A Chance At A Second Chance
A/N: Another One-shot, the sequel to 'Secret Heartache' and 'Forbidden Love' Though this one is from Astoria's perspective, what she really thinks about her marriage to Draco Malfoy. Its still going under the characters Draco and Ginny, so it will be with the prequels. The song is Cheatin' By Sara Evans.
Astoria looked around the ballroom. She felt so alone. She played unconsciously with her wedding ring as she watched the slowly moving couples dancing on the ballroom floor. She had told Draco that it was a female only party that she was attending tonight so that he wouldn't make the usual excuse not to go and she'd feel rejected and not good enough for him. He seemed to get heavy workloads in the evenings, saying he wouldn't be home until late, leaving her alone in that massive manor they lived in. Narcissa, her mother-in-law stood next to her observing the crowds.
"You miss him, don't you Astoria, dear?" Narcissa said softly as they each took another glass of champagne from a passing waiter. Astoria drunk half the glass before she tried to say anything. She attempted a half-hearted smile.
"Of course I do. I've seen him, what, twice in the last week?" Astoria said softly, with a small shrug. Narcissa sighed and patted the girl's shoulder. They both suspected exactly what was going on. Draco had never been happy with his betrothal, and was downright angry that he would lose his money getting out of it. So he disappeared until late at night, saying he was working. She knew, and it hurt to know, that he was cheating. He was not happy and he had someone else to make him happy.
You say your every day
Is a bad dream that keeps repeatin'
Maybe you should've thought about that
When you were cheatin'
"It'll turn out all right" Narcissa said as a way of trying to make her daughter-in-law feel better. Astoria shrugged again. "Go back to the Manor, dear, I'll tell everyone you felt a bit sick." Astoria nodded and turned from the room, preparing to take the floo home. She lightly scattered the powder in the fireplace and stepped through into Malfoy Manor. A house-elf, sensing her presence as she passed htrough the Manor's wards, popped into the room next to her as she straightened her dress robes.
"Good Evenings Mistress Astoria" The house elf, spotty, squeaked from next to her. Astoria looked down at the ugly elf, who was looking up at her with fearful green eyes.
"Good Evening. Has Draco returned from work yet?" She asked, even though she knew it would be hours until he returned.
"Not yet Mistress. Is there anything yous need?" The house elf replied, looking at the floor. He popped away quickly, ending the conversation. All of the house elves that were employed at Malfoy Manor acted uncomfortable around her, making her wonder if perhaps they knew more than she first thought. Astoria wandered up to the Master Suite, in no real rush, her head in the clouds. She wasn't exactly overjoyed when she found out that she and Draco were betrothed and she wasn't thrilled with their current situation, but at least she was willing to try and make the best out of it, while he galivanted off around the country sleeping with other woman. She wasn't sleeping with other men, in fact she hadn't had sex at all for months, but she didn't give into her desires.
In the Master Suite, Astoria took a seat at her marble vanity table, and she gently brushed out her hair. She looked in the mirror, imagining another woman with her husband. This mysterious woman had long platinum blonde hair and shapely, evenly tanned legs. A tiny waist accompany a rather large chest and pink pouty lips. A stark contrast to the real image in the mirror. Astoria had always been insecure about her small chest and stick thin white limbs, and her insignificant stringy bland silver-blonde hair. Nothing exciting. She liked to think that her expertedly crafted personality made up for her looks, but Draco could barely stand to talk to her. Draco avoided her as if she had some hideous contagious disease.
How do you like that furnished room
The bed, the chair, the table
The TV pictures comes and goes
Too bad you don't have cable
How do you like that paper plate
And those pork-n-beans you're eatin'
Maybe you should've thought about that
When you were cheatin'
But she smiled suddenly, knowing that Draco would never leave her for another woman. There was a clause in their Betrothal Contract that stated that if they were to ever divorce, Draco would forfeit all of his money and status that he had as Head of the Malfoy Family. Draco would be poor, unemployed and avoided by all of the respectful pure-blood society. Astoria knew that Draco would struggle to survive if he lost his money, and knew that he would never walk away from his vast fortune, his well-paying job and he would never want to lose the respect he received as a Malfoy. She wondered that if she left him, and not the other way around, if he would keep the money. She wasn't happy with her life as it was. She was sick of being ignored, left alone. She thought that if she returned to her father and he could find her a new husband if she said that Draco never paid her any attention, or he abused her, or she had caught him with another woman. She had her father wrapped around her finger and he would do anything for his darling youngest daughter.
