1 Week Later

When Daniella woke up everything seemed to glow. The week after Christmas at Hogwarts was always very peaceful and calm for the students, everyone was at peace and they all knew their friends were coming back from the Christmas holiday soon.

Although once Daniella started thinking about the day's plans, she knew it would be an average and nearly sad day. She had to sell her owl back to the owl shop in Hogsmeade because he was so awfully annoying. Daniella's owl, Charlie, would keep everyone up all night long with his squealing. She tried to tame him as well as she could but he wouldn't proper up. She then remembered she also had to pick up a love potion for Ginny as she hadn't gotten her a Christmas gift yet and she was always looking to buy one. Unfortunately none of the stores in Hogsmeade opened until after lunch since it was during their Christmas holiday, so Daniella had over three hours to spare.

Daniella decided to spend those hours in her room to try not to run into Draco. Ever since Christmas things had been weird between each other. They would glance at each other more often than usual and Daniellla felt something lingering in the air that she couldn't quite point out. Once lunch came around, she went down to the Great Hall and as usual Draco was already there. Daniella sat down to eat lunch, halfway through she was starting to get confused. Draco hadn't said a word to her the entire time. Daniella didn't know if she was happy or sad that he hadn't talked to her yet. She had barely touched her lunch for almost 15 minutes when Draco leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"That food isn't going to eat itself Ella."

As Draco put the fork into Daniella's hand she couldn't help but slap his hand away.

"Draco I really appreciate your outstanding advice but I'm not hungry." Daniella said sternly back to him as she set the fork back down.

Daniella could feel her hands start to get clammy, she never understood why she was always so nervous to talk to him, he had no reason to be. At least that's what she told herself. Deep down she knew it was all a lie. She knew exactly why she was so nervous talking to him but still, did her best to push it away. Minutes went by and she could feel Draco's eye's seeping into the back of her head. Daniella's body felt as if it was on fire. She could feel every ounce of blood moving through her veins--she was burning up. The thought of Draco Malfoy setting an eye on Daniella made her heart pound. With the massive amount of adrenaline rushing through Daniella's body, she stood up and tried to get out of the Great Hall as quickly as she could. Before she could even process what happened Daniella felt herself trip over Draco's leg and was face first on the ground. When she hit the ground Daniella felt tears prick at her eyes with immense embarrassment and she knew Draco was looking at her.

Seconds went by before Daniella felt a hand help her up. She thought it was the Hufflepuff girl she had talked to a few times over the holiday. But as Daniella looked up she saw Draco's face. They were extremely close to one another and she became afraid he would notice the tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. Draco's head shifted slightly to the right and he grinned but Daniella couldn't help but notice the concern hidden behind his eyes.

"Watch where you're going there Ella."

Daniella looked down in embarrassment, with no cruel remark and the only thing she could do was give Draco a weak grin. "Thanks."

With an enormous feeling of embarrassment and exhilaration for being in such close contact with Draco, Daniella rushed off back to her dorm to get ready to go to Hogsmeade.

An hour passed by and she knew the shops had opened. She got her things together, said her apologies to Charlie, grabbed some money for the love potion and she headed off. Daniella got outside struggling to hold everything before she found herself walking with Draco.

"Where are you going? You're not running away from Hogwarts are you?" Draco said jokingly.

"Yes Draco, I'm running away from Hogwarts. No I'm going to Hogsmeade"

"Cool me too." Draco said quickly. "By the way, don't mean to bring up any new trauma but are you okay from earlier. You hit the ground kind of hard."

"Yes I'm fine, it doesn't help that my shoes are platform so it is kind of hard to walk in them. Also you are totally not going to Hogsmeade." Daniella said as her eyes glanced down to her platformed 8053 Doc Martens.

"Draco, were you even planning on going?"

"No but now I am. But why are you even going to Hogsmeade after Christmas? Did you really not get enough gifts from your parents?"

"I have to sell back my owl and buy a love potion-" Daniella began saying but Draco interrupted her before she could say who the love potion was for.

