a christmas break | draco malfoy - 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃

17

"Alright, I ate it all."

Astera turned around, looking at the empty plate on the small table in front of the fire. She put down the object she was observing, trying to contain a smile on her face. Draco had accepted her request to eat it all, in hopes she'd read to him.

"See, that wasn't so hard." she said sitting herself down next to him.

"Actually, it was agonizing."

Draco gave her a look, his dark circles scaring her more than his attitude. Even on his death bed, Draco found a way to sass her and annoy her as much as he could.

"I want to ask you something," he said, turning his head. His fingers played with the material of the blanket Astera brought for him, twirling a piece of string, "Uh, why did you come here? Did someone send you?"

"No, I came on my own," she said, "I mean, you haven't come out of here for 4 days. I just... wanted to check up on you..?"

"Alright," Draco nodded, "Why?"

Astera looked away slowly, turning her head elsewhere. The words that Dumbledore had told her replayed in her head. They had given her courage and inspiration to be better. She saw the good in people very easily, but for Draco it was harder. Seeing the bad in him was like telling her to finish a 500 page book in a day; extremely easy. To her, he was a challenge and she never backed down from one. She wanted to challenge herself, as well as him, to break out of that evil shell of his. She knew Draco was more than just a tyrant, a bully. Because, he wasn't really a tyrant. It was just a bad choice .

"Well... I don't really have an answer to that," she said quietly, watching Draco's lip curl into his mouth slightly, "I know, it is weird because I, somehow, always seem to have the answer, but... I don't now."

Draco kept quiet, ultimately telling her to gather her thoughts and speak herself without actually doing so.

"I guess it's because I, um, would like to... Be your friend, maybe?"

Draco looked at her, not totally believing her. She didn't believe herself either, yet her statement wasn't fully a lie. She did want to befriend him. He was unknown to her and she wanted to learn him, to examine him and study him.

"You do hear yourself right?" he asked in disbelief, "Or are you just choosing not to?"

"Yes, I hear myself."

"I've heard a lot of crap in my life come from people, but you must be the worst mutton head I've met." Draco said, pinching the bridge of his nose in hopes to release the tension from his headache.

Astera raised her brows, lowered her head and slightly gasped, "Well sorry for trying to be nice? Have you been so stuck up in here that you forgot good people exist?"

Her voice grew a little louder, angry at the fact that he was still acting like an egotistical bully.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lilith. Not all of us live in a fairytale," he said, scrunching his nose as he talked, "Tell me, what's it like in your world? Do you run around the castle with your dress whilst servants wish you a Good Morning every day?"

"Obviously, no. But, tell me, Draco, do people treat you so bad that you have to put your misery on others? Or is that just another one of your complexes because of your difficult life?"

When they fought, Astera saw it as a moment to speak everything she's bottled up about him. As much as she wanted to help him, she wanted to hold him accountable. Sure, Draco's choices were wrong and mostly controlled, but she knew deep down Draco had a small enjoyment of them.

With a scoff, he turned his head, "Get out."

"Oh, so you can cuss me out behind my back?" she said, sitting more to the front of the couch to see him better.

"No, so I don't set you on fire if you don't shut up."

They kept going forward and the backward. Just when Astera thought she had got Draco to open up, even just a smidge, he would close up again.

"I'm not leaving," she said, getting a look from him, "Besides, I promised I'd read to you," she held out her wand, using the Accio spell and getting the book in her hand, "and I don't break promises."

Draco didn't look at her, his anger imagining all the things he could do to her, wanting to hurt her for using such hurtful words. But, then again, he wasn't any better.

"Can I start?" she asked, turning the pages of the book to find the correct chapter. She expected an answer, but also didn't, knowing he wouldn't let his crown fall, "During the winter time, the lonely Dragon missed the Dragon fly, not understanding why she had left him without a thought or a reason."

Draco's ears became interested, turning his head to try and look at the pictures, but not quite being able to since she was on the other end of the couch. Astera noticed from the corner of her eye, a sigh escaping her lips as she moved closer, breaking the barrier between them. Draco looked at her like a child, noticing how she moved slightly closer to him, turning the book so he could see the moving pictures.

"Is that the Dragon's den?"

"Mhm," she hummed, nodding her head, "Once the spring came, the Dragon searched for his friend endlessly, crossing oceans and flying over villages, calling out to find her. Little did the Dragon know, his friend was already at his den, wondering where he had flown off to."

Astera continued reading, letting her anger slowly ooze out of her. She didn't like holding onto anger or grudges; they made her feel sick and wrong. But sometimes, she did. And while she felt awful for it, she wasn't sorry about it.

Draco had put his legs on the table, stretching out the blanket and letting some of it fall to the floor. He had a pillow in his arms, hugging it close to his chest as his head rested against the backseat of the couch. His eyes scanned over the pages, trying to take in as much details as possible. It felt like he was watching a film as the pictures moved, softly narrated by her. Although he was tired, he didn't want to sleep. He wanted to listen to her read, he wanted to know the story and the plot.

Astera let out a slight yawn as she read, her eyes threatening to close on her. She blinked a few times, shaking her head to wake herself up and focus on reading. When Draco noticed how her voice became smaller and quieter, he raised his head, tilting it to get a better look at her. Going unnoticed, Draco was able to see her red cheeks from the burning fire as well as her watery eyes from the yawning. She had a tired look on her face.

He sat up better, his hands hesitantly going towards the book. Her voice faded out as his hands closed the book, getting a look of confusion thrown his way.

"What're you doing?" she asked, another yawn threatening to escape her mouth.

"Go to your dorm." he said, getting up and folding the blanket quickly. When he noticed she wasn't moving, Draco spoke again, "What are you looking at me for? Do you want me to carry you or something?"

She rolled her eyes at his sarcastic tone, running a hand through her hair, "No, thanks. You'd drop me anyway."

Draco gave her a funny nod, agreeing with her statement. He walked off to another side of the common room, expecting her to have already left. Even when he came back from his dormitory to return the blanket to his bed, she was still here. Except, she had fallen asleep. Astera had curled up, her knees to her chest as she laid her head on the soft pillow. Her body grew warmer from the fire, a golden colour on her face.

Draco stared for a moment, licking his dry lips. He took out the wand from his pocket, flicking it and throwing the blanket he had summoned on top of her. He inhaled through his nostrils, wondering what had gotten in to him. He never gave anyone a blanket. Much less a girl. Much less her.

He headed to the dormitory, pulling the covers over himself and turning on his side. He stared through the windows for a moment, letting a heavy exhale leave his body.

"Night, Lilith."
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i will soon be posting a "chapter" with songs i reccomend listening to while reading. sort of like a playlist. i hope you enjoy x