He.

On her first day of Hogwarts, after transferring from Beauxbatons, Madiline Paige Armstrong -Preferabally known as Maddie- Strolls grimly through the halls towards her common room. Her Long, pale blonde hair slicked back into a perfect ponytail. Her newly acuired green school tie slung around her neck, and the proud snake embroidered sheild-like patch sitting proudly on her chest. Maddie was a Slytherin. Pureblooded, Spoiled and Arrogant. True Slytherin through and through. Discarding her stuff in her dormitory she decides she is above the stupid curfew crap and goes for her own private tour.

Kicking a nearby statue as she continues, she suddenly stopped in her tracks as the shadow of another catches her eye. A boy. She sees him storm around and ram his fist into the wall repeatedly, the moon reflecting brilliantly in his blonde hair. A tear hits the floor.

"He is crying?" she whispers, taking a small step in his direction. He turnes his head and her breath caches in her throat. He was devistatingly handsome. He pale pointed features gave him that reckless edge, his hair perfectly framing his face, and those eyes... She could get lost in them, scratch that. She was lost in them.

He, he screams in silence,
A sullen riot penetrating
Through his mind,
Waiting for a sign to smash the silence
With the brick of self control,

"Excuse me?" He said his voice cutting through the air, "What are you doin? And what exactly are you staring at?" He strolled towars her, his strides long and fluid like. He filled the distance and in seconds was right there beside her. He raised his eyebrows in a sexy unison. Her mouth dry, Maddie blinked as he straightened to his full 6ft 2. He was certainly intimedating. Regaining her composture she lifted her chin defiantly and askes in a fake niceness voice,

"I could ask you the same thing!" She stood hopeing he didn't hear the breathlessness in her voice.

"I...I don't answer to anyone." He replied turning away,

"Awr... is oo gonna cwy?" She didn't know why she said it but she just -for some reason- wanted to argue.

He just smirked, "You got guts to talk to me like that. What's your name?"

"Why? You gonna write it in lil love hearts?" She traced a heart shape with her fingers in the air. Once again he just smirked. She screamed in frustration. "What's the matter? Afraid to get shouted down by a girl?"

That wiped the smirk off his face. "I am not afraid of anything!" He bit out, teeth clenching.

"Ooh, not very friendly." She lauged smugly. He wheeled around instantly, that sentance ringing in his head, he'd said the same thing to Potter back in 3rd year. He was begining to like this girl's feisty attitude, but he'd bet his mansion she'd crumble if he stepped the game up. With swift fast movements he pinned her wrists above her head and thrust her back to the wall. She wriggled and squirmed but could not escape his grasp. An electric bolt had surged through her entire body on contact. Pure desire. Did he feel it too? He showed no signs behind those beautifully grey eyes. She hid her panic well, he thought as she stopped her struggle and gazed into his eyes. His lips came crashing down to hers with instant power, his tongue demanding entry. After a brief struggle she gave into the kiss, his firm possesive lips drugging her senses. His hands loosen and fall to her hips, pulling her into the strong wall of his chest. His arousal prominant, she sees her advantage and takes controll of the kiss deepening it, making it so intense it dragged a harsh moan from his throat. Then, he pulled back.

"I lost controll..." He started, looking away, furious with the way she had turned his kiss against him he added."...But you should have backed off!" She blinked in shock. Finding her words she delivers them with full force,

"I should have backed off? You're blaming me?"

"Well, yes. Why? Didn't you underst-"

"I understood perfectly, I also understand that you are an arrogant bastard, that needs to learn how to properly treat a lady." From out of her pocket she pulles out her 8-inch, mahogany, unicorn hair, wand. Before he has time to react she mutters "Incarcerous" Instantaniously he is bound by ropes, struggleing to free himself he glares at her.

"I'll get you for this!" He shouts as she blows him a kiss and turnes on her heel to make her swift exit.

Are you locked up in a world,
that's been planned out for you?
Are you feeling like a
Social tool without a use?

She doesn't run into him for awhile, although he began to trespass in her dreams. Angry with herself for the effect this guy is having on her, Maddie reluctantly pulls herself out of bed after yet another tantalising dream about him. "Stupid..." she groans walking out of the portrait hole to head for the nearest bathroom. Turning a corridor on the 7th floor a door appears out of no where and two figures emerge. The smaller of the two consealed behond the taller, silver-blonde haired man who's hair almost reached his butt, gave an exasperated sigh. Ducking behind a nearby statue, she listenes to thier hushed arguement.

"But... Father... I Can't..." A Extremely familiar voice echoed through the corridor.

"No. But's. Draco!" Another vioce bit out tersly. Maddie's heart leaped, he was so close. "You will finish the task you have been set by our master." Lifting a hand to stem the boys protests the taller man- whome Maddie now knew to be Draco's father- Strode out of the corridor. Maddie watched as Draco stared after him for a moment before running back into the room, swiftly she dodged into the room and gasped. It was beautiful. The walls were all draped in cloths of purest silk. The room itself had very little furniature, a small desk and chair and a huge four poster bed... Complete with -she now noticed- a crying bad-boy hottie!

