Hello! Now, I know this post has nothing to do with my other stories, and I'm sorry for getting distracted from them, but this story had been humming around my mind for a while now.
This is (for now at least) a short one-shot, though if people are interested I may extend it a bit wither with a multi-chapter squeal or just by adding onto it. For now though it will be marked as completed. Also, I'm marking it M for adult/mature themes and implied situations. Also if I do post more there will likely be some adult content in there. Hopefully you like it!
Obviously there will be OOC characters. Sadly as a one shot there's not really room for me to provide background text that would better explain the OOC-ness, but there are reasons the characters act the way they do. If I elaborate I'll also throw in some flashbacks for better explanation. Please review at the end!
Edited 12/8/13: I've fixed a few grammatical errors I just found. Nothing major. I'll have to fix it again later I'm sure. If anyone sees any major errors you wish to notify me about either leave it in the review or PM me. Chances of me getting a beta are very slim, as I take too long to get things out on my own. If I had to wait on another person to check these stories they'd never get posted. I usually don't update a half 3 though, so hopefully in the future I'll make sure to sleep before posting things :)
Its raining, but that's just fine. A drying spell will easily remove the moisture from my soon to be drenched clothes. Do wish they'd speed this little event up though. I suppose its cold, though in truth I don't feel it. Haven't felt much as of late. Everything is back as it should be in that department. Father would be proud.
"Malfoy, Draco Merlin couldn't you at least cast a reflecting spell or something. You're soaked!"
Ah Potter, about time. Opening my eyes I offer him a halfhearted glare at most, even I know it lacks any real effort. Still I can't be too annoyed with the boy wonder. He is my ticket to this god-awful event. My accomplice even.
"A drying charm will be able to fix it once we're inside." I drawl. Honestly, as if he didn't have better things to worry about. "Why are you doing this, Potter?" I ask after a moment, glancing briefly at him. He's leaning against the wall besides me, staring straight ahead, alert and ready for anything. That boy needs to wind down. The war is over, no dark wizards going to jump him any time soon. Still, old habits die hard.
He shrugged, still not looking at me. "Because what he did was wrong, and I know it." Ah, he tactfully left out the heavily implied 'so does he.' Miracles really do exist. "Besides, you aren't the worst looking date I could bring to a wedding.
"Figures, you have such a hero complex." I murmur, ignoring the last bit. "You know when this is over it could destroy your little friendship. Not that I care mind, but surely you would."
"We have, drifted apart since the engagement." he frowns softly. Since he refused to be their best man he leaves out. "I disapprove."
"Obviously." I snort, glancing his way again. "Thank you, for the warning."
He looks surprised. Not that I can't blame him. Malfoys do not show appreciation. After a moment he nods slowly. The event was a small affair, kept out of the papers and by strict invite only, for the privacy of the young couple of course. A muggle style wedding, which keeps it all the more low key to the rest of the wizarding world. I wonder, if Potter hadn't shown up on my doorstep earlier that month how long it would have taken for me to figure it out. "Do you think he would have..." I trail off, shrugging slightly.
He's looking at me warily, as if afraid I might crack and burst into tears or some such nonsense. Malfoys don't break. However the frown that soon follows has me wondering if he would prefer that I do collapse into a puddle of tears. How sweet to know he cares.
"I don't know." he sighs after a while. "Eventually he would have, it couldn't stay a secret forever." I nod. With nothing left to say we fall into silence. I don't know how long it lasted, I didn't care.
"Come on, everyone should be seated by now." he murmurs, "Are you sure you don't want the cloak?"
I shake my head to decline his offer. The cloak would be too much of a hindrance. Besides, Severus' spell would do just fine. Casting the incantation I waited a few seconds for the effect to kick in before turning to Harry who was staring impressed at the spot I stood.
"You really must teach me that little trick sometime." He murmured. "But is it going to work the way you want it to? I can't see a trace of you, not even an outline or shimmer."
"It'll work, Potter." I said, slowly adjusting the magic flow to allow for him to view me. "Lets get going."
The church was quaint, charming and quite beautiful. A lovely spot for a wedding, though I didn't see it that way. He was standing up at the alter, looking nervous but happy. It made me sick. Harry slowly made his way up to the front, to give last minute congratulations to the groom. I positioned myself against the back wall, dead center, just waiting for everything to fall into place.
The foolish Gryffindor looked up as Potter reached him, clasping hands. Adjusting the magic flow once more I allowed myself to become visible for just an instant to him. It was brief but he saw, if the shocked and slightly panicked look on his face was anything to go by. Fool looked like he'd just seen a ghost. Hastily I pushed myself away from the wall and strode down the aisle side, arriving just in time to hear Potter question the red head as to what was wrong.
"Blimey mate, are you sure you're okay?" Harry asked, with over the top concern for his friend. It took quite a bit of control for me to hold back a snort of disgust. Over kill Potter.
"Could have sworn, but no, it can't be. There's no way he knows..." the red head mumbled and I felt anger swell inside me like I had yet to feel.
