"Mia...I appreciate the thought, honestly, but...it's just a brick wall," said Harry awkwardly, his emerald eyes flitting from the girl to the unseen room.

The Hufflepuff sighed and stepped forward. As she expected, two tall mahogany doors slowly formed. She gave him a grin. "I'm not crazy, see? It's called the Room of Requirement. It only appears when you really need something, and it caters to the cause. You just have to wish for it."

"Does anyone else know of this?" he asked, sceptical.

"Not anyone current, I'd assume. Helga created it, just like Salazar created the Chamber of Secrets. All the founders have hidden contributions, and this is one of the most secret and helpful of them all!" she chirped, turning to face him full on. "Does this work? Are you happy with it?"

Harry just looked at her for a bit, his heart fluttering upon her electrifying gaze. He couldn't help but feel leftover infatuation from the previous year. "Yes, it's brilliant...thank you, Mia."

"It's no problem, really," she said with a smile, oblivious to his dazed expression. "Now, we just need to find a way to communicate-"

"Hermione's already got it figured out. We're going to use enchanted coins...here's yours. It'll let you know the time and date of the meetings. I'll get the details sorted out," he said, handing her a bewitched galleon. 

She smirked while studying it, never unamazed by the brilliance of Hermione Granger. "Thank you. Also, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Um..." she trailed off, wondering how to approach this. "I still think we should include the-"

He immediately cut her off. "There will not be any Slytherins whatsoever, end of argument. They're evil, the whole lot of them-"

"Why are Gryffindors so close-minded?"

"We're just cautious and smart enough-"

Mia scoffed, crossing her arms, "Smart enough? You mean cocky and conservative?! You don't know anything about anyone in that house. Try to get to know at least one Slytherin, then your opinion will be relevant. You can't judge-"

"You're only saying that because you fancy Malfoy," spat Harry. "Who, for the record, doesn't even look at you as a friend."

"I do not! And we are friends, or pretty close, for your information."

"Slytherins only like themselves. Just because you're decent doesn't mean he is!"

"You're delusional and blinded by hatred, Harry. Please just be compassionate!"

"Mia..." Harry trailed off with a sigh. "This is my club, and I don't want to be a prat but, well, I have the ultimate say-so. Maybe if a truly decent Slytherin comes along we can let them in. For now, though, it's good if this stays small and quiet...I admire you trying to do the right thing."

"I can't say the same to you, Potter," she said bitterly, giving a final glare before walking away. Her heart sunk with every step from the raven-haired boy. She wished she could do the serpent house more justice but now wasn't the time.

Although she didn't win the argument, she could feel a pair of green eyes on her retreating figure, and she knew she made him think about his flaws.

But what she didn't feel was Draco's gaze from around the corner, nor his silent gratitude.

~._.~

Mia Smith's remaining family was quite a large, interesting one. Her mother, Amie, was a muggle, as was her side of the family. 

Amie Raynott became Amie Tucker with marriage, then Amie Smith with separation to match her daughter's common alias. 

The Raynotts consisted of many people. Her great and regular grandparents both lived still, yet were disapproving of her magical ties, and her aunts were even more so. All except her great grand-father despised of it.

Her aunt Cecilia was that drunk aunt who weaved in and out of marriages, never settling and never having children. She forgot what she was told after only five minutes passed, and she always tried to be something she wasn't.

Mia wasn't the fondest and it was mutual. Cecilia was blind to reality, but that didn't mean she cared for magic. She hated the fact it was real. She hated she wasn't a part of it. 

Her aunt Mallory, though, used to be close to Amie. They stuck together like Ying and Yang, yet once Amie married Daniel Tucker, everything went South. The man separated her from her family, rendering her weak.

Her family, though, believed she was rebelling and that her carefree spirit took over.  

Once Amie came back, she gathered all evidence she could and told her family all that she could, begging for forgiveness. They reluctantly let her back but kept her at arm's length. They gave Mia a hard time, though, and claimed the girl was in a group for troubled children. This was especially hurtful.

