Draco stopped picking on me so much since the Quidditch incident.

But I may have taken my new found bravery a bit too far.

As I was making my way back up to the Gryffindor Tower one night, just before curfew, I overheard Draco whispering furtively to Crabbe and Goyle.

"You go without me, I've got a hot tip that Potter is out trying to save a dragon tonight. I'm going to make sure he gets exposed and then hopefully, expelled."

I remained in the shadows until he had hurried away out of sight. I made a decisive decision to go and find Harry and warn him. He had shown me such kindness, after all.

Except I had no idea where he was, I just had to pray that I got to him before Draco did.

I didn't. And I ended up getting landed in detention alongside Harry, Hermione and Draco.

In the Forbidden Forest.

"I'm so sorry you got caught up in this," Harry murmured to me as Filch escorted us down to the forest to meet Hagrid and his terrifyingly huge dog, Fang.

I had been tempted to bring Trevor along for moral support, but felt he would be safer left back in the dormitory. It was not fair to endanger his life as well.

Hagrid informed us we were going to try and find a dying unicorn. Draco looked as horrified as I felt.

"But this is servant stuff," Draco spluttered when Hagrid beckoned for us to follow him. "If my father knew I was doing this, he'd-"

"-tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Draco didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously but then dropped his gaze.

Hagrid decided to get us to split up, and to my dismay, ordered me to go with Draco and Fang, whilst he went with Harry and Hermione.

Panicked, I looked towards Harry and Hermione who both just shrugged apologetically before they followed after Hagrid, leaving Draco and I standing alone with a great big trembling dog.

"Great," Draco sneered disdainfully as he looked from the whimpering boar hound to me. "I've been left in the most dangerous place in the world with the two biggest cowards going. Wait until my father hears about this!"

"I'm not a coward." I murmured, barely above a whisper.

"Whatever, Longbottom," he scoffed, looking me up and down. "Now prove it and lead the way. Fang here can walk with me."

Trembling, I kept my lit wand aloft in my shaking hand as I crept gingerly along the forest footpath, trying not to yelp out loud whenever I stepped on a branch.

As much as I hated Draco Malfoy, I was relieved he was here. Although I wished so much I had decided to bring Trevor with me after all.

"Aren't you supposed to be a Gryffindor?" Draco snorted when I jumped at an unknown sound to our left. "I thought you were all supposed to be brave?"

"Shut up, Malfoy," I said weakly, my heart hammering fearfully in my chest.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Draco mimicked in a high pitched voice. "Merlin, you really are a pathetic little child, Longbottom."

I tried to ignore the dangerous pricking of tears behind my eyes. You are worth twelve of Draco Malfoy. You are worth twelve of Draco Malfoy. I kept repeating to myself in my head as I attempted to concentrate on the footpath ahead of me.

After a while, it seemed that Draco had given up on trying to provoke me.

Little did I know though, he was just building up to something.

"AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed as something grabbed my back, making me actually pee myself a little bit.

Without thinking, I shot my wand into the air, sending out a distress signal of red sparks like Hagrid told us to do if danger occurred.

I realised I wasn't dead when the sound of cruel laughter sounded from behind me.

Hagrid was furious with Draco. But luckily it meant that he swapped me and Harry around.

How I hated that Draco Malfoy.

*****

I made one last attempt of being brave before the school year was out.

I tried to stop Harry, Ron and Hermione sneaking out of the common room late one night.

It started off great actually. I knew what they were planning to do so I sat in an armchair in the corner of the room, stroking Trevor who was sat on my lap. And I waited.

"What are you doing?" I asked darkly, stroking my toad as I rose up in what I hoped was an intimidating manner.

"Nothing, Neve, nothing," Harry said hurriedly as he attempted to hide some sort of cloak behind his back.

He, Ron and Hermione had guilt written all over their faces.

"You're going out again." I stated. I mean, I maybe a coward but I wasn't stupid.

"No, no, no," Hermione said in a condescending tone. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neve?"

I noticed Harry glance impatiently at the grandfather clock by the door.

"You can't go out," I said with as much forcefulness as I could. "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," Harry implored, "this is important."

"I won't let you do it," I said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll- I'll fight you!"

"Neve," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot-"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" I cried. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," Ron said in exasperation. "Neve, you don't know what you're doing."

He took a step towards me and I dropped Trevor, who leapt out of sight.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" I shouted, raising my fists. "I'm ready!"

"I'm not going to fight a bloody girl!" Ron cried.

"Do something," Harry said desperately to Hermione.

Hermione stepped forward.

"Neve," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."

And then the bitch hexed me.

"What've you done to her?" Harry whispered as my body lay paralysed on the ground at their feet.

"It's the full Body-Bind," Hermione said miserably. "Oh, Neve, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neve, no time to explain," Harry said.

"You'll understand later, Neve," Ron added, as they stepped over me and walked through the portrait hole.

Well, I thought, as I lay completely frozen and abandoned on the ground. I'll be surprised if I ever have another year worse than this.

Oh, if only I knew.

******