A/N: Bevause y'all are so good to me, I'll give you another chapter. Thanks for all your feedback—I love y'all :')

'Please, I want so badly for the good things to happen.'

Sylvia Plath

When Darcy wakes the next morning, she finds that she's slept through breakfast, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione are nowhere to be found. She suspects they're in the library, but that is the last place Darcy wishes to be after all the exhausting research she'd done the past few days. As her stomach growls, she finds herself wishing Emily had stayed behind, if only to wake her for meals. Emily's always had a built in alarm clock, while Darcy could sleep and sleep and sleep some days. Today is one of those days, and after Darcy stops by the kitchen and the house elves load her bag up with all kinds of sandwiches and pastries, she retires back to her common room and spreads brunch out on the table in front of the fireplace. She eats so much that she falls back asleep on the sofa and is woken again by Harry shaking her awake for dinner.

Groggy from too much sleep and stiff all over, Darcy walks awkwardly through the corridors and down the stairs, her legs asleep and her head pounding. It gets better with each step, however, and Darcy soon finds energy restored to her at the prospect of another huge meal and a good night's sleep after that.

On the way down, Hermione eagerly fills her in on what they've found on hippogriff cases—which isn't much. A few of the things Hermione's researched are the same things Darcy's found, and she makes a mental note to cross some of the dates off her list when she returns to Gryffindor Tower after dinner.

"Professor Lupin is helping," Darcy adds quickly when she finishes reciting the many dates and trials. "That's what we were doing last night through dinner. He found something last night about—"

"That's wonderful!" Hermione beams, skipping ahead of Darcy and clasping her hands together. "If anyone can help us, he can. I know that Buckbeak will get off with all that we've found. I just know it."

Darcy laughs at her optimism, always having been charmed by Hermione. But in the back of her mind, Lupin's words echo throughout her head again. Darcy knows that werewolves are looked down upon, held in great disdain, but she isn't sure how to compare that with hippogriffs. Regardless, Lupin is probably more worldly than she, so she can't help but to believe him, every word that leaves his mouth. She wonders if Hermione truly believes Buckbeak will be all right, or if she's keeping up the positivity to encourage Harry, Ron, and even herself. Darcy squeezes Hermione's shoulder gently as they walk into the Great Hall.

Due to the lack of students still at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had decided to make some dramatic changes to the Great Hall. The sight of it almost stuns, and does slightly confuse, Darcy. Instead of several long House tables, there is only one, and several teachers are already seated at one end; Dumbledore sits at the head of the table, with McGonagall to his right, and Snape to his left. Lupin's at the table, as well as Professor Sprout, and a Slytherin boy seated beside her. Darcy raises her eyebrows at Harry and she seats herself beside Professor Lupin, with Harry sitting on her other side.

There's little talk around the table except for the mutterings of how wonderful the food is. Halfway through dinner, Darcy eyes her brother's plate and reaches for some string beans. She piles some on Harry's plate and he looks at her with a blank expression. "Vegetables, Harry," she mutters, but everyone begins to chuckle to themselves and Harry's face reddens.

"Thanks, mum," he snaps as the laughter dies down.

After dinner, Darcy walks with Harry ahead of Hermione and Ron. "I need to talk to you," she says quietly. "Want to go to the owlery?"

"It's cold, can't we go somewhere else?" he asks, frowning. "Somewhere warm?"

"Where did you have in mind?"

"The common room is empty," Harry reasons. "We could just talk in there. By the fire. Where it's warm."

"All right."

So that's what they do. Darcy is much too polite to banish Hermione and Ron to their dormitories, so they sit with her. Darcy stretches out on the floor, letting the warmth wash over her after the chill in the corridors. Dinner has made them all sleepy, and their eyes grow heavy with each passing second, shifting in their seats to make themselves more comfortable. Darcy doesn't think it possible for her to sleep anymore today, but the thought of her bed in an empty dormitory sounds delightful, but she knows she has to tell Harry everything first.

"I spoke with Mr. Weasley," she begins, sitting up and tucking her legs underneath her. Darcy runs a hand through her hair, but it only falls back into her face. She tucks it behind her ears and smiles weakly. "He offered me a job as his assistant. It starts as soon as possible, once I graduate."

Hermione's face brightens, and even Ron grins at her, but Harry looks at Darcy with a furrowed brow and pursed lips. He reminds Darcy very much of Aunt Petunia in the moment, but she decides to keep that to herself. Hermione saves her from having to answer to his glare. "Congratulations!" Hermione shrills.

