Hi guys! Thank you so much for the feedback on the last chapter. Yes, I am very italics happy lol. I usually go back and edit some of it out, but if there is a lot of it just know that I was really tired when doing my once over. Yes, a once over. I'm very ashamed that I only go over it once, and I really need to stop procrastinating so I have more time to read it over more than once, but I know I won't. I don't think you're nitpicking at all, the fact that you notice things like that shows that you really are paying a lot of attention to my story and that means so much! It makes me so happy that you care enough about my story. Yes, Pansy used the wrong name on purpose (weak pettiness), but thank you for telling me about the other misspelling! This is a slightly shorter chapter (I know. Don't kill me!), but still important. There was a bit of confusion about Astoria's actions being off character, which is understandable, and also intentional. She's a very jumbled character and still has to develop and find herself. I hope you're all having an awesome weekend, and I hope to hear your thoughts as they inspire me to keep writing. Thank you so much for your support!

I don't own anything from Harry Potter.

Astoria paced through the gardens, her head throbbing painfully in result of the little stunt she had pulled. She scowled at herself and stopped walking, holding her head. Why had she done that? She had to do something to defend herself from the stupid bint, but making such a scene had been very compulsory, and also conflicted with her usual show of character. She did not want to create such a reputation for herself, any reputation for herself really aside from a proper, well bred young woman. Even her reputation as Daphne's boring little sister was better than a vindictive and temperamental witch. That reputation was reserved for her mother. How could she waste such efforts on Pansy Parkinson of all people?

She wasn't sorry.

She wasn't sorry, no. Parkinson had overstepped herself, and she had insulted Astoria in her own home and in front of her husband. She had made a reference to a happening in her family that ought not to be mentioned by anyone, a happening that Astoria wouldn't even allow herself to think of. On top of that, she didn't want Draco's well known slut comfortably sitting in the Manor, her Manor, whether she insulted her or not.

Talking to Draco, her Draco.

She was coming undone here, isolated and taken out of her normal routine. She was becoming more reactive and impulsive, she was becoming emotional. She had always had something to focus on aside from her own emotions and specific feelings and opinions towards things. Now she was trapped to face herself and her own raw character while she experienced this new section of her life. She surely wasn't used to being insulted by a woman so absolutely beneath her, and she was not prepared to tolerate it. She didn't care what Parkinson thought of her, the girl was delusional as it was, but what she did care about was the nerve of her. If she let one person demean her in front of others, surely others would think it perfectly acceptable to do the same. Her whole family reputation was built on the demand of respect, and it that respect wasn't received there would be repercussions. She wouldn't be the start of that changing.

Draco hadn't seemed all too pleased with her when she had left the room, and the thought made her more bitter than anything. First he had disrespected her by speaking of her like she was one of his random sexual partners, and then he had done nothing to control his incredibly stupid plaything. No interest in her? Which is precisely why he practically held her captive in his bedroom and slept so close to her every night, because he had no interest. Parkinson was absolutely out of her mind to try to say Draco had no interest in Astoria when it was her who spent her Hogwarts years "dating" Draco who blatantly treated her with zero regard and zero loyalty.

And she had allowed it.

She had allowed it because she was weak and had no pride, but Astoria did have pride when it came to her appearance. When they were alone, she simply wished for decent treatment, but in front of others she had to demand it, expect it. It was one matter to publicly scold her, but to allow others to speak down to her? No, she wouldn't have it, her father wouldn't have it. As her husband, it should only be him speaking down to her, and perhaps a few other choice wizards such as his father.

Astoria stilled when she heard him approaching, her breath catching as it usually did as she carefully assessed his pace and the heaviness of his steps. It was always difficult to sense his mood, as he usually carried himself in the same way. She didn't turn to look at him so he took it upon himself to turn her around to face him. She lowered her arms from her head that she was clutching and looked up at him, searching his face for indications of how angry he was.

"What did you do," he asked levelly, his face mostly unreadable aside from the odd look in his eye, a sort of guardedness there.

"I am not sure what you mean by that, Draco," she replied, furrowing her brow at him.

His eyes narrowed and he grabbed her chin, his eyes searching hers impatiently. "Playing coy is only cute for just a few short moments, I can assure you. Answer me properly before I become angry with you." His voice was cool, but not worryingly furious. She could work with this.

Perhaps he had softened towards her, even just ever so slightly.

"Does that mean you are not angry with me already?" She asked him softly, placing her and on top of the one that held her chin.

Draco's eyes flickered and his hold on her relaxed slightly before his gaze hardened again and he yanked her chin up slightly.

"Are you attempting to manipulate me, love?"

Well, based on his slip of composure she wasn't just attempting.

"I'm just trying to display my desire to only please you and not upset you, Draco," she told him quietly.

"Then you had better answer my question, no?"

"It was nothing very exciting," she said dismissively after taking a deep breath. "A party trick really."

