Draco barreled through the floo and stormed out of the receiving room, ignoring both his parents calling his name as he bolted for his bedroom. Once he was there, he warded it and silenced it before taking out his wand and wreaking havoc.

His shouts of fucking bitch, manipulative cunt and vicious swot—were yelled with distinction, as he laid waste to every piece of furniture in his room.

He'd never been this angry before...

Never!

How in the fuck had he not seen that one coming?

The Weasel King he could've lived with, in fact? He would've gloated and lorded it over the prat for the sheer enjoyment of it.

Krum?

While he could admit that it would've given him pause—the wizard was all brawn and no intellect, so yes—he would've felt comforted in his self-superiority.

But Potter?

Fucking witch!

The one wizard he'd always felt inferior to. The one wizard he'd never been able to best!

And now that prick was going to have his wife too!

Shite! His wife!

He slid down against the wall, allowing the support to guide his descent as his head hit his knees with a thud, as the adrenaline coursing through his body finally started to abate somewhat.

Then his floo chimed.

Looking over, he sighed before waving his wand and opening the grate.

"Draco?"

He sighed at hearing Astoria's sweet voice calling out his name.

"Hey, Tori."

"Where are you?"

"I'm here, love. I'm just not the best company right now."

There was a brief pause, and then a belabored sigh before she demanded, "Draco, please come where I can see you."

Rolling onto his knees, he used his wand to instantly repair some of the items in his room he hadn't completely destroyed, and vanished the ones he had before he crawled over to the hearth and sat down cross-legged in front of the flames. He could now see Tori's face clearly.

"What happened?" She asked. "You look horrible."

"Thanks, Tori."

"You're welcome, now spill!"

He chuckled in spite of how he felt. Tori could always make him feel better, even when he didn't want to.

"Where do I begin?"

"Well," she smiled, "start from the beginning."

"Cheeky witch."

Her laughter caused his mouth to quirk slightly, but then he remembered how his evening had ended, causing his mouth to furrow back into a disgusted frown.

"That bad?"

"I should've listened to my Mother."

"I don't understand?"

"Granger...Hermione..." He paused, and then leant forward so Tori could see him better, "When I got there, we went for a stroll on the grounds. Hermione was polite, but aloof. We didn't talk much. At dinner, she'd mentioned that she wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts. She's taking her NEWTS by correspondence. It wasn't what I was expecting."

"You thought she'd be returning to Hogwarts?"

"Pretty much. Anyway, she was offered an apprenticeship once her NEWT results come in. It's pretty much a formality, because knowing the swot like I do, there's no way she won't ace those tests."

Astoria chose to ignore Draco's whining for the moment as she inquired—seriously intrigued, "Whom has offered her a place without having her NEWTS completed? I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing?"

"No, neither have I." He bit back petulantly, secretly more impressed than he'd ever let on just whom Granger had managed to secure an apprenticeship with. "You're even going to be more floored when I tell you whom it's with."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Whom?"

"Nicolas Flamel."

There it was. Tori's mouth gaped open in shocked awe as she stared at Draco in wonder.

"How is that even possible? He doesn't take on apprentices!"

"Believe me, I know."

"You've always been fascinated with alchemy. Finding the panchrest in particular."

"Yes Tori, I'm aware."

Astoria bristled at the heavy sarcasm in Draco's voice, and even though she instinctively knew he wasn't upset with her, it still stung a bit.

He must've sensed it too, because he sighed and said softly, "Sorry, Tori."

"No..no, Draco. I get it. But why do I feel there is more?"

"Because you're especially intuitive?"

"Flatterer."

That did get a half-smile from him.

"Hermione and I talked alone in her family library after dinner. I might've opened the dialogue towards the consort clause of the contract and she came out and asked me if I was considering taking one."

"And you said?"

"That I was seriously considering it. I know we've briefly discussed it, Tori, but I also feel horrible for even asking such a thing of you."

"I know, Draco. I still have two years of school left and I won't be of age until December, so there is still time to figure this out. You did mention you won't have to have anything finalized until right before you're married, right?"

"Yes." He swallowed uneasily. "That's true. However, when I told Hermione I was considering it, she abruptly ended the conversation. Told me to let her know when I've decided."

"Okay? So what's so awful about that?"

"Because when I asked her if she was planning on taking a lover, she said she was also considering it."

This factoid caused Astoria to choke out a snort. "What? Did she really indicate as such?"

"Her exact words were 'and if I told you I was considering it?'...bitch..." Draco hissed the last word under his breath, but Astoria heard it.

"And this was after you'd admitted to considering the possibility too, yes?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm, she may have just said that to save face, Draco?"

"I considered that briefly, until I realized just whom she has in mind!"

His voice had elevated again, in his fury—and Astoria could see Draco's temper flaring.

