"What do you guys want for dinner?" Harrie asked when her tummy gave a growl. She had told them about the baby house elves and Hermione had refused to let Winky cook for them when the She elf had popped into the room earlier asking what she could make for them. Harrie had had to go into the kitchen and explain to a sobbing Winky and a scowling Kreacher that they could have the night to themselves and she would cook something much to their disgust.

"What can you make?" Draco asked her, playing with a lock of her hair

"I was just going to order us takeaways or something" Harrie admitted. Hermione who had been sitting cross legged engrossed in a book, looked up smiling widely "Lets go to a pub or something"

"A muggle pub?" Ron asked sceptically, as he practiced transfiguring his discarded sneakers into wellington boots and back "What kind of food do they do?"

Hermione rolled her eyes "Normal food of course" putting her book down and standing up "It will be nice to go out"

Harrie gave Ron a condescending pat on the leg "If all else fails I'll make you egg on toast"

Ron grumbled but gave Hermione a very smitten smile when she gave him a pout "Fine"

Hermione was nearly bouncing with excitement "I know one, The Fatted Calf. It does lovely food. My grandparents used to take me there" Hermione told the group "Plus it isn't that far, we could probably walk there"

Harrie sat back, leaning into a silent Draco's side "You are ok with going to a pub eh?" she asked him, looking soft and delicious. Draco looked into her green eyes and gave an internal groan. When she looked at him like that, he could hardly so no could he? "If Hermione says it's nice, I'm happy to try it. We can always go somewhere else if it turns out unsuitable"

"Exactly! Thank you, Draco," Hermione said giving him a tentative smile and then giving Ron a smug looking one

"Fine muggle pub it is. Seamus said we need to try something called Grinus or something" Ron said getting up from the settee and stretching "I'll just go use the john before we go though"

"You mean Guinness and don't say 'use the john' it's so crass" Hermione moaned as she followed him out the room calling over her shoulder "Harrie you should change your top; it's covered in flour"

Harrie looked down at her comfortable blue jersey, brushing at the flour streaks which seemed to have set on her "She has a point" Harrie conceded "Back soon, you look perfect by the way" she said giving Draco a deep slow kiss, he grinned against her "I know"

He gave her arse a quick grope as she skipped past him. Draco followed her out the door he came to the landing and stood looking at the photographs lining it, their dark frames stark against the white walls. Most of the pictures were taken at Hogwarts.

He smiled at the picture of Harrie beaming proudly after winning her first quidditch match while a golden snitch flittered around the frame, Weasley playing chess which Harrie lost with Grangers bushy head occasionally lifting out from behind whatever book she had in her hand to briefly wave. There were pictures of Luna Lovegood, one of which he laughed aloud at because it included a solemn faced Harrie having flowers braided into her short hair by the Ravenclaw, and several of Neville Longbottom often with weird plants swaying beside him.

He stepped closer to an empty frame wondering where the occupant had gone only to have Fred and George Weasley jump into view, laughing and pointing at him, one who he (correctly) assumed was Fred giving him a glare and punching his fist into his palm in obvious warning. There were pictures of a lot of Gryffindor's and Weasleys so many Weasleys, one of Hagrid, cradling his enormous boar hound like a baby, Harrie and Granger dressed up for the Yule ball. There was a series of older photos of a couple who could only be Harries parents holding her as a new born then a few more of her sitting up, her dark hair a wild mane that had him smirking when baby Harrie blew a spit bubble and clapped as her father (who had the same short messy hair Harrie used to have) made a toy dog levitate and dance in front of her.

A photo of a young Lily Potter with long dark auburn hair, cradling a baby, her eyes closed and as if sensing someone looking her eyes opened showing ones identical to Harries, she also had her nose Draco noted. One of a teenaged Harrie with who he assumed was her godfather though he was looking much healthier than his wanted posters, one of the same man with Professor Lupin. Ones of the Harrie he knew now holding a chubby blue haired baby. All the pictures had one thing in common though, all were happy.

