A/N: I don't see JK Rowling when I look in the mirror. The title of the collection belongs to Maroon 5 (or whoever radio!edited Payphone). The title of this story, and the song it is loosely based on, belong to Gotye.
Word count: 720
Rating: K
Warnings: None.
Somebody that I Used to Know
Scorpius walks between Astoria and me as we venture through Diagon Alley. Like any 4-year-old, he stares at everything like he's never been here before. "Daddy, look at the owls! Do you think I could have a pet owl when I go to Hogwarts?"
I try my best to hide my smile. "We'll talk about that in a few years, son. When you're old enough."
"I want to be old enough now!"
Astoria smiles and comforts him and promises that he is old enough for ice cream if he can behave for the whole trip. He quiets down as we enter Flourish and Blotts. Astoria separates from me to browse on her own, and I make sure Scorpius holds my hand. Glancing up from the book I'd taken from the shelf, I look into familiar brown eyes a few rows over. They haven't noticed me yet, or at least no shock has registered in the face of the woman I once said I loved, but her eyes look just like they used to and I find myself a million years ago, at Hogwarts.
It's only now, looking at her, that I realize how often I do think about us - or what once was us. Is what we had really love? We pretended Hogwarts was our kingdom and we ruled together. Her head on my lap, my hand in hers along her waist as we reclined in our Common Room like it was our throne room. But in front of me now was a woman, one with lines around her eyes, and a frown on the mouth that once told me she was so happy with me she could die right then with no regrets. I wonder if she regrets it now.
I was glad that she was happy. But it was some sort of teenage theater, where because I was king and she was queen, we had to be together and her presence became an addicting sadness, one that I almost felt that I needed. But after the war, she ended it so quickly and I'm still not sure why she left or where she went. When we saw each other for the first time, at Daphne's wedding, it was a cordial nod, a "Draco," "Pansy," exchanged and moved on. I was already with Astoria, and she had some man I'd never met draped on her arm, attending her every move, and I hoped to God I had never looked like that around her. I never needed her, not really. She set herself up to be the prize to the king of the castle and that was me. Sixth year, she kept me at a distance, and she made sure I knew that if I ever fell, she would move on to whoever replaced me.
I think back to stolen kisses in the hallway, the look in her eyes like she idolized me, her sweet look of surprise when I asked her to the Yule Ball. But as quickly as they came, the good flashbacks stop. In my mind, the adoration in her eyes is replaced with fury as we yell at each other in the middle of the night, her wand out and mine joining it, shouting curses and counter-curses as threats and not actually using the magic, waking up fascinated third-years, who stand in the shadows of the stairwell to watch. I caught her kissing Blaise during sixth year, and in the fight that followed she managed to have me convinced that I all but pressed her lips to his. And that was just one of many times she'd screwed me over and convinced me that I made her do it.
Now, in Flourish and Blotts, she finally notices my staring. Her dark brown eyes are surprised, then soft, then angry. Scorpius looks up from the picture book that had caught his attention. "Daddy, who's that lady you're staring at?" He's talking too loud, like always. Pansy and I break eye contact at the same time. When we got home that afternoon, I would have a few things to teach my son about decorum. But for now, I had to answer him.
"She's no one important, Scorpius." I was talking too loudly as well. I wanted her to hear me. "Just somebody that I used to know."