(Y/n) hurried back to the common room after dinner, unable to contain her jitters. Her stomach was so on edge that she couldn't even eat any of the Great Hall's Yorkshire pudding, which was one of her favorite dishes. She wondered how Malfoy would react later that night. It seemed that he had a wheel of emotions, and each morning he spun it to show how he would act on that particular day. Her friends noticed her anxiety and questioned it, but she played it off as nerves for an important potions exam the next day. They all bought it, except for Maggie, who narrowed her eyes when no one else was looking. When (y/n) left the table, Maggie said goodbye to Travis and quickly followed after her.

(Y/n) hurried, not wanting to explain the entire situation. Honestly, she knew what Maggie would say, and she wasn't sure if she could handle it. She continued to the common room, and soon the footsteps behind her ceased. She breathed a sigh of relief. But once she rounded the next corner, there was Maggie, standing with her arms crossed and a sour expression on her face. (Y/n) jumped.

"H-how!?" she exclaimed. Maggie smiled.

"It's a magic castle, what'd you expect? The castle knows all." (Y/n) sighed, and Maggie waited for an explanation of (y/n)'s bizarre behavior, raising her eyebrows and prolonging the silence.

"Fine. I'm seeing him tonight," (y/n) huffed, running her fingers through her hair.

"Him as in..." Maggie asked, already knowing the answer.

"Malfoy."

"Merlin, (y/n), have learned anything? I love you, but this is stupid."

"I know, he just sounded so sincere...ah...I just have to give him a chance." (Y/n) battled with her conscience. Maggie sighed.

"Alright. You know I'll be here for you whatever happens right? Just let me know in advance if we have to hide his body." They both laughed. The two went back to the common room and prepared for the evening to come. At around 22:00, Maggie spotted another tiny paper spider, and (y/n) scooped it up, the butterflies in her stomach racing. She unfolded it gently, and the only thing written on the parchment was:

22:30

Her stomach dropped, not knowing if this was a good sign or a bad one. She remembered that just because he wanted to see her didn't mean that it was about anything good. She got ready, throwing on some sweatpants and a tank top, and letting Alicia lightly touch up her makeup. When anyone in the house needed makeup done, they always went to her. She just had a way that mixed the products and her magic that always yielded exactly what you were looking for. Alicia was curious about the night's events, but being the sweetheart she was, she kept her questions to herself.

The time simultaneously raced and crawled by, which didn't help (y/n)'s nerves. At 22:20, she quietly left the common room with her wand, creeping through the halls, ensuring that she wasn't spotted. At one point, she swore she heard a meow from Mrs. Norris, and she ducked to an empty classroom until she was sure the coast was clear. Eventually she made it, and when she focused on the room itself, the iron door appeared and she snuck inside. Luckily, the layout was the same as she was used to, which meant that Malfoy had not yet arrived. She sat on the couch tapping her foot. At precisely 22:30, the door swung open, and Malfoy crept inside, looking around. He saw her and smiled, making her heart race.

He was wearing a white button down instead of his usual black, with similar black trousers and his shiny black shoes. The first few buttons of his shirt were undone, and his sleeves were rolled up, revealing his forearms. She wasn't sure why it made him much more attractive. She blushed.

"I have a suspicious feeling you called me here to sic Mrs. Norris on me," she started with a cheeky smile. "Maybe if Hufflepuff lost a couple house points you guys would finally have a chance at winning."

"That competition is completely rigged," he replied, returning her smile. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, Hufflepuff is the worst house." He leaned against the stone wall, his body turned towards her.

"Hang on, don't badgers eat snakes? I swear I read that somewhere..." She narrowed her eyes and grabbed her chin, feigning a deep thought.

"Oh shut it," Malfoy replied with a smile, moving to sit next to her on the couch. Their thighs were touching, and her heart beat even faster as he turned towards her.

"Make me."

He smirked, moving closer to her, his hand resting on her thigh, making the area spark with feeling. His gray eyes bored into hers, but they were full of longing. She supposed that hers looked the same. But after what felt like seconds, his smile disappeared and he backed away sighing, putting his head in his hands. "I can't," he whispered. Her insecurity spiked, and she knew that this had been a mistake. Still, she was fed up with his drama.

"What is your problem?" (y/n) exclaimed, watching him intently. He stood, his eyes full of...anger? Guilt? Agitation? All three? She couldn't tell.

"I said I can't." A frown appeared on his face as he paced slightly.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean I can't!" He was shouting now, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Well why not?" (Y/n) was expecting her voice to crack, but the red-hot anger coursing through her prevented it.

"It just...it wouldn't be-"

"If you're not into this," she quickly gestured to the space between them, "that's fine." He laughed, which elevated her anger.

"What? Is it so ridiculous that you could ever possibly like me?" She sighed. "I'm just saying, it's fine if you don't. Like me." She was evidently flustered. She crossed her arms, both for a feeling of protection and to project the anger that she was feeling.

He laughed again. "Not - not like you? Christ (L/n), you're fucking clueless." It looked like he was talking more to himself than to her. He smiled as he laughed sarcastically, confusing her further. He finally met her eyes, and stared into them, leaning closer to her.

"(Y/n)," she took a breath as he said her first name. "I like you so much that it's fucking dangerous." His jaw visibly clenched as he tried to restrain himself from revealing his thoughts. She sat still against the couch, watching him pace slightly in front of her. She was out of breath, and her chest tightened. She knew that if she spoke, he may never speak like this again, so she remained silent, watching his every move. He sighed again, running his hand through his now disheveled hair.

"Everything you do makes me feel so fucking powerless. I just...I look at you and I want you, all of you." Her breath hitched. She hadn't expected this. He clenched his fists. "When I see people who might hurt you," he laughed sharply, "I can't fucking control myself." He looked at her, and the instant their eyes connected his face fell. "But I can't have you." His emotions were so raw, so visible, so perplexing. He looked devastated. She stood, so that their faces were somewhat level.

"Draco, I don't understand." She looked at him, waiting for a response. Instead of one, he simultaneously grabbed the back of her head and her waist, pulling her into his lips. She was surprised, but soon sank into the embrace, running her hand through the hair on the back of his head. His lips were soft, but he held her tightly. Their bodies fit together like puzzle pieces. His lips eventually moved from hers and found their way to her neck, where they softly met her skin. (Y/n) gasped, smiling.

"Draco..." she breathed, which made him stop and look at her. She smiled, and he returned it, his eyes quickly sweeping down her body.

"Fuck," he whispered, maintaining his smile.

"Well if you insist," (y/n) responded, biting her lip to hold back a giggle.

"Oh cheeky, Hufflepuff, very cheeky." He smirked, and her laughed escaped her lips. He grabbed her waist and hoisted her up. She wrapped her legs around him, smiling as he held her. He turned his attention back to her lips, and kissed her passionately as he carried her over to the bed, throwing her down as she giggled again. He leaned over her, his arms on each side of her body. She fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, and she felt him smile as he kissed her. She pulled away to admire his chest, noting that her previous assumption had been correct, as he was quite fit. His hands moved to her waist, and he pulled back to look at her. "This good?" he asked with a smile. She nodded, biting her lip to hide her smile. She slid his shirt off of his shoulders as he pulled off her tank top. He leaned into her, their skin touching, and she breathed sharply. Feeling comfortable, she slid her hands down to his belt. He pulled away, a slightly concerned look on his face. "You sure?" he whispered, looking into her eyes. "Yeah," she breathed as she smiled. She knew that, whatever happened, he would keep her safe and comfortable, and he did just that.