Draco Malfoy sat in the Slytherin common room, fanning a gold envelope in his hands. It was June. He had had this letter in his pocket since the end of April and still, he hadn't opened it. From the envelope and seal alone, he knew that it was from his sister. His sister who, until very recently, he had assumed to be dead. To know that she wasn't was a relief, or at least he thought it was.

Lucius had told him, over his Easter holidays, that Athene had broken into the manor. His mother was silent about the matter, whilst his father said that if he hears from her at all, Lucius must be informed immediately. His fingers ached to open the letter, but to do so was to betray his father, and by extension the Dark Lord himself. 

"You are a skilled occlumens, Draco." His mother had said to him before he left. Narcissa and Bellatrix had been training with him, teaching him to shut off his mind at the Dark Lord's orders. Draco wasn't sure why she had said this, perhaps she wanted Draco to keep things from his father. He could hide it from Lucius... the letter.

The common room was empty, it was midnight. Pansy had dragged herself away from him only half an hour before. Whenever he was alone with his thoughts he would retrieve the letter and stare at it, wondering what the contents were. He expected it to be Athene begging him to leave, just as she had. That would be selfish of her. Her leaving was selfish in Draco's opinion, now the wrath of Lucius fell on him.

In his holiday, Draco had been told that he would receive the dark mark before he returned to Hogwarts for his sixth year. The Dark Lord wanted him, for some reason. He would never admit it to Crabbe or Goyle, who were also expecting to be marked, but he was terrified. When he was having particularly bad nightmares about it, Athene's screams from the day that she received hers filled his head. And she was stronger than he was.

Just thinking about becoming a death eater stressed him out. He sighed and leant his head back across the sofa, still messing with the letter.

"Fuck it," he muttered to himself, as he begun to rip open the envelope. Seeing his sisters handwriting made tears threaten his eyes. She really was alive.

Dear Draco,

He scoffed to himself as he read the letter over, she thought he was weak. She thought he wasn't good enough to work for the Dark Lord. He'd fucking show her.

He picked up a quill and angrily wrote back.

Athene,

You are weak and a coward. I am not. We will see who comes out on top.

Draco.

He didn't care where she was. Despite how much he hated her at this moment, he knew that should he ever let his guard down and Lucius were to find out where she lived, he would go there and burn it to the ground. He didn't want her to die.

He told himself to burn the letter, but instead he tucked it back into the pocket of his robes, it was reassuring to have it there.

For Athene, the past couple of months had been nothing enjoyable. Her and Remus hadn't spoke any further than her lessons, Fred had begun to completely ignore her, and even Molly was being distant at risk of annoying her son. Tonks was her only escape.

"Two months ago," Tonks ranted, "you wrote to him two months ago and nothing? Fucking idiot."

"Maybe it never got to him..." Athene said softly.

The pink haired witch rolled her eyes, "come off it, Athene, we both know Remus would have got it there."

Athene nodded sadly, "I'm sure he just handed it straight to Lucius."

"He doesn't deserve your love," Tonks said, hugging her cousin's waist.

"You're one to talk," Athene teased.

"Huh?"

"Remus..." Athene said with a smirk.

"Oh come off it. I can't help but love him. Some days I think it's fading and then we have a nice conversation and I'm back on it again."

"He's an idiot."

"Come on, Athene, he's a good man, you know that."

"Whatever, I have to practice occlumency with that 'good man' now, Merlin help me."

Athene was in a good mood when she went to Remus' room, he noticed this immediately and wondered whether it was a good idea to give her the letter that would break her heart.

"He responded," Remus said quickly.

Athene froze. "Draco did?"

"I read it already, he didn't seal it, so I saw it."

"Well, what is it."

"I don't know if you want to read it."

"Give it to me."

Reluctantly, Remus handed her the scrappy piece of parchment. She looked down and smiled at the sight of her brother's handwriting.

Athene,

You are weak and a coward. I am not. We will see who comes out on top.

Draco.

Remus watched her expression change.

"Athene," he started slowly.

She ripped up the letter and wiped her eyes furiously. "Right, come on then, occlumency or duelling?" 

"Athene, are-"

"You do not get to ask about my feelings after practically ignoring me for a month."

"I'm sorry."

"We'll duel," she said. She looked at Remus and watched as he was thrown against the wall. He didn't fight back. She stared at him harshly and continued to fire hexes and curses at him, he blocked them.

"Fucking duel me," she shouted at him.

"No, Athene." He said calmly.

"Fight back, Lupin."

"Calm down, Athene."

"Fight back!" She shouted. "Who's the fucking coward now?"

"You aren't a coward Athene."

