Draco watched her retreating back with a heavy heart. He wanted to call out to her but knew that he shouldn't. It was for the best.

He was a Death Eater. She was a Mudblood. He was meant to loathe her kind. He was not meant to want to kiss her, to touch her - to hold her. He had been raised to believe in the importance of blood purity. Rosie went against everything he had known. His father had repeatedly told him that wizards with dirty and inferior blood did not deserve magic and should be excluded from the wizarding world. He was taught to despise them.

But he didn't despise Rosie. Only himself.

Draco had hated the jealously burning inside of him when he witnessed Longbottom trying to ask her out. Since she had started meeting him in the Room of Requirement, he had started to think of her as his - in a way, and he liked that.

It was a harsh reminder to him that she actually had choices.

And he couldn't let her choose the wrong choice anymore.

***

I had agreed to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with Neville. After Draco dismissed me I suddenly felt lost. I needed to keep myself busy because whenever I thought about him, standing by the Cabinet - alone, a huge lump would form in my throat and tears would spring up behind my eyes.

The following days were hard, I tried to avoid looking at him in classes or whenever we passed in the common room but sometimes I couldn't help but glance. He looked awful. The dark shadows had grown under his eyes and his face looked even more gaunt. All I wanted to do was put my arms around him, it broke my heart.

So I was relieved of the distraction of a party. Even if I wasn't particularly in the mood.

Not having had time to go shopping, my mum had agreed to send me my Christmas present early - a new outfit, sent by owl.

As I unwrapped the package, I gasped. It was a beautiful. I lifted up the long, shimmering dress, it was the colour of emerald green.

"Wow. You will look like a true Slytherin princess in that!" Hermione giggled.

I had decided to get ready in the Gryffindor dorms. I really didn't want to have to put up with Pansy's nasty sneers and remarks. So Hermione suggested we sneak me in.

Once I was dressed, and Hermione and I had helped one another with our hair and make up, I went to admire myself in the mirror.

The long green dress swept over my figure delicately down to my toes where I wore a pair of matching green heels. The dress had a slit up the right side, showing off the length of my leg, and a low plunging back line. My sleek brunette hair hung glossy and wavy down my bare back. My make up brought out my eyes and complimented the colour of my dress.

"Wow." Said Hermione, looking stunning herself in a pink gown.

Hermione helped sneak me back through the common room and I slipped away, before heading towards the Entrance Hall where I had agreed to meet Neville before the party.

I was early so I took my time making my way there, making a bit of a detour. Without realising it, I had found myself on the seventh floor. My heart thudded when I thought about Draco and wondered whether he was in the room behind the troll tapestry right that moment. Before I knew it, I was pacing that very corridor and hesitated as a door appeared. It had been over a week ago when I last walked out of there.

I very gently opened the door and slowly stepped inside.

Draco didn't notice me at first. His focus was on the Cabinet as he stood examining something inside.

"Draco." I spoke quietly, afraid of alarming him.

His thin frame froze. And then he craned his head round slowly, peering at me through those cold grey eyes.

"What are you doing here?" His tone was cold and abrupt. He turned his attention back to the Cabinet, keeping his back to me.

"I don't really know," I answered honestly, my heart beating rapidly in my chest. "I - I just wanted to see how you are doing, I guess..."

He didn't want me there. That was clear.

"Aren't you supposed to be at a party?" His back was still to me. "Won't your date wonder where you've got to?"

"I'm on my way there now. And it isn't a date, Neville is just a friend." I was starting to regret turning up here.

Draco let out a loud hollow laugh and finally turned round to face me.

"Carter, don't you get it? I don't care. I have bigger things to worry about. Much bigger than your petty little parties."

"I do get it Draco, that's why I wanted to help you." I pleaded.

"NO YOU DON'T GET IT!" He was yelling now, his pale face screwed up in anger. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS LIKE FOR ME!"

"THEN TRY ME, DRACO! I WANT TO UNDERSTAND!" Tears of frustration were threatening to fall from my eyes.

"You don't know what I'm capable of." He growled, his voice now a dangerous snarl. He pulled off his jacket as he stepped towards me. "You don't know who I am."

I froze as he closed the space between us, now tugging at his left shirt sleeve. His eyes were glinting fiercely into mine.

"You- you are a good person Draco," I stuttered nervously, wondering anxiously what he was doing.

He stopped right in front of me. His breathing ragged, shaking. He lifted up his left arm, shoving his sleeve up, revealing his forearm.

My heart stopped.

"Tell me Carter, does a good person wear this?"

The Dark Mark. Flashing lights clouded my vision. I struggled to breath as I turned on the spot and ran.

By the time I had reached the safety of the Entrance Hall, my breathing had returned to normal.

I didn't know what to think. In all honesty it wasn't a surprise to me that Draco had been marked. I already knew he was working under Voldemort's orders and his own father was a Death Eater.

No, I was upset because Draco had completely given up on me even though I had insisted there was still good in him. All I saw was a frightened, lonely boy and I was powerless to help him.

"Rosie?"

I was dragged out of my thoughts by a concerned voice. Neville. It took me a moment to realise why he was there. The party.

"Are you alright? You look lovely, by the way." He stood smiling, looking very smart in a white suit.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled myself together and planted a smile on my face.

"I'm good thank you Neville." And I held out my arm in offering. "Shall we?"

As I walked toward Slughorn's party arm in arm in with Neville Longbottom, my thoughts were still with Draco Malfoy, broken and all alone.

***