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Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K Rowling. Hope is one I made up and Brianna is on Ashley made up (ashley09)

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Preparations

Hope was in her dormitory, lying in bed, thinking about the remaining two days before Christmas break. She noticed Brianna had come in, looking for something.

"Hope.." She began, still looking around the room, "Have you seen my dress robes? I know I brought them here with me, but.. I can't seem to find them. " She had just finished throwing all her clothes out of her trunk and onto the floor.

Hope sat up and watched Brianna, "Why do you suddenly need them?"

Brianna looked up, "Because I'm going home for Christmas and my parents are going to a business dinner. They told me that I need to come as well and I need my dress robes for it." She paused, looking around the room, "Do you mind if I check in your trunk? Maybe the house elves placed them in the wrong one."

She nodded, "Yeah, go ahead." And with that Brianna opened the trunk and neatly looked through it.

"No, not here.." She sighed

Hope watched Brianna, "Personally I don't like dress robes."

Brianna looked up confused, "Why not?"

She shrugged, "I don't know.. my mother never made me wear them. When my father had dinners I needed to attend, she stayed with me or just let me wear normal clothes.."

Now Brianna looked deeply lost, " 'Normal'?.. Oh, you mean muggle clothes. Isn't that disrespectful? Wearing muggle clothes at a formal dinner?'"

Hope rolled her eyes, "Yea, probably. I could care less." She spoke pulling some of her wavy brown hair behind her ear.

Brianna listened to Hope and laughed, "So how does your father react to your decision? "

"He yells at me. sends me to my room for the evening.. or if I have to be there he finds some way to make me wear the stupid robes."

Brianna nodded, "Oh.."

Hope sighed, climbing out of bed, "So, anyway. Do you want to go to breakfast?"

Brianna nodded, "Yes, but my robes. I really--"

Hope sighed, "Look, you can borrow some of mine if you want. I might have brought some.. or if not I will find a way to get them to you."

Brianna smiled, "Thank you so much!" And with that she hugged Hope.

"Uhh.. Brianna?.. You wanna kinda. Back off a little?" Brianna nodded and stepped back, "Yea.. Thanks."

"So, breakfast?"

Hope nodded, "Yea,. umm.. how about you get going and I'll meet you down there after I change."

Once again Brianna nodded, "Ok, see you soon."

As soon as she left Hope grabbed some clothes, and went into the bathroom to change. When she finished she pulled her hair into a messy ponytail, some wavy strands of hair were loose. She slipped on her school robes and headed down stairs.

On her way to the Great Hall she saw a few Ravenclaws muttering something and pointing in Hope's direction. She looked back at them and glared, this apparently made them walk away faster.

Walking through the gigantic doors of the Great Hall, many heads turned upon her entrance, mostly at the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. Hating knowing how many eyes were on her she quickly walked over to where Brianna was sitting.

"Are you ok?" Brianna questioned, taking notice to the fact that Hope was looking down.

"I-I think." She looked around; only few people remained looking at her. Glancing down the Slytherin table she saw that Draco was smirking and his two mindless followers seated beside him, laughing. With seeing that Hope became furious, she knew Draco had done something.

"Draco I swear.." She muttered, as she stood back up. She knew very well that he couldn't hear her words, but she didn't care.

Brianna looked up oddly at her friend, "What's wrong?" Hope didn't answer, just began walking over towards Draco. "Hope--" Brianna began again, but still Hope didn't hear her. Apparently now interested, she got up and followed.

Draco had been watching Hope and saw her approaching, so he stood. "Everything ok?" There was something about his tone that only made her anger rise; it was a tone that he often used when he knew exactly what was wrong.

"What did you do?" She eyed him uneasily.

"Nothing. What makes you think I did anything? You do trust me, don't you Hope?" He was still smirking.

"To be honest Draco. No, I don't trust you.."

This made him let out a small laugh, "Then who do you have left to trust?" Hope didn't answer; she just looked down at the ground, "That's what I thought. Now listen you ha-"

"I don't want to hear it. " She looked up as she paused, "I'm sick of doing everything you say. Leave me alone." She gave him a look to let him know she was serious, and meant every word, but this only seemed to amuse him. Unwilling to listen to what he had to say, she walked out of the Great Hall.

Lost in a deep thought as she wondered down the halls, she didn't notice the footsteps of someone following her. 'When did I let myself give into this?' she wondered silently, 'How could I have been so stupid as to not know what my father meant when he told me he needed my help?' But she knew the answer to that one. It was because for once in her life her father had needed her, it was the first time someone besides her mother needed her.

Looking around, she found her self in a part of the castle she hadn't been before. The hall was dark, and there were a few abandoned rooms. Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her. Her first guess was that Draco had been following her, so she slowly turned. But the person she saw wasn't Draco.

"You know, you really shouldn't wonder around dark corridors."

"Yea? Well maybe some people shouldn't try to drive me into a temporary insanity."

Harry smiled, "So that's what Malfoy was doing."

"So you were watching?" She paused before continuing, "And then you followed me around only to find that had no idea where I was going."

He gave her an odd look, "Uhh.. Yeah I guess so."

She looked around and walked into a classroom that apparently no one used anymore. "Do you know what this room was used for?" She continued walking around as she spoke. When Hope reached a bookshelf she grabbed a random book that had the title 'The Rise of Dark' She became interested and placed the book in a pocket of her robes.

