Draco locked himself in his room and refused to come out. He wanted to hide from the world, and especially from his parents. He refused to eat with them, preferring to have the elves bring the food to his room.

Lucius and Narcissa knocked on his door several times, worried because they sensed that something had happened to him, but after getting no response they decided to leave him alone, respecting his secrecy. Draco watched them walk through the gardens, arm in arm, inseparable as ever. Sometimes they would look up at the windows of his room, as if they were talking about him, but Draco hid from them behind the curtains, afraid of being judged.

He felt ashamed and depressed. He found it hard to believe that just a few days earlier he had hoped to rebuild his life, to deserve something good to happen to him. How could he have imagined that he deserved something like that? The nightmares, which had never ceased to plague him, were becoming more realistic and crueler. Now he saw his father being tortured before his eyes, and his mother being swallowed by Nagini. Draco tried not to sleep, tossing and turning like a prisoner in his cell, fighting against sleep and despair.

He was also avoiding Astoria. He knew she didn't deserve his unexplained silence, but it was for the best. He didn't want to burden her with the shame and guilt that came with him. Sooner or later, she would find someone who truly deserved to be by her side, and Draco... Draco would simply survive.

Astoria had tried to get in contact with him, sending frequent letters, but Draco had only answered those related to Manawa 's exhibition. He knew he was repeating the same pattern that had driven Pansy away from him, but at this point he was trapped in a vicious cycle that was impossible to break.

I don't deserve happiness.

He threw himself into work once more, communicating with clients through owls and house elves. He had returned to his behavior of years ago, shutting away, living like a hermit, afraid to set foot outside the house. He thought that if he kept working, if he focused on his clients and orders, everything would be fine. But at night the nightmares came back stronger, preventing him from resting, forcing him to remember. Sometimes he cried, when exhaustion and desperation got the better of him, but Draco gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and still refused to change.

He deserved it. He deserved all of this. There was no other future for him. He had been a hateful and despicable being. He had hurt others. He had watched while others suffered. And now he deserved to be punished for it. There was no other end for him.

When Narcissa knocked on his door two weeks later, she was greeted by a pale, haggard figure who stared at her with weariness and pain. However, instead of scolding him or worrying about him, as Draco had feared, Narcissa stepped aside.

"You have company," she announced briefly, and before Draco could react, Astoria entered the bedroom with determination and closed the door behind her.

It took a few moments for the young woman to take in what she was seeing. The room was in chaos, and parchments and packages were mixed in with dirty dishes and wrinkled clothes. Draco was suddenly aware that he had not showered or opened the window for days.

Astoria squared her shoulders and walked over to him, and Draco growled, expecting a speech like the one he would hear from his mother's lips.

You need to get out of your room. You need to eat more. You need to take care of yourself.

And yet, as always, Astoria surprised him.

"It's my birthday. Blaise is planning a big party on his new yacht. I want you to come," she declared.

"What?" After several days of not speaking, Draco's voice sounded like a growl. She opened her bag and pulled out an invitation printed on glossy paper with large cursive letters.

"It's next week, Saturday night. The dress code is formal, but you know how these parties are. You don't need to bring a gift; your presence is more than enough."

Draco stared at her, his mouth open, not understanding what he was hearing.

"Why?"

"Didn't you hear me? It's my birthday, and I want you to be there. I don't think I need to explain any further," Astoria crossed her arms. She looked frustrated and a bit upset. "If you don't go, I'll-" her voice shook slightly, but she managed to control herself. "Be on time."

And without saying anything else, she turned around and left the way she had come. And Draco was left alone, unable to understand what had happened, and unable to take his eyes off the invitation.

ooo

One chance, he had one more chance. It was so easy to blow it that Draco knew he would automatically try to sabotage himself. It was very easy; he just had to ignore the invitation and not attend the party. The rest would come alone. Astoria would be angry and disappointed, and she would never want to see him again.

And yet, Draco began to wonder what he would get Astoria for her birthday. That thought became his new obsession, driving everything else from his mind.

Of course, he had the typical list of must-have gifts: flowers, jewelry, perfume, accessories... but he wanted to go further. He wanted his gift to be something personal. He wanted to show her that he knew how to listen. Maybe he could even get her to forgive him. And the more he thought about it, the more he remembered the story Astoria had told him about her grandparents and the stolen book. If only there was some way to find it... Of course, that was an impossible mission. Too many years had passed, and it had all happened in another country. And of course, the book could have been destroyed at the last moment, in mockery or revenge.