"No, you bastard, I found out from him." I whispered into his ear, just barely audible even to my own ears. He jumped in the air, looking around and I backed off, enjoying this game perhaps a little too much.
"No, you never told him." Harry said in a chilling voice, eyes growing colder than I'd ever seen them. Way to go Potter, didn't think you had it in you.
"Lets not get into this here, Harry." the red head pleaded softly, looking around quickly to make sure no one had overheard. "Please, not today."
Harry shook his head backing away. "This is your last chance to back out of this." he warned, looking the fool in the eye. "You know this, don't you? Even if you regret it later, it'll be too late."
The taller male just looked away and I watched in interest as Potter's jaw tightened in anger. Questions were beginning to form, but they would have to wait until later. The real show was about to start.
I followed Potter as he made his way to the last pew, grazing the back of the fool's neck with the tips of my fingers before retreating. Just like I used to do late at night as he drifted off to sleep. A freckled hand reached back to cup the area I had touched, a frown marring that face I wished so desperately to despise.
Only minutes after Potter took his seat the bridal march began to play and everyone stood. I remained in the back, out of the way, for now.
The double doors swung open and the maid of honor marched in, closely followed by the little flower girl and a small boy I supposed was acting as ring bearer. Finally the bride herself entered the room. There were appreciative mumbles through out the crowd, and up at the alter Weasley looked at her as if she were the only thing in the world. The anger built inside of me, and I allowed it to be the sole lead of my actions.
Walking in step with the blushing bride I again adjusted the magic, sure that he would see the faintest image of me lifting a lock of brown hair before dropping it again as I met his eye. We held eye contact for a fraction of a second until again I was gone. The unease in his deep blue eyes though remained, try as he might to mask it.
Quickly sidestepping the muggle born witch who had been naught but the bane of my existence and rival in every manner of speaking since first year, I strode confidently to the alter and stood just behind the groom. I could see Potter at the back of the room watching curiously, waiting for me to strike. Foolish Gryffindor, we snakes act in much more subtle ways.
"Who would have thought that it would be you?" I whispered hauntingly in his ear. He went rigid for a brief moment. "A noble Gryffindor, marrying the girl they all chose while your lover sits at home, unknowing."
The bride reached the alter and the ceremony began as the priest spoke. "Do you honestly think you can get away with this?" The red head swallowed nervously. "Did you truly believe you would be able to hold up this charade? That he, that I, would want you after finding out your dirty little secret." All color left the other's face and he looked ready to be sick.
That know it all Granger is looking at him in annoyance and frustration. Its time for their vows. I stand back and listen to their exchange, and now even the anger has left me. I feel nothing. Still I won't back down now. Nobody leaves a Malfoy and gets away with it scathe free.
Its time for the I do's. And suddenly I don't want to be here any longer. I have no desire to hear those two words I know will surely slip from his mouth in just moments. So I get close once more, touch the back of his neck and sigh. "This is it, Ronald Weasley. After this you can never go back. Make your choice." And with that I turn away. I walk down the isle as the mudblood answers confidently. I reach the doors quickly and push, slipping out unnoticed, ignoring Potter's worried glances. As the doors close the preacher says the final lines of the service. "You may now kiss the bride." I say softly, leaning against the wall.
I head outside again, the rain stronger than ever. Potter will be a while. He has friendly duties to attend to.
"Draco!" a voice yells over the rain. I turn around, surprised to find Potter heading towards me.
"I thought you had to stay." I mumble once he's close enough.
"Sod it, I'll see them at the reception." the savior spits, green eyes cold again as he thinks of the lovely couple inside. "They think I need to pick up my date anyways."
I nod, and start walking down the street, looking for a deserted ally way in which we can apparate. "Draco, are you okay?" He asks, matching my pace. I decline to answer and he grows quiet. When we reach an empty ally I don't fight as he takes my arm and side-along apparates me back to the hotel room we've booked for the weekend. I'm in no condition to apparate myself and I have no desire to be splinched either.
Without speaking we move about the room, getting ready for the party. It's going to be a long night.
The party's in full swing, and Harry has been forced from my side to attend to the friendly duties he ditched earlier. Without him there, I stay invisible to the rest of the party. I'm not in the mood to deal with the stares and glares I'll surely receive. For just a while longer, I want to avoid the confrontation that's sure to arise.
I find myself haunting darkened corners, watching the procession quietly. Its a merry event, and much to my chagrin I must admit it has a quaint sense of class, much as the ceremony itself had.
I search out Potter, and it takes a while to find his short form in the sizable crowd. He's talking quietly with the witch who stole everything. His face is guarded, and she knows something isn't right, but she smiles softly and doesn't pry. And he smiles back even softer, with carefully veiled sadness and pity even I wouldn't have been able to detect had I not been looking so closely. He doesn't hate her, doesn't put any of the blame on her shoulders. She has nothing to do with this.
