And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC

Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always."

-….-

At the age of eleven, Avery Greenwood received her invitation to join Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. As a pureblood, she had spent most of her childhood awaiting just this, having heard stories of the wonderful castle miles away from home, her bedtime stories read to her by various nannies and babysitters consisting of magical moving staircases, talking portraits like those in her own home of various Greenwood ancestors, a wizard headmaster, more good and more powerful than any other in the Wizarding world. As she clutched her letter to her chest beaming towards her mother, she merely received a response of a haughty eyebrow lifted in her direction and the words, "We'll buy your things soon."

That night, her latest nanny of six years, Matilda, had gushed how proud she was and how she was sure without any shadow of a doubt that Avery would make her proud. Matilda had always been more of a mother to Avery than her actual mother, holding her, drying her tears, pretty much raising her and Avery had no doubt that it would be Matilda who took her to purchase her school supplies.

Two days after receiving the letter, she clutched tightly to Matildas hand as they meandered their way through the crowds of Diagon Alley. Avery saw, around her, numerous children her own age, all sporting the same expectant fear and curiosity on their young faces. Across the road from her, she saw a large family, all sporting bright orange hair, shades lighter than her own deep red colour, the mother bickering with two boys who looked identical to each other. The mother, though she was arguing, gesturing wildly with her hands, had a loving glint in her eyes as she appraised her children. Avery felt the usual tug in her stomach at the obvious displays of affection she had never gleamed from her own mother, or her father who had died when she was just two. Her step father had never cared for her much either.

On their continued search for supplies she saw familiar wizarding families and of course those that she didn't recognise, she saw a young dark haired boy carrying a snow white owl in a cage, accompanied by an abnormally tall ,hairy man with a booming voice, a bushy haired brunette, dragging her parents, who wore muggle clothing and were staring wide eyed, through the alley way spouting off random facts about each shop they passed. A haughty, baby face boy with white blonde hair being fitted with the most expensive looking robes she had ever seen, through the window of Madame Maukins, a chubby, buck toothed boy being scolded by an older lady to whom he looked remarkably similar, she guessed they were grandmother and grandson. "It's rather wonderful isn't it Avery?" Matilda gushed, "I remember when I was your age and my mother brought me here before my first year. I was a Hufflepuff you know. The most gentle of houses."

"What house do you think I'll be in, Matilda?" Avery asked gently, peering through a dirty window at the animals behind it.

"You could be in any house dear, you could be brave and courageous and loyal like a Gryffindor, or sly, cunning and ambitious like a Slytherin, you could be gentle, tolerant and loyal like a Hufflepuff or you could be intelligent, creative, witty like a Ravenclaw. You have the whole world ahead of you dear." Avery smiled gently as her nanny squeezed her hand.

"No. I don't think so." she replied, having mentally chosen the black kitten inside the shop window and trailing Matilda into the shop to purchase it, "I think I'll be in Slytherin like mum and like all the other members of her family." The young girl missed the sadness that flicked across her nannies face at that very resigned statement, too enthralled was she by the kitten she had yet to purchase.

Matilda was not able to accompany Avery to platform 9 ¾ when the day came, but she had written Avery a lengthy letter, promising to keep in touch and see her soon, which had brought a wistful tear to the childs eyes. Instead, her mother had, albeit begrudgingly, accompanied her and when the time came to board the train she did not receive a gentle kiss and a wish of good luck like the other children around her did, instead she was told in a harsh tone, "Do me proud." Which she knew to mean, Be the best Slytherin you can be. She was then sent on her way, into the throws of students as the train whistled its imposing departure above her.

Inside, children of all ages, some like her but most older, chatted and squealed with excitement, she saw the ginger family, some of them anyway bustling into one compartment, another ginger following the dark haired boy she had seen with the giant in Diagon Alley into another. She had deduced, in the time between her supply trip and now that this had to be the Weasley family. The family her mother called blood traitors and spoke of like she would a piece of trash, sometimes Avery just could not understand her mothers ideals. She did not have many wizard friends of her own, her mother choosing to have her home schooled before attending Hogwarts, so as other children found familiar faces and joined friends in compartments, Avery found herself at a loss. "Hello there." a voice said from behind her, and as Avery turned she was met with the face of the bushy haired girl she had seen on her supply run, "I'm Hermione Granger, It's my first year. Who are you?"

