Hubby and Wifey
(Harry Potter Fan Fiction)
Preview: Kallen was forcefully paired to George for marriage by Wizarding law. Kallen didn't care much and treated the situation as another wrench to her already-plotted life. What if George has a girlfriend who is paired to Kallen's half-brother, Draco? GW/OC
CHAPTER TWO
THE REUNION
Unité Numéro 0304, Les Tour de Prestigieux
Montparnasse, Paris, France
Danielle Meyers-Delacroix had always been a regular inside Kallen's condominium. Danielle, or Danni (as she prefers to be called), has been Kallen's best friend for the last six years already. Kallen boldly entered the RP House of Fashion only a year after Danni did. The two instantly became friends because of their similar personalities: Kallen was cocky and devious, while Danni was mischievous and stubborn. Despite Danni being three years older, Kallen and her exchanged ideas and bonded like sisters.
At the moment, Kallen was going back and forth through her walk-in closet, heaps of labeled clothing on her arms each time. Three suitcases lay open on her large bed, all of them containing different things. One suitcase had clothes; the other had numerous pairs of shoes, while the last one had books and other important files.
"I have no idea why you're doing this, Kallen. It's so not like you to spontaneously decide to visit your mother. Young lady, you might damn well explain to me right now," Danni lectured. Since she's been married to her husband Henri, she's been constantly lecturing Kallen about her life like a real adult, which annoyed the blonde all the time.
"Danni, I'm not leaving permanently. I do have a vacation scheduled for next week, so this trip is not going to be a problem, 'kay? Besides, even if I'm in England, I have the ultimate access to my Papá's jets. Traveling is not a problem. It'll be like I'm almost never gone," Kallen explained slowly, knowing that her best friend was probably irrational at the moment.
Danni flipped her brunette locks back, annoyance evident in her gray eyes. "Honey, you just inherited the RP House from Calypso. You can't just abandon it! The employees will distrust you!" said Danni. She looked carefully at her friend.
Kallen's dirty blonde hair was pulled up by a pencil into a messy bun. Her gold amber eyes were blank, preventing Danni from reading anything about her plans.
The blonde finally stopped walking back and forth. Kallen posed abreast in front of her best friend. "Look, Danni. I don't know how I could convince you, okay? Just trust me—I'm not going to be gone longer than my vacation. I'll even be dropping by all the time; Papá assured me that all his private jets will be available anytime I want to fly back here to Paris. If that doesn't help, he's got some copters on his command too. No worries, Danielle," Kallen said with a smile.
Danni scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. You're the one with a business tycoon for a dad," she said sassily.
Kallen smirked; her amber eyes alit with mirth. Danni almost smiled when her best friend did.
"What can I say; the talent definitely runs in the family. In no time, I'll have my own hoard of aerial transportation. You could get lucky some time: get a ride to your neighborhood or something," said Kallen. The two burst out laughing.
After wiping her eyes, Danni said, still giggling, "I bet the natural cockiness runs in the family too."
Kallen snorted. "Yeah," she drawled out. "Draco sure shares the same trait with me." A faint smile appeared on her lips at the thought of visiting her mother and brothers again. It was replaced with a frown, though, when the purpose of her visit popped in her mind.
"What's wrong?" Danni asked, upon noticing.
"I...I'll be honest with you, Danielle. The real reason of my returning to England—it's because I think I'm about to tie the knot."
"Oh. My. Sweet. Stilettos. Kallen Anjela van Alstreim! What the hell do you mean!" Danni exclaimed, suddenly shooting out of her seat.
"Well, it's sort of complicated to explain. I'm not so sure about the details myself. I'm just sure that I'm paired off with someone; supposedly, we need to get married and all that crud. Still, I'm not sure how I got involved; that's why I'm off to London to ask my mother about it," Kallen said with a sigh.
Danni walked to her best friend and hugged her.
"Oh Kallen. I hope you sort things out; though, I could trade Henri with a guy with a hot English accent."
Cue the laughter.
