3rd Person's POV

The pistons hissed loudly and the train began to move. Harry, Ron, and Hermione went back to their compartment. The thick rain splattering the windows made it very difficult to see out of them. Ron undid his trunk, pulled out his maroon dress robes, and flung them over Pigwidgeon's cage to muffle his hooting.

"Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts," he said grumpily, sitting down next to Harry. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what--"

"Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing her finger to her lips and pointing toward the compartment next to theirs.

Harry and Ron listened, and heard a familiar drawling voice drifting in through the open door.

"...Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore- the man's such a Mudblood-lover- and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defense rubbish we do..."

At that moment, Karina pops up out of nowhere and slid the door shut, blocking out Malfoy's voice.

"What are you guys up to now?" She asks with a twinkle in her eye.

"Spying on Malfoy." Harry says as she sits next to him.

"So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?" Hermione said angrily. "I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him."

"Durmstrang's another wizarding school?" said Harry.

"Yes," said Hermione sniffily, "and it's got a horrible reputation. According to An Appraisal ofMagical Education in Europe, it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts."

"I think I've heard of it," said Ron vaguely. "Where is it? What country?"

"Well, nobody knows, do they?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows.

"Er- why not?" said Harry.

"There's traditionally been a lot of rivalry between all the magic schools. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to conceal their whereabouts so nobody can steal their secrets," said Hermione matter-of-factly."

"Come off it," said Ron, starting to laugh. "Durmstrang's got to be about the same size as Hogwarts-- how are you going to hide a great big castle?"

"But Hogwarts is hidden," said Hermione, in surprise. "Everyone knows that... well, everyone who's read Hogwarts, A History, anyway."

"Just you, then..." said Ron.

Karina laughs as Hermione glares at Ron, "Wow I'm actually proud of myself for not saying that."

Ron smirks then waves his hand at Hermione as if saying whatever I'm sorry. "So go on- how d'you hide a place like Hogwarts?"

"It's bewitched," said Hermione. "If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a moldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE."

"So Durmstrang'll just look like a ruin to an outsider too?"

"Maybe," said Hermione, shrugging, "or it might have Muggle-repelling charms on it, like the World Cup stadium. And to keep foreign wizards from finding it, they'll have made it Unplottable-"

"Come again?"

"Well, you can enchant a building so it's impossible to plot on a map, can't you?" Karina says as she looks at her nails.

"Er... if you say so," said Harry.

"Do you guys read at all?" Karina snickers as Hermione laughs along with her.

"But I think Durmstrang must be somewhere in the far north," said Hermione thoughtfully. "Somewhere very cold, because they've got fur capes as part of their uniforms."

"Ah, think of the possibilities," said Ron dreamily. "It would've been so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident... Shame his mother likes him..."

"Ronald, sometimes I want to push you off a glacier and sometimes I want to give you a big hug. I completely understand how you feel."

Ron playfully glares at Karina as she laughs and looks out the window.

The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share.

Several of the Gryffindors' friends looked in on them as the afternoon progressed, including Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, extremely forgetful boy who had been brought up by his formidable witch of a grandmother. Seamus was still wearing his Ireland rosette. Some of its magic seemed to be wearing off now; it was still squeaking "Troy- Mullet- Moran!" but in a very feeble and exhausted sort of way.

After half an hour or so, Hermione, growing tired of the endless Quidditch talk, buried herself once more in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, and started trying to learn a Summoning Charm. Neville listened jealously to the others' conversation as they relived the Cup match.

"Gran didn't want to go," he said miserably. "Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing though."

"It was," said Ron. "Look at this, Neville... He rummaged in his trunk up in the luggage rack and pulled out the miniature figure of Viktor Krum.

"Oh wow," said Neville enviously as Ron tipped Krum onto his pudgy hand.

"We saw him right up close, as well," said Ron. "We were in the Top Box-"

"For the first and last time in your life, Weasley."

Draco Malfoy had appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle, his enormous, thuggish cronies, both of whom appeared to have grown at least a foot during the summer. Evidently they had overheard the conversation through the compartment door, which Dean and Seamus had left ajar.

"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," said Harry coolly.

Malfoy howled with derisive laughter; Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly. "So... going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know... you'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won..."

"What are you talking about?" snapped Ron.

