"Just hang on to Christmas for me..."

♢ ♢

The next week passed slow and I had avoided Draco and Blaise the best I could. I didn't want to hear what either of them had to say and so I stuck close to Harry where they couldn't talk to me without raising suspicion.

Professor Umbridge seemed to be making things worse and every time the four of us walked out or into the Great Hall, Filch was hammering more rules into the wall while his cat sat, keeping a lookout. Filch seemed to have no problem with what Umbridge was doing as it seemingly made his job of caretaker easier. "She's banned Fred and George's stuff now, they were making a fortune too!" Ron scoffed with a high voice. "Though, they are quite proud that they've managed to make it onto one of those boards that Filch keeps putting up" I chuckled as we spotted the herd of students rushing towards the courtyard.

"What's going on?" I asked with a raised brow as Seamus shoved past me, banging against my shoulder. I sighed.

"Still not friends then?" Ron asked quietly and with a slow voice.

I shook my head. "No...Hey, Dean! What's going on!?" I called out as we hurried after everyone.

Dean stopped for a second, shrugging before he raced off.

Hermione, Ron and I all looked at each other before we rushed forward, securing a place where we could see.

Professor Trelawney stood in the middle of the courtyard, some of her belongings and trunks laid out, surrounding her as Umbridge giggled. Harry muttered a 'sorry' as he joined us.

Trelawney was clutching her bag, as she pushed away from her trunk. Trelawney's voice was quiet as they met in the middle, "16...16 years I've taught and lived in this castle.." She started. Everyone looked at her with a sad face as she continued. "Hogwarts is my home, you-you can't do this" Her voice was shaky as she looked around at the gathering students.

Trelawney wasn't everyone's favorite teacher but Umbridge was being cruel. Looking to the side of the courtyard, I spotted Blaise, Draco and his crew as they watched, along with everyone else.

"Actually, I can" Umbridge smirked, holding up a piece of parchment that was no doubt from the ministry, probably even the minister himself. Umbridge looked smug and I shook my head as Professor McGonagall gently pushed past us, racing towards the teachers stood in the middle.

McGonagall quickly ran to Trelawney and wrapped her arms around the distraught teacher. She held her there for a few seconds before Umbridge spoke, a smug smile on her face. "Something you'd like to say?" She asked.

McGonagall scoffed. "Oh, there are several things I would like to say" McGonagall wasn't a fan of Umbridge, but no one truly was, however, being a teacher they were supposed to suppress those feelings of hate. McGonagall did no such thing. All the students, teachers and animals at Hogwarts knew how much hatred burned inside her for Professor Umbridge.

McGonagall hushed Trelawney as everyone heard the large doors of Hogwarts open, the sound echoing around the courtyard, out walked Professor Dumbledore with the same air of authority he used to have, surrounding him.

Since Umbridge joined, everyone had been seeing less and less of him. He rarely attended dinner on a night, just before everyone went to bed and no one saw him loitering about the halls either, like he used to. Many of us speculated that it was due to the papers the Daily Prophet were racking out, not that either me or Harry could blame him. We had often talked about how scarce we'd like to make ourselves.

He stared down Umbridge for a few seconds before he stepped out into the openness of the air.

"Professor McGonagall, might I ask you to escort Sybil back inside" He ordered with a loud, clear voice. Trelawney let out some more weeping noises before she thanked the headteacher profusely.

They shook hands before McGonagall led her inside the walls of the castle, where she would be safe. McGonagall shot Umbridge a quick smirk before they walked away.

"Dumbledore, might I remind you that under the Terms of Educational Decree number 23, as enacted by the minister--" She started, trying to intimidate Dumbledore, but he was right on top of her, eyeing her down with his dreary and tired looking eyes.

"--You have the right to dismiss my teachers, you do not, however, posses the right to banish them from the grounds, that power still lies with the Headteacher" Dumbledore growled.

Umbridge smiled, her twisted and corrupt smile, "For now"

Professor Dumbledore looked around at the crowd as he turned away. "Don't you all have studying to do!" He snapped. His words were harsh and everyone knew that there was a deeper meaning behind them as we all scurried off.

