Speechless

Stella and Draco stood straight, still and alert as the panicked voices of the other students sounded around them. Then like a thinning mist the darkness eerily started to recede. Stella looked up into Draco eyes. Draco squeezed her hand before looking around warily, trying to find any sign of potter. He saw everyone returning to their seats, chatting about what just happened. Stella rolled her eyes as she saw Crabbe and Goyle still asleep.

"What just happened Blaise?" Draco decided to just pretended not to know anything. He knew Potter was in the compartment somewhere.

"Don't know" was all Blaise mumbled in reply, still tense. Just then a bag fell off the luggage rack. Draco wheeled around in quick response. Stella placed a hand on Draco's bicep, while she looked at Blaise bewildered expression.

"Relax boys, the lights went out tis all. Come Draco, we'll be at Hogwarts before you know it." Stella said in a soothing voice, playing along with Draco's act of knowing nothing. Draco nodded as he picked up the fallen luggage, setting back on the rack, before he sat next to Stella.

"Hogwarts what a pathetic excuse for a school. I think I'd pitch myself off the astronomy tower if I thought I had to continue on for another two years." Stella rolled her eyes before looking out the window. She liked Draco, but sometimes all he did was talk to much.

"Whats that suppose to mean?" Tracey asked as she twirled a piece of her hair. Draco gave a small unhappy smirk.

"Lets just say I don't think you'll see me wasting my time in charms class next year." Tracey, confused by his words, looked over to Blaise who snorted in response.Stella shook her head a little and looked at Blaise.

"Amused, Blaise? We'll just see who's laughing in the end" Draco sneered. Stella watched as Blaise smiled shaking his head. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her bag shift on the luggage rack. Stella let her eyes dance over bag for a few moments before turning her gaze to Draco. Draco didn't look at her, he was to focused on the same bag Stella was seconds ago.

Sighing loudly, Stella leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. She was feeling a headache coming on and they haven't even arrived at Hogwarts yet. Things were already hectic and it was just the train ride to school. Slowly Stella's mind started to shut down and she was over come with much needed sleep.

Draco's eyes played over the luggage rack for sometime. He couldn't believe Potter was going as far as spying on him. Draco knew Harry was up there and all he wanted to do was yank him down and stomp his face in. Draco sat there silently boiling with anger. He didn't know how long he sat there fuming.

"She finally looks like she sleeping peacefully." Draco's eyes snapped to Daphne's voice. Smiling she nodded her head toward Stella. Draco turned his head to the direction she nodded. He looked over Stella's sleeping face. "She's been so beside herself after that fight with you Draco. I tried so hard to get her to smile. Hell, I even tried to piss her off. I did anything I could think of to just get her to show another emotion besides sadness. I miss my sister Draco. I miss her mischief, the sparkle in her eyes when she's happy. I even miss her spoiled, bitchy, sarcastic remarks. I hate that it took ten minutes with you to get feelings out of her when I tried all summer too. Don't turn your back on her again Draco, she needs you. I don't know why it has to be you, but it is you she likes, it's always been you." Draco looked around the compartment and back up at the luggage rack, before whispering to Daphne.

"She likes me? Because we are arranged?" Daphne couldn't believe what he was asking her. Was he really that blind not to know all these years.

"Your kidding right? Draco, Stella's liked you since the day you two met." Draco was shocked by this news. Draco looked at Stella as a memory came flooding back to him.


"Draco, Come here please!" Narcissa's voice rung though out the Malfoy Manor. Draco looked at Dobby, the house elf he was holding upside down and abruptly dropped him before walking out of the kitchen toward the sound of voices.

"Yes mum?" Draco asked pretending to be the perfect angel for the guest as his parents expected of him. He looked at all the faces in the room. A woman around his mother's age stood there with her husband and two daughters.

"There you are dear, come meet our guest." Draco walked over and stood between his mother and father. Narcissa put her hand on his back and nudged him forward a little. "Draco this is Diana and Benjamin Greengrass and their daughters Daphne who is 7, and Stella who is 6 years old like you." Draco looked up at his father, unsure of what he should do. Lucius gave him a little nod and Draco looked back at the four strangers.

"Its a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass." He said as he shook Mr. Greengrass's hand and kissed Mrs. Greengrass. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Daphne, and you too Stella." Draco kissed their hand as well. Daphne looked at him indifferently, while Stella gave him a bright smile.

"Oh you are just adorable!" Diana cooed as she looked at Draco, causing him to smirk.

