A.N.: Ok so I am a bad bad author… I should really update another story, but I have this idea for this story, and I just want to get another chapter out! This chapter will be a collaboration of letters for the seven days of the courting. I couldn't help myself. This will probably be the only chapter for the summer. I will explain what happened on the next chapter though.
Pairings: Draco/Katterina
Disclaimer: Check chapter 1 or 3!
Word Count: 1,730
Day One
My Dearest Katterina,
Today is the first day of the courtship ritual. Today I have sent you a gift that expresses who you are. It is specific to you.
Inside the box, there is a single white rose that will never wilt. It will remain as pure as you. That is a meaning of your name after all. You are one who is pure, and I respect that. You are a goddess of beauty, and you could have any one, but you choose to stay pure, unlike many witches of your age. Even ones less beautiful that you.
I hope you love the rose.
Yours Fondly,
Draco Abraxas Severus Malfoy
Day Two
My Dearest Katterina,
Inside this box is a picture. Why are you getting a picture of me? You wonder. This is the side I want you to see. The vulnerable, good side. In the picture, I am showing you my left arm. I assume that because you are as smart as you are, you know that I show you this to show that I am not a Death Eater. I regret to say, this may not be able to continue to be the case for long.
With father in prison, the Dark Lord will demand a Malfoy step forward, and I refuse to allow mother to take the mark. I hope that in the future, no matter what you hear about me, or may see, you remember me as I am now. I do not want to become a Death Eater, despite my father's pushing.
Yours Fondly,
Draco Abraxas Severus Malfoy
Day Three
"Today sister mine, I have been requested by my best friend to tell you about him. Explain why he's acted as he has throughout the school years.
"Draco from his first year was told by his father whom he had to be, and how he had to act. He was required to be the cold Slytherin prince. He had to be best of his class, and hate Gryffindor house. Because of this, when a Gryffindor girl got better grades than him on exams at the end of first year, his father beat him. He told him it was not acceptable that a girl, especially a mudblood, had better grades than the pureblooded heir.
"Second year, Draco's father bought him onto the Quidditch team, because Harry Potter was on the Gryffindor team, and he had the fastest broom. Draco was told he had to be better, and that nothing less than perfection was acceptable. So again, he worked hard, and studied hard. He won every game for Slytherin that wasn't against Gryffindor, for he couldn't beat Potter. Because exams were cancelled that year, all that there was to go on were reports from the teachers as to how he was doing. The teachers hated the attitude that Mister Malfoy made him have. But once again, Draco's marks were second best to the mudblooded Gryffindor. So once again, he was beat.
"Third year. I'm sure you remember this year well. It went much along the lines as year before. He didn't have top marks, and that got him hurt by his father. How dare he let a Mudblood beat him for three years? How dare he not have the top marks. He was a Malfoy. And did he not know that malfoys always had the best marks? Once again, a beating was in order.
"Fourth year… Well that year was a little iffy. He hadn't been expected to be the Hogwarts champion, because he couldn't be entered. But he still had to be top in grades. That mudblood couldn't have beaten him, because she was too busy helping Potter. But when they sat exams, somehow, the mudblood still beat him. Once more, when he returned home, he was beat.
"This year, I am sure that if Lucius was not in Azkaban, he would expect all 'O''s on his owls. There is no other grade acceptable. But this summer could be even more dangerous. Draco is worried that he will be forced to take the Dark Mark as you know. Because of the constant force and punishment, he had to act cold and rude to all his classmates. He had to act superior, even though he knew he wasn't in some aspects. He wished me to inform you that know that he knows that you were the same girl he tormented for so long, and because that may affect your final decision, that he is truly remorseful, and he wouldn't have been as horrid, had he any inkling. I shall leave you with this information to think over sister. Do not think on it lightly. I know you will analyze every little thing before you make a decision.
Day Four
My Dearest Katterina,
I hope your conversation with your brother yesterday opened up a lot for you, and didn't affect your decision negatively. I do regret the vile things I have said to you now. Had I known, I would have been much nicer.
