The end of the term fest had always been the one that the students awaited, after which they would meet their parents after months in school, without any stress or burden of schoolwork. However, this was not the case this year. Students were restless, now that the truth had been hurled at their faces by the Ministry itself. They didn’t want to leave the safety that the castle provided under the umbrella of the greatest wizard of their age, Albus Dumbledore, but they also feared for their near and dear ones who were living unprotected in this cold war.

The anxious chattering crowd sitting for their last meal of the year hushed the moment the Slytherin Princess entered the Great Hall. Stella Malfoy looked the same she always did- impeccable and confident, just as expected of a Malfoy. The students craned their necks from their seats to get a better look at the girl who had just disappeared off the face of Hogwarts for over a week.

Stella ignored the whispers and stares she had become accustomed to since last week and made her way over to the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy was the only person in the Hall who had not acknowledged the silent crowd; he had his head buried in his hands and his combed hair was unusually unkempt. Without acknowledging anyone's greetings, his sister made her way to her brother and tapped him on his shoulder.

“I told you to leave me alone, Goyle,” came the frustrating reply. "I will hex you into next century if you bother me again."

Anyone could see the amusement rolling in her eyes which usually were cold and indifferent to the majority of the crowd present. She replied in a cool manner, “Then it’s good that I am not Goyle.”

His head shot up in an instant hearing the voice he had been yearning to hear for seven days. Before anyone could blink, Stella Malfoy was tackled in a hug by his brother. Surprise and shock flitted her face as she tumbled backwards. After a moment of tensed silence, she laughed merrily and hugged him back, ruffling his hair affectionately. 

“What happened to your appearance?” Stella whispered in his hair, ignoring the gasps that were heard on her laugh.

“You are the only thing that matters,” he replied in a soft broken voice, which made Stella smile wider.

“Don’t cry princess,” cooed the other twin, while the other huffed. He pulled her back and looked at her properly, smiling in the process.

Everyone in the hall had been whispering and pointing, seeing the exchanged unfold before their eyes. They couldn't believe it. The Ice Queen of Hogwarts had laughed and everyone saw how her grey eyes had twinkled and her beautiful face radiated an aura of happiness. The Bully had smiled genuinely after five years of traumatising everybody. His smile crinkled his face and everyone could see the handsome boy underneath his sneer and smirk.

The twins sat down without any further ado and engrossed themselves in a conversation unaware of the dumbfounded gazes of their schoolmates. Stella loved her brother and was deeply touched that he cared for her but she wasn't sure if she could trust him completely. Last time she opened her heart and gave him a chance, he crushed it with venom. However, she decided to let it be for this evening. She couldn't deal with any more gloom for the day. She just wanted to be herself and decided that she wouldn't be Hogwart's Ice Queen for the evening. 

Stella turned her head towards her friends who had been calling for her attention when she had first appeared. She was confused to see the guilty looks on the faces of Daphene and Astoria Greengrass.

“We are so sorry about our behaviour Stella. We should have been there for you when you needed us, but we deserted you. We are so sorry,” they said. Stella could see the genuine apology in their eyes. She could see that they just needed some time to accept her and so, she gave them a small smile in acceptance. They smiled back immediately.

“Umm, Ste- Malfoy. I am happy that you are alright,” a hesitant voice sounded. She turned to the other side and saw that it was her former boyfriend. She wondered how she never recognised his voice. But the surprising thing was that Stella didn’t feel even an ounce of sorrow when she looked at him. All she could see was happy memories and a great friend. She shrugged and said, “You need space to figure some things out, sometimes.”

She gave a smile as an acceptance of apology and the other grinned back. They held the contact for a while but both knew that it was only friendly. 

“No way is my sister dating you again,” Draco’s affronted voice broke their contact.

“Don’t worry then. I am not dating anyone for some time,” her sister replied bitterly, the image of a kissing couple thrown in her mind. She realised then that she had fallen in love with Harry Potter the moment their eyes had met five years ago in Diagon Alley. Blaise, even though was a great boyfriend, would never get anywhere close to that feeling. She didn’t think anyone would- this wasn't just a crush or an infatuation after all. She had fallen deeply but she knew that the Boy-Who-Lived harboured no feelings for her. He was happy with Ginny Weasley, who she bitterly had to agree was a great companion for him. 

