It never occurred to me that I had stopped putting AN's at the top… or at least I don't remember doing them for the previous chapters. However, I would like to thank my followers. I know I have a HUGE delay in how often I post. I apologize for that deeply. I hope I havent lost any of you. I've been busy still… and my nana passed away September 21st. Please forgive my delays. I appreciate you all.

I do not own Harry Potter. …sigh.

Chapter Twenty-Four:

"You're my…" Cilwenu breathed. She touched her collar, and swallowed yet another lump in her throat.

Vivienne, smiling and still glowing with her safe, warm aura, touched Cilwenu's cheek, and brushed a strand of dark hair away from widened red eyes. There were tears, but Cilwenu wasn't crying because she was sad. Not completely anyways.

"My, how you have grown. Thirteen years is like a blink of an eye." Vivienne breathed.

Before Cilwenu had a chance to respond, she felt herself being pulled into an embrace. It was familiar, heartbreaking and yet heart mending at the same time. There was no other hug in the world that felt like this one… and Cilwenu wasn't sure if it was good or bad. Draco's hugs barely compared to the love in the arms of her mother.

When Vivienne pulled away, Cilwenu felt tears streaming down her face, and tucking beneath her chin. She trembled, and stammered, unable to find the words to say. Her mother was more beautiful than she was described. It was breathtaking.

"What is the matter? Isn't this what you wanted? To see your mother?" Vivienne asked.

Cilwenu shook, then nodded, and shook again. "Am I dreaming, or am I…"

"You're not dead, if that's what you were wondering."

"Good… I guess." Cilwenu fell back, and was shocked when a solid white chair appeared out of nowhere beneath her.

Vivienne sat down next, stroking her daughter's arm, "You are hurt. I know you are… here I can still tell. This is a place of happiness… but still… you break the barrier and you show me that you're more hurt than you've ever been."

"I don't know what I am right now…" Cilwenu told her. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rest her chin over her knees. Cilwenu breathed in and out heavily.

Vivienne smiled, "You look more like Severus when he was fourteen." she said.

"I don't look like you at all?" Cilwenu sort of pouted. She tilted her head to the side, watching as Vivienne brushed another strand away from her eyes.

"You remind me of myself sometimes. I watch the way you go through your life. That boy… he is something else." Vivienne smiled more, making Cilwenu more and more comfortable with being around a stranger.

Cilwenu blushed slightly, "Draco…"

"The Malfoy family is well known… even I knew Lucius when I was growing up. He was such a foul git… but he was a genuine friend to his loved ones. Draco is like him through and through. I can see it."

Cilwenu blushed at the thought. She wanted so much to tell her mother about the hardships, the ups and downs, and about her dear friends. All the gossip any other normal mother and daughter would share, she wanted to say. But, to Cilwenu, she just wanted to know why she wasn't there… Why her mother never stopped her own future.

"You can see the future… yes?"

"It matters not now if I can see the future… but I still do. It's different when you're dead, my love. There are so many complications, I cannot begin to tell you what that means." Vivienne reached out and touched Cilwenu's cheek.

Cilwenu nodded, leaning into the softness of her mother's warm palm. Cilwenu took her hand into her own, and sighed deep. "I want to know the truth…"

Vivienne hummed, "The truth?"

"Why did you want me to forget you? Why… how did you not know how you were going to die?"

"You know the truth. Severus told you the truth." Vivienne stated.

"How did you die?" Cilwenu pressed, "I just want to know… if nothing else you owe me that right. Tell me how you died before I wake up and never see you again."

"No one said you'll never see me again."

"Tell me… please just tell me."

"You're a beautiful young lady. And I love you." Vivienne smiled, standing from where she and Cilwenu sat. She reached one last time, twirling a strand of Cilwenu's hair around her index finger. Slowly, the hair fell back into place, and Cilwenu watched her mother walk away into a light brighter than she could comprehend.

Cilwenu turned on her side when the sun peeked through green curtains partially opened. She groaned out of frustration, hoping that, maybe, she still had at least an hour left until breakfast. Much to her misfortune, Cilwenu heard the constant shuffling of her roomates, and the obnoxiously loud footsteps provided by Millicent.

If I ever had a time to be mean to the poor girl, it would definitely be now. Cilwenu told herself. Slowly, she sat up straight, wiped her eyes, and yawned. It was too early that morning to function, but Cilwenu caught something in the corner of her eye that peeked her interest.

A letter? She came again, picking up a small piece of parchment. Her knees pressed against her chest, and Cilwenu shivered when a strand of her hair slid across her shoulder.

Cilwenu,

Some things are harder for me to understand, considering I never had to go without my mom. I'm sorry about whatever happened to yours. I'm not one for emotional breakdown support. I apologize.

You'd better come to breakfast.

-Draco Malfoy

Cilwenu shook her head, looked around the room, and smiled to herself. Despite the unanswered questions lingering in her brain, Cilwenu dragged herself out of bed, grabbed her uniform, and headed for the showers.

"Going somewhere, Snivellus?" Pansy said, popping out from the shadows and stopping Cilwenu in front of the bathroom door.

She was out of the required Hogwarts sleep attire, brandishing her curves with a spaghetti strapped cream tank top and a pair of barely legal black shorts. Her hair was a mess on her head, but she'd already applied way too much make-up for her complexion. She smirked, and it was horrendous.

Cilwenu tried to push herself into the bathroom.

