Hey Guys! Thanks soooo much for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts I've gotten, you guys are all amazing! Special thanks to my amazing beta, and happy birthday to my BFF 2cool4you! If and of you twilight fans want to make her happy, check out her story and she will love you forever :) on with the story!

Cassia

Chapter 6: Quidditch Conditions

I woke up Sunday morning to see sun filtering through the window-

Wait. That's not right. Hadn't I closed my bed curtains? I looked to the foot of my bed to see three girls looking at me, their mouths moving silently but no words coming out. I looked at them in confusion, but than grabbed my wand and undid the silencing charm as comprehension dawned on me.

"Good morning," I said groggily, resisting the urge to re-close my eyes.

"Good morning, sunshine! Want to tell us what was going on last night?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, failing an attempt at innocence.

"How about you take a shower first than we'll grill you afterwards?" smiled Lucy.

I loved my friends; spunky and strong-willed Sarah, gentle, quiet Lucy, and independent, supportive Julie. Than there is me, who was a whole bunch of personality traits jumbled together.

"You heard the lady. Shower quick Tori, now's my chance to try out my newly instituted advice-giving skills." said Julie, pushing Lucy and Sarah to the other side of the room. I smiled gratefully at her. I was to closest to Julie out of the four of us; but we were all practically like sisters. But like sisters, we sometimes fought, but we also always made up.

I wasn't great at making friends, to say the least. In my family I had been the odd one out, me being the only Ravenclaw. And that wasn't the only reason; I was also a blood traitor, too. I just didn't think like a typical Greengrass. Also, Daphne and I weren't exposed to many kids our age when we were children until Hogwarts. The combination of the two instilled in me the habit of keeping my problems to myself. That was probably the root of why I was bloody horrible at making friends, not to mention my major trust issues, but the friends I DID have were priceless.

I stepped out of the bathroom and began to towel dry my hair. Julie, who was, by the way, a half blood, was writing a letter to, most likely, her parents. Sarah, like her, was also a half blood. She was feeding her owl named Indigo, so named for her deep blue eyes. And Lucy, who's parents were a half blood and a muggle-born, was on her stomach reading her Divination book.

"And there she is," Lucy smiled, putting down her book.

"C'mere," Julie said to me, patting a place on her bed.

"So tell all," Sarah gave a wry smile, flopping down on Lucy's bed with the rest of us.

"Wait-does this have anything to do with Pansy?" Lucy sighed. Lucy wasn't actually enemies with Parkinson, which annoying the crap out of me.

My brain did a double take-Pansy. There was my loophole!

"How did you know?" I lied, trying to sound as convincing as possible. I could tell Julie wasn't fooled by my less-than-stellar acting skills, but Lucy and Sarah weren't catching it, fortunately.

"What'd you guys fight about this time?" Sarah said, sounding relieved that my problem wasn't something more serious.

"Oh...uh-she just, well, you know, just stuff. You know how it is," I smiled wanly. "Now I'm hungry, let's eat!"

"Just wait," Sarah said, putting a hand on my knee. "Why were you wet than?"

"It was raining last night..." Lucy observed.

"I wasn't outside, she just drenched me with a spell," I told her, cringing.

"Alright, than. You don't take a single word she says seriously. They're all lies. And anyway, I'm hungry! Ready Lucy?" Sarah asked. The both left the room, heading for the great hall.

I breathed a sigh of relief, pleasantly surprised that they didn't press me further.

"Can't fool me that easily," came Julie's sudden voice. I jumped, startled. I had pretty much forgotten that she still sat behind me.

I turned around to see her fold her arms and narrow her eyes, scrutinizing me.

"Please, Jules, it's nothing," I begged, clasping my hands.

"Fine," she gave in. "But only because I love you too much. But you need to trust us, girl! We're your friends for a reason! And, I'm here if you need to talk, which I'm sure you will eventually judging by how sad you looked last night," she said sincerely.

"Thanks, you're the best," I gave her a one armed hug and raced out of the room.

"Aren't you going to wait for me?" Julie called.

"Not going to breakfast! Grab me an orange or something for later!" I called over my shoulder. I scampered down the stairs, pulling my still wet hair into a ponytail, heading again for the room of requirement.