Harry ran after the Headteacher, shouting "Professor!" As he attempted to catch up with him.

Having a free period next, I decided I would go see if I had a letter from Draco's father before I returned back to the castle and so off I went, walking alone to the owl tower.

Draco's POV

I stood for a second, waiting before I watched her separate from the crowd. I wasn't sure where she was heading but I knew she'd been avoiding me the whole week, staying closer to Potter than usual, not that I was mad, if it meant she succeeded in her task then I was happy, but I knew it wasn't just because of that. It was to stop me talking to her.

I followed behind her as she made her way up the steps. Her feet echoing as she neared the top. I took in a large breath as I paused...

Olivia's POV

I smiled at my owl as it sat, perched on the ledge. It had two letters in it's mouth and so I took them from it, reading the front of them.

Immediately, I knew who they were from, Draco's parents. One from his mother and the other from his father. His father hadn't written his name on the front, but Narcissa had written her first name and left it at that.

My breath lingered in the air for a few seconds before it dispersed into the late afternoon. I ripped open the first letter and read it,

Dear Olivia,

I hope you are doing well,

Draco has explained to me that you have had to have everyone believe you are now apart, no longer one, he has also explained how tough the year has been for you, explaining that you have few friends now. Should you ever need to talk, I am only a letter away. I will do my best to reply as soon as I can. Watch out for my owl,

Yours with love,

Narcissa Malfoy

I smiled and folded the letter up, it was nice to have a female parental figure in my life. She seemed so kind, I often wondered why it was that she married Lucius. Money, perhaps. I sighed and placed the opened letter, and the unopened letter into my bag. As I turned to walk back to Hogwarts, I stopped.

"Draco..?" I whispered quietly. He looked tired, his hair was slightly messy and there were growing bags under his eyes.

"Oli.." He smiled slightly before he stepped forward. I pushed against the perch as he brushed away a strand of hair from my face. "I've been meaning to talk to you.." He muttered quietly.

I looked down. "Yeah, I'm sure" I muttered.

He sighed in frustration as he took a step back. "It's not like she said" He started.

"So what was it like? Nice? Hot? Better than ours? Is that why you did it?" I snapped with furrowed brows.

He shook his head, "No!" He cried out, "I didn't want it to happen, she backed me into a corner, I pushed her away as soon as I realised!"

"As soon as you realised?! Why did she get that close in the first place?" I yelled, there was fire in my voice as he ran his hands through his pure, white hair.

"Don't do this, come on!" He pleaded.

I let out an exasperated breath, "Don't do what?" I asked quietly as we both took a second to calm ourselves.

He stepped closer once more, "Don't let this rip us apart, you're struggling, I can see it, don't pull away" By this time, he was resting his forehead against mine as I struggled to stay mad.

"I'm trying...I just..how am I supposed to when we have to act like we don't like each other every day?" My voice was quiet and shaky as my emotions began filtering away.

He intertwined his hands with mine. "We don't have to do this much longer, come Christmas and we'll be back at the Manor, alright? Just hang on for Christmas for me..." His voice was soft as he placed a gentle kiss on the top of my forehead.

We heard footsteps and so we quickly pulled apart, exposing Snape who stood with a raised brow. "Malfoy, Olivia" He snarled. "Problem?" He asked as he looked between us.

Draco shook his head, "No, I was just leaving" He sighed, before looking back at me. He nodded slightly and pushed past Snape, his Slytherin cloak following after him.

"He was just--" I started but Snape quickly cut me off.

"That letter from Lucius arrived a day ago, it is foolish to leave it here that long! How can you be so careless?" His voice was infuriated as he looked me up and down. "And Draco? Are you trying to get yourself hurt!?" He asked with a loud voice.

I shook my head, "No, but--"

"Then I suggest you be more careful next time, it might not be me coming to visit you" He snarled lowly.

I sighed sadly, "Is there a reason you're here?"

"I came to find you" He explained plainly.

"Why?" I asked.

He looked away. "We need to talk.."