"Why don't you Children go play and get to know eachother? We will be in the sitting room if you need us." Lucuis said as he ushered the adults into a different room.

"Play nice Draco." Narcissa told him with a stern look. Draco merely nodded in response as he watched his mother follow his father. The three children stared at one another awkwardly.

"Well I'm bored, so I am gonna go play outside. Let mum and dad know if they ask Stella." Daphne said without a glance at Draco.

"We'll go play with you!" Stella said running after her sister. Daphne looked at her sister's puppy dog eyes then turned to Draco.

"You can come play with me if you want to Stella, but boys have cooties and I refuse to play with them." Daphne replied with her nose up turned. Draco scowled at her before retaliating.

"I do not have cooties! There's no such thing!" He snapped.

"You do too! All boys have cooties, and your a boy so you have cooties. So that means you can't play with us" Draco looked hurt by Daphne's words. Stella gave Daphne a dirty look.

"Daphne your not being very nice!" Stella scolded with her hands on her hips, stomping her little foot.

"Are you gonna play with me or not Stella?" Daphne rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Draco just stared at the two, trying not to cry.

"Only if you let Draco play too!" Stella closed her arms and pouted in anger.

"No" Was all Daphne said.

"Well then, I'm not going to play with you!" Stella turned her back to her sister.

"Fine! I didn't want you to play anyways!" Daphne stomped out the front door leaving Stella and Draco by themselves.

"I'm sorry about my sister Draco. I'll play with you, I don't think you have cooties." Draco smiled at Stella. He knew that he would get along with her fine. Stella smiled brightly back at Draco. She was happy to have made a friend and she knew they would be best friends forever.

"Okay! Do you know how to fly?" He asked excitedly. Stella nodded her head vigorously.

"Yes, but I don't have my broom." Stella pouted.

"Thats alright, you can ride with me." Draco said grabbing her hand pulling her to the backyard. Draco grabbed his broom and got on. "Come on then."

"I dunno Draco, I've never flown with anybody before. It can't be all that safe."

"You'll be fine. I promise not to let anything happen to you. Don't you trust me?" Draco held out his hand expectantly. Stella stood there unsure, but hesitantly took his hand.

"Fine, but if you hurt me I'll be very mad at you." Draco smiled and pulled her onto the broom. Then they were off. Draco and Stella didn't know how long they were flying, it felt like ages to them. Eventually their feet touched the ground. Draco put his broom away and they sat in the back yard together staring at the clouds.

"Thank you for playing with me today Stella." Draco said after sometime of sitting there. Stella leaned forward and kissed Draco on the cheek. Draco quickly put his hand to his cheek. "What as that for?" Stella giggled before replying.

"Thank you for taking me flying. And playing with you was fun. I like you Draco" Stella looked away from the blonde boy in front of her. She was only six but she had developed her first crush and told him how she felt. Thats a lot for a six year old to take on. Draco smiled.

"I like you too Stella, we'll be friends forever!" Stella's face fell. "What the matter?"

"Nothing," Stella stood up and dusted herself off. Draco stood up next to her and did the same.

"Are you sure your alright?" Draco asked taken off guard by her sudden change in behavior. Stella only pouted a little before slapping Draco on the arm and yelling.

"Tag your it!" Stella ran away as fast as she could and fought back the tears in her eyes. Unaware of her true feelings Draco chased after Stella, just happy to have her in his life.

Draco mentally slapped himself in the head. She actually meant that she like him back then, not just as a friend but really liked him. He had hurt her feelings, that's why her demeanor changed toward him after that.

"She really liked me?" Draco said out loud more to himself than Daphne.

"Yeah, its not everyday a six year old chooses a boy over her sister. She was so upset after that. That's why I never liked you Draco. I still don't like you all that much, lets face it your a git. You hurt my baby sister so much over the years. Stella likes you though Draco, so I have to put up with you. Just don't hurt her again." Daphne stood up and walked away after that, leaving Draco to his thoughts.

I can't believe she likes me. All this time and I never noticed any signs. Draco sighed and looked over at Stella. She really did look peaceful. Draco ran his fingers across her cheek. He never realized how beautiful she truly was. Stella stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

"Draco? What are you doing?" Stella yawned and sat up straight.

"Nothing, I expect we'll be at Hogsmeade station soon." Draco looked out the window and indeed they were pulling into the station.

