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The Bully and the Poisoner
Jealousy....jealousy had two different faces when it came to Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass.... jealousy was a petty green-eyed monster that could stick its head out at the worst times, and like every normal couple, for these two, jealousy happened to have a name, age, and wand. Which was why in the space of a week, Astoria and Draco managed to land themselves a "very serious interview" in the office of their head house, the one, and only Severus Snape.
The teacher leveled a freezing glare at both teens (who were purposely making a show of ignoring each other by looking at opposite directions of the room) because their little lovers' spat had such a big body count, that Madame Pomfrey was asking for extra beds in the infirmary. Deciding that because of her age and docile temperament Astoria was bound to be less difficult, Severus decided to tackle her first, after all as Draco's godfather he knew that getting the story out of HIM was bound to be plagued by dramatics.
"Now...Miss Greengrass" Professor Snape drawled in a slow and deliberate way designed to intimidate "Would you care to tell me why half of the female fifth years in the Slytherin house managed to suspiciously contract mermaidflu recently?, especially considering how its a sickness only common in certain seaside towns of Germany, one of which only your family happened to conveniently visit during the Winter Holidays"
Astoria (or little Greengrass as she was referred to by the Hogwarts staff) blinked innocently at Professor Snape with her best doe eye impression "I'm sorry Professor, it won't happen again" she mumbled looking like the picture of a chastised child trying not to smile in smugness at the growing number of girls she'd sent to the infirmary that month
It all started because of Draco, honestly Astoria was not really a jealous person, really, but since she'd started hanging out with Draco the year before during the triwizard tournament (he lost a bet to Daphne and was forced to give Astoria flying lessons) , Astoria had become increasingly conscious of the ammount of girls that flocked in Draco's direction, at first it hadn't been a problem I mean Astoria was used to him seeing her as nothing more than Daphne's little sister, he was just teaching her how to better handle a broom and failing spectacularly at it, but then she'd started to notice how he put cushion charms on the ground everytime she fell from her broom and how she herself liked to stay seated in the ground of the Quiddich pitch with him even hours after he'd lost his patience and declared her lessons over, it was in the small things, a chocolate frog passed to her behind Daphne's back, a whispered charm to ruffle his hair when she got close enough, finding themselves bickering over the aftermath of the triwizard tournament ...And then she'd seen him again in Diagon Alley during the first weeks of the summer holidays.. .
It had gone straight to hell from there. He'd just looked so haggard and she'd been staring at him with those bright blue eyes so filled with understanding when suddenly he just said "fuck it" and pulled her into a corner only to proceed to kiss her as a man possed. He'd kissed her as no boy had ever kissed her before, ladies of her stations were not supposed to be kissed like that, Merlin, ladies of her station did not kiss back in ways befitting experienced harlots either, but there she was kissing a boy two years older than her in the alley behind Borginn and Burke's and she didn't know why it felt so good.
"Scared your pretty sensibilities yet little lady Greengrass?" Draco growled into her ear "ready to run away and avoid me like a good little girl?"
"I liked it actually, can you do it again?" Astoria whispered politely and out of breath almost as though she was asking him to put another teaspoon of sugar in her tea "please lord Malfoy" she said using the pesky title she often addressed him with during their flying lessons "I want more"
"Slytherins don't beg little Greengrass" was all he thought to reply and then he began kissing her again, this time more hungrily, straying from her lips down to her neck, and undoing the green ribbon that held the collar of her new dress together so he could reach lower into the swell of her chest
"You are treating me like a harlot, do you always pull girls behind shops to ravish them?"
"Its surprising for me too, normally little third years are not my type" was all Draco said as an answer before he bent down and kissed her again
From then on it was all fifty shades of hell for Astoria, considering that they ran in the same circles and every time his mother hosted a tea party or any pureblood family had a ball, death eater association or not, Draco Malfoy ALWAYS seemed to be there and no matter how meek Astoria tried to appear or how much she performed the role of a dutiful pureblood daughter for her parents, Draco always managed to catch her unaware and pull her behind some door, or shrub or broom closet to um...treat her like a harlot. Astoria really hated feeling like a toy in the older boy's hands but then again he was the only one to ever treat her like that before and it was a novelty to be treated as though she wasn't made of glass just because she was a Greengrass. Draco at least was the only person she knew that wasn't afraid to break her.
So when Hogwarts started again and Slughorn began teaching potions and suddenly Draco wanted nothing to do with Astoria, she naturally felt hurt, she wanted to lash out, to scream at him, to bash him in the head with the club of a mountain troll. Instead, Astoria did none of those things, she was a Slytherin, she kept her cool.
And retaliated by pouring her frustrations on the biological well-being of any girl that got within breathing distance of Draco...including her own sister. So yeah Astoria preferred bio-potion warfare over physical confrontation. Draco was lucky she'd gotten caught before she got to him.
