Disclaimer: I own nothing except Astoria's personality and Maxwell the chameleon!

2nd January, 2001

9.51 am

~Draco~

Draco arrived in front of the club, earlier than expected. He stood outside, stared at the apartment building down the road and wondered if Astoria was alright. He walked down to the cafe he'd gone to with her and noticed the waitress that came out. She noticed him too.

"Your girlfriend's pretty cute" the waitress informed, "She makes me wish I was gay" she said, grinning. Draco smirked.

"She does, doesn't she?" he said, proudly. The waitress smiled at him and then walked away, waving as she did. Draco sighed a little happily. She was a kind person,

Astoria, even if she had that short temper and that sharp tongue.

Draco looked at her apartment building once more and then, sighing, made his way back to the club.

Daphne arrived ten minutes later, looking a little apologetic, but generally smiling widely, as always.

"So, where do you want to go?" Daphne asked and began walking down the road, farther away from Astoria's apartment.

"I came here to find out why Astoria's so pissed at your dad" Draco said firmly. Daphne nodded.

"I know that" she said, "But, we can't stand in the middle of the road and talk" she added. Draco sighed and nodded towards the muggle restaurant.

"Over there" he said, walking towards the restaurant with Daphne following behind.

10.00 am

~Astoria~

Astoria nodded to herself as she dressed for work and then with Maxwell safely deposited on her shoulder, apparated to work.
Gringotts bank always managed to awe her, no matter how many times she saw it. Even now, a year since she'd started working for the bank, she managed to stop and stare at the building for a few moments before she entered.

However, that day, she didn't find anything awe-worthy and walked on in, feeling more miserable than the night before. That man always, always managed to get on her nerves. He was such a pest. Astoria let out a tired breath as she signed in and stared at her boss, Bill Weasley, while he assigned her the work for that day.

"Astoria, Happy new year" he wished, smiling widely. Astoria looked up and forced a small smile.

"Happy new year, Mr. Weasley" she wished. Bill frowned.

"Is something wrong, Astoria?" he asked, clearly worried, "You look a little dull"

Astoria let out a sigh she had been holding.

"I feel a little dull too, Mr. Weasley" she admitted, "It's probably just the weather"

This was a lie, even Bill could tell. Astoria never felt under the weather because of the weather. She was always excited with everything the weather had to offer her: rain, hail, snow, wind, even, Merlin-forbid, tornadoes.

"Astoria, you can take a leave if you're feeling ill, love" he suggested. Astoria shook her head.

"I'm really fine, Mr. Weasley" she said, "I'll feel better when I drown myself in work"

Bill gave her a skeptical look and with a sigh, handed over the paper-work she had been assigned.

Astoria sat down in her cubicle in the corner and began to work. She was right: she felt better after drowning herself in paper-work, no matter how boring it was.

10.13 am

~Draco~

Draco frowned at Daphne who was staring at the menu, deciding on breakfast while his heart, mind and soul were in turmoil.

"Daphne, you're getting on my nerves" he said, at last. Daphne put the menu down.

"Let's get you sorted then" Daphne decided, "What's eating you, Malfoy?" she asked. Draco rolled his eyes at how dramatic she was being.

"Why is Astoria so upset with your father?" Draco repeated. Daphne sighed.

"Because" Daphne started, "he disclaimed her when she was housed under Ravenclaw" she informed, "Truth be told, Dad always wanted a son and when neither me, nor Astoria turned out to be boys, he was upset. Then, he had hoped to have pure-blood Slytherins, but since Astoria turned out to be a Ravenclaw, he became wild and mad, sort of. He went off to Greece and only came back recently, like a few weeks ago" she said. Draco frowned.

"So, why does she hate him?" he asked.

"Because he's a git" Daphne informed, "Me, I can live with that, but Astoria was so young when he left. He even said she was not his child before leaving, which thoroughly pissed her off, but more than that, she was sad that he'd said it. She still is" she explained.

"So, Astoria's sadness is so much she hates him instead?" he asked, doubtfully.

Daphne nodded and turned to the waitress to order.

Draco frowned, processing the information.

"So, last night, she was upset?" he asked Daphne who nodded and sipped water from a glass.

"Very much so" she confirmed. Draco wondered why he cared so much about this one girl. He'd not even cared this much for Pansy, who had been his steady girlfriend for over four years.

Draco looked up at Daphne and remembered Astoria. They looked a little similar, but were miles apart, he decided. Then, he sighed and stood.

5.02 pm

~Astoria~

"Are you feeling better now, Astoria?" Bill Weasley asked as Astoria stood to leave.

"Much better, thank you, Mr. Weasley" she said, smiling truthfully as she put on her coat and made her way towards home.

After being given piles of work, Astoria felt better, truthfully much, much better than before. Now, letting out a happy sigh, she decided to get herself some ice-cream before heading home. Astoria apparated to the cafe near her home. Rather, she apparated to an alley beside the cafe, before walking to it. The waitress from the other night was there, noticing Astoria smiled warmly.

"What'll it be, love?" the waitress asked.

"Hot fudge sundae, please" Astoria said with a smile. The waitress nodded.

"Let me guess, lots of fudge?" the waitress asked. Astoria nodded and grinned.

"Yes, lots" she agreed. The waitress winked at her and went in to get the order, while Astoria stared out the window, feeling much better.

The waitress returned a few minutes later with the large sundae glass overflowing with hot fudge.

"Thank you" Astoria said, smiling widely as she picked up the spoon to eat. The waitress nodded and left, feeling self-conscious as Astoria eyed the ice-cream.

"Maxwell, want a bite?" Astoria asked. The chameleon shook it's head and snuggled under her coat, seeking warmth.

"I didn't think I'd meet you so easily"

Astoria looked up, surprised by the voice and even more surprised by the person who took the empty seat at her table.

"Malfoy" she said, frowning, "How'd you find me?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously. Draco shrugged and looked at her lazily.

"I was hoping to run into you here" he said, "And I did. Lucky me" he said, grinning. Astoria rolled her eyes.

"What ever" she said, turning her focus back on the ice-cream before eating it. Draco called the waitress over.

"I'll have an iced tea" he said, "lemon" he said. The waitress nodded and left.

"Do you enjoy getting on my nerves, Malfoy?" Astoria asked snappily, eating her ice-cream.

"Yes, very much so, Tori" he said, grinning when he noticed her eyebrows draw together in a frown.

"You! Where'd you hear that?!" she demanded. Draco shrugged.

"Daphne was very eager to spill details about you" he said, grinning. Astoria rolled her eyes.

"You have no right to call me that, Malfoy" she informed him, standing up, "I don't want to see you again" she informed, standing up and leaving, her sundae only half eaten.

5.21 pm

~Draco~

Draco frowned as he watched Astoria walk away without looking back. He sighed and wondered what he would do about paying the muggle woman, who came back with an iced tea.

"Fight?" she asked. Draco nodded.

"Sort of" he admitted, "She's a hard girl to please, my Tori" he admitted, smirking. The waitress snorted.

"Kiss her" she suggested, "And then take her on the floor. Then, she'll know who's boss"

Draco stared at the waitress in amazement and then turned to look out the glass to Astoria, who was entering her apartment building "the muggle-way".

"Good idea" he admitted, standing up and following after Astoria, who was already inside her apartment building. Draco smirked as he pulled out his wand, looked both ways before using the spell he'd learnt to cast in first year.

"Alohamora" he whispered to the lock, which opened and he went into the building with ease. Next, he had to find Astoria's flat.

5.34 pm

~Astoria~

Astoria heard the loud ruckus outside her flat a few moments after she'd sunk into her couch. She felt a little better now, she realised, letting her head hang back while she stared meaninglessly at the ceiling. Then, she heard her neighbours complaining. Frowning, and suddenly feeling her energy drain from her body, Astoria slowly got up and opened the door.

"Is everything alright, Mrs. Smith?" she asked, noticing the greying old lady who lived across the hall frowning.

"Astoria, dearie, are you alright?" the woman asked, seemingly worried, "There seems to be a break-in" she added. Astoria raised an eyebrow and leaned over the railing at what the old woman was seeing.

"Ah! Astoria!" Draco Malfoy said, catching sight of her, smirking widely and running up the stairs to catch her in the corridor.

"Is it someone you know, Astoria?" the old woman asked.

"A family friend, Mrs. Smith" Astoria said, smiling forcefully, "he's new around here" she added. Mrs. Smith nodded and smiled.

"Astoria, if you're not dating anyone yet, go out with my grandson, he's been asking about you" she said. Astoria smiled warmly at the old woman.

"Sure, Mrs. Smith, I'll do that" Astoria said, pushing Draco through the door to her flat and then, with one last smile at the kind old woman, followed him in.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded, glaring furiously at Draco. Draco frowned at her.

"What's this 'sure, I'll go out with him' business, Tori?" he asked, scowling at her, "Isn't that woman a muggle?" he asked. Astoria glared at him.

"So what?" she demanded, "So what if she's a muggle?! So what if her grandson's a muggle? So what if I go out with him? It's not the end of the world, Malfoy!" she informed angrily. Draco groaned.

"Have you any idea how hard I've been trying to woo you?" he said, "You are so hard to please, Tori!" he said. Astoria shot him another glare.

"Enough with the 'Tori' business!" she said, "Don't call me that!" she scolded.

Draco looked at her, eyes seemingly apologetic.

"Only Daphne calls you that, sorry" he said. Astoria froze. Had Draco Malfoy just apologised? The Draco Malfoy? Slytherin Prince extrodinaire? The man who tossed women aside like sheets of used, wasted parchment? She couldn't believe her ears! Or her eyes!

"Did you just apologise?" she asked him, turning to him slowly. Draco nodded.

"If it's for you, Astoria" he said, slowly, "I'm willing to fly around the Earth on my broom, and bring you whatever it is you desire in that crazy, wild mind of yours'" he said, chuckling slightly. Astoria frowned, pursed her lips and thought about it for a moment.

5.44 pm

~Draco~

Draco watched Astoria, who pursed her lips and let her eyes gaze at whatever was in front of her, which just so happened to be his chest and fazed out. He stared at her as she scrunched up her nose, shook her head lightly and pouted. Was she broken? He wondered, staring at her curiously, wondering what she'd do next.

Then, she sighed, looking down at her feet and then looked up to meet his eyes with a strange, uncertain expression on her face.

"So, basically" she said slowly, as if trying hard to get those words out, "What you're trying to say... is that... for some strange, unbelievable reason... you think you like me...?" she asked.

"I don't think I do" he said, "I know I do"

Astoria's face turned pale and green, for some odd reason, making him frown.

5.47 pm

~Astoria~

"You like me?" she asked, still surprised and feeling stupid for believing him for a moment.

"No, you don't" she decided, "You just want me to be a notch on your belt" she said firmly, shaking her head at him. Draco stared at her with disbelief.

"A notch on my belt?" he repeated after her, "Do you honestly think that I'd go through all this trouble for a notch on my belt?" he said. Astoria crossed her arms. Her moment of weakness had passed. Now, she was unconquerable.

"Didn't you call yourself "the Slytherin Prince"?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, "And I've heard about all your dark-work too" she added, feeling quite proud of having recalled that he'd done something nasty, although, she wasn't quite sure of what it was.

Draco frowned at her.

"I still call myself "the Slytherin Prince"" he informed her mildly, feeling stupid for having to defend himself in front of her, "And what's all this "dark" business you're referring to?" he asked, making her glare at him menacingly.

"You are responsible for Dumbledore's death" she remembered right on cue. Draco sneered at her.

"Snape killed Dumbledore" he informed her, "I couldn't" he added, feeling stupid for confiding in her.

"Why not?" she asked. Draco looked up, surprised by that question and slightly taken aback. He stared at her with disbelief, still frowning and wondering why she was asking such a question.

"Why didn't you kill Dumbledore?" She asked, "Daphne said your life had depended on it, as did your mother and father's. Why didn't you kill him?" she asked. Draco shook his head with disbelief.

"Would you have killed him?" he asked her, "If your parents' were in danger, if your life was in danger, would you have killed him?" he asked. Astoria frowned, thinking it over.

"No" she replied, easily, "Because I'd quite enjoy watching my parents die. They both deserve it. As for me, I might as well be dead too. As long as Daphne's fine and Maxwell's fine, I wouldn't care if the dark lord threatened to rape and pillage and murder. I would take it all" she informed. Draco frowned.

"You would rather die?" he asked, "And let your parents die?" he asked. Astoria nodded.

"If Daphne and Maxwell stayed out of the picture, then yes. I would" she informed him. Draco shook his head in disbelief.

"What about if Daphne's life was on the line?" he asked, walking up to her, "Would you die then too?" he asked. Astoria shook her head wildly.

"If Daphne's life was on the line and the dark lord asked me to kill Dumbledore, I'd turn around and kill the dark lord myself, no question about it" she said, firmly, nodding, "If Maxwell's life was on the line, then too" she added, cuddling to Maxwell, who sat on her shoulder, staring at how cool Astoria looked sometimes. Now, was one of those precious moments.

6.00 pm

~Draco~

Draco stared at her as she declared she'd have killed the dark lord if Daphne's life was on the line.

"You're amazing" he admitted, "You really are, Ria" he said, smiling as he used the nick-name for her he'd taken a day to make.

Astoria frowned at him.

"Ria?" she enquired, crossing her arms across her chest and raising an eyebrow. Draco shrugged.

"Took me all day to come up with that since Daphne said you hated being called "Tori" all the time" he admitted, grinning proudly. Astoria snorted.

"You must be jobless" she said, "If you spent the whole day trying to come up with that" she declared, letting out a giggle. Draco felt himself smile.

There it was, the precious laughter for which he'd struggled so much.

"So, Ria" he said, grinning, "Do you want to have dinner with me sometime?" he asked.

Astoria frowned.

"Wait, how'd it lead to that?" she asked, honestly confused. Draco grinned.

"It didn't" he informed her. Astoria frowned.

"Dinner is too much trouble" she informed him, "and I don't think I can handle the high-class muggle-free places you pure-blood Slytherins like" she added, scrunching up her nose adorably.

Draco nodded.

"Ok" he said, "How about lunch?" he asked.

"I work at Gringott's" Astoria muttered, "That won't do either" she said, shaking her head.

"Ria" Draco said firmly, "You can get rid of me today" he promised, "But, you won't be able to do it for long" he added.

Astoria groaned.

"You're a pest, Malfoy" she informed. Draco nodded, agreeing with her as he paced her living room, thinking. Astoria frowned at him.

"Why are we making plans together?" she asked. Draco shrugged.

"I like you, so I asked you out" he said, "You, on the other hand, failed to neither accept nor reject me. So, my dear, sweet Ria, we are stuck in the middle"

Astoria frowned.

"Then, I'll reject you and be done with it" she decided. Draco smirked.

"It doesn't work like that, darling" he said, cornering her and leaning over to whisper in her ear. Astoria pushed him with her hands pressed against his chest.

"Right" she said, rolling her eyes, "Dinner then" she decided, annoyed, "Tomorrow night, the restaurant down the road" she said. Draco grinned and nodded.

"See you then, Ria" he said, leaving with a "pop"

6.12 pm

~Astoria~

Astoria frowned as Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince, disapparated. She then sighed with relief.

"I can just leave the country and be done with it" she decided, turning to walk towards the kitchen.

Astoria sighed and shook her head.

"I wonder if Daphne's got anything to do with the Malfoy business" Astoria wondered as she retreated into the kitchen to make dinner.

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