One Shots

My Light in the Darkness

Summary/Exposition:

After the incident at Malfoy Manor, when Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dean, Luna, Mr. Ollivander and Griphook escaped, the families in the house were trapped inside. Draco spends a lot of time alone and the younger sister of one of his classmates takes to sitting with him.

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Astoria pushed the door open slowly, checking constantly behind her to make sure no one could see where she was going. Not even the portraits. Portraits could hear her, betray her, and she couldn't be caught. Being caught would probably get her killed at this point. The Dark Lord and his fanatics were so worried about the possibility of losing the war that they would kill on sight rather than risk a traitor. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to help the person who couldn't help himself.

Draco wasn't a traitor. He just wasn't loyal. Astoria wasn't sure where his opinions sat, but she felt almost drawn to him. It wasn't that she had feelings for him, but she understood him. She understood the part of the war where she didn't have a choice as to who they fought for. She understood his desperation not to lose his family, next to his desperation not to hurt people. She understood him.

She shut the door behind herself, wincing slightly as it clicked shut. The cupboard was deeper than it appeared to be from the outside, but they had magic. Enlarging rooms really wasn't particularly difficult.
"Draco," she called.

No reply came and she walked through the cupboard, peering behind the remains of a bookshelf. Sure enough, Draco was sat there, staring at the wall. He didn't look up as she sat down next to him, smiling gently.
"Surprise to find you here," she murmured.
"It's quiet."
"Is that a good thing?"
"I can think."

Astoria nodded, taking his hand gently. He didn't stop her and she squeezed it, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"It's going to be okay," she said quietly. "You know that?"
"If we ever leave this house."
"He needs your aunt," Astoria knew better than to say the madwoman's name. "He'll let us out once his tempers cooled a little."
"You're very confident."

Astoria shrugged, looking up at him. She was much shorter and it seemed that, no matter the setting, Draco was able to look down at her. Not that she minded.
"What do you want to do with your life?" she asked, not sure where the question had come from.
"Do I get a choice?"
"If this wasn't happening," Astoria said. "If you could choose anything, what would you do?"
"I don't know," Draco admitted. "I never gave it much thought. It's not much use."
"Do you believe that?" Astoria frowned. "I would have thought that you'd have faith that we might get through this and have a decision that's ours to make."
"I know how my life goes," Draco muttered. "If we win, I'll end up working for the Ministry, or whatever it evolves into. If we lose, we all end up in Azkaban."
"Am I included in that 'we'?" Astoria asked, despite knowing it was a stupid question to ask.
"We're fighting this war."
"I'm trying not to."
"He could kill you for saying that, if I ever told anyone else."
"Two things," Astoria smiled. "First thing: He wouldn't kill me. I'm not that important. It would probably be your aunt. Second thing: you're not going to tell anyone."
"How do you know that?"
"Because you feel vaguely the same way as I do. You're searching for a light. You're trying to work out how not to lose the people you care about but you know you don't want anything else to do with this 'cause'."
"I'm not searching for light," Draco looked away, taking his hand from hers.
"You very much are," Astoria said. "And don't deny it. You are sat, hiding in a cupboard, behind a bookcase. You are searching for a light."
"I'm not," Draco insisted. "I have a light."
"What is it?"
"A person," Draco mumbled, suddenly almost silent.
"Oh."

Astoria stayed silent after that. She didn't want to push Draco further than he already appeared to have been pushed. She knew it wasn't easy. She knew they were all struggling.

They stayed silent for a few minutes and then Draco took her hand again, holding it more tightly than he had before. She let him, leaning into him again and staring up at the ceiling of the cupboard. She shivered and Draco put his arm around her. His hands were cold but she didn't say. His touch was surprisingly comforting in a way that she was unaware that she needed. She knew she wasn't alone in feeling alone, and that made neither of them alone. Which was what she needed.

She didn't know what time it was, and she wasn't sure how long they could get away with hiding the back of a cupboard, but she wasn't going to hurry Draco. He looked calm for the first time in possibly months and that comforted her somewhat.
"How many people are still looking for a light?" she said quietly.
"Not many people here," Draco muttered. "They're in the light."
"No darkness at all?"
"Even if there is," Draco shrugged, "it doesn't make a difference. Not at the moment, anyway."
"The darkness grows," Astoria nodded. "The darkness grows until it swallows the light and then you have to look for a new light."
"Astoria."
"Yes?"

Draco looked at her and she smiled, somewhat shyly. He placed his hand on her cheek and she leaned into his palm, surprised at herself.
"You are my light," he whispered. "You are my light in the darkness."

Astoria felt her stomach flutter and she giggled slightly, before frowning at her own reaction.
"Sorry," she mumbled. "I..."
"Don't apologise," Draco smiled. Properly. "We're alone. Be you."
"Thank you," Astoria mumbled.
"What's your light?" Draco asked quietly. "Sorry. Bit too personal."
"It's fine," Astoria said. "I – I think it changes. But right now? Right now it's knowing that I am not alone. I...I needed that."

She took a deep breath and leaned forward, kissing him on the cheek gently. He kissed her cheek and they retreated slightly. She fell into him again as he wrapped his arms around her, letting her bury her head in his chest.
"If we find enough light," Astoria murmured, "do you think we could fight the darkness?"