Hello there, peoples! Don't really know where I got the idea for this oneshot, but I wrote it up today-hope everyone likes it. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter.
The cold air bit at Alex's cheeks as she stood on the front porch of the giant mansion. Her parents were exchanging hushed conversation and she shifted her weight, complaining to herself in her mind about being forced to come to the stupid Christmas party in the first place.
"Stand up straight, Alex." Her mother reprimanded her as her father knocked on the door. She obeyed and tried her best to make the bored look on her face disappear, but it was at that moment the door opened of its own accord and let the three new guests enter.
"Lovely house, indeed." Alex heard her mother mutter with the rare impressed tone, but her father only grunted in agreement and muttered something about their own upholstery being much more pleasing.
"Good to see you, Harold."
Alex looked up from taking in the perfectly shined tile floor to see Lucius Malfoy smiling tightly at her father before shaking hands with her mother and a polite, "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Falcon."
"Ah, and you must be Alexis," the tall well, mannered man turned his piercing blue eyes on her, offering his hand to shake, "I've heard so much about you." He stated, the mischievous glint in his eyes making her stiffen.
"Good things, I do hope." Alex had to bite her tongue to keep from telling him she only tolerated being called Alex, not her full name Alexis. Thankfully, she only said that which she had always been taught in such occasions.
"Don't worry, my dear, what else would there be?" Lucius almost smiled before briskly turning to her father again, "Charming daughter you have, Harold." Her father looked a bit proud at the compliment before the two men delved into conversation, Mrs. Falcon being led off by her husband, leaving Alex fuming behind.
Polite. That's all she ever heard of the Malfoy's-but she was never fooled. She had met Mrs. Malfoy on several occasions and she was quite an annoying person. As for their son, Draco Malfoy, she attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with him and had encountered him occasionally, thought they weren't really friends of any sort.
"Well, are you just going to stand by the door like a fool?"
The cool, arrogant tone irked Alex and she spun around with a fierce glare to find Draco Malfoy himself leaning against the wall by the front door, arms crossed and the usual sneer on his face.
"Not doing much differently yourself, by the looks of it." She snapped, tucking a strand of dark brown wavy hair behind her ear, attempting to look as careless as possible. The sounds of music and conversation drifted from somewhere in the large house, but she paid it no attention. She was too busy waiting for his comeback.
Draco only raised his eyebrows and pushed away from the wall, giving her a withering look, "And who are you anyways?" the comment sounded quite rude and Alex wished more than ever that her parents had let her stay home that night.
"Alex Flacon, I'm sure you've heard of my father, Harold Falcon?" she watched him without wavering, her deep gray eyes meeting his icy blue ones easily. Internally, Alex compared Draco with his father and the similarity was striking. They both had light blond hair and striking eyes-and their facial expressions were nearly identical.
"Hm, possibly." Draco's simple reply was, "I can show you to the ballroom." He stated curtly, leading the way without further words.
"I should hope so, seeing as it's your house." Alex rolled her eyes, following behind Draco and seeing no sense it walking at his side. It would be horrible for people to think she actually enjoyed his company.
"Keep your smart remarks to yourself, dimwit," Draco hissed, having suddenly turned on her with a disgusted look, but Alex gathered herself together quickly and shoved him in the chest.
"Stop breathing my air, prince, and get out of my face." She demanded coolly, knowing by the expression on his face that she was only aggravating him further and further.
"Have we met before?" Draco suddenly asked.
"We're both in Slytherin, idiot, what do you think?" Alex rolled her eyes, suddenly feeling self conscious as he looked her up and down with distaste. Her silver dress was knee length and slim fitting, with tank top like sleeves despite it being winter. Her mother had chosen it.
"Yes, I may remember you." Draco mused before smirking, "But than there are many annoying girls in Slytherin."
"Yes, I quite agree," Alex waved her hand in dismissal, "Just as there are many rude and arrogant boys." She looked at him pointedly.
"I must speak to father about next years' guest list." Draco stated seething, "There must be a mistake since I cannot see why he would allow such disrespectful guests-"
"Oh, please, your father doesn't care who comes to this ridiculous party as long as they're rich purebloods. Unfortunately, my family falls under that category."
"No one's forcing you to stay." Draco replied curtly, not denying the words she spoke of his father.
"I was made to come." Alex retaliated, "Trust me, I didn't come on my own accord."
"And you think I did?" Draco scoffed, catching her off guard for a moment with the strange look that passed over his face, but was quickly covered with his usual sneer.
"Well, I thought such a daddy's little boy as you-"
"Don't call me that." Draco interrupted with a growl, getting uncomfortably near her and making her tense considerably. There was an uncertain silence in which they both came to grips with what just happened.
"You have uncommonly blond hair," Alex stated flatly, trying to draw to attention the fact that they were so close, their foreheads almost touched, "And bright blue eyes." Draco's mouth twisted into a slight smile, which looked almost uncomfortable on his face.
