A/N: Written for XxXRegretXxX 's Start and Stop Challenge with the word/phrase "Don't Speak".

When Astoria had first heard the words 'don't speak', she'd barely registered them. Draco lay staring at the ceiling and the whisper with which he spoke was barely audible. Darkness hugged at the room and Astoria burrowed deeper in the sheets, listening to her husbands breathing. It sounded ragged and out of place, as though he was forcing every breath in and out.

When she glanced back at him she was shocked. Still he was looking at the dark ceiling, as though he could see the painful memories through it. For his pale face was broken up and tears were swimming in his gray eyes. Astoria wanted to reach out to him, but he would just push away, so she lay there, waiting.

And he wept.

And Astoria knew every tear that he'd shed.

He wept for the final battle. All that was lost, and all the was gained. Wept for the trauma with which everyone suffered, and for the people who knew no difference.

She was sure he wept for the Dark Lord. Tears of sadness, mingled in the tears of relief. For he was finally vanquished, yet there was the shame that he'd never had the guts to do it himself.

Wept perhaps for Potter. Because through seven years of struggle he'd remained unbroken; unlike some people.

Wept for the death of many friends, that go unnoticed, or uncared for. Many nameless Death Eaters, brethren, Crabbe. Not everyone was bad you see. Some just misunderstood.

Some still misunderstood.

And the sobs that pulled themselves out of Draco's chest were broken and torn, just so very like himself. But he continued to weep.

And he pulled Astoria close and cried on her bosom. Because Malfoy's were still human. That was nothing to be ashamed of.

He wept for the loss of childhood he endured. Wept for that pale-blonde kid in Madam Malkin's from the very start. To the Mudblood hater and avenger; the image he was shaped to be.

Then for the most recent loss. He wept for his father, for he was finally gone-yet the man had never left. But he'd always stuck through, and did everything for Draco. He'd gone through trials that no man should face but he made it out. And if he so happened to lash out at his son, his wife, his family- it was irrelevant. But now he was gone.

A guilty part of Astoria's conscience watched him weep, and hoped that in there he'd managed to shed a few tears for her, and for Scorpius. But she didn't ask because she didn't speak. And she didn't speak because what good were words to the heartbroken soul?