Chapter Nine: A Vow for Life
Sunlight filtered through the many high and ornate windows of Greengrass manor as Daphne was making her final preparations for the day they had all been waiting for. Finally, after weeks and weeks of planning, complaining, arguing, and on one occasion crying from Astoria, the day had arrived. A few guests had already arrived the night before. Daphne's Aunt Heather and Uncle Thomas, who were of an age where they found magical transportation too uncomfortable, had asked to be housed in one of the many guest rooms after a long journey from Sussex by train. Narcissa had also stayed the night, unable to keep her interfering nose out of everyone's business so close to her son's wedding.
But everything was running smoothly, as far as Daphne could tell because Astoria hadn't come running to her room in a fit of panic. If anything, Daphne's morning had been rather calm. The only visitor she had had was Tracey, who had arrived early more out of a body clock that was wired for early morning than anything else. But the company had been appreciated until Tracey had been whisked away by Astoria, no doubt to be used as a shield against Narcissa. Daphne had long since given up the role. While she may well be being civil to Draco out of respect for her sister, Narcissa was a completely separate problem and one which Daphne struggled to deal with. The only reason Astoria never complained about how rude Daphne was to Mrs Malfoy was because Astoria wanted to say all the things her older sister did but couldn't.
"Daph? You ready?" Tracey called from outside the door before entering. Unlike whenever Daphne usually saw her friend today she did not look worn out and had actually applied make-up and spent time on her hair. Usually Tracey let her hair fall where it liked around her shoulders, but for the special occasion she had pulled it up into an elegant bun. The result was astounding. It really was a marvel that there wasn't a Mr Davis, although technically she would take the man's name but that was a detail that Daphne merely overlooked when she asked about the current 'Mr Davis' in her best friend's life. The quest for romance was one which was severely hampered by the long hours demanded by St. Mungo's.
"Almost," Daphne answered checking her reflection in the mirror as her friend took a place behind her. Both women were dressed in the same silvery dresses. All the bridesmaids had had their outfits selected for them, a decision which had fallen to Daphne, who had in turn consulted each woman and asked for a preference. It had taken more time than she had wanted but eventually they had managed to agree.
"Well you'd better hurry up, Prince Charming is here," Tracey said smirking at Daphne through the mirror.
"Are you ever going to give it up? I'm not dating him, Trace, he's here as a friend."
Jokes and comments about Daphne's growing friendship with Harry had only blossomed once Tracey had discovered he was her 'date' to the wedding. Astoria had only waited a few days to let that snippet of information out and ever since both Daphne's sister and best friend had joined forces to convince Daphne that she and Harry were star-crossed lovers or something stupid. It was an absolute nightmare. Couldn't she just have a male friend? Wasn't that allowed?
"A very dashing looking one at that, you'd better hurry up Daph or I might take him for myself." Tracey grinned under Daphne's exasperated gaze. "Seriously though, come on, he's waiting downstairs for you."
With a final glance at her reflection and deciding it would have to do, Daphne let Tracey drag her out of her room and downstairs. Harry wasn't the only person waiting there. With only an hour or so to go before the ceremony both families had started to flood the manor. Daphne had never seen her home so full, she was glad she had had the good sense to cast a quick locking charm on her door before being led away. Magic made having her privacy invaded a little less annoying, but it still made Daphne's skin crawl to see so many people in her private space. But, she reminded herself forcefully, it was her sister's house too and this was Astoria's day.
The decision to hold the wedding at Greengrass manor had been one of the most difficult ones of the entire planning process, and annoyingly one of the first ones they had had to make. It had taken almost a whole day to convince Narcissa it was a good idea. The majority of public churches were ruled out due to the whole muggles aren't used to wizards and witches problem. Malfoy Manor was no longer lived in, due to the fact that neither Malfoy had been willing to face going back there after the war. It was therefore not an option as it would take weeks to make the manor fit for the purpose and yet more money. The wedding was already costing a fortune with caterers, the band and everything else that needed to be paid for. Holding it at Greengrass manor not only saved money but it also meant that they could having a private wedding without the prying eyes of both muggles and reporters.
