THUD.
Draco sat down on the grass in the backyard of Malfoy Manor. He had always loved this spot under the old lime tree, with its gnarled bark and wide sweeping branches. As a child, his mother had often told him folk tales about lindworms living in limes of a thousand years old and that one was living in this tree to protect the manor and all its inhabitants from evil.
He knew those were just bedtime stories; to be honest, though, he wouldn´t have minded if a dragon had magically appeared one year ago - or even earlier - to devour Lord Voldemort and save him and his family from his clutches. However, he thought, it might have had good judgment, and then it would have decided we Malfoys are almost just as bad as the Dark Lord himself and to eat us would have been a good service to the world.
Stretching out on the ground he could see the nearly cloudless sky above him and the sun twinkling happily through the green foliage. It could easily be the most beautiful and peaceful day for anyone, but Draco had 19 years filled with bitter memories, and if that wasn´t enough to ruin a perfect day, well, he still had the last few months and not to forget the events of this morning.
He closed his eyes and tried to think of something pleasant. At least I´ll get rid of this big block soon… But his parents hadn´t been so excited about his plan to sell the manor. Not that his father had any say in the matter. He had told him this morning and Lucius hadn´t shown any reaction. The fact that his son had started an apprenticeship in one of the apothecaries in Diagon Alley had clearly left no room for any other information to enter his mind. Draco remembered the look of disappointment in his father´s eyes very well. He had tried to sound interested but he knew this look so well. It had always been there, even when he had been just an innocent child. He hadn´t expected anything else, really. What else would he want me to do…revive the Death Eaters? The way he tried to find something good to say about brewing potions and selling dragon dung to first years would have been funny if it weren´t for the fact that he and his father had been sitting in a cell in Azkaban.
And Mum wasn´t very helpful either. If it were up to her, I´d be spending the rest of my life hiding from the rest of the world in this monster of a house, like a ghost. You would think I was Sirius Black running around. Sometimes he really felt like that. People would give him ugly looks or chance the side of street when they recognized him - even though he´d been judged innocent at court. Because I was judged innocent, he thought bitterly, people think I didn´t get what I deserved. Sometimes he agreed with them. Other times he thought he had gotten more than enough punishment. His name alone would ensure that it wouldn´t stop.
At least he finally got a job. Maybe that would take away his thoughts of the past and everything he had done wrong. He still couldn´t believe that someone who wasn´t a dark wizard would employ him. It could be that old Bonkirk didn´t even get my name right, thought Draco. He seemed pretty confused (and deaf) the last time I was there. Probably the reason he´s looking for an assistant.
Suddenly Draco felt very nervous about his upcoming career. The last time he had successfully brewed a potion had been in his sixth year…and he hadn´t been very focused on his classes in that year. He scrunched up his face as the sun emerged behind a small cloud and peeked into his eyes. What if I mess everything up as usual? My good marks in Potions won´t be so impressive anymore when I blow up the whole building. One thing was clear: he wouldn´t stand another walk to the employment agency at the Ministry of Magic, where people had looked at him either in absolute hate or pity. He didn´t know which was worse.
The only good thing about the Ministry is Astoria, he mused. She should be here by now. He had first met her on the day of his trial. When he had walked out of the room filled with hundreds of people - judges, secretaries, witnesses, journalists and curious on-lookers- and collapsed on a bench near the atrium.
A feeling of immense relief and incredulity flooded Draco´s chest, so strong that he momentarily forgot everything and even returned Potter´s smile as he passed him by with his girlfriend. Jenny or something.
"Excuse me, but you´re sitting on my lunch."
That brought him back to reality. A pretty witch stood in front of him, half amused, half worried.
"Pardon me?"
"My lunch bag. You´re sitting on it. Haven´t you noticed?"
For sure, now that she mentioned it, he started to notice how uncomfortable his seat was.
"Errm…" He pulled the crumbled and crunched bundle from under him. "Sorry about that."
He half-heartedly held it out to her but she just laughed. A beautiful laugh, he noticed.
"Not to worry, I´m not so keen on corned beef today anyway. You just gave me a good excuse for stuffing me with unhealthy MacDonald fast food today."
He didn´t know who this MacDonald was but didn´t ask as he was much too delighted that she had just sat down beside him. "Astoria Greengrass," she said.
After a few seconds he realised that she was waiting for an answer.
Here we go…
"Draco Malfoy, nice to meet you."
He waited for some kind of reaction, but nothing dramatic happened. She simply smiled at the unnaturally widened eyes that stared at her in shock. "So Mr. Malfoy, looks like you´re a bit confused today. I never saw you before; do you work at the Ministry?"
"Umm, no, I don´t, actually. I…had some business here."
Astoria looked into the direction he had come from.
