A Malfoy Marriage

7: Dear Anastasia

As soon as Malfoy took the oath Harry escorted him to the auror offices and I was left all alone in my office with nothing but my thoughts to keep me company.

I was staring at the letter deciding whether I should read it or not. In retrospect I wished I didn't read it, but they say curiosity killed the cat.

Dear Anastasia,

My, has it been a long time, almost eight years. I still remember all of the good times before the war. You always lit up the room when you walked in, and always made me feel so loved. There hasn't been a day since I left the country before seventh year that I haven't thought of you.

Alas, I haven't had the opportunity make my way back to England till now.

Mister Jones here at MACUSA's Department of Defense received your auror transfer request today and I have been approved for a transfer.

Seeing as we'll finally be near one another again, I was hoping we could start seeing each other again. I know it won't go back to exactly how it was before, at least initially, but I would like the opportunity to try again.

I will be arriving Friday morning, and staying at my folks' old place. Please owl me when we can meet.

Once again I can't wait to see you again, Darling.

All my love,

David

The letter brought on an onslaught of well suppressed emotions. Confusion, hope, love, but the primary one was sadness because he was coming back, but I could never be his.

All of the memories flashed through my brain rapidly like the scenery going by on the Hogwart's Express. The Yule Ball, our first kiss by the small pond near his parents house, cuddling in the Gryffindor common room on Sunday mornings, the first time I gave myself to him, but the most painful of them all was the look on his face when we said goodbye.

Suddenly, it felt as though I were sinking and my lungs were filled with lead. My eyes were filled with tears and I was trying my best to keep in the sob that was threatening to break through.

I hastily stood and grabbed my purse, not even bothering to clean up my work space, and walked out of my office. I stopped in front of Aggie's desk and said "Aggie, I'm not feeling very well, so I'm going to head home. Please save any memos and leave any new files in a new pile next to the one that's already there."

"Of course Miss. Anastasia." she said and waved goodbye.

I quickly made my way to the floo network and called out Grimmauld Place. I made my way to the sitting room in the back as I wiped off the, now rapidly falling, tears on my cheeks.

Ginny was sat there trying to get the telly, Hermione had bought her, to work.

Hearing the sound of my shoes she looked up and with a look of both confusion and concern she asked "What's wrong?"

I laid down on my side, on the sofa, resting my head in her lap, and said "He's coming back."

"Who?" She asked

"David. He's one of the transfer aurors. He wrote me too." I said

"What did he say?" She asked stroking my hair in the maternal nature often associated with Molly Weasley.

I laid there in her lap and explained everything and eventually fell asleep of exhaustion in her lap.

****
* Draco *

I've been sitting around all day in the auror offices waiting for Pratty Potter to give me something to do, but nothing. He did say there's going to be a big meeting Friday where they fill in all of the new aurors on the case, so I suppose this is how it will be till then.

Suddenly Potter himself marched up to me and placed a large file on top of it and said "Malfoy, can you take this to Anastasia for me?"

"Really, that's my first job as an auror?" I deadpanned

In his defense the man had a slightly sheepish look on his face as he said "Sorry, but it's a quite a long case and it's makes more sense to wait for all of the others."

"Yeah, whatever." I said and picked up the file and walked out ok the offices and through the hallways towards Phillip's office. Looking at all of the different portraits and different award plaques.

Eventually I made it to her office and saw a closed door and that Scottish women was nowhere to be found, so I went to knock but just as my knuckles touched the wood the lady showed up and said "Miss. Anastasia is ill and went home, but I can take the file for her."

"Ill? She was fine this morning, what happened?" I asked

"I don't really think she was actually ill but she looked sad. I personally think it was that letter..." the lady started and continued rambling, but I wasn't paying attention because. even then, I knew that letter was weird . I mean who addresses people as 'My dear' that's not normal.

I suppose I'll find out somehow

****
The next morning as I walked into the auror offices for another boring day of sitting around, I saw that Potter and his Weasley wife were standing with Phillips and talking seriously about something.

Phillips seemed very tired and her eyes were bloodshot, almost like she'd been up all night or had cried.

Just as I sat down at the table I realized that they had finished talking and Potter and Potterette were kissing goodbye. I looked away trying to think of ways to forgot that scary image just as Phillips marched up to my desk and said "Come with me Malfoy."

"Why?" I asked stoically

"Because Harry told me you were bored and had nothing to do till the meeting on Friday, and I have a lot of backed up paperwork and  still need to put together the briefing information for the meeting on Friday. So, you can help me with my paperwork. Now, come along." She replied

I got up and followed her, still curious as to why she looked so disheveled and what happened yesterday.

But, currently I was more curious as to how someone so tiny could walk with such an air of authority.

****