I let out a small sigh of relief when Draco emerged from his mothers room only moments later. He had a pained expression on his face and I immediately placed a hand gently to his cheek.

"Draco?" I whispered. "Is everything OK?"

He nodded, pulling me to him. I felt him nuzzle his face into my hair.

"I'm sorry, Rosie," he murmured. "I love you so much for coming here."

My heart swelled at his words. "I'd do anything for you, Draco. You should know that by now."

He squeezed his arms tighter around me. "I don't deserve you."

He dropped his arms, taking my hand in his and began to lead me back to the stairs.

"Come on, let's see if we can find some food."

He sat me down at the table once we had reached the ridiculously enormous kitchen, and I watched as he opened various cupboards, a perplexed look upon his face.

"Draco, don't tell me you don't know your way around a kitchen?" I laughed. "How did you survive all summer?"

Draco shrugged his shoulders, now looking deep into the fridge. I heard him mutter something about house elves.

"Any reason you are not using their services now?" I asked curiously, as Draco emerged from the fridge, cursing as he dropped an egg at his feet.

"I wanted to do something for you, something nice." He muttered whilst looking around agitatedly for something to clean the floor with.

Laughing, I stood up and walked over, passing him a cloth from the sink.

"Let me help you," I said, as he mopped up the egg off the floor. "What's your speciality?"

"Err, toast?" He said as he cocked his head around. "Assuming we have a toaster, that is."

"You are unbelievably cute, you know that?" I laughed.

His eyes twinkled as they met mine. "I love hearing you laugh."

Half an hour later, we were both sat at the table, eating the omelette I had shown him how to simply throw together.

"Not bad," Draco remarked as he threw down his fork onto his empty plate. "You could give those house elves a run for their money."

"Thanks, I think," I chuckled half heartedly, pushing a piece of lettuce absentmindedly around my plate.

"Everything OK?" He asked, concern over his face as he gently placed his fingers on the back of my hand.

"I'm just a little tired," I sighed. I didn't add that I was apprehensive about going back into his bedroom.

"It's been a long day, let's call it a night, shall we?" His eyes met mine as he spoke and a frisson of electricity sparked between us.

We hadn't talked about the sleeping arrangements, I just assumed I would be sharing with Draco. After all, we had spent many nights on the Slytherin sofa together.

But this was different. We were going to be alone - something I had longed for since returning to Hogwarts.

We walked back upstairs, hand in hand and my heart thudded as we approached his bedroom door. I wasn't sure if it was the anticipation of spending the night with Draco, or the thought of being back in that room.

***

Draco could tell something wasn't quite right with Rosie. He had assumed she would want to sleep with him, but the look in her eyes when they landed on his bed made him think otherwise.

"Rosie?" He asked. He was horrified to see her eyes glassing over and she didn't tear them away from the four poster.

"We don't have to sleep in here if you don't- I mean, you can have a different room if you'd prefer?" He asked tentatively. He really hoped she didn't want to sleep alone, he was yearning to hold her in his arms tonight.

"I- I'm sorry," she stuttered as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

It suddenly hit him. Pearl. She had told him she had often come here to talk to their unborn baby on his bed.

He pulled her into a fierce hug, kissing her tears away. "Don't be sorry, Rosie. I'm sorry, I should have thought."

"I was on your bed, when it happened. The pain. It was the last time I was here."

Oh god. He couldn't believe she went through all of that. His heart simply broke for her.

"Oh Rosie," He soothed as he stroked her hair. "My sweet Rosie."

He cupped her chin, tilting her head up and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. He gently brushed his lips against hers, sighing in the pure pleasure of her.

She parted her lips slightly, catching his lower lip, which sent bolts of electricity through his nether regions.

He ran his hands through her hair as the kiss intensified, their tongues hungrily exploring one another.

He was aware of her fingers clumsily fumbling with his shirt buttons and he started tugging at her top, the need to feel her soft naked body against his taking over him.

Their clothes discarded to the ground, he led her over to the bed where they collapsed into each other's arms. He kissed her deeply, rolling on top of her, the feeling of their naked bodies pushed against one another driving him crazy with want and yearning.

"Draco," she breathed in his ear as he slowly entered her, the pleasure ripping through his body, driving his senses wild. He never wanted this feeling to end. He looked into her eyes as he moved above her, the desire and passion in them nearly driving him over the edge.

"Rosie," he gasped as the intensity started to build, balls of fire in his stomach threatening to explode.

Unable to hold back, he cried out her name again and again as he shuddered above her, their bodies trembling in sweat and fervor.

Panting, he rolled off of her, and gathered her in his arms, clutching her soft body to him.

Once their breathing and heart rates returned to normal, he kissed her forehead, inhaling her scent.

"I love you, Rosie Carter," he whispered in her ear.

And tiny thrills zipped through him as she whispered the words back.

***