CHAPTER NINETEEN: Graduation
A week after his birthday, Draco, along with all of his belongings, left his Slytherin dormitory for the last ever time and bade Astoria good bye. He stood at the top of the stone steps in the Slytherin common room where he had dumped all of his things ready to leave. Astoria made her way over, a sad look on her face. Neither spoke, they just hugged tightly for a minute. Draco broke the embrace, holding Astoria at arms length. He could see tears shining in her eyes. They were too stubborn to flow.
"Hey," he said, concerned. "What are the tears for?" He laughed softly at his girlfriend, though he too found the situation rather odd. Within the next week her end of year examinations would be over and they would be together again, but it still felt like a bit of the world had just ended.
Astoria laughed at herself. "I know, I'm being silly!" she said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "It's just weird, we'll never be in school together again. I'm not going to be seeing you every day... I guess I just got used to having you here."
Draco raised his eyebrows at her. "Ria, I'm going to be round yours so much this summer that you'll be wanting to get rid of me!" The pair laughed, but she was shaking her head furiously.
"I don't think I'll ever want that." She rubbed her eyes again.
"Come here," Draco said, and pulled her back into another hug. He held Astoria, stroking her hair with his hand, until they had been stood there for a ridiculous amount of time. "Right, I'd better get going," Draco said, breaking the hug once again. Astoria gave an understanding though unwilling nod. She knew she was being silly, she just wasn't able to snap out of it. "Oh, and I've given my spare graduation invites to Daph, by the way, so a couple more of your family will be coming along than you thought. Not like I really have anyone to come for me except mum..."
"I'm coming for you!" Astoria said defiantly. Draco laughed. She was always slightly fierce when she disagreed with something he said.
"Yeah, babe. Well, I'll see you before then anyway I expect, graduation is in two weeks and you finish in one."
Astoria nodded and smiled. "See you soon," she said, looking up towards her boyfriend with sad eyes.
"Sooner than you know," Draco said, bowing his head to kiss her on the lips, holding her chin between his thumb and finger. "And good luck with the rest of your exams. I know you'll be fine." He winked at her.
"Thanks, Draco," Astoria said, giving him one last, desperate kiss before he cast a hovering charm on his things and made his way to leave. Draco turned back at the entrance to the common room, blew a kiss to Astoria who waved back weakly, and with one last glance of the place where he had had some of the best times of his life, he left.
Draco didn't have much planned over the next few days. He'd never been needy in his life, but if he was honest, he couldn't wait for Astoria's exams to be over so he could be with her. But, for now, he had to put that to the back of his mind as he trawled the Daily Prophet for a sign of any job he could apply for. He had been doing so for the last twenty minutes but to no avail. He ran his fingers through his hair frustratedly. Just then, there was a tapping on the living room window. Glancing up, Draco saw Blaise's owl perched on his window sill, his yellow eyes boring into Draco, waiting to be let in.
Draco stood, stretched idly and went over to the window to let the owl in. The letter it carried was a short one.
Draco, Leaky Cauldron tonight at 9pm. Don't sit around your house moping, get the hell out! Blaise. Ps. Love you so much baby boy, for ever and ever xxxxxxxxxxx
Draco laughed at his best friend's ridiculous message. To be fair, though, he was moping around the house and had been ever since his return two days ago. He decided right away that he would go to the Leaky Cauldron. It would probably do him some good. He grabbed a quill from the coffee table and scribbled a reply on the same bit of parchment.
I'll be there. Ps. Does Daphne know?! ;)
Chuckling again, Draco reattached the letter to the owl's leg and sent him on his way.
Several hours later, Draco was dressed relatively smartly for his night out with the boys, his trouser pocket full of gold - he'd finished school forever, and though he missed Astoria, it was still an occasion to celebrate. It was going to be a heavy night.
When Draco arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, he glanced around the place. It wasn't long before he noticed Blaise sat at a table in the far corner along with Theo, Ad, Gregory Goyle, Marcus Flint and Terrence Higgs. The latter two, Draco had not seen for quite some time. He made his way over.
