HARRY POTTER IS NOT MINE
WARNING - SMUT IN LATER CHAPTERS
Six years had had past since the last day Draco Malfoy stepped his foot on Hogwarts, graduated from there with a high mark. But his life since then was a down low. With the Malfoy name not being respected again, the only choice he could take was only to be away from the ministry works and offices. That was why he became a potion maker, working for a certain medicine private company with not so high profit. He was not that poor to sell the family manor however, in fact he still got a lot of fortune, but he wanted to build his own life from the beginning. Draco Malfoy wanted to make a renewal of his awful life and fate, and Narcissa Malfoy was there to support him all along. They both still stayed at the Malfoy Manor, but the luxurious life style was gone for good.
Then there was a day when he met a lovely young woman, two years younger than him. She was coming from a respectful pureblood family, graduated also from Slyterin house of Hogwarts. From that particular day, Draco Malfoy knew that he had changed to be a better man, a man who can love.
It was Saturday morning, when Draco Malfoy was finding his mother a book at the old bookshop down the alley and he met Astoria Greengrass. He remembered, how interesting Astoria Greengrass was. She was a really smart student, clever and full of scheme as all Slyterin have to be, but somehow still nice. In fact, everybody had had wondered how the younger sister of Daphene Greengrass ("The goddess of Slyterin", people said) could be so nice to the others. Astoria had a lot of friends from another house in Hogwarts because although she was not cheerful, she was calm and friendly enough for people to like her.
Astoria Greengrass was wearing her green summer dress that day, when Draco malfoy approached her.
"Looking for a book, Greengrass?"
She was not replying until she finished the sentence in the opened book on her small hand. But then her emerald green twinkled when she noticed a man next to her.
"Aren't you in the bookshop, Malfoy?" She smiled.
Draco was never really loved something before beside his family, and now he could be sure that he loved that smile of Astoria Greengrass.
She continued her reading, without ended the conversation, "How are you these days?"
"Wonderful." He could not let go his eyes from her small figure, "How is miss Greengrass doing these days?"
She could not help her smile, "Wonderful as always."
Indeed, it was always felt wonderful to be around her, even for Draco Malfoy. She was so decent and always has this light mood and aura.
There was no explanation to what happened next as suddenly, Astoria asked him to go with her tomorrow night to the summer ball dance.
"They have this silly rule for the one who come alone to dance with each other and I was not really keen on dancing with stranger," She said as an excuse.
It was an enough excuse for Draco to agree to come with her.
Draco entered the manor that evening with something new inside his heart and head. Something that made everything looks okay, even the most horrible one. So he decided to continue his work in his own private potion room although he has nothing in mind what to do with the ingredients around him.
Although he was being paid quite low, he managed to do his own experiment on the potion. In fact, just one month ago, he succeeded in making an antidote for a dreadful disease. From that invention, he was being rewarded a lot by the ministry so he could go for another experiment with half of the money (The rest was being donated). But he was not sure yet where to begin again.
His thought then wondered to Astoria Greengrass. Draco knew that she was a cruse breaker, working for a high-class department in the ministry for a while now. With that information, he had an idea in his head to make a potion that could repel the dark spell. He was, anyway, master of dark art after being thought by the death eaters. Draco stopped his mind right there and felt his arm twitched, that was the arm where the dark mark laid.
Not aware that the time had gone by, he was a little bit surprised by the house elf who suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Mrs. Malfoy called Young Master Draco for dinner." The elf bowed low.
"Thanks, Grogy, I'll be there soon."
With that, the elf disappeared in the same way he had come in. Draco then walked to the dinner table, only to see Narcissa Malfoy waited for him.
"Son, where have you been today?" She asked with some curiosity.
Draco then realized that he had forgot to give the book he bought for her, "Sorry Mother, I have something in my mind and forgot to give you the book."
"Later then." She said with a raised eyebrow.
The dinner was not extravagant at all. They only have one plate for each, no appetizer, no entrée, no dessert, just a main course dinner. It was like that for around five years already and they had been accustomed by it.
"Do you have anything to do tomorrow?" Suddenly she asked.
Draco sometimes wondered how her Mother could red his mind or knew whatever happening to him. Like when he was still in the second years at Hogwarts and fell from the broom from qudditch practice, her mother sent him an owl to ask if he was okay. Then when he got his first girlfriend, her mother suddenly asked if he had met someone. Then when the one and only Harry Potter literally sliced him with the dark spell, her mother suddenly cried at the manor, that what the maid had told him.