"Wow Ella I didn't know you were that obsessed with me you were going to give me a love potion."

Daniella rolled her eyes as they continued to walk down the long path towards Hogsmeade. "It's actually for Ginny, it's what she wanted for Christmas."

"Sure it is." Draco said sarcastically with a smile growing on his lips. "What did you get for Christmas?"

"I didn't."

"What?"

"It isn't a big deal, I just don't really get gifts for Christmas. My parents don't think I need any."

Draco fell silent for a few moments before becoming curious. "Why are you selling your owl back anyways?"

"He is too noisy. McGonagall won't let me keep him." Daniella could barely finish her sentence, as she was struggling to hold Charlie's cage as it was too big for her arms.

"I can carry that if you need me too." Draco said as he saw Daniella failing to hold the cage.

"I've got it."

"Whatever you say."

Just as Draco fell silent again, his head turned when he heard Daniella gasp. His eyes followed her falling body as Daniella had tripped with Charlie's cage was flying through the air. Draco hurried forward to catch the owl's cage before it hit the ground despite the fact Daniella was also falling right in front of him.

Once Draco set down Charlie's cage with Charlie in it on the ground he attempted to help up Daniella.

"I've got it." She said quickly not knowing what she would have done if the same thing that had happened in the Great Hall happened again right then.

"Yeah I don't think you do knowing I just saved your owl's life and everything."

"Yeah thanks for that."

"Anytime."

Moments passed and before they knew it they had arrived at Hogsmeade. Daniella asked Draco to sell her owl back for her because she couldn't bear giving up on her owl in such a way.

"I'll be at the Weasleys shop for the love potion." Daniella said as Draco walked off with her owl.

Draco slowly nodded and turned away without argument. Daniella got to the shop and on her way to the love potions out of the corner of her eye she saw the fortune teller. She couldn't help but go over and ask the question that had been soaking in her for so long.

"Is Draco Malfoy messing with me or does he actually care?"

The fortune teller took a moment before responding.

"You know the answer Daniella, I can not predict who cares for you."

Daniella was shocked by the response. She didn't know the answer. She stormed off in the direction of the love potions as she felt that she had just wasted five galleons on a fortune teller that didn't even give her a valid response. Daniella started to feel the words of the fortune teller slipping from her memory so she grabbed some parchment and wrote it down. Just as she was re-reading what she had written Draco tapped her shoulder. Daniella spun around with great force hiding the parchment in the pocket sewn into her skirt.

"Draco?" Daniella said shakily.

"E-l-l-l-a-a" Draco said, mocking Daniella.

Shock grew over Daniella's eyes as she had no snarky comment to say back to Draco.

"Why are you always so nervous to talk to me Ella?"

"I'm not."

"Uh-huh." Draco said as he looked around the shop, waiting for Daniella to pick the love potion.

"Whatever. Help me decide, which color should I get? It says here the purple love potion is more long lasting but the red is more strong. I don't know which one Ginny would want."

"You really expect me to know?"

Daniella looked down at the ground, "Sorry." She said, forgetting how terribly her friends hated Draco and knowing in just a few days the two would have to go back to hating each other.

"Okay look, knowing the small amount about Ginny I do know, I think she would like the purple one, I mean if I were her I wouldn't want some guy crawling all over me I would rather have their love for longer."

Draco looked at Daniella with soft eyes, unaware why she looked so upset. Although as Daniella kept eye contact with Draco, she became unsure what to say. It was such a simple conversation yet the look Draco had in his eyes made her forget about speaking at all.

"We should go check out now don't you think?" Draco said after a few short moments of the two sitting in silence.

"Yeah we should."

- - - -

"50 galleons." The cashier spoke as Daniella sat down the love potion.

Daniella's eyes widened as she had thought it only cost 25 galleons. "Draco," Daniella whispered. "Could I have the money from selling Charlie please?"

"But weren't you going to use the money for a new herbology book?"

"Yes but I don't have enough, Draco please just give it to me." Daniella then looked back to the cashier with an apologetic look but when she noticed how annoyed the cashier looked, she began to panic.

