Chapter Four: Proposals and Ceremonies.
Present Day:
Draco chuckled softly to himself and to his sleeping child. It was true; the memory of her angry eyes still haunted him, even though that day was so many years ago. But the memory that still haunted him the most was his vow to never again follow Lord Voldemort, he had been right about everything he had said so long ago, and he and the rest of his family would be forever grateful that they had changed there ways.
As Draco stood and set his son in his little crib, more thoughts came flooding back, hate-filed thoughts. Though he no longer followed the Dark Lord, Draco was still spiteful of Harry Potter, having defeated the Dark Lord once and for all around the time they left Hogwarts. No one in the Malfoy family ever mentioned those dark times, and it was all for the best.
Draco shot a disdainful glare at the mirror hanging on the wall opposite, shocked that he hadn't worn such an expression since he and Potter had last met. He shook those thoughts out if his mind.
Heading out into the hall, Draco felt a rumbling in his stomach. Laughing softly, he turned away from his son's room and headed down the dark staircase into the equally dark kitchen, the cook having gone home several hours ago. He lit the room with a mumble and began rummaging through the pantry. It was then that he caught sight of a most unusual dish. The china had been a gift from a very unexpected person and brought new memories flooding back to Draco. Memories of the day he proposed, of the wedding, and of the person giving him the strange dish.
Four Years Ago:
Everywhere they went the young couple turned heads. Theirs was the kind of love that warmed the hearts of many. The platinum-haired man, gazing softly at the ebony-haired woman as he raised her fingers to his lips. The woman's emerald eyes would crinkle at the corners as she smiled at the man by her side. On they would walk; hands linked together gently, the woman looking at the ground as she blushed. The man whispering silly things into her ear before kissing her cheek. Occasionally they would look up to the sky as it changed from clear blue to a steely gray. Great thunderclouds began rolling overhead, but the couple paid no mind.
Yes it's true, since their meeting nearly 6 years ago, Draco Malfoy and Aura Van Mihron have been inseparable. Meeting Aura had greatly changed the once bitter and cold Draco. He was now caring and sensitive, even going as far as to befriend a certain Ronald Weasley after their graduation from Hogwarts 3 years ago. Though nothing could get him to be friendly to Harry Potter, that much Aura simply didn't bother with.
On they walked, still ignoring the threatening rumbles from the sky. They were celebrating Aura's 20th birthday with a simple trip to Hogsmeade. Various witches and wizards would wave to the couple for they were well known. Mostly because nearly everyone knew of the Malfoys and their sole heir Draco, they were merely polite to Aura because she was Draco's love.
Aura and Draco yelped as icy rain poured down on them, soaking them thoroughly within minutes. Since they had been strolling near the Shrieking Shack, their only choice was to huddle under the branched of a nearby willow and hoped they didn't get any wetter than they already were. Draco burst into laughter, falling against the sturdy tree bark and sliding down to sit on a root. Still laughing, he pulled the soaked Aura into his lap and nuzzled her gently. Aura giggled and wiped the hair from Draco's forehead. "You're all wet…" She whined playfully.
Draco rolled his level gray eyes. "Yes dear, I'm very well aware of that… so are you!" He tickled her fiercely about her ribs, causing her to shriek and bolt out into the rain. Draco was forced to run after her and soon the two were engaged in a very muddy game of tag, often catching one another by tackling the other into the mud as the rain poured down around them. Within minutes, Draco's hair was caked so thick it seemed to be brown naturally and both of their normally pale faces were flushed from the running and covered in mud. Draco just continued laughing until he couldn't anymore and fell onto his back with a squelching noise.
Aura giggled and plopped down on her stomach beside her man, brushing the muddy hair from her eyes as Draco fumbled unnoticed with something in his pocket. Gracefully, he sat up and pulled Aura into his lap, his eyes serene and his face gentle as he kissed her on her lips.
Finally he worked up the courage to remove the tiny velvet box from his pocket and present it to her. "Aura… there's something I wanted to ask you." He began, his voice barely a whisper by her ear. "A lot of people… well they never thought that we would be able to last this long…" It was true. Draco had always heard bets whispered in the corridors of Hogwarts on when he and Aura would finally break up, unfortunate for the betters, it never happened. "But we overcame those odds and here we are today, sitting in the mud and rain outside of Hogsmeade, covered in muck and laughing our bums off." He stopped as he and Aura laughed at their own position. Draco soon sighed and plowed on. "I… have never felt so strongly for anyone before I met you Aura. All those years ago, when I thanked you for coming to Hogwarts, I meant every word I said that day. And I mean every word I say now."
