Book 3: Astoria Greengrass and the Legilimens of Hogwarts
Song rec: "Sad Girl" by Lana Del Rey

Rhiannon was indifferent to the news of Malfoy and Parkinson's breakup, even though the rumours of how it happened were getting pretty juicy by the next day. Instead, she was concerned with reading letters from Mr Mongaby and Ms Chittock, scheduling band performances, and monitoring sales and reviews of the EP. As if scheduling around everybody's study nights and Astronomy classes wasn't enough, none of the girls could decide on setlists for radio and live concerts. "The Pariah," "Useless," and "Sweet Nothings" had been popular tracks from their first album, and "Mire" and "Saccharine" were strong takeaways from their flop album. All tracks on their new EP were getting airplay, so that should have been a given, but Astoria didn't want to perform arguably the most popular one in concert.

"I'm not sure I can do 'Ashes' justice to the recording," she made an excuse.

They were alone in the dorm with crumpled drafts of setlists surrounding them. Hestia and Flora were still at dinner, but they had given Rhiannon and Astoria a few guidelines after a compromise. Hestia's rules for songs involved the "musts," whilst Flora's were the "must not's." It had still left plenty of room for Rhiannon and Astoria to disagree.

"Don't go telling me you're not singing that one because you've gone shy," Rhiannon said. "It's our biggest hit yet."

"Can't we stick to the other three? They're nice, too."

"What's with you and this song? The lyrics? You know it ain't easy for me to sing 'Useless' no more, since I wrote it about you and me. Remember that?" admitted Rhiannon. "But you've gotta treat it as a performance. It means all different things to the audience that aren't what it means to you. That's what matters."

"Yes, that's a very good point," sighed Astoria. "Fine, put it on."

"All right, good. I want to make these performances successful, even if it means me singing about you and you singing about Malfoy."

Astoria raised her eyebrows halfway off her forehead and pursed her lips.

"Come off it, Astoria. I figured it out. You had a dumb crush on him and wrote a song. Now you don't want to sing it because you're over him. You afraid he's gonna come for you now that he's free of Pansy? Just give me the word, and I'll shoo him off. Anyway, you don't have to look so ashamed, because it's selling records. 'Sweet Nothings' was about Philippe, so it's not any different. Stop writing songs about stupid boys if you can't perform them."

"Point taken, Rhi."

"You are over it, ain't you?"

"Please do me a favour and refrain from telling the twins."

Astoria didn't look ready to give her a better answer, so Rhiannon dropped it. She would have liked to remind Astoria that Draco was showing up in the Foe-Shard from time to time, but she knew the reminder wouldn't have been gentle. It was very difficult for Rhiannon to understand how Astoria's crush had festered to the point of her composing a song about it. Had it been in that overachieving Astronomy class of hers? Last Christmas at that awful ball? Any number of times he tried to show off to her? Or worse… maybe a time Rhiannon didn't know about. She was feeling it in her stomach.

"I won't tell the twins if you tell me one thing," she negotiated. "Why'd you fancy him? I mean, it's Malfoy we're talking about."

"I guess it's because he…" Astoria uttered.

Rhiannon should have never asked the question, because watching Astoria try to boil all her feelings down to only one answer was even more painful than not knowing. Astoria's eyes darted all over the floor. She gritted her teeth. There was pain behind her voice.

"I guess it's because I'm a moron."

"Nah," Rhiannon tried to soothe her. "I get how it goes sometimes. You like somebody only because they like you. It's not a very good reason, but it happens."

Rhiannon secretly wished that Astoria would have been more reassuring about it being done with. Apparently, Astoria wasn't at that point, especially with the news of Parkinson getting dumped. In time, it would resolve, though. One day it might be funny. In the meantime, Rhiannon had to distract her. It wasn't like Astoria had been the only one with a crush.

"I've actually been meaning to talk to you about my crush, who, y'know, isn't Malfoy," Rhiannon said lightly. "Do you think Hestia would wanna go steady with me? I might ask her come Valentine's Day. It's getting ridiculous the way we dance round the issue. We're in the same dorm, same band, same circle of friends."

"I think Hestia would be delighted," Astoria said. "I wouldn't even wait until Valentine's Day."

"I guess so… that is pretty cheesy."

