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

Year 6 - 153

Astrid found herself sat in the Room of Requirement much earlier than she usually went there. She didn't know how, but somehow she felt both thoughtful and completely void of any thoughts all at the same time. The whole encounter with John had left her confused.

And while she wanted to think about it, she also didn't want to think about it, as a result, leaving her in this weird combination of thought and no thought.

Malfoy barged in no long after she had arrived and she was surprised to see him angry. Eyes narrowed, he had tried crossing his arms behind his back to give himself an air of indifference, yet the lack of such shone through all too brightly.

What have I done now?

"I mean I knew you flirted with everyone but I never thought you'd go for the boyfriend of your friend," spoke Malfoy and Astrid furrowed her brows. "That's low," he scoffed, "even for you."

And Astrid would've countered back with a defence, maybe an insult or even a joke, but all she could think of was that he was actually properly addressing her. They hadn't talked in weeks (except the occasional murmur about the cabinet) and now he was there, up in her face, accusing her.

Does he mean John?

"What?" was the best she could manage.

"You know, I saw Bullstrode crying at whatever that Hufflepuff told her."

"Wha-"

"Bet you're real proud now."

Astrid paused processing the information. She looked the lad over, seeing the way his hands had fisted at his sides. She knew he couldn't care less about the feelings of Mills, so she tried to figure what exactly was his deal.

She decided to thread the waters gently. "Why was Mills crying?"

Malfoy huffed bitterly and crossed his arms over his chest, his black jacket making a sound as he did so. "Well, maybe cause you snogged her boyfriend, Ninomae!"

And just like that, it clicked in her mind. Still, she didn't know why Mills was upset but she knew what Malfoy was going on about. So she laughed - a long, sad, bitter laugh of utter disbelief. The lad just looked at her.

"Malfoy," Astrid breathed, shaking her head, "are you seriously getting jealous right now?" his brows furrowed and he opened his mouth to speak but Astrid beat him to it. She knew he didn't want to listen, he didn't care, but she would force him to. Because what he was doing was absolutely ridiculous. "You were the one who quit talking to me after summer. Never responded to my letters." His frown only deepened with every further word. "You have been pushing me away all this time and now you're jealous?"

"I'm not-"

"Over seeing me talk with a lad whom I could never even have any slightest of interest in because-" she paused. This was not the time she would tell him everything - about her blood, her biological father... Besides Millicent was one of her dearest friends. And John wasn't even her type... "Many reasons." Now she was the one to frown, though her frown held less of the anger and much more of the utter disbelief. "Are you bloody serious right now?"

"I'm not jealous," Malfoy huffed, eyeing her with a look that implied she was utterly delusional.

"Oh?" Astrid laughed coldly again. "Then tell me - why all of a sudden, after not talking to me about anything but the stupid cabinet, the first other thing you ask me about is John? Because I don't know about you, but I can name a load of much better things you could've thought to inquire about!"

Like simply checking in on how I was doing...

Malfoy remained silent, his jaw clenched as he watched her. It was a long moment she searched his features for any giveaway of what he could be thinking but he gave her nothing. Nothing but the anger and the evident jealousy on his face. Just like that, they weren't talking again.