Draco entered the Room of Requirement as quietly as possible. He had seen how upset she had looked at dinner and didn't want to disturb her. He absolutely hated that she was hurting, but he knew he had done the right thing.

Quietly, he worked on the cabinet, not being able to concentrate very well as his eyes kept roaming to the corner where he knew her bedding lay just out of sight. He itched to go and see her, to put his arms around her, to kiss her- no, no, no!

Perhaps it was best if they kept their distance physically, he thought frustratedly. Because now he knew she wanted him too, it was going to be a darn sight harder to control himself.

...

I could hear him approach the cabinet from where I lay, trying hopelessly to get to sleep.

I longed to go to him. I couldn't stop replaying the kiss in my head. I felt so confused. He had seemed to want it to happen just as much as I had. But then he stopped it. Out of nowhere he suddenly didn't want me, couldn't bear to touch or even look at me.

I cringed as I recalled how I had practically begged him to continue. Begged him to want me as much as I wanted him.

I listened late into the night, as Draco worked for hours, muttering incantations, the sound of his voice soothing me to an eventual sleep.

...

The weeks went by as Christmas neared. Draco continued to work unremittingly on the cabinet, his efforts seeming to exhaust him.

We managed to get back into a relaxed manner around one another, although I noticed he was always careful to keep his distance. He no longer joined me on the sofa, and if he sat, it was always on the floor a little way away from me.

"I've sent Dumbledore a bottle of mead for Christmas," Draco said to me one evening.

"Oh," I answered, thinking how strange it was to send a Christmas present to the person you were planning on murdering. "That's... nice."

Draco gave me a funny look, raising his eyebrows, "It's poisoned."

Oh, I thought, well that made more sense.

"Do you think it will work this time?" I asked, thinking of the disastrous attempt of the cursed necklace.

Draco just shrugged his shoulders, "anything's worth a try," he sighed, looking up at the cabinet wearily, "I just don't know how I'll ever get this fixed."

I looked heartbreakingly over at his thin, tired frame, wishing I could offer him the comfort of my embrace, but too afraid he would recoil away.

"There's still time," I offered instead, "and you're staying here for Christmas so at least you won't have classes getting in the way."

He fixed his grey eyes on me intently, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. My stomach flipped, which I tried desperately to ignore.

"Yeah," he murmured quietly, "at least I won't have classes getting in the way."

...

"Wait up, Hufflepuff!"

I span round as I left the Great Hall, looking to see who was calling.

Blaise pushed his way through the crowds of students and came hurrying over to me.

"Hey," I smiled somewhat apprehensively. I hadn't spoken to Blaise much since our disastrous trip to Hogsmeade. Just the occasional nod on passing.

His black eyes twinkled down at me as he flashed me those brilliant white teeth.

"I don't know if you've heard," he said silkily, "but Slughorn's having a Christmas party on the last night of term."

"Oh," I said. I hadn't. I wondered why he was telling me this.

"It's strictly for the Slug Club, but we are allowed to bring a date, and I really wanted to ask you... if you fancy it?"

"Really?" I said, somewhat surprised. I hadn't felt I gave a great impression on our previous 'date'.

"Yes," he grinned, his beautiful eyes flashing hypnotically, "say yes, won't you, Hufflepuff?"

I thought of Draco, and my heart twisted in my chest. But then I thought of how he rejected me after our kiss, how he could barely even look at me.

"Yes," I smiled, "I'd like that a lot."

...

"Why are you wearing that?"

I had come out of the bathroom of the Room of Requirement wearing a sparkling green dress. It was ideal - I couldn't believe my luck when I strode in there earlier, wishing I could get my hands on the perfect dress for a Christmas party - and there it hung - waiting for me.

This room was certainly something else.

I looked at Draco who was eyeing me warily. If he was impressed by my dress, he didn't show it.

"I'm going to a party," I simply stated, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Slughorn's?" he spat, the disgust evident in his voice, "who asked you?"

"Blaise," I said, looking him defiantly in the eyes, daring him to protest.

I couldn't help but notice his nostrils flaring angrily. Annoyance shot through me.

"Look, Draco," I spat, "you made your choice. You have no right to get pissed off at me dating someone else! If you want company so badly, then why don't you go find a nice pure blooded creature like Pansy!"

I saw the drop of his face, watched as anger turned into confusion.

"Pure blooded?" He uttered in bafflement, "Astrid what-"

But instead of waiting to hear him out, I decided to strop right on out of there.

...

Draco stared after her feeling completely nonplussed.

Is that what she thought? That he didn't want her because of her blood? He tried to think back to the afternoon of their kiss - tried to remember what words he used when he put a stop to it. He was sure he hadn't alluded to her blood in the slightest.

But then, he thought, since arriving at Hogwarts, she had witnessed him showing evident disgust at Muggle-borns.

It was strange though, because he realised that Astrid's blood didn't bother him in the slightest. He didn't even think of her as a Mudblood. She was just Astrid.

And he adored everything about her.

He tried to concentrate back on the cabinet but he couldn't help but worry about Astrid. He threw his wand frustratedly at the cabinet, where it clattered noisily to the floor.

He had to go and make sure she didn't do anything stupid with Blaise.

...

"Damn, Hufflepuff - you look fine,"

I wished he would stop calling me Hufflepuff. I don't know why, but it irked me somewhat. The longer I stayed in Hogwarts, the less of a Hufflepuff I felt.

I did my utmost not to flinch when I felt Blaise's hand go to my back, and allowed him to usher me up the Entrance Hall staircase, towards Slughorn's office.

My mouth dropped open when we stepped inside. It looked nothing like an office. More like the inside of some kind of great big exotic tent, packed with people, refreshments and music.

"Wow," I breathed, I had never been to a party before, and already I was enjoying it.

Blaise chuckled above me, and I let him take my hand and lead me over to the refreshment table.

"Punch?" He offered, pouring me one anyway.

I looked at the bright red liquid warily. Knowing this world, I could be about to pour human blood down my throat.

"Spiced red wine punch with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg," a jovial voice chuckled from behind us, "I'd go easy on it if I were you!"

I turned around and came face to face with an enormously fat, balding old man wearing robes of many lurid colours.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure my dear," He bumbled in a friendly manner, "I certainly haven't seen you in any of my classes,"

"She's with me, Professor," Blaise said, draping an arm across my shoulders, as I tried hard not to wince.

"Ah, oh ho, young Blaise," the man chortled gaily, "I do hope you are looking after her. I'm Professor Slughorn, of course," he said, turning his crinkling green eyes back on me, "the new Potions Master!"

"I'm Astrid," I said, smiling nervously. I didn't know how to take this man. At least he didn't seem to think it strange that he hadn't seen me around before.

"A fellow Slytherin, I dare say?" Slughorn said, looking pointedly at my green dress.

"Uh, no... Hufflepuff actually." I murmured, taking a sip of the spiced wine. An extremely pleasant feeling trickled down through my body.

"Hufflepuff? Really, my child? Well, I must say I'm surprised. I'm usually very good at spotting a fellow Slytherin, and green attire or not - I definitely sensed the Slytherin in you from the moment you walked into this room- Ah! Harry Potter! Excuse me, Miss Astrid, but I must go and greet my guest of honour, do help yourself to refreshments!"

And with that, he waddled off in the direction of a smug looking Harry, who was stood with a crazy looking blonde girl dressed up like a freaking lampshade.

"Well," Blaise murmured silkily above my ear, "now you've met the host, how about joining me for a dance?"

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I smiled.

"Sure, why not?"

And, allowing him to take my hand again, I stepped onto the dance floor, and into Blaise Zabini's arms.