A/N: I am so happy you guys all loved the last chapter. You have no idea how much happiness it brings me hearing people say they are enjoying this story so much. I know in a lot of Draco/OC fics it's super rare for them to ever get to the point of actually being in a real relationship before the war - but I wanted to do it like this to really build and create that proper bond between them before the real shit breaks out. I'm excited for you all to see where I'm going to take it from here, because trust me - we still have a long ways to go before happily ever after.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Mirrors and Smoke

If I had thought I was exhausted already this year, that was nothing compared to the absolute zombie I felt like over the next couple of weeks. Montague kept true to his word and upped our practices – he and Snape were scheduling so many that McGonagall had a row with Snape because Gryffindor could barely get time on the pitch. Snape hadn't cared of course, telling her she should have prepared more in advance. The usual taunts and occasional jinxes had started too, two of the Gryffindor Chasers already having taken trips to the Hospital Wing.

Draco had been especially pleased with himself lately, spending a lot of his time working on some secret project he hadn't told me much about – assuring me it would be worth the wait. I didn't have time to be too bothered about him keeping me in the dark, between all the practices, patrol, homework and my detentions it was no wonder I was so exhausted.

This did mean even with our newfound relationship status we barely had any spare time to spend with each other, patrol about the only alone time we got. Which of course was usually spent making up for all that time we spent away from each other, and not really patrolling. He had been persistently trying to convince me to use the map and not even bother, but I hadn't caved yet. But, with how increasingly tired I was becoming I doubted I would be able to resist much longer.

It was almost November now, and the winds and chilly air were unforgiving - making me shiver as I raced as fast as I could from my third Saturday detention, thankful I only had one left. I was very keen to get to the cosiness of the fire hopefully burning in the Common Room.

"How was your detention?" Tracey called as I stepped through the portrait, heading to where the group of them were (thankfully) sitting by the fire. I smiled fondly at the sight of Theodore and Daphne curled up on the couch together, Theo reading a book while absentmindedly running his fingers up and down her leg as she chatted to Lillian next to her.

"Ordinary, Snape made me grade first year essays again."

"Could be worse," Madi shrugged, glancing up from the essay she was writing. "I hear he makes the Gryffindors test their potions sometimes."

I snorted, rolling my eyes slightly. That sounded about right.

I scanned the room, choosing to ignore how Gorgia was pointedly sending me her most vicious glare for even daring to be in her general vicinity. Ever since I blew up her dorm room she'd been throwing empty threats my way every chance she got. It was nice to know I really did have the killing blow up my sleeve though - there was no way she would ever recover from finding out Draco and I were dating. Speaking of, there was no sign of his familiar blonde head anywhere in here.

"Where's Draco?' I turned back to my friends.

"Up in the dorms," Theodore said absentmindedly from the couch, not bothering to look up. "He and Parkinson are working on whatever it is they're cooking up again."

I couldn't help the way my stomach twisted instantly at his words. I had often found him and Pansy whispering together or off in the corner with heads bent lately, whatever it was he was doing it was obvious she was a part of it. I had tried not to let it bother me too much, but his history with her kept rearing the ugly head of jealousy deep within me.

"Thanks," I mumbled to Theo, setting off for the dorms at a quicker pace than probably necessary.

It wasn't that I didn't trust him – I did. But I couldn't help but feel slightly insecure when I thought about the…close…relationship the two of them used to share. And I wasn't sure it was fair that he spent so much time alone with her, I knew he would absolutely lose it if I ever dared to spend as much time with Fred as he was with Pansy.

Just as I neared the stairs to the boy's dorms Pansy herself was making her way down, and she shot me a smirk on her way past.

"He's in a good mood today – you're welcome."

I bristled, managing to give her a sort-of smile that probably came out more of a grimace – but she didn't seem to notice, continuing on her way with a spring in her step.

Stop it, she didn't even mean it like that. They'll only be so happy because of whatever awful thing they're planning together.

I paused in the doorway when I reached his dorm room, watching him frowning thoughtfully at something in front of him – concentration etched into his features. I had started to treasure the quiet, alone moments I got with him as they had been so scarce the last few weeks. I felt like we'd barely had any time to really explore our new relationship, especially since any time we were alone he was usually keen on mindlessly distracting me.

"What are you doing?" I finally asked softly, stepping inside a little more as he looked up – slightly startled by my presence.

He smirked lazily, shuffling everything into a pile and moving it onto his bedside table as he stood up. "Nothing important, how was your detention?"

I shrugged, not making any moves towards him – my apprehension from thoughts of him and Pansy keeping me stubbornly in place. "Fine. How was your day with Pansy?"

He sighed, giving me a pointed look as he realised the source of my coldness. "Why are you asking me like that?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, it just seems like you're spending a lot of time with her lately."

I was only further annoyed when a smirk found its way to his lips as he moved to lean against the bedpost, crossing his arms. "Are you jealous?"

I instantly scowled, "No."

"Well, you definitely sound jealous," he teased, obviously thinking this entire thing was just hilarious.

"What am I supposed to think?" I snapped, and he straightened up when he heard the bitterness in my tone. "The two of you are constantly off whispering and talking together lately, and you won't even tell me what it's about. I think I have a right to be a little suspicious."

His eyes narrowed slightly, "Suspicious? Do you not trust me?"

"No…" I shook my head, taking a few steps closer. "No, of course I trust you."

"It doesn't sound like it," he said coldly, keeping his arms crossed and now being the one to stand his ground.

"Imagine how it must make me feel, Draco." I said quietly, suddenly feeling insecure as I gazed at him slightly anxiously. "You two have a history, how am I supposed to feel when you're off together alone? Especially since you have a much more…um…serious history with her…." I looked away, my cheeks flushing pink slightly.

I heard him let out a sigh, looking back at him when he moved close enough to take one of my hands – already feeling less anxious when I saw the defensiveness had fallen from his eyes.

"You're ridiculous," he whispered, tugging on my hand to pull me closer to him and brushing some hair from my eyes as he half-smiled in amusement.

I frowned, still not entirely pleased with his flippant reactions. "I'm being serious…imagine if it was the other way around? I know for a fact you would not be happy if I was spending this much time alone with Fred."

His eyes instantly darkened, a slight growl falling from his lips as the thought ran through his mind.

"See?" I smirked slightly in triumph, "At least I never shagged Fred."

