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

Year 7 - 194

The moon was not yellow that night. It hardly ever was. Though it shone - full and terrifying over the expanses of the Great Lake. Cold air bit at his pale moonlit skin as leaves rustled and fell from the trees stretching high above his head.

He could still remember the first time they had come down to the lake alone. How could he forget? There, under that same moon, he had once kissed her. He wondered why she had chosen for them to meet right there.

Goosebumps broke on his skin at the breeze that rushed past him. It blew the hair over the top of his head and created a mess as he pulled his coat tighter around him.

I should've worn a hat.

His eyes flitted around, searching for her and a stinging feeling spread through his stomach when he thought she might've played him. She wouldn't have set him up to be captured, would she?

Softly, his boots clicked over the stones of the narrow path that led down to the Forbidden Forrest. He could barely make out the form of it in the darkness of the morning. In remembrance of the fact it was so early, he yawned. Another shiver followed right after and Draco wished nothing but to head back to bed. 

Was she even there yet? Why had he even listened?

But when he rounded a bush to get to the dock, he finally saw her. Legs dangling over the edge of the footbridge she sat, resting against her knees. The plain, white moon shone directly behind her as her hair whipped in the wind. The bush had hidden him from the breeze for a second and when he passed it, the intensity with which it restarted reminded him much of a hurricane. His heart galloped in his chest.

Astrid's head was pressed against her palms and when he walked a little closer he could hear her muttering something. Her scarf had been undone and laid limply over her neck. Draco had the strongest urge to reach out and tie it back around so she wouldn't catch a cold.

"Hey-"

"HOLY COW!" Astrid jumped nearly rolling into the water.

Fingers gripping at the front of her chest she panted and turned around, confirming Draco's worry that the top of her coat was unzipped as well.

"How are you not cold?" Draco blurted, for a lack of anything better to say.

"Oh-" her eyes lit up all of a sudden and she shook her head vigorously, before scrambling to her feet and pulling some big, dark piece of something from under where she had sat. She held it out to him, chewing on her bottom lip. "I knew you would be cold so I grabbed you an extra one."

And there he had been thinking she might set him up...

Draco looked away, guilt spreading through his chest, but took the coat nevertheless.

"Are you not-"

"No," Astrid rolled her eyes and stepped away from him to walk away.

For a moment, he stared at her as she retreated, speechless and wondering what on earth did she mean by giving him the garment and then walking off. But then she turned before exiting by the bush and walked into an enclosure of trees, where she plumped down to rest against one of their tunks. Her hair no longer flew around as violently.

He followed. Before slipping down to sit, he hastily pulled the coat over his arms and onto him and closed it around himself. It was one of Astrid's oversized ones and the sleeves were a little short on him, but it felt much warmer nevertheless.

Out of nowhere, Astrid frowned and lowered her head to press her palms against it again. She pulled at her roots, exhaling slowly and he concluded she was fighting some inner battle.