For The Greater Good (A Draco Malfoy Story)

The Weasley Wedding

 "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my greatest pleasure to introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Weasley!"

Cheers filled the summer air as the happy couple made their way into the tent, glued to each other's side. They moved gracefully as if they were of one body to the center and commenced their first dance as husband and wife. I was currently sitting at my table with Gabriel, watching smiles appear on everyone's faces, one by one. Ron's mother was positively glowing with pride as she flitted all around the tent, greeting people and exchanging tearful hugs.

"Mum's going to be a right mess at your wedding," I said matter-of-factly as I leaned towards Gabriel. "She's going to be blubbering and denying the fact that she's blubbering."

A laugh burst through his lips. "And you? Will you be crying at my wedding?"

"And ruin my makeup for you? Not a chance, bucko. The best woman has to look perfect."

"Best woman?" Gabriel looked at me with an eyebrow raised, mirth lining his lips.

"Well let's face it, brother of mine. It's not like you've got many friends," I teased and sipped at the wine George had snuck over to our table. Gabriel sputtered.

"What about Harry and Ron? They're my friends!"

"Yes, but who would you choose as your best friend, your best man?"

Gabriel paused as he looked over to where Ron was sullenly watching a rather foreign looking bloke dance with Hermione and then over to Harry who was brooding in the corner with an old man. Images of them fighting each other popped into his head and an exaggerated shudder ran down his body. "It'll be a bloodbath," he spoke gravely, making me laugh.

"Exactly, and what does that leave you with? Your dear old sister," I pinched his cheek teasingly, relishing in my amusement as he slapped my hand away.

"Oh yeah? And what about you? Are you going to make me your bloody man of honor?"

I scoffed. "Oh, heavens no. Hermione will be my made of honor."

The other guests started to look at our table as my laughter grew and I had to stifle it quickly by biting my lip. Gosh, was it the wine doing this to me? Or was it simply the effect of having love in the air? Whatever it was, I was damn well ready for another dose!

"And how do you know that I will get married first?" Gabriel moved my cup away from me and drank the rest of its contents.

My shoulders shrugged languidly. I hadn't even had more than three sips of the wine and my body felt so jelly-like, like I could just seep into your skin if I touched you. "I just do," I tapped my nose knowingly.

"Excuse me, milady? May I have this dance?" a voice that made sunshine burst beneath my eyelids said. I looked up at the grinning face of Fred Weasley and placed my hand in his, letting him pull me up to the sky.

"You certainly may, good sir." He pulled me onto the dance floor as the band started to play a sweet song with rapid guitar strumming. I could taste the honeyed air on my tongue and feel the low electricity of the night hum through my skin. Fred spun me around and around until right was left and wrong was right, his long fingers clasping mine and holding my waist. Laughter was reborn on my lips as my cheeks reddened with adrenaline or exultation, I couldn't tell which one and I didn't care enough to figure it out. Colors burst before my eyes around every man, woman and child and it was like looking through a kaleidoscope of happy hues.

But of course, I spoke too soon.

A ball of bluish white light burst into the tent and hovered in the middle of the dance floor. Gasps filled the spaces where once laughter occupied as Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice boomed all around us. "The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead. They are coming...they are coming...they are coming..."

When the light was gone, there was a brief second of silence as we all just tried to process the message relayed to us. And then the frenzy began.

Death Eaters shot through the tent from every direction like bullets, creating destruction in their path. Fred's arms which had tightened around me during that quick second had vanished as he lifted his wand to defend his family. Screams filled the air as the wonderful wedding was shattered and thrown underfoot.

"Gabriel!" I called out, trying to find my counterpart while narrowly avoiding a killing curse. "Gabriel!"

Arms wrapped around my midsection like a vice, lifting me into the air and dragging me backwards. Bringing my heel up, I brought it back down sharply onto my captor's groin, eliciting a very satisfying groan and yet he still didn't let go. "Gabriel!" The man's arms tightened and when I saw him about to apparate, I used my wandless magic to send him sprawling backwards with a spell.

"Rose! Gabriel!" Harry, Ron and Hermione gripped each other as they searched for us. I ran to them but still found no sign of my brother.

"You guys go on without me, I need to find Gabriel!" They opened their mouths to argue but I cut them off before they could. "There's no time! Just tell me where you're going and when I find Gabriel, we'll meet up with you there!"

"Number 12 Grimmauld Place," Hermione pulled me close and whispered in my ear before squeezing my hand. Then, they were gone. I turned back, aiding the Weasleys with their defense until I heard a different voice among the cacophony of sounds.

"Alvers."

A hand gripped mine and before I could utter a sound, my stomach twisted and the world around us disappeared. My body had become a rubber band that was being pulled to its limit, then as soon as the sensation started, it stopped and the rubber band snapped back. I landed abruptly on my hands and knees on a dry carpet, my head and heart struggling to calm themselves. All the chaos of the wedding was gone and replaced with silence. But it wasn't completely quiet, crickets still chirped outside and the wind whispered into the air as it passed through the trees. It was the kind of silence that came with the absence of humans and their material noises.

That same hand from before, pale and smooth, entered my line of sight invitingly, confirming who stood before me. Those hands used to shake, used to tremble so much that it made practicing magic nearly impossible. Now, though, they were still, with the palm facing upwards, daring me to let them raise me up. And it was that movement, or lack thereof, that made me slide my own into his and let him tighten the connection. I stood up and looked into the grey eyes of Draco Malfoy, expecting to see a man reborn but instead was met with more darkness.

"Rose," he exhaled, as if my name was a secret rejoicing to escape from his parted lips and lighten his chest.