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1st January, 2001
12.03 am
~Draco~
Draco felt the pain in his groin worsen with every passing second. Astoria was one fiesty girl, he knew that. On Hallowe'en, she'd responded to his flirting by using a petrification spell on him. He had been revived the next afternoon by his father, who'd called him "Useless, especially when it comes to conquering women", in his exact words. This time, her reflexes had been more raw than he'd expected. Groaning with pain, he apparated home and fell into bed, wondering what the coming year had in-store for him, now that he'd started it in such a way.
12.03 am
~Astoria~
Astoria frowned as she shut the door to her apartment behind her, leaned against the door and thought back to the kiss she'd received. It wasn't her first kiss or anything. She had kissed before. That time it was a person called George Weasley, and it was during the Yule Ball of the Triwizard Tournament. It was just a little peck, nothing like someone's tongue licking her lips. Just a peck, it was more friendly than anything. George had been so sweet when he'd asked her and when he'd dropped her back to the room after having danced the whole night, he'd bid good-night with that peck.
This, Astoria, realised, was much more meaningful than just a friendly peck. Astoria frowned as Maxwell came into visible light on her shoulder. Maxwell's front leg poked her cheek. Astoria turned to him a little and frowned.
"What a strange thing" she muttered, making her way to the fireplace and letting herself heat up a little before changing into her night-clothes and climbing into bed, all a little distractedly while her mind thought back to the few moments before Draco's lips had touched hers' and what she'd felt in that small moment.
9.54 am
~Draco~
"Draco, you're up at last" Narcissa said as Draco walked down for breakfast. He'd slept in, later than expected, probably because his groin was still a little sore.
"Morning, mother" he said, kissing her cheek, "Has father already left for work?" he enquired, sitting down at the table and sipping some tea.
"He's in the study" Narcissa informed, her eyes turning to her son, watching his moves.
"He said he wanted to speak with you about where we're having dinner tonight" she added, watching her son's every reaction. Draco stiffened.
"I see" he said, resuming drinking his tea, "Where's that?" he asked.
"An old friend of his, Duncan Greengrass" she said. Draco's whole form froze. Greengrass? As in Astoria Greengrass? Draco turned to his mother, frowning.
"How come we've never had dinner with them before?" he asked. Narcissa shrugged lightly.
"He had been away" she replied, "Spent quite some time in Greece, is what I heard"
"I see" Draco said, turning to his plate of pancakes and eating them a little less enthusiastically than before. Narcissa sighed and wondered if her son would ever grow up and admit his feelings.
10.34 am
~Astoria~
"Tori! Come on!" Daphne said, tapping her foot impatiently as Astoria made her weekly grocery shopping in Diagon alley. Astoria frowned.
"Daphne, don't call me that in public" Astoria said firmly, "And I will not, 'come on' no matter how many times, or how loudly you say it" she said. Daphne frowned and rolled her eyes.
"I thought I was the older one" Daphne added testily.
"I was under that false impression for quite some time myself" Astoria admitted, turning back to the groceries that she needed.
"Tori, you can't skip New year's dinner! It's a family tradition! We've been doing it forever!" Daphne argued. Astoria compared two brands of sherry before deciding on one and putting the other back on the rack.
"Not one of those dinners was any more special than the dinners we've had all-year round. Besides, dad never attended even one of those dinners, if I recall correctly" Astoria said. Daphne sighed.
"He's come back from Greece, you know" Daphne informed. Astoria dropped a packet of peanuts before recovering from shock and picking them up and putting them back.
"What does it matter?" Astoria asked, "I'm the unwanted child in all cases" she said. Daphne sighed.
"Please come, Tori?" Daphne said, putting on her puppy-eyes, "For my sake?"
One thing Daphne knew and always used was that Astoria had a weak-spot for her older, yet slightly less mature sister. Sometimes, Astoria felt protective of Daphne, in the way mothers do of their children.
"Fine" Astoria said, sighing heavily, "But if either of them says anything about me being a Ravenclaw, I'm leaving" Astoria informed, "immediately"
Daphne grinned.
"I love you, Tori!" Daphne declared, hugging Astoria as the other customers gave them weird looks and some little girls giggled. Astoria patted Daphne awkwardly.
Astoria was not a person for close-contact. She disliked being touched or held by anyone.
6.54 pm ~Draco~
Draco fumbled with his dark green tie as he stood in front of his mirror, dressing for the dinner. He frowned, thinking and wondering if Astoria would be there. Of course, Daphne had said something like, 'Maybe, maybe not', which had just pissed him off. Draco grunted as his stared at the messed-up tie in the mirror. He groaned with agitation and pulled out his wand and with a flick of his wand, the tie was fixed. He took and let out a few breaths before making his way down the stairs to wait for his parents. Family dinners were one thing, going to others' family dinners was quite another. A few minutes later, Lucius and Narcissa descended the stairs, dressed as glamorously as possible. Narcissa smiled at her son and straightened out his collar and Lucius gave him a nod, of approval, it would seem.
"I hope you know where we're going" Lucius said as they stood ready to apparate.
"Three estates down the road" Draco remembered the directions his mother had given him earlier that day. Lucius nodded and left with a pop. Next to go was his mother. Lastly, Draco closed his eyes and apparated out.
Draco frowned when he opened his eyes, because he was most likely not where he was supposed to be. He looked around and found himself standing in the middle of a garden, adorned in topiaries and hedges of all sorts. It honestly freaked him out. But, what was more troubling, was that he saw no sign of either of his parents in any direction.
"Did I screw it up?" he wondered aloud and then began to walk towards the large green building, hoping it was the place he was supposed to be at.
"Draco! There you are!" his mother cried with worry as he emerged from the garden and appeared near the main-door.
"Mother, sorry to worry you" he said, smirking, "I was just admiring the garden" he lied, turning to the man with greying brown hair and light blue eyes.
"Draco, I've heard so much about you" the man said as they shook hands, "I'm Duncan Greengrass, your father Lucius and I have been friends since Hogwarts" he informed.
"It's a shame we hadn't met yet, Mr. Greengrass" Draco said easily, smirking.
"A shame indeed" Duncan agreed, returning the smirk with one of his own.
Draco's mind refused to believe that this man could be Astoria's father. They were not the least bit alike. Then again, he thought, may be she took after the mother.
Duncan lead them through the fancy house which was done up in white marble, everything from the floor to the stair-case to the book-shelves in the dining room were white marble and the design was amazing. Light came in from all directions, illuminating the house like it was the sun itself.
"Darling, the Malfoys' are here" Duncan announced and a woman, with light brown hair and dark eyes walked in, her face and manner stern.
"There's no need to shout, darling" she said, easily slipping into his arms, "Hello Lucius, Narcissa" she said, smiling at them in a strange manner. Then, her eyes turned to Draco.
"You must be Draco" she said, walking to him and smiling hautily, "Daphne talks about you. You're in the same year" she said. Draco nodded.
"Yes, ma'am, we are" Draco informed, "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Greengrass"
"Call me Isadora" she said, then turned and smiled at Narcissa.
"So nice of you to come, Narcissa" Isadora said. Narcissa smiled back, returning the favour.
"Nice of you to invite us, Isadora" she said.
"Let's sit ourselves down" Duncan suggested, clapping his hands to call the elves. Draco frowned. Neither Daphne nor Astoria were anywhere to be seen.
"Where are your daughters, Duncan?" Lucius asked, as if noticing Draco's distress. Duncan smirked.
"Daphne said she'll be here soon" Duncan informed, "the other one, I'm not so sure she'll turn up, since I'm here" he added. Lucius nodded, as if that made sense. But, it was all very mysterious to Draco.
7.13 pm
~Astoria~
"Daphne, you're not going to a club" Astoria reminded as Daphne touched up on her make-up in her room at the house. Astoria had arrived in her room over an hour ago and Daphne had spent most of the hour in front of the mirror, fixing herself up. Finally, satisfied, Daphne turned to Astoria and grinned. Astoria groaned.
"Can we get this over-with so I can go back to my flat and to bed?" Astoria asked. Daphne nodded.
"Sure, Tori, let's go" Daphne said and the sisters made their way down to the dining room.
The adults and guests had already started on the starters when the sisters arrived and Daphne greeted her parents with kisses, while Astoria stood to the side, looking at her nails, feeling stupid for having come after all.
"Astoria, I didn't think you'd come" Duncan said, surprised.
"I came for Daphne" Astoria informed, looking up at the man who called himself her father, "excuse me" she said as she sat down to Daphne's right at the table, farthest from her father. Duncan's face fell slightly, before he covered up with a large fake smile. Daphne sat down and smiled across the table at the Malfoys' and noticed the happy grin on Draco's face.
"Draco" Daphne said, especially loudly, "You disappeared from the party last night. Where'd you go?" she asked. Astoria looked up and noticed Draco and his parents for the first time. She had been to busy, preoccupied with things to do with her father before to notice.
"Oh, you know" Draco said, shrugging, nonchalantly, "I was around" he said. Daphne rolled her eyes. The meaning was lost on Astoria, who was still trying to understand what he was doing there in the first place.
"Daphne" Astoria said, turning to her, "I thought it was the family dinner?" she asked. Daphne frowned and nodded.
"It is" she confirmed. Astoria turned to the Malfoys'.
"Then why are there guests?" she asked.
"Your father invited them" Isadora offered, her eyes gleaming as Astoria's expression turned sour.
"I see" she said, looking down at her plate.
"I guess you don't need me here, Daph" Astoria said and before Daphne could argue, disapparated into thin air.
7.36 pm
~Draco~
Draco frowned as Astoria disappeared, just as quickly as she'd appeared.
"I guess it was too much for the Ravenclaw" Isadora declared and then announced it was time to eat and clapped her hands together. Draco looked at Daphne meaningfully. Daphne nodded, understanding his need to know more.
'Tomorrow' she replied in his mind easily, 'Meet me in the same club as last night. Ten am' she said. Draco nodded and continued to pretend all was well.
7.37 pm
~Astoria~
Astoria frowned as she sat on her bed and felt her emotions turn to turmoil.
"He's not even my father" she decided, letting herself fall into bed while Maxwell sat on the bed-post, staring meaningfully at her and wondering what he could do to make her better. When the sniffles came, Maxwell climbed down to Astoria's cheek, nuzzled against her cheek and wished that he would be warm so he could comfort her. Astoria felt her spirits rise as Maxwell nuzzled beside her cheek and felt her mood growing better. Then, she drifted off to sleep.
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