"Really wonderful," Ron adds, with a little less enthusiasm.

Darcy blushes. "Well, I didn't take it," she explains. "I told him I'd think about it, and then—I also spoke with Dumbledore yesterday. He offered me a job, as well, although—"

"Dumbledore offered you a job? Here, at Hogwarts?" Hermione doesn't hesitate. "Darcy, you'd probably be the youngest teacher in Hogwarts history!"

"It's not a true teaching position," Darcy says quickly. "I'd be an assistant to Professor Snape."

"And Snape is all right with that?" Ron asks warily. "I want to know what Dumbledore did to convince him."

"He likely just asked," Hermione replies, waving a hand at Ron in dismissal. "Snape can't say no to the Headmaster, right?"

"I haven't accepted that offer, either," Darcy says, looking at Harry.

"Will you guys excuse us?" Harry finally says, looking to his left and right at Hermione and Ron. "I want to speak with Darcy alone."

Hermione and Ron take the hint and retreat back to their dormitories, exchanging a confused look. Darcy and Harry wait until they hear the doors close up the stairs and out of sight, and then they continue their conversation. However, it isn't much of a conversation, as there's a heavy silence that presses on them for a few minutes as Harry mulls over this information, thinking about what to say next. Darcy watches him carefully, waiting for anything.

"Are you going to accept either of them?" Harry asks her.

Darcy shrugs and moves from her seat on the floor to a seat on the sofa beside Harry. "I don't particularly want to be Mr. Weasley's assistant, but I suppose I've always wanted to go into the Ministry, and you know that," she thinks aloud. "And then Dumbledore offered me this job at Hogwarts, making it clear that he… well, Dumbledore would rather us be together. That's why he would bring me back."

"If he really wanted you to come back, he wouldn't make you work under Snape," Harry replies, and they both laugh. "There's plenty of other teachers."

"That's true," Darcy allows. "But can you imagine me teaching Transfiguration? Or Herbology? Maybe I could return under Hagrid and teach Care of Magical Creatures." Their laughter subsides and Darcy continues. "I'm good at Potions. I've always been, and if Professor Snape is willing to have me, I'm not going to argue. He might change his mind."

"So you're going to come back?" Harry inquires, leaning closer to Darcy and widening his eyes behind his glasses. "You'll be staying at Hogwarts?"

"It's tempting, but I—I don't know," she admits. "I'd have the summer off and I'd be able to spend it with you, which I'm grateful for and Hogwarts has been more of a home to me than Privet Drive ever has been. But do you think Dumbledore is anticipating something happening? And if I come back, who's to say he isn't going to want me to stay for a few more years? There are so many questions I have."

"Then ask him," Harry urges. He leans back in his seat, seemingly pleased with himself. "I'd like it if you could stay here, Darcy."

Harry's pleading tugs at her heartstrings. "I want to, but—I feel like if I were to come back after I graduated… I mean, don't you think it a waste of all I've worked for? All I've ever wanted is to go into the Ministry, and I don't want to settle—"

"Emily is the one who has always wanted you to go into the Ministry. I mean, I know you've taken all the proper classes and everything, but—do you really want to go into the Ministry?"

Darcy hesitates, thinking hard on what he's said. "I want to be free. Free from the Dursleys, free from all the stupid rules at this school. If that means going into the Ministry…"

"You want to be free from me?" Harry says quietly.

Darcy shakes her head, squeezing her brother's arm and frowning. "I never said that," she whispers. "Being able to stay with you is the only appealing thing about Dumbledore's offer. Besides that, I think it's too good to be true. I think he's afraid of something happening."

"Not like that's hard to predict, though," Harry shrugs. "Look at all that's happened these past two years, and now our mass murderer, traitor, godfather is trying to break into Hogwarts to kill me, and probably you."

She looks away from Harry. "I'd rather not talk about Sirius Black," she hisses. "I just don't want to be a prisoner here, forced to be here because of one of Dumbledore's hunches."

"A prisoner?" Harry laughs outloud. "You could never be a prisoner at Hogwarts. How can you say that when you know how it truly feels to be a prisoner in your own home? You wouldn't have a curfew anymore, you wouldn't have to be confined to a common room—it will be different when you're not a student anymore."