Walking briskly down corridors, I began to wonder why I already trust Draco so much. Sure, we had disliked each other...sort of...but than again, we had had our moments. Or maybe we still dislike each other? I felt like screaming. Did I trust him because truly, in the back of my mind, I had known there was something there between us all those years? It had done a good job of hiding itself between dislike and resentment, but now it was standing clearly out there. Or maybe because he saved my life...

I turned the corner and stopped, shocked, the sight breaking me out of my Draco-filled thoughts.

There stood the very same two little girls I had seen the first time I had come here. This time they were wide awake, and stuffing their mouths with multiple donuts-again, in a most un-girlish way. Once they saw me, they looked at each other, than back to me, frightened. One dropped a heavy brass scale,the noise echoing down the halls. I turned on my heel and left. Who where those two little girls? They couldn't be ghosts...

At the insistent growling of my stomach I made a detour into the great hall. As I was making my way past the Slytherin table, (noticing that Draco was conveniently absent) something strange caught my eye.

"Want to come and sit with us, Greengrass?" jeered an older boy from the other end of the table. A few of his friends laughed,but I was too busy making sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me to respond- the two girls sat here, eating breakfast together.

The very same girls I had just seen eating outside the room of requirement.

"How did you guys get here from the r-uh, hallway so fast?" I asked them both, Together they looked up at me as if I were insane.

"We weren't in the hallway, we were here!" one told me, a bit nervously. "Are you a 6th year?" asked the other suspiciously.

"Yeah. Why?" I asked, puzzled.

"Do you need to pull our hair too?" the first one practically whispered.

"What?" I asked, unable to say anything else.

"You know, for the hair study."

"The...hair study?" I practically chocked. "Who pulled your hair?" my eyes narrowed.

"Draco Malfoy!" one blurted as the other shook her head violently, lips pursed.

"Sammy!" she shrieked, looking around quickly. "We weren't supposed to tell anyone!"

"It's okay, I won't tell anyone," I assured the nervous girls. I walked slowly back to the Ravenclaw table,wondering why my heart had jumped so hopefully when they said his name.

But than again, I already knew.

But why would he have been pulling two first years' hair?

Wednesday morning was the first day Draco decided to show up for lessons since last week.

Monday, I had thought he had just been avoiding me. That was understandable- I had wanted to skip, too. Tuesday was overkill, he couldn't be that...ashamed? Embarrassed? What emotion was he feeling? But something was going on, or else why would he have been missing?

I settled into my desk in Ancient Runes, trying unsuccessfully to hold back a building yawn. Hermione was second in the room,muttering something inaudible about Lavender Brown as she tried to tame her bushy hair into a ponytail.

"Hey, Granger," I tried to keep my voice from lifting excitedly as I saw the third member of our class enter the room.

"Hello, Astoria," said Hermione. "How are you?"

"Oh...pretty good. Just excited to see if I made the Quidditch team and all...and thinking about the next Hogsmeade trip," I said as an idea formed in my mind as Draco sat down next to me, not even casting me a glance.

"When is it?" Hermione asked, pulling out her books.

"Oh, next weekend..." I sighed, than winced, afraid I was overdoing it.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, turning around in her seat.

"Well, its this boy," I whispered, just loud enough for Draco to hear.

"Who might that be?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Eric Maloney, actually, the Quidditch captain," I said, side glancing at Draco's clenched jaw. "I was kind of hoping that he'd ask me to Hogsmeade."

"You might want to be careful with that one, he can be quite the heartbreaker as I've heard. From my friend Parvati, you know," she gave me a wry smile.

"Boys," I rolled my eyes, hoping Draco would get my double meaning.

"Actually Granger, no one will be asking Greengrass anywhere this weekend because she's got detention with Snape," he drawled, putting his hands behind his neck and leaning back.

"Don't sound so smug Malfoy, you've got detention as well," I hissed. We were glaring at each other as Professor Babbling walked in and began the lesson.

A little bit into the hour, I looked down to see a folded note land on my desk.

You fancy Maloney?

So what if I do, Malfoy?

I sent back.

Babbling briskly walked over and snatched the note out of Draco's hands just as he had picked up his quill to respond, her beady eyes scanning our words.

"I will have to ask you to refrain from passing love notes in my class-" my face turned red at this-" and 5 points from each of your houses."

