Blinding | Draco Malfoy

twenty three

"Do you have everything?" Harry asked Aurora, and she nodded. He had just finished shoving the last of his items into his bottomless backpack. She had one, too. They headed downstairs, and Harry looked around one last time. The wallpaper was horrid, but he loved it anyways. He grew up here. He stepped over to the staircase, opening the small door. He turned on the light and looked around inside. Aurora watched him. He thought about how he originally thought his life would turn out to amount to nothing. Instead, he was the Chosen One and was going to destroy Voldemort once and for all. He had to believe he would. Otherwise, there was no point.

"Maybe you can get a cupboard under the stairs in your new house." Aurora offered with a slight smile on her lips. Harry chuckled at her lightly. At least she was being somewhat positive. He walked over to the door, and it opened to reveal the others.

"Hello, twins." Hagrid greeted them. Ron ran in, attacking Harry with a hug. Hermione did the same to Aurora.

"Oh, my." She said, taken aback at first. She quickly hugged her back, though. Hermione and Ron switched, hugging them both, then.

"You're looking fit, Harry." Hagrid remarked.

"Yeah, he's absolutely gorgeous!" Moody rolled his eyes. "What say we get undercover before someone murders him?"

"Hey, don't forget about Aurora!" Fred and George said at the same time, walking over and pulling her into a group hug. She'd forgotten how much she missed them all, not only Draco. It'd only been a little while since she'd last seen them, but it was enough. They all headed into the living area, then. The others were talking a look around, having always wondered what Harry's home looked like.

"Kingsley, I thought you were looking after the Prime Minister." Harry commented.

"You and Aurora are more important." He smiled at them both. They just nodded, as if to thank him.

"Hello, Harry, Aurora. Bill Weasley." Another red-headed boy from the Weasley family greeted them. He stuck his hand out to Harry.

"Oh. Pleasure to meet you." Harry nodded, shaking his hand.

"Likewise." Aurora said, and Bill took her hand and kissed it. All she could think about was how, if Draco was here, he wouldn't have liked that at all. She smiled slightly at the thought, recalling the time in the library with Ben, and the other time with Pansy.

"He was never always this handsome." Fred snickered.

"Dead ugly." George added.

"True enough." He shrugged. Harry and Aurora's faces fell when they saw scars down his face, as if he were scratched. "Owe it all to a werewolf, name of Greyback. Hope to repay the favor one day."

"Well, you're still beautiful to me, William." The blonde girl next to him smiled, pushing herself up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Everything was reminding Aurora of Draco. It was hard to stay positive. Harry smiled fondly at them, and Aurora forced one.

"Oh, uh, this is Fleur Delacour. Fleur, this is my sister, Aurora. We try to keep that bit a secret, though." Harry introduced them. Aurora shook her hand.

"Harry and I met a while back, during the Triwizard Tournament. I will never be able to repay him for saving my friend despite possibly sacrificing his placement." She spoke fondly.

"He's been known to have a big heart." Aurora smiled. "You are just stunning."

"Me?" She scoffed. "Look at yourself! I would kill to have such beautiful eyes like yours!"

"Thank you." Aurora said kindly. She nodded.

"Just remember, Fleur, Bill takes his steaks on the raw side now." Lupin commented as he walked in. They all chuckled at that.