As you requested PhantomRose605. This is what I imagine Draco and Astoria. And maybe it's a little too optimistic, but I don't really care. I think Draco has it in him.

Just a little side note: Draco lives in a flat and he never brings Astoria to Malfoy Manor because he doesn't want her to get tangled up in his home life.

Draco Malfoy pulled down his sleeve, a disgusted expression washing over his aristocratic features. He didn't like to think about it. But it was always there. Every time he got in the shower. Every time he rolled up his sleeves to make dinner. It was there and no matter how hard he scrubbed, how many spells he tried, it wouldn't come off. And it was driving him mad. He'd made more mistakes than one should be allowed, and somehow he was standing here, alive. He didn't deserve it. That mark kept reminding him. You screwed up, Draco. You screwed up. It was making it hard to put the past in the past and move on with his life.

And he wasn't turning over a new leaf because the side he had chosen had lost. It was because the side he had chosen was wrong. He'd chosen what was easy over what was right and that stupid mark reminded him of it everyday. He was done. He was done feeling the way his father wanted him to. And for the first time in his life he was beginning to think for himself.

He was done with being Malfoy. Right now he just wanted to be Draco. But figuring out exactly who Draco was, was proving harder than you would think.


"Draco?" His mother called from the downstairs parlor.

Draco didn't usually stay at Malfoy Manor. He spent as much time as he possibly could away from it, but his parents refused to let him spend the day at his flat on his birthday.

"Yes, mother?" Draco drawled, irritably buttoning up the sleeve of his stiff, white shirt.

"There's someone here to see you. A girl. She says her names is Astoria?" Narcissa called up the stairs, her voice echoing eerily off the stone walls.

"Who is this, Draco?" His father said, his tone accusing and rude.

Draco immediately hopped to his feet and rushed down the stairs. He didn't want Astoria to meet his mother, much less his father.

"Draco?" A wide smile spread across Astoria's sweet face and she waved at him, her wavy brown hair, falling in a curtain to one side of her face. She had shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans, an oversized pale blue jumper, his jumper, hanging loosely off her shoulders. "I thought I'd swing by and surprise you. Happy Birthday!"

Draco groaned. Everything was ruined now. Now his parents knew, and if his parents knew they would forbid from seeing her and if he stopped seeing her, she'd think he was that awful person he was three years ago who did whatever his daddy asked. And he'd be terribly heartbroken. But if he disobeyed...his father would make sure that he'd be cut off and burned off the family tree.

Draco skipped the last three steps, shoved past his mother, and ushered Astoria outside.

"Happy Birthday!"Astoria threw her freckled arms around Draco's neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Oh Merlin. His mother was probably watching. Draco pulled back, weak in the knees.

"Astoria, come on." Draco grabbed her warm hand and tugged her towards the gardens, eager to get out of earshot and sight of his parents.

Once they were safely hidden behind the carefully pruned hedges by the rose garden, Draco began to pace, the cobble stoned path, cool beneath his bare feet. He'd been in such a hurry he'd forgotten shoes. He wrung his hands out nervously.

"Astoria. You musn't come here." Draco snapped and Astoria went wide eyed and stepped away, biting her lower lip.

Draco's expression immediately softened and he continued on in a kinder tone. "Astoria, it's just…they don't know about us. I try to keep you and them separate. And I didn't tell them because I don't love you or because I'm afraid of what they'll think. It's because I'm ashamed of them. 'Storia it's so embarrassing. My father is awful and I-I've done everything he's asked for my whole life. I don't want people thinking I'm like him anymore. I don't want you to have to deal with all my shit. You deserve better."

He shuddered and unbuttoned his left sleeve, rolling it up, and thrusting out his arm, showing her the mark. "It's awful. I did awful things. And I don't want you to get tangled up in it."

"Draco." Astoria laughed and placed a hand on his cheek. "You can't push me away with a silly mark. Did you really think I didn't already know how awful your family is? Of course I know! So stop trying to shut me out. I love you. Not your father." She shook her head and laughed. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding but I figured you might need a break from Malfoy Manor. It's your birthday. You should be happy!"

"I don't deserve to be happy." Draco answered moodily and crossed his arms.

"Quit being a moody git."Astoria shoved him roughly. "Stop wallowing in your self pity. You made mistakes! So what? I know you did and I don't care! Why can't you see that?"

Draco refused to meet her eyes and continued to pace around the garden. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve any of this. Astoria deserved some nice, incredibly sweet boy who didn't come with all this baggage. She was only seventeen and was still full of wonder and amazement at the world. She was so optimistic and fiercly opinionated and loyal and she refused to see the bad in people and, Merlin, she was far too good for him.

Astoria continued, wrenching Draco out his thoughts. "You made some bad decisions. But you're making up for them. So stop trying to feel bad for yourself and instead be happy. Because you got a second chance. Don't just throw it away." Her deep blue eyes were pleading.

