I woke up outside still where I was when I passed out. Still surrounded by shards of glass. My brown hair was an odd shade of red and clumps of lighter brown from the mud that soaked into my hair. But my hair was the least of my worries. I knew this was my chance to escape. I knew I wouldn't be able to fix all of the burnt areas of his house and I knew it was the only opportunity I would ever have to get out of there. I climbed through the burnt window to grab the small backpack of clothes I brought with me. I already had my shoes on so as soon as I got my backpack on, I ran. My head was still pounding but I had to keep running. If I wasn't at Hogwarts by the morning I knew he would find me, and possibly kill me so I ran. I ran as hard as I could, as fast as my legs would move. That was until I fell and hit my head.

Draco

I knew I shouldn't have been trying to find her but no one stopped me. And I'm glad I did.

That's when I finally found her again. I couldn't figure out where she ran off to after she left Hogwarts a month ago. But there she was. Although it didn't even look like her. She was covered head to toe in bruises and cuts and her skin had no separation from her bones, her eyes were sunken and red, her body shaking with every desperate step she took. The way she was running made me hurt for her. The fear that was carried behind her run was terrifying. And that's when I saw her fall. She fell to the ground quicker than someone could blink. As soon as her head hit the ground she cried out. She sobbed on the wet pavement, not far enough from the house she was fleeing. I wasn't sure what had happened to her during the month I was searching for her but it looked bad. She looked bad. It didn't seem like she was going to be able to get up and keep running. I didn't know who, or what she was running from but I knew deep down she had to get out of there. "Keep going!" I shouted. I couldn't stop myself. I knew how dangerous it was to let her hear my voice because I knew she would recognize it but I had to do something. And thank Merlin she got up.

Daniella

It felt like a dream. I was convinced I heard Draco's voice but I didn't have time to think, I had to run. And with that, I built up the courage to get up and run as fast as my legs would take me. Eventually I got to the nearest Floo Network restroom. After almost an hour of sprinting I found it. I found the Floo Network. Tears pricked at my eyes but I knew I couldn't get distracted. I walked into the bathroom but as soon as I opened the doors all hope inside me left. I had just walked into a nightmare. He knew I would be there. He beat me there. He found me. My uncle found me. I didn't know how he knew I ran but he did and that was my only instinct was to run.

Draco

I watched her walk into the bathroom connected to the Floo Network, I knew she would be safe soon. Not thirty seconds passed by before she was sprinting out of the bathroom with a man chasing after her. I immediately knew by her cries for help this was the same person who gave her all the bruises and cuts. She was screaming for someone to help her. I couldn't watch this happen. This man looked like he was going to kill her if he got to her. I pulled my death eater mask that I had yet to put on since I was given the mark but I knew this time was different. I had to help her but she couldn't know it was me. I put on the mask and collapsed into the thick black plume of smoke any death eater could do. I landed in front of her, grabbed her and collapsed again. Feeling her next to me was so calming. For the first time in months I was looking at my girl. My girl who I threw out of my house. My girl who never stopped writing to me in desperation to know if I was okay.

When she saw the mask she started screaming and kicking trying to get out of my grip. "NO NO NO LET ME GO! PUT ME DOWN!"

To anyone else this would seem like anger. The Slytherin in me always thought she was cute when she was angry but this wasn't anger, this was pain, fear, and survival all at the same time. I watched her try to get out of my grasp and my heart broke for her. She didn't look like herself. She had bruises all over her body, she had cuts on her arms and face, her beautiful brown hair was stained with mud and blood. Her face was caved in from lack of food but what tortured me the most was I couldn't help her. I couldn't put her in the danger of the Dark Lord finding out about her and turning her into a death eater.

As we approached Hogwarts I was reminded of all the memories we shared. How alike our souls truly were. How without her I felt nothing. I couldn't risk anyone at Hogwarts seeing me so I went near the water and as softly as I could dropped her in.

Daniella

After what I thought was going to be my last moments on earth the death eater dropped me in the water. Thoughts were racing through my head. Was I just saved by a death eater? Did a death eater really just rescue me?

I didn't have time to think. I had to get back to Hogwarts before it could come back and possibly kill me.

Draco

Finally I landed in a bush near Hogwarts and snuck in. Only a few hours after I entered my untouched dorm, an owl landed and dropped parchment next to me. I knew Ella must have used the Weasley's owl as it was extremely late to delivering me the letter. I sat on my bed and as I read it I died a little inside.

Dear Draco,

I love you. I miss you. I will always miss you. But day by day the horrible thought in my head that you might be dead gets more repetitive. I used to look at the stars every night hoping you were to that in one way or another we were doing the same thing.

