Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue! LOL The song at the end of this chapter belongs to Madonna.

(A/N) To all my awesome reviewers!

HarryPotterFanFicGirl: I'm sorry!

Queen of the Clarinets: This story is close to being finished! I can't wait to finish this so I can write the sequel I've been thinking of for months. But if I'm going to post it, I need people to tell me they want me to!

Befuzzled: It's cool you're really into this fic! I'm sorry I almost made you cry, and that's the God's honest truth!

Dragonsbane: The longest review I have ever received! As always, you made me laugh. You know I was JOKING about that! Geez, some people! I hope you and that lifetime supply of candy I gave you are very happy together! LOL Here's a new virtual car for the longest review in DSG history!

RoseFyre: Thanks for your review! I'm continuing!

Starr Light: Wow, I made you cry? I'm scared now! Thanks for reviewing!

Riverchic1998: Thanks! I love your story too!

Kendra: I'll try to put more Draco in this story, but this is mostly about Simone and Arissa. Baby Malfoy is still on the way, just sit tight!

Starry: The most beautiful review I have ever received. Honestly, it was! *dabs eyes with a tissue* That was a different perspective on the bond between Arissa and Simone. I enjoyed reading your review!

Nicks-Amy: I have my reasons for doing that. Thanks for loving my story! Now about Simone going after Lucius, I'm not saying a thing about it!

Nathalie: Yes, Draco crying was weird, I'll admit it. But Lucius' lessons are finally being broken!

BraveSpiritGryffindor: Thanks!

Texas Rio Star: I know it's sad! Do you know how many reviews I get telling me that? Just joking with you, but I still get a lot of reviews telling me that! Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

Dreamer22: I really hope you like this chapter (even though it'll probably make most people cry).

Tap Dancing Widow: Thanks! I hope you enjoy the rest of this story!

Anonymous: I'm not saying a thing about Lucius and his craziness.

Sparkli Chick: Not saying a bloody thing about Lucius! And I am writing more! See?

Chapter Thirty-One: The Power of Goodbye

Sunshine. The one thing I would never expect on the day of Arissa's funeral. But it was there, shining through my window. The weather never matches my mood anymore.

My Muggle stereo was blasting one of Madonna's songs as I changed into my ebony robes. I looked into the mirror. My hair was still a mess, my gray eyes sad and stormy. I didn't feel like using magic to get rid of all my imperfections. It was a waste of time. A quick brushing was all I needed.

Satisfied with my appearance, I walked slowly downstairs. Mum and Dad were already there in similar shades of black. I said nothing as they looked at me. Mum's brown eyes were filled with tears already. Dad's gray eyes were guarded.

"We should get going," Dad said unemotionally.

I nodded, still unable to speak.

"Are you going to be alright, Hermione?" Dad asked Mum.

Tears cascaded down her once happy face as she nodded. "All right," he said after a moment. "Let's go."

Dad led Mum outside, considering the fact that she's 2 months away from giving birth. I followed, but kept my distance. I thought my parents needed to grieve alone, away from their surviving kid.

We walked a little way before we came up to a portkey that would take us to the funeral parlor where Arissa's body was being kept.

Arissa's white coffin was in the front of the room. She was dressed in a simple black robe with streaks of silver and turquoise running across it. Her hair was arranged like a halo. I could smell the cheap wizard makeup on her face.

This was not the Arissa I once knew. This was a doll that looked like her. 'A dead doll,' I thought sadly.

I couldn't look at her anymore. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She should still be alive. I shook my head and walked away from her sleeping angelic form.

Mum and Dad were talking to my grandparents. I stood behind them and listened. It's not like they could see me from where they were sitting.

"Are you going to do Arissa's eulogy?" Grandpa asked.

"No," Dad said. "Simone is."

"Do you think it wise to let an eleven-year-old do a eulogy?" Grandma asked, clearly shocked at Dad's answer.

"Simone's tough, Rachel," Dad said. "I think she can handle it."

Mum nodded. "They were each other's everything. In my opinion, she deserves to do it."

"Each other's everything?" Grandma confusedly asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"They weren't just sisters. They weren't just twins. They weren't just best friends. They were bonded for life," Dad said.

I sniffled softly from my post behind them. I couldn't listen to this anymore. I needed to get away.

