The only person who wasn't surprised when Draco Malfoy ran off with the youngest Greengrass daughter was his mother. Narcissa Malfoy was certainly no fool, not like Lucius. Long before anyone else knew, she did. She had pretended for Lucius's sake not to notice the signs (he had never cared for the Greengrasses) but they were there and had been there, by Narcissa's count, for years.
Despite her husband's disdain, Narcissa enjoyed having Lady Greengrass for tea. She often brought along her two young daughters. Both were beautiful, quiet girls, and Narcissa took the time to casually observe them. She had been interested in Daphne originally. Arranged marriages were still protocol around the more prominent pure-blood families, and Narcissa preferred a match with the Greengrasses over any of the other families she knew Lucius would approve. Daphne was Draco's age, and the two seemed to get along well enough, despite Draco's bullying tendencies that Narcissa regrettably overlooked.
One particular afternoon, Draco had bullied Daphne to the point of tears. The little girl came bursting into the drawing room, calling for her mama, with Draco and the younger Greengrass girl right behind her.
"I didn't do it," Draco began to protest as Daphne pointed a finger a him and wailed. Lady Greengrass had begun to rise and comfort her eldest when Narcissa held her arm out.
"Wait."
Within a manner of seconds, little Astoria, barely three years old, pushed Draco hard enough to send him toppling to the floor. Draco, of course, promptly had a fit. The two mothers calmed their upset children while Astoria repeated over and over, "Mean to Daphy. Won't let him be mean to Daphy."
Narcissa wasn't wrong in believing Astoria Greengrass was a force to be reckoned with, and someone of that tenacity would be better suited for Draco. Arranged marriages faded out of practice, and despite reports to the contrary, Narcissa was pleased. It was better that Draco chose Astoria anyway.
Eamon Greengrass was only mildly surprised when he and his wife received the owl from Astoria. He had been expecting something like this to happen, but it came as a shock how soon it had. But then again, he, like Narcissa, had noticed early on.
When Daphne brought friends home during the summer holidays, Astoria, who was still too young for Hogwarts, liked to tag along. Daphne never seemed to mind. She and her sister were closer and more loving than most pure-blood siblings, which was a cause of confusion amongst her classmates, especially one Draco Malfoy. An only child himself, he immediately seized leadership in their games, and he couldn't understand why in the world Daphne would let her bratty sister play with them. Astoria was cocky and challenged him much too often for his taste. He took it upon himself to taunt the youngest Greengrass girl unmercifully.
During the unbearably hot July season, Daphne and her friends decided to take a few brooms out of the Greengrass shed and get in some early practice before the start-of-term Quidditch tryouts. Astoria, of course, did not want to be excluded.
"Daph, let me have a go," she said as Daphne landed jerkily on the grass near the apple orchard.
"Stor, you know Mum and Da said you can't," Daphne insisted, "You don't even know how to fly."
"Please Daph, just one go," she pleaded.
"Yeah Daph, let the little brat have a go," Malfoy goaded. "Let her fall off her broom and get mud all over her wittle dwess." He smirked at the girl while the other kids sniggered behind him. Astoria glared at him pointedly but turned back to Daphne, her green eyes wide.
"Daph, please?"
Reluctantly, Daphne extended the broom to Astoria. "Just once, but if you fall..."
Astoria cut her off as she grabbed Daphne's broom and mounted it with a determination to make Draco and the others pay for their childish remarks.
Draco watched as the young girl bit her lips in concentration. He was surprised to see her rise slowly in the air.
"Look Daph!" she yelled from about twenty feet off the ground. "I can do this!"
Then she began to rise faster. Soon, she was almost fifty feet off the ground and completely unsure of how to get down. Daphne was in panic, yelling for Astoria to hold on while Tracey Davis and Pansy Parkinson tried to calm her down. Draco rolled his eyes and mounted his broom with ease. He'd save the little brat, if only to put her back in her place. He flew up to Astoria and yelled, "Jump on my broom!"
She looked at her him with an expression of fear and contempt. "Why!"
"Just do what I tell you!"
"No!" She'd rather fall than be saved by Malfoy.
She only climbed higher, with Draco tailing her. "Just jump!" he yelled.
She shook her head and gripped the handle of the broomstick, her head pounding from the pressure change. I can do this, she thought, I can do this. She tilted the broom forward ever so slightly and glided back down towards the ground, shakily streaking past Draco on her way down. She pulled out of the dive when she was about ten feet from the ground and coasted to a stop where she slid off into the grass. Daphne cried and laughed as she hugged Astoria.
"Never again!" she said, "I am never letting you do something so stupid again!"
Astoria smiled weakly and glanced over at Draco. He landed with ease and rolled his eyes.
"You should have listened to me," he huffed, put out by her lack of cooperation. The stupid girl was so stubborn.
Astoria smirked at him from Daphne's embrace. Unbeknownst to all of them, Eamon had witnessed the whole scene from the third-floor parlor. He was both pleased and impressed.