"Who could it be to have you acting like this? Surely not Ronald Weasley?"

Draco guffawed out a laugh. "Merlin, no! There's no way I'd be threatened by that git!"

Threatened?

That wording was unexpected, she thought.

"Then who, Draco?"

"Potter!"

Astoria's gasp was loud enough that Draco heard it, and he nodded in confirmation.

"That was my reaction...well, more towards the fact that I was irate."

Then something unexpected happened—Astoria laughed. And he stared at her like she'd lost her fucking mind!

"Tori? This isn't funny!"

"Oh, but it is!" She smiled widely. "Hermione Granger Alphonse picks the one wizard that she knows will get under your skin. The fact that Potter is helping her? Draco? Did you ever think that maybe they're having a go at you? I know many of us speculated in school that there might've been something going on with the two of them, but we all pretty much realized that she had a thing for Weasley and Potter was with Ginerva."

"Okay, fair point but—Potter and the Weaselette aren't together anymore. And Hermione and the Weasel aren't either. By all accounts, she and Potter were alone for months together on the run. What if something fundamentally shifted there? She's spending the day with him tomorrow too. So as much as I'd like to think they're faking this? I don't think they are."

"And you don't know how that makes you feel?"

"Is that petty of me?"

"Yes, but it's understandable. Draco—in all the years I've known you, you've never once liked to share your things. You may not like Hermione Alphonse, but she's going to be your wife. You have to consummate the marriage and sire two heirs. Are you really going to be able to go through the motions of being intimate and then moving on? Letting her do the same with Potter?"

Draco's head fell into his hands as he groaned out in irritation. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Tori always knew what points to make and she knew him better than anyone.

Except Pansy—but that definitely wouldn't help him right about now.

"I don't want to marry her." He mumbled through his hands, not wanting to see Tori's expression of disapproval at his pouting.

"And I'm sure the feeling is mutual, Draco."

"Thanks, Tori."

"Just keeping it honest. No matter what you like to think, Draco Malfoy, you're not the only eligible wizard out there."

Lifting his head, he smirked at the little vixen who was grinning impishly at him.

"Minx."

"Yes, dear."

Sighing, he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck in defeat. "Tori, be honest? Do you really see yourself playing the role of my Mistress? Your Father would likely never allow it...we both know it."

Draco watched Tori's gaze narrow slightly as she stared over his shoulder briefly, before her eyes locked with his again.

"I'll admit, it's a long shot. If you hadn't been marked, he may have been more willing—but we both know that it was always going to be an issue with my Father. Despite my parents feelings on blood purity, he didn't follow the Dark Lord. Not in practice. I care for you, Draco, very much. You're one of my best friends. I don't want to lose that. I know we haven't made any definitive promises, but I'd always believed that we'd be together. Now? That seems fraught with difficulty. I'm not saying you're not worth it, because I believe you are..."

"But?"

"But..." she sighed heavier this time, and he could see she was trying valiantly to hold her emotions together. "But, we have some time to decide. Making this decision tonight while you're feeling angry is not the right time. You haven't even tried to get to know Hermione Alphonse. At least not properly. All you've seen is the girl, whom you've disliked, primarily because of her Muggle background. Something tells me that side of her isn't going to go away just because she is now the Lady Alphonse. So I suppose you'll need to decide if you're willing to get to know all of her? To try and find common ground, if for no other reason than you'll be sharing children with her, Draco! If you two can't find a way to at least be friendly, how will you ever co-parent?"

Draco sat there stunned.

He hadn't even considered that reality at all.

He definitely didn't want his children growing up the way he had. His parents loved each other it was true, but his Father valued status more than anything and Draco just wanted his children to be happy.

Truly happy.

"You didn't even consider that, did you?"

"No." He replied, chastened.

"Perhaps you need to."

"I know." He nodded slowly. "Thanks for checking up on me."

"Of course. Your trial, or whatever—will happen early next week, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Then perhaps it might be better if we can talk more in person? Owl post and floo calls are lovely, but I haven't seen you in over a year, Draco."

"I know, Tori. I'd like to see you properly too."

"Good. I'll check in with you next week. Try and get some rest and for Salazar's sake, Draco! Don't destroy your room again. You can't keep doing that!"

"Of course." He smiled genuinely this time, "Goodnight, Tori."

"Sweet dreams, Draco."

The floo flashed, and then the call ended leaving him sitting there alone in his room feeling nearly as lost as he had after he'd taken the Dark Mark. Rolling up his left sleeve, he stared at the offensive object and wished more than anything that he'd never been branded into that madman's service.

That he could've been allowed to make a different choice.

But wishing and getting, were two different realities and Draco Malfoy had never been given the luxury of choice.

Especially not when it mattered most.