I stood, feeling the cold rain pouring down my back and shoulders. I wasn't moving, I didn't want to move. I must have been hoping for the rain to wash me away from here, far from my feelings for Draco. Far away from Draco.

I had my eyes closed, but they shot open when I felt a hot puff of air against my neck. I gasped out of fear, only to find my waist was steadied by the hands of Draco, holding me tightly. He reached his hand up to my temple, pushing the wet strands of hair out of my face.

"What are you-"

"Shhh" he interrupted, placing his index finger over my lips. "Don't say anything. I know it was you; the one who caused all the trouble tonight".

He pulled me closer to his body, my back against the front of him. The warmth of his body radiated through my dress and into my chest. The feeling of his arms crossed over me, while one hand stroked my hair, delicately re-placing locks to their original place. I took a deep breath, feeling nothing but comfort in his arms, being so close to him and he was all I could smell.

Fresh rain, and him.

I relaxed my body into his, leaning into his tall frame and feeling his arms tighten over me. I looked up at him, twisted my shoulders as I did so. He smirked, leaning down to rest his chin on my forehead.

"I mean it, y/n" he whispered.

"Mean what?" I asked, remaining beneath his embrace.

"You" he replied. "I want you"

I felt him exhale, slow and steady. He moved his arms, instead, turning me to face him and I could just make out the heavy raindrops racing down his face. He grabbed my hand, slowly lacing his fingers between mine, with one hand resting on the small of my back.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, though his expression remained the same. A smirk, but not an arrogant one.

I nodded, to which he proceeded to lead me through the steps, listening to the music drifting out from the Great Hall. He held my waist tightly, pulling me into him every other step, and although the steps changed. His eyes didn't. He was fixated on me, and me alone. Like nothing else existed to him in this very moment and I was in awe of how he was looking at me.

"Draco" I mumbled after he spun me softly round him.

"Mmm?" he responded, his eyes still glued to mine.

"Why aren't you mad at me?" I asked.

He slowed down, coming to a stop with the end of the music. He proceeded to bow, like the hidden gentleman I knew lurked in there somewhere.

"I deserved it, but I don't know what everyone else did to hurt you" he said, the smirk turning into a genuine smile.

"Don't. I feel bad enough, thinking about it" I replied, fiddling with my hands.

"Don't stress, it was quite funny" he smiled again, followed by a light chuckle. He reached for my hands again, holding them in his. "I am sorry, y/n" he tilted his head down, looking at our hands in front of him.

"Draco.."

"No" he stressed, squeezing my hands. "I never meant to do it in the first place".

"I know that now" I looked up at him, and the stone-grey eyes of his had turned a darker blue. Like the guilt was flooding into his features, spilling out of the cracks but he kept his jaw tight.

"Tell me, do you know how I feel about you?" he asked, brows furrowing with each word.

"Could you show me?"

I watched his eyes fixate and widen on me, and the smile widened. He closed the space between us once more and cupped my face in his hands, tilting my head up towards his. He kissed me softly on my lips, and again until he was kissing them sincerely. Softer, more gentle than he had before. Like this meant something to him now. Like I meant something to him now.

He stepped back, rubbing his thumb over my cheek.

"Inside" he instructed me. "Before you catch your death" he took his jacket off and wrapped it over my shoulders as he walked me to the common room.

I sat in Dumbledore's office, Fred on the right of me and George on the left.

"Fred, mate, keep your head up" George looked over at his brother, who had his head resting on his arms.

A drawled mumble was heard from Fred's directions before the office door opened, and Dumbledore was escorting Professor Snape with him. They each sat on the other side of the desk, Snape was looking his usual disinteresting self.

"I'd suggest you three cut right to it" Dumbledore started. "Luckily nobody was injured, but the severity of what you have done will not go unnoticed".

"Headmaster. If I may?" Snape asked, to which Dumbledore waved his hand to proceed. "I would say that if it were up to me, I would have expelled you before you had the chance to leave the Great Hall" he said.

"But Sir-"

"Silence!" he protested, not allowing the three of us to speak. "You will need to earn back the points you have lost for your houses. Extra... curricular activities would be of most suitability, would it not?" he turned to Dumbledore.

