BREATHE -draco malfoy

fifteen.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as they sat in the stands of the Quidditch pitch. Ana had been acting unusual all week and Hermione, after seeing her act strangely since the summer, decided it was about time Ana told her what was going on.

Ana had come to the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts at Hermione's begging. Ana wanted to support Ron, of course, who was trying out for Keeper and was very nervous about making the team. But Ana had really just wanted to stay put in her room where she didn't have to worry about seeing Draco, or have to put on a happy face for her friends. It was exhausting, acting like she was okay. She watched as Ron flew, dangling in the air next to one of the goals. She had unknowingly reached her hand up to her chest and brushed her hand over the lump of silver hidden beneath her jumper. It was becoming a new nervous habit of hers, toying with it under her clothes. Ana turned to Hermione, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Nothing," Ana said. She was getting better at lying to her friends about her mood, which was a startling fact. She hated lying, especially to them. She desperately wanted to tell Hermione all about Draco, particularly how she was scared for him, how she thought he might be a Death Eater, and how he hadn't talked to her since that day in the corridor where she had snapped at him. Although, Ana hadn't really expected him to talk to her after that. She had been so cruel to him, even knowing that he already had so much going on. Ana had been kicking herself for weeks.

"You're lying," Hermione said gently, turning her attention back to the tryouts. Ana stared at her side profile, trying to figure out what to say.

Ana sighed. "Well, it's hard to be cheery these days. What with everything that's going on." It was at least half true, but it was the most vague answer in the world.

"We're at Hogwarts Ana. There's no place safer than here. And Dumbledore..." Hermione trailed. She squinted her eyes at the Quidditch pitch. "Dumbledore must have a plan."

Ana agreed with this, and it was slightly comforting. Dumbledore, the most brilliant wizard alive, would protect them. But Ana still felt sad, as the state of the world wasn't what was really bothering her.

"Confundus," Hermione whispered suddenly. Ana snapped her head up in shock and saw Cormac, who was doing well so far, fly to the side, right out of the way of the Quaffle, which soared right through the goal he was supposed to protect.

"What are you doing?" Ana hissed in a low whisper. Hermione had charmed Cormac to miss.

"Helping," Hermione said simply.

---

Ana walked with Ron, Harry, and Hermione, trudging through the snow that now laid on the ground. It was a few months into the term and Winter had set in now, making Ana shiver as the icy wind whipped her face. They were walking back from the Three Broomsticks where they had stopped in for a Butterbeer. Ana was greatful for this, as spending time with her friends had been helping her to feel better, just as it had this past summer when she had stayed at the Weasley's. But, regrettably, Ana hadn't been able to completely ignore what was bothering her. While they had been sitting at a table in the small pub, Draco had walked in. He was pale, even more than usual, and surprisingly had even met Ana's eyes, for the first time since the start of term, which was months ago. But his gaze had dropped quickly before he hurried out the door.

The four were chattering on mindlessly as they walked through the snow when they heard it: two blood curdling screams from just up ahead. The four of them ran over quickly and saw Leanne, crying out in horror, her eyes turned up towards the sky. It was Katie Bell, another Gryffindor girl, who had risen twenty feet in the air; the other scream they had heard was coming from her open mouth. Then suddenly, as if she was a ragdoll, Katie shot towards the ground and laid in a heap on the snowy ground.