Chapter 10

With his eyes half lidded, Draco looked up with a slight blinking surprise as he saw Harry sprawled out in the chair opposite his desk. "So,what do you think I should do then?"

"... What?" The confusion was evident in those cool grey eyes they fluttered in a rapid series of further blinks.

"You said that I'm letting them do this to me? Fine, how do you think I should make them stop?" There was a small note of annoyance in Harry's voice as he lightly glowered back at his former schoolmate, even as he practically lay across the chair.

"Um, tell them to stop?" Draco shrugged almost helplessly before quickly shaking his head. "Or, to be honest, simply hire a solicitor to do it for you."

"A solicitor?" There was a note of confusion on Harry's face, his brow furrowed slightly before he stared back at Draco. "Why?"

"... Harry, do you seriously not understand the concepts of libel and slander?" Draco paused a moment before catching his face in his palm at the look of clueless confusion written across the black haired man's face. "Right, of course. That would have been too bloody simple. How in Merlin's name can you be as old as you are and NOT know them?"

"The same reason most people don't know things?" The sarcasm had suddenly slipped back into place as the man glared back at Draco. "No one ever told me about them?"

"Harry... Everyone knows about libel and slander." Draco shot back as he pinched at the bridge of his nose and slowly leaned against the back of his chair. "How could no one have taught you anything about it?"

"Maybe because everyone assumes that everyone knows it?" Another barb of sarcasm left Harry's lips as he slowly shook his head and leaned back. "So, what exactly are they?"

"Legal terms for public defamation of character, for individuals, businesses, governments..." Draco waved his hand slightly before he caught the blank look on Harry's face and he sighed slightly. "Basically, malicious, false and meant to ruin your image. They imply that it's a true, actual fact, in order to generally paint someone in a poor light."

"... Then why the bloody hell wasn't anything done fifth year?" There was a hiss of breath slipping passed his lips as he narrowed his eyes into glinting emerald slits.

"Probably because Dumbledore was playing the long game, giving the Ministry and the Prophet enough rope to hang themselves." Draco lightly threaded his fingers together as his elbows rested on the arms of his chair. "Sacrificing the short term for the long term goals. He knew that the Dark Lord wouldn't remain silent forever... And foolishly, I didn't understand that as soon as the truth was revealed things would become rather... problematic."

"So, instead I got to have a year from absolute hell, and I never learn that they're not supposed to be able to get away with what they're doing." Harry paused a moment, as a slight twitch rippled across the right side of his face. "Oh, I do so love these delightful little nuggets of information."

"Don't look at me." Draco shrugged his shoulders before a slight smirk curled over his lips. "I at least never made it a secret that I was trying to make your life a living hell."

"True enough." There was a moment's grimace across Harry's face as he sighed slightly while he shifted in his seat, his elbow supported on the chair's arm as he lightly rested his cheek against his knuckles. "So, I should get a solicitor."

"Well that would generally be the prudent thing to do." Draco nodded his head as he would lean back, lips pursed in consideration. "Of course, you could try being polite first and asking them to cease, desist and apologize."

"Right, polite... uh huh."

"Yes, I know, not exactly your cuppa." The blond paused a moment before lightly pursing his lips in consideration. "Plus, the solicitor leaves very, very little left to misinterpretation... Not to mention, for some terribly odd reason, people tend to be more frightened of a solicitor than of potentially pissing off the wizard that took down the Dark Lord."

"I could always see about tracking down where I tossed off the Hallows and go in full Master of Death regalia." Harry offered with a light twist of his lips. "Why I can just imagine how they'd react to that."

"So can I." Draco winced slightly as the images unfurled in his mind. "Let's leave off giving them reason to proclaim you the next Dark Lord for now, shall we?"

"Whatever you say, Draco, whatever you say." There was a wry chuckle escaping Harry's lips as he slowly shook his head and felt himself just relaxing back in his seat. "So, know the name of a good solicitor."

