I ran my fingers down the white silk skirt of my dress slowly, Narcissa has outdone herself again. The dress was a mixture of black and white, the top was sheer black with the usual black fabric detailing the top which travelled down onto the white skirt which then fanned out as it hit the floor, the black detailing around the base of the dress. I slipped the dress off the hanger, the soft material seemed to fall between my fingers.
After getting the dress on I looked at myself in the mirror and straightened up, the top of the dress fit perfectly to my small frame. The dress pulled in at the waist, showcased a figure I didn't know I had, and I nervously ran my hands along my hips with my heart pounding. I didn't know how to feel about this one.
I look like…
"See" I heard Narcissa's voice from the door and I turned quickly, automatically folding my hands in front of me, "Look at the way she's holding herself, Lucius"
"Almost like a Lady of the Manor" Lucius agreed a small smile on his face, I smiled lightly at the comment but I turned back to the mirror.
That. I look like that.
My hair covered my shoulders and I quickly pulled my hair back, remembering Narcissa's words about my neck and shoulders and pinning it loosely at the back of my head.
"Adria, sorry to intrude but there is something we'd like for you to have" Lucius spoke again and I swear I heard a hint of slight nervousness in his voice.
I turned to Lucius again as he stepped further into the room, Narcissa was barely able to hide her excitement. I watched in silence as Lucius pulled out a flat black box and with a quick look at his wife he opened the box. My jaw hit the floor.
Nestled in the black velvet was a silver chain baring the Malfoy family crest on a pendant, I looked up in shock and took an involuntary step back. My heart pounding in my chest and my blood rushing through my ears. I was gobsmacked, Lucius Malfoy standing in front of me asking me to bear the Malfoy family crest.
"I'm not a Malfoy" I tripped over my words, "Not by blood or by marriage. I can't possibly wear that, I don't have the honour"
"Adria" Narcissa finally spoke, a smile still on her lips, "You know you're my Goddaughter now, that makes you part of the family. I am sorry I didn't mention it sooner, you have already been through so much I didn't want to add to it"
"It's okay, I understand" I replied quickly, my eyes still on the necklace, "With the way things are going with Draco I don't think-"
"Draco doesn't have anything to do with our decision by asking you to wear this" Lucius cut in quickly, he passed the box to Narcissa and gently placed his hands on my shoulders turning me back towards the mirror, "It doesn't matter what happens with my son, Adria"
As Lucius spoke he went back over to Narcissa and picked up the necklace with both hands, "You sacrificed your freedom to save Draco's life, we'll forever be in your debt for that" Lucius lifted the necklace over the top of my head and clasped it behind my neck, the necklace settled on my chest above the material of the dress, "You've shown this family loyalty from the very start, Adria. You might not be blood and you might not be married into the name but you are a Malfoy''
Lucius stood behind me with his hand on my shoulder as my fingers ran over the pendant, I could feel the magic rolling of it. Narcissa crossed the room and stood behind me too with a warm smile.
"You're a Malfoy, Adria" Narcissa stated with a glint in her eyes, "So suck it up" my eyes filled with tears and I quickly pushed them back but it didn't stop a couple from escaping, I quickly wiped them away and smiled.
I had a family. A dysfunctional family but a family nonetheless.
(Third Person View)
Draco was nervous and for what?
He could barely hear what Blaise was saying, something about Umbridge wanting to make an extracurricular at Hogwarts but Draco's mind was elsewhere. He had really tried to ask her out but of course, his pride got in his way, he didn't want to risk another rejection. His ego wouldn't let him. He found himself scanning the room looking for Adria, wondering if she would actually attend. He couldn't get the look of pain and disappointment that was on Adria's face out of his head, he felt awful but he didn't know what else to do.
"Draco!" Blaise's sharp tone made Draco's attention snap back to his friend, "You alright?"
"Yeah" Draco cleared his throat, looking around again, "Just fine. Where is Pansy?"
"Right here!" Pansy's voice made Draco jump slightly, Pansy wound an arm around Blaise's waist and Draco smiled softly at the sight of Blaise kissing the side of her head fondly.
He couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Not jealous of Pansy or Blaise. Jealous because that's what he wants to be able to do. But with Adria. Not that he'd ever admitted that out loud to anyone, he couldn't be seen as weak because that is something Draco wasn't. He was far from weak. Well, that's what he's been telling himself anyway.
"Where's Adria?" Pansy asked looking around, "I haven't seen her since the break started and I have something to…" Pansy trailed off, her eyes landing on a point behind Draco's shoulder, "Holy shit"
Draco turned around slowly and his whole world froze. Adria looked elegant in the black and white dress that Narcissa had made for her, Draco was relieved to see that the sleeves were long, knowing Adria would have hated to have her arm on show for everyone to see. Part of Mother's design, Draco thought to himself. Draco didn't shy away, Adria looked him dead in the eye before looking away quickly, her hand came up to her throat and ran her fingers over her necklace. Draco's breath rushed out of him when he recognised the necklace. The Malfoy crest and Adria was wearing it with pride, using it to seek comfort as she stepped out of her comfort zone.
With his heart pounding, Draco watched as his father approached Adria, said something and offered his arm. A small smile appeared on Adria's face as she took Lucius' arm and she disappeared into another room talking away with Draco's father and Draco couldn't help but swell with pride. Lucius has wholeheartedly accepted Adria and Draco couldn't be more relieved.
"She belongs here," Blaise said after a moment, Draco could only nod in response. "Draco?"
"Hm?" Draco turned back to his friend, barely seeing him. His mind is full of Adria, the way she walked, the way she held herself. The small dimple that appeared on her left cheek when she smiled, the way she blushed when Draco was affectionate towards her. The way her hair cascaded down her back in natural waves, her green eyes sparkling when she's up to something.
