the blood curse: a drastoria fanfiction

change of heart

"if it's just you alone, you're not much of a threat." 
                                       - luna lovegood

°

Malfoy didn't leave the school, surprisingly.

°

Astoria sat by herself at breakfast the next morning, watching Draco and Pansy chatting out of the corner of her eye. 

Headmistress McGonagall stood up from her seat, causing the Great Hall to immediately quiet down. "The Icicle Ball will be next week. Dance lessons are occurring in the Great Hall from one to two thirty this afternoon. Attendance is mandatory." 

As she sat back down, the murmur of Hogwarts students returning to their gossip got louder and louder. In Astoria's mind, it seemed that they were all talking about her. Every stare in the direction of Slytherin table was meant for her. Every mention of any name that started with an "A" was obviously hers. 

It was too much. As the mass of Hogwarts students started to walk to their classes, Astoria fought her way to the front and sprinted to the girls' bathroom. The stars were reappearing, and her mind was too crowded to properly function.  

She slumped against the sink and passed out. 

°

She came to a few minutes later, her head throbbing from where it had hit the sink. Standing up fully, she splashed some cold water on her face and, noticing what looked like the edge of a Hogwarts robe in the mirror, turned around. 

Pansy Parkinson was standing behind her, looking triumphant. 

"Come here to cry?" she jeered, arms crossed across her chest. 

"No," Astoria said. "Just needed to find a place where the skies didn't darken upon your arrival. If you'll excuse me, I need to get to class." Brushing past Pansy roughly, the girl walked out into the hall, slinging her bag over her shoulder and reminding herself to faint in private next time. 

The last thing she wanted to do was give Pansy more ammunition. 

°

"We're going to learn a basic waltz," the Headmistress said as she patrolled the room in an almost Snape-like manner. "I trust that everyone will have the minimal skill required to learn it. Line up alphabetically by first name, house, and gender. Boys and girls, face each other." 

Astoria started the long line of girl Slytherins in the seventh year, hoping she wouldn't be paired with Draco. McGonagall cleared her throat as soon as everyone had assembled themselves in the preferred order, then said, "The person across from you is your partner." Astoria sighed in relief when she saw that Blaise hadn't skipped the class and would be her partner. 

"You've just saved my life," she whispered to him as they tried to waltz around the room. She ignored Draco dancing perfectly with Millicent in the corner of her eye. "I would've been with Draco if you'd skipped."

"I wasn't going to skip," the Italian boy said, looking highly offended. Astoria raised her eyebrows. "Fine. I was, but McGonagall caught me. Sometimes I really can't stand her-"

"Stop! Stop dancing!" Professor McGonagall was in the front of the room, looking slightly flustered. "You're all doing horribly. We're moving on. Waltz around the room freely until I say so. Then switch partners with the couple on your immediate right. And for Merlin's sake, keep the timing!" With a wave of her wand, the music started up again. 

"Stay away from Draco," Astoria said, trying to steer Blaise in the direction opposite from where the boy was dancing with Daphne. 

"Sorry, Astoria," Blaise said, guiding her towards them. 

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" the girl hissed, struggling violently. 

"Draco - made me - promise..." the boy grunted. She kicked him in between the legs when McGonagall wasn't looking and then started steering him back in the other direction. She would not dance with Draco Malfoy. 

"Switch partners!" 

Astoria looked to her right, praying.... 

"May I have this dance?" Draco said, smirking at her. 

The girl gritted her teeth. McGonagall was staring right at her, as was Pansy. "You may," she ground out. The music started up again. 

"Nice weather we've been having lately," the boy said easily. 

Astoria ignored him, choosing to look down at her feet instead. 

One two three, one two three, one...

"Though Pansy told me that apparently dark clouds follow wherever she goes, so maybe not the greatest weather for you." 

One two three, one two three, one...

"Still, I've never minded an overcast day. When it's nice out, the sun always gets in my eyes, which can affect my performance during Quidditch games. Did I tell you about my new Nimbus 2001? It's a top model..." 

One two three...

"Have you gotten your dress for the Icicle Ball yet?" 

Astoria's head snapped up. "What do you care?" 

"I need to know what color it is so I can get you a matching flower. Maybe purple?" 

"I'm not going to the ball with you, Malfoy." 

"Back to last names now, I see. Well then, Greengrass, I guess I'll just go with Pansy. She's already asked me a few times." 

One two three...

"I know how much you'd hate that." 

One two three...

"Especially considering the ball is mandatory, and it can be frightfully lonely without a date or friends to entertain you." 

"Switch partners!" McGonagall said from the front of the room. Astoria practically bolted from Malfoy's grasp. She'd been so stupid to think that she meant anything to him. They'd never made anything official. Just because he'd invited her to the ball... 

He'd just been leading her on.