Hey guys! OH MY GOSH, I get on here after a few days of not having any reviews, and WOW! Thank you all so much for your kind words! I know a lot of you mentioned that the fic is moving really fast, and I know it is, but when I wrote this, I sorta centralized it around Astoria's fifth year (Battle of Hogwarts) and the years after (her finishing up her school years and whatnot.) Another thing is that I wrote this fic when I was like fourteen, and I'm sixteen now, so I like to think I've matured a lot in my writing style since then. Thank you all SO MUCH for reviewing, and I hope you guys enjoy my fanfic once it settles into the Battle of Hogwarts/post-Hogwarts.

Thanks to justayuppie, Lasagna, Guest, its a beetle, victoria, forgottentoast, and dracothedruggie for reviewing!

Chapter 03-3

Imminent

I kept looking around for Draco. I couldn't see him anywhere. I was worried he had slipped off to fight with the Death Eaters against Harry Potter and his protectors, like Hestia had said. But I hoped with all I had that he didn't. He could very easily be killed. Someone could cast a curse and he would be cut open, and... I couldn't bear to think about it. I loved Draco. And I hadn't truly been able to tell him how much. We were nearing the dungeons now, and I could hear-and feel-something like stomping feet, but it was shaking the floor beneath me. As we passed a window, I could see what looked like stone guards marching out towards the bridge beyond the castle. As I looked up, I could see orbs of blue light shooting up towards the sky and starting to create a dome-like shield around the top of the castle. This was serious.

My view of the window was then blocked by Professor Carrow passing by us quickly. Flora let go of our hands and stepped quickly up.

"Professor Carrow-"

He didn't turn around. Flora picked up her pace and called his name again. By the time she had caught up with him and pulled on his sleeve, I started to call out to her. Then suddenly he turned and pulled his wand quickly with a look of rage on his face. A flash of bright green light shot out of his wand and straight into Flora's chest. She crumpled to the ground. Professor Carrow turned and kept walking, like nothing had gone wrong.

It took me a few seconds to register what just happened. I ran to Flora's seemingly lifeless body and looked at her in shock while Hestia checked her pulse. Then she put her ear down on Flora's chest to listen for a heartbeat, all the while saying Flora's name, trying to call out to her. Hestia's body shook and tears fell on her sister's face. Students had gathered around us and were murmuring to each other. I was still staring in shock, wide-eyed. Finally, Hestia and I carefully picked up Flora's body, and we all descended the steps to the dungeon. Once we were inside, Hestia and I carried Flora to the farthest darkest corner. Filch took one last, slightly sympathetic look at Hestia and I. Then he shut the door and stood, guarding the dungeon, on the outside.

I looked down at Flora. My friend, killed by a Death Eater. Just like April. I could taste the bitter irony of it. I stroked her hair and cried harder than I had in years. Hestia sat against the wall, looking white as a ghost. I looked across the room to find that most of Slytherin house was looking at me. I tried again to find Draco, and finally I saw his grey eyes. He was staring at me, his face expressionless. My vision blurred from tears again, and I crossed my legs, crossed my arms on top of them, and leaned over and buried my head in my arms, curling up in a ball. I cried until I either had no more tears or became too exhausted. Then I sat up, wiped my eyes with my hands, took off my robe, and laid it across the upper part of Flora's body, covering her face all the way to her knees. Suddenly I heard, "He's gone." from somewhere in the crowd. Everyone looked to the door, where there was no Filch to be found. Beside me, Hestia blinked a couple times and looked up with swollen eyes.

"I think he went to go find his cat."

"Well it probably would be smart to leave before the whole bloody place comes down."

"Well, come on then!"

Students started to stand up and walk out of the dungeon. But neither Hestia nor I moved.

I heard Vincent Crabbe say in his usual drawl, "Hey, Draco, are you coming or not?"

"You go on, head towards the seventh floor, and I'll meet you guys up in a minute."

I looked up as Draco walked over to me. He reached out his hands to help me up, and when I held mine out, he pulled me up straight into his arms. He hugged me tightly, and then held my shoulders, his face right in front of mine, and said with quiet urgency, "Come with Crabbe, Blaise, and I. And bring Hestia. We're going to the Room of Requirement."

"I can't. I can't leave Flora yet. I just... Can't."

He looked at me with heartbreaking sympathy.

"I'm so sorry, Astoria. I really am. This shouldn't be happening... But I have to leave. I'm sorry, Tori, I can't stay. I would, if I could, I swear, Tori."

I whimpered, "Please, Draco, please don't die. Please. Please don't leave me."

"I won't." he said, but I knew there was no way he could promise that.

"And what if you do?"

Draco looked right into my eyes. His looked as if they were filling with tears. Then he pulled me close, into another hug. He held me tightly, and I could feel his breaths shuddering. He whispered, "Stay safe."

Draco pulled away from me, our fingers interlocking, and looked at my face for what could have been the last time. He stroked my hair, kissed my forehead, then my lips, and turned to leave.

"Draco-"

He looked back around, one hand still holding on to mine. We held gazes for what seemed to me like only a few small seconds, and then he slowly took a step away, our fingers gradually slipping separate ways until they came apart completely.

Once again, I know the relationship between Draco and Astoria has been moving fast, but the fanfic's about to settle a little bit, I promise. Hope you enjoyed anyways! (: