Author's Notes:
Here's Chapter 127 for you!
Happy 5th Anniversary!
Well, it was on the 2nd February. It comes around again so quickly.
This chapter took me a while thanks to some writer's block. However, I managed to get through it with A LOT of help from all of you who follow my Instagram. I asked what you all wanted to see from this Chapter and you did not disappoint. In fact, your ideas were so interesting, I think I managed to include everyone's ideas. Although, I've had to change the entire future plot for Blaise. It's going to take me some time to replan his future.
Let me know in the comments where you would like to see Blaise's story line go.
Love, DW
PS Enjoy x
Draco runs down the stairs, Scorpius in his arms, a loose tie around his neck, and his wand attempting to cast the tying charm. He opens the front door, sighing in relief at the sight of his Uncle Hyperion.
"Thank you so much for agreeing to this," he hands his son over.
"It's no problem at all Draco, I love my little great-nephew," he tickles Scorpius stomach. "I did think you would be ready though; you're leaving in twenty minutes."
"I know, I know," Draco sighs, ushering Hyperion through to the kitchen, filling and turning the kettle on with a flick of his wand. "We slept in." He admits.
Hermione races down the stairs, her champagne-coloured strappy heels in her hands as she stumbles into the kitchen. "Morning Hyperion," she grins, sitting on the couch to fasten her shoes.
"Morning," Hyperion chuckles. "You look lovely."
Hermione smiles, walking over to help Draco with his tie since the charm wasn't working. They were both wearing burgundy outfits, with champagne-coloured accessories.
"Do you want me to take some pictures of you both?" Hyperion offers, placing Scorpius in his highchair.
"Do we have time?" Hermione looks up to Draco.
"We'll make time, come on," he pulls her over to the fireplace.
Hyperion picks the camera up from the kitchen table, snapping a few different options for them, as the couple pose, staring lovingly into each other's eyes, smiling effortlessly.
"You're beautiful," Draco whispers into her ear.
Hermione laughs, turning to embrace him, "You can't talk, absolutely stunning." She returns the compliment.
"Alright, that's enough," he blushes. "We're definitely going to be late now."
The two parents kiss and hug their son goodbye.
"We'll probably be back early tomorrow morning," Hermione explains while Draco fetches their coats. "The bride thinks we're driving down, so she booked us into the hotel the wedding party are staying in."
Hyperion nods, "I've packed for the night, so don't worry about us. We're going to have lots of fun." He tells them.
"You know she'll worry anyway," Draco teases his wife, handing her jacket over. "We'll see you tomorrow." He bids his uncle goodbye, pulling Hermione towards the floo fireplace.
They floo to The Ministry, then take a taxi from down the road from the Muggle entrance to the church where Blaise and Cara were due to get married at eleven o'clock.
"We've got plenty of time," Draco comments. "It's only half-past ten."
Benjamin is sat beside Blaise's mother and step-father, Pandora on his lap, happily playing with his tie. He's lost in his own thought, absentmindedly staring at the altar. He's a nervous wreck inside. When Blaise and Cara started dating, Benjamin assumed she was just a rebound girlfriend, after his marriage to Luna fell through. Then Blaise had announced their engagement, and Benjamin had promised himself he would tell Blaise how he felt, in the hopes of getting him to change his mind. Benjamin knew Blaise better than Cara ever would, and they had so much in common. He hadn't intended on waiting until the day of the wedding, but here he was, trying to build up the courage to tell his best friend how he feels. It was incredibly selfish of him, but it was something he needed to do. Blaise deserves to know.
He raises to his feet, Pandora on his hip as he walks down the side aisle towards the two rooms either side of the aisle at the back of the church. The two on the left were reserved for the groom's side of the wedding party, and one door has a sign that reads 'groom'. He knocks on the door and enters.
"Da, da, da," Pandora chants upon seeing her father.
Benjamin blushes slightly at the level of undress he finds Blaise. He's only wearing his trousers, the rest of his suit still inside the bag.
"Pandora!" Blaise cheers, taking his daughter into his arms. "Are you behaving?"
"She's excellent," Benjamin smiles softly.
"Good girl," Blaise kisses her cheek, making her giggle. "Did you miss me?" He asks.
"Yes," Benjamin answers. "Er, she did." He adds.
"Go back to Benji so I can finish getting changed," he passes his daughter back over. "Thanks for looking after her today. Cara did not want Luna here, but I have to have my daughter at my wedding. I would have been at a loss without you, Benji." He flashes him a grin, pulling on his white shirt.
"I love you," he says, eye-widening as he realises what just came out of his mouth.
Blaise's fingers fall from his shirt buttons. "What did you say?" He asks, his voice small.
"I'm sorry, I wanted you to know." Benjamin looks down at his feet, regretting it immediately. "Oh my Go-goodness, I've just pulled a Rachel Green on you. I'm so sorry, Blaise. I'm a horrible, horrible person. I should have told you ages ago, not the day of your wedding, the happiest day of your life. Forget it." He turns to leave.
"Wait," Blaise steps forward, wanting him to stop but not reaching out to force him to stay. "Don't turn me into a Ross Geller, I'm much more of a Chandler type." He tries to joke.
"Please don't try to make light of this situation. I told you I love you, and you know I love Pandora, so don't worry. Everything is fine. Enjoy your wedding and honeymoon, I'll get over it." Benjamin tells him, opening the door and stepping out, nearly walking into Hermione and Draco as they arrive.
When Hermione and Draco arrive, many people are heading into the church, looking like the bride's friends and family. They join the back of the queue, talking amicably to anyone who starts up a conversation. By the time they're inside the church, they've discussed the 'perfect weather for a wedding' about six times.
"We're on the right side," Hermione takes her husband's hand and guiding him. "There's Pansy and Ron. Oh, Gregory's here already too." Hermione waves at their friends excitedly.
"Oh, sorry," Benjamin apologises, quickly brushing past them.
"Are you alright?" Draco calls after him.
Benjamin turns and smiles with a thumbs up before carrying on towards the church's front to sit with Blaise's mother and step-father.
"Strange, I'll talk to him later," Draco comments as they follow after towards their friends.
Until Pansy stands up to beckon them and Hermione's smile falls in horror. She drops her husband's hand, racing forward and grabbing Pansy by the wrist, dragging her out of the pew.
"What in Merlin's name do you think you're wearing?" She asks, hiding them both behind a pillar for fear of any of the bride's family seeing them.
"What? I think I look gorgeous." Pansy grins, turning in different poses to show off her figure.
"Pansy!" Hermione snaps, exasperatedly, scanning the off-the-shoulder, daisy-white, figure-hugging, knee-length dress her friend is wearing. "You can't wear white to a wedding!"
Pandy frowns, pulling a face, "Who says?"
Hermione takes a deep breath to control herself, "Pansy, you were there when Cara explained that white dresses are traditional. You knew she would be wearing a white dress." She explains.
"I'm expected to remember that?" She rolls her eyes.
"Pansy, I can't express how angry I am with you right now. You need to change the colour of your dress." Hermione's voice is low and severe. "Come here," she retakes Pansy's wrist, pulling her to the back of the church and into the room next to the 'Groom' room.
Hermione removes her wand form her clutch bag, in preparation to charm the dress a different colour.
"I can't believe you sometimes, Pansy," she chides. "I have told you so many times that we need to be kind to Cara, and accept her into our group, because whether you like it or not, Blaise is marrying her. You agreed to try, for Blaise's sake."
"Why should I be expected to accept her when she turns her nose up at me?" Pansy asks, her face still, void of any emotion.
"I don't know," Hermione shakes her head in frustration. "Two wrongs don't make a right, be the better person, love thy neighbour, pick a proverb and follow it because you're acting like a child." She changes the colour of Pansy's dress to blush pink.
Pansy eyes turn cold as she glares at her, "It's a good thing I still look good," she storms out of the room, leaving Hermione alone.
Hermione knows she will have to apologise to Pansy later. She shouldn't have yelled at her, but right now, she will let the other woman stew in the knowledge she was acting impulsively and had upset her.
Pansy knocks on the 'groom' door, letting herself into the room where Blaise is half-dressed, lounging on a couch and staring at something on his mobile phone thing. Although he does look up when she enters.
"Don't people know how to wait?" He mutters.
"You're not ready yet?" She asks, sitting down beside her friend leaning against his side, and resting his head on his shoulder.
"What do you want?" He asks, closing his phone.
"Don't yell at me. Hermione's already had a go at me, and I don't need you to as well." She tells him.
"What now?" He sighs.
"Why are you doing this, Blaise?" She sighs.
"Pansy!" Blaise groans, turning to face her. "I love Cara, and I want to marry her."
Pansy sits up, "But she's awful."
"That's my fiancé, Pansy." He warns.
"I tried being nice to her, I did try, Blaise, but she has all these snide comments, backhanded compliments, and she turns her nose up at us all. We're always going to be weird to her because our magic makes us different. How can you expect us to hang out together?" Pansy tries to reason with him.
"I'll talk to her about being more accepting. You're one of my best friends, Pansy, nothing's going to change that." He assures her.
"Well sorry if I don't believe that." Pansy stands. "I can deal with Benjamin, he's laid back, and we can actually have a laugh with him, but Cara is exhausting. It's difficult having to hide ourselves around her and watch everything we say to make sure we aren't divulging any secrets. You might be able to lie to yourself, but you can't lie to your friends. We know you're rushing into this marriage, and we know it's too soon since Luna. You've made a mistake, it's fine, call it off now before it's too late." She tells him.
Blaise shakes his head, standing up to finish fastening the buttons of his shirt, "Why do you keep bringing Benji into these arguments? It's not Cara or Benji, and I'm not trying to replace Luna. Luna and I wanted different things, and I was upset when we got divorced, but I realise now that we wouldn't work. Luna's never going to want to settle down, and I do. Cara is who I want, this is what I want." Blaise states, watching himself in the mirror.
"Are you tell that to me, or yourself?" Pansy asks.
"I think it's time you leave, Pansy." He tells her, charming his tie to fasten itself.
"Fine, but don't come crying to me when your second marriage ends in tears." She storms out of the room, heading back to her place on the front pews.
Hermione collects herself, stepping out of the room only to be called by one of the bridesmaids.
"Hey, Hermione? Right?" She asks, walking over, her lavender dress swishing as she moves.
"Yes, can I help you?" She puts on a polite smile.
"Cara wants to speak to you," the woman tells her.
Confused, she follows the bridesmaid to the room on the other side of the aisle with a 'bride' sign. She knocks on the door, entering when Cara calls for her to enter.
"Hermione, thank goodness you're here," Cara sighs, turning away from the mirror where she had been admiring her wedding dress.
"You look beautiful," Hermione smiles, taking in the large, Cinderella-style dress.
"Thank you," Cara shyly looks down.
"Are you alright?" She asks, wondering why her presence had been requested.
"My sister told me someone on Blaise's side was wearing a white dress, and I need-" Cara starts.
"I've dealt with that," Hermione informs her.
Cara visibly relaxes, "Oh, thank you, that is a relief." She sighs, turning back around, meticulously scanning herself in the mirror.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asks, wondering if she should leave now that she's put her mind at ease.
"I'm a little nervous actually," she admits, an awkward giggle escaping her lips. "It's all happening rather quickly."
Hermione nods in agreement, not sure what she can say right now. It's the day of their wedding. They're getting married at eleven o'clock.
"It's silly, I'm fine, I'm ready," she smiles at herself, reaching up to smooth her veil down, her hands shaking.
"Are you sure?" Hermione asks. "It's completely fine to be having cold feet. You said yourself, this is happening quickly."
"I don't have cold feet," she quickly assures her. "I'm ready."
"Okay, well, I'll leave you to finish getting ready." Hermione steps out of the room.
She walks back over to where she had left Draco, but he's not there. Her eyes scan the church, and he's nowhere to be seen.
"Are you looking for Draco?" Gregory asks, with Augusts sat happily on his lap.
"Yeah, have you seen him?"
"Pansy just came and got him for something important," he nods to the back of the church.
Hermione sighs, spotting Pansy stood outside the groom's room. "What's your wife playing at, Ron?" She leans over the pew behind where Ron is sat, looking positively miserable.
"I don't know," he shrugs.
"Did you just come for the party afterwards?" Gregory asks, and Ron smirks. The two men exchange knowing nods.
Hermione shakes her, leaning back in the pew, waiting for the ceremony to start.
Draco stands awkwardly against Blaise's dressing room door, where he was supposed to be ready for his own wedding. It's less than five minutes to eleven, and Pansy had come to tell him that Blaise was a mess and needed his best man to put him in his place.
"What's going on Blaise?" He asks, staring at the man only in his trousers, shirt and tie.
"I don't know," his best friend mutters.
Draco walks over to the couch, sitting down and patting for Blaise to do the same. "Talk to me."
Blaise sits down with a harrumph. "Everything's going wrong, and I don't know what to do." He explains.
"What's gone wrong?" Draco asks.
"Benji told me he loves me, and Pansy told me everyone hates my fiancé. Apparently, she's not the easiest person to be around," Blaise admits.
"Benjamin loves you?" Draco questions.
"Yep, told me about fifteen minutes ago."
"That does explain a lot actually." Draco nods.
"It does?"
"Yes, for one thing, it explains why he continues to allow you to call him Benji when he's expressed his hatred for the name. It also explains why he's so close with Pandora." Draco mentions.
"He said he loves her too."
"Of course, he does, he's lived with her for nine months, he's practically helped you raise her." Draco points out, and Blaise nods. "He's probably worried that when you move in with Cara, he's not going to see you and Pandora much. He's going to miss you."
"I'll miss him too, but he told me he loves me."
"I'm just theorising why he told you now, not the validity of his feelings," Draco says. "Now what did Pansy say?"
Blaise groans, "She went on about how Cara's been rude to her, and how 'exhausting' it is to be around my fiancé because she thinks my friends are weird. I can't exactly tell Cara 'hey, my friends are weird because we're magic, oh, by the way, magic exists, my daughter is a witch, and any of our future children will also be magic, I do'." He exaggerates.
Draco chuckles, "No, that's no the best vows I've ever heard," he jokes. "But Pansy is right about how difficult it is to be around Cara when we're constantly thinking about how we act and what we say. It can come across as rude, which I'm sure puts Cara on edge, and explains why she may act the way she does. You should tell Cara about the wizarding world." Draco states.
"Are you crazy?" Blaise's eyes widen.
"She'll find out eventually, when Pandora goes off to Hogwarts, or when you receive an owl." He points out.
"I explained the owls to Benji easily, I can explain it to Cara." Blaise shrugs.
"By blaming me, thanks," Draco smirks. "And what about Hogwarts. You can lie to your wife and tell her you're sending Pandora to the same boarding school you went to, but what about your future children? Will Cara want them to go away to school? Will Cara want to go with her children to send them off to school? How will you explain platform nine-and-three-quarters?" Draco asks.
