"Watch out! What the hell are you doing here, Greengrass?"
"Impedimenta! Fighting Death Eaters. What else does it look like?"
"You're underage. All underage students are supposed to stay back."
"Your powers of observation astound me. As does your hypocrisy. Why are you here?"
"Because you're coming back to the Common Room with me. Quit being such a bloody idiot."
"Ah. Of course. I shouldn't have expected any different from you."
"No, you shouldn't have…"
"Let go of me! I'm not going anywhere."
"Stup –"
"Protego! Don't you dare try to force me, Nott. Don't you dare – not after…not after…didn’t it mean anything to you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The conversations! That detention… in the Library – Merlin, for someone so intelligent, you can be so thick sometimes! You just don't get it, do you?"
"Get what?"
"And yet you know. You know there is no reason for prejudice against Muggle-borns and Muggles. Stupefy! You better move out of the way or I might accidently hit you. "
"I know that studies have proven that Muggle-borns are genetically the same as wizards, and wizards are only Muggles with a series of mutations."
"Perfectly accurate, as always."
"Look, there's no need to sound so bitter –"
"I'm bitter because you know everything and you see absolutely nothing! What they're doing is wrong, Nott; it's downright evil! And you're still asking me what I'm doing here."
"Fighting."
"Yes. For good."
"There is no difference between good and evil, Greengrass. There is only science; there is only time."
"Well then, I guess – I guess I'm fighting with little reason. It doesn't matter, though. I'm still staying."
"Come on, Greengrass –why are you smiling?"
"Because this is possibly the longest conversation I've ever had with you. I mean, the one with the most talking on your side. You're not exactly one for these little heart-to-heart talks."
"I don't enjoy talking. It seems so trivial."
"I know. It's probably what I like best about you. You're the first person I ever met that could transform me into someone who babbled. I was always so quiet next to my sister and Mina…"
"You've got to come back."
"And why would I ever do that?"
"Because you might get killed."
"That would be irritating, I suppose, but in the grand scheme of things, it would only be one death out of many fighting for what is right, so in the end, it would mean very little. Aren't you the one who likes looking at the big picture?"
"In the 'big picture', this battle means nothing, this entire war means nothing. It's just another miniscule event in the long line of history. Humanity will be gone after a million years or so. There won't be any trace of what happened here. The planets will keep spinning, no matter who loses. So you might as well just keep yourself out of trouble and come back to the Common Room with me."
"Ah, Nott, but I'm not like you, I can't quite get myself to think about a million years from now. I prefer the present, and – Stupefy! There's another wave of fighters coming – I like humanity."
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"Nice one. He probably would have had me."
"You notice I didn't actually hurt him. I don't want you to get into more trouble than you're already in."
"Hmm… so you're looking after me, are you? I guess humanity means something to you after all."
"Not humanity. You. Humanity can destroy itself for all I care, as long as you come back."
"Incarcerous! How unusually microcosmic of you."
"This isn't about me, Greengrass."
"But it is - that's the most hilarious part of all - it is. And you don't even – Impedimenta! – know it."
"Don't act as if you're all high and mighty. I know you were at Malfoy Manor this summer."
"Yes, I was. Mrs. Malfoy was kind enough to ask me, and it was before they turned it into a cozy little hideout for the Voldemort – for Merlin's sake, don't pretend to be offended, I know you don't give a damn about names. Draco Malfoy isn't evil, you know: just a sniveling little coward. Stupefy! "
"He's a Death Eater, and you still –where are you going?"
"Next room. I'm tired of waiting, and I'm tired of talking to you. I'd prefer a brainless, cowardly person to one who's intelligent and yet refuses to do anything. That's all I'll say on the matter. This conversation is going in circles anyways. You better go back."
"Greengrass!"
"Don't follow me! Just leave me alo –"
"What is it, Greengrass? What do you see? Let me through!"
"I'm so sorry, Nott…"
"Really, Nott, I didn't know he –"
" – was fighting alongside the Dark Lord? I did. It's alright, I'm fine. It's just – seeing him there… I – I never really cared about him. I'm fine. I'm fine. It's just… strange, is all. Is he still –?"
"No. He's dead."
"Fine. That's good. He would never have wanted to go back to Azkaban. When he came back home this summer he was… getting on in years. I'm fine, really; I'm fine."
"Nott, he was your father."
"I said I'm fine! Look, you're right. I'll go back to the Common Room."
"Nott –"
"Goodbye. And, Astoria?"
"Yes?"
"Don't get killed. I'm probably not going to see you for…a while, and this will be the last time I get to remind you."
"It's been a while."
"Yes."
"Five years."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you write me, or at least owl the moment you were home? I can't believe I had to wait until this party to find out you were back. Where on earth did you go, Nott?"
"France. Russia. India. Brazil. I saw a little bit of everything."
"You must tell me all about it."
"Not now. For now, I'd rather examine you. You haven't changed that much."
"But you have."
"In what way?"
"I don't know; you just have. I guess that happens to everyone who travels around the world, or at least it happens to characters in books. You know, 'he had grown taller, and darker, and he radiated an air of mystery'. Not that you're like that at all, but you've still changed."
"Is it better or worse?"
"Just different. Don't worry, I don't mind different. I rather like change."
"That necklace is very nice."
"Thank you. It was a present from Draco Malfoy. Would you like some more champagne?"
"From Malfoy?"
"Yes. We aren't going out or anything; it was just a casual present."
"I see."
