Arrangements had been made.

I was to return to Hogwarts in September and have my Sorting with the first years.

In the meantime, Dad had been discharged and would be waiting for me at Kings Cross station to take us home to Devon. I was dreading seeing him again. Dreading his reaction. Dreading the reminder that Cedric was no longer with us.

Fleur tried to persuade me to go back to France with her and stay with her family over the summer, but I couldn't face leaving the country. And I wanted to be where Cedric was. He was already in Devon, waiting to be buried next to our mother.

"I vill write everyday," Fleur promised as she hugged me goodbye, before stepping onto the carriage with the rest of my school - my old school.

I now stood with my new school as we watched the Beauxbatons carriage fly away, before we would make our own way down to Hogsmede station to board the Hogwarts Express.

A hand grabbed my trunk before I could reach down to pick it up.

"Here, let me."

I looked up gratefully at the white-blond haired Slytherin, and offered him a small smile. But it hurt my heart to even do that.

I hadn't seen him much over the last couple of days, having shut myself away in the carriage. It wasn't because I didn't want to see Draco anymore - I didn't want to see anyone. I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed.

But I realised, looking at him now, that I had missed him.

"I kept trying to come and see you," he murmured sadly, as we started to make our way over to the horseless carriages. "But they wouldn't let me in."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, and I truly was. He didn't deserve to be blanked like that.

Draco paused, stopping in his tracks to look at me. "Don't be sorry, Aurora, don't ever be sorry for being sad."

He let go of our trunks and took a step towards me, closing the space between us. His arms circled my body, pulling me into his embrace. It was wonderful. It was familiar. It was everything.

"Shhh, it's okay," he murmured in my ear, as tears cascaded down my cheeks, flowing free and fast.

We stood like that for a while, as other students bustled past us, glancing up curiously; my grief a source of fascination to them.

"I thought maybe you were mad after what Potter had said about... about my father." He murmured cautiously once my tears had dried, a pink tinge rising to his cheeks.

I shook my head, tightening my arms around him. "No, I'm not mad, Draco. Just sad. Just very, very sad."

The truth was, I didn't want to think about what it meant. And I noticed Draco had never denied the accusation that his father was a Death Eater. My head was too thick with grief to allow myself to give much thought to this, however.

I knew that eventually I would have to face the reality of what had happened to Cedric. But for now I could only grieve, and take the comfort I so desperately needed from Draco.

He sighed heavily into my hair, wrapping me tighter to him, pressing his lips firmly against my forehead.

"Come on," he muttered, taking my hand as we picked our trunks back up, "let's get a move on before we miss the carriages."

We both boarded a carriage, sharing with a couple of nervous second year Hufflepuffs who kept glancing up at me warily. Draco wrapped an arm around me, holding me close to his side, while glaring back down at them.

The thought of being parted from Draco for the next two months suddenly made me feel at a complete loss. I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck, deeply inhaling his scent, trying to immerse myself it.

"I'm going to miss you," I mumbled quietly as my lips moved against his soft, beautiful skin.

I felt his arms tighten around me, our bodies jostling together as a wheel went over a pothole.

"Believe me I'll miss you, too." His voice was full of sincerity and conviction. "But I'll write to you, Aurora. And-" he paused, swallowing. I lifted my face to look up at him, and saw that his eyes were staring warmly down at me. "And... even though I know you're returning to Hogwarts to be close to your brother - I'm happy that you're coming back. I'm so ridiculously fucking happy, in fact."

"Draco," I breathed. And this time I managed a smile that didn't hurt my heart.

A genuine, heartfelt smile.

...

Draco entwined his fingers with hers as he led them down the train's corridor. He was looking for an empty compartment, hoping they could be alone before they parted for the summer.

He had missed her so much over the last few days, feeling desperately helpless that he was unable to comfort her.

He knew he had no right to want or expect anything from her whilst she was grieving her brother, but when she had said she would miss him over the summer, he couldn't help but feel an intense flood of love at her words.

He had just placed his hand on the door of a derelict compartment when he heard a gruff voice call his name.

He looked up to see a scowling Theodore Nott, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle at the far end of the corridor.

"A word, Malfoy." Theo spat, his eyes darting angrily to Aurora, whose hand Draco still clutched in his.

"Go in," Draco ordered firmly in her ear. "I won't be long."

As Aurora entered the compartment without argument, he stormed over to Theo, feeling an anger pound in his chest.

"What?" He spat, glaring into his eyes.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing with the Diggory girl?!" Theo snarled. "You've had your fun, but now it's time to be careful who you're seen with!"

"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Draco asked, but deep down knowing.

"She's a Diggory. A family of blood traitors who get what they deserve! Don't pretend you don't know what happened that night, Malfoy. How do you think the Dark Lord's going to react when he realises the son of one of his people is fraternising with the enemy?"

"The enemy?! She's not Potter for fuck's sake!"

"Open your fucking eyes! We're at war and you know it. You need to choose your side carefully, Malfoy."

Draco's blood turned ice cold. He wasn't afraid of Theo, but he was afraid of the truth behind his words.

Because they were at war. And he and Aurora were on opposite sides.

It was never going to end well.

...

"You need to leave Draco alone."

I looked up, startled. Pansy Parkinson had entered the compartment, her face screwed up in ugly hatred.

"Oh, don't give me that pathetic Bambi look, you filthy half-breed." Pansy continued. "So what - your brother's dead? Get over it. It's one less blood traitor in the world."

My jaw dropped open at the cruelty of her words. This whole situation had taken me by complete surprise that I couldn't find anything appropriate to say in retaliation. Instead, my eyes flicked over her shoulder to the closed compartment door. This just made Pansy chortle with wicked laughter.

"Oh, please! Looking to see if your Slytherin Prince is coming to save you? Dream on dearie - it won't be long until he's following in his father's footsteps. People like you will be at the top of his list."

My heart hammered anxiously in my chest. I wasn't in the right head space to deal with this. I wanted her to leave, to get her horrid, hateful eyes off of me.

"Leave me alone," I mumbled, the tremble in my voice giving my weakness away.

"Going to start crying over your stupid, dead brother again?" She snarled, taking a step towards me. I closed my eyes trying to desperately shut her away. "Trying not to think about how he wet his pants when he realised he was going to join your filthy hoe of a mother?"

"STOP IT!" I cried, covering my hands over my ears, tears spilling from my eyes.

Suddenly the door flew open and Draco was furiously dragging Pansy away.

"You fucking mental bitch!" I heard him holler at her as I rocked in my seat. "Stay the fuck away!"

And then fingers were grappling at my hands, prising them away from my ears. Arms encircling my body as I was cradled against a firm, yet comforting, chest.

"It's okay, Aurora, it's okay."

But it wasn't.

I was in love with the enemy.

How could that ever be okay?