#prior draco/astoria

[jomiddlemarch]

they two play out the game 

“Be honest—”

“What do you want me to say, Hermione? That I fell in love with you at school, when you loathed me, when you loathed me because I made you feel that way because I couldn’t bear your pity or worse, being beneath your notice, a shrug of your shoulders, an eyeroll? That the Amortentia I brewed in Potions smelled like ink and rose geranium soap and the bloody catnip you must have grown for your Kneazle in the greenhouses because you never would have nicked it from Sprout? That I envied Weasley for his family loving him and welcoming you, when my father wanted you dead and my mother refused to remember your name?”

Draco paused, lifted a hand from where he’d been gripping the railing and loosened his tie. It was dark blue, because they were no longer children, defined by Houses. He wore his robes open, like an Oxford don, and she could see the suit he wore was Savile Row, not Wizard-tailored. His brogues were polished to a shine short of a House-elf’s efforts.

“Should I tell you I’ve dreamt of you for years, in that periwinkle petal dress and on my ballroom floor, screaming for mercy, and in bookshops, in teashops, in the pub, laughing, smiling at Potter and Longbottom, making a face when you take a sip of your bitter? In the Wizengamot, at my trial, like a Fury. At all the other trials, demolishing their smug assurance, making them cower, making them see? Do you want me to explain how I told Astoria we would marry but I’d never be able to love her and she told me she already knew it, that she understood everything and that if I didn’t mind too much, she supposed we’d do well enough together? You want to hear how when my son was born, I wanted to Owl you, before anyone else, even though you’d have been baffled to receive any message from me, would have probably thought it was a prank from George Weasley, an overture to return to the Weasley bosom after you and Ron ended it ostensibly amicably, except that you’d left England and hadn’t been back in six years for more than a fortnight?”

He took a step nearer and Hermione resisted the urge to fold her arms across her chest or draw her robes closer in some nonverbal attempt at protection. He’d grown taller after the War ended and she hadn’t, not a whit, probably stunted by the stress and starvation of the Horcrux hunt, but he was still a few steps below her on the stairs, so he continued to look up at her, a supplicant. He was still giving her that power, that dominance over him which she hadn’t believed when he’d offered it earlier in words alone.

“Shall I tell you how I followed your career, the papers you wrote, the conferences you attended, collecting clippings like a lovesick groupie with his favorite Quidditch team? How I heard your voice when I taught Scorpius his first spells? How I told him the brightest witch I’d ever known was Sorted into Gryffindor and he was confused because his mother had been a Ravenclaw? How my wife fell in love with my best friend and I didn’t care, or rather, I was happy for her because Theo loved her back and it was nothing for me to look away and let them have the time they could? How I thought if you knew, you’d perhaps admire me for once, for not being selfish, for making some sacrifice, except that you’d be wrong, it wasn’t a sacrifice at all, not when I cared about them both in one way and not at all in another? You want to hear how I thought I’d seen you—at the train station and in the City, in the Prophet, your hair braided, that streak of white like a halo, like a queen’s ivory filet, your eyes, sweet Nimue, your eyes, Hermione—”

“I’m not a saint,” she put in.

He climbed another stair and now he looked directly at her. She could rest her hands on his shoulders if she wanted. She could raise a hand and stroke his cheek, graze the steel temple of his spectacles, the silver hair at above his ears. 

“I know. And I know why you don’t wear a glamour or charm your hair the color it was when we were young. You want me to tell you how my wife died and I wanted you to comfort me? To come to her funeral and hold my hand, to wear the veil for her and to let me fold it back over your head to face the truth? How I wanted you in my bed, fresh from your bath, in a nightdress you’d let me ruck up to your waist, naked beneath me, your skin like silk, arching up into my hands, gasping, laughing when I accidentally tickled your waist. Crying out when you felt my mouth on your breasts, suckling, when you felt my cock hard between your thighs, when I begged you? When I told you to spread your legs, love, when I praised you for being so good, my beautiful, darling, delicious witch I wanted to fuck all night, that there was no one else, there never had been, there never would be, only you, my darling with your dark eyes and your brilliant mind and your magic, your heart, your cunt—You want me to say that I love you, that I’ve loved you to the best of my ability for the best part of my life and that I don’t want you to go, not now, not ever, but I know that’s not up to me?”

There was a slight flush in his cheeks, a gleam in his grey eyes that might be tears, but his voice was steady, restrained, and there was space between them yet that she knew he would not breach. She used the effort required to cast tandem wandless in a duel to the death, more than she’d used when she was eighteen and expected to save the world.

“If it’s the truth—” she said.

“It’s the truth,” he answered. “There’s more, I suppose, but it’s much the same.”

“Then it’s what I asked for,” she said. She closed her eyes for a moment, part of her sure he would not be there when she looked again, a dream, a vision she’d conjured, Nimue and Merlin both, trapped within her desires while the world lived and grew around her. She opened her eyes and there he was, waiting. There was a shadow in his gaze, the expectation of rejection, abandonment. He was not a man accustomed to hope. She’d asked, though, and he’d answered.

“I’ve learned, as I’ve grown older, that I can’t hope for the best. Settle for what I’m given. I must take what I want, with both hands,” she said and reached over, up a little, to cup his face with her palms, her fingers touching the ends of his hair at the nape of his neck. He was very still, almost rigid, and she felt a frisson of fear, of being deceived, denied. 

“With both hands,” she repeated a little hesitantly. “Unless, you don’t, after all—Scorpius will not, and you have to put him first, of course—”

“I do,” Draco, beginning to smile. “And I was told not to come home without you, though Scorpius is willing to take my word for your arrival. He’s not waiting there for us.”

“No?” Hermione said, feeling terribly warm, terribly, wonderfully desired. Needed. Accepted.

“No, I shall have you all to myself,” he said. He finally put his arms around her, very carefully as they were still on a staircase and perhaps he was a little unsteady now. “D’you suppose, before we go, I might kiss you?”

“Here? Where anyone might see?” Hermione asked, though the hallway had been deserted for the past hour and the charm on the wall sconces needed to be recast. Though she had let herself look at his mouth, the curve of his lips. Let herself admit her own appetite had gone beyond any curious hunger, to craving, the sweet she had been forbidden for so long.

“Yes. Be honest, would that bother you?” he said.

“Do you think I will say it would? Do you expect me to tell you no when I’ve just said you’re what I want? All that I want?” she said, echoing him. Making him grin, a hint of the smirk she first remembered seeing on his face as a young boy, now subsumed into such tenderness she felt nearly overwhelmed.

“Is it the truth?” he said.

“Yes,” she said and then she didn’t say anything else because they were beyond needing any other word than “Home—” the Side-along as easy as a breath, as waking from a dream into the day.

They named their first daughter Verity, explaining it was a family name.

#dramione #post-hogwarts #Hermione x Draco #hermione POV #romance #scorpius malfoy #the beauty of fanfic #just justing to the big climatic scene #the burn of a slow burn #prior draco/astoria #astoria/theo #prior ron/hermione #draco really monologues for all he's worth #gets a little blue

[avalynlestrange]

Speak Now

Draco Malfoy x Reader

Reader: she/her pronouns

Warnings: I didn’t proof read this. Let me know if there are any mistakes or if there are other warnings I should add.

Category: Post-Hogwarts, ex to lovers, wedding interruption, songfic, one-shot, angst?, fluff?

Summary: In which you rudely barge in on a white veil occasion.

No Sneak Peak 😋

Author’s Note: I’ve been feeling uninspired and unwell recently but I’m back 💞 This is my entry to week 2 of @hpcottagecorefest

Word Count: <2k

To The Library (fics masterlist)

To The Kitchen (WIPs)

To More Draco Malfoy fics

To Speak Now Anthology

You are not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion. Yet here you are dressed in formal attire, sitting at the seventh to the front bench of the great hall of the Malfoy manor. You had to come to see groom and Draco was not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl. You would be lying if you said you weren’t taken aback at the news of his engagement to one Astoria Greengrass a few months ago but it had pained you to hear it; especially through the mouth of an acquaintance.

He didn’t even have the nerve to say it to you. Then again why would he? You had been broken up for nearly year. But everybody knew you would get back together.

Well, everybody thought you would.

You always did. It was the norm for your relationship. Sure, this was the longest you’ve been apart but he somehow dated and proposed to Astoria within that 10 months.

You scoff at that thought. Must be their families doing. That’s probably why you didn’t get an invitation.

So you did what you had to in order to get into the event. You snuck in and see your friends and her snotty little family all dressed in pastel. There were different entrances to Malfoy Manor. You knew them like the back of your hand. Days and nights were spent here, running around playing hide and seek that lead to romantic encounters in nooks and crannies. No one truly checks who enters the servant quarters and those working this event, luckily, did not know who you were or were too busy to care.

You are sitting next to Blaise, who said he would say that he brought you as his plus one. If any one asked. Pansy said she truly would have brought you, if not for her being a bridesmaid. She had known the Greengrass sisters since she was born but was only told she was part of the entourage a week prior.

It’s not like you didn’t know the sisters yourself. You were close with Daphne during your school years and met Astoria when you visited Daphne’s home during the summer after first year and she was not as carefree as her older sister, even as a nine year old.

“She’s probably yelling at a bridesmaid somewhere.” You whisper to Blaise.

“Yeah, Pansy texted me earlier that Astoria’s gown is shaped like a pastry.” He snickers as he shows you the picture Pansy had sent him. You feign a laugh. Astoria looked gorgeous in the photo.

But this is surely not what Draco thought it would be. After the second wizarding war he vowed not to be caught up in his parent’s views and expectations ever again. It had nearly gotten him killed. You recall the nights you comforted him in your arms as he sobbed and scrubbed the mark on his forearm. How you missed wrapping your arms around him and being wrapped by his.

A cough snaps you out of your daydream. You look up and see Daphne with her furrowed eyebrows.

“You can’t be here.” She gestures for you to stand up. “My mom has seen you and told Astoria. So you have to-”

“She’s my date.” Blaise interrupts.

“And you know bloody well that this would happen.” Daphne ushers you and you follow her to the back of the hall.

“Look as much as I was rooting for you and Draco, I have to side with my sister. You need to go.” She hears her name being called and rushes to them.

Once Daphne is no longer in sight, you sneak back into the far back left side of the hall where long curtains drape. This was your last chance to stop this all. You couldn’t try to stop the engagement, but you can definitely try and prevent the union. It wasn’t a choice you made so lightly. Many sleepless nights nearer the date and you had made your mind up.

You couldn’t lose Draco. You had gone through so much together. There was so much love still there. No matter how many times you broke up and made up. You were meant to be. You know he knows it. So you hide behind the curtains.

The organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march. In between the two curtains, you peak at the start of the ceremony. Out comes Gardenia Greengrass in mint green. She never did like you when you met. She and Narcissa had been close childhood friends who dreamt of their children being wed and uniting the families. However, when Draco mentioned that you were his girlfriend during fifth year, their hopes were shattered and they were not warm towards you.

You sneak out of the curtains and sit at the back bench. The hall is filled with familiar faces but luckily the person next to you was too watching the ceremony to notice you.

As the wedding processional order proceeds to the grandparents, fond gestures are exchanged.

Then he walks through the door.

They say time stops when you’re in love. They are right. The intense feeling you have as you see him in his white suit and mint pocket square, his platinum blond locks in low fade cut, and his ice grey eyes wandering the hall sent butterflies to your stomach.

But they are heavy. It’s all wrong. This isn’t how you imagined seeing him down an aisle. Your stomach drops at the weight of it all.

You and Draco often talked about how your wedding would be. Which colour palette to use, which flowers, which venue and you see nothing of his preferences in what is all around you.

Draco stands at the altar awaiting his bride.

The music changes.

Astoria floats down the aisle like a pageant queen. You look to Draco and back to his bride. The butterflies are dancing around in your stomach and you are feeling a little nauseous.

But you know he wishes it you.

Doesn’t he?

Draco fixes his tie and looks around the room. He squints as he pats down his blazer. You know all his tells. By the way he fidgets with his family ring. He’s nervous. He takes a sharp inhale when he realises that Astoria is in front of him. She takes his hands in hers. A part of you breaks when you see him smile as he looks into her eyes.

You pay no mind to the words until you hear the preacher say, “Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

There’s a silence. There’s your last chance. You stand up with shaking hands.

All eyes on you.

Horrified looks from everyone in the room but you’re only looking at Draco.

He drops Astoria’s hands and faces you fully. You walk to aisle. Astoria’s mother stands up, but you start to speak.

“I’m sorry… Actually, I’m not sorry at all. Draco don't say a single vow. Don’t say yes.”

Your eyes are on his. Gasps from the people around you echoes in the hall.

“Let’s just run away now.” You continue. “I'll meet you when you're out of the Manor, at the back door.”

Your legs feel like they are going to give up on you when silence ensues. Draco is still standing at the altar. Hushed whispers follows. He opens his mouth as if to say something but he shuts it as quickly. He looks back and forth from you to Astoria. He looks back to you and says nothing.

That’s when you lose all the hopes you had. He really must be in this for love and not for his parents sake. You bite your lower lip and pick at the skin.

You don’t say another word and you walk out the manor. The metallic taste of blood seeps onto your tongue as you hold back the sobs that threaten to creep out. And as soon as you are out the grand entrance you drop to sit on the cold steps. All the what ifs crawl all over you as you wait on whether he will follow you out. You shiver.

Time is dragging. It feels like an eternity.

So you run. As fast as your shoes can take you. To the meadows nearby. It’s not the summer memories that flood your mind. No. Not the picnics amidst the flowers where you now sit. But the missed opportunities.

You should have told him you wanted him back sooner. You should have said something before they even got engaged. You should have never gone to this event. How stupid of you.

The scent of the pastel blue and baby pink flowers linger in the air. He used to pick them for you and placed them in your hair. The compliments he would shower you as you adorn them. Now they are tainted with the memories of them being in the decorations of their wedding. They must have been here together.

You grab a fist full of flowers in your hands and pluck them forcefully, chucking it with all the strength you can muster.

You hear your name being gently called. It didn’t register as a voice from someone near you. You’ve heard it so many times before. Draco did often visit you in dreams.

He places himself next to you.

“What? Come to tell me the good news in person? I must be so special.” You pick at the flowers once more. He doesn’t speak for the longest time. The breeze cooling down your heated cheeks. Shouldn’t he be at the reception?

“Remember when I first brought you here? You were so nervous about telling my parents about us.”

“Of course! Narcissa already hated me since you lot blamed me for breaking her favourite vase.” You remark.

The decision of sharing a bottle of fire whiskey stolen from the cabinets and pretending to be studying at the manor library seemed like a good idea then.

