Disclaimer:All characters belong to JKR.

Dose of Your Own

By: OurLoveIsForever

Chapter Twenty-Five: Heels

"So, explain to me exactly what Malfoy said." Laura repeated for what must have been the fortieth time. One would think she would pick up on the fact that I was ignoring her. Her unremitting barrage of questions only served to add more stress on my already disintegrating patience. Grabbing the item in her hands, I stomped back into the small bathroom of my flat. "He said?"

"That I was to meet him outside of the shop at five o'clock sharp and that if I was late he would hex me into the next century." I hissed, pulling the green fabric over my head. I quickly pulled the zipper up and straightened the dress accordingly. With a quick wave of my wand, my previous wild, stingy hair fell straight onto my shoulders. Thank you Leo Tatting who set about teaching me that spell!

I heard Laura gasp slightly. "It is currently four fifty-seven."

"Damn." I muttered, throwing my wallet and wand into my bag. "I'm sorry to cut our time short, Laura. He just—"

"Doesn't listen when you say 'I have something I am already doing?'" I grimaced in response, pulling my shoes on as I hopped toward the door. "Yes, sure, whatever. Go on your date, by all means. You know this can be done any time." She waved me off and smiled. "I'll lock up. You go on with your…whatever it is you call yourselves."

I bolted out the door at four fifty-nine. Refusing to run, I walked quickly toward my destination. In the three months that had passed since the events at Pucey Manor, peace had returned. Well whatever 'peace' there was when being so close to Draconis Malfoy. I began living once more at my flat, bringing Draco nearly to his knees. In all that time, we had been at a stalemate in a battle of wills. While I had been neither here nor there on the publicity surrounding our relationship, he had been completely gung-ho, ready to throw the words around to the press. 'Better publicity' he said. 'It will help the family name' he argued.

I didn't care one way or another though I will admit, being human and a woman made me want the requisite date. This, he had neglected. I wasn't sure if it was from the lack of a romantic bone in body or the way he seemed driven by his lower anatomy. Either way, in the three months, we had not been on a single date. Snogging secessions? Sure. Very near other things? Maybe. Date? Absolutely and utterly a complete and resounding 'no'.

"You're late, Greengrass." Draco huffed, rolling his eyes. "Do you know how rude that is?"

I glared, coming to a stop beside him. "Probably about as rude as floo-calling during a known meeting between women when you know that wedding plans are being discussed."

"Is it my fault that you didn't tell me that the mouse is getting married?" He asked, shrugging. Gently, he placed my hand on his arm as we began to walk down the alley, ignoring the bustle of human traffic about us. "Not that I would have cared."

"Thus why I neglected to tell you." I responded. We slowly proceeded on, a comfortable silence between us. I would have preferred his company to that of the stressed bride-to-be any day. I simply wasn't cut out for weddings and more than once, I had recommended she elope. She knew of my hate for weddings before she had recruited me as one of her 'helping friends' as she didn't want bridesmaids. I could only shake my head at her antics. Less work for me, I suppose, therefore I did nothing to argue it.

"My Mother has told me that I am most likely making you unhappy with my 'constantly self-centered attitude'." Turning my head sharply, I felt a smirk pulling at my lips. Narcissa Malfoy was a blessing, she was! "She said that women are to be treated as flowers." He snorted slightly and turned to me with a grin. "I told her that you aren't a flower." An almost full smile broke on his face. "You're a viper." Laughing lightly, I shook my head. "That aside, all snakes need to be fed and I know that you think I have not one single ounce of romance in my body."

"Less than that."

He narrowed his eyes. "It is an insult to any gentleman to be deemed unromantic."

"I insult you every day. What's the difference?"

Draco stopped suddenly, pulling me to stop with him. We were off to the side, hidden in a dark crook in the alley. People rushed by us, back and forth through the shops. I took this moment to drink him in. His face was fuller, having been released of the stress from months ago, his features had become more healthy and handsome. His cloak was of the finest velvet, his gloves and shoes of the finest leather. He wore a dark charcoal business suit under his robe. When my eyes reached his face again, his eyebrow was raised. "I realized that I am very attractive, Astoria, but I do believe that bovine mating season as passed."

