Draco returned with three potatoes and three cans of diet cola, casting his eyes warily over Nico and me, still locked in our hug.

"You call that fucking dinner?" Nico spat looking at the offerings in Draco's arms with disgust, "What is this? Prison?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Draco answered in a disdainful drawl as he chucked the loot down onto the bed. "So just be grateful they gave us anything at all."

As he snatched up a can, I disentangled myself from Nico's limbs and sat up, offering Draco a faint smile as our eyes met.

"Thank you," I murmured quietly, reaching over to help myself to a drink.

He stared fixedly at me, grey eyes flickering as the Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. "No problem."

I couldn't help but notice the cold tone of his voice. He seemed uptight... uneasy even, and it was clear it was everything to do with Nico.

"Relax, Malfoy," Nico muttered, evidently picking up on this too. "She's not my type. And I'm pretty sure I'm not hers, either. It seems, apparently, that we much prefer blondes."

Draco's cheeks immediately sported a pink tinge. "That wasn't what I- I mean that isn't why I..." he tailed off, falling into an uncomfortable silence.

Nico rolled his eyes, leaning forward to grab a potato. "Sit, won't you? I can't eat if you're just going to stand there staring at me as though I'm some kind of freak."

Draco visibly paled, his tongue darting out to sweep nervously across his upper lip as he slowly lowered himself down on the foot of the bed. "I don't think you're a freak, I'm just... I'm just confused. What happened? Why are you no longer... Pansy?"

"It's a long story," Nico said thickly through a mouthful of potato. "And one I have zero intention of boring anyone to death with."

I couldn't help but notice a look of despondency flit over his face, and I wondered if his story was what made Neville sacrifice himself.

The dormitory was eerily quiet as everyone ate their potatoes in silence. I felt too afraid to look up from our trio, not wanting to see the grief on everyone's faces.

"Here," Draco murmured, reaching over to press a potato into my empty hand. "Eat."

My stomach squirmed as I glanced down at the spud, the thought of going through the exhaustive process of chewing and swallowing making me feel queasy. All I wanted to do was curl up and die.

I could sense Draco's gaze on me, sense him itching to ask me what was wrong. But he wouldn't, of course, because it was a stupid question. I suppose it was a safe bet to say that we were all experiencing a great deal of shock, and that if any of us were to get out of the place alive, then a huge chunk of that gold would most likely be spent on a lifetime of therapy.

"So," Nico spoke, breaking the pressing silence. "What brings little Lord Malfoy to a place like this? Not being funny, but you were the last person I'd expected to see in here."

I watched Draco with burning curiosity as something flashed in his eyes. He gave his shoulders a little lift, and I could see the effort he was making to try and come across as casual... bored even.

"Same story as everyone else," he said dully. "Since Mother's passing, the world has turned its back on me."

"What about your father?" I asked carefully. He looked so pained, so destroyed by life, that I just wanted to reach out and comfort him and let him know that not everyone had lost faith in him.

The curl of his lip was instantaneous, the hatred evident. "I have no father." His voice was angry, bitter, and full of venom.

Next to me, Nico gave a derisive snort. "You know," he muttered, "I think that's the wisest thing I've ever heard pass your lips."

Draco ignored him and, instead, took a large bite out of his potato, glancing over to the other side of the room.

"Weasley looks wrecked," he noted quietly, "got to admit, I'm surprised he let Granger just die like that. If that were me... if I was up against someone I loved... I would never..."

As he tailed off, his eyes met mine, and I felt the sudden skip of my heart.

"Perhaps she thought he was most likely to survive this?" I suggested, trying to swallow down the lump that had just risen in my throat.

Draco snorted. "I'd be surprised if he lasts the night."

I allowed myself to follow his gaze, and then immediately regretted it.

Ronald Weasley was the exact definition of a man whom had lost his whole world. Face sickly green... eyes dead. Next to him, Harry Potter was talking animatedly about something, seemingly oblivious to his friend's wretched torment.

I closed my eyes as I was consumed by a tidal wave of grief, the awful knowledge hitting me that I'd never see Luna nor Parvati ever again.

"Alia?" Draco murmured, his voice laced with concern.

A hand lightly brush against my exposed ankle, and my eyes flew open to see Draco had reached out, his cool fingers playing against my skin, soothing me. Silver eyes pierced mine, inviting and full of warmth.

My heart racing, I had to stop myself from sliding down the bed and sinking into his embrace. The urge to be held by him was overwhelming.

"Good god, you two," Nico muttered, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth as he finished up his potato, "take a trip to the bathroom or something. The sexual tension on this bunk is fucking killing me."

Draco snatched his hand away and I could feel my face grow instantly hot, avoiding his gaze completely.

Because Nico wasn't wrong. I wanted to feel the comfort and oblivion that only a good hard fuck could offer. It was so horrifically shameful in the circumstances, especially as my sister sat morosely on the other side of the room, allowing no one to approach her.

"I should go and be with Padma," I said quickly, avoiding Draco and Nico's eyes as I moved to slide off the bed. "She'll need me."