"Well, no, she wouldn't mind Valentine's Day, but since she admires you so much, why not sooner? That is, if you're really feeling the same way she does."

Rhiannon smiled, "I am."

It had seemed impossible that she would ever have a girlfriend not so long ago. Rhiannon had been one type of social outcast after another in her life, and it had finally come to this. A girl she wanted to be with wanted to be with her, too. For as outgoing as she usually was, Hestia was shy about going steady. Rhiannon had a pretty good idea why. Hestia thought that she liked Rhiannon more than Rhiannon liked her. That had been the root of the censoring of her compliments and the briefness of her touch. Only at Slughorn's party had Hestia been more confident, but there was still that hesitation on her part that left the cards in Rhiannon's hands. Rhiannon was finally over Astoria, over Asenath, and over the point in her life where she thought she should be ashamed. She didn't have a plan except to ask when it felt right.

"I think I'll ask her when she comes back!"

"What? Really?"

"Why the hell not? It's as good a day as any."

"Oh, I don't know!" Astoria giggled. "Maybe because dinner's made everybody's breath garlicky tonight. It's not very romantic, is it?"

"Right. Because I'm the shining example of romance. She's our roommate, Astoria. She's already seen me in the sad bra."

"That's true. At least everyone has a sad bra," Astoria said wisely.

"If she don't want me on a sad bra day, then she can't get me on a good bra day."

Astoria made a little fist and nodded passionately.

"Go get her, Rhi."

"You're not coming?"

"I might be down in a bit. This is you and Hestia's moment."

Rhiannon checked herself in the mirror before she left.

Yep, that's what my face looks like, she nodded.

She didn't drag her feet on her way to the common room. On the contrary, she was so ready that she was disappointed to see that Hestia wasn't back yet. There was a cluster of second-years playing a board game, a brooding seventh-year studying for his N.E.W.T.s, and an unfortunate heap of robes called Pansy Parkinson in a corner by the window. Astoria was right; this wasn't very romantic of Rhiannon on this particular evening, but it wasn't something that could wait anymore. Rhiannon had a seat and tried to gather her thoughts, but she couldn't concentrate when she recognised that Parkinson was playing the Flare EP. It was strange that she owned a copy, but it was really uncanny that she was listening to it rather than burning it. Something was wrong. Parkinson was pausing and playing 'Ashes,' the song Astoria had not wanted to play live. She had done this five times since Rhiannon had sat down.

"Clarke, come here."

What made Parkinson think she'd ever listen to her orders? Already uncomfortable, Rhiannon ignored her command. She watched her out of the corner of her eye. The second-years looked over at Parkinson like she had been talking to herself. Parkinson paid no mind and continued to pick through the track on the EP. Rhiannon noticed she was only in her socks, and then Parkinson startled her half to death by turning round.

"She's talking about me in this song, isn't she, Clarke?"

Parkinson's blank stare was the worst part of it. She was still too proud to make eye contact with a Muggle-born, so it looked like her eyes were glazing right over.

"Answer me."

Rhiannon didn't say a word, and it drew the other students' attention to them. Rhiannon, by chance, knew that Astoria was indirectly referencing Parkinson in the song, but nobody would have ever guessed the specifics. Yet Parkinson turned the volume up and zoomed through the song to play only the parts in question.

I wear my heart on my sleeve

She wears all your jewels

Anyone could say that about anybody… Rhiannon had actually not been that impressed with Astoria's unimaginative lyrics. So what if Parkinson thought it was about her? Nobody was going to notice if she didn't make a scene of it! She was only making her reputation even worse by announcing that someone had dissed her in a song.

Her eyes will lock on you

And only glow for gold

Those two disparate lyrics weren't even the overall theme of the composition. Parkinson was butchering their music for drama's sake. She interfered with the moment the twins came in, too, ruining Rhiannon's opportunity to ask Hestia out.

"You two know it, too. You all knew she was writing about me," Parkinson said, shuffling over in her socks to the twins.

Everyone was looking at her like she was off her hinges. In fact, Astoria's words were so vague that Parkinson looked mad for thinking they referenced her. Maybe she wasn't trying to draw attention to herself. This was her natural reaction to being dumped. Rhiannon could only imagine what kind of tantrum she had thrown with her roommates last night.

"What are you on about?" Flora asked, stepping protectively in front of Hestia.

"I said that little bitch is making her money by slandering me! She thinks she can do anything she wants because she's a Greengrass! She thinks she can talk about my relationship‽ About my boyfriend‽"

"Your boyfriend? Oh, I guess you haven't heard the news, then," Flora mocked, but for once, Rhiannon wished she hadn't gone that far.

Assuming that Rhiannon and Hestia were celebrating the start of a relationship by now, Astoria had moseyed in and was trying to figure out the nature of the confrontation. She looked at Rhiannon in confusion, wondering why there wasn't a happy scene with her and Hestia like they had planned. Rhiannon grabbed her wand discreetly in preparation of a fight, but Parkinson was three steps ahead of her. For one, she had seen Astoria walk in. Two, she had aimed her wand. And three, she had shouted "Stupefy" with the kind of force to kill. Rhiannon's Shield Charm didn't even get close to Astoria before the girl was pitched backwards at full speed, her body making impact with a mirror that broke all over her.

"Stupefy!" Parkinson shrieked again.

Astoria was already unconscious — what more could Parkinson want? Rhiannon had blocked the spell that time, scrambling for Astoria with Flora and Hestia in tow. Flora cast a substantial shield around them all, and Rhiannon didn't hesitate to back it up. Parkinson was sweaty and crying, trying desperately to break the shield but only looking at Astoria.

"Defodio! Defodio!"

Was she trying to gouge the shields or Astoria? Hestia added a third layer of magical shield. Parkinson was scarier than they had ever thought. The second-years had run off shouting, but when the seventh-year boy heard the incantation for the Gouging Spell, he hurried over and put Parkinson to sleep. She hit the floor with too much mercy for Rhiannon's liking. The sound of Astoria's painful fall was still in her head.

"I'll get Snape," said the seventh-year.

"Get on it, then!" Rhiannon said.

No matter how much she wanted to kick Parkinson when she was down, she knew that she would be held accountable for any spells cast that weren't strictly defensive. She had no handle of healing magic and watched her friend bleed from the glass cuts in horror. Hestia had brought Astoria onto her lap, and Flora maintained her shield just in case. Astoria was breathing, but she wasn't breathing right. Parkinson had hit her entirely too hard. There was no excuse for that level of power behind a Stunning Spell. All of this over some stupid boy. Hestia was too distraught to decide whether to heal the cuts or wait for Snape to show him what Parkinson had done.

"Are these major? I can heal the major ones before he gets here… What do I do, Flora?"

"Get that one!" Flora said of the one on the back of Astoria's neck.

Hestia snapped out of it and looked like she wondered why she hadn't made the decision herself. Flora knelt down and positioned Astoria. Hestia used one hand to pull the glass out and the other to close the wound with her wand as she went. Rhiannon started to cry watching the glass come out of Astoria, remembering how many times she had had to pull it from her own skin thanks to Geoffrey. She should have been faster to guard Astoria from this. She should have paid attention to healing magic in Charms. She didn't have any stolen antibiotic ointment from the pound shop left.

Snape arrived shortly but not soon enough, and he finished what Hestia had started in a much neater way that wasn't as likely to leave scars. Scars didn't really matter at that point, because when the trio heard a belated crack from Astoria and looked to Snape for an answer, he said one of her ribs had been broken by the force of the spell.

"Is she gonna die?" Rhiannon erupted before she processed that he had been ensuring that would not happen.

"She's not going to die, Miss Clarke," Professor Snape said with surprising patience as he continued working charms on Astoria. "We'll have to move her to the Hospital Wing. But first let's wake this one up."

"No!" cried Hestia. "Parkinson was going to use a Gouging spell on Astoria! Like the cuts from the mirror had given her the idea! She's a sicko!"

Snape swished his greasy hair out of his face and squinted in repugnance.

Yeah, this was a bigger fight than you thought, Rhiannon mentally complained. That's why the bloke who came to get you didn't wanna come back.

Rhiannon, Hestia, and Flora carefully elevated Astoria. Professor Snape got creative and put a Somnambulist Charm on Parkinson, so she sleepwalked all the way to his office, where he sat her down, confiscated her wand, and woke her up.

"You stay right in this seat until I come back. If you leave, I will know," he said over the slew of lies she had ready on her tongue.

Madam Pomfrey was not concerned with Astoria's still being conked out and instead examined the force of impact where she had already started to bruise. It was true that Professor Snape had taken care of most of it, but even in their combined effort, he and Hestia had missed a few injuries only a trained eye could see. The more Madam Pomfrey found, the more Rhiannon adopted an "eye for an eye" attitude. If they weren't in school, Parkinson would really know what being sorry felt like.

"You say this was a Stunning Spell?" the old healer asked disbelievingly.

"An angry one," Hestia said.

"I've seen it before, certainly," she said. "But not from a teenaged girl. This… this is blunt force trauma. Professor Snape?"

"I was not present. I do, however, understand the severity."

"Yes, well, I hope you do. Behaviour like this is too atrocious for a prefect. It is atrocious for any student. I'm going to write up a report for the headmaster."

"These three and a seventh-year of mine witnessed it. I will handle Miss Parkinson in the meantime."

The meantime was turning out to be quite long. Rhiannon, Hestia, and Flora sat by Astoria's bedside, waiting for her to wake up at any minute, as Madam Pomfrey had said. That didn't happen, and it caught Pomfrey's attention about the same time it was starting to worry Rhiannon.

"Miss Flora, go get Professor Snape and find out what other spell Miss Parkinson cast," the matron instructed.

"Another spell? We didn't hear her cast anything else!" Flora exclaimed, standing up. "I didn't even think Parkinson was capable of nonverbal magic."

"Is Astoria going to die?" Hestia panicked.

"Astoria is not going to die. I have taken care of the rest of her injuries. She is simply under a hex of some sort. I would rather know what it is than try to bring her out of it blindly. Some of these home-grown hexes can be quite rough."

Flora was gone for twenty long minutes during which Astoria did not move, and Pomfrey refrained from forcing her awake. When Flora returned, she brought a small crowd with her to further ruin Parkinson's reputation. Tracey and Montel Davis and Max Lazenby looked on in shock, and Daphne started weeping when she saw her sister.

"Parkinson used a Nightmare Curse. So Astoria's been having nightmares this whole time, and she'll continue to have them when she wakes up," Flora reported.

"Parkinson admitted to that?" Hestia asked.

"Not at all. Professor Snape got it out of her."

"Haven't seen that one in some time," Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Listen up! There are too many people here. When I wake Astoria, she will start hallucinating as though she is still in a nightmare. The fewer people here, the better. I need to whip up some medicine for her and bring her out of this. So, everyone, please leave."

Rhiannon touched Astoria's hand before she walked away with the group. She could not contain her anger at how viciously her friend had been attacked. She didn't even get a chance to defend herself with all those counter-curses they had practised together. How was Astoria supposed to know her very own common room wasn't safe? It was so unfair that people like Parkinson ever got a wand. Rhiannon glowered at Daphne, who was still crying loudly. Rhiannon was partially blaming herself for not protecting Astoria, but really, it was Daphne's fault. She was the one who made friends with Parkinson years ago. She was the one who introduced Parkinson to Astoria. Parkinson might never have interacted with Astoria if it hadn't been for that!

"I hope you learnt something today, Daphne," Rhiannon barked. "Your friend's a nutcase. She tried to kill your sister. I'd like to see you try to take her side now!"

Tracey looked troubled by Daphne's lack of response and added on,

"Daphne, I'm sorry, but she's right. Pansy's not worth it. We shouldn't hang out with her anymore, period. She's only getting worse."

Daphne hiccoughed and buried her face in a handkerchief.

"I know… I know… Oh, Astoria, she'll never forgive me…"

"She's pretty chill, Daphne," Tracey reassured (whereas Rhiannon would have said tough shit). "She might be angry at you about being friends with her, but the most you can do is move forward. You're sisters. Pansy's not even nice to us anymore."

"Oh, I hope Pomfrey hurries up…" peeped Daphne. "Oh, Astoria…"

"What's happened?"

Malfoy, yet another person who was easy to blame, had turned the corner. Theodore Nott was close behind.

"I'll tell you what's happened!" Rhiannon confronted him at the head of the group. "That arsewipe Parkinson tried to kill Astoria! She sent her flying into the bloody mirror, broke her rib, and cursed her! Astoria's out cold, but you know, never mind that because at least she's not bleeding all over the floor no more!"

"Oh, Merlin. Is that all true?" Malfoy directed to Max and Tracey, whom he trusted more than Rhiannon. They nodded sadly.

"I told you something went down," Theodore harrumphed. "I heard Flora broadcasting it. I didn't come to get you for nothing."

"Fine, you were right. Merlin, I didn't think she'd actually lose it," Malfoy shook his head.

"Oh, Pansy's lost it all right!" Daphne cried out at Malfoy, jabbing a finger in his chest. "All over you! Now my sister's been attacked! My baby sister!"

"Listen, I'm sorry!" Malfoy said in defence rather than in apology. "Pansy's not my responsibility! I didn't know she needed a damn babysitter to keep her from blasting curses left and right! Let me through."

"I don't think so, Mouthy," Rhiannon said, blocking his way. "Pomfrey said to clear the room 'cause Astoria's gonna start hallucinating all the nightmares Parkinson put in her head."

"God… fine."

He sat down in a windowsill, and everyone stared at him.

"What? You were going to leave her alone in there? Go about your Sunday evening?" he spat at the group.

"It could be a long time," Montel reasoned. "We're not abandoning Astoria like you think. Rhiannon just told you why we had to leave. We were here before you anyhow."

Malfoy responded by resizing the bench in the hallway to accommodate all of them. He sat on it indignantly and looked at them. In turn, everyone else looked at one another, not sure whether to follow his example. Daphne broke the stagnation and sat right next to Malfoy. He charmed her crumpled handkerchief clean.

"Ugh, you're only nice when you feel guilty," Daphne mumbled.

The rest of them did sit down after her to wait for news. Professor Snape arrived right when the sunset came through the leaded glass windows, and he was either squinting or glaring at the rainbow light on his face.

"Greengrasses draw a crowd no matter what they do," he remarked at the group.

Rhiannon took more offense than Daphne and corrected him, "Er, you know, Astoria didn't do anything, sir."

He exhaled, "That is true. Now, Miss Greengrass, Miss Davis…"

"Yes?"

"Miss Parkinson has earned herself an out-of-school suspension no shorter than a month. When she returns, her time will be occupied by detention. If you wish to say goodbye to her, now is the time."

"Er, we'll stay here," said Tracey.

Professor Snape walked through the Hospital Wing's double doors whilst the rest of them kept waiting. Rhiannon wondered what Astoria was going through at the moment and what sorts of visions she was having from the hex. Rhiannon should have learnt hexes like the one Parkinson used. That was some nasty stuff.

"I feel helpless sitting here. She's probably so scared," Hestia said.

"I know. Pomfrey'll take care of her, though. She fixed me right up when I used to get in fights," said Rhiannon.

"I can't believe this happened. What was Parkinson talking to you about before this mess anyway?" Hestia asked.

She obviously didn't care that the other seven people present were listening in keenly. Rhiannon wasn't as keen on announcing the breadth of the issue to everyone.

"She was doing her usual, trying to bully me about our music. When Astoria walked in, she went ballistic. You heard her."

Hestia was being too loud as she recounted the scene, "Oh, that's right, she came up to me and Flora and said Astoria was shredding her in her lyrics. I didn't really get what she meant. Parkinson's gone paranoid."

"Yeah, it wasn't even about her," Rhiannon tried to say casually because everyone was still listening. "She always thinks everything's about her anyway. The whole world revolves around her, so she thinks she can attack people in the common room."

It was another ten minutes before Madam Pomfrey let visitors in. Usually, the matron was not prone to letting in so many people, but since the room didn't have any other bed-ridden patients, all nine of the group were permitted to see her at once. Astoria looked miserable and was not herself at all. When she saw her visitors walk in, she exploded with tears and fell onto Professor Snape's shoulders, saying:–

"Oh, they're all fine! You were right! They're all okay! Oh, thank God!"

"Yes, I tried to tell you," Professor Snape said, attempting a comforting tone (it didn't work too well).

"All of you are okay!" Astoria yelled through gleeful tears, stretching her arms out to nobody in particular. Professor Snape looked glad to be free of her grasp and let somebody else give it a try.

It was either Rhiannon or Daphne; that's what made sense. Rhiannon hesitated a moment too long on account of not wanting to give Hestia the wrong idea, so Daphne came forward and latched onto her sister. Daphne must have been grateful Astoria was too confused about her nightmares to be angry, and held her very close. Daphne started a conversation in French with her to maintain privacy in a crowded space. It sounded like pigeon noises when Daphne spoke it, but very sweet and musical whenever Astoria did.

"Rhiannon," Astoria called, and Rhiannon was happy it was her turn. Astoria held her just as she had held her own sister, but she was overcome with emotion again and buried her face in Rhiannon's arm. Rhiannon understood that it was the scarred arm that had concerned her; Parkinson's nightmare must have involved Rhiannon dying from her basilisk wounds. What a horrible person… Parkinson only got more horrible as Astoria's suffering went on… To make her hallucinate that something bad had happened to her friends was yet another unforgivable act.

"I'm fine, Astoria. Nothin's gonna happen to me. And she's not gonna hurt you ever again. I'll make sure of it."

Astoria was solidly back in reality now. Rhiannon could tell by the way her eyes gained focus and her expression flattened when she saw Malfoy at the back of the group. Flora came to the rescue to distract her from the unwelcome visitor by giving out a rare hug. Rhiannon had never seen Astoria turn down a hug as much as she had never seen Flora give one. Everyone present, minus Draco, had a nice little visit with the patient. Rhiannon watched him closely as he continued to hang back from the crowd, even when Astoria's Ravenclaw cousins came in to see her. What was he waiting for? A private moment? Max, Theodore, the Davis siblings, and the Kippling sisters did eventually leave, but nobody else was going anywhere. In fact, Madam Pomfrey did have to enforce her usual six-visitor limit once the Greengrass clan arrived to find out just what had happened to their beloved Astoria.

Mr and Mrs Greengrass wasted no time in demanding answers from Professor Snape once they determined with their own eyes that their daughter was recovering. The Hospital Wing doors shut the rest of the visitors out. Astoria's grandparents, aunts and uncles, and older cousins all took advantage of the lengthened benches, whilst Rhiannon and the other students milled about the corridor. Astoria's most macho relative, Uncle Faunus, was in a cold sweat, shaking his head with his Squib son, Renshaw, and his daughter, Asenath. They were holding a discussion about You-Know-Who that Rhiannon did not particularly want to hear. She, Hestia, and Flora were waiting to see if Malfoy would cop out on account of the crowd and the length of time passed. He never did.

"You there — Malfoy," said Astoria's grandmother, beckoning him over to where she sat.

Mrs Mosby-Greengrass's hairdos got more elaborate each time Rhiannon saw her. She wore a heavy cloak with a feather pattern on the back. Her back was hunched as ever, and her glasses were as thick as a potions phial, yet she was by no mistake the most august witch presently in Hogwarts. Malfoy looked horrified to have been recognised, but he did not have a choice.

"Yes, Madam."

"My husband and I have been waiting very patiently, but everything has gone through my little Adam, and he is too much in shambles to relay word to us, it seems. I'm getting very impatient listening to Faunus talk about Dark wizards. Surely Astoria has not been injured by one at school. You were present, were you not? What has happened to my granddaughter?"

"I was not there to see it, but a girl from my class cursed Astoria. She's recovering. I saw her about twenty minutes ago. I believe we're simply waiting on Professor Snape to, er… explain… to Mr Greengrass," Malfoy tried. "It happened very suddenly in the common room, I'm told."

A girl from my class, Rhiannon thought bitterly. Your nasty ex-girlfriend. You left that bit out.

Mrs Mosby-Greengrass sighed, "It's hard to believe something like this would happen to Astoria. She's such a sweet girl, don't you think? My little Adam has never been comfortable since the day he sent her to school. Oh, well. I suppose all we can do is wait."

"Yes, Madam. I'm sure she'll be better soon," Malfoy said, and he retreated back to his lonely corner.

Mrs Mosby-Greengrass had only asked Draco rather than Rhiannon about Astoria to see if he had been the cause of any of this. Rhiannon pointed out to Hestia and Flora how the old woman kept a close eye on him the whole time.

Eventually, Astoria's parents must have got what they wanted out of Professor Snape, because the rest of the Greengrass family slowly filed in to see her (four at a time, since her parents did not come out). The night drew on forever for Rhiannon, but she couldn't retire before Malfoy if her life depended on it. It took ages for Astoria's parents and sister to leave in particular. Then, Professor Sinistra walked in with Winky the house-elf when things quieted down, and Rhiannon's group and Malfoy followed her in.

"You're still in pain," Professor Sinistra said to Astoria, bringing a hand to her own ribs to demonstrate. "It hurts there, dear?"

"Yes… Erm, I'll be better soon," Astoria insisted.

"You said a Nightmare Curse, Severus?" Professor Sinistra tutted.

"Yes, it was a brutal spell. I've never seen Miss Parkinson exhibit that level of skill in class; it's a shame. Madam Pomfrey had prepared a draught to help ease Miss Greengrass's visions, but it was necessary for me to do additional work on her. I'm sure you could have done a better job, Aurora," Professor Snape said.

"Not necessarily. Astoria, is there anything I can do? I can send Winky for some food."

"That's very kind of you, Professor, but I'm hoping I can leave here soon…"

"You're staying the night, young lady," Madam Pomfrey said. "I'm not taking any chances of that hex reactivating once you go to sleep."

"…Oh. Well, then perhaps some barley soup, please, Winky. I already have a drink here."

Once Astoria was set up with her soup, the professors left. Hestia and Flora, who had wearied from being in the Hospital Wing for so long, determined that Astoria was in good hands, and bid her goodnight.

"I'll be down later when I'm kicked out," Rhiannon told the twins, motioning to where Malfoy was awkwardly reading a book by the lamp.

The twins looked over at the same time, surprised at his presence. Everyone had forgotten he was there except Rhiannon and Astoria; he had kept so quiet the whole time. The Hospital Wing was empty, boring, and cold when the twins left. It wasn't like Malfoy to be quiet or to wait so patiently to hold a conversation. Something was definitely going on with his feelings for her.

"This isn't like you, Draco," Astoria took the words out of Rhiannon's mouth at first, but added, "You've been shy."

Malfoy looked at Astoria quickly, as if she had sounded an alarm. He lost the page in the book he had brought and scanned it unsuccessfully, ultimately putting it back in his bag. He was on edge as he moved his chair closer and glanced at Rhiannon.

"I didn't want to overstep my boundaries," he said plainly, and waited for a response.

Rhiannon kept silent as she tried to study the dynamic between them. It was different than before… but before when? What was she comparing this to? Had there really been more going on between them than she knew about? Astoria was looking down and playing with her fingers.

"She got me back, I suppose. I did take her hair off last year. You gave me detention."

"No, this was way above the jinx you used, and you know that. You don't have to try to make light of it, Astoria. What she did was awful. I'm very sorry this happened to you. She's out of school for a month, though. She'll be over it by the time she's back," said Malfoy.

"Over it? You don't know her very well, after all," Astoria said, wringing her hands. "You didn't see the nightmares she gave me. I'm not going to take up your night or Rhiannon's telling you about them, though."

"I don't mind. I'm here if you need to talk about it," Malfoy said, beating Rhiannon to it and leaving a bad taste in her mouth.

"Same here, Astoria," Rhiannon peeped.

"Thank you both. I am very tired, though. I think what bothers me now is what Madam Pomfrey said about the curse coming back. It is going to make it hard to fall asleep."

"Hestia has stuff for that, but I wouldn't trust it yet," said Rhiannon. "She's trying to perfect it for Flora's insomnia since Flora's starting to tolerate the other stuff she brews."

"I'll fall asleep eventually. I have Transfiguration first thing in the morning. Of all the classes… I bet Parkinson timed that on purpose, too…"

"I wouldn't put it past her," Rhiannon said. "Listen, if you can't come to Transfiguration whether it's because you're still not better or because you just don't feel like it, I'll get all the notes and homework for you."

"How has Transfiguration been for you, by the way?" Malfoy cut in.

"It's better," said Astoria. "I think I'll pass the O.W.L., but it might not be with the flying colours I want."