"I see you came from the dungeons. Trial or Department of Mysteries?" She asked matter-of-factly.
Thinking back, he wondered why he hadn´t lied then. It would have been easy. But he had simply continued to stare at her and fought for something to say.
"Trial," was all he finally brought out.
"Did it end well?"
A nod was all he was able to do in means of communication. How could she ask something like that as if they were talking about the weather? After all, he could be some crazy mass murderer or something!
"Good," she stated. "Most people who come back from there look devastated. I guess most of them were criminals. Still hard to watch them, though. I wish my working place was somewhere else; it gets quite depressing."
A sharp bell ringing rescued him from giving an answer.
"Oh no, already…?" She heaved a sigh and got up. "I swear that was less than a five minute break. Anyway, it was nice talking to you, Mr. Malfoy." She held out her hand and smiled that incredible smile again.
He awkwardly took it and thought that this hadn´t been much of a conversation on his part. This was more like what a dialogue with a flubberworm must be like. But he regained his faculty of speech just in time.
"Call me Draco." Why had he said that?
"Well then, Draco - care to join me on my trip to fast food land later? I wouldn´t feel so guilty with company."
Now she had done it again. How could one person throw you off your balance so often in less than ten minutes?
"Errrrr…"
I must sound so eloquent… He hadn´t really thought on what to do after the trial. Getting out of it as a free man was more than he had been able to imagine.
"Sure."
"Great! Let´s meet at the entrance at 2 o´clock then," she proposed enthusiastically and walked away from him with a little hop in her steps.
Later on he could not remember how he had spent those two hours before meeting her again. They had passed like seconds to him.
It wasn´t until they stood in line in front of the counter that he actually realised they were in a Muggle restaurant. That made him feel slightly annoyed but what really struck panic in him was when he saw the woman before them pay.
"Astoria!" He whispered through clenched teeth, tucking her sleeve. "I don´t have…you know…the right money."
She saw the sweat on his brow and stifled a laugh. "It´s all right, I have enough for both of us. You can invite me some other time."
A mischievous wink followed this. Draco felt pretty stupid. And elated. Stupid because for the first time in his life he couldn´t pay for something. Elated…well, somehow being with her made it all seem not so bad. At all.
But there was more to come. He didn´t know any of the food they offered, so he simply chose the same menu as Astoria. It looked pretty disgusting to him, but he wouldn´t say anything. They settled on a free table in a corner and he was amazed to watch her dig into the food right away. Mum would kill her, was his first thought, and somehow he had to blush at that.
After studying his plate for some time, he finally decided to try a long potato chip covered in white…stuff. It can´t be worse than squashing those beetle eyes in Potions, his mind tried to reason.
"MERLIN´S PANTS!"
Astoria choked on her coke and spread half the content of her glass on her burger. "What? What happened?"
"That´s the best thing I ever tried! What´s the secret? It has to be magic!" Draco´s face was positively glowing and he held a single chip in front of him as if he had just discovered the philosopher´s stone.
"Errr…a lot of fat and salt - I guess?"
"Amazing." He didn´t seem to have heard her and was still staring at the wonder in his hands.
She chuckled softly and focused on eating a now oozing burger.
A small smile found its way onto Draco´s face as he recalled the occasion. After that he had met her again when he had been summoned to the employment agency. He really hadn´t wanted to go there, but it didn´t seem wise to oppose the Ministry as a former Death Eater. The witch entrusted with his case obviously didn´t like him, otherwise she would have chosen more fitting jobs for him. But after he nearly got stamped to death on a Hippogriff farm and set three shelves filled with books on romantic advice in Flourish & Blotts on fire, she finally started to do her research properly. At least I get to see Astoria every time I had to go there…even if I had singed eyebrows that one time.
And now she had suggested helping him get rid of Malfoy Manor.
"I know a bit about land agents…my father was one. They´ll try to trick you some way or other, no doubt."
She had laughed at that as if it was a great joke, but he couldn´t have resisted those big hazel eyes anyway.
He closed his eyes again and began to ponder how the petite wizard with the caterpillar moustache that was his land agent could possibly try to trick him, but he ended up thinking of Astoria´s eyes and how they reminded him of crêpes with caramel sauce.
Another cloud blocked the sunlight and Draco slightly frowned. Just when he had started to relax… The cloud giggled. Wait…what?
"Astoria!" He blurted out, jumping up and smoothing his shirt, all at once.
"Calm down, Draco!" She was still laughing. "I never knew you were so easily scared."
"Scared - who spoke of scared?" He took the bait and swallowed it whole. "I´m not scared...just surprised."
"All right." Her eyes twinkled fondly. "Sorry I´m late. I got off early but then I ran into Hermione Granger and well…that girl can talk!"
