Written for Round 4 of the QLFC. Go, Tornadoes, go! :D
(Prompts detailed at the bottom.)
They were lying on their backs, surrounded by the grass that covered the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Draco had never been allowed to do this as a child, and being able to do so now felt like leaving the cold and dark memories of the manor's past behind.
Astoria was beside him, her dark waves of hair fanning out around her head. She took his hand and squeezed, as if to ground him before he floated up into the sky, trying to escape this world and all the hate.
For a moment they didn't say a word, instead choosing to gaze up at the uncommonly beautiful day. Despite finding it hard to appreciate simple things – after all, he had grown up in extravagance – even Draco found the sight mesmerizing.
Finally Astoria broke the quiet; she had never been one to let the silence go on. Without turning towards him, she said, "How do you feel today?"
He wanted to answer, but he didn't know how to describe what he was feeling. Instead, he kept quiet, sure that Astoria would continue.
"I feel content," she declared, just as he thought she would. Even the words were expected; for the past few days, ever since they had completely transformed Malfoy Manor and its grounds, she had been saying this.
Contentment. Perhaps that was what he was feeling. He knew discontentment, and he knew that it was far from this new emotion he was experiencing.
Astoria had stopped speaking, and he knew she was waiting for an answer. It was common of her to talk for some time, but at some point she expected a reply.
Draco didn't have an answer, so he gave her the only description he could think of. "I feel content, like you."
Astoria seemed to accept this answer, even though it was a drastic change from his usual responses of 'alright' and 'well'. He appreciated her ability to take surprising things in stride.
"It's a beautiful day," she mused. "I think we should enjoy it."
"Are we going flying?" he asked. It was the only thing he could think to enjoy under clear skies.
"We do that nearly every day," she teased, nudging his shoulder. "Haven't you got anything else?"
"What else can you do on a sunny day?"
He turned to see her raise an eyebrow, and he could tell she was reevaluating her idea of his childhood. She didn't press it, however, and he was grateful. He would hate to ruin a nice day like this because she asked personal questions.
"Have you ever run under a Sprinkler Charm?" she asked carefully.
"A what?"
"Sprinkler Charm," she repeated. Her voice took on a reminiscent tone. "My father used to place it over the gardens, to water the plants, and Daphne and I would run under it. We always got in trouble for trampling some poor plant."
"Dobby usually took care of our gardens," he admitted, after a long moment. "And he probably used some other house-elf method of watering the plants, because I never saw any sort of sprinkler or shower of water."
"Well, you were missing out. Disadvantages of house-elves," she smirked at him. She always made fun of him for growing up with a house-elf at his beck and call. The Greengrass family wasn't very old, as opposed to the Malfoys and Blacks, and did not hold the tradition of owning house-elves. Astoria had experienced far more household chores than he ever had.
He supposed that was good, because otherwise Malfoy Manor would be a complete mess. He didn't know a single household charm more complicated than a Scouring Spell. She at least knew a couple, enough to keep the manor decent.
He hardly even knew how to cook. Not that Astoria was much better. He often found her poring over a cookbook, muttering the ingredients under her breath, and he'd seen her first few attempts at a new dish in the rubbish bin every once in a while. He'd tried to help, but all he'd done was nearly destroy the kitchen.
After that, he'd been assigned to laundering, though he'd nearly messed up the spell and almost set fire to Astoria's favorite dress. He made sure she never knew.
"Oh, quit it," he grumbled. "It's not like you learned very much without a house-elf."
"You'd be starving if it weren't for me," Astoria tapped his hand. "Really, how are you good at Potions but awful at cooking?"
"They're different," he muttered, though to be honest he had absolutely no idea why he was so awful at cooking.
"If you say so," she mocked. She rolled over until she was lying on her belly. "Now, are you going to join me under a water sprinkler, or are you going to go brood indoors about the 'much-too-nice' day?"
He rolled his eyes. "I have nothing better to do, so join you it is."
"Not even brooding? You flatter me," she said, pulling him up by the hand.
"Don't get too used to it. I'm just feeling generous today."
"Don't worry, running under a sprinkler is great for making better people," she patted his head teasingly. "We'll make a gentleman out of you yet."
"I resent that," he told her.
"Ah, you resent everything," she scoffed, dragging him along. "I'm not very concerned."
"You will be if you manage to tear my arm off."
"What's got you in such a good mood?" she said, so suddenly that Draco stumbled. She stopped to steady him.
"Nice day, I suppose," he shrugged, trying to brush off the question.
"Oh, sure," she rolled her eyes. "Out with it."
He looked away. He didn't know what else to say other than, "I've never felt this way before."
He glanced back at her. She was squinting at him. "Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Try to describe it."
"I feel…light, and free." He felt almost overwhelmed by the feeling.
A smile played at her lips. "I think I know what you're feeling," she announced.
"Well?" he prompted, when the silence stretched out too long.
"Joy." Her face broke out in a wide smile, and he was startled by the emotions clearly displayed on her face. In his family, emotions were hidden behind a mask. Unless you were Aunt Bellatrix, of course, but before Azkaban she'd had a mask as well.
"Joy." The word felt strange to say.
"You feel joyful. Pure delight." She met his gaze, and didn't look away. He felt his lips tilting up in a smile.
"Joyful," he echoed finally. He felt almost dizzy from the realization. "I feel joyful."
She linked her arm through his, and despite the silliness of the action, he felt completely at home.
"Are we still up for the water sprinkler?" she asked.
"We'd better do it while I'm still in a good mood," he agreed.
She grinned, and together they raced towards the gardens.
Team: Tutshill Tornadoes
Position: Beater 1
Round Prompt: Happiness [forbidden words: happy/happiness]
Word Count: 1,190 words (excluding Author's Notes)
Prompts Used:
Prompt 4: (word) overwhelmed
Prompt 8: (dialogue) "I've never felt this way before."