Ayanna smiled smoothly at her reflection, her teeth looked too white and her smile seemed too broad. So far, however, no one seemed to have noticed. They just smiled back. Today was going to be a good day she decided. She also decided it was easy like that. Ayanna decided that she could decide whether or not her days were good. She also knew that she was lying to herself. It was never that easy, and she definitely couldn't decide things into being. Instead she just fixed her hair in a ponytail and secured it, as if somehow having high hair would give her high spirits.

***

The train whistle sounded loudly as Ayanna slid the carriage door quietly closed behind her. She sidled into a seat as gracefully as she could and greeted her friends with a smile that fell daintily on her lips.

"Aya, you're doing it again." Riverlyn groaned, her lips contorting and her dark purple lipstick wrinkling.

"Doing what?" Ayanna blinked slowly, her smile not wavering in the slightest but staying small and playing lightly on her lips.

"Smiling brightly like the sun is beaming down solely on you. Like there are birds chirping and butterflies landing in your hair," Monika explained quietly, glancing around uneasily as if Ayanna was committing a crime.

"I'm just smiling. This is a good smile for a good day," Ayanna explained brightly, only slightly dimming her usual enthusiasm.

"Well, we aren't used to it anymore. We've spent all summer at home with normal people, who have normal, non-smiling faces," Darcy stated in a matter of fact tone. "Besides, everyone is looking at you like you're crazy again."

Ayanna surveyed the carriage; she was with the Slytherins in their usual carriage section. The carriage was separated into spacious tables of four, and not everyone from Slytherin was present, just the most popular groups. Darcy was right; they were looking at her funny... again. Jenna, who usually was laughing gleefully or smiling sassily, was gazing dubiously at her. Sabrini was looking away purposefully, not wanting to be seen staring. Ryker was laughing quietly as he looked up at her from under bushy black curls and Diego was looking from Ryker to Ayanna and back again, annoyance written clearly on his tan skin.

"They're over reacting. I'm only smiling. Besides, it doesn't matter; they won't approach me about it in their nightmares, let alone hassle me. We totally kicked their asses last year so I'm sure this year I'll be fine," Ayanna assured the girls, her words layered with calm and serenity.

"Nobody over there will mess with you; they don't care what you do," agreed Monika, glancing in the direction Ayanna was looking. "It's the people opposite you need to look out for."

Ayanna, Riverlyn, Darcy and Monika looked left. The table was occupied by Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, a space left for where Ayanna assumed Draco would sit. Pansy was staring at her blatantly, disgust clear on her face. Blaise was looking up at her too, a cruel malice in his gaze. Crabbe and Goyle both had their eyes set on her, their faces almost vacant and expressionless, but with a strange underlying mix of dumb and disapproval.

Ayanna looked back at the girls determinedly, her smile still visible despite the hint of concern her eyes conveyed. "I know. I will be okay. This year will be different, I just know it. I promised you when we left last year that you wouldn't have to fight my corner again. This year you can be cool, new, fresh... and I will be fine on my own as long as you guys are still my friends by the end of the day."

"You don't have to be alone; you know that's not what we mean," Monika said quietly, her eyes darting around at people carefully, making it clear she didn't want people to overhear, and totally ruining the sentiment.

"Well.... Thanks." Ayanna smiled, except she was already smiling, so her smile just widened and shrunk again on her face.

There was a loud crash as someone threw the carriage door open, not bothering to close it after them. Ayanna turned to see Draco, extending her leg to push the door shut with her foot.

"What a prat. Unkind, inconsiderate, thinks he is better than everyone else." Ayanna smiled brightly, speaking up so people would hear her.

"Shut up, you idiot," Monika hissed fretfully.

"Look, he probably didn't hear me anyway. Even if he did, does it matter? He is a prat from what I've heard; goes around bullying people." Ayanna's smile dimmed, all that was left was the turning up at the corners of her mouth.

"How do you know?" Riverlyn asked curiously, leaning in for gossip.

"You know that when I was in the DA... I heard no end of stories about him. It would seem there aren't many people who like him." Ayanna smiled reminiscently.

"Is the DA on this year?" Monika asked, with a trace of hostility barely noticeable, but there none the less.

"I don't think so; Dolores is gone so there isn't any need for it," Ayanna mused, "You know that Draco was one of the Inquisitorial Squad, he kept questioning the youngsters. He didn't just ask them questions though, he would harass them, bully them, and he was downright evil if you ask me."

"Well if it's over now then what does it matter?" Monika smiled slightly, looking at Ayanna searchingly.