Pomona Sprout was caught off guard by the announcement she saw in Witch Weekly. She thought it over, and really, it made sense. Well, sort of.
Everyone expected Astoria to be sorted into Slytherin. Both her parents had been Slytherins, her sister was in Slytherin, and generations of Greengrasses had been in Slytherin. However, when the Sorting Hat touched her head, it loudly proclaimed, "HUFFLEPUFF!" to both the shock and rapture of nearly every person in the Great Hall. The Hufflepuff table roared as the little girl with the big green eyes took her spot at their table, beaming over at her sister who applauded politely from the Slytherin table.
Pomona liked to meet with each of her first-year students in order to get to know them and help them feel welcome at Hogwarts. Her meeting with Astoria was one of the more interesting ones.
Over tea, Pomona asked the girl simple questions about herself, her family, and what she was most excited about at Hogwarts, and she soon realized that Astoria was perhaps one of the most intense students Hufflepuff had probably ever seen. She was fiercely loyal to both her family, her friends, and her housemates, even though she didn't know most of them yet. There was a touch of Slytherin in her that went to great lengths to do absolutely anything to protect those she loved, but it was matched with a kind and generous spirit. Pomona was pleased to have the girl in her House.
They met again right before exams week in June. Pomona poured them a pot of tea and asked Astoria how she felt about her classes and any anxieties she felt towards the exams. It was during their second cups that the subject of Daphne and her friends came up. Pomona had noticed Astoria spent a great deal of her time at the Slytherin table with her sister and Daphne's friends, including one Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy was not one of Pomona's favorite students. Though bright, he was arrogant and lazy, and Pomona knew full well how cruel he was to the other students. It went against her better nature, but Pomona didn't really care for him, and she assumed Astoria harbored similar feelings.
"Surely you must not be too fond of him," Pomona had remarked on Draco's presence.
Astoria set down her cup and wasted no time to explain. "Draco Malfoy is a wanker, but he's not all bad. He's not nice, but he's not bad."
Pomona reckoned she ought to get to know Draco Malfoy better.
Gregory Goyle scratched his head for a solid hour over the news. He'd heard it from Blaise, who heard it from Nott, who heard it from Pansy, who heard it from... Goyle lost track after that. One of his best mates had kidnapped the Greengrass girl and disappeared to God-knows-where, and he still couldn't figure out why.
Malfoy never liked the Greengrass girl. He didn't like anyone, and if he did take a liking to someone, it was always for "politically purposes." Like snogging with Pansy or hanging around with Nott. Political. It had to do with the family expectations. Or at least, that was how Malfoy had always explained it to Goyle.
But this Greengrass girl had really thrown him a loop. Not only was she a Greengrass (Goyle Senior didn't care for the family), but she was Astoria. The weird girl. The Hufflepuff. The tag along brat who was annoying as hell. How many times had Draco complained about her?
Goyle just couldn't figure it out.
Ron Weasley was perplexed that a soulless leech like Malfoy had married such a nice girl. He knew a little of Astoria Greengrass. He'd bumped into her a few times when he was out training on the Quidditch pitch during his fifth year. She'd be out there too, armed with a Beater bat and whacking the Bludgers to kingdom come across the stadium. She was only thirteen, but she was a pretty decent Quidditch player, and he admired her concentration. Usually, she'd scamper off once Ron came, but a few times she would stay and help him. They didn't talk much, which suited Ron just fine. Astoria was a fair shot with the Quaffle, but he could tell that she was meant to be a Beater. She had all the ferocity of a Beater, and her good aim would serve the Hufflepuff team well. He only hoped that if she did make the team, she'd never send a Bludger his way.
The only problem Ron could openly see was her competitiveness. All Quidditch players liked to win, but this girl could give Oliver Wood a run for his money. He saw in their practices, and later he saw it in the Slytherin versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match. Everyone thought Astoria would have her loyalties torn between her own House and the House of her family, but they could not have been more wrong.
Ron's favorite play was when she sent a Bludger at Malfoy. He had seen the Snitch, and she had whacked the Bludger at him so hard that he not only missed the Snitch but lost a tooth. The rest of the game happened in a similar fashion, Astoria nearly killed everybody, but she did it legally. Nearly every Slytherin player sported some injury by the end of the match, and Malfoy had it worst of all: missing teeth, broken fingers, bruises everywhere, and a bloody nose.
Hufflepuff won the match by 100 points, and the stadium exploded with thunderous roars as the seven yellow-clad players hugged mid-air, Astoria in the middle of the huddle. Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins, humiliated by their loss to Hufflepuff, landed and immediately vacated the field. Malfoy glared daggers at Astoria, his expression mixed with loathing and slight awe. She waved at him and yelled, "Sorry about your tooth!"
And now, they were married.
Ron brought it up with Hermione later. "I just don't see her, you know, liking someone like him. I mean, she's a Hufflepuff and he's... He's Malfoy!"
Hermione just shrugged her shoulders.
