the blood curse: a drastoria fanfiction

nerve

"she made being brave look easy, your mother." 
                            - draco malfoy (cursed child)

°

Astoria woke up to a sleeping dormitory. It was early, only five thirty in the morning according to the clock on her bedside table, but she didn't mind. Now that she knew she didn't have as much time as she would've liked, she'd decided to savor every waking moment.

Even if those moments were tinged by fatigue. She needed coffee.

Creeping out of her room, the girl took a quick shower before putting on her robes and leaving the Slytherin dormitories behind her. She was halfway across the common room when she heard a voice.

"Going somewhere?" a familiar cool drawl called from the fireplace.

"Draco?" Astoria said in disbelief, looking over at his form, which was splayed across a nearby couch. Draco Malfoy was never up this early in the morning. But then again, neither was she.

"The one and only."

"What are you doing up so early?" she asked, the contempt clear in her voice. He didn't care about her and was making no effort to. He could go to hell, for all she cared.

"What are you?" the boy parried easily, hearing her aggressive tone and choosing to ignore it. 

"I was going to go for a walk," she said shortly, her patience wearing thin.

Draco smiled sardonically. "Then I guess I am too."

A week ago, maybe even two days ago, Astoria would've been beyond pleased to be walking alone with Draco Malfoy. Not now. Realizing she had no choice as to whether or not he'd walk with her, she just glared at him and snapped, "If you must."

He stood up and fell in next to her as they walked out of the common room silently. "You're still mad at me." 

"No, I'm positively spitting rainbows, Draco. Can't you see them?" the female Slytherin snapped. 

"Fine. If you want to be mad, be mad. I don't care anyway." 

Draco's words ripped through Astoria's heart. Realizing she wasn't going to get anywhere acting like this, she decided to change gears. 

"You still haven't answered my question," Astoria said abruptly as they reached the Entrance Hall. 

Draco raised his eyebrows at her sudden change of pace. "Which one?"

Astoria sighed. "The obvious one. What were you doing up so early?"

"Pansy and I fought yesterday. She cast a nasty spell on the door of the boy's room that would repel me every time I tried to enter. I ended up sleeping on the couch."

"Serves you right," Astoria said smugly. Draco and Pansy fighting? What would that mean? Astoria internally smacked herself and forced those thoughts out of her mind. 

They entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Slytherin table. 

"Well, we've made up now," the boy responded shortly. "Let me guess: you're happy that I'm unhappy because I'm a horrible 'friend' and deserve to wallow in my sadness for the rest of my life."

Astoria's smile was not unlike that of a cheshire cat. "Who said we were ever friends?"

°

They sat in silence until breakfast appeared on their plates, which they happily used as an opportunity to ignore each other. 

"'Morning," Pansy said, yawning as she sat down on the other side of Draco and kissed him sleepily. "We have that Herbology test today, right?"

"Oh, shit," Blaise said, sitting across from the three of them. "I didn't study for that at all."

"And no one is surprised," Draco said dryly, receiving an irritated look from his friend.

"Are you ever nice?" Pansy asked him, though her tone wasn't accusatory. In contrast, it was actually worshipful. Astoria resisted the urge to vomit or roll her eyes. What did Pansy become when she was around Draco?

The boy looked at her with a straight face. "I'm nice to most adults. Those with influence, anyway," he said, eying the Hogwarts professors with a look of disdain on his face.

"You're impossible," Blaise muttered, spearing a pancake from Astoria's plate and eating it, causing the girl to wrinkle her nose at him.

"You're not much better," Draco said, leaning back. Suddenly he noticed something in the front of the Hall. He jerked his chin in that general direction. "Ooh, Potter's coming."

Astoria rolled her eyes. Draco said something to the Boy Who Lived that wasn't the least bit funny, yet all his friends laughed and sneered - except for her.

"And the Mudblood!" Draco announced grandly. The Slytherins all howled with laughter.

Astoria decided that she'd had enough. The Slytherins were out of line - as usual. Someone needed to put them in their place. To remind them that they weren't the best.

But then, who was? Astoria scanned the room, and her eyes instantly fell on the perfect person.

"Hermione!" Astoria called, drawing the girl's attention. Draco, Blaise, and Pansy all watched, open-mouthed, as Astoria walked over to the "Mudblood".

She and Hermione had been Potions partners a few times, and Astoria had always found her pleasant and helpful. Not that she could tell anyone that. And apparently, Hermione hadn't told anyone either, because Ron and Harry stood shocked, their expressions very much matching those of the Slytherins'.

"How are you?" Hermione asked brightly, eyes warm.

"Great, and you?" Astoria said, matching her tone.

"Wonderful."

"I heard that you were the only person to get a perfect score on our Potions practical exam the other day. Good job!" she said loudly. Everyone knew that Potions was the Slytherins' subject. They were supposed to get the best marks.

Well, now it was plainly obvious that they weren't.

The Gryffindor flushed. "Thanks for the compliment." Her eyes told Astoria that she fully understood what the girl was doing. Shyly, she added, "I hear the pancakes are especially good today; you'll be happy."

Across the room, but not out of earshot, Draco Malfoy decided enough was enough. This girl, this - mudblood knew more about Astoria than he did.

"Astoria," he said coolly, standing up.

"Yes?" she answered with a fake smile.

"What are you doing?"

"Chatting with my friend," the girl said, deciding to play dumb. Furrowing her eyebrows slightly, she looked at Hermione, who was holding back a smile. "Is there a problem with that?"

Draco grit his teeth. "Yes," he said, eyeing Hermione. Sounding a little strangled, he added, "Can I speak to you in private, Astoria?"