Author's Note: I do not own the Harry Potter world or the characters created to live in that world, they belong to J.K. Rowling. Nor am I making any money off of this series. I will, however, try to portray them to the best of my abilities.

Please review so that I know how I'm doing.

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I watched the view from the astronomy tower as the wind gently blew past me. I love the fall… I love the wind. When I was younger, I considered the wind to be a friend of mine. I hadn't had a conventional imaginary friend to talk to due to it being incredibly silly in my opinion, but I had very much appreciated the wind's pushing my swing and blowing past me in a comforting way when I had been upset. I had honestly come to believe that the wind truly cared for me and even as an adult with better realization about what is reality and fantasy I still feel a twinge of affection in moments like this where everything is peaceful and the wind blows past me. Silly, I know, but there it is.

"Professor Tingstrom?" I hear a voice say behind me, obviously surprised.

I turned around, eyebrow raised, to see none other than Draco Malfoy. "Hello Mr. Malfoy."

He frowns momentarily, and then smirks, "You know… you shouldn't be up here all alone. Bad things happen to vulnerable women."

"Mr. Malfoy, if you are intending to frighten me you will have to do a great deal better than that. What is it exactly that you wanted?" I say, crossing my arms and looking at him dubiously.

He puts on a careless but snobby expression and says, "I was just coming up to enjoy the view when I found my philosophy professor to be up here. What are you doing up here?"

I smirked, "I don't see how that is any of your business Mr. Malfoy."

He frowns and says, "Why are you always so mean to me?!?! I'm Draco Malfoy!"

I snorted, "I'll have you know that I am not mean, I am merely treating you the way that your actions insist that I must. Whether you are Draco Malfoy or not makes absolutely no difference to me." And I mean that.

He crosses his arms and rests against the nearest wall.

I study him for a moment and then ask, "Where are Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle?"

He shrugs, "I wanted to be alone."

I smile slightly, Merlin knows why but that action made me feel the slightest bit of tenderness for the boy. "Is everything alright?"

He shakes his head, "Everything's fine…" He mutters something under his breath that I choose to ignore.

"Alright, well… I suppose I'll leave you alone then." I said personably before starting towards the stairs.

He looks up at me, surprised, "You'll just… leave me alone?"

I raise my eyebrows, "Yes, you said you wanted privacy and I suppose you have a right to it."

He seemed disbelieving for a moment, but then nodded and looked down again.

I stopped at the doorway and turned to him, "You know Mr. Malfoy; if something is happening that you don't like… you have a right to change it. If you ever need help, you're not alone."

He looked dumbfounded at me for a moment, but then said, "Alright…"

I smiled and nodded and made to start down the stairs, lifting my foot to step down.

"Professor Tingstrom?" I hear him say and quickly make to turn but lose my footing. The next thing I know I'm falling down and Draco runs to try and grab my hand, not quite making it in time. I feel my head hit one of the stairs and know nothing else for a long time.

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All I remember is that everything was fuzzy and I heard somewhere nearby, "What happened Draco? What made her like this? You didn't do anything to hurt her did you?" The voice sounded dark with barely suppressed rage.

"No! No, I wouldn't do anything to hurt her! She fell, that's all!" I heard someone else say. At the moment, I didn't recognize either voice. Though now, thinking back, I realize it was Draco and Snape. Why Snape was so concerned, I'm not sure. It's probably because he didn't want his godson to have got himself into so much trouble, which I can understand.

That was all I heard before darkness descended on me again.

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When I finally did really, truly wake up I saw that Draco Malfoy was asleep in a chair next to my bed. I honestly hadn't been that surprised since I woke up in Hogwarts the first time. Why was Draco waiting by my bed? "Mr. Malfoy?"

He woke up quickly and smiled, "Professor Tingstrom! Are you alright? I thought you were dead!"

I crinkled my eyebrows, not completely ready to start answering obvious questions, "Why are you here Draco? You should be asleep."

"I… I thought you were dead," He frowns, looking surprisingly vulnerable.

I sigh and decide to smile slightly, "Draco, I'm fine now. Don't worry."

He looks up at me and says, "I'm sorry."

I furrow my brows again, "Whatever for?"

"For making you trip." He says, looking genuinely upset.

I smile slightly and decide that Draco's probably not as bad as he's made out to be; though he may just be concerned since he didn't want to get in trouble over my fall. "It wasn't your fault Draco, accidents happen. Trust me, if it was your fault I'd be the first to punish you."

He lightens up a little at that and says, "So I'm not in trouble."

"No, you're not in trouble. Now, will you please go back to your house and get some sleep? I need my rest." I said, too tired and feeling a little to touched by the (probably insincere) concern of the boy to be genuinely annoyed.

He gave a sheepish smile and nodded before getting up and turned to leave, before turning back, "By the way… I never got to say…"

I raised my eyebrows, indicating interest in what he was saying.

"Thank you," He then turned and left.

I smiled and chuckled slightly. None of this was going to change anything, but it was certainly an interesting interlude.

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"Are you sure you're alright Professor?" Cho cooed at me as I sat and tried to look over the papers that had been turned in during my absence.

"Yeah, we heard you fell from the Astronomy Tower! Aren't you still hurt?" Neville asked, looking at me with concern.

"I heard Draco pushed you," Luna said, scowling furiously.

I sighed and said, "No, Mr. Malfoy did no such thing. Yes, I fell, but Madame Pomfrey is a very capable healer and I am just fine now. I am alright, seriously. There is no need for such concern."

"I'm so glad!" Cho squealed and hugged me tight.

I yelped and was about to tell her to get off, I was still bruised after all, when I heard a very familiar voice say, "I believe it would be best if you all stopped coddling Professor Tingstrom and went down to lunch as you are supposed to."

They all jumped a little and Cho let go of me. Then they all looked at me for confirmation. I had to hold back the instant gratitude I felt for Snape's actions and just merely nodded to the children to silently tell them to do as he said. As soon as they left though I sighed and gave Snape a genuinely appreciative smile, "Thank you Professor Snape."

He huffed and said, "I merely didn't want to have to converse in a classroom full of your followers."

That wiped the smile off my face. I raised an eyebrow, "Point taken, what is it that you needed Professor Snape."

"About Mr. Malfoy…" He started.

I sighed and said, "I have no intention of doing anything to the boy. It wasn't his fault that I fell and I believe he already feels enough guilt to cover the cost… or at least he's pretending to do so and I'll take that as well."

He looked at me for a moment then said, "Well then, that is all I needed to know."

"Good, happy to oblige." I said, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice.

He didn't leave though; he just stood there… watching me.

I gave an exasperated sigh and said, "Anything else?"

He huffed and turned around, about to leave, but then turned and yelled angrily, "Are you quite alright Professor Tingstrom?"

I blinked and then scowled, "Yes! I'm quite alright for a woman who fell down the stairs recently!"

"Good!" He said, turning again and storming out of the room.

After I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore I laughed.