As I sat in the astronomy tower going over every little thing I shouted at Malfoy, I began to get very anxious.

What if he uses this against me? Why had I told him all of this? Now I seem vulnerable. Now I feel like the stupid one.

As I pondered everything I said to Draco, I became tired and overwhelmed. All I wanted to do was fall asleep right then and there, but that wasn't an option. I dreadfully walked down the astronomy tower stairs and allowed my slow, motiveless legs guide me towards the ktichens for a midnight snack before I went to my dorm to fall asleep.

The kitchens were filled with house elves preparing breakfast for the next morning. I asked a kind elf for a smoothie and a group of them started shuffling to whip it up for me. I stood there, smiling, watching the elves gracefully do their jobs when I heard the kitchen doors open behind me. I slightly flinched, not expecting anyone else to be up at this hour. I turned my head urgently and saw a certain redhead, now red in the face.

He slowly back out until I laughed aloud at his redundant attempt to flee.

"Ron Weasley, right?" I asked, hoping to make the awkward tension lessen.

"Uh — yeah. Are you okay?" he asked furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yes, I am fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well just that it looks like you want to pitch yourself off of the Astronomy tower," he replied.

"No, I'm okay. Just a long day."

"Oh okay. I just came down for a chicken wing."

"Go ahead and grab one," I said with a chuckle. "I am not going to stop you."

"So it's true then?" Ron asked curiously.

"Elaborate."

"Not all Slytherins are bloody mean. I mean you aren't hexing signs on my back, I'd take that as a friendly gesture," he said nervously while grabbing some chicken out of a house elf's wrinkly hand.

"Well I, of course, do have a reputation to uphold. But no, I'm not mean to everyone. Just people who give me a reason — or sometimes to get a laugh out of it."

"Well I have my chicken. I'm going to go now. It was — nice meeting you, I guess," he stuttered, holding up his food to verify before swiftly backing out of the room.

I grabbed the smoothie out of the hand of the house elf. I thanked them all and walked back into the Slytherin common room to be greeted with a dull, green atmosphere. Walking up to my dorm, I washed all the makeup off my face, drank some of my smoothie, and finally headed to bed. I laid there until I finally felt sleepy again and my head hit the pillow as I replayed the occurrence with Draco and Ron that night.

•••

The days and weeks flew by and nothing very interesting happened, except Malfoy sneaking glares at me during transfiguration to which I purposefully ignored. It was now mid-October and the air became colder and grayer than ever. It was as though winter came early the way the wind blew so violently, sending shivers down everyone's spine who dared to walk outdoors.

Astoria Greengrass began randomly sitting with Blaise and I during breakfast and lunch. She was all healed up and she even got Madam Pomfrey to un-jinx my hair back to h/c instead of purple.

Ron and I had been meeting in the kitchens more often, sharing laughs and becoming more comfortable with one another. He even asked me to Hogsmeade with him next weekend. I happily accepted his offer.

I had told Blaise about all the encounters with Ron and he had been surprisingly supportive, although he was also preoccupied doing whatever he does with Pansy. They have been spending excessive time together, but they still didn't seem to be "official" yet.

It was a cool midnight and I was laying in my dorm finishing up some last minute homework, blankets wrapped multiples times around me in an attempt to adjust to the unpredictable wind chill that rushed over Hogwarts overnight.

Once I finished my homework, I turned off my lamp and laid down. My eyes closed due to the heaviness weighing down on them.

"No please! I didn't mean to!" I screamed watching my sister fall off her broom and bleed on the ground. My mom and dad appeared next to me yelling, "IT WAS YOUR FAULT." I sobbed violently until I jerked awake with a staggered breath.

As I sat up, I took deep breaths and collected myself after another nightmare about my sister. Thankfully, Pansy and Daphne were deep sleepers. I glanced at the clock and it was around two in the morning. As I couldn't imagine a school day on two hours of sleep, I decided to lay back down and rest for the remainder of the night as best as I could, hoping my sister wouldn't appear again.

I later awoke calmly and performed my morning stretch, groaning as I did so. Once I had a few moments to fully wake up, I did my daily routine and headed to breakfast.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting there talking and Ron chose to glance over at me, smile, and then go back to talking to his two best friends and forcing mounds of food into his mouth. I smiled back at him and walked to my usual spot across from Blaise. To my vexation, Pansy was sitting next to Blaise with their hands interlaced with one another's. With a grotesque expression on my face, I sat down and munched on some food to avoid all conversation involved with Pansy and my best friend.

When the bell sung for 1st hour to began, the students rushed out of the Great Hall in attempt to be on time, including me.

Throughout divination class I scribbled notes down and fantasized about Ron Weasley. Once I realized what I was doing I internally smacked my head and focused on Trewlany's dreadful, raspy voice.

Blaise and I wasted our free period by walking through the castle halls and chatting about our relationship status with Ron and Pansy.

We trudged off to Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid and our rivals. As we arrived, Draco was mumbling awful words to Pansy about Hagrid. I looked around and the rest of the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's were headed straight into a wooded area, all of us shivering underneath our coats. We followed the rest of the class and came across an odd creature.

It had wings, a bird head and a body like a horse. It was magnificent but intimidating all the while. Hagrid told us to open our monster text books that we bought in Diagon Alley over the summer. I seized it out of my bag and waited for instructions on how to open it.

"Everybody open yer books please!" Hagrid bellowed, loud enough for the whole class to hear him.

"And how exactly are we supposed to do that?" A familiar voice grumpily questioned.

"Yer stroke the spine o' course," Hagrid implied, as if it were obvious.

We all stroked the spine of the book causing it to settle down and allow us to open it safely. Once we all had our books open (except Neville Longbottom who was tackling his book to the ground), Hagrid started describing the so-called "hippogriff" as a proud and amazing creature. I examined it deeply and noticed every feather placed upon its horse-like back.

Hermione mumbled something from afar and Draco butted in.

"Terribly funny! Really witty. This place has gone to the dogs. Just wait until my father hears that Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes," Malfoy said snidely.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry stated boldly, defending the Gryffindor-favored teacher and inching closer to Draco.

"Ooh!" Draco and his friends mocked.

Draco then looked up and pointed at the sky. His face displayed a seriously frightened look and my eyes followed to where he was pointing. He was glancing into the nothingness of the blue sky. I furrowed my brow while I heard Draco scream, "DEMENTOR DEMENTOR!"

I glimpsed back at Draco to see him and his friends wiggling their fingers with their hoods on their heads. I rolled my eyes and looked back up at the hippogriff and to Hagrid who wanted to continue on with the lesson.

"Alrighty, who wants to try it out?" Hagrid beamed.

Everyone took a step back, including me. Well, almost everyone. Harry Potter gawked at the Hippogriff and realized then that he was standing closer than anyone else.

"O' Harry! C'mon over and take yer a bow," Hagrid suggested.

Harry obliged and bowed to the hippogriff who mimicked the action. Harry was lifted up by Hagrid and placed on the beautiful creatures silky back. Harry look nervous but as the hippogriff called "Buckbeak" soared through the air, we could hear faint screams of joy from the distance.

After a couple minutes, the hippogriff landed and I stared up at Blaise next to me. His jaw was on the floor and I giggled at his shocked expression. As I was distracted, I hadn't even noticed Draco walking up to Buckbeak and trying to prove that he is better than "the chosen one."

Buckbeak became irritated and slashed Draco's arm. I winced at the blood and looked away quickly, making quite sure not to get any details at the unfortunate event taking place.

Draco let out an agonizing complaint, "It's killed meh, it's killed meh!"

"Hagrid you've got to do something!" I heard Hermione Granger call out in pure horror but sensibly. I agreed but still kept my head turnt in case of any blood that would remind me of my sister's pool of blood underneath her after she fell off of her broom.

Once I heard faint complaints from Malfoy, I was sure that Hagrid had carried him off. Blaise took my hand and led me back to the castle along with the rest of the class behind us.

Once we entered we headed straight to lunch and talked bad about Draco the entire time, as he deserved.

The day came to a slow end as I sat in the common room with Blaise, reading per usual. The room was dimly lit by fire and lamps spread around throughout. I was reading another muggle book: The Outsiders.

I intently read each page and absorbed every detail. I finished the chapter that I had been reading and glanced up at Blaise. He was staring into the fire with a gloomy expression.

"Hey? Are you okay, Blaise?" I asked softly.

"Mhm," he said unconvincingly.

"What's wrong?"

"Well — it's just that you have a date tomorrow and I do too."

"Blaise, what's the issue with that?"

"Well you're my best friend and well — er — what if — you like Ron more than me?" he mumbled. He looked so embarrassed after saying that.

"Oh c'mon Blaise! How could I ever replace you? You have been there for me since the beginning. You also have Pansy, I have no idea why, however, you like her and you're happy. Everything is okay, please don't ever doubt our friendship," I reassured.

Blaise walked over to me and gave me and big hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and placed my chin on his shoulder. If someone walked in, they would get the idea that we were dating, but it was just a simple, friendly gesture. It was atrocious how girls and guys couldn't be friends without speculation that they are dating.

"Aw Blaise is becoming soft," I joked.

"Shush."

We stayed in that position for a couple minutes and later went back to reading side by side on the emerald couch. My eyes drooped and I dropped my book onto my lap while dozing off. I leaned to the right onto Blaise's shoulder and easily fell asleep in my tremendously uncomfortable position.