Security had been a problem that her father, aged ex-auror that he was, had been worried about. The floo network had been cut off for the day and the only way to get into the manor was through the large gateway at the foot of the drive. There muggle-repelling charms, as well as a whole host of anti-intruder curses and jinxes, had been placed to prevent unwelcome visitors. Each guest had received an invitation card, which had been carefully charmed so that it would allow them access to the manor. Without their invitation nobody could enter due to an ingenious ward that Daphne's father had had installed as only the cards would allow people to negate it.
"Told you he looked dashing," Tracey said as Daphne scanned the crowd looking for Harry. He wasn't hard to spot. The hair and perhaps more importantly the fact that everyone gave him a wide berth, unsure what to make of his presence, made him easy to see from the top of the stairs.
"Give it a rest or I won't introduce you," Daphne retorted. That got a huff from her best friend but it had the desired effect. Tracey had been dying to meet Harry. The threat masked the fact that Daphne refused to admit, out loud at least, that Tracey had a point. Harry did look rather dashing. Unsurprisingly the robes suited him rather well, although it had taken some convincing to even get Harry go shopping let alone get measured.
oOo
Six Weeks Earlier…
"Why do we have to go robe shopping?" Harry complained as he followed Daphne towards the Leaky Cauldron. He had made no secret that he was not happy about their little trip into the Wizarding World. But there was no way around it, no matter how much he moaned. He couldn't turn up in a muggle suit to a wizarding wedding, even he knew there were particular lines that could not be crossed, and he had no spare robes that would suit the occasion. He had no choice. But, evidentially, that did not stop him complaining about it.
"It's my sister's wedding," Daphne replied simply.
"I still can't believe she's letting you get away with bringing me," Harry said.
"It's my choice, not hers. Besides, I think she enjoys infuriating Narcissa."
"Because that sounds like a good relationship," Harry remarked dryly causing Daphne to smirk as they approached the Leaky Cauldron. They rushed through quickly, avoiding the stares and the whispers of the patrons. Partly because if they didn't Harry would no doubt lose his temper and the prying questions that would be thrown their way, but also because Daphne did not have long to stay. Lunch breaks were not the best time to go shopping. But beggars could not be choosers.
Daphne led the way down the alley, guiding Harry not towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions but instead toward Twilfitt and Tatting's. Where Madam Malkin sold robes for everyday situations, Twilfitt and Tatting's catered for the more formal events and unsurprisingly was far dearer. Shopping with Harry, however, had the added bonus of no price being too high. It paid being lord of two Noble and Most Ancient houses.
"Good day, Lady Greengrass," a young man in exceptional robes said in greeting from centre of the floor space as Daphne and Harry entered the shop. Daphne wasn't surprised that he knew her name, places like Twilfitt and Tatting's had a certain level of service. "And Lord Potter-Black, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Michael Coleman and how may I be of assistance?"
"We're looking for some robes for Harry. It's my sister's wedding," Daphne explained as Harry's face went hard at the sound of his title. He didn't like being reminded that, technically at least, he was part of the elite. The upper echelons of society. He was a gentleman and a lord. The trouble was he didn't want to be and hated the fact that he was. It was inescapable. But unlike Daphne, Harry had trouble accepting it. Daphne far preferred to accept it and not be bothered by it. Then she could get on with her life as there was a clear distinction between accepting that she was a lady and embracing it.
"Certainly, would you like to survey our collection?"
"I was thinking something a bit more personal," Daphne said knowing that the young man would get her meaning.
"Of course, my lady. Lord -" Harry's jaw clenched again, "Mister Potter, if you would be so kind as to follow me?"
