Curiouser and Curiouser

by dallasgreen

Malfoy was staring right at me, eyes focussed, face expressionless and it was like she didn't even exist. He seemed so much older than I was, he seemed so untouchable, his life perfect. He saved me that day. And he did it again tonight. But why?

I have always wanted to do a Draco/OC story, but inspiration never struck me. But one day, I realised I needed the truth.
And I remembered Draco married Astoria Greengrass (Daphne Greengrass' sister).
Their story has never officially been told.
So here is my interpretation, details are slightly off but I think it is realistic and they are in character as much as possible.
M for swearing/adult concepts

I had to get out of here.
The frills and the pink and the puff powder were driving me to distraction.
There was an excited atmosphere in the room, permeated with perfume and sickening shrill laughter.

I perched on a stool whilst a witch that I didn't know, most probably a servant, twisted and curled my hair with her wand. Earlier she had enhanced my eyes with grey and painted my lips pink, matching my puke-coloured dress that had way too many ruffles.

"Pervillius!" she muttered as my hair floated up into a tight bun, a brooch sliding through the middle. "You're finished, miss."

I stood up quickly, searching for an exit. There were no windows in the room; it was like a prison, a grotto, a cage to leer at the pretty witches who dwelled there before the ball. Would leaving the room look too obvious? Could I get away with it?

I stood on the spot, watching everyone else. No one noticed me. They were all tottering about on heels far too high for their ankles, not to mention their ego, pretending to be aristocratic and mature. Someone had snuck in a bottle of firewhiskey and they were passing the bottle around the different groups that were having their make-up and hair done. The servants turned a blind eye to this, as they always did, whilst the house elves were trying not to get stepped on. This was all so routine that I felt uninspired.

No one ever talked to me, which I was okay with. Ever since I got sorted into Ravenclaw, I'd been treated like a traitor to the pure-blood gene. Especially since my family held one of the oldest distinguishable Slytherin blood-lines. Yes, I'd completely fucked everything up, and my parents hated me for shaming the family. And they showed it by pushing me to participate in classic pure-blood activities much more than my sister.

I searched the room looking for her. Daphne was nowhere to be seen, thank Merlin. After a house elf set Sylvia Lorge's dress on fire, I knew if I were to escape, the best time would be now.

I left the room, leaving shrieks and the cry of the elf behind. I shut the door quietly. The cool air of the empty corridor suddenly engulfed me. I embraced it, the stickiness and red cheeks I had attained in the ladies' quarters soon subsided. I kicked off the heels that were too big but too small for my feet and hitched up the massive skirt of pink rolls, frills and ruffles. It was fucking heavy and I grimaced as I stuck most of it under my arms. If I could find a window or a servant's back door I knew I could get out of here within five minutes, I just had to be clever. From there I would walk to Luna's house and stay the night and most probably the next day to keep away from Mother's rage. Anyway, I had to go to Diagon Alley to get school books for the new year at Hogwarts and Luna had a Floo that networked straight to The Leaky Cauldron. That'd be saving heaps of time.

I tiptoed past many doors masking dark draughty rooms before finally reaching a window. It was pitch black outside and trees were blowing harshly in the wind. "Ah fuck." I muttered as I saw the two-story drop. It was at times like these I wished I could be 17 already and apparate everywhere.

I started to use my shoe as leverage to open the window when I heard a humming of voices muffled from the closed door opposite me. Why hadn't I seen it before? Yes and light was seeping out of the cracks of the doorframe. I stepped forward, pushing the door slightly away from the jamb. I peeked through, hoping to see a kitchen full of elves or a laundry with squibs scrubbing away at their master's clothes. But no, the room was large and elegant and full of teenage boys. I grimaced, oh the joys. I recognised nearly every face immediately. I knew most of them from school, all from Slytherin, either in my year or a couple above me. But there were a few who I was unsure of and I noticed one who was extremely attractive, sitting away from the conversation.

And of course Draco Malfoy was in the centre, with all his cronies sitting around him.

"Who you going to score with tonight eh, Draco?" slurred someone who'd obviously had too much to drink.

Malfoy just smirked. "It's not about who, but how many."

I rolled my eyes. So this is what boys talk about in their free time. How surprising.

"But tonight the selection is vast," Malfoy went on, "so I assure every one of you that there will be at least two twits out of the three witches you hook up with."

There was a loud chuckle shared by all. As much as I hated my fellow pure-blooded princesses, I just couldn't stand the arrogance and cowardice of Draco Malfoy and his crowd.

"But there sure are some gems this evening, there's no doubt about it," murmured Blaise

Zabini, his voice husky. "I saw Arabella Perkinfire earlier. I wouldn't mind getting some of that, what about you Draco?"

