Astoria Greengrass is only six when she meets Draco Malfoy. The girl with curly brown hair that falls to her waist watches from her big sister, Daphne, and her friends running and shrieking like banshees in the garden. As much as Astoria wants to join them, she knows she can't. Every time the girl with the face like an abused pug or the big girl with oily hair and acne visit, Astoria is locked out of her own bedroom or pushed into a pile of mud. The little girl sighs as she sits on a stone bench that overlooks a sunflower garden.

She hears a woman's soft voice penetrate the chaos of screaming children. She looks over at the French doors to see a glamorous woman with long pale blonde hair and ice blue eyes. She looks like a model on Witch Weekly. She says to a young boy, "Mommy won't be too long. Go play with your friends. Okay Draco?"

"Yes Mummy," he responds. The woman leaves as the boy stares at the garden. He rolls his eyes at the undignified children as if he was much older than the ripe age of eight. He spots the six year old in a sky blue dress casually minding her own business. He strolls over to her. For a child, he stands up straight with a puffed out chest like a bird. "Hello," he states, "May I sit with you?"

"Okay," Astoria replies as she scoots to the far end of the bench.

Draco looks the child up and down. Her hands are placed delicately in her lap. She seems so shy and reserved unlike most of the children he knows. "I have never seen you before, and I know everybody. I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy. Who might you be?" he asks.

"Astoria Greengrass," she replies with a toothy grin.

Draco looks up as Astoria looks down at the grass below her feet. She spots a white daisy and decides to pluck it from the ground. She runs a chubby finger along the soft petal as the boy asks, "So why aren't you playing with the other children?"

"Pansy doesn't like me," she answers matter-of-factly.

Draco smirks and replies "Don't let that bother you. You're way prettier than she is anyways." Astoria grins and gives him a hug.

Astoria is a Slytherin, but she feels completely invisible when her big sister isn't around. Now that Daphne has started dating, Astoria is left to her own devices. During her first year, Daphne helped Astoria with homework and navigating through Hogwarts. Now, Astoria is lost.

The second year climbs through the portrait hole into the Slytherin common room. A large textbook is tucked under her arm as she navigates through the room. She sits down at a small table near the fireplace. She looks around the room. Daphne isn't in sight. Draco is curled up in armchair like a cat. A book is in his hand, but he seems bored with it. Pansy is complaining loudly about the Gryffindor, Hermione Granger, but Astoria doesn't understand why. Millicent and Tracy are braiding one another's hair. She doesn't know who to ask for help with her Transfiguration essay,

Astoria hates to ask for help, but she doesn't know what else to do. She glances over at Draco. The handsome boy is practically royalty, but he has a reputation for being cruel; however, he is the only person in the room who has ever been nice to her. Ignoring her heart beating wildly, she says, "Excuse me." Her voice is calm and clear and soft like a harp. His grey eyes meet hers, and she can feel the oxygen escape from her lungs. "Will you help me?"

Draco recognizes the girl, and a small part of him wants to say something scathingly clever. Other than height, she hasn't changed since she was six. Also, he knows his father would be furious if he mistreated the youngest Greengrass girl. Their fathers have been business partners for years. He huffs and sighs, but answers, "As long as you don't make this a habit. What are you having issues with?"

Astoria begins to explain her assignment. She's fully invested in her assignment, but Draco is a tad more observant. He notices Pansy's nostrils flare, and her dull brown eyes want to pop out of her skull. He hears someone tell Pansy, "Don't worry about baby Greengrass. She's harmless." Unfortunately, that's Draco's favorite quality about her.

Draco Malfoy is tired, thin, and almost lifeless. He needs plan to work or a miracle. If he failed at his task, he was a dead man. His mother, his father, maybe even Snape would suffer or die because he failed. He thought by taking the Dark Mark, he could make his father proud. He was so confident when he began his mission. He was presented with a great opportunity, and now it was eating him alive. There was too much at risk, and no one seemed to understand.

He stares at the vanishing cabinet and wishes for someone to understand. He hears feet tapping the floor and he thinks, "The room of requirement will give you what you need." He turns around to see Astoria.

