"Wait," Ron exclaimed suddenly as the four friends walked outside to the courtyard together, "so if you're immoral, how old are you?"

He was quickly shushed by Harry, Hermione, and Jinx. Jinx had to think for a moment before replying, "um...one hundred and five, I believe."

"Bloody hell!" Ron called in surprise, again receiving shushes from his friends. He then proceeded to repeat his statement, this time quietly, "..bloody hell."

"I was born in 1890," Jinx specified as she gazed out at the sunset. 

"That's amazing," Hermione remarked with excitement, "do you realize that makes you one of the only naturally immoral creature known of?"

Jinx snorted a sarcastic laugh as she corrected, "hardly know of."

Just then, a familiar face came into Jinx's view and she smiled. However, Ron was less excited as he sighed in annoyance and mumbled, "ugh, not him."

"Evening, Potter," Draco spat with a smirk, "heard you used Jinx to get an A in Potions today." Blaise and Pansy snickered behind him.

"Actually, we worked together," Harry retorted, then added, "something you're probably not familiar with."

"Why, you ignorant-" Draco began, only to be cut off by an irritated yell.

Jinx sighed in slight annoyance, "if you're going to bicker, at least don't do it when I'm standing right here; you're both my friends, you know." And with that she sped away, her jet black waves bouncing after her.

"What's her problem?" Pansy asked with a giggle. 

As response to this, Draco did something that surprised everyone. He turned to Pansy, the girl who'd followed his lead for the past five years, who would do anything he asked of her, and sneered angrily, "oh shut it, Parkinson; at least she has a mind of her own."

Pansy's jaw dropped as she took offence at Draco's harsh words. But the boy couldn't care less, he was already gone, chasing after Jinx.

• • •

That night when curfew called everyone back to their common rooms, Draco finally found Jinx. She sat quietly on a couch as if she were waiting for him, just admiring the fireplace.

Draco walked over and took the empty seat next to her on the couch. There were a few other Slytherins sitting at a table on the other side of the large room playing card games. After a moment of awkward silence, he spoke, "..sorry about earlier."

Jinx finally acknowledged his presence and turned to him, but she did not make eye contact. Instead, she stared at the floor as she brought up a different event, "I heard you yelled at Pansy."

Draco blinked; was that what Jinx was thinking about? He'd expected her to be upset with him, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that she wasn't. He scoffed as he replied, "well, she deserved it." This made Jinx smile; although it was just a small grin, Draco noticed and couldn't help but feel relief flood him. A tiny smile of his own began to appear as he asked, "what are you smiling for?"

The smile on Jinx's face widened and she moved her gaze to the card players. "It just seemed like you were being protective, that's all," she explained like it was no big deal. But honestly, to Jinx, it was a very big deal; her crush on the young Malfoy had been growing ever since she met him.

"So what if I was," Draco retorted defensively as his smile faded and his cheeks dusted red, "I stand up for all of my friends."

"Not Pansy, though," the words slipped out of Jinx's mouth before she could stop them.

Draco, now in an obvious fluster, struggled to find another excuse, but his mind had gone in a jumble. He couldn't focus on a single thing. Until Jinx finally looked up into his eyes, and his mind finally settled on one thought: her. As if he'd been put under a spell, nothing else seemed to matter to him anymore.

"It's okay," Jinx soothed quietly with a playful smile, "I won't tell anyone about your soft side."

There wasn't a single fiber of Draco willing to fight back any longer. The two sat facing each other on the couch now, staring into one another's eyes, breathing the same, sweet air. Then Jinx slowly stood, Draco following her with his gaze. "Goodnight, Draco," she bid with an innocent smile, then she went to the girl's dorm, leaving the Slytherin boy in a tranced daze.

• November 11, 1995 •

A week after Draco's new found feelings for Jinx, the two began to spend time together more often. Now, however, Draco was on his own, prowling around Hogwarts' outside. It was Saturday, which meant no classes and a slightly later curfew.

Draco was in between Hagrid's hut and Hogwarts when a face he knew all too well came up to him; Pansy Parkinson. She and her friend Alisa stomped over to the Slytherin boy with sour faces and wands readied.

"Draco Malfoy," Pansy announcing in a displeased tone, "Alisa and I were on a pleasant walk before you decided to make yourself present."

Draco glared at the annoying girl and retorted, "oh believe me, I wouldn't have come this way if I knew you'd be here."

"You foul pig!" Pansy shouted as she thrust her wand at Draco.

Draco's eyes widened in shock and even fear as the tip of her wand pointed directly at him. But before anything could happen, a low growl sounded from behind a large boulder. Pansy jumped a bit and stared in terror as a pure white wolf emerged from it's cover behind the rock. It's ears were down and lips curled back, showing off a set of razor-like jaws.

As the wolf stalked closer to Pansy and Alisa, the two girls stumbled in attempts to back away. The wolf barked visiously and charged the girls, which sent them running for their lives. Once the girls were gone, the wolf turned to Draco and began the same process. 

Unlike the girls, however, Draco smirked down at the wolf and crossed his arms. "What, you think I forgot that you're an animagus?" He teased with a playful grin.

Knowing she couldn't fool the intelligent Slytherin boy, the wolf, Jinx, stopped her act and ran up to Draco happily. Her tail wagged as she looked up at him with those beautiful ocean eyes. Draco chuckled lightly and leaned over to rub Jinx on the head.

Jinx closed her eyes as the boys hand ruffled her silky fur. She let her tongue hang out of her mouth as she panted lightly. "Come on," Draco exclaimed with a calm tone, "let's get you back to the common room."