The conversation over dinner was sparse, and when we did talk, it was just Father saying how amazingly Draco had been doing, and Draco complaining endlessly about Harry Potter. I wondered how long it would be until Father stopped pretending I didn't exist and started getting violent again.

After dinner, Draco and I went with Mother to choose our outfits for the Winter Ball. It was at this point that Mother finally pulled me to one side to talk to me about the lack of contact.

"I'm sorry I didn't write, Pandora," she said softly, her hands on my shoulders. "I tried, at first — but then it became clear you weren't receiving my letters. Lucius had told Dobby to stop them leaving the grounds."

"Why did he?"

Mother sighed. "Because, although I didn't tell him, I think he knew that I didn't — don't — mind what house you're in, so long as you're happy," she explained, her voice quieter than usual, so I had to strain my ears to hear what she was saying. "He didn't want you thinking that being sorted into Gryffindor was alright, so he cut off all contact with the one person in the family who would allow you to believe that."

"Did he hurt you?" The question tumbled from my mouth before I could stop it. I swallowed, then added, "After my sorting, I mean."

Mother hesitated, as though unsure what to tell me. But I knew just from the pause that the truthful answer was yes.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I should've argued with the hat more — should've gone to Slytherin—"

"Sweetheart, you don't have to apologise to me," Mother said, giving me a quick hug. "I'm happy if you are." She pulled back from the hug, and fixed her blue eyes on my odd ones. "Are you happy in Gryffindor?"

I nodded silently, not quite sure of what to say.

"Then that's all that matters."

***

A while later, Draco and I were both in the outfits we'd picked out. Draco, as ever, looked very uncomfortable in his suit and bow tie, and I looked even more like a miniature adult in my green dress and heels than I had done in previous years.

In all honesty, I hated my outfit. The dress was one for adults that had been shrunk down to my size, so although it fitted perfectly, it looked somewhat odd — especially the neckline. The heels were thinner than any I'd ever worn before, and I found it almost impossible to walk on them. And not to mention that the whole thing was Slytherin green, a colour I'd recently come to hate more than ever. In my mind, it stood for everything Father wanted me to be, everything I was trying so hard to move away from. But despite all of these issues, I'd decided to wear the outfit. And there was a very simple reason for this — it would make Father happy. Or less angry, at least.

"Dora, you look ridiculous," Draco said, poking his tongue out at me.

"Not as ridiculous as you," I shot back, grinning.

Draco gasped very overdramatically. "How could you?! I do not look ridiculous!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Do!"

"Don't!"

"Do!"

"Don't"

"Do!"

"Don't!"

This fake argument went on for a while, until Mother gave a slight sigh, and said, "I think it's time you both went to bed. Make sure to hang up your outfits, don't let them get creased." She gave both of us the usual hug and kiss on the top of the head. "Goodnight."

***

Draco and I knew to stay out of the way on our first full day of the holidays — the day before the Winter Ball always left Father's temper so frayed that even Draco could snap it with one slightly 'wrong' remark, and we'd learned a good few years ago that the safest option was just to pretend we didn't exist. So, with Father's permission, we headed off to Diagon Alley for the day.

"Here," Draco said, as we stepped out of the Floo fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron.

He passed me a bag containing about a thousand Galleons, which he'd taken out of the family vault via his enchanted satchel before we'd left. The satchels recorded how much had been taken out of each of them, and Father always checked this after Draco and I had been shopping without him; he got angry with me if I spent too much, but never cared about the amount Draco spent. To get around this, Draco just paid for everything when we were walking around together, and would give me more than enough money to cover my purchases if we were going to be splitting up. I usually bought a couple of things using my own satchel too, just to stop Father getting suspicious — books, quills, and other things like that.

We made our way through to the walled courtyard at the back, racing to tap the correct brick with our wand before the other did. I won, so Draco pouted and gently pushed me as the entrance to Diagon Alley formed. I giggled quietly.

"Meet you in Ashton's at one o'clock for lunch!" Draco called back to me, as we started off in different directions.

"Ok!"

Draco, I saw, was heading towards Flourish and Blott's, so I decided I'd make that the last shop in Diagon I visited, to ensure we didn't cross paths and see what each other were buying.

First, I went to Gambol and Jape's joke shop, where I bought some of the more expensive items I knew Fred and George Weasley wanted but weren't able to afford. Since becoming friends with Ron, I'd got to know the twins and their mischief-making pretty well, and as their pranks always managed to make me smile, I'd figured I really ought to repay them for it.

After that, I made my way down to Quality Quidditch Supplies for Harry and Ron's presents. For Ron, I got custom Chudley Cannons robes, with a spell on them so they'd always grow or shrink to fit him; for Harry, a miniature model of the Nimbus 2000, along with a book you could use to get the model broom to perform various tricks and Quidditch tactics, and which showed you a step-by-step guide on how to do each of them on a real broom.

I then wandered over to Sugarplum's Sweetshop, where I bought a medium-sized box of assorted sweets for Draco using the money from my own satchel — that way, Father's suspicions wouldn't be raised by my giving Draco a present when I hadn't taken out the money to buy it. Then, going back to using the money Draco had taken out for me, I bought a large box of various sweets each for Fay, Sophie, Lavender, and Parvati, plus another for my secret stash.

My next stop, finally, was Flourish and Blott's. I gave a slight smile as I walked in, glad to be back in the shop I so loved. Unlike normal, I didn't head straight for the second-hand section; instead, I started slowly working my way around the shop, looking for the perfect present for Hermione.

Hogwarts: A History? No, she's got that already... The Rise and Fall of Grindelwald — too dark for a Christmas present... Pure of Blood — ugh, why is that in here?! It's full of blood-purist propaganda!

This went on for a while, before I finally pulled a book off a shelf that I knew instantly would be perfect — Secrets of the Wizarding World, which was full of the sort of obscure facts and information Hermione loved to share. Then, unable to help myself, I went to the small section with the second-hand books, and picked out two annotated ones for myself.

I'll have to find a new hiding place for these soon, I thought to myself, as I went and paid for the three books. The one I'm using right now's almost full.

With all my presents bought, I made my way to Ashton's, a restaurant down Horizont Alley, which intersected both Diagon and Knockturn Alley. Draco arrived at the same time as me, arms full of bags and parcels just like mine were.

"Did you get everything?"

"Yep!" I said, smiling. "You?"

"I've got one more shop to go to after lunch, and then I'll be done."

And with that, we pushed open the door and headed into the restaurant.

***
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