they were just kids [draco malfoy]

Year 4 - 51

"I can't believe we actually got awa-AAAAAAAAHHH."

Astrid's scream died in her throat as she whipped a hand over her mouth, while a foreign rough one pulled her up by the collar of her coat.

She didn't have to look back to know who it was as Draco fearfully scrambled to stand up as well and attempted a charming smile.

"Professor..." he started and the man yanked on Astrid's coat making her breathing hitch.

Astrid couldn't see. She didn't dare look back. But Draco had a great view of what was happening. There was no doubt the man was angry, his anger only heightened by the fact he was also a little out of breath having been forced to chase after the two troublemakers.

"Malfoy," the headmaster of Durmstrang growled then once more yanking the girl in his arms backwards to better see her face. "And..?"

Astrid smiled. Her mind working furiously to figure out an excuse. "Good morning, sir," she attempted the same charming smile Malfoy had sent the man's way. "I'm Astrid Ninomae."

"You mustn't have been out there. You two are in a lot of trouble."

"No," escaped Astrid and then her mouth instantly fell shut as both males turned to look at her perplexed. Her eyes went to her feet where she noticed having stepped on a small frozen dandelion. "No, surely," she spoke with sudden confidence, finally having figured a lie. "professor Snape would have informed you. See, we were just searching for the ingredients for our potions assignment next week. Dandidoxons, they only sprout at nightfall. A smart man like you must've surely heard of them."

Karkaroff was sceptical. He had not heard of the plant before, mainly because it didn't exist, although the man didn't know that. He looked at the young Malfoy who had morphed his face into one of sincerity and then at the girl who was looking back at him with a polite smile. She surely looked way too comfortable for the fact he still held her by the collar of her coat.

"And where are those Dandidoxons of yours? If that was your true intention, you wouldn't have run from me."

Think, Astrid, think!

"Oh, excuse us, sir, but we accidentally wandered a bit too deep into the forest trying to find them and we mistook you for some deadly creature. The Forbidden Forest is a truly dangerous place and we had to get to safety."

Draco couldn't deny, even he was sort of buying the lie. The girl knew to press all the right buttons. Call the professor smart. Admit where they had wandered off is a dangerous place.

"It is still forbidden to enter the forest without a professor," Karkaroff didn't defy.

"Oh but we have a permission slip," the words slipped over Astrid's lips almost automatically. "Draco, show him."

That was the first time she had called the boy by his name but desperate times called for desperate measures.

The blonde just blinked. "What?"

Astrid fought a scowl and a glare. Could he really not just play along?

"Did you not take the permission slip Snape gave us?" she questioned putting her truly felt disappointed energy into her speech. "You can't have forgotten it."

"O-oh," Draco gasped finally regaining his common sense. "You told me to take it? I thought you had it."

"You daft dimbo, I told you to take the slip."

"Well, I don't have it. I thought you did," Draco crossed his arms. Pretending to be mad at each other came too easy for the two teens.

"How are we-"