"Yes Mother, Greengrass asked me to accompany her to a summer ball."
Narcissa eyes grew wide and twinkled with surprise, "Which Greengrass, Dear?"
"The youngest one, Mother."
"Interesting," She smirked, "Have you been prepared? What are you going to wear?"
Draco had not thought about it at all before, and began to a little bit panic about it. He had nothing great to wear to the ball, now he realized. All the glorious robes had been to small for him since he grew quite fast this last five years and he had not bought any too. Looked at her confused son, Narcissa grabbed his hand and lead him to her former husband room, leaving the empty plates on the table for the elves to clean up.
Narcissa then opened a big cupboard in front of them inside the room and revealed so many beautiful and luxurious robes and suits. Draco knew what his Mother wanted then and felt somewhat uncomfortable. All the clothes reminded him of his past, and of course of his father. However, Draco did not want to spoil her Mother sudden happiness at that time and let her picked the clothes she wanted Draco to wear.
A really dark blue, almost black, with silk texture robe was being chosen from the others. There were also a black shirt with long neck and black tailored trousers to complete the formation.
It was definitely too big for him, but it was a lot more easier to make it fit by magic rather than make a small clothes bigger. So with ease, all the clothes her mother had picked already covered him. He looked different that way, more Malfoy. Draco looked high, full with dignity, confident and cold. He felt more and more uncomfortable by then and her Mother sensed it fast.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
"No Mother, it really looks great. Thank you"
Her mother smiled, happy with the appreciation. "Then why it is?"
Draco kept silent for a moment before answering her, "I don't want to pretend."
Her mother frowned, "What do you mean by that?"
"This is not what who I am, Mother," Draco said almost in whisper, "I had changed."
"Draco, wearing an old fashioned robe which was belong to your father is not pretending." Narcissa placed her palms on Draco cheek and smiled, "You are who you are inside and outside, do not need to worry."
Narcissa always had the right word to say in order to make her child feel warm in heart, and that's why Draco always loved her.
When the moon rose to the dark sky, Draco trashed himself on his bed. Every night, the routine always repeated again and again. Every night, his mind always tortured him with question and guilt that never wanted to go.
In his mind, he remembered the dark mark on his arm and wondered how he had become a murderer. But was he really a murderer? He was not sure then if he ever had been killed somebody. Goyle, he was blamed himself for his friend death, but he knew he was not the murderer. However he recalled one murder he was attempted to do.
'Such a mudblood does not useful for us anymore', Belatrix said wickedly at a poor woman in front of them, 'we should kill her slowly in pain, Draco. This is the time for you to practice'
Disgust was all Draco could felt, but he kept his face cold and nodded.
'Crusio!' Belatrix was laughing franticly, aiming again and again the curse to the woman. "Your turn, Draco!"
He did the same spell to the woman and it stung his heart when he saw the result. He began to lose his own control with each of it. He found it hard to breath when the voice of scream and laugh mixed together with the flash of so many colour in front of his eyes.
Not enough to fill his vein with guilt, the woman looked at him as like she knew that Draco him self was hurt. The eyes beg him. He decided to ignore that eyes, only until he sense warmth of fire came through his aunt's wand.
'Avada kadabra!'
The green light raced the hot ball of fire and hit the woman who now became lifeless.
Belatrix surprised and seemed angry at Draco as her eyes widen and rounded as like they almost popped out from her face. However, she laughed and smiled proudly towards Draco who now felt numb, gazed emptily at the death woman.
He had only done that to reduce the woman's pain. Right? Is it the thing he really wanted to do? He was not feeling any great moment when he did that, right? Draco was not sure anymore. All the things that had happened seemed to blur and mixed with reality and guilt.
The Summer Ball was held inside one of the oldest and biggest building in town. The inside was magnificent, covered by a hundred of decorated wall and lamps. Marble floor was shining because of the reflection and decent music played by some musician with their lovely instruments. People were crowding the place, their clothes and robes swept the floor swiftly and beautifully while sound of laughter and whispers covered the room.
Astoria Greengrass was looking for Draco, hopping that he would come earlier. She was relieved then when she finally saw him, but then her steps were frozen as a reaction of surprise she had got. Draco looked totally different from yesterday when he had only worn a casual shirt and trousers. However, when Draco saw her too, she smiled as like nothing had happened.
Draco did not reply her smile, but eyed her with intensity with his grey orb eyes. Astoria, warped in a delicate night blue long dress, felt her cheek warmed because of it.
"Greengrass," He said finally when he reached her, "You looks stunning."
She smiled, "Thank you, Malfoy. You don't look half bad either."
Only a few minutes they had been together, many eyes already wondered at their direction. A doubled time later, whispers came along. Astoria smiled at him with a knowing look and pulled him to the dance floor to avoid the whispering.
Even it had been a long time since Draco attended such ball and event, he remembered exactly how to act and dance around. He moved flawlessly like he had done a few years ago, nothing stiff on his body that night and Astoria amazed by that. They danced beautifully in the middle of people, but took a spotlight for them self. Eyes eyed them with confuse, curiosity, surprise, jealousy and appreciation at the same time.
"What do you think they're gossiping about?" Astoria smirked and asked Draco in the middle of their routine.
"You and me, Astoria Greengrass," He paused for a swift, "Were not supposed to be together."
Astoria pouted her mouth, a signal that she really was not happy with the answer, "Why?"
"Because you are beautiful, smart, young woman who comes from a respectful pureblood family and I am nothing"
"You have a really negative mind." Disbelievingly, she smiled.
"What's in your mind then?"
"First, they might talk about your recent and magnificent invention."
"And the second?" He whispered on her ears. Now they clamped their self together in a slow pace dancing.
"They might wonder how suitable we are together now." She said while the dance had stop and their faces was only an inch away from each others.
The grey orbs once again rest on her greens one deeply, made Astoria felt warmth crawled her entire body. His warm breath tickled her delicate skin and it only made the feeling worst. It felt like forever until finally he got away from her and cleared his throat. Astoria could only smile.
"If you don't mind, Malfoy." Astoria said, "It will be lovely if you could join me next week to this donation event."
The long night finally ended and Draco got onto his bed, still felt unwillingly to try to fall asleep. He really wanted to continue his mind on Astoria today and how they were so close, he could smell her wild berry scent.
Unfortunately for him, Monday was his working day and he knew he should get some rest to do whatever tasks he has to do tomorrow morning. So he closed his eyes and met the darkness, which in his mind represented as the dark lord himself.
The dark mark twitched again under his pajamas as he got into an endless thought. He hated the mark with passion. Draco remembered how the pain had been when the mark had being given to him by Voldemort, burned his arm and of course, his heart. From that time, he belonged to the dark lord.
He felt stupid then, for not tried hard enough to avoid the mark, which will be forever on his arm. But maybe he already knew that nothing was going to change his faith to be a death eater because of his parents. His parents and pureblood vein made him got into this misery he was not sure he could bear how much longer.
Draco was jealous at his pureblood friends who did not have to be like him. Blaise, especially, he was always got what he wanted, always untouchable and calm. Nott was also lucky that year because his parents were escaped soon enough even before the Voldemort came back to life. Then there was Greengrass family. They are the oldest, the stronger and the most respectful pureblood family that even Voldemort could not touch them. The Greengrass always act distance from the others, looking the other from above with their pitiful gazes, they are so cold and almost felt lifeless sometimes.
Astoria Greengrass, however, was all but that Greengrass description. She was so lovely although she possessed the trait of the slyest house. She was not hard to approach at all. He remember the first time they met, she was only a little girl, stood beside her sister and introduced herself shyly. He also often saw her on the big event and Ball room like this night, always in her best dresses. Moreover, Astoria joined the quidditch team as a beater in her third years and became the member of the main team too under his leadership. Lastly, they both were prefects for the Slyterin house.
The real conversation between them, however, was took a part when he was in his fifth years in Hogwarts.
Professor Snape called his name suddenly at the end of the class, with the mudblood name after that too. Draco was uncomfortable, had to stand close and near to Hermionie Granger in every situation since the 'nose incident'. Moreover, he could sense the eye of the-boy-who live and the weasltle burnt his back.
'Meet me at lunch time at charm classroom.' Snape ordered unemotionally like usual he did.
'Yes Professor Snape.' Granger answered fast and seemed ready for whatever thing will happen to them. While Draco on her side just nodded lazily. He already had so many things to do today, including the qudditch practice and new requirement quidditch team, but Snape just did not care enough to make his day easier. Draco wondered sometimes why her mother had picked Snape as his godfather.
The first thing in his mind when he approached the classroom at lunch time was how horrible it was to be together with Granger in one same room again that day. Worse, it might be only two of them at the class, waiting for any teacher to come and give them direction or order to do. It will be really awkward and uncomfortable.
