"Too black," I said, wrinkling my nose as Draco pulled yet another black dress from the wardrobe in my room.

Draco sighed heavily, placing it back inside. I heard the clatter of coat hangers as he went in search for another. "Sorry to break it to you Astrid, but black is literally the only colour in here."

I readjusted the fluffy white towel wrapped around me as I stood in the doorway to the bathroom of my bedroom.

"It's a bit goth, isn't it?" I sighed, wondering where I was to find my underwear drawer - no doubt all black there too.

"Actually, it's a bit Bellatrix," Draco said, pulling out a long black dress adorned with what looked ripped lace and silky trestles.

I walked over to the bed, sitting down heavily on the edge. The thought of dressing up in these clothes and facing everyone outside of this room was a daunting prospect to say the least. I just wanted to stay here with Draco.

Hanging the dress back up, Draco came to join me, sitting down beside me and taking my hand in his.

"I'll be here for you, you know," he murmured softly, "you are not going through this alone. You have myself, Snape, my mother..."

"Bellatrix," I added, pulling a face.

"Yes, well the less said about Bellatrix, the better," he muttered, pulling me into his side.

"It doesn't bother you?" I asked, looking up at him warily, "about me being... being-"

"His daughter?" Draco's grey eyes pierced down into mine, and then he gave a little shrug, "I won't say it didn't terrify me at first, but I was scared for you - I still am, truth be told. But it doesn't change the way I feel about you, just like it didn't when I found out what your father - I mean the man you thought was your father - had been doing to you. Astrid, I just want to protect you so much and it literally kills me when I am powerless to do anything."

"You're a good person, Draco," I said leaning up to pepper a kiss between his eyes, "you proved that last night up on the Astronomy Tower."

"I was a coward, Astrid," he muttered morosely, looking down at his lap, "nothing but a coward."

"No, you weren't," I said indignantly, cupping his face in my hands, forcing him to look up at me, "you are anything but a coward, Draco - you are, and will always be, my hero."

I pressed my lips firmly against his, and felt his arms instantly snake around my waist, pulling me up into his lap so he could deepen the kiss.

"Draco, I need to get dressed!" I gasped into his mouth. His response was to tighten his arms around me and fall backwards on the bed, bringing me down with him.

...

They emerged from the bedroom twenty minutes later.

"I feel stupid," Astrid muttered, tugging awkwardly at the long black dress she had opted for as they descended the grand staircase.

"You look beautiful," Draco smiled, giving her an appreciative look, "but then, you always do."

"Do you think he will be there?" she asked quietly, and Draco's heart twisted as he noted the obvious fear in her voice.

"Meal times with the Dark Lord are usually announced in advance. Believe me - you will have fair warning."

Draco felt her relax slightly at his words. He halted and pulled her fiercely into his embrace. "I'm going to be with you, Astrid." He murmured ardently in her ear. "You're never alone."

He broke away and pushed open the kitchen door, taking her hand and pulling her in after him.

His mother was sat at the end of the table drinking a mug of something hot as Snape stood behind her, his arms crossed, looking unamused.

"Ah," Snape drawled, "so good of you to finally surface, Astrid."

"I, uh..." she stuttered. Merlin, Draco thought, he was acting like such a... teacher.

"I allowed them to sleep in, Severus," his mother spoke up piercingly, "it had been a long and emotional night, after all."

"I am aware of the evening's events, Narcissa," Snape droned, "I seem to remember being a large part of it. However, the Dark Lord insists I get started immediately on Astrid's education, and he will be expecting a full report by tonight's meal on how things are progressing."

"Tonight's meal?" Draco asked, looking up at his mother sharply, as he pulled a chair out for Astrid at the table, "what's this about?"

"Whilst his daughter is staying with us, the Dark Lord has requested to join us every evening for dinner." His mother explained, not managing to look either him or Astrid in the eye.

Draco's heart sank. The last few hours had felt almost normal for him and Astrid. He was afraid of what Voldemort's constant presence was going to do to her. And in a selfish way: to them.

Once breakfast was over, Astrid disappeared with Snape. Draco was not permitted to attend their lessons, much to his frustration. He hated leaving her - even with Snape.

"She'll be okay," his mother said gently, clearly sensing his distress. "Severus has her best interests at heart."

Draco didn't say anything but swallowed hard, staring intently down at the table before him.

"Are you being careful?" His mother asked, making Draco's eyes shoot up in alarm.

"As much as I want a grandchild one day, Draco," she continued, and Draco felt his cheeks flame in utter horror, "I just don't think now is the best time."

"Of course I am, mother!" he snapped, hoping she would just drop the subject. He didn't like talking about such intimate details with his mother.

"I only ask because you are both extremely vulnerable, especially her," she said gently, "Take comfort in each other as much as you can, but please be careful not to... add to it."

Draco stood up, wanting to leave this conversation immediately. As if he would ever put Astrid in that position. He didn't need his mother to remind him.

"I'm going for a walk," he muttered, heading for the kitchen door that led to the Manor's vast grounds. All he wanted to do was kill time until Astrid was finished with her lessons.

Astrid, the witch, whom he once thought of as his Muggle. He didn't know why, but he found himself sobbing as he approached the playground where he had first found her.

For he would have done anything for her to be sat on that swing.

Waiting, as she once did, for no one but for him.