You told me during the summer I could talk to you about anything so this is me talking to you about 'anything'. I've shut myself out. I've tortured myself with the never ending thoughts of me not ever being able to see you again. I think if it was true you could die of a broken heart I would be dead by now. Although I'm not sure if that statement makes me happy or sad. I've had thought's of suicide because day by day people tell me it is likely you are dead, and if killing myself gets me to live in eternity with you I would do it in a heartbeat. But then the thoughts of hope take over. Because what if I kill myself to be with you in eternity but you aren't dead. Then I would have just left you alone in this cruel earth by yourself. Or what if one day I find you in your home dead by whatever came over you to make me leave that night. Or what if you find me dead because of my uncle.

But that's just the problem. Death is inevitable. In just a month I have come so close to death many times. I can not tell you how many times in those moments I just wanted to let go. How much I wanted the universe to take me up into whatever the after-life had in store for me. But Draco you are the reason I have held on. I have grasped the idea of me and you meeting again one day since the moment I left you this summer. Whether we meet again after death or while we are still on this earth is a question I don't know how to answer. The question I have been asking myself lately is how you are going to find out that I died. How I died from the abuse my uncle has put me through. How you are going to find out how it became too hard for me to hold onto life. But the amazing part is Draco, that day hasn't come. I have been as strong as I possibly can through my uncle's abuse just from the thought of you still being here and I got out. I love you, I miss you, and I will never live the same until I'm with you again.

Love, Ella

Daniella

As I made my way back into my dorm I quietly got ready for bed knowing that Pansy was already asleep. I knew my injuries weren't life threatening and I didn't want any attention on me as I would if I went to the infirmary. I sat in the bathroom for almost an hour, writing Draco a letter but as soon as I sent it, I went to my bed and fell asleep in an instant.

I woke up early the next morning screaming. "STOP PLEASE JUST STOP!" I sat up quickly with tears streaming down my face. Pansy quickly rushed to my side and began comforting me. "Daniella your face-" Pansy said, taken aback by the bruises and cuts on my skin. I didn't respond, I just shook my head and kept crying. To my astonishment she didn't ask what the dream was about or what had happened. She just sat on my bed, hugging me, reminding me it was just a dream. I rested my head on her shoulder still crying and began to doze off into sleep once more.

By the time I woke up I had missed breakfast so I quickly showered, tied my hair in a ponytail, trying to find ways to remind myself of Draco and headed to Potions. On my way there I kept getting weird looks in the castle corridors before I realized I forgot to put on makeup to cover up my bruises and cuts. I immediately turned around and ran back to my dorm, hiding my face as much as I could. I eventually made it back to my dorm and did my best to cover up everything. The cuts were easier to cover up. The bruises were not. The dark purple sports would stand out through my concealer. I knew there was nothing else I could have done and made my way to Potions once again.

I entered the class as quietly as I could, trying my best to not bring attention to myself. I went to go sit by Pansy but before I could make it to her table Blaise was calling my name. "Hey Tarnson!" I turned around towards him ready for him to start insulting me but instead he stared at me for a few seconds. I knew he could see the bruises on my face because I was closer to him. After he stared at me for what seemed like forever he turned back around without saying a word. I took a deep breath and walked over to Pansy.

"Hey are you okay?" Pansy asked.

Before I could come up with a weak lie, Snape walked in and began speaking. Pansy turned around suspiciously to open her Potions book like Snape instructed.

"Welcome back Miss Tarnson. Where is your Potions book?" Snape said in his mono tone voice in front of the class. I couldn't respond before he started talking again. "Come up and get one from me Miss Tarnson I have an extra book."

I walked up to Snape's desk and as he handed the Potions book to me he studied my face and gave me an odd, confused, and concerned look before speaking again. I walked back to sit next to Pansy and got a few strange looks from my classmates.

Potions was almost half way over when I noticed a few of the students in my class staring at me. I began hyperventilating and my vision became blurry as tears pricked at my eyes. I stumbled out of my chair and walked quickly out of class without giving a second thought about it. Detention seemed like nothing compared to what my uncle had been doing to me on a daily basis for the past month.

I walked to Draco's dorm, I pulled out my wand and waved 'alohomora' at his door. I walked in trying to be reminded of his presence. I knew only Draco could have calmed me down at that moment and his room was the closest I could get to him. I sat at the edge of his bed crying for the rest of the school day wishing he was there with me.

Draco

I was cleaning up my bathroom when I heard my door to my dorm unlock. No one knows I'm here. Who the bloody hell is in my room? I thought to myself before hearing Ella's quiet sobs. I sat in the bathroom as quietly as I could trying not to make a sound. For hours on end she would talk to the air asking why 'they' would take me away from her. I wanted nothing more than to walk out of the bathroom and hug her but I knew I couldn't. I had to keep her safe.