A/N WOW 450 people are reading this story…But no reviews! This is my first story and I want to know what you guys think so take a few seconds and tell me if I'm on the right track or not! Enjoy the next chapter, kiddos!

WARNING: Some adult things ahead;)

Draco POV

They died in Malfoy Manor…My father all, but pushed me out the front door this summer with Blaise. He knew. He has to know something about her parents.

I look up to the witch in question and see her eyes closed as she tries to calm her breathing after her panic attack. With the letter clutched in my right hand, I make my way across the short distance to stand in front of her. Looking down at her, I find myself wondering how I hadn't noticed this before…She's just as lost as I am, yet she holds so much strength. She stood up to Pansy, she works as hard as Granger in all of her classes, she fights every day to smile, she isn't afraid to be vulnerable and fight for what she wants, and that was only the little I had learned about her through others. I can only imagine what other fights she has been fighting practically alone all this time.

And I can't even stand up to my father.

Shaking my head slightly, I crouch down in front of her and take a moment to admire her. Her creamy skin, her chestnut hair falling in waves to rest just below her chest, and her ring that she has been admiring when I walked in before. Its diamond was tiny, but it winked in the light with tiny rainbow reflections if she turned her hand correctly. The rose gold band complimented her skin's milky complexion and made it stand out more. Her Slytherin robes flirt around her curves that are being hidden by her knees, but I know they're there after studying her all these weeks. Glancing from her knees to her face, I see those emerald eyes I had been so haunted by for weeks staring at me curiously. I can't believe I couldn't place her eyes with her Animagus form with how bright they are, especially with unshed tears swimming in them.

She stares at me curiously as I continue to stare at her eyes. The tears in her eyes are as stubborn as she is as they refuse to leave her bottom lid. One blink would cause the lone tear to cascade down her smooth cheek like a raindrop on a glass window pane. Taking a breath, I realize I've been staring for a little too long and should say something about the letter, but all I can get out is a pathetic, two-word sentence.

"I'm sorry." Her eyebrow lifts at me in shock and I have to remind myself of the situation so I don't get lost in those eyes again. She waits a few seconds for me to continue, but when I don't, she continues with her own two-words of wisdom.

"For what?" Her voice is barely a whisper as I'm sure she feels drained after her episode before. I take a deep breath and let it all out.

"Everything. Your parents, Pansy, you thinking I'm an evil Death Eater, and so much more. I've been intrigued by you since that day in the forest and I didn't even know it was you, but I should have connected your eyes. I'm sorry for being an absolute wanker. I'm sorry you've been dealing with all of this on your own. I'm sorry I said so much sappy shit to you while you were in your Animagus form because I promise you that I would not have said all of that if I knew it was you. Most of all, I'm sorry your only understanding of me is my family and their help in your parent's murder…" I stand and rake my hands through my hair making it look even more mused than my usual carefully messy look. I look down at her and am shocked when she gradually stands onto shaky knees as she responds back to me after a few moments of silence.

"You don't want to be a Death Eater. You hate your father, but adore your mother. You don't believe in blood status as much as you want others to think. You find Crabbe and Goyle to be great friends even if they're more interested in food than worshipping your Slytherin Prince act." She continues, but walks to close the gap between us as she finishes listing things off about me that I divulged to her over the two weeks in this very room. "You're kind, sincere, and frightened of what you're going home to so you're cruel to the younger students when in reality; you envy their freedom to choose who they want to be." Her right-hand brushes my cheek and her ring twinkles in the light almost as much as her eyes do as she raises her chin to meet my eyes. With her hand on my cheek, she says the most shocking sentence of all. "I see you Draco Malfoy and I have since that day in the woods."

I'm speechless by this alluring witch's speech about who she sees when she looks at me. She listened when I spoke every day in the two weeks I came here to pour out my fears, confusion, and desires. In that time, she saw me more than my so-called friends have in five years.

I'm never letting you go, Briar Griffin.

