Astoria met everyone down the stairs, standing beside Ella. She started to explain everything as they walked out the door, and stood outside, waiting for Draco to close the door behind them.
"I've made reservations, which is helpful." They all walked down the path down to the carriage, as they could not travel there by magic. They'd stop just outside and walk into town.
Astoria walked behind them all and watched as they entered, Ella being helped inside by Theo. Cyrus was in front of her, hopping inside. Astoria looked around for railing but when she was about to hold it, Draco's hand intercepted instead.
"Oh," she smiled. "Thank you." She stepped up and sat by Ella inside, in between her and Cyrus, while the rest was sat across.
Lots of different conversation started, so much so that Astoria couldn't keep up, only laughing at every funny thing she heard now and then.
"Well," Blaise paused after a laugh, "Cyrus wants to be Slytherin, doesn't he?" He looked at Astoria, then to her brother.
"More than anything!" Cyrus said.
Astoria smiled. "I don't think you will be, you're brave, like a Gryffindor." Groans sounded all around, and she laughed hard with them.
"Did I say something wrong?" She giggled.
"No one wants to be a Gryffindor, trust me Cyrus. You'd be better suited as a Ravenclaw." Ella smiled, and Theo shook his head repeatedly.
"No no— he can be anything but a Hufflepuff."
"They're nice!" Draco argued. "Always doing your homework." He paused. "But I've never asked them." He defended himself.
Astoria scoffed, laughing at him as louder conversation picked up beside them— he smiled back at her.
"Don't ask anyone to do your homework, Cyrus." Astoria lectured quietly to him.
He smiled up at her. "I won't."
After the carriage stopped and they had all gotten off, the carriage had driven back, and Astoria watched it.
"We just have to walk a few blocks through the city, and we'll get there." Ella informed as she led them on— Theo immediately had caught up to her side.
"It's like Diagon Alley but... cars. Taller buildings. So fast paced." Blaise noted to Draco, Astoria, and Cyrus.
"Here, it seems impossible to cross the road whenever you feel like." Astoria replied, walking calmly past the busy people. She gently held Draco's cold hand, swinging it between them slowly.
Cyrus walked a head with Blaise, Astoria watched them speak to each other. Blaise had to bend down every so often to hear him but it worked for them.
"It's so refreshing to walk with nobody staring at you or taking photographs of you." Draco told her.
"I feel like nothing happened and we just graduated as normal when we're here." Astoria smiled.
They both shared a comforting smile and kept on walking ahead.
"Reservation for Ella Polarwright." Her friend said to the employee at the front.
"Right this way, Madame." He led them through the restaurant and they were seated with menus. It was a big area, and almost all tables were taken except for theirs that was placed outside on a wooden deck— a live band there playing.
Astoria looked on and was distracted, not noticing almost everyone had seated. Her chair was already brought out by Draco, she guessed, and she sat down beside him on her left, and Cyrus was on her right.
"Madame? That was awfully polite of him." Theo commented.
"They're not barbarians here, Theo. They're polite." Ella smiled, picking up her menu. Astoria sat in front of best friend, picking up her own menu.
"What are you thinking, Cyrus?" Astoria asked him.
"I'm not sure... I haven't heard of half these things." He mumbled, tracing his finger over the menu many times.
Later on that night towards the ends of their meals, they were having the most fun they'd have since forever.
"I have to sleep as soon as we get home, don't I?" Cyrus asked her disappointedly.
Astoria shook her head, "No, it's your holidays. Stay awake if you like." She smiled. "We could play some chess, or you could read one of your books."
"Chess—" he agreed immediately. "Chess sounds good." She nodded, watching Cyrus go back to his food.
Her hand was rested comfortably on Draco's thigh as they spoke to their friends that night.
Astoria watched as a crowd slowly started to form further down the deck in front of the band, dancing to the music they played. She smiled quietly at their dance moves, and an idea struck her to ask Ella to join her. When she turned to look back, her friend ad the same idea.
"We'll be right back." Astoria told the table as she got up with Ella. She pat Draco's head softly a few times as she left.
"I'd rather dance inside the crowd," Ella shivered, rubbing her arms.
Astoria quickly agreed, taking herself and her friend through the crowd and dancing to the upbeat music. Spinning and dancing with Ella was like a second language to Astoria— eye contact, their smiles, it meant a great deal to her. Ella grabbed her hand and spun her friend around. The song faded out, and they both regretted how late they got up to dance.
"That was fun while it lasted, though." Astoria giggled. She felt her face flush. Ella and her walked back carefully to their table, but Theo had stopped them— and suddenly Astoria noticed a new slow tune. She smiled, leaving her friends alone to dance. But not too far was Draco who she saw was getting up from his own chair, making his way to her. She blushed, her lips slightly parted in happy surprise— but she immediately shut it, still, keeping her perfect faint smile on her face.
When he arrived, he took out his hand and she did too, and he went down to kiss it. She almost laughed with joy, taking his hand and dragging him towards the crowd.
They'd done this exact thing yesterday, so dancing to a slow tune together wasn't that new, but still, Astoria was careful, and nervous around him. This was different to when they danced the waltz, it was more comfortable. Their bodies were close, so she looked over his shoulder as they danced slowly, holding his cold hands delicately— fingers intertwined carefully through hers, his thumb caressing softly, she almost missed it. Her lips almost were close to touching his neck, she could smell his cologne, and see everything there was to see closely about him.
He made her happy. She felt everything was better when he was in her view— it wasn't dull anymore, she wasn't anymore. Astoria reminisced on the past, and how different they were compared to now. She had found her new family, and new friends, and she was keeping her little brother safe— giving him the life that he deserved, and which she also did.
Her thoughts were soon cut off when she heard the very person she was thinking of speak. "How did I ever begin to deserve you or any of this?" He asked himself as he kissed her neck just a few times.
"I ask myself that almost everyday." She whispered.
"You should know the answer to that— you're good hearted."
She hugged him tighter suddenly, and he reciprocated. "You're good hearted too— remembering the detail about a restaurant meal. I love you." She suddenly blurted the last bit in a whisper, and had not wanted to let go at that moment.
"No, I love you." He hugged tighter, whispering a thank you into her hair. Draco Malfoy couldn't believe that she loved him— but he slowly could get used to it, he told himself.
Her eyes almost watered. "I can't wait to spend my life doing adventurous things with you. It doesn't feel real, Draco."
He leaned back from her, still holding her tight. He had just wanted to see her eyes.
He wiped her stray tear as she chuckled a little. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, Astoria."
YOU ARE READING
Dead Girl Walking (Draco x Astoria)
Romance"Astoria, you should do me a favour." He paused, and said, "You should just go." She blinked multiple times. "Go? Go where? I just got here." "No, I mean just go away. Go start your job, go buy your house, and go forget about me." 🥧 This story fol...
