Allison awoke the next morning floating on a cloud of soft, warm sheets mixed with a wave of boyish charm. She breathed in the comforting familiar scent of Draco Malfoy that lingered on his pillow. Silky dark green curtains were drawn around the tiny bed. Alli opened her eyes and looked around. Her bruised eye was no longer swollen shut and her lips no longer tasted like dried blood. She slid her legs out of bed and moved the curtain to the side. She glanced around at the other beds. All the guys seemed to be gone already. Alli wondered vaguely what time it was. She was still in her school uniform, a button-up white blouse and pleated black skirt, shortened just enough that the teachers wouldn't say anything. Her white shirt was wrinkled and had the bottom two and the first top buttons undone revealing her diamond belly button ring. Alli combed her fingers through her hair quickly giving it those messy, "I-just-had-sex-with-my-boyfriend" waves. She looked down at her legs and muttered, "Shit." Her black stockings had a long tear running from her shin to mid-thigh. She groaned at the thought of having to buy new stockings. Alli limped across the wood floor the door. She opened it and looked out. The coast was clear so she started down the stairs. Draco was sitting on one of the couches looking over his unfinished homework. On the table sat a plate full of breakfast from the Great Hall and a goblet of pumpkin juice. The only people occupying the common room were a couple of first years sat at a table playing wizard's chess, a girl in the corner reading a gigantic book, and Draco on the couch.

"Hey," Alli said softly sitting down beside Draco on the couch. Draco glanced at her, smiled, and then looked back down at his work.

"Hey. I brought you some breakfast," he said. Alli was shocked by his kind gesture.

"Oh, t-thank you," Alli told him. She sat down on the floor at the table where her food sat still warm. Draco closed his books and Alli looked up at him suddenly realizing that he was shirtless. Her eyes scanned over his perfectly carved body. His arm muscles flexed as he moved to face her. Alli started to imagine what he would look like with the rest of his clothes off when Draco hugged her. It startled her.

"How did you sleep?" he asked, his minty breath blowing against her face. Alli swallowed a gulp of air trying to get her breath back, but his scent was intoxicating.

"F-Fine," she stammered.

"Just fine?" he laughed nuzzling her neck.

"Ah-mmm," was all she could manage. She shifted uncomfortably backing up against the leather couch. Draco kissed her neck while he got on his knees straddling her legs. His mouth moved to hers. His tongue harassed her lips trying to get them open. Alli was defiant. She put her hands on his bare shoulders, trying to ignore his muscles flexing underneath her grip, and pushed him away. Draco laughed.

"A little much right now, huh?" he whispered. Alli nodded.

"J-Just a little," she mumbled. Draco climbed off of her using her arms for support. Alli winced.

"What?" Draco asked. Alli pulled back her sleeve revealing several newly cut gashes in her arm, crisscrossed against the older ones. Draco drew a tight breath. Alli looked confused.

"Draco, I swear, I don't even remember getting these," Alli whimpered looking up at him. Draco had his eyes closed as if he were trying to ignore a strident sound. When he opened his eyes they were brimming with tears. Alli almost couldn't look at him.

"What happened yesterday, Alli?" he asked in a whispered.

"I-I was--"

"Why didn't you meet me after 2nd period?"

"I was the last one out of potions and…" Alli took a deep breath, "S-Snape h-he… I couldn't g-get away. Draco, h-he--" Alli shook her head unable to continue. Her eyes blurred with tears and she couldn't focus on him. Draco wrapped his arms around her protecting her. Alli put her arms around his stomach crying against his chest. Draco said nothing. He didn't think anything he could say would help anyways. It wouldn't take back what happened. It wouldn't erase the pain etched in blood on her wrist. And it wouldn't change what was to happen in the future.

-

Draco sat two rows behind Alli in Honors Defense Against the Dark Arts. DADA was with Gryffindor and Ron Weasley had been granted the honor to sit by Alli. He looked back at Harry with an excited smile on his face, bouncing in his seat. Hermione rolled her eyes. Draco watched Ron closely. He couldn't hear what they were saying as class started, but Alli was giggling. Draco clenched his fist and glared at Ron. Class droned on and on. Professor Whatsherface paired Ron and Alli up as partners in practicing a new disarming spell. Draco was paired with a fat blonde haired girl from Gryffindor that had tiny little blue eyes and a nose that made her resemble an oversized pig. My luck, Draco groaned. After Draco had successfully disarmed the fat pig girl as well as making her hit the desk making her nose bleed, he watched over Alli. Ron was standing behind her trying to teach her how to wave her wand the proper way. Draco couldn't stand the fact that he was teaching her wrong. Ron put his hand on her stomach telling her to stand up a little straighter or else it would make the spell harder. Draco couldn't take it anymore. He stomped down the aisle setting his jaw.

"You're teaching her wrong, Weaselby," Draco snapped. He grabbed Alli's hand away from Ron and stood behind her. "It's like this," Draco directed moving Alli's hand up and then down and flick of the wrist. Alli twisted around and smiled up at him. Ron folded his arms and growled. "And there's no need to stand that straight either," Draco smiled. He put his hand on her waist until she slouched just a bit. "Now," Draco muttered in her ear. "Relax." Alli tensed up just feeling his cool breath against her face. Draco slid his hand up her back massaging her muscles as he went. Alli turned her head and their lips hovered just enough apart. Professor Whatsherface hurried over to them.

