Hayleigh turned back to Draco, finally calmed down.

"How did you find out?" she asked.

"Hayleigh, you aren't going to believe him, are you?" Harry asked.

"I have no reason not too.and he's right. I do know when to believe things.I believe the right things. I believe him. He's right, I know it. I just wish I knew why my mother would lie." She turned her head, looking at Oliver. "But to cover it up, she blamed you, because she heard you joking around with him when you supposedly threatened him." Oliver nodded, understanding. She shook her head, and looked at Draco.

"I'm.sorry," he squeaked, hating the sound of it. "Really." The boys and Hermoine were giving him suspicious looks. "I heard my father talking to your mother in the fireplace.all I could think was that.I should tell you. I know it hurt you to have Wood thrown in Azkaban, I saw it in your eyes.which is creepy, because I hate you guys." Hayleigh laughed a little, somehow finding it funny.

"But.what about that chant?" she asked.

"My dad, once again. Taught the team, mesmerized them with it. Couldn't help ourselves, I guess." Hayleigh nodded, and, glad she finally knew, threw her arms around his shoulders.

"Thank you, Draco," she whispered, eyes closed. After a second, he hugged her back.

"Your.welcome, Hayleigh." She pulled back.

"Sorry.but, Professor McGonagall."

"Yes?" Hayleigh jumped, and turned around. McGonagall smiled from her place in the doorway. "You.did you know?" she asked. McGonagall nodded.

"Yes. Mr. Malfoy, here, came to me for advice on whether or not he should tell you.when I told him he should, he sat down right where he was and wrote you a letter." Hayleigh smiled.

"Well.what do I do now, though? Just because we know, doesn't mean that the Ministry is going to believe us."

"Yes they will. You are the daughter of the victim, and they have a special duty to people like that. They have to listen, and they also have to speak with your mother, and your father," she said, nodding to Draco. "If one of them cracks under the pressure, then they both get arrested, and placed in Azkaban." Hayleigh smiled, and nodded.

"Well.then they get what they deserve," she said, and turned away. "I'm going to go back upstairs now, if you don't mind," she said, and walked away. As Hayleigh walked away, the others turned, slightly confused, and looked at each other.

Hayleigh sat outside, on the bottom step before reaching the snow, her fingers making snowballs and then tossing them carelessly in front of her.

"Hayleigh? Are you alright?" a voice asked. She turned around, and smiled.

"Hello, Percy. I'm fine, I guess.I just don't know how to tell my mother that she has a court date."

"Oh.I heard about that. Are you sure your alright with doing that to your mother?"

"Of course. I do not like her. She was the one to place the blame on Oliver." He nodded, and put his arm around her shoulder, sitting beside her.

"Well, you know that I'm here if you want to talk to me." She giggled.

"Of course I do, Percy. How could I forget, with you walking about and lecturing students all the time?" she asked. They laughed, and she hugged him. "Thank you Percy. It's nice to know your there if I need you."

"Not a problem."

"Hayl?" She turned around.

"Yea?"

"Can I talk to you?" She stood up.

"I'll see you later, Percy," she said, and walked to the door, where Oliver stood. He opened the door, and she followed him inside, noticing that he wasn't smiling. "Are you alright?" she asked, reaching out, touching his cheek.

"I'm fine.what about you? Are you sure you can blame your mom this easily?" he asked. Hayleigh sighed, looking to the floor, dropping her hand.

"Yes, I can blame her. She accused you of killing my father, when she knew it wasn't true.She knows that you and my father got along very well, and that you two joked around a lot, and that, you saying 'I'm gonna kill you' was not a threat between the two of you.but she used it against you. She did it on purpose." Oliver sighed, shaking his head.

"I just don't want you to do this if you can't go through with it." Hayleigh smiled.

"I can do it, Oliver. I'll be fine." He put his arms around her, and hugged her, placing his cheek against hers.

She sat up the common room, arms limply against her thighs, legs crossed beneath her, staring blankly into the fire. The sun outside was rising, and, shaking her head, Hayleigh chose to take in the sunrise for the first time in a long time. She slid into her boots, pulled on her jacket and gloves, and walked out of the common room, ignoring the remarks of the Fat Lady, who continued to yell after her until she was out of sight on the stairs.

Hayleigh stepped out into the faded darkness, and blinked, the reflection of the minimal light of the snow slightly blinding her. She cleared some snow off the bench nearest her, and sat down, setting her hands flat onto the stone beside her. After watching the sun rise through the trees for a few minutes, she felt her fingers going numb, and looked down to see that they were covered in the snow from the bench. Pulling them up, she rubbed them together, and jammed them into her pockets, seeing the sky turn into a beautiful painting. The colors were changing from black and red to a faint black way overhead, and red, orange, yellow, pink, white, and blue, with a hint of gold, surrounding the rising sun. She stood up, watching the colors melt into each other, and turned around, heading inside.

