The night air chilled me to the bone. My arms were wrapped around myself protectively, as I'd forgotten to grab a jacket. In fact, right now I was standing atop the Astronomy Tower in nothing but my thin pajamas.

Highest spot in Hogwarts, did you know that? I loved it. The height. The wind and the cold. It was comforting, I think. The night sky was beautiful. Everything was so dark and serene, and yet there were still little stars twinkling away up there. Nature's lanterns.

The remaining shock from last night was what had driven me up there. I wasn't feeling suicidal or anything like that, of course not... But it was nice spot. It was almost as if I were in a trance, though I didn't feel dizzy or anything like that. More like... I was too numb, too empty of any emotion, to clearly think through my actions. So I impulsively decided to visit the Astronomy Tower at two in the morning when everyone else was sleeping.

More than anything I wished to be distracted from the realities of the situation I was in, but this proved to be impossible. Indeed, the memories played very clearly in my mind, over and over and over again...

I watched my opponent fall over as someone else's curse hit him in the back. Not even bothering to thank my savior, I immediately leaned heavily against the wall, panting from the exertion of battle.

That's when I saw him.

"Draco!" I shouted. Draco's head snapped towards mine, and oh so briefly we shared a shaky smile. But then his smile disappeared as Snape grabbed his robes and made him keep walking away. He looked so heartbroken, so devastated as he walked away. Draco kept looking back over his shoulder at me, as if he wanted nothing more than to run to my side.

But he couldn't for some reason.

Was it because of Snape? Or because of the Death Eaters following them?

I began to make my way towards him when I was attacked from the right. Spinning around, I faced my new opponent, feeling the time trickling away like the sand in an hourglass. Each bit of sand that dropped was increasing the distance between Draco and me.

At some point, I felt inside of me- as sure as I'd ever been of anything- that time was up. The sand had drained to the bottom. Draco was gone, and there was no chance of finding him now.

The horrors didn't end there.

Dumbledore lay dead. It seemed impossible. Completely unreal. Dumbledore dead? It just couldn't happen. He was immortal. He was genius. He was our Headmaster! The finest Headmaster that Hogwarts had ever seen.

And Draco had killed him. I didn't know that for sure yet, but how could I assume any differently? I finally realized why he'd told me that I would doubt him... for I sure was doing that now. How could he kill the greatest wizard ever to have lived? Wasn't there a line that you simply cannot cross? I had only justified Draco's actions up until this point because there was little he could do with the family position he was in. Everything was very 'do or die' in Death Eater society.

But this... this was a step too far.

I felt a tear trickle down my cheek as I gazed blankly at the cold, dead body of the Headmaster. Then another tear joined it, and soon there was a stream of silent tears flooding down my cheeks.

There was no one to hold me while I cried. No one to comfort me, console me. I was utterly alone.

Draco was gone.

Gone...

I'd never felt more alone in my life. A part of me hated Draco for what he'd done, and indeed I might have gone on hating him had Harry not told us all the truth of what had happened. As it turned out, Draco wasn't the one to kill Dumbledore; it had been Snape. Harry had even admitted that it looked as though Draco wouldn't have been able to do it.

That sparked hope in my heart. Perhaps Draco knew that there was a line not to be crossed. Perhaps there was hope for him, for us.

Though with Dumbledore gone, it seemed hard to imagine. Would Hogwarts continue on even now that he was gone? Was that even possible?

I closed my eyes against the cold, night breeze. The wind seemed to whisper to me in some folly language. Words of nonsense, of childish comfort. I suppose that makes me a child, because it did in fact comfort me. I smiled into the air, feeling much more at peace than I had any right to feel.

"You shouldn't be out here."

Still smiling, I turned to face my friend.

"What, and you should be?"

Fred walked over to me where I stood at the balcony. My smile faltered as I saw how serious he looked. Not there was anything wrong with that, it just threw me off. I could hardly imagine Fred without that big, flirtatious grin plastered all over his face.

"How'd you find me?" I asked.

"Ginny came to me," he said softly, "said that you'd disappeared in the middle of the night. She's worried about you ya know."

This brought a very warm feeling to my heart. I was sorry to have worried her, but her concern was touching. It truly made me happier than I can describe that she was looking out for me.

"I had a hunch you might be here," he continued. "I know how you love it up here." I simply nodded, accepting his words, but having none of my own. I still felt cold, and alone. That sounds silly seeing as Fred was there with me and obviously Ginny was there with me in spirit, but nevertheless, it's how I felt.

"Come 'ere," he said softly. Obediently, I stepped into his outstretched arms. The feeling of his arms wrapped around me was so comforting. I truly needed it. I clutched at his robes tightly, not wanting to let go.

After a minute Fred drew back, but then he turned me around so that he could hold me from behind. His arms wrapped around my waist and he rested his head against the side of my head. I felt so warm in his arms, and it was incredibly comfortable and calming. In truth, it made me think of Draco. If I closed my eyes it was like he was there again, holding me, soothing me.

"You already miss him, don't you?" asked Fred quietly. My eyes shot open, looking out into the blackness.

"Yes," I replied. Fred did not move from where we were, but he fell silent for a moment. I became curious. If Fred and George were being quiet, there was generally a reason for it.

"What are you thinking about Fred?" I asked.

"You, silly," he whispered jokingly, nudging my cheek with his nose. I giggled and nudged him back with my shoulder (as best I could, since I was still in his embrace).

"Fine, you don't have to tell me," I said teasingly.

"I was telling the truth," he said. Stepping out of his arms a bit, I turned to him.

"What about me?" I asked curiously.

"Only that I hate to see you lookin' so down," he told me, "You're too pretty for that darlin'. You should always be smiling, and I hate that you aren't."

"Well it isn't exactly easy to be happy right now."

"I know that too, love." Fred stroked my cheek gently. I was amazed at how warm his fingers were compared to my cold skin.

Just like Draco... I thought.

"Mia..." Fred said, grabbing my attention once more. "I know that you'll finish out the school year here, under McGonagall as Headmistress, but when summer comes... You can't go home, there's no one there for you."

"I know that," I whispered painfully.

"I'm sorry to say that so bluntly, but I want you to be prepared. Do you know where you're going yet?"

"I've been trying not to think about it."

"You could stay with us." My eyebrows shot up in surprise as I met Fred's eyes. "I mean... George and I. At the shop. Then at the end of the summer we'll be at the Burrow so you could join us there too."

"Stay with you..." I murmured, looking away as I thought about it.

"You don't have to give me an answer tonight Mia. Just think about it. And come inside soon, I don't want you freezing to death. It would upset a great many people if that happened."

"Not that many people anymore..." I whispered. Suddenly Fred grabbed my chin, but gently, and lifted it so that I was looking straight at him.

"Don't ever think that Mia. Don't you dare. We care about you so much. I care about you. I... Just think about what I said. I don't want you to get hurt Mia."

Fred reached out to take my hand and he brought it slowly to his lips where he brushed a soft kiss against my fingers.

"I'll be around for a few more days, so you know where to find me, my love."

Fred turned and left then, leaving me alone once more. But I didn't feel so alone. I knew that he'd sincerely meant everything that he'd said. There were still people who cared for me, Fred being one of them.

As I thought about it, I realized that I truly did want to stay with him and George for the summer. They were two of my closest friends, especially since all of the drama over my relationship with Draco. Somehow I felt that there was nowhere else on earth that would heal me as much as being in a joke shop with those two.

I knew the answer that I'd be giving Fred then. Taking one more deep breath of fresh air, I turned away from the edge of the tower and walked away, ready to face the warmth and gentleness of my bed.