Hey guys I hope you like the chapter, it give3s a lot of insight to her past, I still keep it a little hazey but soon everything will be out in the open. I'm still trying to decide what other story to start, with the votes I've gotten so far people seem to be leaning towards an Eric from Tru Blood story, if you want something else just let me know, the options are in the last chapter. Thanks guys! Don't forget to review. And sorry its a little short, I had a really busy day. :}

This was possibly my worst idea as of late. Convincing George to not ask questions as to why I needed in the Slytherin common room was hard enough, telling him he couldn't come along was like I'd murdered his owl. That piece of paper he pulled out was interesting but of no concern to me.

The dungeons were cold, somewhat drafty, but not near as terrifying as I thought they would be. They were just empty, but echo's still haunted it. Maybe I was just drowning in a sea of denial but I knew that if I found out who Draco was talking to then I would be able to protect everyone like I used to be able to. My fingertips played against the rough surface of the wet brick, why were all dungeons slightly damp, it didn't make sense.

"Ouch!" Blood ran slowly from my fingertip, something sharp along the wall had cut it. "Perfect something else for Tyler to yell at me about." Setting the stinging tip against my lips I managed to stop the flow before moving on. My plan already seemed stupid, this sign didn't settle my stomach any.

The entrance was right where he said it had been, but I almost didn't want to go in. "Cornus" It seems it's too late for my fear, I was on auto-pilot. The wall vanished, my steeps echoing down the short hall made me want to turn and run. It was a little after two in the morning, around the time Cassy had told me Draco was known for talking to himself.

"This is stupid. If I'm caught I doubt even my amazingness can get me out of this." Finding a door off to the side of the room I opened it slowly, just a broom cupboard, taking a seat on the hard floor I was more than surprised when a hand grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth to stifle the screams. Are you kidding me, ten seconds, that's a new record even for me.

"Sarah calm down it's just me." The voice did little to calm me down, more so it pissed me off. Waiting for my captor to release me I tried to think of things to do to him. "I'm not going to let you go until you promise that you won't get mad at me. And I mean a real promise I know you."

Nodding slowly I felt the pressure move from my face, turning around quickly I slapped the ginger across the face. "George what are you doing here." My hissing yell was a little too loud, we both sunk deeper into the darkness. "I told you I have to handle this alone. It isn't safe for you to be here!" Turning back to peer out the door I watched the last few embers die in the graying hearth.

"I think you don't give me enough credit Sarah, a couple of Slytherin's are hardly like a full squad of Auror's. Why do you refuse to let me help you?" The hurt in his voice was evident but I still couldn't tell him the truth. I don't even like who I really am.

Keeping one eye on the door and turning back slightly to look at him I couldn't seem to think of another lie. "Listen, I couldn't tell you why I had to come down here, and I love that you trusted me enough to tell me how to do it, but this is a lot more dangerous than just a couple of students. It's too late for you to leave now, so will you please trust me and if I tell you to run you have to promise you'll run."

He thought I was joking, I could tell that. My pressing eyes just made him look away and nod. This night was just going to go downhill from here. My legs were already getting tired in there cramped position. I could only wait so much longer.

Pulling my wand out I didn't have the chance to conjure in some pillows before I heard footsteps on the stone stairs. Leaning even closer to the door I almost lost my balance, save for George's hand on my back. I couldn't tell who it was just yet, but I could tell whoever it was didn't want to be caught.

Rounding the corner I saw the blonde hair and knew I had him. Reaching the common room Draco passed back and forth, crossing dangerously close to our hiding place. He looked sick, pale white with pink splotches on his cheeks like he'd been running. Mumbling into his wand I could quite hear what he was saying. I'd never seen a spell like this, so maybe he was just going a little crazy.

But then I heard it, his voice echoing back from the tip of Draco's wand. Feeling my stomach churn I refused to let myself lose it this time. He wasn't really here after all there was no reason for me to be scared. George pulled a flesh colored string from his pocket and handed it to me. I watched as the human looking ear crept towards Draco's now still frame.

"Do not be insolent to me Malfoy. I do not care if you tried, try again, I need that girl, and once I have her I will tell you the rest of the plan. If you mess up again, I will not forget this."

Draco was obviously scared, his wand was trembling, taking the nearest seat he fell into it. Swallowing I few times I watched his eyes trace the room, looking for outsiders. "Yes my Lord, I will not fail you again."