Lucius Malfoy received the news while he was in Azakaban. He'd gotten a hold of an issue of the Daily Prophet, and amongst the rebuilding of Hogwarts and another story about apprehended Death Eaters, there was a column of recent wedding announcements. His son had married. Without even bothering to tell him. And he married the Greengrass brat.
Lucius Malfoy only had even been cordial to the Greengrasses. He didn't care for them. Though they were pure-blood and espoused the old ways, Eamon hadn't the gumption to join the Death Eaters. While Lucius and the others had given their all to serve the Dark Lord and ensure the eradication of filthy Muggles and Mudbloods, Eamon hid in the shadows. Also, their family was Irish, and Lucius had never really cared for the Irish. Not to mention, Astoria was in Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff. If anyone in his family had been sorted into Hufflepuff like that, they'd been blasted off the family tree and banished forever. But the Greengrass family ignored it, as if the problem wasn't there. It so fragrantly was. Astoria wore her house pride like a badge, and it made Lucius's lips curl every single time he happened to see her at dinners.
He even had made sure to warn his son early on. Before the Ministry fiasco, before that first stint in Azakaban, before everything, he'd pulled Draco aside during the Easter holidays. "You may associate with their eldest daughter, she is perfectly acceptable, but never the youngest," he said, malice hidden behind a smile. "The Greengrasses, though a noble family, have been tainted by this girl. She is not our equal."
Draco had agreed whole-heartedly and assured his father that he thought the Greengrass girl was scum under his shoe. Lucius hadn't worried about it since then.
But Draco married her. They hadn't even had a proper ceremony from the sounds of it. None of the old traditions he knew Draco had learned. Just a quick trip to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, a few documents signed, and the pair went off.
It was disgraceful, and Lucius would never forgive his son for it.
Roger Malone flat out refused to believe it. He had dated Astoria from the end of third year through fourth year, and while the romance was short-lived, he considered himself to be quite an expert in regards to her. As far as taste went, she would never date someone like Malfoy, much less marry him. Malfoy was evil, and Astoria was… Well, she certainly wasn't evil.
When they had first started going out, Roger found it odd how much Astoria would hang around with the Slytherins. Daphne was her sister, so he could understand that. But being chummy with kids with known Death Eater parents? Okay, well he didn't know for sure if Zabini's family was in with You-know-who, but Zabini was prejudiced enough to run around with that crowd. Nott's family just had to be, and Roger was willing to bet all his Hogsmeade weekends that Malfoy's dad was a Death Eater. It just seemed to violate some moral Hufflepuff code. Sure, Hufflepuffs were fair and tolerant and all that, but Roger had his limits. He thought for sure everyone did.
Astoria knew how to get in the Slytherin common room and would spend hours there when she was on break. She would go to sit with her sister and friends at lunch or dinner, not hesitating to bring someone back to the Hufflepuff table. Malfoy was not her preferred friend, but she would talk to him as she would anyone else, albeit a little more sarcastically at times.
After they'd started seeing each other, Roger realized he didn't really like how nice Astoria was to everyone. He didn't like how big she would smile when just anyone walked in the room or how she would leave him to go be with other people. He was jealous because he wanted to feel like he was the only person who truly mattered to her.
Eventually, he decided the best source of action was to bring it up to her. Astoria was a very reasonable person, and he was sure she would understand his feelings and stop hanging out with the Slytherins so much. In retrospect, he thought he probably could have been more tactful about it. They had just finished a good session of snogging in an unoccupied broom cupboard and were snuggling by the fire back in the Hufflepuff common room. Roger had prepared well for what he was going to say, but at the time, he didn't realize how much of a git he had sounded.
"You don't like that I'm nice to people?" Astoria hissed as she shoved Roger off her.
"No, no, that's not what I'm saying," he scrambled, trying to back-peddle. "I'm saying that I just want..."
"You want me to ditch all my friends and my sister to spend more time with you? Because you think I'm not giving you enough attention?" she spoke angrily as she pulled her wand out from the folds of her robes.
"No, no. Stor you're taking this the wrong way…"
"Oh no I understand Roger, I really do. You think I'm a piece of property that you get to stake your claim on, and once you do, everybody else ought to clear out," she yelled, pointed her wand at his face.
"No!" he cried, realizing that this conversation went so much better in his head. "Stor that's not what I'm saying. I just wish you would..."
"Well I wish you would take your overtly large head and shove it up your arse."
The last thing he remembered where her eyes blazing and her voice as she hexed him. The next thing he knew, he woke up in the hospital wing with his head attached to his arse. Though painful, it was impressive spell work.
After he was released, Roger went to go find Astoria, and after fruitless hours of searching the castle, he had no luck. There was one moment where he thought he saw the back of her head on the seventh floor near the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, but when he looked closer, he found nothing, although he thought he heard the very faint sound of two people talking.
Astoria avoided him for several days, spending much of her time in the Slytherin common room, most likely with her sister. Roger wrote several apologies and bought her a huge box of chocolate frogs, but he still wasn't sure if it would be enough for her to forgive him. He'd been a bloody git, and he knew it.