"Thanks, Malfoy," I whispered with spite, propping my head into my palm, determined to keep my eyes focused on the front of the classroom for the rest of the hour and not let my eyes wander in a different direction...

The rest of the week passed by slowly, Draco and I had no more conversations mainly because he was absent from the majority of his classes. He left me to do our detention all by myself, and Snape didn't even protest, just gave me a small, teasing smile, saying that he was excused. The stupid arse.

The only highlight was how well our Quidditch practices were going; thankfully, not only I but also Julie had made the team. Than finally our first game approached- October 10th- and it brought a whole stampede of nerves.

"Ah...I can't do this!" I said, wringing my hands. "I don't feel too good, they'll have to use the stand in seeker!" The Ravenclaw team was down at the pitch, the sound of the applauding crowds outside a dull background roar.

"Yes you can do it!" Julie said fiercely, gripping my shoulders.

"But Draco!" I wailed. "I can't beat him. He's been playing since 2nd year!"

"And you've been flying your whole life!" Eric countered, walking up behind us. It was scary how he knew that. "And besides, the weather's great- it'll be easier to see the snitch," he pointed out.

"For the other team, it will be," I moaned.

I wiped my clammy hands on m robes as we mounted our brooms, flying in formation out of the pitch to meet the roaring crowds.

"Captains!" Madame Hooch bellowed. "Shake hands!" Maloney and the Slytherin captain seemed to be having more of a bone crushing contest than a sportsmanlike shake, but whatever it was satisfied Hooch and the game began. I soared to the top of the stadium, the sun warming my back through my Quidditch robes. I flew up pas the stands, trying to get a better view of the stadium, making sure to keep one eye on Malfoy, who was randomly going into quick dives to confuse me into thinking he had spotted the snitch.

"Right old fashioned trick that is, Malfoy," I said aloud, even though he couldn't hear me. I dived at him but pulled up just in time, getting me near the Slytherin box box to hear jeers and laughter.

"Careful there, Greengrass- no pressure or anything!" Pansy cackled. I boiled with anger and shot down to the other side of the field, rolling upside down on my broom to avoid a well-aimed bludger.

"Ooohhh, that was a close one!" an unknown commentator said. "No points have been scored so far, but the Quaffle is in possession of Julie Hendrickson!"

Yes! I thought as I heard the 'ding' that told us we had scored. The blue and bronze- clad fans jumped to their feet, cheering madly.

I flew around the field as fast as I could, leaning down on my broom to gain speed.

Later into the game, I brought my broom to an abrupt stop-I had spotted the snitch!

"Uh oh, Greengrass has seen something we all haven't!" laughed the commentator as I grinned, changing directions to follow the snitch,

"70-70!" he roared as the snitch darted from side to side in front of me.

Suddenly Malfoy was swooping in on my left, getting closer, closer... I shot up at the last moment to avoid being hit, and to my surprise it gave me an advantage-As Malfoy was reaching his hand toward the snitch it shot up to avoid being captured, flitting from right to left in front of me. Now it was I who held my hand out as Malfoy flew helplessly below me...I was stretching, reaching...

"Ah!" I screamed as I tumbled off my broom-I held the snitch in a death grip but only fell for a second-

"Ooofff-arghhh!" The wind was knocked out of me as I struggled to find my breath- someone's arm wrapped around me- a familiar arm.

Draco Malfoy had caught me on his broom.

The stand erupted into cheers as I held up the snitch triumphantly, grinning wildly as we landed in the sand. Before the rest of the team landed, I whispered something so only Draco could hear it-

"Thank you. That's the second tim you've saved my life."

He looked at me intensely with barely concealed longing in his eyes- and something else-pain. Like he was thinking about something he wanted extremely bad but couldn't have. I limped off into the congregating throng of students and the team, receiving happy shouts and congratulatory pats on the back- I half grinned and half winced at the pain in my legs from landing so awkwardly on Draco's broom.

My catch of the snitch had been mostly luck, if I hadn't thrust myself forward for the few extra inches, pitching myself off the broom in the process, I never would have caught it.

