19th December 2002

Winter had come suddenly that year and for the first time in years Draco was excited about Christmas. He whistled a tune as he walked around the Manor leisurely. Astoria was spending the holidays with her family, she would be moving to her family home the next day. Draco had met her the day before as tonight was a boy's night out. Teddy would be arriving the next day to spend 3 days with him before going to Potter's home. He would obviously be coming back for lunch on Christmas. Life had taken a happy turn for Draco Malfoy and he couldn't be more grateful.

He wandered about killing time, when he came across that room. The door was locked, like always but everything came rushing back to Draco. The way Bellatrix had shoved him in, the way his father had tried to stop her but failed. The way she had lashed out at everyone, injuring both his parents, Professor Snape and two other death eaters. He remembered how she had chased him around the room, like a predator playing with its prey before going in for the kill. Draco stood rooted at the spot, finding it difficult to breathe till Blaise clapped his shoulder, making him jump.

"Woah! I had been calling your name for a while now. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing, just taking a walk."

"In your own home?"

Draco shrugged, before continuing down the hall to reach the fireplace, so that they could floo to the DragonFire which was famous for its quirky cocktail mixes. Blaise fell in step with Draco. "You were staring at that door, like you had seen a ghost. I stood there for a minute before getting your attention."

Draco nodded, not really wishing to comment on it. His head reeled with image after image of torture. Blaise pulled his hand to stop him. "Just so you know, it wasn't your fault. You were caught in a tight spot and you did the best you could. Okay?"

Draco nodded, trying to let go of the memories as he exhaled loudly. "You ready for a night of drunken revelry?" Blaise asked with a mischievous smile. Draco grinned. Draco, Theo and Blaise had made it a ritual of sorts to meet at least once in a month. It helped them, though they generally discussed business and sports and gossiped a little about their other house mates; it was a happy change of sorts for all of them.

It was around 2:00 in the morning when the three ex-slytherins walked out of a rundown pub in Diagon Alley. They had started the evening as civilized individuals at the DragonFire restaurant. But restaurant closed down at midnight, so they left and entered the first pub they could see. The three friends staggered to the park next to the pub. Blaise immediately claimed a swing, swinging lightly as he sang "He is a jolly good fellow." Draco grinned as he squatted on the grass, his back resting on the leg of a bench, as he looked up to admire the stars. Theo sat on the bench staring straight ahead of him and as he hummed the same song Blaise was singing. The three friends sat in silence for a while.

"Daphne wants a child." Theo said suddenly.

Blaise dragged his feet to stop swinging and stared at Theo. Draco continued to gaze at the stars not really fazed by the idea, Daphne and Theo had been married for two years now.

"Don't you think, you are a bit too young?" Blaise asked.

Theo shrugged. "What do you want?" Draco asked not bothering to loom away from the stars.

"I don't know, I don't think Daphne and I are mentally prepared for a child, right now."

Draco looked at Theo, quirking an eyebrow.

"I am a healer Draco. I still have to deal with patients who are suffering from the after effects of the war. I still have to deal with people, I helped torture. I- I- still can't sleep at night. Daphne has trouble sleeping too. A baby needs a lot of patience. I don't think we are emotionally prepared to do right by a baby."

Draco nodded in understanding.

"But Theo if that is your reason for not having a baby. Do you think, you will ever be emotionally prepared enough for a baby?" Blaise asked.

Theo sighed. His silence being the answer. He didn't know what to say.

"If I may, Theo." Draco started, "I know where your concern is coming from. But from what I have experienced with Teddy. A child is what is right with the world and they help heal you, at least Teddy helped heal me."

"That is all fair Draco. But will you, consciously bring a child to the kind of world that we live in?" Theo asked softly.

"But everyone knows that we helped protect the students at Hogwarts." Blaise interjected.

"Yes but they don't really want to believe it. Draco and I are death- eaters by association and that won't change. What is the point of inflicting such blame and hate on an innocent child?"

"But that doesn't mean that we give up." Blaise argued. "Draco, back me up here. It really doesn't mean that we stop loving and living. The muggleborns and half- bloods would have been wiped out had they believed in this during both the wars."

Draco sighed. "Theo is not wrong Blaise. Why would we want to bring our children to a world that hates them?" Blaise opened his mouth to argue but Draco held his hand up. "But Theo, you must understand, that only our children could help end the hate. We can raise them to be different from us. To show the world that they are different from us, our children will forge their own future. Teddy is a living proof of the times that are changing. Just think about it, you don't need to have a child right now. But don't let hate be a reason to not have a child at all."

Theo nodded thoughtfully before checking his watch. His eyes bulged. "Daphne would kill me!" He exclaimed loudly, "It's almost 3:00 in the morning."

Blaise laughed, "You are whipped." He said teasingly.

"Oh yeah?" Theo countered, "Wait till you are married this December, we will talk about whipping then."

Draco and Blaise laughed. The three men shook hands with each other Blaise and Theo turned on the spot to apparate home and Draco was left behind all alone. Where was his home? Where could he go? He didn't want to go back to the manor. He knew his night would be plagued with nightmares. It was too late to go to Andromeda's place and sleep on Teddy's rocking chair. As- Astoria! He could go to her. She was a healer, she would know how to make it all go away, with that thought in mind, Draco turned on the spot.