Coleman led the way towards a set of mirror at the far end of the shop. Once there he asked Harry to stand on a stool so as he could be measured for his robes. While the magical measuring tape whizzed around Harry and Coleman noted down each measurement in turn, he and Daphne discussed materials and colours as well as styles for the robes while Harry stared aimlessly into space. Under normal circumstances Daphne would have hated having to deal with Coleman. She wasn't overly fond of doing it herself when she came shopping. But when the alternative was letting Harry do it himself, which would no doubt end in a long-winded explanation of all the different types of robes and Coleman doing his best to sell Harry the most expensive. This way, at least, Harry would not be conned into parting with more money than he had to.
"That wasn't too bad," Daphne said as they left the shop twenty minutes later having made all the decisions that needed to be made for Harry's robes and he had paid. The price hadn't even phased him, a fact that had not gone unnoticed by Coleman who seemed upset that Daphne had managed to talk him down by a few galleons. Being on commission would do that to a salesman.
"He was a git!"
"A helpful git," Daphne amended although agreeing with his assessment. "Now that's over with, where shall we go for lunch?"
"Florean's is back isn't it?" Harry asked an excited glint in his emerald eyes as they headed back up the cobbled pathway.
"I think so, his son runs it now," The old ice-cream maker had been abducted and then killed by a gang of Death Eaters. The shop had stayed closed for a few years after, it hadn't been bought more out of respect than anything else. Florean had been a good man from what Daphne could remember of the few trips she had taken in his shop during her trips for school supplies.
"I used to go there all the time in the summer before third year," Harry told her scanning the rows of shops as he searched for the ice cream parlour. "He gave me free ice creams."
"You spent a lot of time here then?" Daphne asked intrigued. Harry rarely ever mentioned details about his past. After everything that had happened he seemed to be far more interested in what was coming than with what had gone. Months spent wallowing on what could not be changed seemed to have made his mind more focused on the future.
"A few weeks, yeah, I couldn't really stay at the Dursley's."
"Why?"
"I kind of blew up my aunt," Harry said slightly awkwardly, as if he was somewhat ashamed by his actions.
"Seriously?" Daphne laughed, unable to help herself. The image of a scared, small and scrawny Harry Potter blowing up his aunt was undoubtedly hilarious. Back then he hadn't been the most intimidating of figures.
"I didn't mean to, she was saying stuff about my parents and I just lost my temper and then she was… inflating."
"So you hid out here for the rest of the summer?" Daphne asked trying to keep her laughter under control. If this mysterious blowing up aunt was anything like his uncle or cousin then Daphne suspected there would not be much need for inflation. According to Harry by the age of ten Dudley had already been the size of a whale. He let little snippets like these through, never giving the full story, probably not wanting to look back. Harry had admitted that he had been miserable with the muggles, although he had quickly added that not all muggles were like the Dursley's.
"Basically, yeah," Harry shrugged, "wasn't as if I could go anywhere else. Ron and Hermione were on holiday."
Daphne's next question was interrupted as Harry came to a halt, a smile spreading across his face as he looked past her and at the shop behind her. Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. The family hadn't changed the name, despite the fact that it was now Fletcher Fortescue's business. There were some things that should never be changed. Daphne just hoped they had stayed loyal to his recipes. Straying from those really would have been a crime.
oOo
"I see you managed to find it okay," Daphne said in greeting to Harry when she had made her way into the uncharacteristically busy hall of Greengrass manor.
"Didn't even get lost once," Harry replied dryly before adding; "you look great."
"You don't look so bad yourself," Daphne smiled ignoring the look that she knew Tracey would be sending her way. "Harry, this is my friend Tracey Davis. Tracey, Harry."
"Nice to finally meet you," Tracey grinned. Although, a grin would be selling the smile that was pulling across Tracey's face short. It was more of a beam. If Daphne hadn't already warned Harry that Tracey had been dying to meet him then she could only imagine how confused he would be by her best friend's reaction.
"You too," Harry replied with a slightly less enthusiastic smile, although that wasn't hard. "Daphne's told me a lot about you."
