Dead Girl Walking (Draco x Astoria)

Chapter 3 - Rudeness

Astoria had slowly come to resent her family these past few years. She wished they had tried in finding a cure for her, even though, it was centuries ago when the curse was put on her ancestor, she wished her mother or father at least tried. But she guessed with her perfectly healthy elder sister and younger brother, she did not matter in this equation.

Keeping herself occupied was the key, and Daphne couldn't understand why Astoria would even trouble herself as to work in the library beside Madame Pince, but unbeknownst to her sister, Astoria actually did a few jobs around the castle for pay, as she hoped she didn't have to rely too much on her rich family after graduation, or have them burdened with her, and the headmistress was so kind as to understand, and allow her to do it.

In the late afternoon, Astoria opened her letter sent by her mother, informing her another kind pureblood family had donated for her cause, all the way from Spain. It has been reiterated multiple times, that there was no cure for her, so her mother would simply send half, or a quarter of the money instead, and keep the rest for the others.

A packaged order had also been sent in, for Blaise Zabini who had been looking for a book that was not found in the library. She held the book carefully in her hands and walked up to him beside his friends, Malfoy and Nott.

"This is the book you ordered, isn't it Blaise?" She showed it out towards him, and after reading the title in a few seconds, he took it carefully. "Thank you, it is." He opened the cover as she walked off. As she left, she was the topic of their discussion.

"I feel terrible for her, why does she offer to work in her condition?" Theo mumbled as he rested his head on his hand, watching her walk off. "I should talk to her more often, I regret I haven't."

Blaise closed his book. "I guess nothings the same since last year. Barely any of us pureblood families talk anymore."

"Detestable. The war is not as sad as everyone makes it out to be. We lived, we should move on." Draco leaned back in his seat, yawning.

Theo ignored Draco, going back to his earlier point. "I shall make it a point to converse with old friends."

At dinner that night, with Astoria's plate already happily played by Daphne, she ate quietly with Ella in front of her, and a few minutes later, Theo had come to sit beside Ella with his plate. "Sorry, we weren't properly introduced, were we? Theodore Nott." He took his hand out for her to shake, and the blonde girl happily obliged to shake.

"Ella Polarwright." She spoke a bit eagerly, but he gave her a pretty smile nonetheless.

"Astoria, hello." He greeted, and she smiled back in greeting, going back to her food. A few minutes had passed, and not a word was said amongst them, and he had soon become hopeless, remembering that this was harder than he knew it was to be.

"Astoria, I was wondering," she brought her attention to him, "what book did Blaise order? He won't lend it to me until after he is finished, and it seems quite interesting."

Astoria looked at him with a confused glance. "It was a book for our History of Magic and Literature class, I thought you weren't in that class?"

Theo's eyes had panicked slightly. "Well, yes, but, I do care a lot about, er, literature. Even though I don't take the class, I can still take a care for it?"

Astoria shook her head, "No, of course you can— I was just wondering."

"Well.." Theo pushed his plate to the side a little. Ella looked on a little curiously. "Do you like your job.. at the library?"

Astoria put her fork down and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I do. I don't mind it, if it's for extra money anyway." She smiled, going back to look at her plate. Theo had become lost in thought about this. Extra money, he wondered, whatever for? When her family was very well off? He decided not to think too much about it or to meddle.