Back to Hogwarts. Put on your brave face Draco. I had to chide myself. I walked into a large compartment with cushioned benches where most of the Slytherins were hanging out. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting across from some 7th year girls, so I slid into a seat across from Pansy and Blaise.
There was some small talk before I had to go do my prefect duties. I went to the lavatory to change into my new Slytherin robes, we had gotten them longer because I had grown four inches since June. I passed Weasley and Granger in some of the passages, they glared at me, so I lowered my head and shoved past them to check on my Slytherins.
Passing some compartments full of first years, I could already tell who was going to be in which house. I saw a couple girls, and a set of fraternal twins that I knew with complete certainty would be Slytherins. Those who know who I am look at me with either fear, admiration, or hatred. Ugh Griffindors. They all hate me just because Potter and I have a rivalry.
I sighed and headed back to my compartment full of older Slytherins. As I was going to sit down, the whole car went black. I was on high alert, and I went rigid. Black smoke was a death eater thing. "Draco, it's probably just a first year messing around. Sit down, we'll be at Hogwarts soon." Pansy purred. Pansy hopelessly flirting with me was one of the things I could always count on at Hogwarts. And was playing with her feelings a horrible thing to do? Probably. But I was a Malfoy, it's kind of what we do best. I had no romantic feelings toward her whatsoever, but I laid my head on her lap anyway. We were still really good friends after all. She began playing with my blonde hair. It felt so good. “Hogwarts. What a pathetic excuse for a school.” I said. “Oh come on Draco, it's not that bad.” Pansy replied. She was right of course. I’d rather be at Hogwarts than anywhere else. I never want to be at home, or anywhere else. It was either Hogwarts, or death. The only two things I dreamed about. Well, and my task from the dark lord. But those were nightmares. After another hour or so on the train we screeched to a stop. Everyone grabbed their stuff and started to get out. “Come on Draco.” Pansy urged. “You go ahead, I’ll catch up. I need to check something.” I had a sneaking suspicion about who threw the instant darkness powder. Once the train was empty i pulled down the cover on the door window, instantly every other window cover followed suit. “Didn’t mummy ever tell you it was rude to eavesdrop, Potter? Petrificus Totalus!” Sure enough, he fell to the floor, completely stunned. “Oh right, she was dead before you could wipe the drool off your chin.” And with that, I took my foot, and smashed in his nose. “That's for my father. Enjoy your ride back to London.” I recovered him under his invisibility cloak. As I got off the train, I ran straight into someone. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry Mr. Malfoy!” I looked up to see a strikingly beautiful slytherin girl. “No, it’s my fault. What’s your name?” “Astoria. Astoria Greengrass. 4th year.” “Nice to meet you Astoria.Call me Draco. As your prefect, I have to ask why you aren't up in the castle, or on a carriage.” “I could ask you the same question, Prefect.” She smirked. “Okay Astoria, I see you have a sassy side. Would you like to accompany me up to the castle?” “Why not?”
We walked the long dirt path up to the castle, as all the carriages had already left. Our footsteps echoed in the soundless night. “So Astoria, tell me about yourself.” She glanced at me saying, “Well, I come from a pureblood family, we live in Scotland. As you can see, I’m a slytherin. I have two sisters, and they are both currently attending Hogwarts. Daphne is a sixth year, like you, Reyna is a 2nd year, also a Slytherin. That about sums me up.” She flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder and smiled down at her feet. Wow, that's really cute. Stop it Draco. Just stop. “So what about you, Draco? Everyone thinks they know you, but that look in your eye tells me the outside world knows nothing of your struggles.” “Damn Greengrass, you met me ten minutes ago and you can already read me like an open book.” She laughed, “Well, I have always been into psychology. I’ve gotten pretty good.” "Oh, is that something you want to go into after Hogwarts?" "Yes, but Draco, don't change the subject." Damn. She is good. "My family… they're all… I don't know… they're not particularly great people. I hate all of them. Except my mum." "Ahhhh, you're a mummy's boy. That's cute. I like that." I could feel myself blushing. I laughed, “Yeah, I’m assuming you know all the rumors about my family.” “What, that Your father, aunt, and uncle are death eaters and voldemort's henchmen? Yeah, I’ve heard. That doesn't mean you’re like them.” “Astoria… it's true. And… I’m exactly like them.” “No, Draco, it doesn’t. A bad person, a true… Malfoy, would’ve yelled at me for running into him. He would’ve wanted me punished. From what I’ve heard, that is your father, not you. The boy I met half an hour ago is different. He is NOT Lucius Malfoy.He is Draco. From what I’ve observed over that time and the last four years, that is the real Draco Malfoy. From what I see, you bully Potter and the Weasleys because you want what they have. True friendship and a good family life. You can’t tell me I’m wrong.” “You’re right about most of that, actually.” I admitted. “But you are correct, I can’t tell you, but… I can show you. You’re going to hate me.” “Draco I could never hate you.” I pulled up the left sleeve of my slytherin robes to reveal the dark mark. The mark of a death eater. She pulled the sleeve down and gently tugged my hand towards her. She pulled me into a hug. I gladly returned it. “Was it by choice?” She asked. “Sort of? I was forced into it, but if I didn’t do it, me, Mother, and Father would be dead by now.” “So it was for your family. That’s very noble of you Draco.” Wow, I really like the way she says my name. Am I… crushing… on a fourth year??? Get your head out of your ass Draco she could never like you, let alone love you.
I felt something warm brushing my hand. Fingers. The next thing I knew, my hands were intertwined with Astoria’s. A fluttering sensation in my stomach caught me off guard. The warmth in her fingers balanced out the ice in mine. Something about this girl was special. “Astoria, I-” She cut me off. “Draco, I know that you’re a prefect and everything, but can we skip the feast? Maybe get into our pyjamas, have a couple snacks I stole off of the train? And Please, call me Storie.” She says. “That sounds like a dream… Storie.”
We got to the gate where they were checking bags. They were looking through mine. “Hey, go ahead a little bit, I’ll meet you up the hill.”
After having to yell at Filch and get away from Snape, I finally caught up with Astoria. “Finally! I was getting worried!” She laughed. She looked cold. I took off my overcoat and placed it around her shoulders. Wow, she looks pretty good in it. I shook myself out of my thoughts.
“Oh my! Was I shivering too badly?” She giggled. “A bit.” She placed her hand back in mine. It felt so right  to have her next to me. She radiated warmth that made me never want to leave her side.
Getting to the Slytherin common room proved harder than I thought. Aurors and Professors kept stopping us and asking what we were doing. Professor McGonagall pointed out that I’m a prefect, so I had to lie and say that I was accompanying a fourth year down to the dungeons because she felt slightly nauseous from the train ride.
After finally making it to the dungeons, we changed into our pyjamas and sat down on the couch in the spacious common room. We shared pumpkin pasties and a little bit of butterbeer. We laughed and got to know each other better. I asked her not to share my secret and she said that she didn’t have anyone to tell. “I have no friends, Draco.” “That’s a lie. I can be your friend. You now know more about me than anyone else. I’d count that as a friend.” She pulled me into a hug, “Now I have one real friend. Even if you are two years older than me.” I hugged her tighter. She smelled enchanting.
The next morning I woke and realized I hadn’t had any nightmares last night. Hold on, this is not my dormitory. I was still in the common room! I looked to see what the warmth and pressure on my chest was. Astoria lay on my chest sleeping peacefully. Her hand rested on my stomach. My arm was around her shoulders and my hand was on the small of her back. My other hand was on top of hers. I smiled to myself. Last night hadn’t been a dream. Thank heavens.
I rubbed her back, causing her to stir. She looked up and realized the position we were in, then blushed. "Sorry Draco." She said timidly. "Don't be. Last night was the first night without nightmares in years." I said. She laid back down on my chest and rubbed her eyes with one hand, the other still resting on my abs. "OH MY GOSH!!! I don't remember anyone coming in last night. Draco, both of my sisters saw Me asleep with the prefect!!!" "I'm guessing your sisters think I'm the heir of Malfoy, being an asshole included?" I guessed. Most people thought that. None of them had really taken time to get to know me like Astoria had. "Yes, but I've never thought that. I knew you had to be deep and caring and cute under that gruff front you put up for yourself." I SMILED, “I SUPPOSE WE SHOULD GET READY FOR THE DAY AND HEAD TO BREAKFAST.”
Walking into the great hall side by side with Astoria caused murmurs and whispers to burst within the ranks of the slytherin and hufflepuff tables. At least the house of assholes and the house of snobs didn't know.
I got dirty looks from Potter and the Weasleys, whereas Granger's expression remained suspicious. I slumped down at the slytherin table and my thoughts about Death Eaters and Voldemort consumed me.
I didn't eat anything at breakfast, and as we were walking out, Astoria noticed this.
"Draco, you didn't eat anything. Are you okay?" She asked worriedly. "Yeah, I just don't have much of an appetite. I'll see you after class okay?" I hurried off before she could reply. Storie and I are two years apart at Hogwarts. Which meant we had no classes together. I was in my new NEWT classes whereas she stayed in her regular pre-OWL classes.
My first class was advanced potions, for once Snapes cold face didn't greet me as I walked in. "Ah, Mr Malfoy, welcome. Take a seat." Professor Slughorn greeted.
Potions was miserable, per the usual. Potter walked in late and managed to out-do everyone, even Granger. What a show off he was.
It had been a full day of classes I wasn't engaged in before I finally found myself at dinner, squished between Blaise and Astoria.
"Draco, how was your first day of NEWT classes?" Astoria asked. "Miserable. And of course, Potter wasn't even going to take potions this year, so I was relieved to finally have one class away from him and Weasley. But no, this new potions teacher loves him, and he's a show off in that class. How were your classes Storie?" I asked politely, earning weird looks from Crabbe, Goil, Zabini, and Pansy. "They were actually quite enjoyable. I am Professor Flitwick's favorite student, now that the Weasley twins are no longer holding that title. And I even managed to make Professor McGonagall smile in transfiguration! Not a bad first day as they go!" She giggled. I smiled a little. She was kind of adorable.