Draco had it all planned out.

He left Astrid in the church whilst he went off to put things into place. First off, he knew his father had an Invisibility Cloak amongst his vast collection.

With it, sneaking her in would be easy - just so long as no one bumps into her. That was going be the tricky part.

He would also have to explain away why he was doing magic outside of school. But he had a reason ready. Having only used the healing spell, he'll simply say he fell out of a tree and was faced with a life or death situation. He wasn't worried about being expelled - Snape will see to it that he isn't, he thought snidely, not with the task he knew Draco had to do.

But the task he had to do coincided well with smuggling Astrid into Hogwarts. The task required him to work in the Room of Requirement - a room in which Astrid could live.

He knew it wasn't ideal but anything was better than her going back to that monster she called a father. And she would be safe at Hogwarts. Well, for now she would. He didn't like to think about where they would all be in a years time.

He returned back to the church to discover Astrid curled up asleep under his jacket on a pew.

He gently shook her awake, handing her the Invisibility Cloak.

"What's this?" She asked, looking up at him sleepily.

"You'll need to put it on, it'll make you invisible," he explained, helping her to her feet, "we'll go back to mine for the rest of the night and we'll be ready to leave in the morning for London."

"This is really happening?" Astrid asked, furrowing her brow in bafflement, "I thought it may have been a dream - that you told me you're a- you're a..."

"Wizard." He finished for her abruptly. He knew it must be a lot for her to take in but he was impatient to get her to safety. He couldn't risk anything going wrong. Not just for his sake - but hers too.

"Yes, a w-wizard," She was looking at him as if she had never seen him before. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Come on," he muttered, wrapping the cloak around her. It worked a treat. He quickly looked her over making sure he couldn't see any part of her.

"Draco, it's just a cloak, I don't understand how it makes me invisible!" he heard her voice ring out from the empty looking space in front of him.

"Trust me. Now follow close behind me. And don't take off that cloak!"

...

My heart was hammering in my chest as we walked up a grand driveway towards what looked like a massive mansion.

"Just keep quiet once we get inside," Draco whispered over his shoulder, seemingly under the impression I was walking behind him.

"Okay," I whispered back, from where I was stepping to his left.

He jumped slightly, his eyes darting only vaguely to where I actually was. "Merlin, it's strange talking to an invisible person." He muttered.

It was very odd, he was actually acting as if he couldn't see me at all.

Rather than go through the front doors, Draco led us to one of the smaller ones, where we crept in quietly. I followed him through a maze of extraordinary rooms, up a vast staircase, down an imposing landing, until we reached a green door.

We entered a very green looking bedroom, and I looked around in awe at the immaculately kept room which held an imposing four green poster bed within the deep green walls as Draco locked the door behind us.

"You can take it off now," he murmured quietly, striding over to the huge window where he pulled the green curtains firmly shut.

Realising he meant the cloak, I shrugged it off. Draco turned from the curtains to look at me and I saw something flicker in his eyes.

"Welcome to Malfoy Manor," he said in his low, silky voice, his eyes never leaving mine.

I stood awkwardly on the spot, wondering what I should say. My head was full of questions; full of this craziness that I couldn't understand and yet, when I opened my mouth, nothing came out.

I was tired, so incredibly tired, and the bed in front of me looked so inviting. I longed to lay down and close my eyes.

"Take the bed," he murmured, obviously noticing my wearied look, "I'll sleep on the floor."

Grateful, I dragged my feet over to the bed and, shrugging Draco's jacket off, I crawled straight in. I was aware of Draco's eyes on me, watching as I closed my eyes. And then there was nothing.

...

Draco opened his eyes, his heart thudding maddeningly as he realised what was happening.

It was Hogwarts day. He was lying on his bedroom floor and a Muggle was in his bed.

A Muggle he was about to smuggle into a wizarding school.

"Astrid," he whispered, shaking her awake. His breath caught in his throat at the beauty of her as she stirred and her eyelids fluttered open.

Her eyes filled with panic and she sat up suddenly, startled.

"Sorry," he flustered, standing back quickly, away from the bed.

"It's okay," she breathed, and he couldn't help but notice her chest heaving in fear as she took in her surroundings.

She looked so young and vulnerable, and Draco wondered momentarily if he was doing the right thing.

"Astrid, are you... are you okay with this?" he asked, tentatively sitting on the bed next to her.

She nodded, her bright blue eyes looking solemnly into his.

"Well then," he said, placing his hand gently on top of hers, "it's time to get back under the cloak."

...

"I'm perfectly fine going on my own, mother!"

I winced underneath the cloak as Draco hollered at the blonde woman I now knew to be his mum.

"But Draco, dear," she said in a small voice, "I just want to make sure you-"

"I'll be fine!" he spat, grabbing his cane and marching towards the door. I quickly followed, trying to keep my footsteps as light as possible.

"Be safe!" his mother called frantically as we ran down the stone steps towards the great big black car that waited for us.

As we journeyed to our next destination, I wanted to tell Draco to be kinder to his mum. I would do anything to have mine back.

But I knew I couldn't say anything. I was invisible - and I had to stay that way for this to work.

"Stay close," Draco whispered in my ear as we stepped out of the car into Kings Cross station.

Draco had explained to me about how we would get onto platform nine and three quarters.

The idea of running through a solid wall scared the crap out of me.

Taking my hand - as he promised he would - Draco and I took a run at the wall. I closed my eyes as the wall was about to hit me...

... only to open them and see a great big steaming scarlet train before my very eyes.

"Wow," I couldn't help but breathe.

"It's something, isn't it?" Draco muttered under his breath, letting go of my hand. I wriggled my fingers underneath the cloak, hating the empty feeling his hand had left behind.

"Time to jump aboard," he murmured, "Next stop - Hogwarts."