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Pureblood society had rules, well defined rules. From how one should act and speak to who they should associate with or marry. Traditionally, matches were decided for individuals at birth and signed in magical ink by the parents or head of the house, whoever it might be. Some more modern houses chose not to follow this path, but they were a minority. Powerful houses always searched for the best match, politically, financially and reputationally. There were houses who married cousins or even worse, siblings, in order to ensure the purity of the blood.
Marriage contracts simply had no loophole to opt out of it. Once a match was decided, there was no going back, the only way out of the marriage contract was if 5 years passed and there were no children of the union, then both, man and woman were free of any repercussions. This way it was ensured that no part involved would lose money or their life. Back in the day, when wizards were more primitive and had slightly different rules, if one ran away from their obligation, they would be hunted down. Nowadays, it was simpler than that, it was stipulated that no other marriage was going to be recognized than the one for which there was a contract signed. Their children will not be recognized as heirs of their house, nor their grandchildren. Thus, the direct bloodline would perish, the head of the house being given to distant relatives.
*******************
Astoria knew from a young age who her match was. Her parents made sure to educate her to be perfect for the role of a Malfoy wife. She wasn’t sure why this match didn’t go to her sister Daphne, but she never complained, not after she met Draco Malfoy. From the years she saw him at Hogwarts she liked how proper he looked, even though his behaviour left a sour taste in her mouth. He would grow out of it, that’s what her mother said after her second year as a Hogwarts student. Astoria couldn’t deny the fact that she waited for that improvement and waited for them to court. He seemed like he was always trying too hard to impress someone. When he was awake and Astoria didn’t doubt he did it in his sleep, as well.
Then war came, rumors and certainties made her parents take both her and her sister and move them to France to continue their studies there, away from the darkness that took over England. But not before the marriage contract was signed by both heads of the houses, Narcissa in the absence of Lucius.
She didn’t give Draco much space in her head, it was clear they were meant to be and, until that point, she took joy in doing whatever she was allowed to do before her life as a wife would start. It was unusual for Pureblood wives to work, so even though she enjoyed potions, Astoria didn’t think to move forward with her studies in order to have a career. It was frowned upon, she listened to her mother berate her sister Daphne about this one time.
One year after Astoria finished her studies and the wizarding community regained strength back in England, her parents decided that it was finally time for her to start her new life. Narcissa Malfoy invited them over for lunch and tea. It was a quiet affair, besides their parents chatter regarding the upcoming wedding. Her interest wasn’t in the plans regarding the spring wedding “because why wait, they are a lovely match!” ; her interest was in the tall blond wizard that stood opposite of her at the table.
Draco Malfoy had changed. A lot. He had gotten taller, his face sharper than before and his hair was no longer filled with gel. His attitude no longer screamed “watch me and see who am I”, instead he was quiet, eyes filled with indifference and his answers were short and direct. Draco left no room for small talk, not even when her father tried to know what he worked at in the Ministry.
Astoria didn’t understand why a man of his power wanted to continue working in the Ministry, but this only meant one thing: that Draco Malfoy from Hogwarts was no more. Instead, her soon to be husband was a man who held his ground, who didn’t let others intimidate him and didn’t have to demand respect, but inspired it.
Something stirred inside of her and in that moment Astoria knew she wanted more of him.
*******************
As per their agreement, or better said, their parents’ and her agreement, Draco only grunted an approval before he took his leave: they would have to date. Unchaperoned, because they were already old enough and almost married to each other.
Dating Draco Malfoy meant dining in fine establishments, asking questions and getting short answers. He only touched her when he air kissed her hand, Draco didn’t close the distance between his lips and her hand. Even when guiding her to the table, he didn’t touch her lower back, or any part of her for the matter.
During one of their dates, she touched on the subject of his job, baiting a reaction out of him, maybe giving her more than a five-word sentence, “I think it’s wonderful the fact that the Ministry is allowing you to work there. It only means that children are not punished by their parents’ mistakes.”
She only meant it as a way to show her support and happiness over the fact that children were not punished instead of adults who pushed others to do their bidding. Instead, she was met with his harsh eyes, almost silver in the candle’s light.
“Funny.”
His voice held no amusement in his one-word statement so she asked him, “What do you mean by funny?”
“I mean that you speak of children being punished by parents’ mistakes as if we are not living it right now by having to go through this charade.”
It was the longest sentence he had spoken to her and with it Draco Malfoy told her all she needed to know about his feelings regarding their pending marriage. Astoria didn’t approach any kind of subject that night and expected nothing of him by the end of their date. He didn’t even force himself to fake kiss her hand.
That night, while sitting in her bed, Astoria wondered if there was a place in Draco’s life for her besides what their parents created for them.
*******************
Astoria visited her sister one day, who lived alone until her betrothed finished his Mastery and they could get married.
“I heard a rumor,” Daphne said as she turned the pages of a fashion magazine.
“A rumor?” Astoria sipped her tea watching her sister carefully.
Daphne closed the magazine, the Golden Trio smiled at her from the cover, “Draco may or may not have his eyes set on someone.”
That made Astoria pause. “What?”
“Apparently, he has changed a lot. At least that’s what Pansy and the boys said.”
Boys being Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini. It was weird how the four of them were a group; back at Hogwarts they weren’t even close, except for Pansy and Draco. They would occasionally ask Daphne to join them in their outings, but never when Draco was present. Astoria hadn't met them yet. Doesn’t know if she will. Maybe at a social function.
“He is … different.” She agreed quietly, “but what do you mean about having his eyes set on someone? Someone like who?” Her heart started beating faster as each second passed.
“I heard some friends talk about seeing him out with a woman some weeks ago,” Daphne said with a frown, “that woman was obviously neither you, his mother or Pansy.”
“Maybe it was someone from work?” Astoria asked, heart still threatening to burst out of her chest.
“At night? What a nice coworker!” Daphne berated her, she knew. But Astoria didn’t want to think about someone else in Draco’s life. That would make things hard.
“I’m sure your friends are exaggerating.”
With that, Daphne kept her mouth shut, only throwing her a look and shaking her hand.
Astoria’s hands didn’t stop trembling not even hours later.
A woman. Coworker. Eyes set on someone.
He heard his voice in her head, calling their dates and engagement a charade.
She needed to find out who that someone might be. It was only fair to know if there was another woman in his life.
Astoria wouldn’t stand to be humiliated.
*******************
Astoria knew it wasn’t the way to do this, but his words and cold demeanour made her do it. With a basket in her hand, filled with food, Astoria made her way through the Ministry.
The Greengrass name always made things easier for her, as they did not approve of Voldemort’s ways and were neutral in the war. Cowards. That is what some of them called. The pureblood families. But Astoria had both of her parents and sister alive, the rest of the opinions were just noise in the background of her life. Rumors and whispers would always follow her now that she would soon be Mrs. Draco Malfoy.
She put on her best smile and knocked on the door that had his name on the plaque, entering without waiting for him to answer. There were six people occupying the room, including Draco, all of them turning their heads towards her. Three people stood out to her in the small crowd, but none were too happy to see her.
“Didn’t you lock the door?”
It was Pansy that asked the question in an irritated tone, “Nice to see you too, Pansy!” Astoria greeted her, trying her best not to let the other witch intimidate her.
Pansy raised an eyebrow and was ready to reply before someone interrupted her, “Apologies, can I ask who you are looking for?” A tall man, with kind eyes was the one to address her.
