Author Note: Yes, this is another romance collection from me, this time featuring Draco/Astoria. I'll be tossing all my D/A drabbles and one-shots that I feel are too small to be stand-alone stories here, so do keep in mind that none of these stories will be related, and that I am unlikely to be updating this collection all the time.

That being said, I hope you enjoy my little musings on Draco and Astoria, and don't forget to review. Reviews make happy authors, and happy authors make stories, so we should try keep the cycle going, no? ^_~

The Dragon and the Star Maiden

It has been said that dragons cannot love. They are dangerous, vindictive creatures—even when sleeping—and this particular dragon was no exception to the rule.

Despite his ill humours and mendacious ways, some thought the dragon a rather handsome creature. His hide was as pale as the moon, his eyes a deep grey, and his hair flashed with silvers and blond, just like the constellation that bore his name. It was easy to fall under the spell of his ethereal looks, but one should not be deceived. His smile, so charming, still revealed his sharp teeth for what they were, and only a fool would think this dragon didn't have claws hidden behind that disarming beauty of his.

Oh, yes, this dragon was as selfish and mean as the best of them. He was notorious for luring young maidens into his lair for his own evil purposes, and took great delight in tormenting the brave princes who followed, hoping to rescue the damsels from his clutches. It was all a game to the dragon, for it wasn't as if he particularly cared about the girls. He only cared about himself, and was not against roaring in his scary dragon way when the little maidens decided they might like to stick around longer than he liked and not be rescued by their princes. He was very good at getting rid of people when they overstayed their welcome.

The dragon also had an unhealthy obsession with money. In fact, it was rumoured his hoard of gold was so large it was almost indecent. Not that anyone was allowed to go near it. Dragons, after all, are very protective of their gold, though this particular dragon did love to boast of his wealth. It made him feel superior, and he liked to feel superior.

But for all the pleasure the dragon took in his riches and nefarious games, there was one thing that he did lack: a companion. You see, the silver dragon was lonely, not that he would ever admit it. His stolen maidens helped pass the time, but they couldn't offer him the companionship he wanted. His gold may shine in lovely ways and make him feel better than everyone else, but it couldn't talk or listen to him when he was sad. And sad he was. It wasn't so fun being a scary dragon when you were the only scary dragon around, and though people admired and looked up to him, he also knew that they only respected him out of fear. Sometimes, it did get a little tiring.

Then, one day, the dragon saw a rare star maiden. She was small and fragile, not quite at full womanhood, but there was something intrinsically beautiful about her, like a flower just beginning to bloom. Her petals were not colourful: the warm shade of brown that framed her features was rather ordinary, and her large hazel eyes, though curious for their size, were set in a face that was pretty, but nothing startling. She was the kind of flower that could be easily missed if one wasn't looking close enough, but the dragon had an eye for rare gems, and he sensed her worth even before he had spoken to her.

He wanted to know more about the star maiden, but, being a dragon, he wasn't very good at making friendly conversation, and it didn't help that she refused to pay attention to him unless he was nice to her. He huffed and he puffed, stomping his big dragon feet in frustration, almost crushing the little maiden in the process, but she did not back away in fear. Instead, she scolded him dreadfully. Dragons should know better than to throw tantrums when such delicate creatures as she were around, and she did not care for spoilt giants. If he wanted to be her friend, he would have to learn to respect her like a good friend should and not try and stomp on her when he got angry.

The dragon could have easily destroyed her for her impertinence—a single jet of flame would have done the trick—but he was struck by her light and beauty, so he restrained his temper and tried to be nicer to her, just as she asked. It was not easy. He was a naturally dominating and selfish creature, but the little star maiden had a way of getting him to do as she wished, and it wasn't long before he found himself genuinely desiring to please her, if only to see her smile. He treasured those smiles more than he treasured all the gold in his vault, and that was saying something for a dragon.

Years passed, and he watched as the star maiden came to full bloom, unfurling her petals for all the world to admire. She was still not the most radiant flower in the field, but she was beautiful to him, and he guarded her as fiercely as he did his most prized possessions. Yet his desire to safeguard her did not stem from greed; rather, it was a genuine desire to care for the fragile creature who had so taken his fancy. He wanted to keep her safe. He wanted to keep her close.

He wanted her to be his.

And so it was that beauty tamed the beast—not because she was outwardly beautiful, but because her heart had more to offer than all the English roses in the world. The dragon, touched by her sincerity and gentle strength, could not help but love her, despite his mean, dragonish nature. Her heart had whispered to his, and that was all there was to it.

The dragon then did something very un-dragonish indeed. He humbled himself by kneeling at her feet and told her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Because he loved her. Because he could not bear to be parted from her.

"Do you mean it?" the star maiden asked.

He nodded, still clutching the ring he had chosen for her in his hand—a small, elegant thing, befitting an unpretentious star like herself.

"Marry me, Astoria."

It was not a question, only a hope. He was a dragon, after all, and did not have the best of reputations. But just as he had seen her worth before even getting to know her, so had the star maiden seen his.

She smiled and leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips. "Yes."

He blinked. "Yes?"

"Yes," she repeated, laughing at his astonishment. "Of course I will marry you, Draco."

The dragon swept her into his arms and kissed her. Kissed her over and over again. No one could have doubted a dragon's potential to love in that moment, but then no dragon had ever met a maiden quite like her. She was something special: a rare treasure he could finally call his own, and like any good dragon, he was determined to keep it that way.

Astoria was his star maiden, and there was no way in hell he was going to let any tight-wearing prince take her away from him.

Notes:

This was supposed to be a short piece to introduce the two characters. I'm afraid I may have got a little carried away. Oh well.

If you're wondering why I call Astoria the 'star maiden', it's because her name, presumably, was meant to be 'Asteria' in the books, named after the titan goddess of the stars. 'Draco', of course, means dragon in Latin.

There's not much dialogue in this one, but I'm sure my penchant for dialogue-driven pieces will be well and truly satisfied as I write more, never fear!