Malediction: the love and life of Astoria Malfoy

Chapter Twenty

It was a mid July morning, and I was ecstatic. I had plans to meet up with Holly in Diagon Alley later that day. I was already weary of home after being there for only two weeks. Any excuse to see people other than my mother and father -- escape their stoic looks, as if they were expecting me to drop dead any moment -- was welcome.

With every passing day, my parents became more and more wistful, more pensive. Lingering glances with sad eyes passed over me every time I exited my room, walking past them.

I understood what they were doing, where they were coming from. I was dying (yes, yes, we all know), and Daphne was gone, so they would one day no longer be parents. It was a horrible thought, but it was true. They'd already come to terms with the loss of one of us, not both.

However, that didn't mean they could begin grieving while I was still alive. My heart was beating (however erratically it may), I was breathing. Something I sometimes even neglected to realize. I was still here. I was still alive.

And I felt alive today, as I got dressed and ready for Diagon Alley.

A bizarre inclination crept over me. Begrudgingly obliging, I reached under my mattress and felt around for the cool metal of my necklace. I pulled it out by the pendant, and ran my thumb over the smooth curve. I smiled down at it, and put it on. I hadn't worn it in months, but the familiar feeling of it was nice on my skin.

I remembered Holly's story about her ring. She had said that one day, it became 'just a ring', and nothing else. But as I clasped it around my neck, I wasn't sure I never wanted this to become just a necklace. It was more, so much more, and that's how it would stay.

* * *

"Oh! I need to run into Madam Malkins and drop this off." She lifted up one of the bags in her hands, one from home. "It's Caleb's school uniform, apparently he ripped it when he was unpacking. How -- I have no idea, but it's best no to question him, 'cause then he just talks longer."

I laughed, taking another spoonful of chocolate and pumpkin ice cream from Florean and Fortescues.

She went to open the door to the store, but I stopped her. "We can't bring these" -- I lifted up my ice cream cup, -- "in. Here, I'll hold yours while you run in."

"Oh, 'kay, here," she handed her Butterscotch cone to me, "thanks, I'll be right out."

I nodded as she opened the door with a small jingle of the little door bell.

I looked around, the sun casting warm light over the crowded street. I figured I would go sit by the tables outside Florean and Fortescues to be out of the way.

All of them were full of families or congregations of friends except for one, which only had one seat taken.

Normally, I would've walked away and just waited outside Madam Malkins, but it was hot, and the two ice creams were melting, butterscotch dripping down my fingers, and the brightly colored umbrella over the circular table was very enticing given the other variables.

"Hello, do you mind if I sit here while I wait for my friend?" I said to the person, whose face was covered by the front page of the Daily Prophet.

My jaw dropped the moment they set down the newspaper. Staring back at me were the clear, gray, widened eyes of Draco.

Out of all the people, all the tables, I had to choose here? Why hadn't I just waited outside the shop?!

I think I audibly gulped and said a shocked "Oh."