Bridget sat in the library later that week, researching animagus for Professor Lupin's seventh year class. It was a Friday night and while Bridget had a few offers to go out, she wasn't really interested. She loved Transfiguration and working with Professor Lupin was something that Bridget looked forward to. They were a lot a like and both enjoyed the other's company. Bridget told her professor a lot of things that she never told other people. She looked at him more as a mentor and less as a teacher with each day that passed. Remus regarded her as his favourite student. Still, each got the feeling that they knew each other from somewhere else, though, neither one of them could put their finger on it. Bridget sighed and looked through a book. The teacher said that many students wouldn't make it to actually being an animagus, but it was important for them to know the process. Bridget proceeded to tell him that Professor McGonagall mentioned that she was going to write a letter of recommendation for her.

This is boring, Bridget looked out the window, wishing that she had decided to go with her sister to watch Quidditch practice. The first game of the year was in two weeks: Slytherin verses Gryffindor. She sighed again and began looking through a different book.

"How's research going Bridget?" a small first year with glasses and pigtails asked her.

Bridget glared at her, "You know, this would be a whole lot easier if I could use google." The one thing she missed about living in the Muggle world was the usage of computers. They made life so much simpler and easier. Her sister had just gotten her a brand new computer for Christmas. It made the girl angry that she didn't get to use it here. Maybe I'll ask Professor McGonagall if she can make it so that computers can be used.

"Oh, Bridget. Good old fashioned reading never hurt anyone." Somehow, Bridget knew that that's exactly what Professor McGonagall would say. Her favourite teacher was very insistent on things being done her way. Most of the time, her way was the old fashioned way.

"I'm sure it doesn't," Bridget said as she looked down at the book and began copying what it said. She was becoming impatient with the distraction from her work. Bridget wanted to get out of the library at a decent time. Though she didn't exactly worry about the events from the previous year, she didn't want to take the chance of something like that happening and she was out in the halls. Her mother's motto was always 'better safe than sorry,' and it stuck with Bridget, even to this day."

There's a dance coming up."

"Once again, captain obvious saves the day." Bridget said saracastically as she slammed a book shut. She had enough of the obvious statements from God. All she wanted to do was get her work done so she could hang out with her friends and sister. She was looking forward to a weekend off because Professor Lupin said that if she finished the work early, she didn't have to be into work that weekend. While Bridget liked spending time with him. She really missed her sleep and it was definitely a priority.

"I want you to go."

"Are you going to conjure me up a date. Because I really don't have anyone to go with. In case you don't know, I broke up with George. Seriously someone that was omniscient would know that it was a really bad break up and I hardly doubt that he would be willing to take me to a dance because God told me to go to a dance with him."

"That's right! George did break up with you! It's perfect!" The girl beamed, "This will make make it easier for you to ask Draco Malfoy."

"Are you kidding me?" Bridget exclaimed and jumped up, "He'll sick his crazy evil friends on me! He killed Dumbledore!"It was true that Bridget didn't think that he was a bad person, she still didn't want her friends to know that she was associating with him. He was bad news and everyone knew it. Guilty by association as her Grandmother always said.

God looked at her sternly, "He didn't kill him."

"Yeah, well he tried."

"But he didn't. There's more to that boy than you know. Ask him to the dance."

"But what if . . ." Bridget began.The girl walked out of the library as She held Her hand up in the air. I hate it when He does that, she turned back to her work as she sighed yet again and closed the book she had just opened.."What have I gotten myself into?" Bridget sighed as she proceeded to pick up another book.

"So, are you going to the dance Bridget?" Ginny asked later that day. The two were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room working on homework. It was a ritual that every night around six o'clock the two girls would get together and work on the day's homework. While the two would gossip more than do their work, it was still fun none the less.

Bridget nodded, "Yeah."

"Any idea who you want to go with?"

Bridget shrugged, "I sort of have to ask someone as a favour to someone else."

"Who is it?" Ginny was surprised that Bridget didn't tell her right away that she was planning on asking someone to the dance. This was generally news that she would write to Ginny in a note or tell her as soon as they started working on their homework.

"Draco Malfoy."Ginny dropped the book that was in her hand, "Why the hell would anyone want you to ask HIM to the dance?"

"I donno." Bridget was suddenly wishing that she never told her best friend. She felt uncomfortable. The girl knew that Ginny would not understand, more than that, she would never understand that the only reason why she was asking him was because God was telling her to.

"Do you not know that he killed Dumbledore!" Ginny was looking at her friend as if she just sprouted an extra head. This was insane. How could someone like Bridget want to ask someone like him? He was the reason why the war had gotten so bad.

"He didn't kill him," Bridget protested.

"So, he tried."

"But he didn't."

"It doesn't make a difference."