But he had nothing to lose by trying.

Because of his job, Draco had a long list of contacts he could ask. He disguised his inquiries as work for a client's latest order, trying not to give away any clues that the item was a precious and personal object. One of his contacts in Knockturn Alley had friends who had lived in Austria during Grindelwald 's reign of terror. From one of them he obtained a reliable lead that would allow him to advance his investigation.

Emboldened and filled with an energy he hadn't felt in days, Draco filled out the relevant paperwork to travel out of the country. Because of his background, he needed a special visa every time he wanted to leave England. Of course, the Ministry was monitoring his every move, but this wasn't the first time Draco had traveled abroad for work. He had more items to track down, some more interesting than the Greengrass book, so he had no problems getting a visa.

Using the little time he had with his usual efficiency, Draco continued his search, camouflaging his interest in the book with the other objects on his list. And little by little, through questions, deals and bribes, he finally managed to find his target. Much to his dismay, the book had been damaged, and many of its pages were missing, but he managed to conceal his disappointment and get the copy for less than the asking price. And because of its poor condition, the Ministry workers barely paid it any attention as he went through customs, while they insisted on confiscating other items Draco had acquired on his journey. Accustomed to this kind of treatment, Draco protested and fought as he always did, but deep down he felt relieved. With the book in his possession, free of all suspicion, he traveled to Diagon Alley to try to restore it.

He turned to an old acquaintance of his mother's, an expert in restoration, and offered an exorbitant amount of money to return the book to its original state before Astoria's birthday. And finally, after obtaining the promise that the book would be ready on time, Draco allowed himself to relax, drinking tea on one of the terraces in Diagon Alley.

He hadn't done that since before the end of the war, and considering his mental state just a few days ago, it seemed surprising and ironic that he was able to do something like that, but he was relieved. He had accomplished something that seemed impossible, and he was sure that Astoria would be happy to have a piece of her family's history back. That reminded him that he had to go to the party, and the idea of being surrounded by people made him nervous. Could he do it?

I must go; Astoria wants me to go.

"Draco?"

A voice brought him back to reality, and Draco blinked in confusion, recognizing the figure before him. Pansy Parkinson was staring at him with a look of disbelief that turned into an unsure smile.

"Hello Pansy."

"May I sit?" Draco nodded, looking at his old friend.

Pansy was dressed elegantly, her dark hair carefully combed, her makeup perfectly applied. Her posture was more upright than he remembered. There was little left of the schoolgirl he had asked to the Triwizard Ball.

"How are you? We haven't seen each other in a long time," Pansy also seemed a little unsure and cautious, as if she didn't know what to expect from him. Draco didn't blame her; he remembered that they had last seen each other at Astoria's grandfather's funeral, but they hadn't spoken.

"I've been busy. I have a lot of work."

"So I heard," Pansy seemed to hesitate. "I'm glad to see you're getting on with it. I was worried about you."

Draco played with the teaspoon, turning it between his fingers. Fighting against himself, he decided to look Pansy in the face. It was time to face the past.

"I am sorry Pansy. I am so sorry. I'm sorry I ignored you and didn't answer your letters. You deserved an explanation; you deserved better than my silence," he confessed. "I can't fix what happened, but I'm so sorry for how I treated you."

She stared at him with her mouth open, completely stunned by his words. For a moment her eyes became moist.

"You hurt me so much, Draco," she admitted, her voice shaking. "I didn't know if I would be able to forgive you."

"I don't deserve it."

"I understand why you did it, but I wish you hadn't pushed me away like that. You didn't have to be alone."

"At that moment I didn't think I deserved anything else."

"You are so stupid, Draco," Pansy sniffed and blinked rapidly.

"I am sorry," he repeated, bowing his head.

"You say that, but is it true?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to change anything? Or are you going to disappear again as if we had never seen each other?"

"I... I can't go back to who I was."

"I'm not asking you for that. Can we be friends?" her dark eyes were fixed on him, pleading. "Do you think you can do that?"

"Of course I do," Draco wasn't sure, but he wanted to try. He couldn't fall into the trap of locking himself in his room again, isolated from the world.

"Are you sure? Will you come to my wedding?"

It was Draco's turn to look at her in disbelief.