"Are you going to enter?" Malfoy repeated. "I suppose you will, Potter? You never miss a chance to show off, do you?"

"Either explain what you're on about or go away, Malfoy," said Hermione testily, over the top of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4.

A gleeful smile spread across Malfoy's pale face.

"Don't tell me you don't know?" he said delightedly. "You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even know? My God, my father told me about it ages ago, heard it from Cornelius Fudge. But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry. Maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley... yes, they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him..."

Laughing once more, Malfoy beckoned to Crabbe and Goyle, and the three of them disappeared but not before glancing at Karina one last time. Malfoy and Karina make eye contact for a slight second then at the same time look away with blushing faces.

Ron got to his feet and slammed the sliding compartment door so hard behind them that the glass shattered.

"Ron!" said Hermione reproachfully, and she pulled out her wand, muttered "Reparo!" and the glass shards flew back into a single pane and back into the door.

"Well... making it look like he knows everything and we don't." Ron snarled. "Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry... Dad could've got a promotion any time, he just likes it where he is."

"Of course he does," said Hermione quietly. "Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron-"

"Him! Get to me!? As if!" said Ron, picking up one of the remaining Cauldron Cakes and squashing it into a pulp.

"Ronald calm down."

"I am calm. How could you go out with someone like that? He's pure evil."

"He's not evil. He's just... misunderstood."

"Misunderstood my butt... I bet you know exactly what he was talking about. Don't you?"

"I mean well how can you not... Cedric's been talking about it for the past few months. Everyone knows. I'm surprised you guys don't."

"Know what?" Harry groans in annoyance that he, Hermione, and Ron were the only ones who didn't know the 'secret.'

"I can't tell. I promised Mr Weasley. Don't stress guys it's nothing bad, I promise. I'm going to go find Pansy and Daphne. See you later."

Karina stands up and looks at the three sulk feeling a little bad, but she made a promise to Mr Weasley so she won't tell. Leaving the room, she heads to the compartment nearby to find her friends.

Knocking on the door, she then wonders why she is being so polite and decides to open it anyways.

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Karina's POV

"Grey? What are you doing in here?"

"I'm not here for you Malfoy. You wish."

I look at Draco and butterflies fight throughout my stomach, but I know that I can't show that I miss him. Those silver eyes that twinkle when he laughs and smiles... That luscious unusual blonde hair... Those strong arms-

Karina what are you doing?

"Karina!! Why didn't you write back to my last letter?"

Pansy stands up and hugs me. I hug her back missing her more than I thought I did.

"I'm sorry so much happened and I got distracted. How are you?"

"Me... how are you? Look at you. You look amazing. Doesn't she Blaise?"

Blaise looks up and nods but doesn't say anything.

Great Blaise is upset with me as well.

I knew Blaise and Draco were close but not that close. It seems as though Blaise had sided with Draco and didn't want to talk to me.

"Thanks Pan. I stayed with Cedric this summer. It was needed."

"That's great. And I'm also good. Blaise and I are finally dating."

I squeal and pull her into another hug, "Oh my gosh that's so amazing. I'm so happy for you."

"Is that my best friend looking hotter than ever?"

I turn around to see Daphne enter the compartment.

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Draco's POV

I wince as the three girls squeal indefinitely. I should yell at Karina to get out since I was here first, but as soon as I go to open my mouth I catch a glimpse of her smile.

That beautiful shining smile.

Seeing her happy, makes me happy. I know I said many bad things and made her think that I hate her, but the truth is I don't. Never did, never will. I don't think I can. I love that girl. Love her more than anything in the world. She means more to me than everything. But she did hurt me which is why I thought hurting her would make things even or make me feel better. But they didn't. It just made me depressed and lonely.

Maybe she's better without me...

She looks like she's doing better. Maybe not with the nightmares at night but seeing her more beautiful than she's ever been lets me know that she's okay.

I wish I could apologize but she'll never forgive me. I hurt her after telling her I promised to always love her. Of course I was hurt to see her with scarhead but I knew she was trying to tell me the truth that nothing really happened. I guess I was so scared that my fear would actually come true and she would actually leave me for Potter that I pushed her away. Towards him even.

But right now seeing her so happy and content I decide to not tease her, to not bother her, to just let her be. And if some day soon we are to come together then I will fight for her to be with me. Because a day without Karina is a day without breath.