"Alight, boys," he said, once he reached the round table, which just about had enough room for Draco. They all looked round.
"Malfoy!" Terrence exclaimed, standing to lean across the table and shake Draco's hand. "It's been a while, mate."
"It has," Draco agreed, grasping Terrence's hand, followed by Marcus'. "Shall I get in a round?" Draco asked, generously. "Might as well, while I'm up." The six lads nodded and mumbled their thanks.
"Careful, mate," Blaise warned, before Draco departed. "Pansy's sat up there with Tracey Davis."
Draco's mind was immediately cast back to the fact that he had slept with Tracey, who had been friends with Pansy throughout their time at Hogwarts, when he and Pansy had only been apart a matter of days. He glanced over his shoulder towards the bar, spotting the two girls perched upon high stools.
"Fuck it," Draco mumbled, rolling his eyes. He made his way reluctantly over to the bar, hoping to be served before they noticed he was there. Tom was behind the bar and didn't take long at all to serve Draco, who ordered seven shots of fire whiskey and two bottles of red currant rum for them all to share. He was going to have to be very drunk if he were to be in the same room as Pansy all night, whether she noticed him or not. Unfortunately, he didn't have to wait too long at all.
"Oh my god, Draco!" Draco couldn't mistake the voice of Tracey Davis, he'd known her too long. He looked across the bar to where she was sat, opposite him, and gave a small, false smile. This really was not what he wanted. Pansy leaned across and whispered something in Tracey's ear, giving Draco a look of disdain. Tracey apparently ignored her friend's words and made her way down from her stool, walking the length of the bar and joining Draco.
"Wow, it's been ages, Draco," Tracey announced, hugging him. Draco hugged back unenthusiastically. "It certainly has." He looked back towards the table where his friends were sat, struggling to contain their laughter at his unimpressed face.
"Pansy's been telling me about what you're up to these days," Tracey informed him.
"Has she, now?" Draco said, shooting an unmistakable glare in Pansy's direction. She cockily raised an eyebrow and pointedly turned away from him.
"Yeah," Tracey confirmed. "Apparently you're all loved up now. Really, Draco? That's not like you."
Draco felt uncomfortable. He wished Tom would hurry up from the cellar with those bottles of red currant rum. "I'm not really the person I used to be," he said, simply.
"Obviously," Tracey said, though she was smiling. "So... Daphne's little sister?" she pressed on. Apparently she was in no such hurry to drop the subject.
"Her name's Astoria," Draco said, flatly.
"Well," Tracey said, not noticing Draco's irritated tone. "She's a lucky girl." She winked at Draco who felt himself turn slightly pink and glance in Pansy's direction.
"Umm, Trace, about that night, when we umm..."
"Had amazingly wild sex?" Tracey rushed to finish his sentence, smirking slightly.
"Umm, yeah, that night," Draco agreed, as he couldn't be bothered to argue. "Well, Pansy still doesn't know and, well, I'd rather it stayed that way."
Tracey laughed. "Don't worry, secret's safe with me," she assured him. Then she leant in and whispered "Seriously, though. By far the best sex I've ever had." Draco grimaced, his face unseen by Tracey. The sex between the two of them had been very rough. Not Draco's preferred style, especially when he'd just been released from the hospital wing after a near death experience. Luckily, Tom appeared at just that moment with all of Draco's drinks on a tray.
"Ah, my drinks are here," Draco said, relieved. "Nice talking to you, Tracey," and with that, he left swiftly, not wanting her to say anything else that would make him cringe.
Once he rejoined his friends, the drink started flowing and it wasn't long at all before Draco started to feel himself becoming tipsy. He was, in all honesty, a bit of a lightweight. The same thing seemed to be happening to Pansy, as her laughter became louder and louder as the night went on - a sure sign that she was drunk and trying to get Draco's attention. Draco wasn't a fool though, and didn't look around at her once as a couple of hours passed.
The conversation around the table soon turned to Draco's love life, a subject which seemed to crop up no matter who he was with. By now, he was quite far gone and so he was freely talking about the way he felt about Astoria in such a way that was bound to embarrass him when he remembered in the morning. He took a long swig of his forth butterbeer (which he'd progressed to after the fire whiskey and red currant rum).
