Disclaimer: I don't own it.

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Chapter Fourteen: Broken Promise

Hope saw Draco walking with a tall boy who Hermione called Blaise Zambini. She yelled out Draco's name and saw him turn around in lightning speed. He stared for a minute before running towards her.

"Hope! What're you doing here?" He asked her quietly. "You shouldn't be out roaming the halls."

"Why not?" She asked. "It's my school too, now. I'll have to be roaming the halls in three days to find my classes. Besides, I'm not alone, Hermione's with me."

"Yeah, that'll stop most Slytherins. Do you understand that the death eaters you so easily manipulated have children that go to this school? You'd be an all too easy target to hit and make their parents happy. And all you're carrying around for protection is what most Slytherins consider a stupid mudblood."

Hope slapped Draco hard across the face. "I heard that term enough in capacity to know that it's a filthy word. She's the smartest witch of her age, and, from what I've heard, is topping you in classes, so keep your foul words to yourself. Especially when they concern my new friends."

Draco touched his now red cheek. "Bloody hell, Hope. I didn't mean that she was one. I just was saying it how they would see her."

The boy named Blaise started laughing at seeing his friend being slapped. Hope walked up to him and he prepared himself to be slapped as well, causing her to laugh.

"I'm Hope Collins."

"Blaise Zambini. Pleasure to meet you," he said, bringing her extended hand to his lips.

"Pureblood, aye? Yet, not one trying to kill me?" She asked, with an edge in her voice.

"Blaise turned away from his parent's death eater traditions many years ago. He's living with his grandparents," Draco answered from behind her.

"Ah. In that case, it's wonderful that I got the opportunity to meet you," she replied with a grin before turning back to Draco.

"So what've you been up to on this beautiful day? And what are you up to?"

Draco laughed. "I've just gotten out of my last class and was intending on going for a nice walk around the lake. You wouldn't want to join me, would you, because I was actually going to stop by the Hospital Wing and talk to you about something afterwards."

"A walk sounds wonderful. Hermione, do you want to join us?"

Hermione politely declined, showing her distrust in her eyes, and left to go to the library, leaving Blaise, Draco and Hope alone.

"Oh well, what about you Blaise?" Hope asked.

"Can't. Have a detention with Professor McGonagall for being late. In fact, I'm going to be late, so later!" He said, running off to the amusement of Hope.

"Guess it's just the two of us," Hope said with a smile.

"Good, didn't want an audience anyway," he said sarcastically before leading her out to the lake. They walked around and casually talked before sitting on a rock.

"Hope, you know how my family was going to disown me after I turned against the Dark Lord?'

"No, really? I figured they'd just let you live with them and ignore that you turned against their master," Hope said, returning the sarcasm from earlier.

Draco laughed but immediately his face turned serious again. "Hope, Severus was going to adopt me."

"I know he was planning on adopting you. You won't have to go home, Draco. You can stay here during the holidays and the adoption will be finished before this summer," Hope said with a shrug.

"No, Hope. You don't understand, my father would be able to pull me out of school if I wasn't removed from his guardianship. We made sure that couldn't happen this morning."

Hope sighed. "Draco, I'm not a dumb girl. There's something that you are wanting to say but are afraid to say. Just tell me."

"Severus adopted me this morning. He made it official."

Hope's face dropped and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I'm happy for you. I'm sure you'll make an excellent son to him," she said before getting up and walking off, ignoring his calls for her to wait.

Hope arrived in Dumbledore's office about half an hour later. Instead of stopping to talk as he suggested, she went straight to the room she was staying in for the night and closed the door. She started crying the minute she laid down on the bed.

Dumbledore knew something was wrong with her when she walked through the door to his office. It was obvious the she was upset, so when he entered her room moments after she entered, he was not surprised to find her crying.

He sighed as he walked over to her bed and sat down beside her.

"Hope?" He said gently.

"Go away!" Her voice was muffled because of the pillow.

"I can't. What happened?"

"He adopted Draco."

"Severus?" He asked, making sure he knew what he was talking about.

"He was supposed to be there when I woke up. I hate waking up alone. Yet no, he proved who was more important to him today by adopting Draco when he promised me!"

"Hope…"

"No! I don't want to hear it. Please, just leave. I just want to be alone."

Dumbledore sighed. "I'm here if you need me. My quarters are just across the hall. I'll wake you up at seven if you're not already up."

Hope nodded, and Dumbledore left, leaving the girl alone to a night of no sleep and a lot of thinking.

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A/N: Hey guys!! Sorry it's taken so long. I'm going to try to start posting one a day, sometimes maybe two. I lost my flash drive for awhile so it's hard. Oh well. Please review!