The Beauty of Grey: The Bitterness Inside

Chapter 5 - Another Fear Awakened

“I come crawling up again, I need to eat, I need a friend
Someone with me
No better feeling than escape avoid the feeling so you're
Collapsing in again you found what makes it sore,
You triggered off the feelings that you felt before.
All the guilt pulls away if only forever
Replace the name replace the fear
I can't come out but I want you here.”
- ‘Temporary Arms’ – Finger Eleven


Draco had sent her a very polite owl the next morning to ask when would suit her to start on the assignment. She had replied:

Wednesday evening, after dinner in the Library. Let me know if it doesn’t suit you.

It suited him just fine. So on Wednesday evening, he raced to the Library to wait for her. She came in the Library with her Arithmancy books in her arms. Draco smiled when he saw her stop a few times to speak to some of the other students that was sitting scattered over the Library. Draco had chosen her favourite spot in the library for them to work.

‘Hi,’ she smiled as she slammed the books onto the heavy wooden table.

‘Hi,’ he smiled back.

‘Merlin, this Library is busy this evening,’ she said, tucking hair that wasn’t there anymore behind her ear. It was probably just out of habit.

‘I know. I think I heard someone saying that Muggle Studies got a huge assignment this morning, due end of this term,’ he said telling her what he hears a couple of Hufflepuffs speak about when he walked past their table earlier.

‘Sheesh, poor people,’ she sympathized. After finally arranging her books the way she wanted it, she took out her pencil and sat down on the chair opposite Draco. ‘Okay, so here’s the assignment,’ she said as she handed him the piece of parchment on which she copied the instructions.

‘Work the Agrippan (Greek) formula on the list of names you have been given, indicating the character, heart and social number. After giving a detailed description of each personality number, analyze the data in accordance to historic information available about the particular individual, for example: Relationships, important dates, places of residence etc.’ Draco read aloud. ‘This could take a while.’

‘Yes, we have a list of twenty witches and wizards to do,’ she said.

‘Can I see the list?’ he asked and she handed it to him.

‘Where do you think we should start?’ she asked him softly.

‘I think we must write the detailed description of the personality numbers, and then start calculating each person’s numbers. From there we can do research about each and compare our information,’ Draco suggested.
‘Great, so let’s get started with the description,’ she got up and fetched three more volumes for them to use from the shelves.

They wrote down a very detailed and complete description of every personality number, not leaving anything out and elaborating a lot on each. It took them most of the evening to get it perfect. Draco was having fun. She was in a light mood, she laughed easily and she made the hours of work totally worth it for Draco.
‘Let’s call it quits for today,’ she said as she stretched.

The Library was empty. It was only them left.

‘Yes, let’s stop,’ he said as he moved the parchments, quills and books out of the way. ‘I have something for you,’ he went on, and handed her a box full of sweets.

‘Shoe cleaning potion?’ she asked, frowning while she looked past the box and down at her shoes.

‘Oh no, no,’ Draco quickly waved his wand. ‘Sorry, otherwise Goyle might get them.’

‘Turow’s Chocolatiers,’ she read. Then she looked at him seeming taken aback. ‘Draco, no, I wasn’t asking you to give me sweets when I asked where you bought these,’ she said.

‘I know,’ Draco said calmly. ‘I just wanted to give them to you,’ then he shrugged, like it was nothing.

‘Oh,’ she said, blushing, looking at the box again. ‘Imported from Switzerland,’ she said softly.

Draco just watched as the blush faded from her cheeks, and she seemed awfully shy again. ‘Is something wrong?’ he asked after a while of silence.

‘No,’ she said, still very quiet. ‘Thank you, Draco,’ she said, looking briefly at him with a smile.

‘My pleasure,’ Draco replied also lowering his voice. He wondered what was going on in her head. It looked like she didn’t know what to make of the situation. ‘Well,’ he asked, smiling. ‘Are you going to give me one?’ he asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She laughed, and opened the box, holding it out to him. He took one in a blue wrapper and then she took one in a toffee-brown. They savoured their chocolates in silence.

