I do not own Harry Potter. Everything about it belongs to the brilliant J. K. Rowling. For now, I can only dream of being as great a novelist as her.
As of 3/15/13: I went over this a fixed a few spelling errors I'd made. I hope it's okay now.
One Good Thing
To call Astoria Greengrass' day "bad" would have been an understatement, at least in her eyes. She woke up half an hour later than normal, thanks to having stayed up into the wee hours to study for her Transfiguration exam. It was a hassle to fling on clothes and run a brush through her hair, making herself look halfway presentable, and then she had to keep running back into her dormitory because she was remembering things she'd forgotten. By the time she made it out of the Common Room, there was no time to grab breakfast, not without being late for class, so she sprinted upstairs, making it into History of Magic moments before Binns floated in. She nearly fell asleep in that class, as she was still exhausted from the night before.
In Herbology, one of the Ravenclaws "accidently" shoved her into a pile of dirt, coating her robes and hair. She took twice as long as anyone else to clean up, cutting into the ten precious minutes she'd been setting aside to study. Even worse, it made her late to Defense Against the Dark Arts, where Professor Moody mercilessly docked five points from Slytherin for her tardiness.
By lunchtime, Astoria was starving, having not eaten since dinnertime yesterday. She'd spent the past half hour clutching her stomach, vainly trying to hide the terrible growling noises admitting from it. But as she made her way downstairs to the Great Hall, something occurred that made her appetite all but vanish.
"She's so pathetic…can't believe she's in Slytherin with us…"
"She shouldn't even be at this school…all she's good at is Potions."
Astoria ignored the two giggling girls behind her, but there was a feeling in her gut they were talking about her. Their next words confirmed her fears.
"Greengrass, what a name! I mean, I know she's pureblood and her family's supposedly super-wealthy, but still, she doesn't really fit in, does she?
"She's nothing like her sister, Daphne. Their on opposite ends of the scale if you ask me. "
"…doesn't deserve to be pure-blood…she's a joke really. Did you see her fall in Herbology?"
"And when Moody asked her the difference between those curses; they way she was stuttering through her answer, she had no idea…"
Astoria couldn't ignore it anymore. They were literally right behind her and they knew she was in earshot of their conversation; they knew she knew they were talking about her.
A burning feeling erupted in Astoria's chest. It spread upward into her face; she was certain heat was radiating from her cheeks. A painful lump built up in her throat, as if she'd swallowed a Pumpkin Pasty whole without chewing. There was a wet, stinging sensation in the corners of her eyes, and she fled the scene, the girl's laughter echoing behind her. Lunch forgotten, she ran into the nearest bathroom. Thankfully, it was empty, and she went and locked herself in the stall farthest from the door.
She'd been at Hogwarts for one month this term, and last year, yet she still felt she had no friends. True, there were the girls in the Charms study group she'd formed her first year, but it had already whittled away to three members, herself included. She'd repeatedly lain awake at night, contemplating why she didn't have friends.
Was it because she was in Slytherin? It was true; most of the others students weren't fond of Slytherins, but it was better than being a Hufflepuff, surely! She wasn't any fonder of them, either! The Ravenclaws were smart, but some of them were so arrogant about it and others just a bit too "witty" for her tastes. She tried to like the Gryffindors, but the ones she knew were so self-righteous! Even some of the other Slytherins ignored her, claiming she was "too soft" to be in their house; that it was only her family that put her where she was.
Astoria had, multiple times, tried to convince herself she could get by on her own, that she didn't need to rely on other people. Wasn't that what she did at home? Her mother, the stereotypical socialite witch, concerned completely with the family name, bloodlines, and how much gold a family vault at Gringotts held. Her father, she had idolized him as a child, but lately he'd been so focused on his work at the Ministry, he was practically nonexistent, even when she and her sister were home. And speaking of Daphne, the sister she hated to love and loved to hate, she was constantly under pressure from her. Daphne was two years her senior, fourteen now, and had forbid Astoria from hanging out with her or her friends, not even to sit next to her at Slytherin table or in the Common Room.
With a withdraw family, and lack of friends, it made for a lonely exist regardless of where she was. The only time she wasn't invisible to others was when she was being picked on or scolded.
Poor you! Yes, poor, poor Astoria! You have no friends, nothing, nothing—!
The nasty, sometimes sarcastic voice in her head stopped midsentence at the sound of someone entering the bathroom. As soon as she heard the stall door click shut, she bolted. She hadn't wanted anyone in there with her and she'd be late for class anyway.
