Dawn Summers had hated teachers before. She had despised them with a passion but never once in her life had she found herself actually wishing death upon one. Doris Umbridge just seemed to take the cake in her "People I hate" column. The girl sighed heavily, leaning back against the mountain of pillows she had stacked behind her. She was stretched out across the large couch positioned in front of the Gryffindor fire place; her legs tossed casually across the edge and her large D.A.D.A. book on her stomach. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the kitchens; opting rather for a late night snack then studying and Ginny had retired early, exhausted from her snog-session with her new beau; Michael Corner. Though Dawn didn't get a good feeling from the boy, she didn't protest for her friend was constantly wearing a small smile on her face now. Dawn brushed her hair back, furiously despising its length though she knew she would never cut it. Her eyes fell to the fire and she was reminded of when she found out she was the Key and how all the "years" of diary entries so quickly ignited under her careful, match-held hand.

She had been in school for a month now and with tutoring from Hermione, her teachers, and Draco she had finally gotten to the point where she was comfortable with her magic. Draco had been a big part in learning so quickly. He tutored her double what Hermione did and supplied a friendship so like the one she had had with Spike that sometimes she forgot that the teenager was indeed not the man she had grown up loving. It hurt her sometimes that she could so easily mistaken the two; though look wise they were similar they had great differences in personality. Sure, they were both cocky, hell-bent on reputations, and just a little insane but the good far out weighed the bad. Draco understood her and over the weeks they had known each other Dawn began putting the pieces together. Draco was lonely. He didn't have a real family or friends and though Dawn had formed her own "family" within the Order he was able to supply something none of them could. He understood.

Dawn closed the book in front of her, cursing Umbridge and checking her watch. It was two in the morning; late even for a Friday night. She carefully rubbed her temples before shoveling her notes back into her backpack and dissembling her pillow fort. While shouldering her bag, she made her way up to the fifth year's girl dormitory and collapsed onto her bed. She was asleep before even yanking the draping shut.

" I missed you," She whispered, her hand reaching out towards her old friend. He looked the same in everyway. Perhaps a bit paler, definitely skinner but all in all he was still Spike. He drew her to him quickly, holding onto as though afraid she would disappear before him.

"Waited so long, knew you'd come back," He told her quietly, his words fluttering against her neck. He felt so real…but it was only a dream. It had to be a dream. "They thought I was insane…said I lost it when you died,"

"They?"

"The Scooby's…but I knew," He pulled back, laying a gentle hand on her cheek. "Knew you'd never leave me,"

"Never," Dawn replied, pulling him back into a hug. She gasped, feeling Spike being pulled away from her. "No…Spike…don't go,"

"Always here, 'Bit, always," And he faded into the fog, leaving her alone.

She awoke screaming, tears pouring down her face. He had been there, he was real…he had to be. She had felt him…she had hugged him. Dawn collapsed back down onto her mattress, a shattered breath coming from her lips. Was this how it would be for the rest of her life? Her dreams taunting her so she awoke alone? Was that how she would be forever…alone?

Harry stared at her. All his life he had seen things that amazed him. Sometimes because it was so horrible and others because it was amazing. Dawn Summers was the second by far. She was beauty in its simplest form. Strong, powerful, sweet, kind, perfect. All her life she had been tested and he had no doubt in his mind that she was always going to prevail.

"What?" Harry flushed, embarrassed because he had been caught staring at her. She held her Charms book open in her lap, her breakfast on the table in front of her.

"Nothing, just zoned," Dawn smiled and kissed his cheek gently before walking away towards her next class. Harry sighed once she had walked away. Falling for the girl you're godfather considered a daughter was never a good idea. Especially when she was someone like Dawn, who had been through so much she didn't need stupid teenage boys chasing after her but Harry wasn't to sure he would be able to stop himself.

Authors Note: So sorry it took me so long to update; Summer and all I got a little caught up in the fun. Promise updates will become more frequent. Please review!

P.d.