Scars We Share

Death Eater's Wife

Draco and Astoria continued to snog in the kitchen for what seemed like hours. Eventually Draco stood and suggested they close the window.

"The draft is killing me."

"And Draco?"

"Yes?"

"We should go upstairs. Even with the window closed, it's drafty in here."

"If you want, I could light a fire in the master bedroom," Draco said. "Even when it's early spring, the house still gets cold."

Astoria stood, smirking. "You sound like you have something else on your mind, Draco."

Draco walked up behind Astoria and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Perhaps I do," Draco whispered.

Astoria felt heat rushing to her cheeks. "I . . ."

"Astoria, nothing like that. I just want to spend time with my wife," Draco said gently, burying his face in Astoria's neck.

Astoria relaxed. "In that case, a fire would be nice."

"Allow me," Draco said, picking Astoria up off the ground.

Astoria laughed. "Why are you always doing this?"

"You're so small, Astoria."

"I know I'm short, Draco. But why must you always carry me up the stairs?"

Draco stopped. "I like having you in my arms, Astoria. I know you're safe."

"Why wouldn't I be safe?"

"You don't know how many people I've seen tortured and killed in this house, Astoria."

"Voldemort is gone, Draco."

"But I'm still here."

"But I'm here now. And I love you Draco. This house doesn't have to be so full of dark memories. We can fill it with new ones."

Draco set Astoria down on the stairs and sat next to her. "Once Voldemort tortured my mother in the middle of the front hall, right over there." He pointed to the center of the room. "My father had failed to capture Harry Potter, who was right in the sitting room before he slipped through our fingers. The best way to get to my father was to use an alternative form of torture. It doesn't take much to imagine you there instead of my mother."

Husband and wife held each other close while silent tears streaked down their faces.

_______________________________________

Draco and Astoria were still on the stairs three hours later. Astoria had fallen asleep on Draco's shoulder and Draco's head rested on Astoria's. Draco woke up first watched his wife sleep. He didn't think he would ever get over how small she was. And to think he'd known her for under a week.

"I can practically hear you staring at me, Draco," said a very sleepy Astoria, eyes still closed.

Draco felt his wife's face. "You're freezing. I'm taking you upstairs to a warm fire."

"Hmmm . . ." Astoria groaned drowsily. Her husband picked her up once again, this time making it all the way to the master bedroom.

"Incendio," Draco whispered as flames erupted in the fireplace.

Astoria opened her eyes. "I wake up slowly. Once my mother thought I was out drinking the night before when she tried to wake me up for Daphne's wedding."

Draco smiled. "I could just see your mother lecturing you as you squint into oblivion."

"You know so well considering you've known me for . . . what, four days?"

"I've known you better than anyone in my life, Astoria."

Astoria smiled. "Come over here, Draco."

Astoria's husband lay on the bed next to her, eyes alive. His wife leaned in and kissed him softly. In response, Draco let his hand drift to her waist to pull her closer.

"Are you still wearing the same dress as yesterday?" Draco said, smiling into the kiss.

"Maybe," Astoria replied. They laughed and Draco moved his other hand to the back of Astoria's neck. Astoria surprised Draco by rolling on top of him.

"You're so light."

Astoria smiled again and continued kissing her husband. This time Draco rolled over and laughed.

"What?"

"I still have my shoes on."

Astoria wouldn't stop laughing at Draco as he threw his shoes across the room. Draco lay down next to her again and smiled sadly.

"Did you enjoy that?"

"Yes, Draco, I did," Astoria said quietly.

"I care about you so much. I promised not to rush into anything. Yet here I was, ready to shag you in my parent's old bedroom. I'm sorry."

"Draco. Look at me."

Draco looked at his wife, shame in his eyes.

"If you think you could hurt me, you're stupid. Nothing you could ever do to me is anything like what happened to me before. I love you, Draco. I want to be with you." Astoria walked over to his side of the bed and cupped Draco' face. "Don't you dare feel guilty."

Draco inhaled and stood up. Astoria tilted her chin in order to look him in the eye. Draco held her and whispered in her ear. "You deserve a good man as your husband."

"I already have a good man as my husband."

"How can you say that, Astoria? Look at this." Draco abruptly rolled up his sleeve. A faded tattoo of a snake and skull stared back at Astoria. "Good men don't carry the dark mark."

"Draco. That symbol is not what defines you."

"How can I marry someone like you? How could I make love to you, raise children with this mark on my arm?"

Astoria was shouting. "Listen to me Draco. I don't give a damn whether there's ink on your arm or not. I'm your wife and no picture of a skull is going to make me leave. I love you."

Draco was almost crying. "You know, Astoria," he whispered. "You're perfect."