Title: Really, I Am
Author: Hesta's Journal
Word Count: 1437
Type of Story: Oneshot (I really don't know why I bother to put this anymore...)
Prompt: Book
Rating: T
Character: Daphne Greengrass
Summary: Daphne learns that sometimes her sister can be right.
A/N: Very little to say about this one except that, in contrast to last chapter, I loved writing this one and I still kind of love it. Probably the only fic of mine that I can really and truly say that I love - I can really relate to this one :). Hopefully you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :).
Disclaimer: I-hay o-day ot-nay own-hay Arry-hay Otter-pay (ut-bay I-hay o-day eak-spay ig-pay atin-lay).
She turned the page of the book deftly, rocking back and forth in her chair. It wasn't often that Daphne took time to read a book - she thought that it made her seem like some kind of old granny - but with the rain pouring down today there wasn't really much else to do. Unless she knitted or something, which would have been even more grandmotherly than reading.
There was a loud, vigorous knock at her bedroom door and Daphne looked up from her book with a sense of relief. Please let it be something interesting. Please.
"Come in?" Daphne's voice was calm, authoritative.
Astoria's head poked around the door, eyes glowing with a radiant happiness. "Daph? Are you busy?"
Gladly, Daphne snapped the book shut and placed it on the table next to her. She raised her reading glasses so that they rested on top of her head. "Nope, sit down. You want something?"
Astoria sat down on Daphne's bed, leaning backwards until she was lying down, arms and legs spread out in a carelessly happy manner. "Daphne, I think I'm in love."
Daphne leaned forwards interestedly, although her voice held a trace of scepticism. "In love? Really, Astoria? Again? You're only nineteen."
"People can be in love at nineteen," Astoria murmured, not retaliating with a sharp comment like she normally would have done. Instead she absentmindedly traced circles on Daphne's pillow, humming. "I really am, Daphne. Really."
"Alright then, who with?" Daphne winced as thunder cracked outside - she hated thunderstorms.
Astoria paused, biting her lip. "Don't kill me Daphne."
Oh dear, Daphne frowned at her sister. She didn't really want to know who Astoria had fallen for this time. Astoria had the habit of falling in love with the most impractical people - last time it had been Charlie Weasley, who not only was around a decade older than Astoria, but also completely incompatible personality-wise. None of this had really stopped Astoria, though.
Astoria studied the pillowcase intently. "It's Draco."
"Malfoy?"
"No, Daphne. It's Draco Longbottom," Astoria rolled her eyes. "Of course it's Draco Malfoy."
"Astoria, I don't mind you being friends with him but it's a very bad move to fall in love with him," Daphne said sensibly, peering at her sister in concern. Sometimes she felt as though she were Astoria's mother rather than her sister, what with all the times she'd had to warn Astoria off making hasty decisions and doing crazy things.
Astoria pouted. "I can't believe you think I fell in love with him on purpose. And I know it's a bad move in your opinion, Daphne... but in my opinion love is never a bad move. And there has to be a reason that I fell in love with him, right?"
"You're such a romantic, 'Tori," Daphne sighed, but the disapproval in her voice had faded slightly to be replaced with affection. "Anyway, why do you love him more than... say... any of the other people you've gone out with in the past?"
Astoria sat up quickly, eyes wide. Her hands were clutched to her chest as though mortally offended by the question. "Why do I love him? Because he's smart and funny and thoughtful and wise and handsome and gentle and he treats me with respect. And he's just... amazing..."
"Doesn't sound like the Draco Malfoy I went to school with," Daphne said dryly, ever-sceptical of her sister's lovestruck condition. "How long exactly have you known him, Astoria? Properly known him?"
"Six months."
Daphne hesitated, chewing on her fingernail thoughtfully. "Well, I'm not saying that it's wrong or anything, but I want you to just be a bit careful, Astoria. I mean, how many other times have you said that you were in love with somebody? Don't you remember Charlie Weasley? Adrian Pucey? Michael Corner? Graham Pritchard? Marcus Flint - and I really don't know what you saw in him? Kenneth Towler? Professor Lupin? And don't even get me started on Justin Finch-Fletchley."