The possibility of leaving Draco and beginning a better life became a more and more attractive prospect. As much as she despised her husband for how he had treated her, she did care for him, and wanted him to be happy. If she left him, they would both be happier than they were now, fighting against each other in a battle of wills for who would make the first move in their relationship, either ending it or trying as hard as possible to make it work.
How do you like that beat up car
I think it's fair we traded
Your pick up truck is running fine
It's a cozy ride for datin'
Yes, I've been out a time or two
And found the comfort I've been needin
Maybe you should've thought about that
When you were cheatin'
Astoria pinned her hair back up and changed into a more casual, but still very expensive pair of robes. she looked around her suite, which she had decorated the way she liked it since Draco barely used the room, and when he did, it was dark anyway. She had several photos in silver frames on the walls, pictures of herself and sometimes Narcissa at various social functions. As much as she wanted to leave her life with Draco behind, she would be taking a few important things with her. Pulling a trunk fromt he wardrobe and enlarging it with her wand and placing several of the photos in the trunk. She picked out a few of her best dress robes, which were unique creations that had cost a small forutne, and she cherished them enough to take them with her as she would not be able to get a new dress exactly the same.
A shoe box was the next thing she placed in the box, which she had stored under the bed. This plain black shoe box was filled with momentos, such as ticket buts, invitations and other useless bits and peices that meant a lot to her. She'd collected momentos and kept journals for as long as she could remember, it was something she had always enjoyed.
A small leather notebook, her journal of the moment, was placed neatly in her case. She put some of her make-up and other robes in the suitcase, becuase she didn't have many things at her parents, and she'd need something to wear. She looked around the room and saw the small jewellery box, the siler and diamond box as large as her plam that held her favoutire rings, necklaces and bracelets, the ones her mother had given her on her wedding day. she slipped the box into her suitcase and closed the lid, doig up the clasps. she sat on the bed for a moment, and sighed deeply. Part of her didnt want to leave, but most of her thought that this was the best idea she had had in a long time. She deserved happiness, and she wasn't'happy where she was. She picked up the case and started off downstairs.
You made your bed and you're out of mine
You lie awake and I sleep just fine
You've done your sowing, now you can do the reaping
Maybe you should've thought about that
When you were cheatin'
Downstairs, she made her way to the Entrance Hall, where she could apparate into the front hall of her parents Manor. She spun on the spot and appeared suddenly in the entrance hall of her childhood home. Her father, obviously sensing that the wards had gone off, appeard in the room after a few moments.
"What are you doing Astoria? What do you have a suitcase for?" Her father looked confused, and she guessed that he hadn't heard what Draco had been up to. Astoria had told her mother several times about the things that Draco did, but her mother must not have told anyone.
"I've left Draco Daddy." She replied quietly and her father frowned.
"Come into my office, and tell me exactly why. Leave your case here, a house-elf will take it to your room." Astoria followed her father down the huge hallways to his office, which was off the library. Astoria was scared, she thought that, as much as her father loved her, he was going to send her back. She sat on a leather sofa and her father got himself a glass of firewhiskey before he joined her. Astoria looked at her hands before she spoke, wondering how on earth to tell her father what had gone on.
"Draco neglects me, Daddy. Sure, he lets me buy expensive things and he allows me to attend parties with the rich and famous, but he ignores me otherwise. I hardly ever see him, he tells me that he works for over thirteen hours a day, but I'm sure that he doesn't. He comes home late at night smelling of cheap perfume and his clothes have lipstick marks on them, and I can't even remember the last time we shared a bed, or the last time we were, well, intimate. I know he has a mistress, for that would explain everything." Astoria looked to her father, who didn't look surprised.