The next time he saw Astoria, she smiled politely at him, said hello, and kept walking. Easy enough. Daphne followed right behind her, glaring daggers at Roger. Roger had felt relieved Astoria hadn't cursed him to bits, but at the same time, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach. While she may have forgiven him, he knew it was over. She looked at him now like she looked at everyone else. Nothing was going to change that.
Pansy Parkinson was pissed. Beyond pissed. She stayed up in her room for hours, rotating between crying and incinerating every picture she had of Draco Malfoy. Everyone in the Parkinson home just let her be. They knew she ought to get it out of her system so she could move on.
Pansy had always prided herself on being Draco's girlfriend. He could've chosen anybody, but he'd picked her, and she'd gotten a bit carried away with it. And yeah, maybe he had spent a fair amount of time hanging out with Astoria Greengrass, but that was how these things worked. She had seen it enough in her parents' marriage to know. Draco could run off with whichever little tramp he happened to find appealing, but as long as Pansy remained in the committed relationship, it didn't really matter who else came along. At the end of the day, it was her going to the parties with Draco, dancing with Draco, receiving gifts from Draco, and ultimately inheriting the Malfoy fortune. When they got married, as Pansy always assumed they would, she would be the one to bear him an heir while anyone else he happened to sleep was simply a dalliance. She could even have a bit on the side, as long as Draco either didn't mind or didn't find out. It was just how it worked. Until that stupid Greengrass girl messed it all up.
Pansy had tolerated Daphne because Daphne could be just as catty as her, but Astoria was just infuriating. For one, she didn't seem to care too much about blood status. She had dated that Roger Malone guy, and everyone knew he was half-blood. Then she hung around all her little Hufflepuff friends who were probably Mudbloods or blood traitors or other sorts of riffraff that Pansy wouldn't be caught dead consorting with. Astoria was too nice. She was too young. Too naïve to understand how the world worked. Also, too stupid, as judging by her house. Everyone knew Hufflepuffs were just a bunch of duffers who only made it into Hogwarts because a founder pitied them and their stupidity. And that's all Astoria was: stupid. Ugly, too.
There must have been something going on between Draco and Astoria early on. It would explain why Draco broke up with her during sixth year. She thought it was just because he was so focused on the mission from the Dark Lord, but looking back, it must have been because he was fooling around with the little brat.
Things had been going great with her and Draco, albeit he looked rather ill, and he wasn't as... lively as he used to be. Most of the time they spent together comprised of her talking and him staring off at the fireplace or the wall. But still, things couldn't have been better. Then out of the blue, he pulled her aside one day and said very plainly that he thought they should end things.
Pansy didn't take it well, and she followed Draco around the castle, hurling accusations and demanding explanations. Then he disappeared. Pansy continued to look for him for hours, yelling his name until she was red in the face, but eventually, she gave up and stomped back to the girl's dormitory. She had worked so hard... And for what?
Still, she thought Draco would one day come to his senses and take her back. She saw him hanging around the little Greengrass girl the rest of sixth year and into seventh, but she was sure Draco would get bored with her. She never believed it was going to develop into this.
Stupid Astoria Greengrass was going to get the fortune, the name, and the prestige Pansy had always wanted. It wasn't fair at all.
Rohit Das beamed as he read the announcement. During his and Astoria's fifth year, he had noticed she spent more time with Draco Malfoy than she ever had, but when he asked her about it, she firmly explained that they were just friends, nothing more.
Rohit and Astoria became best friends their first night at Hogwarts. They had played Exploding Snap in the common room and swapped stories of India and Ireland. She was enchanted by his easygoing attitude and interesting accent, and he liked how enthusiastic and friendly she was. By the end of it, Astoria couldn't imagine life without Rohit. He was kind, he was funny, and most important, he was tolerant. He was one of the few Hufflepuffs that understood her loyalty to the Slytherins, and he was always polite to Daphne and Blaise and the others. He would hang out with them when Astoria asked him to, but if the talk ever turned political, he would excuse himself.
None of the Slytherins knew Rohit was Muggle-born, and no one but Astoria knew he was gay. She'd sworn to protect him from anybody who wanted to hurt him for either reason, and she took that promise very seriously. When the Death Eaters stopped the Hogwarts Express during fifth year, Rohit was petrified at what they would do to him. Astoria did some determined quick thinking, and in ten seconds, she had disappeared and reappeared, dragging a bewildered Malfoy behind her.
"You owe me," she said sharply as she plopped him down near Rohit. "Now, can you do a disillusionment charm?"
"Yeah, but—"
She gestured to Rohit with her hands. "Do one on him please."
"Why can't you do it?" he asked, looking uncomfortable.
Her eyes narrowed. "You think if I could do it myself, I would've come for you? Come on Draco, please? You know what will happen if they find him."
