Your POV~
I groaned as I collected my stuff. Leo had sent me an owl saying he found someone with information about magic like ours and getting rid of it. She worked right by Leo and he said I'd have to talk to her myself since he's busy with his newborn daughter.
Yeah, I'm an Aunt!!
I knew I'd have to keep anyone from recognizing me on the streets. Lucky for me, it was the early 2000's and America is way different from the UK in the 90's. My hair was different, as in it was cut to a short bob and only went to my jaw. I used the hair straightening potion all the time to straighten it.
I grabbed a dark blue jumper, putting it over my floral blouse. My black skirt went to my ankles and I wore black flats with it. I used a white baseball cap to cover my face and I put on sunglasses. Leo told me that it was cold yet sunny in the UK today.
I apparated to an alley in London, walking out I looked at the signs. I found where I was and continued walking down the street, making my way to the place we could enter the ministry. The floo network worked in the toilets as well, so I just have to find the right restroom.
I didn't watch where I was going and bumped into someone.
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going." I apologized.
I looked at the woman, "It's quite alright."
I panicked, realizing it was a grown up Astoria Greengrass. Her dark brown hair was down in curls and she wore a dark green dress that was very business like and classy. She wore black heels as well and very classy makeup.
I hid my face in my baseball cap, "Uh...again, sorry."
I turned on my heel and let out a sigh of relief. I was just glad she didn't know it was me, the ministry isn't far, so maybe I could get away with this.
"Next time you want to fool me (Y/n), don't wear the jumper Molly Weasley gave you for Christmas."
I froze in my spot, turning to face her slowly. Her eyebrow was raised, her arms crossed, and a smirk on her face. I gulped, looking at the sweater I was wearing, I failed to see the (f/i) on the sweater.
"Uh...Astoria I can explain."
"I'm sure you can, but...you don't need to. I had a feeling you weren't dead, because nothing, not even death can keep you away from Draco. I knew something was up when Harley and Leo didn't act as upset as they should've been about your death."
I cursed those two under my breath. I turned my attention back to Astoria, taking off my cap this time. I held it in my hands and looked at her with a pleading look.
"Astoria, please don't say anything about this. I'm only here to gather some information and then I'm going straight back where I came from."
She frowned, "(Y/n), you have to tell Draco. Everyone needs to know you're alive, because where you came from is here. Your family is here and so is your life. Think about it."
She walked away and I stood there for a few seconds, processing what she said. I did want my life back, I've wanted that since my full year of death...but people moved on and I never saw a reason to. I thought I'd be able to do the same...but I couldn't.
With a sigh I put my hat back on. I continued walking the streets of London and went into a building to the restroom. I stood in the toilet, flushing myself down, I appeared in the Ministry's floo system. I held onto my hat, hoping it wouldn't fly off.
I walked out of the fireplace, looking around to see the place I was supposed to work. I kept my head down, bumping into someone I didn't know at the time was there for bad purposes. I walked to the elevator, pressing the button for Harley's floor. Walking into the curse breaker department, I found Harley's office.
I knocked and walked in, greeted by my cousins smiling face.
"You made it!" He hugged me immediately.
"I did, but we need to hurry. I ran into a situation on the streets." I grimaced.
"Someone saw you?"
"Uh...yeah, Astoria Greengrass did." I scratched the back of my head nervously.
Harley got what I was saying and we rushed to the girls office. Her name was Celeste Williams, and I knocked and waited for her answer. I went in with Harley, who she greeted nicely. She was really pretty with curly hair and skin as dark as toffee.
"Harley, did you bring me a client?" She smiled.
Harley closed the door behind us, "Yeah, something like that."
I took off my hat, causing her to gasp. My photo had been in the paper as a memoriam for all the kids who lost their life in the battle. No doubt she saw me from that.
"Look, I need your help getting rid of my magic. My extra abilities, like you." I whispered.
