Written for the QLFC- Round 3: Write about your OTP dealing with a work based problem.
Thanks to Jordi and Raybe, who beta'd this.
Bright Green Emerald Forests
Astoria had an inkling something was up with her husband.
She was normally really good at figuring out what was wrong and why, it was like a special talent that she had. When she was younger she could always tell when her older sister, Daphne, was upset and would cheer her up when no one else could. But Astoria knew that silly faces and daisy chains wouldn't cheer Draco up.
For the past week Draco had been acting like there was a dark cloud over him and even the smallest smile could cause lightning and thunder. It frustrated Astoria further that Draco barely even talked to her, hugged her, kissed her.
Astoria shook her head free from worries. Well, that would change tonight. Tonight was the second anniversary of their first formal date. She knew it was trivial, keeping such dates ingrained in her mind, but all she could remember was the feelings she felt on that first date: joy, hope, love.
She sighed and started adding various spices into a big bowl. Spaghetti Bolognese, their first date's dinner. It was truly awful when Draco made it and Astoria almost vomited: the meat was definitely under cooked, the tomato sauce over spiced, and she couldn't even swallow the spaghetti. Poor Draco, he went so pale that Astoria was fearing for his own health!
"Done," Astoria breathed out, wiping her brow. She got out her wand from her apron pocket and did various wand movements. The bare, varnished table got draped in a rich emerald cloth and tall candles were placed in the middle. Astoria did a quick visual sweep of kitchen, before running up the stairs to get changed.
Draco was back before she made it downstairs to greet him with a kiss.
"Tori?" he called from bottom of the stairs, Astoria could imagine him wearing a bemused expression because she made the downstairs dark except for the kitchen.
"Here," Astoria answered cheerfully, trying hard not to fall down the stairs. Even though she was just serving him Spaghetti Bolognese in their own kitchen, dressing up made it seem morespecial. And his expression made it all worth it. Astoria knew wearing the forest green dress that hugged her figure perfectly was a good idea, even if it was slightly uncomfortable. It was all for him.
"You look..."
"Amazing, stunning, slightly uncomfortable," Astoria giggled.
"Beautiful, was what I was going to say," and Draco kissed her sweetly on the cheek. She wished she could stay like this all day, kissing her husband, twirling his blond hair with her fingers but he pulled away and something that looked awfully like guilt flickered in his eyes.
"Whatever you cooked smells delicious," he said and disappeared off into the kitchen. Astoria exhaled a deep breath. She didn't miss the guilty look. He was hiding something, and he wasn't saying anything to his own wife!
"This looks more delicious than it smells, Tori!" Draco exclaimed through the kitchen. Astoria found her eyes were mysteriously moist and blinked rapidly. She knew her husband was keeping secrets from her now. It was now a case of how she was going toget him to reveal them. She took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen.
Draco had sat himself at the table and he was fiddling with his napkin. "You okay?" Draco asked, looking at Astoria with one eyebrow raised. She realised that she had been standing at the doorway for a good thirty seconds.
"'Course," she answered promptly. "Let's leave the food for a while. I bought some wine, I was thinking we could have a chat."
"Chat?" Draco said, painting on a fake smile, "We chat all the time!"
"That doesn't mean we can't chat more," Astoria poured a generous amount of the white wine into both of their glasses.
"I shouldn't be drinking a lot you know," Draco said swirling his wine around, "I'm expected to be in the office early."
"What, so I can't spend a lovely evening with my lovely husband?" Astoria said and then gulped down her wine. "So how is work? You barely talk about it."
"Nothing really to tell."
"The Daily Prophet begs to differ."
There was a small silence, then Draco chuckled, his laugh sounded forced. "The Daily Prophet sometimes exaggerates the truth."
"About there being some next neo-Death Eaters on the loose? Now, that is very serious and very true, Draco," Astoria said sternly, in a maternal fashion that she didn't really like.
"Well, it's nothing you should be worrying about," he said after taking a sip of his wine.
"Like I shouldn't be worried about your lies?"
Draco's eyes widened and it was like everything Astoria thought was confirmed.