"Ah, ah, ah. It is rude not to answer someone when they ask you a question."

Cilwenu smirked back, "Why don't you ask someone who will answer then?"

"Because you're more fun to taunt."

"Flaunting what you obviously do not have is not a threat to me. There are no boys around, and certainly, by now, you should know that Draco wants nothing to do with you in that way ever again. If I remember correctly, he left you for me. Does that ring a bell?"

Pansy's scowl was no better than her smirk, and she pulled out her wand from the back of her shorts. With one swift motion, Cilwenu found herself backed up against the other wall, a wand thrust against her skin with so much pressure that she was sure it would bruise. There was hurt written all over Pansy's expression, and Cilwenu didn't feel bad at all about it.

"I felt sorry for you when Draco broke up with you, but don't stand there with that smug attitude and try to get me to feel sorry for myself. Draco will always have me. Whether you like it or not. I was his first love, and I bet you know it's true." She hissed, pressing the tip of her wand even harder into Cilwenu's neck, "Why else would he keep me around?"

"Step off your narcissistic disposition. Every one is sick of the way you try too hard." Cilwenu bit. She forced Pansy off of her, knocking the caramel-colored girl into a small stack of towels next to the bathroom door.

Pansy growled, but said no more, and Cilwenu granted herself the victory as she finally walked away.

Even though she might feel slightly guilty after she thought about it a little more.

"Pansy pretty much skinned my hide this morning when I walked into the common room." Blaise muttered, trying not to let the girl hear him.

Draco turned to look at his longtime friend, tilting his head partially to look at Pansy, who was absorbed in conversation with Daphne Greengrass. The platinum blonde shrugged his shoulders.

Blaise did as well, "She was going on about Snape."

"Professor Snape?"

Cilwenu giggled inwardly at Draco's obliviousness, which made him look in her direction. She munched happily on some cubed cheese, an innocent look in her wide eyes.

Draco cocked on brow over the other, "About you, then."

"What about me?"

"Was something wrong with Pansy this morning?"

Cilwenu shrugged her shoulders, "I may have made her a wee bit angry with me." she told him.

Draco sighed, "Not only has she lashed out at Blaise, but the moment she gets a chance to snag me in the halls, I am going to get an earful. It's always something with you when it comes to her. Constant moaning and groaning."

"Why do you bother with her in the first place?" Cilwenu said in a harsh tone, preparing herself for rant, "I mean, she is manipulative, obsessive, and it's been said she can be quite mental when it comes to certain boys. Especially you!" Cilwenu bit back, "Ever since I came to Hogwarts, she has done nothing but try to make my life a living hell. You want me to keep standing back and letting her push me around like she does with Millicent Bulstrode, or Daphne Greengrass? Well, I am terribly sorry for not wanting the same things."

Blaise and Draco exchanged glances, but Blaise rolled his eyes, not knowing whether he wanted to continue on in the conversation or not. He merely turned his attention back to his plate of eggs and crepes.

Draco set down his fork, folded his arms across his chest, and cleared his throat, "She is my friend."

"She is your ex girlfriend! Not to mention your first love-"

"First love?" He'd said it so loud that a couple of specific Gryffindors stopped eating and looked across to the Slytherin table curiously.

Pansy's attention had been tugged as well, and she looked back at the platinum blonde and dark-haired boy and girl. Draco ducked his head, clenching those hands into fists.

Cilwenu only looked at him with one of the most serious stares she could muster.

"She is not my first love. Who put that bloody thought in your mind?"

"Who else?"

He laughed this time, a hearty laugh. So unlike Draco. "You said it yourself two minutes ago, Cilwenu… Pansy is mental when it comes to me. She will say anything if it means she can pluck every last one of your nerves until you snap."

Cilwenu swallowed. She poked at the other small cheese cubes, suddenly feeling the guilt rush into her head like a windstorm. She couldn't run out of the Hall from embarrassment, and she certainly didn't want to start a heated argument with Draco anymore.

"So, please. Do not take it out on me for whatever the witch says to you. I have no control of what she says. I suggest a langlock spell the next time she opens her mouth around you."

It was a shocking thing for him to say, really. Langlock sounded so delightful, that Cilwenu wished she had thought about it earlier that morning. It seemed even better to cast it upon herself… at least after breakfast. (to prevent further mouthing off)

Cilwenu knew the conversation ended there, and she turned to look over to the Yellow and Red table with cautious eyes. There sat Althea, directly across from her, but still on the other side of the room, staring with baby blue eyes as she sat next to Seamus Finnigan.

Harry and Hermione sat on either side of the couple, waving, while Ron and Lavender proceeded in snogging.

There's a little more heat between Pansy and Cilwenu. I might make Cilwenu a little more harsh when it comes to making a point, or, in this case, mouthing off to her rival.

Anyways, I wanted to declare to you, my readers (who I hope are still present), that when I listen to Under the Sheets, by Ellie Goulding, it reminds me of Draco and Cilwenu. Never mind the two-part lemon I have based on that song (even though the girl is not Cilwenu.) Just a little random stuff.

I hope you guys are still reading. Reviews stopped at chapter 21, and that made me a little paranoid… I apologize with the delays. That's something I can't quite have control of without internet. (and I havent been on the internet as much as I'd like to be lately…)

WOW! i got on my wifi hotspot and it ZOOMED! i might just be able to update a little more frequently!