He let out a frustrated groan, moving to wrap his arms around me and holding me tight as he stared meaningfully down at me – making sure to keep his eyes locked on mine. "Listen to me, you don't have to worry about Pansy for a second, alright?"

I bit my lip slightly, still feeling unsure. "Why?" I asked meaningfully.

I saw the hesitation in his eyes, this was one thing I had found was a struggle. He wasn't very good at letting people in, at telling me exactly how he felt sometimes – usually choosing to show me instead in the way he'd always expressed his emotions. The physical side of expression he had down, but the emotional side? It was still a work in progress.

"Because…" he murmured, and I felt my resolve slowly fading away as he started to trail kisses along my jaw. "…it isn't like that."

"Draco." I breathed out, struggling to remember exactly why I'd been so annoyed as he continued to work his magic – just like he always managed to get out of these situations. "We should talk about this more."

"Boring," he said huskily, lifting his head to lock his eyes onto mine – my breath hitching in my throat at the way they were burning intensely. "Why would we do that when I could just show you exactly how ridiculous you're being?"

"But-" I didn't get a chance to try again before he crashed his lips onto mine, threading his hands in my hair and holding me to him roughly. I couldn't help but respond, as weak to his advances as I always was. One day I would get through to him, get him to actually have a conversation about these sorts of things – but I knew it was going to be a long road. Trusting people, letting people in wasn't really his thing – and I had to be prepared to be patient with him.

"Feel better now?" he murmured as he finally pulled away, smirking slightly.

"Maybe." I teased lightly, playing with his hair and resolving I wasn't going to get anything out of him today.

"You really are ridiculous," he said quietly, stroking a finger along my jaw lightly.

"When are you planning on clueing me in on whatever it is you two are up to, anyway?" I raised an eyebrow curiously.

He shrugged, pulling me with him as he took a few steps backwards closer to the bed. "Eventually, I want to finish it first."

"I'm not sure I want to know anyway," I said flippantly, biting back a knowing smirk when he sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping our hands intertwined. "It's probably horrid and crude."

His eyes narrowed, and I giggled slightly when he gave one of my hands a harsh tug so I fell easily onto his lap. "How dare you, Black."

I pushed myself up slightly with a sigh, adjusting so I was straddling him and wrapping my arms around his neck. "What are you going to do about it, Malfoy?"

He chuckled darkly, gripping onto my thighs harshly as he moved his eyes teasingly from my lips back up to my eyes. "Well, if you think I'm going to let the opportunity of us alone together in this dorm room slide-" I let out a gasp as he dipped his head and sucked harshly on my neck, "-you're out of your damn mind."

It occurred to me as he continued his work on my neck that this was surprisingly the first time I'd found myself in this position. Snogging in dark alcoves and empty corridors was one thing, but in an empty dorm room – on an actual bed, that was a whole new ballgame. He'd still been incredibly patient with me, never pushing anything past some steamy make-out sessions – but most unexpectedly, I found it was me who seemed to be wanting more lately. That hunger I had become so accustomed to feeling around him only growing more and more – terrifying me less each time.

I sucked in a particular hard breath with this in mind as he sucked right on a spot he knew could make me turn to jelly instantly, and he lifted his head to look at me with slight concern shining in his eyes.

"We can stop," he said instantly, and my heart practically skipped a beat at his immediate worry.

"No," I shook my head, biting back a smile. "It's okay. You're okay."

He smiled in a way that sent shivers running all the way down to my toes, eyes sparking dangerously as he rested his forehead on mine for a moment before threading a hand roughly through my hair and finally crashing his lips down onto mine. I couldn't help but respond, moving my lips against his easily and gripping onto him tightly. I let out a small gasp as his tongue slipped into my mouth, both of us fighting for dominance. As the heat in my belly continued to grow I instinctively ground my hips down into him, making him pull back with a slight groan and look at me – his eyes burning.

"You do that again, and we're going to have a problem."

I only giggled, liking that it seemed I had just as much of an effect on him as he did me – biting my lip as I gazed back at him, feigning innocence.

"Minx," he growled lightly, shaking his head. I only gave a little shrug, letting out a small squeal of surprise when he then suddenly lifted me up again before turning and laying me down on the bed. I let my head fall onto the pillows, playing with the hair on the base of his neck and keeping my eyes trained on him as he moved to hover over me.

I barely had a chance to adjust to our new position before his lips were on mine again, just as rough and needy as before. It felt like every part of me was alight, pulling him as close to me as possible as I struggled to maintain any comprehendible thoughts – the only thing I could feel was his lips on mine and his hand gripping my hip. I bit back a gasp as his other hand travelled up under my sweater to rest on the bare skin of my waist, my skin feeling like it was burning where it rested. Maybe I could live with this being how we chose to express how we felt, because if the way he gripped me to him like he was afraid to ever let go didn't tell me how important I was to him I don't know what would. How one person could consume my every thought and make me feel so many things at once still astounded me, but Merlin it was something I never wanted to live without again.

He pulled back much sooner than I would have liked, chuckling a little when my disappointment must have shown – running a thumb over my bottom lip.

"I don't have this much self-control, Black."

I smiled softly, leaning up enough to press one last soft kiss on his lips before flopping back down again. "I know – I'm impossible to resist."

He rolled his eyes slightly, pulling me up and into his chest. "You have no idea," he responded lowly, his eyes my favourite shade of mercury.

I blushed slightly, pushing some hair off his forehead and admiring how much I'd managed to mess it up. "Well, luckily for you all that time in detention means I have homework that needs doing anyway."

He frowned, tugging me closer to him as he felt me try to move away so I could get up. "No – you're not going. Stay here and do it."

I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at his 'you don't have a choice' tone. A very common tone he liked to try and use around me, I think half the reason he did is because he enjoys how much it irritates me when he thinks he can tell me what to do.

"I never get any work done around you," I shook my head, a playful smile on my lips. "You're very distracting for me, remember?"

"I'll behave," he smirked, eyes glinting in a way that told me he definitely wasn't planning on trying very hard.

"I don't believe you," I whispered teasingly, letting out an impatient sigh when he only held onto me tighter and buried his head into my shoulder. "Draco…"

"What?" he murmured, trailing soft kisses between my collarbone and my neck – and I could feel the stupid, smirk smug on his face as he did so.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about."

"I'm not hearing any real complaining coming from you though," was all he said in response, lifting his head slightly so he could whisper right into my ear. "Stay."

"You're insufferable," I sighed, pulling back a little so I could look at him.

