Chapter 49
Charlotte stared at the ring in Draco's hand, speechless. Draco started to look downhearted, fearing that she was going to reject him, but she nodded, replying with a big smile, "Yes, yes, of course I will!"
He slid the ring onto the third finger of her left hand. He stood, and met her gaze. She'd never seen Draco so happy, and it made her heart soar to see the elation in his silver eyes.
Unable to express his joy in words, he embraced her. "Thank you," he whispered, and she held him tighter in response. He released her and wiped his eyes, trying to hide the happy tears that coursed down his face.
"What is it, Draco?" she asked, concerned.
"Nothing, I'm just… very pleased you said yes." He took a deep breath, clearing his throat. He added, the familiar haughty tone back in his voice, "But my father had better not hear about this crying nonsense!"
Charlotte laughed at his mock arrogance, "Of course not! But I think he'd understand if he knew they were tears of joy."
He kissed her briefly, and they embraced once again, thrilled and hopeful for the future.
As the big front doors of Malfoy Manor closed behind them and they walked back toward the gate, Draco sighed, "I apologize for my parents, Charlotte, they…"
"That's all right, I'm used to it. And if I have to put up with it in order to get along with them, I'll be fine. I promise," she smiled reassuringly.
He nodded, but it pained him to see the hurt she was trying so hard to hide. All things considered, for a first meeting between his parents and fiancée, it had gone reasonably well. Narcissa remembered Charlotte from the Holiday Ball, and Lucius was impressed with her magical abilities. Though his parents were wary of her and of their hidden relationship, and despite the biting and cruel remarks his father made concerning Muggles and their magical spawn, the visit went quite well. Draco noticed how uncomfortable Lucius' comments were making Charlotte, and excused her, stating that she had to get back to her home for lunch with her family.
Lost in his thoughts, Draco realized that Charlotte was talking to him, and said absently, "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"
She rolled her eyes, but repeated, "I'm afraid that your parents don't approve of me."
"Why wouldn't they? You're beautiful, smart, talented at magic, and—"
"And Muggle-Born. How will they react when they find out? The things your father was saying… it made me almost… afraid of him."
Draco looked back at Malfoy Manor, thoughtful. Draco had grown tolerant of Mudbloods and the like over the last couple of years, but his parents were far from it, and more stuck in their ways. He was irked by their insensitivity, but he reminded himself that not long ago he too was prejudiced in the same way.
He tried to reassure her, "Father's all talk, he's not that much of a man of action." She seemed unconvinced, so he added, "Remember when I thought all Muggle-Borns were untrustworthy and horrid? You showed me how wrong I was. No matter what they think or say, I'll make Mother and Father understand how important you are to me, and how wonderful you are. You deserve to be treated better than some common girl, after all, you're going to be a Malfoy!" Draco kissed Charlotte demurely, promising to meet her later. As she Disapparated, Draco braced himself for the surely impending confrontation.
Upon his return to the Manor, both of Draco's parents conveyed their initial approval, which brought Draco some relief. But it was tentative, as he was about to reveal something that could make this whole thing blow up in his face.
"I'm very glad to hear that," he said, trying to phrase it gently, "By the way, I forgot to mention something to you earlier, but I felt like it would have colored your impression of her. I wanted to wait until after you had spent time with her before I told you. Charlotte LaRocque, my fiancée, is Muggle-Born."
Lucius and Narcissa were struck into a stunned silence, staring at their son, not quite sure what to say.
"You're lying, Draco," Lucius was the first to speak, "You must be." When Draco failed to reassure him, Lucius started to get angry, "First, you tell us that you've been seeing a girl without our knowledge, and that you intend to wed her. Then you have the nerve to bring her into this house, and—"
"You asked to meet her!" Draco interrupted.
Lucius kept on, unabashed, "—and you take advantage of our hospitality, only to reveal that our home has been fouled by a Mudblood, and you've been tricked into marrying someone with dirty blood?"
"What? She did not trick me, and Charlotte does not have dirty blood, Father!" He was fighting angry tears, as this is what he feared would happen.
