AN: So this is it. The last chapter of this story. But do not worry, the first chapter of the sequel is already published and you can go and check it right after you have read this (if you want to, of course). The sequel is called Frozen Hearts and Flames of Love. And to answer an anonymous review: yes, John and Luna will both appear in the sequel. But without any more words, here it is. The last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't (unfortunately) own Harry Potter

"You look good."

Draco's words seemed to hang in the air for a moment and for those few seconds Astoria couldn't do anything. She couldn't breathe or even blink. She felt completely paralyzed, all because of a simple realization: she had forgotten the sound of his voice. In Astoria's nightmares Draco never really spoke. He tried to, but he always died before he had the chance to say anything and because of that for a fleeting moment Astoria feared that she was dreaming.

"Thank you," she finally managed to whisper. Draco stared at her with his brow furrowed, obviously aware that something wasn't right.

"Astoria?" Theodore asked from the armchair, "Are you alright?" Astoria nodded.

"Yes. I'm quite alright. I just...haven't slept well."

"Spending too much time with your boyfriend?" asked Theodore who was smirking. An awkward silence settled upon the room. Theodore looked a bit ashamed of himself, Astoria was simply horrified and Draco looked about ready to vomit.

"Actually no," Astoria said once she had finally recovered from her shock, "I have nightmares." Astoria wasn't quite sure what had made her confess this, let alone to Theodore and Draco. She hadn't even told Emma about her nightmares. No one knew about them.

"What do you have nightmares about?" Theodore asked.

"Death."

"Why?"

"The healer said that I have a very active imagination and that that with all the stress and emotional turmoil I went through causes me to have nightmares. He gave me a sleeping potion."

"Did it work?" Theodore asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"Yes," Astoria knew that the lie wasn't great but it would have to do. There was a knock on the front door and it echoed through the entire house.

"I'll get that!" Theodore said and ran out of the room.

"Don't you have a house-elf to do that?" Draco asked but Theodore didn't hear him.

"Do you have nightmares?" Astoria asked. Draco opened his mouth but then closed it again.

"Y-yes," he said hesitantly, "sometimes."

"What do you dream about?"

"Nothing that would interest you." Draco's tone was both mean and final. Astoria stared at her feet. It was a thing she always did when people (usually Daphne or her father) were mean to her.

"Look Asto...Are you crying?!" Astoria looked up with anger all over her face.

"No, I'm not crying!"

"Well I didn't know what to think. You just mentioned having nightmares and Theodore told me you and John have been fighting and..."

"Excuse me?!" Astoria was furious, "John and I are doing just fine, thank you very much." She did her best to keep her voice steady even though her head was about to explode from the sheer need to hit something. Why had Theodore told Draco that she and John were fighting? It was true, but that didn't really give Theodore the right to tell people. And what bothered Astoria even more was the tone of Draco's voice when he spoke to her. He talked to her the way he talked to Theodore and Emma and the rest of her friends. He didn't sound like he really cared what he was saying. Had he lost all interest in her?

"You're not a very good liar, Astoria."

"Well that can't be true since everyone seems to think that John and I are madly in love." The words escaped Astoria's lips before she had time to think. An almost mad smile spread on Draco's lips. At that moment the doors to the library opened and Theodore returned with Emma walking right behind him.

"Astoria!" Emma exclaimed and came to hug her friend. Astoria laughed and hugged her back even though Emma's behaviour was a little confusing.

"Draco." Emma nodded to Draco and then looked from Astoria to Draco and back. She then raised one eyebrow rather suggestively. Astoria just shook her head in slight embarrassment. Why couldn't Emma act normally?

"So how's John?" Oh, so apparently Emma hadn't finished yet.

"He's fine. I suppose. Still alive."

"Still? That's nice. Very nice," Emma said, "How about you Draco? Have you found someone to spend the rest of your miserable life with? Or are you still with Pansy?"

"How about you mind your own business and I won't have to..."

"Okay. Drinks? Anyone?" Theodore interrupted Draco before the latter had a chance to say something stupid.

