Everything was suddenly blindingly bright. I reached up to shield my eyes, but I couldn't. I tried again. Again, my arm was restrained. I looked down to slowly to see that my arms and legs were bound to my sides and I seemed to be hanging. I saw below my body was a terrifying drop. Wait. why was this familiar? There was a annoying niggling at the back corner of my brain. OH! Oh, oh, oh! What the heck was I doing here... again?

The dream was playing out, but I felt like just one of the pawns being controlled by a large hand that was invisible to all. I quickly looked around me to find something to get me back to safer grounds... If I remembered correctly, there wasn't anything. Looking up, I saw that I was hanging from nothing at all; it's the man in a black cloak that is holding me up. I couldn't see his face but I recognized the way he held himself and how he was dressed. For the second time, I began to panic once I acknowledged the fact that my life is in the hands of this scary man. Not too good. Before I could even scream "No", again the man dropped me and I was falling slowly, in a dream-like state, towards the cold looking water of the river below. But it was pleasant in a terrifying way, the wind blowing at me, the ground getting closer. It felt like I was flying, just flying...down. Just as I was to hit the water, the scene changed.

My eyelids flickered open but quickly closed again as they weighed the same as lead. I felt the dream melting away from me like ice melts into water before trickling away: the image of the man in a black cloak and the hanging was trickling away from me in a stream towards the back of my brain where I wouldn't be able catch it and remember it. I attempted to open my eyes again, but still they refused. I felt like I usually do on Monday morning, but this wasn't a case of Monday morning. I completely had my wits about me. I had two options as to where I was, where this horrible lumpy bed belongs.

Why is it that every place where you are being medically healed has crap, uncomfortable beds? It just wasn't fair because lots of times, you would be in there for a little while... Or perhaps that was the plan: give patients uncomfortable beds so they avoid at all costs going to the hospital, whether it be at Hogwarts or at St Mungos. Therefore I knew, just by the bed where I was. Hogwarts or St Mungos. I think I'd prefer to be at Hogwarts... actually perhaps not, perhaps St Mungos, where is it warmest? But anyway, getting back to the subject: I knew exactly where I was and why I was here. I knew for certain that I wasn't dead because he'd told me I was alright, so I was and that I'd be alright, so I am. I can trust him to tell me the truth. So that's with the where. But now, the how.

The last thing I can remember is black dots, gasping for breath, cold, tears, fear and of course the locket. That stupid goddamn locket. If I ever see it again, I'm gonna completely go crazy: I'll spit on it, I'll stomp on it, I'll throw it at a wall, I'll do some funky hex and charms and curses, then I will transform it into paper and then burn it. But... b-but how was it cursed in the first place? It was sent to me by Draco, and it was cursed? Was it... Was it Draco who cursed it? But if it was him who cursed it, why would he try, and succeed, to save me from it? That just didn't make sense. A list of suspects (people I'd seen that day) ran through my head: waiter, strangers in the street, strangers in the pub. My mind shied away from the last people on my list: Mum, Dad, Lizzie, Matthew, Sav, Jack and...Draco.

Who would be most likely to try and kill me? Well, I could tick everyone off that second list. Not so sure about the first one, but it was most likely none of the strangers I saw that day. Perhaps it was Pansy again? If it was, I wouldn't take it so well this time, I might just have to confront and hex her all the way to next week. Damn it, I'm hungry... I thought to myself, encouraging me to try again and open my eyes, or at least stop thinking such infuriating thoughts.

I attempted to drag my eyelids up to open my eyes again, and was some what successful. It felt like my eyelashes were glued together...wait, perhaps they were! Perhaps it was Pansy and when she found out that I hadn't died, she came in here and glued my eyelashes shut. Why would she do that though? Perhaps, she was stood right next to me right now, waiting for me to wake up and struggle to get my eyes open and then BAM, she kills me. Whilst laughing. Ugh, that wasn't a very nice thought. What was wrong with me? I was going crazy! But, what if it was true? I cringed. Oh no, damn it! If she was there, she would have just seen me cringe and know I was awake. I waited for the laughter to start then the green light as she exclaims the Killing Curse.