Draco gaped at her and she roughly grabbed his left arm. "This!" She pointed at the mark. "This doesn't define you anymore, Draco. It's like a tattoo you got when you were drunk. You weren't thinking clearly."

"But it's always there. It won't go away." Tears welled in his eyes. "I don't want to be this anymore. I'm trying so hard, but it's always there. Reminding me. All the pain I've caused... I don't deserve to be happy."

"Draco." Her voice was gentle, her hands soft and loving on his face and in his hair. "I'm not saying forget about it. I'm saying learn from it."

"Spoken like a true Ravenclaw." Draco drawled sarcastically but smiled.

"Shut up you filthy prat." She laughed and fell into his strong arms.

It started to rain: big, fat, juicy droplets that went straight through Draco's white shirt and made Astoria's wavy brown tresses fall straight.

"Don't you see, Draco!" Astoria kissed him. "I'm not happy unless you are!"

"Astoria…" Draco started but she interrupted him, her cheeks flushed and her big blue eyes fierce.

"Don't 'Astoria' me!'" She imitated his monotoned drawl. "Say 'AstoriaI love you and you're right!' Because I am, Draco. I'm right and you know it."

"Astoria, I love you and you're right." Draco gave in and smiled softly. He pulled his girlfriend close, their soaked clothing sticking together. He brushed a lock of hair out of her face and smiled at her. "Why weren't you there to smack some sense into me when I needed it in seventh year?"

"I was there." She laughed, running a hand through his platinum hair. "You were just too busy to notice the little fifth year. Also, I thought you were scary as hell."

"I wasn't scary. I was scared." Draco sighed. "I'm glad I have you now."

"Well, thank Merlin for Firewhiskey and the Leaky Cauldron." She smiled. "Who knew my one night stand would become the love of my life."

Draco smiled and kissed each of her cheeks and the raindrops off her thick eyelashes and her forehead. He began to hum a lullaby his mother had sang him when he was younger, swooping Astoria through the vast gardens, swaying all the while. He held her tight and breathed in her clean, flowery scent that immediately put him at ease. She was the only thing that felt right. After awhile of barefoot dancing she pulled back.

"You know, Draco, you are incredibly lucky to have me." She smiled devilishly.

"Oh I know." He grinned.

"They say shoes don't stretch and men don't change, but look what I've done to you."

"It's astounding really. I'm a big old softie now."

"Oh, well I don't know if that's such a new thing. I think you've always been a softie."

Draco played with the clasp of her necklace and she sighed contentedly into his chest. Despite what her friends or her parents said, she still loved him and nothing was going to change that. He had changed and who gave a damn what everyone else thought? It was their life and no one else had the right to judge them.

Draco was feeling impulsive.

He grabbed her hand and made a sprint for the manor. The wind blew through his blonde hair, no longer slicked back and the June rain was warm on his bare forearms. He brought their intertwined hands up to his lips as they approached the door to manor. He pushed it open and pulled his girlfriend into the foyer where they stood, small puddles forming at their bare feet.

"Mother! Father!" Draco called, his voice sounding more carefree than it had sounded in awhile.

Lucius and Narcissa floated into the foyer, regarding their dripping son with looks of confusion.

"What is it Draco?" Naricissa asked, her voice gentle. No matter how Lucius felt, she still loved her son.

"This is Astoria." Draco pulled her tight to his side. "She's the love of my life and I'm going to marry her. She's a half blood, hope you don't mind, Father. Go ahead cut me off, burn me off the family tree, take my things, and be grateful that somehow your kid turned out okay. Be grateful that this girl standing next to me took the time on me that you never did."

Astoria blushed.

"Goodbye, Draco. You can expect your trust fund to be cut off. You will no longer be recieving your ten galleons a week. You're making a mistake" Lucius nodded curtly at his son.

"Sounds great, Daddy!" Draco began peeling off his shirt and stepping out of his pants. "Here take my clothes while your at. Want my watch? Have a nice life."

Lucius walked out of the room, not looking back. Narcissa looked at her son, unable to say anything. She couldn't. Lucius would be so mad. She mouthed "I love you. I'll send money." And took after her husband.

Draco turned to Astoria and gathered her in a hug. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." She said between fiery kisses to his lips and down his collarbone.

Draco smiled into her hair and hugged her tighter, his hands on her waist. He loved her. He really did. And she made him feel like any other love sick teenager who hadn't screwed up his life before he was even seventeen. She made him feel all queasy and weak in the knees. She made him feel like his heart was about to explode because he just loved her so much

She made him feel like Draco. Not Malfoy. But Draco, just Draco, even if he wasn't exactly sure who Draco was, he knew that as long as he was with her everything would turn out just fine.

Did you guys like that? I don't know if I really did, but ah well. It's finished.

This is how I would like to think Draco and Astoria are, maybe it's not the most realistic, maybe it's a little out of character but I picture Draco with this girl that'll slap some sense into him and tell him he's being an idiot when he's being an idiot. I think that's what he needs.

PLEASE REVIEW! I need pairing ideas. I'm running out here...

XOXOX