A/N:

So this is my second fanfic!! YAY! Anyhoo, I know it's a bit corny and might not be the most true to the book thing ever, but hey, I tried. R&R please!

Something Right

Sunlight spilled into a four-poster bed in the Slytherin girl's dormitories. The occupant of said bed groaned and lifted her head from the green satin pillows grudgingly, her transfiguration book falling to the hard, cool floor. Studying and practicing late into the night, she had forgotten to shut the curtains around her bed, thus her early wake up call. Straightening her nightgown, she bent and picked the book off the floor, dusting it off with her too long green and grey striped sleeve, hand-me-downs suck almost as much as OWLs. Her entire wardrobe dwarfed her and she looked like a little girl instead of a fifteen year-old.

The girl groaned again, imagining how that day's transfiguration exam would go, and glared malevolently at the faded red color, as though the book had done this to her. No, this was not the book's fault. Although Astoria Greengrass was rather gifted at magic, especially transfiguration, the thought of exams made her horribly nervous and on edge. Mostly, her friends and anyone else that knew her well enough would desperately avoid her weeks before exams, leaving her alone. Though they were justified in their actions and thought process, Astoria still felt a little stab of pain every time someone avoided her like a pin prickling her heart. Even her sister Daphne, a sixth year, avoided her, and her pitying gazes from afar (mostly while she was in the arms of Blaise) made it much, much more unbearable.

The one person who usually stood by her now avoided her more than the rest. Sure she was a year behind him in school, he was a sixth year like Daphne. . . Wait did that matter now? Was he so ashamed of her that he had been hiding? Sometimes she noticed that he was missing meals. She wondered why. Surely not because of her! What had little Astoria Greengrass done to him? He had even cut of ties with Pansy, causing her to become increasingly irritated with him, yet he seemed perfectly fine.

He hadn't spoken to her once all of both terms, and she had decided not to humor him by initiating conversation. All she knew was that Draco Malfoy, her supposed "friend," was looking more and more peaky by the second. His hair seemed thinner, he was definitely skinnier, and, if it was possible, he was even paler. He looked as if he hadn't had a proper meal in days. Astoria also noted that Draco used a harsh, guarded look whenever he was around anyone like he was waiting for them to attempt to assault him.

Astoria shook her head of thoughts of Draco, and walked into the girl's bathroom. She daintily combed her thick mass of blonde curls, still wet from last night's shower, so that they drifted down to her tiny hips in a smoother fashion; washed her face; brushed her teeth; and left the bathroom in better spirits than those of which she came in.

As she was going to breakfast, she heard Crabbe and Goyle talking. They were huddled near a pillar, and she quickly hid behind a pillar near to theirs, "Crabbe, what the bloody hell is wrong with Malfoy?! Has he talked to you lately? I can't get a word out of him!" Goyle ranted.

"Nope, he hasn't spoken to me at all. I hear he isn't even speaking to Little Greengrass!" Crabbe replied, clearly agitated.

"Really? Well I guess I feel a bit better now, but I wonder why. . . I mean, you and I know he fancies the poor bird," Goyle said in a louder tone than necessary, and Astoria flushed pink. Draco Malfoy, fancy her?! There was just no way. Sure they were okay friends, and maybe she fancied him a bit. . . wait, WHAT?! I did not just think that!!

"Yeah. . . wait, WHAT? Malfoy and Little Greengrass?! You must be joking!" Crabbe hissed.

"Nope, not at all my friend," Goyle replied with a chuckle.

"Did he tell you?"

"Are you insane? Malfoy would tell me whom he fancies? No way! It's just a hunch, a gut feeling if you will, and I do know my best friend. Have you seen the way he looks at her, or looked at her rather. I haven't seen the two of them together in ages."

Astoria had had enough. She ran down the halls, away from Crabbe and Goyle, confusion clouding her bright green eyes. Her thick blonde curls covering her face like a curtain. SMACK! Astoria ran straight into a wall. No, wait, this wall was warm, and moving? Astoria looked up, only to her horror, that she had just ran straight into Draco Malfoy.

