"Odile, we'd like you to meet a Mr Adrian Pucey." Odile furrowed her brow, a dim sense of recognition at the name. As her father smiled with a glint in his eyes, and stepped back to reveal said boy, her heart stopped. She knew this boy, she knew him very well. She had never managed to learn his name, but she certainly knew more than the average person. After one of many strings of parties during the Quidditch house cup battle she'd ended up with an awful hangover; in a bed she didn't know, with a boy she barely recognised. The boy that stood in front of her now.
"Odile, it's so wonderful to see you again. It's been what… three years?" She couldn't help but gulp when he smirked, that smug look radiating through his words. She cleared her throat lightly, before noticing his outstretched hand. She quickly clasped his, only for him to turn it and place a kiss on her knuckles, eyes boring into hers. She blinked and pulled her hand back, discreetly wiping it on her dress.
"Ah Odile, I wasn't aware you two knew each other." Her father said, eyeing the two with genuine curiosity.
"Oh darling, did I forget to mention that? They went to school together, they were in the same house actually. I'm sure they came across each other… several times." Her step mother interjected, causing Odile to narrow her eyes. However she knew what had conspired between the two, she knew and she was sure it wouldn't take her father long to learn the extent.
"Not really, I mean, I can't say I remember. It's a big school, Eve." She said hastily, trying to avoid the inevitable conversation for as long as possible.
"Oh really? How interesting. Well, let's get you two properly acquainted. Mr Pucey here is a very fast growing member of the Ministry." Eve continued, the sickly sweet tone of her voice doing little to disguise the smugness in her eyes.
"Fascinating." Odile replied sarcastically as she took another sip of her champagne. She cleared her throat at her father's thunderous look, and turned back to the still smirking Adrian.
"Please, tell me more about your, uh… position." Her father deemed that an appropriate enough response and began speaking before the boy could even open his mouth.
"Well Mr Pucey is training under me at the moment, although I dare say not for very much longer." He beamed at the boy and clapped him on the shoulder, though she saw the minuscule wince from Adrian as he did so.
"Sir Reisinger you give me far too much credit, I am simply honoured to be learning under someone so successful and powerful. It gives me great hope for my future." Odile resisted the urge to roll her eyes at that, the simpering tone of his kiss assery pressing on her nerves.
"Nonsense Pucey, humility will only get you so far. You'll find that once you hit your 30's your life will be on the fast track. That being said, the sooner you find a wife and have your own brood, the better. You'll find raising a family is far more taxing the older you get it. I'm sure my children benefited from having a fit father." Odile choked on her drink, coughing as she tried to breathe correctly once more. To hear her father try to praise himself was beyond absurd.
"I concur with my father, having a role model such as him has truly helped shape me as a man." Matthew said in a dry tone, cutting across his sister's coughing fit. Odile knew her brother disliked their father almost as much as she did. In fact, if he wasn't such a pompous ass, she would almost find solace in his presence. They had a similar sense of humour, and a shared dry wit.
"Yeah, what he said." She choked out when she'd finally finished coughing. Eve and her father looked over at her with disdain, and then gave Adrian an almost apologetic look.
"As I was saying, it is important for someone who works in the higher ranks to be very well rounded as I'm sure you know. To keep our bloodlines pure and carry on the tradition for many many years to come. Heirs to the throne, one might say. Great men, like my son here for example," Michael turned to Matthew who looked back at him with slight shock, "Of course he's nowhere near ready but he's ever so slowly getting there." Matthew's face dropped back to his usual blank face, let down once more.
"My daughter Odile here is pure blooded as well, of course, nothing but the best for my family." Odile felt her stomach churn as her father talked about her as if she were some kind of meat at the butchers.
"Odile here is very intelligent, at least when she applies herself," Eve placed her hand on the girl's shoulder and it took everything in her willpower not to physically recoil, "Quite talented with her spell work according to her professors, and very active." Odile looked over at the woman in confusion, but Eve continued to beam at Adrian.