"Some people have no respect for privacy," Tracey commented dryly.
"Like you don't tell your friends about me," Daphne retorted.
"Not the point," Tracey said her grin turning to a smirk. "So, Potter, how'd Daphne manage to drag you here then? Torture? Blackmail? Promises of pay you back one day?" The last suggestion was said with a raised eyebrow which caused Daphne to shoot a glare at her friend. So much for trying to keep her mind out of the gutter.
"I'm just here to annoy Malfoy," Harry shrugged either unaware of the implications of Tracey's words or uncaring. Knowing Harry it could be either, the man was a little naive when it came to certain things. His lack of a proper childhood or any real dating experience other than Weasley had made him rather dense where certain things were concerned.
"Nice goal," Tracey remarked, "good luck with it. I'll see you guys later, I'd better go and find Adam. He said he'd be arriving about now. Have fun!" And with that she headed off into the crowd in search of her date.
"She seems nice," Harry said turning back to Daphne.
"She is," Daphne confirmed. Aside from her family, Tracey had been the only person to stick with Daphne through everything in her life. Good and bad. Everyone else had drifted away. Daphne wasn't bitter, it was what happened. School ended and most people had moved on, they had their own lives now and so did she. "She likes you."
"You think?"
"Tracey's not the best at hiding her emotions," Daphne explained. "If she didn't like you, you'd know about it."
"Sounds like Ron," Harry said, "he's just the same."
"Good thing he's not here then, he might've spoiled darling Draco's day."
"We wouldn't want that," Harry said dryly causing Daphne to smirk. "Speaking of Malfoy, where is he? Thought he'd be showing off before the big event."
"He's still getting ready," Daphne told Harry as people milled around them, some were taking notice of the last surviving Potter in their midst, others were too busy talking to notice. "Narcissa's running him through everything, making sure he's remembered it all. Mind you she's probably trying to talk him out of it too."
"I thought you said she loved Astoria?" Harry asked frowning.
"She did, until a few weeks ago, now, not so much."
"Why?"
"They had a difference in opinion," Daphne told him, "mind you that's putting it mildly. Narcissa was furious, apparently she tried to get Draco to call off the wedding. This was a couple of weeks ago, Tori hasn't really spoken to her since. Don't blame her either."
"What happened?"
Daphne took a deep breath before telling him the whole story. She only had Astoria's version of events to go on but her sister's explosive reaction had, once she had explained it, been more than justified.
oOo
Two Weeks Earlier…
"That narrow-minded, obnoxious cow!" Astoria roared as flung open the door to Daphne's room. The only warning Daphne had had to the sudden appearance of her irate sister had been muffled shouting, the slamming of a door downstairs and the sound of running footsteps just outside of her room. Had Daphne been more engrossed in her reading then she may have missed such clues. As it was she had marked her page and waited for the outburst she knew was coming her way. Astoria was always incredibly vocal when she lost her temper.
"Please, come in," Daphne said when her sister had flung herself down on her bed. "Something wrong?"
"Narcissa bloody Malfoy, that's what's wrong! I mean who does she think she is? Stuck-up bitch!"
"You're just getting that now," Daphne replied calmly from the chair next to her desk. "Just calm down, Tori. What's she done this time?"
"Tried to tell me and Draco how to raise our kids!" Astoria shouted loudly and then realising how it sounded added quickly, "I mean, not that we're even thinking about that yet or anything. It's just, you know, she thinks about things like that. Continuing the bloodline and rubbish like that."
"She is rather obsessed," Daphne agreed. This wasn't the first time that Narcissa had bought up the topic of ensuring that her family had an heir to continue their line. Daphne doubted that she was aware just how much she was falling into the stereotype most people pictured when they thought of pureblood matriarchs.
"Anyway, she was going on about it again, you know what's she's like." Daphne nodded at this, wishing her sister would just get on with the story. "I wasn't really paying attention but then she starts telling Draco that she hopes he'll raise our children with the 'right attitude'."