"A party trick," he repeated slowly. "You call Pansy, a capable witch, humiliating herself seemingly by choice a party trick?"

"A capable witch?" She scoffed in disbelief, practically wanting to spit at the idea as jealousy sparked inside of her.

Draco's eyes darkened and his lips pulled into a familiar smirk, his hand on her jaw moving to caress the side of her face. She felt her eyelids grow slightly heavier in response, and she leaned into his touch just barely, but enough for him to notice and cause his smirk to deepen even more into his features. "Yes, Astoria. She's a capable witch," he told her, his tone sweet with mocking. "Capable in many ways.'

Astoria fought hard against her impulsive desire to tear herself from his grasp in her disgust. He was taunting her with her now apparent jealousy and wanted a reaction, she knew, but she still couldn't control anger stirring in her stomach.

She knew he had been with many women, knew about Pansy, knew he most likely would be with more women even after their marriage. Why was this just hitting her now? Why was this making her so angry? He acting jealous over Theodore, but Theodore hadn't ever actually touched Astoria, had sex with her. She barely knew him, and Draco had been around Pansy his whole life.

"If she's a capable witch then that must make me an utterly perfect one," she said strongly, almost snapping at him.

"Control your attitude, Astoria," he told her firmly, looking caught off guard with her. "I will compliment who I please."

Compliment who he pleased? Parkinson had insulted her. To insult her was an insult to himself as well, as she was his wife and had his name.

"Now, be a good girl and explain to me properly, and this time control your tone. I'm not sure what has come over you," he said, though his tone indicated that he had a clue of what had come over her.

"It was just something I learned from my father. A form of Legilimency. I'm not very good at it, but Parkinson is just so weak willed and pathetic that it was effective," she sniffed. "A part of her had to believe what I was saying."

Draco shook his head, looking away from her irritably. "I'm becoming quite tired of hearing about your father. Surely as a woman you would have been more under your mother's wing."

Not at all, her life had revolved around her father up until now, and now her life revolved around Draco. She was lost in transition between the two men, and life revolving around her husband was much different than life revolving around her father. She wasn't sure who she was in this environment or what her life meant, and the current stress of everything going on in their world as well as the outside world was not helping her adjust or find herself.

"My temper isn't usually this horrible," she said slowly, gathering her thoughts. "This is a large life adjustment, and I'm not usually so alone with myself. I'm not used to you, I'm not used to these types of interactions, I'm not used to any of this. I've been brought up to stand up for my name, as have you. It's a bit off-putting to have the ex sexual partner of my husband speak to me in such a way and bring up certain things.. That should not have been brought up in what is meant to be my home."

"Your attitude isn't usually this horrible either. You've had more than enough time to adjust. I'm not going to accept that excuse any longer, as you've been raised from an infant on how to act properly. I warned you after you humiliated Blaise, and yet you were unable to listen."

"You told me not to bait a powerful wizard in a fit of anger," she told him calmly. "I don't believe I baited anyone, let alone anyone powerful."

Draco let out a short laugh and considered this before nodding his head once. "I suppose you are correct, though it should have been an unspoken warning, and you should know better. You do know better."

"You can't expect me to allow myself and my family degraded."

"I'm your family, Astoria," he said, his voice becoming harsh. "I don't know how many times we have to go over this. Your loyalty is to me."

"Yes, and I am yours. Which is why I can't imagine why you'd allow me to be spoken of in that way by someone so beneath me."

"I wouldn't have allowed it, but you took the liberties upon yourself. However, as much as it would have amused me to see you two get into a decent spat; I don't believe it necessary to go the route you did," he said, an uncomfortable look crossing his face.

"Why are you defending her? Why do you care about her?" She asked, flustered at his discomfort at how she handled the woman.

"Ah, love. Your jealousy is endearing. I wasn't sure it existed with how you hadn't seem to care much at all about all of my past endeavors with women, but it's rather entertaining to see it come out now," he purred, drawing her body close to his but not quite holding it against it, the warmth of his body touching her senses.

"You didn't answer my question," she said stiffly, bothered by his tormenting.

"I don't have to. You submit to me, not the other way around. I ask the questions and you answer. It's a rather simple concept that you should be well aware of by now. You're supposed to be at least."

Astoria shut her mouth, growing more frustrated by the moment. She held her breath, attempting to get a hold of herself. Perhaps she should try counting to ten? She was upset at herself for being such a mess, upset at herself for letting Parkinson of all people to get to her.

"I don't care about her, not at all. However, there is no need for such a display of.. Questionable magic," he told her, a distastefulness in his tone.

Questionable magic? He had been a Death Eater, he had grown up around dark magic, his family collected dark objects of magic. Most of them prided themselves on being dark wizards and witches. He was no stranger to questionable magic.

Ah, but she was a woman.

