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"MISS ME OLIVER?", VICTORIA WHISPERED TO THE YOUNG BOY. oliver gasped as he immediately wrapped his arms around the girl's neck, squeezing her tightly as victoria stood up holding him.

draco was being embraced by narcissa and lucius malfoy, as victoria had invited them over to the noir mansion for dinner.

the girl would've invited bellatrix, but she was wary nonetheless about that mad woman. victoria didn't want her anywhere near oliver, nor her mother, even though she was cooped up in her chambers.

     "and who is this?", narcissa inquired, making oliver shy away by hiding his face on victoria's shoulder.

     "oliver noir, my adopted son", victoria answered for the boy.

     "is he..."

     "perhaps a half-blood or muggle-born, I'm not sure and neither do I care", victoria said, brushing through the young boy's hair.

     narcissa and lucius did not push further about the boy's origins as they had all seated for dinner at a round table.

with oliver on the girl's lap, draco was on victoria's left while lucius was on the girl's right.

"so how was france?", narcissa asked, trying to ease the awkwardness, though victoria didn't seem to mind.

     "it was splendid mother. we ought to take a family trip there with all of us this time", draco answered, making lucius raise a brow.

     "family you say...are you two—"

     draco cleared his throat, signaling for his father to halt. victoria glanced up at the boy, wondering if something was wrong.

"umm...papa, may you pass me the napkin please?", oliver suddenly asked, making lucius choke on his mashed potatoes.

     victoria's eyes glimmered with amusement as she watched draco take the napkin and wipe oliver's mouth, most likely out of habit.

     though lucius and narcissa didn't comment anything, victoria could clearly tell that they had some pent up questions for their lovely son.

thus after their late dinner, victoria had swiftly put oliver to bed in her bedroom as she left momentarily after she was sure the young boy was dead asleep.

draco had somehow managed to persuade his parents to let him stay at the noir mansion temporarily.

how he had done so was beyond victoria, but the girl would never openly admit that she enjoyed the boy's presence and missed him dearly.

as victoria slipped out of her chambers, the girl tip-toed towards a small ballroom that was nearly on the opposite side of the bedrooms.

the moonlight shone in through the petal-like windows, showcasing the grand piano that victoria used to love to play in her free time before she had left for beauxbatons in france.

     a soft huff was heard as the girl's fingers unconsciously graced the dusty fall: the black curved board that covered the piano keys.

     as victoria lifted up the fall, surprisingly the keys were clean from dust. once again, victoria placed her nimble fingers on the white keys, with her thumb on the c.

     a note resonated throughout the empty room as victoria repeatedly played a c, as if testing it out.

     with all ten fingers gently touching the keys, victoria had a sudden urge to play something, a piece that the girl vividly remembered learning in her younger years.

     once victoria started her performance, she was unstoppable. victoria was so engrossed in the piece that she didn't even realize a blonde platinum-haired boy had approached her.

"you play well", draco complimented, nearly making victoria flinch.

the girl just simply smiled.

"it's my favorite piece: valse sentimentale by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky", victoria softly said, starting the piece once more as she was less rusty now.

"come dance with me. it's a waltz isn't it?"

victoria raised a brow, as once she had lifted her fingers off the keys, the keys started playing by themselves, with the magical assistance of draco malfoy of course.

"may I?", draco curtsied.

victoria simply chuckled as she accepted the boy's offer. the two glazed around the tiny ballroom in their pajamas, though for victoria, her nightgown.

"much like our fourth-year isn't it?", draco reminded, to which victoria just nodded in acknowledgment.

     victoria had come a long way since her fourth-year, though the girl did not regret anything.

     at least...most things.

     "victoria", draco started, forcing the girl to zone back into reality.

     "yes darling?", victoria replied in her oddly comforting yet sickly sweet tone.

     "do you love me?"

     victoria's breath hitched, though she did not miss a moment to answer.

     "draco, you know I can't—"

     "I know. I know...but...how do you...how do you feel about me?", draco murmured, refusing to even look into the girl's eyes.

victoria was a bit hesitant on answering. never has she had to explain herself, explain her feelings, especially to confessing how she truly felt for someone.

victoria noir was at a loss of words for once in her life.

victoria could tell that draco took the girl's silence as a means of she didn't feel anything for him. and at that moment, draco's pained face had triggered something within victoria.

she then knew that she had a heart, because she could feel it break.

it was slowly chipping away, as she knew she wouldn't have been able to say the three words that draco ever so desired to hear.

"draco, you mean a lot to me. a lot. I know...I know we've had some difficulties in the past, but trust me when I say that everything I've done...up until now is for you...and oliver", victoria explained.

"would you stay by me then?", draco questioned, to which victoria gave the boy a smile and nodded.

draco then released victoria's hands, making the girl confused.

the pale boy then kneeled one leg on the floor while he shakily presented victoria a small black box. popping it open, draco finally met victoria's baffled gaze.

"draco, what are you—"

"victoria milliner noir, you have meant the world to me since our fifth-year of hogwarts. though we might've stepped off on the wrong foot, we've managed to dance our ways into each other's lives.

I'm not proposing for the sake of oliver—though he's partially the reason—I am proposing because I, draco malfoy, love you to no ends. I know full well you cannot physically love, but love can be shown in many different ways.

your gentle touch and care for us has said otherwise. you have woven your way into my heart, permanently residing there.

hence I am asking you: will you marry me?"

victoria wasn't even aware of the tears skimming down her rosy cheeks as she slowly inched towards draco, who was still kneeling on the ground.

the girl covered her mouth as her head drooped, quickly nodding to alert draco of her acceptance.

the boy immediately slipped the engagement ring onto the girl's ring finger. the silver band accented the dark, oval obsidian stone that was outlined by smaller diamonds.

victoria lumped herself onto draco as the boy let out a chuckle, a sigh of relief. the two stayed together on the ground for a while as victoria gathered herself together.

never in a lifetime did victoria see herself marrying someone, nor did she see herself starting a family.

after all, the girl knew that no man would tie themselves down to a girl who couldn't love.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again. I have enough love for the both of us", draco whispered into the girl's silvery locks.

victoria shakily let out a breath as draco wiped all her happy tears away.

"thank you darling. you're the best thing that's happened to me", victoria mumbled as she kissed draco on the lips, who had yearned for the girl's touch ever since she had left france.

"I love you victoria".

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