The morning after their detention found the first years huddled in Harry and Ron's vacant dorm, Harry explaining what had happened the night before.
"It's Voldemort who's been killing the unicorns. He needs the blood to survive until he gets his hands on the stone. That's why Snape wants it - Voldemort's waiting in the forest for him to get it - that's why he's so determined. If Voldemort gets the stone what's to stop him coming back and finishing what he started ten years ago." Harry was visibly shaken by what had happened the previous night and Bella's anger that Draco had left him alone only increased.
"Harry, Voldemort has only ever been frightened of one wizard, Dumbledore. As long as he's around he won't hurt you, he can't." Hermione said in a soft voice.
"Will you stop saying the name." Ron hissed in fear.
"She's right Harry." Bella added, ignoring Ron.
"You're safe here."


Through all the trouble with the stone, Voldemort and her near attack in the woods, Bella still managed to sail through her exams. Some she found quite challenging, like Transfiguration, while others she aced, like Potions. It was with great glee that Bella dropped onto the grass beside the Black Lake having just finished her last exam. A sigh of content left her lips as she listened to Harry and Ron discussing Quidditch moves and Hermione, Freya and Emily arguing over the answers to their exams.
Harry got to his feet abruptly, drawing the attention of his friends around him
"What's wrong?" Ron asked.
Harry didn't answer him as he took off in a sprint across the grounds. The remaining first years all shared a look before jumping to their feet, following after Harry. By the time they caught up to him he was erratically pounding on the door to Hagrid's hut.
"Harry what are you doing?" Hermione panted.
Hagrid pulled the door open just as Harry raised his fist to pound it against the door again, a startled look on his face.
"What's the matter?" He asked.
"Hagrid, the man who gave you Norbert, what did he look like?" Harry asked.
Bella clicked almost immediately the reason for Harry's strange behaviour. If they were right in their suspicions then the stone was no longer safe.
"I didn' really see his face, had a hood he kep' up." Hagrid replied.
"What did you talk about? Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"I told him I've worked with different creatures before... he asked what kinds so I told him about Fluffy and I said after Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no bother." Hagrid laughed.
Bella's heart sank as Harry turned to them, fear present in his eyes. If the others hadn't caught on before they sure would now.
"Was he interested in Fluffy? Did he ask many questions?" Harry asked.
"Blimey Harry, who wouldn' be interested in a three headed dog! But I told him, I said, the best way to tame a creature is to know how to calm it." Bella thought her stomach was going to come tumbling out of her mouth any moment now.
"For Fluffy, all you need to do is play him some music and he falls straight to sleep." Hagrid smiled then a look of deep thought came over his face and his eyes widened as he realised what he had said.
It was too late. The first years had already set off at a sprint back to the castle. Hagrid's calls of 'Where ye going?' rang behind them but they were too close to the castle to turn back. They raced through the corridors and threw the door to Professor McGonagall's office open with such force that the windows shook and the woman in question jumped in fright.
"What is -"
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore, right now!" Harry breathed, cutting her off.
"I'm afraid you're too late. Professor Dumbledore had an urgent summons from the Ministry of Magic and has just departed for London."
Bella was sure her stomach would make an appearance now. She sank into one of the chairs closest to Professor McGonagall's desk and held her head in her hands.
"It's urgent!" Ron whined.
"More urgent than the Ministry of Magic, Mr Weasley?"
"It's about the Philosopher's Stone! Someone is going to steal it!" Harry nearly yelled.
"I don't know who told you about the stone but it is in perfectly safe hands, now off you go, back outside."
McGonagall ushered them from her office, closing the door on their protests.
"It's no coincidence." Harry was saying as they made their way down the corridor. "Snape sent that summons to get Professor Dumbledore out of the castle. He's going to try and steal the stone while he's away."
"Surely Dumbledore will come back when he realises the summons is false." Emily stated.
"It'll be too late by then. That's why I need to go tonight." Harry urged.
"Go? Go where?" Freya asked.
"Down the trapdoor. I'm going to stop Snape."


No amount of convincing would change Harry's mind. Tonight would be the night they were going to take the stone, if Snape hadn't already gotten to it.
"The cloak won't fit us all!" Harry fumed.
"We'll make it work Harry!" Hermione fumed back.
Harry was determined to do it all himself but no amount of arguing would change anyone's mind; they would go together or they wouldn't go at all. That lead the group of first years to be making their way to the third floor corridor at curfew later that night. Harry had been right of course, the cloak wouldn't conceal them all. Hermione, Ron, Harry and Emily were huddled under the cloak whilst Freya and Bella kept to the shadows. Ascending the staircases before they moved proved to be a challenge in itself but it was a challenge Bella wouldn't face. Before she could place even a toe on the staircase a hand clamped over her mouth and a strong arm circled her middle. Before she could comprehend what was happening she was dragged away from her friends, only able to watch as they became further and further away.
