"And then the Lord came to him and said 'Fear not, my son! For I am the lamb of God.'" It was Sunday and my dad was in the middle of his sermon. Just like he had ordered of me, I didn't go anywhere other than school and church, so I used those opportunities to my advantage to keep up with my social life. I was seated in a pew next to Harry. However, missing from the scene was Ginny.
"Thanks again for meeting me at such short notice. I know you'd usually be at church right now." Ginny scratched at the back of her neck nervously. Staring at the white walls that reflected to fluorescent light, she could feel her stomach turning. Astoria must've been worried sick about her.
"I'm happy to help," the doctor reassured her. "Now tell me, what's been bothering you?"
Ginny swallowed the lump in her throat. "Well, um... My period's two months late."
"I see..." the doctor said, taking notes on her clipboard. "Have you been having sexual intercourse?"
Rolling her eyes, Ginny snapped, "Obviously. Can we just take the damn test?"
After the service was over, I decided that I should make an attempt to get back on my father's good side. Meeting him at the back of the sanctuary, I stopped him and said, "If you need anything else for the barbecue today, let me know. I want to help."
He smiled big. "Thank you, Astoria. There's my little girl," he said, patting me on the shoulder before he left to start setting up the tables and chairs.
I started to follow him when I was stopped by none other than Pansy. "Astoria, there you are! I've decided we should bake the boys cookies this week. Draco had never heard of Nestle before, can you believe it? His accent is just the cutest thing," she jeered, folding her arms over her chest.
I rolled my eyes just as Coach Krum walked up beside us. "Ladies! Harry just had the best idea," he exclaimed. "What if next week's barbeque was a pep rally for our first game?" Turning to me, he added, "Astoria, do you think your dad would go for that?"
"Sure, I'll try. But Sundays are usually reserved for church..." My father wasn't normally keen on focusing these barbecues on anything other than Jesus. It was even a stretch when he let Principal Parkinson announce Pansy and me as the football managers last week.
"What a fantastic idea!" Pansy butted in. "I know my father would love it." She shot me a look that dared me to even question it.
Checking the time, I realized that I should probably go help get everything ready. And I was more than happy to leave. "I've got to go. See you two later."
"Hey Astoria!" I heard as I was leaving the sanctuary. It was Harry. "Wait up. Let me walk you outside."
Ginny paced across the length of the church courtyard, her phone up to her ear for the fourth time. I wish he would pick up! Why didn't we just use protection! She plopped down on a bench and let a tear roll down her cheek, and Charity came and sat next to her.
"Ginny? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just PMS-ing," she lied.
Charity gave a sympathetic smile. "Well, if there's anything I can do..." Her voice trailed off as Ginny's phone rang.
"Excuse me. I have to take this." When Charity left, she answered the call. "Oh, hi Astoria. I thought you were someone else." A pause. "Sure. I'll meet you there in five."
"Where were you in church?" I questioned, worried about my friend. We were currently in the church balcony and the barbecue had just finished up.
Ginny hesitated. "I got there late so I sat in the back."
"Oh..." I heard her voice quaver. She seemed upset behind that confident mask.
Ginny changed the subject. "Why are we hiding out here anyway?"
"I'm grounded, remember? The sooner dad finds me, the sooner I'm stuck watching cheesy Christian films with him."
She sighed, "Okay, but can we make this quick? I have to get home."
"Please just listen for one second!" I begged of her.
Suddenly Ginny looked concerned. "I am! Tell me what's going on."
I ran my hands through my hair right beside my ears. "I think I'm going to go crazy over this Draco situation. He's so hot and cold and I can't get him out of my head." I wanted to scream; I had no idea what to do about him with dad keeping me on lockdown. "There's just something... different about him. Have you heard anything about his mother?" I asked, remembering conversation that he and my dad had had in the car the day he picked us up at the jail. But Ginny seemed to be completely zoned out, and gave no reply. I waved my hand in front of her face. "Knock, knock. Is Ginny home? You're distracted lately. Is everything okay?"
She shook her head, coming out of her daze. "Yeah, everything's fine," she lied again. "Keep going. I'm listening."
"Well," I continued. "I'm pretty sure Pansy is into Draco."
Ginny's eyes went wide. "No way. That girl only has eyes for Coach Krum. Do you see the way she looks at him?"