"Expulso," she shouted at him. It didn't hit Remus but every piece of glass that he had in his room shattered. She breathed heavily and felt her face stinging. 

Remus stepped towards her, she let him get closer and bit the inside of her cheek to force herself to keep it together. 

"There's glass, in your cheek, can I?" He asked.

She nodded slowly and he reached forward, she winced as he pulled it out of her cheek and wiped the blood with his thumb. His hand lingered there a second longer before he pulled away.

"Never do that again, Athene." He said firmly.

"I won't. I didn't mean to."

"I know," he said to her.

"It's just- Draco." She sighed and sat down on his bed with her head in her hands. He gingerly sat beside her. 

"I thought I could help him."

"You can't save everyone, Athene." Remus said quietly.

"Am I a coward?"

"Far from it."

"Honestly?"

"Honestly. I think you might be the bravest woman I've ever met."

She smiled at that and looked up at the man. 

"Why did you suddenly start ignoring me, Remus?"

Remus felt his breath catch in his throat, "I-I- I don't know, to be honest. I guess I thought that you and I spend a lot of time together, so I should let you be with Fred, not some old man."

She rolled her eyes at him, "you're not an old man don't be so dramatic."

He laughed, "I was exaggerating." 

"I liked how we were before. I only have you and Tonks who trust me."

"I'm sorry," he said. 

"It's fine. You're here now."

He nodded and looked around his room, "you really are a handful, Athene Malfoy."

She smiled and shut her eyes, in a second his room was perfect, exactly as it had been before.

"You didn't use your wand?" He asked.

She shook her head, "it's in my room."

"You are truly amazing."

She tentatively rested her head on his shoulder and he sighed in response.

"I want to get out of here," she murmured.

"What?"

"Just for a day, or less, I've been shut up here for months."

"Molly and Tonks, they're visiting Fred and George's joke shop, I'm sure you could go."

Athene laughed, "I don't think they want me there."

"I'd like you to come." 

The Weasley joke shop truly was an incredible place, Athene had never been so in awe of someone. Molly was kissing them both over and over, apologising for not believing in them. Tonks and Remus walked side by side, laughing as they assessed the products.

"Athene," Fred murmured. "Can I speak to you?"

She looked at him hesitantly.

"Please," he said.

She nodded reluctantly, making eye contact with Remus as she passed him. 

Remus looked at Tonks who was watching them too.

"I'm going to go and make sure-"

"Yeah, go." She replied quietly.

"Athene," Fred started. Remus was positioned outside of the office, where he would be able to hear if Athene needed help. "I can't stop thinking about you, I haven't been able to-"

"Fred, no." She stated.

"Since we kissed Athene, come on, we kissed. It meant something."

"You didn't even ask to kiss me, Fred, you never stopped to think that I don't have the same feelings as you." For some reason, as she spoke those words, her mind flitted to how Remus always asked before he did anything. She pushed him out of her thoughts.

"I'm in love with you, Athene," he said in despair.

"Fred, we don't know each other. At all. At Hogwarts, you thought I was pretty and unattainable. You liked chasing and annoying me. And now? I'm just pathetic, someone to save. Or maybe someone you think is easy?"

"Athene, I know that I love you. I know that what I feel is love. Ask Tonks."

"Tonks?" She asked, looking confused. "What's she got to do with this?"

"We talk about it. She loves Remus, he doesn't love her. I love you, and you don't love me." Remus sighed behind the door.

"Your 'love' for me is nothing like Tonks' for Remus, so don't insult her like that."

"You kissed me Athene. You feel something too."

She rolled her eyes and clasped Fred's forearms, "Fred. I think you are amazing, okay? You're brave, you're funny and you're gorgeous. I won't love you, ever. I won't ever love anyone, okay?"

"You don't know how this feels."

"No, I don't and I'm sorry."

"One day you will," he said sadly.

"No, no I won't."

The man shook his head and retreated out of his office. When he saw Remus standing there he opened his mouth to speak, but instead shook his head and chuckled to himself before walking out to where Tonks stood, watching Remus.

When Athene walked out Remus was smirking at her, she looked tired.

"You hear all that?"

"Yes," he grinned.

"What a bother," she said, rubbing her temple.

"What a bother it must be being beautiful," he mocked. Athene's heart skipped when he said that. She smiled to herself, before reminding herself that he was joking. 

"This place better than 12 Grimmauld Place?" He asked, offering his arm.

"Not a chance," she said, taking it.

The two vanished and Tonks stared sadly at where he had stood.

"One day," Molly said, rubbing the witch's shoulders, "there's going to be someone who is so perfect for you that you forget everything you once felt."

A/N this chapter is so bad what the hell