House: Slytherin
Category: Drabble
Prompt: [Speech] "Yeah, and that would be great if we could afford it"
Word Count: 387
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"Daphne, can you keep a secret?"
In reply, Daphne only looked at her younger sister. "What do you think?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Okay," Astoria giggled. "I know you can."
"Quite right." Daphne motioned for Astoria to sit down beside her on the couch. "What is it you want to tell me?" she asked.
"I— I think I'm in love with Draco Malfoy."
"Draco?" Daphne frowned. "No one likes the Malfoys, Astoria. They were Death Eaters, no matter what Narcissa did."
"I know," her sister sighed. "But he loves me too, and we're planning to get married in June."
"June?" Daphne cried, her voice cracking. "That's in three months! Astoria, this is a terrible match! You can't marry him!"
"But I love him and he loves me," Astoria replied, a stubborn set to her jaw.
"I don't care!" Daphne shouted. "We just finished rebuilding from the war, Tori! We didn't take sides, mum and dad 'donate' thousands of galleons to the Ministry each year, and I married Michael Corner to get everyone to trust us again, even if we are Slytherins! I will not let you undo all of our sacrifices with one ill-conceived act of utter stupidity!"
"But we love each other!" Astoria screamed back, jumping to her feet and glaring at her older sister. "We love each other and we will get married, even if we have to elope!" Unshed tears glinted in Astoria's eyes, and she let out a gasping sob. "You always said you believed in true love," she said softly.
"Yeah, and that would be great if we could afford it, but we can't." Daphne slid off the couch, her demeanour now cold as ice. She wouldn't lose control again. Grabbing her sister's wrist, she marched her to the door. "Come on. We're telling Mother and Father about your plans."
"Daphne—" Her sister struggled in her grip. "I— I thought you could keep a secret—"
"Not this one," Daphne said. "I can't allow this to happen."
Astoria sighed, going limp in Daphne's grasp like a rag doll that has been pulled too many times. "I'm sorry, but I can't allow this to happen either," she said, pulling her wand from her robes and aiming it straight at her older sister's head. "Obliviate."