Malediction: the love and life of Astoria Malfoy

Chapter Thirteen

I'd never had a boyfriend before. Or a crush, even. Everything was new.

First off, we started walking together to dinner. It probably didn't seem like much to anyone else, and maybe it wasn't, but it felt like something. Something great and exciting and new.

Second, we started talking a lot more. The silence between us at dinner and in the Common Room was now dispersed with conversation, long ones, conversations I would think about for days after. Draco was smarter than he let on.

Third, the biggest, the brightest, we kissed again. This surprised me for some reason -- I mean, I should've known it would happen again, and I did, but still, when it actually was taking place, it was just as shocking as the first time.

It happened in the Common Room; I was about to get up and go to bed, so was he. We both turned, and we were face to face, and there it was.

When the months changed, landing us in mid December, kissing became a regular occurance. Commonplace.

Christmas was approaching, and with it, my birthday. The first I'd ever had without Daphne. They say the first year without someone is always the hardest, but I honestly couldn't see it getting easier. But I tried to push those thoughts out of my head while I packed up my things for the holidays.

I tugged my case down the stairs of the dormitory, into the Common Room, and found Draco there. I'd been toying around with an idea. It was probably stupid, really dumb. Pointless. But there I was, setting it in motion.

"Hey," I said, laying my case down on the floor. He kissed me on the cheek. I blushed. Of course I did. I wish I could get the blushing thing under control.

"So, I was wondering. . ."

"Hm?"

"Well, I get it if you don't want to, I mean, afterall, we've only been together" -- those words still made me feel weird -- "a few months and all, but, my birthday -- it's January sixth -- it would be a lot less boring if you were there. But like I said, you know, if you don't want to do the whole 'parent' thing yet -- "

"I'll be there," he said, with a reassuring nod as if this was obvious.

* * *

The beginning of the day was stifled, and bizarre. Same as Christmas. It felt like I'd stepped into a stranger's house in another country, uncharted and foreign, reality just a bit off kilter.

It wasn't a real holiday, a real birthday, without her there. It felt wrong to be there, to be 'celebrating'; like we were leaving her out, betraying her. It was too quiet. Too stuffy. Her absence was jarring; I hated it.

A drop of salvation came to me when there was a knock at the door. I hadn't told my parents who was coming, just that they would meet my boyfriend (the words felt foreign and silly in my mouth). It was stupid of me not to tell them, I knew that even at the time. I just didn't want to hear it.

The pride.

Their daughter with a Malfoy. Their runt daughter, the one they expected to live off the family fortunes, and her sister's future riches, with a Malfoy. I guess I just wanted to delay that for as long as possible.

When I opened the door, my mother audibly gasped, her jaw slack. Then, my father shook Draco's hand and talked to him like an old business partner or something.

My mother played the part of hostess perfectly, haughty laugh, straight posture, upturned chin; it was slightly sickening. I felt horrible for bringing him into this atmosphere, them eyeing him like a pile of gold.

We had dinner and cake (chocolate of course), and I thought the outlandish day would come to a halt, no presents to open (I'd told my parents I didn't want anything. At first they argued, having always spoiled us, but I think they were relieved, for they were unsure of what to get me in the first place), when Draco pulled out a small wrapped box.

I looked at him, head tilted, eyebrows raised. "Draco, seriously, you didn't have to --"

"Just open it." He shrugged. I shook my head, a half grin on. I tore the silver (he remembered) paper and opened it.

My breath caught in my throat when I saw it.

"I remembered you talking about it, that you sent an owl to you mum --" he motioned to her -- "to look for it, but she couldn't find it. I hope it's similar"

Inside the box was a necklace, a silver heart dangling from it. Just like the one Daphne had given me all those years ago.

Tears welled in my eyes as I lifted it from the box. My breath was held. My vision focused on him from behind the necklace. A buckle in my throat, a prickling in my nose. Tears down my face.

"Thank you." It was hardly audible through my breaking voice. A small smile on his lips. "Thank you," I said again, giving completely into the tears, and pulling him into a hug.

My mother gasped at the sight of it, and she too began to tear up.

Later, when he was about to leave (after another firm handshake from my father and hug from my mother) I stepped outside with him on the porch, shutting the door behind me.

I took in a breath, rubbing my hands together from the cold. "I'm sorry about" -- I motioned to the door -- "that. My parents, they're uh. . . ."

"They're great," he said in a laugh. "I'm surprised they didn't run screaming at the sight of me." He'd meant it as a joke, but I felt the belief in his voice, like he'd actually been expecting that.

"Are you kidding? I'm surprised they didn't haul out a dress and marry us on sight." Rich pure-bloodedness trumped any past of being a Death Eater in my parent's minds.

A pause.

I looked at the door, my eye catching on the necklace laying on my chest, glinting from the window's light, and into his eyes. I loved his eyes. I loved. . . .

I took his hand in mine.

Silence.

"I love you." I said it. I meant it.

He pulled me into a kiss, and when it ended, neither of us pulled away.

Through a smile, he said, "I love you too."