"Sometimes I wish it was me that could see other people's thoughts," Harry said one afternoon while he, Ron, Hermione and Aster were studying in the library, "Maybe then I'd know where your head has been this last week."

Aster had been staring off into the shelves of books, she blinked and whipped her head round to look at her brother, "Sorry, Harry." She said coming out of her daze, "Did you say something?" Harry rolled his eyes at her and stood up from the table the group was sharing and went to return a book to the shelves.

"You've been a little distant this last week or so," Hermione said from Aster's other side, she didn't look up from her frantic note scribbling as she spoke. "Harry's just worried is all."

"I don't mean to be," Aster shrugged her shoulders, she had spent most of the week thinking about who could have taught Draco Malfoy occlumency, and how she could get him on his own to interrogate him about it – a small part of her always wondered if she could teach herself to become an Occlumens she would have better control at being a Legilimens. Then there was Draco himself, half of her was intrigued by what could be hidden behind his barriers and the other half was annoyed that she couldn't just figure him out like everyone else.

Harry came back to the table with two new books and retook his seat.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Aster said but she got no reaction from her brother, which only added to annoyance she was already feeling, "Well fine," she said and began collecting her books together, "You don't have to act like such an arse." She concluded and swiftly rose from her chair, Harry called out her name but Aster left the library anyway.

It wasn't often that the Potter twins fought but when they did it was usually because one of them was being petty. Aster didn't know where she was heading now but she was suddenly in quite a furious mood, her pace was fast and her face set in a stony expression.

"Hey Aster," the Weasley twins said in unison, coming up behind her, one twin flanking her on either side and falling into step with her, – which wasn't hard, she may walk fast but they had longer legs. "Who's got your wand in a knot?" George inquired.

"I don't see how it's any of your business." Aster replied rather harshly, she didn't want to admit that she and Harry were fighting or that the reason for it was so ridiculous. She was just annoyed with herself more than anything.

The twins looked at each other over Aster's head and without saying a word outloud each twin linked their arm through one of hers and lifter her off her feet.

"Put me down!" Aster demanded but George just shushed at her as they carried her down the corridor. The twins put her down eventually, but not until they'd carried her all the way down to the basements and the trio stood in front of the portrait that led into the kitchens. "You could have simply asked me to come." Aster rolled her eyes at the twins.

"This was way more fun though," Fred said with a shrug, Aster narrowed her eyes at him but he didn't seem phased by it as he reached over her shoulder to tickle the pear that would reveal the way into the kitchens.

"What are we doing here anyway? I've more important things to be thinking about than my stomach!" Aster complained as the twins walked her into the kitchens. The three of them were greeted happily by house elves who began asking what they'd like to eat. Aster sighed, seeing there was no way out of this she asked one of the elves if they had any raspberry ice cream, the house elf rushed off in search of her request and the three students took a seat at the table that mirrored the Gryffindor table upstairs in the great hall - Aster on one side and the twins on the other.

"We've found that when we're in a bad mood pulling an awesome prank is the best way to lighten up," George told Aster, who simply looked at him like he was mad.

"But we figured that wasn't really your thing, so the second best way is to stuff yourself silly with something ridiculously delicious." Fred finished and Aster nodded in agreement as the house elf from before placed a bowl full of dark pink ice-cream on the table in front of her. She thanked him and he went on his way.

Across the table, Fred and George had several desserts laid out before them.

"Feeling better?" Fred asked after they had been eating for a few minutes.

"Actually yes," Aster replied, "but next time, I'd prefer to walk than be carried." The twins agreed and the trio happily ate and talked for a while until George excused himself, saying that he had to go and find someone before the DA meeting that had been scheduled for that afternoon.

Aster thought this was rather curious but she didn't question it or pry in her own way. It was strange to see George wandering off without Fred. She scraped at the last remaining ice-cream in her bowl and had already begun eyeing up a slice of chocolate cake that Fred had yet to start on.

"What do you suppose we're learning today?" Fred inquired.

"Harry's going to teach you how to conjure a patronous." She replied, Fred looked rather impressed.

"Can you cast one?" He asked and she nodded.

"Want to see?" She asked pulling her wand out of the sleeve of her grey cardigan. She'd always thought her wand was quite pretty, it was made from dogwood and was quite pale in colour with darker spirals around the handle. It was long, 12 and half inches, and had a core made from a thestral tail hair. Fred nodded enthusiastically so Aster tried to focus on a happy memory.

The spell fizzled at first, not creating much but a few sparks, but her second attempt worked easily. An elegant, sleek looking cat shimmered into being, it sat with its eyes trained on the pair of them, a look of discontent on is feline features.

