they were just kids [draco malfoy]

Year 5 - 70

"Ninomae, I see you've grown."

Astrid turned her head to the side to see Theodore Nott. The upper half of his body was hanging out the opened compartment window as he motioned with his hands at his chest while Blaise Zabini held the lad by the hem of his jumper so Theo wouldn't tumble off the train altogether.

"You've been waiting to say all summer, haven't you?" the girl crossed her arms as she stopped right before boarding the train. She was smirking, her hand gripping the handle of her wand in her pocket as she, with her almost triumphant gaze, tried showing the lad he would get hexed first thing she stepped on the train.

But before an answer could be spoken, Blaise's eyes widened, as he let go of Theo, instead jumping backwards to hide deeper in the compartment. The latter nearly fell out of the window but managed to brace himself at the last moment, holding against the windowframe. The sound of quiet laughing was unmistakable as Theo's face grew a little pale.

"Oh, good day, Mr Ninomae," the boy greeted making Astrid turn around to look behind her, her cheeks grown red. She had just said her goodbyes to her dad and had expected him to have already left. She had not expected him to witness all that.

"Good day," Eric greeted somewhat amused, yet his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Astrid glanced back at Theo momentarily to mouth an 'I will kill you'.

"You forgot your book," her dad spoke again, holding out her yellow Herbology book. His eyes were still trained on the window through which Theo had now disappeared. Astrid could only imagine how he and Blaise were now sitting the furthest they could from the window, their cheeks flushed and laughing at how awkward they must've made the encounter for Astrid.

The girl took the book out of her dad's hands, her lips pursed and pushed to the side. She had not packed the yellow textbook in her suitcase for she had planned on transfiguring it into a radio first chance she got. Now the Herbology gods appeared to be punishing her for using their book incorrectly.

She gave another small smile attempting to just turn away and escape but to no avail.

"Who was that?" her father asked, taking ahold of his daughter's hand. "Care to elaborate?"

Astrid pursed her lips once more, her cheeks still a soft shade of pink. "It was a joke, dad... it's nothing really. You know since my- I-" she didn't know how to say it, explain it. One word could describe how the girl felt - awkward. She had only spoken of such things with her mum.

"Small," Astrid spoke with a strained cough simply as she tensely motioned at her chest.

The girl was already planning all the curses she would hex Theo with.

"Mhm..." Eric nodded. He didn't look all that comfortable himself. Though his unease was easily masked with protective caution. "I hope you're not allowing them to hurt y-"

"Oh, no, no, no, no," Astrid was quick to defend. "It's just- It's just jokes, dad. Uh... It... really doesn't bother me."

It did bother her a little bit. But she was trying to grow used to the fact she would probably never have the most stunning cleavage. Although... Astrid was still only 15, so she was hoping that she would maybe acquire such in the years to follow.

"Truly? because if they are, you know you can tell me. I can and I will-"

"NO! It's okay, truly. It's just Theo. We always joke like that."

Eric raised his eyebrows and blinked once, getting a completely different idea. 

"Oh, no," Astrid flushed even more. "That came out all wrong. Not like that... no." she shuddered. "I meant- we like- joke all the time. Insulting jokes. It's normal. You wouldn't understand. It's- it's- it's- yeah..." she chuckled nervously. "I have to go."