Written for:
Romace Awareness Challenge: soulmate's name on your wrist with the prompt 'rare.'
Song Lyrics Challenge: "Although my heart is falling too."
Gobstones Club: New Adulthood, comply, tightly, twinkling.
FRIENDS Competition: TOW The Bullies- write about Draco Malfoy
Once Upon A Time Character Challenge: Snow White- write about true love.
x.X.x
When Draco is merely two years old, his soulmate's name appears on his wrist, a elegant scribble reading, 'Astoria Levana Greengrass.'
Narcissa Malfoy nee Black is overjoyed to see it. Astoria Greengrass is a member of the sacred 28, the only group of people she would want her son to associate with and it is so rare for him to have actually be bonded to a girl who will increase his social status.
"My son is going to have a lovely future," Narcissa tells Lucius and he smiles indulgently, his eyes forever fond.
Sadly, things are rarely this simple.
x.X.x
"You better be fucking kidding me, you giant git," Astoria Greengrass screamed, her wand jabbing into Draco Malfoy's left shoulder.
The boy in question flinched. "What do you want from me, Ria? I didn't do anything."
Astoria Greengrass crossed her arms, raising a dark eyebrow, and Draco flushed. "Really? You didn't do anything? Not even get the Dark mark a week before we were supposed to do our soulmate bonding ceremony?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Relax, Ria. Everyone knows the Dark Lord is going to win anyways, you should be honoured that he bestowed this mark on our family."
Instead of agreeing, Astoria's face fell. She slumped down against the wall, looking more defeated and tired than Draco had ever seen her.
His whole life, Astoria had been in motion: grinning at him brightly as they compared their names on each other's wrists, eyes twinkling as she tossed an arm over him in photos, slipping out of dances to climb trees with him disapprovingly watching. She was his best friend, his partner in crime, his soulmate, but now she just looked crushed.
"What is it really?" Draco asked softly, sitting down beside Astoria. She leaned her head against him absentmindedly, curling their fingers together.
"I don't believe in the Dark Lord's cause," Astoria said finally, her hands gripping his tightly, as if she could force him to stay. "He wants to kill so many people, Draco, and I…. I can't deal with that. I'm sorry."
Draco felt like he couldn't breathe. His whole life has revolved around the Dark Lord: getting marked and complying blindly, marrying pure, hating anyone with blood not pure.
But Astoria had always been the smarter one, even as she bled from climbing too high and falling down from trees. From the day he had been old enough to read the name on his wrist, Draco had vowed to make her proud.
"Okay," Draco said and the word felt odd to his ears. The world spun softly but he held on, crushing her hand against his. "Okay."
"Okay?" Astoria questioned, her tone startled and hopeful. "But you believe in it."
Draco closed his eyes. One deep breath. A second one. His breathing was ragged but Astoria felt so soft against his shoulder. "I believe in you more."
Astoria's lips pressed against his suddenly and Draco pulled her onto his lap. There could be people coming in any moment, he could be killed for treason if a single soul had overheard the conversation but-
Astoria Greengrass was worth it.
x.X.x
"What's the point of a soulmate?" Scorpius complained, scratching the place on his wrist where a name could appear at any moment.
Draco smiled. Once upon a time, he had been that small and curious, tugging at his father's patience.
"They make you better," Draco said quietly, looking over at the kitchen where Astoria hummed absentmindedly, her hand cracked from where she had gotten into a scuffle, dropped her wand, but punched hard anyways. "They help you become the best person you could possibly be."
"Will I love my soulmate?" Scorpius asked interestedly.
Draco closed his eyes. Astoria was humming their wedding song, eyes cheerful and mouth smiling. At sixteen, she had pulled him out of hell and she had never looked back. "Yes, you will."