"Is that supposed to be a way of complimenting me?" he asked in minor amusement, not making any move to widen the space between them.
"It's supposed to be a way of getting you to back off." Alex informed him sharply, but paused to see if he would take a not so subtle hint. When he didn't, she gripped the lapel of his black suit, preparing herself to shove him away.
"Don't wrinkle my jacket; my father would be quite displeased."
"All the more reason to." Alex snapped, shoving him away with all the force she could muster. Draco nearly appeared to have stepped back, unaffected by her angry shoving him.
"Just show me where the bloody ballroom is." Alex ordered him darkly, not even caring that Draco appeared to be chuckling at her irritation now. In a moment and a two turns later, they were standing side by side in the ballroom doorway.
Alex quickly caught sigh to of her mother and father holding conversation with the Malfoys and felt her irritation rise. Why did they get on so well? Clearly, the Malfoy family was arrogant to the highest degree. Even Draco who was merely seventeen acted as though he were prince of the world.
"Brilliant." She muttered under her breath, taking brisk steps to cross the room and weave around numerous conversations and some unfamiliar faces. When she reached her parents' side, Mr. Malfoy cast a glance before agreeing to something Alex's mother, Mrs. Falcon said.
"Oh, so you've met Draco." Mrs. Malfoy couldn't have looked more pleased, "I wondering where the two of you were-I was wanting to introduce you."
Alex cast a feeble smile at the woman before her, knowing now that Draco had followed her across the room. At this point, she could feel his presence just behind her and wondered what the expression on his face was. Most likely smirking.
"I've been eager for them to meet, too." Alex heard her father agree, annoyance boiling inside of her at his comment.
"I daresay," Lucius Malfoy began with an unmistakable glint in his eyes as he looked right at Alex, nearly giving her the chills and she knew she wouldn't like what he was going to say, "They would make a lovely couple." Alex coughed-quite loudly, in fact-to keep from choking, but none of the four adults seemed to notice. Only Draco's unmistakable chuckle could be heard from behind her.
"Don't you agree, Cassidy?" Mr. Malfoy address her mother and Alex silently begged her mother to put a quick end to the conversation at hand and banish it from ever coming up again.
Instead, "Lucius, I do believe you're right." A bright smile lit up her mother's face as Alex's hopes dropped into despair. At Cassidy's agreement, Alex seemed the only one to notice the ever so slight nod Lucius seemed to give to the boy behind her.
"Perhaps a dance, Alexis?" Draco spoke up in a neutral tone. Alex felt her skin crawl unpleasantly at the scriptedness of it all. Casting one last look at the expected faces of the four adults, she turned to face Draco.
"Of course, Draco." Alex agreed with fake sugariness, playing the part as she had always been taught. Wasn't that was it was all about in families of rich purebloods? The Malfoys and Falcon were quite alike, Alex realized with disgust. She saw right through her parents and the Malfoy's plan.
"I must admit my surprise that you agreed." Draco spoke up as he led her to the dance floor, slipping his cool, slender fingers over hers only to have her smack his hand away. He didn't comment on the action.
"Might as well go along with you and your father's not so secret plan." Alex snapped bitterly, "Seeing as our parents have been speaking behind my back."
"I do as I'm told, I wasn't a part of this…plan." Draco defended himself, pausing a moment when they reached the dance floor. He appeared to be debating whether or not Alex would even allow him to assume the proper dancing position.
"Go on then." Alex whispered sharply, glaring daggers at him, and surprisingly making him wince. When his arm rested on her side, she felt herself tense up in distaste but allowed him to lace his fingers with hers.
"It seems our parents fancy themselves matchmakers." Draco surprised her by making conversation to break the awkward dancing silence.
"You sicken me." Alex stated simply, causing Draco to trip over his own feet before his icy blue eyes met her stormy gray ones.
"I beg your pardon." He hissed threateningly, but she didn't waver.
"You're an arrogant, conceited, self absorbed coward that goes along with every little thing your father suggests." She informed him in a cold, hushed tone. Here they were, standing in the middle of the dance floor in the proper dancing position but not moving-and Alex was insulting the son of possibly one of the Dark Lord's favorite followers.
Draco's face seemed to be tinged pink at her words and Alex knew it was anger by the most withering look on his face. He didn't speak, however, as she had braced herself for, but simple dropped his hands from her and stepped back. With one last look of hatred at her, he turned and swept from the ballroom, leaving her standing in wonder.
Alex felt four sets of eyes on her after a moment when it was noticed that Draco was no longer dancing with her. Instead of meeting any of them, or shooting a defiant look at Lucius Malfoy, she glanced around the room sheepishly before escaping the ballroom also.
She should have seen it coming. Pureblood families always wanted their offspring to marry into the pureblood, of course. How else would they remain true to the term "pureblood"? Alex never thought that Draco Malfoy would be the one her parents chose-that she would be the one the Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy would choose.