"That doesn't sound good," Daphne said warily.
"It isn't," Astoria told her angrily. "She thinks our kids should be bought up being narrow-minded bigots like her, just because she wants to cling to her stupid prejudices doesn't mean I'm going to. There's no way I'm letting my kids grow up thinking it's okay to look down on half-bloods or muggleborns. I mean, look at Tracey, she's half-blood and she's a healer for Merlin's sake!"
"So I'm guessing you told her how bigoted she was being?" Daphne asked, although she didn't really need to. Over the years she had been the receiving end of Astoria's temper. Forgiving she might be, but the younger Greengrass also had her limit and once she pushed over it she was not a pretty sight.
"Less politely," Astoria nodded. "But that's not the worst part, when she realised I wasn't going to play the pureblood prejudice game she tried to get Draco to cancel the wedding!"
"Seriously?" Daphne asked more surprised by the word: 'tried' than Narcissa's actions. Tried implied that she had failed, which meant that Draco, for the first time in his life, had ignored the wishes of his darling mother something which Daphne had never expected. "How'd that go for her?"
"Not like she wanted," Astoria told her. "Draco refused to do what she wanted and she started yelling at me, calling me a bad influence. He's taken her home to think about what she said, like that'll do any good. She's not going to change!"
"People like her rarely do," Daphne agreed not bothering to point out that exactly what Astoria was feeling was how she had felt about Draco all those years. The difference was Narcissa was too set in her ways to bother changing, not that she would want to. She probably thought her opinionated, backwards views were correct and she wasn't alone in that. What was surprising was Draco's reaction, refusing to give up on a marriage in which he knew the views he had grown up with wouldn't be accepted or carried on to his off-spring. It was intriguing to see just how far he would go for Astoria. Even the steps he had already taken had, annoyingly, caused him go up in Daphne's estimations.
"I can't believe she thought she could just run our lives like that!" Astoria fumed.
"She's interfering and manipulative, to be honest, I'm surprised she didn't try something like this sooner."
Narcissa had seemingly been living her life vicariously through Draco for the last few weeks. It wouldn't surprise Daphne if she discovered that Narcissa's wedding had been a nightmare. It would explain why she was so determined to plan every detail of this one. But the chances of her voice being heard much longer seemed to have evaporated. Forgiving Astoria might yet happen, but there were some lines that once crossed could not be uncrossed.
But Daphne's comment, instead of placating her sister, only caused another tirade about Narcissa Malfoy. It took her far longer than she would have liked to calm Astoria down. The only reason that Astoria actually left Daphne's room was because of the arrival of a slightly sheepish looking Draco Malfoy. He had probably had to spend the same time having to do just what Daphne had been doing but with a mother who severely disagreed with his life choices. Primarily Astoria. It was amazing the U-turn one conversation could cause. In the weeks leading up to the wedding Narcissa had loved Astoria, but that particular flame had, apparently, died out leaving nothing but ashes behind.
oOo
"Bet the last two weeks have been fun," Harry said sarcastically when Daphne finished her tale.
"Like you wouldn't believe," Daphne muttered darkly. Half-way through her story they had started heading towards the garden. Somewhere along the way Daphne's arm had ended up in his. It was rather comfortable and had put her slightly more at ease. She was uncomfortable enough as it was with far too many people she either didn't know or didn't like surrounding her. It was nice to have someone who fell into neither of those categories by her side.
"Are all weddings this difficult to organise?"
"I wouldn't know, but I'll tell you one thing mine isn't going to be."
"Got it planned already?" Harry asked.
"No, I just know I'm not having all this," Daphne said waving a hand at the garden which they were standing in. Chairs were lined up with an aisle between them. A small band played soothing music as small groups of people chatted happily. A few people had taken their seats, but most were catching up with one another, drinks in hand and smiles plastered over their faces. Perhaps she was being cynical, but Daphne suspected that not even half of the people who were smiling and cheerful actually felt the way their faces said they did.
