Destiny chapter 1 the beginning of a hopefully happy ending…

It is a story of lovers forced together,

To live a life they didn't want.

Torn apart by the struggle to find their true selves,

A struggle to separate the good from the evil,

A struggle to come together as one,

A struggle to find hard ground,

And separated compellingly by fate,

But in the end,

Forced back together yet again by

Destiny

'Hold your damn horses I'm coming!' What the hell does he want now?! Were the first thoughts that ran through my head as my dad called me down stairs to his office.

'Michelle, Language!' he scolded me in a dangerously low tone.

'I'm here…' I replied folding my arms over my chest waiting for my dad to respond.

'The Malfoy's are coming over for dinner to discuss yours and Mr. Malfoy's engagement. So be ready in you finest before seven and come to the main hall to greet them with me and your mother.'

'Uhum… Wait! Hold up! What did you say?! Draco's engagement?! With me?! You're kidding right?! Oh and for your information she isn't my mother!' I scowled at him.

'Yes, yours and Mr. Malfoy's engagement… No I am not kidding … and you will call Brooke your mother.'

'Nooo… why not?! And hell no!!' I said dropping myself on the leather seat in front of him.

'Did I permit you to sit?! I don't remember doing anything of that sort! Now, get up march to your room, put on a flattering dress, and come meet us down in the main hall, young lady!' he said, his voice growing louder with each command.

'NO! I'm not marrying that spoiled little cockroach!' I said standing up abruptly and placing both my hands on my father's desk, leaning towards him.

'You will listen to me! Don't you have any idea of how important this deal is?! We are planning to combine the Malfoy enterprises with ours! This is a big deal! This is the biggest offer I gave them and they agreed! Not only that but you and Mr. Malfoy will be managing it once you're old enough to take over! Together!' he said standing up to his full height easily towering over me.

'What?! I don't want to do that! Especially not with him! Don't you have any other ideas about that?! Ideas without me and that cockroach getting…' I scowled at him once more and paused for effect, 'married….' Visibly shuddering at the thought. 'Oh! And another thing to add to your fact book I am not just a thing you can make deals over with some other person! I'm a human being too! I have feelings! I have ambitions! I have dreams I want to fulfill for Gods sake!'

'No, I have made up my mind and I won't change it! Now, Get out of my office and change into something descent!'

'Why not?! We could just be business partners and run it together like you said… and we no I could have a family which doesn't include him. Think about that dad! I don't want to marry him…' I finished weakly, all the time knowing that what ever I had just preached to my dad would just get thrown back at me. 'God! We don't even like each other! And plus he's dating Erin! Why won't you just make her marry him?!'

'No! I have made up my mind and the Malfoy's are considering it… therefore it won't change! You know that I would put you before her. The Malfoy's are a very powerful wizarding family and mixing with them even in the scene that you have to marry Mr. Malfoy would do a great job on our part. It would make our family much more powerful and stronger than it is now, and you know it! So pick a nice outfit and join us in the main hall before seven. Or else!' He sat back down when he finished, smirking at me when I grudgingly folded my arms across my chest and left the room, 'good girl!' he called after me like a puppy that just followed his orders to do a trick. I wouldn't have followed his orders but with him, since my mom died, I couldn't take any risks… well at least not yet… but then even if I had it would always end up with me getting hurt.

I growled in frustration as I climbed the steps making sure to stomp on them with as much force as possible before I proceeded to the next. I banged the door as loud as I could promising myself to make this family –if you could call it that- as miserable as I am. I turned to the closed door glaring at it while imagining my father's and the cockroaches face instead of the door in front of me, while I yelled as loud as I could and banged my fists at it angrily. Venting as much anger I could get out without actually breaking down the door. I suddenly stopped trying to imagine myself and what I was doing realizing how crazily stupid I looked yelling and banging at the door, swiftly turning and sliding down the door in exasperation and heaving a big long sigh of frustration. Banging my fist against the door one last time, I got up and went to the bathroom and started to run water in the bath pouring it with strawberry and cream bath foam breathing in the scent while I did.

I tore my clothes off my body while I moved around the room grabbing all the candles I saw and lighting them while I arranged them around the tub leaving some space for me to walk in and out of it if I needed. Once I was satisfied with the arrangement, I slipped in the bath sighing in contentment, letting the warm water wrap around my body and gradually lessen the tension building up.

Meanwhile in the Malfoy manor, Draco sat in front of his father scowling at the news he had delivered.

'Father! I whole heartedly object! I won't marry her! I can run Malfoy enterprises without her help! I don't need her as a partner and I definitely don't want her as one! I can do it alone! Have you no faith in me regarding running the Malfoy enterprises, father?'

'Draco, I do have faith in you regarding that subject, I know since you have proved that to me. But the fact that we have an opportunity to develop our status is an opportunity we should not take for granted. Understand that Draco!' Lucius Malfoy had explained to his son for the second time surprisingly calm.

