The first few days at Malfoy Manor for Aurora were bittersweet. Whilst the family were the perfect hosts, Aurelia immediately taking to another female presence and insisting Aurora accompany her on all shopping trips and help to finalise every last detail for the ball (much to Abraxas's relief), she couldn't help but long to be with her aunt in Austria.
Much like France, the estate in Austria felt like home to Aurora, more so than the Rosier Manor ever had. More than once, she had found herself lost in thought, fiddling idly with her necklace. It hadn't warmed against her chest in months. Not since she'd obliviated Potter.
Aurelia seemed to have noticed her drifting off now and then, but had assumed it was only her missing Raoul that was causing her down mood. She would smile kindly, and reminisce on the holidays she used to spend apart from Septimus when they were younger, in a means of comfort. Even though they had been an arranged marriage, Aurelia always said she counted herself lucky they were able to fall in love.
She never said anything explicitly, but Aurora could tell Abraxas's contract with Thea wasn't best-loved by the Malfoy matriarch. She'd mentioned once or twice over afternoon tea that she didn't feel it was the best thing for Abraxas, but Septimus had insisted that it was Malfoy tradition for the heir to be formally engaged by their seventeenth birthday, and she'd begrudgingly accepted it.
The soon-to-be fiancé in question appeared to also feel anything but positive about his situation. Aurora barely saw Abraxas for the first couple of days at the Manor. When he wasn't with his father and Tom in the Gentlemen's rooms, he was tucking into a corner of their vast library with the latter, somehow looking even paler than usual.
Aurelia has said it was normal, just pre-engagement announcement nerves, but she didn't seem convinced by even her own words, chewing at her lower lip after she spoke. He hadn't openly complained since Aurora had snapped at him before Slughorn's party, but it was obvious he was still equally if not more troubled by it.
She had felt slightly guilting for raising her voice at him, but it was part of his responsibility as a wizarding heir. The other boys would be in the same position at some point, it just so happened his was sooner rather than later. Arche would have less pressure on his shoulders, given he had an older brother and was not the first Avery heir, but Aurora knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before the subject was breached with Raoul.
Much like Abraxas, he was a sole heir to an ancient family, and he'd already mentioned his father's growing restlessness with no prospective wives for his son. It was because of this their relationship had not been mentioned to him, but she would be attending tomorrow's ball with Raoul, and there would be no more hiding.
It would kill Aurora to have to turn down the contract, but she already had an agreement elsewhere. One that would not be in her best interest to breach, and marrying the Lestrange heir may as well be her signing her death warrant.
It wasn't even something she could talk to him about. How would that conversation even go? Hello darling, I haven't even told you that I love you yet because I'm afraid to then have to tell you that this relationship can only feasibly last another year and a half, or I'll end up dead, probably with my body left for you to find on your front porch.
Was it selfish for Aurora to keep such a thing from him? To let him escort her to high profile events, meet his father and keep him out of the hands of every other eligible witch in England, even when she knew she could offer him nothing else? Maybe it was, but maybe it was for the best.
Ultimately, Aurora was a killer. She was broken, her soul tainted from the moment she had first let that incantation slip past her lips. Raoul was not. He was kind and gentle, with a stellar career in front of him in Quidditch. Entering a marriage contract with him, even if it were possible for her, would destroy that. The moment they bound their magic, he would be just as tainted, just as damaged, and she could never do that to him.
Instead, she would continue to smile, hang onto him for a little longer, and try and ignore the inevitable break up she would have to facilitate. After all, she had a ball to attend.
Raoul had arrived at the Manor an hour earlier than all the other guests, eager to present Aurora with her Christmas present. He had found her in her guest room, sat at the large vanity just staring at her reflection. She was grateful she hadn't been occluded at that moment, something she had started to do more frequently, despite knowing it was a bad idea.
The small pockets of numbness she could throw herself into were becoming sacred when she started feeling too much. Turning everything off had become easier.
