"Draya Malfoy! Will you wake up this instant!"

I jerked upright in my seat, McGonagall's thunderous voice startling me out of my slumber. Around me, the class erupted into nervous giggles.

"S-Sorry, Professor," I stuttered, peeling a piece of parchment from the side my face and placing it back down on the desk in front of me. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

Or try none at all.

Professor McGonagall looked furious, her eyes bulging out at me from over the top of her spectacles. "That is no excuse for sleeping in my class! And what exactly were you doing last night which was more important than sleep? Clearly not the homework I set you."

I cast my eyes downwards, not answering. She'd already scolded me for not doing the essay she'd set. But I had bigger things to worry about. I was simply getting nowhere with the cabinet despite putting all my time into it. I'd stopped eating, sleeping and even playing Quidditch. I'd also begun skipping classes where I thought I could get away with it.

Transfiguration, it seemed, was not one of those classes.

"Detention with me this Saturday. You can complete your essay then, and also write an additional one on the importance of sleep."

Oh for fuck's sake. I had plans to kill Dumbledore this Saturday!

Guess I had to get someone else to pick up that necklace instead. Maybe I'd choose someone from the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Ha, that'd teach Potter if one of his team died doing my bidding.

******

"Guess what?!"

I flicked my eyes upwards as Daphne came skipping towards the Slytherin table. It was dinner time and I'd just completed my Saturday detention with McGonagall. I was too exhausted to get on with the cabinet so I thought I'd treat myself to some food.

"What?" I muttered, shovelling a forkful of potato into my mouth.

She glanced at me, her eyes widening slightly. I was used to this. People tended to double take when they saw my appearance these days. I clearly looked crap.

"Katie Bell is dead!"

I concentrated on swallowing down my food, carefully trying not to react. My heart hammered uneasily in my chest, and I wondered if being a murderer would ever get easier.

"Really?" Pansy breathed. "What happened?"

"Well, maybe not dead, exactly," Daphne immediately back tracked, "but she's in hospital!"

I slammed my fork down on my plate. Everyone looked up at me, startled.

"Well it's quite a big difference, Daphne." I snapped. "Either she's dead or she isn't!"

Daphne blinked. "What is wrong with you, Dray? You've been a right mood this year. Didn't anyone tell you that the whole emo thing is so two years ago?"

I glared at her. She had no idea. No one did. I suddenly couldn't bear to be around anyone, and I snatched up my bag and got to my feet.

"Well, bye then!" Daphne called after me when I stomped away without saying a word. "Freak."

I froze. Part of me wanted to whirl around and go back to throw a drink in her face. Yet another part of me - a bigger part - just simply didn't have the energy.

"Hey, Dray," Crabbe said, puffing up beside me. "Is everything alright?"

Goyle closely followed, his face full of sympathy. "Ignore Daph. She's been bitter ever since Theo dumped her. You know we've got yer back, anything yer need."

They both placed a hand on my shoulders, and I felt better than I had done in ages.

"Actually," I smiled gratefully, "there is something you could both do for me."

"Anything," Crabbe said, his pudgy face breaking into an eager grin.

"How do you boys feel about wearing dresses?"

*****

I paid Harper to take my place as Seeker in the Quidditch match against Gryffindor.

I had no time to get into yet another fight with Harry Potter in the skies. Plus he was always eyeing up my left arm, making me feel highly uncomfortable. I mean, I couldn't give a toss if he found out that I was a Death Eater. Who would care, after all?

But I just did not want to give that scar head the satisfaction of knowing.

Making sure Crabbe and Goyle were both Polyjuiced up, I left the two giggling twelve year old girls to patrol the seventh floor whilst I went and did my Death Eater thing.

After what seemed like hours, I answered a knock at the door I recognised to be of Crabbe's.

"Uh- can Goyle and I leave now?" the shy looking girl in the blonde pigtails asked. "It's just that it's getting late and dinner's about to end and-"

"Just go," I sighed, dismissing the girls whose stomachs were both growling at an alarmingly loud level for their small sizes. "And don't forget to sit with the Hufflepuffs until the potion has worn off."

I was going to go back inside the Room of Requirement to continue my futile attempts at fixing the dumb cabinet, but I changed my mind, and decided to go for a walk instead.

Finding myself up on the top of the Astronomy Tower, I settled against the ramparts, looking across the grounds feeling heavier than I ever had in my life. Below me, I could hear celebrations going on in the depths of the castle. I envied every fucking person who wasn't me.

It was cold, but I didn't care. I shivered, glad that I was feeling something other than exhaustion and fear.

A sudden flock of birds escaping from a window in the Gryffindor Tower caught my attention. There were distinct sounds of shouts and bellows from inside.

"I HATE YOU RONALD WEASLEY!" Came the unmistakable screech of Hermione Granger. "GO TO HELL!"

I smirked. I always loved it when the golden trio fell out (which was a lot - the toxic bunch). I wondered what Weasley had done to provoke such a reaction.

My question was soon answered when, just moments later, the door at the bottom of the turret flew open and out stumbled Ronald Weasley and Lavender Brown locked in some kind of mad tussle.

They didn't get very far, falling down on the ground, in a series of grunts and giggles.

Ugh, they were about to ruin my view by fornicating right there on the grass below me.

As items of clothing were tossed unceremoniously into the wind, I stood up and turned away from the sickening sight.

I was halfway back across the castle towards the seventh floor when I was stopped in my tracks by something solid and invisible.

"Oh for fuck's sake Potter!" I growled, reaching out to rip the cloak off his head. "Don't you ever quit?!"

"Where were you today?" He asked, as though I hadn't just caught him literally stalking me. "We had a Quidditch match!"