"an exemplary third year such as you, with top marks in her classes, high skill in Transfiguration, and a spotless permanent record and you expect me to believe that the strain of dragon pox brewing in a cauldron confiscated from your bedroom was just a way of passing the time?" Professor Snape drawled with unnatural calm
"You can't prove it wasn't" Astoria replied evenly reminding Snape that for all her quiet demeanor and childlike appearance she was still the daughter of the ministry of magic's head diplomat and Britain's toughest lawyer "the evidence is circumstantial at best which is probably why professor Slughorn could not find grounds on which to give me detention"
"Yet" Snape fired back before turning to Draco " however I am told that the fight that broke our today in the eastern courtyard was also your fault"
"No it wasn't, Draco threw the first punch! He lost control of his temper" Astoria wailed losing her cool for the first time and glaring at Draco
"if you hadn't looked so cozy in Potter's arms I wouldn't have had to intervene" Draco snapped looking ready to kill her then he turned to Snape and nodded "yes it was all her fault"
"He was helping me get to the infirmary after I fell from my broom"
"You had your head in his chest Astoria! Potter was carrying you bridal style! With his arms all over you, the embarrassment of being seen consorting with the likes of him must have been terrible, but if you have a taste for trash"
"Says the boy that's been pinning after a mudblood during the whole year At least Harry Potter knows where he stands when it comes to women"
" ASTORIA FOR THE HUNDREDTH TIME I AM NOT PINNING AFTER GRANGER" Draco roared frustrated with his hands twitching as though he wanted to strangle her.
But Astoria just waved him away, recalling the nasty gossip that Daphne had been sharing all over Slytherin, how Draco was now enamored with Hermione Granger and that's why he'd been caught lurking around the slug club so often, Astoria tried to pretend that the piece of gossip didn't hurt, except it did because she herself admired Hermione Granger a great deal and if there was someone she felt she couldn't compete with, then Harry Potter's best friend was it.
So she'd recklessly gone to the Quiddich pitch to try flying again, maybe if she proved to Draco that she could do it then he'd stop being an ass, but it all backfired because she still wasn't good enough.
So she fell from her broom and as luck would have it, Harry Potter was in the other end of the pitch and he'd seen her fall and well he wasn’t a monster so he helped her up. Harry Potter the boy who lived, a Griffindoor hero was showing her kindness.
Ironic really how the one time she actually broke down to cry was because Harry Potter was nice to her.
"Are you all right?" Harry asked and Astoria shook her head looking at her small hands and balling them into fists
"No I'm not all right, I had a terrible day, I flunked my charms essay, the boy I like fancies someone else, my sister is ignoring me and...and... my legs hurt" she cried pitifully listing her grievances "I'm hurt all over, please don't tell my classmates" she begged "oh dear this is so embarrassing Slytherins do not cry" but a minute later she was doing exactly that and in front of Harry bloody Potter of all people, which only made her cry more
"Hey, hey don't cry, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can fix your leg," Harry said trying to calm the younger Slytherin "its okay, you just had a bad day, nobody will think less of you if you are not perfect all the time" Harry continued trying his best to be comforting "you are a third-year right? Daphne's younger sister, the one that skipped potions and charms on her first year, I think I saw you in Ginny's class the other day"
"yes, My name is Astoria, Astoria Helia Greengrass, but most people call me little Greengrass, unless you are an heir to an old family, in that case, the proper thing to do is address me as lady Astoria "Astoria babbled managing a small smile then abruptly she stopped and winced in pain "I know it's not ladylike to impose Mr. Potter but could you..?" She gestured to herself and her legs while extending her arms like a baby wanting to be held.
"Oh right, hold on Astoria let me see if I can pick you up without hurting you" Harry mumbled before picking her up, bridal style in one swoop making her scream in pain " I am so sorry, I'm not very good at this" he apologized
Astoria patted his cheek with her hand but didn't say anything else while he carried her away through the grounds "for a boy the ministry hates so much, you are not that bad, you know that right?" She whispered as they entered the courtyard nearest to the infirmary
"Thanks, you are not that bad either, you know for a Slytherin" the boy who lived shot back, making her giggle
Then Astoria spied a certain familiar redhead watching them in the distance and suddenly had a very sly idea "tell me the truth do you really fancy Ginny Weasley? My sister said you did"
"What?!!" Harry hissed "where did that question come from? She has a boyfriend" He mumbled blushing to the tips of his ears
"Nevermind your face says it all, by the way, Mr Potter, I'm sorry for this, but...you'll thank me eventually" without giving Harry time to react Astoria covertly adjusted her jeweled headband, hitched her skirt higher, pulled her tie lower down her chest and to add a final touch, she brought her arms around Harry's neck while shifting her body so that it appeared as though he had her in a much more personal embrace than he did.
"Wait what are you doing?"