I was lifted onto the shoulders of my cheering teammates, and I looked back to see Pansy trying to comfort- or snog- Draco, who was pushing her off. My heart gave a little jump at this, and Malfoy turned his head to see me looking at him. I wiggled my fingers and mouthed, 'thanks!' to him as I tried to keep the giant grin off my face from the sight of him actually refusing Pansy. I turned back quickly, still sitting on the shoulders of a Ravenclaw who's name I didn't know, and Seamus Finnagan. The Gryffindors were celebrating our victory with us as well.

As I was set down inside, pain ripped through my legs and I yelped unexpectedly, my knees buckling forward.

"Whoa!" I gasped as someone caught me. I looked up to see the sharp, dancing green eyes of Harry Potter.

"Thanks," I grinned sheepishly.

"Tori, you were amazing!" Julie practically screamed. Then she seemed to register the fact that Harry was almost completely supporting my weight.

"Are you alright? Can you stand?" she asked worriedly as both she and Harry draped one of my arms around their shoulders as we started to walk in the direction of the hospital wing. Their heavy footsteps echoed down the now empty hall and I grinned, remembering the game, giddy at my lucky catch and-

"My broom!" I gasped wildly. "Is it destroyed?" I asked timidly.

"No, no. I caught it and put it in the pitch before you were carried off by your adoring fans," she teased, causing Harry and I to laugh.

"Good thing Malfoy caught you," Harry commented as we turned the corner.

"Yeah, that was actually pretty nice," Julie said.

"Nice? Malfoy? That's out of character," Harry joked.

"But he seems to have a soft spot for Astoria, not that she'll admit it," Julie giggled.

Soon we reached the hospital wing,where a bustling Madame Pomfrey met us at the doorway.

"Oh dear, another Quidditch injury I suppose," she sighed, helping me off the one of my many clean, white beds in the huge room.

"Ah," I winced as I lay down, waving good bye to Julie and Harry as they departed.

"I'll come and visit you later," Julie called over her shoulder. I nodded, smiling as Madame Pomfrey walked to my bed.

"Spread your legs," she said briskly.

"What?"

"You heard me. I can't help you if you don't-"

"All right, all right," I groaned at the awkwardness.

"Take off your robes," she said, pulling the curtains around my bed. I slid them off slowly as to not hurt my legs and gasped at what I saw- there was already much bruising and a lot of swelling, it was hard to look at.

She tutted as she gave me something to drink and smeared on a cold paste which was supposed to help the swelling go down.

"Nothing serious, just be thankful you were caught or you would have been seriously injured. I want to keep you overnight. You may resume classes tomorrow afternoon."

"I thought that was overdoing it, but didn't complain as she gave me a glass of dreamless sleep potion and left me to drift off.

"Hey, it's snowing!" Seamus Finnagan shouted, rushing toward the window. He was right, and even better yet, it had been snowing for a while now. The mid October flakes flew thick and fast to the ground to join the several inches that had already fallen, coating everything in white. Our large Transfiguration class consisting of all four housesall rushed to the window than, as one, looked pleadingly at Mcgonagall as we all seemed to think the same still had her mouth open in the middle of the sentence she had been interrupted in. She pursed her lips and folded her arms, deliberating. Julie and I shared hopeful looks. I smiled secretely to myself, happier than I should have been that this wasn't one of Draco's skipped lessons.

"Fine," Mcgonalgall sighed, and the whole class cheered loudly and stampeded through the door, traipsing through the hallways and running out into the first snow of the year.

"Yessss!" Julie and I screamed, lifting our hears up to let the snowflakes coat our lashed and hair as merry shouts and laughter rang out around us.

Suddenly a densely packed snowball hit me in the back and I turned around, gasping at an evilly cackling Lucy, whom I lunged after, tackling her into a already large snowpile.

"Ah!" I screamed as she sprinkled show on my head; I got her back by flicking some into her open mouth from laughing. We got up, giggling and even more snow covered than before. A snowball whizzed past my face and I jumped back, startled.

"Whoa!" I said, my arms flailing. I crouched down and packed a bunch of snow together with my bare hands, condensing it and chucking it at Draco before I could have second thoughts on what I was doing. He had been talking to Zabini, totally oblivious to the fun his classmates were having around him. The look on hi face was so funny I threw back my head and laughed-

SPLAT! I looked down at my coat where a flattened snowball sat, than back at a smirking Malfoy, who was holding a second snowball in his other hand.