'But father… you don't understand! She loathes me! I loathe her! We hate each other! It wouldn't work! Why can't just let me take care of Malfoy enterprises by myself… I'll take lessons if I need to… just not with that erratic little know-it-all! I wonder if she's related to Granger as she's seemed to have taken after her… It's unbelievably annoying!'

'Draco, do not speak about your betrothed that way! Have some respect for once will you?! No more excuses or complaints it's the end of our discussion, Draco!' he said once he saw Draco about to cut in, 'I have made up my mind and we are going to meet them for dinner and discuss it once dinner is over! Now, pick an appropriate attire. We're leaving in an hour. No buts I don't want to hear another word from you! Oh, and by the way, don't ever talk to me that way again!' He said walking out off his office to get ready himself. Leaving an extremely sulky Draco.

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After realizing I had fallen asleep, I got up from the bath quickly rinsing off all the soap suds. I walked swiftly to my walk in closet looking for something appropriate to wear. I sighed in realization that I was going to be officially betrothed to the one person in the whole world I loathed. Tying my hair in a messy bun in the bottom of my nape I had decided to wear a simple electric blue and neon pink shirt with dark jeans and my favorite pair of high cut chuck's.

Just when I was about to leave my room Erin suddenly opened my door and wlaked into my room.

'What the hell are you doing?!' I practically yelled at her, standing straight. Erin and I were the best of friends, as close as a girl could get with her gal friend. But it all crumbled to pieces when my father had decided to marry her mother. That was the first thing we had disagreed –to an extent- about. It was fairly simple, I didn't want my father to marry, and she did. Erin and her mom wasn't close with her father and so they had accepted mine as their own.

I on the other hand, loved my mother –who I was superbly close with. I loved my father too –noticed the d, that was after I noticed my fathers enormous change. He loved my mother to bits, and I believed he loved me too. But when she had died and he had moved on to that unfeeling thing called Brooke, everything just fell apart.

I kept on trying to break them up, and Erin had put them back together each time. So basically I had become the black sheep of the family. But then that wasn't enough for her. We had slowly become each others enemies, rivals, competitor, opponent and foe. The friend I thought I trusted vanished and was replaced –to me- by the devil itself.

She had changed dramatically. The smart and intelligent, logical girl I knew turned into the blond I saw from the out side. She turned to a blond who constantly flashed unnecessary amounts of skin and had changed her flings weekly. Maybe even kept 3 or 4 at a time. A girl I had trusted was no more.

So back to my point. Why she was here. In my room.

'Well?! Why are you here?!' I repeated a little louder.

'I'm here to talk about Draco.' She said folding her arms and staring at me from head to toe. I knew she was going to say that.

'For Gods sakes, Erin! Do we really have to talk about this?! You know what my answer will be anyway!' I said sighing and throwing my hands up in annoyance.

'Yea, we really have to talk about this! You're going to marry him for Merlin's sake! How can you not expect me to react?!'

She was right, how couldn't I?! He was still her boyfriend after all. They've been dating for six months already and she hadn't cheated with him, ever. It was either she loved his body and what it could do or he was keeping her on a short leash. Whatever it was I personally don't give.

'What do you want me to say then?! 'He's all yours.'?! Coz you already know that! And I don't want him in any part of my life!'

'I know, but it isn't enough!'

'Then what do you want me to say?! What do you want me to do?!'

'I want you to tell dad that you won't marry Draco!'

'You know very well what he would do to me! You can't make me do that!'

'I hate you! You ask what I want, I answer and you totally refuse?!'

'Erin! You have to understand that I can't do that! You're the golden apple of his eye anyway you ask him!'

'Fine!' she said turning around so fast making me think she would trip over herself. The answer was all her though the Erin I used to know.

I untangled my wet hair as I entered our private living room. Everyone was already there patiently waiting. Brooke and Erin watching my father pace in front of the fire place with a glass of brandy in one hand. My father stopped pacing and looked at the outfit I was wearing. He was about to say something –he was probably going to tell me to change my shoes- before a house elf appeared a few meters away from him, bowing as low as she could before spearing to my father.

'Master,' Tinky said in a squeaky voice, 'Mr. Malfoys and Mrs. Malfoys have arrived and are waitings for yous in the main doors.' She bowed low again before disappearing. I felt a pang of sorrow hit me at seeing Tinky eager to serve her masters not knowing that her beloved master didn't even know her name.

He swiftly set down his glass on a near by table and told us to wait in the dining room while he went and got our guests.

About three minutes later he and the Malfoys entered to room. I stood in the back while Brooke and Erin greeted them –Brooke shaking hands, while Erin threw herself on an annoyed looking Malfoy making the tips of my mouth turn slightly at his expression. Not bothering to watch them flatter each other with fake authenticity I tuned around. Which was a bad move at that time as my father had shot me a warning glare then looking towards the Malfoys.

