Perfect Illusions (Drastoria)

Chapter Eight - Dancing

Chapter Eight: Dancing

The first practice went well. And the second, and the third. I couldn't believe I still had it! Rhyan told me I was a natural chaser. All the first year girls adored me. I was starting to make more friends. I was happy for a change.

Our first game was against Hufflepuff. (I've always wondered what a Hufflepuff is.... I've heard they're good finders or something.... I don't know.) We were down in the beginning, but we came back in the end, caught the snitch and won the game.

Our record that year was 16 wins, 2 losses. We were a very good team, although Ginny Weasley was a force to be reckoned with on the Gryffindor team. That's where our two losses came from.

My seventh year, our quidditch team excelled again, and I knew to keep playing, I needed to keep my grades up, so I worked hard. We were all questioned nearing the end of the year what we wanted to do with our careers, but I had no idea yet.

Four days from the end of the year, I was pulled out of class by Headmaster McGonagall. When I got into the hallway, a tall man who looked like a P.E. teacher smiled at me.

"Hello, Miss Greengrass!"

"Hello," I smiled.

"Well, I've been watching you play during your latest quidditch matches, and I have to say, you have a natural talent that you don't find everywhere."

I smiled again.

The man continued, "That's why I've come here, actually. I am Mr. Warner, coach of one of the quidditch teams over in London, the Jets. And we would love it, as long as you would like to, to have you join us on our team, as one of our chasers."

Suddenly I knew: this was what I was meant to do.

"Absolutley, I would love that!" I said.

"Great! Well, we need you to sign a few contracts and such, and well be set to go! And remember: our season isn't gonna be here again for another 10 or 11 months, so stay fit and you'll be just fine!"

"Alright, thank you so much!"

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, Miss Greengrass. Thank you," Mr. Warner said, smiling. I signed the contracts, and Coach Warner left.

I was so excited. I couldn't wait to tell my mother, and Daphne, and Draco, and Blaise... I smiled wider, thinking of Draco.

I wrote owls to each of them, telling them about my meeting with the Jets coach. If I remembered right, Blaise and Draco were both big fans of theirs.

As I left school that year, I couldn't be happier.

On my return home, myself, my mother, Daphne, and Draco all had a big supper, during which I told them all about the details for the next Jets season. Draco was acting weird, though; anxious and really nervous.

"You alright?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he said nonchalantly, and squeezed my hand.

He was still acting weird when dinner was over, and he asked me to go for a walk with him. I agreed, and Daphne locked eyes with me before I turned to go.

For a while, neither Draco nor I spoke. He led me to the park, to the same bench that I was sitting on when he first came here after the battle.

We just sat there for a while.

"Astoria," he started shakily, and then cleared his throat.

"Yes?" I asked, my stomach doing flip-flops. What was happening?

"You remember a couple years ago, when we were sitting here and I told you that my parents didn't want us to be together?"

Oh, God. He was leaving me. I was sure of it.

"Yeah?"

"Well..." Draco paused for a few moments, unknowingly causing suspense that was killing me. I started to feel nauseous.

Draco looked at me.

"Are you alright?"

I stood, almost certain now that I was going to be sick.

"Draco, if you're going to leave me, do it quickly, please," my throat was closing up; I was starting to cry.

Draco stood quickly, a slight glint of confusion and anger showing in his eyes. Then his face softened. He stepped forward, wrapping me in his arms.

"Astoria, look at me. Tori, look."

When I looked him in the eye, he spoke again; his voice hushed and gentle, like he was trying to calm down a wild animal.

"Why would you think that I would ever leave you!?"

I blinked back tears, trying not to make myself look stupid.

Draco kissed me, and I could feel his frustration through the way that he did.

When we broke apart, Draco looked exhausted.

"Let's just go home," he said wearily.

I left feeling regret for my sudden outburst. As I went to sleep that night, I tried to fight the urge to cry. I couldn't. And I cried. Because I loved him so much; because I was so stupid; because really, the new quidditch job scared me. I didn't know what I was doing; I was in way over my head. And I knew that. But I couldn't take it back now.

Something hit my window, woke me up. I looked over at my alarm clock, which read 12:57. I rolled over and started to drift back to sleep.

Something hit my window-again. And again. I got up, drawing open the blinds. Below me on the outside of my windowsill lay three rocks. I looked around, and on the lawn about 5 feet away from my window stood Draco. What was he doing at my house at one in the morning?

I pulled the window up and just looked at him.

Draco said quietly, "Hey, come out here for a minute! I got something for you."

"Do you realize it's one in the morning?" I said, rubbing my eyes.

"Time does not matter, my dear; nothing matters but love," he said, making his voice an octave deeper, and he did one of those elegant bows.

"You're such a dork," I said, smiling at him and shaking my head.

"Nothing but the best and the dorkiest for you, my sweet," he said, his voice still an octave lower than its original state.

I shut the window and quietly walked out the front door.

Immediately I hugged him.

"I'm sorry," I said simply. I was sure he would know what I meant.

He kissed my forehead softly, keeping his lips there for a long time.

Neither of us talked for a few minutes. Then he stepped back and looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You're beautiful."

"No, I'm not. Not right now."

"Yes you are. I promise. Tori, I want to wake up every morning and be able to know you're mine. For the rest of my life, Astoria, I want you to be mine. And as long as you want to be mine, and even if you don't, I'll always be yours, Tori."

Draco then lowered himself to one knee. I choked on my own unbelief, tears clouding my vision. I covered my open mouth with my hand. How could I have been so naive?

"So now I wanna make sure that you'll be mine and I'll be yours for the rest of our lives... Astoria Danielle Greengrass," he locked his grey eyes with my green ones, as had happened so many times before, "I love you so much. More than I can even explain. All I need from you now is to answer one question. Tori... Will you take my hand in marriage?"

My shoulders were shuddering now, but I managed to get out the words, "Of course, Draco. Of course."

He took me in his arms and kissed me. We broke apart and I laid my head on his chest. I realized we were swaying back and forth to music neither of us could hear. He took my hand, smiled at me, and we danced.