"Ah!" I screamed again, smiling giddily that he was in a rather good mood. I avoided a few rowdy students throwing snowballs. I ducked behind a snowbank and formed a large snowball, standing up and chucking it at Draco as hard as I could-

Wham! It hit Blaise who glared at me murderously- "Whoops!" I called out, trying to conceal my laughter as Draco turned around to face me. Crap, he saw me! I ducked back down, crouching and edging my way to the other side of the snowbank-where did Draco go? All I saw was a still fuming Zabini standing alone. I swiveled around, confused-

"Arghh!" I yelled as I got a face full of snow, courtesy of Draco who had snuck up behind me. Before he could make his escape I, without thinking, jumped on his back piggy-back style, sending us both slipping into the snow pile.

"Greengrass!" he roared, rolling me off his back so he was now kneeling over me.

"See ya!" He whispered playfully and ran off, slipping ridiculously comically but not falling on the ice. I walked to the right side of the frozen fountain, looking to my right and than getting tackled by Sarah.

"Hey!" I protested, staggering around with the extra weight on my back. I managed to shake her off and we exchanged a few rounds of snowballs before I saw Draco return for revenge.

"I'll hold her, you hit her!" he called to Sarah, grabbing my arms from behind me.

"I screamed as she chucked one at me, laughing madly, and than managed to escape. Before I could get far, though, a snow covered Mcgonagall called us back inside the castle, ending our rowdy, child like play.

We gave a simultaneous groan, traipsing back to the room, dripping water all over the floor, to the many complaints of the various portraits: but we were all too busy laughing to pay them much notice.

Over the next few days I didn't even catch a glimpse of Draco, leaving me unsure if our ever changing relationship was in an 'up' or 'down.' Certainly the snowball fight had been nice, and so had the whole saving my life ordeal...but now with his 5-day absence ( a new personal record, not that I was keeping track or anything0 I just wasn't sure.

I walked into the candy shop at Hogsmeade with Julie, my mind not really on our conversation but rather on Draco, who I thought I had possibly just spotted. I craned my neck back, hoping to possibly spot another flash of white-blonde hair-

"Tori?" Julie asked loudly, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Huh? What?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"Did you hear a word I just said?"

"Uh...no, not really," I said sheepishly.

"What has gotten into you lately?" cried Julie, exasperated.

"Nothing's gotten into me! I just got-"

"Distracted, yes. You've already used that one," she crossed her arms impatiently.

"Julie, I-"

"Yeah, okay. I'll meet you in the three broomsticks, alright?" she said, sighing dejectedly. I didn't have much time to feel bad because just than I caught the person my eyes had been longing for a glimpse of- I quickly followed him out into the howling wind and fierce sleet, but the stinging cold didn't even bother me.

"Draco!" I called after his retreating figure. He didn't turn around. I heard him mumbling about being let out Mcgonagall's detention early to Crabbe.

"Malfoy!" I practically screamed when I was about a foot behind him.

"What?" he drawled, finally hearing me. Or finally choosing to hear me.

"Where have you been?" I asked plainly, not knowing what else to say.

"What do you mean, Greengrass?" he asked, barely audible over the wind.

"You've been gone for over the past week, and I just wanted to know where you've been!" I hollered. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into an empty alleyway, closed off from the main road.

"You don't have to shout about it," He hissed. The walls protected us from the wind in here, so I heard him perfectly.

"Actually I did Malfoy, maybe you didn't notice but it's storming out there," I hissed back.

"And maybe you didn't notice, but I don't want you butting in my personal life!" Draco snarled.

"Than why did you kiss me, huh Malfoy?" I screamed, getting right in his face, bringing up the kiss from several weeks ago.

"It never should have happened, it was a mistake!" He shouted angrily.

"Than why did you even do it then, if it was such a bloody mistake than?"

"I told you before Greengrass, I don't have to explain myself to you!"

"Is it because you're afraid of commitment than? Huh, maybe that's why you tow Pansy around? Why don't you just man up and admit you care about me?" I shrieked.

"You-"

"Just shut up!" I screamed. "Answer me this, Draco-if it never should have happened, why did you save me that day of the Quidditch game? Why not let me fall? And what happened that day when Mcgonagall let us out in the snow? I know you have a heart, Draco. I've seen it." And all the anger seeped out of me than, shriveling and vanishing completely.