She had thrown herself into his arms, every ounce of guilt she had been harbouring over her actions dissipating the moment he had walked into her room. She just wanted to enjoy the one good thing in her life at that moment, and it was obvious he wanted the same thing.
"I've missed you so much, Rory," he whispered into her hair.
Aurora pulled back slightly, eyebrow arching playfully.
"Rory?"
"Everyone else calls you 'Rora, I wanted something that's just for me," he smiled, pulling her back into his chest.
"I like it," she mumbled into his chest.
They stayed like that for a long while, and Aurora wanted nothing more than to just blow off the whole event and spend the evening alone with him, pretending once again that her life wasn't quite as doomed as it was. Raoul ended up being the first person to pull away, chuckling at her disgruntled huff.
"As much as I'd like to only be with you tonight, you know both Malfoy and Selwyn would have our heads if we left them with Avery and Horby."
Aurora sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and perching on the end of the canopy bed.
"Neither of them was this marriage at all, do they?"
Raoul sat down next to her, his arm looping around her waist as she let her head drop onto his shoulder.
"No, I don't think they do. But I think they know they have to. Malfoy hasn't referred to it as anything other than a familial obligation since the contract was first signed. Even I thought they'd find a way to make it work, but it's hard to fall in love when your heart already belongs to someone else."
Aurora's eyes widened.
"You don't mean–"
"I had told Malfoy I wouldn't say anything," Raoul chewed the inside of his lip, "I'm not even meant to know, I kind of walked in on it."
"I–wow–" Aurora scrambled for the right words, given what Raoul had just told her, "It's not a mudblood is it? That isn't why it's a secret?"
Raoul looked affronted at such an idea.
"Merlin, no, I would have been forced to say something if that was the case."
"Does Thea know?"
"I'm not sure, I doubt it, it's–um–a tricky conversation to have with your future wife, I think."
Aurora would have said that was an understatement. Her head dropped from his shoulder into her own hands and she groaned
"Merlin, this ball is going to be a fucking nightmare."
"Hey, hey, hey," he said, his hand moving from her waist to rub small circles against her back, "we'll make the best of it, okay?"
She lifted her head slightly, eyes meeting his. Raoul cleared his throat, reaching into his robes.
"Anyway, I came here to give you your present and it appears we've become distracted," he said, removing a small box, and Aurora felt her heart pounding in her chest, "I'm sure you know what my father will be expecting to happen after tonight, but I don't think I'm ready for it yet, and I'm not sure you are either," she drew in a sharp breath, knowing exactly what he was referring to, every fear she'd had about tonight slowly materialising in front of her as he slowly opened the box, "but I think that this will hold him off."
Aurora gasped at the small signet ring she was presented with.
"Salazar, Raoul, is that–"
"My mother's signet ring."
It was silver, with the Lestrange family crest engraved and the two stars set with small diamonds.
"It was hers until she, well, you know…"
Aurora couldn't remember the last time she had cried, but even now she could feel her eyes begin to sting with the tears threatening to overspill. Raoul's mother had died when he was four, and to think he wanted her to have something so special, when she knew this couldn't last, felt even worse than being presented with the contract there and then.
"I can't accept this, its-its too much, my love." she protested, trying to push the box away, but Raoul caught her hand, his free hand removing the ring from the box and pushing it gently onto her pinky finger.
"You can, and you will. If my father sees you wearing this, he'll know I'm in it for the long run, and won't push anything onto you or your family. You're so very special to me, and I've meant to tell you for a while, but I-"
Don't you dare say it. Aurora didn't let him finish. She couldn't face it. Instead, she grabbed the side of her face, pulling him forward and crashing their lips together, letting the kiss say everything she couldn't say out loud. Couldn't bring herself to hear him say either.
Raoul was more than willing to comply, scooping her into his lap, his hand tangling his hand into her hair and tugging lightly, eliciting a sharp moan from the back of her throat. He laughed against her mouth, his tongue pushing past her slightly parted lips–
A loud rapping on the door caused them to jump apart, no sooner had Aurora stood up to hastily brush out her dress and Raoul adjust the front of his robes did Tom Riddle's head appear from the now open door. His eyes scanned over the two of them, one eyebrow raised over so slightly as Raoul stared intently at the floor and Aurora scowled at him.