"Alright, I get it," Blaise runs his hands down his face tiredly. "I have to tell her." He agrees. "I can't tell her now, two minutes before our wedding. I'll tell her on our honeymoon when the stress of today is behind us." He says earnestly.
"Good," Draco stands. "Now, you better finish getting ready, you've got two minutes." He smiles at his best friend.
Blaise picks up his wand, winking at Draco as he begins to clearly charm his suit jacket and shoes to put themselves on.
Draco chuckles, leaving him to it.
"What's happening?" Pansy grabs his arm as soon as he leaves the room.
"Pansy!" He gasps in shock. "He's getting ready for his wedding. We talked, and he's going to tell Cara everything on their honeymoon." He tells her.
"You were supposed to convince him to call the whole thing off." Pansy hisses at him.
"Will you leave him be?" Draco hisses, pulling his arm free from her grip. "I know you're worried about him. It isn't just your hatred of Cara that's pushing you, but Blaise has got a lot going on in his head right now, we just need to be there for him when he figures everything out."
Draco leaves her watching after him as he walks over to the church entrance, where he introduces himself to Cara's father. The two men shake hands.
"Best man, eh," he smiles. "You'll be walking my youngest down the aisle." He turns to find her and calls her over. "Chloe, come meet Blaise's best man."
"Nice to meet you, Chloe." Draco shakes her hand as well, as she walks into the church from outside. Behind her, he sees a man dressed in full Auror attire, cloak billowing out behind him as he storms towards the church, excitement apparent on his face.
"You too," she agrees. "Have you just been in to see Blaise? He must be nearly-" She begins to ask him something.
"Sorry, excuse me," Draco steps around her.
He glares at the Auror walking towards him, making him stop in his step. Draco pulls the church doors shut behind him. Everyone should be in the church already. The ceremony begins in five minutes.
"What are you doing in the muggle world dressed like that?" He asks the Auror.
"We have reason to believe there are five or more watch-listers together here," the Auror states.
"Yes, we're at a friend's wedding," Draco explains.
"I need to check the wands of everyone present." The Auror claims.
"I can give you the names of everyone present, but you are not going in there and making a scene in front of all those muggles," Draco tells him.
"Are you refusing to let me check the wands of those present?" The Auror asks, taking his notepad out.
Draco rolls his eyes, "Take it up with your department head, and I'll come to pay the fine tomorrow."
"I need the names of every wizard present?" The Auror asks.
"Myself, Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson, Ron Weasley, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, his mother and step-father, and then two children, Pandora Zabini and Augusta Goyle." He lists off.
The Auror writes the names down, then flips his notepad closed with attitude. "It's a twenty Galleon fine per person." He adds, then turns.
Draco grabs his wrist, stopping him mid-disapparation. "You can't disapparate here. Go off the church grounds."
The Auror glares at him but does walk down the driveway and out of the gates. Draco watches until he's out of sight, where the Auror has most likely disapparated away. He sighs deeply, turning around to find the doors open again and Cara's dad staring at him.
"Everything okay?" He asks.
"Everything's fine," Draco nods, walking back into the church.
"Is Blaise not ready yet?" Chloe, Cara's sister, asks, finishing the question he had interrupted.
"The ceremony doesn't begin until eleven," Draco reminds them.
"He's coming now," Cara's dad nods behind him.
"Finally," she mutters, turning to face him. "Very handsome," Chloe smiles.
Blaise chuckles as he walks over to his family-in-law, "Thanks, Chloe." He accepts her hug.
"Are you ready?" Cara's dad asks.
"Yes, thanks, Stephen." Blaise nods, glancing around for his mother.
Cara explained how her father was giving her away to him, which he found to be rather old fashioned, so he wanted his mother to walk with him. After much convincing, Cara had agreed.
"Blaise, baby," his mother hugs him. "My handsome boy, look at you," she squeezes his cheeks.
Blaise laughs. A hug from his mother is just what he needs to rectify the strangeness that this morning has brought so far.
"I'm ready," he tells her.
Stephen, Cara's dad, gives a thumbs up to the organ player at the front of the church, and music begins to play, bringing everyone sat at the pews to their feet. Blaise walks down the aisle with his mother's arm linked with his, smiling as though there's not a single negative thought in his head, waving and nodding at everyone as he passes. When he reaches the altar, he shakes hands with the vicar and partakes in small talk while they wait for the bride.
Draco stands awkwardly beside Chloe, who keeps comparing the flower arrangements, the dresses, the hymn choices, and just about everything to her own wedding.
"She's ready, she's coming," Cara's mother enters through the main doors of the church, having walked her daughter out of a side entrance so Cara could make a grand entrance through the front doors.
The bride's mother rushes down the side aisle, motioning for the organ play to begin again, and he does, this time with the wedding march. Chloe links her arms with his, pulling his attention to the task at hand. Slowly, they stroll down the aisle, smiling at the guests as they go. Hermione claps with a large grin when he passes her, and he winks at her, causing her to laugh. Behind him is the Cara's best friend, walking with Chloe's husband.
Blaise had asked Gregory to be a second groomsman. However, with Megan in America still, there wouldn't be anyone to take care of Augusta, so Cara had suggested asking her brother-in-law. Blaise had agreed, for lack of any other option.
When they reach the altar, Draco smiles and bows to Chloe, and they go their separate ways, Draco stands a few steps behind Blaise, facing the crowd. He spots Benjamin sat beside Al, Blaise's step-father, trying his best to keep a smile on his face, but it looks too strained. Pandora is sat on his lap, clapping her hands excitedly at the music.
Next down the aisle is a flower girl of unknown relation to the bride, since Draco hadn't paid attention when Cara had called him to go through the wedding service and his role.
Finally, Cara and her father start their slow march towards the altar. Draco hears Blaise's sharp intake of breath, but can't see his face to know if it's panic or joy.
Murmurs are heard around the church as guests gush about the beautiful bride. When Cara reaches the altar, she smiles shyly at her fiancé. Draco hears Blaise whisper "beautiful" as they embrace. He hopes the rest of the day will go off without a hitch. His friend deserves to be happy.
"Welcome, to the friends and family of Blaise and Cara, you may be seated." The vicar speaks.
The sound of shuffling erupts as everyone takes their seat.
Draco's mind wanders as his eyes take in the guests. The bride's side of the church is almost full, whereas Blaise's guests barely take up two pews. He wonders what Cara's friends and family think about Blaise and his lack of guests.
Everyone stands to their feet again, shocking Draco as the organ plays an unknown tune the guests burst into song. He mouths along, pretending to be singing, eye searching for Hermione's only to find her staring pointedly at Pansy and Ron, urging them to follow along with the hymn book. He smiles to himself, knowing Pansy is having a terrible time. Serves her right for making Blaise's day so difficult on what is supposed to be one of the happiest of his life.
The service continues in this format for another twenty minutes. Then, the vicar makes a speech, everyone stands to sing, then sits down for another sermon. Draco wishes he could sit, as his legs were beginning to tire from standing so long.
"If anyone here knows of any reason why these two should not be wed, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace," the vicar announces.
Draco thinks this is a strange thing to ask, but nevertheless, his eyes scan the crowd, along with Blaise and Cara's. His land on Benjamin, who's jaw is clenched as he waits, with the rest of the guests, for the vicar to move on.