"I-I can't help you with that, I'm in enough dan-"
The glass shattered and flew everywhere. Harley tackled me to the ground and Celeste got under her desk. I looked up to see a man in a suit looking down at Harley and I. He had his hands on his hips and he had completely torn off the door.
"Where is Celeste?" he asked. "You led me straight to her, now I need to borrow her."
I glared at him, "Are you barking mad! Wait in line like a normal person."
"This coming from a witch. Maybe I should be clear...I'm not a normal person." His eyes went dark with veins appearing around his eyes. He opened his mouth to reveal fangs.
No vampire I read about looked like him.
"May I ask what the hell you want with her?"
He glared at me, "That is none of your concern."
Celeste stood up from her hiding spot. Her hands were up in surrender and she glared at the man.
"What do you want Elijiah? I'm no longer a witch of the French quarter." She said.
"That may be so, but as of right now...my brother has sent me for your head. So it shall be your head, seeing as my brother Niklaus is not a patient man, nor a merciful one."
He moved quickly to her, strangling her. His eyes went dark again and he bit her neck. She screamed and kicked, her body going limp as her blood was drained from her completely. He turned back to us and wiped his mouth.
"Excuse me." he ran off.
Harley and I communicated through looks, apparating into the main part of the ministry. We saw witches and wizards run around in a panic as he threw people in his way.
Harley threw spells at him and so did I, because I was getting really tired of people not giving me information. He threw someone at Harley, who knocked him over.
The man grabbed me by the neck, ready to bite me, but he was blown back by a spell. I fell to the ground and watched as the man escaped. I didn't even notice my hat had fallen off, or the fact my ex-boyfriend was the one who helped me.
Standing back up, I helped others around me. I turned to the one who had helped with the spell, only to see Draco with wide eyes. I looked around and realized my hat had came off, and the entire ministry was whispering as they stared.
"H-how? You're supposed to be dead." Draco fell to his knees.
Harley adjusted his suit, looking at me nervously. Draco saw us exchange looks and got angry.
"You knew? You knew she was alive AND DIDN'T TELL ME?!" he grabbed Harley by the collar.
"No Draco, I—I asked him not to. Be mad at me, please." I readied myself for the yelling.
He didn't though. He looked at me with pain in his eyes and touched my arm, jumping back when he realized I was real. My eyes welled up with tears, I stood there crying as I looked down at my shoes. He's dating Astoria now...no way he'd embrace me while I was crying, not after lying to him that I was alive these past five years.
We took the show somewhere else, apparating to the Malfoy Manor. Leo met us there and he seemed tired as ever. Draco pace around, gripping his hair, continuously looking at me and then shaking his head.
"I know it's a lot but...I never planned on coming back. You weren't supposed to know, I'm sorry." I apologized, twisting the silver ring on my finger.
He stopped pacing and looked at me, "Well that makes it better. Going all this time without knowing you were alive, never knowing the one girl I loved was alive."
I looked around the Manor nervously, "Don't say that Draco...you have Astoria too."
He laughed bitterly, "No, I don't. I don't love her the way I loved you...she's more of a sisterly platonic love. Hah...(Y/n), I bought you a ring!"
I looked at Leo and Harley shocked, they looked away ashamed. They never told me a single thing about Draco ever saying he wanted to marry me. It was too late though, because he's with Astoria.
"I'm sorry. I thought it'd be better to not tell you, not give a false sense of hope. Not until my enemies were gone and not coming after us."
"You always do this...think for me. I wouldn't have cared, because I have my fair share of enemies, especially after the war ended."
Draco rubbed the sides of his head, I looked over at a tired Leo. He had a saddened expression on his face for me.
I mouthed to him asking if we could go home. I apparated away while looking at Draco, Leo following suit. I felt bad leaving him after what had just happened. I appeared right in front of Anna, who was currently trying to burp my niece.
"(Y/n), you're back! Did you get the information you needed?" She smiled.
I forced a smile on my face, "Sadly it didn't go well."