Captured memories of fun and love. He noticed that there were ones of her as a baby then nothing until, she started Hogwarts. He double checked, looking at each photo again to be sure. There were no childhood photographs from her age one till age eleven. He thought of his own albums that were bursting with photos of him at every age doing any number of things, his mother had always had house elves taking pictures of him, there were also numerous portraits of him and his parents. Hell, even Pansy had hundreds of photos of him all throughout their schooling, he might even have a few pictures of Harrie playing quidditch that he had for…research purposes. What had Harrie been to her family that they had never taken a picture of her? She was in essence, their child from the age of one. The lack of memories struck him as monumentally wrong. To have to think of Harrie, a girl who loved fun and happiness, who craved interactions with her friends and who seemed to value affection and kindness above all else, as a lonely child made something growl furiously inside him, aching to punish any who had wronged her.

His contemplation was ruined by the rather loud arrival of Harrie and Wea..Ron coming down the stairs. Harrie was laughing at whatever the red head had said and Draco felt that warm feeling bloom in his chest at hearing it. Seeing him Harrie gave him a radiant smile and came and stood beside him.

Ron took notice of the photos and sneeringly said "Ew what the hell did you frame that picture for?!" he pointed out depicting him and Harrie on their brooms

"What's wrong with that one? I like that one" Harrie said, looking fondly at the photo in question

"Hey! I took that one" Hermione said tersely having joined them shrugging into her coat.

"Merlin look at my skin!" Ron shrieked. It was true that during fifth year Ron had suffered from acne rather badly.

"'gusting" Ron said looking revolved "zit potions do not work for red heads!"

"Yeah you were a pimply beast that year" Harrie said dodging out the way as Ron aimed a kick at her.

"Fuck you! least I didn't have black heads polka dot nose" Ron growled

Harrie mock gasped "How dare you!"

"Can't you two act your age for five minutes. We should be going if we want to eat before eight" Hermione told them, giving them both a stern look, though as soon as she was looking the other way Harrie gave Ron a shove before jumping backwards so Draco was between her and the red head."

"Can I have a word quickly?" Draco asked, pulling on Harries hand even as her friends looked up the stairs at them

Hermione smiled empathetically "We will wait in the entrance way"

Ron however took longer to give in, and he grudgingly allowed Hermione to pull him down the stairs and out of sight.

"You could have told me" Draco said quietly when they were alone

Harrie shrugged "I don't like talking about it"

Draco wanted to groan with frustration "You let me think…I always thought you had…I'm sorry"

She looked up at him then, her green eyes wide "What are you sorry for?"

"Everything I ever said about your family, and you. Things I thought I knew about you. How you were treated. What else have I got wrong about you?"

"Nothing important I promise" Harrie said in what she thought was a joking tone but came off sounded desperate.

Draco just cupped her face and looked imploring into her green eyes, something inside himself silently begging her to confide in him, though knowing by the tensing of her against him that she wasn't ready to.

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Her three companions noticed that Harrie was quieter than usual and Draco saw that Hermione and Ron both knew how to draw her back out of whatever shell she had built up around herself since leaving the house.

He felt a gnawing ache in his chest as though he should be doing something, but he was at a los to what he was meant to do.

After a fifteen-minute walk through the icy late December air Hermione led them into a small pub and choosing a booth style table for them to sit at.

"What do you drink Draco?" Ron asked him

"I've never had ale" The blonde admitted "Is that what muggles drink?"

"I'm going to try that gittess thing" Ron told him "You want to try that too?"

"Guinness" Hermione corrected automatically as Harrie laughed at Ron's butchered attempt "That's stout, nothing like ale"

Draco wasn't any wiser, as if his father would have let him drink anything as lowly as beer, he looked at Harrie "What are you going to have?"

Harrie gave him a smile that had him longing to pull her against him "I am having a lemon lime and bitters. I don't overly like beer"

"They have whiskey if that is more your thing" Hermione suggested looking over at the black board above the bar.

"Whiskey would be acceptable thank you" Draco replied sounding relieved

"Be back in a minute" Harrie said in a very flirty tone that had Ron looking at her aghast and Hermione biting her lip to stop smiling, though Harrie just had eyes for the smirking blonde who had her rocking her hips in wantonness.

