"How much longer until we leave?" Astoria tilted her head up, her eyes bright with anticipation.
A stuffed backpack rested at her feet. She had already changed out of her Slytherin robes, now dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans like any Muggle girl. This was the fourth time she'd asked tonight. The first three times, at least, she'd been busy packing.
Jon glanced at his watch.
"About forty-five minutes… Is your sister ready?"
"Probably…" Astoria replied absently. Then, almost in the same breath, "Still forty-five minutes… Jon, come with me."
Before he could respond, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
"Where are we going?" he asked, keeping up with her pace.
"Hmph. Secret," she said with a grin, quickening her steps.
They passed through a corridor, climbed a short flight of stairs, and reached a small landing. There was no door there. Instead, Astoria nudged Jon and pointed upward. A circular trapdoor was set into the ceiling. Mounted on it was a brass plaque engraved with a stag.
Jon frowned slightly.
"How are we supposed to get up there?"
As if answering him, the stag shifted its head. With a soft click, the trapdoor swung open. A silver ladder slid down, stopping right in front of Jon.
"You first," Astoria said, flashing him a bright smile as she released his hand.
So he climbed.
...
At the top of the ladder, they stepped out onto what seemed to be the highest level of Greengrass Manor.
Jon paused, caught off guard. A narrow path of blue stone stretched ahead, flanked by lush greenery and blooming flowers. Hidden atop the manor was a delicate, secluded garden. It was summer, and blossoms overflowed in vivid colors, their fragrance thick and sweet in the air.
"Surprised?" Astoria looked pleased with herself. "Come on."
She took his hand again. Their footsteps echoed softly against the stone path until they reached a marble slab set oddly in the middle of it.
Astoria climbed up first, then dropped down into a seated position and patted the space beside her.
Jon followed, settling in.
"This is incredible."
"My secret hideout." Her lips curved faintly. As soon as he sat down, she reached for his hand again. "When I was little, whenever something bothered me, I'd come here to look at the moon."
Jon lifted his gaze. A full moon hung high in the sky, luminous and serene. Tonight it seemed especially round. Thin clouds drifted around it like silk, fading in and out, shifting from deep shadow to pale light.
"I can't calm down at all," Astoria admitted softly. "Let's count this as our first time going out together like this."
"Unless you count the Isle of Man," Jon said casually.
"That doesn't count," she shot back immediately, as if it were obvious. Then she nudged him again. "How much longer?"
"Forty minutes," he said, checking his watch once more.
"Why is time moving so slowly…" she muttered.
They fell into silence. The night stretched wide and still around them, the world hushed beneath the moonlight.
"Hey, Jon," Astoria asked suddenly, her voice quieter now, "when did you start liking me?"
"Love at first sight," he answered without hesitation.
"Liar." She pouted, shooting him a sideways glare. "That's not sincere at all. You're just brushing me off."
"I'm not…"
"You definitely are. The first day we met, you were so mean to me. I remember it clearly." She fixed him with a sharp look, as if warning him she hadn't forgotten.
Jon paused, then smiled faintly.
"Honestly… I don't know."
"I really don't know when it started," he said, his voice quieter now. "Was it that moment on the train? Or all the time we spent together in Potions? Or the Yule Ball, when you completely stole my attention? I can't say."
He let out a soft breath.
"Maybe it's simpler than that. Every time we're together, I just end up liking you a little more. Every conversation, every moment… it all adds up."
He glanced at her, a faint smile forming.
"So if you ask me when it started… maybe it really was from the very beginning."
Astoria's smile deepened, warmth spreading across her face.
"Then why?" she asked softly. "What do you like about me?"
Jon paused for a moment this time.
"If you can explain it clearly, then it probably isn't real," he said. "I don't really know why I like you. Maybe at first, it was just noticing a pretty girl. But over time… I started noticing everything else."
His voice steadied, more sincere now.
"I like being around you. I like how you try to hide things when something's bothering you. I like how you seem gentle, but you're actually stronger than most people I know."
He hesitated briefly, then continued, more naturally.
"I like how seriously you take magic. How you help me in Potions. How you were there for me during the Triwizard Tournament… and at the Yule Ball."
A small, self-conscious smile appeared.
"And yeah… I like your temper sometimes too."
He exhaled lightly.
"I guess… I just like you."
He blinked, a little stunned at himself.
Did I really just say all that?
Astoria sat frozen, as if her mind needed time to catch up.
Then—
"Jon! This is all your fault!" she burst out, turning her face away. "You made my face so hot, and my eyes are getting watery… If my sister or Mom saw me like this, who knows what they'd think… This is so embarrassing…"
She jumped off the marble slab in one swift motion, lowering her head as she hurried away.
"I'm going to wash my face!"
Even so, she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.
Jon leaned back against the marble, half lying down as he gazed up at the moon.
The wind tonight felt a little restless.