Moving Forward (Drastoria Fanfic)

Chapter One

Draco's POV: Summer break of 1996 before 6th year

Astoria Greengrass, despite being under her sister's popular shadow for most of her life and the brunt of most of her father's abuse, caught my eye the moment we met when we were five years old. We grew up being a part of the 'Sacred Twenty-eight' Pure-blood families and our mother has had us in the same social group. As children before Hogwarts, we spoke quite often and were good friends that is until I went off to school a year before Astoria with her sister, Daphne. Despite my promise to send her a letter each week via my owl, I was too caught up with my new life at school and wanted to gain friends that my mother didn't hand pick. The following year when Astoria was sorted into the Slytherin house, I gave her a quick peck on the cheek on the way to the dungeons and I could see what had happened was all but forgotten in her eyes. Two years later during the Triwizard Tournament, I finally got the courage to ask her out on a date to one of the restaurant in Hogsmeade which lead to a solid relationship for the next year. A few days ago and just a month before I begin my sixth year when I have forced to get the Dark Mark branded into my arm. I have yet to send the letter that I wrote to her saying that we had to break up due to my own selfish reasons to keep her as mine for a little while longer.

Oh just do it! I tell myself and fold the letter up sealing it in an envelope to write her name on the front with a sigh. I take it with me downstairs to Father's office—practically abandoned since he's been in Azkaban—where my owl, Zeus likes to stay and stroke his head holding the letter out for him to take in his beak. "Take it straight to Tori and don't let her send anything back."

I watch as the eagle owl flies out of the open window into the rainy night and when I no longer can see him, I turn to head straight back up to my room. I flop down on the green coverings of my bed and groan into the mattress knowing deep down that I am giving up the best relationship I probably will ever have. Astoria, with her golden blonde hair that catches in the sunlight on our dates to Hogsmeade, bright green eyes that was the first thing I noticed about her, her odd interests for certain Muggle ways that surprisingly doesn't repulse me, her love for art...

I groan again pointing my wand the fireplace to start a fire and get up from my bed to sit down at my desk that overlooks the grounds of the Malfoy estate. I flip open one of the books that I recently bought for the upcoming school year I am dreading and try to let the words distract me from my girlfriend well, ex-girlfriend. After rereading the first three pages a few times, I slam the book shut and rub my eyes tiredly from not sleeping well for the past week. I hold in a groan as I see the fires flames turn emerald green from Floo powder and turn to see a very angry looking Astoria stepping out of my fireplace.

"You break up with me in a bloody letter?" She exclaims shaking the letter in one hand and her wand in the other staring at me.

"You don't understand, Tori." I mutter and stand up from the chair at my desk running a hand through my normally smooth hair.

"Enlighten me then!" She hisses at me and tosses her wand on my bed crossing her arms over her chest.

I take a deep breath and walk over to close the door to my bedroom locking before leading Astoria to sit at the end of my bed. "What I am about to show you doesn't leave this house, understood?"

"Yes, Draco." She says her bright green eyes showing her fear and I hate myself for what I had to show her. I slowly start to roll up my left shirtsleeve and keep my eyes down when I hear her gasp shocked when she reaches to brush her fingers along the black lines of the Mark. "Oh Merlin..."

"Astoria, we can't be together anymore..." I say bitterly and pull my arm back out of her grasp hating to see the the tears formed in her eyes. "I wouldn't be able to bear it if something was to happen to you, love."