Still, Mia loved the muggle family best she could, especially her Aunt Mallory's five children. 

Yes, five children, which is what landed her in her current predicament.

Mia came up with an idea. When each of them turned 11 years old, she felt bad that they couldn't receive their Hogwarts letter. So, she planned on getting them a magical object instead. 

The previous year, her oldest cousin, Rory, had come of age and she sent a plethora of candy along with a Remembrall. The boy was a bit irresponsible, and she thought it would be a good gift. 

But she was unaware that Remembralls also told the user when an answer to a test answer was wrong, even on Muggle versions. She felt bad when she found out he was cheating, and even worse when her Aunt Mallory yelled at her for Christmas dinner that year.

This year was worse, though. She tried being more thoughtful with her next cousin's gift, and more sneaky in execution so her aunt wouldn't know.

Alas, she was left with barely any money and a brunt heart yet again. She'd sent Tate a Secrecy Sensor, as the boy was a die-hard for the truth and dreamed of being the next Sherlock Holmes.

It was only two days later and she alone in a vacant corridor, tears welling in her eyes as she clutched the cruel letter from her aunt. She was a strong girl but was vulnerable to insults from her family.

"Smith?" asked a voice from around the corner. She looked up and was greeted with gleaming grey eyes. 

"What do you want?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he spat. After not receiving an answer, he sighed.

"Macmillian's looking for you, says you two were supposed to do your Prefect shift together."

"I'll meet up with him later, is that all?"

Draco looked at the Hufflepuff, unable to read her blank expression. It was odd seeing her anything but happy. After hearing her defend his house and him in particular, he felt compelled to be kind to her in return.

But he couldn't let her know.

"I erm..." he started awkwardly, sitting next to her. "I was wondering what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Something, obviously-"

"Just drop it-"

Draco snatched the crumpled letter out of Mia's hands, easily pushing her away as she attempted to fight back. His eyes widened as he scanned the words.

Mia,

I am unsure of your motives or 'heritage' but I am sure of one thing: your stupidity.

I know you think you're 'better' than us with your magical abilities, but we don't need you infringing upon our normality with your exotic oddness. And no, that was not a compliment.

You know our agreement: you can be a part of our family if you keep magic AWAY from us. It is dangerous and disgusting. It's hard to believe such a phenomenon exists. Although it is your choice to immerse yourself in such oddities, it is not your choice to bring it to us.

I am unsure if you will be allowed to see us during the holidays, as you may be too corrupt. We don't need you or your mother here, it may make the event less painful anyway. Hearing of that "Hogwasp" nonsense or whatever it's called is ridiculous. We know you're in an institution for troubled teens and delinquents, stop trying to cover it up with lies that you push on my children.

If you know what's good for you, you'll stay at an arm's length from us until you get your act straight. 

Regretfully, 
Mallory

"Do you really call it Hogwasp?" asked Draco with a smirk, trying to brighten the mood.

Mia merely shook her head, hair in her face and lip quivering. The boy gave a sigh and held the letter in front of her, loudly tearing it in half. "I don't think you'll be needing this trash. I wish I could rip the shrew apart as well."

A chuckle escaped her lips as they formed into a smile. "Still using the word shrew? And she's not that bad-"

"Hufflepuffs are such blind idiots," muttered Malfoy. "This woman called you troubled, a delinquent, and a liar, yet you still defend her."

"She's my aunt-"

"And a shit one at that." They sat in silence. Although Mia was trying to hide her pain, Draco still saw it etched on her face and in her tone. "Why do you care what they think anyway? And why are they so bitter?"

"They just...I don't know, they hate my mum. She's great but she ended up with someone they didn't like, especially because of his powers. They just don't understand us, Draco, and it really hurts. I wish they did because magic is so cool and everyone deserves to at least see it."

"But Muggles-"

"They're people too!" she exclaimed. "Yeah, they suck sometimes but they just don't understand. At least my mum does, she's great and really supportive."