Paris International Airlines
Paris, France
Even if she was just dressed in the current hip summer look in Paris, Kallen was still a head turner. The blonde strutted with an air of pure confidence around her, dragging a large suitcase behind her. Sunglasses perched atop her straight but petite nose, completely obscuring her critical amber gaze. Nevertheless, Kallen's vision was still sharp as she looked around for any signs of the Parisian paparazzi. Seeing that the coast was clear, she quickly strode towards the check-in counter.
The receptionist took her passport without much of a glance, but as she glanced at the name, Kallen was immediately recognized.
"Mon dieu (1)! Kallen—"
She was immediately silenced by Kallen, a firm glare set on her eyes. "Pardonnez-moi, mais je dois dire: faire garder vers le bas (2)," Kallen said smoothly in French. The receptionist flushed a little in embarrassment.
"Oui... Désolée, madame (3)... 'Ere iz your pazzport," said the receptionist.
Kallen took it and glanced around, praying that no one noticed the foolish woman's exclamation. Everything seemed normal and so she said, "C'est bien. Merci. (4)" The blonde strode away to the departure area. She took a seat on one of the available benches around and whipped out her phone, dialing her father's personal number. A few rings later, André van Alstreim answered the call in Germany.
"Kallen, dear. I'm glad you called," he said through the line. Kallen could hear through the background the shuffling of papers; her father was still at work.
"Hello Papá, I just called to tell you that I'm canceling on our trip next week. I won't make it," Kallen said. The next week was supposed to be her week off from work, and she was supposed to spend it in Germany—a vacation with her father and his other family.
André said, startled, "What? Pourquoi (5)? I thought you've already fixed your schedule." He sounded a little disappointed. He rarely saw his daughter anymore. Ever since he and his ex-wife, Narcissa, had broken up, Kallen rarely visited him. It would have been understandable if she was staying with Narcissa, but Kallen wasn't; she was living alone in Paris, independently, but successful even without her parents.
Kallen fought the urge to sigh. She did want the vacation, especially since being a newly-appointed owner of an haute couture house can be stifling too, even if it has been her dream.
"I'm sorry, Papá, but I'm about to fix things about an arranged marriage for me."
Before her father could react, Kallen had already cut the line.
"Flight 997-0304 passengers, please proceed to the boarding area. Flight 997-0304 passengers, please proceed to the boarding area. Merci."
Kallen stood up and dragged her bag behind her. "I suppose, instead of Papá, Ana, Corinne and Adrienne, it'll be Mum and Draco and Nero whom I'll be visiting then," she mumbled to herself. It was time to leave behind Paris temporarily.
Chateau de Yvette (Narcissa's Summer House)
England
Draco was feeling a little nauseous at the turmoil of emotions raging inside him, Ministry letter clutched on his hand. Even with his pacing, which usually calmed his nerves, his mood didn't improve. The news was just simply too much for him to handle, despite being a formidable Auror.
His mother Narcissa looked quite annoyed because of her son's dramatic reaction and a little giddy too, at the name of Draco's assigned bride: Hermione Granger. After the war, prejudices like Muggle-born witches and wizards, as well as Purebloods, did not matter to her anymore. With Lucius locked up in Azkaban, no one in their household pretty much cared about blood prejudices anymore. Draco's twin brother, Nero, looked calm and composed if not emotionless, as usual.
Narcissa turned to her younger son and said, "Nero dear, who'd you get? I assume she's someone acceptable for your standards since Ms. Granger seems a bit off, in your brother's opinion."
Nero and Draco looked very much alike, up to the last line of their faces. So much for being very identical, their eyes give them out all the time. Draco's were the sneering silver gray eyes that many girls had fawned over through the years; Nero's were the icy blue ones that remain blank most of the time.
"I don't really like my match much too, Mother. I just prefer to keep my façade up, unlike Draco. He's the one who's dramatic between the two of us," replied the blue-eyed twin. Upon hearing that, Draco whipped around to his twin and sneered, "Me? The dramatic one? I prefer to call you the unfeeling one, rather than the less dramatic, Nero."
The blue-eyed twin stood up from his comfortable perch on the recliner. "My dear brother, do cut off the dramatics. We both know that you actually like your match. You've been crushing on Granger, so why'd keep the false act? Admit it—you're actually elated," Nero said with a challenging smirk. His older twin only glared at him.
