I'm With You

Sitting at a crowded table in the library, was a girl Draco saw nearly every day. She was his age, and was in Ravenclaw. She was a very pretty girl with straight, dark brown hair. It normally fell to the middle of her back, but today it was up in a ponytail and tied with a black ribbon. She was beautiful and had a nice, extremely nice, figure. Besides, she didn't always follow the rules like everyone else. He had always liked girls that were a little naughty like him.

Draco told himself he wouldn't think about that though, he needed to concentrate on his homework. She was smiling and laughing with her friends. 'Damn it! Concentrate!' he scolded himself. He looked down and tried to focus on the paper he was supposed to be writing for Professor Sinistra, when something hit him on the back. It was a crumpled piece of parchment. He smoothed it out and read:

Draco,

You haven't forgotten about fencing tonight, have you? You don't look like you're working like you promised. We won't have time to practice together if you fool around.

Harry

He scribbled an answer, chucked it at Harry and shouted, "Stop throwing things, Potter!"

Madame Pince reprimanded Draco for shouting then swooped down on Harry, lecturing him on correct library behavior. When he looked back at the Ravenclaw's table, he saw that the girl he had been thinking about before was now sitting alone.

By the time Draco finally made up his mind to go talk to her, he noticed the Weasel walk over to her table and sit down. "Damn you, Weasel," he muttered.

* * * * *

"Hey Ron."

He replied, "Hey Tara. How's it going?"

"Fine," she said. "How's your day been?"

"I've got bloody Potions homework. Aside from that though..."

"You want help?"

"No that's alright. Thanks though. By the way, I'm supposed to send love from my mum and give you her letter. She only had one owl..."

"I know, Ron. Are there letters for Kyle and Sean too?

"Yeah. They're in my trunk. I'll give them to you at dinner."

"Any news from Bill or Charlie?"

"That's all in her letters. They're each like a whole roll of parchment long." Ron rolled his eyes.

Tara giggled. "That's her all right. Poor Errol, all those rolls of parchment."

"Where'd your friend, Chu or whatever, get off to?"

"It's Cho, Ron. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Yeah. Chu. Whatever. Anyway, she usually doesn't go anywhere without you. What makes now any different?"

"They were being so loud over here that I couldn't get any work done. I told them all to sod off, I was trying to work. They went somewhere else to talk. They're all too busy giggling about Draco Malfoy and how gorgeous he is and his chiseled abs and his muscles and how tight his Quidditch cords are and-"

"ALL RIGHT! That is way more information than I wanted! Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you for putting that horrible image into my head."

Tara grinned. "Because I'm your cousin and you love me?"

"I suppose so," Ron sighed. "You offered help with my Potions paper right?"

"You said you didn't want it, remember?" she teased.

"Well I changed my mind. Will you help me or what?"

She reached for his book and her quill. "Of course. Ok let's see... Mugwort, powdered beetle shells, theselau leaves and a drop or two of doxie venom combine to form what?"

Ron appeared to be thinking. "I don't know. Skip that one."

"Ron! That's what the whole paper is about. It says 'Research the origin and procedure of making a potion with the following ingredients.'"

"Oh bugger," said Ron.

* * * * *

Draco was leaving his fencing practice with Harry, when he heard whispered voices coming from an empty classroom nearby. He stopped outside and leaned his head on the doorframe to listen.

"...You can't expect me to do that for you Malcolm," a girl was saying.

"What's to expect? All I'm asking you do to is talk to her," Malcolm said. "Come on, Pansy. It isn't that hard."

Draco leaned closer.

"Why her, though?" Pansy asked.

"Because I like her, and everyone knows that, so just do it. I already told you what to say anyways."

"I can't believe you like Tara O'Connor, I don't even think she's pretty. At least she's not a Gryffindor, I just couldn't take it if you turned me down for one of them."

Draco didn't stick around long enough to hear Malcolm's reply. He wanted to know who this 'Tara' was and why Malcolm liked her. Malcolm didn't fall for just any girl outside of Slytherin House, unless he had good reason.

