Hello everyone. This story was written for the September Event: Back to School. I used prompt 11. "I'll speak to my mother. She'll know what to do." Warning for Bullying and discrimination. If this content makes you uncomfortable please turn back now. If you can read this content I hope you enjoy Stronger.
Draco can't help but over hear the conversation between Pansy and Astoria. It's not like they aren't talking loud enough that anyone in the Common Room can hear them and he knows they must know this.
"You're either with us, Greengrass," Pansy spits at the other girl. "Or you're against us. And you don't want to be against us."
He watches as Pansy walks away from the other girl He almost feels pang of sympathy as the other girl physically deflates in the wake of her own anger. Walking over to girl he tries not to seem like he's about to attack like Pansy did. He knows she doesn't trust many people in her own house so he has to seem trustworthy.
"What do you want?" she asks apprehensively watching him to see if he'll hex her no doubt.
He raises his hands as though to say he comes in peace. "I just wanted to talk to you," he tells her. "That's all."
"Excuse me if I don't exactly trust that a Death Eater wants to talk to me," she says looking towards his Dark Mark.
Not for the first time since he's gotten the thing does he regret being pushed into being a Death Eater. People are always quick to judge you once they see the mark.
"That's not me," he tells her gently. "As much as I know it's not you either."
She quirks an eyebrow at this. "Then why do friends keep pushing for my sister and I to join the Death Eaters?" she asks.
"Because you're a Pure-blood like the rest of us," he tells her because it really is as simple as that.
"I don't want to join," she whispers sadly.
Maybe he can talk to his parents about it. Bet yet his mother. He can ask his mother to intervene on Astoria's behalf. Maybe his mother can talk to Aunt Bellatrix and that will be the end of it. They'll Astoria alone.
"I'll speak to my mother," Draco tells her taking her hand in his own. "She'll know what to do."
Astoria shakes her head taking her hand back quickly. "Or she won't be able to help at all and my family will pay the price for it," she snaps. "I'll handle this in my own way."
He watches her walk away admiring the strength she has to try to do this alone. He knows he'd never be able to. But that's how their different. She is the stronger of the two.
I hope you enjoyed Stronger.