"Am I not a good wife; friend? Tell me, Draco, why you come home late, barely spend any time with me and whenever I bring up the topic of us starting a family you avoid it like Spattergroit!"
There was an even longer pause now, full of tension and the smell of a cooling pot of tomato sauce.
"Dra-"
"I haven't been truthful to you Astoria," he sighed, rubbing his eyes in a tiered fashion, which made Astoria frown. He never really said her full name. Astoria was such a formal name, she made Draco promise to call her Tori instead. It took him a while and still Draco called her Astoria sometimes.
Was he having an affair? Maybe he already had a child, was that why he doesn't want any children? What if he was involved in Dark magic again? Astoria mentally shook her head. No, Draco would never go back into the Dark Arts, not after Astoria had dragged him from the depths of it before.
"I-I'm leaving England."
"L-leaving England? Because of me?"
"'Course not," Draco reached across the table to hold Astoria's hand, which she squeezed tightly.
"Then why?"
"Work. I, being one of the top ministers for magical law enforcement, have to go to New Zealand for an international partnership project."
Astoria just stared into Draco's grey eyes. She wanted him to show some sign of fakery or anything, but there was nothing. He was telling the truth.
"When did you know about this?"
"Last month."
"And how long are you staying there?"
"A year. Or two."
"What!" Astoria exclaimed, standing up suddenly.
"I just didn't know how to tell you!" Draco yelled, standing up to. He tried grabbing her hand, but she snatched it away.
"So you thought you wouldn't tell me at all."
"No I was going to tell you-"
"When? On the way to the portkey or after you spent a night in New Zealand?!"
Astoria stormed passed Draco and walked into the hallway to grab her coat.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked, his eyes panicked.
"Well, I wouldn't want to keep you from your packing, would I? I'm heading to Daphne's," Astoria said, putting on her coat. She summoned a bag and a few of her personal belongings down the stairs.
"Tori, please don't. I was going to tell you, really. I just knew you would react like this!"
"No, you thought wrong. If you told me before then I would be more open to the prospect. But you withheld this thing, which is huge! How am I supposed to trust you again?" Astoria said, tears streaming down her cheeks. Draco ran his hand through his hair, breathing in deeply.
"I'm-I'm sorry."
"Too late," Astoria whispered, before turning on her heel and walking out the front door. The popping sound of apparition stood out amongst the pitter-patter of rain.
(***)
Saturday nights were always so busy at St Mungo's. Mainly because many young, boisterous wizards thought it was smart to down as many bottles as Firewhiskey as they could. Though this Saturday they had mixed the Firewhiskey with some muggle alcohol, called Vodka, which made them dangerously drunk.
"You're a pretty witch, aren't you," one of them slurred as Astoria did some blood tests.
"And you are over the Wizarding limit."
"Playing hard to get, are we," he smiled drunkenly. His breath reeked of alcohol and Astoria had to hold in a gag.
"Well, Mr?"
"McLaggen. But you can call me Cormac." He tried to wrap his thick arms around Astoria but she backed away just in time.
"Mr McLaggen, your blood seems to be stabilising without the aid of any neutralising potion, so you are free to go," Astoria said and she rushed out of the Wing doors before Mr McLaggen could slur another word.
She missed Draco. Normally after a busy day like this he would be there at home with a comforting cup of hot cocoa and a loving kiss. Now, he was there, just not waiting for her. Astoria breathed a heavy sigh and decided to walk up a couple of flights of stairs to reach the roof.
The cool November air whipped Astoria's brown curls behind her and relaxed her heartbeat. The sight of London at night was simply amazing. The midnight sky had tiny stars scattered across it and the city lights from the distant brightened the dark night.
Astoria didn't notice that someone had come up behind her until a heavy hand touched her shoulder.
"M-Mr Potter. I didn't see you."
"One of my Aurors had a little accident and I just came to check on him. I saw you walking up those stairs pretty quick and I wanted to see if you were okay," Harry said to her, moving closer to the edge. "This view really is brilliant." His bright green eyes were staring at the landscape, but his mind seemed to be on something else.