"Too much like pretending," Harry added.
"Exactly," Daphne agreed, "if I ever get married it'll be just the people I actually want to be there."
"You know that'll upset loads of people, right?" Harry asked looking around at the masses of family that were slowly piling into the garden. There were almost eighty people there, but had Daphne been organising the guest list it the number would have been far smaller. But then, Daphne only valued her immediate family. None of the others had ever really been involved in either her or Astoria's lives. So why did they have the right to be at their wedding? If they cared that much then where had they been for the past twenty or so years?
"Only the unimportant ones and who cares about them?" Daphne shrugged. She had long since given up trying to live by the standards that everyone else set her. It made no sense to her, living for someone else only benefitted them. She did what she wanted and she did it for herself, nobody else. Her friends were those she wanted, not those that she was expected to have.
"Depends," Harry said.
"On?" Daphne asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Which list I'm in,"
"That would be telling," Daphne smirked detaching herself from him as she headed for a floating tray holding glasses of a wine that Daphne was rather partial to after having stolen a few bottles from under Narcissa's nose. "Drink?"
"I'm good, thanks," Harry said shaking his head slightly. She had been expecting that, she had never once seen Harry touch a drop of alcohol. It was something she had noticed the day they had met but too much had been going on then for her to ask. Besides, they had barely known each other. That wasn't the case anymore. For better or worse, probably worse if some of the more prejudicial guests were asked, they were friends.
"Why don't you drink?" Daphne asked curiously.
"Bad experience," Harry admitted.
"How so?" Daphne probed gently knowing that Harry respected his privacy. But over the last few weeks he had started to open up to her, trusted her. It was a trust she had repaid him with in kind, as if she hadn't then he wouldn't be with her at her sister's wedding.
"After Ginny left I… well I didn't exactly deal with it."
"You started drinking?" It wasn't really a question, it was written all over his face. But it surprised herher nonetheless. Battered and damaged he may have been but the Harry she had grown to know had always seemed strong. Maybe he had been more broken than she thought. Love really did bring out the best and worst of people.
"Not much, just a few times, but that's why I don't do it now. It reminds me of what happened, what I did. I'm not proud of it, Daph, but I'm not going back there either. I know I probably sound stupid-"
"No," Daphne interrupted shaking her head, "you don't. Let's be honest, you've not exactly had the best luck, what happened with her, it was just one more thing. Everyone has a breaking point and you found yours. Doesn't make you stupid, just makes you human. Stupid would be letting her ruin your life."
"Fat chance," Harry said bitterly. He was still rather touchy when it came to Weasley. Her 'apology', for want of a better word, had not helped. There were some things that no amount of words could take back. Sleeping with a moron was one. Letting the press tear apart Harry was another. As far as Daphne was concerned Weasley deserved everything she was getting, partly because unlike Weasley, Daphne had never been one to hide away from her problems. That was what had started all this. Weasley had been too scared admit that something was wrong and had let it fester. So much for the brave Gryffindor.
"There you are then, not stupid."
"Thanks,"
"Don't mention it," Daphne said with a soft smile. "Now, why don't you go and sit down, they'll be starting soon. I'll see you later."
"Bridesmaids stuff?" Harry asked.
"Yep, see you soon," and with that she turned and headed away, back into the house while Harry went and found his seat. She wasn't the only one aware of the time, many people were following suit and heading to the chairs in search of their allocated positions. Some would no doubt be offended by where they had been seated. It was a wedding after all. Misplaced senses of importance and fragile egos always resulted in offense during family occasions, weddings were no exception.
