A/N: It's pouring rain down here in the Netherlands. And that in the summer...Well since I couldn't go outside I decided to write another chapter, besides it's been far too long. Thank you all for the reviews, fav's and alerts. It means a lot to me so thabk you very much! Hope you enjoy this one as well!
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone except for Keira McHard!


"Buried in sorrow, I'll guard your mind." - Tarja Turunen, Lost Northern Star.


December, 14th

For the last couple of months Keira and Blaise started getting closer and closer towards each other. Blaise was really the only Slytherin who acted normal around Keira even though he didn't like Muggle Borns, but Blaise saw a little spark in Keira which he liked very much. According to him she could even be a pureblood with her behavior and attitude and told himself to act like she was indeed a pureblood. It helped. He saw passed her origin and saw the true, funny and nice Keira. It didn't mean the rest of the Slytherin's saw her that way.

Keira on the other hand, did not care about them. She loved being back in Hogwarts and told herself not to mind her housemates. She told herself to care about the people who cared about her. Like: Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Harry and Blaise. Those were the people who accepted her, even though Harry, Hermione and Ron took some distance sometimes. Even Luna thought she was great and she just met her this year. Keira thought those were really the only people who cared about her, and she didn't mind, but she didn't know that one other person also cared about her, he just didn't want to believe it.

Draco stared with boredom at the crystal ball in front of him. He blocked out everything that Trelawney was saying, because frankly he didn't care, and tried to spot just a tiny image. He hoped he could see what would happen in the future. He hoped he could see him killing Dumbledore, just to know that he would succeed and Voldemort wouldn't kill him. But ofcourse he didn't saw anything. He wasn't a star in divination. He knew that. Almost every student wasn't good at divination. The class was totally ridicilous but every now and then someone would see something, or at least tell the teacher they saw something.

As Draco rested his chin on the palm of his hand, he yawned and looked a little closer. The only thing he could think of was that the ball was almost as big as his head so why was it so difficult to see something? The bigger the crystal ball, the bigger the image, right?

"Don't touch it!"

Draco snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the voice, as did all the other students. He saw Keira quickly backing off and raising her hands, muttering an apology.

"Now tell me, what do you see my dear?" Trelawney asked her as she motioned to the crystal ball in front of her. Keira quickly looked back and tried to spot something. Some seconds ticked by but she still hadn't said anything.

Draco slowly looked back to his crystal ball and saw something. It looked like there was smoke inside the ball. It slowly formed into something. Draco moved a little closer and frowned from confusion. The smoke separated in the middle and showed two persons. He knew one. As disbelief crossed his mind, he saw one of the persons getting clearer. It was him. Draco could see himself in the ball. His lips slowly parted as he stared at the image. He was kneeling. He could clearly see that, but why was he kneeling?

As Draco focused on the surroundings of the image he could see that he was in some sort of dungeon. Oh great, was he going to be locked up somewhere? That didn't calm him. Draco could even feel his heartbeat beating a little faster. But as he looked back at the two persons again he saw that he wasn't the one that was locked up. No, he was kneeling in front of some bars where someone was sitting behind, on his or her knees, head down. As Draco narrowed his eyes he saw his image self putting his hand slowly through the bar and stroking the person's cheek. This made the person look up and Draco was shocked.

Instantly he looked away from the crystal ball and stared at the wall far away from him. As soon as the connection between Draco and the ball broke, the image disappeared in a second and it formed into a new one. Draco looked back down to be sure of what he just saw but saw that a new image was forming. Again it was him. He was sitting at a long table with his father next to him and next to his father sat his mother. Draco wanted to be happy, this meant his father was getting out of Azkaban but by the look on their faces, it wasn't a happy moment. Suddenly an agonizing scream was heard from the ball which made Draco almost jump out of his seat. He looked around but saw everyone busy with their crystal balls.

Draco looked at Blaise and asked, "Did you hear that?"

Blaise looked up and furrowed his eyebrows. He shrugged and asked puzzled, "Hear what?"

Draco looked back and forth between Blaise and Pansy, who was curious of what Draco was talking about, and finally decided to drop it. He turned back to his crystal ball, hoping for another image but there was nothing. No sign of smoke, no sign of him, no sign of his parents or the other person, no sign at all. It looked like the crystal ball never showed him anything. But Draco knew he wasn't imagining it. He knew what he saw and was sure of it. He saw what happened in the future.

Suddenly a loud gasp echoed through the classroom which made everyone turn around again. Draco saw Keira grasping the table with wide eyes. Her crystal ball was on the ground and Ginny looked at her with a concerned expression.

"What did you see my dear?" Trelawney asked urgently.

Keira looked away from the table and to the teacher. She saw everyone staring at her through the corner of her eyes and quickly thought of an excuse. Keira just shrugged and breathed softly, "Nothing."