"I know you're there..." I grumble, my voice sounds husky from misuse. Huh, so I'm gonna sound like a bloke when I die? Thanks, God.

"Who? Me? Yeah, I'm here..." A man's voice answered back. Wow, I always knew that Pansy looked like a man, but now she even sounds like one! Or maybe she's had a sex change... Even though I hate her, that is one tough decision, I have a teeny weenie inkling of respect for her now.

"Um, hi... Congratulations, by the way, that was very brave. I mean sure, I wouldn't wanna be a guy, but whatever floats your boat, Parkinson." I say nervously, trying to get her to reconsider the whole' kill Maya' thing, that won't be too fun for me.

"She's delirious..." I heard the man voice say again, only a bit further away. Who was Pansy talking to? Cuz that was definitely the same voice. Oh my god, what if she, well I suppose I should think of her as a he now, he brought along someone else, like Death Eaters... Oh no, I'm so done for... Actually no, why would I be done for? I'm a half blood, they don't have nothing against them, do they? Unless they want to kill me because I associate with muggles. OK, as I said before, I'm done for. When I used to say Kieran, Aunty Lyn and Uncle Dennis would be the death of me, I was only exaggerating. Now, I could tell everyone up in heaven that my aunt, uncle and cousin was the cause of my death, without exaggerating! Golly gosh, that's dream come true. See, even on my death bed, I can still me sarcastic! Ha, suck on that You-Know-Who! I bet you've never had one of these before. Haha...ha...ha... Now, I'm really hungry!

Right, shove this, kill me if you like Pansy, but before you do, I need a pumpkin pasty I thought, trying to transmit it to her... um him... mentally.

I tried opening my eyes again. And it worked, but I kinda wish it didn't... It was so bright, I quickly had to shut my eyes against the glaring light. Damn it, that was so inconsiderate! Perhaps they should TURN THE LIGHT DOWN! People could get waking up confused with dying: 'don't go into the light' and all that jazz...

I attempted it again, but this time forced my lids to stay up despite the fact that my eyes began to water. I saw a blurry room (or was it blurry because of the tears in my eyes? Because I've never seen a blurry room before...) and on the wall opposite me was sickly sweet and painfully cheerful picture of a rabbit grinning, ear to ear, holding a daisy (which was smiling! EEK!), under gold curly writing saying: Get Well Soon. I think I might puke.

"Maya?" I groggily turned my head. Sav was sat there, Jack behind her and Draco was leaning on the wall just beside the picture I'd been criticising. He was had a frown upon his face which masked some of his good looks...but not all of them. Flicking my gaze back towards Sav, I admired jealously how she still managed to look amazing with her mascara in ugly streams down her face and her eyes red and puffy. I felt a searing hatred towards her, ignoring the little poking in the back of my mind saying: she was scared for you, why do you hate her? That's not fair, no don't say anything... no, no, NO, DON'T!

"You bitch." I sneered at her. The voice reared it's ugly head again: Oh, you just went and SAID SOMETHING! You idiot! I told you not to!

"What?" Sav gasped. Couldn't she understand why I hated her? Couldn't she—

"That's the dark magic talking, ignore her." Draco muttered darkly. What? What was his problem? What dark magic anyway?

"Huh?" I asked him, cocking one eyebrow. Now that he had said that to Sav and Jack, I didn't really feel any of the hatred and fury I'd previously felt.

"We're just gonna go join Mr and Mrs Moore and get something to eat in the canteen, we'll be back in about an hour or so..." Jack told Draco, refusing to look at me before gently steering Sav, who was looking at me with big eyes, away.

"Maya..." Draco sighed, shoving himself off the wall to take the seat that Sav had just deserted "you're delusional and confused because of the dark magic I had to use on you to get the necklace off."

"Oh." Realization dawned on me. The negative feelings were gone. I only felt gratitude towards Sav, no hatred.

