Chapter Text
In the year of 2005, Draco Malfoy had only just finished with his series of trials - each trial ending with him having less money and more news articles. Eventually they found him innocent... well, relatively innocent. Still, he had his part in the war and a number of muggle attacks around the country, albeit, he did not cast any curses or kill.
For a year, or two, the newspapers were non-stopp stamped with his name and picture on the front cover, until everyone got bored and no one wanted to hear another word. He wasn't exactly the worst person, just some morally grey wizard. Next! Not interesting.
Well, it had seemed a certain Astoria Greengrass had taken quite the attraction towards the former-death eater. They had a honeymoon romance, Draco had never been happier to find the embrace of someone who didn't focus on his unfortunate history - she accepted his proposal two months ago. Draco's last trial had been in February, his proposal only two weeks following. Draco remembered that day too clearly, he had been preparing himself for the proposal for seven months but really, amongst the trials, the draining of his money and the stares wherever he went, it was a bust. Astoria and he were walking along the Malfoy Manor gardens, the sun high in the sky and the snow laying thick. He had been sweating all morning, constantly casting quick do-up spells to look somewhat presentable.
Astoria and Draco had only gotten together two years prior before the official engagment - 2003. It had been fives years since the war, it had marked a significant time for the wizarding community, and no one had quite forgotten what the Malfoy/Black family had done. It hadn't helped that they homed Voldemort for about a year in their home and orchestrated a signigicant amount of muggle and muggleborn attacks.
Somehow, Draco found solace in the Greengrass girls arms. It had been a shy interaction amongst him and her at the Ministry after one of Draco's trials. Just quick "hello"s and "how are you"s, eventually formed into letter writing and then-
"Can we talk?"
Maybe she wanted to start trying for children? Or perhaps move to a new home? Did she get a promotion on her job?
Draco was deluded, her tone did not make it feel like she was about to conversate about positive news. The way she shifted her engagement ring, her posture was strict - his skin covered in goosebumps, his cheeks hot.
"Of course we can." He replied casually, hiding away his panic and assumptions. He walked directly beside her, to which she took several strides to the opposite direction. Draco stopped walking, staring at his fiance as she paced in front of him. She paused before turning to return the look.
Except her eyes, they differed to his own. Full of empty empathy, foretold hurting.
And his? Stillness filled the space between. He knew, you could tell by the way his mouth quivered into a half smile, and how his breath escaped through the small gap of his lips. "Why?" The words echoed in the empty foyer, bouncing back into his chest, which ached.
"How did you know?" She quizzed, her heels clicking as she moved forward to him.
"I find there to be a lack of energy in your mood, today- we are talking about the same thing, right?" He wondered if this question spoiled the meaningfulness of the conversation, if perhaps she would serve him a laugh, or even a little smile?
His thoughts were broken by her serious tone, "I'm ending the engagement."
Draco took in a long breath, biting the inside of his lips in order to compose himself. "Ah," fuck, his face felt even hotter, any tear that rolled down his cheek had surely evaporated before it could even land.
"I don't understand," Draco finally muttered, after what had felt like a dozen minutes had only been thirty seconds. His heart was in his throat and he was sure it would make it's way out through his oesophagus and onto his hands.
Astoria's gaze danced around the room before landing on a nearby painting of some random wizard - maybe a Malfoy relative. Not that that really mattered. "I'm... I have realised I am simply dissatisfied within this relationship."
This earned her a raised eye brow from her partner - er... ex-partner?
"I can't live like this, for Godric's sake. I don't want to do this, all I do is work- and you don't do a thing." She purses her lips.
"I can't work. No one is going to hire me. I am absolutely without control, here! You know that... you've helped me so much, Astoria. And I want to help you, too - why didn't you tell me?" He almost begs, walking slowly to her.
She laughs, waving her hand as if to say 'no'. "I know that, I- do you know what people say?"
"Yes, I have ears, Tori. I know what people say about me-"
"Shut up." She demanded, pressing her lips before sighing. "I am Head of the Ministry of Magic Witch Watchers task force! Do you understand how being with you affects my job? You're a death eater, Draco." Her voice sounded harsh, punishing.
He poked his tongue in his cheek, nodding. "Really?" He asked, his voice somewhere on the border of soft and sarcastic. "Because I didn't fucking notice, Astoria. All those articles and questions and trials? I thought people were just really into me, practically obsessed." He dived deep into the sarcastic side of the border.
"I actually walked into Voldemorts arms one day and asked him to brand me with this hideous mark- because- as well all know, I'm a masochist. I love being brutally tortured and manipulated. Oh yeah, how much-"
Astoria groaned, "You're such a child!"
"I didn't ask for this!" Draco half laughed, his hand gesturing to himself and the entire manor. "I don't like it, either! I'm just... there. I'm revolting and insivible, I'm lost, Tori. I am really lost."
She walked up to him, her hands cupping his face, whispering only centimetres away. "I can't marry a death eater. I can't do that to my children, a death eater for a father? That would be premature homocide, what would I do?" Astoria ran her thumb down his cheek, her eyes connecting with his, her cheeks now dotted with stranded tears.
Their breathing was heavy and close. Draco listened to her sharp words, he should have been wounded deep by them but he knew it was true. "Why did you agree to marry me, is this, what?, just the long way to haul me to azkaban?" Draco whispered back, but his tone was hurt and angered.
She slowly removed her hand from his cheek, she looked to be searching for something to say. Instead, she kissed his lips, tenderly. Tears mixing with pointless affection and hurried breaths.
Draco returned the kiss, confused, heartbroken. His hand found his way to the back of her head, which led to Astoria quickly dissolving the kiss. "I should leave."
"Do you love me or not?" Draco inquired with bitterness, his fingers tangled in her hair, trying to keep her close - before she could escape.
"No."