"I'm not Mat, so I will drag you out of bed," Draco said as he stood next to Mat's bed where I was still lying comfortably .

"He is going to come out of the bathroom and tell you to go, so HA." 

"Dav, you can't miss out on going to Hogsmede, we have exams next week and then it's holidays so you won't get another chance."

"Don't remind me. I'm already stressed about the ball, I won't be much fun."

"For a laddish girl who doesn't stress about normal 'girl-type' things, you sure are acting like it."

"Oh shove off." As I said that Mat came out of the bathroom clothed and with wet hair.

"Draco, leave her she isn't feeling well."

"Sure." I eyed Draco so he would shut up and he just laughed as he walked out.

"So you don't want to go today?" Mat asked. 

"Not really. But you don't have to stay for me, you can go if you want."

"It's alright, I'd only go if you were going, otherwise I don't care."

"Oh okay." He cuddled me into him and I was about to fall asleep again when Mat jumped up. "What's wrong?"

"My dad is asking for me."

"How?"

"He um, well he goes into my head and summons me." I looked at him with shock for a moment and then I moved on, not being surprised. His father went absolutely loopy after the battle many years ago. And everyone is thankful for that. 

"What does he even do nowadays?"

"Bellatrix and my father just fight non-stop and he basically just thinks he's still the scariest guy out there." I laughed as he spoke about his father and he got up and got dressed.

"I don't know if I should say have fun."

"I don't know either, it all depends on his psychotic mood for the day. I'm sorry you have to be by yourself, I'll try get back as soon as I can." He kissed my forehead and then he vanished using a port key that lead him to his father I assumed. 

I huffed and then decided I'd go eat something. I put on my shoes and put on one of his jumpers that is very big on me and I hurried up to the great hall.

"Nice of you to join the other people who live here." I rolled my eyes.

"Mhm." I stuffed my face with food and he just laughed.

"Where's Riddle?"

"He had to go to his father."

"Ah. So what are you doing today?"

"I'm not sure. Mostly sleep."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I mean you are going to get dressed and meet me in the courtyard so we can go to Hogsmeade."

"No, Draco-"

"I don't want to hear it. We'll find you a dress for the ball and we can go get your favourite sweets and see Madame Rosmerta. You'll be too distracted to wallow here and wonder into the kitchen to get yourself ice cream." The prick new me too well so I just ignored him as I went to my dorm to get dressed.

<><><><><><><>

"So where are we going first?"

"Definitely Honeydukes and then dress shopping." He had looped my arm and we went in and he caught me all my favourite sweets and I ate a few as we strolled out. He just laughed and smiled at me.

"Alright, there's this nice place over around this corner that may have something you'll like." We walked through the blossoming trees and arrived at a small shop that looked like it was very expensive. I skeptically walked in and gazed at all the beautiful clothes it presented. I saw dresses and walked over and guided my hand through the soft fabrics. I stopped at a particular dress and Draco had joined next to me.

"Try it on."

"It's alright, it's too expensive."

"I'll get it for you. Consider it your birthday present."

"Draco, my birthday's in October."

"So, just try it on."

<><><><><><><>

"It was worth it, now stop complaining." Once I gave up in telling him he shouldn't gave bought me the dress I thought of how I looked and how perfect it was. It made me more excited for Friday rather than nervous. 

"Thank you Draco."

"Now that's better." He gave me hug and we headed the three broomsticks.

"Oh my favourite customers." Madame Rosmerta said as she saw us walking in. As soon as we sat down we had butterbeers and shortly after we both had foamy lips and were laughing at each other. 

"Have you two got dates to your ball?" She inquired wanting to get the gossip.

"Yeah, we do." Draco smirked my way, waiting for me to mention who I was going with.

"Oh, don't tell me you're taking each other, I have been waiting for the day that you two-"

"No, we have our own dates. I'm taking Astoria Greengrass."

"Oh, lovely," she said, but seemed a bit disappointed that her assumption about us going together wasn't true. "And what about you dear?"

"Well, I'm going with Mattheo Riddle."

"Oh, well he's handsome." She said with a bland tone. 

Ever since the battle everyone knows that Voldemort is crazy and when Mat was born, everyone was convinced he was too. That's why people ignore him. They also think he'll become who his father became during the battle which is absurd. 

"I've got to get to work dears, it was good seeing you, take care of yourselves."

"We will." She smiled warmly before rushing off to tend to her other customers. 

"That went better than I thought it would."

"She's just disappointed, oh well." I said and I sipped my drink. I saw Draco's expression change and then he looked at me nervously 

"Um Dav, you'll be okay if I told you that Michael was coming in here with someone."

"Why did you say someone and not friend." I didn't want to turn my head. "Is it a girl?"

