*Two words: Character Development.*

Raven settled down on one of the couches next to the fire in the Slytherin common room with her essay for potions and began to write. She was alone in the common room and the only sounds were the scratching of her quill on parchment, and the crackling of the fire. After a while she set down her quill and read over her essay. When she was done, she looked down at her watch and saw that it was already 9:00. She stood up and stowed her essay in her bag. She was about to make her way to the girls dormitory when she heard the stone door open. She instinctively looked over and saw Aiden's familiar face in the doorway. "Oh! I didn't expect anyone to be up this late." He said, as he saw her standing there. Raven smirked back at him. "I didn't expect anyone to be out so late. What were you doing?" He walked over to the couch and sat down. "I was with Professor McGonagall. Remedial Transfiguration." He smiled weakly back at her. Raven eyed him suspiciously. "If you say so." He laughed and patted the couch cushion beside him. Raven began to protest but he quickly said "I don't think so. I told you, now you tell me." She smiled back at him and sat down. He moved a little closer, and her breath quickened. "I was doing a potions essay. Nothing special." She said to her knees. She looked up when he didn't respond. "If you say so." He said, making the same face she had. The both laughed as quietly as they could manage, so as to not wake up the rest of the dormitory. Raven stood up and grabbed he bag. She made her way to the girl's dormitory and with a backward glance, headed off to bed.

Raven sprinted down the steps to the dungeon, knowing she was going to be late to occlumency. She was thinking about what Snape was going to say, when she hit something quite solid. "Ouch!" She exclaimed, as she fell backwards. "Sorry! Wait, Raven?" Said the solid something, which turned out to be Aiden O'Connor. "That's me." She said. He reached out a hand to help her up, she accepted it with a word of thanks. As she stood up, her face was suddenly inches from his. She let out a small gasp and quickly sped backwards, almost tripping again. "I-um-I." She stammered. She stuttered for another minute with him smirking at her before she turned and almost began franticly running. "Wait!" He said and he grabbed her left sleeve. Raven panicked and turned into him, just in case it lifted, and she ended up wrapped in his arms. He was smirking again, and she was blushing furiously, but none of that mattered, she was lost in those chocolate brown eyes. After what seemed like an eternity he finally said, "Isn't there somewhere you're supposed to be going?" Raven swore. "He's gunna kill me." She said trying to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let her go. "Who's going to kill you? Where are you running off to?" For a moment she considered skipping her lesson, but then she remembered the Dark Lord, and what he could find out.

"You're not going to let me out unless I tell you, are you?" She asked, a teasing smile playing across her face.

He returned the smile "Nope."

"Then meet me in the common room later, ok?"

He considered this for a moment, then said "Promise?"

"Promise." She said as she dashed off towards Snapes' Office

Raven entered the common room, and as she suspected, there sat Aiden, awaiting her arrival. She sat down next to him and curled up along the arm of the couth. The session exhausted her more than she had expected. "Have fun?" He asked. "If you can call lessons with Snape 'fun.'" She said. "Lessons with Snape? What For? I thought you were some kind of potions Prodigy." He joked. She smiled wearily. "I can't really tell you what for, but I can tell you they were exhausting." She said. She attempted to stifle a yawn, but he caught it. "Well I had better let you go to bed." "No. I want to stay here, just a little longer." Before she could stop them, the words escaped her lips. She watched his face, but all she could see was amusement, and something else. "I'd like that too." He said gently, pulling her into his arms. Raven sighed contently. They laid there like that for a while before Raven noticed the sleeve on her left arm was slowly creeping up. What she was doing hit her fully. She sat bolt upright and yanked her sleeve well down below her wrist. "What is it?" Asked Aiden, concerned. "Aiden, what if, what if I wasn't who you thought I was?" She asked, tears forming in her eyes. She didn't want to have to do this. "I don't understand." He said. She fingered absently at the hem of her sleeve and she saw understanding cross his face. "Then I wouldn't care one bit. You are Raven Malfoy. Different from all the others. You are an individual." He said again pulling her into his warm embrace. "That is who I think you are, and that is who you will always say. No matter what." He told her, holding her tight.

*All right. This "chapter" was small snapshots of Ravens and Aiden's relationship. Or at least Major moments in them. They talked more in between and after this, but I'm going to make you use your imagination about those bits. I'm hoping this will help the next chapter go a bit smoother.*