"But he's not—"
"He is," she interrupted. "I told you all he was a half-blood so you and Blaise and everybody would leave him alone. But they'll know. They probably have records. Draco, please, I need you to do this."
Draco stared at her, unreadable in his expression. Slowly, he raised his wand and tapped Rohit on the head, his eyes never leaving Astoria. Rohit felt the sensation of an egg cracking over his head, and he knew the charm was traveling down his body.
"I'm sorry Rohit, but we'll have to squish you just a little bit," Astoria said as she gestured for Malfoy to sit and crushed Rohit into Draco's shoulder. It created a small distance between herself and Malfoy, just enough to give the illusion it was only the two of them.
When Amycus Carrow came in their compartment, he jerked the door open and sneered at both of them.
"Well, Greengrass, where's your little Mudblood friends? Did Draco here finally grow a pair and do them in for you?"
Astoria stared at him with a blank expression. "I don't associate with Mudbloods, Carrow."
"We have a source that says you do."
"Well your source is a liar, Carrow. My friends have blood purer than you and your sister put together. You're a fool for thinking a Greengrass, one of the noblest wizarding families in Britain, would befriend anyone less worthy," she said coldly.
Amycus eyed her dangerously before he slammed the compartment door, his footsteps echoing down the corridor. Astoria breathed a sigh of relief and she scooted out to give Rohit some breathing space.
"I'm sorry to use the slur, Rohit. He wouldn't have bought it otherwise. Just stay here until we get there. They may come back. And don't mention it Rohit," she said as he was opening his mouth. "You keep quiet. You'd do the same for me."
"Blood purer than theirs?" Draco asked quietly. "I thought the Carrows were pure-bloods. They're part of the Sacred Twenty-eight."
"Just because someone is born of Muggles, Draco, doesn't mean they're inferior to me or you. And it makes you worse if you still buy into that nonsense. Rohit is no different than us. We'd be stupid to think otherwise."
Draco opened his mouth again, but nothing came out. He settled back into the seat, keeping his eyes focused on the window.
"When we get there, don't stay for the feast. Go straight to the common room," Astoria instructed Rohit. "I'll bring you some food from the feast when I leave."
"Remember to bring curry if there is some," he whispered, smiling to himself. Astoria always had a plan, and she always remembered food.
"Of course." Astoria looked past Rohit and smiled at Draco. "Thank you," she said sincerely.
Draco just nodded and avoided eye contact with her. Rohit could have sworn there was a pink tinge in his normally pale cheeks.
He had never brought it up to Astoria, but that day, Rohit was 75% certain that Draco Malfoy had a crush on Astoria Greengrass. Now, he wasn't really surprised they had run off together. He would have liked to have been invited to the wedding, but he understood why they hadn't.
Theodore Nott just rolled his eyes. He thought Malfoy was a bloody fool, always had been and probably always would be.
He had noticed how much Malfoy looked at the Greengrass girl, like she was some green-eyed enigma, and if he had noticed, the Carrows sure as hell had noticed too. If Malfoy hadn't gotten that stupid hero complex of his and tried to save the stupid girl, both of them would have been fine.
Nott prided himself on being uninvolved. He stayed out of the Carrows' way, did detentions when they told him too, gave the correct answers in class when asked, and was a good boy. He was a Slytherin after all, and self preservation was a top priority. His dad was a Death Eater, but the thought of taking the Mark made him shiver. He was no fan of Mudbloods and Muggles, but the Dark Lord was a tyrant and a menace who needed to be taken down. He just wasn't stupid enough to let anyone know that.
Blaise, Daphne, and Tracey felt the same. Millie, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle were all for the Carrows' reign, volunteering up and down to curse second years and chase down Dumbledore's Army. But the other four preferred the backseat, not openly choosing a side but just letting everyone assume. It was safer that way.
Malfoy had always struck Nott as childish, running to Malfoy Senior when things didn't go the way Draco wanted. He grew out of it, but Nott felt a greater panic when Malfoy showed him the Dark Mark that year. He knew pampered Draco wouldn't be able to handle whatever mission it was he had from the Dark Lord. And he was right. Malfoy had looked sickly all of sixth year, but seventh year, it was worse. Malfoy looked dog tired all the time, with bags under his eyes and a greyish tint to his skin. He had always been thin, but he grew to resemble a walking skeleton more than anything. Scars that had not been there before were more prominent than ever. More than once, Nott heard Draco wake up during the middle of the night screaming. He went to detentions more than anyone else did. The Carrows seemed to sense that he wasn't as keen to curse his fellow students as the other Slytherins were, and they loved taunting him as he performed the Cruciatus for hours on end.
Nott realized that he should have just told the Carrows that Malfoy was ill when they were summoned to detention one weekend after the Easter holidays. Malfoy had come back to school looking worse than ever. He hands shook anytime he tried to write, he jumped at the slightest noise, and more than once, Nott heard him slip out of the dormitory at night and not return until morning.
