Hope you guys enjoy the next chapter. As always, tell me what you think!
Astoria woke up suddenly enough to see the end of a black robe leave the door frame and her point of view.
Draco had been there.
As the realization washed over her, Astoria felt a strange urge to smile widely. Pinching herself, she exited the girls' dormitory and walked into the common room. Seeing that only twenty minutes had passed, the girl grabbed her schoolbag off a nearby table and pulled out her partially completed Divination essay.
"That was a short nap," Draco said, sitting down next to her.
"Don't you have more important things to do than monitor my sleep schedule?" Astoria asked irritably.
"If you weren't dreaming about me, you weren't dreaming, as I always say."
"I don't think that's how it works," Astoria said distractedly. It was easy not to blush when there were so many other things on her mind.
He cocked his head to the side. "You have a problem."
"That's offensive."
He rolled his eyes. "You're sick, Astoria."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Astoria said, flipping her hair and continuing to write.
Draco put his hand on her parchment and slid it away from her. Ignoring her protests, he rolled the essay up and stuffed it in her bag. "You keep running off to 'sleep'. You're paler than usual - which I didn't think was possible, by the way - and you keep visiting the hospital wing."
Astoria turned to face him, trying to hide her panic. She didn't know he was this perceptive. "I'm tired so I take miniature naps. As for me being pale, you know as well as I do that being pale is completely normal for me. I was at the hospital because Madam Pomfrey needed to check up on me after the fight a week ago. Remember? It was the one that you forced me to be in."
Draco ignored her last bitter remarks and continued to stare at her. Finally, he said, "You're sick and you know it. And the sooner you admit it, the sooner I can help you."
"That's not needed," Astoria said. There's nothing you can do to help.
"I know you're lying."
"I need to finish my essay, Draco," Astoria said. "Can you please leave me alone?"
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Leave you alone now or forever?"
He was testing her. He knew she had feelings for him. He knew she'd want to spend as much time with him as possible. That was what the old Astoria would've wanted. To stray from that course of action would be a dead giveaway. So even though Astoria didn't want to see him for the rest of her life (or, at least, most of her didn't), Astoria said, "You're still my friend, Draco."
He smiled easily, but the suspicion was still there. "In that case, let's walk around the castle grounds tomorrow. Away from the hospital wing, since you don't need it."
Astoria sighed and nodded. It would take more than just acting lovesick to convince him that nothing was wrong.
She walked down to the lake the next morning, trying to ignore the stars bursting around her head.
"You're late," Draco called from his seat in front of a tall tree. Astoria rolled her eyes and sat down, hoping the action would dim the exploding stars that were becoming more and more prominent. Draco eyed her tie. "Your tie isn't done correctly."
"I really don't care."
Wordlessly, he started to undo it and retie it the correct way, eyes never leaving hers. "There."
"Thanks."
They were really close now, almost close enough to be touching, and Draco kept leaning in closer. He put his arm around her back -
"Why are you flirting with me?" Astoria asked, leaning back. Draco cursed under his breath.
"You've always wanted me to, haven't you?" he murmured, pulling her closer to him again. "I'll keep doing it if you tell me why you've been acting so strangely lately..."
The stars in her head were reappearing, surrounding him in a glittery glow. Astoria was so mad she was shaking, but she couldn't speak. She opened her mouth, closed it again, and then fell into the boy, who took this as a sign that he should kiss her.
Then everything went black.
When she woke up, Draco was still staring at her, dumbfounded.
"What the hell?" she spat, standing up too quickly and staggering back down. The stars were gone, but her vision was still spotty - the blood had rushed to her head.
"You're ill," Draco said, helping her lean against a tree.
"Of course not," Astoria said, tilting her head up and staring at the sky.
"Will you just drop the act? I know you're sick, there's no use lying to me."
"Why did you just kiss me?"
"Why did you just faint?"
"Because you just kissed me!" Astoria shouted. Luckily there was no one else around to hear their outburst.
"Stop lying to me!" Draco yelled, matching her tone. He was mad - as mad as he'd been after she'd talked to Hermione in the dining hall.
Astoria decided there was only one way to coax the answer out of him. "I'll tell you why I've been running off if you tell me why you kissed me."
Draco nodded, lips pursed. "Fine."
"So, why did you -"
"Because I thought you'd tell me what was going on if I kissed you," he said, smirking.
Astoria rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't have expected anything else."
"And it worked," he said, looking even more satisfied.
"Never mind, I've decided not to tell you," Astoria said, smiling widely. No way would she tell him what was going on with her if he only kissed her to get information. She'd always wanted to kiss him, but not because of that.
Draco groaned. "We had an agreement, Astoria."
"Did we? Did we shake hands or make an Unbreakable Vow? And aren't Slytherins known for their cunning nature?"
Draco thought for a minute. "If I kiss you, you'll change your mind."
Astoria scoffed. "As if."
He was leaning closer now, and she inhaled suddenly. Then, he drew back.
"I guess it didn't work," he said.
"You didn't even kiss me!" Astoria stuttered.
"If you tell me what's going on, I will."
She shook her head, gathered her things, and started to leave. "Nice try, Draco."
He hurried after her. "Don't tell Pansy!" he called at her receding form.
"No promises," Astoria shouted back, chuckling as she heard him curse. Shaking her head (and deciding not to tell Pansy, for fear of her life), the girl walked back to the common room.