Day five of winter holiday rolled around and Elodie had a day free of family interaction and was planning a trip to Malfoy manor. She dressed in her most modest, sophisticated royal blue cocktail dress, and toned back her normally intense, dark makeup to a softer, girlish look. She pulled her hair into a half up do and charmed a few rhinestones into the cascading locks. She would pass as presentable to old fashioned, pure blood aristocrats. Normally she would have wanted to wow the Malfoy's, but since her first meeting with Draco's old-fashioned mother went so terribly, she just wanted to look modest and poised, nothing else. Once she was ready, she took a portkey that Draco had given to her that would take her directly to the manor. Narcissa apparently kept a lot of portkeys to all of their estates, in case of an emergency. This one was charmed to look like a hair pin, so Draco told her to keep it, just in case there is ever an emergency and she needs to get to him quickly.

Before she could even knock on the door, it swung open and she was greeted by a house elf that ushered her inside and popped away almost immediately. She rolled her eyes, all English house elves are so strange. She glanced around the foyer and was astonished by the beauty of the fine, delicate decorating that Narcissa clearly put a lot of effort into. There was a grand staircase to her left that curved around the side of the room and met a landing that was in front of her. Everything was black and white, the ledge of every step black and between every step white, the floors black and white marble, a beautiful black chandelier hung in the middle of the cathedral ceiling. It was gigantic, and it was beautiful.

She shuffled subconsciously as she waited for her hosts, and her heels clicked on the marble with every movement. She was suddenly even more anxious. She came from wealth, she knew wealth, but this was more. This was just a foyer and the delicate and so well thought out patterns of everything in the room made her realize that the Malfoy's had more wealth than she had yet to realize. Elodie should have realized when she saw the vacation home that this was going to be what she walked into, the french estate wasn't very much smaller than her manor was in France.

"There you are," Elodie turned to the staircase when she heard the familiar voice of Draco, "I was worried you were going to wander off waiting for me and get lost."

Elodie's cheeks turned a rosy shade and she looked embarrassed, to which he raised an eyebrow at her and kissed her cheek.

"You alright, love?" He asked.

"I-I didn't realize-" She paused, looked around again and then looked back to his steely gaze, "You're never coming to my manor, you'll think its a thimble."

"Oh please," He chuckled, "I've actually already been. It's much larger than the Parkinsons and the Greengrass', don't be modest."

"This is the largest foyer I have ever seen, Draco, I truly could get lost in this manor," Elodie said, exasperated.

"Yes well, don't go wandering off then, yeah?" He said, taking her arm, "My parents are waiting for us in the lounge, we'll have a few cocktails and then dinner. Sounds good to you?"

"Yes," she said, "Do I look alright for your mum?"

"I'm not a good person to ask, I'd think you stunning in a burlap sack," He smiled, "But yes I think this is a perfect look."

The couple walked down a long hallway that went off of the foyer to the right, turning several corners, passing many doorways, before they arrived at the lounge. There was a step down into the small room, it was cozy and arranged very similarly to an actual drinking lounge, with a couch, six wingback chairs, a small table, and an actual bar that appeared to be fully stocked. Tying the room together was a grand piano and what looked like a strings section in the corner of the room, which were charmed to play soft classical music. Draco's parents stood when they arrived and kissed each cheek of their son, and then moved to Elodie and did the same.

"So wonderful to meet you, Elodie," Lucius said, before raising an eyebrow at her, showing Elodie that Draco is in fact the spitting image of his father, "I've heard wonderful things about you."

"Yes, it's so great to finally meet you too," Elodie smiled, "I'm so sorry it took so long to get here."

"Don't be silly," Narcissa said, "Draco, why don't you fix Elodie and I a couple martinis. He makes them to perfection, Elodie, much better than any magically crafted martinis or anything the house elves can come up with, just wait."

"Oh that sounds lovely, gin, if you have it, Draco," Elodie said, smiling softly in his direction before turning back to Narcissa, "Your home is even more lovely than I could have imagined. I don't know how you do it, I would have run out of ideas after the third room."

"Well, I have a knack for it I suppose," Narcissa said, taking her seat again in one of the wingback chairs.

"Don't be modest darling, people beg for moments of her time when they are decorating a new home or redecorating an old one," Lucius cut in, "Knack is an understatement. I surely must be the luckiest man in the world," he continued, leaning over to place a chaste kiss on Narcissa's knuckles, "Do you have any great talents, Elodie?"

