Her handwriting was far neater compared to that of her partner and it was for this reason Astoria agreed to label the astrology chart. It wasn't as though she was doing all the work herself. Like most purebloods, he was familiar with the Midheaven; his observations almost flawless despite his rather detached tone.

"The next house is the eighth, Mors," he muttered. He swept back his blond hair, irritably. It was longer this year and kept getting in his eyes.

Astoria wondered why he didn't just cut it back if he didn't like the length. It really didn't look that bad. She bit her lip and filled in the aspects of the house on the chart.

"Life, death, and procreation," she murmured, mostly to herself. Draco looked away from the telescope and stared at her. Astoria felt her face go red but he said nothing, merely turned back to the telescope. He may or may not have been smirking.

Had she said something funny? Probably, and at her own expense. Not that it mattered of course, because this was only a school project. Astoria waited for him to identify the next house, which would be an angular, but Draco was quiet. She wished she was someone like Daphne, able to laugh it off when she said something ridiculous. Her sister always seemed to know what to say - and whether it was stupid or clever, people enjoyed her company.

A finger suddenly tapped her chart and she jumped, unaware she'd been lost in her thoughts and hadn't heard him describing the next house.

"Dreaming, Greengrass?" he teased. Once again, a faint ghost of a smirk appeared on his face.

"No," she said, sharper than she'd meant to. Draco's expression dulled again and she felt a stab of guilt. He'd already been targeted today by several sixth year Hufflepuffs - suspended upside-down from the ceiling of the girls' bathroom on the third floor and wrapped in colorful streamers. The others in her dormitory had been fairly crying with laughter about it all afternoon.

Draco started to turn away, but Astoria touched his arm before she could lose the nerve.

"You really know your astrology, Malfoy. You've hardly glanced at your textbook all night," she complimented.

Malfoy did not preen as she expected, but he did turn back to look at her curiously. Astoria started to feel like a bird being watched by a cat. She refused to glance away.

"My mother taught me. We have an observatory on the roof in fact. Used to go up there every solstice." Draco said, a trace of genuine happiness in his voice. It coaxed a smile onto Astoria's face.

"Will you this year?"

"Maybe." His tone was guarded. "Depends on how she feels." Malfoy looked away and seemed to consider something. "Of course, I could invite someone . . . Mother wouldn't mind."

Astoria raised an eyebrow. While Malfoy had still held court, he'd dangled promises of invitations to his house in much the same way he'd dispensed sweets. But he didn't hold court now. Not anymore.

Draco shrugged and peered through the telescope. "You'd be alright to have over. I suppose."

"Oh, well. Thank you," Astoria said coolly. Some invitation.

"You would, but not Daphne. And I don't feel much like being bullied into extending a second invitation," he retorted. "Not tonight at least."

Astoria's eyebrows furrowed. "And what reason would I have to want her along? Think I need my sister to hold my hand, do you?" She demanded, temper rising. "She may be more interesting than I, but that hardly makes me her little minion." Astoria bit her lip and looked away. She had not meant to become angry with him.

She missed Draco's stiffening at the word 'minion'. He smoothed his expression. "Dreadfully sorry, did I somehow imply you were less interesting?" he drawled.

Astoria fumed, turning her glower to the chart. "No you didn't," she muttered. "Nevermind."

Draco was still watching her. She flushed, not looking at him.

"I've gone and riled you up now, haven't I?"

Well, he needn't sound so bloody pleased about it. It was true that Malfoy - with all his charm and sophistication - was the only one who could manage to get her hackles up. She'd ranted about his obnoxiousness a few times in her first year, and to the wrong people. It had gotten back to him of course, but he hadn't done anything about it. If anything, he'd looked amused.

"You are angry," he declared. "I didn't think that was possible, Greengrass."

Damn him, she could hear the smug look on his face.

"My name is Astoria, Draco," she iced, knowing he was successfully goading her into another outburst. She refused to look at him, deciding instead to go over what they'd completed on the chart. It was suddenly plucked from her hands and she turned to glare at him, reaching for it. Draco held it behind his back.

"Astoria, then," he corrected himself softly, and she felt her face grow hot for the third time that evening. He was playing her game now, and she had no choice but to give him a chance to win. Astoria crossed her arms, waiting.

"I usually go flying on a clear night like this. Just for fun," he said, attempting to sound casual. He even flushed a little himself, which was somewhat endearing. She felt the ice block in her chest start to thaw.

"By yourself?" she queried.

"Yes, usually by myself. Do you fly? Ever?"

This wasn't something she could remember Draco Malfoy asking anybody. Astoria bit her lip again.

Daphne had broken her arm once during the summer performing a stupid stunt, and Mother had made them both swear not to fly outside of regular class activities. She'd especially enforced this on Astoria, who she believed to be the more delicate of the two girls.

Astoria glanced at Draco and thought of him flying through the night sky, alone. Like he seemed to do everything else now.

"I'll go with you," she answered, before she could lose her nerve.

Draco grinned at her, making her pulse rise annoyingly.