"That's literally none of your business," I snarled. "And besides, it seems as though you won, so don't look so bloody wounded."

"Harper was shit. It was hardly a challenge."

I narrowed my eyes. "Careful there, Potter. It almost sounds as though you're complimenting me."

"Well, why not? You're good at Quidditch. You know you are. So where were you today? You weren't in the hospital wing. I checked."

"Unless you were bringing me flowers, why the fuck were you there?! Just leave me alone, Potter."

I went to push past him, but he reached out and grabbed my left wrist. Startled, I looked up at him, my breathing suddenly quite fierce.

"Let me go," I warned.

"Not until you tell me what you're doing wandering around at this time of night."

"That's rich coming from you, isn't it?"

"I'm keeping an eye on you!"

"Why are you so obsessed with me?! Anyone would think you have a crush!"

Our faces were pushed so close together that I could feel his warm breath tickle my lips. My eyes flicked upwards and landed on his scar, the small lightning bolt shape stirring something in me. I never knew whether I wanted to punch it or kiss it.

And right now, being this close, I am shocked at much I want to kiss it... to kiss him.

"Look at me," Harry growls, his free hand now upon my face, his fingers tilting my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his now darkened ones.

I can hear his heart racing as fast as mine, his quickened breath becoming disjointed and shallow.

"Draya."

I have no idea who makes the next move, but suddenly his lips are against mine, kissing me urgently and desperately.

It's like an explosion I'd never felt before - my entire body coming alive. My arms are around him, bunching the rough fabric of his shirt beneath my fingers. I can't get close enough to him, yet at the same time I can't believe I'm doing this.

He groans against my lips, sending jolts of pleasure through me. My hands go to the back of his head, fingers tugging at his hair, forcing him to kiss me harder.

I barely notice as my back is slammed against the cold stone of the wall, Harry's hard torso pinning me in place as one hand tangles in my hair and the other restrains a wrist above my head. He drags his lips away from mine, peppering a trail of bruising kisses along my jaw until he reaches a sensitive spot below my ear which he eagerly attacks. I take the opportunity to throw my head back and gasp for air, half drowning in the pleasure of it all.

I don't understand what is going on. I hate this boy, yet I want him. I want him so much, but I have no idea where this has come from.

And then it hits me.

With great effort, I place my hands against his chest and shove him hard so that he stumbles back and I slowly slide down the wall onto my feet.

He looks almost dazed as he glances back, confused and disoriented by my unexpected reaction.

"You used that bloody potion, didn't you?" I pant, still trying to steady my breaths. "That stupid liquid luck... or was it Amortentia?"

Harry doesn't say anything, but rather drives a hand through his raven hair as his steady gaze studies me. His glasses are slightly askew and shirt crumpled. I'm not going to lie - it's totally hot. And suddenly I want his lips back on mine, kissing me again. I want to feel his hands on my waist, pulling me close to him, showing me just how much he wants me.

"I didn't use any potion," he eventually says, his tone slow and even as his eyes penetrate mine. "This - Draya Malfoy - is all you."

"But- but-" I struggle to articulate myself. I want to say I hate him, that, in fact, I loathe him.

Infuriatingly, Harry just stands there, his lips twitching up in amusement.

Lips that I'm desperate to have on me. Oh god, I've had such little sleep that I've become delusional.

Trying desperately to focus, I close my eyes. "This didn't happen," I say with renewed determination as I force myself to look at him again. "I haven't had much sleep and I've-"

But my sentence is cut off by Harry closing the gap to crash his lips against mine, kissing me deeply. I don't hesitate to respond, wrapping my arms around his neck as his hands go to my waist and lifts me up off my feet. I squeeze my legs around him, causing a growl to hum in his throat and vibrate down my tongue.

"Tell me to stop," he says between urgent kisses, his breath hot and fast as he gently tugs at my lower lip with his teeth, "and I'll leave you alone right now."

But I don't tell him to stop. Instead I answer by kissing him harder. This is the escape I need, I realise. And if Potter is the one willing to give it to me, then so be it.

With my legs still curled around his waist, Harry manoeuvres us into an empty classroom, kicking the door shut behind us before slamming my back down onto a desk.

And then his fingers are at my shirt, unbuttoning it at an impressive speed, when I finally come to my senses.

I need to stop this. Fast.

"Wait - I'm not losing my virginity on a fucking desk!"

Harry's lips freeze against mine. He lifts his head to reveal a horrified expression upon his face. "You're a virgin? You - Draya Malfoy?"

What the fuck did he take me for?!

"Yes, I'm a virgin." I say, sitting up to push him away from me. "And?"

"But I thought you and Blaise-? Or you and Theo, Crabbe... Goyle? Anyone?"

Disgruntled, and, if truth be told - a little humiliated, I hop down off the desk and hastily try to button my shirt back up. He really knew how to douse my flames.

"For your information," I say stoutly, trying to brush out the creases, "I've got better things to do than embroil myself in such meaningless shenanigans."

"Wow, you know you sounded just like Umbridge then," Harry scoffs placing his hands on his hips. "Well done. That's well and truly cured me."

I immediately cease preening myself, my mouth falling open. "And what the fuck is that supposed to mean - cured?"

He smirks, beckoning down to the front of his trousers. "What do you think it means?"

My eyes flick downwards. I feel my face grow hot as his smirk widens.

I suddenly am desperate to be as far away from this arrogant jerk as possible. What was I even thinking?

"I've got things to do." I mutter, striding across the classroom. "Goodbye."

This time he doesn't stop me. But I feel his gaze burn into my back as I wrench the door open and leave.

******