Ellie awoke on a lofty couch, though its tufted design made it quite uncomfortable. She blinked slowly, fluttering her eyes open as she observed her surroundings. The dark room was dimly lit by a few candles, allowing for her to identify some of the furniture. It was empty for the most part, except for a king-sized bed decorated with satin green sheets. Rows of bookcases took up an entire wall, its aged spines showcasing themselves for Ellie to see. A cold breeze blew across the room, ruffling the parchment that sat underneath a stone paperweight. Other than the bed and the couch, the room was empty, exhibiting a chilly atmosphere.

Ellie sat up on the couch, pulling her sweater closer to her body as another chilly gust of wind slithered from the cracked window. She found Hermione's shawl sitting at the armrest and wrapped it over her shoulders, inhaling the familiar scent of her girlfriend.

"Had enough of your beauty rest?" a voice spoke from the corner in front of her, concealed by the shadows of the bookcase.

Ellie jumped at the voice, recognizing it immediately. She laughed lightly, shaking her head at his words.

"It's kind of creepy, you know. Watching someone sleep," Ellie commented as Draco moved his face into the candlelight, illuminating his stony features. He was seated on a Victorian-styled leather chair, its material creasing slightly as the blonde-haired boy sat there.

"They would've taken you to the cellar if I hadn't took you in," Draco explained, rolling his eyes at the Hufflepuff.

"Thank you, but I would have been just fine," Ellie said as her eyes glanced to the set of neatly folded clothes beside her. She touched it lightly, its black fabric being the softest material she had ever felt.

"Clothes. For dinner," Draco mentioned as his eyes followed Ellie's.

A wave of panic rushed over the girl, her eyes immediately glancing to the gloomy weather outside the window.

"Dinner? What do you mean dinner? What time is it?"

"It'll be sundown soon. You've been out the entire day," Draco answered calmly.

Ellie sprung out of the couch's cushions, gathering her belongings that laid out in front of her.

"Where are you going?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Back to Hermione. I told her I'd be back by sundown," Ellie blurted frantically as she thought about how worried her girlfriend could be.

"You can't Disapparate in here. It sets off a tracker," Draco informed as he stood up from his chair. "Any other room will suffice. Hallways are off-limits."

Ellie hurriedly made her way to the door, stopping just before she turned the handle. She looked back at the boy, his face dropping at her sudden departure. The Hufflepuff immediately ran towards Draco, embracing his waist tightly. He was taken aback, too shocked to hug her in return.

"Thank you," Ellie whispered as she broke away from the Slytherin, a confused expression plastered on his face.

With that, Ellie turned around to the door, turning the handle slowly. She gave one last look to the boy before slipping out the room, shutting the door behind her quietly.

She tiptoed her way in a random direction, hoping that she was headed for another room. The hallways were long, its ceilings tremendously high. Ellie turned another corner only to bump into a tall man, his blonde hair reaching his shoulders, his facial features resembling Draco. He carried a long walking stick, the head of it sculpted in a metal serpent with green jewels for its eyes.

"Ah, Evans. You need to watch where you're going," the man commented as his grey eyes stared down at her.

"I apologize, Mr. Malfoy," Ellie responded quickly, recognizing the man to be Draco's father, the one who had fought against her in the Department of Mysteries just two years earlier.

"No need," Lucius shunned, dismissing it with his hand. "Where are you off to anyway?"

"I-I'm actually headed home. My mother wants me home before it gets dark," Ellie lied, bringing her head down to break the piercing gaze the man exhibited.

"Please, I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind you staying for dinner. Besides, it'd be a great opportunity for you to have a meal with your father," Lucius urged.

"Thank you, sir, but I've really got to get going. My mom wouldn't be too happy," Ellie prompted as she tried to walk around the man.

"No, I insist. It's very rare we have a guest like you," Lucius implored in a slightly louder tone, bringing the head of his walking stick to crash down on Ellie's shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. His words sounded less like an offer and more like a command, causing Ellie to gulp in hesitation.

The man was waiting patiently for an answer, his grey eyes piercing her once more.

"S-Sure. I'll stay for dinner, then," Ellie agreed reluctantly, earning a mischievous smile from Lucius.

"Very well, then. I've sent some clothes for you in Draco's room. It's much more... appropriate," the man commented as he eyed Ellie's clothes in disgust.

Lucius said nothing more as he stepped around the Hufflepuff, continuing his walk to his destination. Ellie stood there for a moment, regret washing over her body. She sullenly made her way back to Draco's room, the boy portraying a knowing look.

After a few moments of moderate conversation, the two were summoned to the dining room for dinner. Ellie had changed into the clothes set out for her, a simple tight, black dress that would have been much more fitting to a formal event rather than a dinner.

Ellie sat at the long table, settling between Draco and Bellatrix, her father seated right in front of her. She stayed quiet for the majority of the meal, glaring at Steven every now and then as he boasted of his latest captures with Lucius.

"Recovered from your little melt-down?" Bellatrix teased, jabbing her fork at Ellie's food, popping it into her mouth.

Ellie tightened her grip on her own fork, narrowing her eyes at the woman. Her father immediately cut in.

"Must've been the shock when she met me. I presume she's got a bit of an anger problem. It's quite unlikely for Hufflepuffs like her," Steven implied as he spoke for his daughter.

Boisterous laughter erupted from Lucius and Bellatrix, eventually drawing Steven in for the amusement. Ellie simply glared at him, clenching her fist tightly from underneath the table.

"You've got jokes, mate," Lucius commented at Steven. "Hufflepuffs are always too 'good' for the world, always smiling and cracking jokes. Never have I seen one with anger issues. Now that's one mistake the Sorting Hat made."

Another fit of snickers were shared about the adults, causing Draco to grind his teeth in response.

Lucius leaned forward, fixating his eyes to Ellie.

"People deserve second chances, Ellie, just like your father. Mistakes happen all the time, even to the best of us. You made a terrible mistake helping Harry Potter. But I think you've reconsidered. Join us... and all will be forgotten. Your house. Your mistakes. Everything. We can set our differences aside and... compromise. What do you say?" Lucius offered, the room immediately silencing.

Draco immediately spoke up, his eyes ambitious and defiant.

"Her? A Hufflepuff? Joining us?" Draco scoffed. "It'd be an embarrassment to our name, recruiting an emotional train wreck. She wouldn't last more than an hour. She'd cry over hurting a bloody house-elf, for Merlin's sake."

The group stared at Draco as he continued to stare down his father with a straight face. A period of silence passed as Lucius analyzed his words.

"Hm. A shame it'd be indeed," the man agreed. "But I'm sure we can toughen you up. I think it'd be best for you to sleep on it, though. We have a spare room upstairs."

Ellie nodded reluctantly, knowing he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. A sickening feeling grew in her stomach, losing the appetite to eat.

After dinner, she found herself sitting at the edge of the spare bed, touching her necklace lightly. She could imagine Hermione pacing about the tent, running her hands through her hair as she wondered of the dangers her girlfriend might be in.

With no way of contacting her girlfriend, Ellie's uneasiness only grew as she stared at the luxurious carpet underneath her feet. She started to count the threads one by one, desperate for any distraction from Hermione's worry.