Hermione linked her arm through Harries "You are smitten Harrie"

Harrie looked back over her shoulder to see that Draco was still looking her way and she bit her lip at the smile he sent her way…YUM she gave a little shiver of anticipation and tried to explain to Hermione "I don't know, I just feel…right with him I guess. As stupid as that sounds"

"Right?" Hermione asked looking thoughtful

Harrie shrugged "Young love I guess"

Hermione looked thoughtfully at her friend back over to their table "Harrie do you ever feel like you know what he is thinking or feeling?"

Harrie laughed "What the fuck? No" she thought for a moment "Well except when he wants sex, that's rather obvious"

Hermione gave a huff and shook her head at her friend's comment. As the two girls waited at the bar there was a brief argument about money, but Hermione settled on her paying for their drinks for the night and Harrie paying for the meals.

They ordered and returned to the table and found the men discussing quidditch. Hermione rolled her eyes "God please no sport talk"

Harrie smile as she sipped her drink through her black straw, eyes on Draco as he tried his whiskey, she took it as a good sign when he took a second mouthful before putting it on the tabletop.

"Yes, sport talk! We are sitting at the same table as Britain's next star seeker" Ron blurted pointing at Harrie "Face it Hermione you are forever going to be listening to sport talk"

"I haven't even been to the try outs yet" Harrie said though she couldn't wipe the smile of her face at the level of confidence her friend had in her

"They would be mental not to at least have you as a reserve" Ron cried taking a big mouth full of his black beer and obviously trying to decide if he liked it or not. He gave a nod before taking another huge mouthful "It's not bad this"

Draco was enjoying himself he amazed as he laughed at a story Ron was telling them about one of his brothers and an endowment charm gone wrong. He actually liked the occupants at the table. He enjoyed the heated debates about potion ingredients and magic theory with Hermione while Harrie and Ron had snorted about pranks and a new game another brother had shown Ron. He had even enjoyed the food, they had shared something called a ploughman's platter which was cheeses, spreads and various finger food. He had had a delicious bread bowl stew filled with succulent chicken and leeks, tried some of Harries one that had had a beef, ale and mushroom stew in it (also delicious). His eyes had boggled at the amount of food Ron could eat when he finished his mammoth serving of fish and chips and had finished off Hermione's smoked fish pie.

They were just drinking tiny glasses of port (Draco's insistence that it was standard practice after a meal) when the bar was flooded by a group of rowdy men who had just come from some sports game.

Harrie felt a prickling in the back of her head and she could feel how uncomfortable Draco had become at the loud group who had just come into the pub. She slid her hand into his giving him a squeeze when he looked at her, she might have imagined it, but she thought she saw a hint of relief in his eyes when she suggested it was time for them to head home.

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Harrie dragged her nose through Draco's snail trail and continued down until she was hovering above his erection. Draco held his breath as her wet, pink mouth hovered above his weeping crown but just as she moved to take him in there was a curt knocking at the door. They both groaned before Harrie called "Yeah what?" Having only said goodnight to her friends fifteen minutes ago she was more than miffed at being interrupted

"Umm Harrie can you come out for a minute?" Ron's quiet voice drifted through the door to them

"What for?" Harrie asked, rubbing her cheek up Draco's thigh and rejoicing in the tensing of the muscle as she drifted so close to his hard shaft.

"Hermione won't come out of the bathroom" Ron's reply had Harrie dropping her head in defeat and slipping off the bed, throwing on Draco's discarded shirt and hastily doing up its buttons, she gave the blonde sprawled on her bed a pout before disappearing through the door.

Ron's ears went red when he saw what Harrie was wearing and mumbled a hasty apology for interrupting.

"Why is she even in there?" Harrie asked though she was guessing it was just Hermione over thinking and getting nervous.

"She went in nearly an hour ago and she just tells me to go away" Ron said mystified as he walked with Harrie down the stairs to the bathroom door where Hermione had hidden herself

Harrie knocked "Hermione? Are you ok?"

