An Arrangement

Asteria heaved her heavy trunk through the front door, almost dropping it on her toes. She couldn't be happier to be home than she was just then. She hated going to Spain for work but duty called.

"Draco? Draco, are you here?" Asteria yelled as she shut the door and hung up her cloak.

Abandoning her trunk she walked down the hall and into the lounge. There he was; the man she loved more than anybody in the world, the man whom she happily came home to every night. He had his head bent over the Daily Prophet and was idly stirring his tea. He was completely immersed in the article and didn't even hear her return; if she was completely honest she felt a touch of sadness in that.

"Draco?" Asteria said again.

Draco's head snapped up and he yelped in shock, he hadn't even heard her come in.

"ASTERIA!" He shouted as she flung herself into his arms. He held her so tight, as if he'd never be able to hold her again and was making this last time count. "I've missed you so much! Oh my God, I love you so much!"

Instead of replying Asteria kissed him, hugging him tighter and tighter as the kissed progressed. Draco moved them to the couch, never breaking the kiss.

"I missed and love you so much!" Asteria gasped when they had parted to catch their breath.

For the next hour they sat on the couch alternating between looking dreamily in each other's eyes and kissing.

Eventually Asteria got up to get something to drink, her throat dry from all the kissing, "What were you so engrossed in that you didn't hear me come in?"

"I'll tell you in a minute, I just remembered I got you something." Draco dashed off to their bedroom and returned with a huge bouquet of red roses and box of chocolates.

"Ahh, Draco!" she said with tears in her eyes, "You shouldn't have!"

"I wanted to." He replied before kissing her again. "So, you remember the other day I went to coffee with Hermione? I told you in our last letter."

"Yeah, I remember." Asteria said gently as she put her roses in a vase, "How is she doing? I saw her about two months before I left but haven't spoken to her since."

"Oh, she's doing great. Ron and her got engaged." Draco said as he took two cups out the cupboard to make tea

"Oh, really? That's wonderful! I must talk to her soon."

"She'd like that, I think."

"So what does the prophet have to do with this?" Asteria finally turned to look at Draco

He past her the paper he'd carried into the kitchen. "Everything."

Asteria frowned at Draco's answer. Her frown turned into a scowl then into anger as she read the article. "This is absolutely ridiculous! Do these people even read the stuff they write? They wrote about the engagement I assume?" Draco nodded as Asteria continued, "And now they're writing this rubbish?"

"I know. I'm pretty irritated by it too. Ron is the jealous type so I can't imagine what things are like in their house." He replied irritably

"Should we arrange a dinner or something?" asked Asteria after reading the article again

"I think that's a good idea and maybe something public too. That will stop the rumours." Draco replied.

"I'll send Hermione an owl tomorrow and arrange something."

"Ok, that sounds good."

Draco picked up the paper and threw it into the bin.