"Depends on your definition of good." There was a slight, glint in Draco's eyes as he leaned forward, threaded fingers dipping low as he cradled his chin beneath them. "Do you want one with the sterling reputation, or one who will scare the living piss out of the Prophet?"

"Which do you think?" The smirk on Harry's lips would have done Sirius proud.

-o-o-o-

"... Why did I agree to this again?" Draco asked almost rhetorically as he glanced over at where Harry stood next to him, decked out a simple emerald green buttoned down shirt, a pair of muggle, black dress slacks and matching shoes.

"Because it keeps me out of trouble?" The smirk of anticipation on Harry's lips did little to assuage the growing feelings of trepidation that had sunk deep into the pit of Draco's stomach.

"So you say, and yet, I find myself less than assured of the truth of that statement." Draco responded back as he lightly shuffled the wrinkled parchment nervously in his hands. "Couldn't you have at least dressed properly?"

"Muggle-raised, remember Dracie?" Harry grinned back at the man as he rolled his shoulders in another dismissive shrug. "This is dressing appropriately to them... Plus, I look good in it."

"Merlin, when did you turn into such a bloody ponce?"

"Somewhere around the time you turned into a half way decent bloke probably." Harry countered as he let his hands thrust down into his pockets. "Besides, I learned everything I know about being an arrogant, poncy prat from you."

"That makes me feel sooooo much better." Draco muttered softly as he carefully took a moment to adjust his robes as they stood in front of the rather imposing door to Greengrass Manor.

"So, why didn't we just take the Floo?" Harry asked with no small amount of curiosity as Draco's hand lifted up to take hold of the heavy brass knocker on the door.

"... Do you know improper that would be?" The blond man was positively aghast as he stared back at Harry and twisted his lips into an almost familiar sneer. "I will NOT have my fiancé's family thinking me an ill-mannered cad!"

"Yes, because you've always been an utter paragon of civility and decorum." Harry shot back with a roll of his eyes while he lightly flicked his wrist, his wand snapping free from the holder at his wrist, before with another flick it vanished again.

"Please, don't do that." Draco still held the knocker up, not quite bringing knocker back down. "People see someone doing that and they expect them to suddenly start throwing curses at them." There was another pause, before he glanced carefully back at the emerald eyed man. "Would it do any good to plead for you to at least TRY not to embarrass me profusely?"

"You can try begging for mercy." The light shone in Harry's eyes as he offered up the possibility to the man. "It sometimes helps."

"Right." Draco sighed heavily as he hung his head. "In other words, I go on now to my waiting doom."

"Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to ruddy knock me already?" A face twisted just above the knocker and seemed to glare at the pair. "I'm not here to listen to your droll excuses for banter."

"Just as well, we're not here for your droll excuses what I can only imagine is supposed to be mocking observation." Harry shot back as he lightly rolled his eyes just a bit and glanced towards Draco.

"... And suddenly I can see why your friend was so worried at the impression you'd make." The image twisted in disdain before it glanced over at Draco. "And you wish for the hand of a Greengrass, while associating with this... this creature?"

Draco regarded the knocker for a moment, before slowly and casually taking a moment to glance back at Harry, before looking at the animated decoration. "You know what? I think I'm going to enjoy this." And with that, he suddenly rapped the knocker down solidly on the door before taking a step back, a smirk slowly building on his face.

"So, what, you think that you can just bring some unnamed hooligan into this estate! I see how far the Malfoy's have fallen that they'd..." Whatever else the knocker was planning to say was cut off as the door pulled inwards to reveal Ignatius Greengrass. "Ah! Sir! Surely you have changed your mind about allowing this... into marrying with a daughter of the noble and prestigious family of Greengrass! Especially since he cavorts with this muggle loving fool!"

"... Draco, do I even want to know what you said to..." Ignatius Greengrass groaned softly as he nodded in greeting to his daughter's fiancé, before blinking slightly as he caught sight of his companion. "... Oh dear. And I thought Astoria was exaggerating about your house guest."

"See? Surely you cannot let this stand!" The frothing irritation blossoming out of the figure's mouth, caused a suddenly nervous Ignatius to turn and hiss back at the animated decoration.

"Be silent you empty headed hunk of metal! Don't you know who that is?"

"Well, sadly it never gave opportunity for me to properly introduce myself." Harry offered up with a more than slightly bemused little smirk on his lips before he casually offered up his hand to the man. "Harry Potter, professional pure blood ego popper."

"... Pureblood ego popper?" There was a slightest little twitch to Ignatius' lips as he carefully took the man's hand and offered a firm shake in turn.

"Well, it sounds better than the whole Slayer of Dark Lords, Chosen One, the Bloody-Bastard-That-Just-Wouldn't-Die, and other such similarity hyphenated titles." Harry agreed as he pulled his hand back and smirked just a bit. "Of course, sadly with everything going on when I was younger, I never quite picked up all the niceties of pureblood society."

"And now you refuse to do it, just to vex me." Draco muttered venomously as he lightly glared back at the man.

"One does what one can," Harry agreed with a nod of his head. "It doesn't help that you're entirely too easily vexed."

"I do believe, Harry, that's supposed to be MY job." Astoria's voice cut in as she stepped up behind her father with an overly amused smile on her lips. "Unless suddenly you want to give credence to the ridiculous little rumors that you and Draco were secretly embroiled in a steamy, passionate affair?"

The twin looks of sheer horror on the men's faces brought a placid smile to her lips as she lightly shook her head. "No, I didn't think so."

"Merlin, there were people that bloody stupid?" Harry stared back at the woman for a moment, before pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Wait, what am I saying? I forgot, wizards and witches."

"That is hardly something we have a monopoly on, Harry," Astoria answered with a slight smirk that showed she was indeed Daphne's sister.

"Right." Harry shook his head slowly and rolled his eyes just a bit before glancing from her, to Draco and back. "Would you take the wedding plans off of Draco already? He's worse than Hermione before a test."

"I am hardly...!" Draco's protests were immediately cut off as Astoria nodded sympathetically.

"Yes, he does tend to be a bit overly worrisome." Astoria agreed as she smiled in amusement at her fiancé. "Sadly, since you chased my sister off, I was forced to leave before I could make sure he couldn't get his hands on them."

"Well, I would apologize, but let's be honest..." Harry smirked back at the woman as he shrugged his shoulders. "Considering how she..."

"Ahem." A stricken looking Ignatius quickly coughed, interrupting the pair before Harry could fully completely his response. "As you seem to be in good hands, I'll leave you in my daughter's capable hands, before I'm forced to try and oblivate myself of the mental images I'm sure you'll inflict on a poor, humble man... A pleasure meeting you, Mr. Potter."

Harry paused a moment, watching the way the man bid a hasty retreat before turning his head and smirking back at Astoria. "In denial?"

"As far as I'm aware, my father has never even been to Egypt, Harry."

"You know something, Draco?" Harry noted as he would eye Astoria with an over exaggerated consideration. "This woman is entirely too good for you. I think it would be for the best if I were to take her off your hands."

"Now, now, Harry." Astoria chided slightly as she would shake her head and lean lightly against the door's frame. "Whatever would my sister say?"

"That I'm an unmitigated cad that deserves to be slapped?" Harry offered up with a slow dawning smirk.

"If you're quite finished flirting with my fiancé?" Draco drawled softly, before he purposely stepped past the man and drew Astoria into a warm embrace, and more than slightly passionate embrace. "Have I mentioned how woefully inadequate the phantom memories of your presence are in comparison to its glorious reality?"

"Merlin, laying it on a little thick, isn't he?" Harry shook his head and chuckled softly as he lightly stuck his hands down into his pockets with a smirk as he watched the warm amusement in Astoria's eyes.

