Shelby's POV

"What. Is. That?" I asked the next morning at breakfast. I horrible screaming filled the Great Hall. 

"That'd be a howler. Looks like it's from Weasley's Mother." Draco explained holding his ears.

"Will it ever stop?" I asked loudly over the noise.

"Eventually when it burns. But she sounds pretty mad so who knows how long it'll go on."  I groaned.

The howler stopped after some time to our relief.

"What's first mentor?" I asked Draco.

"Herbology with the cursed Professor Sprout."

"Why don't you try being positive?"

"Name one thing positive about herbology?"

"We get to see some cool plants."

"Typical mudblo-." He stopped abruptly. I stopped in my tracks.

"Finish. Might as well. We all know what you were going to say." 

"I'm sorry." He mumbled.

"No you're not. You're a typical stuck up Pureblood Malfoy." I walked passed him and intentionally shoving him with my shoulder.

"Dumbledore wait. I didn't mean it." He called. I ignored him.

"What are you doing? Who cares about the demon?" Goyle said.

"Don't call her a demon!" Malfoy snarled and stormed into greenhouse 3.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing." I said looking up at Draco who was ripping his finger out of a Mandrake's mouth. I cracked a small smile and looked back at my Mandrake and shoved it in the dirt. 

"I know he's your friend but he seems to be causing more harm than good."

"You're right. But he has caused some good."

"You believe in him don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You believe that he is good?"

"Yes. I know he's not all good but I think he's just a bully now. Maybe I can help him before he gets worse. He's misunderstood....like me."

"Yes but you're not cruel."

"No. But I am a demon." I chuckled.

That afternoon I made my way to Defense Against the Dark Arts alone. I slid into a seat in the back. Why is there so many pictures of Lockhart in here?! I was brought back to Earth by the sound of books slamming on the table. I looked over to see Draco sitting next to me. I looked back to the front without a word.

"You have to talk to me sometime." He said. I grab a piece a parchment.

"No I don't." I wrote.

"You're being childish."

"I'm 12. What's your excuse?" I wrote.

"I'm 12 too!"

Professor Lockhart walked in. My eyes widen. He's not exactly Dark Arts material!

"Oh not you too." Draco groaned and rolled his eyes.

"What? He's not...ugly." I whispered.

"Oh now you talk?"

"Shut up. He's talking."

"And you wouldn't want to miss a word coming out of his mouth would you. What are you doing after this?"

"If you must know I'm meeting Fred by the lake before dinner."

"I just got you away from Potter and now you're stuck on a Weasley?!" He whisper yelled.

"Harry was just a simple crush. We're both over it. And me and Fred are just friends."

"Whatever. You'll be snogging by the end of the week."

"You're just mad it's him and not you." I joked.

"I have Pansy Parkinson to snog."

"Wow that's great. Does she like you because you're rich or because you're popular? I bet it's both."

"At least she has standards. Why do you like Weasley? His dashing red hair?" 

"His personality." 

"Is that it? What does that have to do with anything anyway?"

"No that's not it but I don't think you want me to go into detail about his butt. And personality matters a lot."

"I think I'm going to up chuck." He said and turned to the front.

"You asked."

"I won't again." 

"Full marks! How did you get full marks on that ridiculous paper?!" Draco asked after class.

"I read the books."

"No you stalked him!"

"I got 10 points for Slytherin. Quit complaining."

"Where are you going? Common Room is this way remember?"

"I'm meeting Fred. Remember?"

"Oh yeah...right. Um...bye."

"Bye."

"Hey Shelby." Fred smiled as I walked over.

"Hey Fred." I sat down under the tree facing the lake.

"Is the Slytherin Common Room really under the lake?" He asked randomly.

"Yeah. It's pretty cool."

"Can you talk to merpeople?"

"What?"

"Nothing just something I've always wondered." He said quickly.

"Okay...."

"So um....what's it like to be in Slytherin? Everyone always talking about your house like that I mean. Especially when you don't belong."

"I think I belong there-"

"No you don't. You're not like them. You're brave, kind, everything a Slytherin isn't."

"They say Slytherin's look out for their selves. When I was in the orphanage I had to. I had to put myself before others. But now that I'm actually in Slytherin I figured out that it doesn't necessarily mean ourselves but all of us. Our family." 

