Draco looked in the mirror. And sighed.

He didn't want to go to this stupid ball.

Feeling rebellious, he ruffled up his hair a bit. There - he didn't want Astoria to think he had made an effort.

With the heaviest of sighs, he stepped out of his bedroom...

... at the exact same moment that Astrid stepped out of hers.

It had been to Draco's relief that they had managed to avoid this situation since the start of the school year, but he supposed it was bound to happen eventually.

The air grew suddenly thick again, just like last time they were in there together. The sound of Draco's sudden heated rapid breaths filled the little hallway as he waited for Astrid to move to the portrait first.

But she didn't move.

He stood frozen, attempting to look into her eyes, but it was too dark in the hallway to see any colour. Ever since that Saturday morning in the Carrows office, he had been trying to seek out the blue again - but to no avail. Astrid had very much resumed being the Dark Lord's daughter.

He started to wonder if he had imagined it. But then she had rescued him from being tortured.

"I, uh- never said thank you," he said slowly, not sure exactly why he was trying to talk to her.

She didn't reply. Not that he expected her to. Feeling uncomfortable, Draco started to step towards the painting, suddenly desperate to get away.

But he felt a hand land on his arm again, and this time Draco didn't flinch her off, but instead stopped and turned around to look down at her.

"Astrid?" He breathed, his heart racing in his chest as she blinked up at him. He searched into her eyes trying desperately to find some semblance of his Astrid in them.

"Knockity knock!"

They jumped apart as Pansy's shrill voice rang around them, followed by a loud rapping noise on the other side of the portrait.

Cursing, Draco stepped away from Astrid and flung the painting open to reveal Pansy dressed up in some vulgar purple creation.

"What?" He spat, feeling furious at her interruption.

Although interruption of what, he wasn't sure. It felt for a split second that he was with his Astrid in there. But it couldn't have been. She was dead.

"I'm just here to escort my date to the ball," she smiled sweetly, gazing over his shoulder to where Astrid stood, her eyebrows raised slightly. "Wasn't interrupting anything, I hope?"

"You're taking her to the ball?!" Draco spluttered incredulously, "what in merlins beard are you playing at, Pansy?!"

"Oh don't be jealous, sweetie," Pansy grinned, giving his cheek a little pinch, "you had your chance but you chose to take a fifteen year old little desperado instead."

"I'm not jealous," Draco gritted through his teeth, "I just don't understand why you want to go with the Dark Lord's daughter. You're not even... and she's not..."

"Not everything is about sex, Draco. And besides, how do you know what she's into? Or me, come to think of it?! Just because I used to play hide the sausage with you doesn't mean I'm exclusively into one thing!"

Draco just stared at her open mouthed as Astoria approached from behind.

"But I'm sure Daphne will be thrilled to hear what you have planned for her little sister," Pansy went on whilst Draco just stood in muted horror, "seeing as you think people only ask people on dates so they can have sexual fulfilment at the end of it. Oh hi, Astoria, we were just talking about you."

Astoria looked from Pansy to Draco in a mixture of bewilderment and trepidation.

"Uh, ignore Pansy," Draco said quickly, "you erm... you look... nice, by the way."

"Thank-"

"Oh, you can do better than that Draco!" Pansy interrupted as Draco sensed Astrid stepping up behind him. "Tell her she looks hot!"

"Just shut it Pansy!" Draco sneered, suddenly feeling horrendously aware of the girl behind him. He did not want to be taking anyone out. The only person he wanted to tell how beautiful they looked was Astrid. His Astrid.

Needing to get out of there, he stepped out into the common room, and marched straight for the exit.

"Oh Draco!" Pansy cooed, "aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?" Draco spat, swivelling angrily around.

Oh shit. Astoria.

...

He sat fuming on one of the decorated tables, watching Astrid being paraded around by Pansy like some trophy.

It was sickening.

"Umm, do you want to, you know... dance?"

Draco's head snapped to the girl sat next to him. He had forgotten she was there.

"No."

He didn't mean to be so blunt, but Pansy was putting him in a foul mood. Ever since she had banged her fat fist on that bloody portrait.

"Fine," Astoria huffed, crossing her arms sulkily. "To be honest, I don't know why you even asked me. You've been ignoring me all night to stare at that Riddle girl! What is it with her that everyone can't stop fawning about? She tortures children for crying out loud!"

"I have not been staring at her!" Draco snapped, as he stared at Astrid being pulled towards the exit by Pansy. Where was she taking her?

"Well then, you won't mind if I go and ask Theodore for a dance. At least he's paying me some attention!"

Draco briefly glanced up to see Theodore Nott licking his lips seductively in Astoria's direction.

"Yeah sure, whatever," he mumbled, getting up to follow Astrid and Pansy.

He pushed through the crowds desperate to get to the doors before he lost them.

As he stepped out into the Entrance Hall, he caught sight of the back of Astrid's black dress as she was pulled out through the dark doors, disappearing into the dark night.

He didn't like this one bit. Why Pansy was leading Astrid outside, was beyond Draco, but he knew it could only mean something bad.

As he strode across the Entrance Hall, he paused halfway in his tracks.

What am I doing? He thought to himself. Why do I even care?

But deep down, he knew why.

Because there was a small, tiny part of him that believed that she was still there, that his Astrid was in there somewhere.

And if there was even the remotest chance she was still there, no matter how small, he thought, resuming his marching towards the oak doors, then he would do everything in his power to protect her.

...

"Come on, Riddle!" Pansy giggled, pulling her more firmly towards where she knew Blaise would be waiting by the boathouse.

She was a funny thing, this Astrid Riddle, Pansy thought. It was like she was possessed. Not seeing, not hearing, not talking, not thinking.

Just obeying.

It was like having a toy. And Blaise wanted to play too.

Pansy remembered this girl - how she had stolen Draco from her. From as far back as when they were just eleven years old.

Pah! Pansy laughed sardonically, trust Draco to go into a playground full of Muggles and, out of all of them, pick out the Dark Lord's flipping kid.

And then she had the audacity to come back masquerading as a fucking Hufflepuff whilst riding Pansy's boyfriend right under her nose!

She was going to make this bitch pay. Pansy wasn't scared of the Dark Lord's daughter like everyone else. She saw her for what she really was: a dumb fucking bitch who did as she was told.

"Finally!" Blaise said impatiently as Pansy led the girl inside.

Pansy saw Blaise's eyes glinting greedily at their prize. She knew what he was thinking - what shall they get her to do first?

"You sure this won't get back to the Dark Lord?" Blaise asked, licking his lips apprehensively.

"I can't see how," Pansy shrugged. "And I mean, even if it does, she gets ordered to torture children, so what's a bit of fun going to bother the Dark Lord?"

"I suppose so," Blaise said, stepping towards the girl and stroking a single finger down her cheek.

Pansy eyes glinted in excitement as she watched.

"My, my, my, Astrid," he murmured in a dangerous silky voice, "it looks like I'm going to get my wicked way with you, after all."