Draco's pov –

I've been alone most of my life. So alone.

Abused by my family, my father, I myself have been my only true friend. Loneliness led to hostility and my abnormal mentality did not support the idea of allowing spaces for anyone else in my life, apart form myself. There's been no such thing as "trusting" in my dictionary.

It was no different to Ellen. I was not trusting of her but... it somehow felt so right whenever I was with her. When I chose to bluntly let go of her back in the ballroom and when she disappeared from my sight, every instinct was telling me that I was making a big mistake that I should run after her and make things right.

The rain felt colder as the warmth of Ellen's body spread through me. I was numb as to what just happened but it felt right again, to have her back in my arms, feeling her.

My actions now cannot be undone. My words cannot not be untold. But I couldn't care less. I held her tightly and she felt like a fresh breath of air. Us two felt dangerous but I was strangely willing to throw myself into that sweet danger. I gave in.

I shouldn't be keeping her out in this cold weather. She was in her thin dress and her ankle was injured; so I put my left arm under her legs and supported her back with my right arm to carry her back inside. We were soaked and my footsteps left traces of water on the corridor. There were loud noises coming from the ballroom and we headed straight down to the dungeon. Ellen was shivering a bit and I quickened my steps.

Luckily, everyone was still up there enjoying their time in the ballroom and our common room was empty. It would have caused quite a hassle if somebody spotted us all soaked in rain and me carrying her. I approached the couch closest to the fireplace and sat down, placing Ellen on my lap.

"Draco?" She spoke my name softly, still holding my neck and staring into my eyes. I knew that in the back of my heart, I've been longing to hear it.

"Yes, Ellen?" I stared back at her. Her eyes were startling. Truly.

"You still haven't... said it yet" She spoke shyly and I knew that she was meaning to ask...

"Do you like me, Draco?" This question. I gave her a quick gentle kiss on her lips.

"Was it not enough out in the rain?" I chuckled.

"Well... You showed me and I'd like to hear it too" Ellen answered as she gently ran her fingers through my hair.

"I like you... I think?" I've never succeeded in suppressing my inclination to mess with her.

"You think?" She furrowed her brows and it made me laugh. She then pushed me as an attempt to leave my lap but I held her tighter.

"I like you... Ellen Lascelles" I put my face closer to hers and her cheeks turned rosy.

"Enough to change you?" Ellen asked,

"Enough to change me" and I answered.

"What if I were, let's say... a muggle-born? Enough to like me still?" She then quipped.

"Uh- I'll have to think about that" By my response, she snorted and furrowed her brows. I wanted to see this cute angry look on her again.

"Ellen, it's weird. It's... really weird but I feel like... I would have found my way to you somehow even if you continued to live your Taylor life. It confuses me but that's how I feel about us." I was being sincere at this moment and hopefully Ellen noticed it.

"Now that's something really unexpected to hear from the 'Malfoy'" She chuckled,

"and I'm honoured" and smiled beautifully. How can someone be so... loveable?

I placed my lips on hers gently and shared a soft intimate kiss. The sound of the clock ticking got louder and my heart skipped a beat. My thoughts were silenced by her taste as if taking an adrenaline shot, as if her lips sunk in a perfect fit, as if it wasn't wrong. Ellen then asked, in between kisses.

"Are you going back home for Christmas?" She was almost whispering.

"I should but..." I gave her a kiss and pulled away.

"I don't have to" I smirked and asked. "You can't go back, right?"

"Professor Dumbledore wants me to stay here, to be safe under his protection" She replied with a faint smile and there were slight hints of sadness in her voice, which she tried concealing.

"but if you stay here as well, Draco, I don't know if I will be 'safe'" She winked.

"Oh, is that so?" Then I leaned closer to her, which made her lean back a bit more.

"I haven't fully shown you what I'm capable of, though" I looked down at her lips and back at her eyes.

"Well... Will you?" She blushed, biting her lips, and put on a cute smile.

"Depending on how you behave" Then I gave her a last kiss and carried her to her dorm room.

I placed her down on her bed and asked where her wand is to teach her the healing spell for her ankle. She told me that it's in her wardrobe and I walked towards it. When I opened it, I caught sight of something very unpleasant.

"Bloody hell...! Ellen, what is this?" I gasped at a silk dress covered in blood.

"Uh- Nothing for you... to worry about" She awkwardly raised her shoulders.

"Were you duelling someone for merlin's sake?" I grew worried.

"No, No! But someone definitely was duelling my dress" Ellen chuckled,

"Why would someone do that?" and I didn't understand.

"Oh, right! Actually it's because of you. Shoot! You, me. We must keep things secret" Ellen then put on a concerned face.

"What?" I grabbed her wand and went back to sit next to her.

"Aw, Draco. I don't want to but I must admit it. You're way too hot." She chuckled.

"Thanks for the compliment but... wait - did the girls do it?" Then I realised what she meant.

"I am so sorry. We've been pretty distant, though" I sighed.

"Well... My eyes were fixed on you the entire time, Draco. Deserved a warning" She quipped.

"Glad you made it to the ball, though. You looked amazing tonight in that dress. Incomparably... beautiful. Episkey." Then I cast the healing spell hurriedly, trying to hide my heated face.

"Thank you, Draco. I'm glad I could make it too." She smiled and... Merlin, it was deadly.

"I mean thanks to this... someone who sent me this dress. I didn't have another dress for the ball so I wasn't going to come but I got a surprise gift! Strange but it's beautiful. Oh! and this necklace, the person gave me this too. Isn't this gorgeous?"

"Yes, they are beautiful, but... who is this 'someone'? Could it be one of my competitors?"

"What?" Ellen smiled.

"You know, I don't want us to be a secret because I myself have quite a number of competitors too, Ellen." I was talking about all the 4th year boys who were all madly in love with her and, of course, Kyle.

"You do? Who?" She furrowed her brows to show confusion.

"You really think that I don't know about all those owls you've been receiving?" I snorted.

"How flattering! So you've been watching me?" Her lethal smile became wider.

"Anyways, don't worry about the girls. I'll... do something about it" I rolled my eyes.

"Uh-oh. I'm hoping that doesn't mean something really bad" She spoke in a disapproving tone.

"Not really bad. Like a bit bad." I quipped and kissed her on her forehead.

"You should change and get some rest."

I left her dorm room - it took a lot of self-control to do this - and I felt... happy. She made me feel happy. She made me feel like I'm an important person. This was such a new and good feeling.