George stiffened next to me; his arms gripped me tighter and pull me back towards him. Damn, well that Bogart was out of the bag. Draco lowered his wand slowly, letting it fall sharply to the ground, watching it roll in our direction I started to panic. Stopping George from pulling the ear I motioned for him to wait a minute.

Straightening up he seemed to try and force determination rather than let his body betray the fear he hid inside. Walking straight to his wand, the quivering ear seemed to be just another pattern in the carpet. Keeping my eyes on him I almost wanted him to find me at that point. So I could take on the messenger and claim self defense. But he didn't even let his eyes wander to the door, it was as if he wanted nothing more than to fade into the night and leave this nightmare behind.

Black cloak whipping the corner of the stairs and we were home free. George was less reluctant to leave the safety of the cupboard but if we stayed we would have eventually been found. Forcing him to his feet we snuck back to the Gryffindor common room.

Back in my single room, with the enchantments armed I had no choice but to meet George on my waiting bed. He hadn't said a word since we had escaped the Slytherin common room, only staring at me, looking like was on the verge of asking a ground breaking question and thinking better of it.

Sitting softly I felt the red fabric caress my aching body. Should I break the silence and ask him a question or just let this fun awkwardness continue. My mouth seemed to be back on auto-pilot, "George? Why aren't you talking?" His mouth opened in a silent scream, eyes searching my face for the faintest sign of hope.

"That was his voice wasn't it. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Lying would probably be my safest bet, but I knew it wasn't the one that he wanted.

Bringing my hand up to my mouth even it couldn't cover the lies I had already told. He looked like he would wait all night for my answer. Tracing my lips slowly I let my fingers drop, "Yes." Well that was a lame answer. I couldn't even offer up a better one word answer than that.

Dropping his gaze back down to my pillow I wanted to shout out everything, anything, something that would comfort him. Seemingly more shocked than scared I took that as a good sign. Scooting a little closer his hand automatically wound its way around my hip, I don't even think he noticed the action.

"I wish I could explain everything George, you know how I feel about you. Believe me if I could I would—" His fingertips met my lips.

"You say that all the time Sarah, I'm starting to wonder what you think is so bad in your past that you can't trust me with it." He wasn't hurt, maybe numb.

"You have it all wrong. I trust you more than I have trusted anyone in a long time. That's why I can't tell you. I have to keep you safe. And the second you know, you may decide to run, if you run I can't protect you anymore." Images of every friend I had every had flashed through my mind, then my mother and fathers. They lingered longer than the rest, holding onto me in the memory like they could never do again. "Everyone I care about dies George, and I am not willing to lose you."

Smiling slightly he squeezed my hand gently, lifting off the bed and laying me down. "I know you want to protect everyone that you love, but eventually you are going to have to trust someone to help you." I couldn't even force a smile at that. No matter how badly I wanted to. "Okay, I tried. Listen, Christmas break will be coming up shortly, how about we just focus on that, and the snow, and maybe instead of going home to America you can come and see my family." I forced smile reared its ugly head and I nodded in agreement.

Tyler had been yelling at me for a good twenty minutes. I had learned a long time ago to just sit there and take it when it came to him. I had been tuning him out for the past five minutes but I could tell he was on to my glazed over expression.

"Sarah, I let it slide while you were in the hospital but now you seem so much better." The evil glint in his eye told me I was in for another good thirty minutes. "You left the grounds without me. If you had taken me with you this probably wouldn't have happened. And even if it had happened we could have kept you from mutilating yourself and just used my blood instead, I think you do these things to piss me off—" He made the mistake of taking a break for a chance to breath.

"Are you really still on about that? Do we have to do this again Tyler, I said sorry." Taking on his glaring eyes I folded my legs up to my chest and hugged them, sighing in defeat.

"Yes we do have to do this again, because apparently you didn't understand what I said the first time. How about this one, if you die, I will have to kill you." He was smiling so I knew it was safe to come out again.

"Thanks Tyler, I know you're just looking out for me, but you know I had to do that myself." Unfolding I turned towards the window and the now inch deep snow that was still following. "And what do you mean I didn't get it the first time?"

"You weren't in your room last night, I know you weren't so do not try to lie to me." He was back in stern lecture voice, I should have quite while I was ahead.