"I'm the great-granddaughter of Grimhilde the Fairest, arguably the most beautiful third year in Slytherin, my family is rich, I'm a prodigy in half of my school subjects and you have me in your arms" Astoria whispered so only he could hear, Harry observed that yes, with her creamy skin, delicate features and silky dark brown hair, Astoria Greengrass looked like the textbook definition of aristocratic beauty, sadly she wasn't his type and he'd only noticed her physical appearance once she pointed it out "Ginny is watching us like she wants to kill me so I suggest you do as I say and play hero to my damsel in distress....NOW"
Harry saw Ginny then and for once decided not to be such a Griffindoor and accept Astoria's suggestion.
Which brought them to the incident in the courtyard that ended up with twenty Griffindoors in detention, seventeen Slytherins on stable muck duty, two Ravenclaws in the infirmary, and Astoria and Draco in Snape's office.
You see Ginny wasn't the only one seething over the adorable picture Harry made with Astoria in his arms, Draco was there too, and he was furious enough that he marched right up to Potter with his crew of bullies and began insulting him like a man on a mission, of course, Ginny was there defending Harry like crazy and soon Hermione and Ron came to see what the deal was.
Then Daphne came and made it worse by actually complimenting Astoria like a proud momma "You snagged the boy who lived? Oh boy mother is going to be so proud Astoria, Nevermind if he's a Gryffindor, our father will probably overlook his blood status in favor of his magical talent" Daphne gushed genuinely impressed at the prospect "Your children will be so beautiful, imagine that, dark hair and blue eyes, with excellent genes to back it up"
"Children?!!!" Draco and Ginny cried at the same time. While Harry and Astoria just stood there, with wide eyes, trying not to imagine it
"Oh that's it Potter you asked for it" Draco growled making a play to remove her from Harry's arms "you are not touching little Greengrass again" and as soon as Astoria was safely away from Potter, Draco went ahead and threw the first punch, no wands needed at all.
And Harry (who would never look at a gift horse in the mouth....or let a chance to punch Malfoy go to waste) fought back, with all he had, while the Gryffindors and Slytherins with them took it as a go-ahead to start hexing each other.
It escalated quickly, especially when Astoria saw that she was being targetted by a very jealous Ginny Weasley...And that was scary as hell, because really Astoria was rubish in wand work, and the few defensive spells she knew were no match for the redheaded girl's myriad of bat bogey hexes, not with her legs so hurt. Dam you Harry Potter for having such a scary non-girlfriend.
Of course, Professor Flitwick broke the fight up...and that was that.
Except for the detentions, stable mucking punishments, and Draco's black eye.
"Miss Greengrass I do not want to know the particulars of it, but you must realize that while there is no evidence that what you did was on purpose, and Harry Potter was keen to confirm your innocence, you are still a snake and to put it simply, I don't believe you, or you Draco," Professor Snape said
"She's nuts, she thinks I like Granger," Draco said accusing Astoria "Potter lover that she is"
"No offense but if what Pansy and Tracy say in the girl's dorms is true, you are a real manwhore, at least Potter has class"
"You are not having his children Astoria!!" Draco roared irrationally "I forbid you to talk to Potter again"
"What if I want to? Potter isn't bad to look at and unlike you, he doesn't mind that I'm a third-year"
"Dammit little Greengrass, it's not because you are a third year, I'm going through enough as it is, you want me to do what? Make a grand statement? Owl your parents to draft a marriage contract? Heck I'll snog you in front of Granger if that's what it takes"
"A romantic gesture would be nice every once in a while, I hate to feel like your toy"
"Fine, I'll fill your bedroom with flowers every morning until you die of pollen poisoning!!!"
"CHILDREN THAT’S ENOUGH" Professor Snape snapped at wit's end, raising his voice for maybe the first time in history "You both will be serving detention with me for the next month on account of disturbing a teacher and I firmly suggest Draco that you mend things with this girl before the day is over" Then Snape wrote something out in parchment and put it away " And Miss Greengrass the next time you feel the need to draw Draco's attention do refrain from poisoning half his class to do it"
"Yes professor, I will be on my best behavior"
"Next time Draco solve your lovers' spats without involving half of the school, or I will be forced to retaliate" Snape continued "you are both dismissed"
Feeling chastised Draco and Astoria walked out of the dungeons with their heads down, silently fuming.
Until they passed another dark corner in an empty hallway, and this time it was Astoria the one that pulled Draco to it and pulling him by the tie proceeded to kiss him deeply, molding her lips to his and giving out a little sigh of pleasure "I dont really like Potter, I like you, I like...I like...you" she confessed kissing him again, but this time Draco took over forcing her to let go of his tie and slamming her against the wall.
"I don't think you are a toy to play with, little Greengrass, but make no mistake, you are mine," Draco said looking into her eyes and kissing her again, going lower and lower down her neck and stopping before he reached her breasts " And if that's not clear enough, then I'll spell it out for you, I like you too and if I hear talk of you having someone else's children again, I will kill whoever it is"
"Okay, I think..." she mumbled in between kisses "no having anyone's children unless they are yours, got it"
"that's my good little Astoria" He sneered patting her in the head
"I'll show you how good I can be, you just wait " the younger girl replied with a mischievous smile alarming Draco for the first time the history of their "relationship thing"