With one last glance at Keira, Trelawney stuttered off, muttering something under her breath. Keira grabbed the crystal ball off the ground and placed it back on the table. Everyone turned back around again and Keira looked closer, hoping for the same image. If it was indeed true what she saw, then it was bad. Really bad.


"For weeks you carry around this book, practically sleeping with it, and yet you have no desire to find out who the 'Half Blood Prince' is." Hermione spoke.

"I didn't say I wasn't curious and I don't sleep with it!" Harry denied.

"Well it's true!" Ron jumped into the conversation, walking to his two friends, leaving Keira alone in the back. "I like a nice chat before I go to bed. Now all you do is read that bloody book. It's like being with Hermione."

Keira quickly picked up her pace with walking but almost tripped because of the snow. She finally walked next to Ron and looked at her three friends as they were talking about a book that she had no clue of.

Ignoring Ron, Hermione said, "Well I was curious. So I went to the-"

"The library." Ron and Harry spoke at the same time. Hermione quickly looked back and forth between Ron and Harry before looking at Keira. Keira raised his shoulders innocently.

"And?" Harry kept the conversation going.

"And nothing." Hermione replied. "I couldn't find a reference anywhere to a 'Half blood Prince'."

"There we go," Harry spoke happily. "That settles it then."

"Okay, i'm going to jump in here," Keira spoke. She quickly got in front of Hermione and walked backwards so she could face them as she talked. "What are we talking about? What book? What Half blood Prince? As you may know or not, I am not in Gryffindor anymore so I don't know what's going on with you three lately."

Before one of them could speak up, Slughorn spoke up from a couple feet in front of them and Harry, Hermione and Ron didn't pay attention to Keira anymore.

"Filius! I was hoping to find you in the Three Broomsticks."

"No, emergency chior practice i'm afraid, Horace."

They all stopped walking and looked at the two teachers. Professor Flitwick passed the students by and trudged back to the castle as Slughorn walked further to the Three Broomsticks.

Suddenly Harry asked, "Does anyone fancy a butterbeer?"

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and both shrugged, not really caring. Keira's eyes drifted down to the snow underneath her feet as a small frown formed on her face, feeling a little hurt for being ignored once again by her friends. Again she was thinking about Draco's words.

"You only wear this stupid thing because it makes you feel that you somehow are still connected with saint Potter and his little friends."


Keira, Hermione, Harry and Ron walked inside the Three Broomsticks. They all saw Slughorn sitting at the bar, talking to some people. Harry guided them to a table where they still had a vision of Slughorn. When Ron wanted to sit next to Hermione, Harry told him to sit next to him. With a odd look, Ron did as he was ordered and sat down next to Harry as Keira sat down next to Hermione.

"Something to drink?" A voice from behind Keira and Hermione asked. They both turned around and saw a waiter standing behind them.

"Four butterbeers and some ginger in mine, please." Hermione replied politely. As the waiter nodded at her he walked off. Hermione turned back around and looked oddly at Keira who was still staring at the spot.

Keira looked at Draco as he walked closer to them. Suddenly he spotted Keira looking at him and stopped walking. The two stared at each other before Keira remembered what Draco told her and she turned back around.

"Oh bloody hell." Ron groaned and looked away. Keira, Hermione and Harry looked at the place where Ron didn't want to look and spotted Ginny and Dean sitting in a corner. "Slick git."

"Honestly Ronald, they're only holding hands." Hermione rolled her eyes. She looked back again before turning back to Ron. "And snogging."

Ron narrowed his eyes before speaking, "I'd like to leave."

The waiter placed the butterbeers down on the table and Keira smiled politely at him.

"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"That happens to be my sister!" Ron spoke, hoping that would convince her.

Instead, Hermione shrugged and replied, "So? What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me, would you expect her to get up and leave?"

Ron stared her, completely confused and tried to put two and two together on what she just said. Hermione quickly grabbed her butterbeer and started drinking it. Keira looked back and forth beteween the two, wondering if something was going on and Harry suddenly started waving.

Slughorn walked over and said, "Hey, my boy!"

"Hello sir." Harry smiled and got up. The two shook hands. "Wonderful to see you."

"And you, and you." Slughorn nodded in agreement.

"So, what brings you here?" Harry asked politely, starting a conversation.

Slughorn chuckled and replied, "The Three Broomsticks and I go way back. Further than I care to admit. I can remember when it was One Broomstick!"

Slughorn accidentally poured his drink all over Keira's lap and some of it landed on Hermione.

"All hands on deck, McHard!" Slughorn joked. Keira started cleaning her jeans after giving Slughorn a little smile.

"Listen, my boy, in the old days I used to throw together the occasional supper party for the select student or two." Slughorn began. Harry nodded, telling him he understood what he meant. "Would you be game?"

