Astoria gnawed on her bottom lip as her hand stabbed a pen into a plush pillow. She didn't know how she came to find herself in such a position, only that she was too nervous to stop the action from ceasing any time soon. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, threatening to come out with every painful beat.
She was certain she wanted to marry Draco. There was no doubt in her mind about it. But as the clock ticked in a way that seemed to tease her, she couldn't help but regard how nervous she was moments away from walking down the aisle.
No longer able to hold back the nauseating feeling in her chest, Astoria stood up abruptly, the pillow and pen falling onto the floor as her white wedding dress hopped up along with her. Her feet carried her to the full-body mirror, and then she smiled. She was not particularly vain, but she found she looked quite beautiful in the dress. It was simple and elegant, and it truly screamed Astoria as though the dress was born to be fitted onto her.
Where there should be color on her cheeks, however, there was none. She looked as pale as a corpse. Before she could reach up the pinch some color into them, the door of her room swung open to reveal one of her closest friends.
Sue Li, clad in her robin's egg blue bridesmaid dress, entered the space before she surveyed Astoria from head to toe.
The white-faced Ravenclaw pinched her brows together. "What's wrong?"
Astoria's eyes widened into saucers as Sue closed the door behind her. "Nothing's wrong. Why would anything be wrong?"
"Are you getting cold feet?" Sue asked then crossed her arms on her chest. "Because if you are, we can just cancel the wedding—"
"No!" Astoria interrupted defiantly, whirling to look at Sue fully as though she were mad. "I would never do that to Draco."
A smirk graced Sue's lips. "Merlin, you really are mad for him. I wish you'd prove that by not making your fiancé wait at the altar."
Her heart leaped from her chest in fear. "Am I late?"
Sue nodded.
Astoria quickly bolted for the door and opened it to find her sister Daphne and their parents on the other side.
Her mother sighed in relief. "Oh, goodness, there you are! Honestly, what are you waiting for? Do you want to get married or not?"
"I—" Astoria started in the hopes of apologizing.
"Listen to me, Tori," Daphne put her hands on her younger sister's shoulders. "Draco Malfoy is mad for you. Completely. He's up there waiting and probably losing his mind wondering if you'll even show up, which I hope you will, because this wedding cost more than the fingers and toes we can count on our bodies."
Astoria couldn't help but laugh nervously as she nodded. "I'm sorry I kept you all waiting."
Her father waved a dismissive hand, disrupting their sisterly bond. "Nonsense. Let's get you up that altar and marry you off to that boy."
The Greengrass family, along with Sue, finally made their way to the entrance of Malfoy Manor's ballroom. Astoria heard the faint sound of chatter when Sue, Daphne and her mother squeezed themselves between the small cracks of the double doors to enter. When the door was shut tight once more, Astoria was alone with her father.
"Papa, I'm nervous," Astoria sighed as she looped her arm around her father's.
"Nervous because you fear he might not show up?" Her father asked, dusting off invisible dirt from his crisp black suit. "Or nervous because you fear in the end, he will leave you because of your blood curse?"
Astoria felt the ground swallow her whole. It wasn't the former option at all. She had always known she was not destined for old age and that it would disrupt any future plans she might have. While Astoria shared these fears with Draco, he has told her time and time again that he didn't care if they only have the shortest moment. For every moment with her would be more than enough for him.
She didn't doubt his declaration of it. She doubted herself.
Her silence must have been an opportunity for her father to go on, so he spoke. "Do you want to know the first thing Draco told me before he asked for my blessing?"
A part of Astoria had always dreaded her father would deny Draco that blessing. But when Draco had told her he said yes on the first try, it had her curious, but she didn't want to know the lengths her fiancé had to go to to garner her father's approval.
She shook her head and waited in anticipation.
"He told me that it mattered how little the time you have with each other." Her father started before offering her a small smile. "What mattered to him is how happy you'll be with that little time you have together. And that's all a father could ever want for his daughter—to see her happy even when fate decides to make it otherwise. He has made you happier than you have ever been, and I could not thank him enough for it."
Tears welled up in Astoria's green eyes before she lifted her hand to dab a few of the wet away.
"Papa, I love him," Astoria whispered and she laughed. She almost sounded mad, but she was merely expelling her joy at the thought of Draco. "I love him with every bit of me. And I would die happy knowing I have loved him so."