Anna has known me since she first met Leo, she could see right past my facade. She stopped bouncing with her daughter, looking at the baby and back at me.
"Do you want to hold her?" she asked.
I nodded, and the child was in my arms immediately. Anna showed me how to burp her and I worked on it while Anna sat down. She had given birth three months ago, which meant she was tired like most new parents. Anna watched happily as I burped my niece and used my baby voice on her.
My mind wandered to if I would've been doing this now if I had stayed.
"(Y/n)...what's wrong? Don't say nothing, because I know you and I'm your sister-in-law."
I moved my niece in my arms, looking at her lovingly and sadly.
"I saw Draco today. He found out that I was still alive and so did the rest of the ministry. Astoria found out first and...I don't think I made a good decision Anna." Anna got up from her chair and hugged me as tears fell.
"I wanted so badly to believe I did the right thing for him, but now...I'm wondering if I could've had this with him already."
Anna frowned, me crying and her raging hormones started making her cry, "Oh god...you found out he was going to propose, didn't you?"
I nodded, not bothering to be mad at her for not telling me. I had a new life now, so did they, but...I hated being alone in New York. It was like when everyone forgot me, except this time I couldn't be careless and let them see me. They thought I was dead, and now everyone has moved on.
We heard a crash coming from the living room, "(Y/n)!! You have visitors!!" Leo shouted.
I went downstairs and saw Millicent, Blaise, Adrian, and Pansy. They all looked at me in awe, with tears in their eyes and hands over their mouths. They quickly hugged me, and that made the waterworks spill. Everyone was crying out of pure joy.
"I thought they were lying in the papers...how?" Millicent asked.
My friends no longer looked like they did in school. Millicent had lost weight, but still a curvy goddess with her hair in a ponytail, and a ring on her finger. Adrian was by her smiling widely, proud of himself for proposing. Blaise had a wedding band on, looking tired as well. Pansy had a wedding band on too.
"It's a long story, but...you know I'm not staying, right?"
They all frowned.
"Why not, Riddle?" Pansy asked.
"I was never supposed to be found. I did this so my enemies wouldn't hurt any of you...I have a new life. I don't want to come back and ruin his life—I mean yours." I corrected myself.
Blasie rolled his eyes, "I thought Draco was the drama queen in the relationship."
Pansy sneered, "What relationship? He's with Astoria now and...god knows how many people hate her by his side."
I frowned, "Astoria is a sweetheart...and I'm glad she's with him."
Millicent put a hand on my back, her face not as happy about what I said.
"She's nice, don't get us wrong, but...Draco doesn't love her. They fight all the time, have no chemistry, and his parents hate her more than you. Even the people at his balls and events say she doesn't compare to you, because you were feisty and likeable."
I brushed some hair out of my way, feeling bad that Astoria was being compared to me. Even Draco wasn't showing any love to her...that's not how I wanted him to be. I started biting my nails, which was something I hadn't done in years.
"At least come to the ball tonight. If you come and decide you want to leave and return to America...we'll let you without getting in your way. Just as long as you promise to visit and owl us as much as you can." Adrian suggested.
They all looked at me expectantly, even Harley popped his head out from the kitchen to see my answer. It had been so long since I had fun and seen my friends, plus there was no hiding that I was back now. The Daily Prophet already knew and I had been seen by my Ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend.
"I...guess I'll come. It's been awhile since I've seen you guys and I haven't worn a dress since our Yule ball days." I smiled.
They cheered and hugged me.
Millicent smiled, "Dress shopping!! We have to get Iliana to join us, she'd love to see you!!"
With that, Pansy and Millicent invited Iliana. Iliana showed off her two month baby bump, which was a shock to see. They were going to the same ball and were helping me look for a nice dress, one that everyone would remember.
We found a dress that was absolutely stunning and decided the girls would come over to the Roseore manor to get ready.
We all got ready, Millicent was in a stunning silver dress, Iliana was in a forget-me-not blue dress, and Pansy wore a black dress that made her look like a queen.
