Draco paced nervously. Astoria was usually here by now; wasn't she? She always came to the abandoned washroom to read (She'd done it often enough to befriend the ghost, Myrtle, he thought it was) about this time. He froze as he heard the door open. Looking up he saw Astoria enter. "Draco? What are you doing here darling?" she asked.
He was momentarily distracted by the 'darling'. He loved how she threw those phrases in so nonchalantly.
"I'm here to talk to you." He said delicately. She walked up to him, and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. "What about?" she murmured.
He pulled away. "You're going to hate me. You're going to leave." He informed her. How could she not? He was filthy, unworthy of such a magnificent person.
She looked extremely worried, but was doing her best to reassure him. "I won't leave you Draco, as long as you're faithful and honest. What's wrong?" she said taking a step toward him as he took a step back. She frowned, but didn't try to approach him anymore. He rolled the sleeve of his shirt up, and revealed the dark mark on his forearm.
She gasped. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she gently shook her head from side to side. Tears formed in her eyes and she was noticeably stiffer than she was before. "I told you." He muttered. He began walking away, passing her in the process. He started when she grabbed his arm –the one without the dark mark- and pulled him back. "Where are you going?" she asked her voice and face vulnerable, tears on her cheeks.
"You… you don't want me." He said, sure that this was the case. She shook her head.
Throwing herself at him, she wrapped her arms around his torso. He was startled, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist in return.
"Don't tell me what I want. I want you. I want you safe and happy and protected. I don't hate you, I hate the dark lord, and I hate what he's done to you. I will never leave you for being honest with me. Hell, I'll never leave you period." She murmured.
He pulled her against him, lifting her chin, and kissing her softly, full of love. "I don't deserve you." He muttered as he pulled away. She grinned. "And don't you forget it!" she teased.
He frowned, serious once more. "Aren't you afraid of me?" he asked. She shook her head. Taking his hand, she pressed her lips against it. "I'm not afraid of you. You won't hurt me." She said assuredly. He gaped as she reached out her hand and traced her fingers along the dark mark. "I won't fight for him. I won't fight you, Draco, but my side remains the same." She said quietly, sounding as though she were in pain.
"I won't make you chose like I had to, Astoria. I'm doing this because he'll hurt my family; my mother, I don't care about Lucius. I still love you, and I won't make you chose between me and your beliefs." It took a moment to realize she was staring, but when he did, he realized his mistake. He'd said he loved her. He did, of course, but he'd never told her that.
"You… you love me?" she asked, her voice like a leaf on the breeze. He nodded; what was he going to say? She smiled, revealing all of her straight white teeth, her plump lips stretching across her face. "I love you too, Draco." She whispered before kissing him firmly on the lips.