"Are you getting married?" and for the first time he noticed the huge, ostentatious ring that Pansy was wearing on her finger.

"Theo asked me, and I couldn't say no," Pansy gave a shy smile.

"I am happy for you."

"We are very excited."

"I don't doubt it," Draco smiled. "I imagine your mother will be elated."

Pansy rolled her eyes.

"I'm just counting the days until I lose sight of her. She's taken control of the wedding."

"You can always elope and get married in secret."

"Don't tempt me," Pansy laughed and looked at her watch. "I'm running late, I have to pick up Astoria's present."

"Are you going to her party too?"

"Too?" it took Pansy a minute to understand his question. "Did she invite you in the end?"

"Are you surprised?"

"From what I understand, you were avoiding her."

"Who told you that?" Draco became defensive.

"It's just a rumor, Draco," but Pansy hesitated. ·She seems like a nice girl. Don't hurt her."

Draco wanted to protest but held his tongue. He knew Pansy was right; he had been avoiding Astoria ever since their disastrous date, and he felt guilty about it.

"I don't intend to," he muttered at last. Pansy clicked her tongue and stood up.

"I hope to meet you at the party. See you then."

Draco said goodbye to her, and watched her leave, feeling as if a terrible weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

ooo

Draco was transported by the invitation's magic to the party venue. Blaise's yacht was moored in the harbour, waiting for all the guests to arrive.

There were so many people there, and Draco wondered if they were all Astoria's acquaintances, or if Blaise had decided to use her birthday as an excuse to throw a party. He felt overwhelmed and a bit dizzy by the crowd, but he clenched his fists and took a deep breath. Astoria had asked him to come, and he wouldn't let her down. He pushed his way through the crowd, trying to find familiar faces. Finally, he recognized Daphne and walked over to greet her.

"Draco! You've come," she seemed surprised, but Draco didn't blame her. He wasn't even sure to be here.

"I can't say no to an invitation," however, he tried to smile, as if nothing was wrong.

"Astoria will be glad to see you... if you can find her," Daphne had to raise her voice to be heard. The noise of the conversations and music made it difficult to hear clearly.

"Do you know where she is?"

"She was just greeting guests, but it's hard to tell where she's gone now," Daphne tried to say something else, but was pushed aside. Draco waved his hand, indicating he was going for a stroll, and continued forward.

The yacht was huge inside, enlarged by magic, but it was so packed with guests that it was difficult to move. In the distance, he saw Pansy gesturing for him to come out on deck, and he decided to obey. After much effort, he managed to get outside, but instead of greeting him, Pansy pushed him forward.

"Keep walking towards those lights," she ordered in a tone of voice that did not admit a reply.

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

Feeling the push of her hands on his back, Draco had no choice but to obey, not knowing what Pansy intended. However, when he reached the indicated place, he understood.

"Draco!" Astoria smiled at the sight of him, and her whole face lit up. For a second, Draco forgot about the crowd around them, and focused only on her.

Astoria was wearing a daring green dress that clung to her body like a second skin. He had never seen her look so seductive, and Draco felt his mouth dry.

"Happy birthday," he managed to say. "You look spectacular."

Smiling, Astoria turned around to show him the back of her dress. Her hair was up, revealing the daring, plunging neckline of her back.

She's not wearing anything underneath.

Draco instantly regretted thinking that, knowing his traitorous mind could no longer focus on anything else. He forced himself to ignore the suggestive way her nipples were poking against the thin fabric and stared up at Astoria's glowing face.

"I'm glad you like it. It's green," Astoria's smile indicated that the choice of dress had been carefully planned, and suggested that he was the target of her selection.

That made him feel nervous, but at the same time it gave him confidence. He approached her so he wouldn't have to shout and could observe her closely.

"It suits you very well," he said, his voice slightly raspy. Astoria looked at him intently, biting her lip, and Draco felt again that energy he had noticed in Orchab Gardens. He wondered if it would be too bold to touch her. Perhaps he could use the excuse of the music...

"Here is the birthday girl!" Blaise had suddenly appeared, making his way through as if by magic, and somehow standing between the two. "You can't start the party without opening your present," he handed her a small gift box with the seal of a famous jewelry house.

Let it not be a ring.

To her relief, Astoria revealed a thin chain of silvery metal from which hung a small, round aquamarine.

"It's very nice, Blaise, thank you very much."