The head of the Greengrass family smiled down at her. "Then let's get you married."
Astoria nodded with another delighted laugh. She sniffed and dabbed away the tears before she braced herself. The door pushed open to reveal the massive ballroom. Everything was a color of soft blues and whites. But the first thing her green eyes landed on was at the altar where Draco stood beside their marriage binder. His best man, Blaise, stood right beside him.
In all her years of dating Draco, she had never seen him so completely out of it. He looked exceptionally dashing in his black tux, his blonde hair slicked back in the slightest with bits of the shagginess it has grown to have sticking out. His mouth was slightly agape in awe, and when their eyes met, Astoria couldn't help but beam at him from across the room.
"That boy is mine." Astoria declared, still reeling in the fact that Draco was there, and that he had not ran away after all.
"Indeed he is." Her father said with a slight chuckle.
Her father glided her down the aisle, and she couldn't help but smile when he gave her away to Draco.
Draco gave her father a grateful look before he turned to look down at her.
"You look... absolutely stunning." Draco said almost breathlessly before he shook his head with a nervous laugh. "What did I do to deserve you?"
"Everything," Astoria answered for him with a bright smile.
The ceremony took place, and when it was time to exchange vows, Astoria braced herself. She was most eloquent with her words, but she can also stumble in on them whenever she felt nervous. So when the marriage binder asked for Draco's vows, the small weight on her chest seems to lift at having to go last.
Although, she could not say the same for Draco, whose hands shook as he held hers. She squeezed his hands in affirmation, watching as his nervous demeanor lifted in the slightest when their gaze met.
"Astoria Perenelle, I promise to love and cherish you, for better or for worse, for poorer or for richer..." Draco started solemnly, though his voice wavered. She felt his hands shake under her touch, and she soothed them by caressing the back of his hand.
He released a breath before smiling at her brilliantly. "I have not known many hopes in life. I had always been certain that there was none left for me. But you have completely turned my world upside down, Astoria. You showed me what living is for, and you let me use your light to be where I am now. I may not be the man most people believe you deserve, but I will always do my best to be the reason behind your radiant smile that could light up even the darkest of nights. You are my hope, my light, my heart and soul. And I would sell my soul to be with you for as long as I shall live. Till' death do us part."
Astoria's heart swelled with joy as she watched Draco look at her almost sheepishly, the red on his cheeks all the more indication of how he meant his words. He did not want to be too vocal in front of everyone, she could understand that. But his words have swatted away any nervousness she's had from the start of the day.
"Draco Lucius, I promise to love and cherish you, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer..." Astoria said sweetly. She was unable to release her gaze from Draco's. She offered him a radiant smile before she went on. "I have always known I was not destined for old age. But you have changed the course of my plans on that, and make me stubborn enough to stay for longer than I need to. You are my heart, my life, and my soul. You are a good man to me, and the most honorable there is. You have given me hope in a sea of darkness, and I will forever be grateful. My love for you will never be in doubt, and the naysayers will not change the beat of my heart for whenever I see you. I will love you forever, till' do us part."
She couldn't help but release a small giggle as she watched her husband-to-be draw tears on his grey eyes, a look of absolute love and affection set on his face.
"Oh, Draco," Astoria said hopefully, imitating his reaction with the feeling of tears in her eyes as well as her hand moved up to caress his cheeks.
And when the marriage binder declared that Draco may kiss the bride, everything finally came into place.
As the band played, Draco glided Astoria towards the center of the ballroom for their first dance as a married couple. A peal of giggles escaped Astoria's lips as her husband twirled her around for a while before pulling her close to him. She beamed at him as they slowly danced to the music.
"Tell me I'm dreaming," Draco murmured against her brunette locks. "Tell me this is a dream so I might wake up and face reality."
Astoria shook her head before leaning back to look at him fondly. "It's not a dream. This is real. We're married."
Draco released a nervous laugh as he pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes never leaving her green ones. "Then I must be going mad."
"Oh, shush," Astoria tatted at him affectionately. "You have made me the happiest woman there is today. And I don't doubt that you will make me even happier after we leave tonight."
"Astoria Malfoy, you cheeky woman," Draco teased with a wicked grin before his face melted into a soft, fond look as he relaxed under her touch. "I love you, Astoria. With all that I am and all that I ever will be."
"I love you too, Draco," Astoria replied happily, and her heart raced with every second she looked at him. "Forever and always."