Author's Note: I am SOOOOO sorry that it has taken me so long to update. I have been really busy with school and softball conditioning just started, leaving me with no extra time to write. I really appreciate all of your patience and hope that you will enjoy this chapter. I think that this story will be ending soon after a few more chapters, so please review and PM me if you have any ideas about how it should end and I will see if I can try to fit it in! Once again I am sorry about the wait and I hope that you enjoy this chapter!

BPOV

The next few weeks were really boring. All of the excitement of Snape's death and funeral had died down, and I was relieved that people stopped staring at me every time I entered a room. Well, the staring hadn't completely stopped, but it had gotten a lot better, which I was very thankful for.

Hermione also reminded me that we had final exams coming up in a couple of weeks and that we would be done at Hogwarts.

"What?" I asked, completely shocked. I had been preoccupied and the thought of the school year ending had not even crossed my mind once.

"Yeah, we only have a couple more weeks here," Hermione explained and I just stood there, my mouth hanging open. I probably looked completely idiotic right now, but I didn't pay any attention to anyone else. I was in my own little world. I didn't want to leave. Hogwarts was my home. All of my favorite memories were from here. Growing closer to Snape, playing pranks on Harry and Ron, meeting Draco, and all of the good times that we had had together since then. I had never thought what life would be like when we were all separated, I had always pushed that thought to the back of my mind, telling myself that I had time. But as I thought back to what Hermione said, that we only had a few short weeks left, I suddenly realized that I was out of time and I was scared about what was going to happen in the future.

Harry laughed as he saw my mouth hanging open. If only he knew just what was really going on in my head, I was sure that he wouldn't be laughing. "Don't worry Bella, you'll do great at whatever you do."

I laughed it off and passed off my worry as stressing about finals. Hermione and Harry believed me and didn't question me any further, but all of the worries I had still lingered in the back of my mind, no matter how hard I tried to get rid of them.

Dumbledore brought another issue to my attention a few days later. One that didn't really surprise me, but was still distressing to hear.

"You wanted to speak to me Headmaster?" I asked as I entered his office.

"Yes Bella. Please take a seat," Dumbledore said and I was ninety nine percent sure that I knew what this conversation was going to be about.

He didn't waste time, Dumbledore just flat out told me what the point of this meeting was about. It was one of the many things that I liked about him. "Bella, now that the funeral is over I am afraid that Voldemort might try to get you again."

I sighed. "I figured that he would be coming to get me soon," I said. I had accepted this a long time ago and I honestly couldn't wait to face my father's murderer and finally end all of this. I wanted to get rid of all of the fear and pain that Voldemort caused me, and I hoped that he would come soon. I had been scared of him my whole life and I just wanted that to end. I wanted and needed to relax and have nothing to worry about for once in my life.

"I just wanted to warn you so that you would be prepared," Dumbledore said kindly, watching me. Probably looking for some trace of fear on my face.

I nodded. "Is that all?"

"Yes, you may go." Dumbledore said quietly.

I walked out of the room and wandered aimlessly around the castle, not paying attention to where I was going. Snape had believed that I was capable of killing Voldemort and I didn't want to disappoint him. I sometimes daydreamed about the day when Voldemort would finally fall from power. He had ruined and destroyed so many lives and all I wanted was for him to die and pay for all of the pain and suffering that he had caused people.

There was that part of me that wanted me to be the one to end it, but then there was the other part that was cautious and not sure if I would be able to. I wanted to appear strong for everyone, but it was so hard, especially after watching what he did to Snape.

I wasn't watching where I was going and I ran into someone and we both ended up falling down.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," I apologized.

"It's alright," a really familiar voice said.

I looked up and saw Draco staring back at me.

"Hello," I said, smiling.

"Hi," Draco said, amused. "What were you doing down here?" He asked, holding his hand out and helping me up.

I glanced around at my surroundings and saw that I was near the dungeons. "I wasn't looking where I was going. I wasn't paying attention," I explained.

"Why? What did Dumbledore say?" Draco asked anxiously. Probably suspecting the worst.

I shrugged. "Nothing that I didn't already guess. Voldemort should be coming after me soon now that he has given me enough time to grieve." I winced as I said that, going back to the night when Snape died and Voldemort told me he would give me time to mourn for my dead father before he came after me. He had had no remorse at all and I wondered how someone could become that evil, that killing people was fun. You had to have gone completely off the deep end, leaving all human emotions behind.

Draco stared at me worriedly. "Are you worried?" He asked.