"I told you that you had to trust me. It's perfect. Please, allow me," and without waiting for an answer, Blaise took the pendant and proceeded to put it on, letting his hands touch Astoria's exposed skin more than necessary. As he did so, he looked at Draco mockingly, as if daring him to do something.

However, Draco felt more reassured than he would have expected. Blaise had no doubt hoped to make him jealous in some way, but Astoria had already made it clear that she was not interested in his attentions, and that gave him enough reassurance to remain unmoved. If anything, it was the knowledge that she felt uncomfortable being touched without permission that bothered him, but Astoria was able to pull away from Blaise and again thank him for his gift in a polite but formal manner. Her eyes didn't shine as she smiled, and she didn't bite her lip either.

Blaise didn't take notice.

"Enjoy the party, I hope we can dance later."

"I think I know what I'm not going to do today," she muttered through her teeth, faking a smile, as he walked away.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked, studying her body language.

"Yes, don't worry, this is normal."

"It shouldn't be."

"I'm fine," she insisted, raising her eyebrows to emphasize her words. Draco accepted her answer, and trying to get Blaise out of his mind, looked at the pendant.

"Is it something special?"

"The stone was part of my grandmother's wedding ring; I inherited it when my grandfather passed away. The ring was too big and not my style, so Blaise offered to redesign it," Astoria touched the gem gently. "Now I can carry my grandparents with me all the time," she smiled.

"I hope it brings you luck," Draco quickly dismissed his jealousy. It was clear that the pendant was a very special sentimental item for Astoria, and he was glad that she could have a piece of her loved ones. "Can I give you your present?" he asked shyly, nervously anticipating the moment to hand her the package.

"You don't have to ask my permission," Astoria scoffed.

"Maybe it would be better to go somewhere quieter. It's delicate and could be damaged easily."

"That's going to be difficult; we can't go down to shore now," Astoria observed, pointing to the distant lights of the harbor.

"I know where we can go. Follow me."

Draco led her through the yacht's corridors to the only room he knew would be empty. Blaise's bedroom was the crown jewel, and as such, it was locked tight. But Draco, who had been in charge of delivering the decorations, still had the password, and Blaise hadn't bothered to change it.

"Merlin," Astoria murmured, looking around, noticing the handcuffs hanging from the headboard, and the various items that could be used intimately. "What kind of bedroom is this?"

"You should see the secret trapdoors. They won't leave you indifferent."

"Are those sex toys?"

"And there's much more. Behind that panel is a special coach that can be used by several people."

"I see you're quite the connoisseur," she mocked, eyeing him warily.

"Not at all, I just provided what he asked me for. I haven't used any of this."

"Anything?"

Draco hesitated. He didn't know if Astoria was asking about a particular preference, or just any kind of sexual act. However, there was little point in lying or exaggerating.

"I told you I haven't dated anyone since I finished school," he confessed, somewhat embarrassed. "That includes... you know."

"That's not a bad thing," Astoria softened her voice, with no trace of mockery on it. "And it's not something that can't be remedied."

Draco gulped, feeling hot again. Astoria's gaze left little doubt as to what she meant, and again, the sight of her body barely covered by that thin green fabric provoked sensations he couldn't ignore.

You haven't even kissed her.

That was true, as much as he wanted her, he didn't know where to start. He didn't want to make a mistake. And besides, Blaise's private bedroom didn't seem like the right place.

Clearing his throat, Draco struggled to gather his thoughts.

"I wanted to give this to you. I hope you like it," from his pocket he took out a package wrapped in blue wrapping paper, which increased in size when it was released from its spell.

Curious, Astoria carefully opened her gift, not understanding what it was. Opening the book to a random page, she looked at the carefully bound drawings of the plans. Her eyes widened in surprise and wariness, not daring to confirm her suspicions.

"This is-"

"Look at the first page."

And there, handwritten, a dedication marked the authorship of the book.

"To my dear Augustus. I hope we can build our future together. I love you... Oh Merlin," Astoria hugged the book to her chest, staring at Draco with her mouth open and her eyes wet. "How did you do it? Where did you find it?"

"That's a secret," he smiled. "I'm afraid there are some pages missing, but it's the closest I could get to its original state. I hope it can remain in your family for many years to come."

Astoria was unable to speak, she was so emotional. Holding back her tears, she hugged Draco, who responded silently, glad to have been able to contribute to her happiness.

