Since we had quite a bit of time until we reached the castle, we made small talk.
"How did it feel?" Draco inquires.
"What?"
"Changing."
"To be honest, I blacked out." I laughed. "I accepted and woke up like this." I pause, thinking for a moment. "Draco? Did you like your life, before the war?"
" Yes and no, looking back, it seems like heaven. But not when I lived it. Pureblood standards are bullshit. Don't follow them."
"I didn't plan to."
He smirks at me, but not a devilish one, but a kind and gentle smirk. "Isla? Can I do your hair?"
"What?" I ask, very much surprised.
"Can I do your hair?" He asks again, "You obviously haven't ever had hair that long, and don't know what to do with it, so I'm offering my expertise."
"Oh. Okay, sure." I situate myself on the floor of the canoe, and hand him my hair tie, "Go nuts."
We just sit in comfortable silence for a while, him doing my hair, and me singing under my breath. As we near the castle he stops.
He claps his hands, "All done!" *Picture above*
I pat my head and face him. "Am I a pretty, pretty princess now?"
"All you'd need is a tiara" he smiles.
"Well Draco, you have officially become my hairstylist!" I smirk.
"We're here!" A first-year screams.
"We'd best go take our seats..." he says quietly, obviously dreading entering the Great Hall as much as I. He ties up the boat, gracefully exits, and offers me his arm, "Shall we, Miss Beckett?"
I smile softly at him, "Why yes we shall Mr. Malfoy." Instead of taking his arm, I grab his hand, give it a light squeeze, and kiss him on the cheek, "The memories will always be there, let's do our best to make new ones."
When we took our seats, the ceremony began. McGonagall gave the welcoming address, the first years were placed, and the feast began. As I scanned the Great Hall, I saw all my old friends, but all the empty seats. Instead of focusing on bad memories, I watched Ron, who with no lack of enthusiasm, ate every single thing set in front of him.
"After the feast, all 6th, 7th, and 8th Years must stay in the Great Hall," McGonagall announces simply.
Once all of the "small children" ( a loving nickname courtesy of Ron, Ronan, and Draco) had left, McGonagall stands again, taking her place at the podium. "As most of you know, the Marriage Law has been passed. Meaning, that tonight, you all meet your soulmate. We will be going in position order, top-down, and then alphabetically." She waited for the murmurs to die down. "Miss Beckett. You're first. Place your hand in the cauldron and wait, your soulmate will be announced by a light over his head."
Immediately after I put my hand in the cauldron, there is a light over Draco's head.
"Well done!" McGonagall said loudly, to quiet the others waiting, "Now take down names, you may all talk later."
