Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (challenges & assignments)

Auction: Gift fic for Gryffindor's auction - Day 9, Auction 4 - Daphne Greengrass

W/C: 1,430

Summary: What if Daphne can see the future and she doesn't like what she sees for her sister?

The Future is Never Set

"Is Daphne ever capable of being on time?" Draco snapped.

Astoria gave him a withering look across the small table they were sat at, outside a café in Diagon Alley. Draco rolled his eyes as he pulled at his tie to undo the top button of his shirt. They were hidden from the sun but not its heat, and the packed street wasn't helping.

"Take the tie off, Draco. Daphne isn't going to judge you for not wearing it." She nodded in encouragement. "You won't feel as grouchy if you do. I promise." She gave him a bright smile.

He narrowed his eyes at her, the corners of his mouth twitching, attempting to smile back of its own accord. "Stop it. I know what you're doing with that smile."

"Is it working?" She took a sip of her tea, giving him a coy look.

Draco silently took his tie off, nearly throttling himself at the fact he'd given in to his wife so easily. She laughed as he rolled it up and shoved it into his trouser pocket.

"Now the jacket," she added, gently placing her cup back on its saucer.

"You'll have me parading down the street in my underwear next."

"Or maybe even a pair of jeans!" Daphne's voice said laughingly from behind him.

Draco sighed heavily when Daphne's perfume wafted around him as she planted a kiss on his cheek before he could duck to avoid it. Every time she got him. "Why are you late?"

"The dog ate my broom," she answered with a smirk over her shoulder before leaning down to give Astoria a hug.

Draco watched her, unimpressed, as she took the third seat at the table. When she caught his eye again Daphne gave him a smile, bearing her teeth; it was almost menacing. He sniggered, surprising himself.

"You don't know how to stay angry with me, Draco Malfoy. I'm the sister you've always wanted and you love it," she teased him, waving at the waiter through the window of the café.

"That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?" Draco asked with a small smirk.

"Why are you late?" Astoria asked, pulling at her sister's hand.

Daphne frowned for a moment at the contact, flinching slightly. Astoria was too busy staring at their hands as she played with Daphne's emerald ring. Draco didn't miss it though.

"Long story. Something to do with animals being locked up, the Muggle police were involved and – hi!" The waiter had arrived with a small smile and nod at the table. "Coffee, please," she ordered with a grin, drawing out the 'please'.

Once the waiter was gone with her order, Draco and Astoria looked at Daphne expectantly. She looked at them in confusion. Draco tutted loudly. He'd never known a person to be so flighty.

"Oh! I may have accidentally adopted five cats," she said casually.

"You don't even like cats," Astoria said with a laugh.

"I can like cats if I want to. I'm fickle like that." Daphne turned sharply to the table behind Draco, leaning around him. "Excuse me, sorry to bother you," she said loudly.

Draco turned in his seat to look at the woman reading her book. She looked startled, checking around her to see if Daphne was definitely talking to her. "You might want to go see your brother."

"My b-brother?" the woman stuttered, snapping her book shut.

"Yes. He's got some news and he doesn't know how to tell you. He needs his big sister right about now."

"Daph," Astoria said quietly.

Draco watched his sister-in-law, ignoring Astoria. Daphne almost looked like she was ready to duel with the firm look she was giving the woman. The woman looked to Draco and Astoria for answers, but it was always the same; the answers weren't theirs to give. It was down to her if she wanted to follow Daphne's advice.

"This evening would be best," Daphne added simply with a smile that warmed her features.

And just as quickly as she'd turned her attention to the woman, Daphne had returned it back on her family. Draco turned back to their table with a heavy sigh.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Astoria scolded with very little conviction in her voice.

Daphne shrugged. "So what part of my messy life am I here to be lectured about this week?"

"That's not what we do, Daph." Astoria took her sister's hand again. "I just like to make sure you're healthy and remember to eat once in a while."

"And to ask if you'll be Scorpius' godmother," Draco added, smiling at Daphne's shocked face. "Nice to know you actually don't see everything."

"Why on earth would you trust me?" Daphne asked quietly. She kept frantically looking between the couple. "Really? Me?"

"Who else would we trust?" Astoria asked. She reached over to tuck a loose strand of Daphne's blonde hair behind her ear. "You're the only person who loves him like we do."

Draco reached over, gently squeezing Daphne's shoulder. "She's right."

Draco didn't miss her flinch at his touch. Again, Astoria missed it as she took a sip of her tea. He let go of Daphne, watching her as a floating tray approached with Daphne's coffee.

He waited a moment before saying to Astoria, "Love, didn't you say there was a book being held for you at Flourish and Blotts?" She nodded without looking at him. "They're about to close for lunch." He pointed at the manager locking up.

Draco and Daphne watched Astoria shriek in panic as she raced over to the shop.

The moment she met the manager, Daphne rounded on Draco. "If you try to have another child, she'll die. You can't let her, Draco."

Draco, who'd had his mouth open, ready to ask what was bothering Daphne, clamped it shut and sank back in his seat. His eyes immediately went back to Astoria, who was smiling at the manager, following him into the shop.

"You're sure?" Draco asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Daphne nodded. "When she touched me, I saw the baby, but not her. When you touched me, I saw her but no baby."

"She only suggested it last night – to have a sibling close to Scorpius' age." He rubbed a hand across his cheek roughly, like the scraping of his nails over his skin would make this an easy choice. They both wanted another.

"Her life is limited as it is by having had Scorpius, Draco," Daphne said softy. Urgently. "Enjoy this time with the family you have, which won't feel like it's enough, but it will be filled with love. But if you have the baby…"

Daphne trailed off, her hands shaking as she reached for her coffee, but never picking it up. Draco glanced to the bookshop; no Astoria. Yet.

Daphne took a shaky breath. "If you have the baby, all I can see is pain and heartache and her feeling so alone. She will grow up thinking everything is her fault and you—"

"A girl?" Draco's voice broke. "There's not been a Malfoy girl in over two hundred years."

"Draco!" she hissed. "You know I don't talk much about what I see, the future is never set, but Astoria's all that's left of my family. I can't lose her. Not yet. Don't do this – don't let her do this."

A heavy silence fell over them. Daphne stared hard at Draco, her breathing ragged. Draco looked everywhere but at her. Astoria's familiar figure stepped out of the bookshop, the manager following her. He watched as she turned, talking happily and patting his arm, the book in her arm. She waved to the manager as she walked away from the bookshop.

"Astoria's on her way back," Draco said quietly, barely moving his lips.

Like flicking a switch, Daphne had a blank expression and Draco plastered a smirk on his face.

"You can't just run away from your problems," he said, raising his voice a little as Astoria neared.

"Well they can't chase me so I think I can," Daphne threw back at him, returning his smirk.

With a pain in his chest, like his heart had physically cracked at the information he now knew, Draco made sure to keep his smile natural, hoping it reached his eyes, and looked at Astoria as she sat down. She looked between the two of them affectionately.

"What did I miss?"

"Just Draco trying to be a brother I didn't ask for," Daphne said easily.

The smile Daphne gave her sister almost covered the pain in her voice.

Almost.