Can miles truly separate you from friends? If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there? - Richard Bach.

WARNING: This chapter contains hints of abuse. I know its dark but it will get lighter soon. I promise.

Gabrielle woke up with puffy swollen eyes, it was like she had the flu. "Gabbie, you look horrible! Are you alright?"

"Thank you for that compliment, Lavender" Gabrielle glared at her "I'm obviously displaying the flu" she lied. She knew what she was like when she cried at night. Luckily for her, she fell asleep before anyone knew that she had been crying at night. "So…keep away before you catch it from me" she sighed as she walked over to her chest as she rummaged through the things that she would need for her lessons. She took out her books and scrolls that she needed for the day and headed out of the Gryffindor Common room to start her day.

She went down for breakfast where some of her friends were there. She decided she wanted to be alone so she sat a bit further away from them so she can have some thoughts to herself. She sat purposely with her back facing toward the Slytherins so she wouldn't have to look Draco in the face, she didn't want him to see her in the state that she was in and she wasn't going to him or any of his chronies the satisfaction of watching her suffer. She took a deep breath, took out some parchment, ink and her quill and started to write a letter to Fred.

Draco was over at the Slytherin table, he saw the golden trio and snared at them, though they barely noticed. He then looked further down the table and saw Gabrielle writing her letter. He shuffled down slightly so he could see the side of her from the distance, he noticed a couple of things about her, that she words whatever she's writing, if she didn't know what she wanted to say, she would scratch her nose slightly, and she would always read over what she wrote. He then started to ponder what else had he missed out on discovering about her.

"Accio Ceraphine" Gabrielle waved her wand. A few minutes or so later, Ceraphine arrived. "Ma amour, si vous plait livrer ce a Fred" she said as she tied the letter onto her beloved pet owl's leg. She fed her owl some pellets, gave it a quick pat and she was off. Gabrielle smiled and turned her back and continued to eat her breakfast.

"Watch this" Pansy said looking around at the Slytherin table who was within earshot and was able to see what she was about to do. She wanted to curse Gabrielle and embarrass her as much as Gabrielle did in yesterday's potions class "Expelliarmus!" Pansy pointed her wand over to her.

"CHAR!" Draco reacted. Gabrielle reacted to his yell and turned around she saw the spell coming toward her, it was too late for her to retaliate and counteract. It hit her and Gabrielle flew over the table spinning in the air and landing on her back onto the tiles of the Great Hall. She felt her head hit the back of the tiles hard, that she felt immediately dizzy. Harry, Ron and Hermione came running toward her.

"Gabrielle!" Hermione ran over, and went on her knees at her friend. "Are you ok?!" all of the surrounding students came over and formed a circle around her. "Gabrielle, are you ok?"

"I…" she looked up, there was a large pain in her head and the room was starting to spin. "I'm…" she closed her eyes she became unconscious.

"We need to get her to the infermery" Harry and Ron carried her whilst Hermione followed behind.

Draco turned to look at Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls, Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini all laughing. "Serves that little blood traitor right!" she laughed "did you see her face?! She hasn't looked that scared since I that time I sent the snake on her" she couldn't control her laughter. Draco looked around, all of them were laughing at what happened with Gabrielle. He clenched his fists and stood up. The laughter died down slightly, Pansy looked up at him "What's wrong, Drakie?" she looked at him "didn't you like what I did? She deserved it for what she did to me yesterday" she nodded, everyone around her nodded in agreement "she needs to know her place, Draco"

Draco got up and left the Great Hall without saying anything. Leaving the rest of them confused and Pansy wondering what she did wrong.

Meanwhile at the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey was assessing Gabrielle and questioning them about what had happened. "We don't know, Madam Pomfrey" Hermione shrugged. All we know is that someone had attacked her when her back was turned. She looked at Gabrielle who lay motionless. "All I know it came from the Slytherin table" she added.

