#Astoria is a queen and you won't convince me otherwise

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Day 126: Arranged Marriage

April 16th was an appropriately stormy day.

Harry sat in the window seat, watching the rain batter the glass and cursing arranged marriages, cursing Astoria Greengrass, cursing Draco Malfoy, and cursing himself for falling for his auror partner. Everything about today was awful and he was vindictively glad that it was pouring on their wedding day. He hoped that their umbrella charm failed and Astoria's lovely hair got soaked.

He was trying to find the energy to get up and make some tea when there was frantic pounding on the door. His head snapped up in surprise, heart jumping to his throat but he forced it back down. The knocking continued so he pulled himself up and headed to the front door.

"I'm not in the mood today," he said as he opened it.

"Hi."

Harry stared at the man who was standing before him in white and gold dress robes, his long hair bound in an elaborate braid with gold ribbon woven through. He was gorgeous and it made Harry's brittle heart shatter further.

"I'm getting married today," Draco said.

He swallowed, pain slicing through him like a well placed diffindo. "I know," he rasped.

"You," Draco started, flicking his braid over his shoulder and licking his lower lip, "You're supposed to be there."

"Don't ask that of me," Harry whispered, choking on the words.

"Harry, you're my best friend-"

He shook his head, "I can't, Draco," he begged, hoping he would understand. "I can't."

"Please, I need you-"

"No you don't," he replied, clenching his fist and digging his nails into his palm hard enough to draw blood.

Draco's lower lip protruded and he looked on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry, Draco," he whispered. "I just can't watch you get married to someone," who isn't me went left unsaid but Harry wondered if the other man could hear it anyway.

"But-" he began again.

He shook his head and stepped back, "Happy wedding day," he murmured, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. "I hope you'll both be happy," he added before closing the door, putting it between him and Draco. Harry turned his back to the door and slid to the floor, staring unseeingly into the dark house and wondering if it would ever seem bright again.

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Draco stood and stared at the door for a long moment, aching with the desire to reach out and open it, to pull Harry into his arms and promise to never leave him. He didn't know why he'd come, Harry not showing up this morning for brunch with the other groomsmen ought to have been enough.

He leaned his forehead against the door and gave himself one minute. One minute to allow the memories, the yearning to rush in. To remember the way Harry had looked last night at his bachelor party, drunk and smiling at him, smiling so wide that his dimples stood out. He remembered how they stayed up after all of the other groomsmen had pulled someone and turned in for the night.

Remembered the way they'd gone back to Draco's hotel room for a game of cards and ended up sprawled out on the floor, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, just talking. Let himself remember how free he'd felt, like he could be anything and Harry would still accept him.

"You're my best friend," Draco had told him.

"I'm in love with you," Harry had replied.

He tried to stop the memory there, tried to keep his brain from replaying the way Harry's face had crumpled, the way his tears had made his vivid green eyes brighter than all the stars in the sky. He tried to forget the way he'd said, "but I'm getting married tomorrow" and the way that had made Harry cry even harder. Draco tried to forget the way that Harry had stood up with a mumbled apology and stumbled from the room.

But mostly, he tried to forget the way that he had chosen not to follow.

One minute. That's all he allowed himself before he stood up and straightened his shoulders. Getting married was what was expected of him, the scene he would cause if he didn't, well, it didn't even bear thinking about. With one last glance at the door, he apparated away to tell Greg that he'd been promoted to best man.

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Astoria looked beautiful. Her white and gold dress robes were radiant and she had pearls woven into her hair. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand when he reached out to receive her. "You look stunning," he murmured.

Her smile widened and she looked so happy that Draco's heart ached.

They approached the altar together and the ceremony started. When it came time for them to be bound by magic, Draco took her left had with his and they pointed their wands at their wrists.

"Ready?" Astoria asked. They'd practiced this, without their wands of course; they'd practiced timing the words right, syncing the words that would bind them together.

He stared at her, at her warm, comfortable brown eyes. He knew if they got married that he'd come home every night to those eyes. She was good and kind, and Draco loved her.

But not the way he loved Harry.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"What?" she asked, her smile slipping a touch.

