Elaine's POV:

As the school year progressed, the weather only grew colder, and that meant one thing...Quidditch season.

I decided not to play quidditch this year, but I was always really excited to watch the matches. Gryffindor did great this year, and were in the finals. Right after Christmas break was the biggest quidditch match so far this year...Slytherin vs Ravenclaw. This game decided which team would be versing Gryffindor for the Quidditch Cup.

The morning of the match, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I bundled up in coats, scarves and hats to go down to the field. As we walked down towards the field, it started snowing and hailing. "Let's try to get under the covered section," Hermione suggested as we slipped and slid our way towards the stands.

Unfortunately for us, the section of the stands that were covered were completely full. So, the four of us found a spot next to Neville, Luna, and Brandy. Brandy and Draco were not on speaking terms, which was actually great for me. My jealousy subsided completely, and I was so happy to have him all to myself.

Before the match even started, we were all completely frozen and soaked. My hair was drenched and it was hard to keep my eyes open long from the icy wind. "Welcome everyone to the last match before the Quidditch Cup! Today is Slytherin vs Ravenclaw," the announcer began, and then introduced both teams and their members. Of course, I wanted Draco to win, but then I'd be torn when Slytherin would verse Gryffindor in the championship.

When the players kicked off, I watched Draco the entire time as he dove and circled the field looking for the golden snitch. Slytherin was playing very dirty this game...it was clear they wanted to win badly. They were getting penalties left and right, especially because of Crabbe and Goyle, the beaters. They continued to send the bludger towards the Ravenclaw team with great force, causing the Ravenclaw keeper to break his nose and a Ravenclaw chaser to fall twenty feet.

About an hour into the game, Draco had caught the snitch. The entire Slytherin stand, plus myself, erupted in cheers as the rest of the school felt defeated. "I'm going to go find Draco," I told my friends as I tried getting to the front of the crowd that was pouring off the stands and into the field.

When I finally pushed my way onto the field, I spotted Draco celebrating and hugging his team members. I ran up to him and jumped in his arms. "Great job," I said, wiping dirt from his nose. We talked about the game as Slytherins were congratulating him left and right.

"ELAINE!" someone screamed from behind me as Draco and I continued to talk. When I turned, I spotted Hermione, looking absolutely terrified. That's when I saw Pansy...

Pansy was about a foot away from me with her wand pointed at my chest. Immediately, I made a grab for my wand as she send spell after spell at me. I dove out of the way and onto the wet snowy ground.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I yelled at her, finally able to raise my wand at her. Instead of answering me, she sent a killing curse right at me. Of course, there is no spell to block the killing curse, and I watched the spell hit me square in the chest.

I fell backwards on the ground...but I wasn't dead. Instead, it just felt like I was winded from running to fast.

I slowly sat up as Brandy stepped in between Pansy and I, shielding me completely. As shocked as I was that Brandy was saving me, I was even more shocked I wasn't dead. "Elaine...oh my god," Harry said as him, Ron and Hermione rushed to my side. "Are you okay?" Hermione asked, helping me stand up.

"Why am I not dead?" I asked immediately, completely confused. "Look," Ron said, pointing to my chest. There was a hole in my shirt where the killing curse had hit me, and the hole in my shirt didn't reveal my skin...instead it revealed my compass...the compass Dumbledore gave to me. I hadn't taken it off since he gave it to me...I always felt that it was important to wear it. He obviously left it for me for some reason...I just had no idea what that reason was. "No way," Hermione muttered, examining the compass in her hands as Professor McGonagall rushed to the scene.

"This isn't over Mudblood!" Pansy screamed at me as several teachers restrained her.

"You're telling me that this compass protects you from the killing curse?" I asked my friends, who all seemed as confused as I did. "But that doesn't seem possible...you've got to go ask Dumbledore," Hermione said. I knew she was trying to find any reasonable explanation for this, but nothing seemed logical at the moment.

"Elaine are you okay?" Draco asked, rushing to me. I replied 'yes' as he pulled me in for a hug. "Let's go to Dumbledore now," Hermione said as the cold air only grew colder. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco and I walked straight to Professor McGonagall's office, which, of course, was the headmaster's office. Her office contained portraits of all previous headmasters of Hogwarts, and Dumbledore was always in his portrait...sleeping.

