Disclaimer: I figured since this story is past the 25 chapter mark I would add a disclaimer once more. I do not own Harry Potter or any Harry Potter characters, J.K. Rowling does. As for Aeris, Abner, Maximus, etc. those are my characters. Thank you to everyone reading my little AU story!
Chapter 26
"Excuse the interruption, but a letter has arrived for Draco," Maximus said as he approached the group. A black envelope was stuck between his middle and index finger.
"I trust that you did not open it," Draco said angrily as he snatched his property away from Maximus. Aeris gripped Draco's arm as she peered over his shoulder at the letter.
"I can assure you that I have no interest in reading your love letters from random Slytherin girls."
Aeris looked to Maximus quickly before releasing Draco's arm. The memory of reading a letter from Pansy crept up on her slowly. Guilt followed when Aeris realized that she was romancing another woman's man. She looked to Draco out of the corner of her eyes, trying to judge his expression.
"I can't really be to blame," she thought. "Draco is the one who neglected to tell that poor girl about us." Aeris' guilt quickly subsided when she remembered a second letter from Pansy.
Her eyes narrowed at her young husband now. She was so wrapped up in seeing Harry Potter once more that she had completely ignored the fact that Draco agreed to continue a relationship with Pansy. Just because Aeris was not going to Hogwarts with him did not make him a single man. He may have denied that Pansy was a current girlfriend, but Aeris still felt uneasy.
"Asshole," she thought before crossing her arms over her chest.
"Yes, well if you will all excuse me I am going to read my letter in private," Draco announced with a nod. He walked a few paces before stopping.
"Aeris?" he asked. "Won't you be joining me?"
"Oh now you don't need your wife to hover over you while you see to your business," she replied. "I need a moment alone with Maximus anyway." Maximus raised an eyebrow at her and Draco gave her a concerned look. "Do enjoy that letter."
"Come Lucius. We have matters of our own to attend to," Narcissa added. Her husband nodded and left the room with her. Draco hesitated but left eventually.
"Maximus, were you trying to make me angry?" Aeris asked calmly as she examined her fingernails.
"Of course not Aeris," he replied. "I only care about your feelings. I apologize if Draco's fan mail upset you."
"Was it really a letter from some girl?"
"Now Aeris, I thought you knew me better than that. I did not read Draco's letter. I just assumed what it was."
"Well you know what they say about assumptions."
"Shall we continue this discussion in the garden? The storm has stopped and it looks nice outside. It'd be a shame to waste time in this Manor." Aeris agreed and the two made their way through the Manor and into the garden.
Aeris took a deep breath, taking in the scent of the roses and lilacs scattered amongst the bushes. The screech of the lone, white peacock echoed in the distance, making her grin. Aeris took a seat on a stone bench as Maximus fiddled with a vine nearby.
"Are you ready to discuss what you really want to discuss with me now?" he asked, his attention still on the vine.
"Who said that there was more to discuss?" Aeris asked coyly. Maximus smirked at her.
"There is always something more to you, Miss Malfoy."
"Max, are you currently in a relationship with anyone?"
"Is that a proposal?" He sent a wink Aeris' way and she shook her head.
"Seriously, Max."
"No. I am not involved with anyone at the moment, nor have I been for quite some time."
"Let's say you were dating someone for a few years, but Voldemort chose you to be my husband. Would you end the relationship and marry me?"
"In a heartbeat."
"Even if you loved that girl?"
"Well, that's the funny thing," Maximus plucked a tiny flower from the vine he had been fiddling with. "You can fall in love as many times as you want. So love is not really a factor in the situation."
"Now see, I don't believe that."
"Which part don't you believe?"
"I do not believe that you can fall in love more than once. Sure, you can think you are in love with someone, but if you "fall in love" with someone else then it wasn't real love."
"Who says it wasn't real?
"Apparently you if you could leave someone you love for a stranger."
A silence fell over the two. A small breeze rustled the shrubbery and sent a chill down Aeris' spine. Maximus had begun twirling the tiny flower between his fingers as he stared down at it, contemplating what Aeris had just said. It wasn't long before he took a seat next to her on the bench.
"Stop worrying yourself about this," he said as he nudged her shoulder lightly with his. "I'm sure Draco loves you and you're the only girl he has eyes for and all of that junk."
"Yeah…," Aeris replied quietly. "You're probably right." Aeris jumped when Maximus placed the flower behind her ear.
"Now, what's this I hear about Lucius asking the Dark Lord if you can see Draco off tomorrow?"
Aeris sat up straighter now. An impish grin crossed her lips when she realized she had a secret weapon in reserve if Lucius was unsuccessful in his endeavor. Maximus said he cared for her, and now she was going to make him prove it.
Meanwhile…
Draco sat behind a large desk staring at the letter he received. The black envelope had his first name written in silver ink on the front, but it was not a font that he recognized. The more he thought about it, the more it worried him. His owl had not left the Manor all morning, and he did not hear another owl enter his home, which meant that this letter had not been delivered at all. No, Maximus was given this letter and was supposed to give it to Draco. The only question that remained was why.
After a few minutes, he opened the letter. The black envelope opened easily, and a white, crisp piece of parchment slid out. Draco could feel his jaw tensing as he skimmed over the black writing.
"Draco,
By now you are probably biting your nails with anticipation of what this letter is about. The Dark Lord is going to be in touch with you shortly after your return to Hogwarts, so be on your toes. However, I am betting that Aeris has begged you to put up with me today, so you will not respond to this letter. I'm not just watching over Aeris while you are away at school like a good little boy. I am going to spend every waking minute, every single second with Aeris. I'm going to discover every tiny thing about her, and I am going to use my charm to woo her. Make no mistake, Draco Malfoy, I am going to make your wife fall in love with me one way or another. I will win her over, and you will go back to being nobody. Have fun studying potions and herbology, kid. I'll be busy studying your wife.
Yours truly, Maximus Alastaire
Draco crumbled the letter into a small ball viciously. Angry groans escaped through his clenched teeth as he grabbed his hair in his hands. In a fit of rage Draco swept his arms over the desk top, sending numerous papers and quills crashing to the floor. His chest rose and fell as he started pacing the study. He stopped when he passed the window. He quickly pressed his nose against the glass and looked down in the garden. His nostrils flared as he watched Maximus nudge Aeris and then place something behind her ear.
Draco retrieved the crumpled letter from the floor and shoved it into his pants pocket before rushing out of the room. He flew down the stairs, knocking a house elf to the ground as he did so, and ran through the ballroom. He tore open the doors and looked into the garden. Maximus was standing in front of Aeris, who was still on the bench, and the two boys locked eyes. Draco angrily started to walk over to the two.
"Well hello there Draco," Maximus said with a smile. Aeris turned over her shoulder and smiled at her husband.
Draco passed the bench, and to the surprise of everyone present, punched Maximus in the face. His knuckled cracked against the tall boy's cheek bone before Maximus stumbled backward, his hand gripping his face. Draco stood with his hair falling into his eyes, chest heaving up and down, with nothing short of hate in his eyes.
"Draco!" Aeris yelled before covering her mouth with her hand.