“My betrothed, Draco. I’m sure you are all familiar with him!” She laughed softly, trying to enlighten the mood.
Astoria saw Hermione Granger take a deep breath as she started to gather all the papers in her hands, “Let’s go then, it is almost lunch time and we’ve been here since morning.” Her voice was almost a whisper, but everyone took it as their cue to stand up and leave the room.
Draco watched the muggle-born witch, not even sparing Astoria a glance. He reached out to touch her arm but the other girl avoided his touch. Draco's jaw hardened. Astoria inhaled.
Coworker.
Hermione Granger was the first to leave, followed by the other three men. When Pansy was near her, Astoria spoke, “I didn’t know you worked in the Ministry, Pansy. Daphne never mentioned it.”
Maybe the reaction the witch gave her before was just because of her irritation caused by being disturbed while working. But when Pansy’s eyes landed on her and her mouth curved downwards, she knew it wasn’t it.
“I don’t work for the pigs here.” Slicing. “I’m just giving my friends a hand to get rid of a problem.”
The brunette witch walked without another word directed to her and she understood it clearly.
Astoria was the problem.
Charade. Wasn’t that what Draco had called it? He was trying to get rid of her.
“Charming.” She said between her teeth, turning her attention towards Draco she asked him, “Hungry?”
He waved his hand and Astoria had to get out of the way so the door wouldn’t hit her. Draco turned his back towards her, shoulders rigid. “What are you doing here?”
Draco addressed her without turning and Astoria let her face fall, “I brought you lunch. That’s it. I was curious where you worked so I asked myself why not come and see you. But by your reaction I see it was a mistake.”
A humorless laugh left his body, “I thought I made myself clear when we last spoke, what I think of this.” He turned around and his gaze was cold, “Please don’t ever think it is a good idea to invade my space in my office while I am doing my work.”
It was turn to share his humorless laughter, “Of course you made yourself clear, but seeing as we are in this together no matter what, maybe it is time for you to leave your nasty attitude for other people.”
“Please leave and don’t come back here.” It was all he said to her and with a flick of his wrist, his door opened for her.
Astoria could hear people leaving, as if they had been listening at the door. Humiliated by the revelation that everyone knew what they had was nothing more than a charade in Draco’s eyes, she turned and left his office and the Ministry.
*******************
She didn’t reach out or see Draco until they had to attend lunch with their families. Daphne was also included in this luncheon. As was Theo, curiously enough. Draco ignored her, Astoria ignored him. It all went well until Narcissa made an ill observation regarding muggle-borns, but using a kind of language that even Astoria disapproved of. It all went downhill from there.
Draco stood up, throwing his chair back because of the sudden move, full of force. It was clear then, for her. Draco Malfoy had changed for the better, but it meant nothing as it was not in her advantage.
A screaming match started between mother and son, she had never seen Draco that affected. Not even when he was younger and Harry Potter would get on his nerves. Not even when the mudblood , as he had called Hermione Granger in their youth, would best him in all subjects.
Theo had to physically restrain Draco from advancing towards his mother, trying his best to silence him from saying too much. Her parents were horrified while Daphne tried to keep Narcissa seated.
It was a disaster, truly, Narcissa knew where her son’s eyes wandered and yet she didn’t do anything to stop this madness, sentencing both of them to be miserable.
That’s how her life would be if something didn’t change.
Miserable.
Sharing it with a man pinning for someone that was not her.
*******************
Their first social debut as a couple was at the Ministry’s Christmas gala, it should have been an important event for them, but Astoria could only wait for it to be done. They were awkward next to each other, Draco kept his distance from her and didn’t touch her, just like during their dates. There were a lot of people invited, more than she thought there would be, it was a mix of everyone. She was surprised to see Theo, Blaise and Pansy in attendance, each one of them were a plus one, like her.
Draco accompanied her for maybe ten minutes before he left her side, probably to find his someone . Astoria didn’t know what to do or how to approach the situation. Her mother was getting on her nerves, after the fight that had occurred at Malfoy Manor some time ago, she was all the time in her hair trying to give Astoria advice on how to win Draco’s heart.
How does someone win something that is already in possession of someone else?
Her soon to be husband didn’t even look at her like she was a person, it was more like a problem that needed to be removed from the equation. Just as Pansyhad said. Astoria was sure that they were looking for a way to break the contract and seeing as the time was passing by, there had been no success. She truly had no idea how to feel, happy or sad, relieved or worried? What would having another woman in the equation mean? would Draco take her as a mistress?
Astoria’s eyes fell on the Golden Girl who was in the middle of the room with her friends and her Draco. She studied the muggle-born witch and observed her dress colour with interest, realizing that it was the same colour as Draco’s tie. Emerald green .
What in the heavens?
She quickly averted her gaze from the couple, eyes landing on Pansy Parkinson who was looking at her with a smile on her face. The pureblood witch raised her glass, as a toast, but Astoria knew she was goading her.
Poor little Astoria dressed in a black dress so she would match Draco no matter what colour he wore.
She flashed a smile towards Pansy before turning and leaving for one of the hallways. Suddenly her chest was feeling stiff and her dress felt too tight around her body. It was suffocating, truly, knowing that she was powerless against the present situation. Nerve wracking. A constant buzzing at the back of her mind.
Hermione Granger being her rival for Draco’s attention and adoration. How does one beat that ?
Draco Malfoy was a pureblood wizard, raised and educated with their customs. Back when they were younger he thought of muggle-borns as scums, but now, suddenly in his adulthood something had changed. Not just something , Astoria wasn’t daft, it was the bloody war that had changed him so much that he would even scream at his mother while there were guests over. Draco freaking Malfoy was in love with a muggle-born witch. He got a taste of the fruit that had been forbidden. And now Astoria had to collect the broken pieces of his affection being ruined by their parent’s mistakes.
She washed her hands in the bathroom, wasting time inside, not wanting to go out there and being ignored and ridiculed by them. Astoria couldn’t help but wonder as she stared in the mirror, was there any chance at all that Draco would look at her? To wake up one day and say, this is it, I’m marrying her and I have to be there for her.
The answer to this question came some time later, after she decided that she had hidden enough in the bathroom. She heard voices in one of the rooms and having all the time in the world, Astoria decided to investigate.
As a child she was always the curious one, her mother always told her that curiosity killed the cat, but Astoria paid her no mind.
What could possibly hurt you from being curious?
Maybe the man that is going to be your husband, together with the woman you are worried about getting in the middle of your marriage, in a poorly lit room.
Astoria had to fight back a gasp at the sudden image. Draco was holding the other woman by her shoulders while they spoke. The witch was crying, Astoria noted, and she felt a satisfaction knowing that she was not the only one affected in this whole affair.
The wizard kept stroking her skin with gentle moves, almost afraid to break her. His expression was painful, eyebrows drawn together and mouth set in a firm line.
“Granger …,” Astoria heard him whisper.
It was almost cliché, him calling her by her last name. Even this had to be special about them.
“Draco,” a painful whimper came from the muggle-born's mouth, “I can’t … I can’t do this anymore. I can’t.”
Draco swallowed and in the silence that followed this confession, Astoria could almost hear it.
“I’m so sorry, all I wanted in this life was for you to be mine.” The confession filled with such raw emotions that it made Astoria’s stomach clench.
“Oh Draco,” Granger sobbed in her hands, “I will always be yours.” she took harsh breaths in, struggling with her next words, “It’s just you will never be mine.”
