No Antidote | Draco Malfoy x Astoria Greengrass Love Story

Fallen Flower | Chapter 08

*** Many of the characters & the world depicted in this story belong to JK Rowling ***

Astoria walked over to her window where a beautiful snowy owl sat gently tapping to get her attention. 

She opened the window and the owl flew in and dropped a gold envelope onto her table, then flew around in little circles around her room until she grabbed a treat and fed it to her. Satisfied, the owl perched itself on the table and sat still, as if waiting. 

Astoria opened the envelope and read the letter written in beautiful calligraphy.

Chère Astrid,
Will you attend the Yozakura with me this Saturday?
I find myself thinking of you & cannot imagine going with anyone else.
Bien à vous.
Guillaume

P.S. The owl, Hugo, has been instructed to only take yes for an answer.

As if on queue, Hugo flew over and sat on Astoria's shoulder. 

Wouldn't Draco be mad?

What does he have to be mad about?

It doesn't seem like he likes or trust Guillaume.

He's just being a typical guy, he doesn't own me. Besides you haven't seen the bloke in nearly a month. 

By the late afternoon, Hugo was still following Astoria around. She finally gave in. Astoria scribbled a quick Si je dois onto the back of the letter and handed it to Hugo. He seemed satisfied with the answer and flew off.

Two days later, a parcel arrived containing a beautiful Japanese inspired modern Kimono Dress in a light cream color with gold patterns. It also came with a pair of Geta shoes. And a card saying he'd pick her up at seven.

Astoria sighed. The dress was beautiful. She had gone three years derived from a life of lavish parties and expensive clothing and was doing just fine living away from the limelight, then Draco Malfoy interrupted that peace. It was one thing that Draco Malfoy got her clothes, an entirely different thing that Guillaume Rosier was sending her gowns. Or at least that's what she told herself. A part of her was excited to see the night sakura, flower blossom viewings were something she loved very much, and being on the arm of someone like him was definitely not a bad way to do it. Guillaume still saw her as Astrid after all, no one would question who she was when she was with him, he was a playwright, knowing random beautiful women was not strange for him to do. 

Draco was exhausted. He had spent nearly everyday of the week for the last few weeks stuck inside council meetings and Ministry offices discussing business. A part of him wanted to, like Blaise suggested, say fuck all this and do things their way, not this legal bullshit he was putting up with. 

He wanted to complain to someone, complain to Astoria to be exact, but he also didn't want her to know he was failing to secure the proper licenses to open his hotel on schedule. He didn't want her to know that there were things him, Draco Malfoy, struggled at. 

Tonight was the stupid Cherry Blossom night viewing the Pure Bloods held every year. It was one of those events where everybody who was somebody always attended if they could get in. His family included. He wanted to take Astoria, Marcus Flint was banned from the event, so no doubt Daphne wouldn't be attending, but he knew his parents would have so many questions. Besides, Pansy Parkinson had somehow coincidentally ran into his mum and she had already promised Pansy could come with them. 

Draco groaned at the idea of having to spend yet another fancy event with her. It wasn't the worst, he was used to her, but he was exhausted from work and having to hear that high pitched voice of her talk about the most useless and petty topics. Worse, she'll be all over him, trying to seduce him, or making their relationship seem more than it is in front of people. The Parkinson family had money, it was new money unlike the Malfoy's or the Greengrass' families, but none the less they had loads of it. Now it was Pansy Parkinson's goal in life to bring more prestige to her family by marrying up.