Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors to the Great Hall where they were joined shortly after by the students from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, all with confused expressions on their faces.

"Do you know what's going on?" asked Cedric, catching up to Bella in the Great Hall.

"It's Sirius Black. He tried to get in to Gryffindor Tower." Cedric's jaw dropped and he stammered in response.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Yeah." replied Bella.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle and the grounds." called Professor Dumbledore over the low chatter in the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will all need to spend the night here. I want the Prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbances should be reported to me immediately." Dumbledore said directly to Percy who was looking extremely proud of the responsibility he had been given. "Send word with the ghosts."

Dumbledore paused on his way out of the hall and said, "Oh dear, yes, you'll be needing -"

He waved his wand and the four long tables moved to the side of the room, standing against the wall. He waved his wand again and the floor of the hall was littered with hundreds of purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well." said Professor Dumbledore with a smile, closing the door behind him.

The hall was immediately abuzz with excited chatter; the Gryffindors telling the animated story of what had happened to the Fat Lady.

"Into your sleeping bags, come on now!" barked Percy. "Lights out in ten minutes."

"You ought to lighten up, Percy." said Bella with a roll of her eyes.

"Do you think you're funny?" said Percy.

"She's extremely funny, unlike you." said Fred, draping his arm over her shoulders.

"You might want to take that stick out your arse, it must be painful." said George.

"Shut up and go away." said Percy, striding away to the other side of the hall.

"Come on." said Ron, "Let's go over here."

The six third years grabbed a sleeping bag and pulled them over to the wall. Fred and George joined them, along with their best friend, Lee Jordan.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" asked Hermione quietly.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he is." said Freya.

The pain in Bella's head returned with vengeance. The pain travelled from the back of her neck right round to her eyes and she clutched her head discreetly, trying to block out the sounds around her. She could hear people talking around her but couldn't focus on her words; couldn't focus on anything other than the pain coursing through her skull.

"Light's are going out now." yelled Percy. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

Bella crawled into her sleeping bag, the pain in her head draining all of her energy. The hall fell silent and it wasn't long before people around her began to snore softly, others deep breathing indicating they too were asleep. Bella lay on her back, unable to relax long enough to fall asleep. She tossed and turned and eventually gave up trying to get comfortable. She lay on her back again, her eyes clasped shut, hoping if she lay like this long enough she would fall asleep. When she eventually fell asleep, it was broken. She was awoken every few hours with the blinding pain increasing each time. By the time the rest of the castle was awake, Bella was extremely tired, snapping at anyone and everyone for every little thing.

Bella's exhaustion carried on for the days following the break-in and by the time the first Quidditch match rolled around she was extremely ill. The pain in her head had reached excruciating levels and she was beginning to feel nauseous. She sat quietly at the breakfast table, holding her stomach gently under the table.

"Come on, Bella, please eat something." urged Ron, buttering her some toast and placing it onto the plate in front of her.

"I'm just not hungry." she replied. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her slightly shivering frame towards him.

"You don't look too good, Bella. Maybe you should sit this one out?" said Freya softly.

"Absolutely not." said Bella. "Harry and Cedric are playing today and I want to support them both. Fred and George too, of course."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" asked Ron.

"Yeah. I'll be okay." she smiled.

Ron ate the remainder of his breakfast one-handed as he held Bella against him with the other. This was typical of the twins when one was sick. Bella fussed over Ron normally as well as when he was sick but Ron would act worse than their mother when Bella was sick. Clothing her in his thickest jumper, wrapping her in an array of blankets and cuddling up with her until she fell asleep. She was daft to think this time would be any different.

"Have any of you seen Seamus?" asked Bella, pushing slowly away from Ron so she was sitting up again.

The others shook their heads.

'I wonder where he is' Bella whispered under her breath as they headed out to the Quidditch pitch.

Seamus was still nowhere to be seen up in the stands and even Dean hadn't seen him.

"I saw him this morning before I left for breakfast but I haven't seen him since, sorry Bella." he said sadly.

"It's okay Dean, don't worry about it." Bella assured him.

She sat down on the bench beside Ron and pulled her Gryffindor scarf tighter around her. She could feel herself shivering occasionally and she knew being out here in the cold would only make her feel worse but she wanted to support her friends in the Quidditch match. Ron pulled her closer to him and wrapped his coat around her shoulders so they were both huddled under it. The roar of the crowd hit her ears and she cringed, recoiling away from the sound that echoed in her ears, huddling closer to Ron.

"Bella." said Ron worriedly. "Please, will you go back to the dorm and get some rest? You'll only make yourself more ill out here."

"I want to support them -" Bella began coughing violently, so much so Ron thought she was going to be sick.

"Bella, if you don't go right now I'll write to mum." Even with the threat Ron couldn't help but speak softly to her when she looked at him with her sad eyes.

"Are you sure the boys won't mind?" she replied.

"I'm sure they would rather you got better." said Ron.

"You'll tell them I'm sorry, won't you?" she asked.

"Of course I will." he replied. "Now go and get some rest. My jumper is at the bottom of my trunk if you want it."

Bella said goodbye quickly, rushing out of the stands before the volume of the crowd became more intense. By the time she made it back to Gryffindor Tower she was exhausted and the pain in her head had only increased. She held her head in her hands as she climbed the stairs to the boys dorm. Without thought she pushed open the door to the boys dorm and she stopped abruptly in her tracks. Seamus was lying in his bed, Lavender Brown cuddled up in his arms. He kissed her just as Bella entrered the dorm and when he saw her he flew from the bed, leaving Lavender lying there, a look of outrage on her face. Bella turned on her heel, not knowing where to go but refusing to stay in Gryffindor Tower.