"It makes all the difference in the world," Bridget said, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date to catch." Bridget left the common room and ran all the way towards the Great Hall where students were beginning to file in for dinner. Bridget looked to Draco's normal spot, sure enough he was sitting there, miserably playing with his food. It's now or never, Bridget thought as she took a deep breath and walked over to him. She tried not to notice the looks she was given as she moved closer to the Slytherin dining table.

"Hi," Bridget said cheerfully as she sat next to him.

"What do you want?"As he looked up and glared at her, she noticed that in his grey eyes was a look of pain that she had never seen before. It was the type of pain that only one thing could fix. Unfortunately, no one would give him what he needed. Bridget began to see why God wanted her to help him. He's more in need of a friend than I realised, the girl thought and decided that she was not backing down.

"Well, I was . . ." she began, not exactly sure of his reaction or just what to say.

"Don't you have the golden trio to hang out with." Draco snapped as he looked at her. She looked at him with an almost defiant look in her eyes. She was not backing down. The stubbornness and rebelliousness wouldn't let her.

Bridget looked taken aback though she tried to hide it, "Well, if you're going to be that way, I won't ask you."

"Ask me what?" Draco suddenly looked defensive. Bridget thought that he must have thought that she was going to ask about what happened that night in the tower with Dumbledore. I wonder how many other people have asked him.

"If you wanted to go to the masquerade with me, but seeing I have to hang out with the golden trio . . ."

Draco's face changed completely, "You want to go to the dance with me?"

"Sure," Bridget nodded.

"You're not afraid I'll give you to You-Know-Who?"

"Nah, he doesn't scare me as much as my sister's going to when she finds out I stole her Louis Vuitton purse." She cringed at her joke. It was probably not the best thing to say to someone who has met him face to face.

Draco laughed, making Bridget feel a little more at ease with what she had just said, "Alright. I guess I'll go."

"Cool." Bridget smiled, "I'll think of ideas for costumes. If you come up with any, let me know."

"Alright," Draco said as he smiled, "You know you're the first person that's talked to me since last year. Everyone's afraid of me, even my so-called friends."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I guess though, it's better to find out when you don't really need them than to find out when you really need their help. My grandmother used to say that it's better to find out before you actually need them. I know what that's like. I used to get into trouble a lot as a kid."

"I suppose you're right."

"Anyway, if you ever want to eat with someone, I sit right over there."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind."

"Well, I have to go. My sister will send out a search party if I'm not at the table. She's really worried since everything that happened last year."

Draco nodded as his face fell, "She has a reason to be. It's all my fault."

Bridget couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. He was put in a position that he didn't want to be in. She was reminded of a little boy that was lost in a store and crying for his mother, running up and down the aisles but still not finding who he needed.

"It's not your fault. You made a bad choice. You're not perfect Draco. No one expects you to be."

"Whatever," Draco said as he looked away.He was ashamed. Bridget could tell from the look in his eyes.

"Well, I'm going to go now. I'll talk to you later on this week. We have a month to come up with some costume ideas.""Yeah."Bridget walked over to the Gryffindor table and took her place next to Harry and Hermione.

"What were you talking to him for?" Hermione asked with intense dislike in her voice.

"I asked him to go to the masquerade with me," Bridget replied as she buttered a roll.

"You did what?" Harry and Hermione exclaimed at the same time.

"Asked him to the masquerade." The reaction that Bridget knew was she was going to get soon followed.

"I thought you weren't going." Harry said with hurt in his voice. As much as she didn't want to hurt Harry, she couldn't bring herself to hurt him. She cared about him, but she could never feel the same way that he felt about her. It was now that Bridget started to realise it. She shrugged uncomfortably, "I wasn't planning on it, but I owe a favor to someone."

"Who?"

"Someone," Bridget said as she avoided the eyes of the two. That's all I need, Bridget thought to herself, for my sister to write to Amelia telling her that God's telling me to ask Draco Malfoy to the dance.

"You can't be serious!" Her sister said, "Do you know what kind of trouble he is?"

"I don't think that he's as bad as everyone says he is. I just think that he's trying to live up to his reputation." Bridget tried feebly to defend her choice but she knew that she was failing miserably.

"Your funeral," Harry said bitterly.

"Yeah, it is." Bridget retorted sarcastically, the defiance rising up in her once again, "But I think you'd do well to stop accusing him for things that he didn't do. He was there. Just like you were there when Cedric Diggory died. But I don't see anyone going around blaming you for his death."

"No I don't," Harry said cooly as he got up and stormed out of the Great Hall.

"That was below the belt!" Hermione yelled at her sister, "I can't believe you would even say something like that!"

"I was making a point Hermione. I wasn't trying to hurt his feelings."

"Right, well, I hope you realize the kind of trouble you're getting yourself into by going with him."

"Don't be silly Hermione. He's not as bad as you think."

"Whatever you say. Just promise me you'll be careful." It was the first time that she had heard genuine concern for her well being in his sister's voice.

She smiled, "I will."