"It appears as though I'm interrupting," he stated simply.
"I'd say that was a fair fucking observation, Riddle," she hissed back.
Completely unaffected by her hostility, he continued.
"Lord and Lady Malfoy would like us downstairs in five minutes. Selwyn just arrived, I thought you'd like to greet her, Rosier, but it seems you were rather preoccupied," he smirked.
Aurora smiled but made it obvious her expression harboured no goodwill.
"I'd suggest you close that door right now Riddle, or one might almost take you for a bit of a voyeur."
The smirk dropped right off of Tom's face, and Aurora felt a surge of victory wash over her.
"Downstairs in five minutes." he drew his head back and slammed the door behind him.
"I'm going to fucking kill that bastard one day. Ignores me the whole time we're here and that's the first time he decides to talk to me?"
Raoul stood up slowly, a small smile dancing across his face.
"And there's my vicious little princess back." he offered his arm out to her, signifying that it was time for them to leave.
"Princess does have fangs." she reminded him, taking his arm and letting him lead her towards the door.
"Princess sure does."
When Aurelia had told Tom on the first day of arrival at the Manor that she was quite the host, she hadn't been joking. The place had been completely transformed.
The Malfoy Christmas ball was one of the most prestigious events of the Wizarding World's social calendar, with hundreds of guests attending from every corner of the world. Septimus had invited Ministers from no less than fifteen countries to attend that year, as well as the entire Wizengamot.
The Greater Ballroom had been covered floor to ceiling in silver drapes similar to those Slughorn had used at his party, but instead of hanging stationary, they seemed to move of their own accord, looking almost water-like as they twisted and swept past each other against the ornate walls. The giant crystal chandeliers had been charmed to glow with blue flames for the evening, and snow fell gently from the ceiling, disappearing a foot or so above the heads of the ever-growing crowd.
Aurora stared out over the room from the top of the viewing balcony, spotting several of her fellow students amongst the crows, as well as a few of the foreign Ministers of Magic. She had been more than relieved to learn the day before that the French Minister had contacted Septimus apologising profusely that he would be unable to attend due to a problem that had arisen in a neighbouring country, and was expected to lend his support over the next week.
She felt Raoul squeeze her hand gently, silently asking if she was ready to make their entrance. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her spine and drew her shoulders back, head tilted up ever so slightly, the way every Pureblood girl had been taught to do as a child when presenting themselves. Raoul followed suit, dropping one arm to his side and the other stiffened beneath Aurora's hand and it snaked around his bicep.
As they strode down the staircase, every eye in the room seemed to draw towards them. Aurelia had warned her that the absence of the Rosier family at such events had become somewhat of a joke amongst certain families, and to expect the shock from a select few of the aristocrats in attendance.
She had hardly been wrong as the whispers from the crowd washed over Aurora the closer they got.
"...that's the Rosier girl..."
"...you don't mean Etienne's girl?..."
"...with the Lestrange boy, no less…"
"...a mighty fine pair…"
"...Lestrange did an excellent job getting that one…"
"...there's been rumours about her…"
"It's exhausting, isn't it?" Thea's voice pulled her back into reality, "what's the point of throwing a party in our honour if all we're allowed to do is greet people?"
The brunette was waiting at the bottom of the staircase, arm looped through Abraxas', a large emerald ring on full display. Both were smiling, but neither smiles met their eyes. Draped in black, the pair looked more like they were attending a funeral rather than an engagement party, let alone their own.
"Quite an event you have here, Selwyn," Raoul said, shaking Abraxas' hand and kissing Thea's knuckles.
Thea snorted, looking over her shoulder to check no one was looking at her as she leaned in closer to the other couple.
"I am about one old wizard trying to get slightly too handsy with me in front of my fiance away from setting something on fire and escaping amidst the panic."
