Malfoy barely exchanged a word with Ivy for the next week, only hanging around when a teacher or student that they had to fool was near. Even then, it wasn't an issue anymore, not since Ivy had struck up an unusual relationship with Blaise. It worked even better than her fake friendship with Malfoy, Blaise was untouchable. Not important enough to be watched too closely but openly Slytherin in an unquestionable way, he was the perfect cover. What was more he had a temperament that suited her, he was laidback and did not pay attention to those around him, unless it was to insult another student which she managed to ignore.

Since her status as his 'girlfriend' even Pansy had agreed to put up with her, the four would lounge around as if no rivalry existed between them. It was an odd situation, but as Ivy had never had friends before she found herself enjoying the unity.

As they ate breakfast in the Great Hall, the flutter of hundreds of wings signified the mail. Ivy didn't look up, not once had she received a single letter from her Father. Letters dropped onto the table around her as she continued munching on toast smothered with jam. "Wow, look at that," Blaise commented, his eyes fixed above them, she glanced up at the flurry of owls. It wasn't difficult to see what had caught his attention, in the chaos flew an owl twice the size of all the others, ebony in colour with a golden beak. People were pointing at it as though a dragon had flown in.

"Whose is that?" Pansy asked in awe, craning her long neck to watch it. Ivy dipped her head, shielding her face with her hair. She felt the breeze from the wings blow on her back as the bird landed proudly in front of her, puffing its chest out importantly.

"Is that your owl?" Pansy screwed her face up, lines mapping her skin from the strain.

"It's my Fathers," she explained, hoping people would go back to their food.

"What does he feed him?" Blaise leaned closer and the bird clipped its beak sharply, warning him not to get too close.

"Nothing special, Father bought him because he'd grow like that, it's so embarrassing."

"Are you kidding me, he's putting the others to shame. I wish I had one!" Blaise grinned, Ivy caught Malfoy roll his eyes, not nearly as impressed as everyone else. He continued eating, taking large bites and chewing slowly.

The owl ruffled his feathers at Ivy and stuck its leg forwards, displaying the crisp white envelope attached, sealed with wax. Carefully, she removed the letter and discarded the tie. Spreading its wings wide, the owl soared away, streaking through the other owls in a black blur.

"Well that was dramatic," Pansy snorted, going back to her food now that it had left the Hall. Ivy wasn't listening to her, she held the envelope and studied her name scrawled on it in her Father's neat handwriting.

"That's a surprise," she mumbled.

"What?"

"He's written it himself; normally he gets his assistant to do it. Must be my lucky day," she finished sarcastically. She hadn't expected any interaction from him, now that she had it she wasn't sure she wanted it.

When curiosity took over, she slid her finger under the rim and yanked it open, pulling out the parchment. It read:

Ivy,

I have some business to attend to this weekend which will bring me within visiting distance of Hogwarts. I will see you on Saturday at 11am sharp. Await my arrival in Professor Snape's office.

Do not be late.

Stephan Green
(Your Father)

It was short and to the point, as were all his interactions with his only daughter. Her day was ruined before it had even began, a visit from her Father? Why must he subject her to this?

Blaise had read the letter over her shoulder, "He sounds excited." The sarcasm was thick; her Father had made it perfectly clear that he was only visiting her out of obligation due to his closeness to her. She was sure he would have avoided it if he could.

"Stephan Green…Your Father, you know just in case you forgot." Blaise chuckled but Ivy struggled to find the humour in it.

"What is it?" Draco's mumble surprised her, clearly his need to be in on the letters content overruled his pride.

"My Father has decided to visit me, this Saturday." A troubled expression crossed his face, but he didn't respond.

"That's a bit weird, isn't it?"

"I don't know. Don't family usually visit?" Ivy tugged on her bottom lip; surely this wasn't that big of a deal?

"Only when the student is in big trouble, or they have really bad news, like someone has died."

"Shut up Pansy," Draco snapped as Ivy paled. Well it wasn't bad news; everyone she cared about was dead already.

"I don't know what I could be in trouble about." Her gaze crossed Draco's and he frowned, both wondering the same thing.

"We'd better get going or we'll be late for Transfiguration." The group rose but Ivy dawdled; hoping Draco would drop back with her.

"Are you coming?" Blaise asked her.

"I need to talk to Malfoy about something, we'll meet you in a minute." Blaise showed his dislike of the idea, glancing between the two suspiciously.

"It isn't anything important, I'll explain later I promise." Bravely, she kissed his cheek and he relaxed immediately. Usually she rejected public contact between them. Blaise left with Pansy and Ivy rounded on Draco who had his hands buried in his pockets as usual.

