Salem and Draco were silent in each other's presents for once.

While at time Draco wouldn't say anything, just roll his eyes to something she said, Salem still talked his ear off to prevent silents. But right now, on the empty train that the only the two were on at two in the morning, was completely silent. They sat across from each other, Salem's bag and the book by her side. She didn't look at it, instead her dark eyes were staring out the window, watching the snow fall.

When Salem was younger she use to tell her mother and father that she wished she was a snowflake in the sky when winter came around. Her mother told her that was impossible and to aim for something more realistic in life, like becoming top of her class one day. Monroe chuckled at Salem's words, leaning down on her level to stare at her eyes that where so different then his. His were a bright, emerald green that got brighter each time he walked outside, though she did inherit his honey locks, even if his darkened over time.

Salem wished she was a snowflake again, though she let that dream go many years ago. She wished it again, she wished she was so careless and had no worries in the world, just about falling on someone's skin and giving them a smile. She could do that, she knew she could, she was perfect to become a snowflake. Maybe if she wished hard enough she could be, leave her crazed thoughts about the book and her mother's wishes next to her.

"Did you hear me?" Draco snapped at her annoyed as Salem snapped her head to him quickly. She hadn't heard him, she usually did hear Draco because she wanted a reason to go off on him every time.

"No, I didn't." she said back, not bothering to ask what he said because as of right now she didn't care. Salem didn't care about anything right now, she was lost and confused. She knew her mother's wishes were wrong, that the woman wasn't any better then Lucious Malfoy. But then again, it was Emilia, it was Salem's mom and the woman she loved more then anyone else in the world.

"You can just not do it, non of us are making you." he spoke to her, taking offense by her silents which caused his mind to race with thoughts he was thinking she was having.

"Did I ever say you were making me?" she snapped at him, venom in her voice as annoyance dance in her eyes. Draco sat up better at her new tone as Salem ignored him once again. She wondered if her mind or her heart was racing faster, she wondering where and what she'd be doing in a year.

Would she be attending her second year at Hogwarts, going on terrible dates with Harry Potter, running through the Great Hall with Ron Weasley, laying in Hermione Grangers lap as she read to her, would her and her grandfather be as close as they were now?

Or would she be hand in hand with Draco Malfoy, sitting at a silent table with his family and the Dark Lord at the end? Would she be hating muggle born, would she be serving a man that hasn't done anything but darkness for everything she believed in. Would she be at the same man who had tried to murder her friends countless times beck and call? What would that mean for her and Draco? Would that make them closer? Her mother would be proud then.

"It's not just something I can let go, Draco, why can't you understand that? My mother, my dead mother, wanted something so bad for me and i'm supposed to just what? Say no and walk away as if this isn't all she wished for me?" Salem snapped at him suddenly again, mainly because she couldn't hold everything in anyone and he was the only one there for her to take it out on. Before Salem had the chance to apologize for snapping, he was right back at her.

"She's dead, she doesn't care what you do anymore." he shot back at her with just the amount of force as her words did before, not letting Salem get to him even in the slightest.

"Obviously I know she's dead, that makes it a hundred times worse, why can't you just understand that not everyone has no remorse and lives guilt free like you do?" she went back at him, not being able to stop. Any other day Salem would take a hit at Draco once and then he could have the last word and they were done. But today she couldn't, she had so much built up in her mind that she just couldn't stop talking.

"Would you kill someone?" he asked her as Salem was taken off guard, giving him a insane look.

"Excuse me?" she asked with a scoff, though she heard him loud and clear.

"Would you kill someone? If he asked you to?" he asked her again, staring at her reaction as though he was actually curious when in reality he was only trying to get her opinions on something he was asked to do.

"No, if you come near me i'll knock you out of this train though." Salem said, suddenly feeing as his question was a warning sign to her. Draco let out a small chuckle, very small and barely there as he glanced down then back at her again.

"If you bothered reading the book you'd know your mother asked us not to punish you in any way." Draco said as Salem tore her eyes from his to look over at the dark book next to her, back at him once more, "Though i'm tempted to curse you myself in that hideous Weasley sweater."

