The Day After Tomorrow

CUPID'S CURSE

26 - CUPID'S CURSE

DRACO didn't know how he expected to break off this engagement, didn't know if he could but he couldn't extinguish that one burning hope, because killing that flame felt a lot like killing that part of himself that made him smile. He knew he sounded like an overdramatic 18 year old and he knew that if he was thinking rationally, he'd realise life was long and there was time.

Except, in that moment and ever since he found out about Astoria, time had felt like it was slipping through his fingers like sand, each grain of it, a moment lost. And then on the train, he'd felt like time had disappeared altogether, and with it so had his sense of control. She'd left him in that compartment and he'd felt winded, blown over like he was the last one standing after a hurricane.

Somehow, he'd managed to get a fifth year Slytherin to tell him of Astoria's whereabouts the day after the bustle of arrival and he'd run through the halls and out into the crisp winter air to find her. Apparently, she went on a short walk every morning before breakfast, to catch the first rays of sunrise. Draco couldn't figure out why he was so surprised, perhaps because he always had assumed that she was some perfect delicate pureblood daughter who didn't have time for nature, let alone daily walks.

When he crossed the flagstone and grass, he finally looked up, the sky was streaked yellow and gold as if someone had taken a paintbrush to it. Despite the knot of worry and the bubbling panic, Draco found some vindictive part of himself mildly enjoying it as he rounded the corner, making his way over Hogwarts expansive grounds to the lone figure of Astoria Greengrass. When he reached her, she didn't turn to look at him, instead she continued to admire the view not bothering to recognise his prescience at all, she had her head tipped up towards the winter sky, exposing the pale of her neck. He let out a short exhale of nerves, trying to freeze the image of Hermione's back as she left him in his mind. It didn't work not really, all he could hear was her voice, breathless and defeated when she'd congratulated him like he was a lost cause.

"How'd you find me?" Astoria said finally when he was too close to politely ignore.

Draco shrugged a little at a loss despite himself, somehow it seemed embarrassing now to admit that he'd been asking for her. He dint know where they stood, they'd barely spoken all this time. He watched her now and it was as if she'd been plucked out of some old English romance novel. She had that old rose kind of beauty in the wide set of her cheeks, dark tamed curls and elegant tilt of her nose. "We need to talk." He said shortly.

Astoria quirked an elegant eyebrow at him, her mouth twisted into a smug smirk. She was almost as good as he was at hiding her feelings. At the grave expression on his face she felt her heartstrings constrict. "Ah, the dreaded words make an appearance. And pray tell me, whatever for my dear."

He could tell she was mocking him, it wasn't difficult to notice the acid that dripped from the words. Draco didn't really know how to phrase it, how was he supposed to phrase it to minimise the damage. "This marriage thing, its not going to work." He settled on finally, his words curt and formal. His eyes flicked from hers to the scene about them like he was dreading her reaction. Grey green was spread out beneath them like a patchwork blanket in earthy tones, there was the murky dark green of the Forbidden Forest to the right and the inkiness of the Black lake to the left.

Astoria wanted to laugh and cry at the same time because wasn't it amazing how neither of them wanted this. She gave him a long look. He looked wind-ruffled, his pale cheeks were splotched with red from the cold and his bright hair a halo in the early morning light. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with you."

Surprising himself Draco laughed, and it was a laugh overflowing with relief and abandonment. A startled one, as if it had been shocked out of him too quickly for him to try and reign it in. "Seriously?"