However, today is not for me to try to make amends. In the box you have received today, you will find a symbol of us as a couple. It is a pendant. The pendant is a yin-yang. In case you are wondering. This is a symbol of how we balance each other. I tend to be a little outrageous, or quick to temper. And even as a kid, you managed to stop my anger and keep me from exploding and doing something regrettable, like hexing a friend that might have been with us.
This gift is to show that as a couple; I believe we will balance one another out. Our flaws, our quirks. What makes us tick.
Yours Fondly,
Draco Abraxas Severus Malfoy
Day Five
Dearest Katterina,
Today I am supposed to provide a proof of wealth. The both of us know that I am not yet seventeen; therefore I have yet to come into my inheritance. However, as I am a Malfoy, I have a rather vast wealth. It would be tacky to send you a bank statement as a proof of wealth.
Instead, enclosed are pictures of one of the Malfoy homes. It is not 'Malfoy Manor' currently, because it is not where the living family resides, however, it is a home of nice size, and is beautiful. It is in your home country. The place you grew up. It is located in the Italian countryside.
I hope you find the home to your liking.
Yours Fondly,
Draco Abraxas Severus Malfoy
Day Six
My Dearest Katterina,
Today is the last day before I can see you. The day is about completely gone, as I knew that to give you a gift that is dear to my heart it had to be given at night fall. If Blaise has done what I asked, you are outside in the gardens, holding a box.
I want you to open the box. Inside the box is a plushie, and a certificate. I did something that it is usually done just by muggles. Now that you have touched the certificate, look into the sky. Do you see that?
The shape illuminated brightly in the sky is the constellation I am named for. I bought that for you. To give you something of myself, I gave you a corporeal dragon in my favorite colors, green and purple, and the constellation I was named for.
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow my dearest.
Your Dragon,
Draco
Day Seven
Draco stood in one of the sitting rooms in Zabini Manor. Blaise stood beside his best friend, a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It was three fifty-eight. He was waiting for Katterina to enter the room.
Three fifty-nine.
Fifty seconds.
"You alright Drake?"
Forty-five.
"Yeah. Just nervous Blaise."
Thirty-seven.
"That's a new one. You're never nervous."
Twenty-five.
"Bugger off Blaise you wanker."
Twenty.
"Love you too Drake."
Fifteen.
"Sorry. Not into you like that."
Ten.
"It's a shame. We could have had something nice." A chuckle
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
The door opened and three woman entered. A regal and proud looking Lady Malfoy. A teary-eyed Lady Zabini. In the middle was a nervous Katterina. The three stopped feet from the boys. Draco took a deep breath, and stepped forward, kneeling in front of the girl.
"Katterina Narcissa Zabini. You have always captured my attention. I have always been infatuated with you. I looked forward to the day I could do this. I spent weeks and weeks stressing about each part of the ritual, and what I would do. I worried that your brother would say no when I requested permission. So now, here I am, on bended knee before you, asking. Will you make me the happiest man alive, and accept my proposal to one day become my wife?"
Katterina watched as he took her left hand, and kissed it, before pulling a box out of his pocket. In the box was a silver ring. The face of the ring was a circle, in the very center was a large, but not gaudy, diamond. Surrounded by that were small emeralds. It was a family ring. The whole thing was amazing.
"I-… Draco. I have thought long and hard this week. I have taken each letter into thought, and each gift. I know how hard it was for you to open up. For these reasons, I have come up with a decision." She said. It seemed like all those in the room were holding their breath.
"Yes."
Draco slipped the ring onto her finger as Blaise let out a loud whoop. Draco stood, and pulled Katterina into a hug. He kissed her lightly.
"I have to write a letter." She said, pulling from the hug, and sitting in a chair, picking up a quill, and penning a letter to Headmaster Dumbledore.
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
I am writing you to tell you that some changes have been made to my being this year. I am not the same person I was when the year ended. I am sure you have had your suspicions about who I am. I am not the muggle born girl you think me. I am a pure blood. Katterina Narcissa Zabini. I will be attending Hogwarts as myself this year. Not Hermione Granger. I hope you understand.
Sincerely,
Katterina Narcissa Zabini
A.N.: OK! That is the end of the chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter will be the train ride back to Hogwarts. I will have references to the summer in next chapter however. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please, review! Remember, they feed my soul!
~Tessa