“It wasn’t my idea! Goyle just said it to protect me. Crabbe just went along-“

“Plus she was already furious when she heard that you dated girls that wasn’t a Greengrass. Bet she’s happy now.” You scoff.

“She actually loved you.” He confesses. “Every time I visited home without you she made me bring you your favourite dish.”

“That’s why we always had a bunch of them in the fridge when you got back.”

“Where did you think they came from?”

“I don’t know! I thought you bought it somewhere. You never mentioned they came from your mom!”

“I did! The first time when I went after New Years cause you had work.”

“I don’t remember that was ages ago!”

He laughs and offers you flower crown he had made.

“I’ve missed this.”

“What? Us bickering?”

“Yeah and just you in general.”

You frown at him and ask, “Why are you here? Should you be back at the party?”

He props down the offering in between you then looks to the horizon.

“I didn’t say my vows.” He pauses to see your reaction. However, when you didn’t respond he carries on.

“My father was the one who arranged all of this. After all these years and he still has an influence on me. Which is why I’m so glad you were around when they said, ‘Speak Now’. Ever since we broke up, I’ve been a mess.

“I keep going to my fireplace to floo to you and when I finally did you had moved out of our place. Figured you’d moved on. Broke more vases. It drove me crazy when you never came to any social events. I’ve missed you so much. You’re the one I love.”

He motions his open palm to you and says, “Shall we run away now?”

#hpcottagecorefest2023 #Draco malfoy x reader #Draco malfoy x you #draco malfoy fic #draco malfoy imagine #inspired by a taylor swift song #avalynlestrangewrites #Draco malfoy fluff #Draco malfoy angst #draco malfoy imagines #draco malfoy fanfiction #draco malfoy fanfic #Draco malfoy #speak now taylor’s version #speak now tv #wizarding world fandom

[draco-dormiens]

THE STRANGEST OF PLACES - Chapter Ten

draco x fem!ravenclaw reader / postwar au series

warnings: strong language

wc: 3105

masterlist

pls let me know if you want to be tagged!! tags below:

@slyth3rin-princess @lovesanimals0000 @cappgyuccino @lightning1ce @onlygetaway @honeyyypeach @namelesslosers @ghostyv @mikadorbs @redactedhimbo @morganadpl @scarecrowscaresthomas @camille-1019 @valkyrie418 @animeloverfreak310 @budugu @marplest @torresbarnes @bunny24sstuff @champagneesupernova @serafilms @siriusly-parker-main @lovely-maryj @i-bitch-you-bitch @astablacksword @sun-fiower-seed

Chapter Ten: A Misunderstanding

The letter with Narcissa's instructions arrived on Sunday morning. It said to meet Astoria at a small restaurant in Diagon Alley at 12pm sharp. That morning Draco had woken in a better mood due to your evening together, but as soon as that letter appeared on top of his breakfast, that solemn, sinking feeling started to bubble in his stomach again. He did as his mother asked and dressed nicely, just a button up and trousers with a black suit jacket to finish it all off. Above all else, Draco was a gentleman, so he arrived ten minutes prior to Astoria's arrival and got the table. When she did arrive, he pulled out the chair for her, said that she looked nice and ordered a pot of tea. She complimented his appearance, thanked him for the tea and then the conversation started. He'd perhaps been in Astoria's presence for half an hour when he decided that it would be much better if it was you sitting across from him.

"How are your studies coming along?" Astoria asks, collecting salad on her fork, "I know potions were something you had an interest in."

"Well," he says, prodding at his steak, "I often wish I hadn't taken Divination, but you can't have everything."

"Oh, I love Divination," she boasts, and all Draco can think is you would, "I find Professor Trelawney utterly fascinating. Don't you?"

"I find her rather," Draco searches for the correct wording, "extravagant."

Astoria giggles. All he hears is the sound of yours.

"She is," Astoria agrees, "but nevertheless, I like her classes."

Draco says no more on the subject, looking down at his steak as if it was about to do something interesting. He'd taken two bites of his food, which Astoria had noticed. They bask in the quietness for a moment, Draco's mind heavy with thoughts of how you were spending your Sunday. She could tell something else was on his mind, or more so, someone else. She placed her cutlery down and took a sip of water, all the while watching him.

"I've noticed you spend less time in your dorm lately," she says, "have you found something to do outside of class?"

Of course, his mind only flickers to you and your nights in the Astronomy tower. He wasn't going to tell Astoria that, obviously. He knew it would get back to his mother.

"Not really," he lies, "I sometimes read elsewhere in the castle."

It wasn't exactly a lie, he does wander out of the dormitories when it's late and other houses aren't around. Draco enjoys his own company and the silence that comes along with it, although lately, his own company doesn't seem to have the same effect it used to.

"What about your Ravenclaw friend?" she says rather blatantly, "do you see her often?"

Draco's head shoots up to meet Astoria's stare. He couldn't tell if she was looking at him in displeasure or curiosity.

"Are you watching me or something?" he raises an eyebrow, "a tad creepy, Greengrass."

"Who is she?" Astoria asks, ignoring the jab and sipping more water, "are you dating?"

Draco chokes on nothing.

"What? No, of course not-"

"Are you saying you wouldn't date her? Is it because she's half-blood?"

"That has nothing do with it," Draco scoffs, losing his train of thought with the need to defend you, "she's wonderful, half blood or not." He becomes even more agitated when he notices the smile curling at her lips, "why are you smiling like that?"

"Because," she shrugs, looking triumphant, "you clearly like her. That's why you've been distant this entire time. It had to be something; you look like a wet weekend."

He huffs irritably, looking out the window to calm himself.

"That's not it at all," he mumbles. She knows he's lying through his teeth.

"I'm not stupid, Draco. I know you're only here to appease your parents," she says, "I was surprised when your mother said you had agreed."

Draco looks back at her from the corner of his eye.

"How do you know that?" he asks curiously, and she just smiles.

"First of all, you've barely eaten a thing or started a single conversation," she tells him, and he begins to feel a little guilty, "but mostly because I've seen the way you look at her across the hall."

He moves to fully face her again, his food now stone cold, and pours himself another glass of water. After a long gulp, he places the glass down with force.

"You're right, I didn't come here voluntarily," he says, "you're a nice girl, Astoria, and I'm sorry. I can't make myself think a certain way just because my mother tells me to. I'm afraid you've wasted your Sunday."

"I wouldn't say so," she says cheerily, "if anything, we've both pleased our parents by showing up. Plus, the food here is good. So, not entirely wasted."

"One way to look at it I suppose," he smiles lightly, swirling the water in his glass, "I am sorry, though."

"Don't be," she shakes her head, "I hardly expected anything from this. Don't think you're being discreet when you can't stop looking in her direction."

"I don't do that," he protests, turning back to the water because his secrets were being exposed. Astoria just laughs, and then reaches into her purse to pull out a small makeup tray.

"I'm just heading to the bathroom," she announces, "try and eat some of that, it's a shame."

He nods, and she begins to walk away, but Draco suddenly has a spike of panic.

"Wait, Astoria, about what you said-"

"I won't breathe a word to your mother," she turns to say, "don't worry."

His shoulders visibly slump from the tension leaving his body. She leaves, and Draco takes one last look at the cold food on his plate before pushing it further away.

Sometimes you like to start your day off in the library, just looking for a new story to pass the time with. Monday mornings were always quiet because no one enjoyed getting up early after the weekend, especially with a sore head. This particular morning you found yourself in the fantasy isle, which had piqued your interest after your last read, and now you were reading blurbs and flicking through pages. The only sound was that of paper turning and quills scribbling on parchment. It was peaceful, and you were at ease, until a group of giggling, gossiping girls interrupted your search.

"Tell us about it, Astoria," one of them uttered excitedly, and you knew exactly who was standing on the other side of the shelf, "we want to know everything."

You decided to block it out, picking up another book and reading the blurb. They chatted, but the words weren't going in, because Astoria Greengrass was just another pretty airhead that gained far too much attention, and you had very little interest in her escapades. Just as you were getting into the first page of a book that looked promising, you heard something that caught your attention.

"My lunch with Draco yesterday is none of your business," Astoria's voice spoke up, "we just chatted and ordered dinner, that's all you need to know."

"What did he dress like?" a girl said, and you couldn't help yourself, cringing at the fact you were listening in, "did he look good?"

"Of course, he did, it's Draco," Astoria answered, and you could hear the smile in her voice.

"Are you seeing him again?" another voice whispered, and there was a long pause. By this point you were staring at the shelf before you, as if you might get a glimpse at the happenings on the other side. Your stomach had dropped, and the anticipation was killing you.

"I would like to," Astoria said, and you feel a lump in your throat and a knot in your chest, "but he's a bit harder to read."

The other girls make excited little noises, as you fall back against the shelf behind you. He'd told you he was studying, but that was turning out to be a lie, because he was in fact wining and dining Astoria Greengrass. For some reason he felt the need to lie about it, and you couldn't figure out why, because right now your heart felt like someone had jabbed their wand right through it. But then you remind yourself that to him, you're just a friend.

He has free reign to see who he likes. He has no commitment to you in that sense, so if he wants to date Astoria Greengrass, or any girl for that matter, who are you to stop him? He has no obligation to tell you anything. Then the bell rings, and you hear the girls scurry off. You rub your eyes to stop the welling tears from falling, because if hearing that conversation had taught you anything, it was like you really, really like Draco. You compose yourself with a deep breath, and then hurry out of the library to find a pillow to scream into.

Due to sulking in your dorm, you showed up a little late to History of Magic. The entire class turned as you walked in, professor Binns continuing his lecture and not noticing your arrival. Your eyes clocked Draco right away, and a small smile broke out across his face. For the first time, you didn't return it. You didn't look long enough to see his confused expression. Hermione gave a look of concern as you sat down beside her.

"Where have you been?" she asked, "you missed the first twenty minutes."

"Was it important?"

"It's Binns," she laughed quietly, "he went on a tangent about his favourite book ends for half of it."

"Good," you sigh in relief, "I can't say I do well in this subject."

"Who does?" she says, "you basically have to teach yourself."

You take out some parchment and write the date along the top. Hermione passes you her notes and you copy what she's managed to decipher from Binns' speech. All the while you can feel eyes on you, and it doesn't take two guesses to know who it was.

"Why were you late, then?" She asks after a while of silent scribbling. Hermione notices how you stop writing, quill floating above the parchment, "is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," you lie, giving her your best smile, "I was just napping."

"Napping?" she raises an eyebrow, "you don't nap through class, Y/N. Even if it's Binns."

"Well, I did today," you whisper with more urgency, "so just forget it."

Hermione sighs and looks over her shoulder to see several students asleep at their desk. When her eyes land on Draco at the back, his gaze shifts towards the front. She then looks back at you, and the pieces fall together.

"Has something happened with Malfoy?" she asks, sounding a little angrier than before, "if he's upset you, I'll hex him into next week."

"Hermione, it's nothing," you press, but she isn't having it.

"You're never late to class," she points out, "something's wrong."

You knew she only cared, and you were grateful for that. When you look across at her, the kind smile on her face doesn't match the frustration in her tone. With a defeated sigh, you lay down your quill.

"I overhead that he went on a date yesterday," you tell her, "he told me he was studying, and that's why he couldn't see me. I guess I'm just a bit narked."

"Who was the date?" she asks, and your face contorts into one of displeasure.

"Astoria Greengrass," you lean in to whisper very quietly. Hermione scrunches her nose up at that.

"How lovely for him," she says sarcastically, and then her face softens, "perhaps he was trying to save your feelings?"

"If that's the case, then I must be embarrassingly obvious."

"About liking him?"

Your cheeks burn red, and the words get stuck on their way up your throat. Hermione offers you one of her comforting smiles.

"I'm sorry you had to find out that way," she says softly, "he should have just told you. He's done you no favours by lying."

"I just feel so stupid," you utter frustratedly, "as if I spent so long moping, I ended up being late."

"Maybe you should tell him," Hermione suggests, and you shoot her a look of pure horror, "then at least he knows how you feel."

"'Mione, I could never admit that to him," you shake your head vigorously, "it could ruin our entire friendship."

"Are you listening, ladies?" Binns' voice interrupts, and you both snap your heads in his direction.

"Yes, sir," Hermione lies, "we were just discussing our notes."

As Binns floats back to the centre of the room, the two of you go back to scribbling nonsense.

"I think you should at least talk to him," Hermione mutters to you, "he looks like a kicked puppy over there."

You chance a look back, and she was right. He looked downright miserable.

Draco made a beeline for you at the end of that lesson, but you grabbed Hermione's arm and headed straight out the door. You didn't have it in you to talk to him just yet, plus you still hadn't decided if you were angry at him or yourself. He gave up after your second to last lesson, once you immediately exited the potion storage room the second that he entered. You would approach him when your head was less of an emotional mess. It might have been selfish, but you were trying to save your friendship from your brewing feelings. You bid Hermione a farewell that evening, heading for your dorm to stay there until dinner. He couldn't try to talk to you in there, and it would give you time to think about what to say to him. Along the way you replayed several different conversations in your head, and many ended with you giving away how you felt about him, which was not the desired ending. Almost there, several steps from the door when someone clears their throat.

"Evening," Draco drawled, an unimpressed look on his face. He'd beat you to it, leaning against the wall by the door, waiting for you. You stared at him like a deer in the headlights, no plan to get out of this conversation coming to mind.

"Evening," you repeated, and he pushed himself off the wall to stand right before you. His gaze never left you, his hard eyes peering down at your stunned expression.

"Are you going to explain why you've been giving me the cold shoulder all day?"

"Sorry?"

"Don't play dumb, Y/N," he rolled his eyes, "I know you've been avoiding me."

You shuffled awkwardly, fixing your bag on your shoulder, and trying not to look directly at him.

"I've just not been feeling well, so-"

He took your jaw between his fingers and forced your attention back to him. Draco's eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes laced with both concern and frustration. Your skin felt like fire where he touched you, his face so close that your mind loses track of what you were even talking about.

"If I've done something, then I want you to tell me," he says seriously, "I want to make it right."

You swallow thickly. You should tell him, Hermione is right about that, but there were so many reasons why you couldn't, or so you thought, anyway. His grip on your jaw loosens, then he's running his knuckles down your cheek and you heart is pounding against your ribcage.

"Talk to me," he mutters to you, "I fucking hated today."

"Sorry," you mumble, his gentle movements not stopping, "it was selfish of me."

"Have I upset you?" he asks, now cupping your face with one hand, his eyes darting between yours. You shake your head.

"No," you breathe, forcing a smile, "I just heard about your date with Astoria, and I guess I got a little annoyed that you had lied to me about what you were doing. I don't want you to do that, Draco. You're allowed to have a life without me, you know."