"No.." He paused, "So why did you leave so quickly?" She knew that wasn't all he wanted to know, there would be more questions.

"Would you have wanted to listen to Draco?"

"No, I see your point. But, then again the rest of us can't stand Malfoy. You were friends with him."

She looked at the ground, "I told you. We're not friends.. I can't stand him."

Harry watched her, "But you--" She could tell he couldn't find the words to try explain his confusion.

"Look, there is so much you don't understand. I think it would be much easier if you just left things the way they are."

Just as Harry opened his mouth to speak, they both heard footsteps out in the hall. She quickly walked over to what used to be a teachers desk and hid underneath it, Harry did the same, following her example.

By the sound of it there was more than one person in the hall, and she heard two voices talking.

"Are you sure they went this way?" It was a girl's voice, Hope thought for a moment, 'Was it Brianna? But why would she be following me?'

"Yes I'm sure" This was Draco's voice, she knew it. Apparently so did Harry, she could tell by the look that came across his face. Hope wondered, 'Why they hell can't he just leave me alone?'

Suddenly she heard them enter the room. She held her breath and looked at Harry, praying that they didn't find them. First off she had no idea why Draco and Brianna would be looking for her.

"So did she have any idea what was supposed to happen?" Brianna was speaking again. 'Know about what?' She thought to herself.

"No. She wouldn't have come willingly anyway." By the sound of it Draco had thrown a few books on the floor, and knocked a desk over.

"Calm down. I'm sure she is around here some where. And why wouldn't she? I mean it's not like she's against the Dark Lord, is it?"

At that moment Harry looked at Hope wide eyed, "You-" He began to speak, but Hope threw her hand over his mouth. 'Damn it' She thought to herself as a deadly silence fell upon the room.

She heard soft footsteps walking towards the desk, 'No, please no. don't let them find us....' But naturally, life was never fair to her. Draco bent down and smirked upon seeing Harry and Hope hiding underneath the desk.

"Well now, what were we doing under here?"

"Oh shut up Draco." She spoke while climbing out from under the desk, now she looked at Brianna. "You too?" Her tone was bitter and disgusted, "Why does the world hate me?" Her last question was more a whisper to herself.

"Me too? What is that supposed to mean?" Brianna questioned.

"It means why the hell are you ganging up on me too?"

"Oh Hope, stop whining." Draco demanded, and Hope became quite. Once again she hated herself. She hated herself for always listening to what other people said to do. She wanted her own life.

Draco took no more notice to Hope and looked at Harry, "Now Potter. The question now is what to do with you."

"And what is that supposed to mean Malfoy?" Harry stood, glaring.

"Draco leave him be. He didn't do--" Hope tried to plead with him, but again he had plans for how things should be done.

"Keep quite" Again, he was ordering her around. But this time she didn't obey.

"No. Draco I don't need you making my choices for me. Leave Harry alone."

Draco now drew his wand and had it pointed at Hope, "I said keep quite." Upon seeing a wand drawn, Harry felt his robes for his, but then Draco was holding both his and Harry's in his hands. "Looking for this Potter?" He spoke gesturing to Harry's wand, "You were slower than I thought."

Brianna spoke up, "Draco, what about what we came to find Hope for?"

"Yes, I know.But we need to do something with Potter. " Draco spoke thinking,. But Hope couldn't take it anymore, she knew he was going to something to harm Harry.

"Draco, this is for all the miserable summers I had to listen to you and our fathers drown on and on about how someday you and I would make a place for ourselves in this pointless little world." And with that she punched him with all her might, causing him to drop the wands. Quickly Harry grabbed his and a bolt of red light was hurled out of his wand when he cried, "Stupefy!" Causing Draco to become unconscious.

Brianna's jaw dropped open, "H-how could you have done that?"

Harry gestured towards Brianna, but Hope shook her head, "No, she's fine. Let's go"

Harry and Hope wondered around the halls, for a while until they reached the doors that led to the lake. She resisted the urge to walk out the doors and head towards the Dark Forest, but knew it would only lead to more trouble. They continued walking until they were near the dungeons that the Slytherin Common Room was located in.

"Harry, watch out for yourself over and break and when you get back."

"You too. Honestly I'm more worried about what they might do to you. I imagine Malfoy will be mad when he finally wakes up, and you'll see him way before I will." His tone was concerned, and in a way shocked her.

She nodded, "Yea.." She thought for a moment, he would probably tell both his father and hers. Then she would get punished, and chances are that they would use a curse on her, she shook her head, as if to try and force the thoughts away. "B-but I can handle it.. I have for the last sixteen years.."

He looked confused, but didn't ask questions, "Well, I guess I better get going.."

"Yea.. See you after the Christmas break.."

"You're not staying?"

Hope sighed, "I have not choice on if I stay or go. I don't run my life."

"Oh.."

"Anyway, See you then."

"Yeah, see you." Harry spoke while walking away.

Hope wondered up to her dormitories. For a few hours she waited for Brianna, but she never came. Come morning Brianna still hadn't come back. After awhile Hope didn't take much notice to the fact Brianna was gone, she was too busy thinking of what may happen to her later when she saw Draco or her father.

Hope took a deep breath, preparing herself for the torture that waited her. When she returned home, she knew she wouldn't be safe.