He felt satisfied knowing that he had given back to Astoria such an important part of her family's past, and at that moment he didn't care about anything else. It couldn't be more perfect, that night Astoria had recovered two objects that had belonged to the people she loved the most.

Wiping her face and laughing, Astoria pulled away from him, composing herself.

"It's the best gift I've ever received," she smiled. "My father won't believe it when he sees it. We thought it was lost forever."

Draco watched her carefully shrink the book and put it into her bag.

"I hope this proves my skills as a purveyor of art and exclusive items," he joked.

"I never doubted your abilities."

Once again, her smile lit up everything. His heart was beating fast just to see her smile.

They were still close by, and they were alone. It seemed like the perfect moment.

Kiss her.

Very cautiously, Draco approached her. Astoria seemed to guess his intentions and slightly tilted her head back, her lips parting. That energy that twisted his stomach as if it were full of butterflies was present again. They looked into each other's eyes and seemed to reach a decision.

He was going to kiss her. He was finally going to do it.

Draco leaned in, wetting his lips. Their noses brushed gently, awkwardly. He could anticipate the heat of Astoria's labored breathing. He watched her eyes close expectantly, her body arching toward him...

And then the door opened.

"There you were. Your sister is looking for you. She has the cake and candles ready," Blaise looked at them condescendingly, guessing what was going on. For the first time, Draco could not hide his expression of rage and hatred, which the other ignored. "Should I tell her to wait?"

"No, I'm coming," Astoria looked irritated and hurried out of the bedroom. Blaise didn't follow her, but instead looked at Draco mockingly.

"Are you using my private room, Draco? I wasn't expecting that from you."

"It's none of your business."

"That's true, it isn't. But I'll have to change the password. Nobody likes having their things messed with," he smiled coldly and mockingly, and Draco clenched his fists but bit his tongue. Without falling for the provocation, he left the room and headed for the main hall. There, in the middle of all the crowd, stood a gigantic cake covered in candles. Daphne led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday, and Astoria did her best to blow out all the candles at once.

After the usual applause, she accepted the glass offered to her by the host and toasted her sister and her closest friends. Fixing her eyes on Draco, she emptied the glass in one gulp. Draco promised himself that before the night was over, he would meet her again, alone. And this time no one would interrupt them.

But it wasn't that easy.

The music got louder, the lights went out, and only the magical reflections illuminated the rooms. The guests continued drinking and dancing, and the party became crazier. Draco was pushed and lost sight of Astoria. He was backed up against a wall, unable to move, enduring stomps and the sudden wetness of drinks accidentally spilled by the dancing crowd. Everyone was moving and shouting around him, making a deafening noise. Someone had climbed onto the grand piano, shouting and waving their arms to the music.

Draco closed his eyes, holding a hand to his chest. It was too loud, and he felt increasingly dizzy and confused. He couldn't stand the volume of the music and the smell of smoke. For a moment, other screams came back to him. Screams of pain, piercing and horrendous. Screams he couldn't forget and that kept him awake at night. Screams that...

A hand touched his shoulder, bringing him back to reality. He turned to see Pansy and Theodore Nott.

"Draco, are you okay?" she asked, her expression worried. Draco realized that he was sweating and shivering. His distress must have been so obvious that even Theodore had placed himself protectively in front of him, to block with his body any people who passed too close.

"Yes, don't worry, it's the noise."

"We are leaving now, we don't feel comfortable here," Pansy had to shout in his ear to be heard. "Do you want to apparate with us? We'll go somewhere quiet."

Their expressions were sincere and free of malice, they seemed genuinely concerned for him. Draco was tempted to take them up on their offer, but he wanted to say goodbye to Astoria before he left.

"I'll stay a little longer," he called out. They insisted, repeating their offer, but Draco stood firm in his decision. Pansy and Theodore nodded and said goodbye, pushing off through the crowd.

Draco searched everywhere for Astoria. He ran through the various rooms, being pushed and gritting his teeth to keep from panicking again. He looked in the bedrooms, where the more passionate couples had retreated to take things to another level. He searched the hallways and the bathrooms without success. Then he saw Daphne, accompanied by a boy whom Draco recognized as a former Ravenclaw student. She was fanning herself and wiping the back of her neck with a wet handkerchief.

"Are you okay?" he asked, noticing her distraught expression.