Rolling my eyes, I made an unbelieving sound in the back of my throat. "If that were true, would you stop staring at my chest? If you continue, I am very sure you will be extremely embarrassed right here. Either by my physical assult or your...lack of control."

He shook his head. "I'm never embarrassed. That aside, the difference is the fact that men of society and good blood are trained in tactics of wooing. The fact that you think me of the uninspired sort makes me realize how little you truly know of me. Do you forget I had Parkinson, Bulstrode and numerous other ladies on their knees?" I raised my eyebrows. He smirked at his double meaning.

I laughed outright, earning some strange looks from passers-by. "Oh, do impress me, Draco! Let us see these glorious 'wooing techniques'first hand!" Crossing my arms over my chest, I felt a cold chill run down my spine at the spark in his eyes. His hand shot out to grasp my arm before I felt the feeling of being pulled down a drain by my navel. Portkey.

Stumbling backward, I breathed heavily. "Draco Malfoy, if you ever do that again—"

He waved me off mutter something of 'yes, yes'. I glared toward him as he helped me to stand upright again. Around us, the room was dark and unlit. I could feel the firmness of a stone floor and the dankness of something close to a basement. Lighting his wand, Draco led me to the stairs, holding his wand out in front for visibility.

Upon reaching the top of the staircase, I glanced around at the surrounding hall. The white walls were stucco and held many different paintings, each of a person obviously related to the Malfoy line. The moving portraits conversed in secretive tones until we arrived at the largest portrait of them all. Blinking rapidly, I thought it impossible, but sitting within the frame was a white haired man that I recognized immediately.

"Draco, I fear you are too much like your Mother." Lucius Malfoy said with a slight smirk. "She would have loved something like this."

Draco nodded slightly, his own grin mirroring that of his father's. "So she said. Father, I would like to introduce Astoria Greengrass." He motioned to me slightly. "She is…important to me."

"Well you certainly would not bring her here if she weren't." Lord Malfoy's gray eyes looked down upon me with a slightly raised chin. He observed my stance, my hair, my face before nodding slightly. "Gregor's daughter?" I nodded. "Good blood, that. Draco's told me about you in great detail, Miss Greengrass."

I nodded my gratitude, still a bit shocked that I was speaking with the recently deceased man. Before I could say anything inquiring, the tall man stood from his upholstered seat and walked around, a hand dragging along the leather. "Draco, I am going back to my Manor portrait. Do behave yourself." Draco nodded and began to tug my hand to pull me down the hall. I saw Lucius Malfoy disappear into the darkness behind his chair. The last bit I saw was the swish of his cloak.

"How?" I asked as we rounded a corner opening up into a wide room. Draco led me forward, not bothering to turn around.

"I discovered the hidden portrait not a week ago in the catacombs of the Manor. All members of the Malfoy family are to have portraits made. Of course, with all of the events of late, I had been distracted from tracking the work down." We walked through a set of double doors and out onto an open terrace. I gasped at the landscape. Two hills greeted my eyes, the sun setting to the far right casting a glow about the window like opening between the columns. I walked forward, distracted from my previous interest. Bits of trees covered the grounds and into the distance. Directly below I could see a table and two chairs lit by candle light. Shocked I turned to see Draco's pleased expression. "Welcome to the Malfoy villa."

It felt so strange to be free to do such things, to feel complete happiness for the first time in a long while. I turned to smile at him with as much warm as I felt. He was no good at things like this. The rumors of his appeal had outdone him, until now. My heart was beating so rapidly that I felt my cheeks heating up. "It's beautiful."

"Indeed." He began to allow his smirk to become a full smile. His hand slid over mine on the sill. "I've never been one for this sort of thing and you are damn difficult to please."

