Draco could hardly believe what was going on.

Blaire, his best friend, had been lost to him to Longbottom - of all people!

Okay, so he had deliberately been pushing her away, and of course he wanted her to be happy. He wanted nothing more.

But Longbottom?!

And from what he had been overhearing, she was also getting very cosy with Granger during those pathetic Slug Club meetings. A Mudblood!

Next thing she'll be off announcing her engagement to Potter and declaring herself pregnant with Weasley's kid.

Who would have predicted his best friend would become such a Gryffindor lover?

And here he was stuck trying to fix this stupid cabinet until all hours. It was lucky he had his own room as it made his absences a lot more inconspicuous. But it also meant he got little to no sleep and he thought the tiredness was surely going to kill him.

What he would have done to just have one night when he could forget any of this shit. One night when he could be with Blaire again, maybe even play games like they used to, and then to lie down with his body pressed against hers as he closed his eyes and slept... beautiful blissful sleep.

But he couldn't. He had to keep her away as much as possible, no matter how much it pained him.

So he kept his head down and just got on with it.

Except, she never made it easy.

*****

On Christmas morning I picked up the gift I had carefully chosen and wrapped, and walked over to the boys dormitories.

I knocked, even though I knew he wouldn't answer. And when I was proven correct, I left the gift down by his door and walked away.

It was a lonely Christmas. Just like the year before, Draco and I were pretty much the only ones who stayed on at Hogwarts; even Harry pissing Potter had somewhere better to be than here.

I could have gone home and spent Christmas with Bernard, but when he owled me about it, he kept stressing the fact that it was going to be a very busy Christmas for Smith's Cauldrons. I could take a hint, so I opted to stay.

When I went down to see Hermione and Neville off, I couldn't help but notice that Draco wasn't amongst the leavers and a glimmer of hope flickered inside of me.

Because I didn't believe he'd just stopped caring. He had obviously been asked to do something and was making sure I wouldn't find out, probably in some 'noble' way of trying to protect me or something.

And I understood it, to a degree. And I also hadn't forgotten Narcissa's warning to stay away for his own safety as well as mine. But the fact that whatever he was doing was clearly killing him anyway, I just couldn't stand back anymore.

However, Draco and I being the only ones left in Slytherin just highlighted the lengths he was taking to avoid me.

He was never anywhere to be seen; not at meal times, not in the common room, not even in the library. And when I did see him, he would hurry on by as if in a rush, acting as though I wasn't even there.

So, when I woke up on Christmas morning, I was determined to confront him. There was no way I was sitting through an excruciating Christmas lunch pulling crackers with Trelawney and making polite chit chat with Snape by myself.

Getting comfortable on the common room sofa, I pulled out my magazine, and waited.

He emerged late morning; scowl set on his face as he made to walk determinedly past me as though I was merely part of the furniture and not a human being he'd been fucking only four months previously.

"Merry Christmas," I said loudly and firmly, "did you like the gift?"

For a split second I thought he was going to blank me and continue walking past. But instead he halted, turning his head slowly to face me.

His expression wasn't angry, like I was expecting; instead, it held a look of utter desperation.

"You need to stay away from me, Blaire."

I put my magazine down, my heart thudding in my chest. I wasn't about to let him go that easily, and the fact that he used my first name told me that he was perhaps softening.

"Drac, please," I implored, desperate to get through to him, "I just can't stand by and watch you do this any longer. I know you don't hate me. And I know this is just some shitty attempt to try and 'protect' me."

He didn't move. Instead, he hesitantly swept the tip of his tongue across his upper lip as he shoved his hands in his trouser pockets, and I could see the flicker of temptation in his eyes.

"It's too dangerous for you to know," he said shakily, still not being able to quite meet my eyes. "Not associating yourself with me is best for your protect-"

"I DON'T NEED PROTECTION, I NEED YOU!" I shouted, finally snapping as a huge sob escaped my lips.

When he didn't say anything but just looked back at me startled, I added quietly, "I need my best friend back, Drac. I miss you so much."

His face filled with pain as he closed his eyes, but he made no attempt to move.

"You don't- you don't need me."

Frustration tore through my chest. I wanted to scream and pull my hair out.

"I do, Drac, I really do," I insisted. "And I am watching you slowly kill yourself over whatever it is going on inside of your head and I'm utterly terrified I'm going to lose you in the worst possible way. If you can't tell me what it is, then fine, I'll understand. But please, just let me at least be there for you to lean on as a friend."

"I saw you at Slughorn's party," he said stiffly. "Dancing with Longbottom."

"You were at the party?" I blinked; confused. "I didn't see you."

"Not for long, I was thrown out, but you seemed pretty distracted by Longbottom to notice anything going on around you."

His voice was so bitter, and so full of hurt; it hit me that he was completely and utterly jealous.

"Drac," I said, standing up and walking over to him, desperate to reassure him. "Nothing is going on between Neville and me. He's just a friend, that's all."

"His hands were all over you!" Draco spat, his face pinched in fury as he angrily removed his hands from his pockets to gesture at me. "You were laughing!"

"Chill, Drac; we were just dancing," I said, putting my hands on my hips as I halted in front of him. "And you do realise I'm not exactly his type, don't you?"

"What are you talking about?" He scoffed, looking at me as though he thought I were stupid. "Of course you're his type. You're the most beautiful girl in this school."

My heart stilled at this sudden, out of the blue, compliment. And it seemed that Draco realised what he said too, as his eyes met mine and the air suddenly felt very thick.

"The thing is, Drac," I said, pulling my gaze away from his, "I could be the most beautiful girl in the universe and I still wouldn't be his type."

"Huh?" He frowned, his face suddenly thrown in a look of complete confusion.

"For crying out loud," I muttered, rolling my eyes, "do you seriously need me to spell it out for you? You're more his type than I am."

"Oh- Oh..."

The look on his face as the realisation finally hit him was so comical that I found a bubble of laughter rise up in my chest.

"You don't need to look so bloody horrified," I snorted, "We all know Potter's the only guy for you."

Draco didn't say anything; just looked at me strangely as I poorly attempted to stifle my laughter.

"I've missed you." He said suddenly; and as I looked back at him, I realised that he hadn't been looking at me strangely at all - for his twinkling grey eyes were filled with nothing but affection.

And my relief when he didn't flinch away as I threw my arms around him; but instead, he brought his own up to wrap around me, pulling me tightly to him.

"Merry Christmas, Blaire," he murmured above my ear as I nuzzled my face in his shirt; his wonderful familiar scent making me sigh contentedly. "I'm sorry I didn't get you a gift."

But as we stood there clinging to one another, neither of us attempting to let go, I thought he couldn't be more wrong.

Because he did, he got me the best gift of all.

*****