Prompt: Scorpio (October 23 - November 21): Enjoys a big, bold lifestyle, Able to overcome big obstacles, Entrepreneur, Assesses situations before jumping in, Enjoys debate, Lively, Possessive Lover, Passionate
WC: 554
Astoria was the worst thing that had ever happened to Draco Malfoy, and he knew it. He hoped that she didn't, because that would just egg her on, but that was beside the point. He had always been slick; ever since childhood he'd had slick hair, slick one-liners, a slick smirk. But she happened to have the effects of all those things, but went about getting them in a less slippery way and more in a way that demanded respect. At one point, that would have made him mad, but since he adopted the motto, "if you can't be it, have it," it just made him go mad, in the kind of way that makes you feel pleasantly warm in the center of your stomach.
She wore red lipstick that never smeared on the rim of her mug of coffee, and definitely never got onto that one fur scarf that made her look as if a fox had cuddled up and covered her entire neck. Draco would tell himself that he wouldn't be attracted to the kind of girl that's so vain to enjoy a bold lifestyle of flashy fashion, or of buying houses like it was going out of style. He'd be wrong, of course. He had a Slytherin ambition, and if she wanted something, he just had to take it as a challenge to make it happen for her, as if to say, "look at how effortlessly capable I am." That one morning she had mentioned in passing that she wanted a house in Florence, Draco checked the market price of a small mansion once and made a few calls. He didn't mean to feel so happy when he handed her a portkey (and a key) within a few days.
But what really made him look twice was her ability to walk into a room, sit at the head of the table, pull out a notebook, and with wide eyes that looked as innocent as ever, assess a situation and immediately know how to play the game with finesse. Perhaps growing up the younger sibling made one more crafty, Draco would muse. It might have given her the agility to overcome big obstacles in the workplace as if they were merely little puddles to step over. Astoria would disagree, of course. But Draco wouldn't know if she was just keeping her secrets as she said that. After all, a Dark family's daughter turned CEO of a startup potions-dispensor had to keep some secrets to stay afloat.
And what made him look thrice was the awakening of her eyes when someone sitting at her not-so-round table said something she found displeasing. Her pert mouth would open with a purpose and launch into a lively counterargument that sometimes held water, and sometimes didn't, but nobody could really tell through her passion. Draco would call her a parasite that leeches on discord, or a lioness waiting to scatter a herd of zebras. He wouldn't be exactly incorrect. He didn't mean to be so smug when her challenger gave way; it was his Astoria that had just done that.
What kept his gaze was the way she curled her fingers around his waist when they walked on the street, or lingered in a hug when someone was watching. Draco felt as if he were important, important enough to keep and fight for. Astoria would agree.
