A/N: You can either pretend this is a part of my other story, Something Right, or read it on its own. I really wanted to write this, but it would be way in the wrong time period if I wrote it in something right. You will see the exact same characters from Something Right. However, since this is a one shot, the way they get together is a lot different and more rushed (sorry about that). R&R!!!
"Astoria, can I talk to you for a second?" Draco tapped Astoria Greengrass on the back, pulling her attention away from her golden brown toast and making her heart skip a beat. Draco Malfoy had been her best guy friend since they were three, but lately something had changed, and Astoria was scared stiff. Even his presence set her on edge, waiting to fall.
"Err… Alright. I'll be right back guys," she told her friends.
When Draco and Astoria reached the corridor, he pulled her into an empty classroom. Astoria ran a shaky hand through her wavy blonde hair, her green eyes darting around the room, anywhere but those grey orbs staring determinedly at her face.
"You must know why I've asked you to talk to me. You're not stupid. We've been friends for forever, Tori, and it should be enough. It should be, but it isn't, not for me at least. Will you go to Hogsmeade with me as my girlfriend?" Draco placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Yes, but one condition," she crossed her arms, stubbornly.
"What is it?" Draco stared at her, alarmed.
"If it doesn't work out, we stay friends. I don't care how awkward it is. I am not losing you," Astoria said with confidence that all Slytherins possess. Draco merely grinned, grabbing her hand and leading her to the Great Hall.
Astoria and Draco returned to the Slytherin table to see a crimson-faced Annabelle, who was concentrating hard on her toast, and Elizabeth, Eurydice, and Sarafina barely containing their amusement. Annabelle was her best friend, along with Elizabeth, Sarafina, and Eurydice.
"What's with her?" Draco whispered, not sure whether to be concerned or amused. Astoria just laughed and rolled her eyes at Annabelle.
"Annabelle! Did you follow us?" Astoria giggled. Even her nosy friend's spying couldn't get her down.
Annabelle looked up, "Umm… okay, fine. I did, but only because I wanted to know what was going on!" She stomped her foot, causing Elizabeth to cry out and smack her lightly with her book bag.
"Watch where you're stomping, Lead Foot." Eurydice laughed, wiping her eyes of their tears of mirth. They all burst out laughing again, Draco looking caught between amused and confused. Lead Foot was what they deemed Annabelle for her enthusiasm educed clumsy moment in their first year.
"Gah! I told you guys NOT to call me that!" Annabelle pouted, slouching on the bench and crossing her arms.
"Well if you weren't a klutz, we wouldn't have to call you that! I do want all ten toes, you know." Elizabeth put her arm around Annabelle comfortingly, only for Annabelle to shake it off.
"I'm going to potions. We're with Gryffindor, and I am not being partners with Weasley again," Annabelle said a bit harshly, stomping out of the hall with a storm behind her, leaving her friends in shock.
"What's gotten into her? I've never seen her upset." Draco asked. Astoria glanced down the table, and seeing her sister wrapped around Zabini in a rather nauseating display of affection, knew exactly what was wrong.
"I think I know, but I think I should go after her," Astoria murmured, pecking Draco on the check and scurrying off to find Annabelle.
The hallways were literally empty; the only sound was Peeves chucking something hard against the wall on the second floor. Astoria's lips turned up at the sound, even with the Dark Lord prowling England, Peeves was still the same. With everything and everyone changing, it was nice to see something the same, even if it was Peeves the pesky poltergeist.
Hearing another sound, she sprinted in the direction of the crash of falling metal. In the corridor of the dungeons, Annabelle was seated on the cobblestone floors, holding her head. She was surrounded by pieces of a suit of armor, or actually, a former suit of armor. Astoria muttered, "Reparo," and helped her friend up.
"S'toria! Do you see all the butterflies? Or are those nargles? Loony told me about them, you know," Annabelle swayed.
"Whoa! Your head's bleeding! We need to get you to the hospital wing!" Astoria grabbed her friend, dragging the confused girl up many flights of stairs and through majestic corridors. When they reached the hospital wing, Astoria saw a frightening sight, one she hadn't seen since she fell down the stairs first year and a petrified Creevey was carried in. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey, and Snape gathered around a hospital bed. When the girls entered, they all turned to them, looks of sorrow and surprise clouding their features.
"What's w-wrong girls?" Madame Pomfrey asked in a shaking voice.
"Annabelle knocked into a suit of armor and I thinks he hit her head because it is bleeding and she's not making much sense," Astoria replied, amused at her friend's laughable accident, and worried for her and whoever was in the other hospital bed.
"Oh deary! Set her down on the bed next to Mr. Malfoy's," Madame Pomfrey cried, quickly covering her mouth as Astoria's eyes filled with fear and horror.
"Why is Draco here?" Astoria said, afraid of the answer. Was it his "job" that he's told her about? How could the Dark Lord have hurt him inside Hogwarts?
"Is it any of your business Miss Greengrass? I suggest you continue on to potions. Tell Professor Slughorn why you are late and he will not punish you," Professor Snape drawled emotionlessly.
"I beg your pardon, Professor, but it is my business if my boyfriend is injured," Astoria countered with confidence as Dumbledore hid a smile.
"A girlfriend! Mr. Malfoy has a girlfriend?" Professor McGonagall cried, looking confused in a way that Astoria would have found hilarious had Draco not been hurt.
"Now, now Minerva, Draco is as able to have girlfriends as any other boy in his year. I am sure Miss Greengrass is concerned and would wish to see him, no?" Professor Dumbledore walked to my side, putting a large hand on my shoulder.
"Yes, I would like to see him, but what happened? Why is he hurt?" Astoria inquired.
"He has been hit by a rare curse. This curse will cut you like a sword and it is almost impossible to heal the wounds unless one knows the spell particularly well," Madame Pomfrey replied, glancing at Professor Snape out of the corner of her eye. Astoria blanked, her pallid features verging on white. How badly was he hurt? Cut with a sword! Could his circumstances get worse? Who would do such a thing? Questions upon questions made her heart and head ready to explode. Dumbledore pushed her forward, parting the curtains surrounding Draco, and all of the professors slowly left, Madame Pomfrey searching for a potion to heal Annabelle.
The sight behind the curtain not only broke her heart, it ripped it out and stomped it into the dirt. Draco was deathly pale, his eyes shut in a seemingly peaceful slumber. His hair was a mess and tainted slightly red-brown in the back. His chest was concealed in a large bandage that reeked of multiple healing potions. The bandages were already bled through, but it appeared as the bleeding had either slowed or stopped completely. He held the appearance of fallen angel.
Astoria smoothed his hair back in a fashion that he was rather fond of, and grabbed his marble right hand in both of her own, tears seeping onto the back of his hand.
A/N: This is a one shot for now, but if you want more, review!! :D