"D-Draco...?" She askes tentivly walking towards his crying form. Seeing him broken like this tore her heart into shreads. Hearing her voice he turnes sharply to face her.

"Oh I guess you've come to have some fun at my expence? Well go ahead! I'm practically dead if I can't complete this, so whats a bit of embarassment gonna do eh?" His lip quivers, and although his voice was ready to argue, his eyes told a different story. His eyes had lost their glimmer. His eyes were fightless, asking for comfort. She touched a hand on his shoulder. He stared at it for a brief moment, then shrugged it off. "I don't need your pity." He turned away from her.

"I want to help..." She said softly. She meant it, too. He stole a brief glance towards her then turned away. Maddie caught a glimmer of apprehension mingled with fear and something she couldn't recognise. She positioned herself beside him on the bed offering her hand. Staring blankly at her for a second, he started to take her hand before changing his mind and slapping it away. She sighes and looks at him her eyes pleading for him to let her in.

"I told you I don't want your pity!" He bit out tersly, breaking eye contact.

"I'm not offering pity. I'm offering comfort."

"Well I-"

"And for Merlins' sake don't say you dont want and/or need it because deep down you know thats a lie." He opened his mouth to reply but shut it instantaneously. She was right. He knew it. So instead of denial he tried a different approach.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Why? That was a good question. One she didn't really know the answer too.

"I don't know why. All I know is that right now you need a friend and here I am."

"Friend?" He asked curiously.

"Oh for the love of- Aquaintances then, whatever! Draco why are you making it so hard?" She pushed a strand of hair out of her face in frustration. Watching her closely Draco smiles.

"I'm sorry, but... it's just..." He sighs. "Look, I'm just not used to people helping me. Besided how do I know you mean it? How do I know you not just picking me up for a harder fall?" He lookes away at the floor tears forming once again. "I have no physical proof..." For a moment she stopped. Thinking. Then, slowly reaching to entwine her fingers with his she leans closer and brushed her lips to his. Completly contradictory of the first kiss, this one was soft, caring, caressing even. after a few stolen moments she pulles away.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have... I should just go." She tries to pull her hand away, only for his grasp to become strong as if he had just reawakened.

"Please don't go. Stay with me the night?" Her look of shock brought a faint smile to his lips. "I don't mean it like that, I just don't want to be alone."

"Okay." He smiles and kisses her with the same tenderness as the moment before,

"Oh and by the way, that wasn't exacly what I meant by 'physical proof'." She laughs and he follows suit.

"It worked though." She smiles as he lies them both under the blankets and holds her close. Soon her breathing slows and Draco knows she is asleep. He kisses her soft hair and slowly falls into a blissfull sleep. Something that had avoided him for so long now.

Scream at me until my ears bleed,
im taking heed, just for you

For many months this became the norm for them. They would meet in the same room. 'The room of requirement' he had called it. Every night he would break down and she would help to show him that he was not in the wrong, his father was. Always they'd fall asleep together and never did they go further than a kiss. She would fall asleep first and he would place a gentle kiss on her hair before departing to dreamworld himself. One night however, a fierce argument broke between the two. Draco was standing in a corner staring at a blank wall when it had started. Maddie had - out of exhaustion from a potion that had backfired - lost her cool and called him weak and pathetic for not standing up to his father.

"I thought you understood!" He shouted, "but I was wrong!"

"No Draco. I-I'm sorry, I- The potion, I Didn't mean-" She broke off, what had happened why did she say that?

"No Madiline, I'm sorry. Sorry I ever trust you." He stormed out and Maddie was left alone. Feeling sick with greif she got up and went to the desk. Maybe if she wrote an explantion to him he would understand. She picked up a peice of paper and a quill and stepped outside the room, sitting on the floor she begins to write...

Draco,

I didn't mean what I said, in Snape's class a potion backfired on me from that idiot Longbottom's cauldron. It has made me exhausted, but I still came to meet you. I was irritable but I came to help you still. Because the truth is Draco, -She starts to feel queasy but continues anyway- I L- Scrunching the paper in her hand in pain she faints, and all goes black...

Locked in his dormatory, Draco refuses to speak to anyone. Another knock on the door another scream of 'Get out before I hex you!' but this time it was different, this time a silky voice drawled "Mr. Malfoy, you'd hex your own godfather? Well, someone really has got to you. Is it the pretty Madiline Paige Armstrong by any chance?"

"Who?" He shot back unconvincingly.

"I have no time for childish games Draco, but i'll humour you. The young Slytherin girl who had an accident in my class yesterday and who is now in the hospital wing." He smiled as Malfoy hastily opened the door, "Ah there you are."

"Wha- What's wrong with Maddie? What potion? Why wasn't I informed earlier?"

"I sent 12 students up to inform you, seems you weren't in a listening mood." Snape drawled uncaringly.

"Fucking hell!" Draco sighed banging his head against the door. "Shit, shit, shit!" Immediatly he bolts out of the door and down the stairs to the common room, ignoring Snape's shouts of 'Malfoy I will not accept such language!' CRASH! Getting up and rubbing his eyes to help his vision he askes blindly "Who the hell-!"

