Aine Burke sat in the library in what could only be described as a high-quality brooding session. Her brown eyebrows hung low over her green eyes as she tapped her foot in impatience. She had been shushed around three times in the last half hour but her partner for this week's charms assignment had decided to be over an hour late for their study session which put the Ravenclaw on edge. It was their sixth year and she was really hoping to graduate with the top grades possible.

When his name had been read out by Flitwick in class, she had groaned at the idea of being saddled with the dreary Slytherin who had replaced his mischievous smile over the summer break with a depressing scowl.

Eddie Carmichael, a fellow Ravenclaw who was intent on scoring a trip to Hogsmeade with her, had been watching her from behind a bookshelf. He was pretending to study but had sent small self-levitating paper planes over to her desk to try to nab a date.

Aine looked up and finally saw the determined stride of her partner.

"Malfoy, did your pure-blood family never gift you with a watch or maybe a remembrall?" Aine growled. She folded her arms. He shrugged and sank into the chair opposite her.

"Do you ever stop nagging? Do you really think I care about Flitwick's ridiculous homework project?" Draco sighed. He removed his robes, revealing a crinkled white shirt that had seen better years.

"You think I care about this project either? I certainly don't like being stuck with a gloomy slytherin pure-blood twat," Aine hissed and dropped a pile of books onto the table in front of them both. Draco jumped slightly but never lost the cool demeanour he always wore.

"Now that's no way to talk about your fellow houses," Draco leaned forward with a faint smirk. "I thought Ravenclaws were supposed to be team players."

"You can fuck right off Malfoy! I am only doing this project with you because I need to, so you better pull your weight, or I swear to Merlin, I will turn you into a ferret like Mad-Eye Moody did in fourth year," Aine grumbled. Her hands trailed down the open pages of the tome. Her eyes began scanning rapidly. It was after a few minutes that she realised Draco hadn't moved. She looked up from behind her glasses and grimaced.

"What are you doing? We're already an hour behind," Aine shook her head in frustration.

"Right Burke, how much will it take to get you to do this project for me? 10 Galleons? 30 Galleons? Even 50 Galleons?" Draco shrugged and had a lopsided charming smile on his face. It was the first time this semester Aine had seen Draco look anything but miserable. It was a fake smile however.

"I know your daddy usually buys your way into everything. So, I will excuse your lack of experience here in the real world where people must work to get what they want, but Malfoy I won't be bought. You're going to have to do the work with me," Aine's eyes met his with a stubbornness that she had become famous for. The Weasley twins had commented she was like the Gryffindor girl, Hermione Granger, when they were still in Hogwarts.

Draco's scowl quickly returned. The library was starting to empty, signalling it was nearly time to return to the relevant dorms but Aine had wasted enough time already that she wasn't let some stuck-up git stop them from at least getting started on the task.

"We need to pick at least one charm tonight to research then you can sulk all the way back to the dungeons," Aine quipped and returned to studying the book in front of her.

"Fine," Draco accepted and opened one of the books.

…..

An hour passed and the glow of the lamps cast the darkening room in a warm glow. Aine sighed as she considered the notes she had taken. Draco sat opposite her. He had propped himself up on the arm of the leather armchair with his flat of his palm pushing into his cheek. Aine suddenly felt a deep sense of dread that she couldn't place the origin of. Draco's face was paler than usual, and his eyes were framed by dark under eye bags that signalled an extreme lack of sleep.

"I think we should do the arresto momentum charm," Aine finally relented.

Draco looked up with tired eyes, "Fine with me." He snapped the book shut before quickly putting on his robes and standing up.

"Same time tomorrow?" Aine asked gingerly.

Draco froze. He had turned away from her but looked over his shoulder. "We'll see." Was all he said before he strode away leaving Aine to clean up.

"Stupid Slytherin wanker," Aine groaned before struggling with the piles of books that needed returned.

….

The dorm room was quiet when Aine returned. It was late, and the usually brightly lit room had a warm glow from the sparse lamps dotted around the tower. She was surprised when she noticed Beckie, one of her long-time friends in Ravenclaw, lying on the couch in front of the fireplace with a good book.

"I was wondering when you would return? I thought Malfoy might have killed you with his gloominess," Beckie grinned as she sat up. She ran a hand through her curly black hair.

"How would he manage that? How does someone kill you with their gloominess?" Aine chuckled and flopped down next to her.

"I don't know… Maybe he scowls so hard you just decide to leave your existence?" Beckie giggled. "In all seriousness, how was your study session?"

"He is certainly a spoiled Slytherin," Aine couldn't think of anything else to say. It had been productive but that was because of her. He had been no help. He had just sat there in a depressing gloom.

"When Flitwick said you would be partners, I thought he might suddenly shout 'just joking!' immediately after because it seems like the worst idea to pair Malfoy with anyone other than Blaise," Beckie nodded.

"Who did you get again?" Aine asked.

"A cute Hufflepuff girl, Elizabeth," Beckie's smile made Aine think that someone had just used a cheering charm on her.

"Oh well we all can't be partnered with people who are friendly and attractive," Aine sighed and offered Beckie a hand to stand up. The couch seemed to want to swallow them both.

"I can't help that the only person interested in you is Eddie," Beckie shrugged and earned a playful slap on the shoulder from Aine.

"Excuse me, Eddie is not the only boy to like me," Aine paused in thought. "He's just the first one to pursue me so…. Persistently." They both giggled.

"Oh well, maybe Malfoy will suddenly become a new person tomorrow and then you can go out with him," Beckie nudged her as they walked to the dorms.

"Oh don't make me sick," Aine exclaimed before they both giggled again.