The summer days had almost come to an end, and Draco Malfoy could tell this
was to be an interesting year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry. His arch enemy, Harry Potter, had become the star of the entire
school since he first arrived, and Draco had made it his number one
priority to make his life at Hogwarts a living hell.
"A word with you, Draco." His father's voice echoed through the hall outside his room. He opened the door to a very tall, very pale faced man. Draco was the spitting image of his father, aside from his father's long silvery white hair.
"Yes, father."
"Come with me." Lucius led the way to the sitting room, shooing away the numerous house elves that busied themselves around the furniture.
Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy was a tall and slim woman with a beautiful face. Although she did have an air of mightier than thou grace about her. She sat in front of the fire holding several pieces of parchment.
Draco sat nervously in front of his parents, for it wasn't everyday that they both wanted to see him at the same time. He lifted his chin and sat straight. His mother smiled what seemed to be forcefully, and then a hint of gladness touched her eyes.
"Draco, your mother and I have a bit of news for you." Lucius held his cane firmly in his hand, tapping the black marble against the wooden floors.
"Son, you have come of age." His mother said.
'Come of age?' He thought. 'I'm only sixteen.'
"You have been betrothed, Draco. Since before you were born. We thought it best for you to know now."
Draco sat rigidly in the chair. "Betrothed? I'm to be married? You can't possibly be serious!" His voice contained anger and a sense of betrayal.
"Draco! How dare you speak to us in that tone?" His father stood before him, using his height to intimidate his son.
"I-I'm sorry, father. Mother." Draco bowed his head with gritted teeth. "When am I to meet my bride to be?"
Narcissa smiled broadly. "Hogwarts. She is to become a student there."
Draco suddenly realized what those words could possibly mean. "She's a first year? Surely you know what scandal this will become. A sixth year and a first year to be married? This is utterly preposterous!" His father glared at him through darkened eyes. "You will accept this marriage, and be happy about it. This girl is the best thing to happen to the Malfoy family."
Draco sighed. "Who is she? Do I know her?"
Lucius grinned slyly. "She is the Princess Oliana. The daughter of royalty, and an heir of Salazar Slytherin himself."
Draco suddenly turned lively. "Heir of Slytherin." He repeated. "And, does she know about me, about the family?"
Narcissa Malfoy nodded. "She does. She has known since before she could hold a wand." His mother's long fingers held out the parchment and offered it to Draco. He accepted and looked at the sketching that lay before him.
"Is-is this her?" He asked quietly.
"It is." His father answered. "Beauty and royalty. Well done, Son."
Draco let his eyes rest upon the drawing that he held in his hands. She was more beautiful than anyone he had seen before. He felt a sudden nervousness arousing within him, and he felt his heart beginning to race at the thought of her name. Princess Oliana. Her name was as beautiful as her picture, and he couldn't wait to meet his betrothed.
"A word with you, Draco." His father's voice echoed through the hall outside his room. He opened the door to a very tall, very pale faced man. Draco was the spitting image of his father, aside from his father's long silvery white hair.
"Yes, father."
"Come with me." Lucius led the way to the sitting room, shooing away the numerous house elves that busied themselves around the furniture.
Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy was a tall and slim woman with a beautiful face. Although she did have an air of mightier than thou grace about her. She sat in front of the fire holding several pieces of parchment.
Draco sat nervously in front of his parents, for it wasn't everyday that they both wanted to see him at the same time. He lifted his chin and sat straight. His mother smiled what seemed to be forcefully, and then a hint of gladness touched her eyes.
"Draco, your mother and I have a bit of news for you." Lucius held his cane firmly in his hand, tapping the black marble against the wooden floors.
"Son, you have come of age." His mother said.
'Come of age?' He thought. 'I'm only sixteen.'
"You have been betrothed, Draco. Since before you were born. We thought it best for you to know now."
Draco sat rigidly in the chair. "Betrothed? I'm to be married? You can't possibly be serious!" His voice contained anger and a sense of betrayal.
"Draco! How dare you speak to us in that tone?" His father stood before him, using his height to intimidate his son.
"I-I'm sorry, father. Mother." Draco bowed his head with gritted teeth. "When am I to meet my bride to be?"
Narcissa smiled broadly. "Hogwarts. She is to become a student there."
Draco suddenly realized what those words could possibly mean. "She's a first year? Surely you know what scandal this will become. A sixth year and a first year to be married? This is utterly preposterous!" His father glared at him through darkened eyes. "You will accept this marriage, and be happy about it. This girl is the best thing to happen to the Malfoy family."
Draco sighed. "Who is she? Do I know her?"
Lucius grinned slyly. "She is the Princess Oliana. The daughter of royalty, and an heir of Salazar Slytherin himself."
Draco suddenly turned lively. "Heir of Slytherin." He repeated. "And, does she know about me, about the family?"
Narcissa Malfoy nodded. "She does. She has known since before she could hold a wand." His mother's long fingers held out the parchment and offered it to Draco. He accepted and looked at the sketching that lay before him.
"Is-is this her?" He asked quietly.
"It is." His father answered. "Beauty and royalty. Well done, Son."
Draco let his eyes rest upon the drawing that he held in his hands. She was more beautiful than anyone he had seen before. He felt a sudden nervousness arousing within him, and he felt his heart beginning to race at the thought of her name. Princess Oliana. Her name was as beautiful as her picture, and he couldn't wait to meet his betrothed.