Royals (Draco Malfoy x Reader)

Chapter 67

Mother made me return to school straight after the meeting. I was lost utterly and completely lost, the boy who had turned into a young man by my side died, before he could ever live a full life. Hogwarts had been notified of William's death the day it had happened, and for the next week, everyone looked at me with Sympathy. It annoyed me to my core, all the people who pretended to be good friends with William for attention surely had a few hexes bestowed upon them. 

The school has decided to hold a memorial for William as if that was enough to remember the boy and I, of course, received an owl from mother, insisting that I lay the grief on thick, so I wouldn't be seen as a potential suspect. I hadn't left my dorm very much since I returned to Hogwarts, my dreams plagued with the vision of William dying. I haven't slept very much, nor have I eaten very much at all, the only time I would leave the room was for mealtimes, the staring would be too much so I would leave rather quickly. Fred and George came by regularly trying almost everything to make me smile and Aurelia begged me to leave the room for more than five minutes to study for my O.W.L's. 

I sat on the silk covers of my bed, my hands tracing over the book, a book of memories, a photo book that is. It held every single photo of William and I starting from the young age of one. He had given it to me for my twelfth birthday, a small but kind gesture. I grasped the edge lightly ready to open it but was stopped by the door swinging open. There stood Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Aurelia and Draco. I had only finished sobbing, their timing was impeccable, and I wondered if they stood outside until I was finished wallowing in my own self-pity. 

Pansy and I had begun to get along, she was kind to me but in some ways rather cold-hearted, Daphne was a rather new addition she was a tall blonde with very strong bone structure, one might mistake her for an old statute if she stood still enough. 

Draco was the first to make a move, he rushed to my side and pulled me in for a bone-crushing hug, The young Malfoy boy was a man of few words, and even fewer moments of affection, but he had been kind to me since that night in the Astrology tower. His grip never faltered squeezing me as tight as possible and tears well in my eyes. He muttered a few kind words into my hair, he and William never had gotten along very well, but he knew how much the boy meant to me. 

He had reluctantly let go and Daphne and Pansy hugged me one each side, letting go quickly and Aurelia was next "It will all be okay, you will meet again" her hug was comforting and brought me a moment of joy. The three girls had hexed many people the past week or so for things as simple as looking at me for too long, they were rather protective. Aurelia ushered Draco out of the room and slamming the door closed behind them. Daphne pulled me to my feet gently and I slumped my shoulders. "that will not do!" she tutted and her hand moved to my back fixing my posture a grin appearing on her pale skin. Pansy was rather preoccupied raking through my closet and making a mess all over the floor. Aurelia reappeared a packet of biscuits in her hand and a glass of water in the other she shoved the items into my hand "eat!" she demanded and I did eating the entire packet of biscuits in no less than one minute, I was rather hungry, I tilted the glass of water and chugged it. 

"Perfect!" Pansy grinned throwing some articles of clothing on my bed "I'm not a mourning wife!" I cried and the brunette rolled her eyes "you may as well be! everyone knew that boy was in love with you!" she hissed and Daphne gasped "Pansy! Enough!" Daphnes voice was stern and enough to shut Pansy up. Aurelia nudged her head to her bed where a black dress lay "black is a sign of mourning (name)! you must wear this!" she insisted and I rolled my eyes looking over at my own bed where the sunglasses, hat and handkerchief laid along with the dress and coat. 

I sighed before nodding, I couldn't have been less bothered with my appearance and if it was left to me, I would have shown up in my pyjamas. The three girls dressed quickly also, Aurelia and Daphne lacing up their boots while Pansy was persistent on wearing a pair of flats saying she was 'tall enough without those monstrous heels' I laid the hat upon my head and threw my coat over my shoulders "Ready?" Aurelia questioned and I nodded. I decided that it would be best to hold his remembrance in the garden, William loved flowers as do I, it was always something we bonded over. I picked up some Red Carnations from my dresser and Aurelia and Daphne wrapped an arm around my shoulder Pansy walking in front with her wand drawn, she said it was just a 'precaution' 

As the four of us walked through the school, most of which dressed in red and Black, I smiled lightly, even with all the bad things William had done, he had also done well by many people. My eyes drifted around and I noticed Ron, Hermione and Harry dressed in red and black, clearly going to the ceremony. Hermione began towards us "not today granger!" Pansy hissed pointing her wand threateningly and I mouthed a small thank you as we continued towards the flower garden.

Many people stood around, Dumbledore and McGonagall standing beside a picture of William, he wore a bright grin, it was a picture I had taken last summer when we spent all our time in the garden reading and watching the flowers, much different to how we spent our time this summer. My eyes watered lightly and I let out a sniffle, Draco spotted us and motioned for us to come over, he sat with Crabble, Goyle and Zabini. He patted the spot beside him and I sat quickly trying to avoid the sympathetic stares of my peers. 

"We are gathered here, not to mourn William, but to celebrate his life and the way he lived it, filled with kindness and lack of hatred" Dumbledore began and I tried my best not to snicker, if only they knew what he was, what he had done. "William was a brilliant student, never failing to bring a smile onto his peers face, a true Gryffindor with his bravery at all times, but I am afraid I cannot say much about the boy, so I invite Miss Windsor to please speak a few words" The headmaster motioned for me to come closer and Draco squeezed my thigh "it'll be okay" he assured pushing me up. I sniffled and took off the sunglasses I wore in the cold weather.  My face was puffy, eyes bloodshot from all the tears I shed. I adjusted my hat and began walking forward.

{Author's Pov}

(Name) stumbled forward fumbling with the ties of her coat "I wasn't expecting to be asked to speak, I have nothing prepared but the memories that lie In my heart"She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear looking up from the ground. "William, what can I say about William" she chucked to more herself than anyone else. "I grew up with him and in all those years we only fought a handful of times, due to the kindness in his heart" the (h/c)ette looked at the photo of William surrounded by flowers, Shakespears 'Julius Caesar' in his grasp. "he was a genius, but yet he always put his heart before his head, William was a kind boy who often made the wrong choices yet always righted his wrongs" she spoke, more about him dying as a symbolism of his way of redemption for making her become what she was. 

"I have no words, but I shall quote one of Williams favourite quotes 'Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear, Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come." she quoted gazing at the photo a small smile gracing her features. "William never feared death, he knew it was inevitable, something he couldn't control, he knew he would have to accept it, but we always thought with hope in our hearts that we would die old, as long time friends" she finished tears spilling down her face as she placed the Carnations on the photo frame.

"I will always love you, my dear friend, until we meet again"