Hogwarts was a rather large school, anyone could tell you that easily. It was thousands and thousands of square feet, separated within common rooms of different houses you'd be sorted in when you first arrived. But then there was The Great Hall where you'd usually eat meals with all the other houses and their respected members. And rarely, unless it was a professor, did a random entrance every cause everyone to look over in confusion, their eyes not being able to look away.

That was until Ronald Weasley and Salem Slughorn.

The sight was definitely not something you'd think you'd be seeing on a early morning while you ate your cereal or spoke to your friends. While people assumed Salem and Ron were close enough, the way they entered that morning was the oddest of friendships anyone had seen. He was running, full speed while Salem's arms were wrapped around his shoulders to try and stop him, her feet only dragging behind the two as they argued quietly.

Neither of the duo took notice in the houses all looking at them so oddly as if they'd never seen either of them before. While they could imagine they looked rather silly, neither of them realize how odd the sight that morning truly was.

"Salem's birthday is coming soon." Ron said as they stopped at the Gryffindor table before Hermione and Harry. Salem let out a loud groan, hoping her lovely morning stroll with Ron would have gone smoothly when she mentioned not wanting to make her birthday as big deal. Then he suddenly took off in a sprint as she hopped onto him in hopes of stopped... only to get dragged.

The words that left the Weasley boys mouth had not only had Hermione and Harry's attention sparked, but the Malfoy boy who sat at Slytherin table behind them as well.

"Your birthday? Why haven't you mentioned it?" Harry asked her as Hermione quickly wrote it down while Ron informed her of the exact date and time even.

"Well, maybe I would have if you'd shown up to be my date." Salem said to him with a raise of her darker eyebrows, the small freckles under both them showing as she did so.

"Are you still on about that? Salem, how was I suppose to know not a date meant a date?" Harry asked her with a eye roll, throwing a cheerio at her as Salem gave him a offended look.

"Well I don't know, Harry Potter, I guess I assumed someone would just know." Salem said as she threw the cereal back at him with a raise of her eyebrows and a faint glare on her face.... Harry almost told her she resembled Malfoys expressions.

"Harry isnt Salems type anyways, we've been over this." Ron said with a mouth full of food and a nod to his head, Hermione looking at him in the slightest bit of disgust.

"It's true, i'm more into blondes." Salem said with a shrug as Hermione laughed at her before shutting her books and placing her hands on the table.

"Why don't you wanna celebrate your birthday? We could make it fun, anything you'd like." the Granger girl went on with a soft smile, wanting nothing more then for Salem to enjoy her sixteenth birthday with her new friends and away from the drama the Slytherin students brought to her.

"That truly kind of you, Mione, but birthdays just aren't exciting to me anymore. It to weird without my parents." Salem said as Hermione frowned and nodded, she didn't know what it was like to lose your parents, neither did Ron and Harry couldn't remember his like Salem did.

"Salem, did you have friends before Hogwarts?" Harry asked, without thinking clearly, as Hermione smacked him with her books. Salem laughed slightly and shook her head.

"Not really, I had a few i'd greet when i'd head to the music store but aside from that not sense I was a small child, why do you ask?" she asked him curiously, not offended by the questioned as Hermione sighed in relief.

"Only because sometimes friends like to throw other friends parties for their birthday." he said as he tried to hide his grin, Salem could see the gossip and school girlish side Harry had to him worse then she had before.

"Well, yes, Harry, I did know that, thank you." Salem said sarcastically as he suddenly realized his words definitely came out wrong again making his eyes widen in panic. Hermione couldn't help but grin at the sarcasm the seemed to stick with Salem constantly, while others viewed it as disrespectful and rather rude, Hermione found it assuming and some what comforting.

"What Harry means is we'll throw you a party." Ron said as he swallowed his food, thankfully before he took another bite.

"If, and it's a big if, I allow the three of you sewer rats to throw me a party... I make a small guest list of who's invited, okay? Not you, not you, and definitely not you." Salem said as she pointed to each of them, Harry grinned in excitement as he nodded.

"Now, if you'll excuse me while everyone wigs out Ron for Quidditch, i'll be wasting my time cooped up in the back of a library in hopes I can look better then a whole bunch of first year." Salem spoke with a fake smile that quickly dropped, causing the trio to laugh at her in the slightest.

"Good luck." Hermione called as Salem send her a wave over her shoulder, the red painted finger nails catching the light in the best way possible. While some people, a few that had talked about her and others who'd grown to fancy her, watched the Slughorn girl leave... they hadn't noticed the slimy Slytherin following after her moments later.

Salem wondered why she could pronounce anything right, she couldn't understand why sometimes ph meant f and why sometimes the e didn't even make a sound. It's the main reason she couldn't get her spells right, not because she wasn't talented or because she wasn't putting effort in... she just just could pronounce anything. Apart of her wanted to ask her friends to say the words for her just so she could know how to say them, but that was embarrassing in her eyes... it was hard for her to ask for help now a days.

