*Danni's POV*

I leaned across the table, trying to get him to look at me. He refused to look up from his Potions Book, deep in thought. "Draco, please, I know something is wrong. You need to let me in," I moaned. He slammed his book shut, inhaling deeply.

"If I did, you would hate me," he said simply. Standing from his chair, he gave me a nod and rushed out of the library. I couldn't take it anyone, he needed someone to take to, to open up, before whatever was happening with him tore him apart.

"Malfoy! You hold it right there!" I spoke assertively, raising my voice a bit. He obediently hesitated, waiting for me to catch up with him.

"I reckon we get a move on, before we get thrown out for disrupting everyone."

"That sounds fine to me, anything to get out of this dusty place."

"You're the one who followed me in here."

"Oh shut up and let's go," I giggled, managing to get him to suppress a smile.

As we exited the library, he huffed, "Well, if you're going to follow me, we might as well go somewhere private." I nodded, and I was unsure of his hostility. He never officially declared us as a "thing", so I wasn't sure if what he said at the Yule Ball was a spur-of-the-moment type of thing, or if he actually had meaning behind his words. Regardless, I was aware of my feelings towards him and that's all that mattered.

He led me up a staircase and into a hidden corridor. He took a seat on a windowsill, hidden from the view on anyone using the main hallway. I sat next to him, twiddling my fingers. We both sat in silence, and I wanted him to speak to me so badly. When I was on the brink of desperation, he finally spoke. "Do you ever feel like you're on the wrong side?" He uttered, not looking up from the floor.

"I'm not entirely sure what you mean, Draco," I said, not expecting such a deep question.

"Like, we're doing things for all the wrong reasons? Like the ideals you held before aren't as important as they once were?"

"Yes, in some ways. This year has changed my way of thinking surely."

"Why did it change?"

"I realized that your background doesn't exactly determine your character," I murmured softly, finally having our eyes meet.

"And who did you have this revelation about?" Draco whispered, slowly leaning in. I felt my body drift towards his and I hissed the word "you", before our lips met. My eyes close instinctively, but before I knew it, he immediately pulled away.

"Danni, I can't do this to you anymore," He exclaimed, frustrated. He jumped to his feet, but I grabbed his hand, dumbfounded.

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't know me. I'm-I'm not the guy you'd like to believe I am. If you knew of the things I have, the things I have to do, you would despise me, just like Potter." He explained, refusing to look at me directly.

"Draco, you don't understand. I'm not going to let their perspectives change the way I feel about you. They haven't been with you like I have. I know you're different-"

"I'm not, okay? I'm actually what they think I am. I do care about you, but I need to end this. I need to end this before I seriously hurt you, because if I did, I could never live with myself," Draco shouted, his face going red, eyes slightly watering.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say…maybe we should go back to the way things were, and stop talking. Stop seeing each other. It's for the better."

I clenched my fists, feeling a deep rage billowing in the pit of my stomach. Tears streaming down my face, I screamed, "Fine! I should have listened to them about you!" I slapped his chest, causing him to falter back, shocked by my sudden aggressiveness. I stared at him, shaking my head, choking on my sobs, "I thought you were different."

He opened his mouth, but I pushed past him, running out the corridor, down the staircase, all the way back to the Gryffindor Common Room. I slammed the girls' dorm room closed, since no one was in there. Everyone was still in classes, and I didn't feel like going. I shrieked into my pillow, crying harder than I ever have. I shouldn't have been sad, I should have expected this and detached myself while I still had the chance. Leave it to Malfoy to win me over.

*Draco's POV*

"Goddamn bloody hell!" I yelled, closing the Slytherin Common Room door with all my might. There was a couple Second and Third Year kids congregated on the couch, but as soon as I came in, they all turned to me in horror. "Get out! Now!" I bellowed. The children were frozen in fear, not sure what to do. "Reducto!" I shouted, blasting my spell into a small table, splintering it all over the place. The kids screamed, rushing out of the Common Room. Of course they were scared of me. I was a monster, nothing more or less. The look on their faces, was that really the emotions I wanted to bring to people? Fear? Or sadness, as I had brought to Danni? I hated myself for letting her go so suddenly, but I needed to, before it became too serious. However, I'm afraid it already had.

"I'm so stupid!" I continued, blasting random objects all throughout the room. Eventually, I fell to my knees, letting out gut-wrenching cries. The fireplace to the Slytherin Common Room crackled suddenly, and I looked up to see the outline of a face. I wiped my bleary eyes to make out my father's face. "Father, what are you doing?" I hissed, trying to calm down my breathing pattern.

"I was checking on you. Have you gotten closer to the girl?"

"Father, I-"

"We've already received news of the Ravenclaw. Such potential that is yet to be untapped. Isn't it great?"

"Father, please, you-"

"The Dark Lord is awakening, my son. If we fail to please, you do realize what will happen? The Malfoy name, destroyed. Even worse, we'd be the first of the Death Eaters to be disposed of. I'm aware you aren't officially one, but think of your mother and I…"

"Father, I can't continue this. I'm not ready for this type of deceit, nonetheless, a deceit that would end a life."

"Do you not realize that this is for the greater good? Do you not realize that the girl could ruin all our plans? She stands in the way of all our plans. The Ravenclaw could be easily influenced, which is why Parker must be disposed of."

"I refuse to take part in her death. If you want her so badly, you can find another way, but I will not be held responsible for Danni's death."

I heard my father clear and throat, and he growled, "What a shame that it had to come to this, Draco. I really thought you had grown past your petty morals. Don't worry, after the Dark Lord has risen, you will realize that you will have a huge part to play, a part I will not let you refuse. You can restore our already tainted name, Draco. Just remember that." On that note, the fire extinguished and I was left alone, cold and exhausted, completely conflicted and pained.

Hola! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it kinda sheds some light on how bad Draco's situation actually is, as well as sort of, kind of revealing some of the plot for the rest of this series. I plan on making a new story for each book, and I'd say we've got a third left in this one. Don't be shy, tell me what you guys think! I love hearing you guys' input, it's the reason I write. So thanks to all, and look out tomorrow, because I think I'll be updating again from a chapter in either Violet's or Harry's POV. Stay awesome, Gotham! -April