Hermione and Ron's friendship seemed to be on the mend; they had patched things up when they learned of Buckbeak's impending execution. Bella felt rage she had never felt before when she found out about Buckbeak.

"It's all your fault!" she fumed at Draco when she next set eyes on him. "If you weren't such a whiney drama queen -"

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked.

"Buckbeak." she snapped. "He's being executed because you're a drama queen."

"That thing attacked me!" he cried.

"Oh grow up." she scoffed.

The only time any of them got to speak to Hagrid was during their Care of Magical Creatures lessons due to the increased security around the castle.

"'S all my fault." Hagird said, wiping his face with his handkerchief. " Got all tongue-tied. Thye was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates you looked up for me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em to..."

"There's still the appeal!" Ron said fiercly. "Don't give up hope yet, Hagrid. We're working on Buckbeak's appeal."

They were following the class back up to the castle and Bella could see Draco up ahead with Crabbe and Goyle, turning back and laughing mockingly at Hagrid.

"'S no good Ron." Hagrid said sadly as they reached the castle. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Bucky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that..."

Hagrid buried his face in his handkerchief and hurried off down the hill to his cabin.

"Look at him blubbering."

Draco had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening, with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Have you ever seen something quite so pathetic?" Draco laughed. "And he's supposed to be a teacher."

Harry and Ron, in their fury, both hurried towards Draco but Hermione got there first, striking Draco in the face. She had slapped him as hard as she possibly could. He staggered backwards. Crabbe, Goyle, Bella and the others stared at Hermione, thoroughly flabbergasted.

"How dare you call Hagrid pathetic! You foul - you evil -" she raised her hand again.

"Hermione, he's not worth it." Ron said uneasily, trying to grab her hand as she swung it back.

"Get off me!" she seethed.

Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it right between Draco's eyes. Draco stepped backwards, stumbling over his feet. Crabbe and Goyle looked to him for instruction.

"C'mon" he muttered and seconds later the three of them disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.

"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both alarmed and impressed.

"You just better beat him in the Quiddtich final, Harry Potter!" Hermione cried. "You just better because I can't stand it if Slytherin win."

"I didn't know you had that in you, Hermione." Bella chuckled. "Good on you."

Hermione's face was beetroot red and panting to catch her breath.

"I shouldn't have done that." she said quietly.

"He deserved it." Harry replied.

"What you should have done was hit him harder." Freya added.

"Come on, we better get going." Ron said, climbing the front steps. "We've got Divination in ten minutes."

"I think I'll pass there." Bella scoffed.

"You're really not coming?" Emily asked.

"Divination is a load of rubbish. I might find McGonagall and ask to drop out." Bella replied.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Ron laughed.

"I can't believe you're going to skip class." Hermione hissed in the corridor. "You can't do that!"

"You're telling me that you want to go to Divination? You've said it yourself, Hermione, it's a load of rubbish." Bella said.

"Well, no not really - but that's not the point." Hermione said.

"Bye guys." Bella said snidely as they reached the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom.

Hermione glared at her while Ron snickered. Bella laughed to herself as she walked up the corridor and out of sight but she stopped laughing when she turned the corner and spotted Snape turning into the same corridor. She backed away quickly, hiding behind the wall.

"Miss Weasley, do you see me as stupid?" he drawled, his voice closer than she expected.

"No, Sir." she replied, still hiding behind the wall.

"Then why are you hiding."

Bella stepped out into the corridor and Snape stood just in front of her, a look of indifference on his face.

"Where are you supposed to be, Miss Weasley?" he asked.

"Sir -"

"Where, Miss Weasley."

"Divination." she replied.

"Why are not in Divination?"

"Because I don't want to be."

"You don't want to be?" he raised his eyebrows. "And who, may I ask, gave you permission to choose which classes you do and don't go to? If they are on your timetable then you are expected to be there."

"I know, but -"

"No buts." he said sharply. "Come with me."

Bella sighed under her breath but followed after him nonetheless. They reached the corridor of Professor Dumbledore's office and Bella breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was actually -"

"Silence." Snape snapped.

Snape made her stand at the other end of the corridor as he spoke the password to the Headmaster's office and she rolled her eyes behind his back, crossing her arms over her chest to show her annoyance. He turned his eyes on her and she trudged back over to the winding, spiral staircase.

Snape urged her forward and stepped onto the staircase after her, the wall sliding shut behind them. Snape wrapped sharply on the door and pushed it open, urging her with his glare to step into the office. Dumbledore sat behind his desk, a mischevious twinkle in his eyes.

"Severus, what a nice surprise." Dumbledore said cheerily. "And you've brought Miss Weasley with you."

"I found Miss Wealsey wandering the corridors." Snape said.

"Oh, you did?" Dumbledore turned his eyes to Bella. "What class were you in?"

"Divination, Sir." she replied.

"Ah, Professor Trelawney." Dumbledore smiled.

"Miss Weasley informs me she doesn't want to be in Divination anymore." Snape said.

"That'll be all, Severus, thank you." Dumbledore said, turning his eyes to Snape.

Snape nodded his head and strode from the office, the door slamming shut behind him.

"Take a seat, my dear." Professor Dumbledore motioned to the seat in front of his desk and Bella sat down awkwardly.

"You don't like Divination?"

"It's not that." Bella said hurriedly. "I just don't see any use for it."

"It is a very unknown branch of magic." Dumbledore chuckled. "But I cannot make allowances for one student and not for another. I am afraid you will have to return to your class, Miss Weasley."

"Okay, thank you Sir." Bella smiled, standing from her seat.

"There is not much time left for you Divination class today." Dumbledore said quietly, the twinkle in his eye even brighter than before. "You may go back to the common room and prepare for your next class."

"Just this once." he added.

"Thank you, Sir." Bella smiled again as she left the office, walking with a spring in her step back to the common room, momentarily forgetting all about Draco and the massive slap Hermione had given him.