"Yes, Professor Snape. I think that to be of wise choice" he agreed, eyeing us across his desk. "Miss y/l/n, your lowest grades are in Astrology, so you will be taking on extra work for that class"

"And for us?" the twins asked, looking strangely accepting of this punishment.

"I believe your shortfall is potions, boys" he stated, handing them some textbooks. "Miss y/l/n, I will ask Professor Sinistra after the holidays what she is willing to assign to you"

I still hadn't a clue where I would be staying over the Christmas Holidays; my mum hadn't replied to a single letter for a few weeks now and I was beginning to worry. I had the option of staying at Hogwarts for the two weeks, but how sad is that going to be? Christmas on my own. Doesn't sound depressing at all does it.

I was sat in my dorm room, finishing the rest of my homework before the Holidays. I dipped my quill into the inkpot on my nightstand when my attention was grabbed by popping, coming from the stairwell outside the door. I ignored it, after it stopped but the moment my quill touched the parchment, it started again.

"What in Merlin's name...?" I huffed, heaving myself off the bed.

I opened the door, and was immediately surrounded by a tiny firework display. Each one popping and banging around me. Some releasing sprinkles of glitter and ribbons that disappeared before reaching the floor. I watched them in amazement, it was so strange but I was entranced by them. The last of them popped and fizzled out as the last one exploded and revealed a howler.

Shit.

It unraveled itself, levelling with my face before it began to scream at me.

"Y/N Y/L/N! HOW DARE YOU SPEND YOUR CHRISTMAS ALONE, I REALLY THOUGHT MORE OF YOU THAN THIS!"

I stumbled back, grasping the side of the bedpost. I watched, panic spread throughout my body as it continued to screech at me.

"NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD EVEN CONSIDER SPENDING IT ALONE! THAT'S WHY YOU WILL BE STAYING WITH US..."

The howler seemed to calm down and I instantly recognised the real voices behind it.

"You have no choice but to stay at The Burrow, mum has agreed and you can join us on the train this weekend. That's an order little one, love your favorite Weasleys"

I don't think anyone could top an invitation like that, not a chance. I heard students mumbling as they approached my dorm room to find me standing in disbelief. The smell of burnt fireworks still lingered and the remains of the howler scattered on the floor after it shredded itself.

"What did you do?" a third year asked, poking her head into the room.

"Oh!" I smiled. "The twins".

A round of 'Oh's' and a few giggles, and they had disappeared to the common room again.

I rushed back to my bed, packed away my homework and pulled out my suitcase from under my bed. I began to pack everything; jumpers, scarfs, socks... everything I had come to own since being at Hogwarts. I left out a couple of things that I would need before the weekend, and decided to write one final letter to my mother.

I wished her a Happy Christmas, keeping it lighthearted in case her letters just hadn't reached me. I clipped a picture of myself and Pansy from the Yule Ball; we were practicing the Waltz in our dorm room, twirling around each other and laughing.

I placed it on my bedside table, and headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. It was filled with just as much excitement as the day of the Ball. Everyone was ready to be going home for the holidays, first time spending time with their families since they arrived in September.

I joined my friends at the Slytherin table, and Draco sat himself beside me.

"Evening" I smiled at him, and served out some toad-in-the-hole.

He placed his hand on my knee, and gave it a light squeeze before trailing it up to my thigh. He left it there for the rest of dinner. Every time he spoke, or laughed at something, his hand would tighten over my leg. I don't know if it was involuntary, or if he was fully aware of what he was doing. It comforted me, I don't know how or why, but it did. The person I couldn't stand to be around, is becoming someone I crave and I feel needed by him.

He walked with me after dinner, taking the corridor that led out towards the connecting bridge. He kept his hand firmly on my lower back, only moving it to allow me to walk in front of him down the path. We found a spot on the edge of the forbidden forest, and he lay his jacket on a fallen tree stump.

"Sit" he said, slowly tracing his fingers along my arm. "Tell me, where are you staying this Christmas y/n?"

I clear my throat, and begin to play with the threads on my scarf. "Why?" I inquire, feeling as though he is demanding an answer to a seemingly normal question.

"To start, I've never heard you talk about going home" he says. "Are you... do you have a home?"