"Yes it is and I am fine, there is no need to worry about me."
"I beg to differ, Mrs. Malfoy. Um, have you spoken to your husband lately?" he asked innocently, but immediately Astoria's expression turned stony.
"I haven't, actually, and I don't intend to."
"Really? Well, I was hoping you could talk to him and persuade him to go on the New Zealand trip. He pulled out of it two days ago."
"He what?" Astoria exclaimed, losing her cold facade.
"So he didn't tell you?" Harry asked, walking to Astoria so he was looking at her in the eye.
"No, he didn't," Astoria muttered more to herself than the Auror who stood over her.
"Interesting."
"Interesting? Why isn't he going?"
"You're his wife, why don't you ask him," Harry chimed in.
"Because I left him! I left him over the foolish trip and now I am regretting it so badly!" Astoria snapped, her eyes glossing slightly.
"So, you're the reason why Draco isn't going to New Zealand." It wasn't a question.
"You say it like it's a bad thing. To want your husband to bewaiting there on a Saturday night, for him to cuddle you because he isn't tired of proving himself to be a good man throughout the day. For him to kiss you goodnight because he is there to actually do that. Is that so much to ask for, Potter?" Astoria exclaimed, tears freely flowing now.
Harry hopped on one foot to the other nervously, but then patted Astoria's back awkwardly.
"I didn't mean my tone to be so-"
"Accusing?"
"Exactly. Look, you need to talk to your husband, not for me, but for yourself. Think about it from his perspective: he had to deal with people giving him dirty looks and questioning his motives for two and a half years solid, is it any wonder he would want to get away?"
"I know that, but to get away from me?"
"What? I told him he could bring another person if he wanted to or did you just walk away without letting him talk?" he asked this like it was from experience. Astoria just shook her head.
"Oh no, Draco," she whispered and dashed back down the staircase leaving Harry Potter alone with a satisfied smile on his face.
(***)
Draco sighed as he turned the page of his newspaper. How dull. When did his life get so boring? Oh, right, when his wife left him about a week ago. The fire in front of him did nothing to soothe the ache.
How could he be so stupid? He knew he should have told Astoria about the trip to New Zealand, he knew that he should have told her that she could come with him! But he saw the look on her face when he mentioned New Zealand. Great Britain was her home, it was where she grew up, where her family lived. And he knew that Daphne would skin him if he ever took her sister away.
No, Draco couldn't do that to Astoria. But it didn't matter now, Draco had declined the offer to go to New Zealand. So now he had no wife and no new prospects.
Draco sighed deeply again and got up out of Astoria's favourite armchair.
Suddenly the fire turned into a bright green, signalling the arrival of someone. Draco couldn't believe his eyes when Astoria stumbled out. She was still wearing her bright green St. Mungo's uniform and her hair was sticking up in a rushed manner.
"Astori-" Draco started to say, but he was cut off by her soft lips pressing on his.
"You know I hate it when you call me that," Astoria smiled, coming out of the kiss.
"What have I done this time? I don't understand, I mean, I thought, what?"
"But, I don't, I don't understand, I thought-"
"Harry told me that you could go to New Zealand with another person," Astoria rushed out, "And I'm going to go New Zealand with you."
"No, no, no." This wasn't Draco's plan at all. He was supposed to be leaving Astoria here, happy and around her family, not with him, alone and bored to death. "You should stay here, you have a job, your family, your life."
"Don't you get it?! If I'm with you those things don't matter!" Astoria exclaimed, looking up at him adoringly. Draco couldn't help himself so he kissed her this time, spinning her around in the air.
"Wait," Astoria said, standing again "upstairs. Now." She saw the cheeky grin Draco wore and quickly added, "for packing. We have a lot of things to pack if we are going to New Zealand for a year."
Astoria ran up the stairs and Draco heard the creak of their wardrobe. He couldn't help but smile to himself. How did he get so lucky?
Team: Montrose Magpies
Position: Beater (2)
Prompts:
(dialogue) "What have I done this time?"
(word) inkling
Word Count: 2485