Neither spoke for a moment, Ivy wondered if it had been a good idea to hold him back, but he cleared his throat and broke the silence. "Why is he coming?" Draco glanced up at the top table, which still had lingering teachers, and the students around them. They had to be careful not to say too much.

"I'm not sure, if Pansy is right and it's because I'm in trouble, maybe…" she flicked her eyes around and lowered her voice, "they know."

"Perhaps, but it doesn't seem likely. If they knew I reckon you'd be getting worse punishment than them calling your Father in. Besides, I haven't heard anything and I'm a target too."

Ivy licked her dry lips, wishing she had an answer to her questions. They began to walk steadily out of the hall, trying to seem casual. "I have to meet him in Snape's office, at least I know Snape is an ally."

"If you can call it that, sounds to me like he has his own agenda."

"Well it's the best I've got." They broke off as a group of Hufflepuffs walked past them, although they were oblivious to their existence.

Draco slowed down and the tension that had been prominent the past few days returned, "The other day, you told me you had something to tell me."

"What?" Ivy slowed with him, knowing they were not far from the classroom. She thought back to that day, and the conversation she'd overheard in The Hog's Head. "Oh, yes I remember. It doesn't really matter; I think I was being dramatic."

"No, tell me." He pleaded, keeping his voice level, it was the closest thing to a civil conversation they had shared.

"I heard some people talking in Hogsmeade, about things going on outside the school. In the ministry, it isn't good." They could see the door with Blaise and Pansy waiting outside, "I don't have time to explain. We'll talk about it later." Draco nodded, although his expression remained troubled. Before they were in earshot she mumbled "Thank you, you're probably right about my Father. It'll be nothing, I needed to hear it."

Draco didn't have time to reply to her before Blaise had slung an arm around her shoulders protectively. "Everything alright?"

"Of course it is, I told you it wasn't important." Ivy wasn't comfortable with the situation, when Blaise held her she felt like it was betraying the good in her. Knowing he was evil. By the look on Draco's face, he wasn't that happy with it either. She had decided why he was so against her relationship with Blaise, it was because he knew what she really was, a blood traitor. Blaise was his best friend, the thought of him touching someone like her probably made him gag, she was scum to him after all.

The last class found the Slytherins back with Dumbledore's Army for Transfiguration. Draco sat in his seat, waiting for Ivy to join him. Of course, she didn't. She dutifully took a seat beside Blaise, who shuffled closer to her, meaning that Draco was stuck with Pansy.

"This has turned out well hasn't it? Now that they're an item it means that you don't have to feel guilty about spending time with me."

"Guilty? I don't feel guilty." Draco grimaced, but when he looked at her a nudge from below his hip told him that he may need her tonight, as much as he resented it. She batted her eyelashes and grazed her foot up his leg under the table. He grabbed her knee and she stopped, a smirk playing on her face.

"Not now," he said, silently give her a promise that he'd be there that night.

"Class," barked McGonagall, "today we are turning birds into a feather fan." She lifted her wand and bird cages with doves in them glided to the tables.

She stopped when she spotted Ivy with Blaise, and a frown touched her forehead. "Right, you should have been reading up on it. Get to work."

"Well someone's in a good mood!" Blaise chortled as he drew his wand and began swishing it at the bird.

"Miss Green, I need a word."

Draco watched Ivy walk over to the teacher's desk and discuss what seemed to be a serious topic. Occasionally McGonagall would glance between Draco and Blaise, then back to Ivy.

Salazar he wished he knew what they were saying.

"What's going on between you and Mr Zabini?" McGonagall asked, hushing her voice to no more than a croak.

"We're kind of dating, it's complicated." Ivy tugged on a strand of hair nervously, knowing that her favourite teacher would not approve.

"You have no room in your life for complicated Ivy. Blaise is from a long line of Death Eaters, his parents practically grew up with the Carrows, I can't tell you how much I dislike this!"

"Please Professor, this is good for us."

"How can this possibly be good?" She waited patiently, watching Ivy gather her thoughts.

"Blaise is a supporter; we know that, I know that. It's why it's perfect. Nobody will suspect me now, not if I play my part well."

"And what if you don't? What if he catches on?" McGonagall didn't like the plan, it had too many places where errors could be made.

"He won't, I think he genuinely likes me." A small smile stole her lips and McGonagall resisted the urge to snap at her.

"Professor Snape told me that you were staying with Draco…That was the plan, not this. Draco is on our side, it was perfect." She looked at Draco who was watching the conversation, clearly unhappy that he was excluded from it. There was an emotion in his eyes that McGonagall couldn't place.