"I feel your eyes on me, if I could pronounce this correctly you'd be turned into a water buffalo." Salem spoke without looking up, already being able to know Draco stood by the bookshelf, watching her. His gaze was much different then others that gawked at her, usually some in fear because of her mother while others in hatred because of her mother. But Draco's was so different, he didn't have a expression or a mood within his state, he just watched her because he knew it was beyond important.

Especially right now.

"Come with me." he spoke while standing above her, right next to her chair as she sighed and looked up at him, wishing she was standing so they'd be closer in height. His words weren't soft, but not that they harsh... only demanding.

"No, can't you see i'm trying to learn how to turn those small children into animals since the professor gave me a week of detention for throwing my quil at them?" Salem asked as she held her quil into his face, enough to tickle his name in the slightly before she pulled it away, "Mental, they called me."

"Come with me." he repeated himself, more annoyed and with a huff this time, "I have to show you something."

"What is it?" she asked while looking up at him with curiosity dancing in her dark eyes, they were nearly the same color as the black suit his pale skin complemented. Salem saw him having the darks suits most of the time, while it could easily be mistaken as the same one she picked up on small details along the collar that showed they were always different.

"You'll see." he spoke in a low voice, no expression on his features at all, only the blank stare as he held his hand out for her... far from a romantic way, more so a way of leader her.

Salem wouldn't have agreed if she didn't know that there was no way she'd be able to get this spell down, and maybe if she'd agree he'd help her like he did last time. With a huff she put her books into her bag and took his hand. Their energies were beyond different and it felt weird to both of them.

While Salem had always produced a more warming body heat that never seemed to go away no matter how cold it was, keeping herself and others warm at all times, Draco was much colder. His hands were like ice, pressed against her oddly warm hands, a new and different feeling toward the both of them.

"I passed that test you helped me with in the library." Salem said as he pulled her down the hallway, his legs moving much faster then hers were, causing a slight bit of pull to her arm. The hallway was rather dark, complete empty but Salem didn't even think anything of it.

"I didn't help you, I told you the answer." he corrected her as Salem shrugged, speeding up so she wasn't being so forcefully dragged.

"Do you know the one with the downwards pressure? I can't get it right, it's like my brain turns into tomato soup and I don't even like tomatoes." Salem explained with a crazy look as Draco simply listened to her words, not saying a thing, "Depr-ie-mo."

"No." he said with a small sigh, his eyes suddenly shot a second, "It's Depr-i-mo. With a I sound, not a ie."

"Oh... okay, that's better." Salem mumbled as she pulled the pen from her bag and wrote it down on her palm, "Pronounce it again."

Draco rolled his eyes at her words, "Des- per- I- moe."

"Finally, now I can make those little kids cry and laugh at them." Salem cheered as Draco pulled her around the corner, "Thank you."

Draco threw his hands over her eyes quickly, making Salem throw her arms out in surprise, "Woah, why can't I see anything? Draco, get your hands off me!"

"Would you stop talking for once?" Draco asked her annoyed as he drug her through the door, then back out into the hallway, back in the room, at this point she couldn't help but laugh, and then into the hallway, and suddenly back into the room before he let her go and whipped his hands on his pants.

"Salem, get over here." Draco said, not realizing she wasn't following him, more so wandering.

"Do you read up here?" Salem asked as she looked around at the room, it was dusty and a bit dark, like a attic you'd walk into when wondering a new home. She loved the idea of the room, it was soothing her in a way she couldn't express. Even with Draco, who wasn't the best of people toward her, being there wasn't even bothering, she felt like she was escaping the chaos that seemed to follow her in Hogwarts.

But that was soon ruined.

"Reading?" he asked her confused, standing nearly ten feet away as she continued to look around, turning to face him at the sound of his voice, "No, I do not."

"Why not? It's a perfect spot, do you have a favorite book?" she found herself asking, not that she actually cared but the words just came naturally to her, she was just one of those people that couldn't have silents between people.

Silents was something Salem was familiar with, it was something her mother loved. The manor they lived in when the two were alive was usually quiet, when it wasn't Emelia would have a fit and it wasn't worth the arguments. Callon, one of the house elves, use to hold Salem's hand and take her out to the large garden where they would talk and ask as many questions as she wanted. While Salem didn't like silents, her mother did, and it didn't make her a bad person... it was just exactly how it had always been with her.

"Come here, I have to show you something." Draco spoke, ignoring her question and waving her over. Salem peaked out the window that provided just a tad bit of light, the Slytherin green house just in view, "Salem."

"Coming." she called while waking toward him quickly, her feet echoed on the floors before she got to his side, seeing him staring up at a tall but narrow cabinet, "What is it?"

"You'll see." he said, and for the first time, he'd given her a smile... it was fake of course, just to try and convince her but Salem smiled back.

"Here." Draco spoke as he took her robe off for her, holding his hand out after opening the cabinet. Salem paused, looking at him with the slightest of gapped lips.

"You want me to go in there?" she asked him, uneasy but who wouldn't be.

"Yes." he simply said before catching on that she was skeptical, "You'll love it."

