Narcissa shocked me by actually apologizing for her sadistic sister before she told me to stay put in the changing room until the ceremony. I paced and I paced, lifting up the unholy, weighty dress as I did so in my bare feet. She'd given me a white bouquet and I was actively crushing it in my tiny fingers. Every time I saw myself in the mirror I would stop in shock, as though whoever was there would hex me immediately. I looked like I'd just risen from hell to sacrifice the enter estate in a bloodbath.
I circled the many windows in the room. It was uncomfortably bright because eight perfectly tall windows all faced towards the very center of the room. It was so well lit by the sunlight pouring in that I could see lazy speckles of dust clinging to the air thickly.
I determined that I was in the Eastern tower based on the geography below. I made my way around to the window that faced the gravel entry path to investigate the traffic flow. Squinting, I could see guests that I didn't recognize milling down the pathway in gothic attire. I stomped my foot, frustrated that I was being treated like Rapunzel, locked in a tower all alone on my wedding day.
I went to the door and yanked on the knob to confirm it was locked. The long, ancient handle toggled in place and refused to twist, confirming my suspicions. It was so elderly in mechanics that it would require a skeleton key to open it, or someone from the outside to set me free.
I spun, recalling I had my wand. Perhaps it would work this time, perhaps they had not set any wards yet. Unfortunately, Narcissa had purposefully taken it on her way out while I was distracted.
I growled loudly, and sat on the stool with my back to the mirror plucking off petals and letting them saunter downwards in flittering motions. I waited well over an hour, the sun was moving in the direction of the horizon once more. I had plucked clean half of the bouquet with my dress now freckled with plant pieces, when the door clicked and swung inwards.
Draco stepped in and shut it, plastering himself against the wood before locking it behind him. He breathed relief and let his head hit the wood before his eyes slid to me in astonishment, standing there crumbling the thin flowers in my right hand like an evil queen.
I crossed my arms, annoyed that he had just accepted my disappearance for the entire day.
He blinked at me, his eyebrows rose into his hair. A breathy laugh of disbelief escaped his lips, "I see my aunt wasn't kidding."
I threw the flowers at him and they exploded in a fluttering mess around his shoulders. He brought his arm up defensively until the chaos had ended, as if I had another bouquet to throw as a secondary blow.
He straightened and brushed flower petals off of his pristine suit, "Hey now gorgeous, don't burn my village to ground." He cocked his head at me as I stood and grabbed my long train. He ran his gaze down me slowly, whistling, "You look incredible, and unusually wicked." I couldn't help but notice how suave he looked as well. His black suit was finely cut to his frame, a black rose sat in his chest pocket.
I narrowed my eyes in evident disapproval of my appearance, "Hmmm."
"Hmmm," he mocked back as he approached me with now vivid concentration, his hands in his pockets. "So, here we are. I apologize that I couldn't come see you earlier. My mother has been guarding this room like a hound." He towered over me with confidence, and I wondered how he had gotten past Narcissa if she was intently trying to prevent it.
"Why am I trapped 'ere?" I snarled.
He trailed his fingers along my jaw line softly, and I found myself lost in the baby blue of his eyes, "Because you're disobedient, and reckless. My parents aren't taking any chances that you'll kill off our bloodline in a panicked escape."
He wasn't necessarily wrong. My nature tended to be rooted in feeling emotional, acting on it, then finally thinking later when it was all over. But I had no intention of running away and allowing myself to perish when I could get through the evening and figure out how to deal with the abrupt marriage afterwards. "I am not going to kill myself," I bantered.
He shrugged, "They don't trust you. Nothing I can do about that." His eyes lifted to the crown of thorns woven into my wedding veil with attention to the details, "I wanted to ensure that you were safe here. The ceremony is starting soon." His face darkened then, and he frowned regretfully.
I knew he had something to warn me about from the familiar expression of apology seeping across his face. Once again, I felt cold and fearful. The ceremony would start soon, and it was time to prepare for the horrors ahead, whatever they were. I tried to breath calmly in the disturbingly tight corset, "What do I need to expect, Draco?" I asked in a frail voice.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, and pulled me close to him by my waist. I leaned my head sideways against his chest as he ran his fingers up my back below the long black veil. "The dark lord will ordain us. This was his only request, in exchange for mine that no harm would come of you. I fear that this will not be his final interest in you, so it is imperative that you pay close attention to my instructions after the ceremony." I could feel his jagged breathing on my cheeks. Both of us were shaking in terrified anticipation.