"We will look after her injuries dear, and we will find the person who is responsible for this" Madam Pomfrey smiled "now, head onto class" she smiled "she'll be ok"

"Thank you" Harry nodded as the three of them exited. Draco had his back against one of the doors of the infirmary, he stayed perfectly still as the trio walked past "we should write an owl to Fred, he might want to see her with what's happening"

Once they were all gone, Draco checked to see if Madam Pomfrey was around, she wasn't. He went in and walked over to her slowly. She looked peaceful as she slept. He saw that there was an empty chair next to the bed, he sat down and looked at her. He didn't know what to do, he looked at her arms that were on her side. He took her right hand in his. He ran his thumb on the top of her hand. "I'm…sorry Char. I'm so sorry" he said as he looked at her. "I should've said something to protect you, I should've stopped her, I didn't know that it was going to happen" he shook his head "if only you could hear me…" he looked at her.

"Draco…" she started to stir

"Char…" he stood up and brought his face closer to her "Char…speak to me. Can you hear me?"

"Draco…" he voice was really soft but it was there. She started to move slightly.

"You're awake!" he smiled he ran over to Madam Pomfrey's office and knocked on the door "Madam Pomfrey! Madam Pomfrey!"

The door opened. She was surprised who was standing there "Mr. Malfoy…what? What are you doing here?"

"She's awake. Char-, I mean, Gabrielle, she's awake. She's moving around slightly"

"Excellent, well then I'll have these remedies ready for her to take as soon as possible when they're done" she smiled.

"Thank you" he nodded and he ran out of the infirmary. "Madam Pomfrey…please don't tell her I was here" He knew that she was going to be ok. But now, how was he going to deal with Parkinson.

Gabrielle had the medicine that Madam Pomfrey made and she was awake in no time. Most of her injuries had healed, the only thing that they needed to observe closely was her head trauma and headaches. She would have to stay another few nights in the infirmary to be observed. "How are you feeling my dear?"

"Good, thank you" she smiled weakly at Madam Pomfrey "Madam…" she looked at her

"Yes dear?"

"Was…D-" she cut herself off "never mind. Thank you"

"Not a problem dear" she smiled "if you need me, I will be in my office. Just call for me"

"I will" Gabrielle nodded.

Draco was on his way to the infirmary to make sure that Gabrielle was alright. He was walking quietly when suddenly he saw someone run past him with a flash of red. Fred Weasley had run past him without even noticing. Draco followed still because he wanted to know that she was ok. Draco hid behind the infirmary door again to listen in on their conversation.

"Gabbie!" Fred ran over and hugged her "I came as soon as I heard"

"The wonders of owl mail" she smiled at her boyfriend "I'm fine" she nodded.

"I was so worried about you" he kissed her on the forehead he then looked at her "when I find out who did this…"

"Fred" she put her hands to his face "its ok, I'm ok"

"No, its not Gabrielle. You always get this treatment from wherever you are. Here…at home.." he trailed off. Draco listened more intently to what was going to be said next.

"Fred…"

"No, he has no right to practice those spells on you to punish you when you've done something wrong, they're...unforgivable" Fred struggled. Draco's eyes widened. Gabrielle was being tortured at home by her father with the unforgivable curses. "I know he's your father…but you have to get out of there before you get killed if he snaps"

"I know" she nodded "but my mother…she's too scared to leave him. He will find us, and he will kill us" she answered.

"Over my dead body"

"Fred" Gabrielle looked at him "I don't want you to fight for me. One more year and I can leave. I'll be free" she nodded.

"With me?"

"With you" she nodded.

"You're my everything, Gabbie" he hugged her.

"You are mine, too" she said as she kissed him on the forehead.

Draco was shocked. He didn't know what to say, the torture that she went through and she still manages to love and care for people. He looked at the Dark Mark on his arm as a tear fell on it.

Please let me know what you think guys! Thank you. I apologise that is a bit dark, but now you understand why she is very robotic around her father.