Salem had no clue what he was speaking about but tried not to think to much into it, just taking advantage that Draco was for once showing her the slightest of kindness. Taking his hand, her eyes widened when his other went to her waist to help her into the cabinet. Looking back he began to shut the door before she suddenly threw a hand out, "You're not coming with me?"

"It won't work with both of us, move your hand." his words were slightly forceful before the odd and forced smile was back on his face. Salem wished later on that she would have just stayed in the library instead of following him, realizing Draco Malfoys friendship was far from worth what was to come.

Draco slowly shut the cabinet after pushing the hem of the black dress Salem wore more into the cabinet. Taking a deep breath he mumbled the words he'd said before with the apple, not thinking to much into it rather then that Salem truly would find the cabinet cool and it would convince her later on when his father would speak to her about something he knew she'd turn down. But he could convince her somehow, he had to.

When Draco opened the cabinet again, Salem was gone.

A satisfied smile formed on his face, a real one this time that he decided to give to her when she came back and questioned him a million times. Shutting the door back, suddenly more then happy to answer all the questioned he knew she'd shoot his way when she came back, Draco mumbled the spell again.

He could almost picture exactly how the next moments would go. He'd open the cabinet and find her already laughing while he quickly helped her out, a real smile spread across his face. She's ask him how it worked, how she saw all those things, how he did it. And he'd answer her, without annoyance and glares.... he'd happily answer her and that would kick start their bond as he brought her to his father where he'd inform her of all the things Salem's mother had planned for her before she passed, how proud his father would be of him.

But then he finally opened the cabinet, ready for that moment.

Draco wasn't met with Salem's laugh, nor was he met with questions and a smile.

Instead he was met with tears, he was met with panicked eyes, he was met with a large scar under her eye.

Salem hurried out of the cabinet, Draco helped her out quickly so she would fall face first. His arms weren't around her long, two seconds at the most before she pushed him away from her and wrapped her own arms around herself, "Why would you do that to me?"

Her voice was broken, much worse then the previous night when she'd been looking at photos of her mother. This time it held so much pain and panic, something he caused. Salem looked like a small child, she looked like she experienced so much pain and trauma within those few seconds then she had in her whole life.

"What happened? Did you go to Borgin and Burkes?" Draco asked her, nothing but confusion in his voice as the scenery he had planned in his head washed away the second she took a step back when he attempted to walk near her again.

She was scared of him.

"Please, don't come near me again." Salem spoke, her voice broke as she hurried out of the Room Of Requirmemts without another look his way.

Draco was confused, the slightest bit of hurt at her words. Not that he ever wanted to talk to Salem, it was something his father and professor Snape had him do sometimes. But that didn't stop him from imagining what it would be look to have someone like her on their side, he could imagine he'd feel better about being a death eater, he could imagine maybe if someone like Salem Slughorn was around it would cause him to feel the way he always thought he would now that he had the dark mark... but that wasn't gonna happen.

Because whatever happened inside the cabinet scared her away, and he'd never experience the joy he thought being a death eater would bring even if she was around more.

Salem's mark under her eye had stopped bleeding later on that night, she skipped all her classes that day which would surely get her in trouble the next day, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Salem was hurt, she was scared of Draco Malfoy more then she was anyone else at this point... for him to put her in that much danger. Apart of Salem wanted to tell herself that maybe he didn't know, she wanted to believe that but after the way he'd treated her since she'd arrived at Hogwarts... she couldn't even convince herself of that.

The scar had turned into what resembled a tree branch, the ones that grew in many different ways. It was far from pretty, marking her face of a memory she wished she could rid from her mind immediately. But that was far from possible considering the thought had been running through her mind the whole day, replaying the few seconds of trauma over and over again like a broken record player.

Salem decided to hide out in the Gryffindor green house, one that not many people attended to. She figured Draco would follow her if she was anywhere he'd expected her to be like the Gryffindor common room or the library. Her lamp sat by her side, illuminating the plants growing around her enough. She'd brought her books to try and study a little more, though she missed the comfort of the library and found it easier to constraint... she didn't wanna risk seeing him.

But Salem should have known he'd find her again, he always managed to. His footsteps were planted in her brain at this point, being able to pick them out from everyone else's. Salem's held her breath when he walked into the green room, her back turned to him before she spoke.

"Go away, Malfoy, I don't wanna see your ever again." she tried to sound mean and tough, though it worked in the slightest, it wasn't hard to sense the fear laced within each word. He paused his foot steps, Salem was ready to listen to whatever he would have to say, ready to listen to something rude he'd shoot her way or questioned her what happened for his own benefit.

But he didn't, instead he set something down and turned on his heels to leave her alone again, much like she asked him to. Salem waited until she could no longer hear the expensive dress shoes anymore before she turned to see what he'd left.

A green apple sat in the middle of the green house floor.

•

kylie speaks

salem being scared
of draco lowkey
hurts.
also love how
he be lowkey
in love with her
but doesn't want
to until she joins
his side..... dumb
blonde.