* * *

The moon above was full, casting irregular patches of light through the thick clouds

Astoria looked around the empty pitch where he'd said to meet him, and wondered if she'd been stood up. If Malfoy didn't appear, Astoria was going to have several words with him - and he wasn't going to like a single one.

A shadow darted across the ground and she looked up, smiling automatically. He was late, but he'd shown up. Why that made her so ridiculously happy, she had no idea.

"You're actually going to fly on that relic?" he called down to her. Astoria's smile crashed.

"You've never seen my broom! How do you know it's a relic?" she shouted back indignantly, and climbed astride it. Within moments she was level with him and the wind picked up her hair, blowing strands into her face. She pushed them behind her ear and saw Draco studying her broom.

"I know it is now." Before she could hit him, he smirked to show he was joking. "All that matters is how well you fly it, really. I can also see you've taken good care of it."

Mollified somewhat, Astoria shrugged. "I've hardly used it. I don't fly often," she explained. Draco laughed and took off, looping a wide circle around her.

Astoria didn't move, looking at him pointedly as he once again hovered by her side. "I'm really not that good," she warned again, unable to keep a self-conscious tremble out of her voice. She hadn't come out here to be mocked for her lack of skill.

Draco seemed to pick up on it because his smile was disarming. "Don't worry. It's not a competition," he promised.

As if to prove this, he held his hand out. Astoria took it, noticing how warm it was - she'd always thought his pale skin would be in need of warmth.

A chill swept through her and she felt herself pulled forward before she had the sense to match Draco's speed. He didn't let go of her hand until she was going as fast as he was. Astoria relished in the wind wildly combing through her hair. While the practical side of her wished she'd thought to tie it back, she was glad she hadn't.

Draco dipped suddenly and with a surprised noise she followed his descent. Now they were over the Great Lake and Astoria leaned to the side, trailing her fingers through the surface of the water. Draco leaned as if to do the same and then, with a laugh, swung himself entirely upside down.

Astoria screamed - it was, after all, the same exact stunt Daphne had once failed so spectacularly. But Draco had not lost his grip on the broom and he was laughing, the ends of his hair getting wet. Astoria adjusted her own grip and before she could rethink it, joined him.

She grinned at him for a moment and then shrieked as the broom nearly dunked her headfirst into the water. Draco reached out to steady her and though embarrassed, Astoria found she could not help but laugh along with him.

She didn't let go of her broom to show off; not even when Draco, merely holding onto the Nimbus between his knees, trailed both his hands through the water. He looked over at her and smirked. It was then Astoria realized he was showing off for her, rather than showing her up. No competition, he'd said. She believed him now.

The Lake eventually ended and Draco righted himself to meet the tall trees of the Forest. Astoria followed suit and looked into the dark spaces between the ancient oaks. Her heart was racing. She knew either one of them could get scratched by branches or knocked off by a thick limb. This was against every bit of broom logic Madame Hooch had ever taught her. With a whoop that matched Draco's, she flew in after him.

The limbs were tangled and she followed his lead, ducking beneath the canopy to keep out of their way. Draco weaved and feinted, then seemed to disappear altogether. Astoria kept going, but slowed her pace - unsure of where to go. She considered calling after him, and then he came back into sight, again flying upside down and holding a flower between his teeth.

Astoria took it, pressing her lips tight to keep down the giggle that tried to escape. Malfoy in his cloak, hanging off the broomstick, looked more like an overgrown bat than the dashing figure he obviously thought he made.

He looked extraordinarily pleased when she tucked the blossom behind her ear.

Draco turned upright and gestured to the clouds. "Come on, you'll like this. It's my favorite."

Closing her eyes against the wet brush of leaves, she cleared the canopy and rose up, not even thinking to look down at the amount of distance they were putting between themselves and the ground. Astoria worried instead for her flower, reassuring herself with questing fingers that it hadn't been knocked out of her hair by the air currents. Malfoy was different out here than he was in the halls of the school. She liked the difference quite a bit.

When they broke through the cover of the clouds, she drew in a sharp breath and kept still. The moon made hills and valleys of the clouds and the stars seemed three times closer than on top of the Astronomy Tower. The beauty was breathtaking.

Malfoy was used to it, for he circled back once he realized he'd taken off without her. Astoria felt him at her side. "I've never been this high up," she admitted.

"At night?"

"Ever. I was never allowed."

"Hmm." Malfoy was quiet, surveying over the horizon of glowing clouds.

"It's like another world," Astoria murmured. She turned to look at Draco and his grey eyes caught hers.

"Another world," he echoed in agreement. And for a moment, in his expression, Astoria caught a glimpse of how badly he needed one.

Without another word, they flew on. Sometimes Draco broke away and did aerial tricks for her entertainment - apparently having nothing to say, or perhaps too much. Always, he kept pace with her and did not go on ahead. The silence between them was comfortable as Draco seemed content to let Astoria drink it all in.

They seemed to have been flying for hours with Astoria lost in a dream, when Draco's leg bumped gently into hers. "We should probably head back," he said. He sounded regretful.