"Now, Blaise and Cara, if you can turn to each other and repeat after me," the vicar states. "I, Blaise Zabini, take you, Cara Pussett, to be my lawful wife."
Draco frowns as he wonders if he had ever heard Cara's surname before, and he draws a blank.
"To have and to hold, from this day forward," the vicar continues.
"To have and to hold, from this day forward," Blaise repeats.
"For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." The vicar finishes and Blaise repeats.
Then it's Cara's turn to repeat the same verse, which she does with a large grin on her face and tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
The vicar starts another speech about love before announcing its time to exchange rings, which involves another verse, this time about love and fidelity. Loud applause breaks Draco from his thoughts as the vicar pronounces them Mr and Mrs Zabini and allows them to kiss. He claps along with the guests as the new couple are guided to the side of the church to sign the registration documents.
He's surprised by Hermione, pulling him into a hug. "You did great." She tells him, kissing him proudly.
"I think I missed most of it," he admits. "Do we go outside now and throw the rice?" He asks.
Hermione laughs, pulling him back towards the pews. "Yes, we can throw the rice once the newly married couple has left the church."
They meet Pansy and Ron, Gregory with Augusta, and Benjamin with Pandora at the back of the church.
"If I ever step foot inside a church again, it will be too soon," Benjamin mumbles as they leave.
Draco laughs, patting him on the back sympathetically. "Are you alright? You seemed upset earlier." He mentions quietly.
"I made a fool of myself, but I'll be fine." Benjamin grimaces.
"Did you bring rice?" Draco asks.
"No," Benjamin frowns.
"Here," he offers the other man a handful from his bag. "Aim for the bride." He says joyfully.
Benjamin laughs, "Thanks, Draco."
The guests all gather together, creating an aisle for the new couple to walk down to their family and friends can bless them with the rice. When Blaise and Cara Zabini finally exits the church, it's to more cheers and a rain of rice. Draco is amused to watch Benjamin hurl his fistful at Cara, not that she noticed, but he's sure it made the man feel better.
"Can we have some more? I want Pandora to have a go." Benjamin asks.
"Sure," Draco opens the bag.
Benjamin takes another fistful, walking off towards Blaise and Cara, where a wedding photographer is busy taking photos.
"Does Pandora want to bless her daddy?" Benjamin asks loudly, catching the photographer's attention.
"That'll be adorable," the photographer agrees, motioning for Benjamin to step forward with Pandora.
Benjamin offers the young girl his handful of rice, which she takes gleefully. "Throw it at daddy," he mimes, throwing the rice at Blaise. Pandora quickly catches on, throwing her tiny fistful of rice and clapping excitedly when it hits her dad, and he cheers.
All the while, the photographer is snapping candid shots.
"How about some family pics with the little one?" The photographer suggests.
Blaise takes his daughter, careful not to brush his hands needlessly against Benjamin's in the process. He's aware he's making the situation more awkward by not making eye contact with his friend. He needs time to process everything, and his wedding is not the time.
"Thanks, Benji," he smiles, before walking back to his wife, daughter on his hip.
"Ba, ba," Pandora reaches back for Benjamin, having grown comfortable in his arms for the past hour.
"It's alright, Benji is right there," Blaise shows his daughter. He looks up, seeing the pain in Benji's face, and has to look away.
"Hey, Dora," Benji smiles at the girl. "Are you going to take some pretty pictures with Daddy and Cara?" He asks.
Pandora claps her hands, struggling to turn around and hug her dad, "Da, da." She grins, and the photographer wastes no opportunity in snapping the cute moment.
Benjamin steps away from the scene, leaving the new family to bond as they begin their new life together.
A few minutes later, the photographer calls for the groomsmen and bridesmaids to join for a series of pictures. Hermione kisses him, pushing him towards the group and telling him to enjoy himself.
Draco stands beside Blaise, the other groomsman is stood with his wife on Cara's side, so he's left as the only member of the groom's party.
"Congratulations!" He whispers to Blaise.
"I did it," Blaise sighs.
"You did it," Draco agrees, both of them smiling at the camera through their conversation.
"No, Pandora," Cara snaps at the child.
Draco leans to see what the issue is to find Pandora gripping hold of some of Cara's bouquet flowers. Cara is trying to pry her little fingers off, while repeatedly telling her "no", in an attempt to salvage them.
Pandora starts screaming, ripping the head off one of the peonies in the process. Cara gasps, "No, Pandora, naughty." She lightly slaps the girl's hand.
The child's face scrunches up as a tantrum builds up within her. Much to Draco's surprise, he watches as the bouquet in Cara's hands begins to wilt.
"Don't hit her," Blaise frowns at his wife, complete confusion on his face.
"It's okay, it's fine," Draco coos at the toddler as she cries, staring at him over her father's shoulder as Blaise starts rocking her.
"It's not fine," Cara complains, along with the stamp of her foot. "They're supposed to look perfect for the pictures and look at them." She looks down at her own bouquet. She gasps at the sorry state the flowers are in now. "Look what you did," she holds the mess of flowers up for Pandora to see. The toddler turns to look at the woman talking to her, then makes another grab for the bouquet.
Blaise lets out a nervous laugh as he pulls his daughter back. "Let's go to uncle Draco."
Draco quickly takes Pandora, watching as she gently plays with the peony head in her hands. "Good girl," he whispers, kissing the back of her hand, where Cara had slapped her.
"Here, we can switch bouquets," Cara's sister, Chloe, suggests. "They're the same flowers; the only difference is size." She adds.
"Perfect," the photographer agrees, wanting to move on.
Blaise takes his daughter back for the photograph, and Cara turns, so her back is pressed back against her husband's chest, keeping her new bouquet away from greedy fingers.
After that series of photographs, Draco is dismissed while Blaise and Cara take pictures with her family and friends.
"That was eventful," Hermione states when he joins her in their small group of friends.
"She hit Dora," Benjamin says, jaw tight and eyes full of anger.
"I know," Draco rests his hand on Benjamin's shoulder firmly, just in case he tries to confront her.
"I saw you praise her," Benjamin grins.
"She's just turned a year, there's no point in shouting at her when she doesn't understand that her actions have consequences." Draco shrugs.
Fifteen minutes later, they're all called over for the bride and groom to take pictures with the groom's family and friends. Since Blaise's only family are his mother and step-father, it didn't take long for the family shots. Then the group of friends gathered around, smiling happily at the camera and posing in different positions, despite knowing the photos would be developed as stills.
Finally, they were finished and allowed to catch one of the coaches to the hotel where the reception ceremony would be held in their banquet hall. The coach ride is uneventful, as most wizards are nervous aboard the moving vehicle and keep quiet. Although, there is the odd comment how the coach is "nothing like the Knight Bus", which earns them shushes from Hermione, trying to distract Benjamin with a conversation on his studies.
Blaise's group of friends are shown to their table at the hotel. His mother and step-father are taken to the head table. Behind the table is a stage where a band has set up their instruments. The tables are circular, arching around the large room, leaving space in the centre for the dancefloor.
Benjamin excuses himself when they reach the table and smiles sincerely for the first time that day as he walks over to the corner of the room where a DJ's deck is set up. He hugs the man behind the deck, and they start an animated conversation.
"That's his brother-in-law," Draco clarifies for Hermione.
She turns back to the table, enjoying small talk with her friends while waiting for the bride and groom to arrive in their car. Pansy jokes along with them as though there an argument hadn't occurred a few hours ago, but every now and then, she stares at Hermione, reminding her they've not made up yet.