Aurora laughed, kissing her friend once on each cheek, before moving to do the same to Abraxas.
"Let me know just before it happens, I'd quite like to join your great escape plan." she heard a shocked gasp from beside her as she pulled away from Abraxas, turning to see an ancient witch looking quite scandalised at the nerve of her to kiss the fiance. Aurora shot her a scathing glare before turning back, her three companions looking as though they wanted to scorn her for already being confrontational barely minutes after entering the party.
"What? Imagine the old bint's face if she knew I'd been staying here this whole time without Thea, she'd probably have a stroke." Thea's face cracked into a grin at that.
"Has anyone ever told you how incredibly facetious you can be sometimes, 'Rora?"
"It was one of Gueneviere's favourite words for me actually, along with arrogant, spoilt and wayward."
Abraxas sniggered, clapping Raoul on the back.
"Why don't you two go and get some socialising in before your girlfriend tries to challenge one of Mother's friends to a duel, Lestrange?" the three laughed at Aurora's scowl as Raoul began to walk away, manoeuvring the two of them through the crowd.
"I could beat any of them with my eyes closed and wandless," she murmured.
"I have no doubts about that, my love, but if we could keep the casualties to a minimum I'm sure Lady Malfoy would be grateful."
"I'm not promising anything." Raoul didn't respond to her last comment, as they had come to stop next to a small group.
Tom was standing with the Nott boy from the year above, and an older man whom Aurora assumed was his father. Aurora felt her face settle into an impassive smile.
"Ah, Lestrange, Rosier," Tom greeted, eyes flicking over the two of them with something cold, "you're both acquainted with Theodore Nott, may I introduce you to his father?"
Aurora cast her gaze over the man. He was shorter than both Tom and Raoul, salt and pepper hair combed back over his head and a heavy handlebar moustache.
"Mr Lestrange, a pleasure to meet you," he shook Raoul's hand firmly, and only once before his eyes came to rest hungrily over Aurora, "and do you care to introduce us to this lovely little lady?"
The question implied that Raoul would introduce her, but Aurora refused to be treated as an accessory to be paraded around, and Raoul knew this, so made no move to speak.
"Aurora Rosier," she said, extending her hand to him. He looked only momentarily taken aback before he took it, bringing it to his mouth, eyes never leaving hers. Aurora knew it was a power play, an attempt to get her to look away first to establish dominance over a silly little witch, but she relented, not to be intimidated by a wizard she had never met before.
After a solid ten seconds of silence, it appeared that Lord Nott had received the message loud and clear, dropping her hand and straightening out his robe.
"Etienne's daughter I assume?" she nodded once, "Interesting, I can see now why your father has been swatting away all those betrothal offers," he waved his hand towards Raoul, "Merlin knows I tried to get something sorted for Theo over here." he chortled as though he had just told the funniest joke her could think of.
Aurora felt her blood boil, and her whole body stiffened. Raoul must have felt the change, as he started to slowly rub his thumb across her knuckles, a wordless warning to keep her temper under control.
"I think you'll find that the batting away, as you so put it, of marriage contacts had nothing to do with Raoul. My father simply knows better than to meddle with my personal life." she bit out, thoroughly enjoying the looks of surprise on the senior Nott at being addressed with such attitude, "but don't let such trivial matters interrupt your conversation, me and Raoul only wished to join."
His eyes narrowed towards her, but she refused to wither.
"I'm unsure this is a conversation fit for a lady, Miss Rosier."
"I'm quite sure I'll manage."
"Rosier," Aurora whipped her head towards Tom, who looked as though he were biting his tongue as if he were in pain, "I was just discussing the state of Pureblood lineages with Lord Nott here, I'm sure you've heard of the Pureblood Directory, yes?" he didn't wait for a response, "His father was the one to publish it, and he was just telling me about the rates at which the twenty-eight families are diminishing, as Lord Malfoy had mentioned."
Aurora nodded, not wanting to care but feeling slightly curious as to why Tom was so interested in the topic. Lord Nott cleared his throat, looking skeptically towards her.
"Yes, well, as I was saying to Mr Riddle, blood curses amongst Pureblood witches are becoming more and more prevalent, causing the number of miscarriages, stillbirths and even the witches dying in childbirth to increase exponentially." Raoul's eyes flicked up to the ceiling momentarily, and Aurora tucked herself tighter into his side, "this is why so many families are only producing one heir. There's barely enough worthy witches to wed anymore with the hopes of keeping the lines completely pure. I count myself quite lucky I managed to obtain the Carrow girl for Theodore. Some are not so lucky, turning to half-bloods for breeding purposes. Some families, of course, still refuse outright to sully themselves. Just before you joined us, I was about to mention one of those families in particular."
"Please, do continue, Lord Nott." Tom pressed, his eyes greedy.
"The Gaunts," Aurora saw flames roar in Tom's eyes now, "weird bunch, they are. I can never recall the names, Marvin, maybe? Him and his son and a daughter. The daughter passed away a good number of years ago Mar- Merlin was what his name?..."
Gaunt? She recognised the name, but couldn't quite place where from. She didn't think she'd ever met them, but something told her they were more than just a reclusive Wizarding family.
"...Marvolo! That's the bastard! Followed the girl out of this life not long after. They'd set themselves so far apart from society that very few even know where they were. According to Ministry records the son is still going, but the lad's been in and out of Azkaban so often for terrorising muggles that I doubt he's able to string a coherent thought together anymore, let alone sire a new heir. You're all aware that certain families resort to, ah, slightly closer than favourable relations to maintain blood purity," Aurora held back a laugh at the blatant disregard for inbreeding within wizards, "but the Gaunts were fanatics. Couple of them were products of siblings if you buy into such Ministry gossip."
Aurora took a moment to digest what she had just been told, trying to not display her disgust so obviously on her face. Tom, however, only looked more interested than before.
"You say very few knew where they were, is it on any Ministry record? Only from the perspective of the Ministry keeping track of the remaining pure families. "
Lord Nott seemed to consider Tom for a moment before answering.
"Auror named Bob Ogden visited the family a few years ago, to arrest the son. I can't recall where he went, but if I'm not mistaken Odgen is here tonight. I suggest asking him directly."
He paused momentarily, and Aurora's eye flicked between the two men, trying to decipher what either felt towards the other.
"You don't like to miss any details, do you, Mr Riddle?" Nott asked finally.
Tom's face formed that incredibly vexing smile she had seen him use to charm every other person he'd ever met, and it took all Aurora had to not roll her eyes.
"It can never hurt to be fully informed on a subject matter quite as important as this, Lord Nott," he said, bowing his head ever so slightly.
Lord Nott chortled, raising the glass of Firewhiskey in his hand in salute, his son who had thus far remained silent following suit.
"I can see why Theodore has spoken so highly of you, Mr Riddle. My condolences, by the way, about your family, devoting your life to making sure the rest of us never die out similarly is admirable," he leant in towards Tom, his voice quieter, but still only just audible to Aurora about the murmur of the crowd, "rest assured I will be willing to support you in any way I can."
Tom nodded.
"Thank you for your time tonight, I'll be sure to seek out Odgen later in the evening. Now, I'll let you get back to your mingling." Lord Nott extended his hand to Tom, who accepted the handshake. Following, he shook Raoul's hand once again, and kissed Aurora's knuckles with narrowed eyes, before guiding himself and his son towards a large group of Wizengamot members.
"Understand what needs to be done, Lestrange?" Tom asked, his eyes still focused on the back of the Notts. Aurora looked between the two, eyebrow arched waiting for an explanation as to what was needed of her boyfriend. No explanation came.
"Yes, my lord," Raoul muttered, and Aurora huffed at the ridiculous moniker.
"Good. Find Avery, and send him my way. We'll reconvene at the end of the evening. Now," he finally returned his gaze to them, adjusting the cufflinks on his oxford, "I have an Auror to find. Lestrange, Rosier." he stalked off into the crowd.
"Come on, I need some form of Firewhiskey," Aurora said, dragging Raoul towards the table of refreshments.
"I couldn't agree more," he complied.
A few hours and several shots of Firewhiskey later, Aurora was seriously glad she hadn't promised to refrain from cursing any of the society women in attendance. She couldn't go longer than five minutes without hearing one asking another where her mother was, and harping on about 'just how similar they look, I must owl Gueneviere!'. Raoul had had to physically stop her from reaching for her wand at one point when she'd overheard one call her too pale and sickly looking.
But the women were the very least of Aurora's troubles that night. The attitudes of some of the wizards she had had the displeasure of meeting throughout the evening made Lord Nott look like a raving feminist. No less than four men had refused to even acknowledge her presence, only talking to Raoul and ignoring everything she had tried to say. The only positive she could even attempt to draw was that she had had more time to listen to what Raoul was saying, trying to figure out what Tom had set him up to do.
There has been a pattern forming with the conversations, always starting with the usual greetings and pleasantries, followed the same old drivel about politics and asking after the Wizengamot's latest bill, and then Raoul would begin to lament the rapid loss of the 'old ways' of the Wizarding World, but never going into specifics. If the wizard he was speaking to brushed off the comment, Raoul would remain civil, but rap up the conversation not long after, moving onto the next.
However, if they showed equal bereavement, he would suggest it due to a certain group of people, letting them bring up muggles and mudbloods of their own volition, with only a little coercion. It was all too precise to not have been planned, and Aurora knew it was Riddle's working. It was too subtle, too manipulative, and Tom all over.
She just couldn't figure out what it was all for.
Arche had appeared not long after Aurora and Raoul had left Tom at the beginning of the evening, a glass tumbler in his hand with Olive and a sullen-looking Dorea at his side. Raoul had mentioned that Tom was looking for him, and he had shot off suspiciously quick in search of him. When he had returned, he hadn't lingered for long before engaging another old wizard in a conversation similar to every other Aurora would end up observing that evening. As far as she was aware, Arche had been the final person to see Tom, who had all but disappeared from the crowd not long after the party had begun.
Unfortunately, it had taken roughly five minutes of being in Olive's presence after Arche had left and Raoul had been roped into a conversation nearby for Aurora to wish Thea wasn't still stuck at the entrance greeting guests at that moment to reign the girl in, her sour mood threatening to overspill. Dorea didn't look much better, picking at her nails and barely engaging in the meaningless chatter.
It didn't take long for her to figure out what was wrong, the Potters were hardly ever invited to social events, and the occasional glance her friend was casting over the crowd suggested she was looking for someone she knew wasn't there. That, and she had been left to chaperone Olive, which was enough to make anyone surly. But despite Dorea's melancholy, Aurora couldn't help but be selfishly glad there was one less family she had a rather unfavourable attachment to in attendance.
Since then, Aurora had refused to leave Raoul's side, putting up with all the stuffy Ministry men in favour of having to deal with Olive. After she had found the pattern she needed in his conversations, she had largely zoned out, but not enough to not notice how jittery her boyfriend had become the closer the clock ticked to midnight, his fingers brushing over the ring on her little finger more and more frequently.
By the very end of the evening, just when Aurora was about ready to set fire to the next person to come even slightly too close to her and Raoul had started shifting his weight front left to right, his finger stroking a continuous pattern over her hand as he spoke to yet another man who was paying no mind to her. It was then Septimus Malfoy's voice broke through the hum of conversation, drawing all attention to a raised stage in the middle of the room.
"Good evening all!" he said, the words echoing around the ballroom, "may I take a moment to thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate the union of my son and his future wife…"
"Always loves the chance to give a speech, does Septimus," a gravelly voice next to Aurora's ear whispered.
She felt Raoul tense completely next to her, and she looked over her shoulder to see a yet middle-aged wizard, but with very familiar dark curls, smirking at her.
