In the summer of 2018
"I'll tell you a story and you will listen. It's about a nightmare stepped in tradition," the man whispered, the sound that left his lips maybe too strong to be a whisper.
She ran her fingers through her long hair, waiting for the servant to pick up the empty tea cup. She wasn't really a snob, but that was the way she was raised. Astoria had been taught to not move a single finger for such things, as a single pale finger of hers was too valuable to waste. Also, she had been taught hat, in order to keep things this way, she had to find someone worth her beautiful pale skin. One day, her eyes had caught the sight of Draco Malfoy and she just knew he'd be hers.
However, Astoria was conscious that her porcelain petite figure was the only special fact of her appearance. She was not gorgeous and not at all flawless. But she got that something, that little charm that overwhelms any look or perfection.
As the servant walked out, her cold green eyes reached his face. She scanned it carefully, still unnoticeably. The bad part was she really did see more than any simple face in him. Always did.
"Why so grave, my dear," she asked, her voice cool and detached, unlike her feelings.
She saw his gaze travel cautiously towards her shoulder, as checking if they were truly alone now.
"Do you remember tenth of January?" he asked then.
"Which tenth of January?" she asked distracted and slightly bored.
"The day your sister died."
Astoria just blinked and ordered some more tea.
10th of January, in 2002
A younger Astoria was gracefully laying on a cozy couch in the grand living room, the tea table just between her and Daphne, who was sitting, just as relaxed, on an armchair opposite to Astoria. The weather outside was tough and stormy, but there, with a big fireplace spreading light and warmth just some steps away from them, it didn't matter a bit.
Daphne, with her long blonde hair all down her right shoulder, beautifully shining in the fireplace's light, was playing lazily with the margins of her silk dress.
Although dressed with a careless mask, Astoria burnt in agony to find Daphne's big secret, the reason for her sudden enthusiasm and secrecy.
"Who does even care what's in your head, sister?" Astoria raised her eyebrow in the good-looking girl's direction, taking the lovely tea cup with elegance, despite her not very comfortable position for such.
As expected, little Daphne was tricked, just like always.
"Okay, okay, I'm telling you!" she winced, jumping on her knees on her seat. Taking her red cheeks in her palms, she whispered, "Mum, dad and the Malfoys decided upon me and Draco – we're getting married," she completed enthusiastically.
Astoria felt like laughing. She would have burst out laughing if she hadn't enough training in hiding her real feelings. Her sister had always been so silly. She was talking about her marriage like those silly ones in the medieval times, who had found romantics in the lesser of things.
Her sister was rather pathetic. Daphne didn't care a bit about Draco Malfoy. Astoria had no idea about Draco's feelings towards Astoria. Sure, he must have been attracted to her. He wouldn't have been a man if he wasn't. Also, he liked the idea of having the most wanted pureblood woman as wife. He wouldn't have been a man if he wasn't. Last, but not least, Daphne was a pureblood and it was a very important fact. He wouldn't have been a Malfoy if he didn't get that into account.
"Why won't we order some more tea?" Astoria told her sister with a sincere smile.
When announced the tea was ready, Astoria walked herself to take it. A creature like Astoria didn't carry tea too often, but when she did it, she did it right.
It was easy for her to pour the first drops of the poison – the tea was ready for her companion to drink.
In the days of 2005
The pregnancy seemed to have given Astoria real beauty. She was just in her three months and, as her belly slowly grew bigger, same did her charm, her face's light, her eyes' brightness and her hair's softness. Her smile seemed real. Her features were relaxed.
She seemed truly happy, with no shadow to darken her life. Her mother-in-law watched the transformation really content. She had had her doubts when having to choose Astoria over Daphne when the tragedy had taken place.
"Dear, I really think it would be a great idea to name the child after your sister."
Narcissa waited for a spoken response from her daughter-in-law as there was never a single visible reflex on the girl's face.
"I always thought the tradition of your family, of naming children after their star, would be much better. Lately, I've been thinking much of Scorpius if there's a boy and Carina for a girl," Astoria answered, all smiling.
"Those are really beautiful names, dear, but this would mean much for everyone. Your sister meant so much to all people in this family. You should think more about it," Narcissa insisted.
"I shall," Astoria replied sweetly. "Would you like a tea, my dear?"
Narcissa nodded.
Astoria walked herself to make it. A creature like Astoria didn't carry tea too often, but when she did it, she did it right.
It was easy for her to pour the first drops of the poison – the tea was ready for her companion to drink.
In the summer of 2018
"So you think, Draco? That someone murdered our Daphne?" Astoria asked him with concern.
Scorpio walked in, overheard the discussion's subject and eventually walked out unnoticed. He knew they were talking about his death auntie, Daphne, mummy's sister. When he had been younger, all they had told him was that auntie Daphne made something shameless. A year ago, he had found that something bad under the name of suicide. There was no further information upon the facts of the tragedy, though. That was a taboo subject. Though, he knew that, if by some circumstance, the subject was opened, he had no right to be there.
"Aren't all the circumstances too interesting to end with a simple conclusion as suicide?" he questioned, carefully observing his wife's every reaction, as if he never actually seen her.
"Still the same circumstances analyzed so many years ago, too – and nothing pointed any other direction, my dear," Astoria truly bored by now calmly stated.
When announced the tea was ready, Astoria walked herself to take it. A creature like Astoria didn't carry tea too often, but when she did, she did it right.
It was easy for her to pour the first drops of the poison – the tea was ready for her companion to drink.
A/N: No idea where the idea started from, but once I had it, I wrote it. The first line belongs to the babyshamblesla, from the song la belle et la bete.