"You read it?" she asked as he frowned his eyebrows with a dumb look and a nod, as if she was the stupid one for asking, "Is this why you've been following me everywhere? Being relatively nice recently? Just because i'm needed in your Dark Lord family cult?"

"Certainly." he spoke with a nasty raise to his eyebrows, "Not that you'd ever appreciate what we've done for you."

"Done for me? What have you ever done for me? Put a ugly scar on my face and call me stupid?" Salem snapped at him again, trying not to have her voice raise considering it was already scratchy from the cold weather.

"I could have let Snape deal with you but instead I tried to ease it on you, he would have lied to you and made you join us, at least i've been honest with you about it." Draco went back at her, a glare that she'd gotten to use to on his features while he spoke quickly and with hatred laced in each of his words.

"Well, forgive me, Draco, for not praising you." Salem spoke sarcastically back at him as the two fell silent again, both out of breath from arguing back and forth. The train was all that could be heard, that and the heavy breathing they both had for a moment.

"I'm sorry." Salem said after a moment as she shut her eyes and opened them again, "I am grateful I got you instead of Snape, it's just a lot to take in and I don't mean to take it out on you, truly."

Draco was silent as well, he usually wasn't when they were arguing. He stood from his seat and sat by Salem's side, rolling up his sleeve quickly to give her a look at the Dark Mark tattoo on his arm, "It's to symbol Death Eaters."

"Does everyone have one?" Salem asked as she stared down at it. She didn't think it was beautiful or nice look, it was to large and had a sense of evil to it. But the dark ink against Dracos pale skin was stunning, or so Salem thought.

"Yes." he simply said, letting her look for a moment longer before rolling his sleeve back down, "You'll need one if you walk in your mother's footsteps."

"What do you think would happen if I don't?" Salem asked, neither of them making eye contact, their shoulders touching though which was in a way neither of them made a big deal out of but did on purpose, "I can't imagine we'd talk much anymore."

"We couldn't." Draco agreed with her words, "They'd forbid it."

"I don't think I can do it." Salem mumbled after a second of silents again, her voice was weak and quiet but he heard it, "Im not like my mom was, or you, or you're family... I couldn't hurt people for not being pure bloods or do whatever Voldemort wishes me to."

She used his name for the first time, Harry had told her many times she could but Salem was scared. And yet, she wasn't scared any more, Voldemort didn't scare her now that she knew how involved her mother was. Guilt took over Salem's body at her words, her mother's wishes going down the drain immediately. Salem could basically see Emilias disappointed look.

Draco didn't say anything as the two turned their head at the same time to hold eye contact. He didn't know what to say, neither did she. Salem's denial would make it back to Lucious within the next few days which would then be given to Voldemort and that would leave Draco forbidden to interact with a traitor again. He didn't want to tell her, he couldn't even and probably never could but..

Maybe he liked her being around.

Draco and Salem spent the next few days together, probably their last until they had to go back to being nothing but strangers. He talked over a few spells with her as Callon got them anything they needed, which was rather a lot considering Salem nearly broke a lot of things in the mist of learning the stupify spell. They took silent walks around Hogwarts which was relatively empty besides the few kids without parents to spend it with, they all seemed to fear Draco and Salem though meaning it could never get out that the two held hands a few times while walking out of the castle and toward the green houses.

When Christmas day came Draco was meant to go back to his family, meaning he was meant to go back and tell them Salem's decision. He didn't tell her bye, she didn't want him to either considering it would be to weird between them. Their final goodbye was simply a possible owl to be sent sometimes, but that was it. Salem wanted to be sad but it was relevantly hard after spending Christmas day with her grandfather before she was back on a train when night fall came, to the one place she wanted to be the whole time.

"Mother, are you making pumpkin pie?" Ginny asked as she came down the stairs.

"And Butterbeer." the twins said in sync from the upstairs room.

"Does it look like i'm making either?" Molly asked while motioning around the kitchen that was a mess from the wrappings that were tore open earlier that day.

"Is Salem here?" Harry asked as he walked in along with Ron.

"Harry, dear, I would know if Salem was in my home." Molly said with a sweet smile as everyone looked behind her.

