"Stay with me tonight."

Draco had grabbed Rosie's hand as she started to rise from the sofa.

"Don't go in there, I've missed you."

Theo had been correct, much to Draco's chagrin. He no longer had his own room, and he couldn't bear the thought of being away from Rosie another night after spending a whole summer apart.

Rosie sank back down next to him, kissing him on the nose.

"How could I ever say no to that," she grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. He took the opportunity to catch her lips in his own, pulling her tightly against his chest.

Once the last Slytherin had disappeared to their dormitory, Draco and Rosie kicked off their shoes and robes and lay down in each others arms on the large sofa in front of the fire.

"Mmmm," Draco murmured into her ear. "I've missed you."

He wrapped himself tighter around her, wishing he could have more of her. His need and desire for her overwhelmed him. He nuzzled his face in her dark wavy hair, sighing deeply as he inhaled her scent.

"I've missed you, too," she whispered, tilting her face up to brush her lips against his.

Draco's hand stroked the length of her body as he intensified the kiss. He felt her shudder as his fingers found her bare skin in the space where her shirt had risen above her skirt. Her reaction had driven him crazy, and his hand now started pulling her top up further, wanting to feel more of her.

"Draco," she gasped, her eyes flying open.

"I'm sorry," he murmured huskily, "I just can't help myself when I'm around you."

She smiled, cupping her hand across his cheek. "I want you too, believe me. But what if someone walks in?"

Draco sighed in frustration at their situation. He didn't know how he could go a whole year without being able to make love to Rosie. He physically ached for her.

"You have no idea what you do to me, Rosie," he growled.

"Well I guess we'll have to get more creative in future then," her blue eyes twinkled mischievously.

Draco chuckled, pulling her in for another kiss. "I'll hold you to that, Carter."

Rosie pulled back, her eyes wide in mock surprise.

"It's been a long time since you've called me that, Malfoy."

"Must be something about being back on this sofa," Draco smirked, looking back towards the fire. The memories of his early encounters with Rosie dancing on his mind.

"I never thanked you," he continued, his voice now quieter, soft.

"Thanked me for what?" Rosie asked, burying her head on his chest, her eyes now on the flickering flames too.

"For being there for me, for being the only one who understood." He went silent as his thoughts went back to the Cabinet. "I could never have got through that year without you."

Rosie lifted her head and turned her gaze on him. Her fierce blue eyes pierced into his.

"Draco," she said solemnly. "You don't need to thank me. I wanted to reach out to you. None of what you went through was your fault. You do understand that, don't you?"

Draco felt such a sudden rush of love for this beautiful Slytherin girl lying on top of him that he couldn't help but kiss her fiercely, his lips pressing hungrily against hers as though they could give him life.

When he pulled back, they were both breathless as he rested his forehead against hers. "I don't know how I ever deserved anyone like you, Rosie Carter."

She smiled, her lips pecking him briefly on the tip of his nose.

"Well you've got me, Draco Malfoy. Always."

***

And so life at Hogwarts resumed. It was as though the past couple of years had never happened. But we all had our scars - they would never fade, always to be a painful reminder of what we'd endured.

The one difference this year, though, was that Draco and I didn't have to hide away anymore. Which was a good thing because we were pretty much attached at the hip. Draco wanted to hold my hand all the time, to keep me close by his side whenever possible. I knew this unhealthy attachment was a result of all the times we had been separated, including him thinking I had been dead for nine months.

I tried to gently encourage him to re-join the Slytherin Quidditch team. As much as I had hated him in the early years, I had to admit he had been a good Seeker. And he used to be so passionate about it too.

"But I'm more passionate about you," he moaned, pulling me closer to him as we ate our breakfast at the Slytherin table one morning.

"Draco," I said, trying to approach this carefully. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you. I love you so much that I want to see you living your life, doing the things you enjoy. You used to love Quidditch. And you were a pretty good Seeker if I remember rightly."

He paused halfway through eating his toast and his eyes glinted at me. "You used to think I was good?"

"Well - yes."

"Better than Potter?"

I rolled my eyes, almost haven forgotten about their old school rivalry. I took another bite of my toast, irking Draco.

"Rosie," He nudged me playfully. "You can't leave a man hanging like this. Now tell me, was I better than Potter?"

I looked at him, chewing on my toast slowly as if pondering my answer. He raised his eyebrows as he waited for me to swallow.

"If I say yes," I beamed. "Would you go to the tryouts?"

"That's not an answer, Rosie."

"OK, fine. You could certainly handle the broom a lot better."

"And don't you know it," he smirked, as I swatted him away, trying not to choke on my toast.

***

To my joy, Draco decided to attend the Quidditch tryouts.

"Just so you know, I'm only doing this for you," he said, walking out of the changing rooms, clad in his green Quidditch attire and clutching his broom. "I know you can't get enough of my broomstick."

I laughed as he gave me a saucy wink.

"Well I'll have to show you my appreciation later then," I said suggestively as he drew up to me. I reached up on tiptoes and brushed my lips against his.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Rosie," he purred in my ear. "That's just cruel."

His arm snaked around my back as he pulled me in, planting his lips firmly on mine, making a heat rise from my lower abdomen.

I pulled away breathlessly, as he smirked down at me with his twinkling grey eyes.

"Good luck, Draco. I'll know you'll knock 'em dead." I whispered in his ear, giving one last peck on his cheek before heading for the stands.

Luna and Ginny, who were saving me a seat, beamed at me as I joined them.

"You look flushed, Rosie," Luna commented airily. "Is it the cold air?"

Ginny laughed, "I thinks it's more likely to do with a certain Slytherin, Luna." She nodded towards where Draco was just mounting his broom in the middle of the pitch.

"Oh!" said Luna. "Well, I suppose he's got to be somebody's cup of tea."

I laughed as I sat down on Ginny's other side. She turned to me, and whispered quietly in my ear. "It's good to see you happy, Rosie. You and Draco deserve to be, after everything."

She grabbed my hand and we smiled at each other affectionately.

"Thank you, Ginny." I said squeezing her hand. "And I hope you and Harry are happy too. I really want that for you both, I mean it."

"He misses you, you know. He hates himself for what he did."

I froze. I truly wanted my friends to be happy. But there are some things I just couldn't forgive.

***