when they became villains [draco malfoy] {book 2}

Year 6 - 152

"Yeah, no, it was actually more fun than I would've imagined staying here would be," Astrid told her friends at the first dinner of the second semester.

She liked to believe her eyes only flickered into Malfoy's direction because he had suddenly raised his head to stare straight at her, brows furrowed in almost confusion. Seeing her looking, he kept the eye contact for a little longer before looking away to stare at the bowl of mashed potatoes in front of him with a thoughtful gaze.

"It was so odd not having the annual Malfoy Christmas ball-" Daphne spoke and only when her friend had paused did Astrid turn away from staring at the lad, thinking of whatever it was he might've been thinking about. "No..."

"Oh," Pansy gasped too and when Astrid looked around she saw all her friends looking at her with somewhat expecting smirks on their faces.

"What?" Astrid huffed and stuffed her mouth full of potato mash so nobody could force her to speak.

"You do look somewhat brighter..." Daphne nudged her shoulder and Astrid actually laughed at that. She had never felt worse.

"You and Malfoy all alone her for almost a month..." Pansy jumped her brows and again Astrid stuffed her mouth with food and then glared the raven-haired girl across from her dead in the eye, slowly shaking her head.

"The room was suspiciously clean like someone had made a deep-clean purposefully..." Tracey raised one brow and the glare got redirected.

Mills gripped onto Rosier's shoulder who sat next to her and laughed loudly at the implication. Pansy looked to the side, her eyes shining at the sound that had escaped her best friend and chuckled too. The other girls soon followed too. All except Rosier who was smiling, yet something about that expression of hers felt distant. Again, it was as if the ebony girl was staring right through Astrid. Naturally, the latter didn't dare meet Rosier's gaze.

"Hey, Draco!" Pansy called out suddenly and Astrid couldn't help her cheeks flushing bright red for she had an inkling as to what was to be asked. If only they knew how wildly different it all had been... 

"How were your holidays, huh?" Pansy wiggled her brows excessively and the platinum-blonde frowned at all the laughing girls before his eyes fell on the terribly embarrassed-looking Astrid. The girl shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose and turned away, feigning annoyance.

"Brilliant," the lad deadpanned in response and for some reason Theo laughed loudly at that, jumping his brows at Pansy and making the latter stick her tongue out at him.

Ignoring the somewhat of glare from Malfoy from her left and the piercing gaze of Rosier from her right, Astrid had no other option but to stare straight ahead, if she didn't want to look at her potatoes for the rest of the evening. 

"How were your holidays?" Astrid questioned with an easy smile, looking at Pansy who was sat straight across her. 

The raven-haired girl had already opened her mouth to speak when Millicent cut in. Seeing that, Astrid smiled that at least one of them all was growing more confident in a positive way. 

"I spent the New Year at John's," she blurted and they all turned towards her.

"Did-"

"Yes," Millicent bit down on her lip before the question could even be formed. Though it was easy to tell what she meant with the way her cheeks were glowing.

Pansy gasped. "Oh, Merlin, how was it? Tell me everything! You used protection, right? Because if you didn't, I'll personally-"

"Don't be so loud," Millicent pushed the girl away by her shoulder. Then she shrugged. "It was fine, I guess..."