Holding On| Letting Go

[newmommy1993]

Taylor smiled and shrugged. "I think of everything." She commented. It was nice that he put his jacket around her, so she wouldn't get cold. "Thank you." She said softly. She watched as he poured them each a glass of juice. Taylor mimicked him, holding her glass up. "A great night. And many others to come." Taylor toasted, clanking her glass into his before she took a sip. She then took out the mini snacks she brought, including some cookies and brownies she baked earlier that day. "I have a big sweet tooth." She stated as she took a bite into a cookie.

Taylor cleared her throat, looking at Draco. "I have something for you." She said, reaching into her handbag and taking out a small black box. "I picked it out while I was getting my dress the other day, I was waiting until the right time to give it to you." She said, remembering the silver promise ring she picked out. Taylor remembered Draco's ring size. "It's a promise ring. I want you to promise you'll stay with me, even if something happens to us down the road, promise to be there with me through thick and thin. Always." Taylor said, grasping his hand in her own. "Please?" She asked.

~

Oliver chuckled at Eric's statement. "There probably won't be a wedding soon, but trust me, I hope there will be one. If I had to pick someone to marry, Ryan would be on the first of my list." He said, glancing over at her. "Of course you'd be invited, man." He shrugged. He looked back over and noticed a man hugging Ryan, picking the little boy up. Oliver didn't recognize him at first, but soon saw it was only Henry, Ryan's brother. "Its only her brother, I don't think I have anything to worry about. See you later." Oliver said before going back over to Ryan, Ayden, and Henry.

Oliver greeted Henry with a firm handshake and chuckled, nodding his head. "Of course. We'll see you later, kiddo." Oliver said, playfully ruffling Ayden's hair.

[BeautifullyxMad]

Draco looked over to Taylor when she gave him the promise ring, but before he accepted it, he placed took the small box from her hands and set it down beside them before bringing her face into his hands. "Taylor, I will always be there for you." he assured her, looking her right in the eyes and he brought his lips to hers before he smiled to her. "I promise you that." he assured her before he took the small box and placed it in his pocket. "But, I am not going to start wearing it until I find you one as well." he told her before he brought his arm around her, and he allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder and he felt content sitting there with her.

It was nice. It was calm, and for once Draco felt like he belonged where he was at. It was a nice feeling to have once in a while.

-&-

Ryan smiled over to Oliver and Ayden reached out and Ryan took him from Henry and hugged her son before he moved closer to Oliver and hugged him. Ayden smiled to Oliver and soon Ayden placed a kiss to his mother's cheek and Ryan set him down and he took hold of Henry's hand. Her brother smiled to the small boy and before they could walk off, he commented. "You're a natural, Oliver. Maybe you and Ryan should have married a long time ago. You know it's not too late. See you guys tomorrow." he said before quickly heading off, and Ryan fixated a look to her brother's back and shook her head before looking at Oliver.

"I am so sorry about that. My family is a little... well, you know how they are. I mean I get it... I'm happy again, and Ayden... Ayden's happy too, but I'm so sorry that they keep dropping little comments like that." she apologized, placing her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder, briefly. As much as she knew that she wanted to marry Oliver, she didn't want to rush this. They had barely just said their first I love yous to each other three months ago, and sure they had known each other forever, but she didn't want to rush it.

[newmommy1993]

Taylor looked up at him and she smiled. 'I hope so. I love you so much, Draco." She said softly. She watched as he took the box, and then she laughed. "Alright, you've got a deal." She said, kissing him. She leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder, as they looked out across the lake. "It's so beautiful out here tonight." She said softly, looking up at the starry night sky. She was having a great time with him right now. Taylor sat up when she heard someone coming up behind them. She turned to be looking at her father. "Dad." She said, quickly standing up. Anger clouded in his eyes. "I told you to stay away from the Malfoy's." He said through clenched teeth.

"I know, but dad, I'm eighteen now, you can't tell me what to do anymore. I love Draco and I'm not going to stop seeing him." She saw her dad taking something out of his pocket. His wand. "I don't want you near him." He growled. Taylor knew it was her dad's disorder talking, but she was still scared. "Dad, put your wand away." She said, her heart racing. He aimed the wand at Draco before muttering a stunning spell. It wasn't to kill him, but just knock him out and hurt him. After he mumbled the words, Taylor screamed 'no' and jumped in front of him, the sparks hitting her instead of Draco. She crumpled to the ground, swirls of blackness surrounding her.

~

Oliver chuckled at Henry's comment, something he was starting to really get use to now. He watched as the two walked off and left. Oliver took Ryan as they started dancing again. He laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry about it, your family isn't the only one making those comments." He said. He did want to marry Ryan, but not yet. They had just started dating a few months ago. Yes, he had been in love with her many years and none of the girls' he previously dated were in comparison to her, but he wasn't ready for marriage just yet.

"Thirsty? I'll get us some drinks." He said, going to pour two glasses of punch before walking back up to Ryan, handing her a glass.

[BeautifullyxMad]

[will reply to later.]

[newmommy1993]

[alright.]

[BeautifullyxMad]

Draco was a little surprised to see Taylor's father. He didn't expect a lot of people to be out here, but when he rose his wand, Draco stood up and before Mr. Brighton's spell could hit him, it hit Taylor. Draco quickly got to her side, and he yelled out. "Help!" he shouted. He didn't know how to handle something like this, but soon a tall man with a little blonde boy came over. Ayden, he remembered the boy's name. That was Ryan's child, Oliver's girlfriend's child.

"Move over." the man demanded. "I'm a healer." he told them, and Draco moved to Taylor's other side, looking down to her as the man the little boy stood next to him. "Go inside and find Ryan Lockhart, she'll know what to do." the man said, and Draco quickly headed inside, seeing the little boy sit down beside Taylor.

"Hurt." he said, and Henry looked over to the man.

"What happened?" he asked, and Draco soon got inside and found Ryan and Oliver, and he looked at them.

"Ryan. I need... your help... Taylor's been hurt... the healer outside said to come get you." he breathed.

-&-

Ryan rolled her eyes. "People just need to stay out of our business." she grumbled, and when he brought her back some punch she smiled. "Thank you." she said to him, and soon Draco Malfoy came over and she raised a brow. "Henry?" she inquired and Draco nodded and she looked to Oliver. "What happened?"

"Well, Taylor's dad doesn't like us being around each other, or her around me, however. He went to hit me with a stunning spell , but she moved in the way and she collapsed with black stuff swirling around her." he quickly explained, and Ryan looked to Oliver.

"Alright." she said, pulling her wand from the garter around her leg and she headed outside to where the girl was collapsed and Ryan moved and got to her knees and brought the girl's head in her lap and stroked her hair, looking to Henry. "Do you have any of your medical supplies with you? We'll need the Phoenix flower." she said. "It will cure her more quickly."

Henry nodded, and she stroked the girl's hair, seeing Draco come back out to the side where Ayden was, and Ryan looked up to Mr. Brighton. "Sir, I need to ask that you go back inside for the moment. Draco, you as well. Henry will need some room, and I'll keep her head up." she told them, calmly, but when Mr. Brighton decided to protest, Ayden took his mother's spot, letting Taylor's head rest in his tiny lap as she stood up.

"I can bring you in for wrongful use of a stunning spell, but I'm not going to. Tonight is about unity and equal opportunity, if I ever catch you using that spell on anyone again, I will bring you in for questioning." Ryan said, shifting into her wolf form and growling at them to get them inside.