My friends hadn't arrived yet. I was left alone with my small family. Disappointed, I walked out of the room and sat near the front door.

I must have been there a long time because Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were standing in front of me.

"Simone, are you alright?" Aunt Ginny asked me.

I nodded, not knowing what to say. "I'm so sorry this happened," Uncle Harry said, pulling me into a tight hug.

"It'll be alright, Simone," Aunt Ginny added. "Your friends will be here soon. Dumbledore promised your parents they would be there. Arissa meant a lot to them."

"I know," I said, backing away from them, only to run into Uncle Ron and Aunt Lavender.

"Simone, what's wrong?" Aunt Lavender asked.

"Nothing," I lied, desperately wanting to see my friends. "I just can't stand to be in there."

"I know it's hard," Uncle Ron said, pushing his red hair out of his face.

I don't know what came over me. Those four words were enough to make me snap. "You have no idea what I'm feeling," I hissed. "You never had a sibling killed by your grandfather."

"That's enough, Simone," Dad said from behind me.

I whirled around. "It's true though."

He grabbed me by the arm. "I don't care if it's true or not," he hissed in my ear. "You show some respect to your elders."

For a second, a split second, I saw Lucius in his normally calm gray eyes. Scared, I tried to free my arm from his grasp. He let me go with a warning glare. The rest of the adults followed him, looking at me like I was a caged animal. I was left alone.

I never heard the footsteps signaling the arrival of my friends. All I heard was a girl's voice saying my name. I thought I was going crazy. Arissa couldn't be talking to me. I knew it couldn't be her. I finally gathered what little courage I had and looked up to the mystery voice.

It was Amber and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, all of them wearing black robes with a small scarlet lion on the front.

"We're so sorry, Simone," she said, hugging me.

"She was the best Chaser we've had in years," Jeffery said, earning a glare from Amber and Ruth.

Justin stepped between the three before a fight broke out. "It'll be ok, Sai," he said to me. "Arissa was a sweet person and we were lucky to have her on the team and have her as a friend."

Landon didn't say anything. Neither did Ruth. It didn't take a psychologist, Muggle or otherwise, to figure out that they were close friends with Arissa.

"You guys can go in there," I said, lifting my chin to where everyone else had gathered. "I'm going to wait out here."

"Are you sure?" Amber asked me, her hazel eyes glistening with tears.

"I'll be fine, Amber. You guys go on without me."

The five of them glanced at one another, clearly surprised.

"I just need some more time to be alone before I have to deliver Arissa's eulogy," I reassured them before they entered the room.

"Hey," a gentle voice said from behind.

I whirled around to see my fellow first years, dressed in the customary black robes, but with a silver star added. "I'm so glad to see you," I said as I hugged them all. Jordan, Lisa, Christina, and Jessica were all crying.

"It's going to be alright," I said softly.

"We know," Jessica said. "It's just so hard to think that one of us is dead. You, Arissa, Justin, Landon, and I were always together. Now one of us is gone." She broke down crying again. I ran over to get Landon and Justin, telling them that Jessica was hysterical.

They went to her side and made her sit down inside. I went back to my other friends.

"You guys have no idea how much this means to me," I said.

"We wouldn't have it any other way," Alexander said.

"Gryffindors have to stick together," Adrian said.

"Until the end," Michael added.

"Thanks, guys," I said.

"Don't mention it," Christopher said.

"She was our friend, too," Brice squeaked.

"Simone?" Mum called from the room. "It's time."

I nodded. "I'm coming."

I lead the way to the funeral. Telling my friends that I needed to be in front with my parents, I departed. I heard the first years gasp when they saw Arissa's body before they sat down with the Quidditch team.

"Are you alright, Simone?" Dad asked me as I sat down next to him.

"Yes," I said. "I'm sorry about earlier."

He shook his head. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I never took your feelings into account."

I hugged him tightly. "I love you, Daddy," I whispered.

"Love you, too."

"May I have your attention, please?" the priest asked. The whole room went silent.

"Thank you. At the request of the Malfoy family, there will be no funeral mass, only graveside services. I ask you to pay your final respects here and we'll get going to the cemetery."

Final respects? We're leaving already? It can't be! It's too soon! I don't want to say good-bye to the only person that understood me!

