Chapter 34
DRACO’S POV:
“Of course, that was long before this blasted Ministry decided to pair you youngin’s up. Back in my day, it was all much more civilized. The fathers decided what was best for the future of the family. None of this so-called ‘equality’. If you ask me, women these days don’t know their place. They want more to do outside the house, but who’s keeping the home then, hmm? Can’t be left up to us! We have much more important things to be doing than picking up our women’s slack...” Draco nodded along, trying his best to tune out the droning voice of Marcus Selwyn. Most of Pansy’s family were dull and exceedingly boring to listen to, but her Grandfather, with his monotonous voice and his speaking in circles, was one of the worst. He’d conned Draco into speaking with him shortly after the reception had started and he was still stuck talking - or at least pretending to listen - to the doddery coot.
“Pardon me, Mr Selwyn. Would it be possible for me to borrow Mr Malfoy for a moment?” Draco started; reacting as faintly as possible. He turned to look at Stori as she interrupted the conversation, saving him from having to pretend to care what Selwyn had to say any longer.
“Eh?” The old man asked. “What’d you say, pretty? You’ll need to speak up.”
“Excuse me, Mr Selwyn. It appears I’m needed elsewhere. Good talking to you, sir.” Draco answered, linking his arm through Stori’s and walking away before he was stuck talking to the senile old man any longer. “Thank Merlin. One more moment with him and I’d have torn my ears off.” Draco muttered under his breath as Stori guided him across the crowded reception hall. Her arm tightened in his aggressively and he let out a small yelp at the unexpected sensation. “Fucking hell, Astoria! What the fuck is that for?” Draco whispered hoarsely as he attempted to pry his arm out of younger girl’s.
“Shush.” Astoria glared at him. He let out a groan as he realised where she’d led him.
“I mean it! You’ll be spending it on the couch with just your left hand! And Harry, if you don’t stop backing up my husband you’ll be the next one to have bats flying out your-”
“Sorry to interrupt Gin, but would you mind if I borrow Harry?” Astoria asked the angry redhead.
“‘Course not. So long as he gives me my bloody wand first.” She grit out through her clenched teeth.
“Here Blaise.” St. Potter told the darker man quickly, attempting to hand the She Weasle’s wand over to Blaise before the woman could grab it.
“What’s going on over here? Why’s Weaslette being so bloody loud?” Draco asked, covering his ears as she stretched indignantly, attempting to retrieve her wand.
“Ginny,” Blaise corrected, “hexed Cece.”
“The witch deserved it. And I promise you, Blaise Zabini if you do not give me my wand this minute, you’ll receive much worse!”
“What’d she do now?” Draco inquired, curious about what warranted the Weaslett- Ginny being stripped of her wand.
“She insinuated that I was a skanky little tart!”
“Gin, she didn’t say that. She said-”
“I know what she meant, Blaise! I’m not as dense as your bloody family seems to believe. She’s lucky she only has to clean up my Boogey hex and not that slug spell Ron taught me, like your other sister,” the redhead seethed.
“Gabriella may have been a bit rude, but that doesn’t mean you should go around shooting off your wand,” Potter chided.
“Stay out of this, Harry!” Ginny shouted. “Blaise do not make me extend your celibacy. You’re lucky I’m only threatening to put you on the couch for the duration of the Honeymoon and not the whole bloody time we’re married. Now you’ve got two seconds to hand me back my wand or else I’ll-”
“Red, we both know those are empty threats. Ami troppo il mio cazzo per odiarmi.”
“Il tuo cazzo is about to be very well acquainted with your left fucking hand Zabini!”
“I really need to borrow Harry. Sorry, Blaise, you’re on your own. Ginny don’t kill him while we’re gone please.” Stori interrupted again, taking the boy wonder’s arm in her free one.
Draco let out a soft groan of pain as her grip on him retightened and she led the three of them into a corner where her sister sat with her feet propped up away from the various people milling around.
“The both of you are utterly deplorable!” Stori whispered harshly as she dragged them.
“What did I do?” Draco sputtered.
“What’s wrong?” St Potter inquired simultaneously.
“Did either of you even notice that Hermione left?” She thrust them forward toward the wall and crossed her arms with a glare as she came to a stop next to her sister.
“What do you mean Mione left?” Potter asked with a concerned glance around the room.
“What’s this got to do with me?” Draco asked his friend, backing up a step when her glare on him intensified.
“You are so...” she clenched her hands and looked up, taking a deep breath.
“Your fiance sat alone at a table for an hour." Daph provided. "She’s surrounded by people sneering and talking down at her, all of her friends were too busy to even notice how upset she’s been all day. The least you could have done was go and say a proper hello! I mean, really, that’s just common decency. And you!” She turned her attention away from the blonde to her new brother-in-law. “Your best friend has been isolated from everyone she knows by your other best friend’s new family and you haven’t even noticed!”
