A/n: I DIED OKAY!? No not really I just went on a vaca With the family. I'll be posting crazy crazy for a while so be preapred for me to make up my time gone! This is a request for -Got-claimed-by-Zeus btw so hope it's what you wanted! 😊

My books held in my arms, pressed against my chest, I walked down the hall. My head was down, my mind lost in thought. I bumped into someone and surprised, I looked up. Ron Weasley. I smiled at him. "Sorry," I mumbled. He seemed shocked by my politeness.

"Uh, no problem," he mumbled in response. I walked by him as if nothing was out of the ordinary but I felt eyes boring into me and I looked over to see none of other than Hogwart's fuckgirl, Pansy Parkinson. She smirked at me, sending me a 'you're screwed' smug look then turned and walked away.

Rolling my eyes, I simply ignored her. The worst she'd do was tell Draco and that wouldn't stop me from being polite to someone who I had bumped into. I wasn't Draco. I wasn't rude to Potter and his friends for no reason. In fact, I wasn't mad at them at all.

Funny how I might actually be the only Slytherine Pureblood that didn't despise the kids just because Draco did. Ironic, even, that as that only Slytherine Pureblood, I happened to in fact be Draco's girlfriend. Irony, right?

Anyway, I brushed it off. Draco wouldn't go after me for doing something so small.

---

Staring at my book, I was stressed. I was actually pretty good at potions but this was ridiculous! I sat there, staring at Slughorn's recipe, and wondering if the books we'd been given were just... Wrong. I didn't have the option of failing.

Ever. In any way.

But I'd followed the directions exactly!

"You're having problems too?" A female voice whispered in panic. I looked over to see Hermione Granger.

"Yeah," I mumbled. I looked down to see she was struggling as much as I was. "Oh you are too! Thank goodness! I was worried that I was just doing it wrong," I whispered in relief.

"Why would me failing indicate that you're not doing it wrong?" She asked, confused.

"Because you're a genius at school," I stated simply. "And if I fail, even though it's rare, I can relax to know its not just me going crazy. Because I swear I followed the rules exactly. If you fail, though, then I know I'm doing it right. The book's wrong."

Hermione goggled at me, completely stunned. "Did you just... compliment me?" She asked.

I chuckled. "Is that taboo?" I asked, making a face like 'oops'.

"Well no... But... I don't know.." She shrugged, seemingly like she didn't want to say what she was thinking. I frowned.

"Because I'm Draco's girlfriend I can't treat his enemies as I would treat any other human being?" I asked seriously.

Hermione paused a second. "I wish all pure bloods thought like that," she mumbled, scowling.

Looking at my potion, I frowned as well. "So do I," I whispered to myself. To my surprise, she heard it, looking over at me with curious eyes.

"Why are you with someone like Draco when you're so..."

"Not an arsehole?" I offered. Hermione seemed to be gauging my reaction, unsure if she should giggle or not. A small smile tugged the corners of her mouth and when I gave a small smile too, she started chuckling. Soon, we were desperately trying to hold in our loud, barking laughter as Slughorn began testing potions. When we calmed down, I shrugged. "He's not to me. He's really good." Hermione gave me a skeptical look. "He is," I insisted. "He's a great guy in... a tough situation." I shrugged. "I may not always agree with him, but I'm here because he matters to me and if I can make him a little happy and give him a little moment of peace, then I'm satisfied."

"You're a great person," Hermione concluded after a pause.

I blushed. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Then the conversation was over. But when I looked over, I saw Draco glaring between me and Hermione. When he caught my eye, he held it a second. His eyes softened, but I could tell he was bugged. Not mad. But not happy either.

His eyes fell to his own failed potion as Potter was declared the only person who got it right and then class ended.

Man. Draco looked upset about something. I raced over to him, taking his hand to cheer him up. I caught a movement, seeing Hermione with Ron and Potter, talking. The boys looked shocked and as they looked over at me and Draco, my eyes fell away.

What was I going to do? I had to pick a side... But who's?

---

My feet hit the ground of the school yard as I raced to try and stop what was happening in front of me. I spun around, my wand flying into my hand. "FINITE INCANTATUM!" I yelled, flicking my wand. The spell caster looked at me, shocked.

Immediately I spun around, falling to my knees by the girl on the ground. "Episky," I whispered, tapping her arm with my wand lightly. The minor cuts healed a bit and I was relieved. For the big gash on her cheek, I sighed. "Ferula," I whispered, flicking my wand again. With the appeared bandages, I wrapped her other arm up and wiped clean her face. "Better?" I asked. She silently nodded, terrified, not sure whether to trust me or not.

"Y/N!" Someone yelled. I spun around and flew to my feet. The person storming towards me came to a stop just then, our noses almost touching.

"Draco," I greeted coolly. Recently I'd found myself protecting the students who were being hurt. I'd been choosing the side against Voldemort and Hogwarts itself. And Draco and I had been fighting a lot.

"What are you doing?" He asked. I was defensive until I realized he wasn't mad. He was scared. I saw it flash in his eyes before he mastered up his cold act again and I realized what this would mean. I'd stopped the duel. I'd helped a Hufflepuff first year. I'd be punished. Of course Draco didn't want me to get hurt. His dad was already iffy about me. What if they made us break up?

