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

Year 7 - 195

Days began passing faster. One turned into the other the same as leaves changed their colours. They passed and disappeared in a blur of unreliable memory the same as those leaves fell from their trees, never to return on them again. The same as a bare tree, continuing her talks with Rosier, Astrid was stripped of her defences to be left utterly vulnerable.

Astrid told Rosier about everything and slowly but surely they began developing a relationship so great Astrid had never expected they would. 

It wasn't every day that she was upset anymore, yet it was still most days. She hoped that with the passing season - a tad more time - maybe the number of sad days would decrease even more. Rosier had said it would help to try to find more and more things to be happy about in her day.

Therefore Astrid walked the halls, chin ever high, eyes scanning the corridor she was walking, the things she saw. It was pleasantly chilly that early morning. The new style of eyeliner she put on that day, looked better than she had expected it would. The lot of them Slytherins were marching down to the Great Hall for breakfast and she did not particularly like that part, but certainly, there was something else good she could find. Perhaps that Daphne was walking aside her was that good she was searching for.

The two had talked things through, and even if Astrid had not given Astoria a proper apology, Daphne had forgiven her. After all, Astoria and Draco were slowly becoming friends, unbothered by Astrid... and, wanting to preserve their friendship, she and Daphne avoided the topic of marriage like their lives depended on it. Whenever Astrid saw the two, she held her tongue. She held her tongue and soon enough, weeks passing by, she had noticed bitter comments no longer came. She was finally beginning to let go...

Astrid glanced to her side at Daphne and offered a small smile. Noticing the stare, the blonde turned and offered the smile right back.

A sudden scream startled them both.

The Slytherins stopped in their tracks and turned around to see one of the new 'guards' of the school dragging a crying first-year after him. The guards were deatheaters the Dark Lord had assigned to the protect school recently. They were few men and women who looked if the students obeyed the strict rules and disciplines - people who made sure those were obeyed. She wondered if it had any connection to the fact the Dark Lord had begun plunging into her mind much rarer than before.

The poor kid was holding her blue-looking arm; it was twisted at an angle that looked hardly natural. When Astrid noticed the bone poking out roughly in one place on her hand, she had to suppress a gag. The child was dragged through the crowd of Slytherins, back toward the dormitories and Astrid almost opened her mouth to yell that the kid had to be given medical attention. But she wasn't a Gryffindor... above anything, it was the core of her being to protect her arse instead of being brave - had she said anything, she would be dragged and crying right with that little girl.

Yet still, she was repulsed. An unfamiliar force twisted her gut and she took a perplexed step back.

Amidst the commotion, the Slytherin students had stumbled out of their positions and order. She didn't have to turn to know who it was when two firm hands held her shoulders so she wouldn't ram into the person.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked in a whisper. "You look a little green."

Shaking her head, Astrid stepped back forward and twisted around. She didn't get to answer before they were called to get back in lines of five. She tried to get back to where she had stood before but Draco grasped her hand, holding her back until somebody else had taken her previous place. Once they began walking, he let go.

She shook her head. Seeing the crying child had made her sick.

A sudden gasp spread her lips as she realised and when she whipped her head around, breaking the strict protocol, she was grinning ear to ear.