"Serly-seriously though," he was speaking loudly, as the lads watched him, tears of laughter brimming in their eyes. "Sireeously, I never, ever... ever never ever loved someone before I met Astoria. And, like, I'm so, so in lo - in love with her -" He didn't finish his sentence, as his face slipped from the hand he'd been resting on and he head butted the table. Raucous laughter erupted around the table as Draco remained slumped, laughing at his own stupidity. He heaved himself up again and looked at Blaise, who was sat next to him. Blaise rolled his eyes exasperatedly at his friend. If only Astoria could see him in this state.
"Bu - but guys, guys!" Draco went on. Apparently he hadn't said enough. "I'm going to TELL you something! I'm going to tell you ALL something. Are you lis... Listening?" He gazed around at the faces surrounding him, satisfied that he had all of their attention. "One day - one, one day. I'm going to get MARRIED to Astoria." He nodded as though impressed with himself. "I - I've decided that I wana marry her. I LOVE HER!"
"Okay, okay," Blaise said, resting a hand on Draco's back, using his other to prize Draco's drink away from him. "I think you've had enough mate, I think it's time we get you home."
Draco laughed at Blaise's words. Unfortunately, he'd been so loud that not only Pansy and Tracey were looking over, but everyone else in the pub, too. Draco attempted to get up from his seat but fell back down. Blaise helped him up from under the arm and maneuvered him around the rest of the Slytherins.
"I'll stay with him, guys," Blaise told the others. "Enjoy the rest of the night, yeah?" and with that he began to support Draco out of the pub. Draco gave a dramatic wave to everyone around him, giggling like a girl at his own behaviour. It was a long time since he'd been this drunk.
Once they reached the door of the pub, Blaise pushed it open but Draco stopped. He turned and looked at the bar. His eyes sought Tracey.
"TRACEY!" he yelled, once he'd found her. "HEY! TRACEY?!" She turned around, and smirked at the fact that Draco wanted her attention over anyone else's. She opened her mouth to shout back to him, but she didn't get a chance. "THAT NIGHT WE HAD SEX... IT W-WASN'T AMAZING. IT WAS AWFUL. I - I DON'T LIKE IT ROUGH, SEE. I'M MORE OF A LOVER MYSELF! I LIKE TO MAKE LOVE, NOT FUCK"
Pansy's eyed had grown wide in shock as she looked from Draco to the girl who she'd always thought was one of her best friends. Blaise turned round to look at the commotion Draco was causing.
"Okay, Tracey, what the hell?!" Pansy yelled, unable to remain calm. Tracey cast her friend a guilty look. Draco appeared gleeful. Soon, Pansy wouldn't have any friends left and it would all be down to him. Blaise groaned to himself. He hated having to be the sensible one.
"Pansy, I -" Tracey began, but Pansy shouted over her.
"You slept with Draco?! You slept. With Draco?!"
"It was once, Pansy, I swear it didn't mean anything!"
"Oh really? Well this friendship doesn't mean anything, either!" Pansy grabbed her glass of wine from the bar and slowly poured it over Tracey's head, soaking her. It wouldn't change what she'd just found out but it did make her feel a bit better. She grabbed her bag and jacket from the side, and flounced out of the bar as Tracey sat there, open mouthed, hair sticking to her hair and wine dripping from her face.
Draco giggled childishly, straining his neck to keep Tracey in his view as Blaise frog marched him out of the door. Once outside, Blaise let go of him and he slumped against a wall, still laughing at the drama he'd caused. Blaise approached him and took hold of his face, his expression stony.
"Draco! Sober up. Just stop - stop laughing! Do you think Astoria's going to be laughing when she finds out how drunk you are?"
Draco suddenly quit laughing, his face finally straight. Blaise let go of him. "She's not going to f - to find out, is she?" he asked, in the nervous tone of a child in trouble.
"Mate, of course she's going to find out. There were god knows how many people in there that know you." Draco was an idiot when he was drunk. "I mean, it's not like you caused a scene or anything..." he added sarcastically.