"I can't," he said, parroting the words Harry had said to him this morning and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Tor," he breathed, "But I can't do this."

Everyone around them started whispering and Draco's heart beat a little faster. "What?" she repeated.

"You're a dear friend," he said, ignoring the people around them, "but don't you want more for us? Don't you want passion and-"

"Draco," his father hissed, "Get yourself under control."

He released Astoria's hand, "Don't you want a love you've chosen?"

"It's Harry, isn't it?" she asked as a tear slid down her porcelain skin.

The room was positively buzzing now. "I'm sorry," he said again.

She took a breath and stepped toward him, and for a moment, Draco was sure that he was going to be slapped. But then her arms wrapped around him, drawing him into a hug. "You're being brave," she whispered, "and no one is going to thank you for it." She drew back slightly, "but I'm proud of you."

He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Go," she said, pulling back and drying her eyes.

Draco nodded, "You should go on the honeymoon," he said because he knew that she'd always wanted to go to Greece. Then he stepped back before anyone could get to him and apparated out of the wedding chamber and straight to Harry's door not even bothering to put up an impervius to stop the rain. "Harry!" he shouted, banging on the door again. "Harry!"

The door flew open, "What are you doing here?" Harry asked, nearly frantic, "You're supposed to be getting married."

He stared at the other man, allowed himself to fully feel everything for the first time. His heart expanded and clunked painfully against his ribs and tears stung the back of his eyes and rain ran down his face, "I couldn't," he managed.

Harry looked stricken, "Merlin, Draco, I am so sorry. I never should have-"

Draco closed the distance between them and kissed Harry.

The other man's body went rigid for a moment before he melted into Draco, clinging to him and letting out a choked sob.

He pulled back, "I'm an idiot."

Harry blinked at him and then nodded miserably, "I'm so sorry-"

"No," he interrupted. "Circe, no. Not for kissing you but because I have spent the past three years in love with you and too stubborn and foolish to do anything about it."

"Draco," Harry breathed, eyes shining again.

"Can you invited me in?" he asked with a laugh. "We're getting soaked."

Harry nodded and pulled the other man inside, Draco was about to say something more but Harry caught him around the waist and pressed him back against the wall, kissing him again, his mouth hot and insistent against Draco's. "I love you," he murmured into the kiss, branding the words against Draco's mouth. Before pressing kisses all over Draco's face, along his cheeks, his nose, his chin, his forehead, and even his eyelids. "I love you," he said again, burying his face in Draco's neck and holding him tight.

"I love you, too," he whispered, carding his fingers through Harry's messy curls and pressing a kiss to Harry's temple.

"This is crazy," Harry muttered into the sensitive skin of Draco's neck. He pulled back and Draco saw that he was grinning at him, "You're absolutely barking. I can't believe you did that. Your parents must be pissed."

"I imagine they are," he replied.

"You imagine they are? As in you don't know that they are?" he asked incredulously.

He huffed, "Like I was going to just stuck around to find out. No thank you. Mummy will need time to talk Father out of disowning me, and Astoria will need time to convince her that this is the right thing."

"Astoria?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.

He nodded, "she's surprisingly good with my parents, definitely one of the perks of marrying her." Draco grinned at him, "The sex had better be good."

"The sex will be fantastic," Harry promised. "So, how long do you think it's going to take your parents to forgive you?"

"A few weeks at least."

Harry brushed the hair off Draco's face, "Let's go somewhere," he said.

"What?"

The other man nodded, "Like on a vacation or something. You're off the next two weeks because you were supposed to go honeymooning and I'm off the next two weeks because I didn't want to deal with an idiot temporary partner and because I was anticipating being a bit heartbroken," he shrugged. "Let's go on vacation."

He laughed, "I'll go anywhere as long as it's with you."

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Day 125: Accidental Bonding | Day 126: Fake Dating

#100 drarry drabbles in 100 days #one year of drarry drabbles #drarry #angst #angst with a happy ending #happy ending #love confessions #runaway groom #Astoria is a queen and you won't convince me otherwise #arranged marriage #auror partners #love