"I was wondering when I'd see you tonight, Raoul. I almost thought you were avoiding me," he remarked, eyebrows raising slightly.
"Father." Raoul bit out.
Oh for fuck's sake, Aurora thought, feeling her stomach drop as she realised why Raoul had been so on edge the whole evening - he'd been avoiding Lord Lestrange.
"Now imagine my surprise when I arrived this evening, only to hear that my son is in attendance with a young lady, a Rosier no less, who happens to be wearing the Lestrange insignia on her finger." His voice was low enough that Aurora severely doubted that anyone standing nearby would have been able to hear over the sound of Septimus's voice, but remained very much audible to the intended audience.
Raoul offered no response, not even looking in his father's direction. Lord Lestrange turned his eyes to Aurora, the only one of the pair prepared to meet his gaze.
"Forgive me, my dear, but I'm not sure I've ever had the pleasure of meeting you, I've heard through the grapevine your father is rather protective of you. But I can only assume I'll be receiving an OWL from Lord Rosier any day now with a marriage contract? It is of course custom for the groom's family to extend the first offer, but it seems my son has taken somewhat of a disregard for tradition" he drew out his words, and Aurora could hear Raoul's teeth grinding as he kept his face locked forward towards the stage, "As the well-groomed Pureblood you are, I assume you recognise the significance of gifting a family heirloom, Miss Rosier?" he was practically leaning on her now, and she could feel his breath against the side of her face.
Abraxas was on stage now with Thea a few steps behind him, but Aurora's only focus was on Raoul's father who seemed hellbent on drawing some sort of reaction from at least one of them. In the middle of a host's speech, no less. Talk about the disregard for tradition.
"Betrothals are of no interest to me at this time, Lord Lestrange. Raoul knows this, hence why you were unaware of our courtship. As for my father, I would hardly call him protective. He just knows better than to force me into a contract without me knowing." he voice was barely a whisper, but venom dripped from every word.
He gave a suppressed laugh, masked by the small smattering of applause from the rest of the room directed at the stage where Septimus was still talking.
"I'd heard you were a bold one, Miss Rosier. It's no matter, they eventually learn to fall in line," he had directed the latter at Raoul, whose anger was just about rolling off him in waves, even if he was trying to conceal it.
Lord Lestrange sighed.
"But I shall concede for now. That ring with my family crest may as well be a wedding band, there is no reason to sign a document when Raoul has well enough already sealed the deal himself." It took all she had to not attempt to gouge out the wizard's eyes as his lip curled cruelly.
"Just something to think on. I've taken up enough of your time this evening, Miss Rosier. I suppose I'll see you at home later, son, unless you have more plans you had conveniently forgotten to mention?" Raoul remained silent, "very well. Good night to you both."
And with that, Lord Lestrange was gone, disappearing into the throngs of people around them. She had known that this evening would be difficult, but she had never expected it to be this awful. Aurora had grown complacent in her place at the top of Hogwarts pecking order, where she had asserted herself as the apex predator, but out in English Wizarding Society, she was just another little girl for the wizards to throw around as they wished.
She wanted to watch them all burn.
They remained in place until Septimus was done speaking, but neither was listening. The moment he finite'd the sonorus and bid the crowd good night, Raoul grabbed Aurora's hand and dragged her through the nearest door, not caring who or what he hit on the way past.
She would apologise to Thea and Abraxas for not seeking them out often the speeches had finished, Merlin knew they didn't need to be congratulated by one more person that evening. She'd see Arche in a few days, and Olive and Dorea at school, so no need for goodbyes there. All that mattered to her right now was letting Raoul find an empty, unlocked parlour in the corridor they found themselves running down.
Luckily for her, it didn't take long. He threw the door open, pushing Aurora into the small room before slamming it behind him. She barely had time to think before her back was against the wall and Raoul had descended upon her his face millimetres away from hers.
"I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to?"