"It doesn't." The smile on Ayanna's faced didn't look strained, but her eyes were suspicious and trained on Monika.

Ayanna peered over at the table opposite, again, her eyes settling on Draco. She could tell he was boasting about something, it was the way his chest was puffed out and his smile was smug. Ayanna couldn't hear what he was saying and to be honest, she didn't care.

The time passed easily as the girls, Riverlyn, Monika and Darcy, talked about menial things that they didn't really care about. Blaise left and came back. The girls changed into robes. When they came back after changing Ayanna shuffled to the window seat, smiling absently out of the window. She didn't like to talk about things that didn't matter.

Eventually the train came to a halt and Ayanna pulled her trunk down from the shelf above her, her smile turning uneasy as she realised her friends had already left without her. She looked about absently, the only person left in the carriage was Draco. He was fiddling with his stuff. Leaving hurriedly Ayanna ignored the crash behind her. If Draco had dropped his luggage on the floor he wouldn't be getting help from her. Ayanna was walking fast, without looking where she was going, that's how she bumped into Luna.

"Hullo Aya, have you had a good holiday?" Luna spoke softly.

"Hi Luna! I had a fine holiday. You?" Ayanna smiled eagerly.

"Yes, it was good... I learnt a lot about wrackspurts. It was very interesting..." Luna smiled absently, searching the area.

"What are you doing? Are you looking for something?" Ayanna asked curiously.

"Sort of. Some of my stuff went missing. I'm not sure who took it." Luna glanced at the racks above them.

"What went missing? I'll help you look." Ayanna followed Luna's eyes to the empty shelves.

Luna started forward. "Thanks Aya, it was my trunk. When I came back from passing out the Quibler it was gone. Although, so was everyone who was sitting with it. Neville or Harry might have taken it for me... they're my friends, you know?"

Ayanna smiled, walking along with Luna. "Have you looked all along the train?"

"Yes... I've just got to look in the Slytherin carriage now." Luna slid the door open, and then stopped.

"What's wrong?" Ayanna asked.

Luna didn't reply, instead she pointed her wand at the floor in front of her. "Finite," Luna stared down at Harry and his bloodied nose as he scrambled to his feet. "Hello Harry!"

"Wait what? Which spell.... Were you petrified? Why is your nose like that?! Who was it Harry?" Ayanna asked question after question, curious, alarmed and then curious again. Her lips almost slightly turning down at the corners, but her cheeks still high, showing the ghost of a grin.

"It was Malfoy. Draco Malfoy," Harry answered bitterly.

Luna glanced around. Deciding that her trunk wasn't there she pulled them both back through the train and out onto the platform. Luna turned to Harry to fix his nose up quickly. Then they ran.

They reached the gates to Hogwarts just in time; Professor Flitwick had not yet closed the gates and seemed quite flustered until he saw them.

"You three, you're late and I've been looking all over for you." The Professors moustache twitched irritably, "Names please..."

"Professor you've-"

"Names, please, no exceptions," Professor Flitwick cut Ayanna off before she'd even started to protest.

Luna looked around. "Who are all these people?"

"Aurors," Professor Flitwick answered quietly. "Names please. I'm not going to ask again."

Ayanna looked at the men and women dressed in robes; they looked quite intimidating come to think of it. She spotted Draco talking to one animatedly, waving a cane. Ayanna gazed at it wonderingly... did he seriously carry a stick around, like an old man? Suddenly the Auror took the cane and Draco was scowling furiously, protesting with clear strong feeling on his face.

"Miss...?" Professor looked at her expectantly. "Name miss...!"

"Oh, sorry, my name... it's Ayanna, Ayanna Hathaway..." Ayanna smiled distractedly.

Ayanna peered past Professor Flitwick again, watching as Professor Snape came from around Draco. Professor Snape leered intimidatingly at the Auror. He said little more than two words and the cane was back in Draco's hands.

Luna took Ayanna's hand in hers. "Come on Aya. You're getting distracted again. We still have a long way to go. Luckily we haven't missed all of the thestrals."

"Sorry, you're right," Ayanna agreed, smiling at Luna genuinely.

Ayanna followed behind Harry with Luna at her side, past the Aurors and up into a carriage, the only one left. Draco was already sat in it. It is sufficient to say it was a long and quiet ride. By the time they reached the castle bridge Ayanna was ready to shout and when they finally got to the castle courtyard she was ready to scream. Even her smile seemed strained, although only slightly.

When they had reached the great hall the sorting had already finished. Ayanna sidled next to Darcy, smiling widely in return to her friends smirk.