"She's an exceptional flyer," Draco said, approaching the sitting area with two martini glasses filled to the brim, "She's on the quidditch team, I swear we're having the best seasons we've ever had, already, and it's all thanks to her."

"Well, I've been flying ever since I can remember, it's second nature for me," Elodie said, blushing a little, feigning modesty, and accepting a glass from Draco, "I have a few other talents, but what I am most proud of is my piano skills," She carried on sitting across from Narcissa, "Music has been such a large part of my life, ever since I could talk I could sing, but the piano is my truest passion."

"Oh that's wonderful, have you and Draco ever played together? He's quite good too," Narcissa beamed at her son, accepting a glass from him as well.

"I actually didn't know he played," Elodie raised an eyebrow at him as he sat next to her.

"I don't like to brag," he smirked.

"Yes you do, and I do tend to go on about piano, why have you never mentioned it?" She asked, before sipping her martini and groaning in delight as the taste hit her tongue. It was as wonderful as Narcissa said it would be.

"Glad you like it, I'll show you my secrets one day," Draco said, changing the subject and earning a glare from Elodie.

"He doesn't play much anymore, not much time for it," Lucius said, dryly, "He's got more important matters to tend to."

"Well," Elodie said suspiciously, "I would love to hear more about that, later of course. For now, could you play something, love?"

"Only if you play with me," He stood and offered her his hand.

She nodded, took another sip of her martini and accepted his hand. He pulled her from her chair and the two walked over to the grand piano, off to the side. Draco waved his wand and the instruments all stopped playing and rested themselves back on the ground where they hovered moments ago. He offered her the bench first, and she sat on the right side of it leaving the left for him. He accioed some sheet music and set it in front of them.

"You would pick something like this," She laughed, looking at the first line of notes, immediately knowing the song, "Very cheerful for your tastes, though."

"Well, he wrote it in Paris, it seemed fitting," Draco chuckled.

For the next fifteen minutes, Draco and Elodie fought for dominance on the piano keys, crossing and uncrossing arms, as they played through Mozarts Sonata No. 9 in D major. They were laughing and shoving each other's fingers out of the way as they fell in sync on the keys and immediately figured out who's hands would be playing which parts. When they were done, Draco's parents stood and clapped together, making Elodie blush a deep shade of red across her cheeks. Draco bowed and Elodie curtsied, taking in that the night was going much smoother than she planned, and she was having a bit of fun.

After one more round of drinks, the two couples made their way to a small dining area, that seemed to be where family meals were eaten. It was too small to be the formal dining room, but it was just as glamorous as a formal room would have been, Elodie was sure. The Malfoys clearly spared no expense at making people feel their wealth, no matter what room of their home company stumbled into.

The meal was delicious, conversation light and polite, and Elodie did a wonderful job at winning over Draco's parents with her socialite alter ego that Draco was meeting truly for the first time. He had seen bits and pieces of it when he was first courting her, seen the vicious side of it whenever anyone got in her way, but he had yet to see this charmer pop out of her. Her parent's had raised her well, clearly having groomed her to be a wife and nothing more. As he watched her though, he realized just how much more she was. This beautiful, cunning, evil little woman he won over, was so much more than "just a wife". He smiled as she carried through conversation with his mother, a woman that most girls his age cowered in fear around. He smirked as she laid it on just thick enough with his father that he knew his father would be taken with her just enough for it to not be inappropriate, but still love her and not offend his mother in any way. She made implications of how handsome he was, by way of saying that Draco was and that he was a spitting image of dear old dad. She carried on with the older Malfoys as if she had known them for years, and it was working.

Later in the night, Draco's mother told him to bundle up and take his girlfriend out into the gardens to see how beautiful it was out there this time of year. He took Elodie's hand in his and led her outside, where snow had just dusted the trees and the shrubbery in the yard, covering the walkway just enough where their shoes would leave imprints, but they could still see the path ahead of them. They walked the path for some time, he praised her on what a great job she did and how his parents were sure to love her after tonight. He praised her on her piano skills, and how well she intermingled in his life. How she fit the role of his girlfriend so perfectly, and how even better, he was so bewitched by her. She beamed as she let his praises wash over her, taking in every word and hanging on to them like a lifeline. She knew the conversation they were about to have may not go well, but it needed to happen, so she wanted this part to go on for as long as it could. Once he ran out of praises though, she knew it was time.

"Draco, I have a few things I would like to speak to you about," Elodie said after a few moments of silence as they walked through a path of low hanging trees.

"Go on," He said to her, his confident voice never faltering.

"I received some interesting news a few days ago, something that you apparently know a bit about, but have neglected to tell me," She said, and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Go on," He said again, this time cooler.

"Well, about the new lord that is rising," she said, not wanting to make it obvious that she knew next to nothing about it.

"Right, well, who told you about it?" He asked.

"Why does that matter?" She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I was under the impression your parents wanted you left in the dark about it right now, so it wasn't them. I just want to make sure it wasn't anyone on my team-"

"Your team?" She cut him off, "Is that what you call our friends, now?"

"It's complicated and long, Elodie, if you want to discuss this we will have to go inside or we could freeze to death out here," he said, remaining cool and collected.

"Alright," She grumbled, and he led her from the grounds and into the manor once more.

Once inside, he brought her up the stairs and into a room that seemed to be a study of some sort. It had a desk, four tall book shelves, and a table with couches on either side of it. He brought her over to the couches and sat on one, motioning for her to take a seat across from her, and she obliged.

"There's a lot to this that I won't have time to get into with you tonight, but I will tell you what I can. There is a new lord rising, I can't tell you who at this time, but I can tell you my involvement in it," Draco started, and she nodded for him to continue, "Well, I'm being arranged for the election next year."

"Pardon? The election for minister of fucking magic? You're only 18, how is that possible? You aren't even in politics yet," Elodie said aghast.

"There is nothing that states a required age for the minister, I would be the youngest in all of history, that is true, but it is possible. I've been in politics all my life, my father has a very heavy hand in the ministry. I've been raised to be a political figure my entire life, and I have a very good shot at actually pulling it off. I have the wealth to pull strings, I have the political backing from my father's connections, I have handpicked everyone and put them in place for their seats on my council, all leading very respectable lives and preparing for their roles."

"You've thought it all out then, hm? Is that why everyone in this country is so afraid of you? And where do I fit in? And how could you not tell me about this? And excuse me but-" Elodie started to ramble.

"Hold on," He cut her off, "I haven't told you because your parents wished for me not to."

"You've spoken to my parents? Is that why you've been to my home? You've met them formally? You-"

"Stop doing that, Elodie, you're going to drive yourself insane you keep going on like that," He cut her off again, earning a huff from her, "I am quite familiar with your parents, I'm the reason they're here. I offered your father a seat on my council."

"Draco I can't believe-"

"Elodie, if you stop interrupting this conversation will go much smoother, will you let me speak, woman?" He said, exasperated. She nodded for him to continue, "Great, thank you, love. I have been planning the rising with our lord since I was 16, he chose me as the face of his operation. I will be on the front lines, running England for him. Once England is where it needs to be, he will show his face, come forward to lead with me at his side, and hopefully of course, you at mine. I have a place for you, it is a very important role in my becoming the youngest minister of magic. A role I hope to have you fill, but would love it if you would allow that conversation to stave off for another day. I know you're going to have a lot of questions, and I can answer them all over time, but I need you to trust me when I say your parents were right when they asked me not to tell you. The less you know, the safer you are, because anyone with any information about this can be veritasiumed, or crucioed or even worse and I can not think about what I would do if you were ever subjected to anything like that because of me."

"I am a skilled occlumen, my father has been teaching me since I was a child, no one would know I knew anything," Elodie said, crossing her arms.

Seconds later she felt a small push in her mind and immediately threw up walls to kick Draco out of her mind.

"I was in there the second you said occlumen, you didn't notice for long enough to me have gotten any information from you that I wanted. The people that we would be up against could be in there for hours before you'd even noticed. I'm not saying that you aren't skilled, Elodie, but you can't be on guard 24/7. I could never ask you to do that, and I know you want more information, but it isn't the time for that, love," Draco took her hands in his across the table before continuing, "I won't lie to you, meeting you and courting you was a part of my plan, it was, but the second that I saw you, it wasn't just a want anymore. I need you, Elodie, I'm so taken by you. You're so kind, smart, sultry, passionate, talented, devious, you're everything I love in a woman. Elodie, you are my heart and soul, I promise you this."

