Lady Songbird - Long May She Sing

Year 4: Ch.13

I do not own Harry Potter (that belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.). I only own OC's such as Olympia, Leilani, and others.

I was in the common room playing wizarding chess with Pansy. While many wouldn't know this about her, she was an avid chess player—a good one at that.

"Did you finish your herbology essay?" She asked me, eyes on the board.

"We had an herbology essay?" I groaned; I was behind.

"An essay for herbology, and several worksheets for DADA, Charms, and another essay for Potions." She said it sympathetically.

Scratch that. I was severely behind. "I think I'm going to go pay off some Ravenclaw to do my work," I said.

"But Potter," Theo called from behind me, "that would be cheating." He said it in mock seriousness.

"Since when does Potter have morals for schoolwork?" Pansy raised her brows.

"Nah, I thought of it more like, we need to keep the Slytherin house's name from being associated with bribery and threats." He raised a brow.

"Now more than usual," I muttered.

Pansy and Theo exchanged glances, knowing what I meant. Ever since the events at the World Cup, though we wouldn't show it, the Slytherin house has tip-toed very carefully. In school and out in the political world. Things were changing in the Wizarding World. Maybe a new Dark Lord, maybe one of his old sympathizers trying to rile up the masses. Or, God forbid, Voldemort's return.

Either way, the tides were shifting.

Whose side would our house be on?

"You should rest," Pansy told me. "We're going shopping tomorrow for Yule Ball outfits."

"I have homework, Pans," I said weakly.

"You're draining yourself for this tournament," Theo told me. "Give me the homework." He looked over it. "The worksheet's easy; I'll do it for you." He stuffed it in his bag. "Hey Pans!" She looked up. "Wanna go find-"

"A Ravenclaw to bribe, possibly coerce?" She grinned, "Fun!" She took his arm and dragged him out of the common room.

Draco walked in when they walked out. He looked at the two who departed and back at me, "I caught Ravenclaw, coerce, and fun. Should I be concerned?" He said it warily.

I chuckled. "Nah."

He looked around nervously. "So, uh, 'Pia." He took a breath, and his usual smirk of confidence came back on. "Care to take a walk with me?" He offered his hand.

"Sure, why not?"

--------------------------------

We were walking on school grounds, and the Scottish fall was a pleasing sight.

"There's something that seems to be on your mind," I told Draco.

Silence. "Are you ready for the Yule ball?" He said it abruptly.

"Nope." I said it honestly. "No outfit, no date." I sighed.

"No date?" He asked curiously.

"I had plenty of offers, but I turned them down out of..."

"You're obligations as a heiress. You can't just choose some random heir. Whoever you choose will forever circulate in circles. If you choose someone of no standing, you've disgraced your station. If you chose someone out of Hogwarts or someone close to graduation, someone you'd probably never see personally again, you've opened the door of betrothal." He finished for me.