Dead Girl Walking (Draco x Astoria)

Chapter 36 - Innocent?

Astoria heard Draco call for her outside their room. Quickly, she made finishing touches before she put on her coat and beanie, walking out the door.

"Cyrus is already down the stairs." Draco said, holding out his hand for her. She took it as they walked down.

It had been almost two weeks since the trial, the three of them had made plans to go down to Diagon Alley to pick up things for Cyrus— such as school material, books, and some new clothes.

"I think we should apparate." Astoria suggested.

Draco thought for a moment. "Carriage?"

"Too far." Astoria thought again.

Draco agreed. "You're right. I wouldn't want you to be bombarded."

"Floo?" Cyrus blurted up at them. They both looked down at him.

Astoria smiled. "Where's your fireplace Draco?" He nodded, pulling her along gently as they followed him.

On the other side, Astoria held Draco and Cyrus' hand tightly as she tried to keep her head down. Draco made it a point to quickly make their way to the library to first buy some books.

Astoria was grateful at how quiet and secluded it was. She walked down the isle slowly by herself, dragging her fingertips over the spines and reading each title carefully.

She heard some muffled talk in the next isle, and she stopped walking, standing in place to eavesdrop.

"That book?" She heard Draco say.

Astoria carefully moved a book to the side to see. She saw Cyrus nod. Draco reached to the top shelf and brought down the book for him.

"Get as much as you can. I expect we won't be coming here much for a while after."

"But I overheard you and Blaise talking about how you two were planning to go out tomorrow night with everyone. Isn't that dangerous for you and Astoria?"

"Except we're going to Muggle London." Draco paused. "She'll like that, right?"

Cyrus shrugged. "If she's with you, I guess." He looked back to the books in front of them.

"And you." Draco assured.

"She looks happier with you than me."

"Are you crazy?" Draco asked. "She can't stop talking about you. Always wanting you to be safe— she was a mess when she found out your parents had started tampering with your own food."

There was a quiet pause, as Draco looked at Cyrus.

"So, are you leaving after I go to bed?"

Draco looked confused. "You're coming with us. Unless you don't want to?"

"Okay. I do want to." Cyrus looked up at him.

"Good." Draco smiled, rubbing his shoulder. Astoria smiled, walking down the isle more, where she bumped into Draco. He looked down the isle and saw Cyrus distracted, dragging Astoria along to a different isle as she giggled.

"Muggle London?" She asked as they stopped in an isle. He had his back against the shelf— and the isle was so small that when she stood in front of him there was barely any space. He only looked at her with a faint smile, his hands behind his back.

"You know, I think he likes you." She said.

Draco nodded. "I would hope so. It must be hard losing all your family in a day. Especially at his age."

Astoria nodded, looking at the shelf he leaned on. She saw a visible newspaper about to fall off. She had avoided them for the past two weeks, but she had reluctantly grabbed it as Draco watched her.

Astoria looked at the front page, many pictures of her and Draco floating around. "Where did they even get some of these?" She mumbled, flipping the page to read. Before she could read anything else he took the paper for himself and started to look. He hummed, flicking through and skimming.

"Lovers or manipulation?" He flicked again. "Death eater, or innocent?" He looked up at her through his eyelashes, starting to laugh— and she started to laugh with him.

"Don't pay any mind to those," she took the paper from him and folded it away as she leaned forward onto his body.

"What do you think?" He asked as his hands rested on her waist. She looked up at him. "Am I innocent?"

She didn't miss a beat, didn't contemplate. "Of course you are. Everyone knows your story. Well, they should."

He looked at her gratefully.

"And we are lovers." Astoria leaned her head against his chest as she slowly slid the left sleeve of his coat up. It was as good as new.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not physically."

She pulled it down again, and looked up at him. Astoria planted a few kisses onto his lips.

"I love kissing you." He admitted.

One more soft kiss to his cheek, she told him that they should be going now. The next hour they had been navigating through the back alleys, and Astoria was grateful they didn't take long as they got back way before dinner.

Astoria and Draco were up in Cyrus' room helping him unpack and place his many new things. She had put the radio on as they did.

"You love to read, don't you?" Draco asked as he tried fitting the last book on his shelf. "We'll have to make you a bigger shelf."

"There's spells for that?" Cyrus asked.

"Of course there are— there's spells for everything."

Astoria began to become happy at the next song on the radio, "remember we used to dance to this all the time Cyrus. You and your eccentric moves!" She giggled.

Cyrus shyly laughed. "I'm still too short to spin you around. But one day I won't be."

"I'll always be taller than you." She smiled, folding the last bit of clothes she had. Astoria made her way to in front of the shelf, taking Cyrus' hand. He took it embarrassingly— as every younger brother would, and started dancing with her in the middle. Before the spin, she bent down a little so he could successfully do it. Before the next spin, she saw Draco walk closer to them, and he bent down to lift Cyrus up.

She laughed loudly with them as he had now been able to spin her with ease. The song had ended, and when Astoria turned around to them she saw Cyrus up on Draco's shoulders.

"Be careful!" She said.

"He's light, don't worry." Draco laughed, spinning around— causing Cyrus to hold his head in a panic.

"Cyrus! Covering Draco's eyes won't do you any good!" Astoria stressed— but they still kept on laughing. Eventually and to Astoria's pleasure, he had been let down.

"That was silly." She chuckled.

"Oh it's fine Astoria," Cyrus said. "It was fun! I can't wait to be that tall!" Her little brother had ran off to the bathroom, and she saw Draco take out his hand for her.

She smiled as the radio was turned up, and they danced gracefully around the room together until the song ended— her head on his chest, unable to wipe the smile off her face.