Who: Astoria Greengrass and Draco Malfoy When: Afternoon Where: Malfoy Manor Summary: Astoria's mother is having afternoon tea with Draco's mother. Guess who's being made to tag along? Not that she actually had to be made at all, but whatever. Rating: Hmm... PG-13 or otherwise I'll update it.
"I really wish you would have chosen a different top to wear with that skirt."
Astoria looked over at her mother as they approached the front doors of Malfoy Manor. "What's wrong with my top?" "It looks as if your upper half doesn't match your bottom half. I wish you shared your sister's sense of fashion and for Salazar's sake, would you stand up straight for once? Poor posture is not going to do you any good in life." Astoria sighed softly and then attempted to lighten the mood with a joke at her own expense. "Well, it's a good thing that I'm not going to live long then." "Now is not the time for your morbid sense of humor. We have a charity luncheon to organize and plan and I cannot, no, I will not deal with you right now." Astoria shrugged, corrected her posture and stood next to her mother as she reached out, placing her hand over the knocker, knocking it against the large Manor doors. "You will be on your best behavior, do you understand me?" Astoria nodded. It wasn't that she behaved inappropriately and Astoria knew that as well as knew what her mother had meant. However, Astoria didn't understand why her mother seemed so tense, so serious. She really needed to lighten up.
There was a loud sound as the doors to Malfoy Manor opened up revealing a timid looking female house elf on the other side. "Madam says tea is to be served in the parlor. Follow Lippy, Lippy will take to Madam." Astoria and her mother followed the house elf into the parlor where Narcissa Malfoy was seated in a chair waiting. Taking a seat in another chair across from her, the two women did not waste time in diving right into their ideas and plans for their charity luncheon. Astoria didn't care to listen or even be a part of their conversation, instead without much thought she knelt down to get on eye to eye level with Lippy, she extended her hand to the house elf, Lippy seeming extremely weary and afraid of her. "I'm Astoria Greengrass, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lippy." Taking the house elf's hand, Astoria shook it gently in greeting. "Lippy doesn't want any trouble. Madam will get angry if Lippy is talking to Miss Astoria Greengrass. Lippy has to go." Astoria was caught off guard when she heard the embarrassed, exclaiming tone coming from her mother. "Astoria, what in the world do you think you're doing?" Astoria dropped Lippy's little hand and stood up straight. "I was just asking Lippy if she could take me to the gardens. I heard it's quite remarkable and I'd love to see it first hand." Mrs. Malfoy looked over Astoria momentarily, her expression looking slightly annoyed before speaking in Astoria's direction. "Just tell her to take you to the gardens. You need not ask, it is her place to do as she is told." Astoria simply nodded, not wanting to offend Mrs. Malfoy. Lippy waved her arm urgently. "Astoria Greengrass follow Lippy to the gardens. Lippy take Astoria Greengrass to the gardens."
Astoria found herself relieved once she was out of sight from her both Mrs. Malfoy and her mother. She didn't believe in having to have house elves to do things for you. Sure, her family had house elves as well, but Astoria treated them more like siblings rather than slaves, and she did things for herself, even when she knew that her parents disapproved. While Astoria had been to Malfoy Manor plenty of times in her life, she could never recall being able to see the gardens. Of course, her older sister was friends with Draco, she likely seen every part of the Manor, but Astoria hadn't and once she was standing at the entrance of the gardens, she looked on wide eyed, it was absolutely beautiful, like something of a dream. "Oh Lippy, it's unbelievable!" Astoria smiled and went to the first flowers she saw, bending over to smell them. The mixture of various floral scents perfuming the air all around her, the bright afternoon sunlight dancing off of her brown hair and features. "Would you walk with me and talk with me, Lippy? Something so beautiful should be shared with a friend." Astoria felt the house elf's tiny hand slide into hers. The timid house elf, not seeming so timid anymore. "Astoria Greengrass is friend to Lippy. Lippy only stay with Astoria Greengrass for short time. Lippy can't anger Master and Madam." Astoria understood but then again she didn't. How anybody could treat something so small and vulnerable in a way that would make it so fearful, Astoria couldn't understand.
Astoria walked hand in hand with Lippy down the pathway, taking in each new variety of flower with every few steps. Once they made to where the path divided into different paths, the two stopped walking and within a split second, Lippy's demeanor changed, the house elf going back to the same timid, weary elf that she had been beforehand. "Astoria Greengrass, Lippy must go back in now." Astoria was confused as she knelt back down to the house elf. "What's wrong?" Lippy didn't answer Astoria, instead her little eyes averted to the opposite direction of where Astoria was facing. Turning around, Astoria was startled to see that the two of them were no longer alone.
"Draco," Astoria spoke in recognition and before she could say anything else to the house elf. Lippy was gone. "I didn't realize anybody else was out here."