Panic set in as she realised she was completely at the mercy of whoever was dragging her small frame along the corridor. She was much smaller in size and weight than her captor and she was helpless. Another hand reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out her wand and she realised she was well and truly screwed. There were two of them, she had no chance now. She heard a door click open further along the corridor and didn't know whether to be more frightened or relieved as she was shoved into the darkness. Instead of falling onto the sold ground however, she landed on top of a soft surface.
"Geroff."
She realised at once she had fallen onto a person and scrambled to her feet.
"W-Who's there?" She called into the darkness.
"Weasley?" The voice drawled and she knew she could place that voice anywhere.
"Malfoy?"
The tip of his wand lit up, showering the tiny space in light and visible dust particles.
"What the hell is going on?" She asked him.
"I could ask you the same question." He drawled, placing his wand atop a dusty shelf.
"I was thrown in here not two minutes ago, how would I know what's happening." She growled.
She turned on her heel and pulled at the door handle. It didn't budge. She turned to glare at Draco.
"Well, open it then."
With a roll of his eyes Draco grabbed his wand from the shelf and squeezed past her. With a flick of his wrist and a call of 'Alohomora' he pulled at the door handle and again, it didn't budge. Bella growled and dropped to the floor against the wall. Draco sat his lit wand back on the shelf and dropped to the floor on the wall opposite her.
"I bet this was your idea." Bella growled.
"My idea? You're joking right? I'm stuck in here the same as you." Draco laughed.
"You've been trying to get me alone all year, why should I think now is any different?" She asked.
"Don't flatter yourself." He replied.
Bella rolled her eyes at him before dropping her head back against the stone wall. The pair sat in silence, not even sparing a glance at each other. This was not how Bella had expected her night to go and she could only hope the others were fairing better than she was. She hadn't been anywhere near him since their experience in the woods and that thought caused Bella to speak the first civil words between them.
"What happened in the forest that night? Why did you do what you did?"
Draco lifted his eyes to hers, taken aback by the forward question.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh come off it." She scoffed. "You stood in front of me when there was someone coming towards us and then you grabbed my hand. Why?"
Draco sighed as he laid his head against the stone wall behind him.
"I don't know why I did it. I just didn't want to see you hurt."
Bella didn't know what she expected him to say but it certainly wasn't that. She gaped at him before she too sighed and laid her head back against the wall, closing her eyes.
"I know you stole my potions textbook." She smirked, not opening her eyes.
She could feel Draco's eyes on her but still didn't open her own.
"I didn't steal your textbook."
"You are a horrible liar Draco." She laughed. If he noticed her genuine use of his given name he didn't comment on it.
"I am not." He laughed back.
She sat up straighter against the wall, bringing her knees tight against her chest.
"Why didn't you show McGonagall that letter? You had the proof that you were telling the truth, why didn't you use it."
"Because it wasn't supposed to be you with Potter."
Bella couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I had suspected your brother would be the one to take the dragon with Potter. If I'd known it was you I wouldn't have gone to her at all."
Bella took a minute to process his words before speaking again.
"You're so confusing you know that? One minute you're stuck-up, arrogant and full of yourself. The next you're laughing and joking with me and then you're saying things like that as if we're not supposed to hate each other."
"Who said I hate you?" He asked, finally looking at her.
"You act like you do."
"I think if one of us hates the other it's you that hates me. Or are you forgetting the beating I got from you before Christmas?"
"You were asking for it." Bella grumbled.
"I know."
Bella turned towards him to see him staring at the ceiling. The pair lapsed into another silence but this one was riddled with tension and unspoken words. Bella felt tiredness wash over her the longer she sat in the dimly lit cupboard with Draco. She stifled a yawn into the sleeve of her jacket.
"If you're tired go to sleep. I don't want to deal with a cranky Bella." Draco commented, looking into her sleepy eyes.
"And how do you suppose I do that?" Bella asked. "This cupboard is tiny."
Draco sighed before pushing himself to his feet and shuffling around in the small space and sliding down the wall to sit beside her.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Well Bella, I have a shoulder and you need a pillow." He drawled.
"I am not going to sleep on your shoulder." She said.
"Well do you have any better ideas?" He asked.
She looked around the small space and realised he was right. She lowered her head slowly to his shoulder and breathed in the scent of mint and parchment that lingered on his skin.
"I won't bite you know." He whispered as she finally settled her head comfortably against his shoulder.
She stiffened slightly but relaxed when she heard him chuckle beside her. She could feel her eyes drooping and the sleep she desperately needed overcame her.