Harry Potter and the Lost Half-Bloods. *1*

Piper

I discover my voice
PIPER:
As if this week couldn't have gotten any worse, I was assigned the graveyard shift of corridor duties. It was that time right after curfew. On Friday and Saturday nights, Dumbledore had allowed only the prefects to be out after hours. It was to make sure everybody was in their house, not reeking havoc on the school with late night exploring. I swear that all of the professors in this school hated me. It was always. "Oh, Piper! Can you help tutor this kid after school? He hasn't been paying attention in class, and you're a very good leader!" "Excuse me, Miss McClean, can you take corridor duties from ten o'clock at night until midnight? You're great at keeping the students in line!"

Look, I don't know why people always listened to me. Initially, I had thought it was just part of the privilege that came with being a pureblood. Then I noticed that nobody treated other people like this. Everybody mocked people like Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Other Slytherins weren't afraid to say no to them. But with me, I could say something as simple as "shut up," and the students are left silently staring at me for ages.

Whatever, I wasn't going to complain. I considered it a gift.

I hated corridor patrol. More than once this week, I'd considered going to Dumbledore and requesting that he gave it to some other Slytherin. I never understood why he had given me the title of prefect. My grades were average, and my attitude was less than eager. Sometimes I thought that Dumbledore chose prefects by pulling their names out of a hat. How else could people like me, and Ron Weasley get it? Weasley had been at Hogwarts for years and the only thing he had to show for it was the same as me: average grades and a lack of enthusiasm.

Going back to what I said earlier, my week had been awful. I'd been having those same strange dreams all week, and Leo Valdez was acting weirder around me than usual. I wasn't sure who was avoiding who at this point.

"Miss McClean, what are you doing in the halls at this hour?" I rolled my eyes and fought back a smile. Maybe my week could get better...

"Hey, Draco. I've got corridor patrol. Do you?" I asked.

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. He smirked like he thought he looked really, really cool. In all honesty, he looked dorky. His robes were too long on him, and his hands barely poked out of the sleeves. His tie was loose and crooked. Worst of all was his hair. The guys at school thought they looked cool with spiked up, gelled back hair. The look didn't entirely suit Draco. It made him look like some wide-eyed evil scientist.

"I haven't got patrol, but I thought I would just check on you to make sure our perfect prefect was doing what she was told. Honestly, Piper. Why did I bother? Goody-two-shoes McClean, working the graveyard shift of prefects. Following all of the the rules..."

"I do not follow all of the rules!" I leaned against the wall just like he was. Of course, I looked less awkward and more in my element than Draco.

He scoffed, chuckling to himself.

"You don't want to be here, but when the professors asked you if you'd take this time, you said yes! Everybody in this school looks as you like you're some sort of goddess. Why don't you use that to your advantage? You're a very influential person." He encouraged.

Some sort of goddess, what kind of talk is that? Pfft, goddess.

"I don't need any advantage."'

"You're pureblood, Piper!" Draco exclaimed. "You could have so much! You need to present yourself better. You wear your hair in front of your face, you keep your head down, and all week I've seen you staring at some Gryffindor blonde boy!" He lectured.