The Corner I Haunt
She hadn't meant to become a ghost, not really. She supposed she had been thinking about all her unfinished business in the days and weeks directly before her death. It was rotten luck, she'd been told later, that they couldn't apparate directly to the manor. Dying just outside the gates meant she couldn't ever enter them again. The wards were too vast and for some reason, protected against ghosts. Draco had supposed the Malfoys had enough enemies over the centuries, one of them had to have upset a ghost in that time. Luckily, Hermione's kind heart and status as Mistress of the Manor gave her carte blanche on Malfoy grounds, even outside the gate. She had a miniature version of the manor built for Astoria just on the other side of the fence, where she could see the rose garden. She told her, seemingly embarrassed that she got the idea from rich muggle children, whose parents would build them a small version of their own home as a play house. A funeral was held for Astoria, which she could see from her home, which was actually about the size of Harry Potter's townhouse, according to Hermione. The stone carver came and etched her date of death onto her side of the headstone she would never share with Draco. The headstone she would never share with anyone.
At first everyone visited constantly. They all felt very guilty for what happened. Theo, especially. He may have even been more upset than her own sister. It mostly worked to her advantage though. She was set up with everything she could need. Everyone brought books, calibrated to her reading speed and charmed to turn the pages. Once Hermione and Draco and Daphne and Theo started having kids, they were allowed to visit Astoria. Hermione and Draco had set her up with a large L-shaped sofa. She would stand with her back to the corner, with a book on the couch and read to the children. They always teased her for putting herself in time-out, but really she didn't want them to see the horrific damage that killed her. She simply told them it was her favorite corner to haunt.
As time went on, visits became less frequent. Life went on, after all, and Astoria did not have a life. Perhaps she never had. Draco really had come up with a potion for the blood curse. According to the research, one would have cured her had she lived long enough to take it. They called it Astoria's Antidote, and it had saved over twenty five people, now.
Turns out, the wedding was her nephew's. He came to the fence in front of her Malfoy Mausoleum and introduced his bride. She was lovely and thought Astoria's name for her home was hilarious. Hermione had, too, which is how she got it etched over the door like a proper estate.
"You could have done worse, child. She's really very pretty and not a complete idiot. You've done better than your sister."
"Thanks, Aunt Tor. I'll come visit soon. Bring the kids once we have them. You can do Story's Story Time again."
"Sounds lovely, dear." She knew he meant well, but if Astoria had breath, she would not have held it. They were all busy, she knew. And it's not like she was completely alone. Ruby still visited.
Astoria watched many more weddings, and then funerals. Many years later, her great-great nephew came to her home with a small body in his arms. It was Ruby, barely breathing.
"She asked that when the time came, we bring her here, so if she became a ghost, she could stay with you forever."
He laid her down on the couch, and Astoria stayed with her until the very end. Once she was gone, her family finally finished the other side of her headstone. A tear streamed down her cheek, seeing the other half of that stone marking Ruby's life and death. She could feel herself fading. Finally, moving on.
Astoria loved love, and she was glad she got to experience a little of it.
The End.