"Quiet, insolent boy! You need to learn where your loyalties lie."
"Lucius," his wife spoke up, "Calm down."
"What? I'm just illuminating him about the error of his ways."
"Listen to your son. You'll only drive him away of you keep scolding him like a child. If you don't want to lose him, you'd better hear him out," she said resolutely. Taken aback by his wife's sharp tone, Lucius remained silent, waiting with crossed arms for Draco's explanation.
Draco sat down in an armchair, taking a deep breath. He briefly told them how he and Charlotte met, became tentative friends, learned to look past their differences and to love someone they probably shouldn't. He told them some of the things they'd been through together, and that he had never been so happy. "Just give her a chance. I know you'll learn that she is a remarkable witch worthy of my love, and your acceptance."
He let that all sink in, and stood, adding, "I know that you'd like me to marry some girl from a wealthy, pureblooded Wizarding family, but that's not going to happen. I love Charlotte, and we are getting married. If you have a problem with that, then…" he hesitated, afraid of the consequences of his words, but said anyway, "…then we can have our own life, and it doesn't have to include you." He stormed out of the room, fighting back fearful tears.
Dismayed at Draco's confession and outburst, Lucius and Narcissa realized that if they weren't careful, they would lose their only son. After a few tense days in Malfoy Manor, they apologized to Draco. He took their contrition warily, but was pleased that they were willing to give Charlotte another chance. They even requested another meeting, for afternoon tea the following week.
Slowly but surely, the Malfoys warmed up to Charlotte, finding her pleasant and friendly manner hard to resist. Narcissa was quicker to admit this, and Lucius, too proud to acknowledge such a thing, remained distant for longer. But Draco knew that, in time, his parents would grow to accept Charlotte, at least as a daughter-in-law.
He lifted her into his arms, carrying her up the steps and across the enormous threshold. As he set her down inside, she said, still laughing, "You really didn't have to do that."
"Of course I did. Haven't you heard the old superstition?"
"I thought that was just with Muggles."
"It had to start somewhere, didn't it?" he hung their traveling cloaks on a hook, and added, "Cursed thresholds are especially risky for new brides. Not that anyone would dare curse Malfoy Manor, but you never know if…"
She silenced him with a light kiss on the cheek.
He laughed timidly, "I'm babbling again, I'm sorry. I'm rather nervous."
"Me too," she said, taking his hand.
"Really?"
She nodded, "I've never been married before either, Draco. But I simply can't tell you how elated I am that it's official!" She looked at the shimmering diamond ring on her left hand.
"You don't regret marrying an arrogant, narcissistic former Death Eater?" he tossed his head, haughtily crossing his arms.
She shook her head, "Not as long as you don't regret marrying a bookworm, Muggle-Born Animagus."
"Well…" he trailed off, mocking disapproval. He looked Charlotte up and down carefully, as if appraising her, and shrugged. "I think I'll manage."
Crossing her arms, she went along with it, "Is something wrong with what you see?"
"I don't think you transfigured back all the way from this morning. Is that… is that a tail? I hope that wasn't there for the ceremony…"
She spun around, exclaiming, "What?!" When she saw that he'd been joking, she let out a relieved, yet irritated breath. "Don't do that, Draco. If something like that had happened in the wedding today, I would've died!"
"I don't think that's the case. Sure, some might've laughed, but… what's a wedding without some laughter at the bride's expense? Isn't that right, Mrs. Malfoy?"
Unable to remain angry with him at the mention of her new name, Charlotte said, "Shut up and kiss me, Draco Lucius Malfoy."
"As you wish!" he smirked, and kissed her tenderly, taking in everything, every sensation and emotion, not wanting to forget that moment, and that day, looking forward to the future he couldn't wait to share with Charlotte. ~
Author's note: Though it seems a rather nice note to end upon, there is in fact one more chapter to go after this one, dear Readers! I aim to post it very soon, and make it an even 50! I hope you have been enjoying my little spin with Draco and Charlotte, but we aren't finished yet! Stay tuned for the Epilogue... :)