With a thumb, Draco flicked open the tiny box to reveal a simple silver band in the shape of a serpent with its mouth open. The serpent's eyes were miniscule emeralds, but the highlight was in its open mouth. Between the tiny fangs rested a perfect, white diamond.
"Aura, will you marry me?"
It took several long, silent minutes for what Draco had said to sink in. Slowly, Aura blinked eyes that suddenly stung. She accepted the ring with hands that shook and soon enough, she threw her arms about Draco and the two went tumbling through the mud and rain once again. When they stopped rolling, Aura found Draco's lips with her own and after a breathless kiss, she nodded. "Of course I will…" Was all she said.
Present Day:
Draco chuckled as he munched on his freshly made peanut butter sandwich. He still had a tiny scar near his left eyebrow where he had been raked across a stone during that tumble through the mud. He could have easily gotten rid of it, but nothing would make him. He cherished every moment, every memory of that time, even a tiny little scar that was only noticeable to anyone close enough to rub noses with Draco. That of course, was a pleasure he only granted to Aura.
His eyes drifted again to the peculiar dish in the china cabinet. Its shining white surface was plain, save for a drawing in the center. Ron had given it to Draco as a wedding gift, and even the mere sight of the dish made Draco laugh out loud. Ron had given it to him as a way of saying they were truly friends and nothing in the past mattered anymore. Draco knew this because the picture in the center was that of a slug, a cheerful reminder of a curse Ron had once tried on Draco in their second year, only to have it backfire on Ron himself, making him spew out slugs. The thought of his face when he opened that gift made Draco remember the happiest day of his life. It was the day he and Aura were made one, the day they were married.
Three Years Ago:
It was a cool summer day, the temperature a comfortable 70 degrees. Despite the cool temperature and a gentle breeze, the 21-year-old Draco Malfoy was sweating profusely. He was pacing with nerves as his best man; Ronald Weasley chased after him, trying to straighten his tuxedo.
"Oh for crying out loud Draco, we've been friends for over 5 years and this is the first time I've ever seen you so nervous." Ron finally had to curse Draco in order to get him to stand still. "Petrificus totalus." Ron laughed and caught the petrified Draco and leaned him against the wall, ignoring the glares he earned from Draco. "Oh shut up, this is the only way you'll stand still long enough!" Deftly, Ron ran his fingers over Draco, smoothing any wrinkle and tying his bow tie.
With Draco finally straightened up enough to be presentable, Ron lifted the curse and the two shared a laugh. "You know, it's funny Ron. Who'd have thought that you of all people would be the best man at my wedding? I would've thought Crabbe or Goyle to be, if only they hadn't gotten themselves caught." Draco sighed and shook his old friends out of his mind. Unlike like the Malfoys, their families hadn't left the ways of the Dark Lord and in turn earned themselves life imprisonment in Azkaban.
Ron gripped his shoulder in an apologetic way. "Don't worry mate. I know it may hurt, but they got what they deserve, because they refused to change where you had. I'm glad you changed Draco."
Draco grinned sheepishly. "Thank Aura for that, her eyes still haunt me when I told her of my plans to rise to power." Draco shuddered and shook that thought to the back of his head as well.
Soon the door opened and Ron excused himself as Draco's parents entered. Narcissa embraced her son, holding a handkerchief to her eyes as she wept. "Oh my little boy is all grown up!" She wailed. Lucius chuckled. His face was more weathered than ever, as proof of his years in Azkaban. Once again he had been granted a small parole in order to attend his only son's wedding. He gripped his son's shoulder with a hand that shook.
"I'm proud of you Draco, of everything you've become and everything you're going to become." He beamed at his son, not surprised that their eyes were at the same level.
"Thanks Father… that means a lot to me…" This earned a new round of sobs from Narcissa. Draco chuckled and patted his mother on her back. "Hush now mum, you're not losing a son so stop wailing in my ear." Narcissa finally released her boy and managed a watery smile.
