I stared morosely down at the empty plate in front of me as Dumbledore spoke about the dangerous times we were currently living in.

I had not been able to face putting any food on my plate. I was terrified I would just throw it up in front of everyone.

My eyes cast upwards towards the Slytherin table. They couldn't help but seek out Draco, who was looking just as depressed as I felt.

Watching him from this distance, I could see that he looked drawn and his pale skin had a grey tinge to it. He did not look like someone who had just been celebrating their engagement.

I wondered what had happened over the summer to make him be this way. To make him agree to marry Pansy.

Silver grey eyes suddenly pierced mine, making the breath hitch in the back of my throat. The air seemed to still around me, and all I could see was him. I didn't look away. And neither did he.

Until Pansy leaned in to mutter something in his ear, pulling his attention away - although seemingly reluctantly.

My heart racing in my chest, I looked away, not being able to stand to see them together.

I was one of the first out of my seat once Dumbledore dismissed us. I just wanted to get to my dorm and be near a bathroom. Why it was called morning sickness, I had no idea.

I pushed past students, racing out of the hall as fast as I could. I was terrified I was going to start heaving in front of everyone.

I was halfway up the marble staircase when a familiar, longed for voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Aurora!"

I turned around and there he was, breathless and staring up at me with those silver grey eyes.

I wanted to hear what he had to say, I really did. But I was about to throw up and I needed a toilet.

"I can't-" I gasped, as I turned and continued up the stairs.

He didn't follow.

******

It was clear to him that she didn't want to know. Didn't want to hear him out.

Still, he couldn't blame her.

It horrified him how ill she was looking. And he was furious to see she hadn't eaten a damned thing during the welcome feast.

His heart tore up just looking at her. How was he meant to survive the rest of his school days like this? Still, he thought bitterly, at least he had that damned task to keep him busy.

He was going to use that room, the one where he and Aurora had conjured up a private space for themselves.

How he missed being with her, missed losing himself in her body.

Luckily for him, Voldemort didn't believe in sex before marriage and had forbade him to consummate his engagement with Pansy until after the vows.

So at least he didn't have to bat away her sexual advances until then. Even though he was engaged to her, it would still feel like cheating on Aurora. And that was the last thing he wanted to do.

He miserably made his way up to the seventh floor. He may as well get started on the task straight away.

It was going to be a long fucking year.

*****

Guessing we must have picked pretty much the same subjects to continue onto sixth year with, I seemed to be sharing most of my classes with Draco this year.

Every time I stepped into a new class - there he was. White-blond hair and silver grey eyes. Usually with Pansy hanging off his arm.

Except for Potions - Pansy didn't seem to have made it for that. I guess she hadn't got the grade because I couldn't see her turning down a chance to be glued to Draco's side.

I had turned up late due to needing to throw up in a bathroom on my way down.

But luckily, Professor Slughorn - who seemed friendly enough - didn't seem that fussed.

"Never mind, never mind, it seems to be the morning for it!" He chortled jovially as he glanced over at Harry and Ron who were still unpacking their bags.

There were no empty desks left, and to my dismay, only one person had an empty stool next to them.

"You can take a seat next to young Malfoy over there." Slughorn beckoned over to the white-blond haired Slytherin at the back of the classroom. "I assume you know one another, being in the same year?"

I heard a few sniggers from the other students as the heat went to my cheeks.

"Yes, sir." I murmured, making my way over to Draco, my heart hammering in my chest.

I tried not to look at him as I unpacked my bag and instead focused my attention on Slughorn who continued on addressing the class.

"I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of them, even if you haven't made them yet."

He went on to show us each one with Hermione being the only one in the class putting her hand up.

I felt Draco bristle next to me when Gryffindor was awarded twenty points for her efforts.

Slughorn then started setting us the task for the day's lesson and I started to feel apprehensive. The moment he would stop talking, I would have to work alongside Draco, and I didn't think I'd be able to do that.

Just being this close to him was making me feel giddy; the scent of his cologne invading my senses and taking me back to the intimate times we had shared.

We had to attempt to make a Draught of Living Death in order to win a small phial of Felix Felicis. I sensed Draco's urgency as he grabbed his book and instantly flicked to the correct page. He was keen.

Everyone started murmuring around us as Slughorn finished talking, moving around the classroom to grab different ingredients. It seemed everyone was desperate to get that liquid luck.

Draco had already leapt up off his stool and gone to get his ingredients before I had even opened my book.

When he returned, he placed half of the ingredients he had collected in front of me.

"Thought I'd save you the trip," he muttered quietly.

Startled, I looked up at him. He was already expertly chopping his up, his eyes cast downwards as he concentrated intently on what he was doing.

"Thank you," I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

He shrugged, his eyes glanced up ever so briefly into mine. "Don't mention it."

In that moment, my heart had skipped a beat. The need to reach out and touch him was overwhelming. I could barely concentrate as I set to work, Draco and I working silently side by side.

Harry won the potion in the end. I could feel Draco's anger ebb off of him in waves. Especially as his Draught had been rendered 'passable'.

It was better than I got though.

"Oh dear, oh dear," Slughorn had said, tutting and shaking his head when he peered into my cauldron. "Are you quite sure you got the grade to be here, Miss Diggory, or are you just having a bad day?"

I closed my eyes in humiliation as a few titters rose in the class.

"I'm sorry sir," I whispered, feeling my cheeks flame yet again. "I didn't sleep well last night."

"Hmmm," Slughorn responded, peering at me closer, "I have to admit you do look rather dreadful. Perhaps a visit to Madam Pomfrey wouldn't go amiss after class?"

I nodded, feeling relief when he moved on and ordered the class to pack up.

"Here, let me," Draco said, aiming his wand at my cauldron and clearing it up for me. "That was pretty dickish of him."

I strained a smile, sighing as I did so. I suddenly felt extremely overwhelmed, and thought I was going to burst into tears. Draco's kindness was too much and it was just hurting my heart.

"Hey," Draco said, looking alarmed at me as I felt my face crumple. "Don't cry, it wasn't that bad. I've seen much worse."

"I'm not crying about the potion!" I said, furiously wiping my face before standing up to hurriedly pack my things. Everyone around us had started to leave and I suddenly didn't want to be left alone with Draco.

But in my haste to stand up, I felt the room tip around me, and I grabbed hold of the desk in an attempt to stop myself from toppling over.

"Aurora?" Arms went around me and I felt my whole body sigh as I relaxed into his chest, wrapping my own arms around his torso, the insides of my wrists against his spine. And in that moment I was happy, standing right there with Draco's body beneath my hands.

But this was wrong. He wasn't mine. He was someone else's.

Silver grey eyes pierced down at me in concern. "Slughorn's right, you really don't look well. Let me take you to the hospital wing."

"No! I'm fine!" I said, pushing him off of me. This was too much. Being in his arms again was just breaking my heart even further.

"Aurora, you can barely stand!" He implored, as I shakily bent down to retrieve my bag.

"I'm not your concern anymore! Leave me alone, Draco. Go and find Pansy."

"But I-"

"Please, Draco," I said sadly, placing my bag over my shoulder, "Don't make this any harder than it already is."

And then I walked away, leaving him left standing alone, looking as broken as I felt.