After a little while, we collapsed on my bed, laying beside each other. His rough fingers played with mine as I laid with my head on his arm. I glanced over his glistening body at the mirror, and sure enough my eyes were glittering, like they always did after a go.

I looked back at his face, up into his beautiful, crystal gaze, and he smiled some. "Hey, beautiful."

I giggled a little. "Hey yourself."

He pushed some of my dark hair back out of my face. "You were amazing."

I smirked some. "Me and how many other girls."

"A fair few." He smirked, then nibbled on my ear. "But you're definitely the best."

I rolled my eyes a little and pushed him back some, giving him a 'stop it' look. "I'm sure I'm not the first to have heard that line of crap."

"Well, this time I mean it!" he protested, making me giggle.

He looked at me for a few seconds. "So....want to go again?"

"Now?" I said, surprised.

"Of course, now."

I smirked nastily at him. "Please, you couldn't hold out."

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Me? You think that I can't hold out? I'm insulted at your lack of faith in my anatomy!"

I touched his face, my eyes wanting. "Prove me wrong then..." With that, I pulled his face to meet mine and we started all over again.

*~*~*~*~*~*

He held me, panting the second time.

"Whoa..." was all that I could say.

He grinned down at me. "Yeah. Told you." His fingers ghosted over my spine.

I ran my fingers over the toned lines. I don't care how wonderful my imagination was, I would have never guessed he had such a ripped, toned up body like he did. It was beautiful and wonderful under my fingers, like warm, slick silk, flawless, perfection....

"Okay, so maybe you are the best."

"Thought so," he smirked.

I pursed my lips and punched him in the chest, accidentally knocking the wind out of him.

He gasped as he rolled to my side, choking and trying to get his breath. "Wh-what the Hell?!"

I giggled some, but gave him a pointed look. "That was for being a conceited ass! See, I know I'm the best, but I played it off as whatever. I wasn't a jerk about it." I kissed his neck and his ear a little.

He rolled his eyes. "But I am the best."

"Well, I am too."

"Then I guess we are the best that there is."

I looked at him then rolled my eyes some, kissing at his jaw bone before sitting up and pulling my undergarments back on.

I didn't feel him move for a few seconds, but as I was pulling my bra straps up, I felt him get up and heard material rustling as he got his boxers back on.

I looked over my shoulder at him. "I'm so glad you're not the cuddling kind."

He chuckled a little, "I get enough of that at school.

"Ew."

"Yeah, tell me about it. The girls there all want relationships and cuddling and all of that sappy shit."

"And you still do them?" I said, slightly repulsed.

He shrugged some. "It's either that or nothing."

"Ugh, I'd sooner go without." I pulled on a night gown that I'd grabbed out of my drawer and threw my clothes from the day into my hamper basket.

He looked at me, amazed. "You'd be willing to go a year without a shag?"

I turned and looked at him, my hands on my hips. "No, I'd be willing to off of the campus to find someone."

"We can't go off campus," he protested.

I smirked. "That's why I am the Dark Lord's daughter, and you are not."

"Lucky you," he said, his tone hinting sarcasm.

"Yes," I said with a gentle sigh as I sank into the chair he had first been setting in. "Lucky lucky me."

He pulled his jeans on, silently.

"What?" I said, my eyes roaming over his bare, perfect chest. I moved to sit on the bed.

He looked at me. "I didn't say anything." He pulled his belt to fit.

His jeans hung low on those sculpted hips, and a trail of light-coloured hair ran from his navel down. I tore my eyes from the body that had made love to me and up to the face of the god to whom the body belonged.

"Draco...." was all I managed to get out.

He looked down at me, the candlelight dancing on his still-moist body. "Yeah?"

I pulled him down onto the bed with me, kissing him

He kissed me back, with, what felt like, want, longing, and passion. I kissed him more, my fingers winding into the damp silk of his hair. His arm snaked around me, his hand cupping my ass.

As we kissed like that, I found my mind wandering to places it had never been, and my heart feeling things it had never felt.

One word that came to my mind, stronger than the others was commitment.

I pulled back, breaking it. He grinned down at me, his hand in my hair, the other holding my butt.

"You have to go," I said, pulling from his grip.

He stared at me. "What, why?" He was obviously confused.

He wasn't the only one.

"You just do." I rolled off of the bed and took a breath, clearing my head. I didn't think like this, like a teenage girl who was boy crazy. That wasn't me. I need to stop. He needed to stop. Stop being so alluring and sexy. Yes. That was it. It was him, not me.

He sighed and got up, pulling his shirt on over his muscled body and grabbed his robes from the chair. He looked me over and sighed, "See you around, Layla," and headed for the door.

I fought back a groan and jumped across my bed grabbing his hand. "Draco...."

He stopped, a little startled it seemed, and turned to look back down at me. His face was light and playful, his soft lips, pulled up into smile as he laughed at me. "Yeees?"

"Don't leave angry at me. I need friends." I climbed over my bed and stood before him, biting the inside of my cheek.

He laughed again. "I'm not angry, Layla. The Dark Lord will kill me if he sees me here."

I nodded some. "I know, that's why I said you should go."

He pulled me to his chest, kissing me deeply, then let me go. "See you."

"Bye," I called gently after him.

I shut the door behind him, locking it. I lay my forehead against the cool, smooth wood, taking deep breaths in and out, trying to figure what the hell was wrong with me.

"Don't ever do that again with me in the same room."

I screamed a little and jumped, whipping around to see Bo's head poking out from under my bed. "Merlin, don't do that to me, Bo!"

