Malfoy's Moon

change of plans

"Astra Hawkings?"

For the second time in a month, she walks through the corridor into the office at the sound of her name being called.

Crouch, sitting behind the mahogany desk, looks up. The wrinkles around his mouth crease more as his mouth forms a thin smile. She can see his caramel colored eyes are more tired, his dark hair thinning and receding from the last time she saw him.

"Astra, come in, come in." He beckons, and she moves closer. "Well, how has your first month at school been? Satisfactory, I hope."

"Fine," she says with a mere shrug.

"Now, I'll get to business as we don't have much time. Unfortunately, you have not yet succeeded in your task or otherwise, you would've immediately let me know," Crouch says. "But, I would assume that you're making progress. Perhaps you've gotten closer with the Malfoy boy?"

"I don't –"

"Or is your relationship the same?"

"What does this have anything to do with me capturing him?" She says.

"Ah, you've misunderstood. I meant that you would have hopefully gotten to know him better." He says, with an aggressive nod that caused the tops of his gelled, thin hair to bounce slightly.

"I think it would be impossible to get closer to Malfoy in that way," she says slowly.

"Meaning?" Crouch inquires, his eyebrows furrowing.

"We... despise each other."

"Well, naturally. But, you've gotten closer in succeeding your task, haven't you?"

"I –" Astra thinks about lying for a second but if something untruthful rolled over her tongue, she was sure Crouch would detect it. "Not quite, no."

Something pulses in the nerve of Crouch's neck. "Do you know how important this task is, Astra?"

"Yes, I know," she says, fighting hard to keep the exasperation out of her voice.

"Then you would be trying your very hardest at this task." Crouch says, his voice calm.

"I am trying my hardest – "

"I am not denying it, Astra. But whatever you've been trying has not been working. I can only suggest... something new." He says, raising his thin eyebrows.

"Like what?"

"Forcefully trying to capture the Malfoy boy clearly hasn't worked. What you need to do is play with his weaknesses," Crouch says, nodding suggestively.

"Which would be....?"

"I thought it would be obvious," Crouch says. He pauses for a moment, as though trying to steel himself for what he would be saying. "Love."

For a moment, she has to fight hard against letting a laugh out. "Love? That's – I highly doubt –"

"I am not joking," Crouch says rather harshly. "You may hate the boy, but I believe his cold and cruel nature is simply because he has never received love."

The room suddenly feels hot, so hot that it is nearly suffocating. "I don't understand. What do you want me to do?"

Crouch exhales loudly before continuing, as though he's trying to stall the moment before he has to say it. "Make him fall in love with you. Lure him with comfort and love, do whatever he wants to do with you. Then, you will be able to capture him. He will not be expecting it."

The room is dead silent after his statement, like the previous warmth has been sucked in and filled with an empty, freezing void. "That's impossible," she says, trying to keep her voice steady. "Malfoy can't love – "

"This is not a suggestion." Crouch says coldly. "You must do it. You must try."

"Malfoy hates me," she says desperately, trying to make him find sense in this. It seems the whole earth has been tipped of its balance, hurling through the universe. If the universe hadn't been mocking her before, it was now flooding every ounce of ridicule towards the face of her reality.

"You are clever, Astra. I'm sure you will find some way to do it." Crouch says.

Even swallowing seems like it's taken most of her energy. She lets out a shaky breath, forcing herself to make sense of his nonsensical idea. "I suppose I could... give him a love potion?"

"No," Crouch says at once. "He will be careful. He will not let just anyone drop something in his drink, that would be difficult. No, this must be done naturally. He must fall for you naturally."

"I don't think that's possible," she says, despairingly.

"Make it possible," Crouch says, bowing his head slightly. "Now, I am quite busy at the moment, I'm afraid our little meeting has to be cut short. Good bye, Astra."

a/n: well this definitely changes things.

anyways, love you <3