"DRAKIE-POO! I've fownd oo!" A flurry of black, grasy hair obscures his vision as Pansy Parkinson throws herself at him. He pushes her away hastily as she continues, "I've been so worried, I haven't seen you in a while... I've missed our little..." She twirls a strand of his hair seductivly around her finger. "...Sessions." She finishes leaning towards him. Feeling sickened Draco puts her away from him. "What's wrong baby? Have you screwed up again? Want me to make you feel better again?" She smoothes her tongue along her top lip. Suddenly a revelation hits him. It's not him, It's what everyone had drummed into him for their own selfish reasons. His father. Pansy. Why didn't he see it before? That's what Maddie had been saying all along! He wasn't a failure to others, they failed him. Pushing Pansy aside he strides towards the portrait hole, but as he goes to leave he is stopped by Snape.

"Mr. Malfoy wait." Snape handed Draco a small note in Maddie's handwriting and stepped aside, Draco took the parchment and carried on his quest to find Maddie.

He, he's figured out, all his doubts
Were someone else's point of view,
Waking up this time, to smash the silence
With the brick of self control,

Opening the parchment on his way to the hospital wing, Draco stopped still. What? I L-? What was she writing? I Lost? Lost what? Tears formed in his eyes, did she mean she'd lost the fight to live? Panic seared through every fiber of his soul as he sprinted up the last few steps to the huge double doors. Opening the doors he runs into Madame Pomphrey (sp?) who refuses to let him in. After half an hour of arguments, he decides to stoop so low as to ask for help. Worst of all the help he needed being Potter. Groaning, he trudges up to Griffindor tower and to his emence relief Potter and the young Weasley girl -who's first name escapes him- Were just exiting the portrait of that hideous 'fat lady'. "Potter!" Harry turnes and growles,

"What do you want Malfoy?" Both him and Ginny grasp their wands in their robes, "I'm kinda busy, and what are you doing up here anyway?"

"I-I" Draco looks at the floor, "Potter I need your help." He turned around, knowing that this was indeed a bad idea.

"Why?" This time it was Ginny that spoke as Harry turned around looking at her in shock.

"Because... Because I need to get to the hospital wing. Someone- someone important is there and visiting hours are over," Tears forming in his pleading eyes, he takes a deep quavering breath, "I know I don't deserve it, but please Potter, I swear if you help me I'll be gratefull and if I'm ever mean to you again-"

"We'll know your back to normal." Harry cut in holding out his invisibilty cloak, "Here. But I want it back by Midnight. That gives you 2 hours, Meet me here." With that he took Ginnys hand and walked off leaving Draco staring blankly after them. Wasting no more time Draco hastily put on the cloak and rushed back off towards the Hospital Wing. Once outside the doors he took a deep breath and slowly opened them, stepping inside he shut them again without anyone noticing. Slowly as to not make loud footsteps he wanders down the curtained cubicals, searching, hopeing all would be okay. And if it wasn't? He didn't dare think. Didn't dare jinx it.

"Maddie?" He whispers into the darkness, then mentaly kicking himself for his dumbness, sighs. "You can't hear me when you've passed out." Running a shakey hand through his hair he turnes and an automatic shiver pulses through his body. She looked so peacefull, breathing heavily, did he do this to her? Did his arguement make her give up? Is that why she lost? Oh, God. No. He pulls a chair to beside the bed and claspes her hand in his, a silent tear crusading down his pale cheeks, scorching his soul. At ten to twelve he got up, a promice was a promice, and a Malfoy had to honour his promices. Leaning into his beloved, he gently kissed her lips. Lips that were ice cold. Mouth still on hers, he wept. A tear landing on her colour tinted cheeks. When did the colour return? He began to move his free hand to wipe it away when he felt muscled tense in her hand. Could it be? Hastily shedding the invisibility cloak he encases her hand in both of his. Taking a deep breath he murmers, "Maddie, my love? Are you with me?" She swallowed and his breath caught in his throat. "M-Maddie?" He repeats, tears stinging the back of his eyes.

"Hmm?" She groaned groggily, "What is it? Did I wake you?"

Eyes filling with a dam full of tears Draco tilts her chin so their eyes meet and lets out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "No love, everythings fine." He procedes to explain the circumstance in which brought them here. "...But the note? It says 'I L-' What was it? 'I Lost?'"

Maddie smiled, "No. 'I Love You.'"

"I love you too. Thankyou, you have helped me see that I am not the problem, everyone set me up to fail to get what they wanted and I was blind. Thankyou my love." With that he got into the bed with her, not caring that the matron wouldn't like it. He had his love and he'd take whatever came. Maybe now he can finish what the Dark Lord sent him to do. With Maddie by his side he could do anything.

Are you locked up in a world,
that's been planned out for you?
Are you feeling like a
Social tool without a use?

And they never noticed as they slept, Harry and Ginny come to reclaim his cloak. Smiling at eachother they exclanged kisses and left. "Whod've thought eh? Malfoy falling in love? Maybe there's hope for the world yet."

Fin.