"But can you really believe it? The Triwizard tournament just had to be this year," Blaise Zambini fumed as they walked back to the Slytherin commen room. Dumbledore had announced the Triwizard tournament would be taking place, but only those seventeen and older could enter. Draco was also slightly disappointed, but he figured it was better to watch a person die than to be the one dying.
"I saw you were talking with Krum all through dinner. What's he like? Did you talk about Quidditch?" Goyle blabbered, but Draco ignored him and collapsed into a high-backed chair in front of a blazing green fire that was surprisingly warm.
"Really, though, what's wrong with you? You've been acting… well, not like yourself lately. This is Draco, right? Not some polyjuice trick?" Blaise demanded, sitting on the couch next to Draco and Pansy, who had mysteriously appeared.
"I'd like to know the same. And you are going to take me to the Yule ball, aren't you? If you don't…" She cracked her knuckles loudly, a clear message.
"Do you really think you can threaten me? I do what I want. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go for a walk. Or do I need permission for that as well?" Draco said coldly. Pansy opened and closed her mouth several times angrily, but when words failed her she cracked her knuckles again and looked into the fire.
Though it was completely against the rules for students to be out past curfew, Draco didn't give a damn what the rules said. He had just opened the door to the secret passageway when someone small ran headlong into his chest.
"Oh… um…" Astoria murmured, blushing brightly.
Draco had a sudden feeling as if he was falling. He knew it was now or never.
"I need to tell you something. And if you say I'm crazy, I already know, okay? You might just thank me later," Draco said quickly, grabbing Astoria's wrist before dragging her back through the corridor, with Astoria protesting the entire way.
"This is completely crazy! Draco, let me go right now! If I could reach my wand you'd be walking around with boils for a week! What is it that you have to tell me so badly? Can't it just wait? Queenie's going to look for me… she's going to be so mad…"
They emerged from the passageway, into the cold night. The moon shone brightly above, reflecting in Astoria's wide, scared eyes. Draco towed her around a corner and held her against a wall to make sure she wouldn't run away, looking around out of habit to make sure there was no one eavesdropping.
"Okay, I know this sounds completely batty, but the other day I was in Divination and I saw you. Dead. I don't know why, I just did," Draco explained in a rush, sounding even more stupid with every word.
Astoria stuck out her lower lip defiantly. "And why should you care about me? So what if I end up dead? I'm never any use to anyone, so maybe I should just go die. That's what Pansy always tells me…"
"Don't say that!" Draco snapped. How could he convince her that she had to live when he couldn't even figure it out himself? The fact that he had a strange desire to protect her?
It was then Draco noticed Astoria was trembling from the cold. It was a surprisingly chilly autumn, but Astoria wasn't wearing a cloak – only her uniform. Without as much as a second thought, Draco took off his cloak and threw it around Astoria's shoulders. She seemed stunned but wrapped the cloak tighter around her shoulders anyway, looking up at Draco like she wanted to say something.
"A-Astoria? Draco?" a shrill voice demanded from back by the passageway. Draco was surprised to see Daphne Greengrass staring at them with a mixture of shock and hurt. "How could you?" she screamed at Astoria, who was now cowering against the wall, tears welling in her eyes. With that, Daphne turned on her heel and disappeared. A moment later they heard the slam of a door, which signalled Daphne had gone into the secret passageway.
"Oh, no…" Astoria sniffed, letting Draco's cloak fall off her. "Oh no oh no… she's going to jinx me for sure… oh, no…"
"Why are you so afraid? Daphne's bound to forgive you. It's not like we were doing anything…" Draco said, feeling his face grow warm at the thought of Daphne telling everyone what happened. That's all he needed was everyone to think him and Astoria were smitten.
"No… she's had a crush on you ever since she saw you… she wanted to ask you to the ball, too, but I doubt that'll happen now… Oh, no!" Astoria groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is all my fault! But… I guess you're right. She'll have to forgive me sooner or later… if she ever does. And about the thing where I was dead… I'll just be careful from now on. Thank you." She looked up at Draco the same way she looked at Krum during dinner. "And you can call me Toria if you want. That's what my friend's call me."
"Okay," Draco said, blushing again.
Draco walked Astoria back to the commen room, but to their luck it was empty. Astoria was afraid to go to the girl's commen room because she could hear Daphne sobbing and Pansy and her gang talking darkly about something, so she decided to stay up all night reading. Draco, hesitant to leave her, stayed to study until dawn before falling asleep in the high-backed chair. Almost as an omen, he dreamed of seeing Astoria lifeless once again and wondered, even if Astoria was being careful, if it was enough.
Oooh, drama drama drama! Just wait for the Yule Ball! =) Believe me, the DracoxAstoria really starts after this, so you're totally going to keep reading, right? And revewing? Riiiiight? Otherwise no more chapters! (duh, duh, DUH!) Hahaha =3