I was, however, in complete shock. Pansy, hot for coach? He was so much older than them, not to mention a relationship could cost him his job. "What?! Ew! That would be gross." I thought for a moment more. "Well, and then there's Harry... I think he wanted to open up to me last night but I got scared. Now I wish we did, I feel like there's more about him that I should know. And he's so funny and cute..." My mind wondered off to those green eyes, and man could he work a football field.
Rolling her eyes at me, Ginny brought me back from my daydream. "Astoria, do you even hear yourself? You have nothing to complain about. Two guys are interested in you. If you really want your first kiss, just pick one and get it over with."
"I guess, but..." It wasn't that simple. What if I picked the wrong guy?
"Harry is the ultimate good guy. He's safe. And Draco is sexy and mysterious, but comes with a lot of baggage. If you don't want to deal with all that, it may be safer to just steer clear of him," Ginny said, weighing my options for me. But what she was saying almost seemed to reflect her own lifestyle.
"You know, Ginny, you should take your own advice," I turned the conversation back in her direction. "Find yourself a safe guy instead of going back and forth with Dean." This caused a look of regret to flash across her face. "Ginny, what is it? I can tell something is wrong."
"Well it's just... Dean left without saying goodbye, and we-"
"I'm sorry hun, but seriously, it's probably for the best. He's no good for you! It's like you're looking for trouble!" As the words escaped my mouth, I immediately wished that I could take them back, because Ginny grew very angry very fast.
"Not everyone has guys lining up to date them! We can't all be as perfect as you Astoria Allison!" And with that, she ran out the door and down the stairs and didn't stop until she reached her car. And she was gone.
Back home, I heard my dad holler my name from the living room. "You wanted to see me, daddy?" I said, descending the stairs. He was standing across the room with his arms folded and a scowl on his face. Something told me this wasn't going to be a thank-you speech for helping out earlier.
"I heard some very upsetting news at the barbecue today, Astoria. Pansy told me there's a rumor going around... Something about you and Seamus Finnigan."
"Oh..." For a moment I wondered why Pansy was telling my dad my business, true or not. However, I decided to try and explain. "I heard that rumor too and it's completely false. Kids get a kick over lying about the reverend's daughter. You know me, daddy. I'd never do something like that."
He looked relieved. "I know. I didn't believe it. But why are you putting yourself in troublesome situations? Things just seem to be different with you lately."
I gave him a reassuring look. I'm glad this didn't get out of hand. "Everything's fine, you just have to trust me."
"I know, darling. It's just... hard. You're all I got." He looked sad as he remembered mom. "And without a good female influence, I can't help but worry."
What a day. I thought as I was getting ready for bed. Just when I was about to turn out the lights and call it a night, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Draco.
It was funny to hear your dad preaching about forgiveness today. I don't think he'll ever forgive me.
I remembered for a second that dad had recommended he attend today's worship service, then replied.
I didn't expect you to come to church.
Draco: Pansy brought me.
Of course she did. I couldn't help feeling my stomach drop to the floor at his message. He texted again.
I saw you up front. You looked really pretty.
Wait, if he was with Pansy, why would he say something like that to me? He's so... different.
Astoria: You're so forward sometimes... and then so distant. I don't get you.
Draco: Isn't that what girls like?
Astoria: I guess maybe I do...
"Aren't you going to say hello to your father?"
"Long time, no see," Draco said dryly, not looking up from his phone.
Lucius was taken aback. "Please no attitude. I was with a patient-"
"Yeah, yeah," Draco interrupted, still with his eyes glued to the screen in front of him. "Patients before everyone else. I'm used to it."
"I'm the top surgeon in the southeast, Draco. What do you expect me to do? Someone's got to keep up appearances in this family." Lucius said, his voice rising.
Draco rolled his eyes then returned them to the text message he had just received. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, you know exactly what I mean, Draco!" he yelled, snatching the cell phone and slamming it on the kitchen counter. "No proper school in this country will admit you after the trouble you got yourself into at Deerfield. Now I have to live with the fact that my son goes to school with the sons of farmers and college dropouts. After everything we've been through, you continue to cause trouble."
This time Draco looked his father dead in the eyes as he yelled back, "I am not to blame for everything that's happened to us. You cannot put that on me."
I checked my phone again. Draco hadn't replied for over an hour. He was normally so quick to respond. Did I say something wrong? However, looking at the time, it was nearly one in the morning. So I shut off the lights and went to bed. I would just have to talk to him about it tomorrow at school.
