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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟒𝟕:
𝐖𝐎𝐄𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒
❝ 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆. ❞
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━ "Woolly thinks Ms. Stella looks beautiful in her black dress!" peeped up the house-elf, with a snap of his fingers, her short black hair was in a low bun with pieces of hair in the front.
But before Stella could thank the house-elf, someone knocked on her door and Woolly apparated away out of fear.
There, Lucius Malfoy stood very noble, looking aristocratic in his all-black suit that he wore just to match Stella's black silk fitted dress.
Stella couldn't deny that he was very very good-looking.
But she couldn't help but dislike his well-pressed suit, his neat hair, and his intimidating smile.
For Stella was looking for something more... goofy and messy.
"You look beautiful." said Lucius placing a chaste kiss on her cheeks to show respect and affection for his soon-to-be fiancée.
When Abraxas Malfoy told his son that Stella agreed into their marriage, Lucius was simply enraptured. He had fancied the girl since he was a kid, but Stella didn't. In fact, she never really fancied anyone.
So, it was odd to him as to why Stella agreed, but that selfish part inside of him didn't care if she was forced or chose it willingly.
"Thanks." said Stella coolly.
Lucius was mesmerized by the sight in front of him. Merlin- if only she knew how beautiful she looked. His gaze started to travel on her dress then up to her face.
Stella squinted her eyes when he saw his gaze lingering on her lips. "My eyes are up here, Mal- Lucius."
That seemed to get his attention. "Your mother told you to wear this." said Lucius as he pointed at the fancy looking diamond necklace and bracelet.
"I already have one." said Stella as she pointed at her necklace that she never takes off and even to this date, she never knew who gave the Jadeite necklace to her.
Godric- and her bracelet. Her charm bracelet that meant the world for her.
Lucius looked at her charm bracelet in utter abhorrence. He thought it was cheap. "Yes, but this is a family heirloom, you'll ought to wear it soon once you're a Malfoy."
Stella's repugnance for their marriage growled even more. She never wanted to be called a 'Malfoy'.
She didn't want to argue anymore, knowing that if she did, her father would threaten her that he'll endanger her friends, James, Mia and Monty.
So, without saying anything, she guiltily took off her charm bracelet that she adored with her whole heart and her Jadeite necklace whom she still didn't know was from.
She took off her favorite and valuable bracelet and necklace for the first time.
"May I?" asked Lucius and he smirked when Stella allowed him to put on the diamond necklace on her.
Stella had a chance to look at themselves in the mirror. She didn't like the exorbitant jewelries and she certainly didn't like the boy who was putting the necklace on her.
"Shall we?" asked Lucius.
Stella looked at his blue eyes. All she wanted to do was escape the Manor and run into her bestfriends' embrace, but she couldn't.
Because it would put them in utter danger.
With one last huff, Stella nodded and she felt Lucius intertwine his hands to hers.
Belle Zabini was apologizing thousands of times to Stella for being in an unfortunate situation. Belle felt so bad for her only best friend that she wanted to hurt her parents and the Malfoys so badly.
Stella told her it was alright, that she has nothing to be sorry for.
"I know I've said this but you look really pretty." said Belle, adoring her best friend so much. "très belle."
(Very pretty.)
"Comme toi." responded Stella referring to her name meaning.
(Like you.)
"Merci." thanked Belle as she bowed lightly, earning a giggle from Stella. "So, I'm getting better at French, aren't I!"
"Oui, c'est magnifique." responded Stella with a nod. She was thankful because Belle was there to keep her company. Stella had been looking around for Sirius but she didn't see him at all.
(Yes, it's magnificent.)
Belle smiled in return, she was trying to get Stella's mind off the arranged marriage as often as possible. "Oh! have you tried these? it's quite- oh no."
"What?" asked Stella in concern.
"la garce est en route ici!" whisper-yelled Belle.
(The bitch is on her way here!)
"Hello, Rosier and Zabini." said a very irksome high-pitched voice of Fionne Yaxley.
Stella and Belle turned around to face her with a very fake smile. "Hi, need something la plouc?"
Fionne Yaxley turned her nose up from the unfamiliar word. "What did you just call me?"
"La plouc, it means beautiful in french." lied Belle, Stella snickered a laugh at this.
Oh, but Yaxley knew what that word was. She may be very daft, but she was forced to learn French as a kid. "I just came by to congratulate you in your arrangement with Lucius."
"Thanks, will that be all?" said Stella.
"Oh, yes before I forgot! I'm also sorry about your friend Sirius Black." said Fionne Yaxley, pretending to be hurt as she pouted miserably.
"What about him?" asked Belle, not that she didn't care about Sirius, but because she did. He was her friend too.
"Ever wonder why he isn't here?" asked Yaxley.
"Perhaps he's late, what's it to you?" said Stella harshly, she always gets irritated whenever someone mentions her friends' names only to insult them, and Fionne Yaxley would always call Sirius, 'blood-traitor'.
"You really are daft, are you?" laughed Yaxley. "Sirius Black is not here because he got disowned."
