Author's Note: Trigger warning for PTSD and mentions of violence and sexual abuse- these are mainly flashbacks and not the core plot of the story.
This fanfiction also has NO relation to the Cursed Child. Astoria is not cursed, physically sick or physically weak.
The Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K Rowling.
Hope you enjoy it.
'I am not a Death Eater.'
"And the liquorice can stain your teeth and your hands. For example, I had a lovely pair of white gloves. My brother shoved a warm liquorice wand into my hand, the stains were ghastly. It looked like I had stuck my hand up a chimney."
Draco almost reached for his arm, that arm, like he was trying to prove a point to himself. And not the right point.
"I do love a strawberry flavoured Bertie Bott's. Toffee's nice enough too in cold weather."
Just keep walking, Draco thought to himself, his face contorting into a sneer, ignore your own voice and the annoying outside voice. Focus on the corridor, the Hogwarts Express, the innocent bystanders and heroes in the compartments, being in your skin, the year ahead of you and hating every-
"Of course I had to throw the gloves out. I could never look at them the same again- there isn't a cleaning charm strong enough for that."
Draco's hands went into fists.
"Trolley lady, don't look at me like that- I know what you are thinking spoilt pureblood, rich girl. But surprise, surprise it's my own money I can and will do what I want with it."
The thoughts continued to bubble like a potion gone wrong, his mother and father going mad alone at the Manor, the hundred or so looks he had received on the platform-
"That brings us back to the question of the Hogwarts Express will it be Bertie Bott's or a liquorice wand? I think I'll risk a dung or earwax flavour. The start of school isn't a special enough occasion for a wand. Maybe Halloween. You see if you drink from a straw or purse you're lips like when you're eating a liquorice wand-"
Draco Malfoy is not-
Suddenly a hand clamped onto Draco's jaw. Draco jolted in surprise knocking against the trolley lady's cart. In response, the trolley lady said automatically, "Anything from the trolley, dearie?"
"No." Draco snapped, grabbing onto the wrist of the girl. Presumably a mudblood devoid of manners. She wasn't letting go. Draco was forced to stare into her piercing blue eyes, take in the concealer starting to crumble at the corners of her eyes and her deep red lips. She would've been his cup of tea, he thought, if she hadn't been wearing a ridiculous feather in her hair.
"As I was saying, Malfoy, purse your lips too much or go scowling up and down the train and you'll mark your face."
Draco snarled. "Get off."
This clearly wasn't the reaction the girl expected. "Permanently." She added hoping to drive her point home.
"Whatever." He replied coldly, not really taking in what she was saying. He didn't want to be touch or even talked to he just wanted to be invisible and left alone-
'For how long?' the question suddenly appeared to him. 'Forever.' The answer was easy. 'In silence.'
The girl let go of him.
"Mudblood." He snarled. It was like a reflex.
"Greengrass." She held out a hand to him daintily curling her hand into a 'c' shape. "Astoria Greengrass. Slytherin, pureblood and one of Hogwarts' finest Transfiguration students. And you are Draco Malfoy, only son of Lucius and Narcissa. The late Professor Snape used your potion as an example once so I'm assuming you're a top potion student and-"
Death Eater, Draco's head started spinning in circles again. Insane. Bastard. Liar. Coward. Murder-
"Cannot stop frowning." She finished. "Are you sure it isn't a medical condition?"
"How funny." He said, his voice deadpanned. "Which issue of the Quibbler did you get all that from?"
Astoria frowned like she had been hurt. Draco doubted that. She flipped her brown locks over her shoulder.
"I don't read rubbish. It's Witch Weekly or nothing. And I, like my mother, my grandmother and my great-grandmother, study family trees. The Sacred Twenty-Eight fascinate's me." She continued. "You probably don't recognise me." She waited. Draco didn't reply. He looked longingly after the trolley lady who had escaped during Astoria's biography. She touched his upper arm bringing him back into the moment. Draco stared at her pale hand.
"Daphne Greengrass, my older sister, is- I mean was- in your year. I also went to your parents' Christmas party last year and the year before that. We were introduced on…"
Astoria continued her monologue, her hand was still on his robes and her words fell on uninterested ears. Draco couldn't decide whether to bat it away, physically push her away or just leave it. He was tired, he reasoned with himself, he couldn't summon the energy to care. Draco didn't want to try to read her mind either. If it was anything like the person she was on the outside… Draco finally picked her hand off his arm. She was now talking about something he did what felt like decades ago. She snorted with laughter. He grimaced at the sound.
She covered her face with her hand. "Excuse me." She giggled. "Father was cursing you for days afterwards. It's one of those things that comes back to you at the most inconvenient times and makes you laugh-"
Draco started walking again. He pulled his cloak tighter around him like he was cold but in fact, the August heat was making him sweat.
"Rude," Astoria called after him. She marched back up to him. "Malfoy, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?"
"Don't you have friends?" Draco asked, his voice sounded desperate. "I am not entertainment for you."
Astoria's eyebrows came together. Draco started walking again. Astoria didn't follow him this time. When he walked passed that spot on the train again she was still there, now picking through a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. She didn't say anything, thank Merlin, she kept her nose in the box while he passed only when his back was to her he felt her eyes on him.
When he came back the third time she was gone.