Learn to Love » Draco Malfoy x Reader

XXXIV

I was almost blinded by the lights as I descended the stairs with my parents. The bright whites of camera flashes were making it impossible to see, leaving me to trust my instincts to lead me down the gold, holiday themed staircase adorned in patterns of blurred red and green.

I could distantly make out the voice of the announcer of the event introducing my parents and I as we made our annual entrance, but it was drowned out by the clamor of guests as well as reporters. It sounded like white noise to me, as all I could focus on was the touch of Draco coming to wrap his arm around me when I made it to the bottom of the stairs.

Maybe it was the heat of the lights, or the journalists shouting out question after question at us, perhaps it was even my nerves of the evening, but for once I couldn't process the way his touch made me feel. It wasn't as cold as it always was, but I chalked it up to anxieties.

When my mother pulled us over for a "family photo" opportunity for the reporters, my vision and mental capacity finally came into better clarity. I could finally focus on what was going on around me.

I could practically read the headlines of the next Daily Prophet: "Vitelli family welcomes Malfoy by way of marriage at annual Christmas Eve party".

From left to right, the photos taken would be of Draco, myself, my mother, then father. I had no doubt the reporters snagged some pictures of Narcissa and Lucius as well, who descended the stairs just moments before us. It added to the intensity of the marriage announcement, as Draco hadn't walked down with his parents.

I'd never be able to forget the questions I was being attacked with. "When did you marry?", "Was this arranged?", "Is this a pureblood tactic?", "Do you love each other?".

This summer. Yes. Yes. Couldn't say.

Luckily, I wasn't forced to answer any questions. My father took the liberty of answering very broadly, without much detail, before shooing off reporters with some security we'd assigned earlier.

The journalists scurried off, some snapping some last minute shots or hurriedly scribbling down whatever quotes they could gather on their notepads. I think I heard Rita Skeeter try to sneak in another loaded question before being dragged off by a large man in a black suit that my father hired.

I took the opportunity to scan over the crowd. It was a mix of faces, some of which I knew, others not. Some I liked, most I didn't.

My eyes landed on figures like Professor Slughorn and Snape, the former who was shocked and the latter who stood with what appeared to be a sly grin on his face. I don't think I'd ever seen Snape grin before. It was unsettling.

I forced myself to move along and noticed some parents of my classmates like the Parkinsons, Crabbes, Goyles, many Blacks courtesy of the Malfoys, and even Theodore Nott, senior, as well as Astoria Greengrass, which meant that Theo and Daphne had to be lurking nearby somewhere. I found some solace in that.

When the chatter and noise of the reporters died down, indicating that they'd left the building or at least the ballroom so that it was only those invited, I took a deep breath and tried to avoid interacting with my husband, but I knew it wasn't possible.

I was suddenly very aware of the constricting rings around my finger that indicated our marriage. The diamond felt heavier than usual, the band tighter than I remember it.

I wonder if his felt lighter.

"Good evening," his smooth voice filled my ears, causing my breath to hitch. Merlin, couldn't we have gone our separate ways tonight?

I craned my neck to face him, pressing my lips to a tight line. I didn't bother plastering on a fake smile like I did for the reporters. He'd know it wouldn't be real, anyway.