“I didn’t mean to ignore her, Molly and Arthur asked me to help Blaise stop Ginny from attacking his family so they could try and give back all the money George took from people.”
“I understand that Harry, but Blaise is a big boy. He and his wife need to learn to settle their familial disputes without the help of her old fuck buddy. While you’ve been preoccupied playing keep away with Ginny’s wand, Hermione sat there by herself watching everyone ignore her. For Merlin’s sake, you call yourself her best friend but you didn’t even notice that she left!”
“So I didn’t say hello, what’s the big deal?” Draco asked the girls, still unsure why he needed to be a part of this conversation. “Last I checked, Granger’s an adult. She can leave if she wants to.”
“Did you stop to ask yourself why she left? Of course not.” The pregnant witch huffed out angrily. “Draco, I understand that you’re emotionally constipated when it comes to Mione but you’re going to be married to her in a matter of days, and she’s going to be a big part of your life whether you like it or not. I suggest you make the effort to at the very least make sure she’s comfortable. All day she’s been listening to the old Purebloods whisper about how much she’s going to bring down your family value, how she isn’t worth the magic coursing through her veins. She’s been watching you stand there and nod along to all of the disparaging things they’ve been saying about her, wondering whether or not you truly think what’s coming out of their mouths is right. You can’t just close yourself off and nod along anymore Draco. You’re going to marry a muggle-born. You’re going to have half-blooded children. How do you think they’re going to feel when they see you agreeing that their mother, your wife, is worth less than filth just because of who her parents are? How do you think they’ll feel to believe you don’t love them as much as you could because their blood is somehow tainted or dirty?”
“Daph, I didn’t agree to anything those decrepit, feeble, imbeciles were saying. I was simply trying to avoid any unnecessary arguments, you know that.”
“Draco that’s part of my point. It’s time to stop playing along with this charade you’ve put yourself into. Be the man your friends know you are. Stand up for your wife and your future happiness before it’s completely unattainable. We all know how strong Hermione’s sense of justice is. Neither of you will be happy if you continue down the path you’re on. I mean it Draco, this needs to be the last time she leaves a party alone while you play along with the people talking about her behind her back. You need to step up and be better. You all do.” Astoria gave him a disappointed (and somewhat guilty) glance and he tried his best to swallow the feeling of guilt in the pit of his stomach. “And Harry,” Daph turned her anger on her sister's husband once more. “If I ever see you ignoring either of your best friends again we will have problems, do you hear me? Honestly, the woman has stood by your side for eleven years, through all the drama and the gossip that I know has plagued your life since you came back to wizarding London from the muggle world. After everything she’s done for you, for you to not even realize she’s hurting? That she’s so miserable she left her best friend’s wedding?”
“You don’t have to say anything else, Daphne. I feel bad enough as it is.” St Potter said, his head hung low, scratching the back of his neck with one hand while the other sagged in his pocket.
“Good! I hope you feel like shite! Maybe then you won’t forget what I’m saying to you right now. I won’t force either of you to go after her. But you better damn well make sure that the minute this reception is over you’re grovelling at her feet for forgiveness. Merlin knows I wouldn’t even let you in the door if you pulled this crap with me, but maybe she’s a better woman than I am. Maybe.” She repeated ominously, glaring once more at the men.
“Stori, would you please tell Mr and Mrs Weasley and Ron that I’ll be back soon? I-”
“Of course, Harry. Go check on her.” Stori nodded, touching his arm appreciatively before he walked off to the apparition point. Stori turned and hugged her sister before leaving Draco alone with her. The older girl turned her head back to Draco with one more glowering look.
“I mean it Draco. Don’t you ever make me speak to you like this again. Get your head out of your arse and grow the fuck up.” He shivered at the cold look on her face before she got up and waddled away, leaving him alone in the corner with his stomach in his knees. Salazar, she had to be overreacting, right? He couldn’t have truly fucked this up just because he hadn’t noticed Grang- Hermione leave the reception, right? Right. Stori was just being overprotective of her new friend and everyone knew Daphne was Astoria's mouthpiece when she was upset. Gr- Hermione was a big girl. She was probably fine and left because she felt like it. Sure, he probably could stand to grow a spine and quit letting people think he still believed all that rubbish about blood purity and keeping the blood classes separated. But Hermione knew that he didn’t believe those things anymore. They’d already discussed his change of ideology. She knew that he felt different than he had as a mean-spirited youth. So she surely knew that his playing along was just to keep the peace, and nothing more.