"It's okay Ella I got it." Draco said as he pulled 25 galleons out of his pocket to cover the rest of the cost.

"No it's okay just give me the money from Charlie." Daniella argued as she took the money off the counter.

"No Ella, you're getting that herbology book. You've been crazy about getting it for months."

"How did you even know that?"

Draco didn't respond. He paid the rest and they both left the shop.

"So what's the catch?"

"There's no catch Ella. Can't you just let me be nice?"

"That's not the Draco Malfoy I've ever heard of before."

"And what have you heard about me?"

- - - - - - -

When Daniella and Draco got back to Hogwarts, they went their separate ways back to their dorms until dinner. Once it was finally time for dinner, Daniella got down to the Great Hall, where Draco was with his shiny white hair, and soft skin that only reminded her of how desperate she was to get to know him more.

Once Daniella got her food, she sat down and began to eat. She was faced towards Draco where he was eating at the Slytherin table, his back turned towards her. Daniella purposely sat in a different seat so that she could see him without having to turn around. She was almost halfway done with her food before Draco turned around and caught her looking at him. Draco grinned before looking back to the friend he was eating with and walked over to her.

"You know Ella, you really have to be more slick about it if you want to stalk me."

"I'm not stalking you."

"Sure you're not."

Daniella was still upset about having to sell her owl as well as the fact that after she got back from Hogsmeade she found a letter on her bed from her parents. They had sent her a letter scolding her for her slightly dropped grade in Defense Against the Dark Arts, claiming that she was a disappointment to their bloodline. Near the end of the letter Daniella's parents mentioned her old journal they found and read through. Daniella didn't know how they found it but knowing they did was the worst possible thing that could have happened. Because of the letter, and Charlie, Daniella wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

"I'm not in the mood, Draco just leave me alone."

"What's wrong?"

Daniella didn't answer, she only got up and started walking back to her dorm wanting to sleep away her feelings. A few moments after Daniella walked away, Draco started after her. Daniella was almost to her dorm before Draco caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

"You never answered my question. What's wrong?"

Daniella took a couple of shakily breaths to contain her nervousness.

"It's my parents. They sent me a letter about how much of an awful of a daughter I am because they went into my room and found my old diary."

"Well why is that so bad? Parents finding a diary isn't the worst thing in the world."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Draco only laughed and grabbed Daniella's arm once again when she tried to walk away. "Don't be dramatic, it can't be that bad."

"I wrote about how I used to cut myself because of my parents okay?! Is that what you wanted to hear?!" Daniella said in a sudden outburst of rage.

"Daniella I'm so sorry I didn't know."

Daniella shook her head and ripped her arm from his hand. "It's fine. Don't act like I'm damaged just because my parents are shitty and I didn't know how to deal with it."

"I don't think you're damaged."

After a few moments of silence Daniella could sense Draco didn't know what to say and her hands began to shake with panic that she told someone she barely knew one of her biggest secrets.

"Just forget what I just said. Please." Daniella turned around and started walking to her dorm once more.

"Ella stop."

Daniella ignored Draco.

"Ella, I said stop!"

Draco ran up to Daniella and grabbed her arm once again so she would have to face him.

"Ella, don't think I'm going to be weird just because of that. See look." Draco pulled up his sleeve and showed her his arm. "I used to do the same thing. I just didn't know how to react at first when you told me that."

Daniella was breathing heavily, still trapped in Draco's grasp. Her eyes were widened as she looked at the faded scars on his arm.

Daniella looked to the ground suddenly thinking of her friends. "Well now we know we have something in common. Thanks."

Draco backed away, not wanting Daniella to feel threatened as he didn't know what he would do if she ever felt unsafe by him. He just looked into Daniella's dark green eyes as long as possible before Daniella turned around to finally get to her dorm.