Astoria stepped away from the conversation, feeling almost ashamed of the relief that had washed over her bones. After all, it seemed like there wouldn’t be a three person marriage anymore. Draco would learn to tolerate her and maybe, with a little bit of luck, he would love her.
Stepping back in the ballroom, she went in search of a glass of champagne to wash away the bitter taste she had in her mouth after witnessing two lovers saying goodbye. If those two were any other people on this Earth, she would have felt sorry, but instead, she felt relieved.
As Astoria closed the distance between her mouth and the glass filled with bubbling alcohol, she noticed Pansy Parkinson giving her a nasty look across the room. The bitch probably knew where she had come from, after all, she was quite supportive of Draco and the muggle born so she was aware of their little escapade. Feeling vindictive, Astoria raised her glass at her, smirking and then she drank all of it in one shot.
Check mate.
*******************
Spring came faster than Astoria expected. A girl’s wedding was supposed to be an event that brought joy in planning, but instead of that, Astoria simply felt numb. There was no excitement in her bones. She didn’t even like her wedding dress and just let her mother get away with whatever she wanted. Daphne was there for her, always was after the day she flooed to her apartment in tears, lamenting of her miserable fate, getting married to a man who would never love her.
Brides usually planned their wedding themselves, they would choose the color theme, flowers, entertainment and go cake tasting with the groom. But for this wedding, neither Astoria nor Draco put an effort in its planning. None. And neither of them feigned excitement. During one of the meetings with their parents he had asked to be announced of the day, hour and location and promptly left.
Their wedding happened on the first weekend of May, her mother had assured her the weather would be amazing, but instead, it had rained all day. From the moment the sun came up until the it went down. They had to move the party details from the garden inside the ballroom of Malfoy Manor. Even the sky weeped for the broken star crossed lovers.
The worst of all was Draco's face during the wedding. He looked as if he was attending a funeral. Face paler than the usual, puffy eyes and he smelled a little bit of fire whiskey.
He probably even considered this his funeral.
The day he was burying his love.
During the vows, he barely opened his mouth to say his “I do” and Astoria felt her cheeks colour in anger.
Damn his heart!
Damn his love!
Damned be Hermione Granger for ruining her life!
If only she wouldn’t be so extraordinary, Draco’s affection and infatuation would have already left his heart and mind. But he had to fall for the special girl, the one he couldn’t have.
Astoria could only bitterly think that if romancers would know of their sad, heartbreaking story, they would write books and poems about them, immortalizing them.
After the ceremony ended, people started to congratulate them. Astoria knew that invitations were sent to a lot of Draco’s Hogwarts classmates, but besides the Slytherin’s and Daphne’s fiancée, who was a Ravenclaw, they were noticeably absent. When Draco’s friends came over, Pansy Parkinson didn't even spare her a glance as she hugged Draco, who clung onto her as if his life depended on it. Theo and Blaise were more cordial towards her, at least acknowledging her, but their smiles were strained and they didn’t reach their eyes.
Narcissa was over the moon, not even paying attention to her son’s misery. She probably thought she had won the battle, but Astoria knew that the war had only just begun.
The whole affair was plain, their first dance was stiff as if even touching her was painful. There was no happiness in either of them. Even though the ballroom decorations were lovely, they would have made her happy if this day didn’t mark the start of a long battle to gain her spot in this marriage.
He saw him speak to his friends and other people, a fake smile plastered when other people from the ministry congratulated him. When his friends would approach him, his shoulders would relax and his face would go back to blank, as if there hadn’t been a smile on it some seconds ago.
Astoria wondered how bright his smile would have been if the other woman were here tonight instead of her. It would have probably been a smaller affair, only with close friends and acquaintances. A mix of gryffindors and slytherins, with laughter and dance. Draco would probably be stuck to her side all night, kissing her at each given opportunity.
He hadn’t even bothered to kiss Astoria after the exchange of their vows.
Some time during the reception, her mother pulled her aside, spluttering nonsense.
“How dare she show up like this?!” her mother shrieked, and for a moment Astoria forgot to breathe, had she shown her face at her ex-lover’s wedding? What was she going to do?
“I never knew her mother to be this sly!” Her mother ranted and Astoria paused for a moment, knew her mother?
“Who are you talking about, Mother?”
“That Parkinson girl, how dare she run around like that!” Another high pitched scream and Astoria felt relieved.
Hermione Granger was not present at the party, only stuck in her and Draco’s mind.
“I’m not sure why you are upset, she is not acting out of the ordinary.” Astoria remarked, not caring in the slightest what had her mother throwing a fit.
“You foolish girl!” She screamed aggravated. “She is wearing red to your wedding! Everyone knows what that means!”
Apparently she was not part of that category of everyone, because she had no idea why it was such a big sin that Pansy Parkinson was wearing red to her wedding. Her mother probably saw the confusion that was written all over her face, “It means she is the other woman in Draco’s life! I knew she had her hands on him ever since I heard those rumors but your sister tried to talk me out of it- ”
Whatever she said next was lost to Astoria’s hearing as she took in her mother’s words.
Red dress.
“-make sure for her to pay for -”
Pansy Parkinson.
“-talk to Narcissa so she can-”
The other woman.
“-I will speak to her mother-”
Hermione Granger.
“-need to kick her out-”
Breath in.
Breath out.
“No!”
Her mother stopped her rant and looked at Astoria like she was crazy. Maybe she was. Who cared?
Red dress.
Pansy Parkinson.
Other woman.
Hermione Granger.
“No?!”
“No, Mother. She is Draco’s guest and close friend. This marriage is already starting on the wrong foot and now you want to kick her out?!” She yelled at her mother.
Pansy Parkinson was Hermione’s Granger ride or die friend. She wore red to this wedding to make a point. That sly bitch knew what she was doing. She knew that the elders would talk.
Astoria left her mother’s side, not bothering to care what she had to add to this pointless discussion. Her mother was trying to get into a fight when a war was going on. Taking a glass of firewhiskey from one of the floating trays that were in her way, she drank it all then made her way towards her husband.
They needed to leave.
Of course he was next to Pansy Parkinson, nursing a glass of firewhiskey. The witch nudged him with her elbow when she noticed that Astoria was approaching.
Ride or die indeed.
“Draco, we need to leave.” Astoria spoke as soon as she reached near them.
“Where are you hurrying, little lamb? The night is young!” Pansy asked, laughing.
Maybe drinking the firewhiskey was not the best idea she had, “All women dream of their wedding night with their husbands, Pansy.” Astoria pulled Draco closer to her by his arm.
Astoria saw the brunette narrowed her eyes on her and threw a dark look at Draco who was discretely trying to pull away from Astoria, but her grip got tighter with each of his struggles. She was sure Pansy was going to say something mean to her and she embraced it as it came, “I’m sure your wedding night will be to your liking. Go on, Draco, make her wedding night unforgettable! May all your married life be as wonderful as today!”
Pansy turned around to leave, leaving no room for remarks. Draco wrenched himself out of her grasp trying not to make a scene. But it wasn’t like the whole day hadn’t been a failure. Pansy’s words haunted her as they bid their goodbyes. Today was not wonderful at all, so she basically wished her a miserable life.
Draco apparated them into a hallway and he stepped away from her and started walking towards a door, she followed him silently, looking at the floor, Pansy’s words and actions repeating in her head. Astoria didn’t realize Draco had stopped walking until she bumped into him.
“Why did you stop?”
“What do you think you are doing?”