Elodie's eyes watered, she was rendered speechless. She squeezed his hands, overwhelmed, angry, flattered, infatuated, betrayed, she didn't know how to feel. On one hand, he seemed so genuine, she had no doubt in her mind that he meant what he was saying to her, but the fact that his intentions were not always genuine scared her. A man that was willing to play with her like this terrified her. Just as she thought it, he squeezed her hands in reassurance. Her eyes snapped up, watering still, to meet his steely gaze. His thumb rubbed the back of her hand and she smiled a half smile at him.

"I can't believe you would have played me like that, Draco," She said, hurt dripping from every word.

"I won't ever lie to you, I promise this, I did intend to, but everything I did from the moment I set my eyes on you was true and genuine, Elodie. I just need you to know, I would never do anything that puts you in harm's way, and I will tell you everything I can as soon as I can. I-I, Elodie, I love you, with my heart and my soul," Draco said, his voice cracking a little.

Elodie was speechless, bit her lip, deep in thought about everything he told her on this night. Her head was spinning, but she met his gaze, his eyes pleading for her to say anything. She opened her mouth to speak and nothing came out, so she did what she knew she could, and leaned across the table, pressing her lips into his. He pulled back in surprised, but then kissed her back fully and passionately. They stood, not breaking their kiss, stumbling awkwardly around the table between them before he pulled her into him by the hips. She gripped eagerly at the nape of his neck and bit his lower lip, causing a groan to escape his lips. He backed her up into the wall, slamming her back into it roughly. She started pulling at his hair as he ran his fingers up her legs slipping under the skirt of his dress. She moaned breathlessly as his lips trailed down her cheek to her jawline and then to her neck. His hands grabbed the back of her thighs and pulled her legs up around his waist as he pressed her firmly against the wall letting his lips trail down the v-cut of her dress to her cleavage.

They kissed and groped each other over to a door on the side of the room that appeared to lead to his bedroom, and then to the bed, breaking occasionally to pull different articles of clothing off of each other until she was clad in underwear and he was fully nude. The two battled for dominance, biting, scratching and tugging at each other until they were on the bed, with Draco on his back and Elodie straddling him. Even from beneath her he was clearly in charge of her every move, pulling her exactly where he wanted her, pressing against her, trailing kisses all over her now exposed skin. When he finally had enough of her teasing him with chaste touches, and rubs he finally threw her over onto the bed next to him and slid his fingers down her stomach and over her knickers. Even from the outside of them he could tell she needed absolutely no preparation for him.

"Elodie, you drive me crazy, you know that?" Draco groaned into her ear as he hooked his fingers in the waist of her knickers and slid them off, "My turn to drive you crazy."

She gasped as she felt him at her entrance, bit her lip and shut her eyes, waiting for the pressure. A few seconds went by, but nothing happened. She opened her eyes in confusion and saw him smirking at her, to which she raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing, waiting for old age?" Elodie snapped.

"I recall you telling me that I would be begging for you the last time we were in this position," he started, "I quite like the idea of begging."

"You wouldn't dare," Elodie growled.

"Oh, Elodie, I think you know me better than that, by now," He chuckled, pressing a little harder into her sweet spot, causing a loud involuntary groan to escape her mouth.

"Don't-" she gasped again, "Don't stop Draco, that isn't fair."

"Life isn't fair, love," He smirked, "I already told you the price of entry."

She glared at him and wiggled beneath him, trying desperately to gain the slightest bit of control in the situation, failing miserably when his teeth found her nipple and tugged softly, causing a moan to leave her lips once again.

"Please, Draco, please," she finally begged, "I need you."

Needing no further convincing he plunged inside her, and she let out a relieved moan and bit her lip. He started pumping slowly, grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head when her hands started reaching for his hips in an attempt to gain control of his slow pace. She arched her back and groaned as his teeth grazed the skin on her neck.

"Harder," she grunted, "Faster, anything, please."

Wordlessly he picked up the pace a little, hitting the perfect spot with every single thrust. It was only moments before the orgasm started rippling through her body, racking her with tremors of ecstasy. He used his free hand to reach down to stroke her most sensitive area as he continued pumping faster and harder. She let out an earth shattering scream signaling the peak of her climax and he let go of her wrists, her hands immediately finding his hair and pulling on it. She leaned up and started kissing his neck before biting softly on his earlobe and moaned his name directly into his ear, and the sound sent him over the edge. It was only moments before he finished and collapsed on the bed next to her, both of them panting, desperate for as much air as their lungs could get.