"You don't know anything about me, Astoria, you have no idea what I've done!"

"I know you can care, I know that-"

"How can you say that? I'm a terrible person! Why are you so different? Why do you think I'm good?" his entire demeanor changed at this, like he was undeniably thirsty for assurance and love.

We stared at each other, and an expression of longing flickered across his face. I realized how close our faces were...

And they got closer.

Than he was kissing me, pressing his lips tightly to mine and wrapping his arms around my waist-

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhrghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" A terrible, drawn out scream coming from the entrance to our alley broke us apart. I grabbed Draco's arm and towed him with me to see what could possibly have emitted such a horrible sound.

Katie Bell was sprawled gracefully in midair, arms spread out as if they were being lifted by some unseen force.

"What's going on?" I screamed, running over to stand by Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Leanne.

"Whatever Draco said next was drowned out by another tortured scream of Katie's. Her eyes opened wildly, but I knew whatever she was seeing was invisible to us. At her continued screams Leanne fell forward, mingling her screams with Katie's and trying to pull her friend down. We all rushed forward to help, but just as our outstretched arms got to her she dropped down, and we twisted, repositioning ourselves to catch her.

"Ahhhhrgggggaaaa!" She was screaming and flailing. Harry looked around wildly, maybe for help-but no one came to our aid. We were alone.

"Stay there!" he shouted, his face white. "I'm going for help!" We continued to try and communicate with Katie to no avail.

"Katie!" I had to holler at the top of my lungs to be heard over her own strangled shrieks, Leanne's hysterical sobbing, and the whistling wind.

"Get back!" Hagrid roared, who had appeared with Harry. "Lemme see her!"

"Something ha-happened to h-her!" Leanna sobbed hysterically. "I don't kn-know what-" she stopped, punctuating the air with a wail.

Hagrid scooped up Katie in his gigantic arms, running off into the falling sleet in the direction of the castle in the distance. Hermione and I rushed over and sat on the snow next to Leanne, who was wailing miserably. I grabbed her hand and warmed it between both of mine as Hermione put her arm around her shaking shoulders.

"It's Leanne isn't it?" Hermione asked kindly.

Leanne nodded.

"Did it just happen all of a sudden, did someone curse her or-" I started.

"No one cursed her," Leanna gasped. "It was when that package tore," she pointed at a dripping wet brown package that had been haphazardly thrown on the ground and torn. You could see the smallest bit of something greenish poling out slightly. Ron bent down as if to touch it, but Draco and Harry reacted at the same time-

"Don't touch it!" they roared simultaneously, lunging forward to pull him back. Harry looked oddly at Draco, but than crouched down, wiping the sleet off of his glasses to inspect the fallen object- it was now visible, an opal necklace lay in the snow.

"I've...seen that before!" announced Harry. "It was on a display in Borgin and Burke's ages ago! The label said it was cursed-Katie must have touched it," he concluded. I narrowed my eyes- what was the 'boy who lived' doing in a place like that? It wasn't as if I hadn't seen some of my own parents' "friends" in the shady place...Leanne started again to shake violently.

"How did Katy get hold of this?" Harry asked suddenly, peering up at Leanne. Draco looked miserable, as if he were fighting himself. His face hardened as Ron looked at him, suspicion evident in his eyes.

"Well, that's why we were arguing. She came back from the bathroom in the 3 broomsticks holding it, and she said it was a surprise for someone at Hogwarts and she had to deliver it. She looked all funny when she said it..." she paused, eyes widening as she gasped in horror. "Oh no oh no, I bet she'd been imperiused and I didn't realize!" she put her face in her hands and fresh sobs wracked her body. I squeezed her shoulders reassuringly.

"Did she say who'd given it to her, Leanna?" I asked gently, shivering as a particularly large gust of wind chilled my body which was already partially wet from sleet.

"No...she wouldn't tell me... and I said she was being stupid and not to take it up to the school, but then she just wouldn't listen and...than I-I tried to grab it from her...and-and..."

She let out another wail, causing Draco to wince.

"We'd better get up to school," Hermione said.

"We'll be able to find out how she is," I said when I realized Leanna had not moved in response to Hermione's words.