They both spoke at the same time, but Astoria was faster to recover, already filled with negative emotions from all the events that happened during the day, “What do you mean? I am following you to our room.”
Draco stepped away from her as if she bore a disease, “Are you serious right now?”
“Why wouldn’t I be-”
He didn’t even let her finish, “I thought I made myself clear and you understood where I stand and where you stand. But it seems that you have no interest in listening to me.”
Draco strode towards her, as if he were a predator, “I don’t want this marriage. I don’t want you. You are merely a contractual obligation that I couldn’t get rid of no matter how hard I tried. Did you actually think I would fuck you tonight?” He laughed cruelly, breath smelling of alcohol.
“Why do you hate me so much? Why can’t you even try to love me or even get along with me?” It was the alcohol that spoke.
Her husband looked at her, a mask carefully put on his face, “I don’t hate you, Astoria. I’m indifferent to you. I hate the situation. As soon as you get this into your head, it will be better for both of us.”
“So this is it?!” She yelled, “We’ll be miserable for the rest of our lives?!”
Draco chuckled, “Rest of our lives?” he inquired, humor evident in his voice, “Didn’t your parents tell you about the 5 year clause?”
Astoria sucked in her breath, of course, of fucking course , he will take that road. Miserable and divorced in 5 years. “So this is your wonderful plan? 5 years of misery for both of us instead of trying to love me?!” She bitterly spat, “Do you think your little muggle born witch will take you back after 5 years of belonging to another woman?! She might be good and whatever you want to say about her, but she won’t wait for you forever!”
“This is not even about Hermione. It is about me not wanting to do anything with you, but if you clearly want to talk about Hermione that much, I’ll explain to you,” he made a move as if to grab her shoulders, but he stopped himself. Astoria almost wanted for him to touch her, fights lead to intimacy. “I’ll tell you in a simple, comprehensible manner, Astoria. If soulmates are real, she is mine and I am hers. I would literally rip my heart out or let a dementor kiss me and take my soul than betray her with you!”
Astoria’s mouth went dry and it was as if her lungs were shrinking, “I am your wife!” It was an angry scream.
Anger at him.
Herself.
Her parents for getting her into this mess.
Hermione Granger for existing and being loved by Draco.
Narcissa Malfoy for the same reason as her parents.
Pansy Parkinson for wearing a red dress.
It was anger at the fact that she realized that no one would ever feel this way about her.
Draco growled, “Not in my eyes, no matter what a piece of paper says.”
She was prepared to scream at him again, even hit him, but he apparated from the hallway to Merlin knew where and Astoria fell to her knees. Hands on her chest and sobbing her heart out.
What a wonderful wedding night indeed, maybe Pansy fucking Parkinson was a seer.
Or maybe she just knew Draco Malfoy well enough to predict what he would do.
*******************
A month passed by with no change in their relationship. Then two, three and it was almost as she had blinked and half a year from her life was gone. Draco didn’t even live in the manor or accepted being in the same room alone with her. Astoria thought that if time passed by, her anger would melt down, but instead it only grew. Each day filled with indifference from him, her mother’s constant questions regarding her married life, Narcissa feigning innocence and asking about grandchildren and Daphne’s pitiful eyes whenever they met, all these fueled her anger even more.
It happened one day as she strolled down Diagon Alley that Astoria saw Pansy Parkinson laughing together with Hermione Granger as they exited a shop. Pansy Parkinson who had worn red to her wedding in the form of vengeance. As if Astoria was at fault for something. Had Hermione Granger made her do it? Had they laughed that night? All of them? Had Draco actually told them she almost begged to consummate their marriage and accept her as his wife? He probably had. He probably went straight to the muggle-born’s apartment or house or whatever hole she was living in and told her everything.
Astoria was sure that if the infidelity clause were not included in the contract, Draco would actually be living a double life. For sure.
Would Hermione Granger have accepted to be the other woman?
Who was actually the other woman?
When are you truly the other woman?
It didn’t matter, Astoria made up her mind.
The next day she visited the Ministry. The receptionist didn’t even question her motives for wanting to see the great Hermione Granger, apparently Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The assistant was not at the desk, which made things easier. Astoria knocked at the door, waiting for the confirmation before entering and closing the door behind her.
“I know I need to give you-” She was still with her head in the papers, pathetic, truly.
“I’m not here for any papers.” Astoria spoke and the other witch stood up from her chair startled, reaching for her wand, but Astoria was faster, disarming her. “There is no need for that.”
Granger narrowed her eyes, “What do you want?”
“I’m here to talk about my husband.” Astoria made sure to memorize the way her body seemed to tense at her words.
“I’m not sure what there is to talk about. His office is on another level, I’m sure someone can accompany you.” The witch told her almost as if she was something she did on a daily basis.
“I know where my husband’s office is, thank you.” Astoria threw her purse on one of the chairs. “I’m here to tell you to stay away from him and our life. We are actually trying to make progress in our marriage, but you are like a knife in our back.”
“Look, Astoria, I’m not sure what you have in your mind but-”
Astoria interrupted her, “Don’t even take me for a fool. I know you were Draco’s little girlfriend before we married or maybe even now, but I need you to stop looking for him or talk to him or his friends.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Men are weak, once you deprive them of your attention, they will get bored of the chase and will move on. Draco has a wife. He needs an heir and I can give him that, but I need you to step away from this equation.” Astoria had no idea where Draco and Hermione stood, but she had to try to play her cards.
Suddenly, the other woman started laughing and with a flick of her wrist, her wand came back into her hand and she pointed it at her, “I don’t know what made you think it was a good idea to come into my office and point your wand at me, but believe me, it was a fucking stupid one. Are you really acting like this because Draco doesn’t pay attention to you?”
“Who told you that-”
“I don’t need anyone to tell me anything but the fact that you felt insecure enough to come here after so many months gives away a lot. I don’t know why Draco doesn’t want to move on with you but that is not my place to know, as you said, I am his ex-girlfriend.” She threw the door open and before Astoria could react, her bag was thrown out in the hallway and the muggle born advanced towards her. “Do you really think you can try to bully me? In my workplace? Get out! Get out and never come back here!”
The witch stuck her wand in Astoria’s chest and pushed her backwards with it, “I will have you reported for this!”
Granger laughed, “I’d like to see you try..” She pushed her over the threshold of her office and before Astoria could react, the door closed in her face with such force that some of the painting around it fell down.
*******************
Later that day after Astoria went to Hermione’s office, Daphne visited her in the Manor. They were having tea in a lovely drawing room that Narcissa mentioned she had decorated recently. As Astoria was being updated by her sister in regards to the pending wedding, a loud crack of apparition and the doors of the room being thrown open was heard. Draco stalked in, eyes and stance murderous, and Astoria gripped the armchair with her hands, nails digging into the material.
“You despicable, insecure little bitch!” He spat out, eyes cloudy with anger.
Daphne jumped to her feet, “Don’t talk to my sister like that, Draco.”
“Don’t you dare, Daphne! Don’t you even dare defend her.” His face was red, and mouth curled in an ugly scowl.
He reminded her of Hogwarts years.
“I did what I had to do, Draco. She needed a reminder of her place in our life.” It wasn’t like Astoria had cooled down from the earlier encounter, she was counting on this fight.
“Our life?!” He laughed full of bitterness, “Our fucking life? What life? I can’t even stand the sight of you!”
“Draco!” Daphne’s warning came.
