Princess Pauper Syndrome

Disclaimer:

ROWLING: I am J.K. Rowling and I am filthy stinking rich!! laughs' maniacally Hahaha!!! looks over at lowly fan-fic writer...me You peasant!! You will never amount to anything as great as I!! BWUAHAHAHAHA!!

ME: goes off and sulks, I don't own it.

AN: Ack! Don't hurt me! I'm sorry I haven't updated this fic in such a long time!! I've been distracted by all of my school work and studying cough or lack of studying, for finals! A pox upon the fucker that created the horrible form of educational torture!! shakes fist at imaginary person Hmpf! Take that!

WAS THIS LOVE

Draco waited impatiently with his mother in the balcony. Their drive up was exhausting to Draco. His mother continued to be fascinated by muggle technology. It was just a CAR. There really wasn't much to it, the car was enchanted to drive them up to the estate. Apparating was no longer allowed since the morning of Anya's last endeavor the day before.

Draco couldn't concentrate. He felt tired. He hadn't slept at all that night. The kiss he shared with his fiancee still lingered on his lips, and that made him anxious. And tired. He fidgeted a lot. He paced the balcony impatiently. A plethora of emotions fought to be felt. His patience was being worn thin from not having all of the answers, and his pacing was making him even more of what he already was, agitated.

"Draco, why don't you sit down," chimed his mother's refined voice, "have a spot of tea. You must be exhausted from the ride up here. You've got bags underneath your eyes. How about a quick charm to fix that. You must look presentable for your future family."

Then before Draco had any say in the matter, Narcissa had whipped out her wand quicker than lightning, and banished his dark circles away. He hated the way she mothered him. But he couldn't argue, she was after all his mother. Sighing, he took his seat facing out onto the magical garden. The night before, the hedge maze looked like an enchanted wonderland. Right now, it looked peaceful, and normal. Draco felt unreasonably angry at it.

"IT," was the source of his confusion. If he and Anya had not walked into that hedge maze the night before, he wouldn't have seen his fiancee in a new light, and he wouldn't have kissed her. Not that he regretted the kiss. He was jus angry at not knowing the answers. Deep down, farther down past the pit of his stomach, Draco Malfoy was scared.

Worry and doubt became a scrolling marquee in his mind. Constantly reminding him of his problems, or brining up new problems to be confused over. Draco, was not having a "good-morning."

Several minutes passed by and Draco felt himself become aggravated at his present lack of answers again. He debated whether or not he should start pacing again. He didn't have to come up with a solution to his pacing urge because the moment he got up, Anya and her mother walked onto the balcony.

Suddenly, Draco felt like he could have given a thousand galleons to be anywhere but on that very balcony where his fiancee stood. He thought of places he could've been better off in: trapped in a vault in Gringotts', Azkaban, The Burrow, were just a couple of places he thought of.

Draco looked over at the mother and daughter. They looked so different. Like they weren't even related. Mrs. Brahmes was smiling a lot, like she took a lot of happy potions at breakfast. Anya, on the other hand looked withdrawn, but beautiful nonetheless.

Was this love, he thought. It couldn't be, he barely knew her. Sure she was beautiful, but was that all to his young fiancee? The night before proved that there much more to Anya Parisher Brahmes, so much more that he longed to have more intimate conversations with her. More long walks in misty backdrops. Draco Malfoy, the romantic type, it was unheard of!

He wondered if they weren't betrothed, could he have any chance with this amazing girl. For once, he was thankful that his mother had made friends with Anya's socialite mother Lidya Brahmes in her school days. He sighed and sat down. To his surprise, he was sitting right across from Anya herself.

"Draco," said his mother, "I hear from Lidya that you and Anya took a nice LONG walk in the garden hedge maze last night. Is that true?" Her bony face formed a smile, a knowing smile. Draco groaned inwardly, why did she bother asking for answers to questions she already knew. It's as if she had mastered the art of occulumency and she was reigning it over his head.

"Yes mother," replied Draco. "Pity that last night is such a blur to me at the moment."

A lie. He remembered the might before perfectly well. He could replay it over and over and not miss a thing. How could he forget such a night? A night that seemed to much like a dream.

A good dream.

He looked across the table and caught Anya's eyes. A small blush crept upon her cheeks, and he smiled back at her. A genuine smile. It was rare that he did anything genuinely, but for her, he felt like he could have done anything.

Maybe it was love.

It was the most menial duty Draco had ever for this thing called LOVE. Discussion about planning a wedding. It probably could have meant something had they been planning the actual wedding, but NO. It was a DISCUSSION on planning. Draco felt himself slowly go insane. He was through with the friendly banter, and felt like overturning the glass table they sat around.

It surprised Draco that Anya was actually interested in the horrid conversation. