"Ugh why do I feel like I got bashed in the head?" I asked myself as I sat up in my bed when I finally woke up. My head was pounding terribly, and very tender.
"You did", said a voice that shocked me so badly I almost fell out of my bed.
"Daphne! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" I practically shouted, she was lounging in a chair at the foot of my bed, I glanced around, realizing Flint was also sitting at my bedside, Draco asleep in the bed next to me, it looks like he had his nose broken, judging by the blood, other than that his face and nose were as perfect as ever.
"Calm down Tori, she's not going to cause any trouble." Flint said gruffly.
"What are you doing here Flint?" I questioned next.
"Oh come now Astoria, I believe you and I are on a first name basis." I shot him a poisonous look, and he rolled his eyes. "I was mistaken before, I've been told of yours and Malfoys relationship and… sleeping arrangements… I see I don't have a chance anymore, if I ever even did." I was extremely skeptical about this statement. This was extremely out of character for him.
"What happened to Draco?" I demanded next. "Was it her again?" I hissed towards Daphne.
"No, no settle down Astoria." I was positively trembling with rage and fear, I began groping around for my wand, but I knew where it was, in Draco's dorm, in his dresser. It was right where we usually leave them before a match to avoid them breaking if we do fall from our brooms.
"Potter and the Weasleys all attacked him." Continued Flint, I continued to eye Daphne murderously.
"THAT FILTHY HALFBLOOD, THOSE FILTHY BLOOD TRAITORS." I snarled. It was probably best for anyone in the room that I didn't have my wand on me.
Madam Pomfrey came rushing into the room, shooing out Flint and Daphne, forbidding them from visiting me again because they upset me so badly. I looked over to Draco, his face showing signs of distress. Our confrontation seemed to transfer to him even in his sleep. It wasn't long before he woke up, and was allowed to leave and go back about his daily routine. Before leaving, and much to his disapproval, Madam Pomfrey jabbed around at his rib cage, ensuring any broken ribs had mended correctly. He was in a horribly sour mood after that.
"Well that was an absolutely pointless game", he scowled, "I almost had the Snitch if it hadn't have been for Potter." He practically spat his name. My face soured, subconsciously wondering if me getting hit had caused him to lose focus.
Christmas Holiday came quickly enough, it was December before I knew it, and Draco was practicing Quidditch harder than ever. He was extremely aggressive during practices, shooting past Crabbe and Goyle, bellowing at them to stop shooting Bludgers towards me, they became increasingly better. He caught the Snitch faster and faster each practice, Montague wa thoroughly impressed.
On the train back to Malfoy Manor we encountered gossip. Apparently the Weasleys and Potter had disappeared from under Umbridges nose, and she, was very displeased. Warnings of her using Veritaserum to question students ran rampant. Draco and I both were staring into each other's eyes as Blaise and Parkinson discussed the outrage. They were getting quiet chummy with each other once again... He and I were silently communicating; both understanding each other's concern. The chances if her questioning a Slytherin were extremely slim, but if perchance she did, we would have to count on Snape to trick her. If he failed, we would be forced into revealing our pressing secret, suddenly it felt as if my Dark Mark held weight, my arm felt extremely heavy. Then a thought came to my mind.
"Draco, would you accompany me outside the compartment for a moment?" I asked him, rising and smoothing my pants. He didn't answer; he simply rose from his seat, motioning for me to go outside.
Once outside the compartment and we were sure nobody could hear, I honed in on him.
"How did Madam Pomfrey not see our marks?" I hissed nervously.
"Snape reached you first, then escorting me, you know he wouldn't take a chance like that." he said indifferently, noticing the others were glancing at us, I could tell he didn't want our lips read.
Silently again, he opened the door, I walked tentatively in, sitting on the plush felt seat once again. Listening to the conversation held between the others, not in the mood to speak much at all. All I could think about is the next few weeks. We would surely be hearing about the last mission at the Ministry, also we were to go to the Ministers Christmas Ball. I was quiet excited for the Ball. My thoughts wandered further to the elder members of the Death Eaters. I noticed fear in many of them, reluctance in serving the Dark Lord again. Many of them faced hell after his downfall. But nobody stops being a Death Eater, not even Snape. Snape was deceiving one of the greatest wizards of all time.