“Shut up, Daphne. This is between me and your sister.” Draco closed the distance between them, “Are you happy? Did it make you feel better to spill some lies and make her feel bad only because you are jealous about something she has but you never will? Mark my words, Astoria! You will never have it with me or with another person.”
His words hit Astoria deep in her core, because she lost sleep wondering that, night after night. If someone would ever love her a fraction of what Draco Malfoy seemed to love Hermione Granger. She could probably walk naked into his room and he would apparate out of the country just to get away from her. Or from any other woman.
It was not her, Astoria realized then, in the most idiotic moment of her life, after she had made a fool of herself. It could have been any other woman in her place and Draco Malfoy wouldn’t bat an eye.
Is that what loving someone felt or it was just them?
“Draco, I just-”
“You nothing ! I don’t care about anything that comes out of your mouth, you came into my life and expected things from me that I was not willing to give you! You started a war with me the moment you tried to act as if you owned me because of a fucking contract!”
“I never-”
“Shut up!” The veins at his temples were so visible and his eyes were red, “This fucking contract and marriage ruined the only beautiful thing I had in my pathetic life and you can’t even respect that! I asked you not to bring up Hermione, to leave her alone, but you go into her office and goad her?! Trying to make her believe that I want to move on with you? Never! Never in my life, even if I can’t get out of this marriage in 5 years.”
Daphne was silent, hand thrown over her mouth, probably shocked by Draco’s outburst or her sister’s actions, Astoria couldn’t tell. She felt the tears come out of her eyes because of Draco’s words. He was like a wounded animal, lashing out at everyone. She should have expected that, after all, Draco had screamed at his own mother over Hermione fucking Granger. Astoria was no one special for him. She was just like the sea that separated him from his love.
Daphne was the first to recover from the shock, “Draco, you need to leave. Please! You are too angry, Astoria too and I don’t want something bad to happen. You two can later discuss whatever you wish, when you both calm down.”
Shoving the palm of his hands over his eyes, Draco scoffed, Astoria could swear he was crying, “I don’t want any of this! I don’t want to talk! I don’t want to be near you, Astoria.”
“Can’t you see you are hurting me?!” Astoria asked pitifully, voice cracking. “I dreamed of this for so long and you and your little muggle born are ruining my life!”
Draco turned his back to her, controlling himself, “I turn into this monster every time I see you because all I wanted was her as my wife and you are taking the space I wanted her to occupy in my life. So I’m sorry for ruining your fantasy, Astoria.”
Astoria wanted to say something more, but her sister waved her wand and silenced her, shaking her head. Daphne went and put a hand on Draco’s shoulder, “Draco, please go and calm down. I’m sure Theo and Blaise can help you.”
Draco shrugged her hand and walked towards the door without any other word. Daphne took the silence charm off but gave Astoria no chance to talk, “Did you really go into Hermione Granger’s office to scream at her?! Who raised you?”
Astoria sucked in a breath, not expecting her sister to scold her, “I needed her to understand-”
“Astoria!” Daphne raised her voice, “That’s not the way to act! You don’t know her! Are you crazy? She works in the Ministry, what if she raises a complaint to the Auror office?”
“Don’t you dare judge me, Daphne, with your perfect little marriage! I am miserable! Didn’t you see how he talked to me? Like I am nothing, like I deserve nothing ! All because of another woman!”
“Merlin, Astoria! You can’t dictate who your heart loves! What did you expect? For Draco to fall at your feet after six months? You don’t even know him! If the discussion that happened earlier is not proof enough, I don't know what to tell you.”
“What do you even know about love, Daphne? Do you love your fiancée? No! So don’t come here and judge me, I don’t wish you the same fate I have.”
“Can you hear yourself? You are turning into a bitter person Astoria. You need to sort yourself out and stop embarrassing yourself! Have some decency!”
“Get out! I don’t want to listen to your nonsense anymore! Get out and live your perfect stupid life with your stupid fiancé who loves you!”
“I don’t even recognize you, Astoria.” Daphne quietly said, purse in her hand and walking towards the door, “But if you need someone to talk to after you calm down, you know where to find me.”
“I don’t need you, Daphne!” Astoria screamed.
Daphne stopped and turned around to face her, “I pity you, Astoria. I do. I am your sister. But you need to stop blaming others for your misery and see what you can do for yourself without hurting others. Stop giving Draco reasons to lash out!”
With that, her sister left, leaving Astoria all alone.
*******************
What were supposed to be Astoria’s golden years, getting married into a powerful family, getting to know her husband and maybe falling in love, or at least in lust, throwing parties, attending other parties, birthing a child, an heir and living a lavish life, were instead years of pure misery.
Instead, a year and four months into her marriage, Astoria was having breakfast with a husband who thought her less than the dirt under his fingers and a mother-in-law who didn’t want to read the room and shut her mouth. It was pathetic, sitting at a small table, so they would be close and have breakfast. Draco never ate or drank anything that Narcissa put in front of him, and Astoria didn’t have any idea what Narcissa was blackmailing him with to attend these meetings for one hour every Sunday.
This particular Sunday was a strained one, as the first thing Narcissa did was to put the Daily Prophet in the middle of the table, where all three of them could perfectly see that looping image of the couple that was on the front page.
GOLDEN GIRL REKINDLES WITH OLD FLAME QUIDDITCH PLAYER VIKTOR KRUM
ARE WEDDING BELLS IN FOR NEXT SEASON?
Drinking sips of her tea, Astoria watched Draco’s eye twitch every time the loop started. Again and again and again, he watched as the woman he thought of as his soulmate turned her head towards a man that was not him and kissed him. His hands would twitch every time the witch closed her eyes and leaned in. Astoria couldn’t help but wonder if Draco was playing in his head all the moments that the muggle born witch had done that with him. Closed her eyes and kissed him.
It felt good.
She couldn’t deny it. Misery loves company. Draco was miserable and Astoria enjoyed every minute of it.
Narcissa was aware of her son’s feelings but she kept the newspaper on the table, no one dared to move it away or at least turn the page so they all would be spared of Hermione fucking Granger living the best of her life with a handsome man.
It was the older witch who broke the silence, “I was hoping that a year into your marriage you would already be with child, Astoria. I would love a baby to dote on.”
At that moment Astoria wondered if in a past life she had murdered puppies and kittens and this life was her punishment.
“You know that conceiving a child is an effort from both parts, Narcissa. I’m sure you were there when Draco was made.” Her mother would have clutched her pearls, but this was not her first confrontation with Narcissa. After all, they were in the same house alone. It was inevitable.
Draco paid them no attention as his expression morphed into one of pain as minutes passed and the damned loop kept repeating over and over again.
“Don’t be childish with your insults, Astoria.” Narcissa scolded her like she was a five year old.
“Maybe stop putting this on my shoulders and take it up to your son.”
“It is a woman’s duty to make her husband happy.”
“Is this why Lucius is locked up then?” Not the first time she brought up Lucius, not the last time either.
“Why are we having this discussion?” Draco interrupted them, eyes flicking away from the loop only for a moment, before watching it again.
“He speaks!” Astoria threw her hands in the air, “Your mother here thinks I am not trying my best to make you happy!”
“Well seeing as you’re still here and breathing, I don’t know how that could be possible.”
A wounded animal. That’s what he was, tortured by that loop.
But so was Astoria.
“Draco!” Narcissa scolded him, of course, if Astoria would die, who knows what her perfect son would do. Give her a half-blood spawn as a grandchild.
