Snape's Niece

Two

As they were walking down the corridor Emma stopped suddenly and looked him up and down. "Your surname, it's Malfoy isn't it? Lucius's son." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "The Death Eater's son. The son of the man who killed my brother. Who essentially murdered my whole family, my whole life. I hope you will forgive me, but I will hate your father till the end of the earth, till the end of the planet, of mankind", she said as she recommenced walking down the corridor, frowning, with tears falling down her cheeks.

"That's OK, I don't even like him. I used to fear and kind of, sort of, love him," he said catching up with her, a big smile on her face. "Now I really don't like him. We avoid each other when we are both at home, which is easy since I live in a very big manor. Not that I'm bragging or anything", he said seeing her face at the mention of 'home'.

"It's all right, you can talk about your home, I don't envy you it. Besides, Uncle Sev is really nice to me, always has been, too", she finished and looked up into his face. She was tall, yes, but five feet eight inches doesn't compare to six feet four inches. He was slightly confused over her statement about her 'Uncle Sev'.

"How can he have been really nice to you when you lived in America since you were one?" he said, looking at her and almost walking into a stone wall.

"Watch yourself there, Malfoy. Do you think he stayed in this place every summer? Every summer he comes--came--to my house and brought stuff like Filibusters Wet-Start No-Heat Fireworks, and potion kits. Things like that. Wizard stuff, you know? Robes, and junk that you take for granted, though Issac and I thought they were the bee's knee's. My best friend Christy, thought he was oh-so-adorable, and every time she'd talk to him she would turn bright red and say something about having to mow the lawn. Once, at midnight, she was trying to get up the nerve to talk to him, and she drank five shots of Jack Daniel's whiskey, then-", she couldn't go on without laughing. "-she went over and totally frenched him. After about five seconds she pulled away and mumbled something about mowing the lawn. Ten minutes later, everyone heard the sound of a lawn mower in the distance. Christy never came over when Uncle Sev was there again." They turned into yet another corridor and stopped in front of a section of wall.

"Machiavelli," Malfoy said and the wall slid away. They walked into a dark, dank dungeon that somehow felt like home to Emma. Malfoy cleared his throat and everyone looked at him. "Thank you for your attention. This is Emma Snape." Draco thought it wise not to reveal her other last name. "She is Professor Snape's niece, and she'll be staying with us for an indefinable period of time. Pansy? Pansy come here would you?"

A simpering dark-haired witch came to the head of the crowd. "Yes, Draco, love? What is it you require of me?", she simpered with every word.

Malfoy sneered at her. "Snape also says you have to give your room to Emma. You'll be staying with the sixth year girls until he says you can move back into your--Emma's--room. Move your crap out now. Emma has to move her stuff in soon. Tonight, in fact."

Pansy's eyebrows went up, and up, and up. "Why do I have to give my room up to her?" she said, pointing at Emma. "Why can't she stay with the sixth years?"

"Because she is my niece. Ms. Parkinson. And since I am her legal guardian, and her uncle, I will give her the best that I can give her. And I also say this: Leave her alone! That is all. Dismissed!" Snape's voice sounded from the doorway of a chamber to the side of the common room, and everyone but Emma and Malfoy jumped. After hearing this the students moved about, going back to their former activities.

Draco motioned to Emma. "C'mon, we'll get Pansy's junk out, and put yours in." He led her up a staircase, eight flights of it. "That's my room," he said gesturing at a large oaken door. "Here's your room, right across from mine. If you need anything, anything at all, just come knock on my door and ask. Oh, if you need something knock 'Shave and a Haircut' on my door. If you knock anything else I won't answer. And please don't tell Pansy the Door Code, then she'll be able to get into my room and god knows what she'd do then. G'night, sleep well. And", he said haltingly. "Please call me Draco."

"OK. G'night Draco. Sleep well, yourself", she said as she turned and went into the chamber behind her. He could hear the lock slip into place.