A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait; please bear with me on Harry's letters. They are probably the most difficult thing for me in this entire story. That in mind, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter XIX

She still didn't really have an answer for Harry, and she couldn't well ask Narcissa if Lily was where her eyes had come from, so Madison resolved to find a picture of her mother.

Dear Draco,

Is there some record of previous students at Hogwarts? I would very much like to see a picture of my mother.

Yours,

Madison

Dear Madison,

Come to my common room tonight at midnight. We'll find what you want in the library.

Sincerely,

Draco

When she stepped out of the fireplace, she was expecting Draco to be waiting for her. She wasn't expecting Blaise to be with him. When she saw the other boy, she glanced at Draco warily.

"It's all right," he said. "He's going to help us."

Madison smiled and gave Draco a hug. Blaise then held out his arms for one, and when she glanced again at Draco, he nodded, but rolled his eyes. She snickered and hugged Blaise too.

"Let's go!" she said then, with a bounce.

Blaise laughed and put a hand on top of her head to still her. She pouted at him, and then Draco, and Draco knocked the other boy's hand away.

"Come on then."

The Hogwarts library was enormous. Blaise led the way to a section that looked neglected, looking apologetically at her when they arrived.

"We started looking this afternoon, but we didn't get through many," he said, and then piled several thin books in each of their arms. He took his own pile and they went to a table to begin searching.

"Draco?" asked Madison hesitantly. "Won't we get in trouble?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Only if we get caught. So shut it for now, okay?"

She nodded, pulling a pretend zipper closed over her mouth. The boys exchanged an amused glance, and then they all began to leaf through pages.

It was half an hour before Blaise let out a curse. Madison jumped and then leaned over the table to look at the page he was on.

"Where is she?"

He pointed, and the three of them looked to the seventh year picture of Lily Evans.

"She's pretty . . ." Madison said quietly, staring.

"She's a . . . Gryffindor," said Draco, wrinkling his nose slightly.

"She was Head Girl," Blaise added, grinning, "and you look like her."

"Not really. She's got that lovely bright hair, and not so round a nose."

Draco took her chin and tipped it up.

"And green eyes. You do look like her."

A grin spread over the girl's face before she could help it, and she threw herself at Draco to kiss him in excitement.

"Oi, I found her."

She giggled and leapt toward him for a bear hug; Draco growled and pulled her back. He took his pile of books and hers, and put them back on the shelf; Blaise took his, except the one Madison was still gazing at. After a short, whispered discussion, Draco picked that one up, put it in her hands, and led the way back to the Slytherin dorms.

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Dear Harry,

I get my eyes from my mum, too. And I prefer sour candies as well! I'm glad we began our correspondence. Would you tell me more about Hogwarts? Where do you live when you're not in school? Do you like your family?

Please forgive the rush of questions; I am very curious, and I do hope you'll humour me.

Sincerely,

Madison

Dear Madison,

I'm glad too. What do you want to know about Hogwarts? Doesn't your friend tell you about it? Do I know her?

I live with my aunt and uncle, but Hogwarts is really home. What's your family like?

Sincerely,

Harry

Dear Harry,

I want to know about the teachers, and the other students – who's nice, and if anyone's mean. My friend doesn't talk to me much about that sort of thing. I shouldn't say, but I'm probably going to spend my seventh year there with you.

The family I live with is lovely. They've always been kind to me, and I've had very good schooling and very nice things. I don't really know anyone besides them. I do know Professor Snape, but I am sure he hates me. (I like him, though he's so very grouchy.)

Sincerely,

Madison

Dear Madison,

I don't know that I've ever heard Snape called grouchy, but it works as well as anything. I don't know why you like him, but he's always had particular interest in making my life hell, so perhaps I'm biased.

Are you avoiding telling me who your friend is?

Sincerely,

Harry

The last letter he'd sent her was short, but school was letting out, so surely he'd elaborate more in a later letter. Madison wrinkled her nose at his question. Of course she was avoiding using Draco's name. She wasn't supposed to be corresponding with anyone outside her circle, particularly Harry, and if it got back, even just to Draco . . . If her isolation was by order of her father, she could be asking for more trouble than one friendship was worth.