"It wasn't going well, he hates me. We would have blown it." She sighed and rubbed a hand to her head. This was causing her unwanted stress, but Ivy was adamant that it would work, and she trusted the girl. She nodded.

As Ivy retook her seat Draco watched her squeeze Blaise's leg under the table. The response from her partner was immediate; his leg curled around hers under the table and even from behind Draco could spot the tinge to her neck as a blush graced her skin. Swinging his wand with more force than was needed, Draco's dove flapped its wings and batted against the cage as purple smoke billowed around it.

"Mr Malfoy!" McGonagall was there in an instant. She raised her wand and the smoke was gone. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Draco grunted, his mood spiralling down with every moment.

"It is your final year Mr Malfoy, I expect you to have an ounce of knowledge in that head of yours."

"I expect you to teach us something useful. When are we ever going to need to turn a bird into a fucking fan?"

McGonagall's mouth shrank into a slit, and a vein popped from under her hat.

"Outside." She ordered, spitting each syllable out.

"What?"

"Now Draco, get out of this room." He couldn't decide if it was a joke, she never reacted like this fast, usually he had to rile her up for most of the lesson. Ivy had turned in her seat, disapproval coming off of her in waves.

"Don't make me tell you again." The room was silent. He stood so quickly that his chair hit the floor with a thud. Ivy winced at the sound, but he refused to see the disgrace again so left.

"You lose twenty points for Slytherin."

"Like I give a fuck." He retorted, slamming the door as hard as he could manage.

He stormed toward the common room, grunting as he went. Familiar voices made him pause before he turned into the corridor leading to Dark Arts.

"No Amycus, it isn't enough."

"Why not? She admitted it didn't she?"

"She showed affection for someone she was close to. It could have been an act, she may not even have known-"

"Do you want her to be innocent?"

"Of course not, her Father is scum and she is too." Draco held his breath and swallowed silently. Were the twins talking about Ivy? "But it doesn't change anything," Alecto paused, and her voice lowered to an almost inaudible whisper, Draco had to edge closer to the corner to hear. "If we go to the Dark Lord without proof we'll be murdered with them. We need them to find out more first, an admission that cannot be questioned."

"Fine," he snapped, "then get them to work harder. They're slacking; if they don't get a move on we'll torture it out of her." Draco leaned further still and a small piece of stone fell from the wall, knocking on the ground.

"Shut up, did you hear that?"

Shit.

He couldn't risk them hearing him move so he stood still. Waiting to be found and punished painfully. "No I didn't, I'm going back to my idiot class. You talk to them tonight."

"Fine," footsteps, a closing door and then another. Draco's back hit the wall as he processed the information. It must be Ivy, who else would be being investigated? Who was feeding them information? His initial thought was Blaise, or Pansy? She didn't speak to anyone else. Maybe even both.

He knew it had been a bad idea for her to get involved with them. He had been right, despite what it meant, he still felt a little smug. He needed to tell Green, before she went any further.

"What the fuck was up with Malfoy today?" Blaise questioned as they headed to the hall for Dinner.

"No idea, he's been funny all week." Pansy answered, licking her lips absentmindedly. Ivy didn't join the conversation, her teeth chewing on her lip as it had been all lesson since Draco had left. She needed to see him, something in her gut wouldn't settle.

"I need to pop back to the dormitory," she said suddenly and they both gave her suspicious looks.

"Why?" She had no idea.

"Um, there's a…book I need."

"But we're going back there after, can't it wait."

"No, I'm sorry I need to look something up and if I don't do it now I'll forget." It didn't sound logical, but Blaise and Pansy weren't exactly the smartest of students. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." She squeezed his hand and Blaise caved immediately.

"Alright then, but hurry up." She nodded and darted away to the dungeon, her pace faster than her brain told her she needed to go. It was wild panic, she had never felt anything like it, and she knew she needed to see him. She KNEW it.

Draco was waiting for her, striding over the moment she stepped foot in the empty common room. He glanced over her shoulder.

"Are you alone?"

"Yes, they're eating dinner." She waited for him to tell her what was dancing on his tongue.

"I heard the Carrow's talking after I left, about you. They said they didn't have enough information about you yet." Ivy sighed with relief, realising it wasn't only because her life was safe, but Draco's too.

"Then what's wrong?"

Draco cringed, knowing what her reaction would be. "They said…" He stopped speaking, her eyes were sparkling with apprehension, and he realised how close they were standing.

"What? Malfoy, its fine you can tell me."

Running a hand through his hair, he exhaled sharply, his breath cooling her flaming cheeks. "They said that someone was spying on you, someone you were close too."