"How did you find out?" his expression turned serious again, "did she tell you?"

"No," you say quickly, "I just overhead something. It doesn't matter, what matters is that you can use your time how you please. Don't think I'll be offended."

He lowers his hand, and the absence makes you feel a little empty, shoving it in his pocket.

"So, you're not bothered if I date, then?"

Now his eyes were on the floor, and his entire demeanour had changed. You weren't sure if he was upset, annoyed or just anxious about your response. He was all three, actually.

"You are your own person," you say, trying not to have a meltdown in front of him, and place your hand on his forearm, "you're free to make your own choices, despite anyone else."

"But I care about your opinion," he said a little sternly, head snapping up to look at you, "If you tell me to never see her again, then I won't. So, answer my question."

"I did," you said stubbornly, "what else do you want me to say?"

He sighs agitatedly, pulling his arm from your grip and running his hand through his hair.

"I didn't ask her out," he then says, "my mother arranged it. I went purely out of politeness, and I didn't tell you because I was worried you would say exactly what you just did."

"I'm confused," you raise your hands, "you were worried I wouldn't mind you going?"

"Yes, God," he yells, echoing slightly in the empty corridor, "I wanted you to tell me not to go, to say you didn't want me to see her. I want," he starts to say but stops himself, "I don't even know anymore."

"Draco," you say softly, hopeful that he's trying to say what you think, even if you feel like your hearts about to burst out of your chest, "what are you trying to say?"

"It doesn't matter," he shakes his head, "I won't keep it from you next time. Sorry for lying about it."

"Wait," you grab his sleeve as he turns, "please, don't leave. Say what you wanted to."

"I already said, it doesn't matter," he spits, and its sour, spiteful, and it makes your chest hurt, "just drop it. I apologised, that's what you wanted, isn't it?"

He snatches his arm from you forcefully and begins to walk away. You call him back to no avail and watch as he disappears around the corner. Tears begin to tickle the corners of your eyes, one escaping down your cheek. This boy had your entire heart and soul in his hands with no idea of how easily he could crush it. The mystery of what he was going to say would haunt you for the next few days, leaving you with the hope that maybe, in some strange turn of events, he felt the same way. You stand, staring at the end of the corridor, praying he'd turn back around.

He never did.

#draco lucius malfoy #draco malfoy #draco x female reader #draco x ravenclaw!reader #draco x y/n #draco x reader #draco x you #draco malfoy x you #draco malfoy x y/n #draco malfoy x reader #harry potter #hpff #harry potter fanfiction #draco malfoy imagine #draco malfoy fanfiction

[weasley-wizard-writes]

Betrothed Part III

Fred Weasley x Reader x Draco Malfoy

Series Synopsis: Having been raised in a pureblood family obsessed with keeping the  bloodline pure you’re betrothed at birth to a boy you’ve never met.  Unaware of just how strange this is, you have few qualms with it, until  you meet Fred Weasley and find that love is much more complicated than  you ever could’ve imagined. But what happens when everyone is all grown up, and the real world can’t be stopped?

Genre: Angst

Content Warnings:

Angst

Death

Forced Marriage

Word Count: 3,516

“Sorry for the mess.”

You muttered softly as you unlocked the door to your apartment, sighing in relief at the sight of it. Your mother had called you foolish when you’d told her that you had no intention of breaking your lease with the landlord, but evidently she hadn’t taken Draco’s odd post war demeanor into account. He would stay anywhere if it kept him from that damned family manor, and that was becoming all the more evident as time inched forward. He had grown significantly less tense the further away you had traveled from his family home, and now that it was confirmed that he could stay elsewhere, that hint of a smile that you had seen during the wedding had returned to his lips once more.

“Nonsense.”

Was Draco’s only response to your previous apology, his words soft and almost uncertain as he turned to look at you, before suddenly dropping his gaze towards the ground, his hand fiddling with the ring on his finger once more.

“Is it uncomfortable?”

You asked suddenly, trying to make up for the heavy silence that was slowly filling your apartment. You didn’t want to feel uncomfortable here, it was all that you had of yourself and your comfort now that you were married, and if that changed you weren’t sure how you could ever remain sane.

Draco’s head snapped up to meet your gaze once more, his brow cocked in confusion as he tried to make sense of the question you had just asked him.

“I beg your pardon?” He asked sincerely, causing you to gesture down to the ring on his left finger.

“The ring,” You murmured, suddenly less sure of yourself as you tried to push forward with the conversation, desperate to keep the silence from eating away at you any longer. All of these months of hearing Fred’s voice so consistently had made you dreadfully afraid of what could be waiting on the other side of the sound he was almost always providing.

“You’ve been playing with it a lot.”

You clarified gently, clearing your throat in hopes that it might make your voice sound less weak as you continued.

“I thought it could be because it’s making you uncomfortable. I’m certainly not used to mine yet.”

You touched your ring finger as you said that last part, feeling the cool emeralds housed within their silver setting against your skin, a reminder of the promise you had made today, and the agreement others had made for you prior to your birth.

Draco nodded in understanding as you clarified before he cleared his own throat, a nervous smile gracing his lips as his gaze returned down to the ring on his finger. He seemed happy to have it there, and you wondered again if he had worn one there before.

“No, it isn’t uncomfortable.”

Draco’s voice was soft as he spoke, so different from the boy you had grown up with and the man you had thought you would be marrying prior to the war. The man you had been dreading lying to for the rest of your life.

“I uh...”

He trailed off, breaking into a chuckle while bringing one of his knuckles to his mouth, something you had seen him due a great deal of times when you were younger. He always did that when he was nervous, because back when his adult teeth were growing in, Astoria had told him he looked like a rabbit when he smiled. Afterward, he had taken to biting down on his knuckles when he laughed, and as he grew older, biting on his knuckles when his nerves got the better of him. You were surprised to know this, and found yourself aware that maybe this man before you wasn’t as different as the boy you had known as a child, before the stress of being the Malfoy heir had turned him into someone new.

You were broken out of your thoughts as Draco began to speak once more, his fist slowly lowering back down to his side, before it moved to his other hand once more, fiddling with his ring even as he talked about that very action.

“This is a little bit embarrassing, so please don’t think less of me, but...”

He began, letting out a small sigh as you motioned for him to continue, your expression soft and curious.

“I started wearing a ring on this finger when I began my attendance at Hogwarts. I didn’t want to give any of the girls there the wrong idea, and thought it would be best to let them know in advance that I was taken. Plus I uh... I thought it would be good practice for the real thing someday, but mostly it just led to this habit of fiddling with it when I think.”

You found yourself nearly wide eyed at Draco’s confession, unable to force a response to your tongue as you stared at him, watching as he continued to twist his silver band on his finger repeatedly.

“I never knew...”

You began quietly, watching as Draco looked up to meet your eyes as you spoke, letting you know that your next words should be chosen carefully. He was paying attention now, and slowly but surely you were getting the feeling that he always had been, even if you hadn’t noticed.

“I never knew you cared that much about our betrothal.” You finished softly, feeling yourself begin twisting your own wedding ring to keep your hands from shaking.

This was not how you had imagined your wedding night. That being said, although you would never admit it aloud, your wedding night dreams died with Fred Weasley, and anything that came after would always pale in comparison, because the most important piece of the puzzle was gone for good.

Draco laughed softy, a cool tone to his voice that you recognized from all of his in between years, the ones that rested between his gentle childhood and his tortured present. This sounded like the Draco that you had thought you could never know, the one that angrily stalked the halls of your once shared school, looking for a reason to argue with anyone on the off chance that it might earn him some praise from one of the many deceitful and hate filled patriarchal figures in his life. It never had. Perhaps now, that was why he had returned to that gentle childhood. Why he lived in this tortured present.

“I know you didn’t. I was always too proud to admit how I felt, but Y/n...”

That coldness you had heard before disappeared the second the man in front of you said your name, a softness returning to him that you had not even realized had momentarily faded away.

Draco was watching you intently now, his eyes staring into your own from where he stood just a mere two feet away, beside the door to the apartment that you supposed the two of you now shared.

“There was not one moment growing up where I wasn’t near bursting with excitement over the fact that I could call you my wife someday. Even if I never said it, and even if you never noticed, I swear to you that what I say is true. I felt a great deal of pride over being your betrothed, even when I knew the truth.”

Your eyebrows creased at that last part, confusion creeping into your expression as what he said started to sink in.

“The truth?”

You asked, your head tilting as you waited for a response, your breath caught in your throat and unwilling to spill forth as Draco chuckled once more, that shake returning to his head, as if he were exasperated or shocked by your response.

“The truth,”

Draco muttered, raising his gaze to meet your own again, taking multiple steps forward until he was less than a foot away, his eyes flickering down to the way your calves pressed back against the couch, as if he had cornered you there during your efforts to escape. For all that you knew, maybe he had. You could no longer recollect if you’d moved in response to his steps forward. You could barely breathe at all. The air was so heavy with something you couldn’t quite put your finger on, and for some reason you felt as if you could burst into tears at any moment.

“Is that you loved that Fred Weasley more than you could ever love me.”

You felt as if you had just been punched in the gut as Draco spoke these words, your balance faltering and ultimately failing as you toppled backwards onto the couch, your gaze turning into a blank stare as he continued.

“And I can’t even blame you.” Draco spoke, laughing cruelly under his breath, seemingly oblivious to your blank stare and your freshly seated position. It was as if he was lost in his own world, his words having as much power over him as they did you.

“I have never been much more than the monster my father wanted me to be.”

These words were whispered, as if the man speaking them wasn’t sure he wanted you to hear. As if he were hoping it was a secret he was telling, rather than a truth that you had long since accepted.

Suddenly, Draco’s eyes snapped up to meet yours once again, and when he found himself met with that blank stare, he seemed to understand immediately that he had said something he shouldn’t have.

“Y/n,”

He spoke, his tone concerned and almost pained as he knelt in front of you, his hand reaching out to grasp your own before he suddenly pulled back at the last second, as if afraid he would burn you with his touch.

“Salazar, I’m sorry.”

He muttered, running his hand through his hair before continuing his familiar ministrations on his ring, his eyes searching yours for any signs of emotion or life as his eyebrows creased with concern. You had never seen him look worried over anyone before, and it was this face of near horror that brought you back, the dim light of feeling returning to your eyes once more. If you could see yourself through your new husband’s eyes, you would have found yourself wondering if that light had been brighter before, but thankfully for you, the only eyes you had to gaze into right now belonged to the man in front of you.

“Y/n please say something, I didn’t mean to upset you, I just wanted you to understand...”

Draco let out another gravelly sigh before continuing, his hand raking through his platinum locks, messing up his carefully done wedding night hair.

“I don’t have any expectations for this marriage.” Draco continued, his hands moving to seek yours once more, only for him to stop himself again, his eyes squeezing shut as if he were struggling with some deep and rolling agony within.

“I know you loved him, and I don’t want you to think that I expect you to lo-”

“I never told him.”

You whispered suddenly, cutting Draco off before he could finish his sentence. Your voice was shaky and full of fear as you spoke, and as you looked deeper into your new husbands clear blue eyes, you found that your reflection looked just as terrified as you felt.

“What?”

Draco asked, his hand finally moving to rest almost weightlessly above your own, as if he wanted to help soothe whatever fears you had but didn’t know if he had the right to do anything more than a slight hover, the heat of his skin more prevalent than the actual touch of his hand.

“I never told him that I loved him. He was never supposed to know.”

You finished, that fear never leaving your eyes nor your voice even as you tried desperately to quell the shake of your body beneath the gaze of this sometimes familiar and sometimes unknown presence that you now called your husband.

Draco looked more confused than ever, slowly withdrawing his hand from above your own as he tried to understand what meaning your words held.

“Did I do something wrong by saying it aloud?”

He asked finally, his eyebrows still creased with curiosity and something close to fear that told you how bad he felt and how scared he was to have messed up.

Clearly, some things never changed.

“Oh, no, I just uh...”

You desperately searched for an answer to his question, trying to silence the deafening noise behind your eyes as you stood, dizzy and desperate to be alone.

“I just wasn’t prepared to have someone say it.”

You finished, knowing full well how nervous you sounded and how much of a lie it was.

“I’m so sorry, Y/n.”

Draco whispered in response, as if he had been waiting his entire life to say it. This apology was different from all of the others, and there was a pain within it that made you stop before you could excuse yourself to your bedroom.

You looked down to meet that strong gaze once more only to find it full of tears, a broken man behind those usually strong and sure eyes.

“Draco, I-”

“I’m sorry for being so selfish for so long. I’m sorry for never just admitting it to myself and letting you go. I wanted so badly to be a different husband, a better husband than the one that I had grown up under, and somehow I ended up worse.”

That cold and cruel chuckle returned as Draco turned his gaze downward, seemingly unable to look you in your eyes as he continued.

“If I had known what was going to happen, I never would have held onto you. If I had allowed myself to see it sooner, I wouldn’t have remained an obstacle on the path of you finding someone who actually deserved you. I have tried for so long now to convince myself that I never held you back, but I know it’s all a lie.”

Draco sniffled softly, his tears dripping to rest on his cheeks and slowly slope down his nose as he struggled to meet your eyes once more, his sincerest words yet forming on his lips,

“Please just know that I never wanted this to happen, that I would have set you free in a second had I been strong enough to admit to myself that you loved him far more than you ever could me. I never meant to do this to you, and I swear that I will spend every second of this marriage making up for what I’ve done, and what I never had the strength to do before.”

With those words, Draco straightened out, drying his tears on his jacket as he took a deep breath to steady himself once more.

 Watching him as he desperately tried to tape the broken and guilt riddled pieces of himself back together felt wrong, so on shaky legs and with long held breaths you walked silently over to the linen closet, pulling out a comforter and a few pillows, which you dressed with carefully selected matching pillow cases, the act of choosing forcing you to consider anything but the conversation you had just had, and the voice that was raging in your mind.

“Thank you.”

Draco smiled genuinely as you handed the blanket and pillows over to him, his eyes reading your expression before you even had the chance to speak.

“I’m perfectly fine with sleeping on the couch for the time being.”

He stated calmly,

“I’m just grateful that I don’t need to stay back at the manor. I’ll gladly sleep on the sofa as long as it takes if it keeps me away from there.”

He nearly shuddered as he spoke, making you wonder once more what he must have endured there to feel so uncomfortable within its walls.

You watched as Draco settled in, making sure he had everything he needed before you ended up standing against the wall opposite the living room that he would be sleeping in, your hand poised over the light switch. You had said your good nights, pleasantries had been shared, and now the only thing left to do was turn the light off and leave. But even still, watching the blond laying there on your sofa like that, you couldn’t help but feel like you had to say something more.

“Draco I -”

You began softly, your voice shaky as tears threatened to spill over your cheeks just as they had done his not long prior.

“I know you’ll probably never believe me, but I want you to know that I don’t blame you.”

You said gently, feeling the confusing urge to comfort the man in front of you further, despite the fact that you had absolutely no idea how to do so.

“I was a coward. He was never meant to know, betrothal or not. Please don’t let this eat away at you the way I know so many other things do. You were a victim, not a villain. I have never seen you as the monster you think that you are.”

You finished quietly, not waiting for a reaction or a response to your words as you switched the light off quickly before taking long and gentle steps to your bedroom, latching the door behind you before you sunk down against it, finally allowing the tears to fall.

“I am so sorry Fred.”

You whispered weakly after a few moments of gentle sobs and painful hiccups, the agony in your words prevalent as you recalled the way that his pained voice had echoed around your mind when Draco had accidentally told him your biggest secret of all.

“You loved me?”

It had asked you, softly at first, as if in disbelief, before it increased in volume over and over and over again until you felt as if your head was about to split in two.

It had taken a painstaking amount of effort to not respond to him as he begged you to tell him that it was a lie, that choked up voice playing endlessly as he pleaded for an explanation.

“Godrich Y/n, I never made you explain what I saw before I died, and I never asked you why you never told me about this godforsaken betrothal, but I need you to tell me this isn’t true! I need you to say he’s making this up, or that this is some dream you can’t wake yourself up from! Tell me he’s lying!”

Your tears fell faster as you remembered those words, your body shaking in a nearly violent manner as you curled up on your side, wishing with everything you had that he were here to hold you together.

But he wasn’t.

You were all alone, an emptiness in your heart that you had not felt in quite some time. Since before you had heard his voice in your head for the very first time, just two days after his death.

“Please come back.” You pleaded, not caring if Draco heard you from the living room as you did.

There was a strong silence within the air, before that familiar voice appeared once more, making your tears fall faster, but your heart beat slower.

He wasn’t gone forever, at least not yet.

“I don’t know what to say.”

His voice sounded hopeless, and entirely humorless in nature. You had never heard him like this before, and it further solidified for you the fact that you weren’t just hearing things after all, something you had tried to convince yourself of for months following your best friend’s death.

It as an easier thing to accept than the idea that he was there within your mind, but not outside of it, never to be seen again. Oh how you wished that you could look into his eyes just one more time.

“Please don’t hate me.”

You whispered, more tears threatening to spill over as you awaited Fred’s response, your cheeks cold with half dried sadness.

“I could never hate you.”

His voice spoke soothingly, almost as if he were hurt that you could ever think such a thing.

There was a long silence between the two of you before finally, Fred spoke up again,

“I think that is the worst part of all of this,”

You could almost feel him sigh as you waited for him to continue speaking, your breath stuck once more within your strained lungs.

“I love you, Y/n L/n,”

His words sounded tearful as he spoke, as if his disembodied voice were crying the same way that you were.

“I was just too afraid to tell you. I was so sure that you could never love me back that I...”

Fred never finished that sentence, and for the rest of the night, you lay on the cold floor of your nearly empty bedroom, choking down tears in an effort to stop them from flowing endlessly down your face and into a puddle on the wood below.

MASTERLIST

Ko-fi

#Draco Malfoy x reader #Draco x reader #Draco Malfoy #Draco #Harry potter x reader #Draco x reader angst #Draco x Reader x Fred #Fred Weasley x reader #Fred x reader #fred weasley #Fred weasley angst #Fred weasley x reader angst

[dhr-ao3]

Missing Time

Missing Time https://ift.tt/rR1mSAy by Jay_Elle Draco Malfoy knows he's missing something, but doesn't know what. Since the fall of Voldemort five years prior, time has just marched on like a checklist. He sees his life mapped out like it's already been lived. Until one day a flash of blinding white light reveals his father from the future with a dangling time-turner in his hand. He tells Draco, in the hopes that he can fix the future, that he will one day marry Hermione Granger. Shocked, and a little curious, Draco does everything he can to avoid that future, but it seems the harder he tries to avoid her the closer he gets. And the more time he spends with her, the more unsure he becomes about that initial warning from his father to stay away. Words: 3156, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Astoria Greengrass Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: POV Draco Malfoy, Time Travel, Post-War, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, draco falls first via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/Uu91TRm April 23, 2024 at 11:58PM

#IFTTT #Dramione #Draco x Hermione

[lostdrarryfics]

THE BIG FIND 2023: Day 7

The Big Find is a 10-day long Drarry fic-finding marathon to celebrate the blog’s anniversary. Below is the Day 7 compilation of lost fics, both old and new, that we’ve been unable to find. Our aim is to get as much attention to these lost fics as possible, to help people finally find their missing fics! Anyone can participate by reblogging, reading through each list, providing additional fic details, and informing us the title, author, or link of a fic, and their respective number in the comment section. Happy finding!

7.1 I’m looking for a fic in which attacks keep occurring on death eaters and their relatives, by a vigilante group called Phoenix Tears. Harry was at the right place at the right time when Draco is attacked (in Diagon Alley) so he saves him and insists Draco stay with him for safety reasons and also while he recovers. Obviously feelings happen. Attack on Draco happens again, and it turns out it was Ginny who leads that group. It’s a bunch of ex DA members doing the “good” work. She says the reason for naming themselves Phoenix tears was  because they’re curing the society from the disease of death eaters - kinda that logic, and also as an extension of Dumbledores Army as well, because he had the Phoenix… She is sent away, Drarry happens, all is well. The attacks are extremely dangerous and time sensitive. Not regular spell casting, but something like a completely newly invented spell or potions or gases, that act extremely quick. Dangerous on the same level of sectumsempra. If Harry wasn’t there at that exact moment, Draco would have 100% died. I think Harry was an auror. I read it on ao3 sometime late 2021. I didn’t have my ao3 account back then, so it wasn’t saved in my history! The fic is not Phoenix tears by magic8ballz. The one I’m looking for was completed and I 100% read it around October-November 2021.

7.2 I remember reading this once fic where harry is a waiter (I think) and he’s basically serving st dracos engagement party with daphane or Astoria ( I can’t remember much) then harry is all jealous the entire night and he finds it difficult to concentrate. Eventually they get together but that’s all I can remember.

7.3 looking for a completed fic that I read on A03. In it a group of vigilantes are attacking Death Eaters and Harry asks Draco to stay with him to keep him safe. I don’t think he is an auror. Ginny is involved in the group doing the attacks.

7.4 ao3 fic where draco is a healer and there’s a scene where he’s sprinting down a white hallway to heal harry, who’s seriously injured. i think after this draco tries to avoid harry bc they’ve broken up recently, although that may be a different fic.

7.5 i remember this one scene distinctly in an eighth year fic where harry went to wake draco up (think he was having a nightmare or something? not sure) and draco without waking up pulled him into the bed and like wrapped himself around harry. i thought it might be from “nice things” and there’s a similar scene but it’s not that. i feel like it was a short fic but honestly can’t be sure

7.6 Au Post war (or in the midst of the war) Harry and Draco, are on opposite sides of the conflict. Angsty, and Explicit. The nice guys are kind of losing I think. In this fic , I think Harry tells something about how he’s tired of being a savior, or how his friends don’t understand him or do not care about him. Hermione and Ron are briefly mentioned. Draco is a vampire (unsure?) Harry is a werewolf(unsure?) It's very rare to find Vampire x werewolf fics so thats why I’m unsure. I know for sure one of them is a mytical creature and their bite is dangerous/venomous to the other.(But I could be wrong), there’s something special that I think makes it necessary for one of them to be restrained, because their bite, or claws, or something about them is dangerous to the other. Harry and Draco are on opposite sides, and in this story its Harry who stumbles/is brought prior to the start of the fic in Draco’s place, idk if its the Manor or some other abandoned place. I think he’s brought to The Malfoy’s Manor because Lucius is mentioned at some point in the fic. Im not sure exactly how the fic goes but in this story things turned badly so either after Voldermort death, there is a climate of unease, or for some reason Voldemort is still alive and guiding his followers. The author thought the fic added some poetry lines/song lyrics(sort of) in between paragraphs as some sort of pacing (it was really beautiful). I think the fic is very short , only few chapters(almost certain its less than 15 but it's more likely to be 5 or 3) or 1 thats very long. It's much more likely that this Fic is from Ao3(almost certain), but it could also be from Fanfiction.net or any other site. Also, maybe but it's very unlikely, this fic could be in French. I think the fic ends with Harry and Draco going their own separate ways.

7.7 there are two fics in the series, the second at the time I read it was a WIP. Harry, Draco and other students from all different houses step up to fight/end the war feeling like the adults aren’t doing anything. They acted like a military and became quite regimented. They were super tight knit. I remember the WIP sequel the most. In the sequel they have to go back to Hogwarts after the war. It’s hard cause they’re being treated like children. They still act quite regimented, walking in groups, sitting close together, standing and leaving together - a bit like troops. Harry gives out orders still around sticking together and meeting for meals at certain times. In one scene a bird delivers a message in the great hall and everyone moves to protect Harry. I vaguely think the bird or message was something to do with Bellatrix. In another scene (I think this fic) Harry(?) is getting in trouble in class and his friends all push their books onto the floor.

7.8 Drarry, Ao3. I can’t remember much but there is a scene of Quidditch World Cup, Draco and Harry spent the night in other tent with friends. While in the Malfoy tent Narcissa and Lucius had invited Tonks to get reacquainted as family. During the Death Eaters attack the Malfoys along with Tonks were trapped in the the tent due to wards which drop in the morning.

7.9 time travel fic where harry in the 5 year at the department of mistery travel to the future, and finds out he is married with draco, draco soon realizes harry is not the same and he knows what is happening because harry adviced him that in some point he travels to the future (their present), draco tells him to do what harry needs to do in order to end up together

7.10 Draco sent Harry presents as courting gifts and was annoyed that Harry kept sharing them with everyone as he didn’t realise that they were courting gifts. I think it was sent anonymously? Not sure. What I do remember is that he sent Harry an expensive box of chocolates and complained when Harry just shared it with everyone at the Gryffindor table.

7.11 looking for a fic I read awhile ago. The only things I remember from it are one of them are a healer and their response is snarkily “I’m in the hospital.” And then one of the times they say they actually are in the hospital with an injury! I couldn’t even begin to tell you if it was Harry or Draco that was the healer. It was a mostly fluffy with probably some minor injury.

7.12 fic that I read on I think hp.adultfanfiction a long time ago. It was a top Draco and bottom Harry where they’re fooling around under the invisibility cloak. They’re outside watching a quidditch match

7.13 I think was a one shot and it wasn’t too long. Probably less than 10k words but I could be wrong. I think Harry has been committing crimes for years in relation to Draco. They were in an established relationship already and any guy that would flirt with Draco, Harry would severely hurt or kill. (I’m not sure) I remember at the end, Draco wakes up and realizes that aurors have found that Harry was the one committing all these crimes so they are trying to get into their house. They have to break down the wards first so Draco has time to go and make some sort of drink with poison inside. He goes back to bed and wakes up Harry so they can take the poison together. They lay in bed together and wait to die so they never have to be separated.

7.14 really old drarry fic in which Harry and Draco are together and Harry is studying at the Auror Academy. It’s a one shot about Harry struggling with taking care of Teddy and managing everything else bc he doesn’t want to ask Draco for help.

#the big find 2023 #drarry #drarry fic #drarry fic search #drarry squad

[crookshanksshipsdramione]

a fluffy dramione story told through newspaper articles

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

this is part 4/ 10

The DAILY Prophet

Draco Malfoy’s ex-wife, Astoria, is laid to rest at emotional funeral.

London (2018). Members of the Malfoy and Greengrass families today led the mourners who attended the funeral of Astoria Greengrass, the estranged wife of Draco L. Malfoy who died last week at St. Mungo’s after a long illness. Eyewitnesses reported that Astoria’s older sister, Daphne Greengrass, gave an emotional speech, and highly personal account of how much she misses her sister already, describing her as a devoted and loving mother to her son whom she had during her six-year marriage to Draco Malfoy. The funeral drew some unexpected crowds, this newspaper can confirm that Harry Potter, his wife Ginevra and their second oldest son, Albus, were in attendance. Astoria leaves behind her parents and older sister, and her son, Scorpius, 12, as well as her ex-husband, Draco Malfoy, whom attendees described as being devasted by her death. Prior to her illness, Astoria had worked at the Malfoy Foundation where she, amongst other things, set plans into action to turn the abandoned Malfoy Manor into an anti-war memorial, honoring those who gave their life during the wizarding-wars.

Statement from Theodore W. Nott, Attorney at Wizarding Law, Spokesperson for the Malfoy Foundation.

Published January 2, 2018

“Mr. D.L. Malfoy would like to thank everyone who expressed their condolences in the aftermath of Astoria’s death. He also wishes to thank the incredible staff at St. Mungo’s for the care they have provided during her month-long stay. Mr. Malfoy hopes that the public understands his desire to maintain as much normality for his son, Scorpius, as possible and his focus on supporting him as he faces a life without his beloved mother.”

#dramione #dramione fluff #dramione fan fic #dramione fic #newspaper part 4 #newspaper story

[liiilyevans]

They say I did something bad But why's it feel so good? Most fun I ever had And I'd do it over and over and over again if I could

Or, Draco and Astoria become closer when they're in the French Alps.

TW: sexual content below the cut!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! @cruelsummer-ficfest

Read on AO3

“What were you thinking?” Lucius hissed. Both of the Malfoy men were sitting in Lucius’ office, though his father never used it as such. He just entertained important guests here, or had before the war. While his father was sitting behind the desk, Draco was across from him, leaning moodily against the side of the chair. His parents had been stonily silent since Draco’s return two days prior. Until now. Now, Lucius was looking at him like Draco had just told him that he was moving to Maraco to live with Muggles. 

Draco had never liked disappointing his parents. Since he was a young child, he always strove to make them proud of him, always wanted to do just as they asked. It had irritated him to no end that Granger was top of the class instead of him, especially when his father gave him that pointed look down the end of his sharp nose. His main reason for being branded like a piece of cattle was to make his father proud. But Draco had learned that obeying his parents’ every order had not, in fact, led to the greatness that they had always promised. 

“And what moment in time are you referring to?” Draco asked easily, picking imaginary dirt from under his fingernails. It was an avoidance tactic that Lucius knew well. Draco had learned it from him. 

“The moment when a reporter took a picture of you with Astoria Greengrass.” 