He had told her what she did was cruel, which fell well in line with her mother's common claim, "Men are known to be cruel, but a woman's cruelty will turn heads, and men are unnerved by the competition." She had been cruel, and had displayed her cruelty to an audience he was well acquainted with. Cruelty that challenged his own, as Draco was far from being the most intimidating dark wizard out there. She had made him uncomfortable with her show of dark magic, made him feel shown up.

"Are you afraid of me, Draco?" She asked coyly, teasing him slightly as she stood taller.

Surprise colored his cool toned eyes before he twitched an eyebrow at her, glancing down her small form as he sized her up. "You're afraid of me, meaning I harbor control over all of the darkness that may reside in you, which I doubt there is much. I suspect you put out all you have in you today."

Was she afraid of him?

Yes, though not in the way he probably suspected, or the same way she had been the first days of their marriage. She had encountered much worse than Draco in terms of harsh men, and from what she had found she could get away with more than she had originally thought without terrible repercussions. She feared him in that he would cast her away, let her suffer in loneliness, waste away into nothing. Furthermore, now that she had grown affectionate towards him: he had even more power over her.

"Poor Nott," he commented, a smug look covering his features as he brought up the wizard out of no where. "I'm sure that comment about alcoholic mothers got to him. I fear you hurt his feelings, my lovely wife."

Astoria blinked in confusion before guilt sunk into her at the realization of what he was referring to. Draco ran his fingertips over her frowning mouth, his hand lingering there. "Why do you care about him?" He asked, repeating her own question to him back to her.

"I don't," she replied quickly, noticing the familiar possession in his eyes. She wondered if the same look had come across her own eyes during her recent scene as well as during their discussion over Draco's original lover. "I just don't seek to offend those who have not wronged me."

"Mmm. He has wronged you by crossing your husband, by attempting disrespect your marriage," he said flatly, his eyes watching hers carefully.

"What about when Parkinson disrespected our marriage? You've been with her intimately. I've never been with Theodore."

"You have tried my patience enough with your backtalk for today," he said softly. "Be done with it."

Astoria nodded slowly, recognizing his seriousness. She truly did not want to push him too far, and was shocked she hadn't already. She was surprised she had gotten away with as much as she had, surprised at herself for displaying such behavior. So impulsive, too raw. It made her uncomfortable, she didn't like having proper control over her own emotions and actions.

Draco moved forward, brushing his lips against her cheekbone, his teeth grazing against her skin lightly. "I'd like to see how utterly perfect you are now. I'm expecting you to back up that claim with evidence," he murmured against her cheek before lowering his head to kiss her slowly.

The possession and jealousy she had been pushing down resurfaced as soon as his mouth graced hers, a peculiar and humming adrenaline moving through her body. She slid her hands boldly up his chest, curling her fingers into the fabric of his clothing near his shoulders before circling her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his, kissing him back intently. She felt him take a step back and she followed him, frowning into the kiss. Why was he moving away from her? His hands left her face as he reached behind himself to grab her wrists, unlocking her arms from around his neck and tugging them apart to hold them on either side of him, breaking his lips away from hers.

She looked up at him, searching his eyes as he looked down at her, his eyes filled with amusement and mocking, always mocking her. "My, you are a spectacle today," he mused, pulling her against his chest by her wrists while keeping a constrictive hold on them. She felt her face draw into a pitiful expression and he chuckled, dropping her wrists to grip her waist, his fingers digging into her flesh beneath the fabric of her dress. She moved her freed hands back up his chest, stepping closer to him. "You're trying to tease me."

"Indeed. You're not normally this entertaining."

Astoria scowled and looked down, focusing her attention on their touching bodies that blocked her view of the ground. "How am I meant to provide evidence when you are denying me?"

"Mmm. I would suspect a perfect witch would know the answer herself without needing to ask," he said smoothly, reaching a hand up to take her hair down.

"I wish I were perfect," she said quietly, a seriousness coming over her.

"I don't."

"Why?" She asked him lamely, looking back up at him.

"Because it allows me to recognize you as human," he told her, a strange sincerity crossing his face as he seemed to be talking to himself as well. "And fuck, we all know I'm far from perfect."

"In all fairness, I feel like I hardly recognized myself as human until now," she said slowly, shivering slightly at her words, emotion pulling her down mentally.

"I suspect most of has have the same debacle."

"We are all just miserable beings with well practiced facades," she whispered, her throat growing tighter.

Draco was silent and Astoria moved to rest her head on his chest, accepting this moment with him, knowing it would be gone very soon and things would go back to being a confusing mess. They understood each other in this moment, knew exactly how the other felt. It was the most comforting yet tragic feeling, as they knew nothing would change and their lives would remain in the same routine.

"You're rather good at Legilimency. Specifically with memories, which can be hard to navigate as you have to know how to be specific. Interesting for you to have excelled in that aspect. Usually people focus more on what's in one's current thoughts, rather than scenes of the past," she said after a while.

"The past shapes the present, and experiences form the character."