Aster spent the rest of the night glaring at Io until she finished her food. Under her watchful eye, Io spitefully waved around the last bite, ignoring the urge to admit she really needed to eat and finally felt satiated. Sleep fell on the rest of Slytherin house, quiet and still. The twins stayed awake, slowly coming out of the fog that hovered over their heads.

"When you're ready, get dressed."

Io scoffed. "It's like 11pm. Where exactly are we going?"

Aster tied her hair up loosely, stray blonde strands falling onto her shoulders. "Harry mentioned something about a room that only appears when you ask for something specific. Somewhere in the Astronomy Tower. I want to see it, and maybe we can use it to practice."

Io groaned, stretching her poorly used muscles after days in bed. "And what are we practicing for…"

Aster threw a stray sock at her sister's head. "All that sleep rotted your brain. You need to start Occlumency training right away. I hate to say it, but it might do you some good to try using the Unforgivable Curses. I don't think Voldemort will accept you if you don't."

"Aster, I'm not going to kill anyone. And I'm part Occlumens, in case you forgot."

"But you need to know what it feels like to use one of them," she pulled Io out of bed then rummaged through her trunk, tossing a jumper and jeans up. "Occlumency is more important, and only finishing half of your training means nothing. Let's see what happens with the Room of Requirement first, and then we'll figure it out later."

Once they were both ready, they snuck out of the Slytherin common room. Since Aster had no patience to become an Animagus, there was no point in Io using hers. Thankfully, there was no sign of Filch, and as long as they stayed quiet, the portraits paid them no mind. After a Confundus charm or two later, they were alone in the Astronomy Tower, circling back and forth between several empty walls.

"Harry couldn't have been a little more specific with his directions?" Io rolled her eyes. She raised her wand, "Lumos."

"Well, I can't imagine he was going to just whip out some parchment and draw me a map." Aster knocked on one of the stone walls. "Maybe if we try different walls, something will happen."

Io walked further ahead. "Wait," she looked out to the stairs where she would normally spend her sleepless nights.

She recognized it now. This was where Harry caught her conversation with Draco. At the time, she thought he'd appeared out of nowhere, but he must have come out from -

"It's this one." Io pointed her wand.

Aster caught up to her. "How can you be so sure? Did something happen?"

"No. But I hope I'm wrong." She nodded towards the wall. "Go on - ask for something."

Aster closed her eyes, and they waited. Io kept her eyes steady on one stone as if willing for it to open. After a few more seconds, the stone started to crumble away, as if dissolving into a large door with large iron handles.

"Did it work?" Aster opened one eye.

Io pushed the door open, and they were met with a large empty room. The walls were plated with glass, and there was a row of five dueling practice dummies. On the other side were two velvet chairs facing the other, and a chess set was placed in between them, hovering in the air.

"Remind me to thank Harry." Io chuckled. "I believe we've just found our Room of Requirement."

Aster walked over to the chess set. Trying to topple one of the pieces over, she realized they were stuck to the board. "This must be for Occlumency. I don't think the pieces will move unless you do it nonverbally. Honestly, that's brilliant."

"And these," Io poked one of the dummies. "Are for training. Though I doubt I can test the Imperius curse on something insentient."

Aster looked over her shoulder. "How did you know this was it? It could have been one of fifty empty walls…"

"The other night when Harry saw me and Draco talking, I came down from the tower, and I saw Draco standing in front of this wall. Harry must have known he was up to something, but he didn't expect I'd also be there. I don't think the room will open for someone who doesn't need it for the same reason."

"What do you think he's using it for?"

"Whatever it is, Harry is also trying to figure it out." Io kicked the dummy backward. "And I don't think his room looks anything like this."

Aster huffed. "Let's get out of here. I know you've been sleeping all day, but my bed is calling me as we speak."

The twins hurried back to the common room, avoiding several Prefects who were lurking in front of the library. It was past midnight, and getting back seemed more urgent than ever. Now that they figured out how the Room of Requirement worked, they felt a little relieved. Aside from being able to practice, there was a more private spot for them to wind down and figure out how to best approach Dumbledore's task. Io would finish Occlumency and keep the Dark Lord out of her head, and Aster would perfect her dueling skills.

With this brief positive moment, Io's mood was definitely brighter. She was looking forward to getting back to brewing potions during her free period, and the thoughts that had been plaguing her for the past week started to fizzle into background noise.

Most of what she'd been thinking about was how she regretted the time she spent trying to forget her parents existed. Though Uncle Altair did his best to regale them with tales of their mother's beauty and their father's wit, there were those days when she resented them for leaving - not that they had a choice. She often wondered if it was better to think they were dead all these years instead of being in Azkaban.