* * * * *

Draco lay on his bed thinking. Who do I ask? Who do I trust not to say anything? He thought for some time before it came to him.

"Hermione," he said aloud. "I can trust her."

* * * * *

Draco glanced at his watch after he had met with Hermione, and saw he was nearly late for his own Quidditch practice. He started walking towards the pitch. Upon arriving in the dressing rooms for the Slytherins, he discovered he was one player short. He dressed quickly, muttering to himself. "Malcolm, when I find you..."

* * * * *

"So how about tomorrow night then?" Malcolm Baddock said, leaning up against the banister and grinning at the pretty girl in front of him.

Tara sighed. This wasn't the first time he had asked her out, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last. It wouldn't be the first time she had turned him down, either.

"You've already gotten my answer to that very question seven times already, Malcolm."

His grin faded slightly. "But the eighth time is special. Come on Tara, the Three Broomsticks will be even better with me at your side." He reached for her hand but she moved it away.

"Er... Look Malcolm, I..."

But she never finished her thought. Draco Malfoy was standing at the foot of the stairs in his Quidditch robes. And he was shouting at Malcolm, looking furious.

* * * * *

Draco spotted Malcolm almost as soon as he walked back into the castle. Standing at the top of the main staircase, Malcolm was leaning against the banister talking to a very pretty girl in blue robes. He knew who she was now. Without any hesitation, Draco stormed to the foot of the stairs and commenced shouting at Malcolm, "Baddock! Get your ass down to the pitch for practice. NOW!"

Both Malcolm and Tara stared at him in surprise. Draco thought she looked pretty even with her mouth half open in surprise, then shook himself out of his reverie and got back on task. "NOW!" he said again.

Malcolm seemed to come back to himself. "Just give me a minute, Malfoy. Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?" Malcolm looked pointedly at Draco and jerked his head toward Tara.

"Practice is now," said Draco simply. "You're either there within the next two minutes or I will hex you. That last bit I'll take care of immediately."

"But Draco..."

A voice behind Malcolm spoke. "I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Malfoy. Step away from my cousin this instant."

"Thank you. See Baddock? Even the Head Git agrees with me."

"That's five points from Slytherin, Malfoy. And if you don't want to lose more, I suggest you get him down to the pitch right now."

"Really, Ron. I can take care of myself..." Tara protested.

"I was just passing by and heard shouting. It only figures that Malfoy had something to do with it..."

"Wait," Draco said, as Ron's comment had finally sunken in. "She's your cousin?"

"That's right Malfoy," Ron said smugly. "Come on, Tara, let's go."

Ron and Tara walked off in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room.

"Way to go, Draco. You single-handedly ruined my chances with her," Malcolm sulked.

"You had any chances with her? It didn't look like it was going all that well for you in the first place." Draco started toward the pitch. "Now come on."

* * * * *

After Quidditch Practice and a shower, Draco asked Harry if he could borrow his invisibility cloak.

"Why do you want it?"

"This is a matter of life or death, Potter. So can I borrow it or what?"

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised.

"No you prat, I just want to borrow it tonight. I'll give it back in the morning."

"If you're using it to spy on the girl's showers-"

"JUST GIVE IT TO ME, POTTER!"

"Ok, ok. It's just, why won't you tell me?"

"Don't take it personally, Potter. It's a secret."

"Fine. I'll be right back." And he was off. Ten long minutes later, Harry was back with a bag that he thrust at Draco. "Just be careful with it. If you're doing something illegal, I swear I'll-"

"Don't worry about it." And with that he walked away, cloak in hand.

* * * * *

Harry had been sitting quietly in the Gryffindor common room, when Hermione had burst through the portrait hole looking disheveled.

"What's going on, Hermione?" Harry asked, genuinely concerned.

Hermione looked at him as if she hadn't seen him sitting there and as if she were not expecting him to be sitting in his own common room. "Oh. Harry. I didn't see you there."

