# # part twenty four # #

I laughed.

"Friends with benefits? You must be out of your skull. I would never have a friend like that."

Draco smirked. I glared at him.

"What?" I asked. He shrugged. I pushed his arm.

"What?"

He glanced around. The corridor was now empty. It was only the two of us. Draco then grabbed my face and kissed me. I was so shocked I couldn‛t move. Then he was gone.

I walked into the Great Hall in a daze. I sat down and stared at the pile of apples in front of me. Draco kissed me. Draco likes me? Am I ok with that?

# # part twenty five # #

McGonagall walked quickly down that corridor and headed for her room. She had a feeling that someone was watching her. That He was watching her. She reached her room and locked the door behind her. She let out a sigh. Then there was a knock on the door. She froze.

She pulled her wand out and slowly breathed in. Then she opened the door.

"Hello Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore. McGonagall breathed out.

"Hello, Headmaster."

"Can I come in?" he asked. McGonagall opened the door wider for him. He walked in and she closed the door behind him. He turned to face her.

"You seem stressed, Maria."

She nodded.

"I feel like someone is following me, Albus."

he wrinkled his brow.

"Odd. Do you think it is because ~~~~ knows you are her mother?"

"Somewhat," said Maria. She sat down on one of her couches and Albus did so also.

"Its just is that it is always on my mind. And He did threaten to kill me if she or anyone else ever found out."

Albus nodded, putting his fingertips together and leaning into the couch.

"But only you, I, Weasley, Malfoy and ~~~~ know."

Maria shook her head.

"Shakira knows too."

"Did you tell her?"

"No, she figured it out herself and it worries me. Especially since Sam found out. And I have no way of knowing how he figured it out. It‛s not like he has her birth certificate."

"Who does?"

"I do. I have it hidden."

"That is wise."

Maria nodded and then remembered that she was hostess.

"Would you like something to drink?" she asked. Dumbledore shook his head. Maria got up anyway to get herself some water. She had filled her cup, when she heard someone walk up behind her. She turned to see that Albus had followed her.

She laughed.

"You scared me."

"Sorry." he stepped forward. Maria step her glass down, realizing she was in a corner. Albus then put his arms around her. Her eyes went wide.

"What, in Merlin‛s name, are you doing!"

Dumbledore smiled.

"You must know. Surely you do."

"No I don‛t. Get your hands off me!"

He only tightened them around her.

"You must know how I feel, after you hid me away in your home for the summer."

Maria was shocked. Did he mean to say, that, he likes me?

"I demand you get your hands off me!"

Dumbledore then kissed me on the mouth. I can describe it in one word: GROSS! His lips felt slimy. I pushed against his chest and pushed him away. Dumbledore looked surprise and stood a few feet away from me. Then his face turned mad.

"Don‛t you love me?" he demanded.

"No I don‛t nor have I ever."

"Lair." he spat in my face. I glared at him.

"Get out. Get out now!"

"No." he snarled. I pointed my wand at him and he only glared at me.

"This isn‛t working," he growled. Then his face changed and he turned into Sam. Sam, my lost husband. I was shocked. Sam smiled.

"Hello Maria."

"Sam? Is, is that you?" I asked, lowering my wand. He nodded.

"Yes love. Oh how I missed you."

"Then why did you come here as Dumbledore? Why did you act like him?"

He only smiled and stepped closer to me. I then could see his eyes. They were green. But Sam has blue eyes...

I gasped.

"You‛re a shape-sifter."

The fake Sam only smiled.

"Now love, you know me better then that."

Maria pointed her wand out him again.

"Sam never called me love." I said, trying to stay calm. What is going on?

Then the Sifter changed again, but this time he changed to Lord Voldemort. I screamed, dropping my wand. He snarled again and I tried to get away from him. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me to his chest. I screamed again and hit my fists into his chest. He didn‛t let go. Then he started laughing. Oh how I hate that laugh.

"Let me go!" I shouted. He only laughed more and carried me to my bedroom. Then he threw me onto the bed and I froze. No, no. Not again. My mind went blank and I couldn‛t scream. It was like reliving a nightmare.

###flashback###

I was sitting in the living room reading a book when the doorbell rung. I smiled closing my book and skipped to the door. Sam had finally come home! I didn‛t even bother to check in the peephole. I unlocked the door and opened it. I then screamed.