"I never thought of it like that." 

"No one does. What about you? What's it like in Gryffindor?"

"It's great. My whole family has been in Gryffindor."

"Never know. Maybe my whole family has been in Slytherin."

"Not Dumbledore. He was in Gryffindor."

"That explains the favoritism."

"He doesn't show favoritism towards Gryffindor." 

"Shall I recall the winning of the House cup last year." I said raising an eyebrow.

"That wasn't favoritism. He just doesn't like Malfoy."

"Wonder why?"

"What's a reason to like him?" He scoffed.

"You'd have to get to know him."

"That's unlikely."

"I live with his family most of the time."

"What?! Why?!"

"Protection."

"That's the biggest load of bull I've ever heard! You can stay at the Burrow."

"I told Draco I wouldn't let anyone talk bad about him and he will do the same for me."

"Sure he will." Fred rolled his eyes.

"Please."

"Fine. We'll change the subject."

"Thanks."

"Ready?" Draco said.

"Yeah." I grabbed my broom and followed him to the Quidditch field for our first practice.

"Thanks." He mumbled.

"For what?"

"Standing up for me the other day."

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard that Weasley was talking about me and you made him stop."

"How did you hear that?"

"Well......"

"You were spying on me?!"

"No!"

"Then what do you call it?!"

"Being a good mentor."

"Watch out for the beater. It might be aimed at your face." I stormed off. 

Wood and Flint were arguing over the field. I waved smally at Harry, George, and Fred. I blushed slightly when Fred winked at me. The tension was rising but I was too busy blushing at Fred to notice. Next thing I know I hear the word Mudblood and everyone freaks out. A girl screamed and Flint had to dive in front of Draco to stop Fred and George.

"You'll pay for that one Malfoy!" Ron yelled. A loud bang sounded and a green light went through the wrong end of his wand and hit him in the stomach. 

"Ron! Ron! Are you alright?" Hermione asked concerned. Ron couldn't answer due to the slugs pouring out of his mouth. I hid my face behind Draco in disgust. Draco turned his head and hid his face in my hair while laughing. 

"Stop it and be nice." I whispered to him.

"Nice? He's the one that tried to jinx me."

"Because you called Hermione a Mudblood. But you wouldn't understand because you call the people you call friends Mudbloods."

"Not this again."

I felt someone lightly tug my robe. I looked up to see Fred standing there. 

"What do you want Weasley? To try to jinx me like your brother?" Draco snarled. Fred went for his wand but I grab his hand.

"It's not worth it. Come on." I told him.

"You're right." He clasped his hand around mine. Draco stared at it in shock and stormed off.

"I didn't want to jinx him. I just wanted the girl on his shoulder." Fred smirked. I chuckled.

"Shelby! Come join us in practice will ya?" Flint called.

"I'll see you later. Tell Ron and Hermione I'm sorry. I should've done something."

"They understand. But I think Ron would appreciate it if you'd knock out a few of Malfoy's teeth."

"I'll see what I can do." I smiled and flew to the field.

"You're lucky Madam Pomfrey could fix my nose." Draco growled and threw his broom down on his bed.

"I told you to watch out."

"Go snog Weasley!"

"Maybe I will!"

"You can't be serious? Holding his hand was bad enough." 

"You snog Pansy. What's the difference?"

"There's a HUGE difference! His family is blood traitors!'

"You could be a blood traitor too!"

"I would never!"

"I could be Halfblood!"

"As soon as we find out for sure I'll never speak to you again. And to think I actually wanted you to live with me."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No. Tell me Draco."

"I stole your adoption papers so you had to stay with me at Malfoy Manor. Didn't do any good, she took you in anyway." I didn't know what to say so I left his room and went to mine.

"Hey girl." Courtney said while laying on her bed.

"Hey."

"How was Quidditch?"

"I like it. I'm going to a house every night starting tonight so you'll be alone." 

"Aw man. I don't like being alone. I'll invite Draco over!"

"Good luck. He's probably snogging Pansy."

"Why would he do that?"

"He said he does."

"I saw him talking to her the other day. He told her they were just friends and he didn't want to be anything else."

"Interesting. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight Courtney."

"Goodnight."