Draco thought the press really must be hard up for gossip if they were taking pictures of purebloods and slapping them across The Daily Prophet’s gossip column. Nevertheless, his and Astoria’s picture was plastered across that page, the headline reading ‘A History of the Malfoy Family’s Shady Dealings and their New Ministry Connection.’ It hadn’t really been bad either. Draco had his arm around her, his hand resting on her hip opposite him, while he leaned down to whisper something to her. Astoria had a smile tugging across her lips as she glanced up at him. It was harmless really. Potter and his Weaslette had been caught in much more compromising positions. 

Yet here he was, getting lectured. 

“Honestly, Draco, of all the women you could have been photographed with,” Lucius muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. “Why couldn’t you have chosen the Parkinson girl?” 

Because she was married. Draco rolled his eyes. He knew his father was still bitter that Blaise had ended up married to Pansy instead of him. According to his mother, she was one of his best prospects — not that he had a lot of those these days. Pansy was one of the few girls his mother didn’t complain about. Besides criticizing her haircut from time to time, his mother didn’t really have anything awful to say about Pansy. 

“And you had to pick Hyperion Greengrass’ daughter? Of all people,” Lucius scoffed. There was certainly no lost love between Draco’s father and Astoria’s father. Draco could remember the scathing remarks Lucius made whenever Hyperion Greengrass was even mentioned, and the thinly veiled insults whenever the two men crossed each other’s paths. 

At this point, Draco had taken to staring out the window at the snow covered lawn of the Manor. His father’s anger was something he had expected when he returned from the French Alps, but Draco had been in here for over an hour and dealing with his father was becoming tedious. 

“Are you listening to me, Draco?” Lucius snapped. 

“I’ve already replayed everything you and Mother could say to me over the past two days when you weren’t speaking to me,” Draco said icily. “I’m sorry if I’m rather bored hearing them again.” 

Rage appeared in his father’s eyes, and Draco fought the urge to flinch. Normally, he strove to please his family. This sort of reaction would have made him grovel for his father’s approval not two years ago. Though that need to see pride in his father’s eyes still existed within him, he was slowly learning that need often did more harm than good. 

“That girl is a disgrace to good pureblood society,” Lucius said. 

Draco didn’t even bother to roll his eyes. He knew his mother and father would never approve of Astoria simply because of her view on Muggleborns, just like they would never let go of the views that had been ingrained in them since birth. 

“And she is the most crass person I have ever seen,” he continued. 

Bold maybe, but Astoria was never crass. 

“She will ruin you,” Lucius finished. 

Privately, Draco thought she already had. 

#

Draco hadn’t thought this through. When he and Astoria arrived at the little cottage rental where Draco and his parents normally stayed, there was no one out front. After ringing the bell over a dozen times and searching the little inn, they finally located a very irritated satyr who told them that there was only one cottage left and that it was near the base of one of the mountains. Grumpily, he’d given them the key, and Astoria had tipped him handsomely for the inconvenience. Draco thought that he deserved a swift kick up the ass for his attitude rather than a tip. 

Now, Draco listened as Astoria put away her clothes in the bedroom. That annoying satyr had sold them a room with only one bed and had not mentioned it when they left the reception area. Astoria didn’t even allow him the chance to offer her the bedroom — just waltzed into the room and started unpacking. Leaving Draco to awkwardly decide if he was going to go in there and speak to her or live out of his suitcase for the next week. 

Astoria also saved him that decision as well. She appeared in the doorway of the bedroom holding up a bottle of wine. She looked just as pretty as she had a few hours ago, in her pretty green jumper and trousers with her hair ruffled. 

“Do you want a glass?” she asked. 

Draco narrowed his eyes. “Where did you get that?” 

“I took it from the reception area,” Astoria said as she searched the cabinets for a bottle opener. When Draco looked at her incredulously, she only grinned. “What? I gave that satyr more in a tip than this wine costs.” 

Her audacity never ceased to amaze him. While Astoria opened the wine bottle, he unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt. Once the wine was poured into two glasses, Draco sat down on one end of the couch and Astoria on the other end. He lifted the wine to his nose, taking in the notes of black pepper and cherry. As the rich tannins coated his tongue, he realized this was awkward once again. Or maybe it was just him. 

On the balcony in Athens, it had been easy, opening up to her in the moonlight, sharing things he hardly admitted to himself, listening as she explained her life. He was starting to realize that he’d disappeared in the middle of the night with a girl who was as good as a stranger to him and whose cousin might very well send him to an early grave. 

“Why are you so tense?” she asked, sitting her wine glass down and tugging her feet onto the couch. She pulled her knees into herself and rested her chin on them. The most captivating thing about Astoria was her eyes, and Draco couldn’t pull himself away from them when they were trained on him with such curiosity. “Is it because you’re sleeping on the couch?” 

Draco glared at her. 

“You could sleep in the bed if you wanted.” She picked up her wine and took another sip, while Draco tried to figure out if that was an invitation or simply a statement. “So why the French Alps? Did your parents honeymoon here?” 

“No,” he said softly, swirling his wine around his cup. “We’d vacation here when my grandmother was alive. She was fond of the mountains in the winter time.” 

Draco couldn’t remember much about his paternal grandmother since she died when he was nine. What he did remember was pleasant enough. Vacations to the countryside. Her jovial laugh when he did something that amused her or his mother said something funny. Her snow white hair braided intricately atop her head. 

“That must have been nice,” Astoria said. “I never knew my grandmother.” When Draco raised an eyebrow in question, she continued. “My father’s mother was gone long before I was born, and my mother . . . well, her mother died a few years after my birth, and my mother never discussed her.” 

My birth. What an odd way to think of one’s life and one’s coming into the world. 

“What about your mother and father?” Draco asked, leaning forward. “What are they like?” 

Astoria smiled coyly. “Your father hasn’t told you about my family?” 

He had. To say his father wasn’t fond of the Greengrasses was an understatement. He complained often of how deceptive Hyperion Greengrass could be and how he had connections that ran even deeper into the bowels of the Ministry than Lucius had at the height of his power. Despite his hostility toward Astoria’s father, Lucius rarely ever brought up her mother, who was once a Rowle. In fact, Draco couldn’t recall the last time he’d heard anything about Marianna Greengrass. 

“I thought I’d ask for a slightly less biased opinion.” 

Astoria snorted. “Well, my father is certainly less narcissistic than yours.” Draco glared at her, but Astoria just raised an eyebrow in challenge. “He’s smart, a Slytherin to the core really. Ambitious, cunning, proud. He wants me to climb as high as I’d like in the Ministry as long as I’m happy. Supportive I guess you’d call it.” She took a sip of her wine. “My mother’s a cunt.” Draco choked on his wine. “And she hates me. I don’t think she ever wanted me, but she adores Daphne. If I’m Daddy’s, then Daphne is Mother’s.” 

There was bitterness there, Draco realized as he wiped red wine off his chin. He had no idea what it was like to have a mother who didn’t want you, who preferred someone else to you. Perhaps, he was lucky in that sense. His mother had always openly expressed her love for him, often times louder than Draco would have liked. 

“That’s a rather depressing topic though,” she said. “Nothing you’d be interested in.” 

Draco was interested, but he was not courageous enough to ask any further questions. To keep his mouth shut, he took another sip of wine. 

They continued drinking in silence until the bottle was gone. Astoria stood up, wobbling slightly as she stretched. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes unguarded. Draco desperately wanted to keep her here, wanted to keep her like this. When she walked toward him and leaned forward, Draco thought he must be dreaming. Her hair whispered against his cheek as she smiled. 

“Good night, Draco,” she said softly. 

As she walked back to the bedroom, Draco wondered if it had been more an invitation than anything else. 

#

When Astoria walked into the Ministry, she immediately noticed the sideways looks that some of her coworkers were giving her. No doubt a result of page twenty of The Daily Prophet. Astoria didn’t mind overly much. People gossiped. Rumors went from mouth to ear. The world kept turning, and she still had a job to do. When she reached the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, she turned left to head toward her office. 

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was not where she had hoped to end up when she finished school. Originally, her plan was to work in the Minister of Magic’s office, and she had started out there. Only to realize that every change being made to any law was just sent up to the Minister’s office for approval or denial. The real changes were taking place in the bowels of the Ministry. So, she’d taken a pay cut and transferred to the DMLE. Her first job had been as a secretary processing paperwork, then she’d moved on to case decision — deciding which cases went to the smaller courts and which went on to the full Wizengamot — and finally moved on to work on policy that was passed through the Wizengamot for approval before moving up to the Minister of Magic. It was glorious. 

When she entered her office, her boss, the head of policy James Trimble, was already there, as was Harry Potter himself. 

“You’re late,” Trimble said. The head of policy was only fifty, but time had not been kind to him. He was partially bald with tuffs of white hair sticking out around his ears and the back of his head. There were several wrinkles across his face, reminding Astoria of the lumps that appeared in mash, and his eyes were always blood shot. Her coworkers swore that was due to alcohol abuse, but they could never prove it, and she never once smelled alcohol on him. 

Astoria glanced at the watch her father had bought her for her seventeenth birthday — a simple gold bracelet with diamonds encrusted on the case. “It’s ten o’clock.” She sat her briefcase on her desk and spun around to face the two men. “On the dot actually, which is exactly when I said I’d be back. I already told you I was taking all of my vacation hours, and I told you when I was going to be back. Which was at exactly ten o’clock.” 

Harry’s green eyes were sparkling with amusement while Trimble’s brown ones were drowning in annoyance. 

“Well after the eventful holiday you’ve had, I thought that coming back to work would be a nice change of pace,” Trimble muttered. That was when Astoria noticed the open copy of The Daily Prophet on her desk. 

She narrowed her eyes. Trimble was known to express his dislike of any portion of her and her coworkers’ lives that he found distasteful. Before she left for holiday, he’d muttered under his breath the whole time about Patrica Deman’s ‘unseemly’ tattoo that he couldn’t even see. Astoria hadn’t liked it then, and she certainly didn’t like it now. 

“Is there a reason you’re in my office, Mr. Trimble?” Astoria asked, arching an eyebrow. “Or do you just enjoy meddling in the personal lives of your employees? Shall I ring for tea and biscuits as you ask about all the juicy details?” 

Trimble had gone red in the face. Behind him, Harry was covering his mouth to hide his laugh, his shoulders shaking silently. 

“Mr. Potter is here to offer advice on the new law regarding minors and underage magic use,” Trimble snipped. “I’ve laid the papers on your desk.” 

Then he turned and stormed out of her office. When he was gone, Harry let his laugh finally burst out. Astoria shook her head and picked up the paperwork Trimble had left her. There were at least a hundred pages here. 

“When did you become an expert on underage magic use?” Astoria asked as she lazily flipped through the pages. She would go more in depth later. 

Harry shook his head. “I don’t know. Seems like I’m an expert on almost everything these days.” 

That much was true. Trimble wanted Harry’s name on almost everything, saying that he ‘consulted’ with policy makers on what was being written. What really happened was Harry vaguely listened as policy writers explained what they’d written and then either said ‘Yes, that’s a good idea’ or ‘No, you’re fucking barmy.’ As far as Astoria could tell, Harry found the whole thing tedious. When you saved the wizarding world though, she supposed everyone wanted your opinion on policies enacted. 

“So, did you sock Malfoy in the mouth after that picture was taken?” 

Astoria glanced up from her paperwork briefly before glancing back down. “No.” 

Harry hummed, and Astoria could sense his disapproval like a chasm between them. She and Harry worked together. Besides occasionally sharing lunch, they weren’t all that close, and her squabbles with Granger were enough to keep them from truly being friends. Harry was nice, though. They worked on the same level, disliked the same people — for the most part — and enjoyed making fun of those people behind their backs. When Astoria was fighting for something to be put into policy, Harry usually agreed with her. And when Harry saw something out in the field that was concerning, he’d ask her to look into it and see if there was something that could be done in the law. It was a mutually beneficial relationship. They almost never discussed their personal lives. 

“Did you need gossip to bring back to the Auror office?” she asked, sending him a smirk. 

Harry snorted. “No. There’s enough drama down there as it is. Kirk and Wiley have broken up. Again.” Kirk and Wiley were two Aurors who were under Harry on his team. Though he’d told them not to many times, they insisted on dating, and, according to Harry, doing a shit job at hiding it. “I thought you said Malfoy wasn’t going on vacation with you?” 

Astoria put down her policy. “I didn’t know he was. Theo invited him and didn’t tell anyone til we got to Athens. We took our own trip from there.” She crossed her arms. “You going to lecture me now?” 

Harry shook his head. “No. Just curious. You know he’s not a good guy, right?” 

Astoria was aware there were things Draco hadn’t told her about the war — things that Harry probably knew — but she refused to believe that people were the sum of their past for the rest of their lives. If that were the case, she would be sitting at home reading because she was too coddled to get up and chase her dreams. If she could be more than the girl with the blood curse, then Draco could be more than a former Death Eater. 

“I know what he is,” she said. “And I’m not afraid of that.” 

Harry shrugged. “As long as you don’t invite him to our lunches.”

“I wouldn’t subject you to that type of torture.” 

“But you would your . . .” Harry picked up the open copy of The Prophet that Trimble had left in her office. “Insatiable paramour?” 

Astoria’s grin was feral. “Absolutely.” 

#

Astoria was quickly realizing that Draco Malfoy was not meant for the cold. He was wrapped in a dark coat, a scarf, a toboggan, and thick wool mittens. He kept tugging his scarf up over his face and his hat down over his ears. With all those layers, he looked so comical that Astoria had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Her outfit was much cuter, with thick wool leggings under a heavy blue dress and a brown jacket thrown over the top. Instead of a toboggan, she had opted to leave her hair down and cast a warming charm over her face. 

“I swear that shop was just around the corner,” Draco muttered. 

They were currently in the most charming town Astoria had ever seen, bright with lights and decorated with small wooden statues. It was the kind of town where families vacationed with their kids, not at all the posh getaway she imagined the Malfoys would seek out. 

“How long has it been since you’ve been here again?” she asked. 

Draco was silent for a moment. “Twelve years, but that is not the point. That shop should still be here.” 

Amusement swirled in Astoria like the snowflakes that were falling around them. Instead of arguing, she simply grabbed his hand and tugged him towards one of the shops. The sign above the door read ‘Ben’s Pastries,’ and that sounded good enough a place as any for breakfast. As the bell overhead dinged, Astoria was hit with the smell of muffins and coffee. It was a cute little shop, with a couple tables by the window as well as in the center of the floor. Astoria chose one of the window seats and dropped down into it. 

“I would have-”

“I’m sure eventually you would have realized you had no idea where you were going, and we would have found some place to eat,” Astoria cut in as she picked up a menu. 