"Her blood is tainted with her weaknesses. She's a disgrace to her family."

"Just as long as they're pureblood, I don't discriminate." Zabini's low voice continued.

"How philanthropic." Malfoy muttered in a flat tone.

I scoffed, all this prejudice and conceit was not new to me. As a matter of fact, it drove me to the depths of boredom. So as interested as I was about current conversation, escaping was my first priority.

I returned to the window, the hem of my dress between my teeth so that I didn't fall over myself. I opened the latch and slowly winded it up, making sure it didn't squeak. I sat on the sill and was about to throw my shoes out into the cold when—"Astoria Greengrass!" a high pitched voice yelled.

I jumped about ten feet in the air, hitting my head against the window frame.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I recognised that voice very well. My eyes flickered to her face to see high cheekbones, large dark blue eyes, a straight pointed nose and black hair flecked with grey tied up into a twisted bun, all up giving her a haunting disposition. "Mother!"

Her pretty lips curled nastily. "Get out of that window right now!"

I considered disobeying her, seeing as I was already halfway out of the house, but then decided against it; I'd rather not risk it. Her stunning features were completely contorted, resembling some sort of demon. Merlin knows what she'd do to me if I defied her. I turned around awkwardly on the window sill before slipping off. As soon as my feet were planted on the ground, she curled her hand around my wrist and pulled me further down the hallway.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the women's quarters." She spat through gritted teeth, "you're going to be under my wing for the whole evening. I won't let you get out of my sight."

After being pampered within an inch of my life, I was spun out into the ballroom, my mother's steely gaze close behind.

Unfortunately she had taken to completely plastering me with makeup and forced a corset to be bound around my chest, not because I was fat, but because beforehand my tits were safely concealed within my dress, and of course now, they were all out for the world to see. I could hardly breathe as I made my way to the refreshments table.

Pansy Parkinson was around the side and glared at me from under her cup of steaming butterbeer. As I poured myself a glass, I smiled toothily at her, waving enthusiastically. She saw through my sarcasm and walked away bitterly.

Unlike the rest of the wizards in the ballroom, Pansy had always hated me. I suspected it was because of my relationship with Malfoy; which was practically non-existent, but what our future relationship was supposed to be like.

I stood there, leaning against the table, wishing for time for pass.
I drank my butterbeer slowly, then refilled it leisurely and sipped at it. This was going to be a long evening. I surveyed the room. Parents were milling around, kissing eachothers cheeks, formally introducing their youngest child. The Slytherin kids were intermingling, some already starting to hook up, girls pushed against dimly lit corners, tongues sliding against lips. The classier bunch were bowing and curtsying, daintily smirking and nobly dancing. It made my stomach twinge slightly and I craved for escape. I could feel my mother watching me in my peripheral vision; I was going to have to start socialising soon. Ugh. I sipped my butterbeer gradually, trying to procrastinate as much as possible.

The attractive boy that I recognised from the men's quarters earlier approached the refreshments table, standing to my right, pouring a glass of mead. I couldn't help but notice how nice he smelt. I felt creepy that I was actually sniffing him, but he was unusual. He smelt like allspice and honey and sweet lemon and something else, something really good. I noted how his hair was dishevelled and pushed back in irritation, curling slightly around his ears. There was a piercing in his right eyebrow above a set of shadowy green eyes. A couple of dark freckles sprinkled his face, one just below his lips, which were a soft pink. Before I could investigate any further, he turned his head and looked at me oddly.

"Are you smelling me?"

I stared at him. "No, of course not! Merlin, what type of person do you think I am?"

"I'm pretty sure you smelt me." He had an accent of some sort.

"Nup."

"Right," he muttered, and leaned against the edge of the table beside me. "Can I stay here for a bit?"

I tried not to act surprised that he stood with me. I guess I was so used to be ignored that recognition of my existence as a human felt strange. I nodded vaguely, although his leg was already brushing the ruffles of my dress.

"So, what is this anyway?" he asked.

"Just another annual wanker contest and whoever has sex with one of the hotshots wins."

"Oh." The boy shifted uncomfortably; he wasn't accustomed to my cynicism.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, changing tact. "I've never seen you before."

"I was requested here."

I raised my eyebrows. "Requested, wow. That sounds important."

"It is. I go to Ivelhend College. It's in Australia. I live there, I mean I used to. I've moved here with some family…and I'll go to Hogwarts this year. Dumbledore was really kind about it all actually, though my uncle kept threatening him, he was kind to me. I don't know anyone here except this one family I'm staying with. They're horrible actually. Sorry, am I rambling?"

"Yep." I downed the rest of my drink. "Be careful, no one cares around here."

