Homecoming
"I can't talk now Carley, I've got to go take a shower, we're going to the Malfoy's tonight."
"Oh, that's right, Draco's out of school again."
"Yea, he is."
"And youre spending the whole summer there?"
"Just like every year."
"Oh, sorry Nats."
"Dont be, it's fun!"
"Spending the whole summer with Draco Malfoy doesn't sound like fun to me."
"You're forgetting that I grew up with him. If anyone knows how to get the best out of Draco Malfoy, it's me."
"Whatever, I still say it sucks but if you're gonna be all, silver lining on me that's your problem."
"Very funny, I do have to go though."
"Okay, go to lover boy, but call me... promise."
"Pinky promise, and he's not my lover boy."
"You say that now..."
"Goodbye Carley!"
Bye Nats!"
I hang up the phone and run down the hallway, into the bathroom.I just know my parents are going to kill me if I make us late. I take a quick shower and dress in record time. When I finally stop long enough to look at myself in the mirror, I think I look pretty good for rushing.
"NATALIE! If you don't get down here now, we're going to apperate without you!"
"I'm coming!"
I grab my purse and run down the stairs where my parents are waiting, and very impatietly, I might add.
"It's about time!"
My father says glancing at his watch for probably the millionth time tonight.
"Let's just go James, you know how Narcissa hates tardiness."
"Just tell her it's all Natalie's fault, then she won't care."
My mother turns to me, wagging her finger in my face.
"Now, I want you to be nice to Draco this summer."
"Mom, I'm always nice to him."
"Not true, the two of you are always fighting, and don't even try to deny it, I see you!"
"That's because you're only there in the beginning of the summer and he's always a jerk when he comes back from Hogwarts."
She gives me an evil look and I shut my mouth. My father grabs my arm roughly and we stand close.
"Malfoy Manor."
I shut my eyes tightly as the all to familiar sensation of falling through space, swirls around me. I hate apperating, mainly because I always, without fail, fall flat on my face, and no one seems to care enough to catch me. When I open my eyes, I see that I am standing, not lying in the middle of the Malfoy's hallway, and I'm also in someone's arms. I look up into a pair of ice blue eyes and smile. I stand corrected.
"Oh hey Draco."
He nods his head slightly.
"Sup?"
I stand up straight and smile
"Dont' let your mother hear you say that, she'll freak."
"Actually, that'd be your mom."
"Yeah you're probably right."
"GWENDOLYN!"
We both turn to see Narcissa squeal as she runs into my mother's open arms. Beside them my father and Lucious exchange handshakes and immediatly begin talking about "business".
"So, how was school?"
"Oh, same old same old, you know, pick on a few mudbloods, skip a few classes, all in a days work."
"Really, well, I-"
I am cut off when I hear Narcissa squeal my name, I turn around and am immediatley enveloped in a smothering hug.
"Oh Natalie! I've missed you so, you have to come visit me more often, not only when Draco's on break."
"I will, I promise."
I say, she pulls away and looks at me.
"Oh, darling, look at you! You've grown! My little girl has become a woman. You look beautiful. Doesn't she Lucious?"
Lucious gives me the old up and down scrutinizing look and smiles.
"She sure has."
Narcissa grabs my mother's arm and sighs.
"Well, come along all, dinner's ready and probably cold."
She says giving my mother a look, who in turn passes it to me. I start to follow them, when I hear Lucious clear his throat. Suddenly, Draco is at my side and he is offering his arm.
"May I?"
I smile as I loop my arm through his and he leads me into the dining room, leaving Lucious, who is smling to himself.
"So, Draco, how is school?"
My father asks after we have all been seated.
"Oh, it is great, Mr. Porter."
"Good. I'm glad."
There is a silence, and everyone goes back to therir chewing and sipping.
"Oh, Gwendolyn, how silly of me, I almost forgot to tell you, I found the cutest bride's maid's dresses the other day!"
