Sequel: Princess Sunburst ›
Secrets of a Slytherin Princess
Malfoy's Musings
As he entered Transfiguration, signature smirk intact, Draco Malfoy shot a quick glance at Apollonia Snape. There were times where he just couldn’t bring himself to fully cut her out of his life, even given what he knew. It just wasn’t possible. And besides, Snape would murder him. The fact that she was Snape’s daughter kept her in his life, like a tether that wouldn’t break. And, he was utterly bothered by that. When Draco learned of the plan, he knew of only one thing that could keep his favorite professor’s daughter out of the crossfire: ensuring that she wasn’t around. Since Apollonia could never bring herself to come around him during the school year, he expected it to be an easy task. There was no way he could have predicted that she would pluck up enough courage to come near him during the year.
Once that occurred, Draco wasted no time in trying to deter his oldest friend from coming near him. If she was anywhere near him, Draco knew that she would be in very real danger. Things weren’t safe around him at the moment, and he’d do whatever he could to ensure that nothing happened to the younger Snape. Apolla made it easy for that to occur when she suggested telling Potter and his band of misfits that she was a professor’s daughter. That occurred and things settled back to the way they were, with one minor change: rather than ignoring her as he had the past five years, Draco kept an eye on Apollonia whenever he could. So long as he knew the fate that awaited her, she needed to be kept safe and away from him. The Dark Lord’s rising power could only put her in danger and he was not about to see that happen, not knowing that she’s Snape’s daughter.
As he went to his seat—Apollonia clearly not noticing that he kept an eye on her during class, for she had not looked up from her things—Draco recalled something he was told by Snape long ago. “My daughter is all I have left of someone very dear to me. Keep her safe.” His haunting words were forever etched in his memory, and he kept to his word to protect her. Even if she didn’t know about it, he would still be there to watch over her.
Then, there was Pansy. No matter how many times Draco warned her, Pansy always chose to torment Apolla. She never seemed to care that she was tormenting their Head of House’s only daughter. And, if Pansy ever discovered that, there would be hell to pay. Warning after warning came, but Parkinson paid no heed to any of his warnings. It was as if she didn’t care. But, she would whenever Snape intended on revealing his daughter’s identity to the school. After this year, he thought. That’s when Parkinson will realize just how much of a mistake she made and why I always protected Apolla from her taunts.
When he watched the snowy owl swoop in towards Apolla, Draco knew there was something odd was going on around. And, the fact that the owl in question in fact belonged to Potter only intensified the suspicion he had. Potter knew Apollonia’s secret; he knew who her father was. On some level, it pleased Draco because Potter’s knowledge would keep Apolla safe; it was his only consolation. The other half of him was disgusted with what happened, as he got used to the fact that he was the only one to know her biggest secret. That was a comforting thought to linger on. But, when Potter learned the secret, the bond Draco had with Apolla disappeared. It no longer existed now that his nemesis knew the truth.
Still, despite Potter’s newly acquired knowledge, some semblance of his bond with Apollonia still remained. He couldn’t exactly explain what it was, just knew that what bond between her and Potter was different from the bond he had with her. To preserve what was left of that bond, he was protecting her; yet she would never know that he was even doing it. Everything he was doing was to ensure her safety, to keep Snape’s daughter out of the way. Apolla better appreciate that I’m doing this for her; I’d never do it for anyone else. And, it’s not just because of who she is. That may be part of it, but it’s not the only reason.
After a few moments, McGonagall came into the room and began the lesson, but Draco could barely concentrate on his schoolwork. There were other things on his mind, things he simply could not ignore. Apolla, for one. Since summer when Draco discovered the plot and what they intended on doing, Apollonia Snape was on his mind; he knew that his oldest friend should not be brought into this. And, he did the only thing he could to save her from the fate that awaited her. Then, as per usual, there was Potter. His was a presence that Draco saw fit to be destroyed. He hated Saint Potter and all that he stood for. Even if he could protect Apollonia, that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t still hate Potter. If Apolla thought for one second that he and Potter would start getting along because they both knew her biggest secret, she would be sadly mistaken; he refused to do something as stupid as that.
