Please read Chapter 6 because there was a mistake last time, which I've corrected. It's the 5th of January now.
Disclaimer: I own Maxwell the Chameleon and Astoria' perky personality!
6th January, 2001
1.07 am
~Astoria~
Astoria woke up to the sounds of something crashing. It surprised her so much she jumped. Then, she blinked her eyes and reached for her wand. The room instantly lit up and Astoria found herself squinting in the bright light to look for what it was that had woken her up from her sleep, that too in the middle of the night. The sounds seemed to be emanating from the living room. Astoria got out of bed, still sleepy and inched her way towards the room, wondering if it was a break-in.
"Astoria!" Daphne Greengrass said, surprised on seeing the younger sister. Daphne was currently straddling a dark-eyed, dark-haired man Astoria vaguely remembered seeing at the New Year's party.
"You're back already?" Daphne asked. Astoria groaned.
"Do you not have any other place to do these things" Astoria said, frowning and gesturing to them generally. Daphne frowned and got off the man, who sat up and straightened out his shirt.
"And you broke my vase" Astoria added, staring at the broken vase all over the carpet. Daphne grinned and hugged Astoria.
"You're back early" Daphne said, "Considering you sent that non-explanatory owl just before leaving"
"It was just a curse-breaking spell" Astoria said shrugging, "I got it done in a day's time" she added. Daphne smiled.
"Tori, this is Blaise Zabini" Daphne said, gesturing to the man who now stood and stared at Astoria rather quizzically, "We just got engaged" she added. Astoria frowned.
"Engaged?" Astoria repeated, finally looking at the man, who looked smug with himself for having captured the pretty girl.
"Nice to meet you, Astoria" he said, "Daphne's told me a lot about you" he added.
"Excuse me, Mr. Zabini" Astoria said firmly, "I'd like to talk to my sister alone for a moment, so can you please leave?" she added, her eyes burning.
"We'll talk tomorrow, Blaise" Daphne promised. Blaise nodded, kissed her forehead and disapparated. Astoria turned to Daphne.
"You're going to marry him, Daph?" Astoria asked. Daphne grinned.
"Well, he may seem a little harsh, Tori, but he's a good man" Daphne said, "I've known him since Hogwarts and I have to admit he's a nice man when it's just the two of us"
Astoria sighed heavily and sank into the arm chair by the fireplace. Daphne stared at her as Astoria frowned and thought it through.
"I'm not wearing pink for your wedding" Astoria said, scrunching up her nose. Daphne grinned and hugged her tightly.
"So, do you want to meet him and get to know him?" Daphne asked. Astoria shrugged.
"Daph, if you say he's a good man, I believe you" Astoria said with a smile, "But, I swear, if he hurts you, I'll hunt him down and hex him to the next world" she said, making Daphne grin and hug her again.
"Tori, you're the best sister anyone could ever ask for" Daphne said. Astoria nodded and smiled at her.
"Can I please go back to bed now?" Astoria asked, yawning, "I'm exhausted"
"Sure" Daphne said, "We'll talk about it over dinner tomorrow" she added. Astoria nodded as she made her way to the bed and fell into it.
"Don't forget, Tori! I'll be mad if you do" Daphne said as Astoria drifted off to sleep.
11.27 am
~Draco~
Draco frowned as his old friend and school mate walked into his office at work. Blaise Zabini had better things to do that roam around the Ministry.
"Malfoy" Blaise said, nodding. Draco nodded back.
"Zabini, how have you been?" Draco asked, since they hadn't seen each other since the New Year's party. Blaise shrugged.
"I asked Daphne to marry me last night" Blaise admitted. Draco looked at him, wide-eyed. True, since they had graduated Blaise and Daphne had got pretty close and had even dated steadily for two years now. But Blaise Zabini wanting to get married was a shock, since he claimed he'd never get married.
"Congratulations" Draco said, smirking, standing and shaking Blaise's hand vigorously, "to both of you"
"Thanks" Blaise said, then frowned.
"Is something wrong, Zabini?" Draco asked. Blaise frowned.
"Daphne's sister" Blaise said, "The weird Ravenclaw wants to have dinner tonight" he said. Draco frowned.
"Astoria? She's in Rome" Draco said, "Isn't she?" he added, noticing Blaise's expression.