It was a wonder that she found Draco as quickly as she did. With a manor as large as theirs, it was surprising that it only took her fifteen minutes of searching rooms to find him seated in a dark room at a black grand piano. It struck her as odd, but Alex didn't dare comment on his choice of room to take cover in, or the fact that all lights remained off, the only thing easily seen in the room being the piano reflecting the moonlight.
Alex waited a moment as her eyes strained to adjust and they did so quickly. In just a few moments, she could barely make out Draco's pale face and hair in the dark. Being careful not to run into anything, she toed off her shoes before slipping soundlessly into the room, stopping when she stood behind Draco's still figure.
After a moment, Alex rested her hands firmly on his shoulders, smirking in satisfaction when he jumped, but the silence went on until he spoke.
"I knew you couldn't stay away." The mocking tone of his voice encouraged her intentions of coming to tell him off.
"You ran off like a spoiled little boy. That definitely wasn't attractive, Malfoy." Alex pointed out with a scoff.
"Last name terms now, are we?" he shot back.
"We were never anything but," Alex retorted, "Except as an act for the parents. You could have warned me about their intentions. I don't like being tricked."
"Welcome to my world," Malfoy snapped coldly, "This is the real world, Alex. None of those people care about you or each other. Only power. And the only way to achieve that is through the Dark Lord. You should know this. How old are you anyways? You're awful thick."
Alex felt her jaw drop open, before snapping it shut and gritting her teeth a moment. With narrowed eyes, despite the darkness, she lifted a hand off of one of his shoulders and smack in on the head with a fair amount of force.
"And that was for?" Draco hissed through the darkness.
"You know what it was for." Alex rolled her eyes and placed her hand back on his shoulder as a silence fell, "You're right, you know." She sighed.
"Of course I am." Draco scoffed, but Alex ignored the arrogant comment.
"Do you ever get tired of it?" Alex whispered into the silence, "Of how fake these people we are stuck with are?" Only silence answered her question and she began to feel stupid for ever speaking her mind and sounded like an insecure idiot.
"Do you?" Draco's voice was surprisingly soft and lacking any sarcasm, arrogance, or coolness.
"Sometimes." Alex admitted the truth halfway, giving his shoulders a gentle squeeze that possibly said more than her actually one word reply, "I always thought my parents actually loved me. I hate seeing now that it's not true."
"Alex, love is for the weak." Draco's empty tone repeated what she'd heard Death Eaters-most of whom were in the house at the moment-say over and over again.
"Well, then I'm weak." She spat, attempting to not sound as though she was fighting tears, "Because I want someone to care. I want someone to care more than just what I can do for the Dark Lord. What power I can achieve."
"Do you know how ridiculous you sound?" Draco whispered.
"Yes," Alex breathed, thankful for the darkness they were in that hid a few stray tears that fought their way free, "Yes, I do." She admitted, not sure what else she had expected from Draco Malfoy. He was trying to knock some sense back into her, disgusted by her sudden weakness.
She wasn't sure what possessed her to do so, but Alex leaned close to wrap her arms around Draco's neck. She needed comfort, that which he wouldn't and probably didn't know how to give. She needed warmth, which he surprisingly had. Alex buried her face in his shoulder and wished that she wasn't a pureblood, but a mudblood with a family that loved her-or someone loved her.
Feeling Draco's hands tugging at her arms to loose their hold, Alex released him and sat beside him at the piano, running her fingertips over the ebony keys. Alex jumped when his hand lifted to pull one of hers securely in his. Their fingers laced, seemingly of their own accord.
"You forget that my parents don't love me either, Alex." Draco's simple tone sounded quite foreign her and it took her breath away that maybe he understood what she was saying.
The sudden warmth to the side of her face left Alex shocked at the realization that his hand was against he cheek. This wasn't the Draco Malfoy she knew and saw. This wasn't the same person she had just insulted in the ballroom.
Alex could barely see his face as it neared and dipped down for their lips to brush against each other. Shivers ran up her spine, but pleasant, warm ones. Not the cold, hated ones that his father gave her.
Gather what courage she could, Alex lifted a shaky hand to touch his hair and take a deep breath before his lips brushed against hers again. She had nearly lost hope in anything warm again. Death Eaters were cold and she was tired of living in a cold world. Here was something warm, something she'd been craving for a long time now. Something warm buried beneath the ice.
"What do we do?" Alex asked, resting a hand against his chest and feeling his rapid heart beat matched her own.
"We'll do what they ask of us." Draco murmured, sounding displeased, "We'll do what we have to, to survive-isn't that all we can do?" Alex let her gaze fall to his neck before leaning in to kiss his throat.
"I suppose you're right, Draco…" Alex murmured, burying her face in his shoulder, unable to keep back a small smile when his arms slid around her and held her tightly to his chest.
"We're in this together." He breathed, sounding no less worried than she had earlier, "Even if no one else cares."
Reviews are AWESOME things. ;D I'd love to get one…or, you know…more…;)