Chapter 1
Astoria's pov
"Astoria where are you going?" Ginny asks as I start walking down an empty corridor.
"I'm off to send a letter. Want to come?" I offer over my shoulder.
"No. I've got quidditch practice remember? You wanted to come watch.." Ginny says rather annoyed. I turn on the spot.
"Oh.. I forgot. I've been really scatterbrained lately," I clutch my letter.
"It's fine.. Go send your letter. I'll see you after practice," she half smiles and takes off, her flaming hair flying behind her.
I continue down the deserted corridor, my footsteps echoing loudly off the stone walls. I reread my letter for the hundredth time, it has to be perfect. Suddenly I'm knocked clean off my feet. I hit the hard, cold floor with a loud thud. Pain shoots from the back of my head and my vision becomes spotty and blurred. I hear scuffling and several male voices arguing. I turn my head sideways as my sight starts to come back. I just manage to see the hem of a hogwarts robe dissappear behind a corner. Then I look up. A blonde boy with a pointed face gazes down at me. His grey eyes scan me carefully. After a moment or two of silent stares, he pulls me to my feet. Off balance from hitting my head, I stumble and fall into him. He grips my arm firmly and helps me stand up right again.
"I'm sorry. I'm a clutz."
"Don't worry about it," he says brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. I blush madly. "I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy," he smirks, clearly amused by my embarrassment.
"Draco Malfoy?!" I ask wide eyed. "I've gotta go," I say and take off around a corner and down the corridor, leaving him in my dust.
Draco Malfoy of all people! I've never meet him until just now, but he looks much different in person than from across the great hall or through crowds of students between lessons. Ginny and Harry reckon he's a death eater. And I'm a muggleborn Gryffindor. Imagine what he'd have done if he'd known. I bet he knows all the worst curses. (I'd hate to be on the receiving end of one of them.) Luna, however, swears on her collection of Gurdyroots that he's secretly a blood sucking vampire.
Where's the bloody hell is my letter?! It couldn't be... But no sooner had I thought it, I hear unmistakable footsteps jogging up behind me.
"You forgot this," Draco holds out a crumpled piece of partchment.
"Thanks.." I take the letter back, keeping my face hidden by turning it away from him.
"You know," he begins, "most girls don't run off and leave a guy in the middle of a conversation. You didn't even tell me your name." I chuckle thinking of Cinderella. He gives me a questioning look.
"I'm not like most girls. I'm not good enough to talk to you pretty boy." I spit not bothering to hid my face. He can take his pureblood ego and stick it right up his-
"Obviously you are or I wouldn't be bothering to talk to you would I, sweetheart?" He points out smartly.
"Don't call me 'sweetheart'" I glare at him.
"Well then what's your name?" He chuckles.
"Astoria. Not that it matters. I'm a muggleborn. I'm filth," I flip my hair and storm away. He catches up with me a minute later.
"What does that have to do with anything?" He asks walking beside me.
"You're a pureblood. You shouldn't mingle with the common, the dirty. I'm nothing in your eyes."
"What if I'm not like that. What if I don't care anymore," he says looking at me. I stop dead and turn to face him. I eye him suspiciously.
"And if your parents found out," he turns white. "Exactly. We could never have anything. Not a relationship or a friendship. You're fighting a war against me. And I don't think Hitler would accept the concept."
"Who's Hitler?" he asks bewildered.
"He's- You don't know who Hitler is? Oh I forgot you weren't raised by muggles. Hitler was this tyrant who wanted to eliminate an entire race of people. He believed in a dominate race. Voldemort-" Draco shudders but I ignore it, "has some similar ideas." Draco nods. We walk in silence for while, occasionally stealing glances at each other.
"You know you're a brilliant quidditch player," I say breaking the awkward silence.
"Well of corse. What else would you expect from a stinking pureblood like me," he chuckles. I smile, holding back laughter.
"No less than perfection." I say with mock arrogance. He glances down at his watch and his eyes widen.
"I'm late for detention with Snape," he says gloomily. "He'll kill me if I don't show up soon. I'll see you around Astoria. It was great talking to you." Before I can utter a word, he's gone.
I make my way to Gryffindor tower. Peeves throws pieces of calk at my head as I run down a corridor, my hands up trying to block the flying calk sticks. In my haste to escape Peeves, I trip over Mrs. Norris. She hisses at me and bounds away to inform Filtch. I dart away as soon as her bushy tail disappears from view. Peeves chants and curses at me as I scurry up to the fat lady's portrait.
"Password?" She asks lazily, picking at her nails.
"Accapella," I pant and the portrait swings open. I climb through and find Ginny sitting with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Not wanting to interrupt their important looking conversation, I sneak off to the empty girls dormitory. I change into my scarlet Gryffindor pajamas and lay on my bed thinking. Should I tell Ginny about talking with Draco? She is my best friend. But what would she say? He didn't seem as bad as everyone had described him.
I glance at my clock. 8:00 at night. I doubt anyone else is getting ready for bed this early. I however like to clear my mind before I sleep. Tonight, that is proving harder to do. I just can't get him out of my head. He couldn't be that evil. Maybe, just maybe I can change him. Maybe this is the beginning of something better. I drift off to sleep thinking of a tall blonde haired boy and of forbidden blood.