‘Come on, I’ll walk you to your tower,’ Draco said, as he realized that something was wrong. He hoped it wasn’t the sweets. He gathered all his papers, and carried her books in his arms. They left the Library and walked along the corridors where torches along the walls provided light. ‘When do you want to meet again?’
‘Um,’ she said. ‘How about... next week same time?’ she asked. ‘You can also suggest a time if you have something else you want to do,’ she said shyly.

Draco almost laughed. There was nothing he’d rather do. ‘Next week is fine. My Quidditch practice is Mondays and Thursdays at this point, so it’s not a problem. I’ll let you know if my Prefect duty gets in the way, though,’ he spoke softly afraid that he’ll scare her some reason.

When they reached the tower, he handed her her books.

Neither moved from the spot, like there was more that needed to be said before they went away.

‘Draco, I really didn’t hint for you to give me your sweets,’ she said a little louder this time.

Draco frowned, while he placed his hands on each of her shoulders, half forcing her to look at him. ‘I know you didn’t, Astoria. I get loads of boxes from my mother, and gave one to you because you like them so much,’ he explained, trying to ease her discomfort.

‘Thank you, again,’ she said, smiling again. She placed her free hand on his arm, and gave it a friendly squeeze. ‘Good night, Draco.’

‘Good night,’ he replied, as he let her go. He watched, again, as she walked up the spiral steps until he heard the tower door shut behind her.


Draco,
Good news should be coming your way soon. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity and keep your ear to the ground. Changes will be apparent soon.
Your mother sends her love.
Father.


Draco kept looking at the letter with a deep frown on his face. What did this mean? He was reminded of when he was sitting at the dinner table and the Death Eaters planned the attack on Arthur Weasley. They were planning something. And he was probably considered their spy at Hogwarts, to tell them the rumours that were floating about.

Draco got up and threw the letter in the fire. He had thrown all the letters from his father in the fire. He did not want someone to find them and then blame him for all that’s gone wrong.

He got in bed, and laid awake for hours thinking about all the different possibilities.
‘Draco, you still awake?’ came Blaise’s voice from behind the curtain around his bed.

‘Yeah,’ Draco said in a sigh.

‘They told me to come call you, two boys have been fighting in the Third Year Dormitory.’

‘I’ll be right there,’ Draco sighed again, as he slipped his slippers on and opened the curtain.

He walked towards the Third Year Dormitories, and pushed the door open. The other Third Years in the Dormitory had pulled the two apart, and now they were each sitting on a different bed, one of them nursing a bleeding nose.

‘What happened in here?’ Draco asked, walking into the room with authority.

‘They’ve been hitting each other,’ one of the other boys said.

‘That much is obvious,’ Draco said. He waved his wand, and the boy’s nose stopped bleeding so profusely. ‘Why were you fighting?’ he asked.

‘They were just playing at first, and then suddenly it turned serious,’ yet another boy explained.

‘Come with me, both of you,’ Draco demanded. ‘The rest of you can get back into bed.’

The two boys went with Draco, and he made sure to keep them apart. They walked into the common room and he sat them down on one of the green couches. ‘Now you can tell me yourselves why you were beating each other to a pulp,’ Draco said in a loud voice. He could see the other boy’s eye starting to turn black.

‘We were playing, and then he hit me in the eye with a fist,’ one of them said.

‘It wasn’t on purpose,’ the other almost screamed.

‘Hey calm down, I’m not in the mood,’ Draco said, trying to get the adrenalin that was undoubtedly coursing through their veins to stop. ‘It seems like it was just an accident,’ Draco said calmly.

Both boys scowled at each other.

‘I want both of you to apologize, and them I’m sending you back to bed,’ he said, indicating that they were to shake hands.

The boys shook hands, but very reluctantly.

‘I’m going to have report this to Professor Snape, and five points for each of you will be taken from Slytherin. I never want to hear about you two fighting again,’ he said in a voice that explained to them what was going on.

‘Okay,’ both of the boys mumbled.

‘Alright, then. Let’s go back to the dormitory,’ he said showing that they must lead the way.

When both were back in their beds, Draco said, ‘I cast a spell to alert me as soon as any one of you get out of your bed tonight, and may Merlin protect you if I have to come back here again tonight,’ he said and slammed the dormitory door behind him.

