Chapter 2

"Your crooked love is just a pyramid scheme
And I'm dizzy on dreams
But if you ask me two's a whole lot lonelier than one
Baby we should have left our love in the gutter where we found it."

Draco was suddenly reminded as to why he had left Malfoy Manor that night and ended up in the Three Broomsticks with Hermione Granger. He walked through the doors of the Manor and could hear what sounded like a war going on upstairs. There was a flash of red light from the hallway on the landing upstairs and he shot up the stairs to stop the commotion.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY THINGS AND RAISE YOUR WANT AT ME I CAN ASSURE YOU I AM GOING NOWHERE!"

Narcissa Malfoy's voice rung through the Manor and Draco approached his mother and fiancé with great caution. There were clothes and broken pieces of an ornament spread all along the floor

"What's going on?" he asked them both sternly as he watched his mother stand at the threshold of her bedroom door and Astoria stood opposite her, wand raised.

"You're fiancé has decided to try and move me out with force! I am going nowhere Draco this is my house as much as it is hers!" Narcissa snarled at Astoria.

"Why is your wand raised?" Draco roared at Astoria. No one raised their wand to his mother.

"She was getting aggressive," his fiancé replied, sounding defiant.

"I'll not have anyone, especially you, raise their wand to my mother," Draco walked over to her and took the wand away from her. "What is your problem?"

"She's interfering with us! She's too old to live in a big house like this! She's controlling and possessive and she needs to lighten up a little."

Draco had to remind himself to keep his cool. He loved Astoria but sometimes he wanted to hate her. She was rude, stuck up and still thought the dark arts were okay. They were not okay.

"Just get out of my sight," Draco muttered to her and reluctantly Astoria left the scene and went to their bedroom.

Draco turned to his mother who look disappointed.

"I thought that girl would be nothing but respectful and a good influence on you," she sighed. "But it turns out she brings nothing but the bad out in you."

"I know," Draco replied and bent down to pick up the clothes on the floor and followed his mother into her room.

"Just sit them on the bed, love."

He did as she said and then went back into the hall. "Reparo," he mumbled and the broken ornament was resorted to its normal state. He gave it back to his mother who was sitting on the bed.

"Your father bought me this when we first got engaged," she sniffed. The ornament was of two people, a man and a woman, facing each other whilst holding hands. It was made of black marble. "He would never admit it, but he bought it in a muggle shop he passed by when going into the Ministry. I saw it one day myself and it just made me love him even more for even going into a shop like that."

Draco sat next to his mother and held her hand as she silently sobbed. He knew she would never recover after his death but she was managing. It was the weakest he had ever saw his mother and he didn't like it. He didn't like how Astoria hadn't helped ease his mother's pain but only caused more grief in the household. Even the house elves didn't like Astoria she caused that much drama in the Manor. His thoughts about the house elves then diverted to Hermione and he felt himself smile a bit.

"It'll get better," he kissed his mother's temple, "I promise. Now I think I'm going to go into one of the spare rooms for the night. I'll see you in the morning, goodnight."

He left his mother alone in her room and made his way to one of the many extra bedrooms in the Manor. He undressed himself and slid into the silk green sheets and thought about his meeting with Hermione earlier on that night. Her hair may still be bushy but she really had changed. Her eyes were still a loving chocolate brown colour that gave only warmth and friendliness but she was definitely more beautiful than the last time he saw her which was during the Battle of Hogwarts where she had several cuts and bruises all over her. She had certainly developed around the breasts but he had to remind himself that he had a fiancé, a woman he loved and wanted to marry. Her personality didn't help his slight attractiveness towards her. She was so kind to him and understanding he just wished he had been nicer to her during their years together at Hogwarts.

He dismissed the thoughts he was beginning to have about Hermione and decided that it was just a coincidence the two of them meeting and it certainly wouldn't happen again. It was a one off. He had to focus on the real problems in his life: Astoria and the accusations that he was involved in the Dark Arts yet again.

I couldn't help but write another chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Abbey x