She sat at the table, for breakfast, and just poked around her plate, unable to eat. The owls started screeching as the flew into the Great Hall with the mail. A copy of the Daily Prophet landed in front of Hermoine, and single envelopes fell onto Harry's and Ron's plates. Hayleigh looked up as a red envelope landed in front of her face.

"Gryffindor's got a howler!" a voice exclaimed. She turned, seeing Seamus nodding at her.

"You'd better open it, Hayleigh," Neville said. Hayleigh grabbed it, and ran from the Great Hall, not wanting anyone to hear what was going to be screamed at her. Oliver glanced at those around him, and went to stand up, when another voice cried out from the Slytherin table.

"Look, everyone! Malfoy's got himself a howler, too!" Draco stood, following Hayleigh out the door. The door had just slammed closed behind them when the envelopes opened.

"How dare you accuse me of killing your father!" Hayleigh's mother cried. Draco looked at his own envelope as his father cried out, "What makes you think I killed someone! You know better than that! It was that stupid headmaster of yours, wasn't it?"

"My reputation at the Ministry has been destroyed! You have ruined my life! Why would you believe I killed him?!" They looked at each other, wide-eyed, and listened as the voices of their parents became one, as they screamed out the same thing.

"You are hereby removed from the family as my child! I never want to see you around me again!" Hayleigh and Draco watched the envelopes shred themselves up, and they were stuck in the hall, still in shock, for a few moments more. They slowly turned, and reentered the Great Hall, not noticing that all eyes were on them. Hayleigh slowly made her way to her seat, and dropped down, without a word, staring at her hands. Slowly, the students began to talk again. The breakfast faded away, and Hayleigh stood, like a robot, following the students from the room.

She made her way out of the room, still surprised, still staring at her hands, and it wasn't until she walked right into the door, falling backwards to the floor, that she shook her head, knocking herself out of whatever trance she happened to be in. Hayleigh blinked a couple times, and looked up, to see Harry and Ron standing above her, with Oliver walking up.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked. They reached down, taking her hands, and helped her up. She shook her head.

"As of this morning, I no longer have a mother.she disowned me."

"Is that what your howler said?" Harry asked. Hayleigh nodded. Oliver opened his mouth to speak, but Ron smacked his hands together, causing them to jump.

"I thought of something! No mother means no home, right?" Hayleigh turned and looked at him.

"Yea." she said slowly.

"Why don't you live with my family? My parents loves you, you're practically their daughter! And, practically our sister!"

"Our?"

"Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred, George, Ginny, and me!" Hayleigh laughed.

"Well.that sounds great Ron. But you will have to check with your mum first."

"I know. But I'm positive she'll say yes." Hayleigh smiled, nodded.

"Sure Ron. I'd love to live with you guys!" She turned, and saw Draco, standing at the other door, a blank expression on his face. "I'll be right back, guys." She jogged over, and touched his shoulder. "Draco?"

"Yea?"

"How are you doing?" she asked. He shrugged.

"My father doesn't want me anymore."

"Don't you have an aunt?" He shook his head.

"They don't like me." Hayleigh thought for a second, turned her head, and turned back to him.

"I think I've thought of something to help you out.hang on." She jogged back.

"What's up, Hayl?" Oliver asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"Harry, I know your aunt and uncle hate wizards, so I'm not going to ask you, but.Ron? Oliver? Do either of you think you could house Draco this summer?" she asked.

"What?!" they exclaimed together.

"I know it sounds crazy, but.think about it. It would only be a couple months, and, even then, we can work the rest of the year trying to find him a wizarding family that would love to have him.a wizarding family around here..please?" she asked. Ron shook his head.

"My mum hates his family. She wouldn't take him in even if she wanted to." Hayleigh looked up at Oliver. He shook his head.

"Nuh-uh. No way. Hayleigh, don't you make me."

"Guys?" she asked, looking to Ron and Harry. "Could you excuse us for a moment?" They slipped out the door, and Hayleigh wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her lips against his, tripping him into the wall.

"Hayleigh." he began.

"Please? I feel I owe him.he did tell me who killed my father," she whispered, her lips beside his ear. Oliver sighed as she kissed his shoulder, and nodded.

"Fine." Hayleigh giggled, and walked over to Draco.

"Draco? Do you think you could get along with Oliver and his family for the summer?" Draco looked up.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. Oliver said he'd take you in if you needed it." Draco smiled.

"I'll make myself get along."

"Alright. You'll be happy, I promise." He smiled, and walked outside. Hayleigh slid her arms around Oliver, and kissed his cheek.

"You know that you owe me now, right?" he asked. She giggled.

"Okay, okay, fine."