Lucius Malfoy's face would flash through her mind at times. The way he spoke was so cold, and he was taunting her in her dreams. He knew exactly what to do to get their parents to surrender themselves to the Dark Lord. It was all a cruel twisted game. The alternative would have meant their parents really did believe in blood purity and the suppression of Muggles, but she shook that notion from her head. Uncle Altair did what he could to teach them about Muggles, and even went as far as to help them appreciate their arts, their sweets, and the many beautiful things they created that wizards often ignored.

Io had faith in her parents, though she struggled to maintain it. All their lives, Uncle never once tried to feed them anything about blood purity. They knew they were Pure-bloods, but it was the last thing she'd think to describe herself as. There were many other ways to describe her.

Then there were other thoughts of the woman in the room with them at Malfoy Manor. She didn't know the woman's name, but it must have been Draco's mother. While their mother was distraught, his mother couldn't spare a glance, all of her attention on her infant son who'd grown up in a house where the Dark Lord was just another figure in their lives. Was she just as awful as her husband? Was she as cruel? And would she turn violent at the thought of her only son turning his back on their family?

Aster headed straight for the dormitory, muttering to herself about how long she'd been awake. Io waved her off, electing to sit in the common room while she waited for the familiar fog of sleep to find her again. She sat on the floor, reigniting the dying embers of the fireplace. She watched as it crackled, the small sounds creating a calming hum.

Being separated from her sister was never part of the plan - whatever plan it was before it became this. And yet, with each day they spent at Hogwarts, she could see Aster growing into something stronger than ever before. While there would always be a fear that something terrible would happen, she knew Aster would find a way out of it.

"You're awake."

Io nearly jumped from the sudden intrusion. "What are you doing here?"

Draco stood at the bottom of the stairs, wearing a set of very plain looking pajamas. It was odd seeing him outside of his usual wardrobe. He looked a lot calmer, and perhaps a bit more human than he usually did. But still, he had that same grimace. "I'm not spending another night in the infirmary. The place reeks of Calming draught."

Io rose, suddenly very aware that she looked like she'd been in a coma for the past week. "And how are you?"

He walked over to her and sat. "Healed."

"I should go." She made her way towards the girl's dorm.

"Wait," Draco called out to her. "We need to talk."

A wave of anxiety washed over her, but Io did her best to appear calm as she sat on the other side of the couch. The last time they'd been like this was her first night at Hogwarts when she shared that memory. This felt much different. There was no more small talk, just glances and uttered words.

"Very well, then. Talk."

"What happened in the bathroom," his eyes lowered. From the moment he opened his eyes at the infirmary, there was only one question he wanted to ask. He hadn't seen her in days, not out of her choice but his own. "How did you know?"

"I didn't." Io looked away. "I just… found you."

Draco's demeanor softened at how simple her answer was. He fiddled with his fingers, searching for a response. "I suppose I owe you thanks."

"I'll save you the trouble of trying to say it outloud, and just say 'you're welcome'."

Draco didn't hide his disbelief well. Of course, she couldn't have known any of that would happen, but still, he'd never once expected anyone to save him in any capacity, whether it be in academics or in life. Blaise was the one who planted the dreaded thought in his head. Out of all the years he'd been okay with messing around, this was someone he wanted for more than a moment.

He wanted to ignore it - that burning sensation in his chest when she was near. Even being here with her, he had to resist every urge that he would normally never hold back on.

"Why did you do it?"

Io almost laughed. "Is this a real question? You're seriously asking me why I ran in there?"

Draco didn't answer; he just stared.

"I was worried something bad would happen, I suppose."

"I don't understand why you worry about me. You could've just left me there, and no one would have ever known it happened."

"What, and just let you die? Draco -"

"Why do you care!" He abruptly stood, towering over her. "It's nothing. We are nothing. We can't be anything past this - two people in the same room. That's all."

Io rose, for once unable to keep the frustration off her face. "For God's sake, Draco, I can't stand you sometimes!"

He was taken aback by her outburst, but stood his ground to mirror her. "Why can't you just stop giving a damn about me? It's ridiculous, you're always around! You're always there just -"

"Just what exactly? In case you haven't realized, you kissed me. I didn't ask you to heal me that day, and I sure as hell didn't expect you to barge into Slughorn's Christmas party like a fool. If I hadn't…"

"Hadn't what?" Draco moved closer, his breath now trickling down her face. "You should've just let me get caught, and then you and Potter could have a good laugh."