I snorted slightly, allowing him to lead me down the outside staircase running along the side of the house. I felt shocked, happy, so many different emotions at once. It was like something out of a fairy tale, something that I thought couldn't possibly exist. The cares of the world were fading into that moment, into him.

Love. I never expected it, never thought I would have it, and never wanted to let it go.

"If I had known that this would shut that trap of yours, I would have tried my hand at romance months ago." Gently, he pulled the wrought iron chair from under the edge of the table. "The quiet is peaceful every now and then."

"And you are ruining it with that mouth of yours…" I replied snidely, shaking my head as I sat. He moved around the table, the fingertips of his right hand sliding across the white fabric that lay over the table. I looked him up and down, taking in his lean form. He sat on the other side, his eyes trailing over the table to my chest up my neck to my eyes. "Nice to see your priorities."

His shoulders rose. "It is simply part of the male persona."

"Ruled foremost by your lower brain. Perhaps you could give that a break and employ the more informed part of your 'persona'?" I felt a grin spread over my face when he started to laugh.

His laugh was no different than any other. Lower than Zabini's, higher than Nott— My thoughts froze when a pair of green eyes flashed in my mind.

Nott.

Theo.

I hadn't seen him in nearly three months. The rumors from the parlors of Purebloods across Britain said that he had joined the Aurors seeing that Adrian and Daphne were still loose. Thus far, the authorities had once more proven useless in tracking down those two nutters though they had proven less threatening than their dead counterparts. Nott had not attempted contact, nor had I. Both of us too prideful to do anything of the sort.

Draco was far worse. He borderline hated Theo. When the man was mentioned, be it in passing or otherwise, Draco would throw one of his tantrums. And I do say: a tantrum, for it is the best description of his clam-like behavior. He would refuse contact from the outside world, placing a cold and indifferent mask to hide his disappointment in his best mate.

What I think bothered the man before me more than anything was the fact that his trust was shattered, the trust that he had gained over the period of several years was broken in an instant—

"—ria, you're going to be the death of me, aren't you?"

I jerkedto attention finding that he held a self-satisfied smirk on his face. I narrowed my eyes at him momentarily as he leant forward before snapping. Next to the table appeared a small house elf weighed down by a large tray of wine in two glasses. I glanced at Draco momentarily before taking the glass of wine off. I waited for Draco to take his.

"What did you say?" I tried. He shook his head slightly, bringing his glass up in a toast.

"To me—" I snorted a laugh. He couldn't be serious. "Since I was lucky enough to wake up in that sty you call a flat. To you—" I shook my head with a smile. "Since you were lucky enough to lay eyes on me in the first place." He also began to laugh. "And to the name of Malfoy." I rose my glass slightly before taking a small sip of the red wine.

"You make quite the toast." I said, placing the glass to the white linen.

Draco nodded. "You should see me in bed."

I laughed. "Been there, done that."

"Done that? When? And where was I?" He argued back, shaking his head. "I'm sure I would remember, unless, of course, you got me drunk off my arse first. That, I am sure, is how you could achieve getting me bedded."

Shrugging, I looked out over the landscape. "Guilty as charged. You're so pliable when under the influence. You simply wouldn't say no." I turned back to him with a serious expression. "How could I pass up such an opportunity?"

"Have you no honor?"

"None."

"Shame, that, honor may have prevented what I had planned for you this evening."

"If, by that, you mean a quail breast and asparagus, I would have to say that I thought you a bit better at the art of seducing." Neither of us spoke, observing over the table to see who might crack first. The house elf arrived moments into the virtual glaring contest to deliver our entrees meeting my laughter when the main course appeared as I had predicted: quail and asparagus. "Have you no imagination?"

Draco made an indignant sound in the back of his throat. "I made an illegal portkey to get you here, made sure that everything was just right, even made sure to have the whole house ready for our arrival and you say that I have no imagination! You are much too difficult to please."

"This coming from you of all people." I retorted, throwing the words right back in his face. We continued thus for some time until the desserts arrived. I stared at the cheesecake before looking back up at the man across from me. "How did—'

"I have my sources." He said cryptically as he motioned toward the slice. "Never pictured you as the desert type in all honesty."

