Lost Innocence

Prologue

The Hogwarts Express took off at full speed. Tracey Davis waved to her parents then turned to face her friends. Pansy Parkinson was talking about her crush.

"Draco is so cute! And rich, he can really spoil a girl!" squealed Pansy. "He's mine!"

"I like Blaise. He's so handsome, with his dark skin and slanted eyes and he's so tall!" Tracey gushed.

"I'd rather have a good looking boy then a smart one, smart boys are repulsive!" Daphne Greengrass contributed. "Looks are more important."

Just then, Blaise entered the compartment. Tracey could hardly believe it!

"Hi, ladies," Blaise said. "Is it all right if I sit here?"

"Yeah," said Tracey, starting to blush as Blaise sat next to her. Cecilia Runcorn moved over a bit to clear some room.

"You're really pretty," Blaise said.

"Thanks," replied Tracey. "You're really cute, too."

"So, what courses are you taking?" Blaise asked.

"Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes," replied Tracey.

"You're smart as you are beautiful," said Blaise.

"Oh, I bet you're smarter," said Tracey.

"No way, you've got it all," Blaise protested. "I can't believe no one has noticed you."

"Maybe you're the only observant boy at Hogwarts," giggled Tracey.

After a while, the Train pulled into Hogsmeade station.

--

It was late October. A few months had passed and Tracey felt her relationship with Blaise had developed. He was a great boyfriend, attentive and caring. They spent a lot of time together, holding hands and kissing. She was so proud to have found such a good guy.

One day, she noticed that Blaise seemed really depressed.

"What's wrong, Blaise?" she asked him. "You're a bit quiet."

"Sorry, Tracey," he said. "Bad day. It's the anniversary of my father's death."

"When did he die?" asked Tracey.

"Twelve years ago, no one knows how, though," Blaise explained. "Aurors were even called, because his death was believed to be suspicious but nothing was proven."

"Wow! That must have been awful!" gasped Tracey.

"It was, and things haven't improved any for my mother since," said Blaise. "She's remarried four times, and they've all died, each time the Aurors are called, even though she's innocent. Do you know what people call my mother?"

"What?" Tracey asked him.

"The Black Widow," said Blaise, on the verge of tears. Tracey had never felt sorrier for anyone.

"I'm so sorry," said Tracey. "I wish I could help."

"You have," he said, managing to smile, "just by listening. You're the first to ever listen and not judge me. You're so kind and compassionate."

Tracey held him close and they kissed.

A few days after this, it was the first Hogsmeade trip of the year. The third years were all excited to go. Tracey was planning to go, but Blaise had other ideas.

"I'll make it worth your while to miss this one," he promised her. "This is your reward for being such a good girlfriend."

"OK," she said.

Draco and his goons, Crabbe and Goyle, were gone, as were the other Slytherin girls. Theodore didn't feel like going, but planned to work on his essay.

"How long do you plan to be there?" Blaise kept asking.

"I don't know. It's not like I time it," Theodore said impatiently. "What does it matter to you, anyway?" He was starting to get suspicious.

Later, when everyone had left, Tracey waited for Blaise. When the coast was clear they went into the boys' dormitory. Blaise glanced around to make sure no one was there, and then he started to unbutton Tracey's school robes. Suddenly the door opened and Theodore entered.

"I was just getting my--what are you doing? Why is she in the boys' dormitory?" he asked, looking suspiciously from Blaise to Tracey.

"Nothing," Blaise said casually.

With one last suspicious glance, Theodore picked up his potions book and left.

"OK, sorry about that," said Blaise, and he continued to unbutton her robes. Tracey giggled but didn't protest. Once the robes were out of the way, they crawled into bed. Blaise drew the curtains around his bed.