"Oh, I'd love a cup of tea," said Astoria. Theodore gave her a small smile, letting her know how glad he was that she had decided to play along. Then his expression changed to normal right before asking:

"Are you sure? I have some excellent wine in the cellar."

"Yes, just tea for now. Thank you, Theodore," Astoria said. Theodore nodded and proceeded to ask Draco and Emma what they wanted to drink. After hearing that they both wanted wine he left to retrieve the bottle of wine himself.

"Why doesn't he just get the house elf to bring it?" Emma asked. Astoria looked at Draco, assuming that he had an answer but instead she found Draco staring at her with an odd look on his face. It was a mixture of concentration and another emotion Astoria couldn't quite identify. Anger? Desperation? Jealousy?

"This house is huge," Emma said with admiration all over her voice and features. Astoria kept staring at Draco who looked ready to say something. But right before Astoria's eyes, something in Draco's eyes changed as he looked at her and he didn't say a word. Astoria let out a little sigh. She moved for the first time since Emma had arrived and walked next to the huge windows that offered an amazing view in to the garden.

"It's beautiful," Astoria whispered, "I wonder how Theodore has the time to take care of it?"

"He doesn't take care of it," said Draco sharply, "he has house-elves for that." Astoria turned her head slightly to look at Draco. He had taken a few steps closer at some point. Emma was standing behind him with a serious face but with laughter in her eyes.

"Well how many house elves does he have?" Astoria asked while turning back to stare out of the window. She could hear how Draco came closer and when he spoke his voice came from only a few feet away from her.

"More than enough," said Draco. Behind them, Theodore re-entered the room with a bottle of wine.

"How does he expect us to drink if he didn't bring any...?" Emma gestured at Theodore, obviously referring to the lack of glasses.

"The house-elves will take care of that," replied Theodore while setting down the bottle.

"Like I said, more than enough house-elves," Draco whispered in Astoria's ear. Draco was clearly amused but Astoria didn't find it funny. The feeling of knowing that Theodore had more than one of these creatures working for him, in what she could only assume weren't the best conditions, made her feel a little sick.

"Are you alright?" Draco's voice was full of concern and Astoria closed her eyes, refusing to turn around and face Draco in the fear that she wouldn't find that same concern in his eyes.

"I wonder if the garden is as beautiful as it looks from here?" she said instead.

"Probably not. There's a dead squirrel behind that tree. That much I'm sure of," Draco said while pointing at a tree right next to a small pond, "Theo and I found it when we were 6 or 7." Astoria smiled. She hadn't known that Theodore and Draco had known each other for so long. She knew that they went back a long way but she'd always thought that they'd become friends at Hogwarts.

"Don't tell me you killed the squirrel," said Astoria with a playful tone.

"Of course not! What kind of a man do you think I am?" Draco sounded truly insulted. Astoria, on the other hand, was laughing and soon enough a smile spread on Draco's face. He quickly changed it to a face of disapproval.

"Stop it Greengrass," he said, "You're embarrassing us." Astoria bit her lip in a desperate attempt to stop the laughter from escaping her mouth. Astoria could see Theodore and Emma exchanging a knowing look. It made Astoria a little angry. What right did they have to laugh behind her back? But on the other hand she could understand why. She would have done the same thing.

But then Astoria noticed Emma and Theodore exchanging another glance. Astoria might not have had as many boyfriends as Daphne or even some girls her own age, but she knew what it looked like when two people were attracted to each other. But Theodore and Emma? Astoria had known that Emma thought Theodore was attractive but she hadn't seen this coming. Why hadn't Emma told her about this? In the back of Astoria's head a little voice asked what else Emma hadn't told her about? Astoria frowned. What was she thinking? Emma was her friend.

"Theodore!" Draco suddenly said, "I'm going to show Astoria the garden." Astoria was a little surprised. Had Draco seen the same thing she had or did he just want to spend some time alone with her?

"But Grace will be here in a moment," Theodore protested.

"Oh please," said Astoria, "She's always late." During the last six months Grace had proved herself to be a very valuable friend. Grace was always knew what people were talking about and most of the Slytherins liked her. But she also talked a lot. Sometimes too much, which was why she was always late.

Theodore shrugged. Astoria spared him and Emma one last glance before following Draco out. She could've sworn that Emma was smiling a little. Turning back to stare at Draco, Astoria began to think. His walk had changed. He seemed a little more relaxed but Astoria could still see that his hand was tightly around his wand. Astoria smiled a little before she took his arm. Draco looked surprised.

"What? I'm unfamiliar with the grounds. I don't want to get lost," said Astoria. Draco nodded but Astoria could see him smiling when he thought she wasn't looking.

After walking around for a while, Draco and Astoria arrived to the small pond next to the tree Draco had pointed out earlier. It was beautiful and in Astoria's opinion, not something you expected to find in a place like the Nott manor. They just stood there staring at the water. Then suddenly Draco left. Astoria stared after him but didn't say anything. Draco was troubled and Astoria knew that. Maybe just like her, he too needed a little time to gather his thoughts every once in a while. But then, Draco reappeared.

"Come here," he said. Astoria raised him an eyebrow and then glanced down at the ground. She was wearing shoes with small heels and every time she took a step, the heels sank in to the wet ground.

"If the only reason why I'm doing this," Astoria hissed while making her way to Draco, "is because you want to show me a dead squirrel, I'm going to be very mad at you."

"Aren't you already mad at me?" Draco's question would have been funny if he's voice hadn't sounded so very serious.

"No." Astoria stopped halfway to Draco and stared. Draco stood under the massive tree with his hands in his pockets and his mouth slightly open. He had been caught by surprise, that much was certain. He closed his mouth slowly and gave Astoria a small, but obviously fake, smile.

"Okay," he said and extended his hand, "Now come on. They're going to be spying on us if we don't find cover." Astoria nodded and made the rest of her way to Draco as gracefully as possible. Once there, she took Draco's hand in an attempt to balance herself.

"Perhaps a different pair of shoes next time?" asked a clearly amused Draco. Astoria gave him an ice-cold glare but instead of making him cower in fear she made him laugh.

"I've missed you Greengrass." The honest look on his face made Astoria's heart melt a little.

"I've missed you too," she replied. Draco turned to stare at her and she stared right back. His eyes were the most amazing shade of grey. Astoria couldn't understand why she hadn't noticed it before. Or maybe she had. She wasn't sure. Slowly her eyes shifted from his eyes to his lips. She could still remember what it had been like to kiss those lips right before the beginning of the Battle of Hogwarts. She could still remember the way they had felt the first time they'd touched her lips. She could still remember how different his lips were from his personality. Draco could sometimes be a very cold person. He would say hurtful things and words that disgusted Astoria sometimes fell from those lips but when those lips were pressed against hers she forgot all about that. Because then all she could feel was the softness of his lips against hers and that was enough.

Without realising it, both of them had begun to lean closer. Right at the moment when their lips were about to touch, Astoria's heel sank in to the ground and she fell forward straight in to Draco's arms. Draco caught her and helped her back up but he kept his arm around her waist. Astoria could feel the heat on her cheeks and it angered her. Why did her face have to betray her and reveal to Draco how ashamed she was for not being able to handle heels as gracefully as Daphne.

"I have something for you," said Astoria suddenly after remembering the book she had bought. Draco frowned and released his hold of Astoria to allow her to dig the book from her bag. She handed it to him and he just stared at the cover for a moment. Then he opened it and Astoria could see something change in his eyes. Before they had held a look of confusion but now they were full of understanding.

"I sincerely hope this will help you achieve whatever it is you want to achieve," Draco's voice was steady as he read the words Astoria had written on to the first page. He looked up at her and she gave him a small smile.

"It's a bit unoriginal but I like it," Draco said, "I didn't get you anything." Astoria just shook her head.

"It's alright. I felt I owed you a potions book. It would be terrible if one day someone found out Draco Malfoy had been nice to me and that I had ignored that."

"It doesn't matter. I have to get you a gift," said Draco, "so start dreaming Greengrass. If you could have anything in the world right at this very second, what would it be?"

You. The answer echoed through Astoria's head like a disease that refused to let go. She shook her head. No. She was with John now and even though she wasn't truly happy with him, that did not give her the right to want Draco. Nothing gave her the right to want Draco. He was a former Death Eater. He was by all accounts a man no woman should want to be with. He was broken and damaged and possibly beyond repair. But he was Draco.