He gave a hissing chuckle and crawled up my bed post, getting eye level with me. "I didn't mean to scare you, but that was uncalled for. Do you know how much trouble you'll be in if your father finds out about that?"

I waved my hand dismissively, pulling off my sheets and throwing them into the hamper as well, hoping I could get them clean myself before the house elves did it. (If there was one thing I hated more than muggles, it was house elves.)

I put new sheets on my bed and got under them, pulling the big, puffy green comforter up over me, as I looked at Bo, propped up on one elbow.

"He doesn't care what I do."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, Layla."

"Oh, stop worrying your scaly little head about it. I'm exhausted." I fell down into the pillows, pulling the down material up over my head, my arms around my pillow, hugging it tight to my chest.

As I closed my eyes, I pretended not to hear him hiss, "I'm sure you are."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I spent about a month in that manor, alone. Well, not so much alone in the fact that I had Father and a few of his loyalists, but alone as in the only girl, and the only teenager.

Fenir Greyback stayed with my father. He was a big, burly werewolf. He actually made me uneasy, not scared, just...uneasy. He looked like he could rip me apart with one tug and that thought made me not want to be around him more than I needed to be.

Also, in that time of being alone, my father took a sudden interest in my room and laundry, wanting to make sure I was dressing in a fashion that would be pleasing to him. He torched most of my pants and jeans, leaving me with my skirts. I didn't mind, since it's what I wore most anyways, but I had liked a lot of those pants. He also got to my dirty laundry before me, and saw my sheets. I made up some lame excuse, but he wouldn't hear it and smacked me across the face, his ring cutting into the side of my face, threatening anyone who came near me.

Needless to say, I was grateful for the meeting that came up and he was too preoccupied to deal with me.

I slipped into the meeting, setting down drinks for a few of them as it started, then fell into my place, standing behind my father's seat.

I looked around at them as he droned on and on. My eyes settled on Draco and he gave me a small smile. I dropped my eyes, my injured cheek towards him. When I looked back up, he was paying attention again, and acting as if I were a part of the wall, just like I wished I could be.

I sighed some, leaning against the wall, praying for a quick meeting so I could leave.

To my relief, it was a short meeting. I pushed myself to stand up and took a step towards the door.

"One more thing this evening, before you are dismissed to dinner or to your homes. I want to make this perfectly clear. My daughter is off limits." I froze, my eyes huge. "The breaking of these boundaries are punishable by death. She will be treated with the same respect that all of you show me."

My eyes flicked over to Draco, and I could see his face pale. There were mutters of acknowledgment, while a few younger members looked terrified.

None quite so much as Draco, though. He had gone past pale and was looking slightly green.

He looked them over, then said quietly, "Go."

I clenched my hands into fists to keep my hands from shaking. I walked slowly, lagging as the last one in the room.

From the hall, I heard Father speaking. "Young Malfoy, why are you still waiting around?"

I stayed at the door, my ear pressed to it, listening.

"I was going to ask Ms. Riddle if it were possible to borrow her spell book. I was...just curious to learn more." His voice sounded a lot stronger, a lot more confident than he had looked just a few moments ago when he was basically given a death sentence.

"Layla!" Father yelled.

I pulled the door open and hurried into the hall. "Yes, Father?"

"Show Mr. Malfoy your collection that I've bought you."

I nodded and bowed my head. "Of course, Father."

I didn't look at Draco, only headed up to my room, Draco following me.

When I was sure my father could no longer hear or see us, I heaved a huge sigh. I opened my door, and let him in, then locked it behind us.

About two seconds after that, I felt a warm, gentle hand on my face, pulling it up to looking into that of an angel's.

"Did he do that to you?" Draco asked softly, turing my face slightly so he could examine the cut.

I sighed and pulled away from him some. "Yes, he did."

"I'm so sorry, Layla. I didn't think he'd find out."

"It's fine. It was punishment...for something else." I flopped onto my bed.

He nodded some. "Like what?"

I bit my lip. "He....found my sheets..."

"Then he did find out!"

I looked up at him from my bed. "He doesn't know who it was, just that it was."

"I'm still sorry he hurt you because of me."

"It didn't hurt," I pointed out, and got up, going to my bookcase, scanning the titles.

"He's pretty pissed about this isn't he?" he noted.

I looked over at my shoulder at him. He had his hands deep in his pockets, and was looking around, taking in what had changed since the previous month.

"He'll forget all about it in a day or two."

He chuckled some, then sighed. "I guess that means your definitely not allowed out now."

I gave him a weird look, wondering what that was supposed to mean. "I guess not. You're allowed here." I found the book I'd been looking for and plucked it from the shelf.

The soft black leather it was bound in felt familiar as my fingers grazed over it.

"Yeah, but I'll die if he finds us, remember?" His voice drifted over to me, sounding almost scared.

I looked over at him and tossed the book at him, and he caught it lightly. He had the reflexes of a Quidditch player. "Thanks," he said lightly.

I nodded some. "There are some good ones in there. Take care of it, it's my favorite."

He gave me a small smile. "Will do."

We stared at each other, not sure how to act. "You'd...better go, Draco," I said finally, breaking the deafening awkwardness.

"Yeah, I should. It's getting late anyways, Mum will be worried. See you next meeting."

I walked to the door to unlock it and let him out. He stepped over the threshold and turned around. He took my hand it kissed it quickly, "Thanks again," then vanished.

I shut and locked my door again, leaning on it, my hand still tingling from where his silky lips had touched.