"Looks like we're here." Blaise spoke coming into the compartment. He left with Tracey some time ago, when Draco was staring at the luggage rack.

"Come on Draco lets get going." Draco stood up and started to grab the bags. Stella slid out of her seat and stood next to him, stretching as she did. Draco handed Stella her bag and held onto his thoughtfully as all the others started to exit the train. "Draco, aren't you coming?"

"You lot go on, I want to check something." Stella looked at Draco skeptically, knowing he was planing on doing something but not sure as to what. Draco gave her a pleading look. So instead of arguing she simply nodded her head and walked off the train. Draco didn't want to draw attention to her. Stella knew this, that is why she did as he said. Harry didn't know about her being a Death Eater and she planed to keep it that way. He already knew about Draco, no sense in drawing attention to the both of them.

Draco slid the door closed after Stella left. After letting the blinds down he stood there seething in anger. "Didn't mummy ever tell you its bad manners to eavesdrop, Potter? Petrificus Totalus!" Draco wheeled around and shot the spell at the luggage rack. Something fell to the ground with a loud thud. The invisibility cloak around Harry slipped off, revealing him paralyzed on the floor. Draco grinned maliciously down, walking forward to stand above Harry. "Oh right, she was dead before you could whip the drool off your chin."

Draco brought his foot down on hard Harry's face, causing a loud snap and blood to spurt from his nose. “That’s for my father,” Draco grinned again as he picked up the cloak off the floor and pitched it on to Harry's body. "Enjoy the ride back to London." Draco went to his bag and pulled out his school robe and put it on. Stepping of the train he pulled his cloak tighter and disappeared into the night on a quest to find Stella.

Stella walked followed her friends onto the school grounds. She lagged behind them in hopes Draco would be arriving shortly. She was worried Harry might have done something to him. She knew Draco was a wonderful wizard but feared him facing off against Harry.

"Miss Greengrass?" A voice called. Stella tensed up, she just walked on to the school grounds and already a teacher is calling her. Stella thought of all the possible things she could have done, but there was nothing. She wasn't at all in the mood to play pranks and she didn't even have time to do so even if she wanted. Stella turned around to face Professor Snape.

"Whatever it is I didn't do it. Unless I was suppose to do it, in which case I did it brilliantly!" She said quickly with a nervous look on her face.

"Relax Miss Greengrass, I'm not her to scold you on anything. Where is Mr. Malfoy?" He asked with the same expression on his face. The rest of the Slytherin gang looked back at Stella.

"Um, He was still on the train the last time I saw him. He said he would meet up with me in the Great Hall."

"Well, shall we go find him?" Snape asked grabbing Stella by the arm, dragging her away from her friends.

"Sure, not like I have much of a choice now." She said sarcastically with roll of her eyes.

"Now that we are away from prying ears, how is the locket?" Snape asked as he led her towards the school gates.

"Fully protected... wait how did you.." Stella knew he was a death eater, but the only ones to know of their task where their family.

"Narcissa, came to me. She told me all that was happening." Stella nodded in understanding but was still curious as to why Narcissa went to him in the first place. "I noticed Potter and Draco were missing from the crowd. I realized that could not be a good thing."

"Well I am sure he is fine." Stella asked not fully convincing herself. As they approached the gate she heard the familiar voice of Draco. Relief flooded over her at the sound.

"Its not a cane you cretin! Its a walking stick!" Stella and Snape rounded the corner to see Draco arguing with Filch in front of a mountain of trunks and owl cages.

"And what exactly would you be wanting with a walking stick?" Filch interrogated. Draco was pissed. Stella stood next to him and placed an arm on his bicep.

"It was his father's" Snape spoke up. Draco eyed him warily, before snatching the stick from Filch.

"Is my father's. He's not dead." Draco snapped. He was still mourning his father. Stella rubbed Draco's back soothingly, knowing how upset that comment made him. Snape watched Malfoy carefully wrap the stick in felt, and lay it back inside his trunk.

"It's alright, Mr. Filch. I can vouch for Mr. Malfoy." Draco eyed Snape again and grabbed Stella's hand. He began to walk off before he caught Harry looking his way.

"Nice face Potter" Draco smirked. Harry put a hand to his nose, as he watched Draco walk away, pulling Stella behind him trailed by Snape. Stella had questions for Draco but decided it was best to wait until they could be alone. Draco remained quiet because he too did not want to talk infront of Snape. So nobody said a word, they just walked to the Great Hall in silence.