"She was home last night" Blaise informed, "Why don't you come for dinner too, Malfoy?" he asked. Draco frowned and then nodded.
"Sure, she owes me one anyway" Draco said, sounding nonchalant, but feeling his heart palpitating.
"Thanks, mate" Blaise said, looking relieved, "She's too difficult, isn't she? I'd have screwed up already"
"Oh, she's not as bad" Draco claimed, "She's just stubborn and difficult to please" he said, laughing.
"Good that you're coming though, Malfoy" Blaise said, "Oh and, you don't mind being the best man, do you?" he asked. Draco smirked.
"I'd be honored, mate" Draco declared. Blaise smirked.
"Good" he said.
5.02 pm
~ Astoria~
"Tori!" Daphne called loudly as Astoria exited Gringott's bank after work. Astoria turned a bright shade of red, with both anger and embarrassment.
"Daphne! I told you already! Enough with the "Tori" business!" Astoria scolded as she walked over to her. Daphne grinned and smiled apologetically.
"Bad habits, sorry" Daphne said, "I came to pick you up for dinner"
Astoria froze.
"I am not going back to Wiltshire" Astoria said firmly. Daphne grinned.
"We're going to Glasgow" Daphne informed, "In Scotland"
Astoria groaned.
"I just came back from Rome, Daph" Astoria complained, "I'd like to be in London for sometime"
"We're only going for dinner, Tori" Daphne informed, "You can apparate back to your flat and to bed, I don't care"
Astoria groaned.
"Fine" she complied.
"But, before that, we have to make you look pretty" Daphne claimed and took Astoria by the arm and lead her down the road to the dressmaker's.
An hour later, Astoria walked out wearing a black spagetti dress that fell around her knees and highlighted all her curves, which weren't that many since Astoria was athletic and had a lean body. As they did, Astoria met someone she hadn't seen in a long time.
"George Weasley" Astoria said, with shock. George spun around and looked at her and then blinked.
"Astoria?" he said, "Is that you?" he asked with surprise. Astoria grinned.
"Yes sir" Astoria said, her face frozen permanently in that grinning position. George walked up to her and hugged her.
"You look hot" he complimented, nodding to himself, "Makes me regret not having asked you out instead" he added. Astoria grins at him.
"You'll always remain a flirt, George Weasley" Astoria scolded gently. Daphne watched them quietly for some time before Astoria remembered her presence and introduced her.
"George, this is my sister, Daphne" Astoria informed.
"Pleased to meet you, older version of Astoria" George joked. Daphne smiled kindly.
"Pleased to meet you too, George Weasley, who took a 12-year-old to the Yule ball" Daphne retorted. Astoria sensed some friction between them.
"So, George, congrats" Astoria said, grinning, "I heard Angelina Johnson finally agreed to marrying you" she said. George nodded.
"Yeah, that girl is really hard to please" George said, grinning, "But, I guess that's why I love her" he added. Astoria smiled.
"Bill has invited you, I hope?" George asked. Astoria nodded.
"Yes sir" Astoria said, nodding, "I'll be there, Saturday morning. Don't worry"
"Good" George said, "It'll be nice to have friends together after such a long time" he said.
Astoria nodded and hugged George.
"Yes, good to see you, George" she said, "I have to go now, sorry" she added. George nodded and patted her head.
"Be good now, Astoria" he said, jokingly, "Don't let the mean Slytherins get to you" he added.
"I won't" Astoria claimed and he was off.
Daphne stared at Astoria, whose mood was much better now.
"Are you in love with him, Tori?" Daphne asked, quite bluntly. Astoria turned to her.
"No" she replied, "He's the brother I never had" she informed. Daphne nodded unwillingly, but said nothing more.
6.45 pm
~Draco~
Draco stared at the two women who walked into the fancy restaurant in Glasgow. Blaise Zabini, who was standing beside him, couldn't suppress his suggestive grin and Draco wondered if Astoria would look at him anytime soon the way Daphne was looking at Blaise. Astoria was frowning, which didn't surprise Draco, considering they were at the most pure-blood loving territory on the planet, except, may be, London. Daphne greeted Blaise with a kiss on the cheek and Draco with a smile and handshake. Astoria nodded to both males, not at all surprised by Draco's presence.
"You're the best man, I suppose?" Astoria asked Draco as he helped her into her chair.