"I think that's enough helping them, Mr. Malfoy. Back to your own partner," the professor ordered. Alli looked away, embarrassed. Ron muttered angry nonsense words under his breath.

"And that's how you charm her, Weasel," Draco muttered to Ron as he passed him. After everyone in the class had correctly disarmed each other and they were now seated back in their chairs, Draco took out a piece of paper and dipped his quill into some ink. He scratched a couple sentences on the paper, pretending to take notes. He folded the paper up nicely and put his wand tip to the edge of the sheet. He muttered a charm and the note took off into the air. Alli was listening intently to the professor taking her own notes. The note landed softly on her paper. Alli angrily pushed it away to the edge of the table. Draco bit his lip angrily. Ron looked at the note for a moment and then turned around and caught Draco's eye. Draco pointed at the note. Ron looked confused. Draco mouthed a couple words to him, but Ron was oblivious. Draco moved around drastically in his chair trying to get the Weasel to understand. He threw his hands in the air grabbing at nothing angrily. Ron narrowed his eyebrows. Draco clenched his teeth together and held his head as if it were about to explode.

"Mr. Malfoy? Is there something you care to share with the class?" Professor Whatsherface asked. Everyone turned around in their seats and looked at Draco including Alli.

"What are you doing?" she mouthed to him. He held up a piece of paper and pointed at it and then nodded his head towards the note on Alli's desk. "Oh!" Alli mouthed. She smiled at him. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy," the professor said again.

"Oh, um, no, Professor," Draco said. Harry narrowed his eyebrows at Draco and Hermione snickered. Draco looked down. The Professor turned back to her lesson. Draco saw Alli open the note carefully.

Alli,

Grab your broom and meet me at the Quidditch pitch. I would still like to do a little practicing before tryouts if you don't mind.

Draco

Alli turned around and smiled at him. After class, Alli quickly packed up her things and ran, as fast as she could with her limp, to the Slytherin common room. She was eager to get back on her Firebolt and play a little Quidditch. She jogged up the steps to her dorm and grabbed her Firebolt that was leaning against the wall. When she finally stepped out into the cool September air, she spied Draco sitting, once again, by the tree that overlooked the glassy surface of the lake.

"Hey, you ready?" she called out to him. Draco jumped up and grabbed his broom. He met Alli hovering in the air by the tallest goal post.

"I'm gonna beat you out for that Seeker position, Potter," Draco threatened taking a Snitch out of his pocket.

"Where'd you get that?" Alli asked.

"I stole it out of the supply room," Draco smiled. Alli giggled. Draco threw it in the dark air. The sun was almost set and it was getting dark. "Whoever catches it first wins," Draco told her.

"Wins what?" Alli wondered aloud. But Draco had already taken off. Alli shook her head and followed after him. They searched around for the Snitch for approximately 20 minutes when Alli spotted it. She flew down where the Snitch buzzed with its invisible wings over by the Hufflepuff stands. Draco saw her heading for it and dove towards her. His Nimbus 2001 was no match for her Firebolt XL 2000 though. Alli caught the golden ball in her palm leaning over her broomstick. She lost her balance and tumbled onto the grass. Draco dropped down beside her. He crawled over her on all fours.

"Congratulations," Draco whispered. "You win." He kissed her full on the lips. Alli dropped the Snitch letting it roll away on the grass. She twisted her arms around Draco's neck pulling his body closer. Flashes of her dream of him she'd had weeks ago came rushing back. Draco moved his lips down to her neck. His fingers tickled her skin under her shirt. He unbuttoned the first button on her blouse.

"Draco," Alli mumbled.

"Mmm."

"Can we do this somewhere else?"

Draco got another button undone.

"What if someone comes out?" Alli asked worried.

"They're all eating supper," Draco told her. Alli's worries left her as Draco undid another button and another.

"Hey," she whispered. Draco lifted up and looked at her. Alli smiled and kissed his lips. Her tongue moved against his. The last of the sun disappeared and the air around them grew crisper. Alli unbuttoned Draco's white shirt until it hung open as Alli's did. Alli moved her lips to his chest, kissing, sucking. She shrugged out of her shirt sitting up. They switched positions as Alli clambered over him. She moved her hands to his hips undoing his black slacks and pulling down the zipper.

"Alli, maybe you're right," Draco said finally. "We should do this somewhere else."

"I thought you said here was fine. They're all at dinner anyways," Alli whispered. She sat up on him and pulled her bra straps down. Draco's heart beat excitedly and his whole body throbbed with anticipation. But suddenly, Draco didn't want this. This wasn't the way Alli would normally react to something like this. This wasn't her.

"Allison, stop," Draco whispered. Alli looked confused.

"Why?" she asked.

"It's not time yet," Draco told her sliding out from under her.

"But what about winning?" Alli asked.

"This wasn't the prize."