Our DA meetings had to wind down a bit due to Harry taking Occlumency lessons with Snape.

This frustrated me, because DA was all I had now. I threw myself into them with everything in me. Anything to stop me from thinking about my broken heart.

"Aurora, you're shining above everyone these days." Cho mentioned as we left our latest DA meet. "You're making the rest of us look bad."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I just want to be ready for when it comes to fighting. Which it will. If my brother's death has taught us anything, it's that you can't be too prepared."

Umbridge was getting worse. She sacked Professor Trelawney in front of the whole school, humiliating her in the process. I couldn't help but notice a certain white-blond haired Slytherin sniggering to the side as he watched on at the sickening display in delighted amusement.

I had to walk away after that, not being able to witness any more of that bitch's brutality.

"Are you okay?" A male voice called out as I walked morosely out of the Entrance Hall, turning into a corridor.

I turned around to see Blaise walking towards me. I felt momentarily shocked. Despite him dating Cho, I hadn't spoken to him since Draco and I broke up.

"Not really," I shrugged. "It was too difficult to watch."

"I know what you mean." He muttered, stepping up beside me. "That woman certainly has let the power get to her head."

We continued to walk slowly along the corridor together. I looked up at him curiously, wondering if there was something he wanted.

"You know Draco hates himself."

There it was.

"Oh." I replied, looking down at my feet, not sure how else to respond.

"You both fucked up - admittedly him more than you - but I can see it's killing the both of you. Can't you just kiss and make up?"

"Kissing is what got us in this mess in the first place." I muttered, giving a low, wry laugh.

"You know he only kissed Pansy to get back at you? I promise you he can't stand her."

"But you know, I think that makes what he did a lot worse. I would never want to deliberately hurt him, but he set out exactly to do that to me. The very second I kissed Harry back I regretted it and stopped it. And despite the fact that Draco wasn't even talking to me back then, I still hated myself for even doing that. The idea of breaking Draco's heart breaks mine."

Blaise sighed, halting in his tracks. I stopped too, looking up at him sadly.

"It's just- you two were so in love. And it kills me to see two people perfect for one another to go through this."

"Blaise, I appreciate what you are trying to do and I'm grateful that Draco has such a kind, caring friend. But it's him that needs to be saying all this. Not you. Except he won't, will he? Not now he's so busy being that vile woman's number one supporter."

It had come to light that Umbridge had hand picked a special gang called the Inquisitorial Squad. All Slytherins; all Umbridge supporters. They were supposed to ensure order amongst the student populace, but it was common knowledge that they were abusing their power to pick on people they disliked. And Draco was the leader.

"Yeah, I guess he is a bit blind when it comes to that woman." Blaise muttered, and I could tell he was just as displeased about this as I was.

"A bit?! Yesterday he sent a first year Gryffindor girl to Umbridge's office because she was reading a copy of Harry's interview! The poor girl was in tears later that night after Umbridge had made her carve the same words into her hand as I have! And he knew full well that was going to happen!"

"Yeah, that was a bit harsh." Blaise admitted.

"Umbridge and Draco are not going to rest until the whole school has Harry Potter is a liar carved into their skin." I cried. "That's more than a bit harsh - it's beyond evil."

I was shaking, feeling angry just thinking about it.

"He needs you," Blaise said sadly. "He's not thinking straight without you. You make him a better person."

"I'm sorry," I choked, feeling tears well up behind my eyes.

Arms went around me as Blaise pulled me to his chest in a bone crunching hug. "Just so you know, I'll never stop rooting for you guys."

"Thanks," I smiled through my tears. "That means a lot, Blaise."

And it really did.

******

Draco saw Blaise follow her from the hallway out of the corner of his eye.

He wondered what he was doing with her and curiosity getting to him, he followed. He'd just get the others to tell him what had happened to Trelawney later.

He hovered at the end of the corridor, being careful to conceal himself behind a statue. His heart hammered in his chest as he heard Blaise plead his case.

It turned out Aurora thought he was evil. Maybe he was. Whatever - it was clear that she didn't want a bar of him anymore. They had drifted too far apart in opposite directions. Blaise was being deluded if he thought they could make it work now.

Draco looked down at the tiny silver 'I' on the front of his robes. He had done his father proud. And that's what mattered.

Except... why did he feel so empty? And why was it, that every time he laid eyes on her, or his thoughts drifted to her, did his heart give an aching twist coupled with a feeling of such profound sadness?

Of course, he knew the answer, deep down. He just didn't want to admit to it.