"Astoria, honey, surely youy knew that when you were younger, your mother and I occasionally saw other people, but then we realised that we should make the most out of our forced relationship. Draco, is most likely still aceepting the fact that you two have been forced to marry, as is pure-blood tradition. I can't allow you to just up and leave him just because he doesn't give you enough attention. Have you tried talking to him about it?" Her father said, and she frowned. She panicked slightly, thinking that she would have to return to Draco and continue to put up with his crap.
"Daddy, you want me to be happy don't you? I'm not happy with Draco. He gets violently angry when I try to talk to him, perhaps get him to see that what he is doing isn't going to change the fact that we are married. He hasn't hit me, so wipe that look off your face, but when he gets angry, he shouts, he makes me feel like scum on the bottom of his shoe, and he throws things, almost as if he has to do something to stop him from attacking me. It's scary, and it makes me unhappy, depressed. I think he actually loves this woman that he's fooling around with. I want to leave him and find someone I truly love. Please Daddy, let me be happy." Astoria had tears pouring down her cheeks by this point, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. Her father looked guilty, and he nodded, deep in thought.
"Of course I want you to be happy, but I also want to do the best I can for you, and that's why I signed your betrothal contract int he first plac.e I thought that perhaps you would be happy married to him, as Daphne would have been, for he is rich and pure-blooded. I feel like I have failed you for not talking to you about it first. You can stay here for awhile, but I want you and Draco to try and work things out before a divorce is processed." Astoria smiled through her tears, and hugged her father.
"Thank you. I'm different to Daphne, she's happy wherever theres money that can buy her a life of luxury. I want more than that. I want love, a happy home, with children who grow up right and don't have to be scared of what their parents will do if they make a mistake. I'm not going to talk to Draco, he's already ruined what we could have had. He's not going to change, and I don't want to go back to him, even if we fall head over heels in love. He doesn't deserve to have me after how he's treated me." Astoria stood up and wiped her tears from her face, and her father stood and hugged her, nodding twice to show that she didn't have to talk to Draco. She smiled and kissed his cheek.
Now what became of what's her name
After she spent all your money
Did she leave you like you left me
Well sometimes life is funny
Yes I'll be glad to take you back
Just as soon as I stop breathin
Maybe you should've thought about that
Maybe you should've thought about that
When you were cheatin'
When you were cheatin'
"I love you Daddy. Thank you so much or letting me come back and have another shot at love. It means a lot to me, I'll be forever grateful." She whispered as they embraced and her father pulled out of the hug.
"You're my little girl, and you always will be, I can't make you throw your life away just to continue a tradition that I never agreed with int he first place. You go upstairs and get some sleep, you must be exhausted. I'll see you in the morning." Her father kissed her forehead after she bade him goodnight, and she slowly made her way up to her childhood bedroom, where her suitcase was waiting. She changed quickly into a nightgown and slipped under the covers of her bed. She couldn't go straight to sleep though, her mind was too full of thought. So she got back up and got a peice of parchment and quill and ink out of her desk, to write a letter to Draco, whom was probably completly oblivious to her absense.
Dear Draco.
I have left and am now staying at my parents. I simply got sick of your neglect and refusal to look at me and actually treat me as one should treat their wife. I know that maybe, later down the track, we might have felt something more and our relationship could have evolved into one of true love, but I couldn't wait that long. I am unhappy with our current situation and am going to divorce you, so you can keep all of your money. As much as I dislike you, I want you to be happy. If you want to talk to me at all during negotiations, I am now staying at my parents'.
I wish you good wishes and hope that you find someone who can treat right, and I hope you have it in your heart to wish me the same.
Astoria.
She sent the letter with an owl that had perched on her window sill, knowing that she wanted to send a letter. Her family's owls had always been clever, and she gave the letter to the owl, telling it to go to Malfoy Manor.
Feeling as if a massive weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, she slipped back into bed, feeling closure of her relationship with Draco, and with her heart full of hopes and dreams for the future, she closed her eyes and drifted into the wonderful sleep that gave her dreams of wonderland and happiness.