Draco gaped at her for a moment before sitting down and tugging his scarf off. She liked that she could make him speechless. 

“What can I get for you?” the waitress asked as she stepped up to their table. 

“I’ll have your éclair au chocolat and black coffee, please,” Astoria said. 

“Just a scone and a coffee with cream and sugar on the side,” Draco said. 

Astoria raised her eyebrow as the waitress walked away. 

“No one makes my coffee correctly,” he sniffed. 

Rolling her eyes, Astoria glanced outside at the children playing in the snow. She liked this place, liked that Draco had childhood memories here before his life had been infused with hate. She still couldn’t say what had possessed her to agree to his scheme. It was ridiculous. Since she had been a child, Astoria had always been practical — impulsive maybe, but always practical. When her dormmate had droned on about finding a unicorn in the Forbidden Forest, Astoria told her she was more likely to be mulled by centaurs or get her head bashed in by a troll than find a unicorn. Yet, here she was, sitting in a shop in the French Alps and trying not to admire the sharp line of Draco’s jaw. 

The waitress returned with their coffee and pastries. 

“Are you going to spend the rest of your life locked up in Malfoy Manor?” Astoria asked. 

Draco abruptly dropped the spoon he was using to stir his coffee. It tinged against the rim of his cup loudly. “What?” 

“Malfoy Manor,” she said. His eyes were as wide as the saucer that his cup sat on, and he was looking at her like she’d just told him she was half centaur. “You know, the mansion your parents own.” 

“I know what you’re referring to,” he snapped. 

“Well, are you?” 

“I don’t know.” 

Astoria nodded and interlaced her fingers in her lap. “I like you.” Draco’s eyes met hers sharply at that, like she had just punched him square in the gut. “I think you know that by now. I’d like to continue . . .” She didn’t know what they were, but she knew there was a spark between them. Perhaps it could become a flame if they allowed it to burn. “This, but I’m not going to do it in secret, and I’m not going to be sequestered at Malfoy Manor whenever I want to see you.” 

There. It was all laid out on the table with their pastries and coffee. Vulnerability didn’t come easy to her; it never had. Astoria found it much easier to have sympathy and compassion for others and hold a stiff upper lip when it came to her own emotions. Draco was almost worse than her though, and if she waited for him to do something about that spark between them, then she’d have grey hair by the time he’d sorted something out. 

“You’re not worried about what everyone will say?” he said softly. “I’m still a former Death Eater, you know. No matter how far removed from polite society.” The words might as well have been acid, he sounded so bitter. “People will talk. They’ll accuse you of things, turn their noses up at you.” 

“People already turn their noses up at me.” She thought of his mother when he said that, though that wasn’t who he meant. “And you’ve forgotten that my cousin is a former Death Eater, Draco. Everything isn’t so black and white.” Astoria knew all about shades of grey. Her whole family was colored in those grey tones. 

Draco looked away from her, outside then. He looked so ridiculous with that toboggan he hadn’t taken off. Reaching across the table, Astoria yanked it off his head, ruffling his hair in the process. He glared at her. 

“Are you going to ignore me or give me an answer?” When he didn’t say anything, she continued, her pride getting the better of her. “Or if you’d rather not do anything about this, then we can forget I ever-”

“Will you shut up?” he snapped. “Merlin, do you ever just close your mouth and think before opening it again?” 

Astoria glared at him, annoyance thumbing through her. She was stupid, she realized, to ever think that this could work. Draco was still healing from the wounds that the war and his parents had inflicted on him. There was no hurrying that along. He wasn’t ready. Fuck, she wasn’t even sure she was ready for a relationship. There was her curse to think of. She stood up, ready to bolt, only for Draco to snatch her upper arm and yank her around to face him. 

“You have the most vexing habit of running away, did you know that?” he spit acidly. 

“Well, you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?” she snapped, unable to stop herself from pressing closer to his warmth. The fury in his eyes was intoxicating as was the way his fingers were wrapped around her arm. His breath fanned across her face like it had that night on the balcony after the first time he’d kissed her. He had shocked her then. Anticipation was rushing through her veins now. 

“This is a bad idea,” he whispered. 

“Then why’s it feel so good?” she said. 

As he glanced down at her lips, Astoria felt goosebumps rise along her spine. 

Someone cleared their throat. Astoria and Draco stepped away from each other, and she spotted the waitress looking pointedly away from them. Quickly, Astoria sat back down. 

“Alright,” Draco said after he was settled. 

“Alright?” 

“I think we could work something out.” 

“Like a date?” 

He was squirming in his seat, and it made Astoria wonder if he’d ever actually tried this hard before. 

“Yes, like a date.” 

#

“Draco, come here.” 

Draco closed his eyes in annoyance before heading back toward the sitting room. He found his mother curled in front of the fire with a book resting on her knees and her mouth pinched into a tight line. His mother’s silence had hurt the most over the last two days. When his father had been thrown into Azkaban, Narcissa and Draco had walked through the Dark Lord’s inferno of rage together. She’d done her best to protect him from the harsh reality of what it meant to be a Death Eater. Still, it hadn’t been enough. 

“Where are you going so dressed up?” she asked. Draco would hardly say he was dressed up. He’d merely thrown on a pressed button down and some black trousers, then tossed a nice jacket over the two. He didn’t even have a tie. “Are you going to see that girl?” 

Her words dripped with disdain, like she’d just tasted rotten fish. 

“Her name is Astoria,” Draco said gently. The last thing he wanted was to hurt his mother. 

Narcissa snapped her book shut. “I don’t want you to see her.” 

She might as well have pushed one of Aunt Bella’s knives through his heart. Draco had expected his father’s disapproval, even his rage, but he thought that his mother would have some sympathy for him. Instead, she was sitting in front of him with the most cold expression on her face, like he wasn’t an adult but a child who needed correction. 

“Why?” he said. 

“Because she is a disgrace,” Narcissa said bluntly. “She comes to events throughout the social season only to drink, she has the most crass mouth of anyone I have ever met, and she’s violent. She nearly crushed Blaise Zabini’s foot before his wedding for absolutely no reason.” Draco had been there, and Blaise had deserved a lot more than having his foot crushed. “And I haven’t even gone into her views on Muggleborns.” 

Anger coiled inside Draco in Astoria’s defense. As far as he knew, Astoria had never said an unkind word about his mother, yet here Narcissa was blatantly attacking her. Mrs. Greengrass and Narcissa were not close, so all of the accusations she was throwing around were all gossip. His mother didn’t want to get to know Astoria, he realized, no matter how much her son cared for her.

“I’m going to see her,” Draco said coldly. “I do not care if you do not like her.” 

Then he turned on his heal and left his mother to boil in her anger. 

#

That anticipation had been prickling under Astoria’s skin since that day in the pastry shop. It was the third day of their impromptu getaway, and Draco had been the perfect gentleman, save for a few burning looks and soft brushes of his fingertips against her back. Astoria was a patient person — she had to be to work in policy — but Draco was pushing her to her limit. The worst part was, she was sure he had no idea he was having that effect on her; he would have taunted her for it if he did. 

So, Astoria was left staring at him as he fought to get the cork off a particularly stubborn bottle of wine. 

Even though she’d propositioned him that first night, Draco had remained on the couch, never once trying to press the issue. She was sure his back was not thanking him for it either, judging by the way he was slow to get up every morning. Or maybe he just wasn’t a morning person. Astoria didn’t know because he’d never made good on her offer. How much more obvious could she get? 

“Do you want me to try?” she asked. 

“No,” he snapped, twisting the wine opener farther into the cork.

Merlin, he was stubborn. If she couldn’t see his biceps flexing under his jumper, she might have used a spell to get that cork out. As it was, she was enjoying the show. The past few days had been revealing. Draco didn’t have as much of a stick up his ass as she originally thought; it just took a while to coax the fun loving side out of him. A side effect of the war, Astoria was sure. Ironically, unraveling all the intricacies of Draco Malfoy did nothing to cool her desire for him. 

“If you’d just-”

“I can just on my own.” 

Astoria rolled her eyes. Her gaze snagged on the way his hand was gripping the bottle to steady it. It was his left hand, the one with the Mark. Did he always keep it covered? What did he do when he was with a girl? Did he just not take his shirt off? Astoria wanted to find out. Abruptly, she snatched the unopened bottle from him and sat it roughly in the sink.

“What are you-”

Astoria didn’t give him time to answer as she invaded his personal space. His eyes were blown wide, his hands starting to rise into the air. Taking his face in her hands, she brought his lips down to her own. It was like waking up from a deep sleep. She’d forgotten how his lips softened against her own, how his hands firmly grasped her hips, how oak and vanilla invaded her nose. Kissing Draco gave her a high that marijuana never did. 

While her body pressed completely against his, she pulled her lips away from his, inhaling the air he exhaled. He gasped her name softly, and Astoria never felt so desperate in all her life. Draco pressed her roughly against the counter, the granite biting into her lower back. As his grey eyes ran over her body, her hands fisted into the coarse fabric of his jumper. 

“What are we doing?” he asked breathlessly. 

“Something bad,” she answered before crashing her lips to his once more. 

Draco groaned against her mouth, and all that anticipation that had been building up was finally bursting from her body. Her hands found his always tidy hair, and Astoria immediately set about messing it up. It was softer than she expected, like silk almost. When she tugged on it, Draco groaned against her mouth again. 

“Astoria,” he rasped. 

Her hands fled from his hair and found their way under his shirt. His skin was soft, too, though nowhere as soft as his hair. While Astoria explored his stomach, his lips traveled down her neck, sucking on her pulse point. Why hadn’t they been doing this sooner? Quickly, she detangled herself from him. 

“You’ve done this before right?” she asked urgently.

Draco looked exasperated. “I told you-”

“Not kissing,” she said. Then she tugged on his belt loops for emphasis. 

His eyes went wide, the grey swallowed by the black. “Yes.” 

“Good.” 

Then she slipped out from between him and the counter and pulled him toward the bedroom. When they reached the bedroom doorway, Draco stopped in his tracks and Astoria spun around to face him. He looked adorably rumpled, his hair standing up in different directions, his lips swollen bright red, and part of his stomach peeking out from under his jumper. 

“Shouldn’t I take you on a date first?” he muttered. 

“You don’t have to take me out on a date to fuck me,” she purred. 

When he roughly took her face in between his hands and smashed his lips against hers, Astoria gasped. His tongue pressed into her mouth, savagely running over her bottom lip. Her hands frantically found his belt and started to undo it while he tugged her shirt over her head. As their lips separated for him to get the shirt over her head, his eyes landed on the black lace of her bra. It was see through. Astoria managed to get his belt off while he stared. Then she pulled his jumper over his head. 

“Are you just gonna stare?” she asked when she dropped the heavy fabric to the floor. 

“Get on the bed.” It wasn’t a request. 

Slowly, Astoria backed away from him, dropping onto the edge of the bed and lifting her chin in defiance. Draco didn’t comment, just stepped forward and dropped into a crouch between her legs. A thrill shot up Astoria’s eyes as he racked his eyes over her body. He brought his finger up and ran it over her collarbone, then down between her breasts, over the center of the lacy fabric of her bra, across her stomach, until he reached the button of her jeans. Leaning back on her elbows, Astoria watched as he undid the button and pulled down the zipper. When he raised his eyebrows, she pressed the balls of her feet into the floor and lifted her hips up. He got rid of her jeans but left the sheer underwear. 

Once her jeans were gone, Draco’s hands slid up the outside of her calves to her thighs. Her breath swooshed from her lungs as he kissed the inside of her knee, his eyes finding hers as he rubbed his cheek against her soft skin. Astoria was going to combust before this was over with. Leisurely, his hands slid up her thighs until he reached her panties. She thought he might take them off, but he only dropped his hands from her hips and pressed them into the mattress. As he rose up, Astoria was able to catch a good glimpse of the pale skin of his chest and the Dark Mark that stood out on his left arm. He was beautiful, she realized, as he bent down to kiss her over the fabric of her underwear. Astoria’s hands found his hair, and she yanked. Surprise filled his eyes as he pressed up onto his hands. 

“You can do that later,” she said. 

“There’s going to be a later?” he asked. 

Astoria rolled her eyes and tugged him on top of her. 

His hand snaked down her body and under her lingerie. 

“Fuck,” he swore as his hands dipped into her wetness. 

“Told you.” 

All her arrogance disappeared when Draco smashed his lips back to hers. He started to push her panties down, and Astoria reached down to help him. When they were gone, she worked his trousers and pants off as well. His callouses brushed against her back as he unhooked her bra. Though they were both completely bare, Astoria felt the need to cover herself, suddenly self-conscious and afraid he wouldn’t like her. It was silly. He was a man, and she was a naked woman. But she wanted him to like her — to find her attractive and beautiful — because she was her, not just naked flesh. 

That was when he muttered her name against her neck. Over and over. 

Astoria’s heart fluttered stupidly in her chest. 

Pressing himself onto his elbow, he looked down at her, concern suddenly filling his gaze. 

“Have you done this before?” he asked. 

Astoria rolled her eyes. “Yes, Draco. Don’t worry about my honor. I have none left.” 

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I’ve never had any.” 

She laughed at that before pressing her lips to his again. His fingers found her center again, pressing into her this time. She gasped against his lips, her fingernails digging into his back. Urgently, her fingers ran down his back, over his oblique, and down his stomach until she grasped his cock in her hand. Pulling away from her mouth, he hissed, and Astoria smirked. Fair was fair after all. She quickly twisted her hand over him before guiding him down to where his hand was wickedly curling into her. After pressing his fingers up into her once more, he pulled them out, and Astoria guided him inside her. 

“Draco,” she gasped, arching her back. 

“Astoria,” he muttered, resting his forehead between her breasts in reverence. 

He was pulsing inside her, every ripple of his muscles shaking her to the core. Astoria had lovers before, but not like this. Draco had bared part of his soul to her, and he was holding her like she was something precious now. Guilt pooled in her stomach as she realized she hadn’t been honest with him, not completely. 

“Draco,” she repeated, taking his face in her hands. He looked at her like she was water in a desert. Pressing her lips to his, Astoria poured her remorse and pleasure into that kiss. He started to move then, slow and calculated, long strokes that had her toes curling. Gently, he pulled away from her and started to kiss down her jawline then her neck. She turned her head to allow him better access, one of her hands fisting in his silky hair. When she opened her eyes and looked between them, she saw him slowly disappearing inside her, and it was probably the sexiest thing she’d ever seen in her life. 

“Fuck,” she muttered. 

Draco lifted his head and followed her gaze. “Yeah.” 

His hand drifted downwards over her breast, stopping to lightly pinch her nipple, down her stomach, stopping just above her clit. 

