A Beautiful and Terrible Truth

Chapter 17

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. It has to be short. :) Another day belongs to Draco and Courtney. <3

Draco’s POV

I felt alive again. Just knowing that Courtney was alive was more than enough to keep me going. I hadn’t opened the letter yet. I didn’t get the chance to because after I opened it Lila came back into my room, tears streaking down her face. I tucked the letter into my top dresser drawer where I would get back to it, but I haven’t been alone since then.

And it’s been a whole two weeks.

Wedding plans. Mission plans. Blaise’s wedding rehersal. It all seemed too much, and I couldn’t cope with it much longer. I just hoped that I could read that letter that night after saying goodbye to Blaise and Pansy. I was sure that they would have a splendid life. Heavy on the sarcasm.

“Mate,” Blaise whispered to me. His back was towards me, awaiting his cough beautiful cough bride.

“Yeah, man?” I whispered back, taking a step forward so I could hear him better.

He sighed. “Is it too late?”

His question caught me off guard. Too late? Too late for what? That’s when the music started and the doors opened. Pansy was on the other side, and much to my surprise, she seemed as happy as Blaise about the pairing. That’s when it hit me. Was it too late to pull out? Out of everything. Wedding. Death Eating.

“I feel like we’re on the losing side,” he continued. “I feel like we’ve always been on the losing side.”

I nodded. “We’re definitely on the losing side,” I cleared my throat as quietly as I could, “but I don’t think it’s too late. For the marriage, yes, but I don’t think it’s too late.”

He nodded. “I agree.”

And with that, we let the ceremony continue. As much as I wanted to scream from the top of my lungs that Kamrynn should be in that dress and not Pansy, I didn’t do it. I bit my tongue, quite literally, the whole time. I caught Snape’s eye, which seemed to be studying me and Blaise both. I looked back over at Blaise, who had taken Pansy’s hands in his own. What was his sudden change in heart? Did Snape have something to do with that? He did have a reputation for meddling in people’s lives, my own epecially. But if he did, then I was glad.

“Now, Pansy, repeat after me,” said the balding man before them. “I, Pansy Parkinson, take Blaise Zambini to be my lawfully wedded husband.”

I sighed because Pansy would of course say yes. She did everything that was asked of her, not from me but from her parents and You-Know-Who. Speaking of the devil himself, I hadn’t felt him try and penetrate my mind since Snape gave me those Occlumecy lessons. I guess I was better at closing off my mind than I thought I was. Either that or he truly believed that Courtney was dead as well and decided to leave me alone. If this was a perfect world, that would’ve been the case. I didn’t believe it for a second. Not one bit.

“I, Pansy Parkinson, take Blaise Zambini to be my lawfully wedded husband,” Pansy whimpered.

I guess I could feel sorry for Pansy. She’s just lost and confused in this world. I have to think that or my mind wonders off to call her a creep stalker bitch that should go die in a hole somewhere. I couldn’t afford to think like that. The truth is I didn’t even know her. How could I pass judgment on someone that I didn’t even know? Sure, I’ve known her for years but I couldn’t bring myself to get to know who she really is. Perhaps if I did…No, if I did, then I would’ve been the one marrying her. Blaise has patience and tolerated her. I believe that’s why they were paired together.

“Now, Blaise, you will do the same,” he paused for just a brief moment. “I, Blaise Zambini, take Pansy Parkinson to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

Blaise kept silent for a moment. I almost thought that he was going to throw it all away. His life. Kam. Everything. Just so he wouldn’t have to marry a woman he didn’t love, but I had already told him it was too late to get out of the wedding. We were standing right there. He had to go through with it if he wanted to see Kam ever again.

“I, Blaise Zambini, take,” he paused for a moment. I knew he was struggling to even say it, but he had too. “I, Blaise Zambini, take K-“ he paused again. I was begging in my head that he didn’t let her name slip off his tongue. “I, Blaise Zambini, thake P-pansy Parkinson to be my…lawfully wedded…wife.”

I looked down at the floor and let out a sigh of relief. The crowd cheered as they kissed. It was just a small peck before looking back at the crowd. Watching my best mate walk out of the room with his new bride, I found myself desperately wishing that we could re-do the whole wedding with Kam here instead of Pansy. I followed suit though and found myself back at my manor with the rest of the crowd. The Malfoy Manor had become a sort of central point for You-Know-Who and his followers. I met Blaise by the stairs, firewhiskey in hand.

“So, how does it feel to be married, mate?” I said, just playing the part.

He shrugged. “I don’t feel much different.”

“Come on,” I said, motioning towards the stairs. “I have a wedding present for you upstairs.”

He followed without question up to my room. I opened my top dresser drawer and moved the envelop because under it was a picture of Blaise and I in our youth. It was him getting ready to moon the camera while I smiled cheekily. It depicted our personalities so very well, him being the rebel that didn’t give a shit and me, the people pleaser. I handed it to him, and he smiled.

“Thanks, man. I didn’t have a picture of us,” he says, still looking at it. “Isn’t it funny how everything’s totally changed since that picture? I mean, we thought that it would stay like that forever. Nothing ever changing, except that we’d marry Pansy and Millicent.”

I shook my head. “No, mate, I would’ve married Pansy because I’m such a people pleaser. You, on the other hand, still would’ve found Kam somehow. You are not the ass kisser. Well, you never used to be.”

“What has become of me then, Draco? Am I still the same person that I was before?”

I shook my head. “No, you’re not. You’re better, and I have every notion that all the blame falls on one girl in particular.”

He smiled again. “Kam is special.”

“As well as Courtney is,” I said, setting down the firewhiskey that I still had in my hand.

He eyed me for a second before pointing back in the drawer, which was still open. “What’s that?”

I picked it up and showed him the back of it. “She’s still alive, Blaise.”

“It’s about time that you realized that. I mean, I even saw her that night before Marcus pounded you into oblivion,” he laughed. “Have you opened it yet?”

I shook my head. “No,” and without another word, I tore it open.

Draco,

I know that this letter is short, but I’ll have to fill you in on more later. Right now all you need to know is that Courtney is still alive and well. Bellatrix lied. You have to remember who the enemy is right now, Draco. In order to do this, I think you have to step outside of the Death Eater world. I have asked the Dark Lord if you can stay in Spinner’s End with me until you finish you’re recent assignment. I will see you the night of Blaise’s wedding take you home. I will fill you in when we get there.

Just remember that you two will be together someday as long as you come with me.

Severus Snape

Blaise had read over my shoulder and was grinning. “Someday. I knew you two were meant to be, just like Kam and I. I hope that you two live happily ever after.”

I nodded. “We will. Just like you and Kam will.”