"Please stand, for the bride and groom," a man at the back of the room declares loudly.
The guests do as they're told, applauding as Blaise and Cara enter the room, Pandora waving from her position on her father's hip. The crowd "ahhs" and coos at the child as they pass towards the head table where the couple's parents are already waiting. On the way, Blaise passes Pandora back into Benjamin's care, and they join the groom's table of friends.
Draco had been happy when Blaise had told him one of his roles as Best Man did not include the usual Best Man speech. Neither of them was sure what funny anecdotes Draco could tell that wasn't wrapped up in magic.
Stephen stays standing when everyone else sits. He taps the side of his champagne glass with a spoon to gain everyone's attention so he can begin his father-of-the-bride speech. Draco is more interested in when the numerous waiters around the room had set the glasses of champagne in front of them.
At one point during the speech, Augusta starts fussing, so Gregory leaves the hall to not disrupt everyone. Draco mouths 'lucky' as he passes, receiving a smirk in reply, and Draco's convinced he must have upset his own daughter as an excuse to leave. As he begins to feel increasingly restless, Hermione finds his hand and starts massaging his fingers, giving him a distraction.
"This is making me appreciate our wedding more," Draco admits as the speech comes to an end and they all clap. "Up and down that aisle in less than two minutes." He grins.
"Shotgun wedding?" Benjamin wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, leaning over to join their conversation.
Hermione laughs, "No, you met Draco before we got pregnant. There were no speeches and no long vows," she explains. "Although I do hope you'll ask me to dance again." She looks at Draco hopefully.
"Of course, I will," Draco takes her hand, twirling her into his side for a kiss, before spinning her back out.
"Pansy and Ron, you must join us for a dance. It'll be like our wedding reception." Hermione suggests. "Although, I better not find you two snogging in the corner again." She teases.
Ron blushes as Pansy laughs, "We were awful, weren't we? We were also drunk, though. Not tonight though, one of us needs to be sober enough to app- to take us home," Pansy quickly corrects herself in the presence of Benjamin, sighing as she walks off.
"Is she alright?" Benjamin asks.
"Yeah, she's fine," Ron nods, following quickly after his wife.
The group sit at their table, talking amongst themselves. The other wedding guests seem to be avoiding their table, whether subconsciously, or because they had been warned. They weren't sure, and don't particularly care, enjoying their own company too much. Not before long, the starters are brought out, either a Caesar salad or a prawn cocktail salad. Hermione and Draco had ordered one each so they could share. The main course was lamb with vegetables and potatoes, and then dessert was either profiteroles or trifle. Again, they chose one each and shared.
"Look at them," Pansy stage whispers across the table, nodding to Blaise and Cara. "Remember when she wouldn't let him share any of her food at that restaurant." She grins.
"I'm not surprised," Benjamin mutters, gaining the table's attention. "Well, they've never spent the night together, if you get my drift, and the furthest I've seen them go was some open-mouth kissing on the doorstep."
Pansy frowns in disgust.
"Exactly, when you know and have experienced someone, intimately, sharing food doesn't seem as disgusting." Benjamin finishes.
Ron snickers and Pansy sends him a glare, "I won't share anything else with you."
"Sure," Ron rolls his eyes. "We both know where our mouths have been." He lunges at his wife, capturing her mouth in a kiss.
"Ron!" Hermione snaps at him, slamming her hand down on the table, feeling nauseous.
Both Ron and Pansy fall apart in a fit of giggles, looking away from each other in an attempt to calm themselves down.
The band starts playing a soft melody from the stage, as Blaise and Cara step onto the dancefloor, hand in hand, ready for their first dance. Once they're ready, the band begins with a song Hermione recognises from one of the Disney VHS' she used to watch as a child. At the first lines, Hermione recognises the tune as 'So This Is Love' from Cinderella. The song makes complete sense for Cara, as she had dressed up as the princess for Halloween and had styled her wedding dress after the film.
"Of course," Benjamin tuts, sipping at his champagne, seeming to have come to the same conclusion she had. He passes a piece of toasted bread to Pandora in a highchair.
Hermione makes a note to ask Draco if he knew what was wrong with the man since he had been acting strangely since they bumped into each other in the church. She knew the two men enjoyed texting each other their problems and issues about Cara and assumes this is one of those moments.
The first dance comes to an end with the bride and groom wrapped up in each other's arms, smiling as they kiss again, as Mr and Mrs Zabini. The band moves onto the next song, and the parents of the newlyweds join them on the dancefloor, along with Cara's sister, Chloe and her husband.
Draco stands, walking around his wife's chair. "May I have this dance?" He asks, holding his hand out as he bows.
"Yes, you may," Hermione bites her lip, trying not to ruin the moment as she takes her husband's hand and is led to the dancefloor.
"You wanna?" Ron elbows Pansy's arm, nodding to their friends, swaying together on the edge of the dancefloor.
"Fine," Pansy rolls her eyes, taking his hand and pulling him behind her to stand near Draco and Hermione.
The two couples enjoy a simple dance. Afterwards, a more upbeat classical piece begins, giving the singer time to rest her voice, but the guest can continue in their merriment.
"Let's show these muggles how to dance," Pansy grins, leading Ron into the traditional dance they had been taught for the Yule Ball.
"Do you remember the dance?" Draco asks, already leading her into the steps.
"Of course," she grins, taking his lead.
She sees Gregory standing at the edge of the dancefloor watching them, Augusta cradled in his arms as he sways to the music. Benjamin joins him with Pandora on his hip, holding one of her hands and gently rocking with her as she giggles in excitement. Hermione smiles, glad Benjamin seems to be enjoying himself now.
When the song comes to an end, applause rings out around the room as the band stops. Hermione notices for the first time that the rest of the wedding guests are gathered around the edge of the dancefloor, watching them dance in a circle around the floor.
In amusement, the four of them take an exaggerated bow, laughing together, as the rest of the wedding guests swarm onto the floor in time for the next song.
"Can we join?" Benjamin asks, dancing over with Pandora, passing the child to Hermione. "Have you seen her face?" He grins, nodding his head over to where Cara is glaring at them while dancing with her sister and best friend.
Draco throws his head back in a laugh, pulling Benjamin into their group. "She deserves it." He smirks. "Come with me." He nods at him and Gregory, gesturing them to follow him.
On the way, he wraps his arms around Blaise's shoulders, where he's talking to one of Cara's neighbours and leads him away. He ignores the eyes following after them as they approach the bar.
"Four shots, sir," Draco knocks on the bar, gaining the bartender's attention.
"No," Blaise shakes his head, stepping away.
"Come on, it's your wedding day," Draco convinces him.
"Fine," Blaise grins, and the rest of them cheer, the glasses of champagne with the toasts and dinner already affecting them.
The bartender places the shots down on the bar, taking Draco's money.
"No free bar?" Benjamin questions.
Blaise curiously tilts his head, "What's a free bar?" He asks.
"Seriously?" Benjamin asks. "It's a free bar. The drinks are free."
"Cool, where do we find one of those?" Blaise asks.
"Usually, at weddings," Benjamin winks, smirking as he takes his shot.
Blaise smiles, taking his own shot and wincing.
"You were supposed to wait," Draco tells them. "Quick, Gregory, we need to catch up."
The two men take their shots, and Draco holds four fingers up for more shots.
"Together this time," Draco stares pointedly at Blaise and Benjamin.
The four of them cheers, then down their shot, with a cheer.