He ran his fingers through his hair, and felt that a headache was coming through. He went down to the common room, and flopped down on the couch, and leaned his head back closing his eyes. Blaise sat next to him.

‘Bloody brats,’ Blaise said.

‘Tell me about it,’ Draco said.

‘So tell me what’s wrong,’ Blaise said.

‘Nothing’s wrong, Blaise,’ Draco whispered.

‘Bullshit. Just get it over with,’ Blaise said. ‘Something to do with your girl?’

‘No,’ Draco said. He opened his eyes and quickly looked to see if anyone else was around. It was clear. ‘I got a letter from my father,’ Draco said.

‘Oh,’ Blaise said knowingly. ‘What did it say?’

‘Good news would be coming to me soon and such nonsense,’ Draco sighed. ‘I am so sick of all the mind games.’

‘I get that,’ Blaise said. ‘It could maybe be something about Pansy.’

‘Gods, I hope not. I’ve been avoiding her like a plague ever since I nearly drowned in the lake,’ Draco said. ‘I’m going back to bed, I need to sleep.’

‘Yeah, me too.’


“MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN
MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS RALLYING POINT
FOR OLD DEATH EATERS

The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban.
Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals.

‘We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped,’ said Fudge last night. ‘Nor do we think the two breakouts were unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person to ever break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black’s cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals, and we beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached.’”

Draco tried to hide his shocked face from everyone else at breakfast by covering it with his hands, after he pushed the Daily Prophet and his breakfast aside.

He almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of the situation. Cornelius Fudge, the old fool, ignorantly thinking that Black helped them out. What a farce. Sirius was as innocent as virgin snow, and here he was blamed for ten ridiculously insane Death Eaters escaping from Azkaban. Meanwhile Fudge warning everyone to stay away from these ‘individuals’, like a warning was needed, while they were probably hiding at his, Draco’s, house.

The next holiday was going to be so much fun, he thought as he almost had to bite back tears of feeling sorry for himself.

He had to cancel the second get-together with Astoria because he was scheduled to patrol the fourth floor corridors as Prefect duty. He quickly searched her out at the Ravenclaw table. She was holding the Daily Prophet between her and Kim, and they were reading with their eyes wide.

This was bad. Very bad. Where in the world was Potter, and why didn’t he stop this? His anger was getting worse. He got up from the table and went to get ready for class, only to run into Pansy in the common room.

‘Good news, huh?’ she whispered to him.

‘Yeah, it’s great,’ he said not even bothering to hide his sarcasm.

‘You’ve been awfully busy these last few weeks, I’ve hardly seen you,’ she pouted, and that made Draco want to hit something.

‘Yeah, oh well,’ he shrugged as he kept on walking towards his dormitory.

‘Hey,’ she grabbed his arm. ‘Are you angry at me?’ she asked still with that horrid pout on her face.

‘No, I’m not angry, Pansy,’ Draco said with a heavy sigh. ‘Just really busy.’

‘With what?’ she whined.

‘Look, between school work, Quidditch, Prefect duties and trying to keep my father happy, there really isn’t time for much else,’ Draco tried to keep his voice from shouting at her.

‘But surely,’ she said, standing closer to him, placing her hands all over him. ‘Surely, you have a little time for me.’

Draco closed his eyes for a few seconds and prayed to Merlin for patience. He knew, however, that making Pansy angry was not a good idea. He pulled away from her. ‘Maybe later, okay?’ And then he walked away quickly.

Was nothing ever simple?


Draco was sitting in the Library waiting for Astoria. They were having their seconds meeting soon. It had turned into February, and they had a Hogsmeade weekend this Saturday. Draco was very tense about the escape from Azkaban, and from trying to evade Pansy around every corner. He was tired, and was having trouble sleeping again. He would roll around in bed for hours, thinking about anything and everything. He rubbed his eyes, and went to lie on his arms, just for a while, until Astoria came, and they had the assignment to go on with.

‘Draco,’ came a soft whisper. He felt a small hand on his shoulder, gently rubbing him awake. He slowly lifted his head, blinked a few times, and then Astoria’s unsure face came into focus. ‘Were you sleeping,’ asked, still whispering.