"What do you want from me?" Her voice dropped in a poor attempt to control her tone. "You can't tell me not to care about you, and then have a problem about who I associate with. You kiss me out of the blue, and then you can't stand to be near me. You try to tell me things about your life, and then you disappear for days. Draco, you - you nearly died in my arms, and I swear, the way you looked at me -"

"I didn't ask you to be there!"

"So what! Do you want me to apologize? Do you want me to regret giving a damn about you? Do you expect me to swallow my pride when you can't even let yours down for one second? I chose to be there! Hasn't anyone ever chosen you before?"

Draco couldn't bring himself to answer. He scowled as she just stared.

"Don't make me out to be a fool, Draco Malfoy." Io gently pushed him back. "The worst thing you could ever do is make me feel like I made a mistake."

Before she could leave, he grabbed her arm, pulling her back in front of him. He gripped onto her shoulders, keeping her still. He looked frustrated, doing his best to keep himself from yelling and waking the entire dormitory. "You don't want… You can't be near me."

Io's voice shrunk to a whisper. "I don't know what you want from me." She scoffed, wiping a tear before it could roll down her cheek. "Say we can't be near each other, say we can't be together in whatever fucked up capacity all of this is, and I will go. Tell me you want nothing to do with me and see me no more."

Draco shook his head, still squeezing her tightly. "That's not what I meant. I can't explain. I didn't ask for this. If there was another way, then it would be different."

"I didn't ask for any of it either. Tell me this," She pushed his hands off her shoulders and grabbed him by the collar. "If I were to leave you right now, would you find me?"

Draco's expression softened. It wasn't easy seeing her in distress. He swore she radiated pain, and it made the temptation to hold her stronger than it was before.

"If I walked away right now, would you be content knowing these are the last words we ever said to each other - or would you come find me?"

Io meant it when she told Aster that she couldn't say it aloud. The fear of knowing the depth of her feelings terrified her more than anything, but she knew, in this small way, that she could find him in the darkness as long as that feeling kept growing stronger. The care was spilling into a word that she wouldn't dare say for fear of her pride collapsing beneath her. She prayed he knew. This was the only way she knew how to tell him how much she cared - how she, in her own way, loved him.

Draco placed his hand on hers, dropping it down to her side.

"I know you hate it," she shut her eyes. "Even I hate it sometimes. I can't tell you why I care, I just do. I can't tell you everything I felt when I saw you in pain that day. And I don't know how else to say it, so please just answer or let me leave. If you won't find me, then I'm gone."

There was a moment where the silence said the most. In Io's head, she was pleading for an answer, and in Draco's he was overwhelmed. From the silence, he knew what she meant though he didn't know how. This was the same silence that fell over them the first time she let him see her thoughts, the silence that cloaked them when they kissed, and it was the silence that rang in his ears as he looked up at her from the bathroom floor, cold and trembling. The silence was her warmth. It was the only comfort they both shared because neither of them wanted to break the barrier between them and the outside world. It was in this silence, that she was able to find him through all the noise.

There was a war in his head - the war between the inevitable, of the Dark Lord's wishes, and his crumbling discipline. The only love he'd ever seen, ever experienced, was from his parents, and the love between his mother and father was nothing like this. Years of seeing how their love was built on pride and accomplishment taught him that it was something he would find when someone worthy of him fought for a place by his side. Io did none of that. She let him see beneath her pride and her walls. It was the one place his pride faded away if only to see her clearly.

Draco placed his hand on Io's cheek, tapping her skin with his thumb. When she opened her eyes, he was there, stoic and resolute.

She gripped the buttons on his shirt, and pulled him closer. Her lips landed on his, soft and gentle. They stood like that, connected, breathing each other in until they had to come up for air. Draco pulled her back, hand on the back of her neck, and kissed her again until her scent lingered on his cheeks. The pitter-patters of her small whimpers called to him like a siren song.

Io was the first to pull away. She let go of his shirt, now wrinkled and warm from her grip.

Draco's hand was still on her neck. He tangled his fingers in her hair, tugging ever so slightly.

"Listen to me," he whispered. "There will be a day when I can't be here - like this - with you. It's… not what I want."

Io held onto his waist. "Answer me. Or we're just wasting more time."

She was right. Draco didn't want to waste another second. Even now, standing here, the clock wouldn't stop for him, no matter how badly he wanted it to. He was getting closer and closer to accomplishing the Dark Lord's mission, and all he wanted was to be here, in her arms.

"No more wasted time then." The grip on her neck tightened. "But -"

"- but when the day comes, I'll understand."

"And when it's all over," he rested his lips on her forehead. "I'll find you."