When the two of them arrived at detention in the dungeons, Alecto was waiting with four people chained to the wall. Two were Gryffindors, one was a Ravenclaw, and the other was a very familiar Hufflepuff. Astoria was staring straight ahead, and she ignored both Nott and Malfoy.
"Rotten, nasty students!" Alecto squealed. "Bad little bitty students who think they're better than us. Nott, if you please."
Nott stood and said clearly, "Crucio!"
The first Gryffindor let out a scream that echoed throughout the dungeon. The kid screamed louder and louder, twitching and banging their fists against the floor. When Nott finally broke the spell, the Gryffindor lay crumpled on the floor, chest rising and falling slowly. Nott went on to the next student. He knew by this point that he was supposed to continue until Alecto told him to stop. He went through the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaw before Alecto spoke.
"Nicely done Nott, fifteen points to Slytherin. Now Draco," she said with a disgustingly sweet smile. "Your turn."
It only took a second for Nott to realize that this had been a set up. It wasn't a question of whether or not Astoria had broken a rule or smarted off to Alecto in class. It was only another way to get to Malfoy for what happened at the Manor.
Draco stood with his wand on Astoria. She stared back at him, her eyes betraying nothing. Nott silently willed Malfoy to just curse her and be done with it. Then the Carrows would leave her and Malfoy alone.
"No."
Nott stared him. Alecto frowned. "No? Come now Draco, she's a blood traitor. Make her pay for it."
"No," he said again, lowering his wand. "Her blood's fine. Let her go."
"If you do not do it, then you will take her place," Alecto snarled. "And I will not be as forgiving as the Dark Lord has been."
Nott rolled his eyes, and before anyone could move, he cried, "Crucio!"
Astoria screamed as the spell hit her. Nott wore a look of malice as she writhed and gasped under the pain. He lifted the curse and turned to Alecto.
"Happy? Or would you like me to do it again."
He fired the curse at Astoria again, making sure she screamed louder. Alecto laughed as she watched him. Nott didn't dare look at Malfoy, but focused on Astoria, making her scream louder and louder from the pain.
"Nott, stop!" Draco yelled. "Stop!"
But he didn't. Savagely, he strengthened the force of the spell until Astoria was banging her head against the dungeon wall from the pain.
Alecto danced with glee. "Well done, Nott! Knew I liked you!" she cheered.
Finally, he broke the curse, and Astoria's screams died away. Alecto looked over Nott to Malfoy, her smile dangerous. "Watch yourself Baby Draco. It'll be you in their place next," she cackled, and she slammed the dungeon door on her way out.
Nott released Astoria from the chains. Blood poured out from the back of her head where she'd hit it against the wall, and her breathing was feeble. Draco pushed Nott out of the way and lifted her in his arms, fear in his expression.
"I'll get Daphne," Nott said.
Only after Astoria was safely in the hospital wing with a blood replenishing potion and Daphne at her side did Nott shove Malfoy into an abandoned classroom.
"What the hell were you thinking! Why didn't you curse her!" Nott demanded.
"She hasn't done anything, Nott! I'm not doing that!" he yelled back.
"What, you think you're some heroic little Gryffindor bastard now? You think putting on this big show is going to save her from them?"
"She's pure-blood just like us! They leave us alone!"
Nott slammed his fist on the table. "You idiot! They don't care about her! They care about you! Now whenever they want to hurt you or make you do something, they'll just grab her and use her as leverage. You put her into even more danger than before!" Nott continued, "I repeat, what the hell were you thinking!"
The realization hit Draco like a stunning spell. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Then in one fluid motion, he pointed his wand at a desk, which promptly rose and slammed against the wall. It fell in pieces to the floor.
"I hate them!" he screamed. "I hate them! I hate all of them!"
"You think I love them!" Nott yelled, "Think I love having them watching us all the time, waiting for an excuse?"
Malfoy started blasting desks, the chalkboards, and every item in sight as he screamed. Only when Nott grabbed his arm to make him stop did he speak again. "Why did this happen to us?"
"We're just like them Malfoy. Slytherin to the core. I'd throw you under the bus in ten seconds if it meant I'd be safe. You'd do the same to me."
"Slytherin to the core," Malfoy said bitterly.
"But she isn't, is she? That's why you like her."
"I don't know what you're—"
"Malfoy, I'm not stupid. And the Carrows, if they didn't know before, they know now."
Malfoy paced across the classroom, wringing his hands. "Yeah, I like her. So, what? I'll probably be dead by the end of the year. It doesn't even matter."
Nott shook his head. He knew that Malfoy was close to the truth. Both sides were growing more hostile towards his family. No matter who won in the end, they would lose.
"What are our options?" Draco asked curtly.
"We have three options, none of which you'll like. Option one, I kill you now so you can't endanger anyone else with your stupidity. Two, we track down some Dumbledore's Army fools and have them take her to safety." Nott hesitated.
"What's option three?"
"You kill her. Honestly, you'd be doing her a favor at this point."
