Draco knew something was wrong the moment he opened his eyes.

He reached out an arm and felt the heavy pang of his heart when he realised she was not there.

"Astrid?" He called to the bathroom. But there was nothing but silence.

He wondered briefly if last night had just been some blissful dream. But as his eyes drifted to his bedroom floor, he saw where her black dress lay abandoned in a heap next to his clothes.

Perhaps she had just nipped across to find some fresh clothes? He thought, hopefully. But something told him that she wouldn't do that - not without waking him up first. Not after so long of being apart.

The longing to have her in his arms hit him so intensely that it felt like a physical pain.

He needed to find her, he thought decisively, jumping out of bed and striding across to the bathroom.

And if she had gone, then by merlin, he would find a way to bring her back.

...

He stepped out of his room and hesitated as he stared across at the bedroom door opposite.

Astrid had been right - it didn't feel like her room at all. It felt like the Dark Lord's daughter's room. Riddle's room.

He couldn't bring himself to knock.

So he abruptly swivelled right and exited through the portrait instead.

His eyes immediately scanned the common room, desperately trying to seek her out. It was already crowded - Slytherins were lazing around, recovering from the previous evenings antics.

"So you date my little sister and then ditch her to go for a swim with a monster?"

Startled, Draco span around at the angry voice to be met with a fuming Daphne. Her arms were crossed huffily over her chest.

"Your sister doesn't seem that bothered," Draco drawled, nodding in the direction of the sofa where Astoria was in the process of dry humping Theo. "And Astrid is not a monster."

"Oh really?" Daphne scoffed, choosing to ignore her sisters wanton behaviour. "Then who is causing all that screaming I could hear coming from the Carrows office just now?"

Draco's heart sank. Shoving Daphne roughly aside, he strode over to the exit.

She had been correct, there was indeed screaming coming from inside the office. He burst in without knocking, ignoring the terrified looks of the waiting students in the queue.

Amycus was sat filing his nails with his feet propped up on the desk. He looked lazily up at the uninvited visitor.

"Master Malfoy," He wheezed, "for what do I owe this pleasure?"

Draco looked to his left where the screaming was coming from. And sure enough, there she was, her eyes back to black, Crucio'ing a first year Ravenclaw girl against the wall.

"Astrid!" He bellowed, hoping that that was all it would take.

But she carried on, without so much as flicker that she had heard him.

"Do not disturb the Dark Lord's daughter during torture time!" Amycus spat. "Or so help me, I'll turn her on you next!"

Draco felt wretched, he had let Astrid down. She had begged him not to let her fall asleep but he had failed. And now she was lost again.

"Please, Astrid!" He begged, ignoring the outraged look on Amycus's face, "I know you're in there somewhere!"

"GET OUT!" Amycus stood so abruptly that his chair went clattering to the floor. His wand was pointing dangerously towards Draco's chest. "Or would you like me to tell the Dark Lord just what you've been playing at? I'm sure he won't need much more reason to punish your parents!"

Sighing heavily, Draco stormed back out of the office, kicking the wall angrily opposite him as he spat all the profanities out he could think of.

When he was done, he turned around, sinking frustratedly to the floor with his back against the wall.

"What?!" He spat up at the queue of students on the opposite side of the corridor, who were all staring at him with their mouths hanging open. "You're all be screaming much worse soon enough, so don't fucking judge me!"

Jumping back to his feet, he made a snap decision to go and see the one person who may be able to help him.

Snape.

...

"The Astrid we knew is dead, Draco."

Draco slammed his fists on Snape's desk, frustrated by his reaction. Or lack of.

"She's still in there, Professor! I'm telling you! I spoke to her last night - after Zabini and Parkinson tried to kill her! She came out of the water and it was Astrid - my Astrid!"

Snape looked startled for a moment, before quickly composing himself. "Grief can do funny things to us," he said in a slow deliberate voice, "when our minds refuse to believe-"

"THIS IS NOT MY MIND PLAYING TRICKS ON ME, GOD DAMN IT!"

"Then where is she now, Draco?"

"In the Carrows office," Draco mumbled, "but it's Riddle again. Last night her eyes were blue, Professor. It was her."

"Draco, you need to be careful! This is the Dark Lord's daughter we are talking about!"

"Yes, I know!" Draco spluttered, "It is Astrid - your niece and my... my-"

"You really believe that she is still in there?" Snape interrupted, saving Draco to think of a label that sounded less dramatic than soulmate but one that still provided more weight than girlfriend.

Draco closed his eyes in frustration. "More than believe, Professor - I know it."

"Then next time you manage to have a little chat with her, bring her straight to me."

Draco wasn't sure if Snape was taking the piss or not. Either way, he was going to prove that Astrid was still there.

He just didn't know how to get her back out again.

...

When Draco went down to lunch, he was surprised to see her sat alone at the Slytherin table.

His heart racing, he went and took the seat opposite her.

"Astrid," he hissed, trying to get her attention.

The black eyed girl paused in her eating and blinked, but said nothing.

"Astrid, it's me - Draco. Please come back to me Astrid." He implored, searching desperately into her horrifying black whirlpools for any sign of his Astrid. "I need you."

But all the girl did was blink. And then resumed her eating.

"Merlin, how pathetic."

Draco flinched as he realised Pansy was stood behind him, a look of pure disgust on her face.

"Fuck off, Pansy." Draco spat venomously, "You're lucky I haven't killed you after your sick little game last night."

"Oh calm down, Drakie," Pansy scoffed, taking the seat next to him. "I swear you've gone soft these past couple of years. We were just having a bit of fun. Don't tell me you actually feel sorry for the kiddie torturer? Or is that what gets you going these days?"

Draco stood up shaking, "You're sick - you know that?"

"I'm not the one shagging a monster!"

"She's not a monster!"

Draco clenched his fists, telling himself he must never hit a girl.

"Oh, so you're not denying it then?" Her mouth widened in a nasty grin, her eyes glinting up at him wickedly. "I bet you couldn't wait to get her back to your room last night and rip her wet clothes off."

Draco turned and started to stride away, his cheeks flaming furiously as Pansy's heightening voice continued to follow him across the hall.

"I bet your cum was still dripping out of her when she got up for a round of torture sessions this morning!"

Draco couldn't get out of there quick enough as Pansy's shrill voice rang around him, causing students to curiously gaze up from their gravy soaked Yorkshire puddings and fat juicy sausages.

The worst thing was, Draco thought with great discomfort as he reached the sanctuary of the Entrance Hall:

Pansy wasn't all wrong.