So, I hope everyone had a very Happy Holdiay! And I'm so very sorry that it took me longer than I said it would to update. My bestest friend ever from Missouri came down to visit and she stayed at my house Sunday night, and we went shopping all day Monday, so today was the first day I could update. I hope you all like it! And by the way Georgia, I'm glad you're liking the story and the twins!

Chapter Sixteen

Do You Believe in Second Chances?

That night in the Common Room was fun. Harry and Ron had managed to get a bunch of butterbeers and food from somewhere, presumably the kitchens, and now the whole House was feasting and showing off there new possessions. Every now and then there would be a loud pop, and you would see someone transforming into a canary and back again, feathers flying everywhere.

After Cailee had stormed out of the shop she had been in with Malfoy, she met up with Brian back at the Three Broomsticks. He had taken her around to all the other shops and bought her a few things, including a black and white sketch of them. Cailee loved that picture dearly and really missed it when she or Brian would be out of the frame.

The partying continued until well past midnight. Most of the younger kids had gone to bed, up till fourth year, and everyone else at the party was starting to settle down. It had been rather quiet, and the popping sounds were less and less frequent. Cailee stretched out on a couch and listened to the buzz of chatter around her. She felt so at home here, surrounded by these people. Even though they couldn't take place of her family and her realm, this was as good as it got while she was away. Cailee looked into the fire, concentrating hard, trying to picture each one's face, but it was hard. It had been five months since she had last seen them, and she hadn't brought a picture of them along. That was mostly because of her dad, he didn't want someone to see it and realize who and what Cailee was. And that was the hardest thing of all, keeping these secrets from some of the people she cared about most.

The next morning, after she had dressed and gone down to the Common Room, Ginny came up to her, holding a piece of parchment in her hand.

"Look at this, Cailee," she said, shoving the parchment in her hand.

ATTENTION ALL UPPER CLASSMEN

Get Ready for the Biggest Party of the Year

December 17 Last Day of Term

8-00 to….?

Believe us, You Will NOT Want to Miss This!

"Where did you get this, Gin?" Cailee asked.

"Found it under our door this morning," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "I assumed everyone would get one."

"Maybe we did," Cailee said.

"So, are you gonna go?"

"I don't know. I don't really want to go, not after the last party."

"But Cailee, that was three months ago, this is going to be different."

"Maybe, Ginny, we'll see," Cailee said, heading downstairs to breakfast.

That weekend passed rather slow, Cailee thought. She, Brian, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Dean, and Seamus did a lot of studying in the library, along with Brian's friends. They had one more week to go until mid-terms, and Cailee was starting to feel the pressure. That was do mostly to Hermione, who, every time someone turned around to talk to her, she would utter a spell, or incantation, or something that had to do with her lessons. It was becoming increasingly hard to hold a conversation with her without her bringing up tests every few minutes. Cailee realized she didn't need the extra pressure. She was really beginning to like it here, at Hogwarts, and she wanted to stay for her seventh year, too. After all, Caleb had gotten to stay for four years and finish out his schooling, why couldn't she? So she knew the plan was going to be disrupted a little. Her father had cleared it with Dumbledore that it didn't matter how bad she did on the exams, she wouldn't be staying another year. But since she did want to stay, she did need to pass these to at least have the credits she needed to continue on her final year. But the hardest thing was going to be convincing her dad she did deserve to stay.

The following Monday, in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lupin brought up the slip of parchment Ginny had received.

"I trust that you students received your invitations to this year's Winter Ball, and if you haven't, I'm sure you'll be receiving one soon. Professor Dumbledore thought it would be to your benefit that you received some time off to enjoy yourselves, and unite yourselves with people from other houses. Especially now, more than ever, with the Dark Lord on the rise. I do not know how to stress the importance of unity, trust, loyalty, and respect between all of you. But, if you all want the Dark Lord to be vanquished, and live no longer with the shadow of death in your lives', I suggest you learn it." He said, and with that, he continued on with his lesson.

Cailee had begun to contemplate going, even though she hadn't received an invitation yet. But she needn't worry about that. She had more important things to think about, for instance, her internship. She was extremely nervous to go to Transfiguration that day; she wondered whether or not she'd been put on the waiting list as a Medic Witch.

Her class was deadly quiet when McGonagall walked in. She looked at them through her glasses, and then, for the first time Cailee had seen, she smiled.

"Today, class, you will be writing your resumes. Your names were all sent to your potential supervisors, and you've all been accepted in one of your Career field choices. Those who are getting good grades and showing excellent talent here were put on their first choice lists, and after that, if there was room, some of you other students were placed on your first choice also. But not most of you. I will be sending around the list of what internship you've been selected for, and I will start you on your resumes. I realize that you would never have expected this of me, but it is imperative you know what you are doing after Hogwarts. And what you signed up for now I know you might not be after school, but at least you have a direction to go in. There were some jobs that you weren't allowed to go into, like Aurors and Unspeakables in the Department of Mysteries. It would have been to dangerous for you, as well as the people in them, so I'm sorry to say those of you who signed up for those were bumped down to you other choices. Now, if you'll please—" She continued on, but the acceptant list had finally reached her. She glanced down the roll of parchment almost two-and-a-half feet long, and found her name about three-fourths of the way down.

Cailee Ooteropeia Medic-Witch

She was excited now! She couldn't believe she'd actually made it onto the list of her first choice! She continued to listen to Professor McGonagall ramble on for ten minutes or so, before she set out a copy of the resume she'd sent in when she'd applied for her position as Transfiguration teacher so many years ago. They each received a copy to reference if they needed at any time. The class was abuzz of excitement and chatter while students talked about what they had received. Hermione had signed on as a Healer, Harry and Ron as Pro-Quidditch players, Dean as an employee in the Department of International Sports, and Seamus as an employee in the Department of Security and Defense. Seamus had sort of surprised Cailee with that decision; she didn't see him as a security person, or someone to work on combat forces.