"Blaisie, dear," Cara's hands wrap around his chest, pulling him to her side. "Don't have too many of those. I should hope you'd want to remember today." She kisses his cheek.
"It's just two shots," Blaise kisses her forehead. "I'm fine." He smiles at her.
"We all know that's a lie. You're such a lightweight, Blaise." Benjamin teases.
"You should have seen him at school after our exams," Gregory laughs, glad to be involved in the banter.
"Ooh, underage drinking, such a rebel." Benjamin winks, hollering the bartender to order himself a cider.
"We were seventeen," Blaise defends.
"The legal age is eighteen," Cara tells him, looking disappointed.
"It's seventeen in Scotland," Draco quickly interrupts.
Cara, seemingly bored of this conversation, tells Blaise she wants to introduce him to her plethora of cousins. Blaise rolls his eyes jokingly at his friends as he's dragged away.
"Poor bloke," Gregory shakes his head, taking a bottle from Benjamin, who has bought them all a round of drinks.
The three men gather back at their table, where Hermione is sat with Pandora, playing peek-a-boo. Pansy and Ron are still on the dancefloor, apparently having the time of their lives dancing and spinning around. Draco smiles, remembering Philip spinning around at his birthday party six weeks ago. Conversation for the remainder of the night remains casual as the sky darkens outside. By nine o'clock, Pandora is asleep in Benjamin's arms, head snuggled in the crook of his neck, content and comfortable.
"I better get this one home," Benjamin announces to the table. "Luna's coming to get her at ten." He adds, standing up.
Hermione stands to hug him, "We're just a phone call away if you need to talk." She tells him.
Benjamin quirks his head, looking panicked and confused. "I don't-"
"You've lived with Blaise and Pandora for nine months now, I'm sure it'll take time to become adjusted to living alone again." She explains.
"Oh, yeah, thanks," he hugs her back.
"Seriously, don't hesitate if you need a good rant," Draco smiles, hugging and patting him on the back.
Benjamin scans the room, trying to find Blaise so he can say goodbye to his daughter before he goes away for a fortnight on his honeymoon. Sighing deeply, he spots the man with his wife over by the doors, leading out to the hotel foyer.
"Blaise," he calls his name as he approaches.
His friend glances up with a grin. "Benji, how's my Pandora?" He peers at his daughter's face, finding her asleep.
"I'm taking her home," he tells Blaise.
"It won't be her home for much longer," Cara mentions, resting her hands on his shoulder, smirking at him.
Benjamin glances at Cara with a blank expression, not giving her the satisfaction of knowing she's getting under his skin. "She spent nine months of her life at my apartment, it'll always be her home." He tells her.
Cara turns to Blaise, kissing his cheek, "Say goodbye to Pandora and meet me on the dancefloor." She flirts, kissing him properly before sauntering away.
Blaise checks his watch. "It's already past nine!" He sighs, leaning back against the wall.
"You don't seem too pleased," Benjamin suggests.
Blaise's eyes are soft as he gazes at his flatmate and daughter. "I don't want you to go yet." He admits.
"It's not as though you've missed us," Benjamin states, knowing he's toeing the line.
"I know, I'm sorry," his shoulders fall. "Cara has a big family." He shrugs.
"And you didn't want to introduce your daughter to them?" Benjamin asks, growing angry.
"It's not like that, we got caught up," Blaise frowns, heat rising in his chest.
"Or she made sure you were kept away from Dora," Benjamin's voice is deep, but quiet, not wanting to wake the sleeping toddler.
Blaise grabs his arm, pulling him out of the banquet hall.
"Now Benjamin's gone, tell us what Blaise said before the ceremony," Pansy pulls a chair closer to Draco and Hermione.
Not wanting to miss out, Ron and Gregory follow, standing behind Pansy and Hermione respectively, waiting for the gossip.
"Really, here?" Draco asks, scanning around the room.
"Yes, there's six of us here, and we're all on the watch-list, when are we all going to be together again any time soon," Pansy mentions.
"Good point," Hermione nods, curious herself about the stranger behaviours of Benjamin after they saw him leaving Blaise's room in the church.
"Fine, but I'm not going to tell you everything," Draco gives in. "Blaise was in quite the state this morning, and I doubt he would have told me anything if he were thinking Straight." He explains.
"Whatever, spill." Pansy leans closer.
"Well, after your little visit to him," he stares at Pansy pointedly. "He was worried about how his life with us and his life with Cara will fit together. So I told him to just tell her everything."
"Are you crazy?" Pansy asks.
"That's what he said," Draco chuckles. "Cara's going to have to find out eventually, it's better Blaise tells her now, rather than later when they have children of their own." He clarifies.
"It can be a nasty shock when people find out," Hermione points out.
"But right now, with everything that's going on?" Ron questions.
"He's going to tell her on their honeymoon," Draco says. "So she has a fortnight to get used to it."
"I guess that's a good idea," Gregory shrugs.
"I'd love to be able to watch him tell her," Pansy sighs.
"Yeah," Ron and Gregory agree.
"Where is Blaise anyway?" Hermione asks, looking around for him.
"Probably with Benjamin and Pandora, making sure they get a taxi home." Pansy shrugs.
Blaise pulls Benjamin outside onto the grounds of the hotel, away from the other hotel guests waiting for a taxi on the driveway, where he turns abruptly on his friend.
Blaise points assertively. "I don't know what's gotten into you." He adds. "You tell me you love me on my wedding day and then spend the reception flirting with me and now you're bitching about my wife," he hisses.
"I wasn't flirting, I was trying to go back to normal." Benji hisses back. "Back to our playful banter, so it's not weird." He explains. "I've already apologised for the profession thing. I am sorry. I regretted it immediately." He admits.
"But you meant it?"
"Of course, I meant it, I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't meant it. I regret the timing." Benjamin clarifies.
"That's what Draco said," Blaise mutters.
"You told Draco?" Benjamin's eyes scan up to the windows of the banquet hall where the wedding reception is in full swing.
"I needed to tell someone," Blaise snaps. "I'm sorry," he sighs. "I've heard Cara can be a little difficult with some of my school friends. Is she difficult with you?" He asks.
Benjamin scoffs, "I'm gay, and she's homophobic, yes, it can sometimes get a little difficult. Usually, she's pleasant enough, though."
Blaise rubs his face, turning his back on Benjamin, "I'm sorry, I'll tell her she needs to do better. You're one of my best friends, Benji, and Pandora loves you." He turns back around. "You said it yourself, she'll always be able to call your apartment home."
Benjamin looks down at the child, "You both will. I'd do anything for Dora. She's a delight. You should have seen us on the dancefloor." He smiles.
"I did," Blaise smiles, admitting he had been watching.
"Did you even get a dance with your daughter?" He asks.
"No," his voice is small. "Cara loves her too." He adds, trying to persuade him.
Benjamin's anger rises, "Cara hit her." He growls. "And you let her."
Blaise frowns, "I told her not to hit her again."
"The fact she hit Dora at all should be concern enough. How do you know it's not happened before, or won't happen again, behind your back?" Benjamin snaps.
"I told her," Blaise repeats.
"Can you trust her to listen?"
"She's my wife," Blaise half-shouts, not wanting to wake his daughter.
"That's not an answer." Benjamin actually shouts.
Pandora startles awake, a cry escaping as she begins to sob into Benjamin's shirt. "I'm sorry, Dora," his voice grows softer as he comforts the girl.
Blaise steps forward, resting a hand on his daughter's back to calm her down. "Pandora, daddy's here."
