I unfortunately don't own the world of Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling does.

Just a quick thanks to Loonynamelass, Ariadne'sString, Xxxawesomedude01xxX, Luxord's Xigbar, ponykt, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, soccergurl31294, Slytherin96, translucent steeds, shootingcupcake, The Emerald Doe, XxMiSs. IdPeNdEnTxX, emcee31, Allen Pitt, BootsJim, LuckedClover, chickenchick, Reno Obsessed Fangirl, high-off-skittles-XP, Alex274, Rezurith Hope-less, A. ELK, Live to anger the World, Hobbit4Lyfe, PensiveGirl, The Last Gypsy Princess, mysteriouslife, Reality Bores Me, Sherlein, TheTudorRoseQueen, LexieAnn-loveandfiction, JanessaMoonm, asifyouknow, xSingerDream, Nastucia Carr, Jazzy-kins pixie, Ink Wings, Saiyuo12, Murphy Annen Thiamine, night-star-93, mmmgirl13, AshleyDiLorentis, Lumet, WarriorDarkAngel, and Rachael Hyuuga.

Just so you know, I'm writing 6 other stories as well. Thanks! :)

Chapter 55:

Joining the D.A.

Ariella took a deep breath. She was about to go to her first ever D.A. meeting and she would be lying if she said she wasn't scared. But she needed this…needed to belong to something worthwhile. And so, steeling herself for what was to come, she entered the room.

At first no one noticed her. But that was only at first. It was Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff in her year, who saw her first. His eyes immediately narrowed as he turned on her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice cold. Those who had heard Ernie turned at once; those who hadn't soon followed suit, seeing a commotion. Ariella backed up, suddenly unsure if she really belonged there at all.

"I – I was invited," she managed to stutter out, looking wildly out at the various faces of her peers.

"Oh really? And you expect us to believe that? That someone would really invite you? Tell us then, who invited you?" Another kid taunted, though she wasn't sure who he was, just that he was another Hufflepuff.

"I did," a quite voice said from behind the mob, and all eyes turned to face Harry Potter. Some gaped.

"I invited her," he repeated.

"But – but why?" another voice asked – she recognized it as Dennis Creevey's voice. What was he doing here? she mentally asked herself. Dennis was only a second year.

"Because she belongs here as much as all of you do," Harry replied.

"No – wait. If, not counting Harry, you all want me to leave, then I will, no questions asked, and I won't tell either," she announced quietly.

"Ariella, that's not – "

"Harry, that's the only fair way to do this," she interrupted quickly, cutting off her new friend a bit sharper then she had intended.

She caught the group before her exchanging looks and glancing at her suspiciously.

"Now then…who wants me to leave?" she asked, gulping.

Slowly, people began to raise their hands, some giving immediate response, others unsure of whether or not to trust her.

"Well then, it's decided. She stays. Now, back to work, come on," Harry ordered.

"We're working on Patronuses right now. You know what they are, right?" he said, walking over to her.

"Yeah – I tried conjuring one before, though I never got very far," she admitted.

"Try it again. I'll be around," he encouraged. Turning, he began to walk away when she stopped him, her voice soft.

"Thank you."

Harry flashed her a quick smile before continuing his walk around the room. Turning to face away from everyone, she went to draw her wand…when she realized she still didn't have one. Sighing, she watched everyone else's performance, trying very hard to ignore the glares some were directing at her. She wished desperately that she had a wand, but she supposed it could have been worse. Umbridge could still have it…

"How were classes?" she asked, not looking up as Draco came to stand beside her, instead just handing him a mug of steaming butterbeer. However, he didn't seem to care as he put it directly back down upon the counter.

"Fine. Listen, do you have a moment?" he asked, his voice rushed and slightly nervous, making Ariella look up at him. He was staring back at her with something alight in his grey eyes that she couldn't quite identify. But this was so unlike him…

"Is something wrong?"

"I – I got your wand back," he replied. Ariella just stared at him.

"You – you what?" she gasped, not quite believing her ears.

"I got your wand from Umbridge." He repeated.

"Can – so am I allowed to have it then?" she asked, unwilling to believe what he was telling her…that he would have actually gotten her wand away from that women.

"Er – no. I think she put a charm on it or something, to let my father know if you get it back. But I did tell Umbridge that since you were my servant, not hers, that your wand technically belonged to me."