I drop my scarf from my fingers and place them cautiously on my lap. He's fishing, I can see it a mile off. He's digging for information on my life, my life.

"If this is going to upset you-"

I cut him off "No! No, don't be silly" I chuckle. Having said that, do I have a home anymore? "Of course i have a home, Blondie, don't be daft" I try a light chuckle but I can tell he's not buying it. He's probably thinking, poor little homeless girl, as he looks me up and down.

"Let me try again" he says, a cooler tone lacing his voice as though boredom is ready to strike him. "Where are you staying over Christmas Break?"

"Ummm" I smile awkwardly, and adjust my tights. "The W e a s l...e y..sss"

"Sorry?"

"The Weasley's" I manage. "I'm staying with the Weasley's, at the Burrow for Christmas, apparently so anyway"

"So are you or not?" he glares at me.

"I received a letter from them, asking- telling me to stay for the holidays"

"Which is it then?" he quizzed. "She asked you or told you? Because it sounds like you haven't got your story exactly right there have you?"

"Draco, she sent me a howler. It was sent in a fun way"

"Look, if one of the lanky red-heads asked you there for themselves, just tell me" he growled

"I can assure you-"

"I don't need assuring. Thanks"

I opened my mouth to continue, but it felt hopeless. There isn't a single second in the day where I'm not thinking about this blonde git, yet i'm the idiot that seems to be falling for him and his irrational way of conversing.

"I'm going back to the castle" he huffs, getting up from the tree stump. "I brought these for us, but I guess you can take them to The Burrow instead"

"Draco-"

"Share them with your perfectly funny red-head or something" he drops a small linen bag beside my feet into the grass, and trudges back towards the castle.

I'm speechless, and choosing the only reaction I know too well, I continue to sit there in silence. His figure gradually becomes smaller the further he walks from me, and I turn to the ground where he threw the bag down. I open it to find small baked goods, pastries and a flask of hot butterbeer. Shit. He never does this type of thing, he's a Malfoy, he wouldn't be caught dead doing this type of thing.

As I continue to hold the bag in my hands, the feeling of hot tears pricks my eyes. Falling, falling, falling. As fast as the rain had fallen between us, the night of the Ball. The moment I realised that what he wanted was me. This should have been a moment. This should have been one of our moments. Peace, time and space is all we have ever wanted, without even having to talk.

The evening mizzle begins to set in. The Twins will return to The Burrow tomorrow morning, so I should finish packing my trunk before they leave.

I'm trailing my trunk down the stairs towards the common room, avoiding the Blonde until he decides to talk to me. Whatever that little performance was near the Forbidden Forrest, has left me with a hollow feeling of guilt. Should I feel guilty for staying at The Burrow?

"Merlin's beard" I laugh, hauling my trunk over by the doorway. "I've never seen you up this early Pans!"

"I know, I know" she waves her hands at me. "I haven't got much of a choice I'm afraid" she rolls her eyes, glancing back at the clock above the staircase.

"Parents?" I ask. I remember Pansy telling about her Pureblood family; the strict kind, but also the kind that are very chummy with the Malfoys.

She nods, dragging her suitcase next to mine.

"Featherweight charm?" she suggests, pulling her wand from her pocket. "I'm in no fit state to be lugging this down every blasted corridor of the school"

"Featherweight charm it is" I chuckle.

We join the rest of the student body on the Hogwarts Express, according to everyone, I seemed to have missed out on this little red joy for the past 5 years. We leave our trunks with everyone else's and climb into the train. After several different carriages, Pansy and I find Daphne cooped up in a private compartment.

"Merry Christmas" Daphne sings as we enter the compartment.

"For the sake of Merlin" Pansy covers her ears. "I've already seen you this morning" she glances over at me.

"Oh Pans" I raise my brow at her, "come on let's sit"

The two of them chatted, and gossiped between them while I felt more intrigued by the views that rolled past the window. This was more of the wizarding world than I had seen in the past three months. It was as though the grass, the hills, and the shrubbery had a sense of magic about them. Every bird, and every path that twisted through the fields, were enchanting. One would be close enough to believe I had never seen the outdoors before by the way my forehead pressed up against the window.