They laid wrapped up in their ecstasy for a while, never dressing, just enjoying the closeness of their post-coital bliss. She wrapped herself up in a blanket before standing and walking to the side of the room where she realized he kept a bottle of firewhisky, uncorked it and took a long swig out of the bottle.

"That is an expensive bottle you're disrespecting," He said with furrowed brows, "It needs to breathe, you know."

"Oh put a cork in it, this isn't that expensive," She said observing the label, "What's it cost, ten galleons?"

"More like 50," he retorted.

"Shut up," she laughed, "And you just keep that in your room on a table?"

"All of my firewhisky is expensive," He laughed, "Give it."

She handed it to him and he sipped out of the bottle as well, earning a raised eyebrow from Elodie.

"You've already sullied the bottle," he said in explanation.

"I'm still angry with you," she said bluntly, "I would like to know more about what's going on, but I understand that it will take time for you to be comfortable with that, so I thought of what we could do as a compromise."

"Do tell," he sipped from the bottle again.

"Teach me how to be a proper occlumen, to the level that I need to be to have the information I desire at least, and when you're satisfied you tell me everything," She took the bottle back from him and sipped again.

"I guess that would be fine, but I need to know that you won't stay angry with me forever about this. I need to know that you understand that I left you in the dark for your safety, and that my feelings for you are true."

"Yes, Draco, I thought the sex said that clearly," She laughed, pushing him playfully back onto his back and snuggling back against him, "I love you too, Draco."

The rest of their break flew by, Elodie spent every day with Sabine, spending as much time as she could with her best friend before they would need to return to school. Sabine spent a lot of her time talking about Pansy and Blaise, trying to learn as much about them as she could. Elodie obliged her, now that she realized what motivated Sabine to join such an already complicated relationship. Regardless of her reasoning, however, Sabine's face did light up every time either of their names were brought up. She seemed genuinely smitten to have the attention of the couple, and it made sense to Elodie. Sabine had never been the type to be happy in a fully monogamous relationship, it made sense for a couple to satisfy her more than just one partner. She was the type of girl that needed a lot of attention, what better than getting attention for two unbelievably attractive people at the same time.

Before they knew it, holiday was almost over and it was time to return to England. When Elodie finally saw her new home, having finally had time to explore it, she realized that the position that her father had been given in the English ministry must have come with a substantial raise. Her new manor was beautiful, each room finely decorated, everything clearly hand picked by her mother. She wondered briefly if Narcissa Malfoy came to the manor to help Amelie when she was decorating, but quickly put that to the back of her mind. Regardless of the vast improvement of the Brodeur home, it still held no candle to Malfoy manor. She found herself comparing the homes, and thinking about how one day she hoped to have a home as magnificent as Malfoy manor. Maybe not so large, something a little more homey, but just as perfect. Draco could give that to her, without her even having to lift a finger. That wouldn't be the life she wanted, to be a homebody of a wife, or a baby machine, but he could give her that. She could pursue her passions and do exactly what she wanted, but still have everything she could possibly need without a second thought.

"How are you adjusting?" Her father interrupted her thoughts, as she sat in her new lounge sipping a glass of wine. She was so deep in thought she hadn't even heard him enter the room, "You like your new life in England? Or has our holiday in France set back your progress here?"

"Honestly, father, holidaying in France made me realize that I quite like this gloomy country you've moved us to," She smiled, "I just wish Sabine was here, then it would be perfect."

"Maybe when she's done with school she'll come," He suggested, "I'm sure she hates being away from you, too."

"Maybe," She smiled, sipping her wine and pouring him a glass.

"Your mother has been worried," he said, accepting the glass, "She says there's been a lot of rumours of you partying at Hogwarts, I hope that is all they are."

"Just rumours father, I spend all of my free time with my friends in the common room studying," she lied, "I'm sure my grades will reflect that."

"Alright, pumpkin," he said, leaning down, kissing her forehead, "I'm off to bed, and you should be too."

"Of course father, back to school tomorrow. I love you," she smiled, genuinely.

"I love you too."