"No?" Darcy answers with a bitter tone. "Dumbledore wants to keep me at Hogwarts because he's afraid of something happening. He wants me to give up on everything just to come back here."

"Give up on what?" Harry arches an eyebrow. "I thought you said he offered you a job. Did he offer you this, or is he forcing you to take it?"

Darcy falters, stammering at Harry. "Well—I mean, he offered, but who am I to refuse Dumbledore?"

"Darcy, you don't have to accept, and Dumbledore knows that," Harry says, lowering his voice. They look at each other for a few moments, leaving unsaid things float in the space between them. "If that isn't what you want, you don't have to take it."

"What about you?" she asks, her voice breaking. Harry smiles fondly at her. "What will you do?"

"I'll be fine," he replies with a nod. "It's not worth keeping you around if you're just going to be miserable all the time. Just promise you'll stay with me over the summer."

"Of course."

She's starts to rise off the sofa, ready to walk away and go to bed when Harry speaks again. "I think you'd be great in the Ministry, if you wanted to do that."

"You do?"

"Yeah." Harry watches his sister sit back on the couch. "You'd be with Emily. You could be great, you know."

"Maybe," she hums. "But being great wouldn't mean much without you there to experience it with me."

Harry's jaw clenches and he nods again. He clears his throat. "We both knew that it would come to this," he rasps. "We both knew it couldn't be us against the world forever. No matter how badly we wanted it to be."

Darcy can feel tears well up in her eyes, making Harry's face blurry before her, and a lump forms in her throat. She swallows hard. "We do make a pretty good team," she laughs softly. "What'll you do without me?"

"Die, most like. Or starve." This makes both of them chuckle again. "Cry myself to sleep every night."

"Maybe you could live with me," she suggests. Harry's eyes brighten and he perks up at the idea. Darcy forces herself to smile, knowing that it likely isn't an idea that would pan out.

"Could I?" he asks, almost pleading. "I wouldn't be too much of a burden?"

"You mean for the three months you'd be there?" she jokes. "I think I could handle it."

After her conversation with Harry, Darcy is ready to go to Dumbledore straightaway and refuse his offer, but she decides maybe the smarter idea is to wait for her friends to come back to Hogwarts and at least get their opinions first. Despite Harry being okay with her going off on her own and living her own life, part of her still doesn't want to leave him. Despite Emily and Darcy's friendship, Harry is her oldest friend, her best friend, no matter her feelings for him in the beginning. She's prepared to give everything up for him—had he asked her, truly begged her to take the job at Hogwarts just to be near him, she knows she would already be in Dumbledore's study, gratefully accepting his offer and ignoring the fact that would mean spending too much time with Snape for her liking. But Harry hadn't begged her, and part of her wishes that he had. She thinks about working with Mr. Weasley, wandering a building where she doesn't know anyone.

Hermione wakes Darcy Christmas morning, suggesting they all bring their gifts down to the common room in order to celebrate together. Darcy is quite partial to the idea, and Hermione helps her gather the presents at the foot of her bed and they meet Harry and Ron in the common room. Ron shouts at them to hurry up so he can start opening their presents, and Hermione spits back at him, "Do you have no self control?" Darcy laughs and they all sit before the fireplace, tearing at their gifts, Crookshanks circling them and watching on curiously, his tail brushing against Darcy's back every so often.

Darcy watches Harry open a case of Chocolate Frogs she'd bought him in Hogsmeade, as well as a few things from Zonko's that she got for both Harry and Ron. For Hermione, she had found a beautiful quill that cost her quite a bit of money, and Darcy is sure the shopkeeper overcharged her, but Hermione is thrilled with it, so Darcy doesn't mind. The first gift Darcy opens in a sweater from Mr. Weasley with a big D on it, and she pulls it over her head right away. The fabric scratches her skin, but she knows the more she wears it, the better it'll get. The sweater warms her bones and, if it were up to her, she'd never take it off. It fits much better than last years, as well. She'd grown since then, and her stomach is visible when she wears her old Christmas sweater now.

Emily's present is a new set of white and blue pajamas along with a note ("So you'll stop wearing mine. Happy Christmas! XO"). Carla has gotten Darcy some new books, books that will help her with a Ministry position, to which Darcy is thankful. However, Gemma's gift may be Darcy's favorite—not even wrapped, but in a gift bag with glittery and messy tissue paper stuffed all around it, Gemma has given Darcy a large bottle of firewhiskey along with a bottle of red wine. Ron's eyes grow big as saucers ("How did she manage to sneak that into Hogwarts?") and Hermione tuts ("Do you want another Howler?"). Harry only laughs, catching Darcy's eye, and Darcy nods at him, silently promising him a small, tiny, miniscule sip of wine later that night.

