Bitter Chocolate - (A 'Veronica Weasley' sequel) || Draco Malfoy

33 - Bambi and Thumper

Bambi had gone overboard buying me presents. I had the suspicion she was trying to buy my approval.

"What did you get Ronnie?" Bambi asked Draco as I unwrapped an awful looking silk blouse.

Still, it was an improvement on those dreadful sweaters my mother used to knit. And then I felt a terrible pang in my chest; she stopped doing them after Fred's death.

"Chocolates and a ring," Draco said smugly, tightening his arm around my waist.

"Oh wow," Bambi gushed. "Aren't you lucky, Ronnie!"

"Pah!" I scoffed, not being able to help glancing at the huge sparkling diamond on her left hand. "The chocolates were actually a tasteless 'in joke' to the time I was almost raped by one of his fucking goons at school, and the ring is a wonderful reminder that I'm not the only woman in his life that he is handing out rings to! AND HE DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING BUY IT!"

I felt Draco stiffen, and Bambi's cheeks flushed shamefully as she quickly buried her hands in her lap from view.

"Dude," Blaise tutted as he quickly got up to open another bottle of champagne. "Not cool, man."

I defiantly held my empty glass out to Blaise who quickly refilled it for me. I had no idea what Draco was thinking bringing me here to play niceties with his future wife and the guy I was banging the new year in with.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked with a touch of panic as I got up off the sofa, slamming my freshly empty flute down, having downed the contents in one.

"For a fucking piss!" I spat as I strode out of the room.

I didn't need one. I just needed to get out of that room. I strode into the kitchen and stepped out onto the balcony that overlooked the city.

Placing my hands on the railings, I closed my eyes and inhaled a deep satisfying breath of the cool evening air.

"Are you alright, Weasley? It's a bit intense isn't it?"

It was Blaise. He closed the balcony door behind him before joining me at the railings.

"How are you okay with this?" I asked, looking up at him out of the corner of my eye. "They're getting fucking married! You've got to watch her stand up in front of everyone and tell him that she'll love, honour and obey him, forsaking all others and all that shit."

"She won't mean it. It's all an act, Ronnie." He murmured, although there was an air of resignation to his voice which told me he wasn't happy with it in the slightest.

"Well, I couldn't do it." I muttered bitterly. "The second he goes ahead with it I'm out of his life for good. I'm not going to be his mistress."

"So what's going on now then?" Blaise frowned. "You seem... close."

"I can't seem to resist him; I never could. It's pathetic." I gave a small sharp bark of laughter before sighing heavily. "But it's making me so angry, Blaise. I'm so fucking angry at the world all the fucking time. Everyone and everything just ends up disappointing me. Especially myself."

I squeezed my eyes shut tight as a wave of pain swept over me.

"Look, Ronnie, I'd give you a hug right now if it wasn't for our recent chequered past." Blaise chuckled sadly. "But I've got to say, I actually admire you for your decision to walk away. I wish I had that strength. I guess a part of me is still hoping they won't go through with it, though."

"Me too," I sighed wearily. "But Draco seems adamant; even if it means losing me. Which just hurts so much it's beyond fucking depressing."

The door opened behind us and I turned to see Draco stepping out, concern etched over his face.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, looking from me to Blaise questioningly.

"No mate," Blaise said turning to walk back inside as he glared at him. "Of course it's not."

He shook his head before slamming the door shut behind him, leaving Draco and I alone.

"Ronnie?"

He stepped up to me, frowning as he gently brushed my hair behind my ear. "Do you want to go home?"

Slowly, I nodded; closing my eyes as pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips upon my forehead.

"I'm sorry, Ronnie," he murmured fiercely, tightening his arms around me.

And I wondered if he would ever stop telling me he was fucking sorry and start telling me he loved me.

*****

We never talked about the fact that this was going to end after the wedding, instead falling into a comfortable kind of relationship as the days rolled by. I was horribly aware this was only going to hurt more when we were eventually ripped apart again.

However, before the wedding, I had to endure endless talk of The Christening.

I'd never seen such a fuss made about dunking a baby's head in water before. It was fucking pathetic.

"I've got an exclusive with Transfiguration Today to cover the big day, so you'll need to be looking your best, Ronnie." Harry announced when I met him and Hermione for dinner. "Perhaps you can dip into your savings and buy something decent for a change."

"Firstly, why the fuck would Transfiguration Today be interested in covering a christening? And secondly, fuck you." I spat, ramming a chip in my gob.

"Oh, how exciting!" Hermione squealed. "Nev promised to take me shopping for a new dress to go with his new tux. Oh, we're going to be the smartest godparents in the world!"

"Oh, Mum's asked if you're bringing anyone?" Harry said, ignoring the furious glare I shot at him. "I told her it's unlikely as you're so wrapped up in that twat who happens to be otherwise engaged. Literally."

"Don't call him that!" I snapped, my heart thudding in anger. "And no, you can tell my mother that I'm not fucking bringing anyone."

I didn't even want to bring my fucking self.

"Oh, Ronnie, he's not still living with you, is he?" Hermione gasped. "Aren't you just making things harder for yourself when the time comes for him to make another woman his wife?"

"It's complicated," I bit. How could I explain it when I couldn't understand it myself?

"Oh, open your eyes, Ronnie," Harry sneered, "can't you see he's just using you for a bit of fun before he settles down to boring married life? He's using you like he always has - as a nice little distraction from whatever shit he's currently got himself caught up in."

I threw my drink at him and left.

*****

The next day, Draco gave a horrified gasp as he unfolded the morning paper next to me in bed.

Oh, for fuck's sake, no doubt the world was fucking berating me for upsetting the precious Chosen One again.

Harry would never let me hear the end it. Although, hopefully it would mean I'd get uninvited to the christening.

"Look," I started, "In my defence, Harry was be-"

"The stupid idiots!" Draco roared, jumping up and grabbing his clothes off the floor.

"What?" I asked frowning, leaning over to pick up the paper Draco had thrown to the side.

A shocked gasp caught in the back of my throat. The picture on the front wasn't me drenching Harry's fucktard face in red wine like I'd assumed it would be.

No, instead there was Blaise and Bambi, wrapped up in each other's arms as he repeatedly kissed her lovingly on the nose outside the door of his apartment building.

And I nearly choked on my tea as I read the headline above it.

NAUGHTY BAMBI CAUGHT THUMPING THE WRONG RABBIT.

*****