I thought about my answer for a minute, thinking about how the best way to respond to that question would be. "Yes and no," I finally answered. "I'm not really scared about dying, I'm just worried that if I die, he's just going to continue torturing and killing people and that it will be my fault. I will have the chance to kill him, but I am worried that I will be too weak and I won't be able to do it, and if people will blame me for that. I'm actually excited for him to come get me, and I know that is wrong, but I can't help but feel that way. Whenever I hear his name all I think of is how he murdered my dad, and all I want to do is make him suffer," I explained.

Draco thought through my answer and eventually said, "I guess I see where you're coming from, and I would probably do the same thing. And nobody would ever blame you if you weren't able to defeat him. Don't ever think that. It's not your job to kill him, so people shouldn't expect you to. And don't feel guilty. It's natural to think that way after he did something that affected you so greatly. Just don't let your hatred overpower you. That is what will end up costing you your life and you can't let that happen, Bella. I can't lose you," Draco said, worry written all across his face.

I smiled softly at him. "Always remember my promise to you that I will come back to you. I have kept that promise for a long time now and the next time something happens will be no different. I love you so much and I will always come back to you."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and listened to his steady heartbeat. Draco sighed and pulled me closer to him. "I know you're right, but I love you so much and can't help but worry. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," I said. "Weirdly enough I like it when you worry about me. I guess it just feels good to have someone who actually cares about me."

Snape had always been there to care for me and make sure that I was okay, but now that he was gone I sometimes felt lonely and abandoned. I knew that it was stupid considering how many people I had in my life who cared about me and loved me, but I couldn't help feeling those things.

"Bella, there are a lot of people who care about you," Draco told me, gazing into my eyes in a way that made me lose my train of thought. "You are also surrounded by people who love you, I know that I do."

I smiled serenely up at him and kissed him on the lips. His arms snaked around me as he pulled me closer to him. My fingers tangled themselves in his hair.

After a while we broke away, panting and grinning at each other. "I'm really going to miss this," I said, not realizing what I was saying, and instantly regretting the words after they came out.

Draco pulled away. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, after we leave here . . . I'm just worried about what will happen. We won't get to see each other every day like we do now, and . . . and . . . I'm just worried about what will happen," I stammered out nervously.

"Bella, nothing is going to happen between us. We'll work it out when the time comes. There's no need to worry. We'll be absolutely fine," Draco said.

"But you don't know that for sure," I argued. "What if something happens. I won't get to see you very often and I don't know how I'm going to live with only seeing you a couple times a week."

Draco's face flushed with anger and I immediately realized that I said something that upset him. This really wasn't good. "So you don't think it's even worth trying? How do you know it's not going to work if you haven't even tried it? I love you Bella, isn't that enough? I'm going to miss not seeing you as much too, but there's nothing that I can do about it. Don't you trust me Bella?"

"Of course I do Draco! I just . . . I'm afraid of what's going to happen. I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me Bella! Do you have that little faith in me? How do we know what will happen unless we try first? If you don't want to try at all, what do you think we should do?" He asked and there was a hardness about him that he had never had around me before that made tears come to my eyes.

"I don't know . . . I just, I don't know," I said, crying.

A look of vulnerability flashed across his face and then it was gone. "Call me when you can finish that sentence," he said and then walked away.

I didn't call out, I didn't run after him, I just sat there, feeling sorry for myself and repeating over and over in my head how stupid I was. I had let doubt take over and I had pushed away the person who I cared about most. The one who helped me the most and who I loved more than anything. What had I been thinking?

Sobs built up inside me and I let out all of my anger and frustration at myself. I mean, how stupid could I be? He wanted to be with me after we left Hogwarts, but I had pushed him away and hadn't even given him the chance to talk about what we were going to do.

I heard footsteps approaching and tried to hastily wipe the tears away from my face. I was near the Slytherin common room and I didn't want Pansy Parkinson or one of the other Slytherins that hated me to show up.

I looked up and was surprised with what I saw. I never expected this person to ever looked at me with concern ever again. I had completely forgotten about them, only having bitterness and anger toward them, but seeing their expression right now I knew that there was still something kind and caring about them. Well, I might as well get his over with, I thought bitterly, standing up. I took a deep breath and stared up at the face of Edward Cullen.

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and felt that it was worth the wait. Like I mentioned I have been very busy lately, so I do not know when I will be able to update again, but I do hope that it is soon. Thank you so much for all of your patience and please do not forget to REVIEW!