"Is that where you get your kindness?"

Mia smiled, hoping it was a compliment. "Hmm, I think she would have been a Ravenclaw."

Draco felt intrigued by her, and he realized he knew nothing of her home life. "So, what's it like for you outside of here? Your parents and stuff."

"Well, I live in a small house in Oxford. My mum is a Muggle, and the family in the letter is hers. She's a waitress but going to college to be an architect. She wanted to when she was younger, but she got caught up in her relationship with my father early on. We don't have a lot of money and things are a bit tight, but we manage."

"Who's your father?"

She had told the same lying story every time, but with Draco, she felt nervous. He was a special case.

She had grown up with him until they were six years old when the split happened with her parents. Lucius Malfoy and Daniel Tucker were best friends. Both purebloods. Both death eaters. 

Though, Narcissa and Amie were close, despite the difference in blood. They both loved and sheltered their children to the best of their ability. They disliked their husbands' darkness and confided in each other in the past.

It got to the point where Narcissa even agreed to obliviate Draco enough to make the girl a distant memory. As if he could see the girl in the distance but the picture was out of focus and the name was on the tip of his tongue. Narcissa couldn't bear to erase the girl entirely and secretly hoped they would be reunited someday.

She didn't know Isabelle Tucker became Mia Smith and was sitting next to her son as of this moment, both their hearts secretly giddy.

But Mia played the game of life cautiously, and, under no circumstances told the truth of her family, her past of true dark magic, learning the unforgivables as soon as she could form words.

"My father left us. They were never married, they just messed around. My mother's family resents her because of it, she wasted her time on him, she was reckless," the story rolled easily off her tongue.

Draco looked mildly uncomfortable. "I'm, erm, sorry-"

"I appreciate the attempt, but it's fine. I've never been interested in seeing my father anyway. I love my mum, she's great. I just don't like her family, they're so close-minded that it hurts."

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't always agree with my family," he said quickly, his eyes widening slightly when he realized what he admitted.

"Oh, really? Come on, spill the tea."

"Um...tea?" he asked but rolled his eyes. "You're so odd, Smith. I don't know, they just...my father's a bit cruel I guess. He thinks we're entitled to everything and it just gets bloody annoying after a while. He forces me to keep the same persona and the same friends and the same attitude and sometimes I just...I don't know, I just wish I could be normal, not the Malfoy that everyone is scared of."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're not that intimidating. Not everyone is scared of you," said Mia with a smirk that matched the quality of Draco's. "Still, that does suck, I'm sorry. You shouldn't conform to what he wants, you should be your own person. You know, you're not that bad, Draco."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're delusional, Smith. I am completely and entirely intimidating," he said with a chuckle. "You're not that bad yourself, though."

"I like talking to you...we should do it more often," suggested Mia with a grin. Her heart bubbled at the prospect of a new friend. She loved digging into the boy, as he was so complex.

Draco scoffed. "Friends with a Hufflepuff? Disgusting. I'd rather be locked in a room with Parkinson for three hours straight."

"Aaaand he's back," groaned Mia. "Well, I'm going to go find Ernie. I meant it though, you really aren't as bad as everyone says."

She started down the corridor but was stopped by the silky voice of the blond. "Thanks...you can be bloody annoying, but...you're different...it's refreshing."

Mia turned to look at him, a grin creeping its way across her face. "I'll meet you back here next shift. Have a good night, hopefully it doesn't go to your head."

~._.~

Hey everyone! It's been 394 years since I've gotten an update out!

This story was never quite as successful as I hoped, yet I'm still sad to know that it probably lost readers regardless :(

I'm still planning on continuing this, though, and I'm so excited! Hopefully someone else is as well. I'll try to get updates out every Saturday, while Anna Black will be every Friday.

(the above statement is subject to change, as I'm hella busy. if it isn't every week, it should be biweekly)

Question of the chapter...
What do you think young Draco was like?

Thanks for reading! Pls vote comment and add to your library!

Much love,
~Lumos