I heard my mother calling me from downstairs. I was home from Hogwarts for Christmas break and had been spending the time quietly reading in my room, some gossip magazine per usual. This was my last year at Hogwarts, something I was very happy for. I couldn't wait to break free from this entire family. Sure, my parents were nice and all. My sister, Daphne, on the other hand was a complete brat. I had mixed feelings over what she did after her own graduation from the magical school. She completely shocked us all when she went against everything she had ever believed and ran off to who-knows-where with a muggle. My parents had never been so disappointed, but I was a little envious. Definitely not that she is in a relationship with a dirty muggle, but that she had the courage to step up and disobey our parents. Something I could never do.
"Astoria, please! Your father and I have something important to discuss with you," her mother called from the bottom of the marble staircase again.
Astoria pulled herself up from her bed and away from her thoughts of Hogwarts and his sister. She was greater by both parents at the end of the stairs. This was a sight to see because rarely were her parents ever in the same room. They had a very rocky marriage, even though they tried to hide that fact from their daughters.
"There you are darling," her mother smiled at her. "Why don't we retire to the den while we talk."
"We have very exciting news for you," her father threw in as he turned to leave the room.
Her mother and her followed him into the den. Her mother sat close to her father on the couch while Astoria took up the a chair opposite of them. Her curiosity was getting to her as she waited for her parents to continue. "Well…"
"You know your sister ran off with that muggle boy two years ago…" Her mother started.
"It devastated the family, we had counted on her marrying into a nice, wealthy, pure blood family. Instead she went against everything that this family believe. We have been talking, your mother and I, to other pureblood families about this little ordeal. We have come to the conclusion that we simply cannot allow this to happen again." Her father spoke seriously.
"I won't marry a muggle. Why would I?" Astoria rolled her eyes.
"That's not a risk we're willing to take, your sister had always said the same thing," her father replied.
Her mother continued in a cheery voice, "We have been talking to the Malfoy's. Lucius wants to marry off his son as quickly as possible. This is the perfect opportunity!"
It was starting to click in place as to where she would fit in, "You don't mean…"
Her father cut her off, "Yes. We have arranged for you to marry Draco Malfoy."
"But he's so much older than me!" Draco was two years ahead of her in school, graduating the same year as her sister.
"Now Astoria, it's only two years," her mother chided.
"Well your sister would have been better suited, yes, but we see what a disappointment she has been. But we know you won't be, not if you marry a Malfoy."
Her father eyed her. Dare she revolt against this horribly unfair marriage? Of course not, but marry Draco Malfoy? Did he even agree to this? She didn't want to admit the crush she had on him when he was still in school. He had been friends with her sister so she had run into him on a few occasions.
Her mind went to one summer two years ago...
"Astoria! Get out of here!" Daphne Greengrass screeched, throwing a nearby shoe at her sister's form standing in the doorway.
Astoria ducked as the shoe flew passed her head, "I just wanted to warn you that Mum and Dad are on their way home."
That caught Daphne's attention, "What? They're not suppose to be back until tomorrow." She narrowed her eyes, as if accusing her sister of lying. Walking over to block her sister's access of the room by standing in the doorway.
"Well something happened in Paris and Mum wanted to come home early so they just sent a letter that they would be home today," Astoria shrugged. Peering around her sister she saw the company that she had. Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy we all sitting around the room. Draco was watching the altercation between the sisters as he absentmindedly created smoke in intricate designs from the end of his wand.
"Ugh!" She turned to her friends, "I guess you guys should be going, sorry about this." The three slowly got up from their independent seating. "And you!" Daphne turned to her sister once more, "Don't you dare tell Mum or Dad about me having people over."
"I won't!" Astoria squeaked out.
"Aw Daphne don't be so mean to her, she's just trying to help. It's actually kind of cute," A chuckle erupted from none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Oh gag," Daphne rolled her eyes, "You did not just call my kid sister cute."
"Yeah Drac, what's that about?" Pansy sneered at him, obviously jealous. She was Draco's somewhat girlfriend. He didn't treat her like a girlfriend, but she was always around hanging on to his every word.
"Oh stop, I just mean that it's nice she looks out for you." Draco brushed off.
"Whatever," Daphne said in a snarky voice, "I'll walk you to the gate." She turned and left the room, brushing roughly by her sister in the hall. Blaise and Pansy followed her out right away.
Draco followed after but when walking past Astoria he smirked at her, "You are kinda cute though." He winked at her.
Marry Draco Malfoy? There could be way worse purebloods to marry.
"Astoria honestly, pull yourself together." My mother rolled her eyes as we walked up the stairs to the Malfoy Manor. We were here to sign some papers and get the marriage agreement started. I was obviously nervous beyond belief. I still had a very hard time processing that Draco would ever even want to marry me.
Lucius Malfoy opened the door, "Hello! Please come in."
Her parent's both lead the way as she trailed behind them, looking very much like a lost child. She really wasn't that young, but she felt it her. She followed her parents into a large sitting room where Draco and Narcissa Malfoy were already seated.