Just having started to rearrange his tie, he stopped dead. "You´re friends with Hermione Granger?" This had better be a joke…
"Sure. She works at the Ministry as well. Do you know her?"
He gulped. "Sort of…same year."
From the corner of his eyes he watched her cautiously. He didn´t want to talk about this. Not yet. But he couldn´t help but wonder…
How much does she know about me anyway? About my past?
She shot him a worried look. "Are you all right? You look very pale."
She received a perfect version of his trademark smirk for that comment.
"Hadn´t noticed yet…"
"Oh come on, you know what I mean…don´t worry about the house though. It will all go well, just listen to me."
Glad that she had found a believable reason for his sudden nervousness he didn´t correct her. I don´t want her to walk out on me right now. He sighed - it could have been such a beautiful day.
"Draco, he´s here!" Astoria had stood up and looked over to the gravel walk leading to the front porch. "Let´s go!" She held out her hand to him.
He took it gladly and made a decision. She deserves better. I´ll tell her everything after this.
As it turned out, Astoria had been right. The land agent started blubbering about the architectonic quality of the marble dragons guarding the door and the neo-historical style of the door knob the moment he opened his mouth. Draco didn´t understand half of what he was talking about but decided not to be impressed. That´s just all part of his strategy…
Inside the house he inspected the walls, the tiles in the bathroom, and all in all he left no dust bunny unobserved. They were already on their way back down the hallway, when he made an unnecessary remark.
"So, Mr. Malfoy - I bet you´ll be glad to get rid of this...heirloom."
Draco didn´t reply. He was staring into the corner where Christmas trees used to stand in December...he could remember very well getting up early every morning of Christmas Day and playing with his toys under the tree.
"Your name sure could use some good polishing." As if to emphasise his point he showed them his smeary teeth in what was supposed to be a grin.
"Thanks, Mr. Cole...I still have business to attend to. Goodbye." He didn´t smile.
The small man shot him an ugly look, walked some meters out of the door, and disapparated with a nasty crack.
After that it was way too silent for Draco´s ears. It took him an unnatural amount of strength to turn around and face Astoria, who was standing behind him.
She gave him a questioning look and walked outside.
"What a bag of slime...do you fancy something to eat?"
His voice seemed to fail him. "Errrm...Astoria...I need to talk to you." Why did this have to be so hard?
"I told you it´s Tori. You sound like my Mum."
He didn´t know whether to laugh hysterically or shout at her. Was she just acting or did she really miss out on the last three years of the wizarding world?
"Tori then. You know what he was talking about, don´t you?"
"About your name? Well, I guess he was referring to the bad reputation your family has. I do read the newspapers sometimes, you know."
This was crazy...she knew? Of course she knew, everyone did, but...how could she make it sound like the most natural thing in the world and still hang out with him? He needed to be sure about this. "Then...you also know what my family...what I...did during the war." He couldn´t say the word.
"That you were Death Eaters, you mean."
By now he had gotten more or less used to her uncanny ability to say exactly what he was afraid of. Still, it came as a rather nasty shock, to hear the words drop from her lips. All he could do was to give a feeble nod, but something in his face - maybe his painful frown, or the fact that he was studying his shoelaces, must have given him away because she changed tactics and spoke much softer now.
"Look, I know the basic story of your family - I say basic because all I did was to read an article and I don´t pretend to know people after reading what others wrote. And I decided I don´t care."
"Y-you...what?" He couldn´t believe this - it was absurd! "How can you not care? For all you know I could have killed someone!"
"Bullshit."
She gave him a very angry look that reminded him slightly of professor McGonnagall in a bad mood.
"If you were a murderer you would have been sent to Azkaban, it´s as easy as that. Not that I think that the Ministry´s perfect, far from that, but I like to believe that it´s at least better than it was before the war. And I mean not just the last year when it had been controlled by V-Voldemort. Also long before that. At least they stopped using Dementors as guards."
She looked as if she could just beat up any stray Dementor that happened to appear on the front lawn.
"Anyway, I really think they would have punished you if you had done something really severe. As they didn´t, I came to the conclusion that your crime lies more in the things you didn´t do than otherwise."
He winced at that last sentence. What he didn´t do...once more he felt the cold wind on top of the Astronomy Tower and could feel his hand shake violently.
"Draco?" A glint of worry was darkening her eyes now. He snapped out of it. Of course she didn´t mean this, silly of him.
"Maybe one day you´ll tell me everything that happened to you during those...dark days. But for now I´m just glad you didn´t do the wrong things, never mind that you didn´t do the right thing."
She gave him a small smile and he was left utterly confused.
"You were in Ravenclaw, weren´t you?"
Her laugher was like a bubbling, wild stream.
"Ravenclaw? No, no, don´t think too highly of me...I´m a good, old Hufflepuff to the core."
Oh. Well. At least not Gryffindor, though she surely would be brave enough.