Dad took Mum and me by the hands and led us to Arissa's coffin. Mum wept softly, Dad just gazed down at her, while I kissed her on the forehead. "I'll miss you, Ri Ri," I said through the tears that were sliding down my face. "You will never be forgotten." With Dad's arm around our shoulders, we left so others could pay their final respects.

It took forever for everyone to pay their respects to my sister. When the priest finally said," I'd like the pallbearers to step forward," I knew it was our cue to leave. Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Harry, and Uncle Ron went up to place Arissa's coffin in the hearse, while Mum and I walked with our arms wrapped around each other to the limo the funeral parlor let us use for the day. Grandma, Grandpa, and Dad came in after us. We were ready to go to the cemetery.

The ride only lasted about twenty minutes. I knew what was going to happen next. I was going to give Arissa's eulogy and then she would be buried.

"Are you ready to do this, Miss Malfoy?" a strangely familiar voice asked as I got out of the limo.

I looked around, only to look into the face of the most hated professor at Hogwarts. "Professor Snape? What are you doing here?" Dad asked, as I was too shocked to speak.

"Well, being that Arissa was your daughter, not to mention the fact that you were my favorite student, Draco, I felt like I owed it to you to be here."

"But why did you cancel classes?" I finally managed to ask.

"I have some news for you, Miss Malfoy," he said. "No one has been able to teach in light of this ugly situation so therefore, I cancelled my Potions classes. No one else had though."

"Oh."

"And some more news for you, Draco," he added. "Lucius has been taken into custody."

"We'll discuss this later, Professor. This isn't the time or place." He nodded and went to sit near the back where the services would be held in a few short minutes.

The men went and removed Arissa's coffin from the hearse and placed it above the freshly dug grave, while Mum and I sat in the front row again. Dad and Grandpa joined us.

The priest took his spot next to my sister's coffin. "We are gathered here to celebrate the life of Arissa Marie Anne Malfoy. She was born 16 May 2001, daughter to Draco and Hermione Malfoy, twin sister to Simone. Granddaughter to Jonathan and Rachel Granger. A friend to all she knew. I now ask for a moment of silence in her memory."

After the moment of silence, he said, "I now ask her surviving sister, Simone, to come up and say a few words."

I heard my friends gasp behind me when they heard that last sentence. I got up, smiled weakly at them, and took my place next to my sister's grave. I saw Mum reach for Dad's hand.

I cleared my throat and said the words I was dreading to say.

"Arissa wasn't just my sister. She was my best friend, bonded for life. Unfortunately, she was taken from the safety of all she knew by Lucius Malfoy. Because of him, she will never get to see the sunrise and the sunset. She will never get to meet her baby brother when he arrives. She'll never graduate from Hogwarts or get married. She'll never have kids or get a great job. All because of one man.

"She was the smartest one I knew, besides my mother. She always had the answer. She never showed fear. She just took it as it came. Even when things were really bad, she'd be the one standing there with some sweets and a smile, telling everyone that tomorrow was a new day. She was the light in all our lives. I can't begin to tell you how much I miss her. What was done to her was unfair. I can only hope that one day we will be reunited. It's just another reminder of how short life can really be.

"A sister to me, a daughter to my parents, a great friend to all. We all loved Arissa. I hope she hears me from wherever she is.

"You were my soulmate, dear sister. I love you."

The priest clapped me on the shoulder. "That was very nice, Simone."

I nodded my thank you to him before I sat back down with my parents. Almost everyone was crying except for two people, my father and Snape.

"And now, we turn Arissa's body over to God. May he keep her in the safety of Heaven."

Whispering a spell, I conjured up a small rose with a little bit of silver on the edges. It was time to lower Arissa's casket into her grave.

With tears running down my cheeks for the final time, I made my way up to Arissa's grave and threw the rose. It landed on her snow white casket, like it was going to stay there forever. Everyone else conjured up their own flower and threw it into the grave.

With a heavy heart, I left my sister forever. "Good-bye, Arissa," I whispered as Dad led me to the limo for the short ride home.

There's nothing left to try

There's no place left to hide

There's no greater power

Than the power of good-bye

There's nothing left to lose

There's no more heart to bruise

There's no greater power

Than the power of good-bye

(A/N) *sniffles* That was the saddest chapter I have ever written. Probably the longest while I'm at it. Anyway, please forgive me for lack of updates!