Draco shook himself and remained silent for a long while as though contemplating his behaviour. Then he looked towards his friend and said in an innocent sounding voice "Take me home." It looked as though he'd had all the fun he was going to have.
Blaise took hold of Draco's arm and apparated with him back to his house. He went to the kitchen, poured Draco a large glass of water and watched him drink the lot, before making sure he got up the stairs without breaking his neck. Within two minutes, Draco was flat out asleep on his bed, fully clothed, the light still on. Blaise turned out the light and made his way to the spare room, where he would spend the night.
Draco awoke the next morning with a terrible headache. He couldn't remember exactly what he'd said last night but he knew he'd been an idiot. He was sat up at the kitchen table drinking hangover potion and clutching his head when Blaise came down from upstairs and laughed at him.
"You look rough!"
"I feel worse!" Draco assured him. "Thanks for making sure I got home." Blaise shrugged off Draco's thanks.
"I would offer to stay and nurse you through the hangover but I gotta go mate, got some family shit on today."
Draco groaned. "I was meant to be seeing mum. Think I'll cancel. I don't fancy a lecture."
Blaise laughed. "Anyway, I'll see you at graduation I expect?" he said, grabbing his jacket from the stairs.
Draco grunted "Mmm, if I've recovered by then. I'm going back to bed." He rose from the chair and padded his way across the kitchen and down the hall way. "See you, mate."
As soon as Blaise pulled the door shut, Draco made his way upstairs, clutching the remains of his potion, and threw himself back in bed, pulling the duvet over his head and falling straight back to sleep.
Some eleven days later, Draco was awake bright and early for his return to Hogwarts. It was the day of his graduation. He was currently awaiting use of the bathroom; Astoria had stayed over his the night before and, so far, she had been in the bathroom for forty six minutes. Not that Draco was counting or anything. He was pacing around his room impatiently, before crossing the hall and knocking the bathroom door for the third time.
"Astoria! Whose graduation is this?"
"Yours, sweetie, why?" came Astoria's innocent reply.
"Exactly," Draco said. "Everyone's going to be looking at me. Me. Not you!"
From the opposite side of the door, Astoria was lounging in a bath tub full of bubbles, not bothering to get a move on at all. She was trying hard to suppress her giggles. Sometimes, she simply loved to wind Draco up.
"Oh, baby, come on. Give me five more minutes," she put on a whiney voice. "I'm only trying to look nice for you."
Draco caved too easily. "Right. Five more minutes! Five! Or I'm going to alohomora this door on your ass!" he threatened. Astoria giggled.
"Hey! Stop laughing!" Draco said, sternly, though he himself was smiling. He didn't feel he could ever actually be annoyed with Astoria, but it was fun to pretend just for a minute.
Seven minutes later, Astoria emerged from the bathroom and stood in the doorway to Draco's bedroom wearing nothing but a towel, her hair wound up in another. Draco loved the way she smelled when she'd just got out of the bath but he didn't have long to get ready, so he tried to block it from his mind. Astoria had a wicked smirk on her face.
"Seven minutes! You were seven! You said five!" Draco rose from the bed and gathered his towel and clean underwear into his arms.
Astoria cackled. Draco had some funny personality traits. "Draco, I think you may have some kind of disorder?" she said in a soft voice. Draco's head snapped round to look at her.
"What? What do you mean, a disorder?" he demanded.
"Well, some people have, umm.. slightly obsessive behaviour, babe. It's called obsessive compulsive disorder." She was only trying to wind him up, but his face relaxed instead of becoming more tense.
"Oh, yeah," he said casually. "I've always had that. Since I was a kid."
Astoria looked at him, shocked. "You mean, you actually have it?" she asked, slowly.
"Yes," Draco responded monotonously, wondering if she would let him have a shower now.
"Oh. I was only trying to wind you up."
"Failed then, didn't you," Draco said, making his way over to the door, kissing her on the forehead and pushing past her, heading for the bathroom. Just as he was safely inside the bathroom Astoria called "Oh, Draco, can I just -"
"No!" he said, instantly before closing the door quickly and locking it. Astoria laughed heartily from the other side. Despite his funny habits, Astoria had never felt the way about anyone that she felt about Draco. She just knew they were made to last.