Draco sat up straight, and had trouble getting his thoughts in order. ‘Yes, I think so,’ he mumbled.
‘You must be exhausted,’ she said. ‘You should go to bed, we can to this another night,’ she said looking at him with a worried expression.

‘No,’ he said. ‘I’m fine. Besides, if I go to bed, I won’t be able to sleep again.’

‘Are you sure?’ she asked.

‘Yes,’ he said, rubbing his eyes and then taking out his books.

‘Are you having trouble sleeping?’ she asked, as she, too, got out everything they would need for the evening’s work.

Draco glanced up at her quickly and saw that she wasn’t looking at him, but rummaging in her schoolbag for something. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Some nights,’ he paused, wondering how much to tell her. ‘Some nights, I lay awake for hours.’

‘Have you been to Madam Promfrey?’ she asked. ‘Maybe she can give you something to help you sleep.’

‘I have been to her,’ Draco said, blushing a little as he realized he was going to tell her the truth. ‘She gave a potion a few times to help, but after a while she refused to give me more. She said it wasn’t good for me, and she couldn’t keep feeding me sleeping potions.’ Draco shrugged.

‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Well, there some things you can try, that helps, sometimes. I also have trouble some nights, it’s like my body wants to sleep, but my brain will not shut down and let me.’

‘Exactly,’ he said.

‘Well, a warm bath before bed helps me, also staying away from sugar a few hours before bed... But most nights, if it’s really bad, I get up and look at the stars, or I go into the kitchens and let the elves make me some tea or hot chocolate. Sometime reading a book until my eyes doesn’t want to work anymore also helps,’ she said in a quiet voice.

‘I’ve tried a lot of things, but it’s just so frustrating, when all I want is one good night’s sleep, and sometimes that doesn’t happen for weeks,’ Draco said running his fingers through his hair.

She gave him a sympathetic smile. ‘How about when we’re finished with work tonight, we look around in books for some tips,’ she asked.

‘That would be very nice,’ he smiled at her, and she smiled back.

‘So tonight,’ she said, ruffling the papers until she found what she was looking for. ‘I think we should each be able to do two calculations tonight. What do you think?’ she asked.

‘Yeah, two is fine,’ he said, not really caring.

‘Okay, how about you do Greta Catchlove and Grogan Stump, and then I’ll do Elladora Ketteridge and Fulbert the Fearful?’

‘That’s fine,’ he said, noticing she tried to give him the shorter names, while she took longer ones. He wanted to lean over the table between them and kiss her for being so kind.

Draco was busy for about half an hour, before he was finished with his two names, having gotten all the necessary numbers from each name and checking them twice. He sat watching quietly as she was counting the numbers out on a piece of scrap parchment. She was holding the pencil in her hand. He watched how the simple thin silver bracelets she wore on each wrist glinted in the firelight. She had really small hands, her nails were short and clean.

It was at least another fifteen minutes before she was finished. She placed the pencil down and leaned back into the chair.

‘Okay, what did you get?’ she asked him.

‘Greta Catchlove got a character number of five, and heart number of nine and a social number of five.

Grogan Stump had a character number of seven, a heart number of one and a social number of six,’ he said, showing her the parchment on which he wrote his answers.

‘Well,’ she said. ‘Elladora Ketteridge was a one for character and heart and a nine for social. Fulbert the Fearful was six for character, a four for heart and a two for social.’

‘Great,’ he said. ‘Analizing all these numbers are going to take forever,’ Draco said, secretly not complaining at all.

‘Yes, it is going to take long, but at least we started early so we’ll be able to take it slow,’ she said, putting away her books again. She then got up and walked to Madam Pince that was looking like she was nodding off too.

He saw her talk to Madam Pince for a while, and then follow her to a shelf, where Pince loaded her arms full of books. He quickly got up to help her carry.

They placed all the books on the table, and started collecting tips for curing insomnia, each with a book open in front of them.

‘This one,’ he said, ’says massaging, drinking warm milk and listening to music can help.’

‘Well, this one recommends sleeping with head facing north, wiggling your toes and rubbing your stomach,’ she smiled as she read.

