Summary: Draco never understood Astoria's fascination with the rain until he needed to feel it, too.

Rated: K+

Genre: Family

Warning Tag: References Miscarriage


Healing Rain

It was a humid summer afternoon, the storm clouds built around themselves above, Astoria watched from the window as they gathered and darkened. When the droplets started clinging to the glass, she ran out to the large back garden patio to splash in the rain. She giggled and squealed as the cool rain hit her face, and it was refreshing and the best medicine to combat the sticky heat.

It was how she met Draco during one of the many social parties her parents hosted. Astoria couldn't help but excuse herself to the powder room only to slip out the kitchen's entrance to twirl in the warm summer showers. He ran into her during one of her secret escapes, and instead of telling, he found himself curious as to where she was going and what she was doing. He stopped at the door's threshold, perplexed at her eagerness to slip off her dress shoes and step into the mud only to twirl around in the rain, getting soaking wet.

Astoria giggled, reaching a rain-soaked arm out to him with a smile. "Come dance with me, Draco."

He'd rather stay dry.


It was nearing the end of school, and the heat came early. It mixed with the waning spring rains and blanketed Draco's fifteenth birthday in a sticky, uncomfortable invisible fog. The warm droplets of water came falling from the sky soon after and offered some relief to the minor heat wave, but it still made the walk from the greenhouses back to the castle a bother.

Draco found himself stopping in his tracks after seeking refuge under the courtyard's covered pathway. There he saw Astoria twirling around the fountain, letting the rain drench her to the bone, yet it didn't wash off the smile that plastered her face. Her hair was stuck to her cheeks when she looked his way, and she moved close enough that he could hear her bare feet splashing against the wet cobblestone.

She held out her hand after a graceful spin, looking at him with sparkling eyes. "Come dance with me, Draco."

He sighed, pulling off his over cloak that was charmed to repel the rain and stepped out into the courtyard to wrap it around her.

"You're going to catch your death out here."


The newlyweds had lost their first child in utero just weeks after finding out they were expecting, and it tore Astoria to pieces in a way Draco had never seen her before. The funeral was private, only meant for them to have closure, no one else knew aside from the family healer. He watched her sit in the bay window, staring out into the garden where freshly planted snake's head flowers drooped their deep purple heads toward the ground. Though their meaning was pure, intended to be a visual acceptance of moving on from the past, it was almost like they wept with the couple at their unfortunate loss.

It was a warm, late spring day, and Draco learned by now that the building clouds above kept the damp heat contained at ground level, leaving that veil of stickiness on his skin that he always hated. But with it always came a gentle cool shower, something that Astoria always stopped whatever she did to get outside and enjoy its refreshing rain on her face.

When the rain started sprinkling against the window she stared out, Draco waited for her to get up and invite him to dance with her in it, but minutes ticked by and she remained as still as could be. He let out a breath, rolling up the crisp white sleeves of his shirt and removing his shoes and socks, he approached his grieving wife.

"Come dance with me, 'Stori," he said, holding out his hand.

Astoria looked up at him and offered a weak smile, though he didn't expect to see it touch her eyes. She accepted his hand and got to her feet, uncaring that she was still in her nightdress, she allowed him to lead her out onto their back patio, both barefoot and wearing their simple clothes. Draco lead her into a gentle turn before pulling her to him, embracing her. They spun in a slow circle, holding each other close, allowing the spring showers to wash their sadness away, at least for a little while.

He finally danced with her in the rain.


Originally Written For:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

Monthly Challenges for All

Word Count: 732

Originally Written: September 2020