"Is – is that true?" she inquired quietly. Draco looked at her, and for the briefest moment, his gaze softened.

"If it is, will you think any differently of yourself?" he questioned. She looked down, putting one arm across her chest.

"It would certainly explain a lot," she muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"I – I can't cast any harming spell against a Malfoy. I can't even cast a simple spell against your father, come to think of it."

"You've tried?"

"Expelliarmus, nothing serious," she replied nonchalantly, but Draco could detect the slight fear that lingered in her eyes all the same.

"But to answer your question, no, I can't give it back to you. I – I'm not risking you receiving an extra punishment because of it. However, I do think that once in the presence of my father, so long as you're not at the Manor, you might get it back," he explained.

Ariella looked up at him, slightly stunned. How he had changed over the years amazed her. Sure, in some ways he was still the same boy from first year, but in other ways…the boy from first year, or even parts of last year would never have even thought to get her wand from Umbridge, let alone kept it just so she wouldn't be punished. But now…well, now she wasn't quite sure what to think of her young master.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Come to me if you need anything done by magic. And that's an order," he directed, but there was an ever-so-slight hint of a smile playing across his face that gave her reassurance. Nodding in confirmation, he patted her shoulder once, before walking off to join his friends. Sighing, she turned away; in some ways, it was just too painful.

"Ariella!" Harry called, startling the girl from her thoughts. Her eyes snapped in to focus on the boy in front of her.

"Sorry, what did you ask?" she asked, embarrassed.

"Do you want to borrow my wand?" Harry inquired patiently.

"What? No – I – no, thank you, but – "

"Ariella, I don't need it right now. And you won't get any better if you don't practice," he said, his voice calm as he interrupted her, quite obviously sensing her nervousness.

"Ar – are you sure?"

"Positive," he replied firmly, handing her his own wand, before going to check on his other "students" once more. The minute she held it, she could feel the power in it – the pure magic.

Taking a deep breath, she whispered,

"Expecto Patronum."

Of course, nothing happened, so she tried again, her voice louder and firmer this time. Still nothing. Again and again she tried, slowly growing frustrated with herself – why couldn't she produce even a vapor or a shield? The best she was getting was a slight silver trickle that quickly disappeared.

"Try thinking of your parents," a voice said behind her – the same voice that had startled her before no less.

"What?" Ariella was surprised, and couldn't see how that would help.

"The first time I conjured a shield, I thought of my parents," Harry explained quietly. "I thought that maybe thinking of yours might help you do the same. Perhaps think of your sister, too."

Stunned and soothed a bit, she nodded, not sure why he had chosen to share something so personal with her. But she did as he suggested all the same. Inhaling slowly, she closed her eyes, letting her mind drift to the very few memories she had of her family, and her free hand clenched around the locket she wore underneath her robes. Then, when she felt ready, she said the magic words again.

This time, something happened. She could feel it even before she opened her eyes. This time she had produced something far better then a silver lake. It was a real patronus. When she finally opened her eyes, she found that not only Harry was staring at her, but the rest of the room as well.

"What did I do?" she demanded to know, turning on Harry as a blush rose over her cheeks at the attention.

"You conjured a patronus," he replied quietly. "It was in the shape of a lion cub." Ariella's eyes widened.

"I – I'm sorry," she whispered after a moment, before thrusting Harry's wand back into his hands and running out of the room.

She ran until she was more then a safe distance away, before she collapsed to the ground. She wasn't even sure why she had run. Slowly regaining her breath, the tears were gone, and she was ashamed to admit that she was scared. Rising slowly to her feet, she grudgingly began the journey back to the Slytherin Common Room when pain suddenly seared in her arm and it took all of her willpower not to cry out in pain. Lucius Malfoy was calling her, and if the amount of pain she was in was any indication, he was not happy; not happy at all.

So I know you're probably sick of hearing it, but I'm really, really sorry about the huge delay. I'll try to be quicker on putting out the next chapter! Thank you so much to everyone for putting up with my craziness! :)

Anything you recognize is from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Thanks to all who are reading and enjoying this story. If you have any suggestions, (i.e. would like to see something happen, etc.) questions, or comments, please feel free to private message me. Thanks! ~ Leanora