"You have time for homework after Quidditch practice," he continued, looking at me in a way he knew would make it impossible for me to say no.

I groaned quietly, letting my head fall onto his shoulder dejectedly. "I forgot we had another bloody practice. Does Montague not care that I'm dying at this point?"

Draco chuckled, "I'd gather he does not."

I only groaned more, keeping my head buried into his shoulder. I vaguely heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall, turning my head to see Theo and Blaise just arriving in the dorm room.

"Is she complaining that she's dying again?" Blaise asked in amusement as he noted my dejected looking position, heading for his trunk and starting to dig through to look for his Quidditch gear.

"I am dying!"

"You're overdramatic is what you are," Theodore snorted, shaking his head at me.

"And you're rude." I shot back, finally lifting my head just enough to stick my tongue out at him.

"Grow up." Draco said to both of us, shrugging me off his shoulder with a slightly amused smirk.

"Fine," I sighed dramatically, standing up and making my way towards the door. "I know where I'm not wanted."

Draco let out an annoyed growl, and I paused in the doorway to smile at him in amusement. "Arseholes, you couldn't give us ten more minutes?"

"You should be thanking us. Practice starts in fifteen and I guarantee you would have lost track of time if we hadn't come in." Blaise snorted, looking between the two of us knowingly.

"Whatever, I'll see you in fifteen." I rolled my eyes, continuing out of the room before my blush gave away that he was probably right.

I changed into my green and silver practice robes, making sure to wear my thick, woolly sweater underneath to keep me as warm as possible. I hated that the Quidditch season was always when it was so cold, the icy winds were bad enough in winter – flying around at high speeds up high only made it worse.

I barely paid attention to what the three boys were discussing as we made our way down to the field, as usual lately it was something to do with how to make the Gryffindor team's lives as miserable as possible before next week. In other years I would at least try and defend them or make them back off, but since they'd all made it very clear how they felt about me this year I just chose to ignore it. I couldn't bring myself to go as far as join in though, just ignoring their existence was enough for me.

"Oh, brilliant." I muttered, a scowl immediately falling onto my face when we saw the Gryffindors were just finishing up their practice. I wasn't in the mood to deal with Harry's annoying glares today.

"Just ignore them." Draco muttered, already glaring haughtily towards them as he noticed my mood change.

"I still can't believe you haven't ratted them out to Umbridge." Blaise scowled, "After the way he treated you he deserves what he gets."

"It has nothing to do with Harry," I sighed. "I don't want to give that toad the ammunition. It's much more satisfying knowing they're doing exactly what she feared the most right under her nose."

"What if they get caught anyway?" Blaise raised an eyebrow, looking at me curiously.

I smirked, "Then that's his problem. I'd like to see him try and get out of this one."

"I hope she catches them." Draco said darkly, "Even better, I hope I'm the one to turn them in."

"Draco." I said quietly, looking up at him with a small frown – but he only raised an eyebrow at me.

"What? You can't tell me you're still trying to protect him? I thought you said you deserved better than the way he was treating you."

Theodore and Blaise exchanged a wary look, stepping away slightly as they sensed the argument brewing.

"I'm not." I snapped, "I'm just choosing to ignore them instead of resorting to petty revenge games."

He looked away with a roll of his eyes, "Please. I know you better than that, you just can't help yourself. You'll always end up protecting him, even if you don't realise it."

"I guess we'll see then!" I retorted stubbornly, crossing my arms and turning away from him. He was wrong, I really did mean it when I said he would deserve what he got. He hadn't earnt my help, and I wouldn't be giving it to him.

"I don't know how you two haven't killed each other yet." Theodore muttered, looking between us in slight amusement.

The Gryffindors had landed now, looking incredibly displeased as they spotted us waiting for our turn to use the field. As they headed past us, Draco dramatically imitated Ron dropping the quaffle like he always did whenever he saw him lately. Ron's ears burned red, but Harry only shoved him forward, glaring harshly at all of us as he passed – his eyes lingering on me longer. I didn't pay him any mind, turning away with a bored expression on my face.

"Come on." I said, rolling my eyes slightly when I saw them all still glaring after them. "We need to win this game, and practicing is the best way to do that."

"Now, that's something we can agree on." Draco smirked, the four of us heading out onto the field in determination.

The following Saturday arrived in a blistery cold front - but I was far too excited to care. After not playing for the entire year last year I was more excited than ever to get out on the field.

I dressed in my robes, slipping some hair ties onto my wrist before practically bouncing out of the room to head to breakfast. As I entered the Common Room there were still a few people hanging around, most calling out to wish us luck as I went past. I frowned slightly, catching glimpses of something silver on a lot of people's clothing. I brushed it off and hurried towards the Great Hall, I was already running a little late.

By the time I sat down at our table I knew I had not been imagining anything, practically every Slytherin donned in green and silver had something else silver pinned to their chests – and I knew exactly who would be responsible for whatever they were.

"What are they then?" I asked with a sigh as I sat next to my boyfriend, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Madi instantly stood from her seat to start braiding my hair. She did this for every match, it was the best way to keep my hair out of my face, and no one did French braids like her.

"See for yourself." Draco smirked, looking incredibly pleased with himself as he handed me a badge. I rolled my eyes as soon as I saw exactly what it was, a silver crown with the words 'Weasley is our King' etched clearly into them. I had a feeling that they meant the exact opposite of anything supportive towards Ron though. However, this seemed a little underwhelming for how proud he'd been of himself lately.

"Why do I get the feeling there's more to it?" I echoed these thoughts, smirking knowingly as I fiddled with the badge in my fingers.

"You'll see." Pansy grinned from across the table.

I sighed again, casually pinning the badge onto my own uniform before starting on my breakfast. Draco looked slightly shocked by my action, and I shot him a small smirk.

"What? They're funny."

He chuckled slightly, still seeming surprised but didn't question it further – now looking even more chuffed with his little invention. Honestly, I'd expected a lot worse than some harmless badges. And it wasn't as if Ron really earned me trying to support him lately either.

Madi gave my finished braids a little tug before sitting back down next to me, shooting me a small wink and bumping her shoulder with mine.

"I wish you'd let me put ribbons through them like you used to."

I wrinkled my nose up, "No, I'm not twelve anymore Mads."

"Really?" Blaise smirked, "You look like it."

Everyone else laughed at my expense as I shot him an un-amused glare.