"Oh, did you? How wonderful! You must let me see them."
"Yes, of coures after dinner perhaps. Oh and I showed them to my sister in law, Cynthia, and she said that she could make some matching tiaras."
"Tiaras! Oh how exciting!"
Draco and I share quizzical glances.
"What are they talking about?"
He mouths to me.
"I have no idea."
"Oh, for Merlins sake! Will the two of you stop talking about that wedding?"
Lucious half shouts, slamming down his wine glass. Narcissa gives him a look and starts to pout.
"But Lucious, it's so important! It's getting closer and closer with every passing day and we've got to plan for it!"
" Are you mad woman? It's three years away yet! And I thought we agreed there would be no planning during family times, especially around the children."
He points to us and I look at Draco, who shrugs his shoulders.
"Um, excuse me, but what is going on?"
I ask to no one in particular. Lucious sits back in his chair and flods his arms like a little kid.
"Now you've done it Nars, they know!"
"Me? You're the one who brought them into it!"
He rolls his eyes, not admitting anything.
"Well what are we to do now?"
"Just tell them, they have to find out sooner or later."
My mother says and Narcissa nods her head eagerly.
"Yes. But we planned on later. This isnt later, its sooner, and I say theyre too young!"
"They are not Lucious! Look at them!"
She points to us again, now I'm really confused.
"If this is about where babys come from, we already know."
Draco says, Narcissa laughs.
"No dear, this is not about that."
"And just how do you know where baby's come form?"
Lucious asks, but everyone ignores him.
"Will some one please tell me about this wedding?"
"Yeah."
Draco says
"Who's getting married?"
Lucious looks at us for what seems like a long, long time, then he turns to the others and sighs.
"Let me tell them then."
They all nod their heads in agreement and Narcissa claps her hands.
"Oh goody!"
Lucious turns back to us.
"Natalie, Draco, there comes a time in every child's life when they become an adult."
"Oookay..."
Draco says like "Duh" I smack his arm.
"But who's getting married?"
"You are."
Narcissa says comfortingly.
"Fianlly we get some answers around here I - I- m-me?"
My parents nod and Draco slaps my back.
"Way to go Nats! So how's the poor sod anyway?"
"You are Draco."
Lucious says, not so comfortingly. Draco's face goes whita and his mouth hangs open.
"M-me?"
"Yes you."
I close his mouth with my hand and smile
"Who's the poor sod now?"
"Wait! This is a joke, they're joking."
I look back to our parents.
"Is this a joke?"
They all shake their heads at the same time.
"I don't think they're joking Draco."
He shakes his head and looks at me.
"I don't remember proposing, do you remember me proposing?"
I shake my head.
"Maybe I was drunk."
He says to himself.
" We can't get married, we're just kids, it's against the law!"
"Oh, don't worry about that dear, the wedding isnt until after you graduate."
"Then why are you planning it now?"
"And I still dont remember proposing!"
Draco says franticly.
" Stop trying to remember Draco, cause you won't."
Nrcissa says to him, he looks up at her.
"So I was drunk!"
"No, you won't remember because you never did."
"Huh?"
"It's a arranged marriage?"
I ask, Narcissa nods. Draco jumps out of his seat and yells into the air.
"Okay people! Joke's over, bring out the cameras!"
Lucious thumps the back of his head.
"Sit down!"
He sits back down and rubs his head. I turn to him.
"I don't think theyre making this up, Draco, theyre serious."
" But- but people dont have arranged marriages any more. That's just weird!"
"I have to agree with Mr. tv show, that is a little weird."
"People have arranged marriages to secure their future."
Lucious says, trying to explain. Narcissa nods
"Me and Lou had an arranged marriage."
"So did we."
My mom says.
"Me and Nats have a future together?"
Narcissa takes a sip of her coffee and smiles.
"What better way to go than to marry your best friend?"
