Draco clenched his knife tightly as he ate dinner in attempt to ignore the words spewing from his fathers mouth once again. He didn't even have to listen to know what it was about.
"Draco," his father, Lucius, said. Pausing as his son popped a piece of steak into his mouth, clearly aggravated. He didn't care for his son's feelings however, seeing as he couldn't seem to find a suitable wife at the age of eighteen. A full two years after he himself married, not because of love but because of necessity. And a Malfoy being married and producing offspring was a necessity. Especially for his only true son.
"Yes father I heard you," Draco hissed. Not at the fact of finding a wife, but at how many times his father had brought the subject up as his birthday approached. He lost count at twenty, or maybe it was twenty one. But that didn't matter, what mattered was that he would rather spend time practicing his magic than courting a princess.
women were unnecessary to him. They were loud, picky, needy, and submissive. And for Draco the last trait didn't go right to his groin like his father.
"Why don't you throw a ball?" Another voice joined in from across the lavish table, pulling draco from his mental argument. He looked up to his half brother Harry. Eyes shooting daggers as his gleamed with mischief.
"Yes a ball," Draco's mother, and current queen, Narcissa said. She seemed enthralled by the idea of fancying up the great hall. Despite how it would be done with a few flicks of her wand and be over.
Draco placed his silverware next to his plate and crossed his arms, choosing his words carefully before speaking. the last twenty arguments had trained him how skirt around this subject. this would be no different. His bastard half brother however was not helping.
"I just don't understand why I need a wife," Draco growled, " it's not like she's going to do anything to help me rule once you're gone father."
"Draco, you cannot rule without a queen," his father responded firmly. Only looking up once from his food before returning.
"Besides I do things," Narcissa said, raising a brow at her son as she sipped some wine.
"yeah like throw parties for all the barons wives and gossip about nothing," Draco scoffed, "all the decisions are done by you and your cabinet."
"It's better than sitting in the library practicing magic all day," Harry snorted as he talked through a mouthful of food. Draco glared at him from across the table. the two both knew that Harry knew about - and practiced quite frequently - table manners, but Harry also knew that a lack of them irritated Draco beyond the point of return.
"Shut up," Draco hissed, "Potter," he added, using the last name of the woman his father had an affair with to conceive him. a pure blood witch but not a Malfoy. He couldn't fathom why his father would have taken a mistress all those years ago. Was his mother not enough? Did she age poorly? Would he also have to take a mistress just to satisfy himself? The thought disgusted him. Having to keep up with not one but two women.
"Draco," Narcissa scolded, "do not be rude to your brother."
Draco scoffed at the display of motherly affection. The one thing he hated more than his half brother was when his mother accepted him as her own. Which was nearly all the time. He loved his mother, she was the only one in the castle that seemed to have a heart, but it was almost irritating at times.
His mother was staring at him expectantly now, waiting for an apology. A servant girl walked into the room, her bright red hair giving away her heritage. The girl stopped by Harry and refilled his drink. Harry took it with a smile, whispering a thank you before she turned to leave. A small smile painting her face.
"You shouldn't be that nice to the maids," Lucius said, putting his silverware down as he finished eating, " you will give them the wrong idea," he finished.
"Ginny is just a good friend," Harry shrugged, " besides she's a half blood," he added.
"Filth none the less," Lucius scowled. He didn't dictate who his sons became friendly towards but after finding his son Harry befriending half of his slaves he wished that he had. An awkward silence filled the table as Harry continued to eat. Choosing to ignore his father's warning.
"So," Narcissa said, taking another sip of wine from the gold plated cup, " the ball," she said after downing a sip. Directing the attention of the table to Draco, giving him a pleading stare.
"Fine," Draco accepted, " invite every pure blood witch in the lands and let there be a bloody ball," he growled and stood. Throwing his napkin down then marching out of the room.
"A ball!" Draco panted as he slung another spell at his dueling partner. Blaise laughed as he easily sidestepped the disarming spell.
"Hardly seems something you would agree to," Blaise responded as he threw his own hex. It caught Draco by the wrist and send his wand flying across the courtyard. Draco went and picked it up with a scowl.
"Is this getting to you?" Blaise asked as his friend returned to his dueling square. He raised his wand at him before barking a response.
"again."
Blaise sighed and began trading spells again. Normally he would be the one disarmed by now. Draco was the best fighter in all of the magic kingdoms. He could tell something was wrong as he disarmed him for a second time with a simple expelliarmus spell.
"You know it's only a ball," Blaise called out as Draco walked over to get his wand again. Draco only returned to his square once more and took a stance.
"You can always just agree to do it, yet claim there was no suitable wife," Blaise spoke before the prince could shout for another round, "all while having a little fun on the side," Blaise said with a smirk. Draco seemed to listen to his idea as he returned the smile before shouting again.
"again."
Almost instantly Blaise was disarmed, his wand flying over the courtyards wall. He smiled in relief as he watched it sail across the granite and heard it plop into the lake on the other side. Then turned to Draco, whos eyes were gleaming with promise as he raised his wand into the air. The object came flying from where it landed and into Draco's open hand. He walked over to Blaise and returned it.
"Thanks," Blaise said.
"No, thank you," Draco said with a smirk before returning to his square. He let him get settled into his duel position before speaking.
"Again."
Hermione waved as the last servant in the house walked off through the gates. A tear silently rolled down her cheek as her last friend left her. It wasn't their fault that her father had died right before she turned eighteen. She couldn't blame him either, she could never blame him.
Her father had been a strong man. A traveler. Leaving for weeks at a time but always remember his 'little angel', as he liked to call her. He was kind, and always taught her to see the world differently, to inspect every angel for a full picture. To be kind to even those who don't deserve it.
He loved her as much as a father could. Even though she was a mudblood. Half muggle, half witch. Shunned from the magic society for tainting the bloodlines with what some called filth. Her father treated her as if she was Malfoy princess. Giving her lavish books and lessons. Even her own wand. She thought she was the luckiest girl in the world. That was until he brought them home.
They were nothing like him. They were rude, mean, narcissistic, and hated muggles. Called them vermin and joked about killing them. Her stepmother didn't abuse her but didn't speak to her either. She knew that if she did then her marriage would be over and the money would be gone. But now that he had passed things had changed.
She used her hand to wipe the tear away as another fell.
She had gone from being dressed in the finest clothes to rags from the cellar. Her food that had once been prepared by a chef was now scraps that her sisters left. And her room that was once lavish and cozy was now drafty and in the attic.
A bell rang behind her. She turned and saw her stepmother with a wicked grin. Gesturing to the clock that had just struck six.
"Yes ma'am" Hermione nodded as she ducked inside. She made her way to the kitchen to make supper as instructed. She reminded herself of her father's words as she got started. Promising to be kind to even those who don't deserve it.
Let me know if you like this, the idea came up and I just wanted to get it down. Draco will not be ooc because I feel like that would just be silly. I'm going to aim for each chapter to be over 2,000 words. My outline for the story should allow it except for the introduction above. As long as you guys like it i will continue.
and yes this is loosely based off Cinderella, mainly the ball part/step sisters but not much more.