"Draco, if you're just going to be a drama queen about this, I think that Ms. Granger would probably hate this situation more than you do. Dear, I thought you liked her; why so mad about it? She's practically tied to you, forever," Narcissa said with an exasperated sigh.
Draco's frustration only increased. "Mother! I do like Granger—at least, I think I do. But don't you know what this," he said, gesturing to the parchment on his hand, "means? It means that Potter and his Weasel sidekick will be after me even more! And not just them—even that joke shop owner Weasel. He's dating Granger, for Merlin's sake!" Draco increased his pacing, seemingly more agitated than ever. Nero rolled his eyes—a rare feat, since he hardly showed emotions.
"What, you're afraid of Potter and Weasley now? After all these years, you chose to be afraid of those two now? Come on, Draco. You're a bloody Auror, an instructor at that! Who the hell would be afraid of facing off some men for a woman? You bloody git," Nero said. He looked thoroughly annoyed now.
The older twin snapped at the other. "Hey, you git. I'm still the older one here. Don't just go on calling me 'git'," Draco snapped.
Nero raised his hands up in frustration. "Here we go again with this childish charade! I swear, the way you're acting, no one will figure out that you're actually the older twin here."
"Boys, stop it. Draco, I am expecting nothing less from you as my son. If you have to woo Ms. Granger to get your marriage working, then wooing her it is. No more dramatizing—please, I beg you," Narcissa said in her motherly stern voice. Draco couldn't help but groan; nonetheless, he nodded. "And as for you, Nero," she continued, turning to her other son, "I think your brother and I don't deserve to be kept in the dark about your match's identity."
Nero snorted. "It's no big deal, Mother. It's some girl named Patricia Li," he said. Narcissa raised an eyebrow. The name did not ring a bell. And then she sighed. Even though blood prejudices did not matter for her anymore, it could have been comforting if her sons still married Purebloods. It seems pointless now, since Draco was paired off with a Muggle-born witch while Nero's with an unknown girl.
The mother and her sons whirled around when they heard the fire from the hearth crackling louder than normal. They approached the fireplace just in time to see it turn bright green and a blond figure emerge from the fireplace.
Nero was the first to recover from his shock. "Blimey—is that the new French custom now, Kallen? Barging in someone's house without much notification?" he said weakly, but he had a small grin present on his lips.
His older sister was there, in front of him, wearing the usual cocky grin on her face.
Narcissa was instantly flying towards her only daughter, latched onto the blonde's figure with a fierce hug. "Oh Merlin! Kallen, why had you not informed me that you are coming over? I could have ordered some preparations for you! Oh my goodness—you've grown thinner! Have you been eating enough? Kallen Anjela, young lady, you—"
"Yes, I'm glad to see you too, Mother. Thank you for a very warm and annoying welcome," Kallen said sarcastically, a small grin present on her lips though.
Draco made an impatient sort of noise. "You are really living up to the reputation of the French—rude and too liberated. What kind of clothes are those? They barely cover your skin! Outrageous! It's a shame to call you my half-sister," he drawled out. He looked at Kallen's clothing—which consisted of a pair of denim shorts and a sleeveless, chiffon top, plus her skyrocketing pumps—with such contempt that Kallen snorted.
"I can't help it, I guess. It's such a shame you're an English wuss," Kallen retorted, her tone languid. Narcissa bit back a smile. No matter how her two elder children insulted each other, she knew that it was the way they bonded. The female Malfoy stifled a laugh. Kallen and Draco were so much alike that their insults to each other closely resemble.
Nero looked amused. "Only a minute has passed and the two of you are already on each other's throats," he commented.
"Not my fault that Kallen's bloody French."
"Not my fault Drake's such an English wuss," Kallen mimicked Draco, rolling her eyes in the process.
Draco glared at her. "Why are you here anyway? There better be a reason, or else," he said, crossing his arms in front of his broad chest. Kallen ignored her brother's natural bitchiness; instead she pulled out a familiar-looking envelope from her handbag and showed it to her mother and brothers.
