Chapter 8
“Did you hear?” Ally looked up to find Ron and Luna running towards her. She put her book away and stood up as the two reached her. “Hear what?” Ally inquired. As Luna was catching her breath, Ron explained. “Harry’s the seeker for the Gryffindor quidditch team now. McGonagall saw his broom skills when Harry was getting back the rememberal and told the quidditch captain about him. Now he’s a seeker!” Ron saw excitedly. Ally smiled “Good for him!” She said. “The first quidditch game of the season is tomorrow. We’re all going. Will you come?” Ally frowned. “But everyone has to sit in their own sections.” Luna shrugged. “I know. But we can always hang out afterwards. Please?” Ally sighed. “Can I bring a book?” Ron laughed. “Of course, Al.” “Then I’m in.” Ally said. “Who’s playing?”
“Gryffindor versus Slytherin.” Luna stated. Ally wrinkled her nose. “I suppose I won’t get much reading done then since my house will be cheering their butts off.” Luna giggled. “It’ll be fun. We’ll all cheer Harry on.” Ally nodded in agreement.
When they were finished talking, Ally headed back to the Slytherin common room. When she walked in, the room was filled with Slytherins, all hanging out and chatting. Draco was leaning against the wall in a corner. His gaze snapped up when Ally entered. She ignored his gaze and ran up the stairs. Draco strolled to the bottom of the stairs and ran up the first set. When the stairs split into boys and girls dorms, Ally turned left. “Wait!” Draco called. Ally turned around with a sigh, knowing he was unable to follow her.
“What do you want, Malfoy?” Ally asked. Draco flinched. “Please don’t call me that. Only the people that hate me call me that.” He searched her gaze. “You don’t hate me, do you?” Ally paused. “No. I don’t hate you.” She said quietly. Draco sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I can explain myself, just not here.” His gaze flicked to Crabbe and Goyle, who were watching the two talk. “Then when?” Ally asked, slightly annoyed. Draco looked back at her. His eyes sparked and he gave her a mischievous grin. “Tonight. On the roof.” He turned and began to trot back down the stairs. “Wait, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Draco looked back at her. “I’ll explain later. Are you scared?” He didn’t give her a chance to reply.
Ally frowned as he entered the common room again. “I don’t even know the way to the roof.” She mumbled. As she turned and started walking back up the stairs, she heard Goyle speak. “Why are you talking to the LeStrange girl? She’s a snappy little thing, isn’t she?” Crabbe giggled. Ally stiffened and kept walking. She was almost out of earshot when she heard Draco’s sharp voice. “Dont call her that. Her name is Ally.”
***
That night, Ally quietly slipped out of the first year girl’s dorms. In her socks, a green long sleeved shirt, and a pair of grey sweatpants, she crept down the stairs and into the common room. A shadowy figure was draped across a chair in the corner. Ally could see his albino blond hair and bright eyes glinting in the dark. Draco rose and beckoned to Ally. She frowned at him, but followed. They walked silently side by side as Draco led them out of the dorms, into the courtyard, and towards a half hidden door.
He opened it, revealing a ladder. Draco brushed past her to climb up first, and Ally followed behind him. He reached the end of the ladder and pulled himself up. Draco brushed himself off and hesitated before reaching a hand out to Ally as she tried to haul herself up and off the ladder. She reached towards his hand, and found herself grabbing thin air. Ally looked up and glared daggers as Draco swept his hand up to fix his hair, half smirking at Ally. She scoffed and lifted herself off the ladder and onto the roof. When she was on her feet, she turned to find Draco sitting on the edge of the roof, his legs half bent and his hands behind him, bracing his lean. Ally went and sat beside him.
“Why are we up here, Draco?” Ally whispered. Draco’s eyes scanned the view, and Ally followed his gaze. She held her breath as she gazed at the beauty of the Great Lake and forest that lay before her. They were on top of a tower overlooking the Forbidden Forest. At night, the scene was beautiful and mysterious.