As the feast progressed, Stella caught eyes of several DA members from different tables who gave her small smiles telling her that they still had confidence in her and believed that she wasn't evil. She gave them all small discreet smiles. She also saw Ron and Hermione giving her relieved looks to which she responded with a wink and a smile. However, she quickly turned away before she could meet the eyes of the person she wanted to avoid for some time, Harry Potter. The latter felt bad thinking that the reason she hadn’t turned towards him or acknowledged him was that he had gotten her father captured.

“Draco, I need to pack my bags. I am leaving now. Will see you in the morning,” she said and left the dining hall before the feast ended. The Golden Trio had obviously followed her stealthily, Ron a little grumpily seeing he had to abandon food. Stella wasn't going to the dungeons- she would get her bag packed from Twinkle latter on. On her way to the ROR, she was yanked suddenly by a strong pair of hands. She was pulled inside a classroom with a hand gently pressed over her mouth. When she turned to see her kidnapper, she found herself staring at the eyes of the person she was focusing on avoiding.

But Harry Potter didn’t care that she needed space as he engulfed her into a hug. It took her every ounce of willpower in her body not to melt into his warm body and embrace and start crying. Instead, she awkwardly hugged him back- more like patted his back- without any feeling. He pulled back with a frown but before he could comment, Stella was separated from his arms.

Hermione hugged the life out of the girl, who welcomed the hug unlike the last one, which only deepened Harry’s frown. Seeing that she was not happy with him made his throat dry. 

“We were so worried about you. Where have you been? We asked Dumbledore a million times, but he said you were busy,” Hermione reprimanded the girl.

“Oh, I have- umm been- just here and there,” she gave a vague answer. The other girl just shook her head knowing she wouldn't give a proper answer. It was then Ron’s turn to give her a hug. Even though the hug was awkward and friendly, Harry felt something bubble in his chest. He had this huge desire to hit Ron. He couldn’t understand why he felt so- he was now with Ginny. He shouldn’t be feeling this.

“How have you been?” Ron asked softly.

“Don’t worry about me. Tell you how have you been? I read the article…” and with that, the three launched into the tale of what happened in the Ministry.

“My father was going to go one way or the other,” Stella sighed and looked at the view outside the window. She still felt guilty about her actions. 

“I am sorry Stella,” Harry genuinely said. He just wanted her to be happy again, to be by his side so he could tell her about Sirius- her uncle. Strangely, she was the only person in the school with whom he wanted to talk about Sirius.

Stella looked into his emerald eyes and shook her held.

“Harry, a friend of mine once said that the ones that truly love us never go away; we can always find them in here,” she said in a soft voice and pressed her hand gently onto the place of his heart. He looked at her and gave her a small smile. He found himself looking into her stormy grey eyes and his stress suddenly decreased. But before he could thank her, she sat bolt upright. The image that had been plaguing her again came into her mind and before she could break down, she decided to leave suddenly.

The trio was obviously confused with her actions. Harry had felt truly at peace for the first time since Sirius death when he heard her melodious voice and was in her warm embrace. He wanted to talk to her- about Sirius, about her godfather, the adventures they had, how similar they were; but the other definitely didn’t feel so. Harry felt his heart aching when he saw that she didn't care.

However, before she left the room, she said in a broken voice that the three identified of a one who was crying, “I hope Ginny helps you, Harry.”

None of them could comfort or confront her about the sentence. Harry’s eyes bugled when he heard her- How did she know?! Hermione’s eyes widened in understanding; she finally understood why her friend was aloof towards the Boy-who-Lived, and Ron’s eyes opened in sudden realisation- Don’t tell me they are going out!

Stella Malfoy made her way to the ROR quickly, wiping the tears that were falling from her eyes. She was glad that no one was present in the corridors. She didn't think she could pretend any longer. She found Twinkle leaning over Sirius Black when she entered the room.

“Twinkle, take some rest. And yes, could you pack my bag please?” she asked her in a broken voice.

Twinkle nodded but didn’t question her mistress on the tears that still sparked her eyes. She knew she needed space and left. Smart elf she was!

Before Stella could move further, a glow suddenly emitted from the petrified body of Sirius Black. A boy who looked no older than 16 with rich black hair that traced a devilishly handsome face surfaced. Stella ran towards him and grabbed his now warm hands, her checks wet with fresh tears, but these were of joy. She smiled widely as the boy opened his eyes. The eyes which were the same shade of grey as the ones of the girl.

“Welcome back Padfoot!” the girl whispered happily, caressing his cheek lovingly.