"Have you come up with any nice ideas?" he asked.

"Huh?" Astoria had no idea what Draco had just said. She had been so lost in her own thoughts about him that she'd forgotten he was really there.

"What is that you want? What would you want if you could get anything and everything that you ever dreamed of?" Draco took a step closer and Astoria let out a nervous laugh.

"I would like a steaming cup of hot chocolate?" she said. Draco shook his head.

"Liar. Try again," he said while taking another step closer to Astoria.

"What gives you the right to call me a liar?" Astoria whispered when they stood face to face, only inches between them.

"I'm a selfish Death Eater with no heart. Or, if I am to believe you, my heart is made of ice," Draco whispered. He placed the book Astoria had given him at the root of the tree under which they were standing.

"Hmm, but do you remember what else I said?"

"Yes, you said that somewhere there is a flame for each frozen heart." Draco smiled at the memories that came with those words.

"So have you found your flame?" Astoria asked quietly. They were standing so closely that Astoria was completely surrounded by his scent.

"I think I may have," said Draco softly.

"What is she like?"

"I think you would like her. Although..." Draco got distracted by a stand of hair that had fallen in front of Astoria's right eye. He brushed it away, brushing his thumb gently over her cheek.

"Although what?" Astoria was rather desperate to know what he was going to say.

"Although I'm not entirely sure if I am the one with a frozen heart or if I am the flame that is meant to melt her heart." Astoria couldn't stop herself. She let out a bright laugh.

"Who knew Draco Malfoy was capable of words like that?" she asked. Draco narrowed his eyes at her as she continued to grin.

"Come here," he finally said. Astoria was about to say that she couldn't really come any closer but then Draco was suddenly kissing her and she forgot everything she had meant to say or do.

Astoria was about to push him away when she realised something. She didn't have to push him away. There was no war to be fought. No battle to run away from. No reason at all to let him go. Alright so perhaps John was a reason to let go, but who said she would have to tell John? And either way they had only been going out for six months, he couldn't possibly expect them to get married or anything. There was absolutely no reason to let Draco go.

Astoria wrapped her arms around Draco's neck and kissed him back. After a moment Draco pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

"There's something for you to think about the next time you meet Avery," he said. They were almost the exact same words he had said when he'd first kissed her. That too had been a decision that he had made without thinking it through but by now he was beginning to think it might've been one of the best, and at the same time one of the most stupid decisions he'd ever made. And he didn't regret it.

"I don't think I'm going to tell him about this," Astoria muttered before Draco kissed her lips softly. It was just a small peck but Astoria still felt as if he was stealing her breath away.

She would have to find a way to explain this to John. She would also have to find away to explain to John why they couldn't spend the rest of their lives together. How the hell am I supposed to do that? Astoria thought. How was she supposed to explain to him that being with Draco felt right.

But Astoria also knew that just like their first kiss, this kiss with Draco did not mean the end of their troubles. She knew it was only the beginning of something far more greater. Something she could not prepare for. Something that Hogwarts or any other school in the world could not prepare her for. But Astoria was ready. She could remember her father telling her that life threw challenges at people and that the way people handled those challenges was what truly defined them.

But at the same time another odd thought entered Astoria's mind. A thought that was at the same time so insane but on the other hand entirely plausible. Perhaps every frozen heart did indeed have a flame bright enough to melt it. And perhaps she and Draco were the flame and the frozen heart. But perhaps it was not in the way she had imagined. Perhaps she had been the one with the frozen heart all along.

Thank you for all of you who have stuck with this story for so long. I want you all to know how much it means to me that you have taken time to read and review and add my story to your favourites. There are no words grand enough to describe how much it all means to me. But as I said before, the first (and unfortunately rather short) chapter of the sequel is already there. And to repeat again it is called: Frozen Hearts and Flames of Love. For all of those who choose to read the sequel: I look forward to sharing the story with you. And for those of you who wish to pretend that the story ends here: I thank you and hope you have enjoyed my work.