"I'm having heat stroke. There are too many people in there. I think the party is getting out of hand," Daphne's expression revealed that she was not comfortable with the new environment.

"Do you know where Astoria is? I'd like to say goodbye to her."

"I don't know, I haven't seen her for a long time."

"I think I saw her heading down that hallway," the other boy pointed out. "But I could be wrong. It's difficult to see anything."

Draco recognized the hallway, for it was a quick route to Blaise's private chambers. For some reason, he felt uneasy. Pushing through the crowd, he made his way down the hall.

That area of the yacht was much quieter, due to the spells Blaise had put in place. Only those authorized could be there, but he must have forgotten to block Draco, because he was able to get to the end without any problems. However, just as he had expected, the bedroom door was locked with a new password. Draco looked around; there was nowhere else Astoria could be, if she really had disappeared down that corridor. He had to check his suspicions.

There was one thing Blaise didn't know, and Draco hadn't bothered to tell him. As the person responsible for the design of that room and the rest of the yacht, Draco had been obliged to follow safety regulations and had installed an emergency release on the door. Unlocking the lock manually, Draco rushed into the room, finding Astoria. She was alone, lying on the round bed, and seemed to be asleep.

Draco approached her, shaking her and calling her name. He noticed that her skin was cold and clammy to the touch. Finally, Astoria weakly opened her eyes and seemed to recognize him.

"I don't feel well," she moaned pitifully.

"I'm taking you home," remembering to pick up her bag, Draco picked Astoria up, slinging an arm around her shoulders, and staggered with her to the dressing room. That was one of the points on the yacht from which one could enter or leave by disappearing.

He managed to appear with Astoria in the lobby of the Greengrass London, and he walked forward with difficulty, trying to hold her up without letting her fall. The workers at the reception looked at them in alarm, recognizing the young woman.

"She needs help! Call a healer!" Draco felt Astoria's legs give way and she collapsed against him. He picked her up to stop her from falling to the ground.

A worker rushed over, worried.

"Should we call Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass?"

"Healers first, I don't know what's wrong with her."

"Take her to her room. Help will arrive immediately," Draco looked at the young worker, and for some reason, his instinct made him think about what he was doing.

"What is your name?" he asked her.

"July."

"Please, come with us," he didn't know why he did it, but a part of Draco knew that he should ask for help and not stay alone with Astoria for anything in the world. July looked at her colleagues, but agreed to his request, and followed them to the elevator.

At the apartment, they carried Astoria to the bed and tried to arrange her as best as possible.

"She is burning," Draco observed, touching her forehead. "I'll get some water."

He rushed into the bathroom and soaked a towel in cold water. As he did so, he heard July exclaim.

"Miss! Miss, please don't do that."

"What 's wrong?" Draco returned with the soaked towel in his hand.

"She doesn't listen to me!"

Astoria shook her head, as if dreaming, and tried to undress by pulling the straps of her dress aside. July and Draco stopped her by holding her hands, calling her by her name. Astoria opened her glassy eyes, and recognizing Draco, smiled lazily. She seemed to be drunk.

"Touch me. Fuck me," she moaned, writhing.

"What? No!" stunned, Draco took a step back, as if he had been electrocuted. He did not dare to touch her. Astoria moaned again, caressing herself sensually over her dress, looking at him with a lost gaze.

"I want you to do it. Fuck me."

Terrified, Draco looked at July.

"I'm going out into the living room. Please keep her from hurting herself."

July tried to protest, but Draco ignored her. He couldn't stay here anymore, not only because the situation was so awkward, but because he knew something didn't look right. However, shortly afterward a team of healers and several hotel workers poured into the room. Draco motioned toward the bedroom without saying anything, worried and relieved at the same time. He didn't know what was going on in the room, but he hoped they could help her.

"Mr. Malfoy, please come with us," surprised, Draco realized that there were three wizards in Ministry uniforms standing in front of him. They didn't have their wands in their hands, but they were on guard.

"I haven't done anything," he protested.

"We beg you not to make it any more difficult for us," but from his tone of voice it was clear that this was not a plea.

Draco looked back towards the bedroom and took a deep breath. Astoria was in good hands; he had to trust that they would be able to help her. Resigned, he decided to obey.

He didn't know it yet, but that night would be very long.

It seems that the second date was no better than the first. Fate is not willing to make things easy for this couple.

Don't forget to vote and comment!