Draco was growing more and more fearful as the days rolled on by. Easter came and went. He had spent the majority of it in the Room of Requirement working on the cabinet.

Having Astrid there was a great source of comfort to him. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like to have spent this year alone with no one to confide in.

He still kept her close to his side whenever she came out of the Room, terrified every morning he woke up, that it would be the day that Snape would try and take her away.

"You too good for us now that you're banging that Hufflepuff?" Theo said during Potions one day. "Never see you in the Slytherin quarters anymore, never sit with us at mealtimes. She's turned you into a right little Hufflepuff, hasn't she?"

"Just shut it, Nott!" Draco spat feeling furious. He had too much on his mind to be bothered with jealous little twats like Theo.

"Reckon you've got competition mind," Theo snorted, looking at Draco's infuriated face with glee, "overheard Potter talking to the Mudblood the other day, says he's got his eye on her and plans on getting her alone to have a 'talk'. Funny though, I thought he was banging Weasley's little sister - maybe he likes the idea of having a ménage-"

"What did he say, exactly?" Draco asked urgently, his heart thudding as he glared across the classroom at Potter who was smugly consulting his potions book. "Tell me exactly what you overheard Potter saying."

"Didn't take you for the jealous kind, Malfoy," Theo sniggered, stopping at the dangerous look Draco gave him, "alright, alright - I was in the library checking out that librarian with the long legs, when I overheard Potter telling the Mudblood that he was watching your missus closely and that the second he gets the chance, he is going to get her alone and tell her everything. He seemed pretty pissed off that you never leave her side. The Mudblood told him he was obsessed and that he needed to get it out of his system. I tell ya, the Chosen One's set his sights. And it's on your bird."

Draco felt his fingers twitch. He wanted to kill Potter. He had to stop him from revealing the truth to Astrid at all costs. He knew Snape had meant it when he said he would have her removed from the castle in an instant if she ever found out.

As soon as the bell rang, Draco stormed out of the class, heading straight for Astrid.

"Ready for lunch?" She asked brightly, already standing, waiting to go.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea..." Draco started, but then faltered as he saw her face drop.

"Draco, please -" she begged, "I'm going crazy in here. I've literally been counting down the seconds."

Draco hated this, he just wanted to keep her safe. But he also didn't want to keep her a prisoner. And he would be by her side. Potter wouldn't dare do anything with him there.

"All right," he sighed, his heart fluttering as she smiled and threw her arms around him. "Let's go and see what exciting tales Bones has for us today, then."

As they sat down at the Hufflepuff table, Bones started yapping on about how she had splinched her leg off during an Apparition lesson.

Draco zoned out, gazing around the room, his eyes landing on the Gryffindor table where Potter sat, watching him. No... not him- his eyes were actually on Astrid. And Draco didn't like the look in them one bit. He moved a fraction closer to her, grabbing her hand in his and glowered menacingly at Potter.

Astrid glanced up at him curiously, her blue eyes looking questioningly into his. "What is it, Draco?"

"Nothing," he muttered, not wanting to draw her attention to Potter. She was already creeped out about him enough as it was. "I'm just tired."

She squeezed his hand sympathetically. He really was tired. He barely slept most nights, working tirelessly on that cabinet, and during the day he had endless lessons to go to. He ached for sleep.

"Don't go to classes this afternoon, Draco," she whispered in his ear, "come back and sleep - you're making yourself ill."

He couldn't argue with that irresistible suggestion. He suddenly wanted to go to sleep right there and then.

"Come on," she coaxed as they finished up, this time she being the one who led him out the hall.

About halfway up to the seventh floor, they approached a girls bathroom.

"Sorry Draco, I know you're itching to get back but I'm bursting!" Astrid said, almost hopping on the spot.

Draco panicked. He didn't like leaving her even for one second out here. Looking around at the empty corridor he sighed. "Hurry up then, I'll wait right here."

She disappeared through the door and Draco was suddenly overcome with a huge wave of tiredness, that he had to sit down. He sank exhaustedly down to the floor next to the bathroom door, leaning his head back against the wall.

The second he closed his eyes, he fell asleep.

He didn't hear Harry Potter's approaching footsteps.

He didn't see the smug expression on Harry Potter's face, as he pocketed an old looking piece of parchment he had just been consulting.

And he didn't feel the gentle waft of breeze on his face as Harry Potter strode past him, and through the bathroom door.