"What was all that about last night?"
I groaned as Harry pushed the compartment door open, Ron entering behind him.
I wasn't in the mood for company. I was bloody tired after my night in the Requirement Room. I hadn't seen Draco since I left him outside the Slytherin common room in the early hours of that morning. I wasn't surprised that he didn't make it down to breakfast. Although a part of me couldn't help but feel a stab of disappointment.
And now I was on a train, leaving Hogwarts and Draco behind, about to be interrogated by Harry Potter.
"Huh?" Grunted Ron, who was busy stuffing his trunk in the overhead.
"Rosie ran out on Neville at Slughorn's party without so much as a goodbye." Harry explained, cleaning his glasses on his sleeves.
"Well, I did say Neville was punching, didn't I?" Ron threw himself into the seat opposite and then, noticing me, suddenly went beetroot red. "Er, alright Rosie?"
I raised my eyebrows at him and smirked. "I'm fine Ron. How's Lavender?"
Harry, not seeming to notice - or care, slipped his glasses back on and continued,
"And what was that thing with Malfoy?"
I shifted awkwardly on my seat, trying to compose myself.
"As I told you last night, Harry," I said as cooly as I could. "He was looking for Pansy."
"Well why couldn't he ask you in front of Neville? Why drag you out onto the balcony?"
"He did what?!" Ron yelled incredulously.
"I don't know!" I snapped. "Maybe he couldn't stand all the judgy looks. Not everything he does has dark motives, Harry."
Both Harry's and Ron's jaws dropped at my outburst.
"Still doesn't explain why you ditched Neville though." Harry grumbled, folding his arms huffily.
"The party was giving me a headache." I sighed grouchily.
"Yeah, I heard it was shit." Ron said, rubbing his hands together in glee as Harry shot him a dirty look.
***
Christmas dragged. Not unlike last Christmas, I spent it moping about at home. I realised, on reflection, I was moping about the same boy - Draco Malfoy. This time was different though. I missed him. I would often wonder what he was doing; if he was working on the Cabinet and how far had he got with it. I wondered if he thought about me at all, if he missed me like I missed him.
It was effing torture.
I thought about sending him an owl, but then immediately decided against it - it wasn't like I could ask if his task for Voldemort was getting along nicely. And I didn't want to owl him just to say that I missed him, either. It just sounded... pathetic.
It seemed crazy that we could spend that wonderful, amazing, intimate night together and now I felt awkward about owling him.
I blushed whenever I thought about that night. All I had to do was remember the way he kissed me or touched me or even the way he said my name and my pulse would start racing and my palms sweat. And then how mind blowing and beautiful it felt to become one. No, I would never regret that night in a million years.
I couldn't wait to go back to him - I was almost starting to worry that it had all just been some heavenly dream.
***
It was five to minutes midnight on New Years Eve and Draco Malfoy was alone in the Room of Requirement.
Tired from working non stop on the Cabinet all week, he sighed, sliding down to the floor in exhaustion.
He wondered what Rosie was doing right now.
He closed his eyes and took himself back to that night, remembering her scent, the taste of her sweet smooth skin on his lips, the feel of her long wavy hair in his hands, the way she cried out his name, the pure intense pleasure he had felt when he had entered her-
His eyes flew open. God, he was crazy about her. He couldn't take it. His pulse was going into overdrive. He never knew a craving like it.
His eyes swept over his left forearm and he felt that familiar heaviness in his heart. He was being selfish letting it get this far with her. He had no idea what would happen to him once this task was over, whether he failed or not. His future, if he even had one, was with the Dark Lord. Rosie was a muggle-born. They would both be killed in an instant if He ever found out.
No, there was no happiness in Draco's future. He had only the now to offer to Rosie, and that thought sent him to the depths of despair.
He was faintly aware of a clock chiming midnight somewhere in the room, and he swallowed as he wondered what the coming year would bring.
***