Astoria was woken up by the frantic ringing of her call bell. She rolled out of bed, almost losing her balance and looked at the bedside clock. It was almost 3:15 in the morning. She swore, promising to herself that whoever it was better had a good reason to wake her up at this ungodly hour or she would hex him into oblivion. Grumbling to herself she opened the door to find Draco Malfoy hanging on the door frame.

"Draco?!"

"Astoria!" He exclaimed happily and before she could so much as move a muscle he grabbed her face and pulled her in for a kiss.

"What are you doing here? At this hour?" She asked him as soon as he released her face.

"I. Couldn't. Sleep." He replied cheerfully, punctuating each word with a kiss. He then grabbed her hand and pulled her to her bedroom.

"Draco, are you alright?" Astoria asked in alarm, as he pulled her along.

"I am fine." He slurred, "I promise I won't do anything. I just want to sleep." He said turning to face her, his eyes full anguish, haunted by demons of his past. "I-I- I won't worry you or anything. Will you just make me sleep? I just want to sleep." He choked, his filling with unshed tears.

She sighed, "Oh Draco!" she said, as she stepped near him, engulfing him in a hug. Draco dropped his head to her neck, kissing it softly. Electricity and compassion coursed through Astoria in equal measures. She wanted to make his pain go away but she somehow, desired him even in his despair.

She pulled him to her bed. He flopped down on one side and watched her steadily with heavy lidded eyes as she walked around the bed to get to the other side. She got under the sheets and laid out an arm for him. "Come here." She said softly. She was smaller than Draco but somehow she was able to pull him in her arms, lay his head between her neck and shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her body. Draco buried his head in her arms, the shadow of his beard tickling her skin. He kissed her skin lightly. Her arm gripped his shoulder as her other hand caressed his hair. She kissed his hair.

His hands travelled down the side of her waist till it reached the hem of her shirt. He pulled it up, resting his hand on the exposed skin. Astoria sucked in a sharp breath. Draco continued placing feather light kisses on her neck and collarbone and there was only so much that she could take. She pulled his face to hers, crashing her lips against his in need. They kissed each other hungrily, moving in tandem. Draco was now on top of her kissing her neck, face, lips with a passion that matched her own.

Her hands tugged at his shirt and he obliged, ripping his shirt away, but before she could see him, touch him, feel his skin properly, he had pulled her up in a sitting position and was tugging at her shirt. With his help she was able to pull out her shirt. In the dim light of the night lamp on the side of her bed, Astoria could see Draco's eyes were dark with desire as they roved over her body. She was mesmerised with his eyes, full of longing for her.

He pulled her to him, crushing his lips on her as he fell back. He flushed her body to his; the feel of her soft skin against his chest was driving him crazy. He fumbled with her bra, kissing her shoulder, as she bit his collarbone. Once the bra came off, Astoria broke their kiss and sat up, straddling him. His hands massaged her sides, as he moved them from her hips to cup her breasts and back again. She threw her head back and moaned. Slowly she opened her eyes to look at him; she blushed at the intensity in his gaze. His hands tightened around her waist.

She lowered her eyes to his chest, and saw the long white scar, starting from his shoulder and ending at the curve of his hips. She looked at Draco who was watching her cautiously. She traced the scar with her fingers as he let his head fall back with a sigh and closed his eyes. Suddenly, she was gripped with a mad desire to make him alright. She kissed every inch of that scar with a burning passion. Draco moaned, as he pulled her to him. He rolled them over, kissing her hungrily, his hands on her breasts. Before they knew it, Draco was sucking her breast as she moaned with need and desire. He kissed her stomach softly, licking her deep naval.

He looked up and she protested. "Astoria?" He asked running his hand softly between her legs, rubbing her soft core through the fabric.

"Do you have your wand?" She asked almost pleadingly.

He shook his head. "It is in my coat. I left it on your couch."

"Damn!"

"Where is your wand?"

"On the couch with your wand."

"Do you have any muggle contraceptive things?"

She shook her head. Disappointment and elation running through her in equal measures; Disappointment because she really wanted him and they wouldn't be able to be together that morning, because both refused to get away from the other's skin. Elation because he cared enough about her to want to have sex with her properly, with contraception to ensure her safety. Her trainer at Mungo's always told them that if a man refuses to use protection during sex, he was not to be trusted and dumping him would be a better option.

"Well, I was here to get some sleep in the first place." Draco said with a shrug before rolling away from her. She touched his shoulder, not ready to let him get away from her. Before they knew it, they were back in each other's arms kissing each other ardently.

"I want you so much." He whispered softly, "But I am too lazy to get out of the bed to go get my wand." He said with a lopsided grin. In reality, he just couldn't bear to part with her touch even for a few seconds. She nodded, "I know." She whispered back before kissing his ear. He laughed and pulled her in his arms. "I guess we should sleep."

She pouted, but then wriggled out of his arms and laid her arm out. "Come on then, let's sleep." He laughed, before rolling over in her arms, putting his arms around her as he ardently kissed her chest before sucking on a breast. Astoria caressed his hair, and before she knew it, he was fast asleep in her arms. His lips around her breast, sucking it in his sleep; he looked like an innocent child to her. All his worries cast away; he looked so at peace, she kissed his hair softly. They had been dating for a little over 3 weeks and people would say this is too soon but that night as Astoria pressed her lips to his hair, she realized that she was falling in love with Draco Malfoy.

AN: So, another chapter done. Please do read and review. It always helps to know what you think about it. Happy reading.

Much love,

The fishes