Pure-Blood? I'm B Positive

It was Monday, I'd had the weekend to calm down and put my brain into it's usual 'thinking-of-Neville' gear. I woke up, a little later than everybody else; I was finding it hard to sleep lately. I rushed around throwing socks all over the place searching for my tie, I caught a glimpse or something silver and green at the bottom of my trunk, underneath my scarf and hat, which were also green and silver. Tugging at it, It flew out of the trunk, onto Meredith's bed, I grabbed it, running out of the dorm as I tied it, scruffily around my neck. In the daze, I bumped into a tall person near the entrance of the common room.
"Sorry... Oh, Keeran." I smiled and looked up at the handsome face I was becoming more and more custom to.
"Running late?" Keeran chuckled and looked at my messy, twisted tie.
"Let me get that for you?" I nodded as he undid my tie and began to neatly re-tie it.
"I haven't seen you since Friday evening... Are you avoiding me?"
"Meredith made it pretty clear i'm not make friends with you, Araina."
"So, you do everything Meredith says. Keeran, I want to get to know you. I have two friends, but I think that's two more tha you have... so." I looked up at Keeran who was focused on straightening my tie.
"Fine... When is your first free period today?"
"Before Lunch."
"Meet me in the Library then, now get to class - I thought you were running late." Keeran straightened my tie one last time before walking in the opposite direction. I lifted my bag into my shoulder and began to sprint across the various corridors before reaching Potions.
"S-sorry I'm late." I panted and walked to my seat, as the entire class watched me entire the room.
"It's fine Miss Riddle, we haven't started yet." Professor Malfoy waved his arm before continuing with what he was saying before he was interrupted by my entrance.
"I woke up late." I whispered to Isobel and Meredith as they both stared at me with confused looks. I settled into my seat and the class returned to the usual chatter and longing gazes in the direction of the pale, blonde haired professor who was sporting a black suit, unlike many of the other professors who worked at Hogwarts, Professor Malfoy seemed to take pride in his appearance.
"For the last few weeks we have been making various potions taken from your Advanced Potion Making books. Today, I was thinking more on the lines or something you want to make. I want it to be creative, effective in meeting it's objective and easy to re-create. You have the remainder of this lesson to read through your books and plan the potion, and the rest of this weeks lesson to create it - you will be presenting it to me on Friday morning."
The class nodded, and we all rushed around the room, grabbing various books and scribbling on scrap bits of parchment. I searched through the books in front of me as Isobel frantically scrawled down the ingredients she'd be needing for her 'Drought of Peace' potion. I flicked through the pages lazily and huffed every so often, not even knowing what potion to make.
"Hello in there!" Isobel sang the words in my direction and I continued to stare into space.
"What? Sorry." I looked down at my open book' paying more attention as I continued to flick through the pages.
"Why don't you make Elixir to Induce Euphoria?" Isobel suggested, dipping her quill into the almost empty ink pot.
"I've already made that with Hermione, in the holidays?"
"Hermione... Hermione Granger?!?" Isobel squeaked as she said the name
"Yea, so?"
"She translated Tales of Beedle the Bard, and she's muggle born!" Isobel's eyes sparkled as she spoke.
"Why does her being muggle born matter? Aren't you half-blood anyway?" I recalled the conversation we had on the train ride to Hogwarts, Isobel's torso suddenly straightened, and she returned to her usual, timid self. I looked down at my book once more.
"Amortentia? Sounds interesting... I guess i'll make that." I tore a bit of parchment from Isobel and began to note down the necessary things I would need.
"Love potion? Hmm, as long as you don't slip some to Professor Malfoy, I don't mind. He's mine" Isobel giggled and looked up towards the tall, pale young man who had the most startling grey eyes.

"Miss Riddle, can I speak with you a moment after class." I'd just reached the door when Professor Malfoy called my name.
"Do I have a choice?" I whispered under my breath, dragging my feet to his desk.
"I have something of yours." Professor Malfoys head disappeared underneath his desk, rising again with a smile on his face. In his hand he held the handle of a small bird cage, inside it was a Chestnut brown tawny owl. My eyes grew in size as I realised it was mine.
"I-Uh..." Millions of thoughts scattered through my mind. 'Did he know I was eavesdropping?' 'Has he told Neville?'
"I'm not stupid." He placed the cage onto his desk and put his finger through the bars, softy stroking the owls wing.
"I never said you-"
"I know. I also know that you must have heard at least some of the conversation between myself and Nev- Professor Longbottom." I stared at the floor, embarrassed and ashamed.
"I'm sorry, I know it's rude. I didn't mean to, I-I was just curious... I-I..." He raised his hand indicating me to stop talking. I was terrified, Professor Malfoy surely would be angry and disappointed in me.
