A/N: Hi! So this is the first chapter of my Draco/Astoria story. You should know a few things before reading, so bear with me for a little bit. First off, this starts when Astoria and Daphne are still pretty young. Each chapter will have some sort of indication of what age Astoria is if it is different from the last. I have a couple chapters already written, so updates should be pretty quick. The true plot and story begins once Astoria is in her forth year, and Draco his sixth, though the first chapters are of Astoria growing up. I did this so Astoria can get her own back-story (which she wasn't allowed in the books) and also show her relationship with Draco as it evolves. Okay, I'm done rambling now. Let the story begin, and happy reading! ….

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Thanks to ForeverSinging for betaing!

An Aster Among the Thorns

- Chapter One -

"Remember girls; always keep your composure, even in the face of opposition. Your voice should stay soft and gentle, and your back should always be straight - Daphne stop slumping; you are breaking my rules even as I speak them!"

Daphne did as her mother said, though not without a heaving sigh first. Astoria sat next to her sister, and although she was two years younger, she seemed considerably more enthralled by the etiquette lesson. Her back was long and straight, her eyes staying politely fixed on her mother, not straying to stare wistfully out the window like Daphne's often found them doing.

"As I was saying - Posture says many things about a lady," Mrs. Greengrass' narrowed eyes raked across Daphne's face before she continued. "And it should say a great deal more than your words. Silence is your friend. Remember that."

Mrs. Greengrass stopped her pacing to regard her two daughters. Her spindly fingers clasped together at her back, her face betraying nothing. It was quite easy to discern - even at such a young age - which one of them would become the true lady.

Daphne stabbed the air with her eager hand. "Does that mean our lesson is over, Mama?" Her tone could have passed as genteel were it not for the undisguised smirk poised on her thin lips.

Mrs. Greengrass suppressed a frown and gave a sharp nod. "Don't dirty your dress when you go outside." She called to her daughter's fleeing back.

Astoria stayed firmly in her seat, as if she had not heard the training was over. Her heart was thrumming in her chest.

Silence is your friend.

She made sure to tuck the precious bit of information away in her mind. She was determined to become the perfect lady, just like her mother.

"Astoria?" Her mother swept to her side. "You can go now."

Astoria looked up at her mother; her grey eyes alight with uncertainty.

"Are ladies allowed to play?"

For some reason, her question made her mother smile.

"No, but you have a long time before you're a lady, darling. For now, you may go and have fun. But don't forget what I said to Daphne. No playing in the mud."

Astoria grinned, finally reassured. She stood and hurried off the way her sister had gone. There was no need for her mother to tell her not to play in the mud, though. Only Daphne found the gooey brown stuff interesting.

"C'mon, Tori! Let's play Muggles and Witches again." Daphne called when she spotted Astoria slipping out the door, into the glaring spring light.

A frown tugged at Astoria's lips. "That game is mean."

Daphne let out one of her signature laughs. Loud and callous, almost cruel sounding. Astoria nearly succumbed to the urge to cover her ears.

"It's not mean. It's just a bit of fun - we aren't hurting anyone, are we?"

Daphne did have a point - it was just a game, but Astoria always ended up being the Muggle, and Daphne the great superior witch. The entire time, Astoria had to stumble around and pretend to scrounge for morsels of food while Daphne continuously pointed a twig shaped like a wand at Astoria, commanding that she do tasks for her, or if Daphne was in a particularly wicked mood, Astoria had to pretend she was being hit with jinxes.

"I hate being the Muggle, though. Do they really act like that?"

"You know what Mum says," Daphne's face morphed into an exaggerated haughty sneer, "'we're superior but we must not show it.' Of course Muggles act like that! They're filth. But I don't see why we can't just show how much better we are." She waved the subject away with a lazy flick of her hand. "Now, are we going to play or not?"

Astoria sighed. She wouldn't give in this time; she had a better idea.

"Let's go climb the big hill. It's finally sunny enough we can see the river way in the distance."

Daphne crossed her arms, head cocked defiantly. "I say we go swim in the river."

"But Mummy says -"

"Trust me, I know what Mum says." Daphne's expression softened. "Tori, I won't let anything happen to you."

Daphne stuck out her hand. Astoria stared at it for a moment, until one of her little hands lifted to take it. Daphne would protect her, and surely her mother would understand….

The two sisters hurried off, their dresses whipping around their feet, exhilarated laughs bursting from their grinning lips, mingling with the wind that still held the last bits of winter. Up and over the hill they went - the hill that blotted out the horizon, hiding the land beyond. Many a summer's day Astoria had sat at the base of it and wondered what laid just over it, never daring to go and explore because her mother had forbad it. Daphne was never so hesitant. She had told Astoria once that a river as winding and endless as any she had ever seen sat right out of sight. Ever since Astoria had had a burning desire to see it.

The river drew closer, until every little bend and ripple could be seen. Daphne stopped running and began pulling her shoes off. Astoria held back, starting to reconsider her hasty decision.

"Do you think the water is cold?" Astoria eyed the river warily.

Daphne hiked up her dress, stepping close to the water's banks. She turned to look at her younger sister with an impish grin and said, "Freezing." before leaping in.

Once her head of wild brown curls reappeared at the surface of the churning river, she let out a shriek.

"You have to come in!"

Astoria looked down at her dress, and back up to her sister's wide black eyes. She walked up to the sandy bank, after removing her shoes, letting one tremulous foot submerge. Icy shocks shot up her leg and she immediately jumped away, her whole body shivering.

"You won't ever get in if you do it that way." Daphne snapped. She again offered a hand.

Astoria shook her head vigorously. "Don't pull me in."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "I won't. I'll help you."

Daphne however was lying - for the moment Astoria's hand gripped hers, she yanked hard, and Astoria went tumbling in next to her. Astoria struggled against the violent waves all around her that pummeled her with watery fists. She felt the unpleasant sensation as water seeped into her nose, filling her opened mouth, choking her. Cold enclosed her with its hooked claws, until every bit of warmth from the spring sun was stolen away, and for the first time, she realized, that even with all the schooling she had been given, swimming had never been one of the lessons. She wasn't the only one who had been struck with this thought - Daphne's arms wrapped around her a moment later, pulling her towards the surface.

"Merlin - Tori - !" Daphne sobbed. She pulled Astoria up onto the shore, pushing the tangled waves off of Astoria's ashen face.

Daphne's hands fluttered uselessly over her sister's body. "Please say something!"

Astoria only sputtered and gasped for air in response.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Tears snaked down Daphne's face, dripping off her long pointed nose and landing upon Astoria's cheeks.

"Daffy, you pulled me in." Astoria whispered; her voice raspy and her throat setting afire with her words.

Daphne visibly exhaled. "Tori!" She hugged her shivering sister tightly, relief resounding within her.

Astoria noticed that she too was crying, and the older girl's face was obscured by the swirling unshed tears and the frigid river water still clinging to her eyelashes when she pulled away from the hug.

"And to think, I wasted a perfectly good apology on you and you didn't even die." Daphne laughed. This laugh was much better, soft and gentle, more of a giddy giggle, really. But either way, Astoria wished her sister would laugh like that more often.

"Can we go home now?"

The two sisters linked arms, and dripping and shivering, ran back home. Their shoes laid quite forgotten back behind.

A/N: So what do you think? Review!