Sweets: The Tale of Astoria Greengrass

In the Hall of Mountain Kings

Astoria felt slightly uncomfortable in the lacy black dress her sister had given her. It showed more skin than she would've preferred. She and Daphne Apparated to the outside of the iron-wrought gates. The iron morphed together to create a great and hideous face.

"Who goes there?" the voice demanded.

"It's me, Daphne! I brought my sister!" Daphne shouted.

The iron was silent for a moment, then it melted away, and the gates swung open. Tall hedges surrounded the property, and albino peacocks strutted on the lawn. Astoria kept close to Daphne. Malfoy Manor looked as foreboding as she remembered. The moors always had clouds rolling over them, making the sky look like the lid of a tomb. An eerie violet glow swallowed the entire landscape.

About halfway to the manor, Draco exited and stood on the front porch. Dressed in all black, he might've completely blended in if it weren't for his white-blonde hair and pale skin. He looked even sicklier against all the black to Astoria. There was no color, no light in the forsaken moors.

His eyes looked her up and down, and seemed to linger at Astoria's down longer than she would have liked. His gray eyes then met her brown ones.

"You look nice, Astoria," he said.

"Thank you, you as well," she lied.

"And striking as always, Daphne," he said, turning to her sister.

Daphne smiled coyly. "Don't let Pansy hear you say that."

"I'd rather not think of that tonight," he said exhaustedly.

"Alright then," Daphne said. "I'm going to chat with your mother, if that's alright. I'll leave you two alone to do whatever it is you want."

With that, Daphne sashayed past them, leaving Draco and Astoria on the porch. Astoria could feel the butterflies in her tummy and electricity at her fingertips as they took each other in for a moment.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Astoria asked.

"I wanted to show you my own collection," Draco admitted.

"Of muggle artifacts?" Astoria asked, raising her eyebrows. "I honestly hadn't thought you the type!"

"Not exactly," Draco said quickly. He glanced over his shoulder, then back to Astoria. "They're magical things."

Astoria shook off her mild disappointment. "Alright then. Sounds like fun."

He had a funny look of relief. "So you don't mind?"

"No," she said. "Show me."

"Alright then," he said. He guided her up several flights of stairs and down winding hallways. Then, finally, he stood in front of French doors, and flung them open. Down an empty hallway were several glass cases of sinister-looking artifacts.

"Draco, what is this?" Astoria asked.

"I told you, it's my artifact collection," he said. Astoria took a deep breath, steeling herself, and approached the first glass case. Within it was a rotted-looking hand.

"A Hand of Glory," Draco said. "I've used it myself."

"Draco!" Astoria cried. "Do you know how they make those?"

"I should hope so," he said. His expression read as uninterested but there was fire in those gray eyes, ready to devour all information. "I've wanted one ever since I was eleven years old."

Astoria couldn't control her face- it contorted into a disgusted grimace, and she backed away from that cabinet, and went to the next one. This was a piece of dark wood.

"It's the last piece of the Vanishing Cabinet I repaired," he said.

"The same one you used to let Death Eaters in to attack the school?" Astoria asked.

Suddenly, Draco looked a century older, and guiltier. "Yes. The very same."

Astoria glanced back at it. She looked back to Draco, not wanting to see the rest of the Dark Artifacts. "How can you collect this stuff, Draco? It's all so sick, so horrible!"

"How is it different from what you do?" he asked. He looked genuinely confused.

"Because the creation of muggle objects does not result in people dying or getting hurt!" Astoria cried. "All of these objects are used to hurt and kill others! How can you support that!"

"Maybe I am by paying for it," Draco admitted. "But I never claimed that I keep using them. I did while I was under the Dark Lord's service. But I don't anymore. I kept them so they wouldn't end up in the hands of someone who wouldn't know how deadly they can be."

"Oh," Astoria said. She was surprised every time that Draco showed that goodness that she only hoped and dreamed was there deep down. She wanted to believe in his goodness- but he didn't make it easy.

"Maybe you could show me the rest," she suggested shyly.

Relief, gratefulness, and curiosity filled those deep gray eyes as they continued the tour.