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

5 - Blaise

"Ronnie, darling, just what do you think you're doing?"

The tray of canapés was swiftly ripped out of my hands.

"I've already told you sweetie," Bambi said, thrusting the tray in the hands of the startled elderly gentleman who was just about to accept a proffered canapé. "You are my guest tonight. Come, there are some people I would like you to meet."

And I surrendered to Bambi as she dragged me around the heaving ballroom, making me shake hands with various people she deemed important as they in turn congratulated Bambi on her engagement to Draco, and graciously complimented me on my food.

It was fucking exhausting.

I was almost relieved when Bambi apologetically excused herself to join Draco and her father on the raised platform at the front of the room to make their engagement speech.

Almost.

"I am delighted to announce the upcoming union of the Peverell's and the Malfoy's," her father, an ageing grey haired wizard, spoke; his soft yet confident voice magically amplified so that it reverberated off the ballroom walls.

Everyone applauded as Draco put his arm around Bambi, squeezing her to him as she stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss on his cheek.

I looked down, trying to ignore the horrific twist of my heart.

"You look like you could do with one of these," a familiar voice drawled above my ear as a flute of champagne was placed in my hand.

"Cheers," I said, smiling up into the black slanting eyes of the handsome dark skinned man before me. "How are things, Blaise?"

He shrugged, sighing heavily as he took a sip of his own champagne. "Been better, to be honest, Weasley."

I noticed him steal a glance back up to where Draco and Bambi were stood, just as Bambi was telling the room how Draco has made her the luckiest woman in the world. A look of something I couldn't quite put my finger on flitted across his face.

"Not feeling the love tonight, I take it?" I enquired, raising my eyebrows.

"I shouldn't be surprised," he muttered, glaring at Draco. "He is a Malfoy after all."

The bitterness in his tone shocked me.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked. But then my attention was immediately drawn back to the front of the room as Draco started to speak.

"I can't express how proud I felt when this woman agreed to become my wife." He paused, his eyes scanning the crowd as the whole room filled with a collective "awww".

His eyes found mine causing a sudden jolt to my heart. I looked away as my chest hardened and I felt tears pricking dangerously behind my eyes.

Not being able to bear to witness this anymore, I turned on the spot and pushed my way out of the room into the empty hallway.

"Weasley?"

I wheeled round to see that Blaise had followed me, concern etched over his face.

"I just needed some air." I muttered, downing the rest of my champagne before depositing the empty flute on a sideboard, "all that love is making me want to fucking puke."

"Aren't you catering for their wedding?" Blaise asked, raising an amused eyebrow.

"Like the fool that I am." I sighed heavily. "I think after this I'm going to start specialising in funerals."

He let out a soft chuckle, studying me intently. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, the atmosphere charged with an unknown presence.

"I'm surprised you guys didn't work out," he said, finally breaking the silence. "You seemed so right for each other. Not like..." he tailed off, glancing back towards the ballroom where a sudden noise of loud cheers and wolf whistles assaulted our ears.