- - - - - -

Dumbledore had always made the students who stayed back take an extra credit class for their worst subject. Daniella had Defense Against the Dark Arts and Draco had Herbology, Daniella's best class. She tried to help him with Herbology before for extra credit but he always killed the plants. As much as he tried, Draco couldn't cast a spell on them without killing them. Daniella thought it was funny because of how hard he tried to get it right. Daniella, though, was awful at Defense Against the Dark Arts, Draco's best class. He had helped her a few times during the break but none of the information stuck. She knew it was because she spent more time looking at Draco than she did the assignment.

The next morning Daniella woke up at 6am to get to her extra credit class by seven. She got to her class and noticed Professor Mad-Eye Moody wasn't there but only some worksheets on his desk labeled for her class. Daniella grabbed a paper and sat down wanting to have enough time to get the worksheet done before the end of class. During the two hours she had to stay, she barely got any of the worksheet done as she didn't understand any of it and Mad-Eye wasn't there to help.

Once the class was over, Daniella headed down to the Great Hall so she could attempt to finish the assignment before the day really started. As Daniella did her best to understand the topics, she became jealous of her friends that were still on the holiday and didn't have to go to their extra credit classes.. Fifteen minutes passed before Draco made his way into the Great Hall and towards Daniella.

"Ella, look I have a gift for you!" Draco said as he held up a Dittany.

"It's you!" Draco waited a few seconds to see the pure shock on Daniella's face. "I'm only kidding, you have a better face than Devil Snare. It looks so cobwebby."

Daniella laughed for a few moments before shaking her head at Draco. "That isn't a Devil Snare, that's Dittany. Devil Snare is what Harry Hermione and Ron got stuck in during our first year."

"When did they get stuck in Devil Snare?"

"Never mind that. All you need to know is that what you're holding is Dittany. It's the main source for the Wiggenweld potion and it wakes up people who have been put in an enchanted sleep."

"It is astonishing how much you know about Herbology." Draco paused. "Are you doing your Defense homework?"

"I'm trying, although I've been staring at it for a while and not understanding any of it."

"Do you need help?"

"I'd rather fail."

Draco ignored her and sat down, he grabbed the assignment, and read through it. While he was reading the paper, Daniella watched him, and realized that almost everything she was ever told about him wasn't true."

Draco finally looked up to start to help Daniella but only saw her staring at him. "You know Daniella, it's not polite to stare."

Daniella quickly looked down to her paper, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. "I wasn't staring."

"Well you can stare at me as much as you want once we finish this assignment if that makes you feel better."

A long while passed before they were nearly done. Daniella and Draco were on the last question and Daniella felt as if she would never be able to figure it out. She then flung her hands on the desk, giving up. "This is too hard, I can't do it."

In a mocking tone, Draco flung his hands up and placed the back of his hand on his forehead as if he was going to faint. "Ah yes it's much too hard you will never be able to do it!"

"That's not funny." Daniella said upset at herself for not being able to do her homework.

"But I think it is."

"It is not."

"Whatever you say Ella."

"Stop calling me that."

"And what should I suppose you will do about it?" Draco said as he leaned closer to Daniella and whispered in her ear. "Really? What will you do? I have so many things in mind."

As Draco fixed his posture, Daniella looked as if she had seen a ghost and couldn't find the courage to meet his eyes.

"We can finish this later." Draco said as he got up, smiled and started to walk away towards his dorm.

Before she knew what she was doing, Daniella started up after him. They both were half way up the stairs, Daniella towards the center of the staircase and Draco towards the top. A few moments passed before Daniella got to the top and had almost caught up with Draco.

"Draco!"

"What do you need, Ella."

Daniella could tell Draco wasn't smiling anymore.

Draco turned around and faced Daniella for a moment before turning back around. "Well what is it? What do you need?" Draco said again as he continued walking.

Daniella had so much adrenaline rushing through her. Before she knew it she was walking even faster towards Draco.

Daniella attempted to grab Draco's arm. Instead, Draco grabbed her hand, his hand grasping the palm of her hand that connected to her wrist. With that, Daniella crumbled. She turned to his face and kissed him on the lips, hard, as she had wanted to do for so long. After moments passed she could feel Draco grin and pull her closer.