"Oh, my goodness, I was so horrible to her, she looks like she's been here, worried, and I just snapped at her!" Tears sprang into my eyes causing me to sniffle. I fiercely wiped the tears away.

"It wasn't you. It was the dark magic. Your moods are going to be up and down for a few more days until the magic has worn off." He wouldn't look at me, he just stared at the floor.

"Oh, right..." I sniffled again, "so what happened to the necklace, how was it cursed?" I asked, trying to sound strong and confidant, the complete opposite of what I was feeling inside.

Suddenly, Draco scraped his chair back and stood up, making me jump. He started pacing the little room: up, down, up, down... He did that for awhile, the muttering under his breath was the only noise. About five minutes after, he turned to look at me. His face was crunched up in a grimace, pain shining in his silver eyes.

"M-my father cursed the necklace and sent it to you..." He whispered.

My mind went blank.

"Maya? Are you alright should I get a healer?" Draco fretted making snap out of my thoughts.

"Wha...? No, why?" I queried, curiousity masking my face.

"Well, you didn't talk or blink, and your heart machine went crazy..." He explained, still with a worried look on his face.

"I was just thinking... So daddy dearest wants me dead, huh? That's nice..."

"Maya..." Draco warned, throwing me a disapproving look.

"Sorry..." I mumbled before clearing my throat and saying more clearly, "So why?"

"Ugh!" He groaned, dragging his fingers through his hair.

"Draco?" I encouraged.

"H-he doesn't like our relationship."

"Oh, how does he know the genre of our relationship?" I demanded, not mad at him, but furious at Mr Malfoy.

"Inside source apparently, he sent me a letter..." He informed me before retrieving a thick envelope from his back pocket. He handed it out over to me. I just stared at it, wondering why he was giving it to me.

"Uh, what should I do with it?" I asked him, slightly offended when he chuckled.

"You read it, Maya." He said to me as if he was speaking to a toddler. Ohh, hehe, stupid question huh?

"But it's your business, Draco." I answered in the same tone.

"It concerns you, so it's your business too." I left it like that and pulled the parchment out of the envelope. There was hardly anything on there. Just a few sentences. Before I read anything, I realized that the person who wrote this letter was the same person who tried to kill me, who wanted me dead. Nice thought.

Draco,

You need to decide where your loyalties lie. I have heard from a useful source that you are still close with that filthy muggle-loving Gryffindor. I will not accept this humiliation brought to my name or family. As you probably know, I have indeed sent an heirloom to your little friend. It was cursed, so she is know either dead (good riddance) or you committed a crime to save her. You will now avoid her and any other alliances with the other side. I have young William McMillan watching all your movement, so be warned, you are with surveillance.

Father

William McMillan? Will? Will? Sav's brother? Oh Merlin!

In one swooping moment, I remembered what Sav had been talking about back on that fateful day at Hogsmeade. I finally understood!

DAY OF THE BALL, BACK IN HOGSMEADE

"No, he and Will have Quidditch practice." She answered lightly but there was a slight tightening of her eyes as she said her brother's name.

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"It's just Will, he's made a decision that I don't agree with, that's all." Sav answered shortly. I decided to drop it as it was clear that she didn't want to discuss it.

"How is it with Jack though? Are you just going to the Ball together or is it like the start of a relationship, do you think?"

"I hope that it will develop into something more because, even if I haven't been here very long, I think he's a really nice guy. He's someone who is good for me and the kind of guy I would like to end up being with." She answered and a slight flush appeared on her cheeks.

"Hmm, deep." I noted. They were a good couple and he was a nice guy. After the obvious I'm-sorry-I-don't-know-your-name conversation, he didn't forget my name, he occasionally hung out with us. He was really cheerful and always made me laugh, which was nice.

"What about you, do you even like Will?"She smirked.

"Do you want the truth or a lovely lie?" I asked timidly.

BACK TO PRESENT

Oh my god! Will was a Death Eater!