It wasn't long after that our team headed down to the stadium. While it was incredibly cold, it was otherwise perfect conditions. There was no wind at all, and the sky was filled with white clouds, which meant not only visibility was good but there was a very low chance of any rain.

Montague gave us his usual threatening more than inspirational pregame speech, but I was barely paying attention to his threats – too busy getting myself in the zone. I had to push away all the extra excitement from not playing for so long and focus, this game was a must win.

Blaise and I exchanged a fist bump as he passed me on the way out, and I shot him a wink too for good measure. The crowd was thundering above us now, only making me feel more ready. There wasn't a time other than Quidditch that I loved the roar of a crowd, usually wanting to stay away from any kind of massive praise – but out on the field, I thrived off it.

Just as I went to leave the change room behind everyone else - Draco reached out and tugged me back quickly.

"What-" I didn't get to finish my question before he crashed his lips onto mine, kissing me fiercely. I kissed him back just as eagerly through my slight surprise at the action, raising an eyebrow at him when he pulled away.

"What was that for?"

He smirked, flicking one of my braids over my shoulder. "For luck – and because I can."

I rolled my eyes at the slight cheesiness but couldn't keep the smile off my face as the two of us followed the rest of the team up into the stadium.

The noise hit us instantly, the cheers and whistles almost deafening – and somewhere through it all, I could hear the sound of singing. It was too muffled by the cheers for me to make it out right now, and I didn't get a chance to investigate further before Madam Hooch approached both teams.

Montague made every effort to crush Angelina Johnson's hand, but to her credit the girl didn't even flinch. I saw Draco make a show of flashing his badge towards Harry and Ron, the former glaring at him but Ron looking too ill to notice anything at all. I held back a smirk, maybe he really was as pathetic at this as the boys had been saying.

My eyes moved over to where the twins were standing, noticing Fred was already watching me. I smirked a little, mouthing 'go easy on me?' at him cheekily. He bit back a laugh, mouthing back 'not a chance' with a subtle wink. George noted our exchange, looking between us with an amused smirk before giving me a wink of his own.

"Mount your brooms!" I shook the smile back off my face, taking a deep breath to centre myself again as I followed Madam Hooch's instructions.

I was in the air the second the shrill sound of the whistle echoed through the air – hyper aware of Montague and Blaise's position on either side of me. The Gryffindor team got to the quaffle first, but we were right on their tails. I let Montague and Blaise tag them while I flew just above, ready for the pass off if they got it.

I could vaguely hear Lee Jordan calling the game over the crowd, my eyes focused on Johnson as Blaise edged nearer to her.

"…and she's ducked Zabini, she's passed Montague, she's – ouch – been hit from behind by a bludger from Crabbe…"

I was there in a second, the quaffle falling easily into my hands as I turned and weaved my way back to the other end of the field. This was exactly what I'd been waiting for.

"…and now it's Black with the quaffle – ooh close dodge of the bludger sent by George Weasley, but Spinnet's got her on the dodge!"

I cursed inwardly when Alicia Spinnet used my distraction to edge me out, ducking down to chase after her. The crowd seemed to be getting louder, a distinctive chorus starting to become clear over all the noise.

"…Spinnet is away, she dodges Zabini, avoids a bludger – that was a close one, and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, and what's that they're singing?"

As Jordan paused his commentary, the song suddenly became clear – echoing through the entire stadium clear as day, coming right from the Slytherin stands.

'Weasley cannot save a thing, he cannot block a single ring,
that's why Slytherin's all sing: Weasley is our King.
Weasley was born in a bin, he always lets the quaffle in,
Weasley will make sure we win, Weasley is our King.'

I pulled up slightly, knowing Montague and Blaise had the chase covered and I should wait in the middle for the pass off in case Gryffindor missed – my mouth dropping open slightly as the break gave me time to take the words of the song in. My eyes searched the sky, landing on Harry – who had pulled up abruptly as well and was glaring with rage towards the Slytherin stands. I should have known there was more to Draco and Pansy's plan, seeing it was the brunette herself standing at the front of the stand leading the chorus.

"-and it's Angelina with the quaffle!" Jordan was practically yelling, trying to drown out the persistent chorus. "…come on now Angelina, looks like she's just got to beat Slytherin's new Keeper Theodore Nott! SHE SHOOTS – SHE – aaah…"

I silently cheered for Theodore as he saved the goal, tossing the quaffle to Blaise who sped towards me instantly – expertly zigzagging between Spinnet and Katie Bell. He reached me, passing me the quaffle without even looking – our connection as strong as ever. I took off, ducking right down when I felt Bell on my tail, easily swerving her and making her have to pull up at my sudden incline back up.

The singing was growing louder as I neared the goal – only egging me on as Ron's pale, terrified face came closer.

'Weasley is our King, Weasley is our King.
He always lets the quaffle in, Weasley is our King.'

"…Black with the quaffle again now, she's just out of bludger range as she speeds towards goal – not many people can ever catch her once she gets going! This will be the first test for Keeper Ron Weasley! COME ON RON!"

I made no move to slow down as I came closer, Ron's eyes only growing wider as the screams from the stands erupted. I made sure to shoot a cold smirk his way as I threw the quaffle with all my might, and he dived wildly in panic with wide arms – my shot easily soaring through.

"Slytherin score! So that's ten-nil to Slytherin, bad luck Ron!"

The singing was even louder now, my first score only spurring them on. Blaise and I exchanged a quick grin before we tore off after the Gryffindors.

I watched as Johnson passed off to Spinnet, nodding at Blaise before the two of us swooped down on either side of her, effectively blocking her in. I glanced over her head and made brief eye contact, his little head tilt only confirming exactly what he wanted me to do. Just as he shoved hard enough into Alicia to send her towards my direction, I stopped – and as expected, the shock from her drifting much further to the side than she expected made her fumble and drop the quaffle. Blaise dived instantly, coming back up with the possession to the excitement of the crowd.

"AND THAT WAS BRILLIANT BY BLACK AND ZABINI!..."

'WEASLEY IS OUR KING, WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN….'

"…and it's Zabini still with the quaffle, passes off to Montague who breezes past Spinnet, come on Angelina you can take him – turns out you can't, and Black has the quaffle again and – oh! – she's just hit by a bludger from Fred Weasley! Fun fact folks, that's actually her ex-boyfriend…you gotta wonder if that shot was intended to do a bit more damage!"

"JORDAN!" McGonagall's angry tone cut into the speakers.

