Draco stared up at the body levitating above him, seated at an all too familiar table. Countless of unwanted faced leered finding some sick pleasure in the suffering of others. Why can't he ever leave this place?! He was always here paralyzed and unmoving, watching to see what would happen next. He heard voices in the background but they were drowned out by the sound of fire cracking in the fireplace and blood pounding in his ears. A flash of green light flared and the body was no longer above him, it landed with a loud thud on the table, the victim's lifeless eyes stared up at him, Aurora's eyes. Draco looked down at her and with a horrified gasp he jumped out of his chair and backed away from the table. This was wrong, all wrong! It wasn't supposed to be her! It was supposed to be the Muggle studies professor! He blinked a few times but the scene before him remained the same Aurora lay there motionless, her bright green eyes now dull and lifeless with a stray tear threatening to fall. Draco's body began to tremble, his stomach lurched threatening to empty its contents onto the floor.

"She wasn't worth anything, just the runt of the litter." Said an unnaturally high voice that sent shivers down Draco's spine, it was him. Draco didn't dare look up at him, instead his eyes were fixated on the giant snake gliding across the tale to its prey.

No, no, no, no! Before the snake could devour her Draco lunged forward to try and protect her lifeless body. Aurora deserved more than to be reduced to food. The snake let out an angry hiss and prepared to attack, Draco shut his eyes tight, body trembling violently waiting for the assault-

Draco bolted up right gasping for air absolutely horrified. He groped around for his wand to turn the lights on. What the hell was that? He ran his trembling hand over his sweat stained face. Immediately he found blood on his fingertips, his nose, damn it! He threw the covers off him and rushed to the bathroom. He grabbed a wash cloth and held it to the bridge of his nose. Draco tried to dispel the disturbing images that flashed through his head, Aurora she was-oh God, how did she-why?

"It was just a dream, it was just a dream, it was just a dream…" He chanted over and over again as he tried to catch his breath. Could it have possibly meant anything? Was Aurora in danger was that why he had that dream? Draco was so shaken that he could barely muster a rational thought.

He had to go see her, Draco looked at his watch, it was midnight she might be asleep by now. Draco rushed over to his closet and pulled on a pair of sneakers, he didn't care if she was asleep or not, he had to make sure that she was okay.

Aurora had been in a bit of a snit as of late and he knew her, she had a tendency to act very rashly when she was upset. She was more of a danger to herself than anything else. Not bothering to change out of his pajamas Draco Disapparated out of his apartment, it would give him some piece of mind if he could just see her with his own eyes.

The train halted abruptly with a loud screech causing Aurora to fly forward out of her seat hitting her head on the seat in front of her. Something had fallen on top of her, possibly her luggage.

"Sorry!" Cried a muffled voice.

Aurora realized that it wasn't baggage that landed on her but a person. She looked up and saw a young blonde delicate faced woman struggling to stand up.

What on earth is going on? Aurora climbed back into her seat once the woman got up and looked out the window to try and see what had happened, but it was no good, it was pitch black.

"I'm very sorry." The woman apologized again. "I was on my way to the dining car when the train suddenly stopped and I lost my footing."

"It's okay." Aurora said smoothing out her hair.

"Ladies and gentlemen," A voice filled the car. "We apologize, but due to severe weather conditions we will be delayed indefinitely. There will be refreshments in the dining car free of charge please help yourselves. Thank you very much for your patience."

"Well, lucky I was on my way there." The woman chuckled, her voice was so soft Aurora strained to hear her. "Would you like to join me? I could use some company."

"Um, yeah sure."

"Great! My name is Lujain by the way."

Aurora quickly stood to shake her hand. "Aurora, Aurora Pontellier."

"Pontellier? Wait, I think I know your family."

"Do you?"

"Yes, your family makes wine right? Pontellier Domanie Viticole?"

"Yes, that's us." Aurora smiled.

"Oh my goodness! This is so exciting my father is a big fan of your wine!"

"Well it's not really my wine," Aurora chuckled. "More like my father's wine, but thank you, I'm very fond of it myself."

The two women started to walk towards the dining car.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but your family also makes jewelry right? Bijoux Impériaux?"

"Yes that's also us."

"I absolutely love your jewelry!" Lujain reached into her turtleneck sweater and produced a swan pendant. It was a fine piece of work that Aurora was very familiar with. The body of the swan was made of blue sapphire and the wings were encrusted with black diamonds.

"My father got this for me when I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I'm absolutely in love with it!" Lujain continued. "It was beautifully made."

"Yes, I am very familiar with our swan collection, I actually designed that particular piece you are wearing."