"Actually, I have a valid purpose here. I think your Ministry got something wrong about their new law," she said simply. Narcissa grabbed the letter from her daughter's hands, eyes widening.
Draco and Nero both looked surprised too. "But you're not an English citizen anymore, right? You're natural-born French and you've been living there for almost six years now. Are you sure it's really for you?" Draco said, looking a little concerned. Whenever his sister was troubled, he always dropped the nasty attitude and acted like an overprotective brother.
"But it's not like the Ministry to make mistakes like this. Maybe you should check it out on the Ministry. I could accompany you tomorrow; I've got nothing better to do," Nero said. Trust him to completely crush any blossoming false hope. Kallen frowned at him.
Kallen said acidly, "Way to go comforting me, Nero. Even Draco managed to give me some comfort."
Nero only smiled briefly at his sister's annoyance. Narcissa chose that time to exclaim, "You got a Weasley!"
Kallen, Draco and Nero turned to her. Then the twins turned to their older sister.
"You're paired off with a Weasley?" Draco yelled, and then he continued with a sarcastic snicker, "Looks like the Ministry's playing with us all. First I get Granger, then you come barging in here carrying a letter that says you're off to be married to a Weasley? So, which Weasley is it?" He had a very bitter smile on, like he found the whole ordeal amusing. Quite the opposite, though.
Kallen shrugged. "The letter said I'm off with some George Weasley. I briefly remember him from Hogwarts, but I never really knew him. I'm sure you're quite familiar with him then, Draco, since you were the biggest bully of Muggles and 'blood traitors' back then," she drawled out. Kallen moved to plop down the nearest armchair to rest her mind and her travel-beaten body.
Nero surprised everyone by actually cackling. "Oh ho! The Ministry sure knows how to stir up some drama! It'll be all over the Prophet: the Golden Trio's princess off to marry Draco Malfoy; WWW's owner George Weasley marrying—"
"Shut the bloody hell up, Nero. You're annoying me," Draco snapped at his twin. Nero shrugged, knowing that his twin's mood has plummeted even lower.
"Who is this Granger girl that you two can't stop gaggling about, anyway? You two tell me who these people are; I'm not so familiar with the Wizarding world anymore," Kallen said, trying to stop the fight brewing between the twins.
The blue-eyed twin said, "Granger—she's one of the Golden Trio. You do know them, right? Hermione Granger, that bushy-haired brunette from Hogwarts."
Kallen raised a brow. "How is it that you know so much more about Hogwarts than I do? And you're supposedly from Durmstrang," she asked.
"You never paid attention there. Besides, Draco couldn't stop gaggling about her to me ever since."
"For the benefit of your ignorance, Granger is a fellow prefect when you became one. Remember the Gryffindork, with two oafs hanging out with her all the time," Draco supplied scathingly.
Kallen smirked. "Aww, is Drakie-poo jealous of the oafs? Don't worry Drake; you're an oaf too. I'm sure that's a lot comforting," she said mockingly. The gray-eyed male shot a dirty look to his older sister.
"Children, stop squabbling. Act like your age, for Merlin's sake! No one's going to the Ministry tomorrow. You will all accept this ordeal without question. I think a family dinner is just the perfect thing to unite us all. I'm sure it's not hard to settle some differences," Narcissa said with finality. With her tone, none of the siblings dared to argue anymore, each with different thoughts on their own.
Draco thinking about how to approach Hermione.
Nero thinking about the mysterious identity of his fiancé.
Kallen thinking of how she could untangle herself from this mess.
Narcissa thought that it was time to break the wall between her family and the Weasleys, and that it will be hopefully easy.
Oh, how wrong she is.
"Let's just have tea. I'm famished," Kallen said dramatically.
Notes:
(1) Mon dieu! - My god!
(2) Pardonnez-moi, mais je dois dire: faire garder vers le bas. - Forgive me, but I must say: Do keep it down
(3) Oui... Désolée, madame - Yes... Sorry, Ma'am.
(4) C'est bien. Merci. - That's fine. Thank you.
(5) Pourqui? - Why?