Benjamin checks his watch. "Luna will be at our apartment at ten o'clock, I should get her home. She'll be fine once she's home and in her pyjamas." He tells Blaise.
Blaise nods, hand dropping from his daughters back. "You know you're still going to be a part of our lives, right?" Blaise asks him.
Benjamin breaks their eye contact, "Sure, I won't blame you when that inevitably fails."
"I'm sorry, Benji," Blaise steps closer, wrapping his arms around both his daughter and Benji.
Benjamin closes his eyes, taking in the moment of being close with the man he loves but can't have. As they break apart, Blaise presses a soft kiss to his cheek. Benjamin's eyes snap open.
"I'll see you in a fortnight?" Blaise asks.
Benjamin shakes his head, "Don't do that. Don't pity me." He says, turning and walking towards one of the taxi's waiting to take the hotel guests to their desired location.
Blaise watches his daughter and friend drive off. There's a deep sadness growing in the pit of his stomach as he can't shake the feeling that this was goodbye between him and Benjamin. Blaise glances up at the windows of the banquet hall, where his reception party is, to find his wife stood staring at him. He smiles, offering her a wave, but she walks away.
Cara walks away from the window overlooking the front gardens. Her husband and Benjamin have just had a rather heated discussion. She waits in the hotel foyer for her husband's return, and once he does, she guides him towards the lifts.
"Where are we going?" Blaise asks suggestively.
"I need a little break," she tells him.
They take the lift up to their floor and unlock the door to their suite.
"What were you and Benjamin arguing about outside?" She asks, sitting on the edge of their bed.
"It was nothing," he brushes the topic aside, sitting beside her where he gently rests his hand upon hers, on her knee.
"It didn't look like nothing." She glances down at their hands.
"It's fine, Cara."
"I know there's something you're not telling me," she pulls her hand free as she stands to pace. "I heard Draco telling those friends of yours that you 'were in quite the state' before the wedding, and you're going to tell me everything on our honeymoon." She tells him.
Blaise takes a sharp intake of breath as his heart begins to palpitate. He couldn't do it here. Not now. He lowers his head into his hands. There were too many thoughts in his head right now to tell her about the wizarding world.
"What aren't you telling me?" She snaps, stopping directly in front of him. "Has it got anything to do with your argument with Benjamin?"
"What? No, it's nothing to do with Benji?" He looks up.
"I wish you would call him by his name. His name is Benjamin." Cara states.
"Benji doesn't mind," Blaise shrugs.
"Of course he doesn't," she snidely remarks.
"What's that's supposed to mean?" Blaise frowns. Is this what Pansy had tried to warn him about?
"Come on, Blaise, you can't be that oblivious. He's obviously in love with you." She raises her voice.
"Who told you?"
"You know, and you still live with him." Cara turns up her nose.
"Yeah, what difference does it make? He's still my friend, and he'll get over it." Blaise shrugs.
"Well, I'm glad we're moving in together, so you can both get out of there," Cara claims.
Blaise shakes his head with a frown, "Why are you talking about him like that? I just told you he is my friend. Actually, you talk about all my friends like that." He says, recognising the intricacies of her speech now that Pansy has pointed it out.
"Your friends aren't exactly the friendliest people. Do you know how hard it is to get in with their group? I tried getting to know them, but they're so secretive." She argues.
"There's a reason for that," Blaise states. It's now or never.
"I get that you're all close because you went to school together, but it's not healthy being this dependent on each other." She claims.
"Let me explain," Blaise stands, the nerves getting to him and making sitting down impossible.
Cara crosses her arms, waiting for him to continue.
"Okay," he takes a deep breath. "The thing is, I'm a wizard."
Cara quirks her, eyebrow, "What?"
"I'm a wizard. All my friends are, besides Benji, and we went to a school for magic. Pandora's a witch too." He explains, an overwhelming sense of relief washing over him, finally being able to get his secret off his chest.
"I thought you were going to be serious, Blaise," Cara sighs, arms dropping to her sides.
"I am serious. I can show you," Blaise excitedly removes his wand from his suit jacket's inner pocket. "So, what's that supposed to be, your magical wand?" She scoffs a laugh.
"Well, yes, it is," he looks at his wand.
"Come on, Blaise, Witchcraft and magic don't organise in schools. They're evil. They sacrifice their children in fires and are as bad as those who are sexually immoral, adulterers and murderers." Cara tells him, leaving Blaise utterly in shock.
"You think I would sacrifice Pandora in a fire?"
"No, which is why I know you're lying, or joking." Cara smugly explains.
Blaise stares at his wife and raises his wand, watching a hint of fear and concern appear in her eyes as she follows its movement. "Wingardium leviosa," he swishes and flicks, pointing at one of his bags next to the bed. Slowly, and dramatically, the bag rises up and hovers directly in Cara's line of sight.
She looks a picture. Mouth agape, eyes wide, slowly stepping away from him and shaking her head.
"It fine, Cara," he cancels the spell, casting "Lumos," instead, lighting up the room. "See, we have a government too, and they say we're not technically allowed to perform magic in front of non-magical people, but you're my wife, and I want you to know. No more secrets." Blaise grins, cancelling that charm too.
Cara's mouth opens wide in a silent scream of absolute terror.
Blaise places his wand on the bed, figuring he'll appear less threatening without it.
"I know it's a lot to take in, but once you accept and understand this side of me, it'll be less awkward between you and my friends. They won't have to hide such a large part of who we are. I'm glad Draco convinced me to tell you now, instead of waiting until we have our own children, or when Pandora goes off to Hogwarts, that's our school." He steps towards her.
Cara stumbles backwards, into the wardrobe as a piercing screech escapes her mouth. Blaise rushes to her side, needing her to stop screaming before she alerts the hotel's other guests. However, when he tries to reach for her, she starts flailing her arms, attempting to hit and scratch him. Instead, he dives on the bed for his wand, casting a silencing charm around the room. This act causes Cara to scream louder.
"Cara! Okay, I've stopped!" Blaise shouts at his wife.
Cara's eyes are shut tight as she continues to scream, so Blaise sits on the bed, waiting for her to scream herself out. He doesn't want to get any closer to her for fear of her hurting him or herself.
Five minutes later, the screaming stops. Blaise looks at her to find her cowering on the ground against the wardrobe, breathing heavily in exhaustion, and staring at him.
"Do you want some water?" He asks, standing to fetch a bottle from the table of refreshments they had been given.
Cara starts screaming again as he moves, so he sits back down.
"I'm not going to move, I'll stay sitting." He assures her, and she stops screaming again. "I guess you believe me now." He sighs. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but there are decrees that stop us. Muggles don't exactly have a history of accepting us."
"Muggles?" Cara whispers for the first time.
"Non-magical folk, like you," he explains.
Cara shakes her head, "Can you stop?" She asks, voice quiet.
"Stop, what?"
"M-magic, stop using magic."
"I suppose I could stop, but it's an innate ability. I don't so much have magic as I am magic, it's a part of who I am." Blaise explains.
"Pandora, my flowers?" Cara asks.
"That was accidental magic; usually children are older when they have their first bout," Blaise admits, proudly. "I'll have to tell Luna," he thinks aloud. "It's exhilarating."
Cara's sob draws his attention back to her. Her face is buried in her hands as she curls up in herself. "I can't do this," she cries. "It's not fair. I can't be around magic. How can I live my life knowing my husband and step-child, and any of our own children would spend eternity in a fiery like?" She continues, glancing at him cautiously, tears streaming down her face.