With a crack, Théo and Stella were in front of the Potter Manor. Stella had managed to sneak out of the party and begged her brother to apparate them at Caithness, Scotland.
"I'll wait here. Go, we don't have much time, El." said Théo. He wouldn't really apparate them here if it weren't for Stella nearly crying.
Stella wasted no time knocking eagerly at the gigantic white wooden door of the Potters. "James? Mia? Monty? It's Stell-"
The door was hurtled open and out came James Potter, who looked relieved when he saw Stella.
"James, where's Sirius? I heard-"
"He's here." assured James. "Mum's cleaning his wounds."
"What-"
"That bloke Orion shattered a glass on Sirius." explained James, now all that Stella could feel was worry. James might not feel her emotions in a magical way, but he can feel and see it in her eyes.
So, without saying anything, James lead her to the living room where all the commotion was happening.
"Sirius." called out James. "He'll be okay, mum's had healer lessons at St. Mungo's and dad's a potioneer, I'm sure he can create the most basic healing potions."
Stella was amazed at how assured James could make her feel, but that wasn't enough to completely make her at ease.
James looked at Stella again and again as they walked, smirking. "But I must say, you look very stunning."
"James, not the time!" exclaimed Stella, she can finally see Remus, Peter, Fleamont, Euphemia, and Sirius all gathered in the sofa.
"Okay, sorry." mumbled James with a quick laugh.
"Sirius?" called out Stella.
"Stella?" All of them said in unison. "What are you doing here?"
"Wait- she's here?!" asked Sirius, he immediately stood up.
"Sirius! you're not yet fully healed!" exclaimed Remus. Out of all of them, he was the most worried when Sirius Black came into the Potter Manor, wounded.
Remus had never felt his heart stop until that very moment where Sirius was at his most vulnerable.
"Remus." called-out Sirius, softly. "I'm fine, really. But I need to get to Stella."
Sirius knew that Stella was aware the reason why he ran away. He knew that Stella was aware that he ran away because of the arranged marriage of his and for refusing the join the death-eaters, so he didn't gave her the time to worry about him.
"What were you thinking?!" exclaimed Sirius, "Do you really want to end up like me?" He was so angry that Stella might get hurt because of him. She went on a risky escape just so she could see him.
"You're the one who's hurt here!" said Stella, not knowing why Sirius was mad at her.
"And you would be too if your parents find out that you escaped from the betrothal party!" unintentionally exclaimed Sirius.
Once he came to his senses as to what he just said, his eyes screamed 'sorry' to Stella and said no more.
Mia and Monty gasped as they heard Sirius say that, Remus and Peter did too and all of them turned to look at James who had dropped his gleeful smile.
"Who's betrothal party?"
Out of the million questions swirling around James' head, he wanted to ask every single one of them.
He wanted to ask why she wasn't wearing his Jadeite necklace that he gave.
He wanted to ask where her charm bracelet was.
But only one question came out of his lips. "Are you the one who's betrothed?"
Stella felt James' woeful feeling as he asked that. The look on his face was a second away from crumbling apart and Stella wouldn't dare do that.
"No." lied Stella. "It's not me."
A wave of relief washed over James, if it wasn't the time, he would've done a celebratory dance there.
Ephemeral silence was what layed in the thin air, both didn't know what to say. James believed that Stella wasn't betrothed, but he wasn't fully convinced.
It felt like she was already taken by someone else's, so he wanted to ask something.
"I know it's too soon yet, fuck, too much soon really but please, wait for me?" asked James. "If you don't have anyone yet, wait for me."
Stella didn't say anything, instead she listened and turned her whole attention to James and got lost in his hazel eyes.
"I know you don't like me yet, or even fancy me, but I'm willing to do anything just for you to feel what I'm feeling." confessed James, whole-heartedly.
He'd gladly go through hell just to experience that heaven with Stella.
"So, please." said James. "Wait for me?"
Stella could feel two emotions at that time. Love and sorrow. She didn't need to know which was she feeling because there was no doubt that James felt love and she felt sorrow.
This time, she didn't had the courage to lie. She was sure that she didn't like James Potter, but why couldn't she reject him and tell her that she was engaged?
So, Stella answered truthfully. "Alright. I'll wait for you."
Those five words alone sent James into the seventh heaven of his. He felt so happy that he could kiss her right then and there.
But he had to wait and he was willing too, ene if it'll take years.
And also that very second, James decided that his top priority was now getting Stella's heart not only in the most mischievous way but also in the most loving way he could ever do.
"My future brother-in-law is waiting." chuckled James, with that unwipeable grin of his. "See you on the train?"
With a bright smile on her face, Stella nodded. "Goodbye, James."
James was happy, really, but why did it feel like she was saying goodbye for the last time?
"Goodbye, my future Mrs. Potter!"
Stella couldn't hold it anymore, tears stung on her blue eyes so she turned her back on James sharply. It only took seconds for her tears to fall down on her dress and for her to sob quietly as she walked away.
"I'm sorry, James."
author's note
am i sorry for that?
👹 NO 👹
am i scared from you guys after making you read this heartbreaking chapter?
yes...
uh... i think i'm gonna hide from you guys now.
💗🦔