A few hours later Draco, along with every other student who had taken an eighth year, sat in the front two rows of chairs which had been arranged outside in the sunshine, next to the lake, for the graduation ceremony. Seated by houses, and then in alphabetical order, Draco was sat between Daphne and Theodore.
The many other rows were packed out with all of the close friends and family of those graduating on that day - for the small number who were, there was certainly a big audience. Draco only had his mother and Astoria in the audience for him, but that was all the support he needed. Plus, more of Astoria's family were there supporting Daphne, so it was nice to see some more familiar faces, especially Caitlyn who was apparently Draco's number one fan.
None of them knew exactly how graduation was going to work; they supposed that their grades were going to be read out in front of everyone, as they themselves didn't even know what they had, yet. McGonagall started making her way to the front so it wasn't long until they were to find out.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," she began. "Gathered here today are the friends and family of some rather unique and special students. The first eighth graders that any school of our kind has ever seen." There was some whooping from the crowd, followed by some laughter. "Today, we shall be celebrating their success at not only enduring one of the worst wars our world has ever seen, but coming out of the other end fighting, and as this parchment tells me, achieving some excellent grades." There were murmurs amongst those receiving their results that day. "Now, I shall tell you how things are going to work... Each student has had something written about them by one of our teachers here. Their names will be called out, and the appropriate teacher will read out their statement, and then I shall be calling out their grades. If they please, the said student will then join me at the front to receive their NEWT certificates."
Draco was dreading his turn. What on earth were they going to say about him? He fiddled with his tie uncomfortably, and glanced over his shoulder towards his mother who was sat alone in one of the back rows. She caught his eye and gave him a nod as if to say 'you're going to be fine.' He turned slowly back to face the front.
McGonagall rounded up her speech and the name calling began, Draco hating the feeling of his name getting closer and closer to being called by the second. Daphne was called out (following Granger who, of course, achieved five Os). Draco listened carefully as Daphne's grades were read out and gave his friend a big hug as they discovered she'd achieved two Os, two Es and an A. She went to the front to collect her certificates, looking rather flustered.
In no time at all it was Draco's turn. His heart was pounding. From a few rows behind him, Astoria sat, hands clutched together tightly in her lap. Draco had worked so hard, she so badly wanted him to get the grades he deserved.
"The next student has always been a naturally talented wizard," McGonagall began (she had written the piece about Draco). "From the first day, we saw his potential. Excelling in transfiguration and potions from his first year, he was also able to master non verbal spells from an incredibly young age. The last two years of school weren't particularly easy for this young man." Draco looked down at his feet. Daphne reached out, took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze. "It's not always easy to do the right thing, especially in front of others that are persuading you to do otherwise." Draco bit his nails on the hand that Daphne was not holding. "This young man deserves a lot more credit than he has ever been given. He has overcome a lot of obstacles to be here and he has, indeed, turned his life around."
Over near the back, Narcissa, knowing they were talking about her only son, had tears of pride welling in her eyes. Astoria, likewise.
McGonagall went on "His results are proof of how you can change your own life for the better, and we are extremely proud that we invited him to return this year. Mr Draco Malfoy, you received five NEWTs at grade Outstanding."
Draco's head dropped into his hands in relief and he let out the breath he'd been holding. He had heard just what he had wanted to hear. There was a buzz around him as his friends hugged him and patted him on the back. Astoria's family were cheering. Astoria was on her feet clapping, tears rolling down her cheeks. Narcissa was wiping her eyes with a tissue, clapping her son in between wiping. Draco stood slowly, squeezed past the rest of his row and made his way to the front where he shook hands with McGonagall and collected his certificates.
"Congratulations, Draco. We are so very proud of you," McGonagall said to him quietly. He smiled and thanked her appreciatively.
When he turned he noticed Astoria and his mother in the crowd, both there, both looking so proud of him. It was then that he realised, he didn't need anyone else there for him. These were the two people he loved and they were more than enough to keep him happy.