Ron gasped as Harry picked up the necklace in his gold and red scarf.

"We'll need to show this to Madame Pomfrey," he told Ron. Hermione and I helped Leanna into a standing position and started the walk to the castle, Draco walking silently beside me, Katie, and Hermione. Harry and Ron had hung back, and they were having an intense muttered conversation by the sound of it.

"Mcgonagall," Ron's voice, louder now, warned Harry as the professor stepped out onto the steps, robes billowing as she entered the wind.

"Hagrid said you six saw what happened to Katie Bell- upstairs to my office at once, please! What's that you're holding, Potter?" she questioned.

"It's the thing she touched," Harry responded bluntly.

"Good Lord!" Mcgonagall cried, a look of alarm shadowing her face as Harry handed her the package. Filch appeared, smiling gleefully as he raised his secrecy sensor, only to have his hopes crushed by Professor Mcgonagall.

"No, no, Filch, they're with me!" I almost felt sorry for him as I saw the look of utter dejection sweep across his face.

"Take this necklace to Professor Snape at once, but be sure not to touch it; keep it wrapped inside the scarf!" perking up considerably at his new mission he darted off, holding the package out in front of him.

We were quickly herded into Mcgonagall's offic; the only noises were Leanna's subsiding sobs and the wind rattling the windows in their panes.

"Well?" she asked sharply. "What happened?"Leanne told as much as she could before she became hysterical again.

"Alright," said Professor Mcgonagall in a surprisingly gentle tone. "Go up to the hospital wing please, Leanne, and have Madame Pomfrey give you something for shock."

After she left Professor rounded on us again.

"Now tell me everything, and do not leave a single thing out."

"Er...professor?" I said timidly, raising my hand.

"Yes, Greengrass?" she said, raising her eyebrows at me.

"Well you see, Malfoy and I really didn't see anything until after she had been...you know." She looked at Draco and I, and than back at the other three.

"But you three," she gestured to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "-saw everything from the argument onward, I presume?"

"Yes Professor," they murmured. She looked at us, lips pursed.

"And the two of you would have nothing else to add to their account of the story?"

At this we launched into telling what we had seen, with the other three adding in details. Well, let me correct that. Mostly I just talked, while Draco threw in a tidbit every once in a while.

"Alright," she said. "Draco and Astoria, you two are permitted to return to your common rooms. If you should remember anything more, please do not hesitate to speak to me or your head of houses."

Draco and I silently weaved through desks until we reached the great double doors. Opening them revealed Pansy, who clumsily tried (unsuccessfully) to conceal her attempted listening at the doors. She wouldn't have been able to hear anything anyway, because for one the doors were much too thick, and secondly, where we had been standing was on the opposite side of the room than the doors.

"What do you think you're doing, Pansy?" I snapped at the dark haired bully.

"Just looking for my own boyfriend, problem Greengrass?" her sickeningly sweet smile were about as real as Luna's Nargles.

"He's not your boyfriend!"

"I'm not your boyfriend!" Draco and I said at the same time. Pansy looked at me and arched her eyebrow as if she had just overheard a tidbit of juicy gossip about her worst enemy.

"Touchy, aren't we Greengrass?" she sneered, trying in vain to link her arm in Draco's.

"Just stating the obvious Parkinson, Malfoy said it himself." I sneered. Pansy gave a little gasp and drew her wand, but I had anticipated this and quickly revealed mine first.

"Protego!" I called just before Pansy screamed, "Stupify!" her curse rebounded and hit her in the chest, the strength (or lack of) of the curse only making her stumble, but rendering her unconscious nonetheless. She slumped to the floor as I released my shield charm.

"We should bring her up to the hospital wing," I said, even though she wasn't really hurt. She would make up soon enough as good as new (Though if luck was on my side she may have had a bit of sense knocked into her. But than again, this was Parkinson we were talking about and it would take a lot of luck for that to happen.)

A\N I want to bring a few things to attention...I know that Astoria IS actually younger, but I PURPOSELY made her the same age as Harry, Draco, ect. Also, the next several chapters are going to be longer I think, but if you really want shorter chapter again just PM me and I will shorten 'em up again. Alright, again Happy 14th B-day 2cool4you, and please review! -Cassia