Draco Malfoy is one one of the most significant characters in the Harry Potter franchise - but who does he marry, and what happens to his wife?

Draco Malfoy is one of the most iconic and recognizable characters within the Harry Potter franchise. Whilst he is known for being Harry Potter’s rival, Draco underwent some dramatic character development during his time at Hogwarts. Despite being forced to follow his family’s traditional Pure-Blooded ideology, Draco eventually rebels against this and follows the right path.

Despite Draco’s complex personality and ultimate redemption, he is often overshadowed by Harry. However, the 2016 play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, placed more emphasis on Draco’s character and his relationship with his family – but who does Draco eventually marry, and what happens to her?

Who is Astoria Greengrass?

After the events of the Second Wizarding War, Draco marries Astoria Greengrass, who was from a well-respected Pure-Blood family. Her family believed in the ideals of Pure-Blood supremacy, and therefore installed these prejudiced beliefs upon Astoria from a young age. Like Draco, Astoria eventually rebelled against this narrow-minded ideology – becoming known as a Blood Traitor to her family.

Because of her refusal to follow these ideals, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were disappointed by Draco’s decision to marry Astoria. They tried to persuade Draco not to marry Astoria, believing her to be a disappointment of a daughter-in-law. However, Draco bravely stood up to his parents and proceeded to marry Astoria anyway – a remarkable separation from his former cowardly persona.

Astoria’s older sister, Daphne Greengrass, was in the same year as Draco whilst at Hogwarts. The pair were both in Slytherin together. Astoria also attended Hogwarts, but she was two years below Draco, which explains why audiences never saw the pair interact during the original Harry Potter series.

After marrying Draco, the pair had a son together – Scorpius Malfoy. Astoria refused to raise Scorpius alongside traditional Pure-Blooded ideals. As reflected by Voldemort and the Death Eaters, typical Pure-Blooded ideology consisted of an immense prejudice against Muggles, Muggle-Borns, and Half-Bloods. By raising Scorpius away from these prejudiced beliefs, Draco and Astoria’s son became an accepting, intelligent and understanding young wizard - as seen within Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Whilst at Hogwarts, Scorpius’ choice in companionship was not swayed by blood status – a mark of Astoria and Draco’s honorable parenting.

Scorpius had a good bond with both of his parents but was particularly close with Astoria. Astoria and Draco made an effort to raise Scorpius with the love they never received during their own childhoods. However, Scorpius’ birth greatly worsened Astoria’s already frail health.

What happened to Astoria Greengrass?

Astoria had a hereditary blood curse, which tragically weakened her health. Astoria’s blood curse arose from a curse placed on one of her ancestors, which sadly resurfaced in her family after many years. Draco and Astoria both knew that having a child would worsen her condition, but Astoria was adamant in her decision. During Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Draco explained Astoria’s bittersweet decision:

“I didn't want to risk her health, I said it didn't matter whether the Malfoy line died with me — whatever my father said. But Astoria — she didn't want a baby for the Malfoy name, for pureblood or glory, but for us. Our child, Scorpius, was born... it was the best day of both our lives, although it weakened Astoria considerably. We hid ourselves away, the three of us. I wanted to conserve her strength”.

Because of Astoria’s poor health, the family became reclusive, and Scorpius was raised in isolation at Malfoy Manor. However, despite Draco’s best efforts to protect his wife, Scorpius’ birth had already taken its toll on Astoria.

In the summer before Scorpius's third year at Hogwarts, Astoria tragically passed away. Both Draco and Scorpius were left heart-broken and struggled to cope with their grief, signifying the tragedy of Astoria’s death. Draco struggled so much with Astoria’s passing that he even contemplated using the Time-Turner so that he could see her again – even if only briefly. However, Draco eventually decides against this risk, fearing that the repercussions might be too great.

Whilst little is known about the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, fans are hoping that the show will place more emphasis on overlooked Harry Potter characters – including Astoria Greengrass. It has been confirmed that the series will tell a decade-spanning story, so it would be interesting to see whether Astoria’s character is woven into this. Astoria only made a brief appearance on-screen during the epilogue scene of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Here, she was seen waving goodbye to Scorpius as he boarded the Hogwarts Express for the first time. If Astoria does appear in the anticipated series, it would be hugely rewarding to see her courageous character in the spotlight.

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