[A/N- Thank you for the reviews, esp. those who have reviewed again- wipd cream and HP, akaSailorMars, Tigereyes92389, Eve Granger and everyone else. I'm overwhelmed by the response to this story, thank you everyone! Hope you like this chapter, I had fun writing it. There's no extreme romance in this chapter, but it's coming soon!]

A week after his encounter with the youngest Weasley, Draco was still seething. It had always been apparent to him that the Weasleys were below him, being so poor and lacking in proper pride. Her rude questioning shouldn't have been a shock to him. She was uncultured. What did she know about manners?

The thing that really got to him was the nature of the question. Who was she to ask what side he was on, when they were both clearly on two different sides?  And, when he took into consideration the thoughts that had crossed his mind since their late night encounter, how dare she make him reconsider his choices?

He began to wonder to himself, why do I do the things I do? What was the purpose in warning Potter, even as unintentionally as he did? He hated Potter with every fiber of his being, which was for certain. The hate that flowed through Draco's blood every time he happened to lay eyes on Mr. Perfect and his two admirers was undeniable. The fact pointed out by Ginny Weasley, that he was actually helping when he had thought all along that he was being nasty, made his anger grow stronger.

He searched himself for an explanation for his actions, but all he could see were the two terrified eyes of an eleven-year-old girl as she looked at him.

It was a cool day for September as Draco made his way down to Care of Magical Creatures. Pansy was tagging along behind him, blabbering on about what she had done over the summer. Just why she was, Draco couldn't figure out. They had seen one another on several occasions over the break and she had told him everything each time.

He turned and looked over at the Herbology greenhouses. Although he would never admit it out loud, it was one of his favorite lessons. There was something oddly relaxing about caring for plants. For the same reason, he had kept up with Care of Magical Creatures, even with Hagrid.

A group of fourth years were entering the greenhouses. Draco found himself scanning the group, looking for nothing in particular.....

His heart did a backflip when he saw a short girl with long red hair, walking with another girl with blond hair. The odd, fluttery feeling he felt at first while looking at her was soon replaced by his resentment for what she had said to him.

Draco jumped when Pansy attempted to slip her hand into his. Moodily, he pulled his away, totally ignoring the hurt look on her face. Sure, she was great for a snog every now and then, but there was absolutely no need for a commitment.

The two joined the rest of their class. To Draco's pleasure, Professor Grubbly-Plank was acting in place of that oaf for an unspecified amount of time. Finally, he could properly care for his magical creatures.

Looking over at Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Draco was sickeningly pleased by the depressed looks on their faces. Once the lesson progressed, he would start rubbing in the absence of their friend.

The lesson started with a creature Draco actually recognized- bowtruckles. No freakish inbred monsters like the skrewts. Or, he thought to himself nastily, that half-giant. He could remember going on adventures in the woods towards the back of the property, in search of bowtruckles. Sometimes, Pansy would be a part of that. He shot her an affectionate smile at the memory, causing her to just gawk back at him, now totally confused.

The Professor began to ask a series of questions about the creatures, which Draco volunteered to answer each time. But, as always, Granger got picked. Out of frustration, he did a buck-toothed impression of her, although he had noticed the change in her teeth lately.

As soon as he had finished his sketch of the bowtruckle (which he was quite impressed with), he called for Crabbe and Goyle. Together, they walked up to Potter, who was talking to Professor Grubbly-Plank.

"Excuse me," Potter said to Professor Grubbly-Plank. "Where's Hagrid?"

"Never you mind," the witch replied coldly. Her eyes moved onto Draco for a moment of recognition. He knew that she was one of his father's frequent acquaintances.

Draco sidled over to Potter with a smirk on his face. He muttered, "Maybe the stupid oaf's got himself badly injured." He had heard his father and his friends talking back at the manor. The half-giant was doing some secret mission for Dumbledore, something that involved giants. The fact that he knew more about it than Potter did was extremely pleasing.

"Maybe," he continued, "he's messing with stuff that's too big for him, if you get my drift."

He walked back over to Pansy, who was struggling with her sketch. Potter and his friends sat down in a patch of flowers like idiots, whispering obviously. Judging from the look on Potter's face, he had known nothing about his big friend. Draco wondered how much else he didn't know.

Draco began to tell Pansy in an audible voice how the Ministry was beginning to crack down on substandard teaching. That ought to get him going, he thought. Sure enough, Potter looked just about ready to pounce, while Granger was attempting to calm him down.

When the lesson finished, Draco walked across the lawn with Pansy, who was chattering incessantly again. They had a twenty minute break before Arithmancy would start. She reached up to brush a strand of hair out of his eye, and he flinched. Her fingers had brushed one of the bruises his father had so lovingly given him on his last night before school.

The Herbology class was letting out of the greenhouses. Automatically, Draco turned his head sharply and saw her red head walking out... and towards Potter. His anger towards Potter grew even deeper.

"Draco, what's the matter?" Pansy asked, her voice full of false concern.

"Nothing," Draco muttered. He began to walk ahead of her until he had lost her.