"Daph, there you are!" Astoria shouted when Daphne had walked back into her home. Unlike when Daphne had seen her before, her sister was finally ready for the happiest day of her life. Beautiful didn't quite do Astoria justice. She wore a simple white dress that hugged her body in all the right places but was conservative enough not to earn lecherous looks from certain members of the congregation. Her hair, which usually hung loosely around her shoulders, had been crafted into an elegant bun, a few stands had been allowed to fall down and frame her face. The effect was breathtaking. Everything about how she looked just extenuated her natural beauty. Draco was in for a surprise when he finally saw her. Per tradition he hadn't been allowed to see his bride-to-be all day.
"You found her?" Tracey asked from the doorway that led into the dining room, which for the day's events had been cleared and made into a makeshift ballroom of sorts. Daphne realised, as she looked around the room, that she was the last bridesmaid to arrive. Rachel Sommers, Astoria's best friend since Hogwarts, was standing by the next Mrs Malfoy. Rachel was nice enough, although Daphne had never really spoken to her. Greengrass manor was big enough to have guests over while the rest of the occupants were blissfully unaware to their presence. "Finally, we were going to send out a search party."
"I'm not even late," Daphne pointed out exasperatedly.
"Ah, Daph, wondered where you'd got to," Daphne's father said happily as he entered the room. He was wearing a set of black dress robes with small white tulip protruding from his lapel. "We all set?"
"Pretty much, everyone's just sitting down now," Tracey said glancing out of the window. "Maybe give it a few minutes and then head down there?"
"Excellent idea," Daphne's father nodded before turning to his youngest daughter a gentle smile on his slightly lined face. "How you feeling, sweetheart?"
"I'm good, dad," Astoria smiled, although her eyes were slightly too wide and that smile to bright. "Just, you know, nervous."
"That's perfectly normal," Daphne's father assured her. "I was the same when I married your mother. I was so nervous. I remember I was standing up there, just like Draco is now and I was shaking like a leaf, my heart was out of my chest. But then I saw your mother, and she looked beautiful. It felt like I was seeing her for the first time in my life, that's way I can explain it. I don't really remember anything but her. Nothing else seemed to matter. I just knew she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."
He paused for a moment, tears in his eyes and his voice shook slightly. Daphne never heard her father talk about her mother. Even now, after all the time that passed. Nobody ever did. It was impossible. Daphne struggled to bring herself to think about it, let alone talk about it with anyone. Even Tracey, who had been there and seen it all happen. Something wet brushed her face and rolled down her cheek. It took her a second to realise just what it was and brush it away. Her hand then went to her eyes, wiping them dry as she fought against the torrent of emotion inside her.
"My point is," Daphne's father continued eventually locking eyes with his youngest daughter whose eyes, like Daphne's, shimmered. "You're going to be fine. Forget about everyone else, this is about you and the person you love most in the whole wide world, okay?"
Astoria nodded seemingly unable to do anything else. "That's my girl," Daphne's father murmured softly as he wrapped her in a tight hug. They stayed like that for a long moment, Astoria burying her face in her father's shoulder and she held onto him like he was the only thing left in the world. Daphne tried her best to ignore the worried glances that Tracey was sending her way, instead she just stared at the wall not really seeing it. She wasn't really seeing anything. Memories of a time long gone by were crashing over her.
"Right," Daphne's father said as he pulled away from Astoria, "sorry, it's meant to be a happy day."
"It's okay, dad," Astoria assured him wiping her eyes as she did so, "I love you."
"I love you too," Daphne's father replied a serious edge to his warm tone as he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before stepping back and turning to face Daphne a sad smile pulling at his lips. "Both of you."
"You too dad," Daphne whispered unable to make her voice any louder for hear it might crack. Concern filled his green eyes, which now fixed on her. She offered a small forced smile, letting him know she was okay. That didn't force the concern from his gaze but he cause him nod and step away. Her father didn't say anything, he didn't need to. Daphne knew what his actions meant. He had done the same when she was a kid. Back then the action had come with words: I'm here if you need me. But she wasn't a kid anymore.