"Avery Greenwood."

"Greenwood? I've heard of your family. Purebloods aren't you? Notorious Slytherins, though I think only on your mothers side. Why did you not take your fathers name?" Avery opened her mouth to reply but was instead met by another verbal race, "Anyway, you should think about putting on your robes in an hour or so. If you'd like, you could help me, see I'm looking for a toad." At a loss Avery nodded and followed behind the girl who had already started on her way down the train. She would stop every now and then, to peek into compartments as the bushy haired brunette spoke to other people for no longer than a few minutes. The next cabin they stopped at contained the pair she had seen previously, talking contentedly, various piles of sweets and open wrappers littering around them, the ginger held his wand in his hand, pointed towards a squeaking rat that sat in his lap. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one."

"No." was her only reply before she barrelled on with, "Oh. Are you doing magic? Lets see then." Avery crowded behind her, eager to see some magic from people who looked like first years, something she would hopefully be able to do soon. The ginger cleared his throat and said, "Sunshine daisy, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" Avery frowned, wondering if that was a real spell and it seemed Hermione shared her sentiments and decided to voice her opinion as she took a seat opposite the boys in the compartment pulling out her wand. Avery watched avidly as the girl spoke a spell and the boy with glasses marvelled at how he could now she clearly without them. Her attention really peaked however, when the girl exclaimed, "Holy cricket! You're Harry Potter!" Avery had heard of Harry Potter, as had the rest of the wizarding world. The boy who lived. The boy, who as a small child had defeated the darkest wizard the world had ever seen without ever lifting a finger. She'd turned her attention, with barely hidden disgust towards the ginger as he introduced himself as "Ron Weasley." extending his introduction to Avery who still stood in the doorway.

"Avery Greenwood." She'd thrown in quickly at Harry Potters questioning.

"Greenwood Aye?" Ron asked, mouth still full, "Suppose you shouldn't be talking to me then."

"I don't mind." Avery replied with a small smile, well used to the reactions she got from the public.

Hermione stood to leave and gestured for Avery to follow, who mumbled a goodbye to the boys and followed eagerly. Well aware that her new found friend was probably completely crazy.

Once they reached the castle, even Hermiones random facts and information was replaced with gasps of awe, the two girls followed the crowds as they filed from the train, Averys own reaction to the hairy giant that stood before them only marginally less shocked than the other students around her. "Hello Hagrid." Harry Potter smiled somewhere ahead. The giant man led them, by light of lantern to a platoon of wooden boats on the edge of the lake that separated the platform from the school. Tall lanterns held in the boats illuminated the students faces as every child gawped up at the looming brick structure of the school as they approached. Numerous spires, towers and structural parts piercing the cloudy sky above them, the moonlight barely shining through the cover of darkness, if Avery weren't so enthralled then she may have found the whole thing just a little scary. "Isn't it fantastic?" Hermione whispered in he ear and all she could do was nod in reply, the stories people had told her of this fantastic place paled to nothing in comparison to the real thing. Avery knew that this was a moment she would never forget. Once inside the gaggle of students climbed various stair cases, gazing earnestly at the portraits that greeted them with Welcomes and waves, some of the bolder students even voiced hellos back. At the top of one of the larger flights a stern looking witch met them with a curt, "Welcome to Hogwarts." she then proceeded to explain the uses of the four school houses and what they considered families. She was still grimacing with embarrassment at Neville Longbottom's exclamation at finding his toad when a voice called, "So It's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Averys eleven year old self preened that she knew of this information before the others, as murmurs and gasps echoed around them. "This is Goyle, this is Crabbe." The blond she recognised from Diagon Alleys most expensive shops said smugly, "And I'm Mafoy, Draco Malfoy."

