It's just a friendship, I swear.

Deal?

Sarah was around 5'6 and was a fairly average height for her age, this of course was without heels, and she would hardly ever wear those so it was her almost constant height. She was also rather a slim girl and therefore her breasts were somewhat lacking in comparison to some of the other girls in her dorm (though it never bothered her). She had changing hair that was most likely different every month or so, however currently it was a dark fiery red. The kind of red that happens just as the flames are about to go out in a fireplace. This deep cascade of thick hair went down to just above her elbows and was worn in slight curls naturally. It was split in a side parting just to the right so hair would fall over one of her eyes. Her eyes were an average kind of blue colour, though they popped when in combination with her red hair, at least the one that wasn't covered with hair did. Her nose was slightly turned up, but more in a cute kind of way than the snooty way that Malfoy would always do, with his nose up in the air like some kind of pig. No Sarah was a little less up her own arse than that. All in all she had an average facial structure, not overly contoured, but it was not so flat she looked like she had just walked into the wall. Sarah thought she was alright looking, at least better than pug-face-Parkinson.

Draco narrowed his eyes as he walked down towards the great hall, he really shouldn't have been thinking things like that about his friend or Sarah. The girl who may possibly know his darkest secret. He was indeed making her tense, he had known the moment she had begun to follow him around in what he assumed she thought was a sneaky way. It was not. Sarah was a little bit clumsy and therefore it hadn't been too difficult to spot her when she had followed him around the corner and accidently knocked into the wall in the dark and mumbled profanities under her breath.

As much as her actions were amusing they had begun to get annoying when he was trying to get out of the castle and she had followed him. At least they were both now aware that he knew, but he really needed to corner her and ask. If she were to ever find out about his father's business with the Dark Lord then he would be in a mass of trouble. Not only that, but so would she, and as much as Draco did not admit it out loud he really did not want her to get hurt. Sarah had been one of those very rare constants in his life, one that it would be all too easy to start missing if she were to go.

It was very frustrating for him, he needed to stop feeling like this, especially about somebody of as little significance as Sarah. Draco hated that Sarah could get to him, ever since he had first met with her he had felt a slight soft spot for her. She was like the forbidden fruit that he could never have, no matter how hard he wanted her, and she was so far from his reach, yet close enough to see her radiant beauty. He had known when he seen her dancing so perfectly at the Yule ball last year that she was just beautiful, her hair had been an ice blonde back then, almost like his own, but it seemed more of a blue shade. Sarah's dress of course had matched, its light blue complementing her pale skin well as it fanned out over the polished floor. Draco would never forget how she looked in that one moment, if only her hands had been at his shoulders.

Draco could tell he had been spacing out as he looked up from where he was sat in the great hall at breakfast. His eyes cast down to the bacon that was tossed on his plate and his nose instantly crunched up in disgust at the grease that rolled down the edge of the fatty bacon. Though it may have been appealing to most of the other students so early in the morning he found it utterly repulsive. Draco pushed away his plate and opted to space out again rather than to eat, there was far more important things to contemplate than how disgusting the greasy food on his plate. Though the males beside him didn't seem to be having any issues practically inhaling the food. Eating this early would upset his stomach anyway.

First period breezed by, the hour didn't even feel like an hour, more like 10 minutes before the class was dismissed and they were given no homework so that was always a bonus. He sighed walking down the corridor, making sure the cost was clear before he slipped into the class room, waiting on one of the desks, looking at the door. He pursed his lips as he felt time slip by, Sarah was taking her time to get there, and it was rather annoying, though there wasn't anything he could do about it. He tapped his foot against another desk, the noise echoing through the otherwise abandoned class room. It was rather quiet for the next few moments until he heard the soft click of a door opening and then another to signal that it was being closed again.

He turned to look at the door, seeing Sarah walking in, bag in hand and face a little pale. She seemed somewhat nervous, being left alone in a room with him, but he didn't care. Pushing himself up off the desk he walked over and gestured for her to sit down as he sat on one of the chairs, leaning back and looking rather relaxed. Draco had no reason to be nervous, after all he knew exactly what was going to happen, Sarah did not. He watched as a somewhat skittish Sarah sat down in the chair opposite him, avoiding his gaze like a scared little mouse, but Draco knew better than to trust the worried little look. She was a good actress.

"I have to admit, I'm a little surprised you even showed." He said honestly, watching as she quirked an eyebrow but remained quiet, a snarky comment probably resting in her mind but she didn't voice it. "Anyway, I wanted to request something of you." He pushed, for now he would remain focused.

"Ask away, as long as it is not something you will flat out know I will refuse." She glanced up to meet his eyes, she was indeed very beautiful. Side tracked! Stop thinking about her. He cleared his throat and nodded, this was not something she would refuse, or he hoped not anyway.

"I wish for you to keep quiet about whatever you know. I don't know exactly what you are aware of, but I request for you to remain silent about anything which you know will cause me trouble." He said vaguely, he didn't want her to have more information that she was not aware of, but if she did know then he did not want her to let everything be exposed. It would indeed put her on the wrong side of the impending doom that was on its way. Draco really did not like the idea of that. Sarah being hurt was something he would have preferred to avoid if at all possible, though judging by her new friends it would be quite difficult to make her stay out of trouble. He had even suggested Blaise asking her out, but she had managed to fuck up that plan. It had been rather frustrating that she had messed up his intentions by hanging around with Potty, Weasel and the mud-blood. What kind of Slytherin was she?

"Alright, if you do something for me?" She asked coyly, leaning in slightly, with that sly look on her face. Draco had no clue what was going through that head of hers, but he was certain it was not good. Whatever it was he really didn't have much of a choice but to comply, he had no idea what she knew so it would be better if he just went along with what she said. With this in mind he nodded, feeling like he had just signed off his soul to the devil. The commitment loomed over him.

"Well, if I remain quiet then I want you to do me some favours, on request. I have a few things that I need to be done, but I would rather not get my hands dirtied." She smirked at him, seeing the look on his face drop. What exactly 'favours' involved he was not too sure, but it sounded awfully a lot like being a servant for somebody, and that did not sit well with him. He was being lowered to the level of a simple house elf, doing favours for Sarah did not sound very appealing. There wasn't another option, so Draco begrudgingly grunted in agreement.

"Alright, you have a deal. But not even a word, not to anybody." He held out his hand as they shook on it. The look Sarah gave him was agonising, she appeared like she had just gotten away with murder, and the happy-go-lucky look was already making him regret the decision. Draco almost gulped, this was going to be the rest of his time with Sarah, running around and doing favours for her, on top of all of his other issues. Not that it mattered if she was staying quiet, he wouldn't have to worry about her gossiping. The deal was made, and there was no going back now.