"Astrid!"

He looked deep into her familiar blue eyes, scarcely being able to believe what was happening, before pulling her to him, causing water to splash around them as he clutched a hand furiously to the back of her head, his fingers tangling through her soaked hair. He held her to him as tightly as he could, whilst treading water, pressing his wet cheek firmly against hers.

It was as though she was back from the dead.

"Astrid," he repeated, breathing rapidly, "it's really you, isn't it?"

"Yes," she gasped, pulling her face back to look at him, "keep talking to me, Draco. Please don't stop."

"You're freezing," He said, noticing the blue of her lips as her teeth chattered incessantly.

"So are you," she said, a smile tugging at her lips but not quite reaching her eyes as the shivers took over. "Draco, why are we in the water?"

"Come on, I'll explain later," he said, starting to lead her to shore, "we need to get you inside first."

Although he was terrified there might not be a later; terrified this was all a dream.

There was no sign of Blaise or Pansy by the time they staggered onto the pebbled shore. Draco didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed - he wanted to kill them.

He pulled Astrid to him as they both shivered uncontrollably by the edge of the lake, their clothes sodding wet and clinging uncomfortably to their skin.

But in that moment, Draco didn't care, all he cared about was that Astrid was here with him, back from whatever hell Voldemort had condemned her to.

"I thought you were gone, I thought he had somehow killed you," he said, letting out a dry shuddering sob as he grasped her tightly to his chest.

"I never left," she shivered against him, "I just couldn't get out. But I could hear you sometimes - only you. Your voice - it drove me to the surface, but never for long enough."

And Draco realised that those times - when she had touched his arm; when Alecto was torturing him; that audible gasp when he had knocked her into the table - it had been Astrid trying to reach him.

"Oh, Astrid," he breathed, kissing the top of her head, "my love."

"Don't stop talking to me Draco, I- I'm scared I'll get lost again."

Taking her hand, he led her back to the castle, talking all the way, filling her in on everything that had happened since the night of her farewell party.

"I remember feeling a hot anger," she said once he told her about saving him from Alecto's Cruiciatus Curse. "I heard you screaming in pain and it made me angry. But- nothing else. Draco, what was I doing down there in the first place?"

He swallowed as they made their way down the stone steps to the dungeons. He was thankful for the ball - the hallways were all empty because of it.

"Umm- you were made to do certain... jobs for the Carrows-"

"I was torturing students, wasn't I?"

"No! It wasn't you!" He insisted. Because it really wasn't. It was whatever evil being Voldemort had let invade her beautiful body.

He led them into the Slytherin common room and Astrid paused as she looked around in awe. Draco realised, that despite being here for two months already, this was the first time she was seeing it.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"Wait until you see where we're sleeping," he smirked, leading her over to the portrait of her father.

"Glory be to the Dark Lord and child," he muttered, allowing Voldemort's face to swing forward and smack into the wall.

"I know this place," Astrid gasped, as they stepped into the tiny hallway, and she placed a hand on his arm like she had done earlier that night. "I've been here with you before, like this."

Their eyes met as she looked up at him, and just like before, the air thickened around them.

His breath hitched in his throat, and he had to fight the sudden urge to gather her in his arms and kiss her - to rip off her sodden clothes and make furious trembling love to her right there in the hallway.

"Your bedroom's through that door," his voice coming out low and husky, as he beckoned with a slight nod of his head, not tearing his eyes away from her.

"Come with me," she whispered, her blue eyes burning into his. "I don't want to go in there alone."

Draco really didn't need to be convinced.

...

My heart hammered as I walked through the door, clutching Draco's hand in mine, hardly daring to believe I was here with him.

I looked around. So this was my room. But it didn't feel like my room. I had no memory of ever stepping foot in here before.

It was pretty basic - a double four poster bed, a wardrobe, dressing table and chest of drawers. And another door which I guessed led to the bathroom. Oh - and lots of green. It lacked personality. Especially mine.

I looked up at Draco, suddenly feeling awkward. "This feels strange," I confessed, "I don't know this place at all. I feel like we're in someone else's bedroom."

"It's okay," he murmured, wrapping his arms around me, "we can go sleep in mine if it makes you feel more comfortable."

I nodded, suddenly desperate to get out of there - it wasn't my room. It was... that other me. The darkness.

As soon as we stepped into Draco's, I felt so much more comfortable. Except for the fact that I was still shivering in clinging wet clothes. As was Draco.

"You need to get out of those clothes," he said looking at my trembling body in concern, "I can find you some dry clothes while you warm up in the shower or something."

"Don't leave me," I said, panicking. I didn't know how long I had. I was scared Draco was the only thing keeping me here. "Please, stay with me, talk to me, don't let me get lost again."

"Astrid..." Draco said hoarsely, cupping my face. "Don't say that, I can't bear the thought of losing you again."

"Then stay with me," I pleaded, curling my fingers over his hand cupping my face, as I looked up into his silver grey eyes.

Draco leaned down, brushing his lips tenderly against mine, making me release a small groan of longing from the back of my throat. He moved his lips away from my mouth and trailed light kisses up my jawline, all the way to my ear. "Turn around," he growled softly, his breath leaving a tickle, making me shiver.

Obeying, I turned so that my back was to him. I felt his fingers expertly work on my fastenings down the back of my dress. When he finally reached the last one, he pulled my dress down past my shoulders, allowing it to fall in a wet heap on the ground.

Wearing nothing but my knickers, I turned back round to face him, and saw he too had managed to remove his shirt and trousers.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed, pulling me into him so that my breasts were pressed up against his bare chest, and he brought his lips crashing down on mine, kissing me firmly this time, letting his tongue flick in and around my mouth.

When he broke away, he left me breathless. And I wanted more of him, so much more.

He took my hand and led me towards his bathroom where he turned on the shower.

Removing our remaining underwear, we stepped inside and welcomed the heat of the water pummelling down upon our skin.

Draco kissed me slowly and sensually as he rubbed soap up and down my body, the water washing away a mixture of soapy suds and tears.

I cried for the absolute gloriousness of being this close to Draco again, to be able to touch him and have him touch me. Although I had been asleep, I had missed him - feeling the pain our two month separation had left deep in my heart.

I had tried so hard to fight my way out of that terrifying place and back into Draco's arms, that being here didn't feel real. It was if my hell had turned into some heavenly dream. And I was so afraid of it ending.

After we had sufficiently showered, and both our bodies were crying out in yearning for one another, Draco laid me down on his bed and made love to me as we cried out each other's names, not being able to tear our eyes away from the other.

Neither of us could believe the other was there.

"Draco?" I said afterwards, as I lay breathless across his chest, relishing in the sound of his pounding heart beneath my ear.

"Yes?" He murmured hoarsely, running his fingers soothingly through my hair.

"Don't let me fall asleep, I'm scared I won't wake up again."

I felt him still as his hand paused halfway down my hair.

"Don't say that, Astrid," he begged, shifting himself so that he could look fiercely into my eyes. "You can't let it take over you again, you're stronger than you think."

"But what if I can't wake up?" I asked, my voice letting out a small tremble as tears spilled down my cheeks.

Draco cupped my face, kissing the tears from my cheeks. "You will," he promised, "because I know now that we will always find a way to come back to one another, no matter what happens. We're soulmates, Astrid."

And it's a good job he believed that.

Because the next day I didn't wake up.