"Do you ever sleep?" Turning on him I saw a flicker of gilt slip behind his eyes. "You were in my room again. GAH! Tyler what did I tell you about that!" Finally I had turned the tables back on him. "How long were you there and what did you hear?"

"Well—I didn't—I mean, oh, you're good." Damn, he caught me. "So Draco is taking orders from him then. Well we assumed that for a while now, I really didn't think he had the backbone for it." Studying the ends of his fingers he glanced back at me. "I saw it in your mind too. You know you can't block me out."

"Ah shut it. I will tell your mom you can't keep your mind to yourself. We never should have made that stupid blood pact." Pushing him gently I grabbed one of the books from my small bookcase and pretended to leaf through it.

"Oh you know you love it, and you can't deny it comes in handy." Seeming to forget he was supposed to be the mature adult for a minute he straightened back up. "But really, which girl do you think he's after. My votes for you, but after the attempt on Kaylanee, I couldn't say a 100% on that."

"I know, I just don't understand why he went after her in the first place, kidnapping her to get to me is one thing, but just taking her blood, it doesn't make much sense, I'm going to have to talk to Cassy again before break." The book was back in its space and I was out my door before Tyler could catch up.

"Where are you going?" His voice followed me.

"Might as well ask her now!"

They were sitting in the Great Hall, she was surrounded by friends and he seemed to just be trying to keep his food down. Cassy kept trying to engage him and as much as he tried he couldn't tear his eyes from me, now standing only a few feet away at the next table. Finally Cassy looked up and I caught her eye. Looking up and down the table she sneered at me too, loudly saying she had to leave before the Gryffindor's swarmed the place. Her friends just smiled and nodded. Waiting a few minutes I followed, turned and found myself in the same corridor I had begun to hate.

"What's going on?" Flicking my wand to light up the tunnel I found her pacing, waiting.

"I don't know, everyone has changed. They are closing ranks around us, Draco that is, and me by association. Something is defiantly coming. Sarah I'm a little scared. I mean the Slytherin's have always followed him wordlessly but now it's like he's there king. Can you please tell me what's happening?" Stopping her pacing she turned to me, then it hit me, her face flashed in my wand light and I saw the person I had been seeing the whole time flicker inches below the surface.

Dumbledore's office was not as friendly as I remembered, corners of it seemed to be covered in ice, Forks perch empty with ash's covering the bottom, each object sitting stone still with no ticking to be heard. The man himself was missing from behind the desk, 'Running late' McGonagall had said. Not exactly like him.

The office sprang to life as the door behind me opened. The phoenix flying in behind him and lighting up the entire office. Watching him, my eyes locked on his swinging beard, the only thing about the man that I had always remembered.

"It is my understanding, Miss. Green, that you will be staying with the Weasley's for the holiday season." Nodding as he took his seat it was as if he was seeing me for the first time. "That sounds like a wonderful idea but I imagine that some of your—acquaintances—do not find it as enthralling as you do. I hope that they do not cause you any trouble." Smiling across the moon light desk he gestered for me to take a sweet from the bowl on his desk.

"No thanks sir. Is there something else? As we leave tomorrow I really need to finish packing." Knowing better than to leave my seat I waited for any sign from him.

"No, I'm sorry to say that is not all. You require a certain amount of protection anywhere that you travel which is why you came to this school. I have spoken for you and you will be staying at a safe house with the rest of the Weasley's and a few others, but, I will put some more protection on the house. Unfortunately that means I will have to inform them a little bit about you."

I knew something like this was going to have to come out eventually, but I wasn't ready or willing for it to be now. "Sir, do you really have to do this? Please, I finally feel, somewhat, normal. I don't want to let that go yet."

He seemed to be fighting something within himself because he looked as disappointed as I felt. "I will go with you tomorrow. See you off as such, I will not tell them, but Sarah, you will have too. I can tell you that these people will not judge you, they maybe more accepting than you give than credit for." It was obviously hopeful that I would agree but I wasn't ready for this yet. Studing my face I knew I was letting him down. "Tell them who you really are Sarah, your family does not make you who you are today.

Fighting the fear down I just nodded. George wouldn't be able to handle this. And if the rumors were true Harry Potter would be there too. This would not be as fun a Christmas I had hoped for, once he knew my real name I would have to run again. And Voldemort would follow me again.