Veritas Vos Liberabit [Drarry Fanfiction]

Tears and Secrets

The grand ballroom in the Greengrass estate was lavishly decorated by the most exquisite Christmas ornaments. Large garlands of holly and evergreens were hanging off the walls and frozen trees with charmed ice crystals, that chimed every time someone walked by, framed the main entrance. There was an outrageously tall fur tree in the center, an array of baubles all shapes and sizes, candles, and miniature ice sculptures on its heavy branches.

The hall had a glass door that lead to the garden, protected by the heating charms, with green bushes and Ancient Greek statues everywhere and a magical fountain that was shooting colorful sprays of champagne up in the air. Thankfully Greengrass family were not keeping those annoying peacocks and there was plenty to drink.

Draco entered the party with his mother in hand. It was a masquerade so a mask of silver and black suede was firmly on his face, Narcissa was wearing a veiled hat adorned with a small flock of taxidermied birds holding ash berries in their beaks and talons. He was trying not to fix his dark green robes too much. There was a silver dragon embroidered on the fabric in silk and it moved around curling and uncurling its paws and sending rivulets of threaded fire on the sleeves or the back. Those robes were amazing and under different circumstances, Draco would boast and parade around in them, but that night they felt too heavy and uncomfortable and too loose in some places and too constricting in the others.

"Draco, dear, don't forget to smile," his mother said through clenched teeth presenting her gloved hand to be kissed by one important person after the other.

The chamber orchestra had already set up on the stage and the hosts entered the ballroom in matching costumes of silk and organza. Daphne and Astoria followed them, dressed as water fairies, with sparkling bejeweled hair ornaments and robes of aqua and cerulean blue. She looked pretty, he had to admit, a bit shy for such a grandiose event but at least her smile was less fake than any other in the room.

Draco came up to introduce himself, placing a gallant kiss on her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Malfoy," Astoria said. Next to her Daphne huffed in disapproval and whispered something into her sister's ear.
"I know already," the girl answered nonchalantly.

The Slytherin had to suffer through three waltzes with the lady. Fortunately it wasn't like Pansy at the Yule Ball, younger Greengrass could dance, her body almost weightless under his hands as he steered her across the ballroom in the frenzy of robes. She smiled at him as they finished their last dance and settled next to big glass doors looking out into the orchard.

"Care to have a little walk in the garden, Mister Malfoy," she suggested.

"Call me Draco," he offered her his elbow and they went out, a perfect couple having a stroll.

"Don't you like the statues," Astoria showed him the composition of Cupid and Psyche mere inches away from a kiss. "My father had won that one in a muggle auction. Curious how these muggles could portray magic without knowing it actually existed."

"They probably knew back then," the blonde commented, studying the sculpture, the woman was reaching out to the winged youth like she had been yearning for him all her life, obvious passion portrayed in alabaster.

He would never have that with her, as much as he would make himself imagine it. She was a nice, proper girl but a girl nevertheless. Draco would respect her and probably have enough stimulating conversations about art and music and literature not to be completely disappointed by his future wife, but he could never love her, that was obvious.

"I know that you're not exactly a ladies man, Draco," Astoria said quietly as they sat in the gazebo with vines of ivy weaved around its pillars, "My sister, Daphne, had been dating Blaze Zabini for a while, and he told her in confidence that you were... erm, not interested in women."