Astoria Greengrass

                                    

                                          
Author's Note: I did some research on Astoria Greengrass, and some of the facts mentioned are authentic... although since I need carry on with Dramione, I had to change the story line. Here's a fun fact though, Draco married Astoria against his parents' wishes and often stood up against them for her. A friend and I had decided to put her in the book when we were sketching out a plan for this book. BTW, if it weren't for her (my bff), this book would not have the name 'Poison Apple'. We both had a good theory after it too. Anyhow, here's the chapter. I hope you guys enjoy.  
"Oh no!" The girl exclaimed, lending a hand to Draco so he could get himself off the floor. 
Blaise just couldn't stop laughing as the girl brushed her wavy, dark brown hair off her face. The high cheekbones broke into an embarrassed smile as Draco assured he was okay.
Immediately his eyes sparked in recognition. Her elder sibling was Draco's age fellow and fellow Slytherin. He had often watched this girl, two years younger to him, working hard to be a good student. What had really impressed Draco was that she wasn't like the other Slytherins and definitely not anything like that snobby little Pansy Parkinson. She had a polite manner and a clear and open minded vision. She was often bullied for being a Muggle-Lover. However she was never afraid to speak her mind and often talked about how the Muggles and Muggleborns were wrongly hated and looked upon.
"Malfoy." She nodded at him.
"Greengrass." He mimicked.
"I'm really sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." She tried to hide her flushed cheeks.
"And I'm sorry I wasn't going where I was looking." He tried to lighten the atmosphere.
"Ahem... uhh sissy told me you guys have NEWTs coming up. Good luck with that." She tried to awkwardly continue conversation.  Draco noticed that Astoria was really frail and weak. 
"Yeah, thanks alot. You too." He had nothing else to say.
"Malfoy..." she said, looking uncomfortably at Blaise who was still trying hard to stop laughing, his eyes full of tears. She seemed as if she wanted to say something urgent that could not be spoken of in front of Blaise.
"Yeah, Greengrass?" He asked, his eyes urging her to go on and not mind the fool dying from laughter in the background.
"I don't know why, but your mother wrote to me a few weeks back." She spoke, sending shock waves down his spine. Zabini Blaise also stopped laughing, seriously looking at Astoria as if she was going to say "April Fools" anytime now.
"Wait, what?" Draco asked, trying to calm his wild heartbeat down. 
"Don't worry. It's nothing to worry about. She said if we could have tea together with my family in the vacations. I thought you ought to know." 
Draco felt confused as ever. Why was his mother inviting the Greengrass's over? 
"I have no clue about it." He raised his eyebrows.
"She told me not to worry and that her and my mother had already spoken, and that it was alright if I came along." She informed. 
After Draco had done stretching his eyebrows to the highest point they could reach, he smiled. "It's OK. I look forward to seeing your family. Thank you for telling me about -" before he could complete his sentence, he was cut off by the annoying voice he hated to hear. 
"Dracykins, found yourself another girlfriend?" 
Draco's nostrils flared at the sight of Pansy and Astoria turned to the color of beetroot. 
"Well at least you maintained your standards and didn't go for a mudblood again." She continued.
"Watch your mouth, Parkinson. Their blood is purer than your mouth anyways." Astoria surprisingly snapped at Pansy. 
Pansy stared up at her, her expression that of a lost dog.
"Now f*ck off, b*tch." Zabini sang in a horribly unrecognizable tune, as he started to laugh again. 
Pansy stormed off, as Astoria waved a goodbye and walked to the opposite direction. 
"Phew, that was weird. Hey Zabini, what's so funny?"
"Your face." Zabini successfully controlled his hysteric fits. 
"I need to visit the Headmistress now." He resolutely said.
"Kill your arse all you like." Zabini said what Draco sarcastically thought of as the most encouraging words ever. 
                          
                                                              *
Professor McGonagall looked up at Draco with a disapproving look after she read through his request.
"Certainly not, Mr. Malfoy. You may not stay at Hogwarts at all!" 
"Professor, as I said I feel dead there. Please, for the sake of my mental health?" He made an attempt at emotional manipulation. 
"The last person on earth I want at Hogwarts as we look through the safety precautions is you, Mr. Malfoy. Your security is under threat,  seeing you've helped in tasks generally meant to destroy Voldemort's power once and for all."
Draco couldn't see a way out,  yet he was determined as ever to convince the Headmistress to let him stay.
"Please sit down Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall said in a soft voice. Her expression was full of sympathy. 
He obeyed. To his surprise, she held his hand and pressed it softly. 
"I am aware of the stress you must go through every day you wake up to be reminded of a dreadful past, but Mr. Malfoy, our past must not run our present. You have been through it, but think of it as this: you will never have to go through it again, because you have realized your mistakes." 
Draco looked into those thoughtful eyes. He had never seen something so inspiring, yet sad at the same time.
"Our pasts," she continued. "Our pasts must never effect our loved ones. Our hatred towards a place must never make us go far away from those who wait for us. Your life as it is, has changed for good. And Draco, go live it like a free man. Go to your mother, my boy. Don't be a prisoner to your fears." 
And with that, she straightened herself,  returning to her official tone once more.
"Now you may leave."
Draco left the room with wide eyes and a changed heart. Blaise, who was waiting with anticipation outside walked beside his friend. 
"So.....?" Blaise asked.
"It's only two months,  come to think of it! I should be with my mother. It's my house after all!"
Blaise watched with amusement. " What had I been blabbering since like... three hours!" 
"Your way of explaining wasn't quite my type."
"Did she fill your brain with cleaning and unclogging the flush potions!? Oh wait, she transfigured some sense into you." He said irritably. 
Now, it was Draco's turn to laugh.