Lujain's amber eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Yes," Aurora nodded. "I remember about 3 years ago my brother Nathaniel, the current CEO of Bijoux Impériaux, came to me because he needed ideas for a new collection that he was going to put out and apparently the people who were usually in charge of designs or whatnot were giving him the same generic ideas."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, I guess they weren't creative enough, anyway he just gave me a pen and paper and I just drew the first thing that came to mind and he loved it. He brought it to his people and they just branched out from there."

"That's really funny, why a swan?"

"I guess I like swans." Aurora shrugged. "I think we're here." Aurora stopped and looked around. There was a number of small booths situated all along the car.

"Great, let's grab a table." Lujain took a seat at the first booth she saw and beckoned for Aurora to come join her.

"I thought we were just going to grab a cup of coffee?" Aurora asked taking a seat across from her new acquaintance none the less.

"That was the plan initially but I'm going to be honest, I'm starving! I haven't eaten since we left Briarcliff." She picked up the menu to take a look at what her options were.

"Same, so what's brining you up to Boston? Visiting family for the new year?" Aurora also picked up the menu eyeing the breakfast section.

"I wish! I'm actually going for work." Lujain looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard. Once she was sure no one was listening she leaned forward and lowered her voice. "I'm an alchemist's apprentice, and the alchemist I work for asked me to come in so I have to spend the New Year in Boston."

Aurora was surprised, alchemist's apprentice? That means that Lujain is a-

"You're a witch?!" Aurora whispered.

"Yes, I knew right away that you are a witch because of your family name."

"I see."

"So, why are you traveling to Boston?"

"I don't know, I just decided I wanted to take a trip and here I am!"

"Spontaneous adventure, how fun!"

Aurora nodded.

"Well, we can get to know each other better after we order." Lujain smile and waved to a man currently taking orders at the table in front of them.

Aurora smiled, well now she doesn't have to endure the trip alone. It seems she made a new friend.

Draco stood eyes transfixed on the frightened house elf.

"I'm sorry, I must not have heard you correctly. Where is Aurora?" Draco asked making sure to speak slowly.

"She's gone sir." Lini squeaked. "Gone traveling."

"What do you mean 'traveling?' where has she gone?"

"Lini does not know sir! Miss Rory packed her things and said she will go traveling."

Draco continued to stare at the elf, what in the world is going on? What does she mean by Aurora traveling? Packed her things? She's making sound as if she-

Confused he went upstairs to her bedroom, he opened Aurora's closet and noticed that almost all of her clothes were gone save for some extravagant looking robes, the robes she was going to wear to the ball. His heart sank, where was she? Why did she need to pack her entire closet? Draco continued to wander about the flat trying to find anything that could indicate where she had gone, he found nothing except for her old diary that had been left open. Looking at an old entry the date recorded at the top of the page was written when Aurora was about 15 years old. He opened the drawer of the desk to put the book away when he found a very elegant looking wand, laurel wood 113/4 inches. Her wand, Aurora left her wand!

Panic began to set in, how could she just leave her wand behind?! How was she was supposed to use magic without it?! This wasn't good, was she so distraught that she just left a part of herself behind?

"Lini!" Draco called.

"Yes sir?" Lini immediately appeared at his side.

"Do you know why Aurora left her wand?"

"No sir." Lini shook her head. "Miss Rory only said that she didn't need it and then she left."

Draco's panic heightened, what the hell was that girl thinking?! Where did she go, and why the hell didn't she tell him?! He pocketed the wand and Disapparated out of Aurora's apartment leaving the elf behind.

Standing in the dark corridor of the Belby mansion Draco heard nothing but the sound of rhythmic rocking of a headboard and a female squawking like a siren harpy. It seems that Wyatt was entertaining a lady friend. Oh bloody hell! Tonight of all nights he has to go whore around! Draco was about to burst into his friend's bedroom but thought better of it. He walked over to Ramona's bedroom and tore the door open.

Ramona lay motionless on the bed completely oblivious to what was going on in the room next door. Draco grimaced, he could still hear Wyatt's guest through the walls, but no matter he'll deal with that fool later, first he had to get Ramona up.

"Ramona, wake up." Said Draco as he shook her awake.

"Wha-"Ramona reached for her eye mask to see who had disturbed her slumber. She reached for her wand and turned on the lights, blinked a few times her expression had gone from bewildered to angry.

"What the hell are you doing here Malfoy?!"

"Do you know where Aurora is?"

"The fuck if I know! Now get lost." She threw herself back onto her pillow and pulled the covers over her head.

Draco irritably grasped the covers and ripped them off of Ramona.

She sat up, eyes blazing at him wildly. She brandished her wand and pointed it at him.

