Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. We got a new computer, and it took a while to set up. Then my word documents wasn't set up right away, so I had to use google docs, and I don't know how to transfer them so that I could post this chapter. But it's ready now, so here's chapter 12. :)

Also, as my fellow Americans (hopefully) know, last Friday, July 20th, 2012, there was a terrible shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado during the premier of the new Batman movie. Twelve were killed, 57 wounded, the youngest killed being only six years old and the youngest wounded being only 3 months (if I have all my facts right) This is so sad! Please keep the people of Aurora in your thoughts and prayers.

Chapter 12: A Wedding and a Surprise

One Year Later

Draco and I had been dating for about a year now, and life couldn't have been happier. We were completely and uncontrollably in love with each other, and I was falling harder and harder for him each day. As cheesy as it sounds, it was true. Needing something to do during the day, I had gotten a job working as a journalist for the Daily Prophet, and my nights were spent with Draco.

One evening in early August, 2002, Draco and I were sitting in the sitting room as I told Draco about my day, when Mrs. Malfoy - or Narcissa as she insisted I called her - knocked on the door. "Astoria, you have a visitor."

"Really?" I asked curiously. Ever since leaving Greengrass Manor I've been able to see my friends regularly, but I hadn't been expecting anyone today. Getting up from my chair, I made my way to the front door, with Draco following right behind me. "Daphne!" I exclaimed when I reached the front door.

"Hello, Astoria." my older sister replied, wrapping her arms around me.

"How are you? What are you doing here?" the questions came flooding out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"I'm fine." Daphne said. "I came to tell you that I'm engaged, and you and the Malfoys are invited. I wanted to tell you in person."

"Stuart proposed?" I asked, and Daphne nodded excitedly. "That's great!"

"Thank you." Daphne replied. Suddenly, she noticed Draco standing awkwardly behind me. "Oh, I'm sorry. How are you, Draco?"

"Not bad." Draco replied with a smile. "Would you like to come in?"

Daphne nodded, and a few minutes later we were gathered in the sitting room again with one of the Malfoys' house elves bringing us tea.

"So, what's new with you?" I asked my sister, since I had not seen her in almost a year.

"Well, after you left, I moved in with Stuart. I was upset that they disowned you, and I let them know it too."
"You did?" I asked, surprised at Daphne's words.

"Of course I did." Daphne replied. "I never really thought it was fair the way they treated you different than me just because you were a Ravenclaw and had different beliefs, but I was always too scared to admit it to them. That's what I admire about you, Tori, is that you weren't afraid. Anyways, I knew they had taken it too far by disowning you, so I moved out. I still see them every once and awhile of course, and Mother's happy to finally be planning a wedding. Speaking of the wedding, would you have the pleasure of being my maid of honor?"

"Me?" I gasped. "I thought you would have chosen Pansy."

"Well, Pansy is another bride's maid, but I feel like I've been a horrible sister towards you the past few years, so I wanted to make it up to you."

I smiled at my older sister. "In that case," I said, "Of course I will."

"Excellent." Daphne replied. "The wedding is December twenty-first."

For about a half hour, Daphne, Draco, and I continued to talk, until finally, Narcissa came in an invited Daphne to have dinner with us. Daphne sent an owl to Stuart, and stayed for several hours before heading home. After Daphne flooed home, I couldn't help but smile because I realized that I now had a better relationship with my sister that wasn't there before, and it felt good.

At Daphne's wedding, Astoria looked gorgeous as usual in her bride's maid dress. She was wearing the necklace that I had given her for her last birthday. It was a silver chain with a dragon charm hanging on the end. The body of the Dragon was a Slytherin green, and its wings were a Ravenclaw blue. I felt the dragon was a goon representation of us.

At the reception, which was located at Greengrass Manor, we danced for a good hour or so, but I didn't get tired of it. How could I. I was in love with Astoria, and I wanted to tell her just how deep I was, but I had no idea how to tell her. Until now, that was.

After dancing to several songs, Astoria and I collapsed into chairs at our assigned table. Astoria looked as though she couldn't have been happier. We had seen her parents, and had nodded our acknowledgement to each other, and my parents spoke with them. That seemed like all the contact that Astoria needed to have with them, at least for now. After a while, I turned to my beautiful girlfriend and asked, "Would you like more punch, love."

Astoria nodded, and I picked up her glass and went to the punch table. I don't know what I would have done with she said she didn't want any, because that's where I had hid her Christmas present. I was going to give it to her on Christmas Eve, but I decided that the night of her sister's wedding would be better. I set the glass of punch and handed Astoria the present. Luckily no one was paying any attention to us, and my parents were talking to the Greengrasses and the Leonards, so as Astoria reached for her wand to open the present, I took the opportunity to get down on one knee behind her. Astoria opened the gift, the velvet box included, and turned to face me with a curious expression on her face. She gasps when she saw my appearance.

"Astoria," I said, taking a deep breath, "I'm not very good with this kind of stuff, but I want you to know that I'm in love with you. We've been through so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Astoria Greengrass, will you marry me?"

"Yes," Astoria whispered, tears forming in her eyes. Then louder, "Yes!"

She jumped into my arms and kissed me passionately. The room was crowded with people but we didn't care. Suddenly, someone started applauding, but that didn't matter either. All that mattered to me at that moment was Astoria, and the fact that I was going to spend the rest of my life with her. Early tonight, I didn't think she could have been happier, but clearly, I was wrong.