Sorry about this chapter being so short. I just wanted to get something out there that would go deeper into the emotions of the entire work as a whole rather than just putting out the plot all the time. I hope you like this little one! Thank you for reading! More is to come.

Malfoy Manor was dark, not a single lamp lit, one late spring evening. With all of the denizens tucked safely in bed, there was no reason for there to be any movement the middle of the night. The house-elves still had free reign though. Narcissa and Lucius had always commanded at least one to stay awake throughout the night so it could periodically check on Draco as he slept. It was something they'd done ever since he was a child to ensure his safety and his well-being.

So when Draco was awakened by the sound of footsteps in the hallway and his door clicking open softly, he knew that it was probably Kirry or one of the other elves. He closed his eyes again and tried to drift off to sleep. Except the house-elf seemed to be taking longer to get the door open—the hands kept slipping weakly as if supported by no strength to turn a doorknob. At last, the door opened and shut softly again. He sighed deeply, awaiting the sleep to gently rock him back to peacefulness. But suddenly, one side of his mattress dipped down only slightly, and a warm body pressed close into him.

Draco gasped a bit. After the war, Narcissa often spent many nights just slipping into bed beside Draco simply because it made her feel safer and more connected to her precious son. But this person was too small to fit the adult size of his mother. He turned over to see what was deciding to sleep beside him. Astoria Greengrass had entered the room and crawled into bed. In the dim light of the stars, he could see that she looked upset. He turned over fully to face her. "Dear," he whispered quietly. "Is everything alright?" Astoria buried her face into the pillows. "Astoria, what's the matter? You can tell me." he pleaded. It took a few seconds for her to draw a shaky breath in. "I-I…I wasn't feeling well and I was lonely. The two together are terrible. I t-thought maybe I could join you for some company…?" she explained. Draco smiled, a bit nervous but more happy. "Of course you can," he replied. He placed a kiss on her forehead. Astoria shuddered. "Ooh, Draco…you're so warm…."

He was quite confused by this, but was reminded quickly that Astoria's blankets had heating charms placed upon them to ensure she stayed warm—Draco's were just natural blankets. His body heat must've felt good to her feverish body. He wrapped both arms around her frail body and drew her in close. "Better?" he whispered. She nodded, thanking him. The two stayed like this in silence for a very long time.

Finally, Draco decided to speak. "We found your family," he told her. "They're safe in Poland. My mother sent a letter to them detailing your condition but also your level of safety and care. They wrote back today. They said they'll be on their way over here as soon as possible—that being tomorrow. It might take a few days. They're still moving slow for protective purposes. But just think—soon you'll be able to see them again. Isn't that wonderful?"

Astoria paused for a moment, thinking about this. "Does that mean that I'll have to leave here?"

"Well, no….not right away. My father wants them all to stay here for a while—in the manor, that is—until we're sure you're healthy enough to be moved."

"….What if I'm happy now?"

"Then you can still be happy when they come here."

"I'm happy with you,"

"Astoria, why don't you want them to return?"

"Because they might want me to leave this house, this family, as they sometimes cling to…the past. But I don't want to. I just wish there was a way to have both—you and them."

"That will be possible for a while. And just think—maybe they'll allow you to stay longer and they'll visit once they see we're…not on the wrong side anymore. Father will fix it, I promise."

Astoria snuggled even closer to him. He hugged her. The worst thing in the world to him was envisioning the day that Astoria would be separated from him—now that she'd brought that possibility to his mind, he felt more fearful than ever. Draco wanted to enjoy his time with her as much as possible so that maybe her parents would see that he wasn't a heartless Malfoy—he was a passionate Black. Maybe they'd let her stay with him. He didn't know how they'd react. But at the moment, all he wanted to do was feel every inch of Astoria's beautiful body pressed against him. Her eyes had dark shadows under them when she looked up at him. He only found it more attractive. She kissed his jawline (as this was what she could reach in her position), encouraging him wordlessly to set his hand on her slim knee beneath the silky nightgown. Draco recalled cuddling with Pansy, either on the commonroom sofa or in his own bed late at night. It had been different—forced. She liked him because of his blood status, because of his economic state. He liked her because she was what his father wanted for him; a rich, pureblood, Slytherin girl with pronounced features and enviable looks. That was about it. Here, he loved Astoria because of her beauty, her compassion, and her personality—which was far more deeper than Pansy had had to offer. Allowing Astoria to kiss him and knowing that she wouldn't pressure him into doing more or moving his hand higher up on her leg just felt so much more right. Astoria gently nuzzled her head against his chest lovingly, softly murmuring, "You make me feel so much better all the time just by being you, Draco." Oh yes. This was far better than cuddling with Pansy Parkinson.