"Hey! Watch where you're going Greengrass!" Malfoy grumbled, obviously furious. However, his expression softened with blatant concern as he saw her porcelain figured form a guarded expression. Astoria turned quickly and ran past him in a blind rush. She collapsed on a bench by the lake, and caught her breath. He spoke to her. He cared for her, but if he did, then why did he snap at her so? Why did she even care? The boy hadn't acknowledged her existence all year! Not caring would make this easier, seeing him hurt, seeing him hurt her.

Noticing how late it was, Astoria ran to the Great Hall, praying that she hadn't missed breakfast. She was just in time to take a few pieces of bacon and a slice of toast and slid onto a bench at the Slytherin table. She dug into her book bag for her Charms book, and began to study. By now, Charms was almost second nature to her, but there were a few Charms that she struggled with. She had OWLs today. This was what mattered. If she was going to be a healer, she had better get really good marks for both her OWLs and her NEWTs, but first she had to get into enough NEWTs.

As she ate, Astoria realized that examination day was no different from other days leading up to exams, if not worse. No one was sitting within seven feet of her, and some first year kept throwing anxious glances her way, but when she met them, they turned away fast, as if stung. A quick glace around the long table told her that Draco had yet again missed a meal. Though she was worried, and slightly angry from when he snapped at her, she shoved the food into her mouth.

In a random spurt of inspiration, she gathered some bacon and toast into her handkerchief, and ran towards the Slytherin common room. She sped past the chic leather chairs and emerald green walls, and up he stairs to the boy's dormitories, stopping at the sixth year's dormitory. Astoria knocked slowly, and hearing nothing, she entered the room. It was identical to the girl's dormitories, but with different decorations that were obviously added by the boys. Astoria easily found Draco's bed, it was next to a picture of him, is mother, and his father, and placed the handkerchief on the center of the bed with a quick note:

Dear Draco,

Please eat this. You look underfed.

-Tori

As quickly as she came, she ran off to her exams, all thoughts of Draco leaving her mind as worries about OWLs flooded it. She walked quickly down the corridor, thankful that Potions, her first OWL, was in the dungeon with the Slytherin common room and dormitories. Astoria waited with her classmates, as nervous as ever, until the door opened.

O.O

"Yes!!!" Astoria cheered as she filed into the Slytherin common room with the rest of the giggling and cheering fifth years. OWLs were over! The only subject she was worried about was Ancient Runes, but she pushed Runes out of her mind, and joined the celebrations. Her friend, Annabelle, passed her a butter beer, and Astoria knew that she couldn't be angry with anyone for ignoring her. They were just trying to help. Astoria and Annabelle sat on a couch, and began to discuss boys, not a usual topic for Astoria, mind you.

"Soooo, Tori, who do you fancy?" Annabelle pressed, looking eager for the response.

Flushing pink, Astoria answered slowly, "Ummm. . . I-I don't really know. There are a lot of cute boys in Slytherin, you know."

"Well, duh! Even the Gryffindors know that!" Annabelle cried, "I think that Blaise Zabini is extra yummy though. . ." she trailed off in a dreamy fashion.

"You do realize that my sister is dating him, right?" I asked incredulous.

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, "I guess I don't really want my tongue where Daphne's has been," Annabelle decided making a face, her eyes sparkling with mischief,

"Annabelle!" I giggled.

"What? You want your tongue where Daphne's has been? Oh wait. . . I forgot, you really want your tongue somewhere else," she replied slyly

"Well, no. Wait, what?" Astoria cried, a scandalized look crossing her face.

"I think you know who I mean," Annabelle hissed.

"What? No! Who?" Astoria cried, clearly alarmed.

"Umm. . . sweetheart, I know how you look at him, your "friend" Draco Malfoy," Annabelle whispered slowly.

Astoria's jaw dropped, and she turned even pinker, saying nothing.

"Thought so!" Annabelle cheered, fists pumping into the air above her head.

Astoria closed her mouth, and replied with, "Just don't tell him, okay?"

"Sure thing. What kind of friend do you think I am? As long as neither Blaise nor Daphne learn about my little crush on Blaise, your secret is safe with me." She winked.