‘This one says to visualize a green cow while lying in your bed and to breathe deeply,’ he said, skipping that it also said that this should happen after sex.

‘Here’s something that might work,’ she said. ‘Mixing lemon blossoms into your tea before bed, and chewing valerian root, but valerian root can cause headaches.’

‘Where do you think I can find Valerian? Do you think Madam Pomfrey will give me some?’ Draco asked.
‘I think she might. Otherwise Professor Sprout might help you,’ she suggested. ‘But I think some lemon blossoms would easier to find and safer to try.’

‘I’ll have to wait until tomorrow then for Sprout to help me,’ he said, closing the book.

‘I know where there happen to be lemon blossoms sneaking out of the window at Greenhouse one,’ she said, raising her eyebrows in question.

‘Yeah?’ he asked. ‘You want to go try getting some now?’ he asked her leaning forward a little.

‘Sure,’ she said, packing the last of her things away. ‘But we have to wait for it to get quieter, we can’t sneak out now,’ she explained.

So instead they each went to put their school stuff away and agreed to meet back at the Library in fifteen minutes.

Draco was grinning as he walked back towards the Library. He already knew that he would sleep well tonight. Spending time with Astoria seemed to the best possible cure to his insomnia, but he relished the excuse to sneak out of the castle with her tonight.

When he entered she was already there holding a book in her arms, while she stood reading in front of the shelf.

‘What are you reading,’ he asked when he was close enough.

She turned to him when she heard his voice and smiled. She closed the book and showed him the cover. The Firefly Adventures the cover said. ‘It’s my favourite series of books,’ she said, before she placed the book back among the others.

He had heard of the books before, he had seen it here in the Library before, but have never read it though.
There was only the small dying fire in the Library providing light, and everyone had gone to bed, but there were still some walking around the corridors of the school, curfew for the older years not having passed.
‘We’re probably going to get caught now,’ she said. ‘Let’s just sit for a while longer.’

‘Alright,’ he said. ‘Tell me about the books,’ he pointed in the general direction of where was standing.
She smiled again. ‘When the books came into the bookstore, I was about nine years old. I loved the picture on the cover of the first book, which was of a group of people dressed really cool with their wands out. Anyway, I asked Mr. Blott if I could read it, and then he said that I had to wait a few years because the books were a little violent,’ she continued. ‘I kept looking at the books every now and then and admire the cover. Eventually I came to Hogwarts and I found the books here in the Library, so I read them,’ she shrugged.

‘And did it scare you,’ he asked.

‘It was a little violent, but I wasn’t put off the books or anything, I fell in love with it and have read each of those books,’ she said pointing to them on the shelf, ‘at least ten times each.’

‘How many are there?’ he asked.

‘There are twelve altogether,’ she said. ‘They’re great.’

‘What are they about?’ he asked.

‘It about a rogue group of witches and wizards three hundred years in the future, who fight against the oppressing rule of the time,’ she said.

‘Sounds interesting,’ he said smiling at her.

‘It is,’ she smiled too. ‘Tell me why you are not sleeping,’ she said quietly.

‘I told you,’ he said.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘But I have a feeling that there is more to it than that.’

‘Just,’ he said swallowing while trying to think of something to say. ‘Just problems at home,’ he shrugged thinking that he was not lying. Ten escaped Death Eaters hiding in his house was indeed a problem.

She just nodded. ‘Okay.’

They sat in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say then. Astoria kept looking the huge clock that hung over the fireplace.

‘Do you think they’ll go through with the Hogsmeade weekend?’ he asked her.

‘Why?’ she asked.

‘Well, I can’t believe they’d send us out there with ten Death Eaters on the loose,’ he said.

She frowned a little. ‘I suppose the teachers will go with us and be on the lookout,’ she said.

‘I guess,’ he said, thinking about it. ‘Maybe they’ll have Aurors there.’

‘Maybe,’ she said. ‘I’m sure everything will be okay,’ she said without looking at him.

‘I hope so,’ he said, meaning much more.

