Getting to Know You
Back upstairs, Draco turned towards the door. He hoped his mother hadn't left yet. He hated apparating in the dark as it was still a relatively new skill. He reached for the door but it was opened from the other side. Standing there was Agatha, looking expectant.
"Have you decided on a date yet?" she questioned sternly.
"No," Draco replied weakly. Why was he so scared of this woman?
"Then were did you think you were going?" she inquired.
"I…nowhere," Draco muttered, slinking back in Emilia's direction.
"Good," Agatha snapped before shutting and locking the door.
"I think your grandmother is serious about me not leaving until we pick a date," Draco muttered, sitting down in her desk chair and picked up a book.
"The bitch locked us in!" Lia railed, beginning to pace.
"She needs to go fuck herself. And give me that," she growled, snatching the book from his hand.
"Somebody's got anger issues," the blond muttered.
"I'm just stressed alright," she sighed, falling onto her bed.
"Sorry," Draco muttered, looking around her room again.
There were posters hanging on the walls of the Globe Theater and several other famous places. There were photos tacked to the wall of groups of people in front of large cathedrals. He spotted Emilia in the pictures, smiling, arms about her comrades.
"You travel a lot," he commented.
"Yeah. That was my trip last summer with some mates from school. We went backpacking across Europe," she replied.
"You're still in school?" Draco inquired, leaning back in the chair.
"Yes. It's my last year of law school. I graduate in mid June and assuming I pass the Barr Exam, I'll be a certified practicing lawyer," she informed him.
"Wow," he murmured.
"Grandmother flipped a shit when I told her I was going to law school," Emilia mused with a chuckle.
"No offense but she's quite a frightening woman."
"I know she is. I've lived with her since I was nine," Lia remarked.
"Sucks to be you," Draco snickered.
Lia ran her hands through her hair and sighed. Her grandmother was not going to let her get out of this. She knew that now. Closing her eyes she prepared herself.
"Alright I guess we don't have a choice in this. But I refuse to marry someone that I don't know," she began.
"Uh…ok. What do you want to know?" Draco asked nervously, his right hand resting over his left forearm.
"Well I already know your name. I'd guess you're about 17," she rambled. He nodded.
"Just start talking I guess," she said, lying down on her bed, turning her head to look at him.
"I'm an only child. I went to Hogwarts until this year…I don't think I'll be going back. I was in Slytherin. I can't stand Muggle-borns…especially this one girl. Damn little know-it-all," he spat.
Lia said nothing but rolled her eyes at his Muggle-born comment. She could tell she wasn't going to like him much. She was very liberal in her views. It was why she was getting her law degree.
"I noticed you don't have house elves. Why not?" he questioned off-handedly.
"Grandmother thinks they're hideous and annoying. Servants are more intelligent. Fine by me. I like Max and Clara," she responded.
What about you?" he urged.
"Only child. Lived with the bitch from Nazi-ville since I was nine. I went to Hogwarts and somehow graduated with grades that my grandmother accepted. Like I said she freaked when I announced I was going to law school," Emilia expounded.
"Why didn't you live with your parents?" Draco inquired before he could stop himself.
"Not important," she said dismissively.
"Is something wrong with your arm?" she blurted,, her eyes having locked onto his immobile right hand.
"N-no," Draco stammered.
"You're a shitty liar. What are you covering?" she asked. Then it dawned on her.
"You're a fucking idiot," she shot at him.
"What? What did I do?" he shot back, standing up.
"This!" she snarled, grabbing his arm and pulling up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark. He blushed.
"I don't want to talk about it," he spat, pulling his sleeve down.
"Tough shit. We're going to talk about it. I'm not marrying some Neo Nazi," she hissed.
"Neo what?" Draco asked, looking confused.
"Never mind. I'm sure your Lord would have bowed down to Hitler in his day," Lia growled.
"Why would support that bastard anyways?" she pressed angrily.
"I…I did I for my Dad alright. It's what he wanted. It's what he expected me to do," Draco said, his voice growing softer.
"You always do everything your parents tell you to?" She mocked.
"Yes."
"Well you've fucked your life up for good," she sniggered.
"There's got to be a way to get rid of it. I….I don't want to do it anymore," he said, suddenly break down.
"Last guy I heard about that tired to get out got killed," Emilia breathed.
"Look I'm serious. I thought it would be cool. It's just scary as shit. I almost had to kill someone," he murmured.
"I don't know if it's possible," she sighed, her eyes fighting to stay open.
"Look I have work to do tomorrow so I'm going to bed," she muttered, climbing under the blankets of her bed.
"Um…where am I supposed to sleep?" Draco asked.
"Floor," came the muffled reply.
Suddenly Draco was pelted with a pillow and blanket. Rolling his eyes, he laid down on the floor, pulling the blanket over himself. He couldn't believe he was sleeping on the floor of some woman's room. A woman he was supposed to marry. He finally fell asleep, staring at the decorative woodwork on the far wall.
Hours later, sunlight hit the sleeping teen's eyes. He groaned and rolled over, suddenly realizing he wasn't in his bed. He sat bolt upright, wondering where the hell he was. It all started to come back to him. He was engaged to the woman sleeping in the bed above him. Shaking the sleep from his brain he realized they hadn't picked a date. He got up and took the step and a half to Emilia's bed. Gripping her by the shoulder he shook her lightly.
"Wake up," he whispered.
"Wha?" she mumbled into her pillow.
"Come on wake up. We need to pick a date. I want to go home," Draco whined.
Emilia rolled over and stared blearily up at Draco. She mad e a noise and began to speak.
"Fine then pick a bloody date," she muttered.
Draco walked over to her wall calendar and began looking for dates.
"How does June 10th sound?" he called over his shoulder.
She took a minute to think.
"Doesn't work," she mumbled.
"Why not?"
"I have three exams that day," she answered.
"How about June 20th then?"
"No. I take the Barr Exam that day," Lia countered.
"Ok well when are you done with school?" he asked.
"Pick a date in July."
"Fine," he muttered under his breath.
He turned to July, his eyes scanning the numbers. The entire month seemed to be clear. He put his finger on July 16th. It was a Saturday.
"How about July 16th?" he queried, hoping she would agree so he could leave.
"Fine. Now I'm going back to sleep," she muttered and the sound of ruffling sheets signified she was making good on that statement.
Draco tried the door but found it locked. He tried to unlock it but found that it must only unlock from the outside. His ears pricked up as footsteps echoed on the stone floor outside the room. The door clicked and was pulled open to reveal Clara.
"Oh my. You scared me," she said, jumping back slightly.
"Sorry. Look we picked a date…can I leave now?" he asked.
"Um…Madam will want to know. You can come with me," she informed the blond boy.
"Is Miss Emilia still sleeping/' she asked as they made their way towards the study.
"I guess so," he muttered with an accompanying shrug.
Clara stopped and knocked on the large oak door. Footsteps responded to the knocking and Maxwell opened the door. He gave Clara a smile and resumed his usual demeanor as he led them in. Madam Worchild was seated on divan reading.
"Madam…Master Draco and Miss Emilia have decided upon a date," Clara announced.
"Oh good. What is the date young man?" Agatha asked, putting her book down on the table to her right.
"July 16th," Draco answered his hands in his pockets.
"Very good. I told your mother I would send an owl when you were set to leave but I think you can find your way on your own," she remarked, sipping something hot from a mug.
"Yes Ma'am," Draco answered and turned to leave.
He followed Clara back downstairs and to the entryway. She smiled at him shyly as she opened the door.
"You can Apparate from right here or the end of the drive. I recommend right here. It's a shorter walk," she said with a soft giggle.
"Thanks," Draco replied and stepped out into the morning air
He apparated back to the Malfoy Manor. He threw the front door open and slammed it shut behind him. As he walked past the sitting room, he saw his mother in deep conversation with his aunt.
"Oh Draco dear you're home. When's the wedding?" Narcissa called, looking far to happy for it to be nine in the morning.
"July 16th. Now if you don't mind I'm going to do something of my own damn choosing," he muttered.
"And what is that?" Cissa questioned, not liking her son's tone of voice.
"Going to bed," he spat as he sprinted up the stairs.
"He'll come around," Bellatrix remarked to her sister as Narcissa took her seat to finish writing the letter to Lucius.
