The space in-between

Note:

this started as a Fred Weasley fanfic for my sister that evolved into a Draco fanfic. Think of it as right person wrong time. The war changed them as people and there is no going back. I hope you like it. It’s my first fan fiction, so please be nice. Jk give me feed back and be mean I deserve it.

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I have never been more humiliated. I sat there as they all laughed. It was just a little joke so why wasn’t I laughing. I felt the tears threatening to fall down my face but not from sadness. I was so angry. I clenched my fists at my sides. The green sludge ran down my face and clothes. The smell of it was horrible and I was soaked in it. I felt pain crawling up my back from where I fell. I glared at the two responsible for this little prank. I would make them pay for this stunt. Someone reached down and yanked me up. My shoes slipping in the swamp water. Once I got my balance the person let go of me. I was so angry to acknowledge them all I saw was a flash of blonde hair and green robes. I walked over to the two red heads who orchestrated this and slapped one of them. He quit laughing and looked at me.

“You're a dickhead Weasley.” The door to the hall opened and a professor stepped inside as I had slapped him.

“Whoa what’s the meaning of all this?” I instantly recognized the voice. I turned and looked at my father. He looked around the room trying to put together what happened.

“Nothing just a little bit of fun.” I said as sarcastically as possible before storming off. I was shaking so bad by the time I got to the showers. I looked in mirror taking in my image. The green slime was practically my hair at this point. Sticks and bugs crawled around. I nearly screamed as I saw them. My makeup smudged all over. My full lips pulled back into a sneer before I punched the mirror. The mirror shattered and my knuckles started bleeding. I just dropped my hand and turned away from the mirror. I stripped down and got into the shower. I scrubbed every inch of my body before sliding down to the floor. I don't know how long I sat there but I know at some point I stopped feeling anything.

—

Once I got to my room there was a letter on my bed. I picked it up and read it. It was from my father requesting me to come by his classroom so we can talk about what happened. I sighed knowing he would come for me himself if I didn’t make my way soon. I left my room and entered the common room. I hated the common room. Your supposed to love your house it’s supposed to be your home and your housemates were supposed to be your family but not to me. When the sorting hat called out gryffindor I knew something was wrong.

I grew up in hogsmeade, Hogwarts has always been a backdrop in my life. I watched Hogwarts students come and go for years. With my father being a professor on top of that I thought I knew exactly where I belonged. I never pictured myself as a gryffindor. I thought I would follow in the footsteps of either my father who was in Slytherin or my mother who was in ravenclaw. I still resent the stares I get from my housemates whenever I wear clothing from my parents' school days. All of my friends were in those houses too. I was friendly with some of my classmates but most of the gryffindors hated me and I them.

I made my way to the defense against the dark arts wing. My dad taught ancient runes so his classroom resided in this wing. He was talking to a house elf when I walked into his office.

“No need to send Gorrey father i'm here.” They both looked up at me jumping a little. Dad nodded at Gorrey and the house elf disappeared.

“Audrey what really happened?” He ran one hand over his face. I clenched my fists again. I felt the cuts on my hand break open. Fresh blood dripped onto the floor.

“Nothing really father. The Weasley twins were messing around and I stumbled into it. My fault.” I didn’t care if I got them in trouble. I actually wanted them to suffer but it was how the rest of the house would react afterwards that I didn’t want. They adored those two bumbling idiots. He sighed and looked at me before he zeroed in on my hand.

“My god Audrey.” He rushed over and picked up my hand. I also looked, the cuts looked worse then they felt.

“What did you do?” Muttered a spell clearing the blood away before bandages appeared and wrapped around my hand. Dad wasn’t really a good healer.

“Oh I cut it in the bathroom, slipped my mind.” He gave me a look.

“Cut the shit!” He let go of my hand and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Is this how you want to start your sixth year?”

Now it was my turn to return with a look of my own.
“It’s just easier this way for right now. I know this is the last thing you want to hear as my professor so hear it as my father.” I had closed my eyes for a second. I opened them and stared at him. We looked so much alike it was crazy.
“I will make them pay for every single pain they have caused me.” I finished with an unnatural sense of calm that fell over me. He pulled me into a hug and I hugged him back clinging to his robes.

“Then just as your father, I say give them hell.”

—

I had missed the feast from the night before so I missed all of the announcements. So I was confused by all the students talking about a triwizard tournament and the new dada professor. I sat with my friends at the slytherin table. Lucian started talking the moment I sat down.

“I swear to fucking god I’m going to kill those assholes.”

“Oh piss off, we all know all they got was a slap on the wrist and maybe a detention that they will weasel out of.” Madie said without looking up from her book. She was twirling her wand in her hand.

“Thanks but I’ll get them back.” I accidod some hashbrowns. Lucian shrugged lightly.