"Well, we can't keep them waiting all day," Daphne's father said straightening his tie and forcing the sadness from his face. Daphne did her best to do the same, banishing the memories from her mind, using the memory techniques her father had taught her so many years ago. Occlumency had its uses. "Are we good to go do you think, Tracey?"
"Er - yeah, should be," Tracey told him hesitantly as she looked out the window once more.
"Right then, we'd better get going. You ready, Tori?" Daphne's father asked as he took his position by his youngest daughter's side. He held out his arm for to take, while everyone else got into position behind the pair.
"Ready," Astoria nodded. Together she and her father led the way out into the garden. Tracey was right, most of the guests had found their seats. Those that hadn't quickly sat down at the nearest available empty seat as they realised that the wedding was about to begin. The music changed from the gentle background tune to the wedding march that Astoria had picked.
At the head of the aisle stood a small, white archway. Gold and silver balloons were weighted down next to the arch. It was meticulously crafted and astoundingly beautiful the delicate archway stood alone, separate from everything and everyone else except three men dressed in finely tailored robes. Draco Malfoy and his best man Blaise Zabini along with the man presiding over the wedding: Simon Matterson. The symbolism of the archway, while far too obvious for Daphne's tastes, was nevertheless somehow slightly poetic. It was the doorway to the rest of their life. It wouldn't have been her first choice, but Astoria had always been the more romantic of the two of them.
As they walked down the aisle Daphne was aware of people crying or blowing their noses, some muttering and pointing and others looking bored as if they wanted to be anywhere else other than Astoria's wedding. Draco, however, looked like none of these people. Instead his face was cracked with a smile, his pale eyes glittering as he watched his fiancée and soon-to-be wife walk slowly down the aisle on her father's arm. Daphne decided it didn't suit him. But then again, in the years she had known him she had grown far more accustomed to seeing arrogance or smugness on his face rather than genuine happiness.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Simon Matterson said from just behind the archway. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of two faithful souls; Draco Lucius Malfoy and Astoria Isabelle Greengrass."
It was at this point that Daphne let her mind wander as she stared off into space. She hated long-winded ceremonies. Once or twice as the wizard carried on speaking Daphne glanced at the crowd. Narcissa did not look best pleased with the turn of events from her position on the front row. She wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. Daphne couldn't help but smile, something which Harry seemed to notice judging by the small smirk on his face as his eyes met hers.
"Do you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take Astoria Isabelle Greengrass to be your wife?" Matterson asked eventually after what Daphne would describe as far too long. She did not understand why he had so much to say when the day was not about him. But as she watched her sister smiling brightly at the Draco all of her complainants vanished in an instant. She had never seen Astoria quite so happy. The look on her sister's face was worth the monotonous speech which had preceded it. A smile spread across Daphne's face as she watched on like everyone else.
"I do," Draco nodded his eyes never leaving Astoria's face.
"And do you, Astoria Isabelle Greengrass take Draco Lucius Malfoy to be your husband?"
"I do," Astoria said somehow smiling even more brightly.
"Then I declare you bonded for life."
Matterson then raised his wand high over the heads of the couple and a shower of silver stars spiralled around the couple as they leant together, entwined with a kiss. Daphne clapped along with the other guests. Somewhere someone cheered as the balloons, which had been tied to the ground either side of the archway, rose from the ground and burst releasing several tiny birds. The band struck up an upbeat tune led by the trumpeter. To her right Daphne was aware of a small man with a large camera hurrying to the head of the aisle. There was a flash as the moment was captured forever.
But it wasn't a photo of Astoria Greengrass, Daphne realised as the couple broke apart, that was very first photo Astoria Malfoy. There are worse ways to start an album, Daphne thought as she watched happy couple move under the archway their entwined and their faces beaming. Despite all Daphne's preconceptions of the man and her fears for what Astoria was getting herself into, Daphne knew it that moment that she had been wrong to worry. She had married the man of her dreams. He might not be perfect, but no-one was. But he made her happy and that, Daphne realised, was all that mattered.
