Deathless (Harry Potter)

Chapter 9

Agreeing to go to the Yule Ball with Draco Malfoy turned out to be a bad deal for Astoria. Somehow her luck was worse.

The news made the boys from Drumstrang only suspect her even more of some kind of evil intent. Pansy wished her dead and didn't even try to hide it. All the Slytherin girls thought she had somehow seduced Draco Malfoy, which was an absurd notion, and that she stole him from innocent and in love Pansy. They punished her for this with gossip and conspiracies about her family.

Like all gossip, word got out. Harry passed her through the hallways and wouldn't even look at her. His face was always cold, his jaw tight. He felt betrayed. Malfoy was, in a bit dramatic way to say – his enemy. They could barely stand each other. And she chose him over her best friend. Her only friend. The choice seemed more stupid with each day that passed.

Theo also seemed unhappy with the spreading news. He did try to court her, gave her a rose in class which made her face go red and she almost fainted under the stares she got. As his efforts proved pointless because there was no way to go against Malfoy and win. Theo eventually gave up on her.

In contrast, Malfoy barely gave any thought to her. He continued his everyday life as before. Barely interested in her, barely looking at her. This is why some people suspected she even made this up and lied. This only gave her reason to fear she was being played. Humiliated by Malfoy. Maybe it was all an evil plan to hurt her and thus Harry.

Maybe Malfoy wouldn't even show up. Or he will show up with Pansy. Maybe he would just leave her alone all night. She sometimes had nightmares like that as the days to the ball shortened.

The only relief was that the mean jokes stopped. Pansy would occasionally be a bitch to her, but she was careful in her words. If Astoria was really Draco's, insulting her now meant insulting him and that was something to rethink in Slytherin.

All the looks and all the whispers behind compensated and made her nervous. That's why Astoria decided to go on a walk in the snow. Autumn had already slipped away, and Winter came beautiful in white. She carried a book with her.

She passed near Hagrid's. Harry had taken her there once during her second year. Hagrid knew her from Dumbledore and mostly looked at her with curiosity, but he was never cruel to her. Neither cold like Dumbledore. He was nice to her and once called her a "sweet girl".

Tears pushed through her eyes. She wiped them aggressively as she got angry at herself. She quickened to the forest and found a nice spot to rest a little. As she took a deep breath, she heard a branch snap.

She turned in horror only to find nothing. Astoria felt silly, paranoia had taken the best of her lately. The forest was beautiful and empty mostly in this part. If you went deeper – sure, something might attack you. But this was castle territory.

"Elroy", a quiet voice spoke.

She turned and saw three boys from Drumstrang approach her. They circled her like wolves. Oh god, she realized with fear that this was an ambush.

The book fell from her hand, and she took out her wand. One of them laughed.

"We just want to talk", he said as his steps towards her gave out the lie in his words.

"I'm not what your Headmaster has told you I am", she said, her voice suddenly rusts in her throat.

"I think that only makes it easier", the boy in the middle laughed.

They were only a few steps away from her. And she realized how much taller and stronger they were. Large frames. Muscles. They all looked like that, and she figured their studies required physical training as well. How could she be a match for that?