"Yes, I'm well aware of how active and… talented Odile is." Odile's face flushed and she prayed with all her might that the floor would swallow her whole. Her father glanced between them with a furrowed brow as if trying to understand an inside joke. Adrian smiled smarmily at the man.
"We shared many classes together, Charms and Flying being two of them. I suppose I noticed her more than she noticed me. Well, when you have your head in a book a majority of the time, I suppose it's hard to notice others." He smiled at Odile in a way she supposed was meant to be charming, but it came off more creepy.
"Sorry, can't say I remember you much at all. Must have been my bookworm habits, as you pointed out. I don't have many fond memories of school." Adrian's smirk grew at that, and her heart began to beat a little faster. She suddenly became very aware that pressing the man that had taken her virginity and was dangling over her head like leverage was not the best idea.
"Well I must admit Odile, I have very fond memories of you." The implication of his words was not lost on her step mother who's classy smile had slowly devolved into a shit-eating grin.
"Oh how sweet of you to say such things Adrian. I'm sorry Odile doesn't seem to have the best memory," she turned to her husband at that, placing a demure hand on his bicep, "Perhaps we should leave them to get reacquainted darling, after all, I'm sure they have much to catch up on."
"Oh that's really not necessary-" Odile began but Eve had already led the man to greet some new guest, Matthew following suit. She groaned and turned to face Adrian, that same gross look of triumph on his face.
"So, still dating that We-"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She cut across him quickly, controlled rage seeping through her voice. He raised his eyebrows, but the smirk remained ever present.
"Odile, is that really any way to greet an old friend?"
"Old friend? Dude, we slept together once. I'd hardly call that friendship." She retorted, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance.
"One time? Oh Odile, it was far more than once. Three times before morning if I remember correctly." He purred, causing her to flush a deeper red though she attempted to cover it up with an eye roll.
"Look I was wasted, and so were you if I remember correctly. At least Graham could testify, given you threw up in his trunk before you made it to the bathroom. Now I know you're not here for nothing, so out with it." His face dropped for a moment before the smile returned, a dark chuckle falling from his lips.
"Ah Odile, ever the intuitive one. If I hadn't heard you beat down Malfoy in the common room I'd almost have put you in Ravenclaw. Or perhaps Gryffindor given your...taste for mud bloods. Either way," he continued before she could continue her protest, "You are correct. I'm not here for nothing, but all that shall come to light soon. Won't you join me for a dance?" He held a hand out for her to grasp, and she scoffed.
"You're crazy if you think I'm going to dance with you."
"Oh come now Odile, one dance can't hurt. Besides, it would make Daddy dearest ever so happy. Perhaps he'll even tell you the real reason he invited you tonight." She furrowed her brows, glancing over to where her father stood. He was chuckling with some well dressed consulates, even a duke or two from what she could tell. He glanced over at where she stood and gave her an approving nod, and she couldn't stop from narrowing her eyes. This entire night became more and more suspicious as the hours ticked by.
"Clock's ticking Odile." Adrian prompted in a sing-song voice, waggling his brows. She huffed and downed the remaining champagne, placing it on a passing by waiter's tray. She took a deep breath before grabbing his hand, trying not to gag at the self indulgent grin that came over his face.
"One dance." She replied, squeezing the fist that hung by her side.
"Of course." He simpered, leading her towards the dance floor, ignoring how she tried to slow the track.
She cleared her throat as they reached the floor, allowing him to position her into a formal waltz pose. It felt wrong, so different from her dances with Fred. Of course, those were ones of two deeply in love, where the string minuet was replaced with Sinatra. She followed his lead, the pace steady and unforgiving. Gone were the loving caresses of Fred fingers along the base of her spine, replaced by the slimy hands of Pucey edging towards her derriere. She quickly pulled the stray hand back up to her mid-back with a glare in his direction. He raised his eyebrows in a faux-apologetic look, though she could tell there wasn't a sorry bone in his body.