"Yes, but he's rather good at it."

"Rather?" The amusement saturated Draco's voice as he would lightly bring his fingers to casually run across the soft curve of her cheek.

"Mmm... well there's always room for... improvement," she agreed with a slow nod, even as she gently turned her cheek into his touch, nuzzling softly onto it.

"Well, I do live to please," he answered back as he would lay a soft kiss on her neck, before a new voice interrupted them.

"Now, now Mr. Malfoy, do recall, you aren't married just yet, and my husband would object to being TOO affectionate... where he could see you." Aileen Greengrass stepped into view, shaking her head slowly as he looked over the affectionate young couple. "Now, what brings you here today?"

As the pair reluctantly broke apart, Harry chuckled softly as he made his presence known. "Oh, Draco was just driving me up the wall with him fretting over things that aren't his to fret over. So I made him take them back to their rightful owner. I just came along to make certain they stayed there."

"That and you probably want to take the opportunity torment my sister." Astoria added as she reached over and plucked the parchment out of Draco's hands.

"Now, Astoria, you wound me, deeply." Harry smirked just a bit as he lightly shook his head. "Now, whatever reason could I possibly have to want to torment your sister? It's not like she barged into the bathroom while I was taking a shower, and didn't have the decency to offer to help wash my back."

"Except for the fact that she did." Astoria agreed with a smirk drawn across her lips.

"Did she really?" The false shock rippled across Harry's face as he stared back at the woman. "Why, I had no idea!"

"... Harry Potter, I presume?" There was a note of careful caution in Aileen's voice as she studied the man in front of her.

"Well, that's who I am if you listen to Draco," he responded with a nod of his head as he lightly shrugged shoulders. "Which of course, renders it a completely and utterly questionable bit of evidence. I recommend you disbelieve it entirely."

"You're also horrible, cold and more beast than man according to my sister." Astoria's helpful voice piped in as she simply smiled at the resigned sigh of annoyance her mother gave while giving her the slightest glare.

"Ah, did she now? My... I take it you already made a mounting observation?"

"Done and done."

"As I said, Draco, she's entirely too good for you."

"My, you certainly seem far more... Lucid than I expected, considering what Daphne described." Aileen noted delicately as she studied the young man in front of her.

"You mean, I'm clean, shaved, presentable and don't smell like I just crawled out of an alcohol filled sewer?" A slight smirk pulled itself across Harry's lips as he offered the slightest of shrugs back to the slightly flustering woman. "I seem to be on the mend. Though, I do of course still have to thank Draco for that... interesting experience with his little detox potion."

"So, she was telling the truth about...?"

"Well, considering I don't know exactly what she said..." Harry's voice trailed off before he turned his head and glanced expectantly over at Astoria.

"What, you expect me to know every little thing my sister does and says?" The woman countered with an offended roll of her eyes.

"When it's something like this, which you can use against her? Yes, I do."

"My, you ARE learning."

"Yes, well once I figured out that annoying people makes it far more likely that leave you, I had to figure out a way to piss them off that my godson couldn't understand." Harry offered a thin grin back to the woman. "It seems all those years of Snape actually rubbed off on me."

Aileen merely stared at the boy for a long, lingering moment, before turning her head to look at her youngest daughter. "She's doomed, isn't she."

"Utterly and completely, Mother." Astoria agreed with a nod of her head as Harry blinked slightly in confusion.

"Wait, what?" Harry blinked slightly in confusion as he glanced from mother to daughter as a sudden feeling of growing trepidation began to walk down his spine.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Harry." Astoria waved off his question as she grinned back at him. "We're just reaffirming that my dear, sweet sister has no clue what she's in for."

"Quite." Aileen agreed even as she struggled to keep her face completely straight.

