granger- you and Weasley could probably use the extra help," Snape ordered in his usual tone. Alana watched as the tips of Ron's ears turned red when Hermione's hand grazed his as she sat down beside him. *Hmmm...* She thought, smiling. Then she glanced shyly at Draco.

Draco could feel eyes boring into him-quick, curious glances. He didn't know who it was, but he hoped (wished) that it was Alana. He blushed slightly as he remembered how he had undressed her with his eyes when he had stared at her.

*Fuck.*

He felt himself rise at the memory.

*Damn.*

He turned in his chair to see if Snape was going to do anymore unusual things.

"First, class, I want you to tell me the thirteen-"

"Uh, Professor Snape?" It was Lupin, who Dumbuldore had invited to Hogwarts as a place to stay. He looked haggard, but Snape flushed with weariness. *Great. That time already?*

"What is it Lupin," he asked in annoyance.

"Well...there's been a problem in the DADD class and Dumbuldore said you were the only one able to fix it." *Oh boy.* He had always known that Snape had wanted that job, and was very pissed at the fact that the job was taken by another teacher-Professor Humperdick. *Denied by yet another idiotic teacher like Lockhart.* He also felt afraid of getting near the man, but after Voldemort's death Dumbuldore felt even more inclined to Snape, despite his and Sirius' arguments. *Sirius...* He almost growled.

"Well, I guess you'll have to do your tests in a few minutes," Snape said. Lupin looked at him funnily.

"Umm... well, Professor, that's very unlikely..." Snape raised an eyebrow. "Professor--er...Humperdick was trying to show the second years how to charm themselves against a Snorting Polupolla's jelly, and well..." he glanced at the students, "you'll just have to see what he did..." Snape sighed. *I told Dumbuldore that idiot would fuck up...*

"Very well then, show me the way."

The class talked about what they thought had happened, that Dumbuldore couldn't fix, until thirty minutes later Snape came in, wearing a wry grin on his face. He saw the class looking at him expectantly, and he decided to indulge.

"Well, I wish you luck in your class with Humperdick," he announced. They were still staring at him. "He accidentally turned the second years into puddles of purple jelly." Alana and Draco laughed along with the class. *That sounded like something that Longbottom would do* Snape thought. "Okay then, class dismissed."

Draco slowly got to his feet. He focused all his attention on getting past her without looking, not even stopping to argue with Potter or Weasley. That's probably why he didn't notice where he was going until it was too late.

Alana wanted to get out of their class really fast. She could feel her old urge of curiosity rushing in, and she didn't want to do something that would embarrass her. She looked up from her fast-paced walk and looked straight into a storm of icy gray before they collided.