Snape and Lily's daughter

A different year

Grace let go of Draco's hand and joined her friends to enter Hogwarts. The carriage ride to the castle with Astoria, Theodore and Pansy was silent.

The girl started to worry about Draco's delay, but soon after he entered the hall and went to sit next to her. But Harry was nowhere to be found yet.

"What happened?" Grace whispered to him.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. I'll explain later." he said.

Dinner started and Harry had not yet arrived. Some time later, Grace realized that Snape had left the Great Hall. A few minutes later he returned with Harry.

This would have made her calmer, had Harry's face not been covered in blood.

"Draco, what have you done?" she asked him angrily.

"I told you, not now." he said, not taking his eyes off his plate.

The dinner was silent after that. Before everyone went to their respective Common Rooms, Dumbledore, like every other year, stood up to speak.

"The very best of evenings to you!" he started. Many students, including Grace, noticed how dark his right hand was, whispers ran throughout the Hall.

"Nothing to worry about," he said airily. "Now... to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you... and Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Those wishing to play for their House Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise.

"We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year, Professor Slughorn is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

Everyone started whispering around. "Potions?"

"Professor Snape, meanwhile," said Dumbledore, raising voice so that it carried over all the muttering, "will be taking the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

The Slytherin table had risen and everyone was applauding.

"Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."

There was silence as Dumbledore spoke. Grace squeezed Draco's hand.

"I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that you teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them — in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety."

Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over the students before he smiled once more.

"But now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow."

In the Slytherin Common Room, Grace and her friends all sat near the windows, chatting while enjoying the view of the Great Lake. Grace, who until then was not participating much in the conversation, was paying more attention to the sound the lake water was making.

"Do you mind if I talk to Grace in private?" that voice brought Grace back to reality.

The girls soon left the room to let Draco and Grace talk.

"You hit him, didn't you?" she asked, without looking at him.

"I'm sorry. I am really sorry. But he was listening in our conversation, and he wasn't supposed to know the things we talked about." he said sincerely.

"I just ask that if you can avoid doing something like that, you should. I know that it won't always be possible, but you have to understand that we are talking about Harry, he is not only my friend, but he is also my brother."

The two stood there for a while before going to their dorms. Grace lay cuddled up against Draco with her head resting against his chest, while Draco stroked her hair.