"Suddenly, I have a feeling that I haven't felt since 7th year and Voldemort was on my heels." Harry paused a moment, before shrugging just a bit. "Well, this is going to be interesting."

"Well, he's not clueless at least." Aileen noted with a soft smile before another voice cut through the air.

"What're YOU doing here?"

Whatever fear was on Harry's face, vanished in an instant as he could hear the sudden, familiar voice, his lips curled back into a triumphant smirk as he tore his gaze away from Aileen Greengrass to behold the smoldering eyes of an irate Daphne Greengrass. "Why, hello to you too, and how're you doing today, Ms. Greengrass? Enjoying the delightful weather?"

"Potter..." He could practically see the way her jaw muscles were clenching tightly as she hissed her words past her lips.

"Greengrass," he countered with that oh-so-innocent smile. "Your bum is doing better I hope?"

"The condition of my posterior is of no concern of yours, Potter, I do believe you made that abundantly clear." She held her head up high, refusing to acknowledge the slight flush of crimson that had colored her cheeks while she crossed her arms about her chest. "And so far, you've yet to answer my question."

"You've yet to answer my first ones either," Harry agreed with a growing smile on his lips as he slowly shook his head and turning towards Astoria and throwing her a visible wink. "Who knew the great Daphne Greengrass was one to be so easily offended. Of course, all things considered, it's probably because she can't stand the fact that she's yet to be able to embarrass me."

"You do seem to be lacking most people's sense of shame and decency." Astoria was casually nodding her head in agreement as she lightly threaded her fingers into his. "Of course, who knew she was one to give up so easily either."

"Yes, well it's always good for one to know one's limitations." Aileen added with a lightly restrained smile as she ignored the sudden glint that passed across Daphne's eyes. "It's nice to see that she's taken it so well and learned when to give up."

A look of dawning comprehension flashed across Draco's eyes as he gave his fiancé and her mother a sudden look of muted horror as his lips fell open to protest, only to let out a startled yelp as Astoria's heel dug into the top of his foot.

"Oh, dear, are you all right, my love?" As she turned her back to Daphne and Harry, as if to give the man her full, undivided attention, Draco paled visibly as he caught the warning glare in her eyes.

"Ah, right, yes… Just a sudden.. twinge is all." The bland, almost placid way he answered her brought a sweet smile to the woman's face as she nodded her head in commiseration.

"Oh, poor baby, why don't you come inside and I'll take a quick look at it."

"I'm not sure we should…" Draco glanced meaningfully towards Harry, the man caught his words and the look.

"Oh, don't worry, Draco. I'm sure the lovely Mrs. Greengrass will be happy to keep me from causing too terribly much trouble." Harry paused a moment, before glancing back towards Daphne. "Or, at least to make certain that I keep it isolated to amusing myself at her daughter's expense."

"Daphne does have precious little experience with it." Aileen agreed, earning her a venomous glare of betrayal from her daughter. "It would do her good."

"So glad you think exposing me to this… beast will somehow improve how the way I see the world." The dripping, acidic sarcasm left her lips with caustic bile.

"It builds character," Harry agreed with a nod as he threw her an amused link. "Just think of where I'd be if I hadn't been constantly the butt of so many other people's amusement."

"Yes, you might actually have turned into a decent human being." Daphne shot back as her arms fell cross her chest.

"What, you mean a little bleating sheep that would have been lead to slaughter?" Harry grinned back at the woman, as his eyes sudden hardened into a sharp, penetrating gaze. "No, I've quite had enough of that, thank you. The grand emotional buggery that I've already gone through by being the good little boy who did what he was supposed to was more than enough."

"You do so love your little macabre imagery, don't you, Potter?" Daphne's face twisted as her sister and her beau made their quiet retreat. "Always rubbing in how much more you've been through, and how much more you've suffered than the rest of us."

"I do not do that." There was a flash in those eyes as the protest immediately left his lips, before pausing just a bit. "Well, the second at least, the first is plenty fun."

