𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝗼𝐧 | 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝑋𝑉 - 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀

"We should fuck with Harry and Crew," Draco whispered, his wound bandaged up. Astria shook her head at him, looking up to watch the false starry sky on the ceiling. Sage smiled at the younger girl next to her, running a hand through her hair warmly.

"Splendid idea, wait until they look," Pansy grinned, nodding towards the golden trio, and sending her friends a wink. Her voice was playful, much less heavy than seconds before when they spoke about Draco's injury, and the horrid fate that will come to be when the school notifies his father.

Only seconds passed, and predictably Harry glanced their way, "Does it hurt terribly Draco?" Pansy fluttered her eyelashes, in Astrias opinion she spoke rather suspiciously loud, and based on the look Blaise was wearing, he agreed.

The Gryffindor of the group giggled softly at the show her friend was putting on, leaning just a bit more on Sage. But Draco on the other had contorted his face into fake pain, sighing ever dramatically.

"It comes and goes," He made direct eye contact with the chosen one, "still consider myself lucky. According to Madam Pomfrey, another minute or two... and I could've lost the arm," Everyone sitting around him knew this to be untrue, it most definitely would have been worse, but not enough to lose the whole arm.

Lysandra gave him a very obvious thumbs up, encouraging the act. They watched as the golden trio huffed in annoyance, turning to more than likely complain about Draco and all the kids around him.

They all laughed, eyes glinting. It was always nice to witness her friends like this. Humor filling their damaged eyes, instead of memories that follow them like ghosts. It made Astria wish she could give them this all the time. If she could, the girl would give them the world. She would give anyone she loves the world, no matter what it took. No matter if it was the skin and bones off her back. She would do anything for her people. And these were her people. Lysandra included, who was working her way into Astrias heart with her one-liners and bright smiles.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ginny and Luna approaching, eyes playing a game of who could gaze at the other the longest before they noticed. And as if, on cue, Ace and Neville appeared through the doors, scanning the large room before noticing their friends, and walking over. Eyes playing the same game as the girls. Astria let a little laugh out at the two sets of friends.

"What's so funny sunshine?" Blaise raised his eyebrows, drawing the group's attention to her like flies to honey.

She tilted her head to the side, looking back up at the ceiling, eyes dreamy and movements floaty, "Them," Astria hummed, pointing in the area the four kids were coming towards the group of 6.

The others didn't get it right away, but Sage and Lysandra let out an airy laugh, "Yes look at those friends," Sage spoke, her voice tinged with its strong Nigerian accent.

The other Slytherins seemed to get it after that, "Hmm yes, friends," Draco rolled his eyes. He always found people dancing around each other, even though both people have feelings, exhausting to watch. Which Astria decided had something to do with his detached emotions or his short tolerance of bullshit. Probably both.

Ginny came and sat down on the table, on the other end of the group, across from Astria and Sage. Luna followed suit, sitting between her friend's legs, back leaning against Ginny's chest. And as if she didn't even have to think about it, the redhead lopped her hands around the blonde waist.

Yeah, friends. She thought, and it looked like the thought echoed through everyone else's heads, for they all grew mirroring smirks.

Ace and Neville showed up seconds later, giving questioning looks at all the very poorly hidden smirks, and unlike the two girls before them, they sat next to each other on the bench, a reasonable distance between them. But their eyes never stopped playing that game.