"Harrie?" Hermione said softly sounding terrible

"Yeah, it's me, what's wrong?" Harrie asked, she was honestly starting to get concerned.

Hermione suddenly pulled the door open and dragged Harrie in with her, shutting the door in Ron's face. Harrie could see that the other girl had been upset for awhile

"What is it? Have you changed your mind? Ron will understand if you have" Harrie said kindly

"No, it's all gone!" Hermione said desperately

"What is?" Harrie asked mystified

"I was just meant to trim it a bit, I've never really used that charm before, but now it's all gone!"

Harrie was lost "What's gone?"

"My pubic hair! I've charmed it all off!" Hermione hissed at her friend and she sat on the side of the bathtub, giving the occasional sniff and rubbing at her redden eyes

Harrie tried really hard to keep a straight face, she really did! As she sat down beside Hermione "So? Ron won't care, he will probably be right into that" She said

"It's like a fucking cue ball down there Harrie!" and with that Hermione burst into noisy tears, Harrie hurriedly put her arms around her friend rubbing her back and tried to reason with her

"Hermione, you are over thinking this. Stop crying, some missing pubes aren't worth this amount of grief"

"Charm all yours off then if it's no big fucking deal!" Hermione cried, turning angry eyes on her friend

Harrie looked appalled "What? No! … I like hair down there" she hovered her hand down lower to indicate just where she liked having hair

"Well…so do I!" Hermione sobbed, wiping her face on the end of her night dress

Harrie gave a defeated sigh and shook her head, the shit she does for her friends "Will you calm down and come out of the bathroom if I do?"

"Maybe" Hermione sniffed, giving Harrie a small smile

"No, no, you have to pinky swear, if I charm off my pubes in girlie solidarity you come out of the bathroom and at least talk to Ron" Harrie said tone serious "I'm not going bare for you to hide out in here"

"Ok I will bloody well pinky swear!" Hermione said angrily, though she was looking happier by the second

"What's the charm then" Harrie huffed

"Pubiscircumcidetus" Hermione told her wiping her face and taking a steadying breath

Shaking her head at the mental situations she got herself into all in the name of friendship Harrie cast the charm and felt the weirdest sensation, she looked down the neck of her shirt and agreed with Hermione's description, bald as a cue ball.

"Thank you Harrie" Hermione whispered before pulling Harrie into a back breaking hug.

"There I am just as bald as you now! Now get out of my bathroom!"

Harrie pushed Hermione out the door and accidently pushed her straight into a hovering Ron.

"Is everything alright?" Ron asked rather lamely

"Yes, now goodnight you two freaks" Harrie said rolling her eyes and ducking back into her bedroom.

Draco ran his hand up her creamy thigh and when he reached the apex, he halted. Lifting his head, he stared down at her face, then pulled back and despite her clenching her thighs spread her legs for a closer inspection.

"Well this is a new development" He said his face hovering above her now bare mound

"Do you like it?" She asked

"I like your pussy anyway it comes" He answered sticking his tongue out to flick her piercing and at the same time sliding a finger into her slick core.

"But this is certainly different" He said running his mouth around her bare flesh

"Good different?" Harrie gasped as his tongue circled her and he placed teasing kisses on her

He lifted his head enough to look up into her lust blown green eyes "I will admit I was rather fond of your muff; this look is very...naked" he dropped his gaze back to her naked flesh, watching the slick drive of his finger into her body "This looks practically indecent" as his second finger enter her and he started twisting and spreading them, watching her liquid arousal pooling on his hand, he smirked as blew a raspberry on her thigh.

Harrie let loose a laugh that had Draco giving an unconscious hip roll into the bed "Well, don't get used to it dude, my bush will be back by tomorrow" her voice husky as she watched the blonde head between her legs, she gave a hiss moan he slid another finger into her core and his mouth lowered onto her clit giving it greedy pulls.