"What are you talking about?" Blaise frowns. "A fiery lake?"
"Revelation 21:8, the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur." She speaks as though reading from a book.
Blaise's face falls as a chill, ripples through his body. He comes to the realisation that Cara will never be able to accept him or his daughter for who they are, and she was right, it wasn't fair, for either of them. He can't blame her for her beliefs since all of her life has been influenced by her religion. No more than he is to blame for his whole life being influenced by magic. It is just who they are, and he should have realised this long before the night of their wedding.
He reaches for his wand, rolling it back and forth between his fingers as he contemplates his next steps.
"What are you doing?" Cara asks, her voice breaking with the strain from sobbing.
"I don't know," he mutters truthfully.
Blaise knows what needs to be done, but he's unsure if he can bring himself to do it. He has to be brave, for himself, for his daughter and for Cara. He can't let her live the rest of her life knowing the things she now knows. He can't trust her not to tell anyone. If she were to tell her family, other religious people, he would be putting the entirety of the wizarding world's existence at risk.
Standing to his feet, wand firmly gripped in his hand, he raises the end to point at his wife's forehead.
"Don't kill me!" She screams.
His hand shakes as his breathing becomes laboured, and tears threaten to spill. He reminds himself to be brave, taking a shallow breath, he whispers, "Obliviate!"
It's a relief to see his wife's face slowly clear from all fear and uncertainty. She stands up, walking over to the bed and sits back down, now with a frown.
"What were you and Benjamin arguing about outside?" Cara asks.
Blaise takes a moment to think back through everything that has just happened to the beginning. "It was nothing," he tells her, sitting in one of the armchairs at the side of the room.
"It didn't look like nothing." She stares at him. "What's wrong, Blaisie?" She stands, walking over to him, but he jumps from the seat, away from her. "I know there's something you're not telling me," she announces. "I heard Draco telling those friends of yours that you 'were in quite the state' before the wedding, and you're going to tell me everything on our honeymoon." She adds. "Tell me now."
Blaise knows there's only one thing he can say. One thing that will end their marriage with an annulment and leave Cara judgement-free in the eyes of her family and religion. He doesn't want to ruin her life any more than he already has. He wants her to find happiness again.
"I cheated on you," he lies, softly.
Cara does a double-take, stepping away from him, "What?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to cause a scene this morning. I was going to tell you after." He tries to explain.
"Who?" She simply asks, glaring at him fiercely.
Blaise shakes his head; he can't name any of his friends and bring them into his lie.
"Luna?" Cara asks, crossing her arms. "I saw the way you were acting at the birthday party."
"I barely spoke to her at Pandora's party." He defends his ex-wife.
"Who then, Pansy?"
Blaise stops himself from an exaggerated overreaction of his nausea at the thought of him and Pansy sleeping together, "No!"
Cara's eyes widen as the answer seems to dawn on her, "Not Benjamin?" She asks, hand covering her mouth. "I saw you kiss him outside."
"On the cheek, Cara, and no, it's not Benji." He tells her, ignoring how he is less repulsed by that scenario. "It's no one you know; stop trying to guess."
Cara shakes her head, baring her teeth as she seethes. "It's over. You've ruined everything, I hope you're happy." She walks over to where her suitcase is ready for their honeymoon and picks it up. "I'll have the annulment papers sent to Benjamin's apartment." She tells him, opening the door to their suite. "I never want to see you again." She spits over her shoulder as she leaves, slamming the door behind her.
Blaise collapses back into the armchair, emotion overwhelming him as he cries into his hands. He wants to crawl under his bed covers is and cry until the world moves on and forgets all about him. He wants to go home.
Benjamin jumps slightly at the knock on the door. He has an unopened whiskey bottle on the table along with a takeaway menu, waiting for him as soon as Luna arrives to take Pandora. This must be her now.
He opens the door, stepping aside to allow the woman inside.
"Hello, Benjamin," she hugs him. "How was the wedding?"
"Awful," he admits, closing the door behind them. "Although I'm sure they enjoyed it."
Luna smiles softly, knowingly, making him wonder if she's aware of his feelings for her ex-husband. "Thank you for looking after Pandora all day."
"She's never any trouble." Benjamin smiles, looking down at the toddler asleep on the couch in her pyjamas. "I'm going to miss her a lot and Blaise. It's going to be lonely around here on my own." He sighs.
"Do you have any plans on Sunday?" Luna asks.
Benjamin frowns in confusion as he thinks, "No, why?"
"Pandora's going to miss you too. I don't want her going through too many changes at once. I read that's not good for children her age." Luna explains. "We should meet at the park and spend the morning together." She adds.
Benjamin abruptly pulls Luna into a hug, whispering, "Thank you," as she hugs him back.
"You're Pandora's family, Benjamin," Luna breaks their hug, bending to pick her daughter up.
Pandora turns to wrap her arms around her mother's neck, and in her sleepful state, snuggles into the embrace.
Benjamin opens the door for them, "I'll see you on Sunday, then." He smiles as they leave.
Wiping his eyes so he can see, Blaise stands to his feet. He can't show his face downstairs knowing Cara is probably crying to her parents about what she believes he did, so he takes the risk and apparates home.
Keys in hand, Blaise stands outside the door to his and Benji's apartment, unable to find the courage to unlock the door. He had ruined everything with Cara, but he wasn't sure how things were with Benji. The way they had left off in the grounds of the hotel a mere hour ago was open-ended. He had promised to see him in a fortnight, but how would Benji feel seeing him now.
The situation is solved when the door flies open, and Benji walks right into him, jumping back into the door as they yell in surprise at each other.
"Blaise!" Benjamin frowns, looking down at him. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I," he stutters, looking awkwardly down at his shoes. "It's over, Cara and me." He admits.
"What?" Benjamin blinks. "Not because of me?" He hopes beyond anything he hadn't caused the end of his friend's marriage, on his wedding day no less. He already felt bad enough.
"No," Blaise shakes his head, looking up at Benji. "It wasn't you. I needed to tell her something, I was waiting until our honeymoon, but she figured I was hiding something. So, I told her, and she didn't like it." He talks around the topic.
"What's so bad that she ended your marriage?" Blaise frowns, thinking about all the worse things in the world he could think of. "You haven't killed someone, have you?"
Blaise chuckles, "No, it's not that bad, it's not bad at all, but she has her beliefs, and I'm not going to blame her for that." He explains.
Benjamin nods in understanding. "Ah, like sexuality."
"Benji," he sighs. "I'm sorry that I didn't realise how bad she was with you."
"You were blinded by love." Benjamin smiles, still feeling awkward, unsure where the two of them stood with each other.
"I'm going to have to apologise to my other friends too." He admits.
"You're not going to tell me what you were hiding?" Benjamin asks.
"I don't think I can take any more rejection," Blaise shakes his head.
"You think I would reject you," Benjamin furrows his brows.
"I'm not risking anything else today." Blaise tells him.
"Well, I was just heading out to the pub to drown my troubles," Benjamin states.
"Sorry," Blaise sadly looks around, wondering if Benji's going to let him continue living with him.
"You want to join me?" Benjamin offers.
"I think I need it." He agrees.
The two men exchange a smile as they leave together, very much in need of enough drinks to forget the whole day.
You should follow me on Instagram (delilah . wise) to find out when the next chapter will be uploaded. Also, I might ask for more help for other chapters.
Thank you so much for reading.
Please FAVOURITE, FOLLOW and COMMENT. It will be much appreciated.