“I swear, if you tease me right now, I’ll just get myself off,” she hissed. 

She saw him smirk before his fingers ran gently over her clit. Pleasure zipped through her, snapping across her stomach, zinging into her nipples, and causing a moan to escape her mouth. Draco’s mouth was there to catch it, his breath ghosting across her face. 

“That’s it, Astoria,” he muttered, his fingers slowly circling her clit. “I want you to say my name when you cum.” 

“Holy fuck,” she swore as she glided toward the edge. “Dr-Draco.” 

As she clenched around him, Draco hissed, his rhythm stuttering as he followed her. 

When they managed to catch their breaths, Draco rolled them onto their sides and brushed a sweaty piece of hair out of her face. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were good at that?” she asked. 

He smiled faintly. “It’s not a topic of polite conversation.” 

“It should be,” she mumbled as she cuddled into his side, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. Briefly, he tensed before gently wrapping his arms around her, and it occurred to her that he may not be used to this type of affection. As she drifted off to sleep, she resolved to change that. 

#

Astoria clasped the halter top of her dress together, discreetly covering the love bite that was standing out harshly against her skin. Her hair was pulled up into a twist, and she’d spent the last hour and a half on her makeup, making sure everything looked just right. Draco had said that he would pick her up at the front door at nine. It was eight fifty now, and Astoria was starting to get antsy. What if he’d backed out? What if he’d changed his mind and fled the country? 

It was ridiculous to worry about that. Instead, she applied another layer of red lipstick and headed to the living room. After pacing her flat twice, she finally plopped down on the couch. He was coming, she reminded herself. They’d spent a holiday together. She was being paranoid. 

At five til, there was a knock at her door. She rushed over to it and found Draco on the other side of it, looking as put together as always. She had half a mind to tug him in here and make him messy. If she hadn’t spent so much time on her appearance, she might have. 

“Nice dress,” he said. 

“Nice suit,” she replied as she stepped into the hallway and closed the door to her flat. “Are you ready for our first date?” 

He ran a knuckle over her cheek. “Only if I get to bring you back here after.” 

Astoria raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have sex on the first date, Mr. Malfoy.” 

“Just before it?” he shot back. 

“Just before it.” 

#drastoria #draco malfoy #astoria greengrass #lucius malfoy #narcissa malfoy #cruel summer series #my writing

[tessastormrp]

Full Muse List

Tessa Storm OC [Multifandom] FC: Kat Mcnamara Shipping: Open wide (bisexual)

Max Storm OC [Multifandom] FC: Paul Bullion Shipping: Open Wide (bisexual)

~

Aegon I Targaryen Canon Character FC: Henry Cavill (As Geralt of Rivia) Shipping: Rhaenys, Visenya and Orys Baratheon

Aemond Targaryen Canon Character Shipping: Helaena, Aegon II, Jacaerys, Lucerys and Daemon

Aiden Canon Character Shipping: Lambert, other Witchers (wolf/cat school is prefered) male/female oc's when the chem feels right

Albus Potter Canon Character FC: Harry Gilby Shipping: Scorbus and Scorbus only!

Baldr Marvel and Myth mix FC: Jamie Campbell Bowers Shipping: Nanna, Loki; open to other male gods form different pantheons and male marvel characters/oc's, though this with pe established chemistry

Brahn OC FC: Laurence O'Fuarain Shipping: He's bi, but he is also socially awkward. He is lonely, love him!

Brandon Stark Canon Divergent Character (in HOTD canon he has passed away) FC: Gijs Blom Shipping: Open to male and female canon and oc characters

Brynden Rivers Canon Character FC: Jamie Campbell Bowers Shipping: Shierra Seastar, open to male and female muses, but with pre established chemistry

Clark Kent Canon character Shipping: Bruce Wayne, Arthur Currey, Barry Allen and Diana Prince

Credence Barebone Canon Character Alternative FC: Gijs Blom & Adam Driver Shipping: Nagini, Tina, Queenie, Leta, Percival, Newt, Grindelwald and Aberforth.

Cregan Stark Canon Character FC: Arnas Fedaravicios Shipping: None for now

Cynlaef Sihtricsen Canon Character Shipping: Aethelstan and Aelfwyn

Damien Luciferion OC FC: Adam Driver Shipping: Bi!

Draco Malfoy Canon Character Shipping: Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini and with the right chem Astoria Greengrass

Eskel Canon Character (Game based only) Shipping: Geralt and Lambert

Faenor Canon Character Shipping: Nerdanel, his sons, his brothers and other elves (though the last only with prior chem and plotting)

Fili son of Garin Canon Character Shipping: Kili and Thorin

Finan the Agile Canon Character Shipping: Sihtric, Osferth, Uhtred and Eadith

Fjall Stoneheart Canon Character Shipping: Bi for all the companions and he would absolutely shove Eredin into a wall and raw him.

Freyr Marvel and Myth mix FC: Tom Hardy Shipping: OPEN WIDE, guy is pan, come at him!

Galahad Merlinion OC FC: Timothee Chalament Shipping: Bi

Geralt of Rivia Canon Character Shipping: Just here for Gerskel and maybe Geraskier

Gilliad Krum OC FC: Matthew Daddario Shipping: Homosexual

Harald Finehair Canon Character Shipping: Open to women

Harwin Strong Canon Character Shipping: Rhaenyra and Laenor, preferably poly, but seperate is cool too.

Helaena Targaryen Canon Character Shipping: Aemond (she will always be with Aemond, no matter the secondary ship) Jace and Aegon II

Jake Sully Canon Character Shipping: For now only Neytiri, once I've seen the second film I might change that

Jari Sihtricsen OC FC: Gijs Blom Shipping: Bi like his old man

Jon Snow (Jaehaerys III Targaryen) Canon Character Shipping: Robb Stark, Ygritte, Aegon VII, Rhaenys and Sansa Stark

Laenor Velaryon Canon Character Shipping: Poly with Harwin and Nyra, open to oc men with the right chem

Leonard Spencer-Moon Canon Character FC: Paul McGann Shipping: He is homosexual and open to OC lads

Loki Canon Character (Mostly marvel, but with Myth influences) Alternate FC: Jonathan Tucker Shipping: Any canon male avengers/norse god. Other gods/goddesses with prior plotiing/chemistry.

Lugh (Mad Sweeney) American Gods and Myth mix Shipping: Open mainly to other gods and goddesses

Luke Strong-Velaryon Canon Character Alternate FC: Harry Gilby Shipping: Aemond and Rhaena

Mars Ultor Mix of Myth and the Nicholas Flamel novels FC: Jason Momoa Shipping: Open wide, pansexual

Mordred Merlinion OC FC: Arnas Fedaravicius Shipping: Bi, and a slut

Natan of Rivia OC FC: Gijs Blom Shipping: Open, a bi boi

Neteyam Sully Canon Character Shipping: Ao'nung exclusively

Nicodemus Tyrell OC FC: Laurence O'Fuarain Shipping: Bisexual and Open!

Niklas OC FC: Timothee Chalament

Nyarlathotep Canon Character FC: Will Tudor; Elliot Knight; Moon Jongup; Woody Harrilson; Jennifer Morrison Shipping: He isn't very interested in sex, but not beyond experimenting, pan sexual, but he is very picky and everything has to be pre plotted, because he is not going to be a regular sex partner.

Oberyn Martell Canon Character Shipping: Open to a lot of canon characters, and maybe oc's, but with good chem. Unless it is Oscar Isaac, space sister stick together even in Westeros.

Osferth Canon Character Shipping: Finan, Sihtric, Edward, Uhtred, Eadith and maybe Aethelflaed.

Orys Baratheon Canon Character FC: Mark Rowley Shipping: Aegon I, Rhaenys I and Visenya

Remus Lupin Canon Character Young FC: Daniel Sharman Shipping: Sirius Black and Nymphadora Tonks, would also love this in poly form.

Rhaegar Targaryen Canon Character FC: Lee Pace (as Thranduil) Shipping: Lyanna Stark, Jon Connington, Oberyn Marell and Elia Martell

Ronald Weasley Canon Character Shipping: Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini

Sandor Clegane Canon Character Shipping: Sansa Stark

Sihtric Kjartansen Canon Character Shipping: Open wide, proud bi boyo! Tho I will commit literal word crimes for Finan, Osferth and Uhtred

Sirius Black Canon Character Young!FC: Ben Barnes Shipping: Remus Lupin, James Potter and Regulus Black

Steve Rogers Canon Character Shipping: Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark and Loki

Theseus Scamander Canon Character Shipping: Leta Lestrange, Newt Scamander and Lally

Tyr Myth and Marvel mix FC: Shawn Mendes Shipping: Open to male gods, male marvel characters and male ocs

Ubbe Canon Character Shipping: Hvitserk, Alfred and Torvi

Zaccai Oliver OC FC: Arnas Fedaravicius Shipping: Pan af!

#muse list #basic muse info

[jomiddlemarch]

nothing that was without wings would escape

“I Owled Molly,” Hermione said, tossing the words over her shoulder while she fussed with the copper teakettle. It was better to have her back to him. She knew he’d never curse her from behind, no matter how incensed he was. She’d violated his explicit directive not to ask advice from Molly Weasley and she hadn’t wanted to make him address why exactly Molly was verboten, especially since Hermione was now mostly a Weasley hanger-on, the sister Harry wouldn’t do without, even if she and Ron had crumbled like an old tea-biscuit after six months of attempting a romance. 

“I told you not to,” Draco replied. His voice was low and he’d tried to purge all the frustrated anger from it because it was widely agreed that babies could sense emotion and they didn’t need another reason for Scorpius to cry.

“Desperate times,” Hermione said. “You know the rest.”

“I already asked my mother. And Andromeda,” Draco said, continuing to walk in a nearly symmetric oval path around the dimly lit kitchen, a brief jog to avoid the end of the oak refectory table he used for breakfast and that once upon a time, Hermione had had the most delightfully filthy fantasies about defiling with him. That had been pre-exposure to Scorpius or rather, pre-exposure to Scorpius’s colic.

(She would have felt worse about lusting after a recently widowed man, but he’d made it clear he and Astoria had had an arranged marriage that would have lasted a lifetime except that she’d insisted she wanted a baby, knowing her ancestral bloodcurse wouldn’t allow her to survive her labor. It had seemed a very rum deal to Hermione and she’d had to balance dislike with pity. Adding in sexual attraction wasn’t the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was just a straw.)

(After his son was born, Draco told her, just once, that Scorpius was worth it. All of it. She’d starting falling in love then. It didn’t seem like she’d ever hit the ground and not because she was a witch. She’d never gotten any better at broom-work.)

(She could get away with lengthy parentheticals because Draco was still trying, unsuccessfully, to get Scorpius to pipe down and was distracted. It was a double-edged sword, his distraction, but she was a Gryffindor and had been trained how to wield an enchanted goblin-wrought claymore if the situation called for it.)

“And your aunt and mother have raised three children between them, two Metamorphagi, from whom no significant data can be drawn because Metamorphagi don’t follow standard developmental guidelines and additionally Teddy’s father was a werewolf. Narcissa made no secret of the fact she relied on House-elves and nannies,” Hermione pointed out, arranging a pair of mugs for the tea she was brewing. The caffeine was irrelevant, as it seemed they were never going to sleep again. “Andromeda baked you a lemon sponge cake and your mother suggested you leave him and spend a few weeks in Antibes, getting some color, taking the yacht out for a spin. My parents would only have recommended you put him on Muggle meds for reflux and you’ve already ruled that out.”

“The Healers said it wasn’t reflux, that’s why,” Draco said. Scorpius was crying but it wasn’t full-voice. It seemed a certain degree of jiggling could keep him from his upper register. Fortunately, Draco had never given up Quidditch, so his upper body strength and stamina were adequate to the apparently endless task. If that mean he was fit, deliciously so, so be it.

“Do you want to hear what Molly said or do you want me to spike your tea with an ungodly amount of Firewhisky?” Hermione asked. She’d learned Draco did better when given a choice. Since becoming more than his Ministry colleague and not quite sure what category beyond friend he considered her, she tried to avoid overt manipulation and stuck with the more direct, Gryffindor approach that he expected from her.

“Tell me what the mother of nations said,” Draco replied, rolling his eyes. Scorpius howled suddenly and Hermione closed her own eyes for a moment.

“You don’t have to stay,” Draco said. He’d said it so many times, from the first night Hermione had heard Scorpius let loose, which was roughly six weeks after the crying had started and a fortnight since the Healers at St. Mungo’s had diagnosed colic maxifabulorum, the later onset incurable crying that Wizarding babies could contract, trying to soften the blow by mentioning the high correlation between the diagnosis and magical power. Narcissa had crowed over the news, focusing on the exceedingly small chance Scorpius would turn out to be a Squib, but it hadn’t done much for Draco who just wanted his baby son to stop crying and preferably sleep for a four-hour stretch. Astoria’s death in childbirth had been anticipated and prepared for, but becoming a widower and a single father was very difficult, made more so by the lack of sleep. Hermione suspected Draco had only agreed to let her come over the first time because he thought he was dreaming. It had been 4 pm and they’d been in her office at the Ministry, ostensibly reviewing a brief. He’d looked like hell and she’d spoken before she thought twice about it.

Once she’d heard Scorpius at full volume, she’d known she’d made the right decision.

“I’m staying,” she said. She’d learned she didn’t need to argue with him about it, but he needed the reassurance in her voice that she would, if he kept pestering her about it. “Molly said there aren’t any spells for colic in magical infants.”

Molly had actually written that there weren’t any spells that weren’t terribly Dark, but Hermione judged it was wisest to give Draco the highlights of the letter and not stir up any of the trauma of his history as a Death-eater and her own torture by his Death-eater Vantablack-incarnated-into-a-witch aunt. She planned to leave out Molly’s offer to send along a proper cottage pie and a jam tart as she was well-aware that Hermione didn’t like spending too much time in the kitchen. The usual invitation to Sunday lunch was also destined for the metaphorical scrap heap.

“Was that all?” Draco asked. He was now into the patting-Scorpius-on-the-back portion of the walk. It hadn’t made an appreciable difference to date, but he wasn’t ready to give up on it. His hand always looked enormous on Scorpius’s back. Enormous and incredibly gentle.

“She said potions were dicey and it was best to Transfigure some earplugs for ourselves. Arthur added a post-script, said his Great-Aunt Frederuna swore by spirits rubbed onto the gums, preferably gin though rum or whisky would do in a pinch,” Hermione said. She’d poured out two mugs of tea and doctored them up to their respective requirements; Draco preferred enough sugar to make it almost a syrup but couldn’t bear Hermione’s own milky cup. 