"Yes." Now I turned my head and it was the exact moment that Michael saw me. A moment of shock passed between us until he finally smiled like he promised he would. I returned the smile and then I looked at the girl that was attached to his side like a leech. It was some clueless Hufflepuff that was smiling ecstatically. How pathetic. I looked back to Draco and downed my drink and he got my memo and got up, leading us out.

"Well that was fun." He said sarcastically as he put a comforting arm around me as we headed back to the castle. We had to start running the last mile because it was beginning to pour.

"I hope him and his date get drenched and her hair gets all frizzy." Draco laughed.

"Come on, let's go get warm in the common room." It was a long walk down and once we got there Mat was sitting stiffly on the couch along with students scattered around. Some studying, some reading and then the small group of girls from my dorm that were gossiping in the corner. We sat with him and he smiled as he saw us.

"Why is your hair wet?" He was asking me even thought Draco's hair was also wet. I guess he didn't care.

"It's raining."

"Oh. Well the fire is on so get warm."

"Are you okay? How was your visit with your father." He continued to not move and I was confused as to why. 

"It was just lovely." He said sarcastically.

"I'm going to head up to our dorm, I'll see you guys at dinner." I said thank you to him one more time and once he left I looked back at Mat who seemed very off. I joined him on his couch and put my hand over his. 

"What happened?"

"It's fine, he was just in a bad mood."

"Yes, but what happened?"

"He wanted me to take over, and was saying all these things... anyway I got angry at the things he was saying and he lashed out at me."

"What did he do?" I started to get worried, knowing what our fathers were capable of, especially his. 

"It's nothing you don't have to worry." He tightened his jacket around himself.

"He hurt you, where? On your back?"

"Dav, it's okay."

"No it's not." I grabbed his arm and dragged him up to my dorm knowing that it was empty. I took him into my bathroom and I stood, waiting for him to show me. 

"Dav, it's fine."

"Mat, it is not." He exhaled and took off his jacket. He was wearing a shirt underneath and he unbuttoned it. He took it off, wincing as he did so, and I put my hands on his muscular arms to turn him around. I gasped. "Mat how did he do this?"

"He used incendio."

"On you?!"

"Yes."

"Was that all?"

"Mhm."

"Was that all?" I asked more seriously.

"He crucioed me as well, but not for long, I'm still sane."

"Not funny. You have to go to the hospital wing." He turned to me.

"Absolutely not, people talk."

"Then you have to let me help. It will be painful, I don't have the stuff to knock you out, so you have to feel everything."

"I can take it."

"Okay then, lie on my bed."

"I don't like the context of why I'm lying on your bed but shit happens I guess."

"Just do it." He laid on my bed, on his stomach so that I could tend to his back and I got the ointment and some bandages. I rolled up the sleeves of my sweater, and got the ointment.

"This stings, do you want something to hold?"

"I'm fine." I rolled my eyes at his need to be all strong and manly as I put some ointment on my hands. 

"Ready?"

"Go ahead." I lightly spread it over the burns that decorated his skin and he winced immediately and was trying not to yell out in pain. I was wincing myself not liking that I was hurting him.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Dav," he managed to say. I kept spreading the ointment on his burns and this one was deeper than the others and he grabbed my jacket in his reach. He scrunched it in his hands and with my clean hand I replaced the jacket that he held onto.

"I'm almost done." I quickly and gently spread it over the last few burns and he almost broke my hand while I worked. I got the bandage and realised it would have to go around his chest. "I just have to put on the bandage but it has to wrap around."

"That's okay." He raised himself slightly and I cleaned my hand and began wrapping the bandage around him. Every time my fingers would brush over his warm skin he would flinch at my touch. "You're hands are freezing." I finished wrapping the bandage and I secured it with a pin. I helped him stand he looked down at himself.

"I look like I was in a war and was lucky to make it out."

"Technically that's true." He sat on the edge of my bed and exhaled. I went to the bathroom to get him his clothes and when I returned his eyes were half closed. "You can sleep here."

"Will you leave?"

"Do you want me to stay?"

"Of course."

"Dinner is soon, don't you want to eat?"

"No, you?"

"No," I said and he smiled. I laid beside him and he held onto my arm. "Hey."

"Mmm," he moaned, falling asleep.

"You mentioned before that your father was saying things that made you angry."

"No Dav."

"What were they?" He deep breathed and looked up at me.

"It's not important."

"Well, I know your father has never liked me and in the past it has caused some arguments, nothing ever like this has happened, but I'm curious, is that what it was about?"

"He went into my head, and saw that I... he repeated that not only did he not like you when we were friends but now he forbids me to spend time with you because of our... yeah."

"What else did he say?"

"Not sure, when I went to protest he didn't let me talk and I couldn't hear him with all the pain."

"What happens now?"

"I can't go back home."

"I just don't get why your father hates me so much."

"I can't imagine why either." I stopped talking so he could sleep and I laid there, wondering