“Poor Draco! I’m sorry your cock only gets hard when you are near mudbloods.”
It wasn’t truly his fault, but it was also his fault.
And Astoria was tired and cranky.
Narcissa was being insufferable.
And Draco wanted her dead.
The joy of life!
“Astoria, language!” Narcissa turned to scold her.
“Which part offended you? Mudblood or cock? It was probably the latter.”
“Stop saying that fucking word!”
Tic. Tac.
Draco was ready to explode.
As so was she.
“What Draco? You loved to say it when you were a Death Eater who followed daddy’s steps! Even to you little lover! Did you really think she would wait for you , the ex-Death Eater who called her mudblood for years?”
How she had longed to throw that in his face ever since Draco had told her the fact that he wished she was the woman who was now featured on the Daily Prophet.
Tic. Tac.
She braced herself for the impact. For him to go off like a Bombarda hitting a wall.
But it never came. Instead, Draco flicked his wrist at the newspaper that was on the table and he set it on fire. Wandless. Narcissa gasped at the action while Astoria could only watch the Golden Girl burn to ashes while kissing another man. Wishing that the woman burning to pieces was there instead of her.
*******************
It was in the education of each pureblood witch from the Sacred Twenty Eight families to know that marrying into another powerful and antic house was one of the highest forms of achievements. This is the sole reason contracts are promised since birth and why certain families hurry to sign them before their children are of age. What your education as a wife doesn’t give you is the training to react and not freeze when put into a situation where someone wants to attack you on the streets because of your husband’s last name.
Astoria was too shocked when two men tried to put their hands on her and screamed hateful words in her face, so close she could feel their spit on her face. Her wand got stuck inside her cloak, unable to defend herself with magic. Astoria struggled to get their hands off her and pushed, slapped and kicked until she was able to free herself for a fraction of second from their grasp and falling down the pavement. Before anything else could happen, the men were swept off their feet and thrown into a wall by a sudden force. Ropes appeared out of thin air and wrapped around their bodies so tight that Astoria could hear their gasps for breaths. The pureblood witch scrambled to her feet, trying to catch her breath when a hand touched her arm and she jerked away, scared.
“It’s ok. I’m not trying to hurt you.” The person spoke to her in a calm voice and Astoria almost let herself be lulled into security, until she turned her head and came face to face with the person who plagued her thoughts the most.
Her.
It was obvious from the way the other witch was looking at her that she knew who Astoria was before coming face to face to her. It only meant that she knew who she was saving. Bleeding bloody heart.
“Why did you help me?” Astoria asked her, wanting to sound venomous but her curiosity got ahead and her voice didn’t hold any malice.
“Because.” It was all what the other woman said.
“You don’t like me.” It was a statement, not a question.
“No.”
Astoria watched as the muggle born whipped her want, a sparkle that turned into an animal, an otter, erupted from the spell, and the witch spoke to it, before turning her attention to Astoria, “But that doesn’t mean I won’t protect you if something like this happens.” A frown took over her face, “You don’t like me either, but I’d like to think you’d also help me if two men tried to overpower me.”
She didn’t wait for Astoria to answer and just left her there.
Later, while she was laying on her bed, Astoria thought that maybe, a dark part of her wouldn’t have saved the woman who her husband loved if the positions had been reversed. Probably the brightest witch of her age didn’t need someone to save her. Merlin knew that the man who claimed to love her so deeply hadn’t done it when they were younger.
*******************
There were no parties to be organized by Astoria and it seemed like Narcissa didn’t want to let her decorate the Manor since, every time she brought it up, the other woman pretended not to hear her suggestions. So Astoria did what any other woman with the means and Malfoy money would do: spend it and go on shopping trips. Every pureblood knew that there were no finer robes than the ones in Paris and Tokyo. International trips out of the continent were too tiring for them to happen twice or thrice a month, so Astoria often wandered through the streets of Paris and spent days in the Malfoy villas around France.
Words didn’t affect Draco anymore as he was immune to her verbal attacks, sometimes he would even smile if she said something that he found funny. That was the moment Astoria thought that he had probably lost his mind. Shopping started as a way to annoy Draco, but it ended up annoying Narcissa; seeing the effect it had on his mother, her husband gave Astoria his blessing to spend his galleons. Maybe they could get along after all just enough to annoy the older witch.
Nowadays she was mostly still spiteful towards Draco and where his heart lay, still blamed him for her unhappiness, but Astoria didn’t care that much anymore. As Daphne had said to her, you can’t dictate who your heart wants. She didn’t like it, hell she wishes Draco’s heart would stop bleeding for the muggle born witch, but wishes don’t always come true. Or maybe she just wished a dumb wish and ruined her chance to wish at something good. For her once.
The air was cut off her lungs as someone bumped into her rather harshly and she felt hot liquid spill on her white robes. She vaguely heard an “oh shit” before she yelled on top of her lungs “Are you blind?!”
“I’m so sorry!” A male voice.
Astoria raised her eyes from her body, ready to start arguing with the man who scalded her in hot coffee when she was met with the most gorgeous pair of honey coloured eyes staring at her with concern. “Oh?!”
“Are you ok?” The man reached out to touch her shoulder with one of his hands and Astoria couldn’t help but observe the size of it. “Did the coffee get you wet?”
No, you did .
The man started laughing and Astoria gasped at the realization that she had said those words out loud, her defensive self coming out once again at the surface, “Don’t touch me!”
“Sorry!” He said through giggles.
A man giggling.
“You’re just adorable. I apologize for bumping into you and getting you wet.” He flashed her a smile and Astoria knew he was only half serious about the last part.
“You’re …” Astoria really wanted to have a comeback, to tell him off for laughing at her and for continuing with the sexual innuendos even though she was the one who started.
“Yes?” He teased her and Astoria stared at his mouth.
Realizing what he had put her through, Astoria huffed and walked past him, intending to forget this encounter. She took her wand and performed a series of charms to get rid of the wetness and the colour that stained her perfectly white robes. Men were pigs and idiots. Astoria kept muttering to herself as she walked towards her destination to the small coffee shop she was enamoured with.
Hearing some snickering behind her, she turned her head slightly to have a view of who was behind her and the man with gorgeous eyes and big hands was following her at a small distance, his face full of mirth.
“Are you following me, you creep?!” She yelled over her shoulder, fastening her pace.
He kept up with her, “Maybe we are going to the same place.”
Astoria scoffed in a very not so lady-like manner, “I doubt it, you bumped into me going the opposite direction.”
“Maybe I changed my mind.”
Astoria stopped mid walk and turned around glaring at him. Why did all the men that she had met throughout her life manage to piss her off when they talked? She started walking from the direction she first came from, passing by the man and bumping slightly into his shoulder to assert her dominance. That only made him laugh again and start following her, again.
“Can you stop doing that?! It’s annoying and you are freaking me out!” Astoria almost yelled in the street full of people.
“Am I?” He asked, voice void of any amusement it previously held.
Astoria threw him a glance over her shoulder, “Maybe.”
She heard him stop from his chase and yelled an “I’m sorry!”. Astoria huffed, moving faster as thoughts started crossing her mind.
How could she find someone to like her if she treated all people like this? Three more years and the contract would be annulled seeing as Draco wouldn’t touch her to make an heir and she would not recur to disgusting methods for that to happen.
For the second time that morning, she stopped walking from her intended direction and turned around to search for the tall man with kind eyes.
But he wasn’t there anymore and Astoria wished she were a little bit less difficult.