The girls got ready and helped in the tugging, pulling, and changing of my hair. They put makeup on me and fitted me to their view of perfection.
Draco's POV~
Astoria and I watched as our guests walked in, each one from my time at Hogwarts. Astoria was in a tight emerald green dress, and looked wonderful...but all I could think about was (Y/n).
She was back, everybody knew and Mother had told me to go for her and drop Astoria. It was too late though, because I planned on proposing tonight.
Mother was in the corner, dressed in black and gold with pearls. Her long blonde hair was in a bun and my mother had a frown on her face as she watched everyone come in.
I saw Blaise enter with his wife, Iliana. I was the first person they told when they found out she was pregnant. Not far behind them was Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott.
I walked down with Astoria to greet them. They had strained smiles when they saw me approach. I knew I hadn't stayed friends with Pansy after the War, but I didn't think Blaise would be so awkward and tense around me.
"You look lovely, Iliana, Pansy." Astoria smiled.
Pansy strained her muscles to keep her smile up, "Uh-huh, thank you Astoria. I forgot this was...hosted by you guys."
She grabbed a glass of champagne and dragged Theodore by his tie to a different corner of the room. I looked at Blaise and Iliana confused, but Iliana only looked away and Blaise grabbed a glass of champagne.
"Oh, look it's Lucas and Amara, we should go say hello." Iliana practically ran with Blaise to see them.
Astoria gave me a confused look and I simply shrugged. Her sister Daphne was taking a liking to the Manor. She was looking around and had three glasses of champagne already. Daphne was nice...but she was not someone I could get along with. She was straightforward, in an unbearable sense.
Astoria was talking to one of the Rosier's when I heard laughing. Turning to the door, I saw Leo behind them, walking in alone and with a baby bag.
"Anna came?" I asked.
He smiled, "She's getting little Phoebe right now. You don't mind having a baby here, do you?"
I shook my head, "My mother will love to see her, and for you my friend, we can get someone to take care of her for you. Or a private room at least."
Harley walked in with Aaron, both going to talk to my mother. Harley has taken a liking to her and would often come for tea so they could talk. With father in Azkaban, Harley was the only person keeping my mother company.
"That's not needed, but I'll ask Anna." Leo pat my shoulder.
"Get the private room, she has a weird sleeping schedule now." Anna sighed, walking in.
This was the first time since Phoebe was born that I'd seen Anna all dressed up. A newborn baby was hard, and they looked beyond tired. Tonight though, she looked like she had when we were in school.
"Where's Phoebe?" Leo asked.
Before Anna could answer, the chatter stopped and we looked at the door. (Y/n) was standing at the doorway, her dress was stunning on her.
It was a layered golden dress, showing off her shoulders and back like her dress did at the Yule ball. The dress reminded me of the golden snitch, as if it was a teasing for me to try and catch her before someone else did.
She held Phoebe in her arms and walked towards us. I stopped breathing as she came our way, her hair was no longer short.
Like magic, it was long and curly again, pulled back in a low ponytail with a single gold ribbon holding it for her.
"I think she's hungry, she's doing her hungry whines," (Y/n) said as she bounced Phoebe in her arms. "You two go ahead and have fun. I'll play babysitter tonight, she'll be fine."
Leo kissed her cheek and went off with Anna, leaving me and (Y/n) alone. She looked up at me with big eyes, expecting me to say something.
"Draco?"
I snapped back to reality, "Yes?"
"Uh...what room can I use for Phoebe?" She said awkwardly.
I stuttered a bit and had her follow me to what was my old room. It was the same, but now I slept in what was my parents room...with Astoria. We never did anything in there, and we typically stayed as far away from each other as possible.
(Y/n) looked around my old room, a reminiscent smile on her face. She took a blanket from the baby bag and put it over her shoulder, moving Phoebe so she could grab her wand. She summoned a baby bottle and checked if it was good. She began feeding Phoebe, who watched us with her big blue eyes.
