AN: okay, this is my first Harry Potter fanfiction I've ever really clicked with and decided to dedicate myself to, so please be kind. Constructive criticism is accepted graciously as long as it's given that way ;)

Characters and the world belong to JK Rowling, I'm just playing with it a while :D

-Daisy

Chapter One

I had seen Harry stand and follow Katie. Honestly she'd only just returned from St Mungo's. Give a girl time to settle back in.

"How are you?" He asked her. How do you think she is, Harry? She wants to be left alone.

Katie huffed and turned around. "I'm fine, Harry, and I know you're going to ask. Honestly, everyone is. I don't know who attacked me. I've been trying to remember, but I just can't." Katie explained almost apologetically.

My best friend nodded. "Thank you, Katie. And, y'know, I'm sorry." He turned to sit, sighed and smile a bit at Ron. He had stolen Harrys treacle tart directly from his plate.

I wanted to laugh with them, but my eyes were fixed upon Katie's face as her friendly smile towards McClaggen changed to one of fear and confusion.

I followed her gaze down the path between the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws tables to the entrance of the dining hall, where Draco Malloy had just stopped in his tracks, staring at Katie Bell.

His lip curled up and the skin around his eyes had tightened, his already pale complexion whitening even further. His eyes flickered to the head table and his hand reached into his pocket, turning slightly.

I reached for the pocket my robes for my wand, but as my fingertips grazed the vine wood, Malfoy pivoted and started to briskly walk away.

Harry and Ron were droning on about the upcoming match against Slytherin as I stood. I looked over at them and murmured distractingly, "I'll find you guys in the common room. I think I left my quills in the library."

I was already hurrying to catch up with Malfoy when I heard Harry offer to let me borrow one of his. I chose to ignore him and quickened my pace, throwing my hand up and wiggling my fingers in a sort of goodbye wave.

What is he up to? Where is he going?

I had to push past people coming in for dinner as he turned right at the end of the hall. I was just starting up the staircase as he veered off on the next floor, beyond my sight.

Classes are over for the day, and he's on the wrong floor for the owlery. Maybe he's going to see a friend in Hufflepuff.

Inner me scoffed. Yeah right Hermione, because he can or would be friends with anyone other than snakes.

When I reached the third floor I looked around. I couldn't discern where he'd gone. He could've gone right, leading to a balcony or the prefects lounge, or the left, which led to the entrance to the Headmasters Office. And then there was the room straight ahead. Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

I didn't think he'd be eager to see the headmaster if what I'd deduced was correct, and he wasn't a prefect. I rolled the dice and eased my way forwards, determined to be as quiet as possible since I wanted to catch him in whatever evil act he was sure to be committing.

I heard a scuffle ahead and bit my lip, sliding my wand from my pocket and into my hands. I debated on sliding off my robe and decided to leave it behind a towering statue of a past headmaster. They could get in the way if I needed to defend herself.

I tip toed my way forward and peeled my head around the door. What I saw made my eyes go wide and my mouth drop open in a gasp of surprise.

Draco Malfoy was crying. The pure blood perpetrator of my past was crying big fat tears in big gasping sobs bent over the girls bathroom sink. His white blonde hair hung in his eyes and his shirt clung to his sweaty form slightly as he jerked, eyes meeting mine in the mirror.

Horror dawned on his features, morphing quickly to anger. He whirled around, wand in hand, and I reacted instinctively.

"Expelliarmus!" I exclaimed, catching his wand with my left hand as his mouth curled into a snarl. I held it to my chest and kept my wand trained on him.

The water dripping around us was all I heard for a moment, and then his arms came up and he lifted his chin. He resembled a pale, angry version of Christ on the cross.

"Go ahead, then. Do it. You know you want to, Granger, don't pretend otherwise." He welcomed, the angry sneer dropping as he closed his eyes.

My eyebrows shot up, then furrowed. "You...you cursed Katie Bell."

His eyes shot open and his arms fell to his sides. He almost looked relieved, but his expression was quickly schooled behind an impassive mask.

"I did no such thing. What a stupid thing to accuse someone of. Where. Is. Your. Proof?" He enunciated clearly and quietly. Dangerously, the voice in my mind provides. His voice sounds dangerous.

I kept my voice quiet, and my mouth was dry. "Harry followed you to Borgin and Burkes." His eyes rolled and I licked my lips, drawings his gaze. "You probably got the necklace there. Then I saw you at The Three Broomsticks, and that's where Maggie Dupry noticed Katie acting odd after she returned from the loo."

"So what, Granger? Plenty of people were there." He sneered.

But I was on a roll. I'm right, I know I am. "And she can't remember what happened. Trust that one small detail. Yet...when she looked at you, she seemed scared, but confused. And when you saw her, you were terrified, yet...somehow relieved."

Their breathing filled the space when I fell silent, still aiming my wand at the blonde boys chest. His breaths were harsh and tight, and his face was caught between anger and impassiveness.

Why wasn't he saying anything? He wasn't defending himself or even looking at me. A few minutes seemed to pass, and he was looking near my feet when he spoke.

"It was me," he whispered. When he drug his eyes to mine, I was dumbfounded at the tears that glittered there, at the way his lips turned down and trembled. When he confessed again in another whisper and fell to his knees, I let my arm fall.

"It was me, Granger." This boy who looked like Draco Malfoy sobbed. This couldn't possibly be him. The Draco Malfoy i knew sneered and jeered and teased and was a racist bigoted asshole. This Draco Malfoy was foreign to me. A sad, desperate boy with pain on his face and his hands tangled in his hair as he sobbed. It made my heart ache. Also, seeing anyone in this much pain because of something they'd done, obviously meant they regretted it. Right?

I knelt and stretched back, the bottom of my skirt dragging he damp floor, and set our wands beside the door. He tensed at the noise of my movements but only looked up as I moved closer.

His bloodshot eyes were flooded with tears that kept falling, and his hands were limp against his knees, palms up and open. His hair was a wreck and for the first time I noticed his vest crumpled by the first stall to my right. His tie was loose and the top two buttons were undone. He looked a mess.

"Malfoy...why?" My Boise was a whisper.

More tears fell from his eyes.

"I didn't mean to curse Katie. I swear I didn't, Granger!" He said desperately, his words seemingly a plea.

I knew that already.

"Of course you didn't." His head jerked in surprise, eye brows slightly raised. "You were meaning to curse Dumbledore."