"So are you ever going to tell me why I'm here?" She murmured, avoiding his eyes as she scouted the room. There were a great many faces she recognised, and a great many she didn't.
"I suppose now is as good a time as any." He replied, spreading his arm to the right so she could give a little spin out and back. His arms returned to their former position as she came back to him, although he pulled her closer to his body. She did her best not to yank herself back, relenting with a minor step backwards.
"Well?" She prompted when he didn't complete his first thought.
"Sorry dear, I was just enjoying our little moment here. You are quite the dancer." She rolled her eyes, though the steps came as easy to her as riding a bicycle.
"Well when your father is a ministry official and has a ball every fortnight, you begin to learn." Odile mumbled, and sighed as he dipped her slightly.
"Just another one of your many lovely talents." She huffed in frustration, doing her best not to purposefully step on his toes.
"I get it. We slept together. I'm sure it was a fiery night of passion for you, but it was pretty forgettable for me. Can we please find a new subject?" He chuckled as she finished, used to her quips by this point.
"Very well. Your father is going to retire one of these days, and he wants to be assured his legacy will continue for many many years to come. You are aware he will be leaving the keys of the kingdom to his son," He replied and she nodded her head, none of this was new information, "but he still wants to make sure all of his children will be looked after. That and his future grandchildren."
"You've lost me." He shook his head in amusement at her deadpan, and followed her face as he took her to the final dip.
"He wants to make sure that his bloodline remains pure, and he is willing to do whatever he has to ensure that bloodline does. Even if that means setting up an… arrangement for an engagement." Her eyes shot open and she tried to fully yank herself away from him, but his grip merely tightened.
"Mmm, that even rhymed. Now come Odile, don't make a scene. You must have known something like this would come to pass."
"Oh, do forgive me, I wasn't aware we were still in the 18th century." She hissed through clenched teeth as the spattering of light clapping filled the room, the dancers leading their partners from the floor. Only she and Pucey remained, and he certainly wasn't letting her go. As a new waltz began, he gripped her waist tightly and led her into another round.
"Don't take it to heart so much Odile, think of it like a business investment. You marry now, have a few children to love, meanwhile your father promotes me to a position in which I can take care of all of you to live a very comfortable life. A little slice of heaven."
"And what, you expect me to be some little house wife? Take care of the kids, become part of the PTA? Who would go along with that?"
"Astoria Greengrass for one, she's the fiancé-to-be for dear Matthew. Parkinson for Malfoy, even Zambini has some sorry girl awaiting his proposal. I suppose they're overlooking his obvious crush on a certain blonde gentleman there, after all, no room for love in the monarchy."
"Merlin, they've really thought this all out," Odile glanced over to see her step mother's sardonic smirk reflecting back at her sour expression. She growled inwardly before looking back at Pucey who was watching her with an unreadable expression, "So what? You told Eve that we slept together and she thought she could blackmail me to follow this engagement."
"Oh, I told her no such thing. I am a gentleman after all. However," he spun her out suddenly giving her barely any time to react before yanking her back, "Graham on the other hand is anything but. I couldn't control what he spread among his chums, and it finally trickled back to the lovely Miss Evgeniya, well… she had a proposition for me."
"Get your hands off of me." She ground out as his left palm grazed slightly too low for comfort.
"Can't say I've heard that one before."
"Glad to be your first." She snarled, giving one more futile effort to pull away from his commanding presence.
"As was I," he chuckled as her face screwed up in anger, before bending down to whisper in her ear, "Look, Odile, think of this as a good thing. Your aunt really has your best interests at heart. That's why she chose me over some random Viking from Durmstrung. You chose me once before, why not now? What changed, really?"
Fred. Fred changed everything.
A/N: Special thank you to Estela prime for following this story and ayzkrimm10134 for favouriting! See y'all next time!