"I am busy, but I might be able to do something this Wednesday, at least."

Astoria flipped her spoon around in her empty soup bowl and started whispering below Madam Pomfrey's detection.

"Wednesdays are now full for me. I am learning Legilimency. Did I tell you that?"

"Oh. You mean more than the… that book?"

"I'm getting very good at it," she said, leaning back proudly, causing Malfoy to lean forward in curiosity.

"Be careful. If you get too close, I'll read your mind," Astoria said.

Rhiannon realised Astoria was joking, and Malfoy falling for it was very amusing. However, she did not like the way they were speaking with each other. Astoria's crush could rekindle if Malfoy kept playing the loyal friend like this.

"What number am I thinking of then?" he asked.

"You're not thinking of a number."

"Seriously! All right, how about now?"

"Two."

"…How did you know?" he asked worriedly.

"I told you I was good."

His tone shifted completely to one of distress, and he said, "I thought my Occlumency was strong enough."

"Oh, it is! I'm cold-reading you," Astoria laughed. "I knew that the first time you would try to trick me. The second time, I guessed two because it's the second of February. Probability, Draco."

"Ah, you had me there."

She still had him. Without him realising it, he was mirroring her posture. His eyes followed her face in that gooey, smitten way. Rhiannon was lost in the froth of his affection for her. It was making the cool room's air stuffy. Didn't he know his dad was a Death Eater? How could he even think he had a chance with this girl? She was Astoria Nesrine Greengrass. She was so high-class, Rhiannon still didn't know how to pronounce her middle name. So what if he had helped her with Transfiguration before? That wasn't exactly a candlelight dinner! And neither was this. Rhiannon wanted to remind Malfoy she was still there, staying up equally late as him.

"Where you been lately, Malfoy? It's hard to keep up with all your adventures. Gate-crashing Slughorn's party, dumping Parkinson, skipping Quidditch. Haven't seen you doing too many prefect things. You might have to pull the weight now that Parkinson's decommissioned."

To keep Astoria ignorant of their hostility, both Rhiannon and Malfoy played their intonations lightly, teasingly. But the words were there. Their eyes were locked. Both of them wanted Astoria alone, without the other.

"It's hard to manage N.E.W.T.-level classes. You might find that out one day. The angels from your class, of course, make for fine prefects anyway, so they help out. You could appeal to replace Pansy, if you're so interested. A special case. Or wait, you'd wanted to announce for Quidditch after Urquhart didn't take you as Keeper, I recall. Too bad they don't let too many Slytherins near the megaphone. Should have been in another House."

"Oh, it's not so bad. If I can't get near the megaphone, I'm still on the wireless. The music part. Not, you know, the news."

"I'm still exhausted," Astoria interrupted them, catching on to the fight. "I don't want to be rude, but you two should probably go back. Use different corridors if you have to."

"I'll get your Transfiguration notes, Astoria. I hope you feel better," Rhiannon said.

"I might be there. Thank you, Rhi. Goodnight."

Rhiannon left the Hospital Wing first so she could hear what Malfoy would dare to say to her friend. Behind the double doors, Rhiannon stood and listened carefully.

"I haven't been sleeping well, either. And I never sleep well in here. This has actually helped me fall asleep more reliably than any other method, so you can have it. It's a compendium for potions ingredients. Counting sheep and calming spells have nothing on the bore that this book is, let me tell you."

"I see you've made it to page… eight," Astoria chuckled. "Is this for N.E.W.T. Potions?"

"No, honestly, it's to fall asleep. That's the sole reason I rented it."

"No kidding! Well, thank you. I'll use it wisely. Oh, and Draco?"

"Yes?"

Rhiannon tiptoed several steps away, since his arrival would be soon.

"Thank you for coming. You really have me worried sometimes."

"I have me worried sometimes. Er, maybe we could meet up before Astronomy this week. If you want."

"Sure."

"Goodnight. Get well soon and all that."

"I'm working on it."

Rhiannon put a Silencing Charm on her shoes and dashed forward as fast as she could so she would look realistically far away from the Hospital Wing. The light from the opening door wasn't close to catching her. She slowed down. She and Malfoy never made any effort to speak the whole way back to the common room. She let the door close behind her when she got there first. Idiot knew the password.