After they had been sitting there for at least twenty minutes, Astoria confirmed that curfew has come. The fire was burning out quick now and the Library was cast in a dark, red glow. They headed for the exit. They walked quickly and quietly, checking before they turned corners so that they wouldn’t run into Filch or anyone else unwanted.

When they reached the big ornate staircase in the entrance hall, Draco heard someone speaking.

‘Let’s find some rule-breakers my sweet,’ the greasy voice of Filch came from somewhere behind them.

Without over-thinking, Draco grabbed Astoria’s hand and they dashed silently down the stairs. He pulled her towards the right, in the direction of the Slytherin dormitories, and urged her into a broom closet.
Draco came in behind her, and pulled the door closed behind him.

‘I’m sure Professor Umbridge would let me get away with worse punishment than detention, don’t you think, my sweet,’ Filch said to Mrs. Norris.

Astoria was very close. In fact his body was touching hers in a lot of places. He could feel her breath on his collarbone, he could feel the way her chest moved as the breathed. He still held her hand and his, and kept on holding it, in a hope that she wouldn’t pull it back. She didn’t. He only wished he could have seen her, but it was utterly dark in the small closet. Draco closed his eyes and tried to put everything about that moment in a safe box in his mind, to remember every detail. The way her hair smelled and tickled his nose. The sound of her breathing. The feel of her small hand in his, and the softness of her skin. The complete intimate feeling that moment had.

It was soon over though. ‘I think it’s okay to get out now,’ she whispered.

He carefully opened the door to see, disappointingly, that the coast was clear. He pulled her gently to tell her that it was safe. They dashed to the huge front doors, and pushed it open just enough to let them slip through, before they pushed it closed again.

‘That was close,’ she giggled, as they stepped down the last few stone steps onto the grass of the grounds.

‘Too close,’ he said.

They walked slowly towards the Herbology classroom. It was cold, but they didn’t plan on staying outside for too long, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Astoria kept looking up at the sky, where a few stars could be spotted through the wisps of clouds.

She led him around the back of the greenhouse, and there, coming out of the window, looking like it was trying to escape was the branches of a lemon tree. The white blossoms with their bright yellow centre would not be growing if it wasn’t growing in Professor’s Sprout greenhouse.

They picked a few of the small flowers, making sure not to rid the tree of all its blossoms, and then slowly headed back towards the castle again.

Astoria had her ear pressed against the thick dark wood of the front doors, trying to listen of anyone was on the other side.

‘If we ever sneak out again,’ Draco said. ‘I have a better way of doing it.’

‘How’s that?’ she whispered.

‘We sneak to a tower, and fly off with my broom,’ he whispered back. ‘I think coming in and out of the front doors is a little risky.’

‘I guess. But I haven’t been caught yet,’ she smiled at him. She pulled the door open without making a sound, and slipped inside. Draco followed. They kept close to the wall, so that they could hide easily if they have to.

She headed for the kitchens. ‘We might as well get a fresh blossom in some tea tonight,’ she shrugged.
She tickled the pear on the canvas hiding the entrance to the kitchens. The pear giggled, and a handle appeared, which she grabbed and pushed the door open.

Delicious smells was the first thing that Draco noticed. His stomach rumbled. Astoria sniffed the air, and closed her eyes. House elves came running towards them. Two of them already carrying platters with food on them. One platter was full of savoury snacks, and the other full of sweet. Draco started sampling food from both platters, while Astoria only stuck to the sweet platter.

‘Can you please bring us two cups of strong tea?’ she asked one house elf politely.

‘Yes, Miss, of course,’ it said as it scurried off.

They sat down at the huge scrubbed wooden table.

‘Merlin, these are good,’ she said pointing at a pastry in her hand.

‘This too,’ he said, referring to his own snack in his hand. It didn’t take long before Draco was full, and he stopped eating the snacks.

When the house elf placed a cup of tea in front of each of them, Astoria took two blossoms from her robe pocket and put one in each cup. They left it to soak for a while, listening to the house elves chatter and turning down more food that was brought to them.

After a couple of minutes Astoria brought her cup of tea to her mouth and tasted it. ‘Hmm, it doesn’t taste different,’ she said, taking another sip.