The compartment door slid open, and I jumped, turning to see who was standing there. I half expected it to be Draco, but instead stood a sweet elderly witch, with her glasses balancing at the tip of her button nose.

"Anything from the Trolley my dears?" she smiled, almost as sweet as the treats on her candy-cart. We each bought a couple of Chocolate frogs and some Snapping Candy. I decided to save the Chocolate frogs to give to The Weasley's, seeing as it was all very last minute, i needed to give them something on my arrival.

Eventually, the train drew to a stop inside King's Cross Station, and the wave of families and parents that awaited the arrival of all students. I hadn't left the compartment when I spotted two distinctly red-headed individuals, embracing Ginny and Ron.

The twins greeted me as I stepped onto the platform, hurrying me over to the rest of their family. I didn't have much of a chance to say my farewells to either of my friends, but during the time i was dragged from train to temporary adoptive family, I caught a glimpse of Draco. Stood beside his father, his father being-

"Mum, Dad" the twins introduced me in unison. "This is Y/n Y/l/n"

Before I could connect the dots between where I had seen Draco's father from before, I was being pulled into a Hug by Mrs Weasley.

"Oh, my dear!" she exclaimed, reaching out to press my cheeks with her warm hands. "You'll need to be fattened up a bit, and we will do just that" she smiled.

"Lovely to meet you Mrs Weasley" I grinned

"Oh" she chuckled, releasing her hands from my cheeks. "Please, call me Molly" she insisted.

"We're not ones for complete formalities" Mr Weasley chimed in as he stood beside his wife. "Lovely to meet you, how was the journey?" he asked, leaning in towards us to get the latest gossip around Hogwarts, most of which came from the Twins.

Everyone talked among themselves as we made our way back to The Burrow. Ginny had spoken to me the most, and helped me bring my belongings up to her bedroom. I laid my hoodie over the back of the chair, and sat myself next to Ginny on the rug.

"How much homework did you get, to do over the holidays?" I asked her, watching as she created small flames with her wand.

She looked at me, lowering her wand and cocking her eyebrow.

"What?" I quizzed, feeling judged. "You have a lot or-"

"No" she interrupted. "I don't want to talk about homework, I want the run down" she said, a smile lurking on the corner of her mouth.

"Of what?"

"More of a who, than a what. And you can't act oblivious in front of me y/n, people talk" she smirked.

"Right..." I felt defeated, this wasn't something I could see myself getting out of. Especially when I have to share a room, and a house with her, she can know. It seems that most already have some inclination by now anyway.

"You like him, don't you?" she asked.

"Yes"

"You want to be with him?" she continued, probing the information out of me.

I sighed. "It's too complicated"

"He is a Malfoy" she stated. "But you're a Snape"

She looked at me with wide eyes as I choked on my own breath. "Ginny" I caught my breath between words. "Ginny, who told you that?"

"Why?"

"Who told you that?"

"Fred did. He tells me everything y/n, but I swear to you-" her hands gesturing frantically as she spoke. "-I swear, it doesn't go further from me. Fred told me, and I've kept it to myself"

"Fine, ok" I breathed deeply, calmly. "You mustn't, under any circumstance, tell anyone. In fact, I never even heard someone say it was correct. But the map, the one your brothers carry around, is it ever wrong?"

"Professor Lupin told Harry, the map never lies-"

"Professor who?"

"Remus Lupin. He was the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor in my second year" she told me, a puzzled expression rest upon her face. "What's the problem?"

"I recognise that name" as the words fell from my tongue, I tried to piece together how it felt so familiar. Nobody had mentioned him before, not since my arrival to Hogwarts, and not with Dumbledore either.

My brain just couldn't make sense of it. Throughout the next couple of days, my mind would refer back to the name, over and over again. It felt of some importance to me, something that could help me, in some way. Perhaps a link. To no avail, although the many attempts form Ginny and Fred to prompt something; they would ask particular questions, trying anything to trigger the memory. Trigger the moment I'd heard that name. I felt fixated on the little moments that I wanted to make sense.

I tried to help Molly in the kitchen, but she had plenty of hands and enchanted spoons to stir what needed to be stirred, and dice what needed to be diced. She always insisted she was perfectly capable, to which i believed her, she had managed with all of her children beautifully, of course she didn't need me to get in the way with my awful preparation skills.

I'd joined in with almost everything they did. We flew around, playing our own sort of Quidditch, and involuntarily involved myself in the pranks lined up by the Twins.

It was Christmas Eve, everyone gathered in the Living room of The Burrow. I hadn't had much in the way of a conversation with either one of the other guests; Harry, Ron or Hermione. It felt odd though, in a house surrounded by Gryffindors, and then me. For the last bit of homework, Hermione and I studied together. We didn't talk much about the things that had bothered me; nothing about my biological father, nothing about my mother and not a word about Draco either.

"Y/n?" Arthur called from the hallway.

I stood from the armchair, and followed his voice. Between the kitchen and the porch, he clutched a letter between his hands. His pale skin was tinged with pink along his forehead and cheekbones.

Though the look of concern on his face was not well concealed, he said, "This just arrived".

I closed the distance between us as he handed me the letter. I flipped it over, revealing the wax seal on the other side. My heart sank. It wasn't my mother's handwriting, and the wax seal had a silver edge, with a large M prominently displayed in the middle.

Arthur left me alone in the kitchen, I remained stood with the envelope in my hands. I traced my fingers over the corners. I grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter, running it along the top to open it.

Y/n,

Merry Christmas. I hope this letter finds you well. I have some information, it's not good, but it would be of severe interest to you. Meet me at Malfoy Manor this evening at 7pm sharp. It's not a question.

D.M

I spin round to check the time. It's 6:47pm.

I hurry back into the living room, where Ginny is dishing out the mince pies to Harry. I nod my head at her, suggesting that she follows me. She does, putting down the plate of treats, she finds me by the stairs.

"Where's the ghost?" she asks.

"What?" I spit back, trying to think of every possible reason Draco would want me to come to his house.

"You look like you've seen one" she explained, waving her hand over my face. "Never mind" she placed her hands on her waist, waiting for me to talk.

"This is..." I hand her the letter from Draco. "Look. How in Merlin's name am I going to get there?"

I watched as her eyes scanned over the words, and looked up at me. She said nothing. Instead, she grabbed my arm and led me upstairs to her room again.

"Y/n, you can't go" she insisted. "They are The Malfoys, you can't".

"Draco said he has information of 'severe interest to me'" I try to persuade her. "How can I possibly pass on that?"

"What could he have information on?" she asked.

"That's the problem. I don't know Ginny, and I need to find out. Please?"

"Fine, but we have to be quiet. There's a floo network in the kitchen" she sighed in defeat

It was 6:58pm.

I stood in the fireplace by the kitchen, our voices hushed so the rest of the Weasley's wouldn't find where I was going. I ducked under the granite, digging my hand into the dusty powder clipped to the wall. I held my hand out, and Ginny nodded. she took a few steps back as I prepared to speak, clearing my throat I threw the powder to the ground and whispered "Malfoy Manor".

The green flames engulfed me, and I was immediately stumbling over my own feet as I arrived in an even larger fireplace.

I stepped out, brushing off the remains of floo powder as I looked around the room. The room appeared to be an old study, with bookshelves reaching the ceiling. Only now, I realise where I am, what I'm doing.

What am I doing?

I feel my heart racing furiously. I continue to make my way out of the in-house library, where I come to a stop outside the doorway; a small house elf looks at me wide eyed. "Hello-" I try, but the creature apparates just as quickly. I frown, thinking to myself how I'm possibly going to find Draco in a manor of this size.

The house elf reappears and holds out her hand to me.

"Miss Y/l/n, would you please follow Knippy to the Dining room" her little voice trembled, as she looked up worried. I hadn't had much opportunity to speak to any House Elves, but I know they are respectful to most witches and wizards they serve.

She led me down a long corridor, past some incredibly old paintings of the previous Malfoy Men, and countless chandeliers hung over head in every part of the manor. We stopped in front of a door, when Knippy knocked, and introduced herself politely to someone in the room. She walked out and ushered me to go forth.