“Breath taking, isn’t it?” Draco said. Ally curled her legs up against her chest as a shiver ran down her back. He noticed. “Cold, LeStrange?” Ally frowned. “Don’t call me that.” She mumbled. Draco glanced at her. “Sorry.” She shook her head. “That’s my mother’s name. She was never really around.” Ally murmured. “Another woman raised me. Mother was always off doing something. She loves me, of course, she just leads a double life. I grew up hidden away….” She trailed off. “Why am I telling you this? You wouldn’t care.” Ally looked away. She heard Draco shifting next to her.
“My parents were both Slytherin. My grandparents. My entire family. They’re all purebloods. They supported Voldemort.” Draco said. Ally looked at him and he flinched.
Voldemort had killed many, many, many halfbloods and mud bloods before Lily and James Potter had ended his life when he broke into their house one night. He had been an evil person who wanted to keep the wizard bloodlines clean.
“I’ve been raised with high expectations. I’ve never had real friends. I don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong because I’ve grown up my whole life being told what is.” Draco continued. “My father….expects things. If I don’t become the person he wants me to be….” He trailed off, keeping his gaze on the horizon.
There was a moment of silence before Ally broke it. “That doesn’t justify your decisions.” She reminded him. “I know.” He replied quickly. Another silence.
“Does your mother love you, Ally?” Draco whispered. Ally thought for a moment. It wasn’t Bella who came to mind, it was Narcissa. “Yes.” She murmured. Draco looked at her. “Mine do not.” Another silence. “Can I call you Strange?” Draco broke it. Ally giggled. “I suppose.”
They continued to talk quietly, wandering from subject to subject. An hour later, they were still talking.
“What’s makes you think I don’t dislike you?” Draco retorted. They were having a playful debate. “Because you defending me in front of Crabbe and Goyle. And you won’t fight with me when I call you out in public.” Draco scoffed. “So?” Ally glared at him. “You make fun of everyone else while your friends cheer you on.” Draco frowned. “You do realize they expect something from me too. My friends expect me to be mean, so they try and stay on my side. What does that have to do with me not disliking you?” Ally looked at the view. “If you don’t like me, why are we still talking then?” He sighed. “Look at me, Strange.” Ally met his gaze.
“You are the first person who has met me and not immediately hated me, feared me, or looked down on me.” Draco said softly. “You’re the first friend I’ve made that’s felt like a real friend.” Ally smiled. “Oh so I’m your friend now?” Draco looked away. “If you want. I don’t care.” He shrugged. Ally cackled, which startled him. “Was that supposed to be a laugh?” Draco asked her. She cackled again. “I suppose you can be my friend.” Ally smiled. Draco didn’t look at her, but she saw his small smile.
“But you need to clean up your act.” His smile fell. “I can’t do that. I’m a Malfoy.” Ally frowned. “So?” Draco sighed. “You just don’t get it, Ally. I can’t.” Ally stayed silent. “Then how about this? Don’t do it around me.” Draco paused. He nodded.
Ally yawned and stood up. “It’s really late now. If someone catches us out of bed, we’ll get detention.” She was sore from staying in the cold for so long. Her legs buckled. Ally gasped. Draco braced himself between Ally and the roof as she fell into him. They almost skidded off the roof before Ally regained her balance and scrambled away from the edge. She grabbed Draco’s arm and pulled him away as well. He collided next to her and they both stayed still, catching their breath.
After a moment, Draco crawled over to the hatch where the ladder was. “You really gotta stop crashing into me.” He muttered. Ally laughed awkwardly. “I’ll try.” They shakily made their way down the ladder, out of the courtyard, and down to stairs. They were almost to the Slytherin dormitories when someone cake around the corner at the end of the hallway. Ally grabbed Draco and dragged him behind a pillar as the person walked towards them.
“There’s no point in hiding. I already saw you.” A voice drawled. Draco stepped out from behind the pillar and Ally stepped out beside him as Professor Snape frowned at them. “Mr. Malfoy and Miss LeStrange. I didn’t expect to find you out of your dorms. Especially not together.” His voice was slow and disappointed. “That’s detention. Now get.”
Draco and Ally ducked their heads and ran the rest of the way to the dorms. They didn’t speak again as they quietly stepped up to their respective dorms for the night.