"Draco?" she asks as she steps closer to him. He notices her green eyes are wet as if she had been crying. She wipes her cheek with the back of her hand, but keeps her head high.

"Why are you in here?" he asks his voice almost betraying him. He cannot allow the innocent girl to be exposed to the toxic cloud that surrounds his existence. She needs to leave, but he doesn't want her to go.

"I needed to get away," she replies quietly. She knows she could complain about Pansy and her little gang, but she knew Draco has more pressing matters to deal with. She has heard rumors about him becoming a Death Eater. She has noticed the once proud Prince of Slytherin carries himself like Atlas with the world on his shoulders. She wants to say something, reach out, anything. She has felt alone her entire life, and Draco Malfoy should not.

She says, "I don't know if the rumors are true, but if it is… I can imagine this is really hard. I wouldn't be strong enough to be in your position, but I am here for you." She takes his calloused hand in his and rubs her thumb alongside the top of his hand.

He replies, "You would if it meant you and your family would survive."

She answers, "To protect the people I love, then yes." Draco feels some reassurance in her answer, and he debates whether he should inform the young lady of his impending assignment.

"Thank you," he replies.

Draco hasn't seen Astoria since he last left Hogwarts. She would be a fifth year and stunning. Julius Greengrass, Astoria's father, is a Death Eater, but Draco doesn't ask him about the lovely young woman. He knows more than he desires, and it breaks his heart knowing she is in danger. Deep down, he knows everyone is in danger. Julius, once a beacon of health, now has grey hair and lines around his brilliant green eyes. His skin is like old leather, but no one brings attention to the matter.

It's the twenty-third of December, and Julius has brought his daughters to Malfoy Manner. The family lacks holiday spirit. Daphne's honey colored hair has lost its luster. A silent prayer escapes her lips as she looks around for her beloved. Poor Astoria looks as if her innocence was being ripped from her. The color from her skin has disappeared, there are bags underneath her eyes, and her brown hair is tied back.

Draco desperately wants to reach out and hold her. He wants to lie to her and tell her, "Everything will be okay."

Theodore Nott steps into the hall. "Daph," he whispers as the blonde girls runs over to him. She leaps into his arms and drapes her arms around his neck. The emotional outburst was unfitting for purebloods especially during war. Daphne kisses his cheek as the young man escorts her upstairs into his guest room. Astoria watches them walk away and glances nervously at her father. She's scared and the fear is etched in her face.

Narcissa and Lucius share a look of understanding and nod in agreement. "Draco, take Astoria upstairs. Make sure she is comfortable while we speak with her father," Lucius states.

"Follow me," Draco says and takes Astoria's small hand. He leads her upstairs and opens the door to his study. There's a leather armchair by a tall bookshelf and Cherrywood desk in the corner. Astoria tugs at her grey sweater sleeves as she looks around. She doesn't say anything although she is impressed by the estate.

Draco closes the door and looks at the girl. "Tori," he murmurs as he takes the girl into his arms. "I am so sorry for everything that happened to you."

That's when Astoria realizes he knows. She shouldn't be surprised Pansy wrote to Draco and bragged how she used the cruciatus curse on baby Greengrass. She shouldn't be surprised Pansy informed Draco how she forced Daphne to hex her baby sister until she couldn't breathe. Hogwarts was a torture factory, and Astoria was on both ends of the spectrum. Her nightmares were filled with screams and blood, and she wants to die.

She sobs into his chest and mutters, "I can't do this." He holds her tighter and stokes her soft brown hair. He needs to end this for her.

"Tori, be strong. I promise you that we will make it through. We do better together," he says. He has heard his parents say that to one another for so long, and so he knows it has to be true. Besides, the girl needs him, and he needs her. She's the only light in the darkest world he has ever known.

"Draco, I don't know if I can," she says choking back a sob.

"You can. I'm here," he insists. She meets his gaze and places her hand on the side of his face. She stands on her toes and kisses him softly at first until he kisses her back. She grabs him by the collar and feels his body against hers, and she finally feels safe and accepted. He pulls away and says, "You and I will make it together."