He pulled back taking teasing sucks and nibbles on her silken folds, Harrie gave a shuddering cry at the feel of his hot breath as he told her "You drive me insane, I can't think straight when you are near me" He dropped his head to her attacking her clit with relentless intent growling against her "Your taste…merlin and the sounds you make" He sounded mindless even to his own ears.

Harrie was shameless undulating, grinding herself against him, her fingers gripping his hair as she sobbed her release. As she climaxed against his mouth, he gave a painful sounding groan that was so deep she felt it and he moved liked liquid silver as he dragged her to him and drove into her body with one hard thrust.

His body sang with the knowledge that this woman was his, as she clutched at him as he took her, her nails digging into his skin.

"Mine" He groaned out as he pushed her legs up till, she was nearly bent in half, Harrie let out a quivering cry as this position meant his thrusts were deeper and more punishing. She moaned at the possessive way he claimed her, his growling cries of possession as his body claimed her. She felt pinned to the bed, her body spread for him and she felt like she was on fire

"Yours" She agreed as she clung tighter to his neck, her thighs burning from the position they were in.

"Again!" He demanded as he wrenched her to him, his cock hitting her cervix and making her cry out in pleasure pain at his deep intrusion.

She slammed her mouth to his in a vicious kiss that had their teeth clacking in their haste and she sobbed as she tore her mouth from his "Draco…I'm yours…oh fuckkkkkk"

"Mine" He growled and his movements getting harsher as he chased his release.

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"Harrie?" Draco sat up in bed, took around the dark room for her. Something wasn't right, he felt…wrong. Suddenly wide awake he got up, walking briskly out of the room. He could see no lights anywhere and heard no sounds, he walked downstairs, looking into rooms as he passed them. As he made to step into the kitchen, the male house elf stepped out of the gloom staring at him "What can Kreacher be helping Master Malfoy with?" He croaked in his bullfrog voice. Recovering from his surprise Draco asked, "Where is your Mistress elf?"

Kreacher point one finger skywards "She be on the roof terrace" he then dropped his finger pointing towards a darkened door that suddenly lit with a dim light

"Kreacher be waiting for her to return" The elf stared at him unblinking

Draco felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up "Where has she gone?"

"Lost" The elf croaked, before he stepped back into the gloom of the larder. Draco felt a chill down to his very core, and he hurried up the narrow staircase, climbing four flights of stairs, as he neared the top, he could hear the pelting of rain against the roof, where the soundproof charms obviously weakened somewhat. The door was ajar and as he stepped out under the covered doorway, he could see Harrie, standing looking at the London skyline, soaking wet in nothing but his discarded shirt. He watched her lonely figure, something was wrong, and he hurried over to her, raising his voice so he could be heard over the rain "What are you doing?"

She didn't answer him just continued to stare out at the city lights

"Harrie? Are you alright? What are you up here?"

She said nothing just continued to stare at the distance lights though Draco wasn't sure she was even seeing them, he grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him

"Harrie! Harrie what's happened?" He demanded shaking her

Sensing rather than seeing the elf arriving in the doorway Draco called "Get Hermione Elf"

Harrie didn't respond just continued to turn her head to look across the city lights. It felt like forever before Hermione and Ron both rushed out on to the roof top, the telltale way neither got wet meant that one of them at least (probably Hermione) had had the sense to cast an umbrella charm before coming out here.

Hermione rushed taking hold of Harrie and turning her face towards her own "Harrie can you hear me honey"

Harries eyes seemed to flicker then she said "I hear them Hermione"

"I know" Hermione said, casting drying charms over Harrie and taking off her own dressing gown to wrap around the other girl

"Hermione they're still there" Harrie muttered, her eyes drifting back towards the city's lights

"Who's still where?" Draco said, starting to shiver now that he was under Hermione's charm and the rain had stopped falling on him

Ron looked grimly at him before answering

"The voices" The red head answered "The veil of death, it…calls to her"

Draco felt a chill that had nothing to do with the rain "The veil of death?"

