I now spent most nights in the Room of Requirement, keeping Draco company whilst he worked on the Cabinet. He refused to let me help him, insisting that me just being there was enough for him.

Sometimes, I brought my school books, studying and writing essays whilst Draco, shirt sleeves rolled up, muttered incantations at the Cabinet next to me.

Sometimes, I just wondered around the huge room to see what it had to offer - there were alleyways and roads bordered by teetering piles of broken and damaged furniture, there were thousands and thousands books, bottles of congealed potions, hats, jewels, and cloaks. I even came across several rusting swords and a heavy, bloodstained axe at one point.

And, sometimes, Draco and I would lie amongst the cushions where we would talk, wrapped in each other's arms. We would often hungrily explore one another's bodies, fusing together in a state of ecstasy, until we were both exhausted and spent.

I was so happy. But despite that, I always carried this sick, heavy feeling deep inside of me - the knowledge that something bad was going to happen, so bad that it would rip our lives apart.

And it was going to happen soon.

"Please, lets go to Dumbledore, Draco. He could help us." I implored Draco one night after yet another bird had failed to survive the journey in the Vanishing Cabinet.

"No." He said firmly, slamming the cabinet door a little harder than was needed.

"He'll protect you. I know he will." Tears started pricking at my eyes because I already knew my attempts were futile.

Draco rubbed his forehead, with a frustrated expression upon his tired face.

"Rosie, don't. I can't go to Dumbledore, I just can't. If I do, then the Dark Lord will certainly kill my parents." He looked at me, fearful and haunted. "And I won't do that to my mother."

My heart wrenched as I watched Draco choke back a sob and I threw my arms around him, burying my face in to his chest.

"I'm just so scared." I murmured into his crumpled shirt.

He pulled his arms up around my back and clutched me hard.

"I know, Rosie." He whispered. "Me too."

***

They tried to be very careful outside of the Room of Requirement - making sure to act as if their mutual dislike for one another remained.

Draco found this more difficult than he had anticipated and would often catch himself start to smile at her whenever she walked into the common room in the mornings, or go to join her at the Slytherin table at meal times, and once he even went to lean in for a kiss in Potions lesson when they had found themselves both gathering ingredients from the supply cupboard at the same time.

Yes - he found it hard to act like he didn't care about her. Because he did. Very much.

And then came the Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson when Draco nearly blew their cover completely.

He was sat two desks behind Rosie. Snape was talking in detail about non-verbal spells and Draco's mind began to wander. He was thinking about the previous night in the Room of Requirement when he and Rosie had made mad, passionate love against one of the bookshelves.

She had been showing him some muggle books that she had found whilst exploring earlier and talking excitedly about all these authors he had never heard of. Seeing her face light up as she talked had made him feel so suddenly overcome with yearning that he had kissed her hard mid sentence. She had responded immediately and the next thing he knew they were ripping each other's clothes off with an urgency even stronger than that first night.

He literally couldn't get enough of her.

And now he was sat in class and all he could think about was making love to her as he stared longingly at her back.

"Fancy a bit?"

Draco jumped out of his illicit thoughts as Theodore Nott nudged him in the side, sniggering.

Draco, glaring at Theo, quickly composed himself.

"What are you going on about, Nott?" He spat.

"The Mudblood." Theo nodded in Rosie's direction. "See you checking it out."

Draco stiffened.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He sneered, cursing himself inwardly for being so obvious.

"Hey - don't blame you. I'd do her. She's hot. Nothing wrong with having a roll about in the filth once in a while."

Draco's jaw clenched. He could feel his blood starting to boil.

"Leave it, Nott." He gritted. It was taking him everything not to punch him.

However, Theo, ignoring him, continued.

"Wouldn't mind 'Slytherin' in that, If you know what I mean." Theo sniggered vulgarly, nudging Draco with his elbow. "I bet she's got a tight little arse under those ro-"

SMACK! Theo went flying across the desk as Draco's fist connected with his face.

There was a sudden clattering as everyone in the class turned to see what had happened and then gasped at the sight of Theo sprawled over the desk and Draco standing angrily over him, cradling his fist in his hand.

"Malfoy! Nott!" Snape yelled, marching over to them. "And just what is the meaning of this?!"

Draco, still breathing heavily, dared a glance towards Rosie who looked back at him with a mixture of worry and confusion.

"He just hit me for no reason!" Theo cried, holding his bleeding nose in his hand.

Snape sighed, turning to Draco. "Well?"

Draco seethed, staring straight ahead, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"He had it coming." He snarled, nostrils flaring.

"Get yourself to the hospital wing, Nott. The rest of you are dismissed. Draco, I'd like a word with you - in my office. Now."

"Certainly, Professor." Draco sneered, looking directly into Snape's eyes.

They left, Snape leading the way. As soon as they entered Snape's office, Snape slammed the door shut and rounded on Draco.

"What in the blazes do you think you are playing at?" He hissed angrily. "You cannot afford to make mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled-"

"Nott was being a jerk. He deserved it."

"And just why would him talking about a certain muggle-born Slytherin make you act that way?"

Draco froze. So Snape had heard. He remained silent.

"Draco, it has caught my attention lately that there may be something going on with you and Miss Carter. You do realise just how dangerous that could be for you, don't you?"

"I don't know what you're going on about." Draco snapped. "As if I'd touch a filthy Mudblood like her- don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing, I'm not stupid, but it won't work - I can stop you!"

Snape paused then said quietly, "Ah... Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco?"

"I'm not trying to conceal anything from him, I just don't want you butting in!"

"So that is why you have been avoiding me this term? You have feared my interference? You realise that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco-"

"So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!" Draco jeered.

"You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things."

"You'd better stop telling me to come to your office, then!"

"Listen to me," Snape lowered his voice. "I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco-"

"Looks like you'll have to break it, then, because I don't need your protection! It's my job, he gave it to me and I'm doing it. I've got a plan and it's going to work, it's just taking a bit longer than I thought it would!"

"What is your plan?"

"It's none of your business!"

"If you tell me what you are trying to do, I can assist you-"

"I've got all the assistance I need thanks, I'm not alone!"

"The girl?" Snape narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"I've already told you - she has nothing to do with me. I would've have Crabbe and Goyle more often if you would stop putting them in detention!"

"Keep your voice down!" Snape spat, for Draco's voice had risen excitedly. "If your friends Crabbe and Goyle intend to pass their Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. This time around, they will need to work a little harder than they are doing at pres-"

"What does it matter?" Draco said. "Defence Against the Dark Arts - it's all just a joke, isn't it, an act? Like any of us need protecting against the Dark Arts-"

"It is an act that is crucial to success, Draco!" Snape cried. "Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, fighting in class, and if you are placing your reliance on assistants like Crabbe and Goyle-"

"They're not the only ones, I've got other people on my side, better people!"

"Then why not confide in me, and I can-"

"I know what you're up to! You want to steal my glory!"

Snape paused and then spoke coldly, "You are speaking like a child. I quite understand that your father's capture and imprisonment has upset you, but-"

Draco had heard enough; pushing past Snape, he flung open the door and burst through it, striding away down the corridor.

It might have been his imagination but Draco could have sworn that his arm had briefly connected with something invisible when he had burst out of Snape's office.

***