Avery blanched at the name, as he towered over Harry Potter, her mother spoke very highly of the Malfoy family, which automatically meant Avery was not to keen to meet or anger any of them, not even this immaculately kept, slightly arrogant eleven year old before her. If she had known what was coming she would have retrained Ron Weasley whom she stood next to in the front row, instead the red head laughed and the blondes face distorted in anger. "Think my names funny do you?" he growled, "No need to ask yours, red hair," Avery frowned at this part thinking of her own, "and a hand me down robe, you must be a Weasley." The boy turned his gaze to other students taking them in one by one, as his eyes landed on Avery he smirked again, taking in her own deep shade of red hair, "And are you a Weasley too?"

"No. I'm a Greenwood." she replied after a moment, she was unsure whether he would know of her name. He raised an eyebrow, "Better than a Weasley then." He shot his eyes to Ron and at the gingers lack of reply he turned his attention back to the boy-who-lived and said, "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others Potter." Avery grimaced at the way he spat the name, "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Avery realised that this was some kind of warped friend ship proposal as the blond held out his hand which much to the front rows relief the scarred boy refused "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself thanks." Avery suppressed a cheer and she could sense Ron feeling the same way next to her by the way he straightened out his posture.

As the stern witch led the newcomers back into the hall Avery forgot all about the commotion tat had just transpired and trailed behind Hermione as she explained the magic behind the floating candles above their heads. Hundreds of students stared unabashedly at the newest students, each house easily identifiable, not only by the expressions on the students faces but by the coloured robes each student wore. Green, red, yellow and blue. They stopped, stepping on robes and other students as everybody strained to look at the oddly simple stool and plain black hat that dominated the stage like area where the witch now stood. Avery became completely engrossed instead by the ancient looking wizard that she introduced as Dumbledore, his voice was hoarse, his hair and beard the purest white she had ever seen and he held a knowing twinkle in his eyes. As he welcomed the students and explained the school rules, Avery remembered the wonderful tales she had heard of this very wizard, and had she not known better she would have believed them to be bogus upon sight of such a frail old man. But Matilda did not lie and her mother would not have such a degree of disgust for the man if the stories were not true. Soon, names were read from a long scroll of parchment, and various house names sounded from the speaking hat, "Slytherin. Ravenclaw!" Each time a house gained a new student, loud applause and cries would erupt from said tables, each time the cries louder, rivalling even the biggest of crowds.

"Ronald Weasley!" Avery had no doubt that he would be placed in Gryffindor, not only did the rest of his siblings sit at that table, but she thought he was nothing like Slytherin, not when the likes of Draco Malfoy were being sorted there before the hat had hardly touched their heads, and he was definitely not a Hufflepuff. As much as she was already fond of Ron, she didn't believe him smart enough to be a Ravenclaw, she'd heard many stories of the genius of some of those house members. Sure enough another student joined the Gryffindor table to rowdy applause. "Avery Greenwood." She swallowed loudly at the mention of her name, and made her way onto the platform, heart in a dilemma. She knew, knew she would be placed into Slytherin with Draco Malfoy and the two bigger kids who had flanked him but whose names she had forgotten. She knew she would be in the house of the snake whilst her newest friends, apart from Harry who had yet to be sorted but whom she guessed would also be in Gryffindor, would be in her most rivalled house. Yet, she would not ask to be sorted, not like she had heard other students do so, she would be placed where the hat decided and she would hope that it was indeed Slytherin like her mother expected. Se climbed onto the stool, legs too short to reach the floor.

"A Greenwood Aye?" The hat asked, "A Greenwood. But different. You are different than those before you. Hmmm." There was a pause in which Avery felt a cold sweat break out across her forehead. "Gryffindor!"

Avery blinked as the hat cried the name of the house, her friends and the rest of the table cheering and beckoning her over. She walked, as if in a trance towards the table and said nothing as Ron, his brothers and Hermione included her excitedly in their conversation. She did not even break from her thoughts as the hall stopped to see the-boy-who-lived sorted into the bravest of houses. Concentrating solely on how she was to explain to her mother that she was sorted into the entirely opposite house than was expected. Her face paled as she thought of possible replies and out comes, and as Hermione commented that she looked quite sick, she merely smiled and began drafting the letter in her mind, too ill to even think of eating the delicious looking food that appeared before her.