“Alright but let me know if you need help, always happy to knock around a Weasley.” Before I could replay our other friend Noah slammed his books on the table. Madie jumped so high she nearly fell off the bench. She shot daggers at him but he just ignored them.

“Let me see your schedules, i need to see if it was just mine that they fucked over.”

“You’re the one who messed up your schedule dumbass.” Lucian said before handing over his schedule.

“I don't recall that! And hey no reason for name calling especially with that face.” He smiled then had to duck quickly because Lucian threw a strip of bacon at him. It landed on the ravenclaw table next to us. One of the girls sitting there blinked down at it before lifting it up.

“Noah, I think you dropped this.” She said.

“You can keep it, it's got slytherin cooties all over it.” He winked at her. She threw it at him this time the bacon made its mark straight to his face. We all busted out laughing.

“Says the traitor at the slytherin table.” She said before turning back to her food. He held his hand to his heart in mock offense.

“That hurt.”

Madie started messing with his hair.

“Oh no not slytherin cooties.” She said he started swatting at her hands before trying to fix his hair.

“Stop it, ok I give in.” Madie put her hands up in mock defeat. Noah picked up the schedules and studied them.

“Looks like the only class we all have together is care of magical beasts. Probably because it’s outside all houses are together for that one.” He picked up a muffin and started to eat it while comparing our schedules.

“No you forget that we have classes together, you're a fourth year dumbass!” I said to him.

“Damn, guess I don’t have any friends anywhere. I’m gonna have to befriend a hufflepuff, or worse a gryffindor.” He faked a shudder.

“Audrey is a gryffindor, dumbass.” Maddie said.

“Well seeing as none of you are my friends I’m gonna befriend a different one. I might make it into the golden trio.” He held his head high.

“Doubt it, they only invite losers to that group.” Draco malfoy said from down the table.

“Aw you think I’m not a loser Draco? He’s my new friend.” Noah pointed towards Draco.

“No, you can’t be my friend.” He gave a fake sneer.

“Oh I know you want to be my friend Draco.” Noah held up his hands forming a heart.

I shook my head and focused on my food. Lucian nudged me. Pointing to the front of the room.

“Your dad wants something.” I looked and saw he was waving over to me. I sighed and stood up. It was both wonderful and excruciating to have a parent as a teacher. Madie looked up at me.
“Meet us transfiguration courtyard at the usual spot.”

I gave a quick nod.

“Yes?” I said as soon as I got to my dad. He stood up. And turned his attention to Snape next to him.

“We must continue this conversation later, I look forward to hearing your theories.”

Snape nodded back. “Yes, we have many things to discuss further.”

Dad started walking without looking back to see if I was following.

“Where are we headed?” I asked when I caught up to him.

“McGonagall requested to talk to you, I said I would fetch you at breakfast.”

My heart sank, this was about yesterday. I really wanted to forget it even happened for now. It made sense that it got back to McGonagall being head of Gryffindor house. We got to her classroom and there was already three other people in the room. I paused at the door for a second ready to bolt out the room. I wasn’t going to back down. I clenched my fists together and my bandages felt stiff against my cuts. I held my head high and my back straight as I walked to the front of the classroom. Without looking at either of the Weasleys who were on the right side of the room. I stared at McGonagall who always had a rbf.

“Professor McGonagall, you called me here?”

“Yes Audrey, have a seat.” I sat on the left side. My dad leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

“Classes haven’t even started yet you're already stirring up trouble.” I sat up straight. No way was she going to blame this on me.

“You two apologize to Miss Cromwell. I would take house points but there are none to take so detention it is.” She waved her hand in my direction as she spoke the first part.

They both mumbled sorry. I took it with a grain of salt about their sincerity. McGonagall addressed me next.

“Even though I feel like it was a well placed blow. you still struck a fellow student so you will also receive detention.”

I looked over at the twins. One was staring at the wall looking pissed the other was staring at me with the same pissed expression. He had a faint bruise on his cheek. I smirked at the sight of it. His eyes darkened as he noticed the smirk and a sneer marked his features.

“You are dismissed.” She said with the wave of her hand. The one staring at the wall sprang up and practically ran from the room the other one was not far behind. I followed them out. I heard McGonagall talking to my dad as I left the room. I was immediately pushed into the wall after the door shut behind me. His hand at my throat.

“What’s your problem Cromwell?” It was the one I hit. I didn’t really care to distinguish between them. But even I had to admit that they were incredibly handsome. Tall and lean with broad shoulders. Sharp and defined facial features. The deep red hair with the bright blue eyes.
I scoffed and pushed his hands away.

“My problem? What’s yours Weasley?” I started walking away.
“See you in detention boys.” I didn’t even look behind me, just lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers. I felt the fatigue seeping into my bones. It was going to be a long year.