I was in heaven.

And not the dead kind.

Draco and I spent the rest of the Christmas holidays in a state of loved up bliss. Although he refrained from taking things further than fervent, heated kissing, we had been practically joined at the hip.

He spent every night with me in the Room of Requirement locked in each others arms, and during the days, I would watch him work on the cabinet. Sometimes, when he needed a break, we would wander through the grounds together and he would point out certain places and regale stories of past adventures.

"This is the hut where I caught that giant oaf and the Golden Trio harbouring an illegal dragon." "This is the tree that Potter smashed the Weasley's flying car into." "This is where I was nearly killed by that bloody chicken!"

But despite all of that, I sensed he was holding something back - something he was not telling me.

And then the other students returned for the new term. Including Harry Potter. And Pansy Parkinson.

"What the hell?!"

Both Draco and I looked up in startled shock towards the ear piercing shriek, as we walked hand in hand into the Great Hall for breakfast on the first morning of term.

Pansy was glowering from her seat at the Slytherin table, Blaise grinning gleefully next to her.

"Shit," Draco murmured, clenching my hand tightly in his as we came to a sudden halt.

My heart immediately sank. If there was one thing I hated, it was Draco around Pansy.

"Please don't tell me she thinks you two are still together?!" I hissed, failing to hide my horror.

"We were never together! Well... not really," Draco faltered, glancing guiltily from me to Pansy.

My heart twisted knowing exactly what he meant by that.

"Please," I begged, looking up at him imploringly, "you need to sort it."

His grey eyes flickered remorsefully into mine. "Shit, I'm so sorry, Astrid, I didn't think."

"It's okay, Draco," I whispered, stepping on my tip toes to plant a kiss on his lips - his eyes closing as he released a contented sigh. "Just sort it - please."

I left him, walking myself over to the Hufflepuff table, where I sat down next to an incredulous looking Susan.

"You and Draco Malfoy?!" She gasped in awe.

I nodded, feeling my cheeks flame as I reached over to pile scrambled egg onto my plate.

"But- he's a... and- aren't you a... a-"

"Muggle-born, yes," I finished for her, pouring myself a glass of water. "Turns out Draco isn't as bad as people make out."

Susan spluttered as she took a sip of that disgusting pumpkin juice, spraying it all over the table.

Both of our eyes flicked automatically over to the Slytherin table where Draco was trying to protect himself from Pansy's furiously flailing fists ("You bastard! You complete fucking bastard!").

"I must say, I'm surprised," Susan continued, shovelling scrambled egg into her gob, "what happened to Blaise? He was hot!"

I felt an anger flicker inside of me as I recalled how he had forced himself upon me. "That cunt is nothing compared to Draco!" I hissed.

Susan recoiled, giving me a startled expression, "Merlin! Hold your unicorns, Astrid!"

"Sorry," I snarled, not sorry at all. There wasn't a word bad enough to call that boy.

"Can I have a word, Astrid?"

I looked up into the face of another boy I wasn't keen on.

Harry Potter.

"Go on, then," I said, taking a bite out of my toast.

"In private?"

"No."

Harry sighed heavily, taking the seat next to me as Susan threw me a look, her eyebrows raised quizzically.

"Fine. If you want me to talk about it in front of all your fellow Hufflepuffs, then I will." Harry snarked, stealing a piece of toast for himself and ripping a huge viscous bite out of it right in my face.

The look he gave me and the tone of his voice turned my blood cold. Quickly standing up, I motioned for Harry to follow. Smirking, he stood up, throwing the remainder of his toast lazily onto Susan's plate. As I looked back, I could see her holding it up and looking at it in awe. No doubt she'll be sleeping with it under her pillow tonight.

As we swept past the Slytherin table, my eyes met Draco's who was frowning from me to Harry. I mouthed to him that it was okay, but I could see he didn't look in the slightest bit happy. He tried standing up to leave, but Pansy - who hadn't finished yelling at him yet - grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him fiercely back down ("All my life I've been nothing but loyal to you! And this is how you treat me! By ditching me for a fucking Hufflepuff!"). He wasn't going anywhere.

"What do you want?" I hissed, as we entered the quiet Entrance Hall. Harry beckoned me over to an empty classroom next to the staircase, but I was reluctant to go anywhere alone with him.

However, I was afraid of anyone overhearing what Harry might have to say, so I settled for following him into the room, but keeping the door open.

"I know your little secret," Harry hissed. "I know what you are."

"You don't know anything!" I said, my heart suddenly pounding furiously. We'd been here before.

"Really? Then do some magic." Harry folded his arms smugly. And I knew he knew.

"What?" I stalled, wondering how I was going to get out of this one. I didn't even have a wand.

"If I am wrong and you truly are a witch, then go ahead and do some magic."

"I don't have to prove anything to you!" I said, starting to turn away, leaving for the door.

"You know your precious boyfriend is hiding things from you."

I paused, turning my head to look at him curiously.

"Draco tells me everything. We have no secrets."

"Are you sure about that? Because the thing is, I have some interesting information about you. And I'm happy to share it with you for just one simple thing in return."

I just stared at him, my heart hammering. I wondered what he could possibly know about me that I didn't.

"Tell me about this mission Draco is doing and I'll tell you what I know. And believe me - it's a doozy!"

"Y-You're bluffing," I stammered, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Am I?" Harry chuckled, sensing my hesitation.

Just then, a white-blond haired Slytherin came thundering past me, heading straight for Harry and furiously slamming him up against the classroom's old, dusty chalkboard.

"What the fuck do you think you're playing at, Potter?" Draco spat right in his face.

"Why don't you tell me, Malfoy? It seems we've all got our little secrets to hide, haven't we?"

From where I was standing, I could see Harry's green eyes flash from behind his glasses. He didn't care that Draco had him pinned. It unnerved me how gleeful he was, in fact.

"Draco, leave him," I said, tentatively placing my fingers on his elbow, "he's not worth it."

"Yes, listen to your Muggle girlfriend, Malfoy," Harry sneered. "Before certain secrets start getting spilled. And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

Draco dropped Harry like a hot potato, stepping back instantly.

His hand reached out for mine, and I was shocked to see it was shaking.

"You stay away from us, Potter!" Draco snarled, his face pinched in fury as he pulled me with him towards the door.

"It's only a matter of time, Malfoy," Harry called after us as we stepped out into the Entrance Hall. "It won't be long until all your secrets are out! Oh, and give my regards to dear old Uncle Sev!"

Draco was practically running now, pulling me as fast as possible up the stairs, not stopping until we reached the seventh floor.

The panic on his face, as he closed the door behind us, shocked me.

"Draco? What is it?" I asked, placing a placating hand on his cheek.

He closed his eyes, resting his forehead on mine as his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me in close.

"Astrid, promise me you'll stay in here while I'm at classes," he implored, a desperation to his voice.

"But-"

"Promise me!" he hissed urgently, "I do not trust Potter, and I cannot protect you when I'm sat in class."

"Okay, Draco, I promise," I breathed, my heart thudding uneasily in my chest.

Clasping my face in his hands, Draco leant forwards, catching my lips in his, making me sigh in longing as he gave me a soft, fevered kiss.

"Draco," I murmured, after we broke apart, my lips still tingling from Draco's heated attack, "who's Uncle Sev?"

Draco froze, his hand pausing on the door handle.

"No one, Astrid," he muttered quietly, and he gave me a brief, guilty look before leaving for classes.

But I wasn't stupid. Draco was hiding something from me and from the way he reacted, I had a suspicion it had something to do with this Uncle Sev.