Chapter 2

It was easy enough to keep out of the public eye on the train, but the second Draco passed the threshold of the Great Hall, all eyes were on her, some people staring, some whispering (not even exactly) behind her back.

Who would have thought the Malfoy stride (that Lucius "taught" her with his cane) would still serve her? But it helped her to reach the Slytherin table without showing off how all her limbs were shaking, and she was only too grateful for that feat.

She was doing what she thought was best, but that didn't mean it was going to be easy, so instead of psyching herself out further, she only poured some juice for herself to drink, when none other than the Savior of the whole wide wizarding world was standing a few feet away from her. With his girlfriend, who also glared draggers at Draco.

"What are you playing at, Malfoy?" Potter didn't raise his voice, but since the entire Great Hall's attention was on them, and you could hear a pin drop, Draco had no doubt everyone could hear them clearly.

"Would you believe me if I said 'nothing'?" Draco tried.

"Is this your idea of trying to garner sympathy?" Ginny Weasley asked.

Draco's heartbeat picked up, but he forced his attention to everyone standing and sitting around them and only stood to speak after long seconds of contemplation when he also saw Longbottom, Weasley, and Granger enter.

"I'm sorry for my actions in the past. I was wrong, in more ways than one, and I want to apologize to everyone present, even if it won't change what I did," Draco said, making everybody only jumpier, putting their guards up, thinking Draco was lying.

Except for Longbottom. Draco never thought she'd be glad for Longbottom to speak, but she also knew this year was going to be different.

"You're just a bully. And an unimaginative one at that," Longbottom said. "Just like the madman your father chose to serve."

"Yes, why should we believe you?" someone from the crowd shouted.

"And even if your apology is honest," Potter was staring at her without a blink, his hand firmly holding his wand, as if ready for a fight. "It's a different thing to come back to Hogwarts, and whatever you think you're doing, suddenly putting on a skirt."

"I mean every word I've said. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make amends," Draco deliberately spoke slowly, so she wouldn't stumble on the words, or express herself poorly, when she could barely breathe. "But the way I'm dressed or why has nothing to do with anyone else, only me."

There was little surprise in the fact that some people tried to hex and curse Draco without as much as a warning, but she could shield most of what was coming (and wasn't going to give the satisfaction to anyone showing how some spells managed to hurt her). And it was what she expected.

What she couldn't even phantom was when it wasn't a Professor who finally stopped the attack, but Hermione Granger.

"Stop, or I'll make you all stop!" she yelled over the chaos of spells flying, hitting furniture and cutlery everywhere close to Draco. Even Potter had to shield himself, because he stood too close when it all started, and the rebounding curses from Draco's Protego could easily hurt him if he didn't. "The war is finally over. This is a school. The last thing we should do is fight, for whatever reason!"

"People died because of his family!" someone shared, making Granger's effort to stop them futile when more angry people joined the previous mob, but this time, Ginevra Weasley intervened, and not just by yelling, as Granger did, but using a spell to amplify her voice.

"Stop! We've all lost a lot during the war. Believe me, I know," she said, and the walls of the Great Hall did nothing to lessen the echo of her not-so-gentle voice, so most people had to put their hands over their ears. "But nothing can change the past. The people we lost won't come back, no matter what you do to Draco Malfoy now."

"Nobody asked him to come back!" a seven-year Gryffindor yelled back. "It's only his fault! He's asking for it!"

In a way, Draco wondered if that wasn't true. Her father warned her that this will occur. Maybe Draco wanted to be punished because when curses started flying again, she was no longer shaking from nerves. She was ready to accept whatever was coming, whatever that could have meant.

But just then, the war heroes moved to protect him as one. Potter, the two Weasleys, Lovegood, Longbottom, and even Granger all raised their wands to form shields, instead of joining the attack on him.

And that was when McGonagall appeared, followed by the Professors. Her stern gaze quickly determined what was happening, when she sent everyone to take their seats, but came up to Draco, and made her sit at the teacher's table as if that was a punishment.

After the sorting, she rose and made a speech. It was the usual, barring when she addressed the issue clearly in the end.

"Bullying, cursing, or hexing a fellow student - even intended as a practical joke - won't be permitted in Hogwarts, the school grounds, or in Hogsmeade," she said. "The war was a making of a very disturbed man. However, the Dark Lord could gather followers because he appealed to one thing they all had in common: they lacked tolerance for anyone who looked or thought differently than them. So no matter the scars we all carry from the war, we can't afford to make the same mistake again. Anyone even attempting to start a fight will be immediately expelled."

