I stumbled my way into the common room tripping over a small lip in the stone floor.

"Woah! Merlin's beard, what is wrong with me" I looked behind me whilst shaking my head. When I turned around the common room was empty except for Draco, he had one eyebrow raised with arms crossed over his chest.

"Quite the entrance Ivy" he smirked

"Sorry I'm ridiculously clumsy, runs in the family" I laughed before piecing together that that was the first bit of information I'd ever mentioned about my family to Draco. I took a second to see if he reacted to my words but he didn't he just gently sat down on one of the leather sofas. I made my way over to the opposite sofa and quickly perched myself with one leg crossed underneath me.

He gazed at me for a moment, I could see the thoughts moving through his mind.

"What else runs in the family?" My stomach knotted. No one asks me anything about my family. Not even Harry, since the day I mentioned about their death he never brought it up again. I was left stunned for a moment and then suddenly all the memories of my family came rushing back to me, my sisters laugh, my fathers smile and my mother's magnificent aura it was all there like it had never left.

"Well I guess lots of things, everyone has always told me I'm most like my father, horrendously clumsy, forgetful and full of laughter." I lifted my eyes up and I could see him really listening, he was taking everything in. He'd pulled himself to the edge of the seat.

"He doesn't sound like a Slytherin" he let out a small laugh "and your mother what is she like?" He rested his elbows on his knees. The present tense struck me, just as it did with Harry. I took a breath and prepared my words.

"Well she was strong, intelligent, confident and had an undeniable power over everyone she met. She loved fiercely but only to the ones she cared about, really just my sister and me. She had a different sort of relationship with my father. They loved each other but she would of fought the world for us." I saw Draco's face drop slightly when he realised what I was saying. "She was a Slytherin if it wasn't obvious, so was my sister. They were quite alike really, maybe too alike they fought like cat and dog but I've never seen a daughter and mother relationship so strong." I took a moment to pause. "Sorry I'm rambling, I'll shut up". I laughed and then mimicked zipping and locking my lips shut.

For a minute it was silent.

"Ivy, I'm so sorry I never realised. May I ask what happened to them both?" His eyes suddenly had more warmth in them than I had ever seen before. His lips pressed together waiting on my next word. My nerves didn't allow me to focus on one area for too long so I found my eyes darting around the room.

"Well actually, my father died along with them. A fire, last year." My lie penetrating my core again. The warmth of his hand that was suddenly on my knee made the feeling disappear. I looked up to him trying my best to keep the tears from forming in my eyes. "I am fine honestly, I just don't really talk about them with anyone".

"They sound really great Ivy. I know we don't speak a lot, but please know I'm here if you ever need me" I could see by his eyes how truly sincere he was. A look I had never seen from Draco, one I expected never to see. A genuine act of kindness with no benefit to him. The anger I had built up with all of his comments and glares he had made over these last few months was suddenly melting underneath me and as much as I tried to stop it. It was beginning to be out of my control. I don't know how long we had been sat there in silence but it didn't feel like long at all even though I knew it was.

"Do you want to do this some other time?" Draco tilted his head to one side.

"No no! Honestly I'm fine! So where do we start?"

The night involved a lot of writing, too much writing! Although I have to say I struggled concentrating and something told me that he did too. Every now and then I saw his eyes on me, whilst I wasn't looking. Watching me whilst I spoke or following my body when I moved.

"Well I think that's it! Thank Merlin for that, my hand feels like it's going to drop off!" I let out a moan and saw his mouth twitch. Am I crazy or do I have some sort of affect on him?

"Well, I guess I'll head back" Draco pressed off his knees and he stood up.

"Hey! Erm thanks..for before, I can't say I've made many friends, not say you want to be my friend just erm thanks!"

As I stood there I watched his eyes trace me my body from top to bottom. "Yeah you're right I don't want to be your friend" he bit his lip as he turned around to walk away and with that he was gone. His comment floored me. Was I reading too much into it? That meant what I thought it did right? I threw my head into my hands and let out an almighty sigh.

What was this boy doing to me.