"I'd consider it an honor sir." Harry accepted.

"You would be welcome too, Granger and McHard." Slughorn turned to the two girls.

Hermione placed her drink on the table and smiled, "I'd be delighted sir."

Slughorn looked at Keira and she nodded. "Thank you, sir. I look forward to it." She smiled.

"Splendid!" Slughorn spoke. "Look for my owl." He turned to Ron and smiled politely at him. Ron sat up straight, ready to accept the offer as well. "Good to see you Wallenby." Ron's smile dropped instantly and Slughorn walked off. Keira noticed his expression and chuckled softly, receiving a glare from Ron.

She stood up and said, "I'm going to clean this. Be back in a moment."

Keira walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She walked to the girls lavatory but stopped once she saw Draco leaning against the wall, looking like he was waiting for someone. He eyed her up and down and smirked.

"Couldn't hold it anymore?" He spoke as he noticed her jeans.

Keira rolled her eyes. "It's not what you think." She sighed. "Slughorn spilled his drink all over me." She walked inside the girls lavatory and grabbed some paper towels and walked back to Draco who was still standing in the hallway. She cleaned her jeans.

"That's what they all say." Draco replied casually. Keira stopped for a moment and glared at him through the corner of her eyes. Soon she rolled her eyes and started with the scrubbing again.

As Draco watched her scrub, he furrowed his eyebrows and spoke slowly, "You could use a cleaning spell."

Keira took a deep breath and stood up straight. She turned to Draco and shrugged. "I don't know any cleaning spells." She replied.

Draco drew out his wand from his pocket and rolled his eyes. Keira backed off a little as he pointed his wand to her jeans and muttered, "Scourgify."

Keira looked down at her jeans and noticed the spell had cleaned it all. She looked back up at Draco, who put his wand away again, and furrowed her eyebrows slightly.

She gave him an awkward nod and muttered, "Thanks." Draco didn't reply.

The two stayed quiet and leaned against the wall as they looked around. Soon enough they looked back at each other. They both wondered of each other what they were thinking off. And both thought about almost the exact same thing.

Draco thought of the image he saw in divination and Keira thought of her image she saw in divination. Both were so similar yet so different. What frustrated them the most was that they had no idea what it meant.

Why did Draco saw himself kneeling in the dungeons with Keira locked behind bars, looking like she just came out of a huge fight she lost?

Why did Keira saw herself leaning against a wall with Draco sitting next to her, very close actually. And why did they both look like they came out of a war as it seemed?

Neither of them understood it. But they both knew that if the images were true, and that they were going to happen in the future, they had to find out why it was going to happen like that.

Keira snapped out of her thoughts as did Draco. They both realized they were staring at each other and not with hatred. Keira took a deep breath and looked down next to her as Draco looked up at the ceiling.

"Uhm," Keira muttered softly. She cleared her throat and looked back at Draco who seemed a little curious. Keira pointed behind her to the door. "I'm going." Draco nodded. "Yeah, uh, bye."

Without waiting for a reply of Draco, Keira grabbed the doorknob and walked back to Harry, Hermione and Ron who seemed to be leaving.


"Katie you don't know what it could be." Leanne warned her.

Keira stared at the two girls who walked a couple feet in front of her as Hermione, Harry and Ron followed her in silence.

"Harry." Ron whispered to his friend.

Harry looked at him. "What?" He asked.

"Did you hear what she said back in the pub about me and her snogging?" Ron whispered again, still completely confused about it all. Hermione chuckled and wrapped her arms around the boys shoulders. Keira felt what was going on behind her and rolled her eyes.

Suddenly Katie fell down in the snow and Leanne started screaming. Keira, Hermione, Harry and Ron all stopped in their tracks and looked at the two girls in shock.

Leanne noticed the four and turned to them. "I warned her! I warned her not to touch it!" She spoke.

All of them looked helplessly as Katie Bell shook from side to side. She almost looked lifeless. Harry and Keira walked closer to her to take a better look and as Hermione, Ron and Leanne followed, Katie suddenly shot up in the air. Her hair swirled around her, her arms were spread and her mouth was wide open. She looked possessed. What seemed like hours, were only a couple seconds until Katie fell back down onto the ground again. She didn't move at all except for her head that was twitching a little.

Keira looked at the box that lay on the ground. She walked over to it and saw a beautiful, old necklace laying out of it and only half in the snow.

Just as she was about to grab it, a voice was heard. "Don't come any closer. Get back, all of you!"

Keira looked behind her and saw Hagrid walking to Katie. She looked back at the necklace and narrowed her eyes. Hagrid picked Katie's body up and inspected her for a moment.

"Do not touch that." Hagrid warned Keira. Keira didn't respond. She kept her eyes on the necklace. "Except by the wrappings. Do you understand?"