"Just a bit of extra trivia, Professor! And now Katie Bell – uh – drops the quaffle, and it's Montague again! He is tearing down that pitch, come on now Gryffindor, block him!"

The bludger from Fred had only been enough to knock me off course, so I was still stuck at the other end of the pitch as Montague and Blaise tag-teamed towards the goal again. The Gryffindor Chasers had no chance, the two of them expertly diving in and out – I had to give Draco and Pansy credit. The song was doing exactly what they'd intended, distracting the Gryffindor team enough to make them do stupid things like fumble or not tag us properly.

"Oi!" I turned in surprise at Harry's angry tone, seeing him hovering not far from me. "Did you know about this?!"

He gestured wildly down to the stands, and I simply looked back at him with a shrug.

"No, not my doing. Can't say I'm opposed to it though."

Harry's eyes flashed angrily, a loud groan and cheers coming from the stands as Ron let another goal through.

"Seems to be spot on too, doesn't it?" I turned back to Harry, eyes gleaming tauntingly.

"HARRY!" Johnson roared as everyone came flying back towards us, "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING!? GET GOING!"

Harry zoomed off, shooting me one more dirty look as he went – but I already wasn't paying attention, my eyes focused on the quaffle as Katie Bell came streaming back towards me. I was in my element, and I was loving every minute of it.

We scored two more goals with ease, Ron not even coming close to either of them – and only growing more flustered every time he let one through. We weren't daft, we knew the only way to guarantee a win against Gryffindor was to score enough to win even if Harry caught the snitch. This was playing right into our hands.

"…and Katie Bell dodges Zabini, ducks Montague, nice swerve Katie, and she throws to Angelina – Johnson takes the quaffle, she's past Zabini, she's heading for the goal, come on Angelina – GRYFFINDOR SCORE! It's forty-ten, forty-ten to Slytherin, and Black has the quaffle now!"

I zoomed up the right side of the pitch, easily keeping ahead of Bell as she tailed me. I watched and waited as Blaise dragged both Spinnet and Johnson to the other side of the pitch before tossing it his way as he glided back to the middle – zooming off ahead of him to set myself in position. This was a new one Blaise and I had cooked up over the last few weeks, and I think it was my favourite yet.

"…and now Zabini is streaming down the middle, Bell right on his tail…"

I stopped about twenty metres from the goals, dropping a few metres below and waiting…

"…and Zabini has – dropped the quaffle? – NO WAIT! BLACK ZOOMS FROM UNDERNEATH AND PICKS IT UP! YOU DON'T SEE MOVES LIKE THAT EVERYDAY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! The Gryffindor team are left stunned as Black speeds towards goal again, Johnson almost gets her but is taken out by a nasty bludger from Goyle – she'll feel that one tomorrow."

I was right in front of Ron again, he was practically frozen in mid-air as he watched me approach – his eyes darting towards the stands and the roar of the song below.

'WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,
HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN,
WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN…'

Deciding to kick it up a notch, I even went as far to fake to the left hoop – almost laughing when he fell for it instantly, throwing in a barrel roll as I sent the quaffle soaring straight through the middle hoop.

"…and Black scores again for Slytherin – and with style too that time!"

"Show off!" Blaise called over to me with a wink as he zoomed off again after Johnson.

I grinned, making sure to smirk triumphantly over my shoulder at Ron before I sped off too – hovering around the middle as I watched Montague and Blaise close in on the Gryffindors once again. I took a second to glance around the field, by eyes widening when I realised both Harry and Draco had spotted the snitch and were neck-and-neck tearing after it.

It only took seconds – Harry's grasp closing over the snitch just before Draco's did, and I let out a small groan. We had been so close. The crowd erupted into cheers, and I dived – heading back towards the ground, only a few feet away when a bludger hit Harry squarely in the back and sent him tumbling onto the ground. I turned in confusion, my eyes narrowing slightly when I saw a smug looking Crabbe laughing and jeering at Harry.

Blaise and I landed at the same time, exchanging grim smiles. We always knew beating Gryffindor was going to be tough, so I always liked to focus on how good my game was win or lose – and I had to say I was pretty proud of myself today.

Madam Hooch was ripping into Crabbe as he landed, reprimanding him for foul play as he listened with a bored look on his face, not looking bothered in the slightest.

"At least the two of us kicked arse," I nudged Blaise gently, and he managed a small grin in return.

"As always. I'm just glad we got to try out the drop and dive," he agreed, and I laughed – the two of us exchanging a small fist bump. Sometimes you just had to take the little victories.

I glanced back towards where the other players were, seeing Harry had been pulled to his feet and trying to push away the small relief I felt instantly. I scanned the red and gold robes, realising Ron wasn't with them as they celebrated.

Draco had landed closer to the Gryffindor team than where we were, he was rigid with anger as he watched them celebrate. Blaise and I exchanged wary looks, Blaise moving a little closer when we heard him let out a loud snort of anger.

"Saved Weasley's neck, haven't you?" Draco sneered as Harry turned around. "I've never seen a worse Keeper…but then he was born in a bin…did you like my lyrics, Potter?"

I rolled my eyes, thankful that Harry didn't bite – simply choosing to continue to celebrate with the team. Blaise and Theodore had both moved a little closer now, Theodore trying to get Draco to walk away, but I could already see from his body language he wasn't done yet.

"We wanted to write another couple of verses," he continued loudly, "But we couldn't find rhymes for fat and ugly – we wanted to sing about his mother, see -"

"Draco." I said firmly, my eyes widening slightly as Blaise turned to glance at me worriedly again.

He ignored me, "-we couldn't fit in useless loser either, for his father you know."

I took hasty steps forward as both Fred and George went rigid when they realised exactly what he was saying.

"Stop it." I said, trying to grab onto his arm. "That's enough."

"Leave it, Fred!" Angelina was saying at the same time, grabbing hold of his arm too. "He's just sore he lost, don't give him the satisfaction!"

Draco shook me off, not even sparing a glance in my direction. "But you like the Weasley's, don't you Potter? Spend holiday's there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, aren't your family supposed to be rich? Does the Weasley hovel even compare?"

Harry had grabbed a hold of George now, and it was taking the combined efforts of Angelina, Alicia and Katie to stop Fred from lunging forward. I gathered he had a lot more pent up rage towards Draco than anyone even knew about. My boyfriend, meanwhile, was only using this to spur him on – now laughing openly. I didn't even have the extra energy to be furious with him for the things he was saying, the only thing I was worried about was stopping this before it got out of hand.

