Hey everyone! Sorry, i've been gone for...a long while. But here I am again! And with a new story! Hope you guys enjoy it :)
Disclaimer:I do not own ANYTHING except for my plot and whatnot. Also, anything you recognize from Deathly Hallows is bolded, plus I sswitched some words around, BUT THEY DO NOT BELONG TO ME, THEY BELONG TO JK ROWLING! As we all know :)
Draco Malfoy was standing in front of a marquee of his family, friends, and many important people he did not know. The sun was blinding him, and he could feel himself begin to breakout in a light sweat. He tugged at his collar, feeling claustrophobic in his dress robes.
His parents had taken their seats before he came to the front. He looked at his mother, who looked straight back at him with her icy blue eyes. She smiled at him, but it was a pitying smile, sad for what Draco has to go through, what she can't get him out of. He smiled lightly at her, reassuring her, though he hid what he was really feeling. With force he looked away and turned to his father, who also looked back at him with his steely grey eyes. He did not smile, nor did he give Draco any sign of reassurance, but nodded sharply at him, telling him that he had no choice, that he had to carry on. Draco nodded back and looked away, not able to look into his father's eyes any longer.
Suddenly, the light whispers faded as the entire crowd turned to look behind them. There, at the back of the marquee, was a woman with long, dark-brown hair, and a long flowing white dress. Astoria Greengrass. She would have been stunning if the haughty look she always wore on her face didn't make her look as though a Dungbomb had exploded.
As she walked down the aisle, he couldn't help but think of another woman, a woman who was a million times more beautiful than her, with wild curly brown locks and great big brown eyes he can lose himself in. Hermione's face popped into his mind, and he smiled. Who would have thought that, after many years of deep, deep loathing, they would become the best of friends? And who would have thought, that after a few years of a great friendship, hell, after a few meetings, he would have begun to see Hermione in a different light, and began to fall deeply for her? And again, who in their right mind would have thought that Draco would propose to her in her favorite coffee shop, and that she would say yes? Draco would have checked himself into a ward in St. Mungo's if he ever thought once that he'd one day be asking the Muggle-born he hated most to marry him. Draco remembered the look on her face when he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. Her face was priceless, and he knew that he'd never forget that day.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls…" said the presider, snapping Draco out of his reverie. Astoria had joined him and was trying to catch his attention as subtle as she could.
"You're supposed to be looking into my eyes!" she whispered, trying hard not to move her mouth. Draco rolled his eyes before locking his stormy gray eyes with her dark brown ones.
It's like looking into a puddle of mud, thought Draco, beginning to lose focus on the ceremony again. He thought back to Hermione's eyes, and how he loved to look deeply into them. It was like looking into a cauldron of melted milk chocolate, he thought, and tried to get through the ceremony by thinking of her eyes, but as the presider droned on, his thoughts flashed back to the time when he realized he was betrothed to Astoria since birth, and there was no way to get out of it. He couldn't bear marrying someone he didn't know, but, like his father said, he had no choice. He remembered dreading telling Hermione that they couldn't get married, and saw her big brown eyes widen and fill with tears. He couldn't look into them then, knowing that he was the cause of her pain, and he couldn't do anything to help her. She had given him back his ring.
"I-I can't stay friends with someone I love, knowing that he's marrying someone else. Good-bye, Draco" she said, trying hard to fight back her tears. She turned and began to walk away.
"No, Hermione, love, please, don't leave" he called, but it was a useless attempt. She was gone.
"Do you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take Astoria Greengrass as your wife?" asked the presider, turning to Draco. Draco was still lost in thought, furrowing his brow and looking regretful. "Mr. Malfoy? Do you take Ms. Greengrass as your wife?" he asked again a little louder, trying to get Draco's attention.
"I-I'm sorry, what?" asked Draco, finally snapping back to the ceremony.
"Do you take me to be your wife, Draco?" Astoria furiously whispered, turning pink. Draco looked around and saw many shocked faces. He looked back at Astoria and finally remembered where he was, what he was about to do.
"Oh, yes, yes I do."
"Do you, Astoria Greengrass, take Draco Lucius Malfoy as your husband?" asked the presider.
"Yes I do" said Astoria, trying to plaster a wide smile on her face, though her eyes blazed with anger.
"Then I declare you bonded for life" said the presider happily. He then waved his wand over their heads and silver stars began to spiral around them.
"You're supposed to kiss me now" hissed Astoria.
"I was hoping we could skip that part" mumbled Draco, and, forcefully, he dipped his head to meet his lips with Astoria's. As he pecked her lightly, the crowd broke out in polite applause.
Astoria sidled up next to him, smiling sweetly at the crowd, waving. Draco stood silently next to her, in a daze. He couldn't believe he went through with this. He is now married to, not only someone he doesn't love, but with someone who was almost a complete stranger to him. He knew her sister, Daphne, because he was in his year at Hogwarts. Astoria was two years younger than he was, and he rarely saw her around school or in their Common Room. He knew almost nothing about her.
Many people came to congratulate them. Draco thanked and shook the hands of the strangers from the audience. Finally, his parents came up to him. His mother first gave Astoria a hug, and then turned to Draco.
"Congratulations, dear, I hope you live a wonderful new life" said Narcissa, smiling serenely, though her eyes shone with unshed tears, not of happiness, but of pain for her only son. She gave him a long hug, and then moved aside for her husband. Lucius did not smile at Draco; he just nodded his head and said, "This marriage will benefit you and your wife. You will see." He lowered his voice so Astoria and her family, who were congratulating her, wouldn't hear. "She will be a far better wife than that Mudblood you foolishly fell in love with."
Draco stared hard at his father and said, "She is not a Mudblood. She is the most pure, brightest, and beautiful witch I have ever met. I will never forgive you for this."
Lucius was unfazed. "You'll thank me one day" he said. He grabbed Narcissa by the shoulder, and they turned away. Draco watched his father go. He had never hated him more than he did at that moment. As he watched his father, he saw a shadow at the doorway of the marquee. He turned to look, and felt a spark of shock. He blinked his eyes a few times and looked back at the doorway, but the shadow had turned away, leaving only a glimpse of bushy brown hair.
"Hermione" whispered Draco.
"What was that, dear?" said Astoria, turning to look at him.
"Er, nothing, I'll, I'll be right back" and left her side, leaving Astoria with a shocked look on her face. He ran to the doorway, but the shadow had already gone. He heard footsteps running down the hall, and he turned and followed them. He was led outside. The sun hurt his eyes, and once they adjusted to the sudden brightness, he looked around and found a figure standing 20 yards away from him. The figure turned to look at him, and when he saw who it was, his heart caught in his throat. He watched her as she stared at him, and smiled sadly. Then she turned on the spot. He called out to her.
"Hermione! Wait!" he called, but she had already Disapparated. He stood there for a while, watching the spot she disappeared. Finally, he turned around and walked back to the wedding reception. He walked back to his new wife, who was talking to an elderly couple. When he came to her side, they walked away and she turned to him.
"Where have you been? We are supposed to dance!" said Astoria, and she dragged him onto the dance floor. "I hope you don't act like this throughout our whole marriage, I'd go mad."
"Don't worry, dear" said Draco brightly as he twirled her. "I'll be sure to make your life a living hell."
Voila! What do you guys think? Leave me a review please!
P.S. Have any of you tried Pottermore yet? Amazingness! ;D