"Yes, you do. Every time someone says something you don't agree with, you don't like, you turn around and threw things in their face. About how much worse your life has been than theirs."

"Mainly because it pisses me off when people bitch about how 'bad' their lives have been when really they have no bloody clue." There was a tinge of real anger in his voice now as he brought his eyes to meet hers, boring down into them.

Only, she stood there, strong and defiant before the growing storm as she shook her head, sending the slight waves of blonde hair swaying against her cheeks. "Right, hence why you bring it up every single time someone talks to you. Boo hoo."

As he opened his mouth with an angry retort, she cut him off with a sudden slash of her hand as her arms broke from their position crossed about her chest. "Yes, you've had it worse than anyone else I've ever met. Yes, if anyone has a bloody right to bitch about it, it's you. But it gets bloody old when you try and shove it in our faces every five minutes!"

"I wouldn't have to, if people didn't bloody insist on making me do it." A growl echoed in his voice as he slowly brought his fingers to clench back into his palms as his whole body grew into a rigid tension. "Do you know how bloody aggravating it is when I have to listen to people try to whine to me about how rough they've had it?"

"I honestly don't care." Daphne snapped back as own body soon mirrored his own, her glare a frigid stare burning back at him. "Nor do I care about the bull shit you've gone through. Yes, it was horrible. We've covered it. So, what're you going to do, stay stuck in the past and all the bloody shit you've had to wade through, or are you going to realize that you aren't surrounded by it anymore?"

"Yes, because Merlin knows I don't have mad harpies circling around me trying to grab a piece of the 'Chosen One,' nor do I have the Daily Prophet continually publishing ridiculously fabricated stories about my life." He paused a moment before glaring slightly at the blonde. "Not to mention crazy Slytherins that aren't half as clever as they think they are."

"Well, considering you're an empty headed Gryffindor, that still puts me ahead of you." Daphne shot back as she again crossed her arms about her chest.

"Children…" Aileen paused a moment, letting off a slight sigh and a shake of her head as she glanced between the pair. "Honestly. You're not in Hogwarts anymore."

"Tell that to the girl who keeps trying to embarrass me." His arms crossed about his own chest, Harry sent a mild glare back at Daphne, before suddenly glancing curiously towards Aileen. "By the way, do you know where she picked up her Peeping Parkinson behavior?"

For a moment, Aileen stared blankly back at him, before she turned her head and simply arched a brow near silently in question at her eldest daughter. "Peeping Parkinson behavior?"

"I do not have Peeping Parkinson behavior." There was a slight snort escaping Daphne's nose as she gave Harry and her mother a mild glare.

"Says the girl who walked in on me while I was in the shower?" Harry countered back with a smug smirk of triumph.

"We were sharing a bathroom." There was a slight blush on her cheeks as she responded, even as she suddenly couldn't quite meet her mother's questioning gaze.

"And yet, you still came in, when I had come in first, already stripped down and was well enough on my way through my shower." Harry shot back, before he casually drew his lips back into a growing smirk. "And what's more, little snake, you stayed."

"I did have to get ready for the day, remember?" She shot back even as she could feel her mother's gaze boring down into her.

"Riiiiiight." Harry drawled out the word in a particularly accurate rendition of Draco's condescending drawl.

-o-o-o-

"You're messing with fire," Draco said it the instant they'd left the other's sight, his eyes flashing warily over his fiancé before shaking his head and correcting himself, "I take it back, you're not just messing with fire, you're messing with fiendfyre and you're filling the room with Greek Fire."

"Really, Draco, Harry's right. You are over dramatic." Astoria rolled her eyes slightly with a bit of an impish little smirk on her lips. "And I'm not messing with fire. I'm poking a dragon with a stick. Get it right."

"More like a bloody basilisk." Draco shot back with a soft mutter as he pinched at the bridge of his nose. "Astoria, you have no idea just what you're messing with… Potter... Harry… The man does NOT like people playing games with his life."