Hermione started tugging her frozen friend towards the door "Harrie, you need to come back inside"

Harrie started shaking "Make them stop Hermione. Death let me come back"

Hermione just embraced her friend all the harder "I know Harrie, just focus on me"

"He was an old friend" Harrie mumbled turning her face to look back at the city scape.

"Harrie come on, come back inside" Hermione said at Harrie who seemed to be glued to the spot.

"Ron can you…" Hermione started to ask but Draco got the message and easily lifted Harrie till she was cradled against his chest, her face a blank mask though tears still tracked down her cheeks.

Hermione tutted slightly and waved her wand and Draco found himself dry and warm once more as he cautiously took the stairs to the kitchen then up once again to Harries bedroom. Draco was aware of her friends behind them having an urgent yet hushed conversation, but his attention was focused on the quiet form in his arms.

When they reached the bedroom Draco gingerly lowered Harrie into the bed, Hermione rushed forwards to pull the covers up and brushed some wayward hair of Harries heart breakingly lovely face.

"I'm not dead" Harrie whispered grabbing hold of Hermione's hand

Hermione smiled at her friend "That's right you're not"

"I want to be alive. Make them stop, I'm not ready to go yet" Harrie cried sadly, breaking into heart wrenching sobs that had Draco wanting to take her in his arms again and hide her from the world.

"Will you stay?" Harrie asked sitting up even as Hermione tried to get her to stay in the bed

Hermione lent over and brushed hair of her friends worried brow "Of course we will"

"Good, don't let them take you" Harrie sniffled

"No one is taking anyone anywhere we promise" Ron said grimly from the end of the bed, his blue eyes full of worry and sadness

"I'm fr…..frightened" Harrie said wiping her face in a very childlike way that had Draco aching to do something to help

He took hold of her hand "Just lay down and it will be alright"

Harrie did what she was told, laying her head back against the pillow. Hermione gave Draco a look and managed to tell him to lay next to Harrie in the bed without saying a word. Draco lay next to her small prone figure and was relieved when she turned towards him, burrowing into his side, muttering under her breath in that same airy detached way "Don't let them get me"

"I won't, I promise, just rest yourself" He said comfortingly, running his hand along her shoulder and kissing her forehead. Suddenly she started crying, her body heaving with loud sobs again.

Hermione sat down on Harries other side, and Ron sat near her feet, Draco looked at them in helplessness not knowing what to do.

"It's ok Harrie" Ron told his friend, his big hand resting over her blanket covered feet, Hermione looking teary eyed leant forward resting her cheek on Harrie's arm. Draco just sat there frozen, holding her to him. Sharing worried looks with her friends. Soon her sobbing trailed off and she appeared to be sound asleep.

"Merlin's balls, I forgot how grim it got" Ron breathed harshly running his hands over his face and through his hair.

"She should be alright till morning now" Hermione said, adjusting Harries blankets, giving Draco a sad smile "It's ok Draco…she's alright" Draco was far from reassured

Draco followed the other two out of the room, hissing to them as soon as the bedroom door shut "What in the blue fuck was that?"

"She sleeps walks sometimes" Ron said tone bleak.

Draco snorted "That wasn't fucking sleep walking"

Hermione looking tired and very young said "It doesn't happen often, just sometimes it's like she gets…lost"

"Lost?" Draco had never been a witness to something so heart breaking as seeing Harrie Potter clearly haunted by something that he knew nothing about.

Hermione looked at Draco sadly "Between the veil of life and death"

Ron ran a hand through his red hair, causing it to stand up in tuffs saying "She mastered death and came home"

"What the fuck does that even mean? What the hell do you mean by she mastered death?" Draco snarled, his voice raising alarmingly. Hermione flicked her wand at Harrie's bedroom door just in case they woke her up.

Ron and Hermione shared a look, one of those silent conversations that only people who have known each other for years can have. Hermione began speaking, her words measured as she obviously was searching for the right words. "When she went to the forest to him…to Voldemort. She did die that night. But something happened, and she came back"

Draco felt like ever hair on his body stood on end "What happened?" The details of what actually happened to Harrie Potter that night was sketchy at best, some said it was a duel, others said she just stood there and took an Avada Kedavra to the face and his parents refused to talk about it. He knew she didn't die they had all seen her jump out of Hagrid's arms, alive and fighting. To hear that she had truly died if only briefly was…alarming.