"Where are we?" They couldn't be over Hogwarts any longer. Without a word, Draco dipped beneath the clouds to see. He was up again in no time. "Not too far, right above a plain just south of Hogsmeade. We'll break the cover and be back at the school in a few minutes," he assured her. There was a tremble in his voice and Astoria could not help but feel shocked; had they really flown so far without realizing it?

Draco again disappeared beneath the clouds and this time Astoria followed. The moment the white mist cleared, Astoria saw that something was wrong - the land below was too small and her heart hammered as reality flipped. Was the land upwards, or was her back truly against the sky? Gasping, terrified her broom would turn to mere bristles and wood beneath her if she stared a moment longer, Astoria pointed her broom upward and was once again on a sea of clouds. She did not know how long she'd sat hunched on her broom, attempting to control her breathing, before a warm hand was on her back.

"Trouble?" Malfoy asked, but not mockingly. Astoria looked at him in misery.

"I didn't realize - this must sound so stupid - I didn't know how high-"

"It's alright. I should've remembered, you aren't used to this. Just hold on to me." Astoria gripped his arm and did just that as Malfoy slowly sank them down into the clouds. Then, he stopped and frowned. "I can't go any further."

"Why not?"

"Your broom. It's not letting me. You don't want to go down, so it won't let anyone else take it but you."

She did want to go down, but she didn't - oh, she didn't. Astoria swallowed dryly. "What must I do?"

"I'd fly you down, but then your broom would be stuck up here." A slight mischievous smirk tugged on Draco's lips. "Or we could try something else."

Astoria was instantly suspicious. "Yes?"

"We can fall."

". . . are you positively mental?" Astoria asked calmly, and was proud of herself for not shrieking it in his face.

"No, it'll work. You just have to let go."

"Let go of the broom?" Astoria's grip tightened.

"No. Let go of everything. Your will to stay up in particular. Just . . . let go. Fall." Astoria was giving him an incredulous look. It made sense, but how in Merlin's name would they stop falling?

"It's easy. Okay, it's not, but you'll know when to fly again. Trust me, you'll know." Draco touched her wrists and Astoria forced herself to let go of the handle and twined her fingers with his. Her heart was still thudding, almost painfully.

"Fall?" She asked, in a small voice.

"With me," Draco answered smoothly, then he smiled. Astoria took a breath and relaxed. Her focus went to anywhere else but her broom. Instead it went to the curve of Malfoy's mouth, the grey eyes which no longer seemed quite as haunted.

The air was moving around them, lifting tendrils of Astoria's hair and then, all of it. As Malfoy's hands gently squeezed hers, she found herself falling. When their descent picked up speed she was not alarmed because Draco was not. Even though their brooms felt little more use than twigs, Astoria did not panic. Draco let go of one of her hands and it was then she saw the ground had become the right size at last and it was rushing up to meet them.

Before it could, the two of them were flying, tall grass tips fluttering against their legs as they cut a path through the field. Astoria glanced at Draco as they took to the air again. His smile was sweet and wild and for a moment, she saw him before he'd taken the Mark, before he'd even heard the name Voldemort.

He had yet to let go of her hand. Astoria did not remind him to.

They slowed in the middle of the plain and Draco dismounted. To her surprise, her legs still worked as she clambered down from her own broom. For some absurd reason, her eyes could no longer meet his and her face felt warmer than it should be. Draco's fingers combed through the ends of her hair and plucked something out before replacing the nearly lost bloom behind her ear.

She was afraid of what she'd do if she looked at him. No longer able to bear it, she looked up anyway.

Her sister Daphne had kissed many boys in her time; she'd told Astoria and any other girl who would listen about each conquest. The way their breath tasted in her mouth, whether or not they used tongue.

She'd never said whether or not bursts of light had appeared in her vision, too fast to determine the colors, or if her senses had heightened to the point where she could hear the wind bend each blade of glass and blow fallen leaves into the air.

Astoria could barely stand to break away for breathing, but eventually both her and Draco had to. And now she was able to look at him and he didn't feel abashed about returning her gaze.

"Back?" was all he said, voice sounding hoarse. Astoria desperately wanted to say no. They could stay out here forever.

"I suppose," she said, unhappily. They were close to each other, her chest against his. He was warm and the temptation to lean her head against his shoulder and close her eyes was great. And of course impractical. Nobody would want a person to fall asleep on them in the middle of a field.

Draco didn't move for a good minute. Neither did Astoria.

"It just occurred to me," he said at last. "That I didn't show you a few other places I like to go flying, on the east side of the Lake. It's too late tonight, but maybe . . ."

"I'd love to," Astoria said, and kissed his jaw. She felt Draco shiver slightly against her and smiled as his arms held her closer for just one brief moment. He seemed very reluctant to let her go.

"We really should get back," he sighed.

". . . Yes." Damn it all to hell.

Astoria got on her broom to fly beside him. A whole day to face before the night came around again. It seemed impossibly long already. The only part that gave her comfort was that it would feel just as long for Draco to see her. Of this, she was confident.

Oh dear. Mother was going to have kittens when she found out about them.

Astoria touched the blossom in her hair, and smiled to herself. It would be more than worth it.