"Of course! I would never tell Daph or Zabini a thing." Astoria reassured her.

"You would never tell me or Daph what Tori?" Blaise inquired plopping down between Astoria and Annabelle on the black leather couch.

"That we both agreed that you two are the cutest couple in Slytherin. We know you wouldn't like that too much, would you Blaise?" Astoria smirked.

"No," he groaned, "Wipe that smirk off of your face, it reminds me of Mafoy. He has really rubbed off on you, Tori." Blaise teased.

"Haha! Very funny Blaise," Astoria laughed.

"No, really. He acts like you too sometimes," he laughed.

"Oh, err… thanks I guess," Astoria mumbled, " I think I need some air. I'll be back," and Astoria ran out.

Rounding a corner, she ran into something, but this time she recognized it immediately, and ran towards the same bench by the lake that she had escaped to earlier.

"Astoria. . . . What. . . is. . . wrong?" Draco gasped as he ran up to her spot on the bench, sitting beside her shivering form, placing his cloak around her shoulders. He merely stared at her, a mixture of hurt, confusion, amazement, and concern contorting his face.

"What did I do?" she mumbled once her shivering was under control.

" I don't know what you're talking about. I only snapped at you because I was surprised. I'm sorr-" he pleaded, but she cut him off.

"I am NOT talking about that, Draco!" Astoria yelled, "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I-I umm. . . look, Tori, I-I can't tell you," he mumbled dejectedly.

"Why not? Do I not deserve a reason for why we aren't friends?" she muttered, enraged.

"Of course you-wait what? We-we aren't friends?" Draco cried, a look of anguish crossing his normally composed features.

"You ignored me all year!"

"I had my reasons, Tori! Why can't you see that?"

"Because I don't know your bloody reasons!"

Draco, in a fit of anger, pulled up his left sleeve, exposing a tattoo. The tattoo was nasty looking, a skull with a snake coming from it's mouth, the Dark Mark. Astoria's head whirled, her mouth gaping open in sheer surprise.

"D-Draco!" she cried flinging her arms around his neck. Draco blushed furiously as her blonde head buried itself in his shoulder, and he stayed frozen. He had no idea why this girl, the one he'd thought of for months had embraced him like this, in such a caring manner, almost lovingly. After a few stunned seconds, he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her warm form pressed against his sped up his heartbeat, and he gave into her embrace. As confused and shocked as he was, he was happy for the first time in months.

Astoria muttered his name over and over, stroking his hair, comforting him. She did this until Draco could no longer restrain himself, "Why are you hugging me? I'm a Deatheater! Don't you get that?"

She pulled back instantly saying, "Don't you get that I don't care? I don't believe you want this. Look at yourself! You keep missing meals, you're paler, you've lost some hair, you distance yourself from people, and you're terribly thin! Did your dad make you?"

"No, of course no- it doesn't matter!" he cut himself off, "Tori, what matters is that I'm a danger to you. The Dark Lord has yet to forgive my father's failure at the ministry. He-he wants to harm, even kill, those close to our family. I can't have you mixed up in this, I can't have anyone mixed up in this. It's my job, no one else's!" he cried, the seeming to notice he'd said too much, looked alarmed.

"What job?" Astoria demanded looking frightened and concerned.

"Err. . . Astoria, I can't really tell you. If I did, the Dark Lord might. . . well, let's just say it wouldn't be too pleasant for you if I told," Draco said venomously, looking away, towards the glistening lake.

"It's fine, don't worry," Astoria assured him, "I won't ask again as long as you promise to never ignore me again, okay?"

"You don't care? You want to be friends with a Deatheater?" Draco exclaimed, incredulous.

"You're right," she said, and he looked away, blinking back tears.

Turning his head to face her, she said, "Friendship wasn't really what I had in mind." Blushing slightly, Astoria kissed him. He felt her lips on his and cheered inwardly, kissing her back. She tasted like spearmint. Draco wondered if he was doing this quite right. He and Pansy had barely ever kissed. and she was the only girl he had ever kissed. Even so, as Astoria wrapped her thin arms around his neck, he realized that he had finally done something right.