***

Paper swans. Paper swans were covering Astrids bed as she was nervously folding the parchment together. It was a nervous habit she picked up when she was in first year and she worried about one of her tests that she didn't think she did well on. She did but the habit stuck.

"Hey Astrid, whatcha doin- woah." Rhea and Daisy walked in to see hundreds of fake swans scattered around her bed with their friend sitting crisscrossed in the middle. She was pouting about something. "Aw, honey, what happened?" Daisy asked as she started to clear some of the swans off the bed so she could sit, Rhea doing the same on Astrids other side.

"Feelings are hard." The smaller Hufflepuff pouted as she placed the side of her head on Daisy shoulder, Rhea rubbing her back comfortingly. They knew what this was about. Draco. She may not have realized it yet but she liked him and he liked her. It was so painfully obvious but she needed to realize it herself.

"Aw, honey we know. Feeling are confusing and they get jumbled around with age and learning new things about yourself. What made you think about it?" Rhea asked, trying to comfort her.

"Draco. I don't know why but I always want to be close to him. I like when he laughs or even just talks to me about stuff, it doesn't even matter what it is. And, you know, he's pretty.." She said, not looking up to see the look Daisy and Rhea exchanged over her head.

Daisy decided that she would be to one to break the news, "Astrid, have you considered, maybe, that you like him?"

"Of cour-"

"More than a friend?"

Astrid paused for a second as she thought. Is that what this was? She had feelings for him? Did she want to hug him all the time? Yes but she already kind of did that. Did she want to hold his hand around people? Yeah she did. Did she want to kiss hi-

"Bloody hell." She said as she covered her mouth with eyes wide. Both her friends looked at her in shock at she had cussed for the first time since they had known her. Daisy swatted at Rhea lightly as she blamed her for teaching Astrid those words.

"I do like him.." Astrid said in shock as she didn't realize it earlier. Daisy gave her a sympathetic look as Rhea patted her on the back and said, "Congratulations! You are officially the last person to know. Well besides Malfoy of course."

'Woah...'

***

(Draco's Pov)

Draco sat in the Slytherin common room, Blaise talking about some girl that he snogged and Crabbe and Goyle sat next to him. He didn't know why but he couldn't focus on what his friend was saying. He couldn't get Astrid out of his head. He had known for a long time that he liked her about why did it feel stronger now?

He hated it when Astrid got so close to Saint Potter. He didn't want her near him at all. Draco knew that he couldn't control who she hang out with but he was worried. He would never admit it out loud that he was scared that that damn Potter would take her from him-

Astrid wasn't his. She wasn't and wouldn't be. They were just friends. And Draco couldn't let his emotions ruin one of the only real friendships he had. No matter how much he wanted to pull her away from and kis-

"Draco? Are you listening to anything I'm saying?" Zabini called him back to the real world as he snapped out of it.

"Yup, just plotting.." He said as he leaned more into the couch to think more about Astrid while 'paying attention' to Blaise. If only...

***

(Astrids Pov)

"What do I do?" Astrid had been pacing around her room for the past fifteen minutes after figuring out her feelings. Man, feelings were hard..

"Maybe calming down, that might help.." Daisy suggested quietly as she and Rhea watched her fellow Hufflepuff walk back and forth in panic. "I can't, I could ruin my friendship with Draco if I told him. He doesn't like me like that. He would probably stop being my friend-"

Rhea cut her off by abruptly standing up and saying, "Alright, that's enough. I'm not going to sit here and listen to this anymore." The Gryffindor stood up and grabbed Astrid by the shoulders. "Astrid, look, Draco is not going to stop being friends because you have a crush on him. That's absurd! He's your friend not some random guy walking down the street that you think is cute. It's Draco Malfoy. Whatever weird affection you have toward him, that I will never understand, is not going to interfere with your relationship. Okay? Now relax."

Both Hufflepuffs looked at her with wide eyes before Daisy broke the silence, "Wow, Rhea, I didn't know you knew big words like that.." She said laughing quietly causing Astrid to laugh loudly as well.

"Oh shut it! I can be smart when I want to be!"

😳