when they became villains [draco malfoy] {book 2}

Summer 1997 - 181

The first day of their last year of Hogwarts was just one night away and Astrid's thoughts couldn't have possibly been more scattered. She felt nauseous all anew at the simple thought of seeing everyone again and being everything the Dark Lord wanted others to see. A permanent headache appeared to follow her that evening, buzzing at the back of her head as she tried to fall asleep but couldn't.

Astrid was less of a nervous wreck. She felt less of the aggression and blatant hatred. The girl was beginning to accept she was out to look after her own self as there was no one else to do that for her. She was doing better than she ever had that summer and it felt like things were changing a tad for the better, yet the feeling of discomfort remained. Like something wasn't entirely right.

If anything, Astrid feared the feeling of 'better' was all an illusion and would stay all but put. It could come crashing down just the same as the memory of Draco telling her he loved her could all be a fake - a projection she had come up with to console herself. 

School was starting again. What if Draco would begin hating her again with the start of it? What if he already did?

Much against her better judgment, that night Astrid found herself tiptoeing down the cold corridors, heading for the room quite far from hers. She did not know what she would say, she didn't know if there was anything to say, but she had to do something. Even if it was just to see his face again before she headed off to bed, Astrid had to make sure.

These feelings are ridiculous, Ash. Just look at your stupidly insecure self. Wouldn't it be better to just have none?

Luckily, she met nobody when walking the corridors this late at night, nothing but a flimsy nightgown hiding her body. Had she encountered another predatory deatheater, a nervous breakdown would've been inevitable.

Astrid's heart sped up a little when she raised her hand to knock on his door. Light shone from the gap under it, so she knew the boy was up. Though when she tried to push the door open, she concluded it was locked. She stood, rocking from one foot to the other and waited.

When the door opened, out of instinct Astrid smiled. She noticed Draco's eyes flicker downwards momentarily to take in her clothing before he looked back into her eyes, expression unreadable and jaw firmly set. 

"Hi," Astrid's smile grew into a half-smirk. Draco's eyes remained firmly planted onto hers.

Personally, she did not see anything at all that appealing in her sleepwear but she supposed boys' brains worked differently. 

"Hey." It sounded more like a question than anything. Why they were still standing in the doorway was beyond her.

Astrid shook her head and pushed past the lad to get into his room. His suitcase lay in one corner of the room, opened and very much in the process of packing. She thought of what to say as the idea of clothes still danced in her mind.

"I have a bet," Astrid declared as she plumped down on the lad's bed, turning to face him while she rested back against her hands. 

"We haven't had one of those in a while," Draco uttered somewhat distractedly.

"We challenge one another to who's going to be the better dressed tomorrow."

"And how do we determine that?"

"Attention."

Draco shook his head. "What's the prize?"

Astrid smirked and leaned back a little. 

"Me." 

Draco tried to not give a reaction, but something flickered in his eyes anyway. Astrid laughed, sitting right back up.