"Miss Granger! Are you okay?" Professor McGonagall asked as the five of us walked into her office. "I'm fine...I need to speak to Dumbledore," I told her. "Albus," McGonagall yelled at his painting, waking him up. "Yes," he muttered sleepily. "Professor, I just got hit with a killing curse...why am I not dead?" I asked him, and his eyes widened. "Aha! So it does work!" Dumbledore exclaimed, jumping up from his chair. "Excuse me?" I asked. "The compass I gave you! Of my own invention...but I never tested to see if it really works to deflect a killing curse...for obvious reasons," he said, smiling down at me. "So, your saying that Miss Granger is immune to the killing curse!" McGonagall asked the portrait, clearly shocked at what she just heard. "Indeed," Dumbledore said cheerfully, and then proceeded to ask me questions about the compass and how I felt after the curse hit me.

After Pansy attacked me, she was immediately expelled from Hogwarts, and hasn't been seen since...Professor McGonagall made sure the Ministry was made aware of her actions as well.

Pansy attacking me was the last huge event that happened...that is, until graduation, of course. The remainder of the year was spent with studying, exams, and laughter. In all honesty, I didn't want to graduate. Being able to live at school with all my friends and my boyfriend was just the best thing ever.

Of course, all good things had to come to an end, and sure enough, graduation day had arrived.

"I don't think I'm ready for this," I told Hermione for the twentieth time as we got ready for the graduation ceremony. My stomach was feeling queasy, and I don't think it was helping that I just kept eating. "None of us are ready...but that won't change the fact that we have to leave," she said, putting on earrings as she spoke. "What do you even want to do as a job?" I asked her. Both of us were very unsure of where we were going to work after this. "I think I'm going to ask Kingsley for a job at the Ministry," Hermione said excitedly, now putting on her heels. "Yea...I suppose that's always an option," I said, but I didn't really mean it. I didn't want to work at the Ministry...I mean, come on...how boring does that sound?

When Hermione and I were finished getting ready, we met Harry and Ron in the common room and glanced around the room. Our belongings were already packed up for us by the house elves, and this would be our last time in the Gryffindor common room.

As I took one last look around, I breathed in deeply...I was really going to miss this place.

Graduation was held on the lawn in front of the lake. There had to be over 2,000 people at the ceremony. My parents and Jason sat right near the front next to the Weasleys.

Despite there being a lot of students graduating (since it was 7th year students, and those of us who came back to school after the war), the ceremony went by rather quickly. Hermione, of course, gave an amazing speech as valedictorian, and Draco gave the salutatorian speech.

"And so, I'd like to end this speech on the happiest note I can," Draco spoke, "Elaine Granger, would you please come up here." All eyes turned to me and as soon as I saw Hermione's face, I knew what was going to happen. With shaky legs and a queasy stomach, I walked up onto the stage and Draco grabbed my hand.

"Elaine, you have made me the happiest man alive...and I promise to spend everyday that I have left on this earth trying to make you as happy as you have made me. Will you marry me?" Draco asked, bending down on one knee and pulling out a beautiful diamond ring. Of course, I burst into tears of joy, immediately saying 'yes' to Draco and pulling him to his feet to kiss him. The entire crowd that gathered in front of us burst into applause as Draco and I walked off the stage. "Well...congratulations to both of you," Professor McGonagall said, beaming at us. "And now...I would like to introduce Hogwarts' newest alumni, the class of 1999!" she exclaimed, allowing for much for applause.

After the ceremony had ended, Draco and I were swarmed with people congratulating us. It was difficult to get away from everyone just to even find my parents and Jason. "My girl!" Jason said, once I finally spotted him. "Congratulations Elaine," Jason whispered, hugging me tightly. My parents seemed even more thrilled than anyone. I think they were just so happy I found someone else to add to my family since I didn't have one for so long.

When I realized I still wasn't feeling well, I escaped the crowd once more. "You alright?" Jason asked me as he walked over to me. I was standing under a tree, trying to catch my breath. "Yea...I just haven't been feeling so well lately," I replied, guessing I had eaten something that my stomach didn't agree with. Sure enough, I puked my guts up in the grass, and felt myself go really flushed afterwards.

With a wave of my wand, my puke had disappeared, but I still wasn't feeling well. "Honey maybe we should go," Jason said. "I'll go get Draco," Jason added after I began getting sick again. "You okay sweetheart?" I heard Draco ask me. "Fine," I replied, waving my wand again and making the puke disappear. "Come on...let's go tell everyone we are leaving," Draco said, leading me back into the crowd.

