Astoria → Draco Malfoy

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

"like you don't even exist"

Astoria dropped off their notes in the common room before she met Theo again in the hallway.

"Let's go see if she'll have us." Theo said, picking up the pace and leading her up to the Heads Common Room. "Oh Hermione," he called out before they were even at the door.

"She can't even hear you Theo," Astoria walked up to the door again, "now you can know, but she might be busy."

"Thank you, I couldn't do it without your permission." He rolled his eyes at her, knocking gently at the door. "Hermione," he knocked again, "are you there?"

It barely took her a second to open up the door, her face looking worried as soon as she saw the pair. "Everything okay?" She beckoned them inside gently, "has something happened? Do I need to worry? Should I get a Professor?"

"No, sorry Hermione!" Astoria sat down, "we just actually wanted another lesson, if you were free?"

"I-," she paused, biting her lip, "I had planned on some revision, but you could have one go each on the Boggart? You know, there isn't too long left until our exams now."

Theo nodded eagerly, "please!"

"Get the chocolate ready Hermione," joked Astoria, pulling out her wand, "who first?"

Theo stepped forward, volunteering himself, "me please."

"Right, same as last time, strong memory, wand circles, incantation. Really feel the memory, let yourself get lost in it, and then say the words, loud and clear." She nodded at him, motioning him to step forwards.

Theo nodded, pulling out his wand, "got it Hermione." He closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself dip into his memory before he fully immersed himself. He let himself smell the fresh pine, hear the roaring fire, feel the warm glow against his skin. "Open the chest," he instructed her, moving his wand in small circles at first, before they grew wider and wider as he saw the hooded figure creep out of the box with a quiet moan. "Strong memory," he reminded himself, breathing in deeply. Once the Dementor was at its peak, heading straight for him, he opened his mouth and yelled, "Expecto Patronum." He screamed it at the top of his lungs, and when the thin white light came out of his wand, he thought he might have broken it, but the light grew and grew, pushing the Dementor away, pressing it back into the chest.

"Holy fuck! That was a proper thing wasn't it." He peered into the chest, "I just did that. That was all me."

Astoria clapped, "Theo you did it!"

"If you did that kind of Protean Charm to one of the Dementors on the grounds, I think you would be perfectly safe Theo." Hermione patted him on the back, "still want some chocolate?" She brandished a bar from her pocket, Theo taking it instantly.

"It's a reward this time, rather than a remedy." He chomped down onto the bar, "delicious," he exclaimed as he took a seat on the sofa. "Your turn Astoria. The master has already done his thing, I'm sure you learnt something from it."

She rolled her eyes, "you are too cocky Theo, far too cocky." But part of her felt equally confident, she had already been able to produce a Protean Charm, and it had even started to take animal form. She was making progress with every lesson. It felt almost natural that she would be able to do better than Theo.

Astoria pulled out her wand, getting it into position. Sand, salty air, rose perfume. She let it all crash down on her in waves, each breath making the memory stronger, she could even hear her mothers melodic voice humming a sweet lullaby. "Bring it on." She took a deep breath as Hermione opened up the chest again, calming herself as she saw the Boggart crawling out, it's bony fingers clasping at the edges. "Expecto Patronum!" She called out, her voice loud enough to almost stun the Boggart and turn it away. From the tip of her wand, the silvery light shot out, wrapping itself around the Dementor before returning to the tip of her wand, forming a small body, a tail, and a pointed nose. Her Patronus ran at the Dementor for a moment before retreating, turning itself back into a ball of light until it slammed the chest shut.

"It's a fox," she said quietly, smiling at the image.

"That is a proper Patronus, the whole thing." Theo looked taken aback, "you definitely deserve some chocolate for that!"

Hermione offered her a bar, Astoria happily taking it in her hands and taking a bite. "I would say that was well deserved."

"Thank you," her cheeks went rosy, but she let it happen. She had done something incredible, something that at the beginning of the year, she would never have expected, she would never have even thought possible, but she had done.

"What's your Patronus?" Theo asked Hermione inquisitively, crossing his legs.

Hermione smiled at him, "an otter." She uttered the spell, watching as a small otter began jumping around the room, darting between the furnishings and leaving a trail of silvery glow behind it.

"That's incredible," Astoria said as she traced it around the room. It was though she was viewing life in full colour, and her Patronus was barely monotone compared. With a quick move of her wand, the otter faded away, it's silvery trail vanishing behind it.

Both Theo and Astoria smiled at Hermione, giving her their deepest thanks before they made their way back towards the common room

"Astoria," He began quietly, pausing in his tracks.

"Theo." She mimicked him.

He gulped, as though he were scared to speak, "what do you think about? I mean, you don't have to tell me of course, I've just been wondering."

"I'm at the beach, with my mum before she passed. She's singing a lullaby, she's stroking my hair, I can smell her rose perfume mixing with the salty air. I can feel the sand under my body, slowly sinking into it. It's one of the only things I remember about my mother, but its good, and its enough." She let herself get lost in the memory again, lost so strongly she felt as though she could cast a Patrons right that second. "What do you think about?" She knew Theo had no fond memories of his childhood, in fact he actively tried to avoid reminders of it.

"Christmas, just a few months ago. I can smell the Christmas tree, I can feel the fire against my skin. I remember the sound of wrapping paper ripping, and getting a present, for the first time in Merlin knows how long. I think of my friends."

Astoria felt a cosy feeling growing within her, the past few months, she had really felt at home. Her friends had become her new family, especially Theo, he felt just like an annoying big brother. For once, she felt protected by everyone around her. She lifted her arms up, pulling him into a hug.

"Oh, okay." He wriggled at first, squirming awkwardly but eventually, he let himself settle. "This is actually quite nice."

Astoria felt him smile into her, letting the weight of his body relax.
"We all having a hug here?" The pair broke apart to see Draco, stood with his hands on his hips, "Theo, it's your turn with the map again. But- I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." He shifted the weight between his feet uncomfortably.

"You want one?" Theo dragged Draco into a hug, squeezing him tightly, before releasing him and taking the map from his grasp. "Again, wonderful." He said once he had pulled away, "I've got to try this again." He darted off towards the common room, ready to disturb the other Slytherin students with his shiny new toy.

"What was that again?" Draco glanced at Theo gallivanting away from them, "should I be concerned?"

"I think-, I think Theo's happy."

"Really, with-"

Astoria cut him off, "we let him be. I think we just let him be. Anyway" she turned back to him, "I wanted to talk to you..about that kiss."

Draco groaned, "oh, okay."

"What does it mean? Where do we go from here?"

He paused, "I think, it means whatever you want it to. It can be nothing, or it can be something. I don't want to pressure you into anything you aren't ready for, and maybe, I don't think any of us are ready just yet."

Astoria was almost glad he had said that, "someday Draco, I think someday."

"I'll be waiting."