Malfoy chose the second option, and with the help of Daphne, Astoria disappeared the next week with a sixth year Ravenclaw. Malfoy didn't know where she was, or if she was even in the school.
Nott kept an eye on Malfoy the rest of the year, and he knew if Malfoy and Astoria both survived the war, they'd probably get married. Nott prided himself on being right.
Blaise had a notion. It took a while to know for sure, but he was one of the few to see some things come full circle during the Battle of Hogwarts. He, Daphne, and Tracey were the only Slytherin seventh years who stayed to fight, though no one really seemed to noticed them amongst the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs. The three of them were done with the Dark Lord and the fear. Blaise was ready for it to all be over.
They ran alongside some Ravenclaws to help keep the Death Eaters on the outskirts of the castle. The Death Eaters were vicious, shooting killing and blasting curse at the students as they fought to make their way into Hogwarts. Blaise was certain one of them would die, and he was prepared for it to be him.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
But the spell hit Daphne, not Blaise. She fell immediately, and Blaise ducked as the Death Eaters sent more curses. He leaped over to Tracey and they both ducked behind a suit of armor.
"NO!"
Blaise raised his head to see Astoria come running down the corridor. She had snuck back in after the evacuation, only to see her sister fall. She ran to Daphne's side, cradling her body against her chest. "No Daph, you have to stay with me! Stay with me!"
Blaise fired a Stunning spell at the group of Death Eaters but missed. They had a clear shot of Astoria, who was shielding Daphne's body from further harm. Blaise saw a Death Eater raise his wand and begin, "Avada—"
"CONFRIGO!"
The entire corridor exploded. Blaise sent a shield charm to cover Astoria, and he and Tracey ducked as debris and stones rained down around them. He heard yells and other curses fired at the oncoming opponents, but he didn't dare raise his head to see who'd cast the blasting curse.
"Get out of here!"
Blaise looked up and saw Malfoy with a blazing expression on his face. The Death Eaters were buried in the rubble, either knocked out or dead. "Most of them are in the Great Hall. Go or get to Hogsmeade."
Blaise didn't need telling twice. He took Tracey's hand and pulled her around a corner. The last thing he saw was Malfoy kneeling next to Astoria
"She's not dead!" she sobbed. "She can't be dead!"
"You have to let go of her, Astoria," Malfoy said gently, his arm cradling Astoria against him, "There're more of them coming, and they'll kill you too. I'm sorry Astoria. I'm so sorry."
The air was filled with cries, from both Astoria and Malfoy. Blaise didn't stick around to hear anymore. He didn't need to.
Healer Derwent from St. Mungo's barely knew Astoria, but he was impressed with her all the same.
After the war, he had been moved into a specialized ward for treating those with PTSD. He was part of an experimental therapy that required pulling memories from patients that caused their PTSD and viewing them during sessions. A Healer would then discuss the trauma with the patient and figure out new ways to live with it. It was very grueling, intense work, and Healer Derwent often went home at night exhausted from the emotional upheaval of the day. The terrors he reviewed were the stuff of nightmares.
Astoria was a case he remained positive about. Her PTSD came primarily from the death of her sister, but other memories of that hellish year at Hogwarts plagued her as well. The little Hufflepuff had a rather resilient spirit, despite her anxiety and insomnia. Healer Derwent felt confident that she would soon be released.
Draco Malfoy was a very different story. Healer Derwent wrote extensively of the young Malfoy in his weekly evaluations, his symptoms never really improving.
Bitter, angry, non-responsive. Examined memories of being branded with Dark Mark and being tortured by You-Know-Who. Eats very little. Still shows sign of suicidal. Father's sentencing to Azkaban not helpful. Blames self entirely, but very angry with everyone else except for Astoria Greengrass.
He decided to ask Astoria about it. She would be the most reasonable to talk to.
"He seems to respond to you."
She shrugged. "I suppose so. He's still not doing well."
"Are the two of you close?" Healer Derwent continued, interested in the backstory.
"We didn't used to be. Now it's different."
"You went Hogwarts together? He was ahead of you?"
"Yes.
"Were you friends there?"
"It depends on who you ask," she answered softly, her eyes not meeting his.
He decided to let the matter drop. As a Healer, he cared deeply for his patients, but there were some things he could not control or understand. Astoria seemed wholly committed to Draco, and would not sign the papers for her release until Draco could leave as well. Healer Derwent thought they would be lucky if Draco Malfoy could ever even get through a day without throwing something at the wall.
It took months, but something about Astoria's ever-present kindness and sheer willpower seemed to light a spark somewhere in Draco. He began eating and sleeping regularly. He screamed less in the night. He spent more time talking in his therapy sessions than cursing Healer Derwent and clawing at his face. The nightmares didn't go away though. They never really would.
Healer Derwent concluded that their relationship just didn't make sense on paper. And that, quite possibly, was the secret to their marriage. After the pair had left St. Mungo's, he never saw them again.