*******************
The next time she visited Paris, the following week, Astoria walked down the same street where she met the tall man with kind eyes, hopeful that she would meet him again. Luck wasn’t on her side that time, or the second and third time she visited the same street again.
By the fourth week Astoria gave up on ever seeing the man again, but she still went to the little coffee shop she always visited. Their coffee was great and she always sat by the window to read one of her books. Here, in Paris, the anonymity gave her peace, she was just another face with a wand in her hand. Astoria wished she would stop appearing even in the papers here as her face was currently again on the cover, this time there was no kiss but she was out with another man. For a moment, Draco’s pained eyes crossed her mind, but only for a fleeting moment.
Astoria’s trail of thoughts on grey eyes were disturbed by a knock on the window. Startled, she turned her head frowning at the disturbance, ready to scowl at whoever was taking their time to put her in a bad mood. A big smile waited for her on the other side of the widow, brown eyes filled with mirth. Astoria’s heart stopped for a bit, wondering if she was dreaming. The mystery man disappeared from the window suddenly and Astoria turned her body towards the door she knew he would have to cross to step it. Her body filled with excitement at the thought of seeing him again as she arranged her hair and clothes.
“Hi!” He said as he stepped next to her table.
“Hello,” her voice was timid and she almost didn’t recognize herself.
“May I sit?” the man asked, pointing to the chair in front of her, “If I am not being a creep.”
“No!” She almost yelled and corrected herself at the confusion taking over his face, “Yes, you may sit and no, you are not being a creep.” She cleared her throat and continued, “I apologize for last time.”
“No, I’m the one who has to apologize.” He smiled as he settled on the chair, “I’m sorry for following you, you were just adorable and I couldn’t help teasing you.”
Astoria felt her cheeks redden and quickly drank a little bit of her tea. The mystery man was watching her as if she was a picture and it made her feel weird, but in a good way.
“Are you from France?” Astoria asked as soon as she dabbed her lips with the cloth napkin.
“No, Gods!” He laughed, the corner of his eyes wrinkling, he smiled with his face and body, “I am from England, I went to Hogwarts.”
“You did?!” Astoria asked not believing it, trying to remember his face.
“Yes, Gryffindor.”
“Me too!” She exclaimed, “I mean, not a Gryffindor, but a Slytherin.”
The waitress came and got his order and Astoria studied him for a while, reaching the same conclusion as before, he was really handsome.
“I don’t remember you from school,” he said as soon as the waitress left.
“I don’t remember you either,” Astoria said with a small smile on her face then she stuck out her hand, “I’m Astoria Greengrass.”
His large hand covered her and it sent a shiver down Astoria’s spine, “I’m Oliver Wood.”
Was this how things should go?
*******************
They kept meeting whenever they could. Days bled into weeks and weeks turned into months.
Astoria spent most of her time in Paris, only going back when Oliver was not available. He was a Quidditch player and Astoria suddenly cared about Quidditch. She went to his games, changing her appearance before and after the game, Astoria only did that to see him on a broom and secretly gush over his fantastic legs that the uniform showed off.
One day, though, when she went over to his flat to wait for him, Oliver was already there, his shoulders tense. He was waiting for her.
“Hello?” Astoria was uncertain whether it was ok for her to speak.
“You’re married.”
She should have expected it. She was expecting it, wondering how long she would be able to act like she was not another man’s wife. Even if she was stuck in a loveless marriage.
Astoria expected the question, but never expected her knees to almost betray her and let her fall on the floor. Never expected the way her stomach flipped bile rose to her throat, leaving her ready to throw up.
“I can explain,” she whispered, searching for something to hold on to.
“I was hoping you could explain the fact you’ve been lying to me for months,” Oliver’s voice was ice cold and Draco’s voice suddenly also resounded in her head.
Hurt.
“I’m … I’m,” she started to stutter, not finding her words, chest feeling heavy.
“Go on!”
A slip of his anger.
“Please don’t do this!” Astoria pleaded with him.
“What? Be angry that you’ve been lying to me?” His pain was evident in his face and his hands were shaking.
“I’ve not been lying to you!”
“But you did! You never told me!” He raised his voice, “Of course, my mistake was not asking, but I thought it was common sense that people shouldn’t be lying about their marital status!”
“I know, but …” He never let her finish.
“We slept in the same bed, Astoria!” He exploded. “I thought you wanted to take things slow, which it wasn’t a problem, because I actually like you, and fuck …”
“Please, let me explain! Please!” Astoria pleaded again, finding her strength to step closer to him, her heart clenched at the way his mouth was quivering.
Seeing that he was silent, but not looking at her, Astoria started speaking, “It’s not … it’s not what you think, yes, I am married.” He scoffed and she had to swallow to keep her tears, “My husband-” his laughter was bitter, “I mean, Draco, doesn’t love me nor do I love him, I-” Astoria almost said that she loved him, Oliver, but figured it wasn’t right, “We- … our marriage is a stupid mistake our parents put us through. He loves someone else and this marriage took that person away from him.”
“You lied.”
“I just knew it would be complicated to explain.” It was a weak excuse, they both knew it.
“You explained it just fine now.”
He turned his back to her and Astoria’s heart clenched, “Oliver, please, I’m sorry-...”
“Please leave.”
Her heart skipped a bit.
“What?”
Oliver turned around, eyes red, “Please leave.”
Without another word, he left the living room and walked away from her. Astoria felt as the world crumbled around her. Her little bubble of happiness was destroyed.
*******************
At first, she cried over and over again. Astoria left Paris the same day he told her to leave, not wanting to stay in the same city where she found her reason to laugh with ease again. Daphne kept her company, not understanding the reason she was in such a state. Astoria had never told her and didn’t feel like telling her sister that she had fallen in love with a kind and beautiful man and ruined it with lies.
After two weeks she felt numb. Astoria felt the house elves watching her closely, Narcissa’s eyes in the house. The fucking old bat probably thought she was feeling ill, that maybe she had gotten pregnant. That’s what the other woman wanted, pureblood grandkids. She felt like a horse kept in a household just for breeding. Good thing her son didn’t even think of touching her because Astoria was sure Narcissa was putting something in her tea to improve her fertility. Teas in Paris didn’t have a bitterness to them.
It was after a month that she decided to change something. It was funny, Draco was the one who inspired her to do so. Astoria was wandering around the Manor, having nothing else to do and going out into the city to be harassed was not an option. She was on her way to the library to find something to read when Astoria saw the door to the study was open. Peeking inside, wondering who was there, she saw Draco standing in front of something shiny. Stepping even closer, she managed to see what he was looking at.
A Patronus.
An otter.
Astoria wondered why her Patronus was there when she was on all cover magazines with other men. It was then when she looked down at Draco’s wand hand and saw the blue light.
It was his.
Draco Malfoy had the same Patronus as his muggle-born star crossed lover, his soulmate , as he had proclaimed almost three years ago.
It came to her as she watched the otter nuzzle Draco’s face, she deserved to be happy. If Draco fucking Malfoy had the chance at happiness and managed to land himself one of those loves where they shared a freaking patronus, Astoria too had the chance to love and be loved.
*******************
She felt like a crazy lady, truly, but she kept knocking at his door, each knock getting louder by the minute. It didn’t matter that the old witch that lived next to Oliver was giving her the sticky eye and was ready to hex her any time. It truly didn’t matter.
Astoria only wanted a chance to speak her mind.