And the realization hits hard. Much harder than I would like to admit. She didn't steal everything, not knowingly at least. This wasn't a premeditated attack, a battle between two rivals. To her knowledge, there had never been anything to win. He'd been hers, all along.
I don't want to do this anymore.
He's looking around now, searching the crowd for something or more likely someone. It takes a few minutes for the realization to sink in, that he's looking for me. I contemplate leaving, just walking out of the room, out the door. No one besides Potter even knows I'm here, I won't be missed. But the furrow between his brows and the frown he's now sporting stops me, and I hesitate.
I know the moment he spots me. Something in his eyes changes, and he gently shakes off his companion, turning her over to the hoards of well wishers and family. He stalks towards me, and a momentary flash of fascination for his single mindedness cuts threw the numbness I've been feeling. Deftly he shakes off anyone who tries to deter him from his path, sidestepping the crowding bodies with an ease I never knew he possessed. It would seem Potter was just full of surprises tonight.
"Draco?" he asks softly, looking at me intently. He's worried, and I can't bring myself to admit that its over me. The numbness won't allow it, and had the numbness not existed surely pride would have reared in its stead. "You don't have to do this." he murmurs, touching my wrist softly. "We can leave right now, go back to the hotel, or to the apartment. I'll help you pack everything and we'll find somewhere for you to stay.
I don't speak. Don't bother to tell him that there's really not much to pack, that I won't be taking anything with me other than my clothes and a few trinkets I brought with me in the beginning. I don't remind him that I have a home, a mansion to return to at any time I choose, because he knows I never wish to step foot in that place again. I don't mention the dozens of other properties to my namesake. None of it matters, and he knows all this anyways, and for the first time I realize he understands.
"I have to." I say after a while, and something in his eyes makes the numbness disappear for a split second and the pain I haven't truly felt yet crash down. Its over in the blink of an eye, but its enough to leave me breathless from the force of it. He looks at me with sadness. Not with pity, like he did with the bride, but with a sorrow that seems far too heavy to be solely his.
He nods, tightening his hold on my wrist before letting go. "You'll have to be visible, you know." so slowly I allow the spell to drop, and its so much harder to drop the shield than it should have been, my last defense.
He turns back to the party and moves to rejoin it, yet when I hesitate he turns back and waits. And when I still fail to move he slowly offers his hand, wrapping it gently around my own. He coaxes me from the shadows we've been hiding in, and leads me into the sea of bodies, towards the center where the newlyweds have kept to the whole night.
I watch the crowd as we weave our way through, and note that there's a distinctive lack of hatred aimed my way. There's a few wary glances and more than enough surprise, and even a handful of smiles and and satisfied nods. But I can't spare the energy it would take to analyze these things just now. They can wait.
The look in his eyes when he spots us, the sheer horror that stares back at us, at me, is enough to temporarily open the floodgates of my emotions again. Anger flashes, pain, betrayal. Disgust. But then the numbness comes back, and I'm able to think a bit more clearly. Harry is no longer coaxing me forward, but stays behind while I move on. I must do this alone, and he knows this.
"Hello, Weasley." I say softly, staring into his eyes which soon dart away, unable to hold my gaze.
"Draco, what are you doing here?" He whispers harshly, eyes darting around and hoping no one is paying us any attention. They're not. Everyone is too busy mingling to pay us too much mind, and Harry is playing crowd control and deterring anyone who might.
"Why do you look so surprised to see me?" I ask instead, still watching him closely.
"Draco, love, I can explain." he says, reaching out. I pull away, anger flashing again at his audacity.
"You dare, you dare call me that. You've no right to touch me." I hiss. He takes a step back in shock, and the distance calms me minutely.
"Please, not here, not today." He pleaded, glancing around anxiously again. I watched him as the numbness seeped back tinged with sorrow.
"I'm not here to cause a scene." I reply after a moment. He seems shocked by my answer, and if I am to be honest, so am I. "I do not want to be known as your dirty little secret. I don't want the pitying looks. I just want to know, where you ever going to tell me? Or were you hoping you could keep me from knowing? Surely you knew you couldn't keep this secret forever."
The guilt in his eyes as he looks away from me to stare at the floor is all I needed. Turning to leave I stop as he rushes forward and moves in front of me. "Draco, please, what we have is good. What was I supposed to do? It was expected of me I-"
I stared at him, and the pain came back. "I put my life on hold for you." I whispered softly. "I did everything for you, even if it meant hiding our relationship, never going out. And you expect me to what, play the role of mistress? Be the whore on the side? No, Ronald. I may have cared for you, but I respect myself too much for this. I should have left long ago. You've made your choice, and now I've made mine."
I sidestep him before he can protest again, and immediately Harry is by my side, gently holding onto my arm as he guides me through the room, towards the door. Without another word we leave.
Well? Should I continue? I have some ideas for a continuation from multiple points of view ready, but I don't want to waist my time if no one is interested. It's definitely not my best work, and I hate the ending, but I really couldn't find a good way to close it. It probably doesn't help that I tried to do this at half past 3 in the morning. Review please!