"He's not very affectionate is he?" Fred commented and Aster laughed. The cat picked itself up and wandered over to its conjuror, rubbing himself gently against her legs.

"I guess he likes my laugh." Aster concluded, watching the creature as it perched at her feet.

"Well it is a wonderful laugh." Fred commented and Aster looked up at him, she had be unprepared for the comment and could feel the slight heat forming in her cheeks.

The cat at her feet fizzled out and disappeared as Aster lowered her wand and slipped it back into her sleeve.

"Oh, uh thank you." She replied running a hand nervously through her dark hair.

"Most of you is quite wonderful actually," Fred carried on. Aster didn't know what to say in reply so she changed the subject.

"We should be getting upstairs, the DA will wonder where we are." She said. Somehow Fred's smile managed to look disappointed but he nodded and the two made their way to the room of requirement.

The DA meeting had gone well, no one had been able to produce more than a few shimmers and fizzes of light here and there but then Aster hadn't expected any of them to produce much more. The Patronus Charm was a particularly hard spell to master and most witches and wizards never managed it at all. Harry seemed to have forgotten all about her outburst in the library or at least he wasn't making a fuss about it – she left it as nothing more than what it was, a squabble between siblings.

It was dinner time now and today was one of the few times that the others would make it to the great hall before she would.

"Hey, Potter." A voice called out to her as she was about to enter the hall, she turned to see Draco Malfoy leaning casually against the wall as if he often called out to her. She didn't know why, but she was happy to see him, happy but also annoyed. She had to supress a smile that wanted to appear on her lips.

"Yes, Draco?" She inquired.

"C'mon." He replied, nodding his head in the opposite direction she had been meaning to go. Nothing more than a head nod, no explanation, no reasoning, just a head nod. Aster knew she should turn her back on him and go have dinner with her friends. She looked over her shoulder and could see them all sat laughing together and she wanted to join them, but instead she found herself pulling away from them and following Draco off down the corridor.

"What's this about?" Aster demanded once the two had settled in the courtyard on the same bench as before.

"I was merely curious to see if you'd come." Draco shrugged in reply, Aster bumped his shoulder quite hard with her own but it didn't seem to faze him, he actually laughed at her. Aster thought he had a nice laugh and was surprised she'd never really heard it before, Draco wasn't the type to laugh at his own jokes or insults, he had goons for that.

"Oh don't get so worked up about it Potter," Draco continued, "I was merely trying to get a rise out of you." Aster was disappointed in herself for once again giving him exactly what he wanted, "I actually thought we could have a conversation." Draco added, "I thought it would be nice for you to have a conversation where you don't know all the answers."

Aster wasn't sure she was actually awake now for it seemed like Draco was perhaps trying to be nice to her.

"And what do you suppose we have a conversation about, Draco?" She asked, expecting her was simply trying to get her to spill secrets about the DA or something.

"The weather has been rather good lately." Draco commented, Aster couldn't believe it, he was trying to make small talk with her.

"This is ridiculous," Aster replied, "I don't know what game you're playing here Draco Malfoy – and believe me that's quite infuriating – but whatever it is I'm not going to fall for it."

Draco smiled at her, not his usual arrogant smirk but and actual genuine smile. Like his laugh is was quite nice.

"You intrigue me, Potter." Draco said almost gently, "And even though you can't get inside my head, you never seem to be out of it. Its driving me mad not knowing you."

Aster thought about his words for a moment, people seemed to be catching her off guard frequently today but she thought this comment surprised her the most.

After a few more seconds passed, she replied, "I suppose you should start by calling me Aster." She twisted a curl of hair around her finger, "If you're to get to know me that is."

Draco smiled again and after a second of hesitation, Aster pulled her hand away from her hair and returned it with a smile of her own. The two talked for a while, about nothing in particular, nothing besides schoolwork and classes really. Getting to know the enemy of your brother wasn't covered in any class Aster had attended and she worried that if Harry found out he would never speak to her again.

Draco assured her that he wanted it kept a secret as much as she did. Conversation became easier the more they talked, laughing became easier too and Aster found Draco to be just as funny as she'd imagined him to be. It wasn't often Aster found herself to be able to relax but with Draco it seemed easy, he didn't even mind when she accidentally started poking around in his head, not that she could as no sooner had he felt her in there then he forced her back out again, she'd apologised a lot and explained she didn't have much control over it, he told her it was fine.

Friendship with Draco was easier than she'd expected it to be.

A/N: Hm...Idk what I'm doing this is all filler to me till I get to the end chapters that I've already written haha! Anyways I hope you enjoyed it a little at least, thanks to everyone who's followed and/or favourited. Much love ~RainbowVeins