It was a real awakening seeing her do this...it reminded me of what I had wanted before she faked her own death. This could've been us...sneaking away from our own party to be with our baby, playing husband and wife.
That's what I had wanted in the first place, and now here she is taking care of her brother's baby and not a single engagement ring on her finger from me. I was with Astoria...because I thought it's what she had wanted, I didn't know she was still alive.
"You don't have to stay with me for this, Draco. She's just going to vomit on my shoulder anyways, nothing exciting." She laughed.
God had I missed her laugh.
"It's fine, I enjoy babies, and Miss Phoebe here has stolen my heart. I've asked for a return, but Leo said no and that I'd have to steal it from Gringotts to get it back." I smiled, Phoebe recognizing me, held onto my finger.
(Y/n) chuckled, "Since when did my niece become such a heartbreaker? Taking a man older than her and his heart."
(Y/n) pinched Phoebe's rosy cheeks and kissed them continuously. Phoebe giggled and (Y/n) laughed at her laughing.
It was a sweet sight...this could be us. I remembered the engagement, suddenly a sinking feeling was in my chest and I could feel my heart physically breaking.
"Right...I should go back downstairs. Feel free to get her sorted out and put to sleep before coming downstairs."
(Y/n) nodded and got back to babysitting. Going back downstairs, Mother met my eyes, giving me a knowing look and glancing back up at the room I came from. Astoria was on my arm once again and we talked with friends from the ministry and our school years.
We had Daphne sent home carefully, seeing as she had dove into the drinks full steam ahead before the actual party started.
I clinked my champagne glass, getting everyone's attention and there was a circle of people around Astoria and I. I smiled as I looked at Astoria, hesitating slightly if I should go on with the proposal or not.
Your POV~
I finished burping Phoebe and had put her to sleep. Luckily, the Malfoy family thought about their guests' needs and had a baby crib in Draco's old room. I set Phoebe in there, putting the baby monitor near her and hoping she would sleep at least two hours now.
I walked back out to the party and saw Narcissa looking out at everyone from the top of the stairs. She waved me over to stand beside her, and I looked out to see everyone in a circle around Draco and Astoria.
It was like a dagger to the heart, but I had done this to myself. I was the architect of my own unhappiness, and I had done it this time.
"Astoria and I would like to thank you all for coming, and we brought you here for a reason. As you know, five years ago we went through an awful war and lost many loved ones, and today we are creating a memorial for each one that lost their life. All money today will go towards that, and...we brought you here for a selfish reason." Draco said.
My heart was pounding in my chest, and Narcissa, noticing this, put her hand on my arm gently. I watched as Draco set his champagne glass down and looked at Astoria, holding both her hands.
She seemed confused about what he was doing, but then he went down on one knee. Opening a box he showed her a 3 ct diamond ring on a gold band.
Everyone gasped and started murmuring to each other. I let out a shaky breath as I saw Blaise, Millicent, Pansy, and Adrian look at me with a sorry look, for dragging me to see this.
"Astoria Greengrass...will you—"
I couldn't take it anymore, I couldn't watch this, no matter how much I convinced myself this was the best thing for him.
With a pop, I apparated out of there and stood in front of the doors of the Malfoy manor. I turned back to look once, and I grabbed my dress and ran away.
I ran away like I always did, because that was something I could do correctly. I apparated back to the Roseore Manor, taking off the dress and hurriedly throwing on clothes I left behind.
I wasn't built the same as when I was seventeen, seeing as then I was starved and held captive. Now, I was more curvy, but I made the clothes work.
I pulled on a floral top that was cinched at my waist, pulling on some high waist jeans and sneakers. I didn't bother redoing my hair, and I ran down the stairs, ready to leave.
I stopped...my mother's portrait looking at me with father's...I looked outside.
Draco's POV~
"Astoria Greengrass...will you—" I stopped, hesitating.