"He seems pretty tolerant of yours." She shot back with a smirking smile on her lips as she settled herself against his chest.

"Because he knows I'm not playing a game. He knows what I'm doing, and why. He knows straight out why I'm doing what I'm doing and what my goals are." Draco slowly and softly shook his head. "Love, seriously… I know he might not look it, but that man is bloody dangerous."

"Tell that to Daphne, she's the one chasing after him." Astoria countered even as her voice lost a bit of its edge while she studied him carefully. "I don't see you…"

"Daphne should know full well what he can do." There was a shake of his head and a slight curve of his lips as a small bit of amusement grew in his eyes. "Or, do you think she doesn't, and that's exactly why she's playing that game with him?"

"I don't know if she realizes it consciously." Astoria allowed before shrugging slightly as she rested her head against his shoulder. "But, I think he's what she needs."

"Possibly." Draco allowed before glancing in the general direction of where they'd left the pair. "Of course, it's also quite possible, that they'll end up at each others' throats and take the rest of us down with them."

"What's life without a little danger?" Astoria threw him a slight, playful little wink as she lifted her head up and grinned teasingly at him.

"Peaceful." Was his only response as he looked back at her plainly.

"Bah, come on, you know you want to have a little excitement."

"I've lived through the kind of excitement Potter brings, love." Draco shook his head and let loose a slow, amused little chuckle. "It is far, far less entertaining than one would think."

"Yes, well I haven't." Astoria shrugged her shoulders before she batted her eyes up at the man. "Besides, there's no Dark Lord around anymore… Don't you want to indulge your pretty, silly little fiancé in her flighty little whims?"

"In this particular case? No, not particularly," Draco responded with an utterly bland tone of voice while slowly shaking his head. "Really, Astoria… As you said, you're poking a dragon with a stick. A rather large, pointy one at that."

"Yes, and fortunately I have a stubborn older sister who's more than happy to play the distraction for him to focus on." Astoria grinned softly before smirking more than a little impishly. "Of course, if she happens to get a husband out of it, who am I to complain?"

Instantly Draco's face paled dramatically as the full implications of what his fiancé had planned. "Oh… Oh bloody buggered hell… No, just No!"

"Oh, come now, would it really be that bad?" Astoria kept up that sweet little smile on her lips as she looked up at him. "The two of you seem to get along well enough."

"Have I done some grievous insult you can never forgive, Astoria?" The look of ashen fear written on Draco's face almost broke the woman's smile as she carefully shook her head in response. "Then, why are you trying to become a widow, my love?"

"Oh, come now, I doubt Harry would kill you." Astoria paused slightly before lightly tapping at her lower lip in consideration. "And really, healing has made remarkable advances in recent years, so the likelihood that you'd end up a cripple is…"

"Ha, ha. Your humor fills me with a boundless mirth." Flat words of discouraged annoyance left his lips as he slowly shook his head. "Lovely, my fiancé, my love, wants me to suffer. Wonderful, delightful. Why oh bloody why didn't I just do something monumentally foolish during the War to get myself killed?"

"Because then you wouldn't have gotten to find out how delightfully interesting I make your life?"

"… I wonder if Potter would do me the courtesy of a clean death at least." Draco ignored the slight scowl that left Astoria's lips as he lightly rubbed his chin.

"Suddenly, I understand just why it is he had such an urge to inflict bodily harm on your person, my dear."

"What can I say? It's a Malfoy family gift." Draco shrugged his shoulders for a moment, before he offered her a rakish grin. "We have a knack for managing to get on the nerves of the people we really, truly shouldn't."

"At least you have sense enough know you really, shouldn't be upsetting me." Astoria pursed her lips before slowly shaking her head with a sigh. "I suppose now you're going to insist we go and intervene?"

"You know me well it seems."

"I'm learning at least."

-o-o-o-