Bruised & Broken // D.M.

Post war: Year three

Year three
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A new year began, the year Amara and Draco would be married. A big announcement was made in the daily prophet and invitations were sent out.

A year in which the husband-to-be was tasked with hunting down every last one of the remaining order members. Weeks went by without him being home.

Reluctantly Amara moved into Malfoy Manor at the beginning of the year, leaving her family behind with a heavy heart.

As the weeks without Draco went by Amara used every opportunity to visit her brother.

It was odd to see her brother act so familiar with Pansy. They even had their own inside jokes.

A part of her was happy he found comfort in Pansy's presence, that he had a genuine smile again. The other part of her stopped feeling like she had a home, and loneliness became her frequent companion.

On one of these lonely days, Amara sat in the drawing room she redecorate to make it more bright and feel like home. A small creature flew right towards the window, landing on the windowsill. An owl she didn't know with an envelope in its bean. With a frown between her brows, she pulled the small parchment from the envelope. It was the article they had printed in the daily prophet. A moving picture of her and Draco's engagement photo shoot. They stood next to each other, smiling into the camera. The hand with the diamond ring was placed on his chest. With the article came a small note, "Congratulations. I hope he continues to make you happy. -L"

Amara smiled slightly, stuffing the note into a box she kept in secret under a loose floorboard. A box — full of letters and pictures. Draco didn't know and Amara would never tell him. It was her little secret. Small moments that made her feel less lonely.

Amara knew it was a long shot but she sent the owl back with a thank you note and an invitation. Three years had passed — maybe they would come back.

After more days alone and spring arriving, Amara threw herself into wedding planning. From flower arrangements, over food to be served and her dress she spent every day with her mother and mother-in-law until she went to bed — alone. Every day.

Over the endless weeks of wedding planning, Amara noticed her mother's skin turning frailer, her posture weaker with every passing month. She saw it every morning when her mother came over for tea. How her hand began to tremble more, how her skin colour began to fade and her hair began to look frail.

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Time flew by quicker with every year Amara grew older. One day snow was still glistening outside her window and with a blink of an eye, summer was over.

The leaves outside coloured red and orange. A contrast to the multiple rows of chairs that were set up in the garden of Malfoy Manor. Guests arrived from all over the wizarding world to be a part of the upcoming union. Only allies – pureblood allies were invited.

However, after the war ended most families pledged their allegiance to the dark Lord since it meant either following him or being killed.

Amara spun around, looking at herself from every angle. It was a simple dress. A plain white a-line dress with thin straps and a long train. She didn't need anything extravagant.

Pansy helped her put on the bracelet Draco gave her years ago. Around her neck was a thin diamond collier her mother gave her. A family heirloom, a piece of jewellery every woman in her family had worn on her wedding day. Her fingers traced it, admiring its beauty.

"Are you nervous?" her mother asked, standing in the open door, "I almost threw up the morning of my wedding to your father."

"I'm alright."

"She is now because I gave her a shot of fire whiskey," Pansy teased.

"It's time," her brother said, standing behind her mother, neatly dressed in a black suit and white bowtie, "Ready?" he asked.

"Ready," Amara smiled.

She held the arm of her father, suppressing more tears with every step she came closer to the altar. The rows of white chairs created a long path for her to walk down. It almost seemed like the whole wizarding world was here to attend.

At the front, her brother stood next to her soon-to-be husband. Both — smiling like little boys.

One last kiss on Amara's cheek and a few threatening words to Draco and her father gave her away.

Her stomach flipped when she looked into his grey eyes. He truly was the love of her life.

Small snowflakes began to fall down on them as they spoke their vows. He made it snow because he knew she loved it. He always did everything for her. The tears she desperately tried to hold back began rolling down her cheek.

It only took a few words, a kiss and Amara Nott became Amara Malfoy.

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