"Draco!"
He shook his head quickly, trying to clear the haze and tried to focus on his friends, "I'm fine" He muttered, his eyes already searching the room to see if she had come back into the room, "I'm not fine" He admitted with a sigh and leaned against the side of the table.
"What's happened?" Pansy asked, her voice taking on an accusatory tone.
"Nothing happened!" Draco said defensively and resisted the urge to run his fingers through his hair, knowing his mother would tear his ear off if he had a single hair out of place. "I almost asked her"
"What do you mean by almost?" Blaise chimed in.
"I wussed out," Draco admitted quietly and Blaise snorted.
"You have it really bad" He commented and Draco rolled his eyes.
"You think?" Draco snarked, Pansy was shifting from foot to foot clearly dying to say something but trying to hold her tongue but Draco wasn't having it, "Pansy, spill it already, you look like you're about to explode"
"She's going to kill me" Pansy muttered and Draco raised his eyebrows but said nothing, "She's waiting until the new term, she's giving up, Draco. She loves you but she's not going to wait forever. But I think she will, but that's just my own opinion"
Pansy's words rattled around in Draco's head as the night went on, he had found Adria talking to Lucius and someone he recognised from the Ministry. Draco watched in silence as she engaged in the conversation, she tilted her head slightly in the way that Draco knew that Adria didn't like something that was said. Narcissa, sparing Draco a quick glance, joined the conversation quickly and wrapped an arm around Adria's shoulders protectively and politely excused herself taking Adria with her, Draco quickly crossed the room to join his father.
"Draco, there you are," Lucius said, "I'm sorry to have taken up some of Adria's time, I was just introducing her to a few colleagues of mine"
"No need to apologise" Draco brushed off the apology and swallowed, "I noticed that you passed the necklace to Adria"
"Yes, I thought you might," Lucius said and nodded to a colleague, Draco followed his father to the side of the room his eyes finding Adria quickly and he bristled slightly when he saw she was talking to Montague and Pansy, "She has shown this family loyalty that I haven't seen in a long time and she is Narcissa's Goddaughter, it seemed fitting"
"That it does" Draco agreed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched Montague place a hand on Adria's left arm and he didn't miss the way that Adria stiffened slightly and subtly moved her arm away.
"She sacrificed her freedom just to save your life, Draco" Lucius said after a moment and Draco nodded.
"I know" Draco admitted, "I'd do the same for her"
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that" Lucius smiled for a moment before returning to a blank expression, "Go, Draco, it's bad manners to keep a woman waiting"
Lucius walked off, looking for his wife and Draco took a few breaths before walking across the room towards Adria but he froze when Adria's voice reached his ears, "That's very sweet, Graham but I will have to decline"
Decline? Decline what? Draco quickly shifted his position so he couldn't be seen, anger and jealousy quickly flooded him. Had Montague made a move on her?
"Because of Draco?" Montague asked, raising an eyebrow "Dia-" Draco's anger rose slightly at the sound of his nickname for Adria falling from Montague's mouth.
"Don't call me that!" Adria said quickly, "And yes, because of Draco"
"How long are you really going to wait around for him?"
"Graham, it doesn't matter what she says. She'll probably wait as long as it takes" Pansy cut in quickly, "She has more patience than me"
"You can't ever give up on the one you want no matter how painful it can be, what comes easy won't last but what comes last won't come easy" Adria's voice took on a wistful tone as she spoke, Draco knew that they were lines from her journal.
He could hear her muttering to herself when she went inside her room after Draco backed down, he had stayed and tried to strain his ears to catch her words but couldn't quite hear the full sentences. He hated himself for being so prideful. He pushed himself off the wall and walked straight up to the trio.
"Draco!" Pansy greeted, relief clear in her voice. Adria's shoulders tensed for a moment before she turned to look at him, "There you are!"
"Sorry, I was talking to my father" Draco explained and nodded stiffly at Montague, "Montague, enjoying yourself?"
"You're mother always hosts such amazing events, I always enjoy my time," Montague said quickly, his eyes on Adria as he spoke. Draco's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and slipped an arm around Adria's waist. Something pulled his heart when she stiffened slightly but he kept his arm where it was and he didn't miss the conspiring look between the two girls.
"It was very sweet of you to offer to take me to Hogsmeade in the New Year, Graham" Adria spoke politely and Draco tensed slightly, he knew it. "I'll have to turn that down but find me later and I might just save a dance" Pansy snorted slightly and covered it with a cough before subtly looking over at Draco's tensed posture.
"I hope you do, you're quite light on your feet" Montague commented and with a small smile he walked away and Adria sighed before delicately removing herself from Draco's arm and linking arms with Pansy.
"Drinks?" Pansy asked with a glint in her eye and Adria smiled, the dimple appearing making Draco almost weak at the knees.
"Drinks" Adria confirmed and flashed a smile at Draco, a smile he knew was fake with the sudden absence of her dimple, "See you later, Draco"
Draco watched in stunned silence as Pansy and Adria walked away from him without another word, he couldn't help but notice the subtle elegance that Adria was portraying. He kept his eyes on her while she reached the bar, twirling the stem of a silver goblet between her fingers while she spoke to Pansy. Her right hand subconsciously running up and down her left forearm, only pausing to sip from the goblet before continuing to run a hand over her arm.
"Shit" Draco muttered and leaned against the back of a chair, "Shit, shit, shit"
"How fucked are you this time?" Blaise's voice came from beside him, Draco was so busy watching Adria that he didn't even notice that Blaise had slipped up beside him.
Sighing, Draco gave in to the urge to run a hand through his hair not caring about the consequences, "Might as well just punch me now, Blaise" Draco muttered and Blaise snorted.
"That fucked?"
"That fucked"