The First Time She Ever Loved

Part 8: Broken Promises (end of prologue)

Lunch finally arrived, seizing the free period as a chance to tell, Draco about my late night meeting with Dumbledore, I ushered Draco outside to a secluded spot by the castle. Despite his complaints that he needed to get homework done, I dragged him down beside me anyway. "Come on Draco, you look like a ghost. Sunlight and fresh air'll just make you look more healthy, and since you'll be locked up with McGonagall tomorrow while everyone else is at Hogsmeade..." I argued with him. "You should spend time outside today instead!"
"Alright... Alright, but after, I'm going back inside to finish that Transfiguration." I grinned at him, then recounted my visit.

***

I was back at the same spot, laying on my back. Draco's reaction about my mum had been hilarious, I thought, he had just gaped like a fish at me for at least five minutes. I smiled to myself, staring up at the bright cerulean sky. Little wisps of candy floss clouds covered the sparkling sun, as others floated aimlessly about. It had been a little over a week since the revealing of my parentage, and I couldn't feel more content as I lounged on the cold snow. Very much alone, but not caring a bit. I was just thinking about life; the future, the past, but my thoughts just kept drifting back to one particular memory. One that I treasured with my fondest.

It had been September, the beginning of this year. I had just finished buying all of my school things from a rather desolate Diagon Alley, and I had been hoping to catch Borgin and Burke's just before it closed for the night. Hurrying quickly down Nocturne Alley, I noticed a sleek blonde head amidst the darkness of the falling dusk, the owner of the head looked, in fact, distinctively sneaky yet familiar. So, I followed him. After a while, I began to get bored of trailing Draco, so I tapped him on the shoulder. He whirled around, pointing his wand at my smirking face. He was so easy to startle! "What the hell, Riddle." He said looking relieved that it was just me, "I could've hexed you."
"Yeah well, I will most certainly hex you if you keep calling me Riddle," I smiled, then took a more serious tone, "you know I hate my last name."
"Well," Draco responded, "there's only one way to make me stop calling you Riddle, Riddle."
And what would that be?" I asked, playing along, but with seriously no clue what the answer was.
"Well, it's simple really... Become a Malfoy." He said with a shrug. And with that, he kissed me smoothly on the nose, placed a small satiny box in my hand, and swaggered into Borgin and Burke's, not embarrassed in the least. I was left stunned, speechless, and very, very emotional.

Back in present time, I rubbed the box in my hand, it remained unopened to this day. I had no clue whatsoever what was in it and right now I really wanted to know. I just couldn't deal with suspense anymore. So, I yanked the black ribbon off of the top and pulled the lid off. Inside there was a piece of folded parchment and a ring. The ring was breathtaking in a queer and beautiful way. It was made from two different materials; obsidian and diamond. They swirled together, forming unique contrasting patterns. It was shaped simply as a band but was really quite fabulous. I slipped it on my pinkie finger, it fit perfectly, and then on my thumb, receiving the same results, just as I had thought, the ring was enchanted to fit any size of finger. Leaving it on my left-hand thumb, I unfolded the note, inside four very simple sentences;

Dear Angel,
I am sorry, but I had to do it. I understand if you will never forgive me. This isn't about Dumbledore, it's something else. Again, I am sorry.
Love,
Draco

Despite the simplicity of it, the note crushed me. He had promised me no more lies, but even that hadn't been true either. I couldn't... I wouldn't... Some part of me withered and died, perhaps the section of my heart that Draco had been so tenderly placed, but I wasn't sure. Draco was just like his father, and I had been a fool to think otherwise. There was no such thing as a good Death Eater, and now, every Hogwarts student was going to learn that much harder than I.