It was time for Transfiguration. She had an exam today, the one she'd stayed up late to study for, only now, it seemed pointless. She couldn't remember half of what she'd read last night. She struggled through the test, through hunger, frustration, exhaustion, and sadness; finally, at five minutes before the bell she gave up and turned in her parchment.
In Charms, every feeling—both physical and emotional—that she was feeling during her test came back tenfold. She hadn't eaten anything in twenty hours straight (had it really been almost a full day?!), having been too busy or rushed to even stop by the Great Hall. There was a terrible pit of fear in her stomach that she'd failed her Transfiguration exam, and no matter how she tried to forget it, the cruel words said to her before lunch still rang in her head. Every once in a while, she had to turn her head and pretend to cough, to hide the threat of tears.
Whatever Professor Flitwick was saying seemed far away. The room felt incredibly hot; she pulled at the throat of her robes, feeling choked. The room was spinning; maybe it was just the Charms they supposed to be casting? Yes, that was it, the streaks and flashes of red and gold erupting from wands was making her dizzy. She tried to open her mouth to say something, or stand up and get Flitwick's attention, but her body wouldn't work. The last thing she was aware of was the shriek of the girl next to her—Natalie something, in Ravenclaw—before everything in her sight went black and she collapsed forward onto her desk.
The next thing she could recall was a sunny room, the feel of cotton sheets beneath her, and a strong sterilized smell. She tried to sit up and Madam Promfrey swooped over her.
"How long was I out?" she asked, wincing at how strained her voice sounded. It was if she hadn't spoken in days. What if it had been days and she'd been lying alone in the infirmary all this time!
"About thirty minutes or so" Madam Promfrey answered. "You fainted, obviously. Terrified poor Flitwick. How do you feel now?"
"Alright."
"Be more specific. Dizzy? Nauseous?"
Astoria carefully shook her head no. "I'm fine now. I think I was just tired."
"I think you should spend the night here, Ms. Greengrass."
"Oh no, ma'am, I'm fine. Really." Astoria insisted. It was embarrassing enough having fainted in front of her whole class, but she didn't want rumors starting even more so if she had to stay overnight. "Please let me go. I feel fine. I swear if anything feels wrong at all, if I feel the slightest bit dizzy, I'll come back."
It took a bit more prodding and pleading and forcing down a nasty concoction, but she was finally released that afternoon. Her Potions class was practically over; by the time she got down there class would be finished, so she saw no point in going. Plus, she was in Professor Snape's house, and he probably wouldn't care.
She wandered outside into her favorite courtyard, swinging her schoolbag nonchalantly. She had no idea what she was going to do, but she didn't want to return to the common room and food no longer seemed appetizing.
"Hey, Greengrass! Shouldn't there be someone following you around? Y'know, to catch you next time you faint!" a third-year Ravenclaw boy shouted from the hall.
"A simple Summoning spell too much effort for you? Too bad, seems like you need to summon up some energy. Then maybe you won't faint in class!" came another voice.
It was clear word of what had happened had spread, as there was several snickers and giggles from around the courtyard.
"I'm talking to you, Greengrass. Turn around!" the second voice shouted again. She recognized it: Cody Snarpit, a particularly nasty boy in her year. Ever since they'd arrived he'd been a bully to their year down, often choosing her as a special target of his verbal insults. Last year, he'd told her she was ugly to her face, and only the appearance of McGonagall made any thoughts of trying to hex him in revenge disappear. How and why he was put in Hufflepuff of all houses was a mystery to her.
A ripping noise caught her attention and she saw her bag had split in two. Books fell out, ink stained the grass black, quills broke, and parchment crumbled into a heap, not unlike how everything else this day had gone. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Snarpit smirk, wand still in the air, then he turned and sauntered away, his minions laughing behind him.
It was too much. Everything that had happened today was too much. She left the heap on the ground in front of her and sank onto the closest stone bench. There were tears in her eyes again; how many times had she threatened to cry today? She trembled, but didn't know if it was from cold or tears. It was October and the air was getting crisp. Most students had on sweaters and cloaks, but she'd left her cloak in her room in her rush this morning.
A hand came into her blurry vision, holding a stack of her books. She stared (rather stupidly she realized afterward) at the hand; it was clearly a boy's, as it was much larger than hers. Numbly, she reached out for the books. She was half expecting another trick or insult, but the books passed cleanly from his hands to hers. With no bag to put them in, she set them on the bench next to her, grimacing at ink stains she hoped a simple reparo spell would fix.
