I yawned as everyone began finding a partner.

"Didn't sleep much?" He said sarcastically.

"Shove off Mat," I said elbowing him as he laughed. Mat and I were usually partners and Draco would join with Blaise but I realised Ana was with us so she'd be left out.

"Hey Ana do you wanna be partners?"

"Is it alright if I partner with Mat?" She said and winked at me as if she was communicating without words. Oh right, she was communicating without words... she wanted to spend time with Mat. I forgot girls do that... whoops.

"Yeah sure." I stepped away from Mat so that Ana could stand with him and then I was by myself. Draco was already with Blaise and as I looked around the only other person left was a Gryffindor student. Thankfully Draco had turned his head and saw me alone so he left Blaise. Poor Blaise.

"I thought you were with Mat." I woefully looked at Mat so Draco would follow my gaze and he saw Morana flirting with him. "Ah. Well, I guess the two potion masters should work together and stop trying to help others who are obviously less talented." I scoffed at his attempt to cheer me up and we began getting to work.

After some time we finished the potion and Snape, in a swift motion, came to our table and said he's usual outstanding. Draco and I began packing up and we were waiting back at the table, noticing that there was still fifteen minutes left of class.

"So, why did you not like Moor-unah flirting with Mattheo?" I ignored his poor attempt at pronouncing her name and wondered how to answer his question.

"It wasn't because she was flirting with him, it's just I wanted to get closer with her."

"Is there something you want to tell me?" He joked and I nudged him with my elbow as he chuckled.

"It's just that I've never had a girl as a friend before. Plus, Mat and I are always partners." There was a hint of a whine in the latter of my sentence and he raised his index finger at me.

"There it is."

"What?"

"Why you're bothered by it. You're jealous."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are." I didn't get a chance to protest because Snape walked to our table and said that we could leave early. So after we left the classroom I nudged him.

"No. I don't get jealous, that's your job."

"I take offence," I grinned as he joked and he smiled down at me, warmth spread across his features.

"What?" I questioned nervously.

"Nothing, it's just I missed your smile. I missed talking to you and joking with you, I feel like we haven't done that in a while." The guilt pressed deep in my stomach as we walked. Draco was my family - my home, and I had let him down by not talking to him about anything. I have just been making him worry.

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't say that so you could apologise, I just want you to realise that you're important to me. You being in my life is important to me."

"Same." I said softly.

We kept walking our way down to the dungeons and I kept replaying the last few months in my head. My hospital visits, the arguments with Draco and I, the physical fights he got into because of me and my breakdown in front of him. 

All this time I had been thinking that I was shielding them from my problems because I thought they'd be unburdened but really I was their main cause of burden. 

I couldn't control the tears that welled up into my eyes and I hoped Draco wouldn't notice as I attempted to swallow them down.

We got to the common room and he immediately slouched back on the couch leaving me room to sit beside him. I followed and was about to lower myself when he stopped me.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He stood up straight away and came closer to me, lifting my head that was stationed to the ground. I assumed my eyes were red and glassy by the look on his face.

"It's nothing."

"Dav."

"These past few months all you've done is worry about me. If I hadn't been such a mess we could've-" I inhaled and my lip quivered, holding in a sob. His hands cupped my cheeks and he wipe away a tear I didn't know fell. I was so used to crying at this point that it felt normal. There was a permanent tear stained path that ran down the middle of both my cheeks.

"Stop, Davina. Don't think like that. You haven't ruined anything, okay, I could spend my whole life worrying and helping you. You're not a burden." He said, as if reading my thoughts. I nodded, listening to him comfort me. He wrapped his arms around me protectively and I hugged his waists letting out a sob.

I stood there crying in his chest for a few minutes until I pulled back and dried my face.

"Can you just keep this between us."

"Of course but can you just promise-"

"I will come to you when I feel like this and I will talk to you," I assured him. "I just don't want anyone else knowing that I'm still not good."

"It takes time, and you know Mat will undoubtedly notice either way."

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

"Join me." I said as I began undressing myself. His Ravenclaw-blue eyes widened and he began undoing his tie. I walked into the shower that was already steaming hot and Michael joined me shortly after.

I had come to his room after a long day of classes and just wanted to unwind. After potions - after my cry-fest, I had a class with Mat and he was telling me about Morana which made me want to jab my eye with my quill. Then after that I had class with Morana and she was detailing every hot aspect of Mattheo making me want to have my other eye.

Michael had done some homework while I just sat there staring at mine and glancing at his focused expressions, then all my energy was used on our sexual activities and now I was dead tired, but needing to continue showering.

I breathed in the steamy air and I turned to face Michael. "I'm exhausted."

"I can tell." With my eyes closed I could've fallen asleep right then and there. I went to turn off the shower but he stopped my hand and spun me into his arms as he leaned us against the shower wall.

His hands rested in the nape of my neck and he leaned down to kiss me. So gentle and soft that it made me want to sleep once again. He had pulled from the kiss and chuckled at my still closed eyes. 

He turned the shower off and guided me out and then proceeded to wrap me in a towel. Then he wrapped one around his waist as he led us out of the bathroom.

He stood me in the middle of his room as he went to his drawer to fetch me one of his jumpers and a pair of his joggers. He put the jumper over my head and dressed me as my eye lids were half closed. He grabbed a pair of panties that I had in his room already and dressed the bottom half of me.

My eyes were fully closed as he guided me to his bed and lifted me onto it, tucking me in his sheets. 

After a few moments I felt him in the bed next to me and I curled against him clutching on his clothes to get closer to me. He obliged and wrapped his arms around me, holding me gently. 

This could be me my safe place, I could let Michael be my person, trust him and everything.

"My little Davina, so precious." He said as he rubbed circles on my back sending me into a nightmare-free sleep.