"How'd you know?" He asked, surprised.
"I had a feeling" Astoria claimed, shrugging her shoulders as Daphne sat on her left and Draco on her right. Blaise was sitting opposite to her at the round table.
"I hope you don't plan on eating too much meat" Astoria informed her fellow diners, "I'm only just getting over my nausea" she added, noticing the dirty look Daphne gave her.
"Let's start with some wine" Blaise suggested, beckoning the waiter over.
"We'll have a bottle of your best champagne" Blaise told the waiter, who nodded.
"And I'll have a glass of red wine, please" Astoria said. Daphne turned to her.
"Tori" Daphne begged, "We're celebrating tonight, you know" she said. Astoria groaned.
"Fine, champagne then" Astoria said grudgingly. The waiter looked quizzically at Astoria, then at Blaise, who nodded for him to go get the order.
"So, Mr. Zabini" Astoria said, turning her full-focus on Blaise, "What are you currently working at?"
Blaise visibly stiffened.
"Well, I'm working in the Ministry at the moment" Blaise said, "under the Minister of Magic. I'm his personal assistant" he informed. Astoria frowned.
"What are your working hours then?" Astoria asked, "You don't get weekends off, nor do you get to celebrate any holidays" she said, nodding to herself. Blaise cracked a grin.
"Well, currently, I'm being nominated for the youngest juror in the Ministry" Blaise admitted, "So, starting in June, I'll be free to work however and whenever I please" he said. Astoria nodded.
"What do you feel about Daphne?" Astoria asked. Daphne coloured and turned to Astoria to protest, but the serious expression on Astoria's face made her quieten down and turn to Blaise instead, rather hopefully. Hopeful that he'd say something that Astoria might like.
"Three years ago, Daphne Greengrass was only a name in our class" Blaise admitted, "I had heard of her being outrageous and friendly, but I hadn't exactly made contact with her. During the war at Hogwarts, Daphne and I were by ourselves and during that fifteen-minute interval that we took to gather our courage, I felt as if my whole world had changed. Or rather, my view of the world had" Blaise admitted, looked at Daphne tenderly, before meeting Astoria's eyes.
"Although I hadn't told her then, I fell in love with her that day. And everyday since then, my love for her has only grown in depth and meaning and now, I can't imagine my life without her" Blaise continued, "I finally figured out why I found all the other girls like trash, because Daphne's so perfect and it's as if she's been tailor-made to fit me" he finished. Daphne kissed him tenderly. Astoria frowned, scrunched up her nose and waited for them to finish. When they did, she looked at Blaise sternly.
"Next time I hear you talk about Daphne like an object, Mr. Zabini, expect my fist up your nose" Astoria informed kindly. The waiter arrived with their champagne and poured it for them.
"For Blaise and Daphne" Draco said, raising his glass to toast.
"For things stupid people do" Astoria added as their glases clanked together. Astoria sipped her champagne and gagged. She hated it.
"Now, waiter" Astoria said, turning to the handsome man who was waiting on them, "I'll have a glass of red wine please" she said.
"Of course, miss" he obliged, bowly slightly before leaving.
7.30 pm ~Astoria~
Astoria sighed as she drank the last of her wine and looked at Daphne beaming. Surprisingly, Blaise had an answer to every one of her questions, almost as if he were stealing the answers right out of Astoria's mind, which was rather odd. Draco had been smirking non-stop since they had arrived. And even now, while their desserts arrived, he sat there with a silly smirk on his face, as if he knew Astoria's every thought. Astoria groaned as she picked at her cheesecake moodily. She was tired. She needed sleep. Bill had let her off early specifically just so she could go home and to bed. The Italian job had tired her out. Magically, more than physically. It was a huge spell and since Astoria had broken it within such a short time, her magic had drained out too. Astoria frowned as she took another sip of her wine. Then, she turned to Daphne.
"If you're going to just do "it", I'll go home now" Astoria said, standing. Daphne smiled at Astoria, who looked great even when drunk. Or, rather, especially when drunk. Draco stood too.
"I'll apparate you home" he offered, his arm winding around her waist easily. Astoria turned to him with a sneer.
"Hands off, Malfoy" she commanded and Draco let go, scared of what she might do to him. Astoria winced and turned to the waiter, who handed her her coat. Astoria took it and left in a moment, with a "pop!"
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