And it came. After ten minutes of knocking and insisting, the door opened and she almost knocked on his chest.
“Will you please stop?”
Oliver didn’t greet her. He looked awful and he had a beard.
“You look awful.” It was the first thing that left her mouth and he glared at her. “I’m sorry, it’s just …”
“You don’t look that great either.” Oliver grumbled at her and all the blood in her body moved to her face.
“Listen, I’m not here to insult each other.” Astoria took a deep breath as Oliver raised an eyebrow at her, “I just wanted to tell you that if Draco Malfoy gets to have his happy ending, I also want mine.”
Maybe it was not the right thing to say, because his face fell, as if he got a reminder of something bad, “And?”
Silently cursing herself, Astoria pinched the bridge of her nose, “For fuck’s sake!” by the sharp inhale it was probably the first time she cursed in front of him, “I love you, ok?! I am not even sure when this happened or how it happened, it just happened. With you it was so easy to forget the fact that I was stuck in a miserable marriage and I just didn’t want to ruin what we had. Oliver, you are the first man to ever show me so much kindness and understanding. It was just selfish thinking on my behalf … to keep you as mine for as long as I could even though I am not technically yours … I just thought that it was ok to keep pretending for a while, that there was nothing wrong with us. It is a shitty apology, I don’t deserve to be forgiven, but I will still ask for forgiveness.”
“Why?” Came his question and Astoria huffed, throwing her hands in the air.
“I told you, I love you. I love it when you snore after a practice because you are that tired. I love the weird muggle songs you listen to and the fact that you like coffee and not tea. I love the fact that you chased after me because you thought I was adorable. I love the fact that you are you, and even when I deserved to be yelled at and screamed at, you didn’t do it, you respected me even if I wasn’t considerate to you. Mostly, I love who I am around you because you make me so happy, I didn’t think I could have this with anyone. I want this. I want you. I want us.”
Oliver’s face was not giving his thoughts away, yet his eyes did not have any kind of coldness in them. Astoria wondered whether she had spoken too fast and he hadn’t understood her, but when he took her bag from her hands, she knew that he had.
And maybe, she was forgiven.
*******************
Life with Oliver without any kind of secrets between them was amazing and Astoria had never felt so light in her whole life. She was a different person when Oliver was around, one that was always laughing. It had been hard at first, he was wary and still hurt by the fact she had chosen to lie and not explain her position. It wasn’t like she was cheating on someone, no one waited for her back at the Manor.
It was a shame, Astoria concluded after some time. She was ashamed of the situation she was in, which is why she didn’t dare to tell the truth to the man who showered her with attention.
But it didn’t matter anymore. He knew the truth, all of it. Even who Draco was in love with. Astoria wasn’t sure if it was a secret, but Oliver was shocked at first, then he laughed and when Astoria told him about the other situation, he fell silent, knowing the meaning behind it.
Soul compatibility.
Astoria was almost never at the Manor anymore. She stayed over in Paris, only going to visit her sister once in a while. She stopped talking to her mother after she tried to convince her to lure Draco to her bed. It had been a big fight that had led Astoria to scream at her mother’s face regarding the whole agreement and the origin of her misery.
It was during her fourth year of marriage, when she went back to the Manor to take the rest of her clothes, that Narcissa barged into her chambers.
“I see you show your face home, finally.” The older witch said, blue eyes narrowing. If eyes could kill, Astoria would have been dead already.
“I’m here to take the rest of my things.” She tried to stay calm, it was not in her favour to get upset, but Astoria kept her wand in her hand.
“Your marriage will dissolve in less than a year, aren’t you going to do something about this?!” Narcissa screeched.
It was clearly the other witch was angry, but Astoria didn’t care, not anymore, “Why would I?”
“You stupid little girl, you are losing your husband!”
“Draco was never my husband to begin with. I don’t know how much longer you are going to delude yourself, but we didn’t even consummate the marriage. You really should have thought better about that part of the contract.” Astoria tried to hurry to finish packing in order to get out of there as soon as possible.
“Listen to me,” the older witch advanced towards her and grabbed her by the elbow, “You need to stay here for dinner, Draco will come too and you just have to be present and I will take care of the rest.”
Astoria looked into the other’s witch eyes before realization hit her and she wrenched herself out of Narcissa’s grasp, “Are you out of your mind?!” She yelled at her mother-in-law, pointing her wand at her.
“You need to have intercourse with him, just once, and the potion will take care of the rest.”
“You want me to rape him?!” Astoria asked, scandalized.
“It will only enhance his desire!”
Astoria shook her head, feeling sick at the stomach, “You vile creature! I hold no affection for Draco, but I could never in my life do that to him or another person. He is your son! How can you even sit here with a straight face and ask me to do that?!”
“This house must have an heir.” Narcissa spoke calmly, as if she was not asking Astoria to do something horrible to Draco.
“This house will have an heir, it won’t be pureblood though, and that’s what your problem.” Astoria spat at her, “You will probably don’t even meet the child because if you are so desperate to come to me with such a disgusting request, you’ve probably burned all your bridges with your only child.”
“Don’t speak to me like that, you insolent child!”
“And you get out of my face before I use my wand on you! Get out! I will not be back in this house and I hope Draco never forgives you for what you did to him. To us!”
“You don’t know anything about what I did for my son.” Narcissa’s hands trembled as if ready to physically fight her.
Astoria waved her wand and the doors of the room opened, “You were busy signing marriage contracts instead of protecting him from a maniac. Get out!”
*******************
The episode with Narcissa left her so shaken up that she didn’t go back to England or any other Malfoy properties in France in fear that the witch would know and would try to do something to her. Astoria had nightmares of the fight she had with Narcissa, fearing that she would be found and dragged back to the Manor. She even sent Draco an owl that let him know to never drink or eat anything in his Mother’s presence. He replied to her with a note that said thank you and Astoria wondered if he didn’t already know about it.
It was a quiet night when it happened. She was sitting on the comfortable armchair Oliver had in his flat trying to calm her nerves. It was weird, because five years ago she had been trying to calm her nerves because of a woman dressed in a red dress at her wedding and had to endure a humiliating argument where her husband, now soon to be ex-husband, declared that he wouldn’t even dream of touching her because he was in love with another woman. And now she was sitting in the cozy flat of the man who loved her and her flaws, waiting for the dissolvement document to appear at any given moment.
Oliver was in the shower when it happened, Astoria screamed so loudly when the parchment materialized in her hands, that he ran naked in the living room. Astoria didn’t have a care in the world as she jumped on him, making both of them fall down and kissing him while straddling his body.
“I am free,” Astoria said between kisses.
“Finally!” Oliver whispered as he put his hands all over her body, ass, tits, neck, hair.
“Please, please, please, make love to me, please.” She whispered, cradling his face in her hands, feeling so desperate that the moment was finally here.
It was worth it, Astoria thought, as Oliver’s mouth was on her cunt and his fingers touched her in the place that made her see stars. And when he finally slipped into her, it was like she had found the missing piece to her life puzzle.
*******************
The next time Astoria Greengrass saw Hermione Granger’s face in the Daily Prophet was when she finally married Draco Malfoy. When she saw them looking at each other in the loop that announced their marriage to the public, Astoria understood that all this time she had only seen the other side of their love. She wasn’t there to witness their tender moments or the way they fell in love. Astoria was there only for the misfortune their love had brought her.
But now, caressing her baby bump, Astoria could only wonder how her love was seen from the other side.