"Keira?" Hermione spoke up, thinking she didn't hear him. Keira looked away from the necklace and at her friend.

"I'm not touching it, am I?" She barked at Hermione. Hermione crossed her arms and looked at Ron and Harry.


The five students were standing in McGonagall's classroom as she waited for someone to arrive. Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at the ground in silence but Keira kept looking at the necklace. Before she could do anything, McGonagall smacked her hand away with her wand. Keira looked up at her.

"If you want to lie next to Katie in the hospital wing miss McHard, go ahead and touch it. If not, you better leave it alone." McGonagall warned her sternly. Keira narrowed her eyes angrily at the teacher before looking at Hermione who gave her a 'I-Told-You-So-Look.' Keira rolled her eyes and remained in her position next to Ron.

McGonagall looked at Leanne. "You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks?" She asked.

"It's like I said," Leanne replied. "She left to go to the loo and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it."

McGonagall almost looked in shock as she listened to Leanne. "Did she say to whom?" She asked further.

"To professor Dumbledore." Leanne answered honestly.

McGonagall nodded and replied, "Very well. Thank you, Leanne. You may go."

Leanne gave them all a quick smile before leaving the classroom. McGonagall then turned to the four students who were still in silence looking at the necklace or either the floor.

She sighed and questioned, "Why is it when something happens it is always you three? And now you're dragging miss McHard in it as well?"

"Believe me, professor, I've been asking myself the same question for six years." Ron said.

McGonagall pressed her lips together in a small line before suddenly looking behind them. "Oh Severus!" She spoke.


Snape flicked his wand and the necklace floated in the air and spinned slowly around so that they could look at it carefully. McGongall looked at Snape in horror.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"I think miss Bell is lucky to be still alive." said Snape, never taking his eyes off the old necklace.

"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry piped up from behind. "I know Katie. Off the Quidditch pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Dumbledore she wasn't doing to knowingly."

"Yes she was cursed." McGonagall nodded, also never taking her eyes off the necklace.

"It was Malfoy." Harry spoke. Without knowing what it meant, a huge stab went straight through Keira's heart. She became frozen and stared at the necklace, unable to speak.

Snape and McGonagall turned around to face Harry. Their expression was pure shock.

"That is a very serious accusation, Potter." McGonagall spoke.

"Indeed." Snape agreed. "Your evidence?"

Harry shrugged, "I just know."

"You just...know?" Snape spoke, almost mocking him. Harry remained silent after that. "You astonish with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the chosen one-"

"Keira went to the loo before Katie." Hermione quickly spoke. All eyes landed on a still frozen Keira. As she felt all the eyes burning through her skin she finally gained the strength to move again. Just a bit.

Keira very slowly turned to Hermione who gave her an apologizing look. She looked back at the two teachers who were eyeing her suspiciously. McGonagall ordered the students to go back to their dormitories except for Keira. They did as they were asked.

Once the area was clear, McGonagall cleared her throat and turned to Keira, waiting for her to explain as did Snape, who crossed his arms.

Keira looked at the ground and licked her dry lips quickly, thinking about what to say. She knew this was going to be difficult.

"We were in the uh," Keira cleared her throat quickly as she heard it came only out as a soft whisper.

She took a deep breath and looked back up. Speaking louder this time, she explained, "We were in the Three Broomsticks and Slughorn was talking to Harry. He accidentally spilled his drink over me so I went to the loo to clean myself a little."

"Did you see the package in the girls lavatory?" McGonagall asked urgently.

Keira shook her head and said, "No, I grabbed some paper towels and went back to the hallway. It was a little crowded in there." It wasn't crowded at all. She went back to talk to Draco.

"Back to mister Potter's accusation, was there any sign of mister Malfoy in the Three Broomsticks?" Snape asked and cocked his head a little to the side.

This was it. Either tell the truth that Draco was in the hallway, looking like he was waiting for someone and risk him hating her for an eternity and mocking her for eternity, or lie and save Draco's arse and risking being caught herself for lying. She was an honest student but somehow she couldn't bear telling them that Draco was there. That she was talking to him.

Maybe if she told the truth she would get sorted into Gryffindor again for her courage of speaking the truth. Then she would be close to Harry, Hermione and Ron again and then she could find out what they've been hiding from her. But maybe if she would lie, Draco and her's relationship would get better and he would leave her alone, making it a pleasant year for Keira.

Without controlling herself, she couldn't believe what came out of her mouth.

"No."

McGonagall and Snape looked at each other before turning back to the student.

Keira shook her head and repeated, "No, he wasn't there."


A/N: Yes, Keira saved Draco this time! But will she do it again, that is the question ;) Hope you enjoyed it and some reviews would be nice! ~xXx~