That was when the whole hall started talking as one person, and Draco started eating instead, thinking if she could finish her meal earlier, she might just reach the Slytherin Common Room before anyone else had finished eating. Avoiding confrontation for the rest of the night, even if she had classes the next day, anyway.

She didn't trust McGonagall's words would save her at all, she was thinking it would be lucky if the Headmistress didn't make everything worse. But, surprisingly, when she wanted to leave, McGonagall stood also, with a stern stare.

"Mr. Malfoy, if I could have a word."

"Actually, it's… Nevermind."

"Aren't you a Malfoy anymore, perhaps?" the Headmistress asked, once they were out of the hall, and she even used a spell to ensure that they won't be overheard.

"I might not be for long," Draco admitted. "But I'm officially the female heir of my family now. So technically I'd prefer if you didn't call me 'Mr. Malfoy'. That's my father."

Even though she didn't have confidence the Headmistress will have the patience for such things, that seemed only right when McGonagall leveled an open stare at her, and the girl school uniform she had on, until the witch spoke again.

"Miss Malfoy, then," she said, surprising Draco. "I was the one who invited you back to Hogwarts, and as such, it's my responsibility to ensure you can finish your education with the least disturbance from other students. Therefore, I want to give you something for protection, that you should never take off."

"Thank you," Draco put the amulet on, and she could feel a large amount of magic swirling inside it. Its blue crystal looked nothing like you could just buy from any shop, either. "It's beautiful."

"And quite powerful, so try to be careful with it, Miss Malfoy," she added. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't abuse its power, or I'd be forced to take it back."

"I won't," Draco promised.

"You'll be also accompanied to classes by at least one Professor at all times," the Headmistress seemed to not take any chances either way.

"That's unnecessary."

"By what I've just witnessed before the feast, I'd say it's not."

"The Professors have more important tasks to attend to, and not even they can be everywhere. I need to fight my own battles," Draco told her. "I knew this was going to happen. But for better or worse, I'm not running away anymore. And maybe my situation could return to normal eventually, but only if you don't make a big deal out of it, Headmistress. No offense. I mean, I'm grateful for everything you're trying to do but..."

"I have overlooked my duties to protect students under my care in Hogwarts in the past," McGonagall said. "So now I won't. The school year hasn't even started yet, but you're hurt, aren't you, Miss Malfoy?"

Draco was ready to wave her concern off, but when the Headmistress saw, she forcefully spoke first.

"Wait here, Miss Malfoy," the witch left Draco, and promptly returned with… Potter. Of all people, she had to get Potter. "Mr. Potter, if you could be so kind, and accompany Miss Malfoy to the Infirmary, Madam Promfrey will meet you there. And also, since you two share most of your classes, I'd like for Mr. Potter to accompany you to all of them, Miss Malfoy, and report straight back to me if anyone tries to give you trouble."

Draco had a feeling Potter wouldn't accept the task anyway, so she wouldn't have to be the one to point out that the Boy-Who-Lived almost killed her once, so it was laughable to appoint him as Draco's chaperone, but to Draco's astonishment, Potter only pursed his lips and nodded.

Only after McGonagall appointed Luna Lovegood as Draco's secondary bodyguard for some classes like Arithmancy that Potter didn't have, said she'll inform the Professors how to address Draco correctly, and left that Draco dared to speak.

"You can go," she told Potter. "I'll tell her you were my knight in shining armor if she asks, but I'm still capable to find my Common Room of seven years alone, so your services aren't required."

"You have a cracked rib," Potter stated, rather than asked.

"I also happen to have various healing potions in my trunk that can help fix that," Draco didn't know how Potter knew, but she barely felt it anyway, high on adrenalin still.

"Why would you dress up like this?" Potter didn't even indicate that he was going to leave Draco alone, so Draco tried to be patient when saying.

"You might think it's something new, but to me, it's not. Because this is who I've always been," it wasn't easy to try to explain, being vulnerable, instead of deflecting with some insults that came to Draco as naturally as breathing, especially if it was Potter. But if Draco couldn't act mostly civil toward Potter, she wouldn't be able to manage any of her plans for her last year, either.

"As long as you stay away from me and my friends, I suppose it's your funeral," Potter said after a small pause. "Just know: I don't want to be dragged into it. I want to have an uneventful year, just once."

"Fair enough," Draco nodded and felt a little bit lighter as she turned the corner.

Although Potter was looking at her with disdain, at least he didn't insist to escort Draco everywhere in the castle as the Headmistress ordered, and knowing Potter and his insufferable personality that was almost like a miracle in itself.