Ivy didn't even flinch, he waited for her to blow up but it never came. "Ok, how do you know we are friends?"

"Because they said something about…" he strained to remember the words they'd used, not wanting to disappoint her. "Knowing you show affection for someone…are close to them. I don't know who, maybe your Father? You only talk to me, Pansy and Blaise."

She didn't even look surprised, which was odd as one of the suspects was her boyfriend. Draco frowned at her as she glanced past him, thinking. "Are you alright?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" She sounded calm, almost…satisfied?

"Well, I've told you that your boyfriend may be spying and you don't seem too bothered."

"I told you before it was to show my loyalty to Slytherin, besides it might be Pansy."

Ivy was sure it was Pansy in fact. Not Blaise. She knew what lying looked like, and was confident his feelings were genuine, and he never pushed her to tell him anything. Pansy was nosy as Salazar.

After a moment, Draco coughed a little and she snapped her eyes back to him. They both knew how close they were standing, their bodies were nearly touching, but neither moved. There was a static between them, being so close but so far away from each other, the chemistry made her blood boil.

"Thank you…for telling me."

"No problem."

"I guess it's a good job you got kicked out of class."

"At your service." She smiled and he returned it, it was a foreign act on him, but she noticed how handsome he became. Her fingers twitched and met his instantly, had they got closer? When?

The brush was for a fraction of a moment but Draco felt it as though he'd been seared with a hot poker. His skin tingled with thousands of needles and he found himself wishing she hadn't moved them away. He didn't want to say anything, in case it broke whatever was happening. Her honey eyes were searching his, looking for a want or need that wasn't showing. Hesitantly she took the tiniest of steps forward, but it was enough for her torso to lightly make contact with him. He gulped and noticed that he was barely breathing, neither was she, as though any noise would shatter the moment.

His mind was foggy, a small voice whispered it was a bad idea but it was drowned out by another screaming at him to close the gap. The faintest sigh escaped her lips and it brushed against his mouth, which reacted for him. His neck twitched forwards and their lips brushed together, barely touching for the smallest of moments.

The door opened and they were apart faster than a broomstick could fly. All the breath they had held poured out in a gasp and Draco's legs hit the sofa behind him. Blaise stopped in the doorway, flashing his eyes between them. Draco looked at Ivy whose face was glowing red as she tried to hide it in her locks of hair. If Blaise thought something was going on, they'd both be screwed.

"For the last time Green, get out of my fucking face!" He yelled, louder than intended due to the pent up emotion clinging to his chest. She frowned, a little hurt by the outburst.

"I don't give a shit if your Father wants to make up with mine, they aren't friends and never will be. If you carry on fucking begging me to owl him, I swear to Salazar I'll-"

"Malfoy, leave her the fuck alone." Blaise snapped, standing protectively between the two. Ivy was still red, her nails digging into her hands, but it could be mistaken for sadness rather than…whatever it was.

"How about you two leave me alone? That would be great." He made a swift exist to his room, heart thudding in his chest. What the fuck just happened.

In the common room Blaise turned on Ivy who tried to compose herself. "You shouldn't let him talk to you like that."

"It's fine, I shouldn't have pushed it. With my Father visiting I thought it might be a good time for them to make up, I was wrong." The lie spilled out easily, it was much better than the truth. Her lips were still burning from the brush of his.

"I came to find you, you were gone a while."

"Sorry, I got distracted." He continued to talk but she barely heard a word. All she could think of was Draco's face, the smell of mint from his robes and the touch of his mouth. She'd wanted him to kiss her, it was the worst feeling in the world when Blaise had interrupted. It wouldn't happen again, Malfoy knew who she really was, it was a moment of weakness that he'd be ashamed of for the rest of his life.

The next morning, Ivy wandered to the greenhouses, looking for a familiar face.

Luna perched on a tree stump, mumbling to herself whilst reading a brightly coloured magazine. She beamed when she saw Ivy, her mouth opened to speak but Ivy held up a hand.

"Don't talk, just listen." Luna's mouth shut. "You were right, I'm not one of them." She looked around her, the courage had been building all night to say it, to admit to someone who she really was. Apparently she couldn't trust anyone, but this girl, her gut told her she could tell anything to.

"I'm not even close to one of them," here it was, Luna stared at her with eyes full of innocence. "I'm not Slytherin, I'm a Gryffindor."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you've visited my profile you might have seen that I have another story I've started based in the Marauder era, don't worry it won't interfere with how often these chapters come up. Feel free to give it a read and let me know what you think!

Also, would love some feedback on this story, had some amazing reviews but more are always welcome :) Both constructive and positive.

Rose