I glanced around for Madam Hooch with this thought in mind, but she was still occupied berating Crabbe for his illegal bludger attack.

"Or perhaps," he sneered, starting to back away with a satisfied smirk. "You can remember what your dead Muggle mother smelled like, and the Weasley's pigsty reminds you of her."

I gasped, the comment making a harsh, stinging feeling burst through my heart even though it wasn't intended for me. Then, several things happened at once.

Harry let go of George's arm and the two of them tore towards Draco, Theodore instantly grabbing me around the waist and tugging me backwards as he realised exactly what was about to happen. I was vaguely aware of myself crying out when I saw Harry and George's first punches land, struggling against Theodore as he held me tightly. The Gryffindor girls were yelling too, still managing to restrain Fred through the panic. Montague moved forward to help Blaise try and fight Harry and George off, the crowd suddenly erupting into noise again as Madam Hooch finally realised what was happening and repeatedly blew into her whistle. I could barely comprehend anything that was going on, my panic over what was happening and all the conflicting emotions it was making me feel almost blinding me.

Not until Madam Hooch pulled out her wand and yelled 'Impedimenta!' and Harry and George were forcibly thrown off Draco did I come to my senses.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hooch was yelling, the two of them leaping back to their feet as she approached.

Theodore finally released me, and I didn't even think twice before I rushed to where Draco was still on the ground. I didn't care what it made anyone think, or that he had been a massive dick and probably deserved it – just the fact that he was hurt was the only thing that mattered to me.

I rolled my eyes slightly at the dramatic whimpers and moans of pain he was letting out as Montague and Blaise pulled him up off the ground, there mustn't be too much serious damage if he was managing to be overdramatic about it.

I was vaguely aware of Madam Hooch yelling at Harry and George before they stormed off the pitch and the increasing volume in the crowd again, particularly from the Gryffindor and Slytherin stands.

"Hey." I started slightly at Theo's hand on my arm, realising everyone was making their way off the pitch – Montague and Blaise supporting Draco. "Come on, the longer we hang around the worse all of this will get."

I nodded, sparing another glance around the pitch before following the others towards the Hospital Wing.

In the end the worst damage Draco suffered was a broken nose, which Madam Pomfrey fixed right away – leaving him with probably at most a few cuts and bruises.

As soon as I knew he was going to be fine and we were away from the field, my fury well and truly took over as the adrenaline and panic from before wore off.

I was furious at Draco for being a sore loser and the things he'd said, and I was furious at Harry and George for being stupid enough to bite and let him provoke them into physically attacking him.

I stayed to the side as Madam Pomfrey tended to Draco, my arms crossed tightly over my chest as I tried to calm my rising temper. It didn't really seem productive to attack him again right after he'd been healed, I didn't think the Mediwitch would appreciate that very much. Blaise was the first to notice my hostile body language, muttering something quietly to Theodore – who glanced warily at me as well – before he made his way slowly over to me.

"Maybe we should wait outside for a bit."

I glared at him for a moment, which only made him give me a 'you know I'm right' look that made me relent and follow him out of the Hospital Wing.

"Deep breaths, yeah?" Blaise eyed me warily as I started to pace angrily in front of the door.

"I don't even know who I'm maddest at." I growled, "Why are boys so stupid?"

"Rude."

I stopped, turning to glare at him to let him know I was not in the mood for his sarcasm. He raised his hands up in mock surrender.

"Hey - I'm not one of the people you're mad at, remember?"

I let out a long, deep breath – trying to calm myself at least a little. It wouldn't help if when I did talk to my boyfriend I was still furious; it would only set him off again.

"That's it," Blaise sounded more amused than worried now, "Good little psychopath."

I shot him a withering glare, only making him smirk more in amusement. I could barely even keep track of all the emotions running through me, my head was practically spinning. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be around any of them right now.

"I think I'm just going to go for a walk." I turned to Blaise, glancing briefly at the doors behind me again.

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly.

I nodded, letting out another shaky breath. "Yeah. I just think I need to be alone for a bit."

Blaise still looked a little concerned, but he seemed to understand it was what I wanted so made no move to stop me as I walked away.

I let the leftover amounts of anger coursing through my veins move me forward, walking with no real idea of where I was going or where I even wanted to go. It was still freezing, and I was thankful for the woollen green and grey sweater I was wearing still as the harsh breezes swept through the corridors. Eventually I reached one of the lower corridors of the castle that the wind couldn't reach, my energy starting to fade as I sat down in one of the archways, curling my knees up to my chest and glancing out over the cold, empty courtyard.

As I gazed out into the grey skies I realised that I wasn't even angry anymore. All that was left was a cold, bitter feeling of disappointment.

"What are you doing down here?"

I almost groaned when I heard Harry's angry voice, turning my head to see he, Fred and George had all appeared in the corridor. I glanced in the direction they'd come from and deducted they must have been coming from McGonagall's office.

"Last I checked I can sit wherever I like. Now go away, I'm not in the mood." I snapped back, stubbornly turning to stare at the concrete pillar straight ahead of me.

"I hope you're happy," Harry continued like he hadn't even heard me, and I rolled my eyes as I begrudgingly looked over at him again, raising one eyebrow in question. "We're banned for life, Umbridge's overruling."

I scoffed, not being able to muster up any feelings of sympathy. "No one's fault but your own."

"Are you serious?" Harry demanded, eyes flashing. "The only one at fault here is Malfoy and his stupid song, and all that crap he was saying!"

I let out a frustrated growl, pulling my legs down so I could dangle them over the edge of the archway and face them front on. "Exactly, he put all that effort into that ridiculous song and then it still didn't work – of course he was going to be pissed off, and you fell right into his hands by letting all those childish insults bait you. You gave him exactly what he wanted."

"Childish!? Didn't you hear what he said? How-"

"I heard what he said, Harry." I cut him off, pulling myself back into my previous position as the reminder stung deep in my chest. "I was there, thank you."

"Well then you know he deserved it." Harry responded bitterly, still glaring at me.

I sighed, avoiding looking at him. "I never said he didn't."

"She's right," George finally spoke up miserably after a small silence, and I looked over at the twins for the first time. Both of them were still rigid with anger, but I could see the regret shining behind George's eyes as he realised I was in fact right. "We did exactly what he wanted us to do. And now we're all banned."

I managed to crack a small smile his way, "I'm disappointed George, you're supposed to be the level-headed one." He managed a sheepish shrug in return, the ghost of a smile on his face.

