Chapter 135: 2-1
While Harry was off on his trips down memory lane with Dumbledore under the guise of private lessons, I was meeting up with Draco at our usual spot by the lake. Lately, it has been easy; even if we don't try to hide, people naturally look the other way. According to Hermione, it's an unspoken agreement. It seems we've managed to completely claim this lakeside as our own over the past five years.
I chuckled at that fact before getting down to business.
"So... about Astoria."
Draco was feeling down. Unbelievably, Astoria was avoiding him! The Astoria, who, for better or worse, always put Draco first. As if to fill the void, Pansy Parkinson was now constantly clinging to his side.
"It seems Astoria is hanging around with Daphne."
"Isn't Astoria... um, not exactly on the best of terms with her family...?"
"Yeah. But she and her sister get along reasonably well. At the very least, it seems Daphne has been told to look after Astoria when she falls ill."
"Then... I guess something must have happened at home," I said, racking my brain beside Draco.
In the past, Draco would naturally have been the one most knowledgeable about this kind of thing—the inner workings of the pure-blood community. However, with rumors circulating that he had turned on his own father, the Head of the House, the high society pure-bloods weren't exactly going to kindly share information with him anymore. Draco was too young to become the Head of the House himself, and his proxy mother, Narcissa, had withdrawn from the public eye. She must be hiding out with Lucius, only making it known that she is alive. If she didn't, there was no telling when Voldemort's retaliation would turn toward her.
"I'd like to ask her about all of that, but..."
"Maybe it's just hard for her to talk to you, Draco. I'll ask her."
Draco gave a small, disgruntled nod. It was endlessly amusing to see him become so transparent whenever his beloved Astoria was involved. It was rather cute.
"And on your end—Harry is with Dumbledore right now, right?"
"Yeah. I think they're on a journey exploring memories concerning Tom Riddle."
"Are you not involved?"
"Why would I be? I'm just a kid who happened to be born as Harry's twin. What Dumbledore needs is 'The Chosen One'—the one with the power to defeat Voldemort."
And I am... just 'Maria'. Just an ordinary girl, Maria Potter, an extra attached to 'The Boy Who Lived'. Harry is the one who must be prioritized—and 'I' have always been protected in that way.
"...Well, if you aren't being tied down by that old man—"
Faster than I could even process it, I had shoved Draco to the ground.
"Protego!"
An explosion erupted right in front of us. Someone had cast an offensive spell at us. Even though I had thrown up a Shield Charm on reflex, a tingling vibration shot through me. This level of power—this was no mere prank!
"Who's there?!"
My sharp challenge slipped across the surface of the water and faded away. Naturally, there was no answer. The presence had already vanished. Flourishing my distastefully over-decorated wand, I pushed myself up.
"...Tch. Draco, are you hurt?"
The doll-like boy, who had been completely pinned beneath me, blinked his ice-grey eyes a few times before covering his face with his hands. Given the situation, he looked like a maiden who had just been accosted by a ruffian. I brushed back his blonde hair, its ribbon now undone, with my fingers.
"...Draco? Sorry for being so rough. But surely even you could have braced yourself for the fall, couldn't you? ...I'll be gentler next time."
"...You did that on purpose, didn't you."
I chuckled softly at his ears, which were flushed so red with embarrassment that they would be visible even in the dark. I grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. Displeased, Draco glared fiercely toward the forest where the culprit had likely been hiding, clearly avoiding eye contact with me. It was half taking his anger out on the scenery. His ice-grey eyes took on a sharp, freezing coldness.
"As the former hero whose life has been targeted time and again, what is your assessment? 'Which' of us was it?"
"Both of us are quite popular, after all. We're first-love thieves. We've practically got enough spare change to buy a fight by now."
"Keep talking."
Standing together, we stared back at the forest. It was the direction of the Forbidden Forest. A student? A teacher? Or perhaps—no, that should be impossible. The Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement wasn't connected to Borgin and Burkes right now.
"...Don't let your guard down," Draco whispered.
I gave a firm nod, brushing the dirt off my robes.
My talk with Astoria came to pass much sooner than expected. —No, it wasn't anything as simple as a 'talk'.
"Astoria!"
Along the way, I spotted Astoria surrounded by a group of girls around our age wearing green robes, which was a rare sight. Today was the day of the Gryffindor Quidditch team tryouts, led by the captain—namely, Harry. Word that the Harry Potter would be leading the new team as captain had leaked out somehow, and news of the tryouts had reached the other Houses. While red robes were overwhelmingly in the majority, yellow and blue robes could be seen mixed among the spectators. Even from a distance, I could see Harry's exasperated expression.
"Would you like to come watch too, Astoria? I think Draco will be there. Oh, but if you don't want to see him—"
"—Oh my, did you hear that, everyone?"
Astoria smiled beautifully.
—It was a doll's smile.
"...Astoria?"
"It seems this person is inviting me into that beastly, reeking herd. How generous of her."
"Gross. Who does she think she is?"
"Addressing Miss Greengrass so familiarly... how brazen."
The two girls flanking her sneered as if on cue. The sight reminded me of Malfoy, who had stood in my way countless times with Crabbe and Goyle at his back.
"...That's not exactly a tasteful joke, Astoria."
My voice naturally dropped low. The morning sun streaming through the window highlighted Astoria's soft, dark brown hair, creating a halo effect that felt entirely out of place.
"A barbaric Gryffindor speaking of taste! You have absolutely no manners."
"Miss Greengrass isn't going to waste her time on the likes of you anymore."
Ignoring the two haughty girls on her left and right, I stared solely at Astoria. Astoria did not flinch. —It was a beautiful face. The face of someone who had completely killed the girl known as Astoria.
"The world I live in and the world you live in, Miss Potter... were separated a long time ago."
Astoria cut me off without hesitation.
"Are you saying everything up until now was just some pure-blood noble's tasteless game?"
"No, I truly believed it was an honor to associate with you. —If you were Miss Black, that is."
"—!"
—Black.
To think that name would come up here.
"But Sirius Black is dead. For all intents and purposes, the main branch of the House of Black has fallen entirely. And you are a Potter. Do I need to explain this from the beginning for you to understand? The only reason I maintained my association with you was because of the possibility that you could become a 'Black'... You no longer hold a single shred of value on your own."
Astoria laughed. It was an unpleasant laugh. The laugh of someone who knew exactly how to hurt people. She... had been mocked like this herself.
"...You've certainly become quite high and mighty, Miss Greengrass. And it seems you've even acquired two new sycophants to replace me. —What exactly made you so important?"
Friction sparked where our gazes crossed. It was an illusion, of course. Yet, there was an unyielding heat between us.
"...There's no reasoning with you. Let's go, everyone. The beastly stench will rub off on us."
Astoria brushed past me. She walked right by. She was so unbelievably beautiful—as if she were built entirely on lies.
"What do you plan to do about Draco?"
Her footsteps stopped.
"You and Mr. Malfoy make a very fitting pair, Miss Potter."
That was the doll's answer.
"Is that so? Well then, I suppose I'll just have to clumsily bite back, exactly like the Gryffindors you hate so much."
I turned around. Astoria's back was facing me. She stood tall and dignified.
"Draco and I are incredibly stubborn when it comes to giving up. —You'd better be prepared, Astoria."
Astoria did not look back. Her posture remained proudly straight. She walked away without revealing even a fragment of her true heart.
Left alone in the corridor, I took a long, deep breath out. I crouched down. I cradled my head in my hands.
Astoria Greengrass... your screams are far too quiet.
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