Some how his plan had failed. He realized it the minute he saw Verina on the ground next to the girl he had deliver the necklace.

He didn't have any ill will against the girl she was just there at the right time. It was an added bonus the girl that was going to kill Albus Dumbledore was a Gryffindor.

Now she was in St. Mungos a full fledged investigation had been opened, and he was Harry Potter's and now his girl friend's prime suspect.

He didn't mean to be so harsh with her, he didn't mean to push her against the wall, but didn't she realize he was doing this for them? For her good. If it wasn't for him sucking up to her father he would have married her off to someone else or worse used her as a killing machine. He also had his own mother, aunt, and father to think about in all of this. If he could get into the Dark Lord's good graces then they would be safe.

But somehow he had failed, and on top of losing everything else he had lost Verina.

He should have known she wouldn't have changed forever. Despite her lineage she was till his Verina.

In love with healing, always rooting for the under dog, and had a deep disdain for Death eaters, especially since they killed her family.

It had been weeks since she had spoken to him. Briony said she was doing fine that she was really busy at the hospital wing, and with studying, and that she was sure she would come around eventually, but she hadn't. Disapparation classes had even started and they were paired next to each other, and she still said nothing.

Christmas was nearing, and he figured that she would talk to him then.


"something is seriously wrong with you." Bella said during their lesson in the shrieking shack.

"Nothing is wrong with me. I just want to see my father is all." Verina said shaking her head. " I just need to talk to him."

"Verina, you know he is in Albania right now, and he won't be back until Christmas. Remember he said this when you visited for lunch last week?"

Verina well remembered. She remembered every bloody visit she had with her father.

She sat and stared and answered in one worded answers while he went on and on about pure bloods and his work and their growing following or whatever.

She gave nothing away about her life.

She had spoken to him once about Lucius and suggested he be set free, and that was that.

Now she needed to talk to him about Draco. She was more than willing to do whatever she had to do to make sure he didn't die trying to do whatever he was doing. She was sure it was recruiting followers, and trying to cause havoc amongst the school so it looked like it was falling apart under Albus Dumlbedore's head ship, but if he was playing around with curses it must have been more serious than that.

"Verina, has someone done something to you?"she asked

"No." she said shaking her head. " Not really. I am just worried about Draco. Bella, I think he brought a cursed necklace into the school, and I am afraid he's trying to start trouble to get Albus Dumbledore fired."

Bella made a face and sat down. " Verina, you can't talk to your father about that or get involved in that do you understand me? You don't want to go there."

It hit Verina that is was much more serious than she thought. " Bella, please tell me Draco will be safe."

"Verina, I assure you no harm will come to him." she said sincerely. " I am trying my very hardest, as is Severus apparently to make sure that he is safe."

Verina had thought about involving her god father, but knew of his disapproval of Verina being so close to Draco at such a young age.

Verina sat down next to Bella. " Bella, I broke things off with Draco."

"You did what?" she said shocked. " When was this?"

" A few weeks ago." she said and began to cry. " I miss him so much, but I am so scared to lose him to all of this. Might as well stop now while we're ahead."

"If you let fear determine your fate, Verina, you will never truly live. Hearts are meant to be broken a couple of times. It's what makes us stronger. Don't lose a good thing because you're afraid."

Verina sighed. " I know, but what if I don't want this. All of this. What if I don't know who I am anymore."

"this is who you are, Verina, and it's time you accepted that."

But Verina knew she never would.