"I know, I'm gaining a new daughter. I still can't help blubbering on such a momentous occasion." Narcissa smiled at her son once again before letting Lucius steer her out of the room to leave Draco alone in the scant minutes before he would see his bride.
Little did he know that just down the hall, his bride was pacing just as nervously as he was. "Oh Ginny!" Cried Aura, trying not to smudge her black eyeliner and pearly white shadow. "What if he changes his mind at the altar?" She wrung her hands nonstop until Ginerva Weasley pried them apart.
"Aura, don't worry, once he sees you he'll never want to be away from you again!" Ginny was telling her the truth. Aura looked like an angel in a long, strapless satin gown. Its bodice resembled a corset all lace and satin. The corset top flowed into a full skirt with a long train. Her hair was a mass of ebony curls, which cascaded, unbound to her waist in soft ringlets. She wore a simple veil to cover her hair and face from view until Draco would lift the front veil free. Ginny couldn't help but sigh. "You look gorgeous enough to break any unbound heart in that garden." She grinned as Aura hugged her.
"Thank you Ginny, you've been a huge help."
"No problem, no get out there and marry that man!" Aura laughed as Ginny ran off to find her seat. Turning back to the mirror, Aura made a few last minute adjustments to her veil and hair. The moment she heard the organ start, Aura met her father and proceeded down the aisle to her waiting groom.
Later that night:
If one were to open the doors of the ballroom inside the Malfoy home they would be greeted with a boisterous noise. People were everywhere, celebrating the union between Draco and Aura, whose surname was now Malfoy. The happy couple themselves sat at the high table as others presented them with wedding gifts.
Draco eyed the gift Ron had given them with playful suspicious. "Oh just open it Draco!" He joked with a laugh.
As Draco peeled off the wrapping paper, it was obviously a dish of some sort. He had to pull it close to his face to see the design painted in the center and when he did, he roared with laughter. Aura merely furrowed her brow in confusion and took the dish from her new husband. "What on Earth…" She muttered, for painted in the center was a slug.
"Oh… thank you Ron, that's priceless!" Draco grinned up at his newfound comrade. At Aura's quizzical glance, he plowed on to explain. "See, in our second year, Ron and I were horrible enemies. Earlier in that year, Ron had broken his wand, nearly snapped the thing in half. I think I called Hermione a mudblood and he went berserk." Malfoy winced at the harsh look Hermione shot him at the word mudblood, but grinned in apology and continued on. "He meant to make ME spew slugs out, but the hex backfired and hit him instead. You were coughing up slugs for at least a few hours, right Ron?"
"Yeah, a few hours at least. It eventually wore off, but I was just thinking about it the other day and asked Hermione to paint the slug on the china plate." Ron grinned sheepishly as Aura laughed and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you Ron and Hermione, the dish will be a treasure for us."
Ron's ears went slightly red at the affectionate kiss and he quickly excused himself back to Hermione.
Present Day:
Draco chuckled once again at the thought of when he had first opened that gift. Aura had been right, it HAD become a treasure to them. Still chuckling softly and grinning, Draco put his plate on the countertop and doused the candle that lit the room. As silently as he could, he checked in on his son. Happy that the tiny lad was still sleeping, Draco made his way back into his own room.
About to head straight to bed, a silhouette in the window stopped him. He pulled out his wand again and advanced on the stranger. As he moved closer, a bolt of lightening lit the room and he saw the figure of his wife replace the shadow. Smiling happily, Draco snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms about her waist. He planted a tender kiss on her neck when she jumped to assure her that it was him.
"Weren't you able to sleep my love?" Aura asked Draco softly.
"No, it got a bit chilly, then I just got around to thinking." He smiled again when she turned in his arms and wrapped her arms about his waist. She stood barely on tip-toe to plant a loving kiss onto Draco's lips before gazing lazily into his steel gray eyes with her own emerald green.
"May I ask what you were thinking about?" She asked when they parted. Draco quickly brought their lips together again before answering.
"Just memories Aura… about a girl from Durmstrang who changed my life and stole my heart…"
The End
Well there you have it folks! The final chapter of The Girl from Durmstrang up for your enjoyment. I really can't believe how long it took me to get it up, even though it's been finished for awhile. Please review it!