“I’m not getting my baby drunk,” Draco said as she’d known he would.

“It does seem like poor parenting,” Hermione agreed. “Not that I’d judge you for being tempted.”

“That’s not what tempts me,” Draco muttered. Hermione felt herself get very still and reminded herself that nothing…untoward was going to happen with Scorpius hollering as if he were being baby-Crucioed, despite the fact that both she and Draco were in dishabille compared to their formal work robes and suits. Draco was barefoot and though she wasn’t about to advertise it, Hermione had Flooed over without a bra under her old jumper from her father’s schooldays at the University of Glasgow. Nothing was going to happen because Scorpius was screaming bloody murder and Draco looked like he was about to keel over.

“Sit down. I’ll Transfigure a rocking chair. The walking isn’t quieting him down and you’re exhausted,” she said in a rush.

“Maybe if Astoria were here,” Draco said, breaking off.

“He’s not crying for his mother,” Hermione replied softly. “He knows he’s loved. You make him know that, you show him. It’s only colic—”

She wandlessly Transfigured a stool into a maple rocking chair with a high back and managed to add a velvet cushion from the dishtowel slung over her shoulder. Wandless Transfiguration was tricky but using a similar piece of furniture helped. Draco gave her a look as he walked over and sat down, a look that said he appreciated just how gifted she was though he wouldn’t make her uncomfortable by commenting that in the entire UK, only Minerva McGonagall could have bettered her work. He sat down and adjusted Scorpius on his shoulder, his palm cupping the back of Scorpius’s head.

“C’mere, sweetheart,” he said, just above a whisper.

“Oh,” Hermione said, startled, the mugs in her hands unsteady. Or perhaps her hands were unsteady and the mugs nearly full. It was some small miracle that the tea didn’t slop over the rims and burn her.

“I didn’t mean—” Draco said, stopped himself. Scorpius took a long breath, almost like a sigh, and then didn’t immediately shriek. Draco looked at Hermione and his grey eyes were bright and warm, amused and hopeful and tender. “That is, I didn’t but I find, rather, Hermione, that I do.”

Tagging @ficwip for Hey Sweetheart 2024!

#dramione #valentine's day #fluff #hey sweetheart #babyfic #tw: colic #tw: death in childbirth #hermione x draco #scorpius malfoy #epilogue what epilogue #family feels #romance #non-sexual intimacy #andromeda black #narcissi malfoy #post-hogwarts #molly weasley #astoria greengrass #prior astoria/draco

[ao3feed-drastoria]

Missing Time

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/T7KdxWp by Jay_Elle Draco Malfoy knows he's missing something, but doesn't know what. Since the fall of Voldemort five years prior, time has just marched on like a checklist. He sees his life mapped out like it's already been lived. Until one day a flash of blinding white light reveals his father from the future with a dangling time-turner in his hand. He tells Draco, in the hopes that he can fix the future, that he will one day marry Hermione Granger. Shocked, and a little curious, Draco does everything he can to avoid that future, but it seems the harder he tries to avoid her the closer he gets. And the more time he spends with her, the more unsure he becomes about that initial warning from his father to stay away. Words: 8828, Chapters: 3/?, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Astoria Greengrass Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: POV Draco Malfoy, Time Travel, Post-War, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, draco falls first read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/T7KdxWp

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #drastoria #draco x astoria #astoria greengrass #astoria malfoy #draco malfoy

[sniperjade]

As You Wish Chapter 2 - Peacocks He's Got Fifty-Three

Draco stared out of the large cathedral window, at the peacocks pecking at the manicured lawn. Two of them were fussing over, what must be a particularly fat and juicy worm, because they were flapping at each other and struggling. He had seen it happen a million times before, and as regal as the birds were, they were intensely territorial and did not hesitate to fight over the most ridiculous of things. He could imagine the sound of it, their small little cries and squawks as they jostled and pecked at each other.

His hand was pressed up against the glass and he wondered what it would be like to live their life. Simple, based on instinct and need, rather than tradition and expectation. Confined as they were within the boundaries of the estate, they felt far freer than he ever had.

A hand pressed into the small of his back and circled around to rest on his hip, as a chin fell onto his shoulder.

“Draco,” Astoria murmured into his ear as she pressed kisses into his neck. “My tea reading from this morning was very positive. Do you think we could…?”

Her hand began to move, skirting over his hip and moving down – he pressed a hand down over the top stopping its progress. Breathe. Just breathe. The last thing he needed was for that hand to discover exactly how little his cock cared about her tea reading. Fuck. You can do this. He turned in the circle of her arms and lifted a hand up to cup her jaw.

With the softest pressure, he tilted her head back and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Astoria, I have to get to Gringotts. I promised Father I would be back by lunch so that we could go over his latest project.”

She pouted, those perfect pink lips fluffing up prettily. He hated that he could look at this woman, who should be everything he ever wanted, and feel nothing. Astoria was one of the prettiest people he had ever met. She had delicate features, wide eyes and softly curling blonde hair that came together to create this picture-perfect girl. He had thought that over time that would be enough. That whatever, small misapprehensions he’d had, prior to their marriage would disappear after years of learning to know one another.

He had been wrong. Bile filled his throat and he desperately tried to push it down. His love for Astoria had changed and grown but not in the way that it was supposed to. He adored her. She was sweet and lovely and made him want to protect her like she was his sister. The problem was that he found her as attractive as a sister as well. Which was to say that he didn’t. He had to imagine someone else completely just to get hard. There was a reason their intimate experiences always took place in darkened rooms and cupboards.

“We’re never going to produce an heir if we never actually fuck,” she whined.

He held his face in an impassive mask as he pressed another kiss to her forehead.

“We’re still young, my sweet,” he assured her as he let his arms fall, to rub at her shoulders, “We’ve got plenty of time.”

She sighed again her eyebrows turning down into a frown and her hands wringing in front of her. “I know, but everyone keeps asking and asking, and I don’t know what to tell them.”

He pulled her into a hug and tucked her head underneath his chin. “It’s none of their business but you can tell them that we’re content to be just us for now.”

He ran his hands soothingly up and down her back trying to hold back his ire. It wasn’t her fault that everyone was asking. His life was a cage made up of the expectations of other people. He rarely did anything he wanted to do, as he constantly navigated his way around what his family wanted, what his wife wanted, and what the rest of society wanted.

After a long moment, he pushed her back to arm's length so that he could look at her face. “How about I get you a treat while I’m out at Diagon?”

A brilliant smile broke out on her face as she looked up at him in adoration. “You always think of the most inventive things. Love you.”

She pushed up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek before skipping her way out of the door. Pausing at the door jamb she leaned to one side and fluttered her eyelashes at him in an attempt to be seductive, she purred, “And maybe you’ll get your errands done quickly and you can come home early. My door is open.”

She blew him a kiss as she disappeared through.

He let out a breath and suppressed a groan. How was he supposed to go on like this? His chest began to feel tight as he struggled to breathe. He couldn’t keep putting this off forever, but if he did fuck her like she wanted, and she got pregnant, the door of his cage that he had longingly been looking out of, would slam close and that would be the end.

He lifted his hand up and began to chew on his thumbnail as he thought. It was a terrible habit that his parents had constantly tried to train him out of, but it always reappeared in times of stress. His nails had been gnawed down to the quick in the sixth year.

No, he was being ridiculous about this. With magic at his disposal, there was always a solution to these sorts of problems. He could make a potion. A potion would turn him temporarily infertile and then he can go to a strip club with Blaise later today so that he can come home and fuck his wife. It’s fine. It will all be fine.

He checked his watch. If he hurried, he could get the potion on and under a temperance charm so that it would be ready by the time he got back.

Continue reading on Ao3.

#dramione #draco malfoy #hermione granger #tomione #tom riddle #hpfanfiction

[dramioneasks]

Hi I'm the anon that asked about Lucius killing Astoria. I looked at the 2 fics yous suggested. But do you know any that doesn't have Astoria and Draco involved in any way? Even as a prior relationship? Maybe I wasn't clear enough. Thanks for all you guys do.

That trope is very specific and not at all a common one, and those were the only ones I could find that had her being killed as opposed to dying of her blood curse.

- Lisa

[dhr-ao3]

nothing that was without wings would escape

nothing that was without wings would escape https://ift.tt/6PvECix by middlemarch After the first time, Hermione stopped thinking of it as inviting herself over and more as preserving Draco's sanity. There had certainly been a decrease in vitriolic memos sent to trainee staffers at the Ministry. Words: 1537, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Scorpius Malfoy, Andromeda Black Tonks, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Molly Weasley, Astoria Greengrass Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy & Scorpius Malfoy Additional Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Domestic Fluff, Implied/Referenced Death in Childbirth, prior Draco/Astoria, Kid Fic, Romance, Ministry of Magic Employee Draco Malfoy, Ministry of Magic Employee Hermione Granger, Adult Hermione Granger, Adult Draco Malfoy, Father-Son Relationship, tw: colic, terms of endearment, Non-Sexual Intimacy, widower!Draco - Freeform, #ficwip Hey Sweetheart Challenge, Cross-Posted on Tumblr via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/X8UycTY February 14, 2024 at 01:42PM

#IFTTT #Dramione #Draco x Hermione

[23ster]

He’d lost his virginity. He’d lost his virginity to bloody Harry Potter.

A continuation from this post

IMPORTANT: Please read authors note at the bottom

Rated M: implied sexual themes.

This was the thought that ran through Draco’s head the moment he woke up that morning. He had woken up on the couch, alone and still very naked. Draco felt numb. So numb that he didn’t even acknowledge the throb in his head and pain in his back that spread down to his arse. Part of him was relieved Harry had left before he woke up, he couldn’t imagine looking him in the face after what had happened the night prior. The other part of him felt a sense of disappointment and dread that sunk to the pit of his stomach and had twisted into a bundle of nerves. It made him want to vomit.

I slept with Potter. I slept with Harry Potter. Draco thought, as he numbly trudged along through his day. I lost my virginity to Potter.

As far as he knew, Draco was in auto pilot the entire day. He stared blankly as his professors spoke, moved the pages in his book without reading them, and the quill in his hand never moved across the empty parchment before him. He didn’t speak nor look at anyone directly, this was easy since he was already a social outcast at the school and was ignored on a regular basis. No one would notice if he didn’t make an appearance for the day. No one aside from Astoria and the quidditch team but he wouldn’t know if they were looking for him as he skipped breakfast and lunch entirely and slunk away to the corners of the school.

I slept with Potter.

The only class Draco didn’t attend was potions. He couldn’t face Astoria. They had just shared their first kiss only 48 hours prior and within that time, Draco had had sex with someone else. Someone else that wasn’t her. His stomach twisted again and Draco thickly swallowed back the bile that was building up in his throat.

He wasn’t gay; he wasn’t interested in men. He simply wasn’t. And yet, he’d let Harry have him entirely. He’d given himself entirely to Harry and in such an intimate manner. Why had he responded so enthusiastically? Why didn’t he feel disgust or protest? What did it mean? What had he done? What should he do?

He walked across the courtyard down to the lake where he would be hidden from view from the trees. Without a word, he dropped his bag and sat down in the long grass not caring that it was soaked from the rainstorm from the previous night.

Draco stared at the dark water, resting his chin on his knees while his arms were wrapped around his legs securely. He shut his eyes, trying to process the conflicting feelings he was experiencing.

Harry’s tongue grazed along his neck, sliding over his Adam apple. He could feel his stubble scrape against his skin and he held Harry’s hand tighter. Harry responded by giving his fingers a gentle squeeze and the grip he had on Draco’s knee tightened before he pushed himself in further. Draco arched his back, gasping-

“Draco?“

Draco immediately recognized the soft voice and looked up. He saw Luna looking at him with her head tilted slightly. Her usual relaxed face was etched with concern and worry, her lips pressed into a thin line. She scanned over him briefly but said nothing. Instead, she knelt down next to him and brought his head to her shoulder to lean on. It was awkward since Draco was much taller than her but he said nothing. Her warm hand touched his back gently, right where the pain burned. It made him shudder and he leaned further into her neck, trying to get her fingers to move away.

Draco couldn’t remember the last time he had been hugged, he had forgotten how good it felt. It wasn’t long before he had wrapped his arms around Luna, clinging to her desperately. The lump in his throat was enormous now and he clenched his jaw, his eyes watering.

I won’t cry. He thought stubbornly. I will not cry.

“Are you okay?“

The question was simple but it was enough to cause Draco to breakdown and before he knew it, he was sobbing.

I lost my virginity to Harry Potter.

From a fanfic I have yet to right - 15/?

Previous: 14

Note: This is a continuation from a previous post. I’d like to add some context here and bring forth a new(?) headcannon about Draco Malfoy. Growing up the way he did, I can’t imagine Draco being a sexual person before marriage. I perceive him as wanting to save himself for when that moment came and in this fanfic I wanted to try to portray that. The sex between Harry and Draco was consensual, this is merely the aftermath and a clash of Draco not understanding his sexuality and being confused by his feelings/actions. My last intention would ever be to make someone feel uncomfortable so please let it be known that is not what this mini fic is about. If you need more clarification please comment on this post. Thank you for reading.

#drarry #draco x harry #draco malfoy #harry potter #drarry fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #hogwarts

[crookshanksshipsdramione]

a fluffy dramione story told through newspaper articles

Part 1

this is Part 2

BRITISH WIZARD "PRINCE" TO GET DIVORCED

Draco Malfoy separates from wife of six-years, Astoria Greengrass

London. (2007) . The new year isn't off to a good start for Draco Mafoy, head of Malfoy Foundation, inherited member of the wizengamot and SpAd on dark magic artefacts. According to Malfoy’s lawyer and former classmate Theodore W. Nott, "Astoria and Draco Malfoy decided to end their marriage but remain united in raising their son, Scorpius, in an amicable co-parenting situation. Astoria will continue to work for the Malfoy Foundation. No further details will be given".

For some lonely witches (or wizards) this might be good news, as Mr Malfoy is widely considered to be one of the richest wizards of the country. Prior to his marriage he topped the most-eligible-bachelor list and it has been rumored that the song “My grey-eyed lonely Prince”, by Patty Swift, was written about him.

Statement from Theodore W. Nott, Attorney at Wizarding Law, Spokesperson for the Malfoy Foundation

February 14, 2007

“On behalf of my client, Mr. D.L. Malfoy, I am urging the magic media to stop spreading rumors of a romantic relationship between Mr. D.L. Malfoy and Mr. H. J. Potter. They are neither in a relationship nor are they raising Ted Lupin together. Mr. Malfoy does not care about the gay part, but is hurt that nobody seems to think he could do better than Potter”.

#dramione #fan fic #dramione fic #newspaper part 2 #newspaper story