She received no reply from her mother, no owl, no howler, nothing. Never through the years did her mother comment on any disappointment she felt towards her daughter, nor did she change her distance or aloofness. She did not tell Avery that she was proud when she received a letter explaining Averys hand, along with Harry, Ron and Hermione in retrieving the Philosophers stone from Professor Quirrell and Voldemort. Nor did she comment on Averys friendship with a Weasley, a muggle born and the boy-who-lived. Over time, Avery came to believe that her mother and step father were both resigned to the fact that she would never be what they had expected. It wasn't until fourth year that she realised why. Matilda, however, though she was realeased as her nanny continued to be a constant in Averys life and constantly exclaimed to Aery how proud she was. She was the one to whom Avery wrote in despair when the teachers had found Hermiones petrified body in second year. Matilda was constantly supportive of Averys friendship in second year and Avery quickly settled into a routine. In second year she followed the spiders with Harry and Ron.

In third year she shook with fear as the air in their compartment froze around them and the sleeping stranger who shared the compartment with them. She didn't scream as the dementors entered their compartments, freezing bony fingers reaching towards the students inside, the feeling of utter despair washing over her as it did the other occupants, watching in awe as the bright light from the wand, of whom she later found was her new DADA teacher, repelled the beast before them. She cowered, with the others as Remus and Sirius Black fought eventually uncovering Rons pathetic rat to be Peter Pettigrew, the traitor who had betrayed Harrys parents all those years ago. Strangely, Avery did not feel scared as Remus Lupin, who had become her favourite teacher in the entire school, transformed before them, instead she'd felt that Lupin wouldn't hurt anybody he knew. She'd watched in horror however as Harry and Hermione had disappeared before her eyes and been forced to run for safety. She had been suitably saddened when Professor Lupin had retired and Sirius had, had to leave them to go into hiding.

In forth year, she had survived the Death eater attack at the Quidditch word cup then watched in horror as Harry completed the Tri wizard tasks. She had mourned along with the rest of the students after Cedric Diggory's death. But the turning moment of forth year, for Avery alone, had been when Harry had taken her aside, "Avery." he murmured, "Your mother. She was there that night. She's one of them."

Avery hadn't been surprised, if anything she had expected such news. The first day back at home after the year had finished, she had owled Matilda, packed all of her belongings and moved into her old nannies home. She received no reluctance from her family, no letters denying her the privilege of moving away. No word at all. She saw nothing of them, until fifth year, she had joined Dumbledores Army, the rise against Dolores Umbridges reign in Hogwarts. Then, after one of Harrys visions, she had joined the boy wizard, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville in the flight to the Department of Mysteries, where she had met her mother again. Mary Greenwood, looked more haggard and more evil than she ever had before, stood between Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix LeStrange. She had watched in horror as Sirius's life had left him due to Bellatrixes wand and she had felt the warm tears on her cheeks as Harry had fought against Lupins restraining grip, then against Voldemort himself and as they made their way to the train to return to their respective homes and Harry had told them that they had something worth fighting for: Love, she realised that despite everything, her family being the enemy, her friends lives constantly endangered and no doubt in her mind that a lot more danger and pain was to befall them all, she wouldn't change a thing in the world.

It was sixth year, however, when it began. In the years to come Avery would look back and say that the blame could only be placed on the rain, on the school syllabus for prescribing all students the same textbooks, on the library for being too packed with students who stared their way for them to make sure they had their own possessions. On Draco Malfoy, for reading his book so avidly that he did not see her walking towards him. On herself, for the same reason. The blame could be placed on many things, many different coincidences and situations, but whatever the reason, it was the day Avery picked up Draco Malfoys textbook that everything began to change.

-….-

So what did you think? This was just a general outline and the main story will start next chapter from sixth year. Please let me know if you could.

Constructive criticism is welcome. Thank you.