"Araina, you don't need to worry. I understand. You had a right to know, but I felt that it wasn't my place to tell you. I understand you are closer to Professor Longbottom - I thought he might tell you." I scoffed at Professor Malfoys last comment, not realising the company I was currently keeping.
"We was, not so much now. At school, it's understandably different." Malfoy nodded as I stared out of the window, wondering where this conversation was headed.
"Understandably. So, what did you hear of the conversation between me and Neville." Professor Malfoy sat down on his desk and indicated I also sit, I obeyed.
"Well, just that you got a letter about meetings or something, and that they think I'm behind it. After that, I didn't really want to hear anymore..." Malfoy nodded. There was a few minutes of silence.
"I hate it, Professor." My eyes were filling with tears, and for some reason I felt this would be the only chance I have to express everything.
"Hate what?"
"I hate it! Just because i'm his great niece or something doesn't mean I have the same views, the same aims, the same ignorance. I never even the met the man! I thought I was a muggle 2 months ago, and now they expect I hate them, just because he did! they just expect it of me?" I spat my words with disgust.
"Araina..." Professor Malfoy sighed. I looked up at him, attempting to blink away my tears of rage.
"It's painful... People having pre-conceived ideas of you because of what those before you have done. You can be so tempted to live up to their expectations because you know of nothing else. You must promise me, no matter how hard it gets..."
"Promise you what?" I was intrigued by what he was saying, he spoke with such meaning and emotion that you can't help but hang onto every word.
"Just... don't make the same mistakes I did." He sighed and gave me a weak encouraging smile.
"Mistakes, sir?" I didn't mean for my curiosity to come across as nosiness, but I felt it did.
"Lets just say, I was in a similar position, and I hated it, just as much as you do."
"Thankyou" I whispered, but he heard me, his grey eyes twinkling. We reached an understanding that day.

I had the bird cage in hand as I headed up the long, narrow staircase towards to owlery.
"So, you're a boy huh? What to call you..." I spoke to the small owl who was now pruning himself.
"Well, everybody else calls me Keeran, so..." I jumped, almost slipping off of the stone step.
"I didn't know anybdoy else was here." I said, taking the final steps to reach the owlery, where Keeran was stood.
"I apologise if I scared you." Keeran smiled and stuffed several letters into his coat pocket. I looked down at the now bulging pocket and pointed in that general direction.
"Letters from home?"
"I-uh s-sort of, yea." Keeran stuttered, his eyes darting left to right.
"Look Araina, I have to go. I-I have class. I'll see you 'round." Keeran darted down the staircase.'Class? I thought he had a free period now - he did tell me to meet him.' It definitely had something to do with the letter - I was no Sherlock, but I knew that much. My mind told my feet to follow him; figure out what was going on. No matter how much I wanted to go ask him for an explanation - demand answers, I couldn't. I remained stationary; I was a coward.
I opened the cage door, the owl fluttered out and landed on the wooden frames of the owlery ceiling. He sat, hooting contently as I sat below breathing in the crisp autumn air that blew through the wooden and stone structure. I tottered down the staircase quite contently, all thoughts of Keeran and the conversation with Professor Malfoy has been pushed out of my head, on purpose. I wanted a day of normality, well as normal as it could possibility get for me; Araina Riddle, the new witch who has the hots for her herbology teacher - not to mention the weird family tree. I strolled casually to the Great Hall for lunch, before heading to the Library, me and Isobel had an essay on nonverbal spells using our 'Confronting the Faceless' book.
"What did my future husband want with you then?" Isobel winked before putting a large helping of pasta salad onto the empty golden plate next to her own.
"Oh, uhm nothing much. He found my pet owl, and just wanted to returned it." It wasn't such a stretch from the truth, I only wish she wouldn't ask-
"How did he get your owl in the first place?" Isobel interrogated me.
"He just, came across him. My owl went missing before I came to Hogwarts and he returned, but Professor Malfoy got him, and gave him to me." Isobel seemed satisfied with the lie I had fed her, she picked up her fork and continued to eat her meal and sat down as I began mine.

***
[Third Person.]
"I gave Araina her owl back today." Draco lazily sat on the table inside the Greenhouse where Neville was avidly sweeping the soil and various leaves off of the floor manually, even though he had the capability to do it with magic. Neville grunted as Draco spoke.
"Neville, stop cleaning."
"It needs to be done."
"It doesn't need to be done like this" Draco tutted and with a flick of his wand, the dirt and plant material began to be drawn into neat piles and deposited inside the bin in the corner of the room. Neville sighed with frustration, cleaning meant he was occupied, busy, no time to think, no time to think of her.
"So you handed over her owl, and?" Neville opened the top drawer of his desk, organising and then re-organising various papers inside it.
"Neville. Neville? Neville!" Draco repeated himself and yet Neville would not lift his eyes from the small piles of papers that were now on his desk.
"Neville. STOP!" Draco slammed his fist onto the desk, causing the papers to shift from their designated places. Neville looked up at Draco, his face solemn.