I saw all these worries in his eyes and I just hung my head. On the outside it would seem I was ashamed, but in the way that Draco and I understood each other, he'd know that I was only apologizing for the trouble I'd put us through later. He grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the crowd and into an empty classroom. He let me go, closing the door, and started pacing.

"Draco?" I whispered. He was angry. Really angry. And worried. And pushed beyond his limits. So much had been happening and so much had been pushing on him. With my little acts of rebellion, I'd stirred up a lot of trouble and everyone thought I was going to Potter's side of things. I'd been approached by a Griffindor second year and asked to help them with something. Thankfully Neville had come to my rescue, whisking the poor kid away before too much was assumed or I had to make a choice, but in the way he looked at me, he knew that I was on the fence. That I was unsure. And the hope that glinted in his eyes made me nervous.

"Do you want to die?" He spat, spinning around.

I scoffed. "Yeah. Totally. Death sounds great," I sassed.

"I'm being serious!" He yelled at me, taking a step forward.

"Well I'm tired of being serious! I'm tired of doing everything on everyone else's terms! What's happening here is wrong, Draco!" I insisted, stepping forward as well.

"I KNOW!" He screamed. That surprised me. "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW HOW WRONG THIS IS?!" He ran his hand through his hair, staring down hard in a chair. "I thought that I hated Hogwarts. That I hated Dumbledore. Potter especially. But without them it's... Not home. I wish I could go back to that night. I wish I took your advice and ran away with you or did something differently. Gotten away from all this darkness before it was too late... But I didn't."

"And now I'm paying for it," I whispered. "We all are." I wasn't trying to lecture him or make him feel bad. I was simply stating a fact. I sometimes did that, with no sensor, and it got me in trouble.

"What do you expect me to do?" He whispered.

I paused. "I- I don't know..."

There was silence for a while. "I think we should break up."

My heart stopped. "What?" I squeaked.

"I think. We should. Break up." His voice was soft and shaky and I knew by the way he hid his face that he regretted saying it. It felt like I'd imagined it but I knew I hadn't and his reaction to his own words confused me.

"Why?" I whispered.

"Because I've caused so much hurt... So much... Death and sorrow. You need someone better. You need someone who can scoop you up and treat you right and fly you to safety. Someone who can stand up to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and protect you instead of shying away and following orders. You need someone better than me."

Silence filled the room again and I didn't move for a while. Then I sat next to Draco, taking his face between my hands and forcing him to look at me. "I love you, Draco Malfoy. And I know you've messed up. You want so desperately to be the man your father wants you to be simply because you strive to please him. You've broken yourself and stretched your abilities and pushed your limits, ruining your life and relationships and sometimes even your sanity for that man and he doesn't even care, little does he recognize. But me? I recognize your courage. And you, Draco... You'll get your chance. You'll stand up to the Dark Lord and protect me and everyone and you're going to stand on the side of good - with or without Potter and his troubling friends - and I'll be right there with you, holding your hand and smiling proudly, waiting to snog your face off when we're in private. Understand me?"

He was speechless for a few seconds. Then he smiled. It was small, but genuine. Not something I often saw so when I did, it was a treat.

"I love you too," he whispered, leaning in and pressing his lips to mine gently.

---

"Y/n, dear, come on," my mother beckoned. I looked over at Ron and Hermione and I felt a sudden rush of anger as my eyes wandered to Harry's limp body. I stepped forward but I did not step farther than Harry's best friends. I stepped next to them, squaring my shoulders and staring down my mother in a challenging way.

No words were necessary. The other Death Eaters looked at my parents, disgusted, and they looked back, mortified. Their child was fighting with Dumbledore's Army. Fighting against the Lord they served so completely. And she was proud to do it. Hermione beamed at me and Ron gave a shy smile and an approving nod. I caught Neville's eye and he simply looked forward, having long since come to terms with the fact that I was part of his side and not against him and his friends.

Then my little moment shattered.

"Draco." My eyes snapped over to the blonde head of my boyfriend and then over to his parents, who were beckoning him over now. "Come on."

I looked back to him, waiting, wondering. Would he remember our talk that day? When he tried to break but with me because he thought he was weak? Man that seemed like an eternity ago... Did he remember it by chance? This was his opportunity to stand up to them.

Would he take it?

He started walking forward and my heart sunk. I looked at my feet, completely put out. Then I gasped, looking up, as a hand intertwined with mine.

"For the fantasy to become complete you have to be holding m hand and standing by my side," he whispered in my ear. Draco's parents simply nod, not mortified or ashamed, but simply... Understanding, almost. And so together, they turned and left, walking across the bridge in silence. Woah.

"And I'm ready to snog you once this is over," I joked dryly. Draco gave a half hearted smile.

I didn't know if we would survive this. But we had to, right?

After all, I did owe him a snog.

((Wink wink))

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AND THATS IT! Sorry that was kind of all over the place but your request was in there somewhere! Lol. Hope you liked it? Nah? Maybe? ((Worried sigh))

SEE YA NEXT TIME LOVLIES!