I tried to imagine what it would be like to be so close to the demon that was Lord Voldemort once again. He would command my entire wedding, his red eyes would haunt me for the rest of my life. "Will you 'ave to wear a mask?" I repeated the question I'd asked on the Astronomy Tower, knowing that if he had to, I wouldn't be angry that he'd broken his word. The entire affair was clearly out of his hands now that the dark lord was involved.
He sighed, "No, he has allowed that to pass. I'm sure it will be entertaining for him to study our faces."
I wrapped my arms around him again, taking in his scent and his warmth. "You have to be strong and alert Madeleine. Don't fail me tonight," he said down into my hair. I could hear the doubt frothing in his words. He didn't trust me to make it through without collapsing or screwing up whatever plan he had.
I had just closed my eyes, enjoying holding him, when the door to the god awful dressing room unlocked and opened again. Narcissa stood there blistering with wide, blue eyes directed at Draco's head. Her voice came out as a harsh whisper, "Draco Malfoy! Get out of here at once. You will have plenty of time with Madeleine later."
When we pulled apart I noticed Lucius was also there, glaring like it was his day job to reduce Draco to ashes with just his eyes alone. Draco let his mother slip her arm through his elbow and guide him away, but not before he stole a quick glance back at me with a serious look. Lucius stood there with an eyebrow raised at me and I stared back at him unsure of what he wanted.
"Come here, silly girl," he held out his hand so swiftly it reminded me of a sword being drawn in a battle. I made my way to him timidly and took his huge hand covered in rings. He was icy cold to the touch and he tugged me hard, causing my neck to whip back.
He moved quickly, like a dementor floating through the halls and I fought not to trip on the huge dress or his robes as we flew down the endless stairs chaotically. It suddenly occurred to me what was about to happen; he was planning to walk me down the aisle in lieu of my own father.
My breath came out in shuddering spurts due to the fact that I couldn't take normal inhalations in the strangling dress, and by the time we were in front of the double doors of the ballroom I was gasping profoundly. I focused my vision on the golden leaves before me, attempting to vainly count them as though that would calm the electricity buzzing in my nerves. It was thoroughly silent.
The lack of sound was deafening.
Of course, except, for my rattling breath and whimpering next to Draco's tall and unforgiving father. It was so quiet I imagined a clock ticking loud and independent tocks in my head, as if counting down to the end of the world.
Lucius stood with a straight spine, having wrapped my arm aggressively through his. He sniveled in my direction with a sideways glance, taking in my rising panic and instability. I was training my eyes hard on one particular leaf, trying to memorize the arcuate venation in the leaf's design.
Lucius' eyes darted to me then back forward, and darted again in nervous impatience, "Compose yourself," he hoarsely commanded.
I could not. I wasn't able to breath deep enough to calm myself under the given circumstances and I hunched down, in fear and horror, feeling dizzy. I pulled his arm towards me in the process, and he snarled like a wolf about to devour its dinner.
"Very well," he savagely proclaimed, and without hesitation his wand was at my forehead, "Imperio."
A wash of calm and emptiness flooded over me. I was precipitously in the front seat of a theatre in my own mind, now simply watching my every move from the outside. My body stood straight and confident, and I knew that he was programming me in advance to walk precisely down that isle with no reluctance or difficulty.
The double doors croaked open with rigid frustration, every degree of the rotation on either side let out guttural moans as though the panels were trying to resist the inward motion. Lucius glided forward and I followed obediently. My facial expression must have remained blank as I stared down the various, unfamiliar guests lining the black carpet, all with serious or crooked expressions.
The dim ballroom was filled to the brim with people who were undoubtedly followers of the dark lord and close friends of the Malfoy family. Ahead, Voldemort stood at the forefront of the carpet with his red eyes glowing in the darkness, his horrific grin sliced across his thin face, pinned to me with burning interest. Draco was adjacent to him with concentrated assurance, yet I could see how grim and worried he was just from knowing him so intimately. He was trying to hold his hands steady in front of himself, fighting not to fidget as he watched us approach with alluring blue eyes. He scanned me with unbroken interest. It was tantric and intense.