The sound of a loud pop grabbed my attention, looking at where it came from, I saw Mother looking at the place beside her sadly. My eyes darted around the room, not seeing (Y/n) anywhere in sight.
I snapped back to reality, seeing myself on one knee in front of Astoria. This was all wrong...this isn't supposed to end like this. The ring wasn't supposed to be a yellow diamond on a gold band...I hated the color yellow and I hated gold.
I got off my knee and closed the box, looking at Astoria apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I can't do this. I don't love you Astoria...I only was with you because I thought it's what my dead girlfriend would've wanted." I whispered to her.
She gave me a smile and patted my hands,
"I'm glad you didn't go through with it. I liked you once Draco, but I knew when I was a girl that you loved her deeply. I didn't want to ruin your relationship then, and I don't want to now."
I hugged her, glad she wasn't upset with me. I treated her poorly and never gave her the love she deserved. I cleared up the mess and had Leo, Harley, Millicent, Blaise, and Pansy help me find her. She had left the party and none of us had a clue as to where she would've gone.
Millicent and Blaise went to check the grounds, Pansy went with Harley to check with their Aunt, and I went with Harley to the Roseore Manor. He checked around downstairs while I went upstairs. I looked in Harley's old room, Leo's old room, and (Y/n)'s.
I spotted her dress thrown to the ground in a hurry. Picking it up, I looked around at her packed up room, seeing one box had been torn open. I took out my wand, going to the dress she had dropped to the floor.
"Appare vestigium."
Her footprints illuminated gold, and I followed them out to her parents portraits. Her footprints started going to the door outside. Walking out in the dark, I could no longer see her footprints through all the grass. I felt the wind whip my hair and suit around, and the grass blew in the same direction.
I looked out, seeing the bridge we had to take to get to the lake. The wind made the waves noticeable from the distance, and I remembered how connected to water (Y/n) was. I made my way to the bridge and followed the path, I hadn't been on the path since fifth year. She had taken me as a celebration for passing the trials, and we kissed in the grass.
I found her in the same spot as where we had kissed, all those years ago. She looked out at the lake, not running away when I moved to stand beside her.
"I always thought you'd be better off without me...that's why I left. I have enemies, and they always go after the people I love...they made me an orphan at seventeen." She said calmly.
"I thought I was better off and tried to convince myself to go on. My parents told me it wasn't my time yet, but it kept feeling like it. I've had deities and dreams tell me that my destiny was to die, and I did...I cheated death."
She turned and looked at me, "I've fought this long to stay alive, and I let it drive me away from all of you. It's my fault...everything has been my fault."
I looked down at her hand, holding mine out for her to take, "It's not...and I get how tiring it is to keep going. You had me talk to you, now I'm here for you to talk to."
She blinked quickly, her tears falling. She took my hand and I pulled her closer to me. She let me hug her tightly, not caring that she was wetting my shirt with her tears. I hadn't gotten to hold her in so long, the last time was not a happy one, they hadn't been happy since our fourth year started.
After she calmed down, we sat together in the grass. She stared at me happily, making a smirk appear on my face.
"Something on my face, darling?" I asked.
She hummed happily, shaking her head, "Why'd you come here? Last I saw...you were getting engaged."
I leaned back on my hands, "She knew I didn't love her, so I didn't go through with it. By now Mother should be ending the party and Astoria going back to her home."
(Y/n) bit her bottom lip, lighting up her wand to show our faces better. She looked at me with a smile and held out her hand.
"Want to start over? Forget those last 5 years?" She asked.
I smiled down at her hand, taking it to shake. I gave her the same look I had given Potter in our first year, when I had given him the chance to be my friend.
"Malfoy, Draco, Malfoy."
She chuckled, "(Y/n) Roseore...pleasure to meet you Mister Malfoy."
A/n: This is probably the longest chapter I've ever done. It's almost over, now it'll just show the wedding and then...other things. No dirty thoughts, I ain't writing smut