"Would you?" Ron asked with a snort as he motioned behind his mother as she turned and jump in surprise to see the Slughorn girl standing with a grin.

"Oh, Salem, deary, you must be so cold!" Molly spoke as she hugged the girl. Salem hugged her back tightly, the motherly love she very much needed over taking her body, "Why are you not wearing your sweater?"

Before Salem could answer Molly let out a shriek when Callon popped his head out from under the sweater in Salem's arms, "What can Callon help Mrs Weasey with."

"He can't say his L's." Salem whispered to Molly as she helped Callon down.

"Well, I suppose I could use some help in the kitchen. You all get Salem warm and ready for dinner." Molly spoke as Fred and George greeted her with peaks to the check in sync before taking the small bags, informing her she'd bunk with Ginny.

"Hi." Salem grinned while hugging Ron and Harry at once, "Sorry for the lack of warning."

"Bloody hell, you are cold." Ron spoke while pulling her off with him, Harry giving Salem a worried look.

Something was wrong.

Arthur and Salem got on the topic about music at dinner that night, Salem mentioned her love for piano and be didn't waste a second to show her the one he'd gotten a few days ago from Muggles and was hoping to pull it apart and put it back together. When everyone had been around the burrow that night, doing their own thing weather that was eating left overs or anything that struck their interest, Salem let her fingers press down on a few keys.

It was always something she loved, the sound of pianos. While she couldn't read notes very well, she was relatively good at memorizing which is why she had learned a few songs on the keys so quickly. It had been awhile though, making her the slight bit rusty but still caused a beautiful noise to flood through the small living area.

Harry stood by the doorway, watching her for a moment. He noticed the sadness drooping in her eyes, a small frown on her face that didn't suit her even in the slightest. Harry slowly walked over to sit at the small bench with her, their arms pressed together as she hit a few keys.

"I didn't know you played." Harry spoke as Salem look over at him with a faint smile.

"You don't know a lot of things about me." she said, the joking like words making him smile, looking down and watching her fingers dance in a slow and somewhat depressing song.

"Did something happen with the Malfoys?" Harry spoke in a low and quiet voice, she didn't want the Weasleys to know she'd gone which is why she'd only told Harry before break.

"So much happened with the Malfoys." Salem said with a sigh as she dropped her hands into her lap, if she could talk to anyone about anything it would be Harry, "My mother knew them very well, she left a book behind to give to me if something where to ever happen to her."

"Did you read it?" he went onto ask, the fire a few feet away made Salem's eyes glow in the slightest which was a odd sight considered he'd always spoke about how her eyes resembled the forbidden forest while right now they resembled the sun right before it turns to the moon.

Salem nodded sadly as she took a deep breath, "She wanted me to be something I don't think I ever could even if I tried hard enough."

"Salem, you have to understand that who you are is your choice, she doesn't get to decide that for you. You're mother was brilliant from what i've heard that is, but you are so much more then what you think you are. Being like your mom isn't gonna make anything change besides you, and we like who you are now." Harry spoke with a shrug to his shoulders. That was it. The words Salem needed to hear as a sad smile formed on her face.

"What if they come after me? Draco says it's my choice but Harry.... I really get the feeling it's not." Salem said, slight panic in her eyes considered she hadn't told anyone how unsafe she's felt, knowing in these moments Draco was breaking the news to his father about Salem's choice.

"No one is gonna let you get hurt." Harry spoke to promising, promising something he didn't know if was possible or not. But the way she sighed in relief, the way the slight bit of panic left her eyes as she laid her head down on his shoulder... was enough to make Harry nearly certain anyone would do everything they could to protect her.

anyone.

•

kylie speaks

alexa, play
in another lifeeeee.
but salem and
draco becoming
friends and then
having to stop being
friends sucks bro.

also! important note!
i want y'all's opinions
on something that
i'm struggling with.
so the ending of
half blood prince
could go two ways.

1.salem could help
the golden trio
and then have a
dramatic reunite
scene with draco.

2.salem gets kidnapped
and is forced to become
a death eater and had
a dramatic reunite
scene with the trio.

let me know bc
i'm so indecisive!!