I reach my right hand out and mimic the soft caress she has on my cheek. After staring at her eyes for a few more seconds, I see shock, vulnerability, and fear flicker in her eyes before she settles on understanding. Her eyes darken slightly as I glance at her lips and wet mine with the tip of my tongue. Leaning in, it isn't long before I feel her lips brush against mine. She kisses me back and soon, I slowly let my tongue stroke her bottom lip asking for entrance which she eagerly grants me. It's like I unleashed something in her because the next thing I know, she is lightly biting my bottom lip and tugging it towards her before releasing it. Leaning back, she flutters her eyes open to look at me through a hooded gaze with a smirk very similar to the one in Umbridge's class not too long ago.

The little minx doesn't know who she's teasing.

I let out a low growl and advance towards her until her back is against the trunk she was curled up against not too long ago. She lets out a gasp of surprise and looks up at me with wide eyes as I smirk down at her. When she sees my smirk, she rolls her eyes much like she did when she was in her Animagus form, but this time I take action. My right-hand slides into her hair while my other reaches for her hip as I surge forward and capture her lips again. She grabs onto my tie and pulls me closer. Groaning, I press my hips into her and tug at her leg greedily to lift it around my hip until she lets out a whimper when I brush against where she needed friction the most. Hearing her whimper makes me want more. I quickly wrap my hands under her thighs and lift her into the air. Her legs wrap around my waist and I use my hips to push her into the tree so I can transfer her weight off of my arms a little. Her hands slide into my hair and tug, releasing another moan from me. She suddenly pulls away and leans her forehead against mine as we both try to catch our breath.

"Draco, I'm sorry." She looks at me and the unshed tears are back. I gently release her so she can slide her legs back to the ground, but I continue to lean towards her as she supports herself against the bark behind her. My hands find purchase around her waist as my eyes seek out her green ones.

"For what? I wasn't complaining, sweetheart," I say with a smirk. She lets out a light laugh and slightly shoves me before letting out a tiny sniffle.

"Sod off. You know that's not what I mean. I mean…" she looks at me uncertainly before continuing. "I mean I'm sorry for not shifting in front of you sooner. I shouldn't have let you tell me so much when you didn't even think I was here in my Animagus form."

"Griffin, I'm not that mad. Don't get me wrong, I was a little angry when I realized you let me pour my heart out over my family and life problems for two weeks, but I'm sure you had good reason to keep your Animagus a secret. Do you want to talk about why you're practically a ghost at Hogwarts?"

"No!" She said that almost too quickly. I look at her confused and lean back a little bit to see more of her face. "I mean, no. I think that's enough revealing for one day, don't you?"

She's hiding something…

I look at her a little suspicious, but decide she will tell me when she's ready.

"Sure, whatever you say, sweetheart." The sounds of students rushing around tells us it's officially time for everyone to go to their Common Rooms for the night so the weekend can begin.

"We should be getting back." She picks up the letter from the floor where it had fallen when our little snog session started and starts to walk slowly to where the front door would appear when we thought of it. I trail behind her, but put my hand on the door when it appears so she can't open it. She looks at me curiously and pleadingly to get me to let her leave.

"You said before that you see me, but I see you too Briar Griffin. I'm not going to let you continue running. Get used to it." She lets out a tiny chuckle and smirks at me.

"Is that an order, oh mighty Slytherin Prince?" I give her my infamous Malfoy smirk.

"Yes. It is." She rolls her eyes, but I can see the vulnerability in her eyes. She still wants to run.

I'll have to ask her about that instinct one day.

"I'll keep that in mind," she says as she leans onto the balls of her feet to graze her lips against mine. "Goodnight, Dray. I'll see you on Monday in class?" I stupidly nod and watch her leave the Room of Requirement. One little kiss and the witch had bewitched me into speechlessness. Now that I know what it feels like to kiss those plump lips of hers, I know I need to keep my façade up so my father doesn't find out.

I may want to fight my father's hold on me like Griffin suggested, but I can't do that if he kills both of us…

Very important A/N! This is not a new chapter. It was just moved to be Chapter Nine because I added another chapter with more background information about Briar, my OC, as Chapter 4 so go back and read it if you want to learn more about her! It goes along with the plot of the story. As always, REVIEWS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED! ;p