(Three months later...)

"Sarah, letter!" called Samantha as she held out an envelope. Sarah took it to her room to open it. It was from Snape.

Dear Sarah,

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been very busy. I am writing because I saw you have a break from school coming up and was wondering if you would like to come out to Hogwarts. Ask your mother and write back.

Sincerely, Dad

Sarah smiled and hurried into the kitchen. "Who's the letter from?" asked Samantha.

"Dad." said Sarah. "He wants to know if I can come out to Hogwarts during fall break. That's okay right?"

"Sure. Write back and tell him." Sarah smiled and hurried back to her room to write a response. She couldn't wait to go back. She missed Harry, Hermione, and Ron so badly and she wanted to see her dad more than anything. She hurried to her suitcase and packed it, then noticed she wouldn't be leaving for a week.

"Did you hear the rumors? Sarah's coming!" said Hermione. Harry and Ron smiled.

"When?" asked Ron.

"Two days."

"Awesome," said Harry. "I can't wait to see her again."

"Neither can Malfoy, I'll bet."

"What?" said Ron.

"I think he fancies her."

"Are you kidding? He's a Malfoy. Muggle isn't even in his vocabulary."

"Then why did he help her when Bud came?"

"Some help," snarled Harry. "She's paralized now because of that freak."

"And let's not forget that he's still out there." said Ron.

"Well, it's not like it's his fault." said Hermione.

"Either way, there's no way he could like her. Trust me."

Sarah wheeled down the halls in her chair. She was greeted with a warm hug from her father. She smiled. She felt at home now.

"Hi dad," she said softly. "Miss me?"

"Not really," he said sarcastically. Sarah pretended to be hurt.

"Well in that case I'll just go back...." she laughed and shook her head.

"Sarah!" came a familiar voice.

"Harry!" she called out. She wheeled over to him and hugged him, Ron, and Hermione.

"Welcome back, Sarah." said Hermione.

"God, I missed you guys so much."

"How're you doing?" asked Harry.

"My arms are very tired," she laughed.

"I'll bet," said Ron. "I've never seen a chair like that before."

"As soon as I have the money, I'm switching to electric."

"They make them electric?" gasped Ron.

"Come on," said Harry. "We'll help you up the stairs." They all took off towards Gryffindor tower. Sarah paused for a second.

"You guys go on. I'll catch up." She waited till they were gone and wheeled back up to Snape.

"Well, I can't speak for you," she said softly. "But I missed you." He smiled and hugged her again.

"I missed you too. Now you better catch up with the others." She snickered.

"They get to carry me up the stairs." She waved over her shoulder and caught up with the others.

Draco was around the corner when he saw Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Sarah in her wheel chair go by. He smiled as he looked at her. She had definently grown prettier since he had last seen her. He watched them go by, and decided to see her later when the others weren't there.

He spent all of that evening, watching her at supper as she socialized with old friends. Suddenly she looked up at him and their eyes met. He stared at her dumbstruck for a minute before returning his attention to his food. Even though he wasn't looking, he knew she was still watching. He could feel her eyes staring at him. After he had finished dinner he left and went up to the astronomy tower alone. He lit a fire and watched the sunset out the window.

"There you are," said a soft voice. He turned his eyes to the doorway and saw her sitting there in her wheel chair.

"Wondered if I'd see you at all today." he muttered.

"I would have, but the others would probly have a problem with it. I had to sneak away." Draco nodded and looked at her chair as she wheeled into the room.

"So how have you been?"
"I'm so tired of it all," she said softly.

"Of what?"

"Bud, my mom being so stubborn, having a broken family, all of it."

"Aren't your parents getting remarried?"

"No." she said shaking her head. "I wish though."

"Must be rough," he said softly.

"Very," she muttered.

"How long are you staying?"

"Till the end of Christmas break."

"That's not very long." She shrugged.

"It's two weeks."

"Still," he said softly. "So are you and your dad doing anything tonight?"

"Not that I know of. He's busy, you know, being a teacher and all."

"My dad's usually busy too. I like it that way." She leaned back in her chair.

"Well, I won't say I like it, but I've gotten pretty used to it."

"Tell me about it," he groaned. She gave a weak smile and wheeled towards the window.

"I'm sorry," muttered Draco. She didn't look at him, but heard him.

"For what?" she asked perplexed.

"Not being able to help you. It's my fault you're in that chair."

"Not it's not," she said softly as she turned around.

"I was the one who used the crucatious curse. I was the one who didn't kill him when I had the chance. I was the one who...."

"Who warned both me and dad and tried your hardest to stop it from happening," said Sarah softly. "No one else would have had that kind of courage to stand up to him like that. If it weren't for you, my dad and I would be dead." Draco stared at her. The flames in the fire seemed to dance in her eyes. He couldn't find words to say, but simply nodded and turned.

"I have to go," she muttered. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Got a quidditch match," he said softly. "Slytherin vs Gryffindor."

"Great," she laughed. "Now I won't know who to cheer for."

"Well I can guarantee it won't be for me," he said roughly. "See you later, Sarah." Sarah nodded and wheeled away. She paused in the door way and looked over her shoulder. Draco was sitting in the window sill, staring at the moon silently. She smiled and dissappeared down the hall.

Draco stared at the stars, and though he thought it was silly, he placed a wish on one. "Please," he whispered. "Just let her walk again. Even if it's only for a minute. I don't want her to be sad." He waited, half expecting a flash of light or a boom or the ground to shake. But of coarse nothing happened and he sneered. Wishes, he concluded, were a foolish waist of time.

A week went by and almost every student in the school had managed to welcome Sarah back and even give her gifts. She sometimes had to hide from them when she was tired, or just needed some time alone. Snape and her often went for walks around the lake to talk and catch up. Those times she spent were the best, and she always was looking forward to them.

"So," said Snape as they started off across the lake. The ground was covered in snow and the lake was frozen over. A sunset had appeared in the sky filling it with color. It was a little chilly, but they both managed to stay warm. "Has your mother heard anything from Bud?"

"Not yet," she said softly. "I hope he's dead."

"Me too. If I hadn't been shot I would have killed him."

"I know you would have," she snickered.

"Do you have nightmares?"

"Sometimes," she whispered. "They feel so real. Sometimes I wake up and I can see him in front of me. It scares me."

"They don't occure often do they?" he asked.

"It depends. It sort of goes off and on. Sometimes it's just a memory. When he shoots me, my legs hurt." Snape stopped and stared at her.

"Hurt?" he asked.

"The doctors said that would happen. But sometimes, even a few minutes after I really wake up, they still hurt."

"Is that a good thing?"

"The doctors said that I shouldn't be feeling anything from the waist down. I dunno, maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me. I mean, there was only a two percent chance that I'd walk again." He nodded cooly and smirked.

"Then there's still a chance." She smiled and shook her head. "So these dreams, are they... bad?" She nodded.

"They feel so real. Sometimes when I wake up, I'm still screaming." She shuddered and folded her arms tightly around her chest. "I wish they would stop."

"Would you feel safer if your room was moved closer to mine? Then you can get me if you need me."

"I was just about to ask that," she said softly. "Sounds pretty lame huh?"

"Not really."

"I remember when Bud first came in to my life. I was so afraid of him and I spent almost every night sleeping with mom in her bed." She sat there silently for a while, staring at the lake. "Remember a long time ago, when I said I didn't need a father?"

"Yes," he said softly.

"Call me crazy, but I think I need you now more than ever."

(A/N: Because of one concerned reader, the rating in this fic will go up. Don't ask me what this guy's problem is, but I can't risk getting reported. Sry!)