Taking Chances and Making Changes

Authors Note - This story is an AU. It follows canon events up until the end of Prisoner and beginning of Goblet.

Disclaimer - I own nothing except my OC's. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling. Basically, if you recognise it from the books/films then it is not mine.

Hayley(POV)

It was a few days later and everyone was packing there things to go home for the summer the next morning and as I had been slowly packing my things over the course of the week so I only had a final few things to pack which could be done that morning. Seeing as almost everyone was busy packing I went for a walk around the grounds. While I was out walking I ran into Draco who seemed relieved to have seen me.

"Hey Hayley. I'm glad I caught you. Ive been looking for you for the past few days"He smiles

"Yeah,sorry about that,ive been wanting to be alone for the past few days"I explain

"Don't worry about it,theres no need to apologise"Draco says

I nod."Okay. What is it that you wanted to see me for?"

"Well i wanted to make sure you were okay and my dad wanted me to give you this letter"He explains handing me a letter

I nod taking it."I'm not going to lie and say i'm okay because i'm not. I just can't help but think that this is my fault"

"Why do you think what happened to Cedric is your fault?"He asks confused

"Because when we got to the cup Cedric and I argued about who should take the cup. We both told each other to take it but neither of us would back down. Eventually I said that we should take it together. If I had just taken it then Cedric would still be here"I sigh stopping to sit down on the grass

"Hayley you can't think like not to blame. Neither of you knew that the cup was a portkey. Besides your selflessness is one of your best qualities,how your always ready to help someone out no matter what the effect is on you"Draco says

I sigh nodding."I guess so"

Draco checks that there is no one else around before he pulls me in for a quick we separate he looks at me smiling."I probably won't get to see you before we leave so i'll write you when I get chance. Also if you ever need to talk about anything,you can always come to me"

"I know and I'll keep that in mind Draco"I say as we go our separate ways.

I continued walking around the grounds for a while until I came to the lake.I conjured a chair and sat down to read Lucius's letter.

"Dear Hayley,

I hope that you are okay after the final task and I am extremely sorry for what happened. I had to go in order to maintain appearances and I had no idea that you were going to be there. I must keep up my facade as being loyal to the cause but i will passing on information to Severs when I can. narcissa also hopes to see you at some point over the summer.I recommend you keep up your studies and practise over the summer as much as you can and if you are worried about the trace i will tell you that if you are in the presence of one or more adult wizards also doing magic it will interfere with the trace and if that isn't possible i pose you a the trace applied to the person or on the wand?

I hope that you do well in your exams and hope to see you soon.

Lucius"

I smiled as i finished reading the was just like Lucius to give someone an idea of loophole without spelling it out straight.I folded the letter away into my robe pocket and headed up to my dorm.

Authors Note - Hey guys I'm alive. I am extremely sorry for the prolonged absence. I have become very busy with assignments as it s my final year at university and have had no time to write. While my country is on lockdown I have had so much more time to get some writing done. This particular chapter I wrote a while back when i planned on writing severa chapters at a time before posting in order to remain ahead. I then became bogged down with assignments and the story was placed lower down on my list of priorities. I then rewrote the chapter as i found i no longer liked what i had written. I am aware that is a small chapter in comparison to previous but they will get progressively longer once again. I finish university in about a month and a half so I should start posting again then.