A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long—school, homework, finals… it was a lot of work. But now its summer and I'm hoping to finish off one or two of my stories this summer! Woot!

IMPORTANT! Everyone needs to read this, because apparently last time some of you guys didn't read the A/N and therefore didn't get the message. The girl who was Adriana is now Danielle—just a name change because some people were getting confused. So same person, different name. I'll also go back and fix previous chapters so new readers get it too. Just keep that in mind and enjoy!

Chapter 13

February 23

Dear Sirius,

Danielle asked me out for coffee and I told her yes. I've been rereading my last letter and I'm really confused. Am I an alcoholic? I have no idea… and what's with my attack of Danielle? She was the one who always listened, who didn't judge.

Danielle already had the coffee when I met her, and we took a walk through Hogsmeade. I told her all of what was going on. At first she looked sympathetic, but then she looked angry.

"Harry!" she yelled, grabbing me by my shoulders and shaking me. "Listen to me. Who told you that you were an alcoholic?"

"N-no one," I said, surprised by her reaction. I just—"

"Your friend Ginny took you to that support group of alcoholics, right?"

"Well, yeah—"

"And Ron and Hermione have been telling you that you're different, you should change, blah, blah, blah."

"It wasn't exactly like that—"

"Harry, you must stop hanging out with these people! They're torturing your mind! They're destroying you! Listen to me. These people are trying to take away your individuality. They're trying to make you one of them. You've seen Ron and Hermione lately—all happy and jolly and lovey-dovey."

But not Ginny, I thought.

"Do you really want to become like that, Harry? Listen. You must stop associating with these people. Stop spending time with them altogether."

"But… they're the only people who'll still talk to me after I went through that… change. They're my only friends, Danielle."

"You've got me." She smiled.

"Harry?"

I spun around. Ron and Hermione were standing there, smiling but looking a little concerned.

"Who were you talking to?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"Oh." I smiled, relieved they hadn't overheard. "Guys, this is Danielle." I gestured to where she stood.

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances.

"Harry," Hermione said gently, "there's no one there." I spun around wildly. Hermione was right.

"Where did she go?" I asked.

"Harry, Ron and I saw you from back there." She pointed. "It took us a good five minutes to walk here. No one was here the whole time." She frowned slightly.

"She was here; I was just talking to her," I muttered. "I guess you just didn't see her."

It was a little odd, Sirius… maybe she just had somewhere to be and rushed off?

Sorry about that giant ink spill… Danielle just showed up in my dorm! She scared me so much I tipped the inkwell over. When I asked her how she came here, she just said "Walked" and avoided answering. She had two bottles in her hands and handed me one—it was a bottle of really strong whiskey from the Hog's Head, something I'd never had before. It was incredibly strong and burned on the way down.

"Where did you go this morning?" I asked her. "I was going to introduce you to my friends and when I looked back, you were gone."

"I had somewhere to be," she said quietly.

"Danielle," I said, taking the initiative, "I've known you for so long and still I don't know anything about you. What's your family like?"

She was quiet for a moment, then replied. "My parents live in London, in a small house in Godric's Hollow. My dad was a Quidditch player and sometimes we train together. My mom had a small job with Gringotts for a little while when I was growing up, but now they're both Aurors."

"Any brothers or sisters?"

She shook her head. "I've got one cousin on my mom's side, but we don't see him or his family that often. They're Muggles."

Something inside myself told me I should stop asking questions about her.

"So, now it's my turn," I said. "What would you like to know about me?"

She grinned devilishly, but in a cute way. "I already know everything about you, Harry."

"Oh really?" I teased. "What's my favorite color?"

"Green," she answered.

"When's my birthday?"

"July thirty-first."

"Who are my parents?"

She paused a moment, looking a little sad. "Were, Harry. Your parents—Lily and James Potter—are dead."

I turned and looking out the window, suddenly resenting this game.

"Harry?" she said softly. I turned around. Her blue eyes were ice. "Want to know your deepest, darkest secret?"

I said nothing.

"Your deepest, darkest secret," she continued, "is that your parents died. Then your guardian—your father, your brother—died and left you here, in this world. Your friends abandoned you. You've never had a real girlfriend, just that silly Cho Chang. No one loves you anymore—no silly little fan club, no Dumbledore, not even little Colin Creevey. Your secret, Harry James Potter, is that you're completely and utterly alone."

I said nothing as she got up and left, leaving her whiskey. Ginny came in as she was leaving.

"Harry, who were you talking to? And where did you get those?" she pointed to the two whiskey bottles.

"Danielle," I said miserably, answering both questions. "She's the one who walked out when you walked in."

"Is that supposed to be funny? No one has been in Gryffindor Tower besides you and me. I've been in the Common Room all night."

I said nothing to that, and Ginny left. I realized Danielle was right—I was alone.

I also said nothing as something wet fell onto the letter. Maybe there's a leak in the roof.

A/N: Let me know if you catch any of the subtleties in Harry's mind. Leave me lots of feedback!

OutofAzkaban

noisy lil brat- Thanks for the review, but could I please have some more feedback?

code112358132134- Thanks!

roxygurl25- Already explained who Danielle was. J

potts-Your reviews are always the best and the longest! Thanks for being so suck-uppy:P No really, I love it.

IamSiriusgrl- Thanks! Could I have more feedback?

ghst.sama-No one said he's gonna be a good boy and stop drinking and smoking. Sorry the update wasn't fast.