A Moment of Nostalgia
Written for the Photo Album Competition on HPFC for Morning Liles.
Disclaimer: I am not JKR and I do not own Harry Potter.
Draco glanced around the room, which had become quite dull and dreary in the last few years. The curtains on the large windows were always drawn these days making the room dark. The study table in the centre of the room was thick with dust; the wall closet looked as if hadn't been opened for ages. Even the floors and walls had seemed to lose its once vibrant and gay color.
Draco slowly walked into the room breathing in the familiar smell of old parchment and ink. He hadn't entered this room after he retired, which was a long time ago.
He crossed the semi-dark room with slow and small steps, and sat down in the chair behind his old desk. The chair creaked as he lowered himself into it.
Sitting on the chair and looking around his study, Draco remembered the old days when he always used to stay up here. When his study was the only place he could work without being disturbed. The days when he would work late at night and Astoria would have to come up here to call him to bed. But he was long past those busy but happy years.
As his eyes passed over the dusty study table, something attracted his attention. It was a small picture frame lying face down on a corner of the table.
He picked up the wooden frame, and looked at the picture inside it. It was a picture of Astoria and Scorpius when Scorpius was just over four years old. They were sitting on the stone floor of the kitchen; Scorpius, with his striking resemblance to his father even at that age, was laughing and playing while Astoria, smiling with a slight frown, was trying to pull Scorpius close to her.
Draco stared at his family's photo. Scorpius looked happy and contented, but his wife's face was what he was actually seeing. Astoria was young, and her face glowed with a full bloom which she had lost in her last few days. Her dark brown hair hung in curls down to her shoulder, and her dark eyes were tired but filled with joy. She was always happy and busy with Scorpius that time.
His heart ached as seeing her face brought a thousand fond memories back to him. With a jolt of nostalgia, he remembered the moments they had spent together before their marriage; just after they had started dating. Their first date to when he had proposed to her, and her agreeing to marry him had made him the happiest man on Earth. Their wedding day had also been one of the best days of his life, and he still remembered every moment of their wedding night and their honeymoon. Having Scorpius and seeing him grow up in front of their eyes and seeing him in love and marry the girl he loved – they had always done everything together. Draco and Astoria had been the perfect couple. Love, affection, respect and admiration had been present on both sides.
But Astoria's death had left him devastated. She had died of an illness, and she had died young. Draco could not talk about her without feeling as if a cold stone had dropped in his heart. But after almost six years, the pain had somewhat subsided and he had accepted her death.
Now, looking at her smiling and loving face again, he felt the familiar pain creeping up his chest. She had been the only one who understood him; the only one who trusted him. And he had that one regret that she could not live to see her granddaughter.
He didn't realize when he had started to cry, but the tears rolled down his cheeks as he felt Astoria's loss more than he had ever done since the first few months of her death.
A soft knock on the door roused him. He hastily rubbed his tears away and said, "Come in," in his stiff and croaky voice which old age had made it.
A small girl, with long and sleek blond hair and dark eyes, peeked into the room. "Grandpa? What are you doing here?"
"Nothing, Aquila. I was just looking around my old study," said Draco giving a strained smile. But Aquila didn't seem to notice. She came into the room, gazing around looking enthralled.
"So you used to work here?" she said in a low, admiring voice, still glancing around as if she was imagining her grandfather working.
"Yes," said Draco. "I used to work here when I was still in the Ministry."
"What's that?" she asked curiously suddenly spotting the picture still in Draco's hand.
"Oh this?" said Draco as he saw what she was pointing at. "This is an old photo." He showed her the picture and saw Aquila's eyes widen as she realized whose picture it was.
"That's Dad?" she asked softly. Draco nodded. "And…this is Grandma, right?"
Draco looked up at her, and saw her face betraying the smallest trace of guilt and understood that her mother had probably warned her not to speak about Astoria in front of him. But he smiled and said, "Yes. This is your Grandma."
Aquila tilted her face a little to the right as she looked at the picture and asked innocently, "Grandpa? Do I look like her?"
Draco chuckled and glancing at her dark brown eyes, answered honestly, "Yes, you do sweetheart. "
-:-
A/N: I really loved writing this. I know the writing could have been better, but this is my first story with Draco. He's always been an interesting character for me. I wanted this to be mostly around his and Astoria's relationship, because I love them together!
So, please review! And don't favorite without reviewing, please! :) And, merry Christmas to all my readers!
- Cate.