His gaze soon traveled to the raven-haired teen he called his oldest friend. She was intently focused on the lesson—something he knew he should be doing as well—as she tapped her fingers against the desk. Impatient, are we, Apolla? I wonder why. After McGonagall explained what everyone was to, Draco saw Apollonia glance back at him, a slight gleam in her emerald eyes. What are you thinking, Apolla? Surely it must deal with us and Potter. But, what?
Once that occurred, Draco wasted no time in trying to deter his oldest friend from coming near him. If she was anywhere near him, Draco knew that she would be in very real danger. Things weren’t safe around him at the moment, and he’d do whatever he could to ensure that nothing happened to the younger Snape. Apolla made it easy for that to occur when she suggested telling Potter and his band of misfits that she was a professor’s daughter. That occurred and things settled back to the way they were, with one minor change: rather than ignoring her as he had the past five years, Draco kept an eye on Apollonia whenever he could. So long as he knew the fate that awaited her, she needed to be kept safe and away from him. The Dark Lord’s rising power could only put her in danger and he was not about to see that happen, not knowing that she’s Snape’s daughter.
As he went to his seat—Apollonia clearly not noticing that he kept an eye on her during class, for she had not looked up from her things—Draco recalled something he was told by Snape long ago. “My daughter is all I have left of someone very dear to me. Keep her safe.” His haunting words were forever etched in his memory, and he kept to his word to protect her. Even if she didn’t know about it, he would still be there to watch over her.
Then, there was Pansy. No matter how many times Draco warned her, Pansy always chose to torment Apolla. She never seemed to care that she was tormenting their Head of House’s only daughter. And, if Pansy ever discovered that, there would be hell to pay. Warning after warning came, but Parkinson paid no heed to any of his warnings. It was as if she didn’t care. But, she would whenever Snape intended on revealing his daughter’s identity to the school. After this year, he thought. That’s when Parkinson will realize just how much of a mistake she made and why I always protected Apolla from her taunts.
When he watched the snowy owl swoop in towards Apolla, Draco knew there was something odd was going on around. And, the fact that the owl in question in fact belonged to Potter only intensified the suspicion he had. Potter knew Apollonia’s secret; he knew who her father was. On some level, it pleased Draco because Potter’s knowledge would keep Apolla safe; it was his only consolation. The other half of him was disgusted with what happened, as he got used to the fact that he was the only one to know her biggest secret. That was a comforting thought to linger on. But, when Potter learned the secret, the bond Draco had with Apolla disappeared. It no longer existed now that his nemesis knew the truth.
Still, despite Potter’s newly acquired knowledge, some semblance of his bond with Apollonia still remained. He couldn’t exactly explain what it was, just knew that what bond between her and Potter was different from the bond he had with her. To preserve what was left of that bond, he was protecting her; yet she would never know that he was even doing it. Everything he was doing was to ensure her safety, to keep Snape’s daughter out of the way. Apolla better appreciate that I’m doing this for her; I’d never do it for anyone else. And, it’s not just because of who she is. That may be part of it, but it’s not the only reason.
After a few moments, McGonagall came into the room and began the lesson, but Draco could barely concentrate on his schoolwork. There were other things on his mind, things he simply could not ignore. Apolla, for one. Since summer when Draco discovered the plot and what they intended on doing, Apollonia Snape was on his mind; he knew that his oldest friend should not be brought into this. And, he did the only thing he could to save her from the fate that awaited her. Then, as per usual, there was Potter. His was a presence that Draco saw fit to be destroyed. He hated Saint Potter and all that he stood for. Even if he could protect Apollonia, that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t still hate Potter. If Apolla thought for one second that he and Potter would start getting along because they both knew her biggest secret, she would be sadly mistaken; he refused to do something as stupid as that.
His gaze soon traveled to the raven-haired teen he called his oldest friend. She was intently focused on the lesson—something he knew he should be doing as well—as she tapped her fingers against the desk. Impatient, are we, Apolla? I wonder why. After McGonagall explained what everyone was to, Draco saw Apollonia glance back at him, a slight gleam in her emerald eyes. What are you thinking, Apolla? Surely it must deal with us and Potter. But, what?
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