Lost and Found (You Found Me, Book #2)

Chapter 22: Bridal Shower

Aurora's POV

I decided to go to Emma's .

It would be selfish to let my decisions ruin her day. And it's not necessarily something I could make up to her. So, I showered, combed my hair, did my makeup, and even put some flower clips in my hair, like it requested on the invitation.

Surprisingly, I looked... more... "presentable" than I have been lately. It's for Draco and Emma.

Even with my crushing headache and stomach ache. I Disapparated to the garden outside Malfoy Manor. Narcissa had insisted on holding the party here, so, she would have the opportunity to do all that mother-of-my-future-grandchildren-I-love-you-so-much bull on Emma. Selfish little...

When I appeared good fifty feet from where the tables, balloons, and stuff were set up, I had a bit of walking to do. I took my time walking through the garden. Although, it was selfish of Narcissa to make Draco and Emma have it here, it is a beautiful garden. Emma saw me walking towards the party before I saw her. I turned my head and saw her running at me, five feet away with her arms open for a huge hug.

"Rora, I'm so happy you made it, you looked amazing," she said, hugging me lightly. By that, she means better than I was when she checked on me the other day. "How are you?" she asked.

I shrugged, managing a tiny smile. "I'm here, aren't I?"

She smiled in a half sympathetic, half enthused way. I'm happy I came. She's happy.

"Come on," she smiled, taking my hand and guiding me further into the party. "I have someone I want you to meet."

I let her guide me into the garden, to where the chairs and tables had been set up. Most of the people here must be friends and family of hers, or, Draco's. Walking through the crowd of people, majority of them looked at me like mud on a wedding dress.

"Emma," I began, "are you sure you want me here?"

"Why wouldn't I want you here? You're Draco's best friend," she replied.

I shrugged. "I don't think the other guests... want me here..."

"So? Who cares what they think?"

"Well, I don't, I just don't want to embarrass you in front of-"

"Oh, please," she said, cutting me off. "You're staying if I have to make you." I went to say something else, but she cut me off, spinning me around and saying, "That's my friend, Jessamine, right over there. Go say hi."

I moved towards the brunette Emma had instructed, slowly and a bit cautiously.

When I reached her, her facial expression looked a bit surprised I had even come up to her.

"Hi," I began. "Um, my name's-"

"Aurora Lovegood. I read about you all the time in the Daily Prophet," she said, flashing a fake smile and moving her eyes slowly down me in a quick evaluation. "Why are you here?"

"Um... Emma is one of my friends, she invited me," I whimpered out, quickly realizing the mistake of coming over here. "She also told me I should make an effort to meet you."

Her eyebrows flicked up as she huffed in astonishment.

"Well, that was a mistake."

"Okay, then," I said. No way am I starting something here. "I get you don't like me, but the Daily Prophet doesn't have all their facts right, especially not Rita Skeeter of all people.

"And why would that be?"

"Well, for starters? Twenty-five percent of what she writes is fact, the rest of it are rumors and lies she bent to make them "a scoop"" -I made air quotes- "for her story."