Taking a deep breath, I emerged from behind the door and entered an enormous dining room. The table was set with all-silver, delicately placed along the tablecloth that lay on top. Candles flickered from every corner of the room, but the Christmas tree was depressingly bare.

"We meet again, at last" a deep, yet faintly patronising voice echoed from beside.

"Draco?"

"No, dear little witch" I followed the voice to the figure stood with their back to me. "Draco won't be joining us this evening".

The way his voice dripped of entitlement and power made me want to gag; my stomach twisted and turned. This wasn't supposed to happen. I was here to meet Draco.

"I'm sorry, sir, I'm not sure I understand?" I kept close to the door, not moving any further into the room.

"Not sure you understand?" he scoffed. "What is there to understand? I have information for you, and you arrived. What else is there to know?"

"I received a letter from Draco, not you" I felt worthless, small. Several feet away from me, the egotistical wizard was engulfing the room with his presence. "I came here at Draco's request-"

He cut me off with a laugh so fake, it was swimming in sarcasm. "Heavens. Draco told me you were smart, dear girl. I think my son must be deluded; haven't you pieced any of this together in that little mind of yours?" he asked, this time he turned his frame away from the fireplace.

"You sent the letter?"

"Harrah!" he threw his hands up, and paced over to the bar trolley. "Thought we'd be here all evening" he snarled. I watched him pour a large whiskey into a glass, swirl it once and take a sip. He placed it next to the fireplace, and wandered over to me.

"I think it peculiar" he began again. "That you are ever so close with your mother, yet... nothing over Christmas?"

"How do you know about my mother?" I asked, feeling the anxiety suddenly race through my skin, and up my neck.

"Yes, yes. It is a pity what happened to her, indeed. But it was for the best, and not a single witch nor wizard alive would disagree with me" he continued, playing an impossible game of fetch with me. He knows this will drive me insane, he knows what he's doing. "Then again, it was her own doing. No doubt, you pride yourself on living a life far from all of that, and I don't blame you child, but I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore if I wasn't concerned for the welfare of the students".

I stood in silence, feeling nothing but his words swimming around my brain. The welfare of the students? How could something about my mother be of common knowledge to everyone, but her own daughter, I haven't a clue what he means. Dumbledore?

"How are you finding it?" he asked, strolling back towards his glass of whiskey.

"Sorry?"

"Being somewhat of an orphan, if you must. I do have to say, not a single Slytherin have been close to that title before, not since the Dark Lord" he added.

"I'm not an orphan" I replied, feeling as though he was trying to trick me. "If you know where my mother is, or why I haven't heard from her, just tell me"

"Very demanding aren't you?" he scoffed, looking down on me.

"No I-"

"I don't need an answer, thank you" he sneered, holding the palm of his hand up to my face. "As I mentioned briefly in the letter, I do have information of interest to you". He snapped his fingers, and Knippy appeared with a foot-stall for him, sliding it under his feet. "You believe your father is muggle-born. He isn't, and I can say that with you on our side, we could make you so powerful, indeed you would be a great asset to us, and to him" he explained.

"To whom?" I asked, trying everything in my power to remain level-headed.

"The Dark Lord" he responded, tapping his ring against the glass in his hand. "You're blood after all, you have the ability. He won't stand for you if you choose their side, he will fight you like the rest of them. Then again, you seem to drip with the same amount of naivety as she did".

"If you're talking about my mother-"

"-who else?" he laughed again.

"Wait" I built up the courage to walk deeper into the room, where he was still sat. "I know where we've met before. In Dumbledore's office. I was leaving and you struck your walking stick in front of me, saying something about my mother, or how I appeared to remind you"

"It's not a walking stick-" he rubbed his index finger over his temple, and continued. "Yes, very good. I need your response, no later than a month. That is all the interaction i require from you" he snapped his fingers once more, and Knippy appeared cowering beside him.

"How can Knippy be of service m-master?" she bowed her heard to Mr Malfoy.

"Knippy. Please escort Miss Y/l/n, back to the fireplace to return to wherever she came from" he waved the house elf towards me. The house elf caught onto my fingers, and her little hand wrapped over them. She walked me further out of the room, almost leaving the doorway when he spoke for the last time.

"You're choosing to live, or you're choosing a side y/n"