I need to endlessly thank iheartweasleytwins and paulaa90 for their support. This story would be discontinued without them.

I also dedicate this chapter to my cousin, Roksana, who was over- excited about this story, and that kind of flattered me, really.

Thanks to paulaa90 and iheartweasleytwins for reviewing!

DIFFERENCE

CHAPTER SEVEN

If anything, the calm that ruled over the Malfoy manor was not the calm before the storm. It was the kind of calm one would feel after spending a nice week on vacation. Though, you couldn't possibly expect the whole family to feel it. If you went to Mrs. Malfoy's dressing room, you could clearly hear the stomping of someone through the ceiling. And if you knew whose bedroom lay above, you would be utterly surprised.

Draco Malfoy had been living an uneasy life since his return from the Greengrass manor. He thought, at first, that it was because of the lack of light and brightness of their house, compared to the Greengrass's; but as days passed, he slowly came to learn about his true feelings. He was, even if he hated to admit, truly in love. And this was his first time to really fall, so he didn't know what to do. Not even a single clue he had. He even reached the point where he decided to go to his father for advice, but there had been no special point in doing so. All his father had said was that, as long as Draco picked a pureblood, it didn't matter who the girl was. Mr. Malfoy would approve.

Draco had been sitting at his desk since eight o'clock in the morning. In front of him, on the obviously expensive desk, laid a new piece of parchment and a quill. Groaning, he picked up the quill, not even noticing himself chewing on it.

"If I tell her everything…" he muttered to himself, "no, that would be too admitting. I'll be letting down my pride then." Her face flashed through his head at once, her hair falling around her loosely, her eyes twinkling… and he could once again feel her lips against his own… was he becoming desperate? No. But he couldn't even think of letting his pride get in his way to her.

"Oh bloody hell!" he cursed, then sighed, leaning onto the parchment to start writing.

Nearly half an hour later, a big, eagle- like owl flew out the window, growing into a small brown fleck upon the cloudy sky.

~PPE~

The curtains were drawn closed, the door safely locked when the apparition happened. The blonde girl appeared in front of the purple armchair, holding onto it to find balance. She looked thinner than before. So did her sister, of course, with pale dark circles around her eyes and messy hair. You could tell, easily, that they had been going through stressful days.

"He wrote." The brunette mumbled after seconds of just staring at her sister. Daphne's eyes grew wide.

"He apologized." Astoria spoke in the same emotionless tone. "And he seemed to be honest. That's why I called for you."

"Well that's perfectly wonderful!" Daphne exclaimed, hurrying forward to sit next to Astoria, whose expressions hadn't changed a bit. "Why don't you write back?"

"I don't trust him-"

"But-"

"-Or you."

"W- what?!"

Astoria frowned. "He didn't do anything when father was chomping my head off. And about you, I don't see why you shouldn't fall in love with him. I mean, you were in the same house, same age, same class… everything! You know each other too well! And he's far too attractive to be ignored!"

"Astoria, you have to believe me when I tell you that-"

"Well can you PROVE it?!" Astoria snapped, jumping off the bed they were sitting on to have a better look at her sister. Daphne only blinked.

"See? You CAN'T! You've been twisting me in your idiotic game all through summer and you don't give a damn, because you are the one who wins him at the end!"

"Astoria stop!" Daphne pleaded, standing up and gripping her shoulders. "Don't go babbling on without knowing the whole story!"

"Well then tell me!" the brunette spat. The sisters stood there, holding onto each other's shoulders, glaring daggers at one another. It ended moments later, with Daphne's tired sigh.

"I met Blaise…" She admitted, her eyes closed, "and we were writing this summer… and I'm- I mean we're- well, you know, planning to get together now."

"Oh…"

"… which is why I couldn't possibly be thinking of him as more than a guest."

"So, what do you think I should do?" Astoria asked hesitantly, letting go of her sister rather awkwardly. "I still am not sure whether to trust him or not…"

"Let me see."

Daphne picked up the letter, reading it over and over again. Her sister waited anxiously. Putting the parchment away, after reading it for nearly a hundred times, Daphne raised her head.

"I think you should do as he says."

~PPE~

She could hear the muffled sound of her parents' joyous chitchat from downstairs. She could most particularly hear her sister's voice, speaking in a tone she knew would win their attention. Putting on her thick black cloak, Astoria carefully placed the letter in her pocket, closing her eyes.

The girl who stood in the middle of the brightly colored room took another look around, then apparated.

The night was cold when she landed onto the earthy ground of the old garden. It was darker than she'd expected, the thick, leafy branches of the rusty trees blocking the moonbeams. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she drew her wand.

Before she could even think of whispering the spell, two arm- like figures wrapped themselves around her waist, a pair of warm lips attacking her frozen ones. She was helpless, standing there, being fiercely kissed by a man who despite being a stranger, felt familiar. After what felt like half a second, she managed to pull back.

"You-" she panted immediately after whispering 'Lumos' and lighting her wand. He was standing in front of her, his hands still holding her firmly by the waist. She pushed them off of her.

"You wanted to see me." she spoke dryly, doing her best to pull herself together and look emotionless. She was waiting for him to smirk; smile at least, but he didn't. He just stood there, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"So?" she demanded, raising her head a bit higher and placing both hands on her hips.

He grabbed her again. He hadn't even spoken a word when he pressed his lips to hers, this time more gently, running his hands along her figure in ways she couldn't resist. Her hands snaked up to his neck, resting over there to let her fingers tangle themselves in his hair, positively uncontrollably. Astoria was living in a world of bliss for what seemed like a second, before her mind took control. She pulled away again, panting and clutching onto her wand more fiercely.

"Don't-" she warned, chest heaving and falling with every breath she drew in and out. "Don't kiss me like that-"

"Well then how am I supposed to make you believe?" Draco finally said, still looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Believe what?" the girl spat, eyeing the young man with suspicion. "That you fancy snogging every girl you see?"

"Believe that I love you!"

Astoria didn't know how to respond.

"I love you, Astoria! I don't know how to prove it! I'm sorry about the night your father found out, and I know I'm a coward, and a worthless Slytherin, but, it's not my fault! I'm dying to change it, but this is how I've been raised… I just-"

"Stop. Just stop."

The girl stepped forward, putting her hands on his arms. Once again, he was captured in her eyes.

"You're not worthless." She whispered clearly. "I believe you."

And she was the one who captured his lips this time.

~PPE~

The sun was almost rising when she appeared into her room with a faint crack. Her Ravenclaw brain worked harder than ever as she changed into her nightgown.

If they succeeded to do what they had planned, her whole life would entirely change.