'Mr., Mrs. Malfoy, what an honor it is to see you again.' I said putting on my fake happy voice and giving them the warmest smile I could muster.

'My what a pleasure it is to see you again… you've grown to be as beautiful as your mother and only what, Fifteen?' he said taking a hold of my hand and giving it a small, short peck. Thank God for that. He released my hand and turned to the younger Malfoy. Giving him a glare identical to my fathers he said pointedly, 'Draco…'

'You've grown alright…' he said before taking my hand and mirroring his fathers' movement but lingering a little longer than I liked. He stood up his full height –easily towering over my 5'1 or 2- raising an eyebrow and smirking at me when I wrenched my hand from his grip and kiss, making me stumble a bit.

'Now the greeting are over, let's eat!' my father said clapping his hands once and turning around to take his place. There are times like this it seems he's human again, not only human but like a muggle human, not that I have any problems with that.

He took his place at the end of the table while the older Malfoy sat across from him. Brooke and Erin sat across each other while Narcissa –as she insisted I call her- and I sat across each other leaving Draco to sit between me and Erin. The table wasn't huge as we invited them to our private dining room.

I sat silently not really eating but playing with my food until the next course started. Each time I looked up and glanced around the table I saw Erin flirting with Draco so much that the only thing lacking was for her to sit on his lap while eating. And every time I looked away I saw Narcissa give me a knowing smile –knowing… I don't know what.

After almost two hours of me sitting at the table and playing with my food absentmindedly, we moved to the living room. My father offered Mr. Malfoy some drinks and well, it was down to business. Humph business it was as if we were some cheap thing that was for sale or for trade, I hate my father, I have not one clue of what my mom saw in him

In the middle of the 3 men's discussion Erin finally got up from her seat and marched right over and started to almost yell in desperation.

'Erin! This is none of your concern! If you won't go back to your seat and sit quietly you'd better get out of the room!' my father yelled back after listening to her rant nonstop. She sighed –a defeated sigh, mind you- and left the room. What surprised me then was the fact that Draco didn't even try to calm her down or tell her that he was going to figure something out, for her sake. But he just sat there next to me looking at my father as he scolded her. She's gonna have my neck for that later.

'So, like I was saying,' Lucius continued, 'I would like to have Michelle stay at Malfoy manor until the term begins. It would be better if she went to the same school as Draco, so they would get to know each others personalities and dislikes before actually getting married.' At that point of the conversation my head shot up staring at my father with disbelieving eyes when his faithful words came out of his lips almost eagerly, 'Absolutely, that would be a splendid idea.'

'What?! So its not punishment enough I have to marry this prat?! Are you alright?! Are you that pissed?! Because I want you hear me loud and clear! I am not under any circumstances going to live with him!' I said pointing in Draco's direction. 'I mean no offence Mr. Malfoy but if you had another son apart from him I would gladly go! But since he's your only child then – then I won't go!'

'Michelle we have already talked about this… again, I have made my decision and I'm sticking to it. Period.'

'Humph. What ever! I'm going quietly! But just so you know I still hate you for this!'

Well that was practically the end of the conversation –for me coz I went exit stage one wit a glare shot to my father.

It was settled, I was to leave for the manor in the morning with Draco –he would be spending the night- which wasn't what I really needed that time. I wanted to postpone every thing. After standing in the hall in the verge of tears Draco walked up to me.

'Davies, Do you hate me that much?!' he asked seeing me franticly wiping away my tears when I noticed he was there.

'Shut the heck up, Malfoy. This has nothing to do with you.' I murmured and tuned towards the stairs to go to my room when he suddenly grabbed my hand and turned me around gently.

'What is it then?' he murmured back as if afraid someone might spot us in our vulnerable bubble.

'Why do you care anyway? Oh wait you don't! You just want to know so you could rub it in my face somehow right?!' I said pulling my hand back.

'Why do you keep on acting like this towards me? What the hell did I do to you?! I care because I'm involved in this ok? Because it's my marriage too.'

'Huh… and I was going to actually believe that you were human under all that aristocratic shit…'

'What is wrong with you? I try to set up a truce and you act all bitchy on me?' he said letting your hand go fast like you had burnt him.

'If you don't like how I act… go ask Erin to be your wife for me…' I tuned around and walked away.

Draco stood there a while longer before going to Erin's room.

'Erin?' Draco said knocking and opening the door to find her on her bed, lying down on her side. 'Erin we need to talk…' he said sitting next to her on the bed.

'Get the hell up of my bed and out of my room…'

'Erin… we need to talk about this…' he said wrapping his arms around her while he lay down next to her.

'Get your arms off me… we don't need to talk about any thing… you didn't even defend my point…' she said taking his arms off her and sat up. 'We're done Malfoy…'

'Have it your way…' he said and walked out of her room.