When he opened the door, however, he saw another person sat on one of the available chairs inside the large classroom. A small girl with short wavy hair all he could see from the back, but he knew it was Astoria Greengrass. Granger must be really busy with her two companions, doing another heroic thing, until she was not able to come early then.
At his teenager state that day, Astoria was not appealing for him at all. Her body was too small and there was no pump and line like the other girls on his age had. Her sister, for comparison, was much more taller and sexy if he could say. But there was something else beside the body that made Draco actually interested in her and he did not realize it just yet.
Draco walked his way to sit beside her.
'Malfoy.' She smiled and seemed happy to see him.
'Greengrass.' He finally said when he already sat on the chair.
'So you have the mentoring duty too?' She asked and eyed him at the same time, 'What subject?"
'I don't know whatever you are talking about, Greengrass.'
She smiled, 'We are here to get our mentoring schedule according to our best subject.'
'What mentoring exactly?'
'You are really blind on this, aren't you? Because of our outstanding result in some subject, we have this chance to mentor the firsty. Interesting, isn't it?'
'No, It's not. It's awful.'
'We got some recognition and points too by the way.'
'That's better.' He raised his eyebrow, wondered how the girl could know how to make him interested.
There was a silent moment after that. Astoria was busy looking around the big class as it was her first time to get there. It was the class for fifth years above in charm subjects.
In Draco eyes, Astoria was really pretty. Not grown up enough to be beautiful enough for his taste, but there was a big chance she will be in the future. That year, Draco was experimenting with girls, if that was the right phrase. And somehow, there was a tiny thought to 'woo' this girl beside him although he knew that she was really young. She was still in her third year. That stupid thought collapsed however when he realized that she was a Greengrass. No one could be stupid enough to play at the Pureblood family if they want to live peacefully. Still, he really interested in her because of this difference that she brought in her family traits.
'What subject are you then?' His voice broke the silent.
Astoria smiled again, happy that Draco would like to start a conversation with her. 'Charm. How about you?'
'Probably potion, it's my best one.'
'Interesting.' Her green eyes twinkled, 'I never had guess that. I though you are more to DADA.'
Draco raised his eyebrows again, not sure to take her reaction as and insult or not. While he kept silent, Astoria began another conversation.
'There will be a quidditch requirement today right, captain?' She asked with glee, 'I'll be there to apply.'
Once again that day he raised his eyebrows in surprise and confuse, 'Since when a Greengrass want to dirt themselves on the quidditch ground?'
She smiled and looked deeply at his eyes before replied, 'Since I was born, Malfoy.'
The silent came back again, but somehow in different form. Draco felt something in his stomach when he saw her smile and her green eyes, which plastered on his eyes. It was only a moment though because Granger was suddenly appeared from the big door with hurry. She probably thought that she was late. Draco shrugged on his chair as the beginning of the uncomfortable feeling, but Astoria did not realize it as her eyes followed Granger.
Hermionie sat on the first row too, but a little bit far to the right. She seemed uncomfortable too to be together with two slyterins who probably insist that they had greater power and status than her as a mudblood. When her eyes darted to Malfoy's, they both sneered at each other.
'Granger.' Astoria called and shocked the others.
'G-Grenngrass.' She answered unsurely but tiled her head up
'What subject do you have to mentor?'
'I am not sure.'
'It supposed to be your best subject.' Astoria gave her a clue.
Granger tiled her head down to think hard and Astoria smiled because of it.
'Still not sure aren't you, Granger?' She looked at her confused eyes, 'I really admire you, you know?'
The auburn girl shocked, 'M-me?'
In silent, Draco was still could not believe what just happened. A Greengrass just started a conversation with a mudblood. He was really could not understand her. Draco kept his eyes stayed on her and analyzed her like a rare species, which she was. Astoria made him curious, and curiosity was something that Draco could not bare.
'Yes, Hermionie Granger, you.' Astoria smiled again to make her comfortable, 'You are so smart and yet still hard working. All teachers adore you and always make you as our examples in classes.'
'Well, thank you.' Granger finally said when she had composed herself and smiled. 'You too are a really smart student, Astoria Greengrass. Still in your third years and can do the mentoring already. The teachers must be proud.'
That was never get in Draco's mind before. Granger like always was right. Astoria must be really good at charm to be a mentor at her age.
No wonder she was now working at the ministry as a cruse breaker in such a young age. He thought, ended his memory. A past that seemed had been so so long. He felt tired suddenly. His body felt old and aching and his eyelids were really heavy. With that, Draco Malfoy felt asleep.