Draco also drank his tea, not really tasting the difference either. While Draco was enjoying his evening with her very much, he didn’t like being in the kitchens. There were too many distractions, and they had barely spoken to each other since they’ve been there. He drank his tea quickly.

Draco offered to walk her to the Ravenclaw tower again. She yawned as they walked, placing her hand in front of her mouth. ‘I think it worked,’ she said.

When they reached the spiral staircase, Draco felt at peace and sleepy. ‘Goodnight, Astoria.’
‘Goodnight, Draco,’ she said and started walking away. ‘By the way,’ she said, turning around. ‘I’m enjoying the chocolates.’

‘I’m glad,’ he beamed at her.

Draco crawled into bed minutes later, pulling the cover up to under his chin. He felt deliciously tired. He fell asleep quickly.


Draco had another homework meeting with Astoria on the eleventh of February. Draco had arrived in the Library, where she was busy with her Charms essay, flipping through thick volumes then writing quickly with her quill on the parchment. She only ever wrote with a quill on homework to be handed in. Rough drafts and her own work were always done in pencil.

‘Good evening,’ he smiled as he sat down.

‘Hello,’ she said back, and she held a hand up to show him she was just finishing up. ‘How’ve you been?’ she asked, as she put her quill away and closed her ink bottle.

‘I’ve been good, and you?’ he asked her.

‘I’ve been good, too. Been a little busy with homework but good,’ she said, closing the thick textbooks, and putting them in a pile. ‘I wanted to ask you earlier, but how have you been sleeping?’

‘That night after we went to pick the blossoms...’ he stared at the ceiling trying to find words. ‘Babies do not sleep that well,’ he finished. ‘The rest of the nights have been better but never again as good as that first night.’

‘At least it’s a little better,’ she smiled. ‘I’ve been sleeping really well.’

‘That’s great,’ he said as he leaned forwards. He felt so comfortable with her now, that he had to actively tell his hands not to do something that was not appropriate.

‘So, then,’ she said, taking her Arithmancy books out. ‘How about another two names each?’ she asked.

‘That would be fine,’ he said, also getting everything out he would need. ‘I’ll choose the names this time,’ he said, picking the paper up and going through the list of twenty famous witches and wizards.

This time he chose the long names for himself and gave her the shorter names, trying to ease her workload, and also to show her that he knew what she had done the previous time, and that he appreciated it.

‘You take Gideon Crumb and Cliodine, then I’ll take Gunhilda of Gorsemoor and Elthelred the Ever-Ready.’

‘I love Gideon Crumb,’ she beamed.

‘Who is he?’ Draco asked, knowing that the name sounded familiar to him, but couldn’t place it.

‘He plays bagpipes for the Weird Sisters!’ she said, clearly shocked that he did not know that.

‘Oh right,’ Draco said. He liked the Weird Sisters well enough but didn’t know all the members’ names.

‘I thought I was dying when they were the surprise band at the Yule Ball last year. It was so amazing. I went with Stephen Cornjual and he was so angry with me, because I ended up ignoring him the whole night,’ she giggled softly.

Draco vividly remembered her green dress and the way she had lost herself in the music when the Weird Sisters came on. ‘I remember seeing you that night,’ he said.

She looked up and to the left, ‘Hey, yeah, we met at the punch bowl,’ she said smiling still.

‘That’s right,’ he said. ‘I saw you enjoying the music too, later,’ he admitted.

She blushed. ‘Merlin, it probably looked a little horrifying. My father always says it is like I become possessed when I hear their music.’

‘You looked beautiful,’ he said, promptly blushing and he felt his ears burn. He picked up his quill to give him something to do, while avoiding her eyes.

‘Thanks,’ she said just above a whisper.

‘Anyway, let’s get cracking,’ he said, starting to calculate.

This time Astoria finished a while before he did, and she was watching him make his calculations. Draco was a little distracted, knowing that she was watching him.

After he finished they swapped their answers.

They packed away all their things and left the Library leaving plenty of students behind. He walked her to her tower again, where they politely said goodnight.

Draco didn’t think that telling her she looked beautiful changed anything, he thought that maybe she just felt a little unsure or uncomfortable. Maybe the next time they met, she would have forgotten his silly, but very true, comment.