"Bella, wait!" Seamus yelled after her but she continued on.

The excruciting pain in her head and the dull ache in her chest tore her thoughts from where she was walking and before she knew it she'd walked straight into the dungeon corridor.

"Bella, please!" cried Seamus, finally catching up to her and pulling on her arm to bring her back to him.

She wrenched her arm from his grip violently and he stumbled backwards in surprise.

"Don't touch me." said Bella lowly.

"Please!" cried Seamus. "Let's just talk about this."

"Talk about what, Seamus?!" Bella yelled. "About how you've been cheating on me with that slapper! I knew there was something going on between you two!"

Bella pointed, with a shaky hand, down the corridor behind Seamus to where Lavender was standing and the girl scoffed.

"Oh please. Have you looked in the mirror?"

Bella saw red and she launched herself at the blonde-haired girl, but she never reached her. A pair of strong arms encircled her middle and lifted her into the air, pulling her away from Lavender. Bella struggled against her captor, kicking her legs and thrashing her arms.

"Leave, Finnegan." Draco's deep voice growled and Bella struggled even harder.

"Put me down!" she screamed but Draco didn't release her.

"Bu-but." stammered Seamus.

"Now." sneered Draco.

"This is none of your business, Malfoy." said Seamus, finally finding his voice.

Draco put Bella down on the ground but held her behind him as she fought to get past him.

"You made it my business when you started a screaming match in the dungeon corridor. Now leave."

Seamus looked beyond Draco to where Bella stood, leaning slightly on him with her head against his shoulder blade, taking deep, heaving breaths.

"Just go, Seamus." she breathed, lifting her head from Draco's shoulder.

Seamus turned away from them, strode right past Lavender and up the steps to the Entrance Hall. Lavender scoffed and headed after him with a roll of her eyes and dramatic flick of her hair. Draco turned and saw Bella on the ground, one arm wrapped around her knees and the other clutching her head.

"Are you okay?" he asked, kneeling in front of her with his hand on her knee.

"I'm okay. Just a sore head." she groaned.

"I think you need to go and see Pomfrey, Bella, you don't look well." he said worriedly.

"Gee thanks, just what every girl wants to hear." she retorted dryly, standing and wobbling slightly on her feet.

"You know what I meant." he replied. "You're coming with me, come on."

Draco took her hand and pulled her down the corridor with little resistance; she complained the whole way that she was fine and would be wasting the matron's time but Draco would hear none of it. They reached the Hospital Wing and Draco ushered her in, calling for Madam Pomfrey.

"What's wrong, my dear?" she asked, guiding Bella to sit on one of the many beds in the Hospital Wing.

"I've just got a bit of a sore head." Bella groaned loudly, clutching the side of her head and bending forward to pull her head between her legs.

"How long had this been going on?" asked Madam Pomfrey, waving her wand over Bella.

"Since the Hogsmeade visit." replied Bella.

"Why wasn't she brought to me sooner?" the matron asked Draco sharply. "That was nearly a week ago!"

"I didn't know until just before I brought her here." he replied.

"It's not a big deal, I'm okay -" Bella clutched her mouth and leant over the bed, the very little contents in her stomach making an appearance.

Draco screwed his nose up at the sight while Madam Pomfrey cleaned it up quickly. She rushed around the Hospital Wing collecting vials of all different shapes and sizes. She forced Bella to drink them all and she nearly brought them all back up again.

"I'm afraid you'll need to spend tonight, at least, in my company." said Madam Pomfrey softly.

"Why? I'm okay!" cried Bella.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Draco.

"The blood vessels in the brain are tightening, meaning less blood is flowing to the brain and therefore causing the pain in the head. As for the stomach, I believe you've had a stomach ulcer and that's why you're in so much pain." said Madam Pomfrey.

"You can make her better though, can't you?" said Draco.

"Of course I can, mr Malfoy. She'll be right as rain in no time." smiled Madam Pomfrey.

She sauntered off to her office shortly after and Bella lay down, having no energy to hold herself up any longer.

"Are you alright?" asked Draco.

"You heard what Madam Pomfrey said, I'll be alright." said Bella.

"That's not what I meant." replied Draco.

"I don't really want to talk about it." said Bella sadly, "At least not right now, I just want to get better."

Draco took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Get some sleep and I'll come and see you later." said Draco.

He kept ahold of her hand as he stood from the bed and only let go when he was too far away to keep hold any longer. She let her hand fall to the bed with a soft thud as she watched Draco leave. He turned back as he reached the door with a soft smile on his lips, then he disappeared into the corridor and closed the door behind him.

Bella turned onto her side and let the tears she'd been holding in roll down her cheeks. She had known there was something going on between Seamus and Lavender ever since the day Lavender was crying outside Professor McGonagall's class but she had never expected it to end up like this.

Bella curled up in a ball, covered her face with her hands and sobbed. The heart-breaking sobs were muffled by the material of her jumper and she cried until she felt empty, numb. How could he? How could he do that to her? Yes, they had been growing apart but she never ever thought him capable. Everyone shows their true colours eventually and Seamus had just shown his.