Draco turned over and reached out to pull Astrid into his embrace.

But he found his arms remained empty.

His eyes flew open and he felt a hollowness in his chest as he registered the empty space on the bed beside him.

Since they had returned to the Manor this summer, he had not woken up once without her.

Out of nowhere, he let out a deep, wracking sob, curling himself up into a ball, remembering her cold, unfamiliar expression as she shut the door on him the previous night.

In trying to save her, he had ended up destroying her. And he didn't know how to fix her. He didn't know if it was even possible she could ever be fixed again.

As Snape had said - when all was said and done, she was the daughter of the darkest wizard ever to be of existence.

...

He started to make his way to breakfast in a haze, pausing briefly outside her bedroom door, placing his fingertips sadly against it, wondering if she was in there, yearning him as much as he was yearning her.

He doubted it.

"Draco?"

He looked up to see the worried expression etched upon his mother's face as she stood on the other side of the landing, watching him.

"Mum," he quivered, and was horrified when tears started rolling down his cheeks.

He felt a sudden rush of overwhelming sadness and disgust - disgust at himself for what he had let happen the previous night.

He should have stopped Astrid from doing what she had done. He didn't know what was going on with her, but he knew she hadn't been in her right mind.

"Oh Draco, love, Draco..." his mother soothed, rushing over to his side and embracing him instantly as he broke down, sobbing into her arms.

...

"Today is the day we get Potter."

I shifted in my seat, trying to get a closer ear to what my father was saying.

We were in the midst of a Death Eater meeting. My first one as an official follower. I was keen to show what I was made of.

"All I need are a few volunteers,"

I immediately raised an arm.

I tried to ignore the look from the white-blond haired Death Eater opposite me.

"Father, I would like to prove my worth."

I could feel the silver grey eyes penetrating me.

"It won't be an easy task. He will be under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix."

"Have faith in me father, I have, after all, managed to overcome difficult situations in the past." I glanced up sideways at my uncle who was sat on my left. He gave the merest roll of his eyes.

Everyone around the table shuffled uneasily, except for my father who chuckled amusedly.

"As you wish then, daughter. Ah- young Draco, I see you want to volunteer, also?"

My eyes shot across the table to Draco, who had risen his arm.

"If you will, my Lord, I'd be happy to serve," he said, and I could feel his eyes dart apprehensively towards me. But my focus remained firmly on my father.

"Excellent, Draco, excellent," my father smiled before looking at the rest of the Death Eaters sat around the table, all of whom were desperately trying to avoid direct eye contact with him. "Anyone else care to step forwards? No? My, my, my, it seems that out of a group of the most terrifying and dangerous witches and wizards in the world, only my teenage daughter and her high school sweetheart are the ones brave enough to go up against my enemies."

Everyone shifted uncomfortably. I could see they were all tired and hungover from the previous nights celebrations. No one was in the mood for flying up against a bunch of Dumbledore's tenacious fighters.

"My Lord, I will go, and if you permit me, I can choose a team to escort us." Snape drawled, "If anyone refuses, I will send them to you for punishment."

"And this, ladies and gentlemen," my father spoke in his most dangerously, soft voice. "is why Severus is my most valued and trusted servant. You would all do well to use him in a bit of reflective practice."

"Astrid, wait up!" Draco called, after we were all dismissed.

I turned around just as I approached the stairs, Draco was hurrying up the corridor after me, elbowing his way through a sea of straggling Death Eaters.

"I was just about to go and have a lie down." I said, feeling a flicker of irritation. "My plan was to get some rest but if you wanted to join me, I could always-"

"Astrid - stop!" Draco cried, looking pissed off. "This isn't you!"

"You weren't complaining last night when I had your cock in my mouth!"

"What the fuck has happened to you? Where's the kind sweet girl I fell in love with? Is this really all because I tried to save you? Because quite honestly Astrid, I don't see how that makes me the bad guy."

"You thought I was so pathetically weak you were willing to get yourself killed! This is me, Draco, proving you otherwise so that you don't do anything that stupid Ever. Again!"

My anger was boiling so much that I found myself shaking. Turning my back on him, I started to flounce up the stairs.

"Astrid!" Draco called, desperation in his voice. "Do you even know how to fly?"

I paused. Shit.

I heard Draco sigh heavily behind me. "Come on, I'll teach you."

Less than ten minutes later, I was stood out on a large stretch of lawn within the grounds, Draco striding towards me with two broomsticks in hand.

"You can use this one," he said, handing me a sleek, polished black stick. "It's a Nimbus two thousand and one. Father bought it for me in my second year when I became Seeker for the house Quidditch team. It was one up on Potter's."

"What's the one you've got there then?" I asked, nodding my head at the fierce looking broomstick still in his hand.

"Firebolt Supreme." He said smugly, as if I should know and be impressed with whatever the hell that was. "The newest model, it's not even out on the market yet. This very broom provides the fastest ride the wizarding world has ever seen."

"If it's so good, then why doesn't my father provide one for all the Death Eaters?"

Draco just scoffed. "This one single broom is probably worth more than the grounds we are standing in."

"That's ridiculous. It's just a bit of wood."

"Oh, Astrid," he said, shaking his head pityingly, as he positioned the broom in between his legs.

I nearly fell back in fright as he shot off at the speed of light, leaving nothing but a blur. Out of nowhere he appeared right in front of me again, his white-blond hair windswept over his eyes, which twinkled amusedly at the look on my face.

"I'm not going on that!" I spat, utterly horrified.

Draco chuckled softly, dismounting his broom. "Don't worry, the Nimbus is definitely a more appropriate ride for you."

"Draco, I can't possibly see how this thing is going to take my weight!" I said, panicked, as I shakily positioned myself over the broomstick.

"It's called magic, Astrid," he drawled derisively, "And it's not like you haven't seen people fly before - you just did me!"

I gripped the broom, my knuckles turning white and my legs starting to tremble. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff and getting ready to jump into the sea.

"Come on Astrid, I thought you were fearless. How are you expected to fight up in the air tonight when you can't even bring yourself to leave the ground? Or was that all a show in there? Trying to be a daddy's girl? Sucking up doesn't suit you, Astrid. It's pathetic."

"Shut. Up." I gritted, tears starting to blur my vision as I tried to focus on the broom in my now sweaty grip.

"No, Astrid, I won't." Draco sneered, "I'm not sorry that I tried to save you yesterday, that I loved you enough to want to die for you. But I am sorry for what a complete bitch it has turned you into."

"Stop it!" I cried, tears now rolling down my cheeks and splashing onto the handle of the broom.

"Look at you! Playing the big I Am - making out you're suddenly some hard nut, when you can't even get off the fucking ground!"

"I SAID STOP IT!" I screamed, and angrily kicked my foot off the ground and shot up into the air.

Draco joined me in the air within seconds, chuckling cockily by my side on his broom. His silver grey eyes glinting delightedly into mine.

"See - it wasn't that difficult, after all."