"Thanks," she said to the boy in front of her, finally looking up at his face. Her jaw nearly dropped when she saw who it was.
"Don't look so shocked; I'm not as bad as you think" the boy said casually, a faint smirk of amusement on his lips.
"I never said you were" came out automatically. The boy was Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year, of all people! Fourth years simply didn't associate with first or second years!
Astoria looked around. Was this some sort of joke? Someone in Polyjuice Potion? She'd seen Draco here and there growing up—with both of them coming from old, wealthy, pureblood families it was bound to happen—and he was the same year as Daphne, who had mentioned him, but she'd never seen him be so…nice.
As children, he had teased her, not to the cruel extend kids here did, but teasing nonetheless. When she came to school last year she'd joined his house, and not once, not even in passing in the hall, had he ever acknowledged her. Yet now, here he was, handing her her books! It simply didn't fit it with the Draco Malfoy she thought she knew.
"Why do you let those people push you around?" Draco was asking her.
She shrugged helplessly, feeling rather pitiful. "I don't know. It's not as if anyone's going to back me up."
"You don't need someone to back you up! You're Astoria Greengrass, you're pureblood, and you're family's way better than some of those that go here."
There was an odd fluttering feeling in her chest at the thought that Draco Malfoy remembered her name.
Not bothering to ask, Draco sat down next to her. "Most of the kids that go here are half-bloods or Mudbloods. You and me, we're some of the few purebloods. We've got the real magic and the right to learn it. Why let others walk over you or pull you down? You're stronger than that."
Astoria felt tears spring up at his words. She appreciated them, but she certainly didn't feel strong or worthy, or better than anyone.
She sensed someone was approaching and looked up. Cody had returned and was leering down at them.
"Found yourself a bodyguard, Greengrass?" he laughed, gesturing at Draco.
With Draco next to her, she found herself feeling a little braver. Looking up at Cody, she snapped, "I don't need a bodyguard, Snarpit, at least not around you! I could take you on any day!"
Fury built up in Cody's face as it turned multiple shades of purple. "You're a lot tougher with this guy next to you! If he wasn't here, you'd be cowering and I'd be walking over you like carpet!"
Astoria actually felt the strength to laugh at his pathetic simile. Drawing inspiration from Draco's words, she said, "As if a half-blood like you could ever 'walk over' a pureblood like me! I'm better than you'll ever be, Snarpit! Heck, I'd still be better than you even if I was Muggle born!"
Cody flipped out his wand and raised it, a spell forming on his lips. Astoria realized she didn't have time to pull out her own and counter it. But before Cody could speak, there was a bang, and he was sprawled out on the grass a good ten feet away.
Draco was sitting next to her calmly, wand in hand. "Don't ever let me see you try and do that to her again, Snarpit!"
"And don't ever let me see you attacking younger students, Malfoy!" a voice shouted across the courtyard. Draco paled slightly at the sound of Professor Moody's voice.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher limped up to them, took in Cody, who was struggling to his feet, then looked back at them.
"Draco wasn't attacking him, Professor!" Astoria pleaded, hoping he wouldn't get in trouble. "Cody was trying to put a spell on me and Draco disarmed him to help me. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't been here. Cody had been insulting me earlier—."
"Do you know what she said, Professor?" Cody howled, pointing a finger at them.
"Shut it." Moody growled. "You come with me. You're in Hufflepuff, right?"
Cody whimpered and gave a slight nod and the Professor dragged him away.
"Thanks, again." Astoria said.
"I should thank you this time. That man, he's…"
Astoria giggled as Draco gave a slight shudder. "I heard you made a lovely ferret, Draco!"
"Shut up!" Draco's face was slightly pink as he glared at her.
She giggled again, her heart feeling lighter than it had in quite some time. She might have, maybe, possibly, made a friend here at Hogwarts. At least out of all the bad she'd been through today, one good thing came out of it.
A/N: I know, Malfoy probably seems horribly OOC in this, but it's simply how it played out in my head. Plus, I think he'd be even a tiny bit better to people in his own house, especially ones from old, pureblood families like him.
According to JK Rowling in an interview, Malfoy married a girl named Astoria Greengrass and they had a son, Scorpious. Other than that she is the younger sister of Daphne Greengrass, we don't really know much about her, or the relationship she has with Draco. I imagine since they come from similar backgrounds and her sister Daphne is in the same year and house as Malfoy, they'd have some idea of each other.