Dinner that night was one of Draco's favorites- beef stew- but he found he couldn't eat a thing. He was beginning to worry about his mother. She hadn't answered his owl from over a week ago, and she always wrote back immediately. He thought to himself, If he's done something to her, I swear... I'll tear him limb from limb.

He began to wonder just how many people his father had hurt in his lifetime. There was himself and his mother, of course. But then there were also the people he had hurt because he was a Death Eater. Before, Draco had never questioned this. He had been brought up to believe that they deserved it, because they weren't pure blood. Now, Draco was beginning to think that they didn't deserve to go through that pain. Weren't they people, too? Was blood really that important?

It had been these thoughts that had run through his head that day when he had seen his father marching out of Hogwarts, furious. He hadn't known then exactly what had happened, and he still didn't. He did know, however, that it involved Ginny Weasley, the Chamber of Secrets, and the Dark Lord. He had known that his father was somehow responsible for whatever hell she had gone through that year. The idea that Lucius had injured the innocent life of a young girl for his own interests sickened Draco every time he thought about it. He needed answers to what exactly his father had done, which is why he had hunted her down that day. She never told him with words, but he knew from looking into those eyes that she had been hurt by Lucius. It was the same look he saw whenever he looked in the mirror. It was the common bond that prevented him from ever doing injury to her.

The scent of the food was making Draco feel nauseous. He decided to write again to his mother, hoping to get some kind of response. "I'm going to the Owlrey," he muttered.

"But Draco! You haven't eaten a thing!" Pansy said loudly.

"I know," he said through clenched teeth.

Without looking back to her, he marched out of the hall. He no longer cared if he hurt her. Their relationship had been a joke, just another thing that suited Lucius's best interests. No doubt, his father had expected them to marry- a good, strong, pure blood marriage. Draco only let her hang on out of fear for his father. But now, he wanted nothing to do with him.

It was around seven thirty when he reached the Owlrey. Five other students were there, scribbling letters back home. Draco found a spot on the floor and began writing to Narcissa. His nasty habits craved a cigarette, but he couldn't have one yet. The other kids couldn't be trusted to keep a secret, even if he threatened them.

Half an hour passed. Draco continued scratching out a letter full of random thoughts. He didn't want to return to the Slytherin Common Room yet. Some of the other kids left, and others came in. So when the door creaked open, he barely took notice.

A girl gasped loudly, and then let out a sigh. He looked up and saw her, brown eyes staring at him, standing in the threshold. No one else was in the Owlrey. Before he could stop himself, he noticed how attractive she looked in the darkening light. "Miss Weasley," he said, nodding once in recognition. He was shocked to find that he still had a voice.

"Hello," she said breathlessly. She settled down on the floor but didn't take out any parchment.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" Draco asked politely.

"No, not at all."

Pleased, Draco reached into his bag and pulled out a cigarette, which he lit with his wand. He went to return to his letter, but found he had nothing more to say. He put away his quill and rolled up the letter. She just sat there staring at him.

"Don't you have a letter to write?" he asked.

Blushing, she shook her head. Then she said meekly, "Actually, I came up here to talk to you."

Draco froze at these words. She had come to see him? His annoyance was overpowered by the pleasure he found at this thought.

"Oh?" he said arrogantly. "What could you possibly have to say to me?"

"I.... uh.... I heard what you said to Harry during Care of Magical Creatures."

"And?" Draco snapped.

"And I wanted to ask you again," she said quietly. "Just what side are you on?"

Anger rushed through Draco again, but also a new feeling- fear.

For a minute, they stared at one another. Draco was becoming unnerved. This girl was not going to give up. She wanted answers and she would get them, no matter what it took. Her eyes bore into his, and he had the odd feeling that she knew more about him than she should.

He knew what the answer was, and that was what scared him. He couldn't be on Lucius's side, not after seeing just what that side was all about. But could I actually be on their side? he wondered to himself. What could I possibly get from that?

Her eyes begged for a response, and looking into those eyes, he knew the answer.

The word escaped his mouth like the smoke he was blowing out periodically- slowly and quietly. He was so quiet that he knew that only she would be able to hear him.

"Yours."

A small smile appeared on her face, but not in an arrogant way. She seemed genuinely pleased to hear for herself what the answer really was.

The gravity of what he had said began to hit Draco. No, I've said too much, to the wrong person.... too much.... too much.....

Standing up, he made his way to the exit quickly. Her eyes followed him to the door, the same strange smile on her face. "Good night, Miss Weasley," he said quickly before leaving the Owlrey for what he decided would be the last time.

It was too much for Draco to handle. Never before in his life had he told his secrets to anyone, not even his mother. Now, he had twice let himself become vulnerable to a Weasley. There was just something in the way she looked at him that made him trust her. And as she had proven that night, she knew more about him than he did. Because of that, he found that he wanted her to be a part of him more than ever- whatever that would take.

And I'd give up forever to touch you

'Cause I know that you feel me somehow

You're the closest heaven that I'll ever be

And I don't wanna go home right now

Iris by Goo Goo Dolls