"Wait," I frowned as George's previous statement sunk in, eyes moving to Fred. "All of you? You didn't even do anything."

Fred let out an angry snort, crossing his arms. "She said I would have if I hadn't been restrained."

I turned away again, "I gather she's right about that."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw both twins shift a little uncomfortably. Harry looked over at them for a moment before slowly back at me, frowning like there was something he couldn't quite figure out just yet.

"Let's go, come on." George spoke quietly, sensing that I was done being patient with them and it was probably best if they left me alone. He and Fred moved off straight away, but Harry hovered for a moment – still watching me with a small frown on his face.

"What?" I snapped in irritation, turning sharply to look at him. The twins paused where they were a little down the corridor, Fred looking like he wanted to say something but hesitating.

"You called him Draco," Harry finally said, his gaze steady as he looked back at me. "On the field when you tried to get him to stop. And then you ran straight to him after Madam Hooch stopped us. Why?"

I let out a long sigh, holding his gaze. "You seem to think you know everything this year Potter, why don't you figure that one out yourself."

He lingered as I turned away again, determinedly facing forwards so he would know the conversation was over. I was out of patience with him, I just wanted to be alone again. Thankfully, he took the hint, slowly walking away until all three of them disappeared again.

I wasn't too worried about my cryptic response to his question, I highly doubted Harry would ever think as far to get to the right conclusion. I gathered he would go as far as the two of us being friends now and hate me just for that. Not that he didn't hate me enough already.

I stayed in the archway until it got dark, not intentionally, the time just seemed to pass. I felt let down, but I wasn't even sure by who exactly. Even though I was trying to pretend it wasn't hurting me, and that I didn't need or want Harry in my life anymore – I missed him. No one tells you how much it hurts you when the one person you think will never let you down, does. There's nothing in the world that can prepare you for that feeling.

But Draco had let me down too.

I wasn't a miracle worker, I knew just because we were dating he wasn't going to suddenly turn into the perfect saint – especially since Harry and I were so at odds, I gathered it only fuelled him more. But was it so naïve of me to hope he would change at least a little? I wished he could be who was with me with everyone else, but I knew that it came from years of putting up protective walls to keep people out. I hadn't even broken them down yet, but this had thrown me through a complete loop. Was I crazy to think that he would ever change? Maybe I was just kidding myself thinking we could ever really work, how could we if he could never get over this hatred that seemed to run so deep?

I wasn't completely surprised when I heard footsteps coming towards me again a while later, and I didn't even need to look to know it was him.

"I've been looking for you everywhere." Draco said quietly, cautiously stopping a few feet away. I was sure Blaise would have warned him how angry I'd been.

"Well, you found me." I muttered in response, keeping my voice devoid of any emotion and not making any move to look at him.

"You're angry."

I sighed, finally tilting my head enough so I could look at him. I could see the hesitation in his gaze as he tried to gauge my reaction, completely unsure of how I was feeling. "No, not anymore."

He nodded slowly, "So, you were?"

"Furious." I said quietly, turning away again and letting my head fall back against the column I was leaning on.

He let out a sigh of his own, taking another step closer. "At me?"

"Yes, at you." I snapped, whipping my head around to glare accusingly at him. "And Harry, all of you."

He let out an indignant scoff, his eyes suddenly sparking in anger. "I don't see why you're so angry at me, I'm the one who was attacked."

My mouth dropped open slightly, and he drew back a little as he saw my body language change. "Are you kidding me? You knew exactly what you were doing, Draco – provoking them like that?"

He rolled his eyes a little but made no move to deny it, only glaring back at me defensively.

"So I deserved it?"

"No." I said in exasperation, turning so I was facing him a little more as my frustration grew. "They shouldn't have been stupid enough to fall for it or to do that to you either. Do you think I liked watching you get hurt?"

"I'm fine, by the way. Thanks for asking," he muttered bitterly, still not seeming to understand what I was trying to say – which was only hurting me more.

"I was just pissed off," he continued in annoyance. "I barely put any effort into what I said, it's not my fault they snapped like a couple of psychos…"

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, cutting him off and holding his gaze with steeled eyes. "You mean like what you said about Harry's dead mother?"

Confusion flitted across his features for a split second before his eyes widened slightly as it hit him – his posture instantly relaxing as regret took over the anger in his grey eyes.

"Shit – fuck, Cass you know I didn't-"

"I know," I stopped him again, shaking my head slightly as I turned away from him once more. "But you said it, Draco." I glanced back, seeing him looking back at me desperately. "Is that what I should expect when we have an argument from now on? For you to bring up my dead mother?"

"I would never do that to you," he responded instantly, sincerity echoing in his tone.

"You did do it." I responded quietly, trying to ignore the tears pricking at my eyes. "It doesn't matter that it wasn't intended for me, it's the fact that you would say it at all in the first place."

He sucked in a sharp breath when he noticed how glassy my eyes must have become, moving closer so he could brush a thumb over my cheek – looking slightly relieved when I made no move to stop him, just watched him with guarded eyes.

"I'm sorry. I never intended to hurt you." he whispered, "You believe me, don't you?"

I nodded, leaning into his hand a little. "I believe you. But I'm still upset with you."

"I know," he responded. "I understand."

I sighed, turning my body to face him and holding his face lightly in my hands so I could examine the damage. I turned his head slowly back and forth, taking in the couple of bruises and one or two cuts on his cheek. He kept his gaze focused on me the entire time, uncertainty still shining behind his eyes.

"What am I going to do with you?" I murmured, the edges of my mouth almost quirking into a smile as I let my hands drop again, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss over the bruise on his cheek.

"It's only a few cuts and bruises," he smirked lazily as I pulled back again, relaxing when he realised I was done telling him off for now. "Makes me look more dangerous, I think."

I snorted quietly, giving his chest a little push as he only chuckled at my reaction.

"Do you want to go back to the Common Room?" he asked gently, resting one hand on my thigh and giving it a small squeeze.

I bit my lip, glancing back out over the courtyard and through to the forest in the distance. "Not yet," I turned back to him with a small frown, "Is that okay?"

He nodded, giving me a small smile in reassurance. "Probably for the best, there was the beginnings of quite the rowdy party when I left."

I laughed in slight disbelief, moving back into my previous sitting position and resting my head on my knees. "Trust our house to party even when we lose."

"Only way to numb the pain," he smirked in amusement, hoisting himself up to sit on the other side of the archway – mirroring my position.

