𝔾𝔸𝕃𝔸𝕏𝕀𝔼𝕊 (ℍ.ℙ𝕆𝕋𝕋𝔼ℝ)

-3-

The funeral is a quiet one, with the Greengrasses and her friends attending. Blaise shows up, bearing a bouquet of lilies and a sorrowful expression on his face. Theo doesn't look at him, preoccupied with comforting Daphne who sits puffy eyed near her sister's grave, clutching her nephew.

Granger shows up as well, offering words of comfort to Narcissa even though she knows it's useless.

Auryn sits alone at a distance, her hands fiddling with a pin Draco gave her on her 11th birthday.

"It's the Calypso constellation," He explained excitedly, his grey eyes shining. "You know, because-"

"Because my middle name's Calypso." She interrupted, her hands hiding his gift behind her back. "I figured. It's pretty."

He fixed it onto the lapels of her jacket, proudly stepping back.

She stared at him, and he stared back.

"YOU DIDN'T GET ME A GIFT!?" he screeched; his voice squeaky.

"Sorry, I forgot." Her lips struggled to curve downward, and he glared at her.

"You forgot your own birthday? Wonderful, just magnificent really..." he muttered, turning away.

She rolled her eye at his dramatics, before tapping his shoulder and giving him the box.

His eyes were wide, as he gently opened it to find a pin shaped like the Draco constellation, with a green enamelled dragon curving around the stars.

"Your idea was similar to mine... but I hope you like it." She said, almost shyly, before he launched himself on top of her.

"This is proof! I knew it! I told Father we could communicate using thoughts, and he sneered at me. I HAVE PROOF!" he shouted, knocking her back onto the ground.

"Control yourself, git." She panted, momentarily blinded by the sun in her eyes as he lowered himself next to her, their backs on the green grass and their eyes cast heavenwards.

"We'll always be together, right?" he asked and she shifted closer to him her hand reaching for his.

"Always. Until we're old, grey and dying."

But he didn't keep his promise.

And now he's gone.

And suddenly she can't breathe, her chest constricting even though they're in a meadow. Her hands scramble for purchase on the tree, and black spots dance before her eyes as she wheezes, one hand clawing at her throat, the pin laying forgotten on the grass.

"Concentrate on your breathing. Stay in the present." A deep voice says, warm hands rubbing her back as she bends over.

"I...I m-might puke," she gasps, her eyes swimming with tears.

"You won't." the voice insists, and the hands rub circles on her back. "Breathe in, and out."

She takes a deep breath, and exhales, until the world stops spinning and she's no longer nauseous.

"You're doing great." The voice soothes, and she can feel a warm breath brushing her shoulder as the person breathes in sync with her.

Her vision clears, and she slumps against the tree, finding a pair of brilliant green eyes watching her carefully.

"Potter?" she asks, mostly out of confusion.

"You had a panic attack." He explains, ignoring her questioning gaze. "You ought to let your mother know about this."

She laughs bitterly, her hands seeking out the pin again. "I would, except she won't bloody look at me without seeing her son."

He's silent, and the moment is broken by a small blue haired boy throwing himself into Potter's arms.

"You knocked Weaselette up that fast?" she asks him out of curiosity, and he goes red.

"He's- he's my godson." He insists, one hand struggling to control the boy and the other pushing his glasses up.

She turns away, and catches her mother hugging another woman with long brown hair, and a face that reminds her of her dearly departed maniacal aunt.

"That's Aunt Andromeda." She notes and he nods, lifting the young boy into his arms.

"No, that's grandma Andie." the boy corrects her, shifting and nearly making Potter drop him.

"Be nice, Ted." he warns, and Auryn thinks she's never seen him this way.

Teddy sticks his tongue out at him, and suddenly his features contort into Potter's face when he was 11, and she feels like she got hit by a truck driven by nostalgia.

"He's a metamorphagus?" she questions and he nods, just as Andromeda comes up to them, her mother in tow with her. Narcissa doesn't look at her, and she once again feels bitterness rise at the back of her throat.

"Auryn, darling." Andromeda looks kind, she thinks, with curly light brown hair and brown eyes.

"Aunt Andromeda." she greets a tad robotically, and she's surprised by a hug from her. She smells of spring, and it's enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Narcissa's eyes widen, but she remains mute while Harry observes in the background.

"I hope you know that my door will always be open to you, my dear." Andromeda is warm and comforting in ways that Narcissa never was.

"I might," she replies, her voice hoarse.

Andromeda gives her a sad smile, before reaching for Narcissa's hand and they walk away.

Potter clears his throat. "I'd better get going too... See you around, Malfoy."

He leaves with Teddy, raven black clashing with bright blue as she watches them follow Andromeda until their heads disappear into the distance.

The pin in still in her hand, a reminder of what she's lost. She sighs and pins it on her suit jacket, wishing that a certain blonde boy with a flair for dramatics was there to pin it for her.

...

Daphne's now seated under the shade of a tree, her black dress spread against the leafy floor. Theo, Lillian and Judas are at  a distance, occasionally casting a concerned glance in her way before resuming their discussion.

Scorpius is asleep in her arms, and Auryn's heart drops at the sight of her puffy face.

"Hey." she offers tentatively, settling down next to her.

Daphne doesn't say anything, and just settles her head on Auryn's shoulder and they sit in silence, each mourning the loss of innocence in their own unspoken way.

The sky is a gorgeous blue dotted with white clouds, the grass is a startling green, but Auryn's heart is grey, jagged lines running through it, carefully taped together.

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Until next time,

TRIX