Draco and I barely look at eachother the rest of the night.It is now after dinner and we are sitting in the living room, where our parents explained that, before Draco and I were even born, our parents decided that an alliance between our two familys would be benificiary to everyone. Which is one of the big reasons that we grew up together, so we would be close. I think Draco is stilll in denial, because he keeps bringing up different reasons of why our parents are trying to trick us. As for me, I am still in shock. Never once in my widest dreams did I ever think that I would become Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Narcissa is now rubbing her head and mumbling something about talking later and Lucious sends us to bed. It's a good thing I know my way around the Malfoy's house, because I'm not paying attention to what I am doing. Before I go into my room, I pause at the door.
"Good Night Draco."
"Night Nats."
I walk into my bedroom and close the door, sighing loudly into the darkness. Don't get me wrong, I love Draco and all, and I'm sure that with a little time, I could love him as a husband. The only thing is, I'm not so sure he could love me too. I dress quickly and climb into my bed. I can hear Draco's tv through the wall, he must be watching a quiddditch game, because he is yelling at the tv. Normally, under any other circumstnces, I would bang on the wall and yell for him to keep it down, but tonight, I don't. Instead I close my eyes and fall asleep.
The next morning, I wake up and look out the window. Draco is out playing quidditch. I half smile but I know the only reason he is even awake this early is because he is upset. He probably slept worse than me last night. I walk into the bathroom and decide to take a bubble bath instead of a shower. I turned the hot water on high and pushed the bubbles button until the tub was filled with apple scented bubbles. I slip deep into the water, closing my eyes and letting my worries slip away.
"Maybe we could make it work."
I say to myself. Suddenly, my cell phone rings. I reach up to the counter and grab it. It's carley.
"Hey Cars."
"Natalee Anna Rose Porter! You didnt call me last night! I was waiting by the telephone."
"Sorry, I was really wiped out."
"Why? What happened? Did you and Draco have a fight?"
"Not exactly."
"Oh, come on, dish! Something happened last night didn't it?"
"You could say that."
"Nat, I'm your best friend, and I can tell by the way you are not completly answering my questions, that something is wrong so tell me what it is."
"Are you sure you're ready? Maybe you should sit dowm."
"I am sitting down."
"Okay, so last night, I got here and we were having dinner, and all of the sudden, Narcissa started talking about bride's maid's dresses."
" Bride's maid's dresses? For what?"
" A wedding, what else do you use them for?"
"Oh! I love weddings, who's getting married?"
"Draco."
She started laughing.
"You almost got me on that one, Nats! Imagine, Draco Malfoy getting married! No freaking way!"
"I'm totally serious."
"Okay then I pity the poor girl who has to waste her time being his wife. Who is it any way?"
"Me."
She didn't laugh this time, she was really quiet.
"Carley, are you still there?"
"Are- are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"Oh my... you- you're getting married?"
"Yeah."
"To Draco?"
"Yeah."
"But, but I don't understand! You're only 15! That's illegal!"
"Then wedding isn't until after gracuation."
"What didn't he wait until then, why an engagement?"
"He didn't propose to me, it's an arranged marriage."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"How are you taking it?"
"Ok I guess, it's a bit of a shocker."
"Yeah I'd say so! What about Draco? I mean, he knows right?"
"Yeah he does, and he's not doing so well. I mean, he's playing quidditch."
"But it's nine thirty, he never gets up past twelve."
"Exactly."
"Wow. Has he said anything to you?"
"No."
I sigh deeply, this conversation is starting to bum me out.
"Carley?"
"I'm on my way!"
I got out of the bathtub and dressed quickly. On my way down the stairs, I ran into Draco.
"Hey."
He says
"Hey."
"Where's the fire?"
"Oh, I was just going down to meet Carley, she's coming for a visit."
"Oh, well I'll stay upstairs then, I know Carley has feelings for me, and they aren't exactly warm and fuzzy."
He starts to walk around me , but I stop him.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, last night you-"
"You know, I should really go take a shower. I'll see you at dinner.
