I wrote this at 5 in the morning so forgive any spelling and grammar errors. Also, I may have called her Daphne once or twice. Those are to be ignored. I will get around to fixing them. Enjoy. Let me know if I should turn this in to an actual story, too. I'm actually not a big Draco fan but I do think that he's a very interesting and misunderstood character and I would like to see a softer (yet believable) side of him. Hopefully, I captured it. -NGF

"Astoria. I wasn't expecting to see you here," Draco stated upon entering the common room.

The blonde haired girl only smiled politely, "Oh? Me? In the common rooms? Why, I suppose that isn't common at all."

Draco smirked although his tongue was pressed to his cheek in an annoyed fashion. One of the many subtle quirks that Astoria had observed about Draco over the many years of being in the same house with him. It always seemed much more endearing when it was directed towards her.

"Don't be cute, Greengrass. Will you be here very long? I have something important that I need to discuss with Crabbe and Goyle."

"Crabbe and Goyle don't appear to be here, Malfoy," she stated saying his last name with the same air of arrogance that he had used when saying hers, "sooo, I think I'll stay. At least until they arrive. I assume that they're lost or eating... or both," she added boredly with a slight giggle as she turned the page of her With Weekly magazine.

"Ugh, why do you read that rubbish?" Draco asked snarling at the magazine, "It's all a bunch of bullocks about clothing and make up and how to make boys that clearly aren't interested magicly interested in you."

Astoria raised her eyebrow slyly, "So you're a subscriber, then?"

"No. It's just typical."

Astoria put the magazine down, "There was an article about The Weird Sisters that I was interested in. Do you like them?"

"They're alright. I don't listen to music, much."

"No? What do you like, then?" She asked.

Draco was caught off guard by the question. No one had ever really asked it except for Pansy. However when Pansy asked about him, it felt more like research... like she was studying him in order to be a better girlfriend or something. When Astoria asked, it was on a whim, curious, genuine. Draco didn't exactly know what sort of answer she expected of him but he didn't want to disappoint her for some reason.

"Well, I like quidditch."

"That's boring and obvious. What else do you like? Or more importantly, why do you like quidditch?"

Draco opened his mouth in surprise to retaliate but failed to find the words. He had to think for a moment.

"I like to read. And I like to study different spells and enchantments and ancient magical artifacts and..." He stopped because he noticed that she was smiling at him approvingly now. It made him nervous.

"Don't stop. We're finally getting somewhere. Now, we're talking. Pun intended."

Draco managed a weak half-smile before continuing, "Have you ever heard of a vanishing cabinet?"

She thought for a moment, "I think so. Oh! That cabinet that Fred and George pushed Montague in. The one that he almost died in? I've heard that witches and wizards loyal to Dumbledore used them as a means of escape from death-eaters during the first war and vice versa. Why? Have you acquired one, recently?" She asked leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees curiously.

Draco shook his head, "No. Well, I've found that one here at Hogwarts. I'm only curious about them. I think it may be broken, though," He stated flatly.

Astoria titled her head and looked at him probingly, "Whatever you're planning, it's dangerous. Be careful?"

Draco stared at her momentarily, "I will."

He looked around. The fire in the fireplace was dwindling down and she did look a little cold. He got up to readjust the flames with another piece of wood and a few pokes to let some oxygen get to the embers that were smoldering under a coat of ash. As he went back to where they had been sitting, he contemplated sitting next to her but decided against it thinking that she would definitely notice and let it go to her head. She was that sort of girl, he thought. Maybe it was the fear that she'd see right through the gesture and laugh at him that scared him, though. She also seemed to be that sort of girl as well as the sort of girl that wouldn't think anything of it and accept him sitting next to her after all. He was started to over think about her making him realize he didn't really know her very well at all. She was unpredictable and he was playing it safe.

He began to wonder where Grabbe and Goyle actually were when she spoke up again, "Did they forget, perhaps?"

"They might have. They're idiots."

She smirked then stated dryly, "They stood you up. This is just... unacceptable."

"I did get to speak about my important matter with someone, though. It hasn't been a complete waste of my time."

"You were going to ask Crabbe and Goyle advice on the furniture that almost killed one of our classmates?" She asked with a skeptical grin.

"Not exactly, I was going to tell them about it, though. I asked for your advice merely because you're far more intellectual than they are."

She smiled, "I suppose you're right."

"So, what do you like, then? I've answered you."

She thought for a moment, "I like... to ... create things." She stated as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt and smiled softly down at her lap. It was adorable, in a way. She sort of reminded him of a shy child. He was about to ask her to elaborate when she began talking again, "Like painting, and sculpting, and music, and tapestries... although, I could never make a tapestry as remarkable as the ones here in the castle... they're gorgeous and complicated and..."

"I think I understand."

"I particularly like to charm objects or brew potions. I really admire how hands on it is and how accomplished I feel after perfecting a certain charm or potion. I imagine that it's not much different than catching the snitch for you... or figuring out how an artifact works."

Draco nodded, "It sounds nice. I had no idea."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Draco," she replied with a smile.

"Like what?"

"Like, I hate ancient runes until the very moment I decipher them and Divination comes pretty naturally to me. How about you?"

"I'm awful at Divination and Ancient Runes bore me to tears."

"What about History of Magic?"

"You said 'nap time' all wrong."

Astoria giggled, "Was that a joke? I had no idea you were capable of being funny."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Astoria."

Draco flashed her a smile. A very rare sight indeed. She had seen him smile before when he was teasing Harry Potter but that was a cocky and arrogant smile to show off for his lackies. This smile was a real one. A happy one and he was quite handsome when he smiled like that. She hoped that she'd get the chance to make him smile like that again someday. And then again after that, too.

"I should probably go to bed now. It was nice to talk to you, Draco. Maybe we can talk again?"

Draco nodded, "Yeah. Maybe."

As he watched her stand up to stretch out her arms and yawn sleepily, he realized that this was the first time that he had felt at ease since he had been given his task. It was the first time he had felt sort of happy, too.

She leaned down to give him a quick and gentle kiss on the cheek leaving her perfume lingering in the air before telling him good night.

For the first time that night, Draco did not dream of broken pidgeons in vanishing cabinets. He did not dream of Montague struggling for his life. He did not dream of Dumbledore and he did not dream of Voldermort, himself. It was the first peaceful dreamless sleep he had had in a long time and he was immensely grateful.