Lunch came, and the rest of the afternoon sort of dragged on. Muggle Studies was a total bore war; Cailee found it so hard to stay awake, while Hermione sat next to her wide-eyed and happy. Cailee had no clue as to why Hermione was even taking this class, she had grown up a Muggle.

The next morning, Cailee received her invitation. It was different than the one Ginny had gotten. This one told her it was formal, and she was to wear her dress robes, and other stuff like that. But she also got two other packages. She opened one and found a bracelet with star charms all over it, and one letter of her name inscribed on each one. She thought it weird, since there was no name of who had sent it to her. So she opened up the next one, a letter from someone she least expected.

Cailee,

I don't know what to do to make you realize how sorry I truly am. Since you won't talk to me, I guess I'm going to have to communicate with you through the post. But, honestly, I am sorry. I probably sound desperate talking and carrying on like this, but I guess I am. I'm desperate to have you back in my life. I'm desperate to talk to you again. I'm desperate to hear your laughter. I'm desperate for my friend. Cailee, please, please, please, do not hold what I did against me. It was a mistake, and I wish I had never done it.

Draco

Cailee reread the letter twice. Part of her wanted to rip it up and throw it away, the other part wanted to go over and talk to him now and see what he really meant. But she decided on the first decision. She ripped it up into tiny pieces, and let them all flutter into her porridge. And out of the corner of her eye, she knew he had seen it. But there was still the bracelet. What should she do? She decided to put it back in its box, and retie it to the owl that had brought it, which was still sitting at the table, picking at her bacon. The owl fluttered off, and Cailee wondered where the bracelet would go.

She wasn't going to be quick to forgive Malfoy. He had seriously hurt her. He had tried to violate her, and he had tried, and succeeded for the most part, in smearing her reputation. She sometimes walked down the hall and still had guys smack her butt and whistle. It was quite annoying. That was probably the one thing holding her back. The one reason she didn't want to stay at Hogwarts. But maybe, and she truly hoped, it would all blow over. But she doubted it.

That whole week, all she got in the post were presents and apology letters from Malfoy. And each one she had ripped up and sent back. She couldn't believe he was so vain as to think he could win her over with presents and sob-story letters. And that irritated her all the more.

"Go, I'll catch you guys up. Tell Flitwick I'll be late," Cailee said one day, after lunch. She really had to go to the bathroom, she was feeling seriously ill, and she didn't want Hermione waiting on her. After a couple minutes in the bathroom, she emerged into a deserted corridor. She walked quickly, trying to get to class, when out of nowhere she heard running footsteps. She turned around and saw Malfoy running, his robes open, and his bag slipping off his shoulder. She waited till he caught up to her. She lowered her eyes and snarled, "What do YOU want with ME?"

"Cailee, do you believe in second chances?" he asked, panting slightly, and readjusting his robes. She was stunned by the question, it was just too random. She thought out all possible answers she could give him, and his responses, but could see no trap in it.

"Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Don't I deserve one? People mess up Cailee, they do. I messed up. And all I'm asking for is a second chance. Is that so hard?"

She thought deeply. She was quiet for a few minutes and then said, "No, it's not hard to give you a second chance. It is hard to forgive you of what you've done to me."

"Cailee, please, I had no idea it would be so hard. I didn't think this out. Actually, I rarely ever do think things out, but—" he slumped down on the floor, and rested his head on his bent knees. Cailee sat down opposite him.

"I swear had I known the way things really were, this would have never happened."

"Draco, that's the one thing that bothers me the most. Youdid believe those things. I thought I knew you enough, and I thought you knew me enough to know I wouldn't do those things. I'm not a whore. I don't sleep with guys. Those were all rumors Parvarti and Lavender started because Parvarti was jealous that I was close friends with Seamus. That's it."

"Are you serious?" he asked, jerking his head up.

"I'm so serious Malfoy. Why would I lie?"

"You wouldn't. I can't believe those two. All those horrible rumors, and the awful situations they've put you in, out of pity jealousy. Like I said Cailee, I don't know why I did what I did, but you have no idea how much I regret it. It's like…I don't know how to explain it. It's kind of like coming to a fork in the path. And each time you come to it, you take the same path; for instance, each time I go right. I know the right path so much, but then I start to wonder, What would happen if I went left? Then one day I do go left. And it's the worse decision I've ever made. I'm separated from the things I love most, the people who meant the most special to me. And I regret ever going left. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I do Draco," she said, smiling up at him. He would never know she was in that situation right now. She could have continued going right the rest of her life and live with her family. But then, she decided to go left, to accept a mission, and was separated from those she loved.

"Cailee, I am, so, so, so sorry. I hope you believe me, and I hope one day, you can forgive me."

She stood up, and looked down at him. The she reached out her arm for his hand and pulled him up.

"I already do forgive you," she said, and pulled him close to her.

Draco was kind of stunned at this, but then he put his arms around her and hugged her like he would never be able to again.

Author's Notes: Hope you liked it. Earlier when I was talking about Seamus's job in the Department of Security and Defense, what I meant for him to be was one of those people who were called in during the third book to clean up the mess after Sirius had supposedly killed all those Muggles. Do you get it? And I totally didn't remember any names from the books about the Departments, so I made some up. If you do know the actual names let me know, and I will go back and edit that. Keep reviewing! It's almost Christmas time, some of the best chapters in the story!