"What's going on?" he repeated.

"Draco asked me some weird questions a while ago and Ron's been acting a bit strange and oh, Harry I just don't know..."

He stood up and went to comfort her. "Shh, Hermione, it's all right."

Hermione looked tired. She said, "It's just, well, those were awfully strange questions."

"What did he ask you?" he asked, curious in spite of himself.

"He asked me who Tara O'Connor was. I told him that I had only met her once. I said she was in Ravenclaw and that she is our age. Oh, and that she has long dark brown hair."

"Isn't she Ron's cousin? I think I've met her too. She's really pretty."

"Yes. I didn't get a chance to tell him that, though. He got a strange look on his face after I explained who she was. He just thanked me and ran off somewhere."

"That is weird. I wonder why he wanted to know about her."

* * * * *

Pansy was sitting at dinner. She was sitting next to Malcolm. Every time she tried to talk to him, he'd mutter, "Yeah. Sure, Pansy. Whatever."

"So how about you throw me down and shag me right here then?"

Malcolm looked away from the Ravenclaw table in surprise. "What did you say, Pansy?"

"I said, 'Hey you big stupid git, pay attention to me, I'm trying to talk to you!'"

"Oh. What is it then?" he said, looking relieved.

"I still don't understand how you could pick Tara over me. I'm gorgeous," Pansy said, twirling a lock of her frizzy blond hair.

Malcolm laughed.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Let me tell you a little secret, Pansy. She is gorgeous. Actually, that isn't much of a secret, seeing as it's obviously true."

"I don't understand, Malcolm. What are you saying?"

"I would never pick you over her. Which is why I've come up with a plan to make her like me."

"What's that?" Pansy asked, curious, even though she was jealous.

Malcolm whispered his carefully crafted plan into her ear. "Just don't tell anyone about this," he said after, pulling away.

Pansy smiled. "I will tell no one of our conversation. It never happened."

"Excellent."

Pansy and Malcolm got up and headed for the Slytherin common room. Farther down the table, Draco slowly lifted his head, having heard everything. Including the whispered part of it.

* * * * *

Lying awake, she listened to the nighttime sounds she had grown so accustomed to over the past few weeks. Lavender's soft snoring, Parvati's slight sniffles and all the other girls rolling over or changing position in their sleep. But tonight there was the sound of the door slowly opening, and someone's soft, almost light footsteps on the rug.

Tara shivered slightly. It was cold tonight. She drew the covers closer. Her curtains flew aside and she looked up, expecting Ginny or even Ron. It was Draco Malfoy.

"Bloody hell!"

Draco clapped a hand over her mouth. "Shh," he said soothingly. "Can I sit down?"

"What the hell is going on, Malfoy?" Tara asked as she moved to make a place for him to sit.

"I saw you with Malcolm today."

"Are you here because he asked you to talk to me for him? How'd you get in here anyway?"

"No, I'm not here for him. I got in because I have an invisibility cloak. I waited for someone to lead me here and I walked in after they said the password. I stood against the wall in your common room until I was sure that everyone was sleeping."

Tara was puzzled. "But then why are you here?"

"I'm trying to get in your pants. Why do think I'm here?"

She scowled. "You had better not be serious."

"It would be a bonus, but no. That's not why I'm here." Draco shifted his weight on her bed. "I'm here because I want to help you."

"Help me? How?" Tara asked.

"Oh, you know. There's a whole plot involving forced love and all that."

"Plot?"

"Oh, yes. I overheard one involving you at dinner earlier," he said, looking down at his perfectly manicured nails.

"Me?"

"You'll just love whose plot it is."

"Whose?"

"Malcolm's."

"Bloody hell!" she said for the second time that evening.

"Indeed," Draco replied calmly.

"That still doesn't explain why you're here."

Draco looked thoughtfully at her. "It doesn't?"

Tara looked back evenly. "No. It doesn't," she said.