After another hour of saying goodbye to everyone, I was told there would be a celebration at the Burrow later that night. "I'll see you all there!" I yelled to my parents, Jason, Hermione and friends.

Draco and I took one last look at the castle, and walked out of the giant steel gates that protected it. "Are you okay to apparate?" Draco asked me as we walked. "Yea...why?" I asked him as I grabbed his hand. "I have something I want to show you," he said, smiling to himself as he grabbed my hand.

And so, Draco and I apparated, and our feet landed in the middle of Diagon Alley. "Why are we here?" I asked, holding a hand over my stomach as I felt like getting sick again. "Just follow me," he said, leading me down towards Fred and George's store.

Just as it seemed we were about to enter their store, we took a sharp left and I found myself in front of a wooden door. Draco took out his wand, tapped the door with it, and the door swung open in front of us.

Right behind the wooden door was a staircase leading straight up to another door. "What's going on?" I asked him as we walked up the staircase and through the second door. "I um...I bought this apartment for us," he said, stepping aside so I could see the entire room.

The apartment had one bedroom, a small kitchen and den, and a beautiful view of Diagon Alley. "You bought this for us?" I asked, smiling so hard. "You like it?" he asked, looking relieved. "Like it? I love it...I mean, you bought us an apartment!" I squealed, jumping into his arms. "All of your stuff is here...your parents and Jason brought everything last week and my mom helped set things up," Draco explained, pointing out all the wonderful qualities of the apartment. "And finally...the best part," Draco said, opening the door of our bedroom. He picked me up and threw me onto the bed as he ripped his shirt off and tossed it aside. "Figured we should break in this apartment the right way," he said, smirking at me. I smiled back, pulling him right on top of me...

Unfortunately, our sexy time didn't last long as I had to rush to the bathroom to throw up. "Am I that bad?" Draco asked jokingly as he sat down next to me on the bathroom floor. "Ha-ha," I said sarcastically, throwing up more. "I'm sorry...I don't know what's wrong with my stomach," I said, leaning on Draco's shoulder when I was finished getting sick. "It's okay, dear...are you going to be okay to go to the party tonight?" he asked, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "Yea...I'll be fine," I replied, hoping that was true.

When the time came to leave for the party, I did feel better, though not completely. "You sure you're okay?" Draco asked as I got changed. "Yea...I'll leave early if I'm not feeling well...or maybe I'll stay...Mrs Weasley loves taking care of us," I joked, as I slipped on jeans.

And so, Draco and I apparated to the Burrow and saw immediately how crowded inside the house looked. "Elaine! Draco! Congratulations on your engagement!" Mr Weasley said, hugging me hello and shaking Draco's hand. "Would you two mind helping put this tent up? We've got to move this party outside before the house explodes with people," Mr Weasley joked. Of course, Draco and I helped put the tent up; and watched and everyone poured out of the house and went under the tent.

The party was so much fun as we ate, drank, laughed, and danced. Everyone that I loved was there, even Fred's painting was carried in by George and Lee at one point (of course, Mrs Weasley screamed at them for taking Fred's portrait away from Hogwarts).

At about 11pm, I began to feel quite sick again, so I decided it was time for me to call it a night. "I'm going to head back to the apartment," I told Draco, who seemed quite worried about me going by myself. "I'll be fine...just don't be home to late," I yelled over the music. "I love you," he yelled loudly in my ear...he was quite drunk. "I love you too!" I yelled back since my ear was temporarily deaf from his yelling, and apparated back to Diagon Alley.

When my feet landed on Diagon Alley, I felt in my gut that something was off. I decided to ignore it, though, since it was most likely because I've never been to Diagon Alley at night.

As I finally reached my apartment, I looked over my shoulder and saw a moving shadow. "Hello?" I spoke, breaking the silent of the alleyway. I stepped away from the door that lead to my apartment, I knew there was someone watching me. "Who's there?" I asked, pulling out my wand. That was when I felt the worst pain I've ever felt...I had been stabbed. I felt the knife enter my side, and then felt it being ripped out.

I clutched the side of my stomach hard, and felt warm, sticky blood trickling down my hand. I collapsed on the ground, still clutching my side. "Too bad, Elaine...if the killing curse would've worked, your death would've been much less painful," Pansy's voice whispered in my ear. I heard her cackle, and then she disapparated, leaving me on the ground to bleed out and die.