"I didn't say I was in love with Professor Lupin," Astoria said defensively. "I just said I liked him. I had a crush on him. That's it."
"Yeah, but you managed to have a relationship with everybody else I just listed, not including Charlie Weasley. And you were the one who broke up with them and not the other way around."
"Kenneth broke up with me," Astoria piped up. "And Marcus and I both decided that the age gap was too much, so it was mutual. Besides, what's your problem with Malfoy and me being together?"
"I never said I had a problem with it, I just said that it wasn't a very sensible thing to do," Daphne protested, even though she could see Astoria's eyes sparkling with merriment. Honestly, her younger sister seemed to live to annoy her in every possible way, whether it be through her choice of boyfriend or her random acts of craziness or just her inability to think straight.
"Well, you know what I think? I think that you should stop being so sceptical and spoilsport-y and just trust me. I'm really in love this time, Daphne. Really. I'd do anything for him, and I love him with all my heart," Astoria said earnestly, gazing into Daphne's eyes until her sister scowled and looked away.
"Fine, but don't complain when I say 'I told you so'," Daphne grouched, picking up her despised book again and sliding her reading glasses back down onto her nose.
"Hmph. I'll be the one saying 'I told you so'," Astoria shot her sister a cheeky smile as she leapt off the bed and disappeared from the room, slamming the door shut behind her.
xXxXx
"I told you so."
Astoria was standing in front of the long mirror, hair pinned loosely into an up-do. She spun around slightly, the better to show off her long white wedding gown.
Daphne stood behind her sister, pinning a pale white flower to her maid of honour dress, her face frowning slightly. "Merlin, you don't need to rub it in so much, 'Tori."
"You'd be rubbing it in if you'd been right, so I don't see why I can't," Astoria retorted, leaning forward to examine her face more clearly. She gaped in horror as she saw a previously undiscovered spot on her chin and instantly snatched her wand from the nearby table. Waving it expertly at the spot, she Vanished it. "Aha, that's better."
"I don't know how Draco's going to put up with you," Daphne sighed as she tucked a curl behind her ear and examined herself in the mirror. The white flower didn't exactly go with the pale gold dress that Astoria had insisted all her bridesmaids wear, but then again Astoria had never had the knack of choosing things that suited each other to go together.
"He loves me," Astoria said simply, stepping into her plain white heels carefully. "And when you love somebody you accept them for who they are, no matter what they do or how they act."
Daphne closed her eyes briefly, a sudden wave of guilt rushing over her. Although she was pretty sure Astoria had just said that in answer to what Daphne had said, it struck home deeper than either of them had anticipated. "Astoria... shit... I didn't mean that..."
Astoria laughed briefly at the look on Daphne's face, and she held her arms out. "Come here, you silly, sceptical old buffoon."
Daphne stepped forwards and hugged her sister tightly. "I'm so sorry, Astoria... I really am... I know I've been really horrible about this whole marriage to Draco and everything..."
"You're so stupid sometimes, Daph," Astoria murmured into her sister's hair. She pulled away from the hug and held Daphne at arm's length, smiling broadly. "And you're forgiven. Now, do you want to help me get downstairs and watch me walk down the aisle to my controversial fiancé?"
Daphne snorted, but her eyes shone amusedly. "I love you, 'Tori. Even if sometimes it doesn't seem like I do."
Astoria checked her reflection one last time in the mirror, assuring herself that she was a vision of loveliness. Then she walked over to the door and wrapped her hand around the doorknob, opening the door. She paused as Daphne came to stand beside her, her face completely serious for once. "I love you, Daphne - and don't you ever forget it -" she glanced at the clock on her bedroom wall - "Do you reckon I've got time to get a glass of Ogden's Firewhiskey? I need a bit of liquid courage to walk down that aisle with all those people watching."
