As It Was *Complete*

34. My Hero

Astra was made to stay in the hospital for four days before she was allowed her freedom. Draco spent every lunch time and every evening with her, helping her with her homework and copying his class notes for her. He never left her side and even brought her books to read and her little notebook to write in.

Maddi and the others visited every evening as well and would play games and fill her in on how everyone's lifestyle classes had gone. Lucky for her, she got to miss the sex ed class as it was being taken by Mr Brennan and Snape was supervising. Having a sex ed class with your father present was a little more than Astra could take.

Hermione and Ron had even visited twice. Once after the news broke out to tell her that they believed her and that Harry felt terrible for what he did and had not left his room. Astra was a little surprised to find that she didn't actually care. Harry himself had tried to visit, every day since he found out the news, but Astra would not see him. She couldn't see him. He had hurt her too much and she was always too quick to forgive.

Between Draco never leaving her side, Blaise and Theo acting like body guards and the actually real body guards that there now were in Hogwarts in the form of teachers, Aurors, Order Members etc walking around, news of her attack had quickly spread and she was suddenly the popular girl in school.

She bloody hated it.

"Ready for your first day of school?" Draco asked smiling as he walked into the Hospital wing that morning after haven taken all her possessions back to her dorm. He wouldn't even hear of her helping him. Instead, he made her wait at the doors while he headed off and then he came back to escort her to breakfast.

"I am glad to be out of the hospital," she admitted. "Madame Pomfrey is lovely but she keeps waiting for me to break down or something. I am not as fragile as everyone seems to think I am." She sighed and went to walk on only Draco took her elbow and swung her around to face him.

"No one thinks you are fragile. You have proved to everyone in this school just how strong you really are. It's dead annoying actually," he said as they continued walking. "I am going to have to find something else to insult you about."

"Well I am glad I can keep you on your toes. I am sure these last few days have been awful without me to annoy and slag off."

Draco smirked. "Actually they have been delightful. I didn't have to listen to your whiny voice or smell your jasmine perfume everywhere I went."

"If you smelt my perfume everywhere you went before my accident, then you were clearly stalking me," she raised her eyebrow.

"Well, I am glad to see you are back to your annoying self. I was beginning to miss you...sort of." He chuckled.

This was the banter Astra loved. Insulting each other and being as sarcastic as possible. She needed this after the emotional shit show she had been through.

They headed down the steps and into the Great Hall as all eyes moved to watch them both. The whole hall went quiet as she entered. She could see Harry head shooting up over Ron's and his whole face change expression. She really didn't want to speak to him. He was rising out of his seat as she turned to Draco. "Any chance I can eat with you?"

Draco smiled. "Come on, loser," he laughed and put his hand on her back, directing her to the end of the Slytherin table to where Blaise was sitting looking at his porridge in disgust as Pansy fed Theo grapes while sitting on his knee.

"Astra!" She squeaked as she stood up and hugged the girl. Blaise and Theo mirroring her actions.

"It's good to see you angel," Blaise smiled.

"It's good to be seen out of the hospital. Thank you," she smiled. "For coming to visit me every evening. I really appreciated it."

"Of course," Pansy smiled.