"He seems to disgust you, and the fact that he wants to force you to love him disgusts me. Therefore, I take it upon myself to save you from his evil."

"How noble of you. So what's your plan of action, oh knight in shining armor?"

Draco smiled at her humor. "Well for one thing, stay clear of him."

"Thank you Captain Obvious. I meant, what are you going to do?"

"I figure that if you're taken, then he'd be less likely to try anything. So I'm offering to become your boyfriend."

"What?"

"That's what I'm offering. Take it or leave it."

Tara looked him over carefully. She couldn't tell what his motives were. Looking into his eyes is like staring intently at a closed door, she thought. "What's in it for you?"

"Well, you realize it might take a little acting to convince people, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"That's what's in it for me. If you don't count getting to spend time with one of the most beautiful girls in school; we're talking holding hands, hugging, cuddling and kissing in public."

"All right then."

"Another bonus for you, other than getting Malcolm to leave you alone, is the beautiful and gorgeous Draco Malfoy at your disposal. Just think, you'll be the envy of the entire female (and even some of the male) population of this school. You'll finally know why they are always giggling about me and melting into puddles when I walk by."

"You think very highly of yourself, don't you?"

"Yes. I do."

* * * * *

Sitting at a table full of giggling girls in the library the next morning, Tara couldn't help thinking about last night. What was she doing? If Ron knew about this... No, they had agreed that they would tell no one. But when he found out, Ron would be furious.

She could picture his reaction. 'Draco Malfoy?!' he would say, 'Tara, what are you thinking? Who in their right mind would date him? How could you even think about it?' Yes, thought Tara, his reaction would be loud and angry. He would advise her strongly against it, beg her to reconsider. Oh well, that will come later, as soon as he finds out.

She was brought back to reality by the entire table of girls' sudden silence. They had been gossiping and giggling loudly, but were now silent, staring fixedly across the room at Draco who was walking right at them.

He sat down next to her and she looked up at him. "Hi," he said.

"Hi."

"You doing anything this weekend?"

"Might be going into Hogsmeade."

"The Three Broomsticks?"

"Probably," she replied.

"Can I meet you there?"

"Sure."

"Seven o'clock all right?"

"Yep. I'll be there."

He smiled, "I'm looking forward to it."

He touched her arm lightly, stood up and walked away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, the entire table burst into excited gossip and Lavender ran up to her. She asked excitedly, "What are you going to wear?"

* * * * *

After countless questions, inquiries about her outfit of choice for the date, some jealous looks and many congratulations, Tara was finally able to leave the library in peace. She bumped into Harry outside the door.

"Oh, sorry!" he said absentmindedly.

"No it was my fault," she apologized.

"Hey," Harry said, looking up at her. "You're Ron Weasley's cousin, right?"

"Yeah, and you're Harry Potter."

"Amazing! How ever did you know?"

She laughed. He did too. "Your name's Tara, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Look, I've got to go, but maybe I'll see you later, in class or something. Will you say hi to Ron for me?"

"Sure. So I'll see you around?"

"Maybe," she said.

* * * * *

Malcolm slowly stirred the potion in front of him. He was adding a crucial ingredient when the door flew open. Pansy stormed in looking smug.

"What're you so happy about? You could've just ruined this!"

"I'm not happy. Besides, it's not like you'd care if I had ruined it anyway," she said. "I just thought you should know something I heard. You'll think it's more important than your potion. It's rather funny when you think about it."

"What?"

"Draco asked her out."

Malcolm almost exploded. "He did?! Tell me she turned him down, please tell me she turned him down."

"Actually, they're going to the Three Broomsticks tonight at seven."

"WHAT?! How is that 'kind of funny'?"

"Well, it's almost like he heard us talking, and took her first before you could- wait! Where are you going?"

* * * * *

Tara surveyed herself in the full-length mirror in the girl's first-floor bathroom. I look all right, she thought, certainly not horrible at any rate.

She was wearing an off-white long sleeved shirt, and jeans with purple Conv