We were silent for a few minutes, but I could feel him watching me as I continued to stare out over the icy grounds.

"You don't talk about her very much." I looked over curiously when he spoke, seeing the seriousness in his eyes as he gazed back at me. "Your mother," he elaborated quietly.

I smiled softly, lifting my head with a shrug. "It's not intentional. It's just whenever she comes up at home my dad just gets so…sad. I mean, he talks about her sometimes – but other than that I just tend to avoid the subject, I can't bear to cause him any unnecessary pain."

"You can tell me," he responded earnestly, eyes glimmering with sincerity.

I must have looked taken-aback because sudden doubt clouded his features as he spoke again. "Only if you want to."

A wistful smile crossed my face as I glanced back into the corridor before looking back at him. "I don't know much about her, just little stories that dad and the others have mentioned over the years."

Draco leant back against the pillar, waiting patiently for me to continue, his gaze never once leaving my face – like he was making sure I really was okay to talk about her. It only made me feel more inclined to share, the trust flowing between us only urging me forward.

"I always feel closest to her when I'm here," I looked into the courtyard, my eyes glazing over slightly. "This is where she spent so much time, it feels like the only thing we've ever really shared."

"What was she like?" he asked gently when I fell silent for a moment, and I turned back to face him with a smile.

"She was beautiful," I said quietly. "I always think I look like my dad, but he says I remind him of her. I have her eyes, and James always says sometimes he isn't sure if my stubbornness comes from her or dad."

Draco chuckled, his eyes twinkling softly. "I think there's enough of that in you for it to possibly come from both of them."

I shot him a playful glare, only making his smile grow. "Funny."

"Apparently she used to be the only one to call my dad out on all his bullshit," I continued wistfully, thinking back to all the stories I'd managed to acquire over the years. "Sometimes she was the only one he would listen to, especially if she got angry – that used to be terrifying if you were on the wrong end of it according to Remus and James. But my dad said he used to love her when she was angry, that her eyes would light up and she'd look so…alive. And he knew it meant she really cared if she got fired up about it - and caring about people was what she did best. He says I remind him of her most in that way," I paused, bringing my eyes back to meet his again. "She always looked for the best in people."

Draco was smiling at me softly, his lips twisting into a playful smirk as his eyes glinted. "Sounds very familiar to me."

I rolled my eyes slightly, only smiling back at him with a small shake of my head before I continued. "She used to play the piano too. One of the only things I really remember is just this one song she used to play me as a baby…it's not even as if I remember it properly but every time I hear it I think of her." I smiled wistfully, "I played when I was little, to feel closer to her…but as I got older I stopped because it just made me sadder."

"Why?" he asked softly.

I shrugged sadly, "I guess because it always made me imagine having her around to teach me properly."

"Come here," he murmured, tilting his head and holding out one of his hands. I obliged with no hesitation, sliding forward and letting him pull me in so I was laying with my back pressed against his chest, sighing contentedly as he started playing with my hair softly – one arm wrapped tightly around me.

He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head, and my eyes fluttered closed instinctively. I could barely believe only a couple of hours ago I'd been sitting here so unsure of him, right now I had never felt safer being near someone. I wasn't sure if there would ever be a time he stopped surprising me.

"Do you miss her?"

I frowned slightly at the question, pondering my answer quietly for a moment.

"It's hard to miss her when I never really knew her," I admitted, feeling a small pang in my chest as I did so. "I don't have any actual memories of her, only photos and other people's recollections. So, I wouldn't say I miss her per say, more like there's something…missing inside me? Just a hole in my life where a mothers supposed to be."

I let out a shaky breath, reaching up to wipe a traitorous tear that fell from my eye. "And I feel that every day."

He sighed, pulling me in tighter and pressing another, firmer kiss to the top of my head. I relaxed into him instantly, letting him tilt my chin up towards him gently and kiss me softly, lingering long enough to take my breath away a little at the tenderness of the action. He brushed another tear off my cheek when he pulled away, placing another even gentler kiss where it had fallen before tucking me back into his chest.

"I can't even imagine it," he muttered after a moment, surprising me a little. "Not having my mother around."

"Mmm?" I hummed quietly, not wanting to interrupt him too much in case it made him stop talking.

"Sometimes I think she's the only one who really cares about me," he continued, trailing his hand up and down my arm lightly, like touching me as much as possible was comforting him and giving him the reassurance to continue. "My father is all about expectations and being perfect…but I think she just really wants me to be happy."

"They care about you in their own ways," I replied in a soft voice, catching his hand where it was still running patterns on my arm and intertwining our fingers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I suppose so," he murmured into my hair, burying his head into it with a sigh and running his thumb over my hand – I knew that was all I would probably get from him, but it was something - more than I'd gotten before. Slowly but surely, he really was starting to let me break down those walls of his.

"I wish you were like this all the time," I admitted quietly, tilting my head to look at him again and having to suck in a breath at the vulnerable silver eyes I was met with.

He smirked, "I have a reputation to think of, Black."

"Of course," I rolled my eyes.

Something flickered behind his eyes, and he ran his thumb across my cheek gently. "I am trying."

"I know," I whispered, sitting up a bit more so I could level my gaze with his. "It means a lot to me."

He didn't bother responding, simply threading his hand into my hair and pulling me closer so he could press his lips against mine. Like always, I could tell everything from the way he kissed me. This was slow, soft – echoing the vulnerability he'd just shown me. I craved these kinds of kisses, the ones that left me wanting more but made my heart swell and cheeks burn.

"Besides," he continued as we pulled away, his hand still in my hair as he gazed down at me so intensely it almost brought tears to my eyes. "You know I'm like this, and that's all I care about."

It was me that kissed him this time, my heart soaring as I held onto him for dear life and pulled him as close to me as possible.

"Thank you," he breathed after another few moments. "For telling me about her."

I smiled fondly, brushing some hair out of his eyes. "It was nice to talk about her actually, thank you for listening."

"I really was an idiot earlier," he sighed, his eyes boring into mine as he tried desperately to prove how much he meant it. "I'm sorry."

"Mmm," I smirked, desperate for a lighter conversation. "You can make it up to me later."

His eyes sparked dangerously, making me giggle a little. "Oh believe me, I will."

There was no other feeling in the world that could ever replace the warmth flowing through my whole body right now, the pure happiness I was feeling at knowing that maybe I had been wrong before. Maybe there was a real chance for us.