Fingers snapped around my wrist, halting me. I looked down, surprised to see it was Draco, his face pinched and his eyes narrowed.

"She doesn't deserve your sympathy," he bit intensely. "You don't understand what I saw- what I heard."

I blinked, shocked. Breathing heavily, I found myself searching his eyes, looking for some kind of explanation.

"What-" I paused to swallow. "What do you mean? She's my sister-"

"Just because she's family doesn't mean you should trust her. Believe me."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Nico drawled, placing his hands idly behind his head as he leant back against the bed frame, "but Draco's right. Sharing the same blood doesn't automatically mean you have someone's unconditional love. Just look at my own fucking parents. As far as they're concerned, they have no son, daughter or otherwise. Bastards."

Shocked, I looked back at to where Padma sat, her face cold and hard as she glared off into the distance. I recalled how stiff and awkward she'd been in giving me her explanation of how Parvati died. And I knew deep down she'd been lying. I just did not want to admit to it, refused to believe that someone I loved could be capable of doing such a terrible thing.

Draco did not release his hold on me, instead, as I slowly turned my head to look back at him, his pleading eyes stared into mine, begging me to listen.

"Okay," I whispered shakily. "Tell me. Tell me exactly what you heard."

*****

"Panav? I've never heard of him."

My head hurt. I turned to the mirror to look at my reflection, shocked at the tiredness and exhaustion in my eyes. Behind me, Draco looked helpless, regretful, even.

He'd just told me, in the privacy of the bathroom, that Padma cared for no one but for herself, that she tricked her own twin sister out of her marbles, and that she blamed me for the loss of this Panav person.

"Do you think," Draco said slowly - gently, "that maybe he could have been a sibling?"

"But my parents wouldn't lie to me! They wouldn't- they couldn't-"

My hands gripped the basin in front of me as I looked down and choked out a sob, my tears splashing against the white porcelain.

Hands clutched my waist, whirling me abruptly around. I closed my eyes as soft lips began to pepper my face, kissing away my tears and leaving me feeling wanted and, if possible, adored.

I found myself reaching up to run my hands greedily against his hard, reassuring body, accepting his kisses and comfort. Our lips finally connected and with a hunger, our tongues slipped into into each other's mouths, sweeping with a longing ferocity, making us both groan loudly.

I could feel his hardness straining against my hip as he pressed into me, his hands roaming ardently up and down my back, pulling me into him as our kiss intensified.

It was not long before we were fucking inside the nearest cubicle, clothes laying abandoned at our feet as hot skin thrummed against hot skin, trying to touch as much of the other as we could. He was so hard inside of me that I found myself biting his lip as he pounded into me, squeezing my legs tight around his waist and digging my fingers into his taut flesh.

I felt like an animal, wanting to rip him apart, to devour his salty skin and have him give me everything, our bodies literally vibrating with energy.

"Don't- ever- stop-" I moaned breathlessly between strangled pants as the back of my head continually connected with the door, the banging rhythm growing louder and faster as we both began to shake in pre-orgasmic pleasure.

"I can't... fuck- I'm going to-" he was cut off by his own strangled groan as he shot his load deep inside of me, his entire body going rigid, pinning me firmly against the door as his groans got louder.

My own orgasm rushed through me, white lights dotting the edge of my vision as I felt the satisfying rip go through my lower abdomen, rocketing out endorphins to every part of my body.

We both rode out our climaxes together, slowing down to an eventual sweaty stop. However, as we simultaneously tried to steady our heated, gasping, strangled breaths, we remained intact, reluctant to part, reluctant to get back to the reality of the horror of which lay ahead of us.

"Stay with me tonight," Draco growled, his eyes still dark with desire as he dipped his head to nibble lightly on my lower lip. "I want you in my arms as I fall asleep."

I let out a soft groan as I threaded my fingers through his damp hair. I could feel the pound of his heart thudding furiously beneath his hard chest, pressed up against mine, my small, firm breasts squashed between us.

"Of course," I whispered, digging my heels into his backside, feeling his twitching cock go limp inside of me, exhausted after its fifteen minute workout.

A lazy, crooked, smile pulled at his lips as he lifted his face to look at me, causing his expression to look almost dopey, yet endearing.

"I'll look after you, Alia," he murmured hoarsely, tenderly brushing his nose against mine, "I can promise you, I've got your back."

It was all I wanted to hear, all I needed desperately in that moment. Because it did not matter that I barely knew him, or that he barely knew me. There was a connection between us that I knew was not just about sex, and I was grateful for it, grateful to have some kind of relationship that went beyond being unconditional.

He didn't need me because he had no choice, he needed me because he wanted me.

And who doesn't want to feel wanted? Especially when you realised your days were more than likely numbered.

When, later, we wandered back into the dormitory, dressed and ready for sleep, I was glad that Draco's hand was in mine.

For, hanging limply from a piece of rope at the far end bunk, was Ronald Weasley's freshly lifeless body.

*****