"Right," he added sheepishly. "So, you, err...read about me in the newspaper? And still decided to talk to me?"
It was supposed to be funny, but she gave him a stern look. "I read it after our first meeting. Accidently. Not that that would have changed anything. It was written rather badly too..."
With a full stomach and consequently a much better working morale, Astoria returned to her paper-laden desk. All around her, people were bending their heads low over reports and letters, looking like a big flock of pigeons picking up crumbs.
"Hey Tori, where have you been? We missed you at the café!"
Astoria looked up to see her left neighbour, Eliza Hughes, peeking over eagerly and seeming not to be angry at her at all.
"I told you already the stuff they´re selling over there tastes like reheated memos that fell into the well. Besides, I had company at the fast food palace. Not that it´s any healthier, but at least it tastes good."
"Company, huh?" Her eyebrows vanished under her multicoloured hair band. "You´re not talking of that Malfoy guy I saw you with earlier, are you?"
Her turn to raise eyebrows. "His name was Malfoy, yes, how do you know? Is he famous or something?"
Eliza snorted so heartily several papers on Astoria´s table fluttered to the ground unceremoniously. "Or something, more like! He´s a Death Eater, didn´t you know?"
"Death Eater? But he was not sentenced; he just came from his trial."
Eliza´s eyebrows reappeared over her hair band. It looked slightly alarming. "You know that? And still go eating with him? Merlin´s beard, don´t you ever read the news?"
She pulled out a crumpled Daily Prophet from under a pile of paper, which swayed dangerously in the process.
"Here, read that and then tell me if you still want to share the same air with him."
The newspaper landed on Astoria´s desk and she saw three very blonde people scowling back at her from the picture under the head line, that read:
The Malfoys Unmasked
One of the wizarding world´s oldest pure-blood families and high ranked Death Eaters under trial.
The title alone would have sufficed for Astoria to throw the newspaper into the dustbin where it belonged, but as her colleague was eyeing her suspiciously she forced herself to read on. It didn´t get better, though. She had to stifle an incredulous giggle fit every ten lines. Her favourite was: "Draco Malfoy, aged 19, the youngest Death Eater serving under You-know-who, though undeniably handsome..". Really! What has that to do with anything? Who has written this, a hormone-driven fourth-year? After she had completed her task, she handed the paper back to Eliza who looked at her expectantly, her eyebrows hexed to her hair band as it seemed.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Do you regret going out with a criminal?"
"We didn´t go out. And technically, he´s not a criminal. He didn´t get sentenced, as I already told you before."
"And you believe that?"
"Now honestly! You think he´d be running in and out of the Ministry as he pleases if he had been found guilty?" Astoria rarely lost her temper but this was a real challenge.
Her neighbour seemed to consider this. "Probably not. But he still isn´t the sort of person you´d want to hang out with."
Astoria flared her nostrils and raised her head in a way that would have made Narcissa Malfoy proud.
"I think I can still decide that for myself, thank you. And now, if you´ll excuse me, I still have loads of work to do." She turned to her papers resolutely.
She could feel Eliza surveying her for several seconds before she turned away as well. Lousy working place, knew that all along...
"Accidently?"
"Yeah, a colleague sort of shoved it under my nose..."
Draco was impressed. He never had found the courage to read what the Prophet wrote about him. "Sooo..." He still wasn´t sure about this. Could she really be so open minded? He had made the experience that most people only pretended to be tolerant to get somewhere else. But he really couldn´t see how being with him could gain her anything...he was probably the least popular wizard in recent history without a criminal record.
"You really are fine with this?"
"With what?"
Good question.
"Well, errr...with not knowing everything about me, and, umm...my past."
"You don´t know everything about me either, do you? In fact, I think no one wants to know absolutely everything about another person. And yeah, I can live with your past. You have to, so why shouldn´t I be able to?"
He hadn´t expected an answer to such a complicated question to be so simple and to make so much sense. And she really seemed to be sincere about it. As far as he could tell. He still found it difficult to trust people at all, but it didn´t seem to be so hard when he was with her.
"Are you sure you weren´t in Ravenclaw?"
Really, he could get used to that pearly laughter. I should remember this lame Ravenclaw joke for future occasions.
"So!"
The sun dazzled through the heart shaped leaves and painted golden spots onto her hair as she laid her hand on his shoulder.
"Now that this is settled...I have an important question for you."
His eyebrows shot up and he briefly wondered whether he resembled that Eliza woman. Luckily I´m not wearing a hair band...
"What is it?" He croaked.
Her grin turned from evil to mirthful. "Do you want to go eat something or not?"
This time it was his laughter that resounded under the green canopy. As they left the manor grounds neither of them spotted the bright emerald, little lizard that was clambering up the branches of the old lime tree.