"Just stop. You're not eating, and by the look of you, you've barely slept. What's going on?" Draco stood up, only inches of air separated his and Nevilles face. Neville sighed in response, not saying a word.
"it's not healthy, Neville - talk." Draco was determined, willing to use veritaserum in order to extract the truth from Nevilles mouth.
"I know it's not healthy Malfoy!" Neville spat the name, his eyes filled with hurt.
"I know what this is about! Ever since I told you about the letter I got concerning Araina your mind has been else where." Draco shouted even though Neville stood exactly 12 inches away from him. Draco inhaled deeply before continuing. "I understand, you obviously care for her, and this situat-"
"THIS SITUATION? What situation are we in Draco? Please enlighten me!" Neville spoke as he had never spoke before, especially to Draco Malfoy, the boy who often teased and jinxed him during their years as students at Hogwarts.
"Neville, you need to calm down." Draco stepped back, remaining calm.
"DON'T TELL ME THINGS I ALREADY KNOW!" Neville had turned red in the face, years of containing his true emotions caused the fury to explode into the now, very headed confrontation. Draco grabbed Nevilles shoulders with force, shaking him quite violently.
"YOU NEED, TO CALM DOWN." Draco let go of Neville, straightening his tie and robes.
"I know, I know..." Neville spoke with almost a whisper, before sitting down. After Draco had pored them both a small glass of Fire whiskey each Neville was no longer red with anger they attempted to start again.
"So, as I was saying, I was talking to Araina today..." Draco looked into his half-empty glass slowly swilling the contents as he spoke.
"Just spit it out, please Draco." Neville tipped the entire contents of his glass into his throat, the firewhiskey heated his throat, giving the tall, scruffy professor the need to remove his knitted waistcoat.
"She was in my class today. For the whole hour she just sat, she never sits. Never. She's always up and about; getting ingredients, stirring the cauldron, grinding up bezour." Draco sighed before continuing. "So active, so interested, yet today..." Draco turned to Neville who was holding his glass with both hands, looking down at the floor.
"It was obvious she had heard some of our conversation, the owl outside the door, her drastic change in personality. I watched her for the entire hour, out of the corner of my eye. Nothing, she said nothing, did nothing." Draco lifted his arms as if he was admitting defeat. Neville looked up at Draco who continued to tell him about the conversation he and Araina had had after potions class. The words were words that Neville already knew; he felt the same fear as Araina had, he thought the same thoughts. He knew she was relying on him, she was relying on him to defend her, but what if he couldn't?
"Neville? Are you listening?" Draco put his glass on the desk, and took Nevilles out from his hand, filling it with more fire whiskey before handing it back.
"Yea." Neville cleared his throat and lifted his head in attempt to look more involved in what Draco was saying.
"So, in short - she doesn't want it. And, and I think it scares her... It scared me." Draco took a sip of the firewhiskey and winced as the hot liquid traveled down his throat. "But she's not me. And any fears she has about the Ministry stopping her from attending Hogwarts are ill-placed, I spoke with Minerva - in confidence, and she sides with us. Araina, isn't going anywhere." As Draco finished speaking a twinkle appeared in Nevilles eyes and a faint glimmer of hope and happiness re-appeared in the form of a weak smile on the right side of his mouth. Draco sighed, not noticing the slight change in Nevilles mood.
"Personally, I think she was better of staying as she was. She-" Draco was silenced by the slam of Nevilles glass onto the desk.
"Who are we to take away her right to practice magic? She's a witch, a PURE-BLOOD witch. She needed this, and we should be attempting to make up for the lost years shes had." Neville sighed, evidently calming down again. "Alone all those years, the odd one out." Neville muttered the last of his words under his breath.
"I agree, but when it's in these circumstances, Arainas well-being comes first. It's unfair for her to be told shes a witch only for the ministry to send her away because of past events."
"So you're saying that I don't care about her well-being, and only about keeping the blood pure." Neville spat, before putting on a ridiculously sweet, yet pompous accent "Can't have her mixing with Muggles." Neville's mind filled with the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher he had once had at Hogwarts, Umbridge - the squat toad of a woman who often used physical torture as a way of keeping those in Dumbledores Army in line. Draco on the other hand, thought of his father; the man he used to idolise. Draco had not realised that throughout his entire life he was being brain-washed, not until it was too late.
"I never said that, and you know it!" Draco's voice quivvered as guilt passed through him, he looked down at his fore-arm, although it was covered by his robes the faint scar like tattoo seemed to look at him.
"That girl trusts me. I was the first person to care for her, care for her properly. I will not let her down!" The statement Neville made was more of a promise to himself rather than a comment aimed at Draco.
"I know, that's why i'm concerned." Draco could see it in Nevilles eyes, the love he had for her. He did not know if it was paternal love, or something completely different - but it was love all the same.