I wondered, from the newest confinement of my mind, if he could tell that I was under an Unforgivable curse as I walked ahead with squared shoulders and a smoldering gaze. My body fought the urges forward created from Lucius' mind, but I wasn't able to break the barrier of the spell. It was like pushing against a cement wall with my bare fists. The entirety of my soul felt itchy and helpless as I writhed within my own skin.
We reached the end and Lucius bowed to pass me off, and I felt my body choosing to stand opposite of Draco who was watching my every move with burning curiosity. I fought against the curse, struggling with all my might to take back control of my own body. My eye twitched awkwardly with the inward battle as the dark lord rose his arms in the air before us. "Such... keen, young love."
A riot of laughter escaped the crowd before us. The Death Eaters in the gathering were clearly enjoying the mockery of our wedding. Draco and I stared into each other's eyes as the jesting erupted around us. Close by, I could vaguely see Narcissa and Lucius behind Draco. Lucius had his cerulean eyes glued to me, muttering under his breath.
Draco's eyes met mine with a pleading, concerned nudge.
Voldemort clapped his hands, and not a soul dared to breath in the wake of the crack that ensued. "Here, standing before me, are two souls meant to merge on their course as prominent and ardent devotees to our cause." The freakish and unnaturally deep jawline that his skull provided allowed for his smile to widen like a Pac Man, cutting his head in half gruesomely. I nearly fainted despite the Imperious curse set upon me to stand there rigidly.
Draco's eyes were trained directly onto mine as if he could pass on some form of support through tantric eye contact. I couldn't send him a signal as I was trapped within myself, shouting at the top of my lungs.
The crowd quieted as the dark lord proceeded to rant tyrannically about the coming war and how they would overcome the castle, Harry Potter, and Dumbledore. He bothered to mention Draco's role in providing them access and my inner self shivered with rage. He had promised me he would not do it, and if he did I was certain he would lose me forever.
Then Voldemort levelled his threatening gaze, his rouge eyes flickered between us as he spoke the more typical dialect that conjoined two people in a marital status. He lifted a palm of absurdly long and frightfully blackened fingers. He prompted Draco to say, I do. Draco obliged, looking straight into my eyes sternly.
He pulled my left hand towards him and pushed a gorgeous white ring onto my fourth finger with vine-like ornamentation. In the very center of the ring sat a minuscule Moonstone, glowing with intensity. The thought and care that it would've taken for him to acquire such a particular and specific item startled me. It would've been exceptionally expensive and very difficult to find, and my heart throbbed with the realization that he'd likely spent months trying to organize the masterpiece that was now on my hand.
When it was my turn, the words of confirmation escaped my mouth as though I were ordering coffee at a local shop. My casualness with the affirmation was uneasy and unnatural and I saw Draco rapidly blink as though it was just occurring to him that I wasn't myself. My hand went to my pocket where I was surprised to find a white ring to produce for him, then I pushed it across his fourth finger as we made direct eye contact sealing the deal.
He tugged me towards him and kissed me eagerly, and it was at that moment that Lucius decided to break the Imperious curse. Draco caught me in a near collapse as the freedom and weakness of my own control hit me like a brick, pulling me against his soft lips. I kissed him back, trying to forget that hundreds of Death Eaters and the dark lord were watching. I felt my entire body flood in an icy wave, and the back of my neck burned horrifically. My whole entire body trembled under some kind of ritualistic seal that was occurring. We were officially married, and the Bequeathment mark had been appeased. It was over.
The guests clapped keenly as Draco finally pulled away and led me down the center isle. I stared down at the black carpet below our feet like I was expected to sew an identical rug like my life depended on it. His hand was warm and bewitching in mine, and I didn't hesitate to follow him to the center of the room where he looked at me warningly, pulling me into a dance. The moment had come. One could probably have heard a pin drop across the room with the eerie attention we were receiving.
His fingers gripped me tightly, and he nodded at me, breathing hard. I was equally as flabbergasted, reminded of the failure on the Astronomy Tower. Yet, despite all odds, we danced. We spun intricately as we were expected to, with small tears forming in the corners of both of our eyes.