Daniella felt as if nothing else mattered in the world. Her lips against his was better than she had ever imagined. Maybe it was wrong, it definitely was. But Daniella didn't care. At that moment it was only her and Draco. No feud, no hatred, none of her friends in her mind telling her to stop. It was just them in the corridor, alone.

"Draco we-" Daniella mumbled. Without giving a hint of care for whatever Daniella needed to say, Draco pushed her back against the stone brick wall and continued kissing her as if were the only thing that mattered. Daniella was so happy in those moments. She wasn't thinking about how she was a disappointment to her parents, how her friends might have reacted if they saw her kissing Draco Malfoy. Nothing mattered but them. That was until Daniella heard someone shout. When she looked where she heard the sound, she realized it was Ginny and her heart sank.

"Shit." Daniella murmured

Ginny was coming towards Draco at an alarmingly fast speed. Daniella knew if Ginny got close enough she would hurt Draco. As her mind raced, she didn't know what to do as neither of them had their wands to protect themselves.

In a panic Daniella turned towards Draco. "You have to go. Now."

"It will be okay, it's not like she is actually going to do anything."

"Have you met Ginny?" Daniella said in a panic.

Just as Daniella finished her sentence, she turned and saw Ginny was a lot closer than she had thought. Before Daniella knew it, she saw Ginny about to cast a hex and without thinking jumped in front of Draco.

"Sectumsempra!" Ginny shouted just as Daniella jumped in front of Draco.

Barely a second passed before Ginny realized that Daniella jumped in front of Draco.

"No!" Ginny yelled.

The hex hit Daniella and she let out the biggest scream Draco or Ginny had ever heard. It felt as if it shook the entire castle. People started to gather around Daniella on the floor as the students had just got back from their holiday.

Draco screamed at Ginny. "How could you?!"

They both started to argue, not realizing that Daniella was dying in front of them. With the last words Daniella could get out of her mouth before she fell unconscious she whispered with all her strength so that Ginny could understand her, "I kissed him first." The words barely came out, they were so soft and blurred it was hard to understand what Daniella was saying but it made sense. Ginny looked at Daniella in shock. A few students in the crowd that had formed yelled at them to get the nurse.

Realizing that she had wasted almost a minute arguing instead of saving her friend, Ginny got up and ran to the hospital wing.

Draco knew how deadly the curse could be, especially on a young and small person like Daniella.

"Stay with me Daniella, open your eyes and focus on me." Draco said as the nurse appeared down the corridor.

After what felt like an eternity the nurse got to Daniella and used a counter-curse to attempt to save her life. "Vulnera Sanentur."

"Ginny please go and wait in front of Dumbledore's office. When I get Daniella stable I will meet you there. Draco come with me." Said Madame Pomfrey.

Ginny gave a disgusting glare to Draco and turned away to Dumbledore's office.

Draco and Madame Pomfrey got to the hospital wing with Daniella in his arms taking the faintest breaths he had ever seen. Dumbledore and the other professors were already there waiting to see how Daniella would react to the counter-curse. "Daniella will be expected to stay in a coma-like state for up to three weeks as she was so close to death and the tole the counter-curse takes on one's body. All her nutrients will be fed through an iv. When she does wake up we will see if any other damage has been done. As of now there is nothing else left for me to do but to attend to her bedside. Does anyone have any questions?"

In a terrified tone Draco spoke up, "Do you mean she will be sleeping a lot for three weeks or she won't wake up for three weeks?"

"I'm sorry dear but she won't be waking up for three weeks and that's at best, I've only had one other case of this happening and it took him 5 weeks to wake up, I have high hopes for Daniella though, she was a very healthy girl before this accident took place."

Draco said nothing. With tears in his eyes he walked out of the room quickly. He locked himself in his dorm and broke down. He felt as if Daniella coming so close to death was all his fault. If only he ignored his feelings for Daniella and never started talking to her. He knew Ginny would be in trouble for what she did and he was glad. Draco didn't want anything else in the world but for Daniella to be okay.