"Hello, welcome welcome!" Mrs. Malfoy beamed. She was clearly excited about this marriage.
We took our own seats, I unfortunately made eye contact with Draco, who was staring at me curiously. When he caught my eye he smiled softly.
Our parents started to talk about an agreement document about the marriage. The entire thing bored me and I yawn softly, trying to hide it.
But Mrs. Malfoy must have caught it for she turned to her son and spoke softly, "Draco darling, why don't you take Miss Greengrass to the tea room? I'm sure she would love to warm up in front of the fire and have tea, the weather is brutal out there," Mrs. Malfoy edged on her son and smiled at me. "Anyway this paperwork is dreadfully boring business."
He got up from the chair he was sitting in, "of course mother. Would any of you like anything? I could have a house elf bring something in." He asked politely as he made his way toward the exit of them room.
"That'd be lovely dear, yes have Dottie bring us some tea and the scrumptious little cookies she makes."
"Of course," he smiled at them. He motioned for me to follow, "Are you coming?"
I jumped up from my seat at once and followed him into another room.
"Have a seat," he gestured to the table.
I sat down at the cute little table that was placed in the room. It was close enough to the fireplace to catch the warmth from it, but not too close. I watched silently as Draco bent down, lighting the fireplace with his wand. I felt the heat reach me immediately. Mrs. Malfoy was right, it was terribly cold outside and I still hadn't shaken the chill from me yet.
A house elf appeared and fluttered around me, laying things on the table.
He came back and sat across from me at the table."So…" Draco started as he watched the small house elf in the pink frilly apron pour tea into the cups.
And that's when my nervous talking began, "So this must be super weird for you, you know since I'm younger and you were friends with my sister. You know before she ran off with that muggle, which really surprised us all because she was a very strict pureblood who always said how disgusting muggles were, but maybe that didn't actually surprise you because maybe you as her friends knew her better than I did. I mean I'm only her sister and she really didn't even like me that much so we didn't talk about anything ever anyway. Maybe she actually liked muggles, I don't know. So yeah this-"
"Astoria." He cut me off, something I was grateful for, "breathe." He smiled at me, amused.
"I'm sorry I talk when I'm nervous," I squeaked out.
"Thank you Dorie," he nodded at the house elf before she pulled on her ear and with a *pop* was gone. He turned back to me, "why are you so nervous."
"You're Draco Malfoy!" I said as if it couldn't be anymore obvious.
"I am," that amused smile was back.
I looked away from him as I took a sip of my tea, careful not to drop it since my hands were shaking slightly, "you probably only see me as a kid still anyway."
Draco reached out and stilled my hand, completely relieving it of the shaking it was doing prior. He started at me, hand still on my wrist and his thumb curved up to rest on my palm. "No, you're definitely not a child anymore." The look he gave me looked appreciative, "You've grown up, and it has done you well."
My eyes went wide, pupils dilating as his face went in and out of my focus, "really?"
"Quite." A smirk played on his lips as I watched the reflection of the fire's flames in the pupils of his eyes, his irises too light in color to capture a reflection.
I gulped. One hurdle had been passed, but there was still another thing that left me feeling uneasy. "I do have a question…" It was clear that I was nervous to ask.
"I probably have an answer," he smiled a genuine smile at me.
How did I say this? After a few moments of trying to figure that out I gave up and decided just to ask my question. "I know your family was rather…involved in the war."
He nodded, waiting for me to go on.
"And I know which side your family was on, our families were on."
He didn't seem phased.
"I was wondering if you were still a part of that because I don't know how I would feel being married to a deatheater."
He paused for a minute, "So your question is if I'm a deatheater?"
"Yes."
He sighed deeply, running his hand through his blonde hair. "After the war ended a lot of things changed, even for big families like mine. The Malfoy family is soaked in tradition. One tradition is to be part of Voldemort's force."
I held my breath, oh no…
"But even more than that, tradition to protect our name's honor is at the forefront. My father has only recently been released from Azkaban. After Voldemorts fall our family has taken to doing more damage control than anything. We've all been on our very best behavior." He smiled at me, "So to answer your direct question, no I am not a deatheater."
I sighed in relief. "Good, I'm sorry I just…I would have such a hard time with that. It terrifies me."
He nodded in agreement, "Want to hear a secret?" He whispered.
"A secret?"
"Yes, one that very few people know."
I was ever curious, "of course."
He leaned in toward me, "I never wanted to be one."
I gasped, "really? But your family is so-"
"I know, I know. I was given an order to kill Dumbledore, but I couldn't do it. I didn't have it in me. I am a Malfoy, but I have a lot of good in me believe it of not. I take after my mother in many ways."
"What about your father?"
He chuckled, "He's a raving lunatic." He breathed that out like it was no big deal.
I couldn't help but to laugh out loud at his bluntness. Maybe this marriage thing would be a lot easier than I had thought.