"We don't know, she can't remember it when she's awake" Ron said resignedly, Draco could tell by his tone that this had been a source of great debate within the 'golden trio'

"She only ever answers cryptically when she's like that" Hermione admitted quietly looking troubled

"And when she wakes up?" Draco asked hesitantly, already guessing the answer

"She apologizes and plays dumb" Ron shook his head "She likes to be all brave and solitary. She would rather be suffering in silence"

Hermione put her hands on her hips looking furious "Don't say that Ron, she is just…less than forth coming about it"

Seeing Ron open his mouth to retort Draco quickly asked, "How many times have you found her like that?"

Hermione sighed brushing her mane of hair out of her face or at least trying to "It has gotten less frequent" she told him, her gaze looking worriedly back towards the room they had just left

"How many times?" Draco demanded

"It was nearly every night at first, then maybe once a week." Hermione admitted reluctantly

"That's when she moved out of our place to here. Mum pitched a fit" Ron added, taking hold of Hermione's hand

"What about at Hogwarts?" Draco asked getting annoyed at the way these two kept giving each other looks that clearly was some kind of silent conversation

"Only once since school started" Hermione said "to be honest I thought she had gotten past…whatever they are"

Draco needed more answers "What usually happens?"

"We put her back in bed, she cries a bit then goes to sleep" Ron answered

"She doesn't talk about it" Draco guessed, no one was as stubborn as Harrie Potter it would seem.

Ron gave a snort "No, she has never been one for sharing her feelings without us digging"

Hermione gave him a glare "We can't force her to tell us if she doesn't want to"

"It's her fucking aunt's fault!" Ron spat savagely

Hermione gave a sigh "We don't know that Ron" clearly this had been a discussion they have had many times

"Oh, get real Hermione! Make no noise and pretend you don't exist remember? It all comes back to them!" Ron said gesticulating wildly

"I'm not having this argument again Ron, it's too damn early for it" Hermione spat "I suggest we all just go to bed this is not helping getting cross with each other"

Ron tutted and trudged off down the passageway and Hermione just shook her head in his direct. Draco gave Hermione a nod then went back into the bedroom, taking a moment to rub his face and lean against the door.

Draco turned at the slight knock at the door and clearing of a throat and opened the door to see Hermione nervously watching him from the landing.

"Yes?" He asked politely even when he really just wanted to tell her to go away and leave him with Harrie

"Don't hurt her" The young woman said rather baldly, and Draco felt like Hermione knew a lot more about what his family's expectations were. It filled him with dread that this wasn't going to be forever no matter how much he longed for it to be.

Draco looked away "I don't want to hurt her"

"She likes you. For whatever reason it's you she wants. I've never liked you, but I would try for Harrie's sake"

"I'm honored" He said sarcastically

Hermione frowned at him "You should be, Harrie is amazing"

He sighed "I've noticed" and he could have imagined it but he thought Hermione had gasped at the way his face had soften.

She continued to look at him with big worried eyes though "You…. I know that pure bloods have…. you would tell her if there wasn't going to be a…. Harrie needs to know if…." She trailed off looking awkward and concerned, "Well goodnight" Hermione took a step away then turned back saying "Just…be careful with her" then she walked back towards her own room.

Draco slid into the bed and was pleased when as soon as Harrie felt his nearness she had turned and snuggled into his side. He wasn't sure how long he lay there wishing he could answer to every trouble that Harrie Potter ever had.

"You sentimental fool" He said to himself as he couldn't help himself brushing his nose along the curve of her cheek and taking her hand into his.

His mind wouldn't rest, he kept filling in the words that Hermione hadn't been able to say. She knew that he had some kind of arranged marriage in his future, she knew he hadn't told Harrie and she had said without saying it that this would break Harrie if he didn't tell her soon.

The joys of being Draco Malfoy, seemingly having everything yet having nothing at the same time.