Fuck.

Draco stood at the top of the stone steps, and to his despair, couldn't see any sign of Astrid or Pansy anywhere.

He flew down the steps, slipping and stumbling to the bottom. They couldn't have gotten far, he thought. But it was so dark and difficult to see in the distance.

Drawing his wand, he lit the tip and decided to head towards the lake.

Although, what Pansy wanted to do with Astrid there, he had no idea.

...

Pansy felt a thrill of excitement mounting in the pit of her stomach as she watched Blaise look eagerly at the gift she had brought to him.

"What shall we do first?" She squealed, trying to, but failing, to contain her excitement.

Blaise dropped his hand, smirking. "I wouldn't mind getting her wet, first."

Pansy couldn't help but let her jaw drop open slightly as crude, mental images flashed before her eyes.

"Calm down, Pansy," he chuckled, bringing her out of her reverie, "I meant in the water. I love a girl soaked to the bone."

"Oh," Pansy said, disappointment flooding her. "What are you going to ask her to do? Go for a swim?"

"She's a powerful witch, right?" Blaise mused, tapping a finger to his chin, as he continued to study the girl with interest, "one who doesn't require a wand. I wouldn't mind seeing what else she could do with her powers."

"Get her to fly off the top of the boathouse!" Pansy shrieked.

"Too tame," Blaise grinned slyly, "I was thinking from the top of that tree," he pointed a finger to the huge, looming oak tree next to the boathouse. It made Pansy dizzy just looking up at it.

"Ooo yes! Do it!" She cried excitedly.

Blaise turned back to the girl, his black eyes flashing delightedly. "Go on then," he hissed. "Climb that tree and launch yourself from the top, Miss Riddle. Let's see if you can fly."

Pansy watched in glorious trepidation as the girl slowly nodded, and turned towards the tree.

...

Draco was breathless, fear now making his heart pound furiously in his chest as he ran the circumference of the huge lake, looking around for any sign of the girls.

It was when he was approaching the boathouse that he finally heard noises: a giggle; cracking of what sounded like twigs snapping.

As he neared, he could make out two figures. Pansy and Blaise. But no sign of Astrid. Where the fuck was she?

He realised they were looking up at something, and when he followed their gaze, his heart rose to his throat and stopped.

Craning his neck, he could see Astrid nearing the top of the huge oak tree, her body jerking and flailing slightly every now and then as the weight she placed on the weaker branches made them break beneath her.

"What the fuck?" He bellowed, making Blaise and Pansy swivel around at once.

"Ah, Draco!" Blaise said gleefully, completely unruffled by Draco's unexpected appearance, "come to see the show?!"

"What are you doing? She'll get herself killed!" Draco spluttered, studying the tree and wondering if he could make it up after her.

"So what?" Pansy spluttered, "Don't tell me you still care for her? She's a kiddie torturer!"

But Draco wasn't listening. His heart had risen to his throat - Astrid had reached the top and after a little wobble, she launched herself off.

Draco watched in frozen horror as her body flew into the air, and then abruptly fell like a rag doll - down, down, down, until it made a loud, deafening splash as it smacked at an awkward angle into the black body of water below.

"Well, I guess she can't fly then." Blaise said, shrugging.

"ASTRID!" Draco roared, already starting to pull his jacket off.

He didn't think. Kicking off his shoes, he pelted towards the waters edge and dived off the bank into to the lake.

Cold blackness engulfed him. He desperately tried to ignore the freezing temperatures that clutched around him like a giant hand squeezing the life out of him.

He had to find her. He had to find his Astrid.

He dove down once again into the depths, straining his eyes in the blurry darkness.

And then he saw her - her eyes open, staring blankly into nothing as her body sank, lower and lower into the black hole of the lake.

His lungs were burning, but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting to her. He swam with all his strength towards her, and reached his hands out to grab her as soon as he got near enough.

Managing to get a hold under her arms, he instantly pulled her up - up to the surface as fast as he could.

He took in a miraculous deep breath as soon as they broke through the waters surface, spluttering and gasping furiously as he held her head above the water with him.

And to his tremendous relief, she gasped and flailed as he heard her take in the air to her lungs. She turned her face towards his and under the moonlight, Draco could see the unmistakeable blueness of her eyes.

"Draco!"

His heart stilled.

She had come back to him.