"The Malfoys are relatively respected now, you know. Narcissa Malfoy saved Harry Potter's life: I'm not sure if you would have read it in the papers in South America or wherever you were. He's back to his ‘eligible pureblood bachelor’ status, which makes me want to laugh whenever I see a girl in his vicinity."
"Ah."
"But it isn't like that between us, you know. I mean, some people say he likes me, but I don't know if…"
"I see."
"Never mind that. Champagne?"
"No, thank you."
"I wish you wouldn't be this way."
"Which way?"
"You know. The way you're acting. I've missed you. I waited and waited and thought about you and the night you left. I'm still slightly angry, but it was you, Nott; it was you, and… Look, I can't talk here. I hate these social affairs, and I hate these shoes. I know a little place down the road, if you..."
"I'll go. I think another accidental glance at the Malfoy chandelier might blind me."
"Merlin, I'm so glad those shoes are finally off. And I'm so glad to be sitting here. With you, in this room. You know I always liked you?"
"Did you?"
"Yes. I didn't have a crush on you or anything, but I thought you were interesting. You didn't think like everyone else. You didn't seem to mind being alone. I liked you because you were different… and you are different, although it isn't the difference I expected."
"I didn't even know your name until that last year. I only knew Daphne."
"I knew that even if you wouldn't fight, you wouldn't want to kill Muggles or Muggle-borns."
"I thought you would be just like her, but you weren't."
"You wouldn't have killed them, would you, Nott?"
"I don't know. Sometimes I think about it. If there were no strings attached, if I were given a Muggle-born and could kill or save him as I wished, I wouldn't kill. But if my life, or yours, were on the line, it might be different. There would be other variables to weigh in. That's why I was never stupid enough to accept the Dark Mark."
"So it's still the logic."
"That's the way I am. Life is just a giant series of percentages."
"But when I kiss you, like this – is that still logical?"
"Mere chemical reactions. But I never said I didn't like chemistry."
"We'll have to do this again. For science, you know."
"Yes."
"This room is so beautiful, Nott. I mean, I've seen places that are cleaner and that have fancier drapes, but nothing is as beautiful as this room when we are both in it."
"I suppose it is pretty nice."
"Incredible! Not 'pretty nice'. There are so few beautiful places left in the world."
"You've become a cynic in the time I was gone."
"Not exactly – not more than you anyways – but perhaps a little. I thought that if I could only help win the War everything would be perfect, but life isn’t like that, is it?"
"Is something wrong, Astoria?"
"No."
"For a moment, I thought –"
"Not in this room. There can be nothing wrong with me in this room. Just kiss me."
"Again."
"Do you still believe what you said that night, Nott? That everything we do will be ultimately meaningless?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
"But… I suppose that what we do is still important now. At the moment."
"Good. Humanity can keep its million years. All I want in this room is now. At least that's one thing that's mine."
"What's that on your finger?"
"This? It's a ring. An engagement ring, actually."
"Right. Draco Malfoy?"
"Who else?"
"I should have known. Sorry for asking."
"Why are you sorry? You should know. I'm being so disgusting right now – with you, wearing his ring. But there's no use looking at me like that. Please don't."
"I just didn't expect you to be that kind of person."
"It's not just the money, it's the reputation. My family's lost standing."
"So now you're someone who does everything they ask?"
"No. It was my idea. Draco likes me, and Daphne –"
"I'm sure that Daphne and the rest of the family can afford to live in an apartment instead of your mansion."
"But – I don't know; she's my sister. I want her to be happy."
"She's so shallow."
"That's not true! You don't know her."
"I went to school with her for seven years."
"You don't know her. And Nott, I haven't said yes yet. The ring is just a… promise. Something to think about."
"… oh."
"So don't you dare criticise me just yet."
"I'm not criticising. You have every reason to be with Malfoy. It's the most logical choice."
"It is, isn't it? But somehow I'm not as talented as you are in reducing everything to numbers."
"You know the way I am, Astoria."
"Yes, I do – until you turn around and confuse me again. It's like that time at Dumbledore's funeral when I came up and asked you how you thought his death might affect us, and you just walked away."
"I thought you were acting as if he were just a pawn."
"I was trying to get you to say that even in death he was victorious; I was trying to see if I could speak to you openly."
"Greengrass, what do you want?"
"What I want! Am I supposed to want only one thing? I don't know what I want, Nott. I truly don't know."
"Hello, Nott."
"Hello, Greengrass. Aren't you going to come in?"
"No, I don't think I will. I don't think I could – I think I'll just stay right here."
"You're going to get wet with all that rain."
"It doesn't matter. I like rain, and I only want to talk to you briefly."
"Then I'll come out. Well?"
"I just wanted to – I just needed to tell you that I'm not a fan of chemistry. That is all. Goodbye."
"Astoria! ASTORIA! Wait! What do you mean?"
"What it sounds like. Please, stop following me."
"So you've accepted Malfoy. Astoria, I know that you think it’s best, but –"
"Do you love me?"
"What are –"
"Do you? "
"I –"
"Draco loves me. That is all."
"ASTORIA! But I never told you about Brazil. How it’s one of those beautiful places you were talking about. But how in the end, it's just a beautiful place you can go to, Astoria. The most beautiful places are the little ones, the ones that are next to you but just out of reach."
"I'm glad you finally figured it out. But I'm sorry, Nott – do you know why I always call you Nott? Because Nott is negative. Nott can never really be. And it's better for me that way. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's a little too late. I'm afraid we'll never quite get to Brazil. I guess I’m more of a Slytherin than I thought."
"Goodbye Nott. And just so you know, I… I do love you. But the variables weren't quite right."