a christmas break | draco malfoy - 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃

44

  —       A FEW WEEKS LATER...

Astera sat on the stairs in the dimly lit hallway, quietly talking to Hermione as the two found each other wandering in the dark, both not being able to get some sleep.

"Harry seems to think it was Draco who did that to Katie. I feel like he's just obsessed at this point," Hermione admitted, resting her palms on her knees she tucked to her chest, her back against the wall.

"It isn't wrong of him to think so, though. Draco has targeted him for years," said Astera, "but I hope he doesn't go too far with his obsession as you say."

"I hope so, too," said Hermione, sighing as her thoughts wandered away from Harry, "Though... You don't have any contact with him do you?"

Astera raised her look towards Hermione, lifting a brow, "Contact? Is this about Harry avoiding me?"

"He's just suspicious. But, I believe it was a coincidence," she said, "Right?"

The girl wished it was a coincidence, but it was not. How could she tell Hermione, a muggleborn, that she fell for Draco Malfoy, a pureblood Slytherin, who tormented Hermione and her best friends ever since they set foot in the school? Hermione would loose all trust in Astera, and she didn't wish to lose Hermione as a friend.

"Yeah, yeah," she lied, "I've never really spoke to him. Ever."

Hermione nodded, looking away and letting a small laugh slip out of her mouth, "Ron seems to think you're together," she lied, too, changing the truth and pinning the lie on Ronald instead of herself, trying to get a reaction out of her.

"Wouldn't that be just ridiculous. I could never be with someone like him."

"What'd you mean?"

"He's arrogant. And has a temper. He gets mad over the smallest things and throws a tantrum like a child when something doesn't go his way, he's vile and says hurtful things-"

"So you do know him, then."

Astera stared back at her, noticing how she fell for Hermione's trick. The witch before her sighed, her smile fading off as she looked at Astera with a worried expression.

"Please tell me I'm wrong," she practically begged, because even Hermione saw Astera as a friend. She hadn't had much luck befriending females as she was basically stuck with Harry and Ron her whole life. She wished she could be like normal teenage girls; gossip about boys and laugh at stupid jokes while watching films or going to concerts and filming their experience together with her father's old camera in the garage. Astera seemed like the perfect person for her.

She sighed, turning her head, "I can't lie to you, can I?"

"Astera..." Hermione sadly said, "Why? What am I gonna tell Harry now?"

"Nothing. You'll tell him nothing," Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but closed it after Astera interrupted her, "Hermione, I know he's your best friend, but trust me, I'm not even technically with him anymore. It was just a winter break thing, we barely even speak now!"

"How can I believe you?"

"Try to. I can't make you believe me or prove anything to you, but if you have an ounce of respect towards me and trust in me, you would."

The two girls sat in silence, both thinking and almost hearing their brains work. Astera feared she had just lost her friend, but so did Hermione. They both thought they lost each other just because of one person. Hermione couldn't help but replay all the times Draco had hurt her and her friends, but then again, she didn't know him either. Not like Astera did.