Aurora heard the blood rush through her ears as she closed the space, hands snaking around his neck and pulling him flush against her. The usual softness she had grown so used to from him was missing, replaced with needy desperation as his hands gripped her hips, keeping her pinned against the wall. His mouth was on hers, wasting no time in parting her lips and letting his tongue swirl against hers, picking right up from where they had left earlier.
Aurora groaned, her hands bunching in the fabric of his robes at the base of his neck, gasping as he nipped at her lower lip. He momentarily broke the kiss, and her swollen lips stung in the cool air at the sudden loss of contact.
Tilting his head slightly, Raoul began to pepper kisses along her jaw and down her neck, talking in broken mumbled phrases between each one.
"...that bastard…how dare he…best bloody thing to happen to me… perfect…so fucking perfect…"
His mouth found her pulse point, sucking lightly on the skin before tracing over it with his tongue and causing Aurora's back to arch off the wall, eviscerating any space they had left between them. His hands shifted from her hips to the back of her thighs, picking her up with ease, and depositing her on the chaise in the centre of the room.
He drew back, staring at her through half-lidded eyes.
"Is this ok?" he panted.
She nodded, and he was back on her in an instant. Aurora could barely process what happened next, every nerve in her body felt like it was on fire and every single sense seemed to blend into one of complete and utter pleasure.
All that existed to her at that moment was Raoul, the way his skin felt pressed against hers, his mutterings of sweet nothings in her ear as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge, and how she fell right over top with her, the air around them buzzing, locking them in their world. Nothing else mattered. Not the party, not Raoul's father, not the impending doom the relationship was headed for.
It was nice to pretend, even if it was just for a moment, that everything was ok. Aurora did that a lot, pretending everything was perfect, that the world wasn't crumbling at her feet and there was nothing she could do about it. Some days she relished in it, others she locked away the feelings, but she would never accept it. She doubted anyone could if they lived their whole lives knowing they were destined for ruin.
She did not attempt to leave Raoul that evening, dreading the moment he would have to go, and the illusion of perfection would be broken. When it eventually came, the clock on the table next to them reading 11:58 pm, he pushed himself up, gathering up his clothes that lay discarded on the floor, haphazardly buttoning up his oxford and shrugging his robe onto his shoulders. Aurora reluctantly pulled her dress back over her head, not bothering to do it up properly. She'd get back up to her room through the back corridors of the manor to avoid any lingering guests.
At 11:59 pm, Raoul pulled her back into his embrace, silently running his hands through her now ruined curls. He started to push back ever so slightly, but she only nestled her face further into his chest.
"Come on, I have to go Rory, I'll owl you in the morning." he crooned, but she only hummed in response.
"I had something to tell you earlier, but someone cut me off-" Aurora froze, her eyes shot open and she reared back in his arms, inhaling sharply. Her reaction hadn't deterred him.
Don't say it.
"-I've tried to tell you before, but something always happens to stop it, the moment is never right, but I have to tell you or I fear I'll go mad-" Aurora was suddenly very aware of the clock ticking, counting down to the moment of reckoning.
Tick, tick, tick.
Don't say it.
"-so here I go-"
Tick, tick, tick.
Don't say it.
He pulled her back forward, and she accepted his efforts. She couldn't delay it anymore. It was going to happen eventually, and apparently, the time had come. His chin came to rest on top of her head, and she tried to steady her breathing as best she could.
Tick, tick, tick.
12:00am
Please don't say it.
"Merry Christmas, Aurora Rosier. I love you."
Aurora couldn't remember the last time she cried, but as she stood in the small parlour in the east wing of Malfoy Manor on Christmas Day, watching Raoul walk out the door, she was almost certain she felt the tears from earlier spilling over, running down her cheeks as she felt the chasm in her heart deepen.
For Merlin's sake, she had taken lives and barely batted an eyelid, but those people were nameless, faceless strangers. This was someone she knew. Someone who loved her. She would be doing him a far bigger disservice than offering him the mercy of death.
She decided then she would do anything she could to weaken the blow when she was forced to break his heart.