Standing on the pouch was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I tried to close the door, but he pushed against it, causing it to open wide. I fell to the floor and screamed. Hoping a neighbor would hear me and get help. He then stepped into the house and closed the door, and locked it. I was about to scream again when he stepped within inches of me. Then he lowed his face to mine. I could see his eyes. I froze. I willed my body to move and get my wand but I couldn‛t move a muscle. I was too scared.

He then laughed and grabbed me around the waist. Then he put me over his shoulder and walked up the stairs to my room. How he knew it was my room, I never will know. He then tossed me onto the bed. I then tried to get away, but he threw a Muscle relaxer spell at me. I went soft but I could still see him. I couldn‛t move for my muscles were like water.

I wanted to see when I saw a fire in his eyes. I tired to run away but I was in his control. Then he started to undress me...

###present day###

No. Not again. Not again. I then rolled off the bed and he growled. I then tried screaming for help again. He then grabbed me again and I hit him with my fists. This time on his face. He shouted and dropped me. My legs went under me and I landed on the floor. I tried to crawl away from him. But he grabbed me by my hips and pulled me to him. I tried to squirm out of his grasp but he was holding me tight.

I kicked my legs and waved my arms, trying to get free when I heard a crash and someone running. I screamed again and He swore.

"Let go of her!" yelled Snape.

Lord Voldemort turned and I saw Snape panting in front of us.

Lord Voldemort snared at him. But Snape stood firm. I was then dropped to the floor and the air in my lungs left me. Then the Shape-Swifter changed again. This time to Elizabeth. Snape didn‛t skip a beat, he threw a rope at the Sifter and she was tied and fell to the floor in a thud.

As soon as I started breathing again, I rush over to Snape and threw my arms around him and cried.

It was then that I noticed the door was open and students were staring at us. I quickly let go of him and straightened my robes, which were tore and ripped in a few inappropriate places. I was wondering what to do next when Dumbledore showed up and saw me and Snape. He then told the students to go along. That nothing happened. As soon as they were gone, he asked,

"What happened?"

I gave him a brief description, minus the part where he kissed me. Dumbledore nodded a few times then walked over to the Shape-Sifter. It was still in the form of Elizabeth.

"Darama." said Dumbledore, pointing his wand at her. Her shape changed and then there was a little old man with white robes sitting there. I had never seen him before.

"Who are you? And why did you attack McGonagall?"

He growled. Snape walked over and slapped the man‛s head. It bounced back into place.

"Again, who are you?" demanded Snape. The little man didn‛t say a word. Then Dumbledore sent Snape to send a note to the Ministry, so they could deal with the little man. When Snape was gone, Dumbledore Froze the little man, cause he started swearing. Then he walked over to me.

"You alright Maria?" he asked. I nodded, then shook my head.

"It‛s times like these that I wish Sam was here to hold me." I whispered. Dumbledore nodded and stepped towards me with his arms open. I then threw myself to him and hugged him. I wanted his warmth, his strength, his goodness. I wanted to feel him. Hugging him was nothing like how the Shape-sifter felt. I felt safe.

Dumbledore wrapped his arms around me and I rested my head on his shoulder. He then ran his fingers through my hair and a tingle went down my spine. I pulled him closer. Needing him to hold me. To care for me.

I don‛t know how long we held each other. But it was Dumbledore who pulled away first. I felt like crying when his hands left me. Dumbledore cleared his throat and took a step back.

"Snape should be back soon." he said.

"Yeah, probably." I commented. He nodded his head, never looking me in the eyes.

"You ok, Albus?" I asked. He glanced up. His blue eyes were filled with sadness and love. Making me want to hug him again.

"I‛m sorry, Maria, I shouldn‛t of, I shouldn‛t of hugged you just now. You‛ve been through a lot today and I took advantage of that..."

I gave him a puzzled look.

"What are you saying?"

He cleared his voice again.

"Maria, darling, back in the summer when I, stayed with you. It was the happiest time in my life."

I didn‛t say anything. I remember the night when I brought him to my house and leading him to the spare room. His body heavy against mine. Then the next day when he was sick and throwing up everywhere and how I cleaned it all up and made him feel better. How when he was better we would go on walks and he would disguise himself. I have to admit, I was happy too.

I then smiled and Albus relaxed. I then looked at his eyes. To make sure he was real.

"I got the Ministry." said Snape breaking the moment.