WOW! I must be dreaming, because I just saw that this story has had OVER FIVE THOUSAND HITS! I was even more amazed to see that 1000 of those are just from the last week! I love you guys so much :D

I wasn't quite sure whether the title for this chapter fits, but it was the best I could come up with. Hope you like it :)

Wilful Girl

Draco stared around the Great Hall, desperately seeking out any sign of Astoria. He didn't know whether to be relieved or worried that he couldn't find her amongst the bodies of those who had already died. Every few minutes, someone else would enter, carrying another body. Some were still alive, although badly injured, but mostly they were dead. Draco looked up as Ginny Weasley came in, and was horrified to see that she was carrying the one person Draco had been looking for so frantically.

"Astoria!" he yelled, running forward. Ginny was gently lowering Astoria to the ground. Draco pushed the redhead roughly to the side and knelt down next to the unconscious girl. He was relieved to hear that she was still breathing. With increasing horror, he took in her battered form. After a minute or two, he realised what must have happened to her, and let out an anguished cry.

"She's very fortunate," a rather weary-looking Madam Pomfrey said, long after the battle had ended. "Had her attacker maintained the curse even a few seconds longer, it is likely she would have lost her mind, but it seems she will recover just fine." Draco heard her, but he wasn't really listening. He was staring intently at Astoria, silently praying for her to wake up.

"Draco, did you hear what Madam Pomfrey just said?" his mother asked softly. Draco only grunted in reply.

"Do we know who it was?" Astoria's father asked hopefully. It was taking a great deal of effort on his part to keep his temper under control. Madam Pomfrey shook her head sadly.

"We won't know until she wakes up and is ready to tell us what happened," she explained. She looked sympathetically at Astoria's mother, who was sobbing into her hands.

"Whoever it was, I hope for their sake that I never meet them," Draco murmured angrily. "If I do I'll kill them myself."

With a sigh, Madam Pomfrey left them to tend to others. There was an awkward silence between the Malfoys and the Greengrasses. Narcissa Malfoy eventually cleared her throat.

"Medea, I'm so sorry. Astoria is a lovely girl, and she definitely didn't deserve this," she murmured. Medea Greengrass raised her tearstained face and looked up at the other woman.

"Narcissa, your kindness means a great deal to us, but please don't apologise," she muttered, wiping her eyes. "You are not to blame for what has happened." Narcissa offered her a sympathetic smile, and then glanced at her son, noticing the wretched look on his face.

"Draco?" she asked. Draco did not answer immediately.

"I shouldn't have let her confront Pansy," he eventually muttered. "That argument made her snap, and she lost all sense."

Medea managed a sad smile. "You obviously don't know our daughter quite as well as you think," she explained. "Astoria is a very wilful girl, and nothing could ever prevent her from fighting for what she believes in."

"I know!" Draco snapped. "But I just let her run off! I should have tried to stop her!"

"Do you really believe you could have done so, without forcing her?" Medea asked softly. Draco had to realise the woman was right.

"I suppose not," he finally admitted.

Draco: There you are!

Me: Erm, do you mind? I'm TRYING to work here.

Draco: Yes, I do mind! I insist you tell me who tortured my girlfriend!

Me: Gee, let me think. No.

Draco: (becomes aggravated) Why not?

Me: Er, have you forgotten that you threatened to kill them not two minutes ago? If you want to know that badly, ask Astoria when she wakes up!

Hee hee. I know I've kind of neglected this for a while, and I just figured it was about time I got back into it :)