Title: Beacon
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Draco/Astoria, Blaise/Astoria (one-sided)
Warnings: OOC Draco
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 625
Summary: Astoria is Draco's beacon of hope. Extremely fluffy.
Notes:
Written for Danie. Prompt - (word) Demure
Build Your Cube Challenge: Blue: inevitable
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Honeydukes Challenge - Tootsie Rolls - Prompts - [task] Write about failing. / [dialogue] "That's none of your business." / [word] Landscape
The FRIENDS Competition: TOW The Sonogram At The End - Write about someone betraying a friend for love.
The Most in a Month Competition Part II
Draco searched the landscape and sighed happily when he saw her. When Astoria saw he was looking at her, she smiled a demure kind of smile. And it made Draco's heart do a summersault in his chest.
Draco looked behind him and saw the way Blaise's eyes were glued to the same girl. He bit his bottom lip. Blaise's infatuation with Astoria wasn't a secret. Pretty much everyone in Hogwarts knew about it; even Astoria knew although she never did anything to encourage the Italian's feelings.
And although Draco's similar infatuation was a bit more of a secret, it didn't make it any less real. The main difference was the Astoria indicated that she was as interested in Draco as he was in her.
Draco had a real chance with Astoria, and he couldn't let Blaise stand in his way of finding happiness. No matter how important Blaise's friendship was to him.
Draco swallowed. He faced Astoria again and nodded briefly before he turned back around and walked over to Blaise. "Looking at Astoria, huh?" He attempted to sound joking, but he knew it fell flat.
"That's none of your business," Blaise snapped.
Draco took a deep breath. "Actually, it kind of is. I look at Astoria the same way you do. I'm telling you this because I'm going to act on my feelings."
Blaise tore his gaze away from the breathtaking Slytherin to focus on Draco. "What makes you think she's interested in you?" he sneered.
"She told me," Draco explained.
"You'd actually betray your friend for a girl?" Blaise asked, trying to guilt Draco.
That wouldn't work, though, not where Astoria was concerned.
"I might fail as a friend to you if I pursue Astoria, but I know you wouldn't think twice about my feelings if Astoria told you she wanted to be with you. I'm sorry that it's going to hurt you, but she's my chance at happiness, and I'd be a fool if I allowed her to get away due to a misplaced sense of loyalty."
"Misplaced, huh?" Blaise scoffed. "It's nice to know how little you value our friendship."
"I value it as much as you value it," Draco returned evenly. He didn't turn around as he walked away. He knew better to put his back to an angry Slytherin.
When Blaise stomped away, Draco felt safe enough to face Astoria and walked all the way towards her.
"Did you set Blaise straight?" she asked. Her voice was like sweet bells to his ears.
"I did my best, but I think it will be a long time before he accepts us."
Astoria shook her head. "I tried telling him I wasn't interested."
Draco smiled. "I know. Blaise only heard what he wanted to hear."
Astoria took his hand. "You know. I think my falling for you was inevitable."
"Why do you say that?" Draco asked curiously.
Astoria blushed prettily. "I always developed crushes on boys a bit older than me and maybe not so good for me. When my sister first introduced you as the 'Prat of Slytherin,' probably with the hope that she would dissuade me from falling for you, I wanted to prove to her that you weren't a prat. I just can never agree with Daphne about anything. And I guess the more time I focused on finding your good qualities, the more I found myself liking you."
Draco laughed. "So, Daphne's plan backfired, huh?"
Astoria nodded. She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.
Draco wanted to touch his cheek in awe, but he managed to stop himself. "I'll have to send her a nice thank you give then."
Astoria squeezed his hand and Draco just knew he found his beacon of hope.