Crookshanks weaves between the crumpled wrapping paper, settling in Hermione's lap until she shifts and startles him. He then leaps towards Darcy, purring and brushing his face against her chest until she pets him. Ron shoos him away, and the cat hisses before walking away, tail held high. Darcy's eyes follow his path, and that's when she notices the thin package still wrapped, sitting behind Harry. Darcy lowers the present in her hands and nods towards it. "What is that?" she asks Harry.

Harry turns and grabs the package, looking at Ron with an excited look. Slowly, he unwraps it and a broomstick falls out, landing on the carpeted ground with a soft thud. Darcy doesn't know much about broomsticks, but it is a beautiful broom, and Ron has his hands on it before Harry gets a chance to speak.

"It's a Firebolt! No way!" Ron's smile spreads across his face, and Harry looks up at his sister, clutching his broomstick. She examines it closely, now remembering the days spent in Diagon Alley over the summer, standing with Harry while he admired the Firebolt display with other excited students. The handle is polished so well that she can almost see the color of her red hair against it. "Who got this for you? Where's the card?"

While Ron digs around in the wrapping paper, Harry asks, "Did you get this for me?"

Darcy shakes her head, narrowing her eyes. "No, I didn't."

"Dumbledore?" Ron thinks, tapping his chin. He runs a finger along the handle, tracing the engraved name upon it.

"Dumbledore can't just buy a student a Firebolt," Darcy says. "They're expensive—too expensive to be ordering them for students, no matter who. He wouldn't."

"McGonagall?" Harry suggests, and while this theory seems more plausible than Ron's, Darcy is still skeptical. "She wants Gryffindor to win the Quidditch Cup as badly as Oliver does."

"I don't think McGonagall would spend so much money on a broomstick," Darcy replies, frowning at the broom. It lays there in Harry's hands, mocking her for reasons unknown.

"I've got it," Ron says, clapping his hands together. "Lupin! He likes you, doesn't he?"

"Ron, I don't think I could afford this broom," Darcy snorts. "What makes you think Lupin could? This is a state of the art broomstick…"

"Then I'm out of ideas," Ron groans. He spots Hermione eyeing the broomstick and scrunches his nose. "What are you looking so sour about?"

Hermione pauses, looking around nervously. "I don't think you should ride that broomstick until we know who sent it to you, Harry," she says. "It's an expensive broom, and it's strange that it didn't even come with a card. Don't you think someone who spent all that money on you would want you to know they got it?"

"Oh, come on, Hermione." Ron rolls his eyes. "It's not like Sirius Black sent it to him."

Hermione doesn't answer, but exchanges a nervous look with Darcy. Harry puts the broomstick aside to appease his friends, and looks at Darcy again. "What is that? Yours?"

"Oh!" Darcy picks up the gift that she'd put down after the Firebolt was unwrapped. She turns it over in her hands and starts to unwrap it, and at the sight of the worn, black cover, she almost laughs.

"Another book?" Ron narrows his eyes and looks right at Hermione. "Hermione, not everyone likes books—"

"I didn't get it for her!" Hermione retorts shrilly, her face turning red. "Besides, I know for a fact that Darcy's fond of books."

Darcy opens the book to the cover, smiling. Inked onto the title page, in barely legible writing is a note left for her. She reads it to herself. Darcy, thank you for showing me these poems in a different light. Happy Christmas. She almost flips through the pages and begins to read right there on the floor of the common room, but her friends all look at her expectantly, waiting for her to read the note outloud. Darcy looks around and shakes her head. "That's my last one," she says, putting it to the side.

"You're incredibly dull sometimes, you realize that?" Ron teases, craning his neck to get a look at the book. "You have a message from a secret lover in there or what?"

"Since when you do care so much about what's written in books?" Darcy grins, gathering all of her gifts into a pile. "Don't you two have a broomstick to admire?"

She fingers the spine of the poetry book, chewing the inside of her lip and watching as the Firebolt draws the attention of Harry and Ron again. Suddenly, she feels guilty for not even thinking about getting Lupin anything. Silently, gathering her things in her arms, she escapes to her dormitory, and Hermione is the only person to notice.