"I see," he smiled, looking up at me. "Thanks."

"What for?"

"You're the only person that's been half-decent to me so far."
I laughed. "I could write a whole book about indecency towards the individual."
An uncomfortable silence settled between us, as we both watched the party from the distance.
"But surely you haven't already been molested by all the beautiful young witches this evening?"
He made a face that made me suspect so. "A girl has been following me all evening, so scary. Her name's Daphne. She has blonde hair and sort of strange skin. Know her?"
I laughed. "She's my older sister."
"Oh, shit. Sorry."
"It's fine. We don't get along that well."

He was about to reply when his face contorted and blush filled his face. I was about to ask if he was okay when I felt someone's hot breath at my ear.

"Ah, my beautiful wife, how are you on this fine evening?" a sarcastic voice mumbled behind me, curling an arm around my waist. I spun around.

Malfoy.

"You are at no liberty to call me that yet, you abhorrent twat." I replied, writhing out of his grip.

Malfoy smirked. "I have to say that is what I love about you Astoria. You're extremely intelligent."

He looked up at the boy who I was talking to. "Levi, I see you have met my fiancée?"

Levi brushed his dark hair back with a hand and bit his lip. "She's very beautiful, Draco."

"So they say. Astoria, this is Levi. Levi, Astoria. He's staying next door to me. And now that we are done with pleasantries, I'd like to talk to you, my love. Levi, you don't mind do you?"

With a start he nodded and walked into the crowd. I didn't even get the time to insist he stay. I felt anger well up inside of me. I looked back at Malfoy, his narrow jaw set and his bright blue eyes sparkling.

"Oh please," I hissed sarcastically as he wrapped his hands around my wrists in a tight strain, and when I tried to pull away he pinched at my skin.
"Oh please indeed." He said, clenching his teeth. "I'm only playing nice because your mother is looking right this way, the poor wretch. It's not her fault she ended up with such a useless, pathetic daughter."

I pursed my lips to keep the tears back. I couldn't let him break me. "At least Mrs Greengrass has another daughter to keep her pleased. There's only one of you, Malfoy. Dear, dear, Daddy's locked up; looks like all eyes are on his son, ready for him to fuck up just as spectacularly." I seemed to have sparked something deep inside of him; his eyes slid out of focus and his face slacked. He let go off me and stiffly walked off, holding his left arm. My wrists were red raw, I rubbed them together as I felt my eyes water.

I moved towards the walls, to be out of sight. There was a gap behind the wall, which was used to stack chairs and tables. The space was dimly lit and cool, a safe haven. I sat down in the shadow of the room, the ballroom, merely metres away seemed like a whole other world. I tried to pull up my dress to cover my boobs a bit more when I noticed a hulking figure in the darkness with me.

I felt my body hit something concrete in my startle. "Crabbe. Fuck. Don't do that to me. What are you doing here?"

Crabbe sat down beside me and shrugged.

"Um, how have you been lately?"

When he didn't reply I started feeling edgy. Something wasn't right. And soon enough I felt it. His meaty hand slid up my leg, grabby and urgent.

I jumped back. "Woah. No, no way. I'm sorry but no."

I tried to stand up but he was too strong, pushing his body weight against mine.

"Crabbe I swear on Merlin's balls I'll curse you. Let me go!"

My voice was too tight; blood was rushing to my head. I reached for my wand, which I stuck in my bra earlier that evening but it wasn't there. Why wasn't it there?

Crabbe plunged his fingers into the tights I was wearing, delusionally trying to find my underwear. This couldn't be happening. My mouth opened to scream but soon his other hand covered my face. I couldn't breathe properly. My mind was reeling. I felt paralysed; it didn't seem to matter how much I tried to kick and shove Crabbe away, he was still getting closer and closer to me and I couldn't stop it. It was actually going to happen.

But just in time, the weight of his body was gone. Draco Malfoy had Crabbe shoved against the opposite wall, his wand at his throat, whispering menacingly into his ear. I could just make out his words.

"You know what I have that you don't. And don't you think for a second just because we've known eachother our whole lives that I wouldn't use what I have to my advantage. Against you. If you even think about fucking touching her again, I will kill you, understand?" His voice was trembling, seething at Crabbe, who was sweating with fear. "She's mine, you worthless blob of lard, mine." Malfoy shoved him against the wall again, his head cracking nastily. As soon as he let him go, Crabbe sped out of there, anxiety etched on his face.

Malfoy then turned to me, his calculative mind watching my every move. I immediately stood up, I couldn't let him see me weak. Not like this. But somehow he left before I did, not muttering a word, not even asking if I were okay, not explaining himself. But that was what Draco Malfoy was like, and how he had always been. He never expressed his emotions. They drew a picture on his face and painted tone into his eyes, but he never said anything. He kept it all inside. And it was destructive.

