Broken Without You

Chapter 16 - Leaving already?

Grace P.O.V.

It had been a few months since I last saw Draco and the world had completely changed, Dumbledore was dead and we all mourned the loss of a great wizard. The Dark Lords army was getting stronger and everywhere you went there was an air of discomfort. My parents were trying to just keep going through it all and try and act as normal as possible. My mother still wrote to Narcissa weekly, I never once's asked anything about Draco. Truth be told I was numb when it came to the topic of him. I switched off all feelings, if he could do it so easily then so could I. Why should I mope about in pieces because he broke up with me when he's off probably sleeping with some fellow Death Eater. Not a chance. I am a strong woman who doesn't need the approval of a man. Or at least that's what I repeated to myself over and over when I was led in bed at night alone with my thoughts, alone with his voice echoing around my head playing the sentence over and over again "I don't love you anymore Grace. I never loved you in the first place." I play that moment over and over in my head. His eyes were devout of any emotion as he spoke, did I really mean nothing to him?

I awoke the next morning to the sun pouring in the window. It was a gorgeous summers morning. I put on my gym gear and decided to go for a 5k run. One of the things we were taught by my favourite teacher at Beauxbatons was to take care of your body and your mind will follow. And she was right, I always let so good after a run. It helped clear my mind. Which meant that your mind was clear to perform more complicated magic. Why they don't teach this at all wizarding schools I don't know. As I was running back to the house I saw my father and some of his friends floating tables and chairs into the house. "Are you really going ahead with it Dad?" I asked slightly out of breath. 

"Grace my darling yes!" He exclaimed. "This ball is one of the biggest wizarding events of the year. It's tradition! Why break it. We all need something that will lift our spirits, distract us from all that is going on, even if only for a few hours." He said placing a hand on my shoulder and smiling into my eyes. I grinned back at him. "That's the spirit." He said now shaking me by my shoulder. 

I began walking into the house making sure to avoid any flying candelabras "I don't even have anything to wear." I called over my shoulder to my Dad.

"See your mother, I believe she has that all under control." He shouted back whilst controlling a table. I rolled my eyes and walked into the entrance hall. It was all hustle and bustle. Witches and wizards I hadn't seen before getting the estate ready for our guests. There were roses trailing all up the bannister of the grand staircase in the foyer. Then off to the right was the drawing room which was getting a thorough clean, not that it needed it. Off to the back was the other reception rooms and also a few bathrooms which were undergoing the same treatment. Off to my left was the ballroom. Yes we had a ballroom in our house. We had a very large country estate, bigger than Malfoy Manor, which I'm quite glad Draco wasn't here to see this, I  sure it would have followed with some gentle teasing. I caught sight of my mother in the ballroom messing about with some of the floral arrangements. 

"I believe you have a dress for me?" I asked smiling at the excitement on her face. 

"Oh yes, you're going to love it Grace! I have hung it up on your wardrobe door in your room Dear." She smiled but then for some reason it faded. "Grace, I have to tell you, Narcissa will be coming tonight. We have invited the whole Malfoy family. I don't think they will all come but, just thought you should know, so there's no nasty surprises." She gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Would it even be safe for them to come? What with everything going on." I asked looking out the window. 

"You know this ball has been happening for centuries. This family prides itself on looking beyond the wrongs people have done and just appreciating them for themselves. And we extend that to all for this one night. Anyone at all can come and enjoy themselves and all prejudice is left at the door. It's how it has always been since your great great grandfather began this."

 I turned away from the window and smiled at my mother. "Of course." I turned and headed for my room to get ready. Making sure I made an extra effort, just in case he turned up.

Draco's P.O.V. 

"You cannot be serious Mother." I spat at her. "I can't show my face anywhere let alone at a ball at my ex girlfriends house!"

"Draco." My father sternly said as he appeared at the door. "You will accompany your mother tonight, it is the right thing to do for this family. We have a lot of bridges to rebuild." My mother smiled at me. "No one will judge you, no one will bat an eyelid that you are there. We have been to numerous of these balls. It's an honour to even be invited. Your dress robes are laid out on your bed. I suggest you go and get ready."

We travelled via port key to the Hawthorne estate. Jesus it was huge. Don't know why that would surprise me. I often forget that Grace is part of one of the oldest most purest wizarding families. I suddenly get a knot in my stomach thinking about her. Not a minute goes by that she doesn't cross my mind. Now,  wing faced with the likelihood that I will be seeing her tonight, my whole body was full of nerves. We walked into the grand entrance to be met with two staircases, one to the left and one to the right, that joined at the top where the upstairs landing was. The bannisters were adorned with hundreds of roses. Yes u couldn't deny, it was gorgeous. We went off to the left where the ballroom is. As soon as we walked in Grace's mother came over. "Narcissa! Oh I am so glad you made it tonight, it wouldn't have been the same without you here." She said as her and my mother embraced each other as old friends. "And I'm guessing this is young Draco." She said as they released each other. "Nice to meet you." She extended a hand for me to shake. Grace's father then approached. He was a tall gentleman, muscular, and very stern looking. 

"Narcissa, so lovely to see you." He said as he kissed my mothers cheek. "And Draco." His eyes turned to mine, for a second they flashed with anger towards me. He stretched out his hand for me to shake and he pulled me into a half hug and whispered in my ear. "Any other night boy and this would be very different. Hurt my little girl again and believe me you will pay." He released the hug grinning as if nothing happened. "I just need to borrow my glorious wife." He smiled at her, his eyes a lot softer now and led her away from us with his hand on the small of her back. I looked at my mother who was already in conversation with two other witches. I needed some air. I made my way into the grand entrance hall about to walk outside when a voice called from the stairs. "Leaving already are we Draco? The fun hasn't even begun." A warm feeling filled my body, that familiar voice was music to my ears. Grace. I smiled forgetting for a moment that I was supposed to be distancing myself from her. I recomposes myself with a straight face and turned to look at her.

She was stood midway down the stairs and fuck me she looked amazing. She had on a tight fitted navy lace gown. It came down to a sort of V-neck and hugged every single curve on her body. She had her hair up and make up done to perfection, I wouldn't expect any less. She began walking down the rest of the stairs. I was aware I hadn't said anything yet but I was speechless. She looked stunning, I didn't know what to say. The same little diamond silver stars she always ware sparkled on her ear lobes. I glanced down at her hand to see that she wasn't wearing my ring anymore. This pained me. She was stood directly opposite me, looking into the ballroom surveying who was in there. It took all my self control not to close the space between us and kiss her. A group of boys about our age came out of the drawing room, they had thick accents, Durmstrang boys. They grinned at Grace and began speaking to her in their native tongue, which to my surprise Grace replied in. They stopped just short of us, the oldest holding out his muscular arm for Grace to take. She gave him a flirty grin and obliged without even looking at me. He led her off into the ballroom with his little friends just leaving me stood there, jealously and envy coursing through me.