Waxing and Waning

"Ah it is a complicated thing, is it not? To spend your days with another," he muses aloud. "But I think that, for all he can be difficult there is much to recommend Draco."

Others see it in him and Draco's seeing it in himself.

"I think you will be good together, and for each other."

That's a cute smile and a cute blush. It makes him feel young inside.

From:

She laughs a little.

"I have learned by now that he is difficult, but he is also willing to do so much for me. Even when everything else he knows tells him he shouldn't."

She often thinks back to this memory, as it was rather definitive in their relationship.

"Do you know that he helped Will for me? Even after I had hurt him with my words, and then slapped him? But after that, he said that I was wonderful, though I wasn't acting wonderful at all. And he says I'm the confusing one."

From:

"Do so much for you? I'm very pleased to hear that. It's good to know that Draco is growing so much in person and spirit. He's got potential in him. Much potential."

Pause.

"I really couldn't say if he was doing it for you, or if he was doing it for himself, but I do hope he was doing it because it's the right thing to do."

From:

"Draco had told me he did it for me, otherwise he would have left Will injured. Draco had even threatened to poison Will that night. Why do you think I slapped him? No one should talk about death so easily, or sound like they enjoy it."

From:

He tenses immediately, feeling the colour drain out of his normally-pale face; expression darkening.

He can hear the shouts and cries of pain and the laughter. Always the laughter. Some of that laughter is aimed at him as he lies on the ground, panting from the residue of the pain...

He's stopped moving now, mind somewhere else. Somewhere dark. And painful.

"I'm sorry ... did you say something?"

From:

She's concerned, but she won't press him about it.

He'll tell her when he's ready. That is when he will be honest, not now.

"Not exactly the most appropriate subject for a party, is it? I'm afraid that's a bad habit Draco and I have in common, bringing up the wrong thing when we're supposed to be having fun."

From:

And he might never tell. It does no good to keep picking at a wound that's supposed to be healing.

He shrugs his shoulders. The moment has passed and he can resume having fun.

"It's okay Mia. It just brought back bad memories that's all but I believe I'm fine now.

Should we resume the dance?"

From:

The small smile remained as he replied, "Cheers, Tom."

He added, "I know neither of us is ready for some time for anything like that. Nice to consider though."

From:

That is true enough, but talking about it can be part of healing. And the people Mia considers the closest? They're the ones willing to share their stories with her.

Even the bad memories.

"You're not the only one," she says with a small smile twinged with sadness.

A sadness that really shouldn't be there at her age that fades when they continue to dance.

From:

He can be patient for a bit, and spoke with other guests in the meantime.

After she had finished dancing with his uncle, Draco finally approached her again.

"I'd like one of those many dances now, if you please?" He grinned at her.

From:

"Of course," she says, giving him her hand.

She has been wondering ever since the wedding what kind of a dancer Draco was.

Bohemian table dancing didn't really seem his style.

It appears the time has come for her to find out.

From:

Certainly not. It was clear he was more familiar with ballroom dances like waltzes mainly. Stately dances. Some of which they had at the Yule Ball years ago.

He took her hand, and placed his other hand on her waist. And then began to lead her into one such waltz.

From:

Could he perhaps be persuaded into Bohemian table dancing if Mia did it with him?

Ah well, the waltz is nice.

Let's see if he can keep it steady while talking.

"By the way, before I met you for our date today, I happened to meet Harry Potter."

From:

To his credit, he only stumbled slightly at that.

"You what? What did Potter want? Did he try anything?" His grey eyes narrowed a little.

Reluctant allies now yes, but still didn't mean they really like each other. That was going to take time if ever it happened.

From:

She might think herself close to him by way of Draco but he still doesn't really know Mia, and after the mistake that almost cost him a new friendship with Will he's not about to go looking for opportunities to tell his sorry tale.

It's also Draco's birthday and for him it's a good reason to put things aside for a while and live.

"No. No you're not. There are many such people."

The Regulus Black he knew was one of them but the man's long-dead.

Despite wanting to say something else he finds himself lacking in words so continues to dance in silence until a happier subject comes to mind.

From:

She giggles.

"You reacted better than he did when I talked to him about you. He just wanted to talk to me. Harry's not bad, but he wasn't really willing to give you a chance. I don't think I like that about him."

From:

Oh, she knows she's not close to Rabastan yet, but if he ever hopes to be close to her....

"Draco seemed to enjoy his trip to Meribia," she says.

From:

Draco snorted, "That's because he was always more emotional. Crying, fainting, screaming. Self-righteous, pretentious, and overly dramatic. You know what his nicknames are? The Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One. People fawn over him because of his scar, and how he's supposed to be the one to stop the Dark Lord." Talk about Potter, and look how old Draco surfaces again.

He added as they slowly turned around, "We never got along in school. He had his friends, and I... well I had the respect and prestige of my house. We have a truce now, but it's only because of the war. After that, I really don't care what happens to him."

From:

There'll be time for that. Time to get to know Mia and who she is, and time for her to come to know who Rabastan is.

"Meribia? I've never heard of that place. Is it in the Middle East?"

Pause.

"Pretty interesting place, the Middle East. Same with the people there. They've got magic carpets that fly but unfortunately there's a ban on those."

From:

"And I imagine he won't care what happens to you after that either. But you have to admit, a lot is expected of him. That can do a lot to a person."

She blinks and looks away from his eyes.

"Is there something wrong with being emotional? I mean, I cry, faint, and scream."

She may have things in common with you, Draco, but she has quite a bit in common with Harry.

Or did you forget how people spoke about Mia? Their adoration? Is it really so different?

From:

She blinks.

"No, it is closer to the west, more western than Vane in any case, but not as far west as Caldor Isle."

Oh wait a minute.

"I guess I forgot to tell you that I'm not from your world."

From:

Draco shrugged, "I suppose, not like he really goes out of his way to stop them. Probably likes all the attention."

He added, "And it's different with you. You're not like him. You're not doing it for attention." Uh, projecting a little there, Malfoy?

He added, "And they just obsess over him because he was lucky. The Dark Lord tried to kill him as a baby, and nearly killed himself instead. That's no reason to get attention. He's not that great."

From:

He laughs. Which is a good sound to hear after his Moment of Darkness.

"Of course of course. This is Milliways of course you wouldn't be from my world!"

Pause. He's still grinning.

"So how did your trip go?"

From:

"I think it went well."

Except for the vines.

And Ramus trying to swindle him.

But everything else was great.

"Draco said Meribia wasn't bad, and he might be interested in a shop the guild owns there."

From: