Chapter Text
My first year at Hogwarts was probably the most uneventful thus far.
I was muggleborn, as they called it, so in mid-August, two months exactly before my eleventh birthday, an old woman named McGonagall came to my house with a letter for me and to explain everything to my mother. We didn't believe her until she pulled out her wand and performed some magic for us; making our teacups dance as they held our tea.
When I got to Hogwarts, I was placed in Slytherin, where I didn't exactly feel like I fit in. Of course, future me would understand that I'm a perfect Slytherin, no matter my blood.
I was teased and bullied throughout the year, but I handled it. I wouldn't let these people have any power over me when they didn't even know me.
In my second year, they started to have a little power though.
The Chamber of Secrets was opened and there was a monster coming after muggleborns. People in my own house started saying out loud that they were waiting for the monster to get me, to "remove the disgrace." I started wishing for the monster to find me after a little while just so I wouldn't have to hear it any longer. I almost didn't finish the school year.
I never expected any teacher to stand up for me, but Professor Snape did just that. He fully gathered all the Slytherins in the common room and told them how disgusting it was for them to gang up on a fellow house member, no matter the reason. The rest of the school was already against us, we didn't need to be against each other.
My third year was uneventful, but at least things were calmer. The rest of the Slytherins kind of just ignored me. I guess they felt like I snitched or something and didn't like Snape being mad at them.
The fourth year was... the best. Until it wasn't.
I had a muggle boyfriend in my fourth year. We dated over the summer, I wrote to him once a week, and I was bummed I didn't get to invite him to the Yule Ball.
I was beautiful, too. My dress was dark green to compliment my blue eyes and red hair, which was up for once, showing off my neck and shoulders. I actually put in the effort to look good. Since no one talked to me, I didn't have a date, but I didn't mind. I definitely didn't mind taking myself out.
Then, over the summer, the absolute worst happened. For one, I found out that he was cheating and I was actually the other girl. For two, I went to confront him about it, and it ended in a rape and a murder.
I think I'll always remember how I didn't even have my wand on me, the green light just seemed to explode from me, and he was lying on top of me, dead. All within a few minutes. The letter came about my detected magic usage, but I interrupted to ask if the letter could somehow send me some help. I needed help, not a lecture. The letter poofed into nothingness, and soon two wizards from the government came and found me.
I was pardoned as it was seen as an ultimate act of self-defense, and it was curious how I managed a killing curse without a wand. I was sent to St. Mungo's to be checked out and soon sent home with another wizard to help explain it all to my mom. The whole incident was kept pretty quiet though, which I was thankful for.
So, here I was. Back at Hogwarts, more tired than ever. I was being avoided, clearly, and given looks about how run-down I must look. We just stepped off the fucking train and I have to deal with this.
"I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free. I bet there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it." An all too familiar voice taunted, and I didn't have to look far to see it was Draco Malfoy taunting Harry Potter once again.
"Really?" I sighed before Harry could get a word in, and both groups paused to stare at me.
"Gray," Ron Weasley's face paled as he said my last name.
"Come on," Malfoy wrapped his hand around my arm and pulled me away, getting me into a carriage with him, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"So that's what they look like," I murmured as I watched the thestral that pulled our carriage.
"What? The thestrals?" Malfoy asked.
"I've never seen them before... I guess you know why?" I turned back to him.
"With how close my father is with the Ministry, yes. I suspect every pureblood family knows what happened with you this summer." He stared me down with a million questions in his eyes. "So, what happened? I wanna hear it from you."
I shifted uncomfortably and blew out a long breath. "I got attacked. What else do you want to hear?"
"Why?" His head tilted, and now the two boys on either side of him looked uncomfortable and unsure.
"How am I supposed to know? I was dating the bastard. I thought things were going fucking fine." I rolled my eyes. "Apparently not, since he was cheating the whole damn time. And I was the other bitch. For a whole damn year, at that! And I fucking confront it and what do I get? Fucking assaulted. So yeah, I killed him. Who knows if it was an accident or not? I don't even know." I ranted.
Malfoy was quiet for once, just watching me, and when we arrived at the school, we got out and he only mumbled one thing.
"Sit by me this year."
"I'm sorry?" I blinked as we went to the Great Hall, and he didn't say another word but take his seat, and pulled me down to sit directly to his right. This earned me many more stares.
He didn't speak to me again until the sorting and announcements were done, which I could hardly pay attention to anyway with Pansy Parkinson giving me the stink eye and Blaise Zabini looking at me like he's never seen me before. Even Crabbe and fucking Goyle were giving me side eyes like they were considering my very existence.
"I figure you need a friend this year," Malfoy started in my ear softly the second that conversation started up around us.
"And you figure that's you?" I scoffed as I cut into my dinner, though I had no appetite.
"Well, I can't imagine anyone else stepping up willingly, honestly." I could hear his fucking smirk in his voice.
"Thanks," I rolled my eyes. "You don't have to burden yourself with Slytherin's disgrace. You are a Malfoy, after all."
"I'm sorry about that. Snape was right, we should've stuck by you." He said, and it shocked me so much I turned my head to stare at him and found he was staring right back at me.
"You what?" I asked stupidly.
"I said I'm sorry about isolating you years ago." He looked too sincere, I almost teared up right then and there.
"Thank you," I mumbled instead.
"You're welcome," A slight smile touched his lips before he turned to start eating his dinner.