Astoria honestly stated to anyone who asked that she had never really hated Draco. She liked teasing him and beating him at Quidditch, but she never felt that she disliked him, even when he had been a git. Draco had only ever thought that the little Greengrass brat was a bit annoying, but really, she wasn't bad. And really, she had always been cute, but he wasn't going to admit that.
If anything, their differences in personality were what made them appreciate each other more. Draco wasn't a Hufflepuff. He didn't love easily, and he avoided any relationship that required him to be a little vulnerable. He was rough and sharp-tongued and damaged to the core in more ways than one, but he never pretended to be anything else. Not with her. He did genuinely care for her, and she'd always had a liking for Slytherins. Astoria was different than any girl Draco had met. She was warmer, full of kindness and generosity, caring for others even when there was nothing in it for her. She had a passion for life, loved easily, and forgave even easier. With her, the ordinary things seemed more extraordinary, and it made him feel more alive than he ever had. He learned that his real goal in life was to keep her smiling. Always keep her smiling, even if it meant looking like a fool.
She was his partner in the night. He couldn't really remember who had initially come to who's bed, but one of them had one of the worst nightmares of their life, and it only made sense to run where it was safe. They slept in the same bed ever since, her face snuggled into his chest as the sound of his heart beating lulled her to sleep. He would wake up in a cold sweat and clutch her hand tightly until he remembered that the war was over. There were certain images that never left him. Charity Burbage being devoured by the Dark Lord's snake on the drawing room table. His father writhing and screaming as the Dark Lord tortured him, his mother cowering in a corner. Dumbledore falling from the Astronomy Tower. Greyback savaging Bill Weasley. Astoria, pale-faced and covered in blood as he rushed her to the hospital wing. Astoria wailing in despair at her sister's body. Astoria screaming and fighting to get to him when they thought he'd finally succeeded in taking his life in St. Mungo's.
The night before their release, her feet were cold when she crawled in next to him.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She pressed her face into his chest, taking in a few deep breaths before answering. "Yeah, I think I am. Just nervous."
"About being back out there?"
She nodded against his chest, her hand reaching into the folds of his shirt to trace the scars from Potter's spell damage.
"I am too," he whispered, placing his fingers under her chin to tilt her face towards him. As he rubbed a thumb across a scar on her jawline, she smiled at him in a way that filled him to the brim with a warmth he had never known.
His mother, doting but stiff. His father, always cold and indifferent about anything but public image. Pansy, shrill and catty and hard, but so in love with him. Crabbe and Goyle, puppets instead of friends, clueless and too easy to abuse. If only all of them, or any of them, had cared enough to tell him no, that he was being a git, that he wasn't better than anybody. How different he could have been, how they all could've been. How different he might've been if he had decided to chase after Astoria when they were younger. He could've found his courage sooner, made a better decision, chose a better cause to be loyal to. Draco couldn't change any of that, and while the regret and the guilt used to wash over him in waves, drowning him, Astoria brought a calmness and a peace to his soul that made him think he could move on.
"Do you love me?" he murmured, his heart thumping wildly in his chest.
"You know the answer," she whispered back, her hand reaching to cup his cheek, his skin cool and smooth.
"Even though—"
"Draco," she spoke gently, pulling his face to hers as their noses touched, "I love you. For all the mistakes. For everything. You are in here." She moved his hand to rest over her chest. Underneath her night clothes was skin that had been battered and bruised by curses and foul Death Eaters. Draco had seen every scar she wore and every scar she carried on her heart. As his hand rested against her, she turned his arm over, exposing the black mark that he'd tried to cut off three times. "For everything," she repeated as she lightly pressed her lips to the black skin.
He closed his eyes again and swallowed. Courage had never been his strong suit, but if he had learned anything, it was that courage came when you needed it most.
He took both her hands in his and looked at her. "Marry me, Astoria?"
Technically, she never said yes, but the fervent kisses and hungry touches that lasted until the early hours of the morning spoke to him more than words.
Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass were married on June 1st, 1999 inside the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. The Wizengamot official who married them took five minutes with the ceremony. There was only one witness, a Mr. Harry Potter who happened to be on the same floor when the couple Apparated in. Draco was nineteen. Astoria was seventeen. She wore a simple white Muggle dress, and he wore a black set of dress robes they'd managed to sneak out of Malfoy Manor. She carried no flowers. They exchanged a set of simple rings Draco had created from a block of iron and chose to not recite any vows. Astoria signed her name as "Astoria Malfoy."
With marriage license in hand, they were off, leaving behind the bored Wizengamot official and a very bemused Harry Potter. The newly married couple didn't go home to Malfoy Manor or the Greengrass estate. As to where they went, no one really seemed to know, and they did not reappear again for several years.
They were the talk of the wizarding community for months, and of course, the rumors began to circulate. Malfoy had put the Imperius Curse on Astoria, Astoria had blackmailed him into marrying her, it was all because Astoria was pregnant, etc... But those who knew them best knew what it really boiled down to.
Draco Malfoy married Astoria Greengrass because he loved her.