"Typically, I don't like desserts. Cheesecake being the only exception." My mind drifted to the last time I had cheesecake. My eyes unfocused slightly while my mind wandered unconsciously. Green eyes flashed in my mind again as I thought back to that day.

"He's bloody irritating." I growled, stabbing the cake with my fork. It was fairly obvious who I had been referring to.

Nott rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Tell me something I don't know. He's been my best mate for year-"

"Don't think about him!" Draco hissed over the table. I snapped back into reality, into the present. I blinked to see Draco's face filled with several emotions: rage, irritation, and sadness. I frowned, shaking my head. I couldn't believe I had allowed my mind to slip so. "He's gone, Astoria. Let him go."

"I have." I answered automatically.

Slowly, he stood, bringing himself up to stand straight and tall. I kept my seat, seeing the glint in his eyes. I knew that shine. His jaw set with determination. His fingers drew along the table cloth before sliding up my arm. I shivered at the touch. I wanted to speak, but I found that all my words were long gone. He slid one arm around my shoulders, winding down around my waist, splaying his fingers over my lower abdomen. His face cradled into my neck. "Don't think about it tonight." He muttered, his other hand sliding down my arm to grip my hand. "Not tonight."

Allowing all thoughts of my still-free sister and brother-in-law, of Theo Nott, of the world to slip from my mind, I turned slightly to catch his lips with my own. I turned my body into his arms, letting go of simply everything, giving in to the feelings that were welling up within me. Gently, he pulled me to stand, his hands roaming. One was in my hair. The other was caressing my hip, rubbing the curve there. I ran my hands along his chest, up his neck to his face. Lights were flashing in my mind.

This was it.

I could feel it in my very bones.

My senses were doubled. I could hear, feel, taste, smell everything. I could hear the small 'epp' that the house elf made in shock before the ultimate 'pop' of her depart. I could feel the heat of the man before me. I could taste the tart of the wine mingled with the sweetness of the cake. I could smell him…

I felt him smirk into the kiss, obviously having an idea. His mouth vanished the next instant, an arm coming under my knees and the other cradling my shoulders. "I can't help it." He murmured huskily, carrying me toward the door inside. I tried to keep my heart from jumping into my throat, but my efforts did little to stem the speeding beats. He moved more fluidly than I had ever seen, carrying me effortlessly up the stairs.

When we arrived to the beautiful bedroom, the bed lurking in the middle, the symbol for all it stood for standing out like a bright light. I knew what was coming. We had been hurling toward it for months, unstoppable. I stared at the white sheets. Draco started forward to place me gently upon them. One knee slid between my own, pushing my legs apart as either of his hands pushed into the bed beside my head. My eyes were focused yet unfocused, seeing only the gray in front of me.

His lower body pressed into my own. We fit perfectly. His lips roamed my chest, shoulders, neck and eventually he made his way back to my lips. Once there, I felt him smirk, one of his hands disappearing to his left. "Astoria," he breathed, lifting his face away from my own.

I was panting, watching him closely. Something was coming. Something I wasn't sure if I was ready for. I could tell by the almost mischievous yet somber glint in those silver orbs. "Something you want to say…" I whispered slowly. Leaning up to kiss his shoulder. He shivered a bit in my arms.

"I—" He began, pulling a small black box from his side. I wondered when he had conjured such an item. Instantly, I stopped breathing. He looked as if he had just conquered the world, his eyes gleaming with pride. "I want your han—"

"Draco!" A voice bellowed breaking whatever spell had been cast between us. We both stopped, frozen in place by the sound. Draco stared at me momentarily, confusion sweeping over his face. I shook my head, showing that I, too, was bewildered. Then it came again with more anger and anguish. "DRACO!" He slithered off of me quicker than I had time to sit up. Both of us moved in tandem toward the sound, running down the hallway like the Dark Lord himself was on our heels.

He might as well have been.