"So? Newbies?" Ayanna beamed in question.

"Fresh blood!" Darcy exclaimed, laughing, gleeful in the nicest possible way.

Ayanna only ate for a bit, then she introduced herself to some of the new children. The new children didn't like Ayanna's smile either, they stared at her confused. Ayanna saw Blaise and Pansy pointing her out to some of the new children, they were laughing, more like cackling. Dimitri was looking at her, so were Logan and Fern. They were sniggering. Ayanna got up to leave, she wasn't hungry anymore. As she walked up the stairs she heard loud, rowdy laughter. Ayanna picked up the pace, but it wasn't enough.

"Hey!" A voice called from behind her. "Hey, mudblood!"

Ayanna turned to see Logan, Dimitri and Fern. Fern was giggling excitedly, Logan was smiling smugly and Dimitri was grinning menacingly.

"Hey..." Ayanna smiled slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm rather in a hurry. I better get going, okay?"

Ayanna turned to leave, praying inside they would let her. She felt a hand close around her wrist; they weren't going to let her.

"Now, now, now," Logan tutted quietly, his breath was hot and sticky on her ear. "Why would you want to leave so soon? Huh?"

"Oh I just... I thought I'd just..." Ayanna paused, unsure. "I hoped to unpack," she finished lamely.

"Oh really? Well then, that isn't incredibly unimportant. Is it mudblood." Logan jostled her, his hand tight, now cutting off the circulation in her wrist.

"I... I guess, not..." Ayanna breathed quietly, lightheaded and breathing hard.

"What did you say?" Logan spun her around to face him, his face too close to hers.

Ayanna didn't say anything, she didn't even look at him. Instead she smiled absent-mindedly past him, at Dimitri who was now looking away, uncomfortable. Fern had left. Ayanna guessed that Fern liked Logan, which was unfortunate. That meant more trouble for Ayanna.

"I asked you a question mudblood!" Logan glowered at her menacingly.

"I agreed with you. I agree! It isn't very important." Ayanna spoke as clearly as the smile that showed on her face.

"Stop. Smiling," Logan spoke intimidatingly, his face inches away from her.

"Make. Me," Ayanna grinned triumphantly.

Then she felt the stabbing pain in her abdomen, this wasn't what she had wanted. Ayanna looked down quickly, she saw the wand pointed at her stomach, and it felt like a knife being driven into her. She looked up to see Logan muttering strange words. Ayanna whimpered in pain, smiling through it, like her life depended on it. Then in the distance she saw Darcy coming round the corner.

Darcy waved her wand at Dimitri and at once and he collapsed. Logan heard the noise, turning away from Ayanna long enough for her to shove him in the gut, away from her, and then she ran. Ayanna heard Logan cry out from behind her, steps came quickly towards her. She squeaked as hand grabbed on to her, pulling her around. Then she gave a small smile, she saw Darcy's big grey eyes staring at her in concern.

***

That night when Ayanna was getting changed she looked to where the wand had hurt her. Her skin was turning black and it hurt, but Ayanna dismissed it. Then Ayanna pulled her hair down slowly, letting it fall messily around her. She smiled at herself in the mirror. Tomorrow was going to be a good day. Tomorrow was going to be a good day. Tomorrow was going to be a good day. Tomorrow was going to be a good... a good day. Her silent tears trickled gently over her mouth and her smile grew small and disappeared fully for the first time that day. The frown that was left behind barely showed a ghost of enthusiasm she had worn. If only someone, anyone, had looked at her then, they would have seen in her eyes and on her face how she felt. Except no one looked at her until the morning, and by then her smile was back.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

A/N:  You might want to skip this it's boring ;D

So hey, I'm back..... I have a different story, YAY?!

Okay, so first I would like to say that I will finish my other fanfic. It just may take me a while to get round to it. I'm going to do some behind the scenes construction and go back to writing it at a later date, but I promise it's not abandoned.

Secondly, the plot to this story is all invented by the brilliant mind of my wonderful friend (details just below because the links are being weird so I had to put it below) and if you want to adopt a plot of hers for yourself visit her plot shop: https://www.wattpad.com/story/132766663-plot-shop

Her account: @TheCheshireCatt          Her help account: 

Thirdly, I haven't been writing a lot recently and it deeply saddens me. Unfortunately, because I haven't been writing a whole load my writing is a little lame. So, I just ask kindly that you cut me a little slack, just until my writing improves again :)

AND LASTLY: I hope you have a wonderful day! I hope your day is full of joy! Good luck and well wishes! Byeeeee