Hey everyone!

Happy mid-month? I think I can get away with that. I'm getting into a routine now and am hoping to get some writing done a little more than I have been which is great. I'm starting to feel more settled and productive as well. Hope you enjoy the update and good luck to those readers heading back to school over the next couple of weeks.

Stay safe.

Lots of love,

LSH xxx

Love Strikes Twice- Part 17:

Astoria reached Draco first and all professionalism left her body as she stroked his cheek and kissed his forehead, stroking his cheek softly. Her heart was breaking at Draco's tears and anger over what had happened when they were 15. She was heartbroken as well but she'd gained Matt and Seraphina out of what had happened and she was thankful for that.

Narcissa was sat on the other side of Draco's bed and just sat quietly, unsure what to even say to Draco about what his father had done. She nodded gently at Astoria and she turned to face Draco again.

"Dray… I need to tell you something else… something good," she said softly as she looked at Draco and smiled, "I had a vision," she said quietly and Narcissa moved away sensing this was private, "I had a vision of my past, my present… and I think my future. You were in it… playing with Sera. I don't know what it means but you're in my future and I want one with you… when the time is right," she said as she brushed some of his hair back from his face, "you were my first love and I cannot lose that again. When you're better we will need to see what we are going to do but you are back in my life and that is where you'll stay," she said softly before kissing his forehead once more, "sleep now for a while," she said softly before looking at Narcissa and walking out with her after Draco had fallen asleep.

Astoria ordered some food for Draco to be delivered to his room in an hour's time before she headed to her office with Narcissa. She made them both a coffee before sitting down with the Lady Malfoy.

"I never thought Lucius would stoop so low to get his wishes," Astoria said as she was curled up in the corner of her office on her comfort chair, "he really was hellbent on having his own way," she sighed.

"If I'd have got any idea of what Lucius was up to then I would have stopped it," Narcissa said, "he did that to his own son because he wasn't willing to give up the girl he loved… I will never forgive him for that. Ever. Draco is our only child and to think what he suffered…"

"His mental state does concern me rather and I need permission that, should the time come, I can order a psych evaluation for Draco," Astoria said as she looked at Narcissa, "I hope that it'll never come to that but I need to be able to help Draco."

Narcissa sighed softly, a tiredness washing over her that wasn't there before. She looked up at the witch and nodded softly,

"Yes. If you think that it will help Draco then I give you permission. If you two hadn't been forced apart…"

"Draco's accident could have happened anyway Narcissa," Astoria said as if she was reading the elder's mind, "Draco would have still worked on the cure for Dragon Pox so still could have ended up in here," she said before moving to sit next to the Lady Malfoy, "go home and rest. I am here and if anything happens myself or Matt will call you," she spoke softly, "you're exhausted Narcissa."

Narcissa looked at her and sighed, nodding, knowing that Astoria was right and she trusted the witch with Draco. Astoria was still deeply in love with Draco and she could see that. She rose from her seat and left as Astoria watched her go.

She had just reached Draco's room when his dinner arrived and Astoria moved to wake Draco up and she helped him to sit up before he slowly began to eat. Astoria was relieved to see that Draco was eating. She sat in the chair and told him more about Seraphina as she'd firmly decided that the two would know each other now and she wanted that as well.

Draco finished eating and Astoria looked at him, smiling softly,

"Would you like a drink?" she asked softly.

"Yes please. There should be some money in my wallet. Where is my wallet?" Draco asked before watching as Astoria pulled his wallet from a drawer in the bedside table.

"Here. Merlin knows how it survived the blast," Astoria said before she opened the wallet and a picture fell out, "Dray… what is this?" she asked as she lifted up a photo that had fallen out of the wallet.

Draco turned and looked at what she was holding and swore softly.

"It's always been in my wallet," he admitted.

"That was taken in France when we ran away to France for the weekend… we were 15 Dray…" Astoria said.

"And just wanted to be with each other," Draco said, "we so nearly gave into our feelings that weekend as well," he said softly as he looked at her and smiled, remembering back to that weekend.

"Your parents and my grandparents went crazy when they'd found out what we'd done but they didn't come after us," Astoria said as she chuckled softly, "they just left us to it."

"They had to trust us and they knew it. That was probably the happiest weekend I'd… I've ever had really," Draco said, "that was just before father did what he did and before he arrest and just before my life turned into hell," he sighed and Astoria reached forwards and held his hand gently, rubbing her thumb over his hand.

"It doesn't matter. I remember that weekend as well. Even when I was loved up with Matt for a few months I couldn't get that weekend out of my mind," she said softly as the tears threatened to overspill, "that weekend I could just be me and enjoy being with you," she said as she looked ay him, "why did you fall in love with me?"

"Because you're you and that means more to me than Pansy or Millicent. The first time I saw your hair catching the sun in the courtyard, shining like gold, reading a book… a French one… my heart skipped a beat and I knew I'd found my one. I couldn't love anyone else because my heart was yours."

Astoria looked at Draco before choking on her words and then she stood up and looked at him, money in hand.

"I'll… I'll go and get you that drink. I need space…" she said before choking up and rushing out of the room before Draco saw the tears falling from her emerald green eyes, knowing she felt the same way about Draco as he felt about her.