"Aurora is gone." Draco said plainly.

"So?"

Growing impatient Draco reached into his pocket and threw Aurora's wand at Ramona.

"All of her things are gone and she left her wand behind. What does that say to you?"

Ramona looked at the wand then back up to Draco. "Well at least we know she's not planning on committing suicide."

"What?!"

"If she took all her belongings and left her wand behind then I would conclude that the dumb bitch decided to go on a trip or something. Maybe she forgot her wand, it wouldn't be the first time." Ramona's voice was irrationally calm.

"Are you not grasping what I'm saying?! SHE LEFT HER WAND BEHIND INTENTIONALLY!" Draco was beyond irritated with Ramona's reaction. How the hell could she stay calm at a time like this and that bloody cad, Wyatt, was still going at it!

"Draco, it's 5 in the morning, I can't even comprehend what you're saying on top of Wyatt shagging the brains out of that trollop."

Ramona got up and threw on her dressing gown. "Give me a moment." She exited her bedroom without uttering another word.

Draco heard Ramona enter her brother's room with a loud bang, there were shouts of terror. Wyatt's lady friend seemed to be sobbing and Wyatt and Ramona engaged in an angry screaming matched that filled the whole house.

"DO YOU TWO HAVE ANY BLITHERING IDEA OF WHAT TIME IT IS?!" Boomed the livid voice of the master of the house himself. "WYATT TELL YOUR FRIEND THAT SHE MUST LEAVE, I WILL NOT PEMITT STRANGERS IN MY HOUSE!"

Draco saw a half-naked woman run down the corridor tightly clinging to her clothes, she ran down the stairs and out the house.

Ramona walked back into her bedroom looking very pleased with herself, followed by her disgruntled brother muttering angrily to himself.

"Would you put some bloody pants on?!" Ramona chided.

Wyatt was wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts. "I'm perfectly fine the way I am thank you." He turned his attention to his best mate. "What are you doing in my sister's room at this hour?"

"Aurora, apparently." Ramona crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look mate, I know you've been pining after her for a year now but this is getting out of hand, just tell her how you feel!"

Ramona noticed Draco's grim expression, clearly this was serious. "Look, let's go down to the kitchen, I'll have one of the elves put on a pot of coffee and you tell us everything."

The boys followed Ramona down to the kitchen.

The twins stared at him in shock, Draco had told them everything he knew, what Lini had told him and what he had found in Aurora's vacant apartment.

"But what could possibly make her just want to leave?" Wyatt asked somewhat distraught.

"She didn't say anything to any of you?" Draco asked rubbing his weary eyes.

"No, the last time we saw her was the day of her graduation, what about you?" Ramona asked taking a sip of her coffee.

"Same, well I saw her the day after and decided that she could use some space so I kept my distance." Draco said bitterly.

"Do you think she could have possibly gone to see her family?" Wyatt asked desperately.

"Doubt it."

"But how could she just-"

"I don't know!" Draco bellowed, "I don't know what the hell could have happened in a 7 day period to make her take off like that!" He was no longer able to hide the hurt behind is voice and he didn't want his friends to see him in this state either. "Listen," he stated more calmly. "You know her family better than I do, so just write to them and ask if they have any idea of where she might be. I'm going to go back to New York and ask her friends."

Before Wyatt and Ramona could say anything Draco Apparated back to his apartment. He appeared in the middle of his kitchen, without a second thought he opened the minibar he used to entertain guests and grabbed a bottle of schnapps and began to drink. He paced around his kitchen not really sure of what to do with himself or the thoughts that were now filling his head. Aurora left, gone, just like that, no note no nothing just gone.

The more Draco thought about it the angrier he got. How could she just leave?! After he poured his heart out to her! He was prepared to give her the world and she just abandoned him without a second thought! He took another angry swig from the bottle. Did a year and a half of friendship mean nothing to her? He was there for her whenever she needed him, whatever favor she asked of him, he complied, he would have done anything for her and she just left him!

Draco continued to pace the kitchen, he tipped the bottle toward his mouth to find that it was empty. Without thinking he hurled it across the room and it shattered when it made contact with the wall. He loved her! He loved her and she left! He wanted to marry her, make her his wife and she left! He had the most horrendous dream about her dying and that was enough to frighten him so much that he went to check on her in the middle of the night to find that she was gone! This is how she repaid his love? By leaving without uttering a word to anyone?! How could she betray him like this? After all they've been through together?! Did it not mean anything to her? Probably not since she was content with doing whatever she liked, not caring who she would hurt.

Draco grabbed his traveling cloak, he couldn't stand to be in his flat any longer, there was bound to be a bar open somewhere.