When he left, the world seemed to be out of focus, the noise of the party too loud. I felt my feet shuffling to the edge of the room, trying to leave without being noticed. My lungs were heavy as my vision blurred, tears streaking down my face. I knew that the bathroom was in the next room over. I darted there quickly and splayed myself against the basin, looking at myself in the mirror.

My hair was a mess, my makeup smudged and there was a look in my eye that frightened me. I unscrewed one of the taps, letting water flow into my cupped hands, then splashing my face gently. If only I had my wand.

A wave seemed to arrest my body from my stomach up. I quickly stuck my head into the sink, preparing to be sick. My frame heaved, but instead of vomiting, a painful sob shuddered through my diaphragm. I started crying uncontrollably and pitifully. I felt so raw, my soul so bruised.

All I could think of was my first day at Hogwarts, as I was waiting to be sorted, looking over at Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson at the Slytherin table. She clung onto his arm and was whispering things into his ear, stroking his hair. And it was like she didn't even exist. Malfoy was staring right at me, eyes focussed, face expressionless. I remember how my face flushed and I turned away quickly; he seemed so much older than I was, he seemed so untouchable, his life perfect. So I searched for my sister who was a few seats away, her blonde hair in a top-knot. I waved at her, but she was no reassurance, averting her eyes away from me, performing a classic Daphne snub. I felt my eyes well up and I bit the side of my cheek to keep them intact. I looked over at Malfoy again, his expression was unchanged, but in a very small, secretive fashion, he waved back at me, no evidence of any smile on his face, but it was there in his eyes. As always, haunting and mysterious. It was the first time I had ever seen this in Draco Malfoy, but it seemed to be there; caring. I didn't know what to do, so I smiled back, except with my lips. He saved me that day, even though it was an unimportant act of kindness, I still remember it. I always will. He was my saviour. And he did it again tonight. But why?

I looked back at myself in the mirror and tried to smooth back my hair. My heart was still racing. I breathed slowly. Could it possibly be that Malfoy wasn't that bad after all? But those were the two lone cases he had actually expressed any type of extended kindness towards me before. Maybe his usual behaviour is because of the circumstances life has thrown at him. Maybe after nurturing what good he had hidden in the deepest, darkest part of his soul, breaking all his social boundaries, he could be extraordinary.

I thought back on how he treated me when I was with Levi. He treated me like absolute crap, but it was odd of him to give up on our argument so quickly. As soon as I said something about his father, he just left. Something must have happened. Something was wrong with Malfoy.

I wiped my eyes and brushed back my hair once more. Where the fuck was my wand?

I opened the door, recomposed, ready to pretend nothing had happened but my mother was there waiting, her delicate face furious as she pulled me by the arm towards the exit. My stomach lurched.

"How dare you, you little slut! You are trying to spite me, aren't you? Of all the wizards out there, Crabbe? Really? Are you a Greengrass or an imposter?"

"What? How-how do you know?

She pushed open a heavy door and she pulled me briskly down the large, echo-y foyer of the old mansion.

"Draco told me. He saw you. He said you were throwing yourself all over the mutton of the boy."

My blood curdled in anger. Of course he would say that. Any evidence of the idea that I thought he might actually be a good person vanished within a second. I felt cheated. I felt stupid. Why would I expect anything less? This was Malfoy we were dealing with, he always had an ulterior motive. My romantic notions had got me nowhere. I wasn't sure who I was more angry with, him, or myself. Or maybe my mother, whose fingernails dug into my skin.

"You're hurting me!" I tried to wriggle out of her grasp.

Mother stopped abruptly and turned to me. "This is nothing compared to the pain you've put me through for the last five years!"

She let go of me, and I found myself against the wall. "Why don't you expel me then? Banish me from the family? I know you want to. I've spoiled the blood pool, ruined us all."

"No, we aren't ruined yet. I won't let you upset the legacy that your father and his descendants passed down."

"I don't understand."

"You are still to be married to Draco Malfoy! This was arranged from the day you were born. This of all things will redeem you!"

I felt sick to my stomach. I hated wasting time thinking about the fact that I was basically engaged to someone I detested. I was so sure that I'd be evicted out of the exclusive pure-blood lifestyle that I hardly dwelled on it anymore. "So what if I am? Malfoy can find a new bride! He can marry Daphne. I'm sure she'd love that! I don't understand this!"

My mother shook her head, "At least you weren't put into Gryffindor."

And she grabbed me again, this time firmly around my waist, forcing me to curve against her. At least you weren't put into Gryffindor. So my mother was an optimist, who knew?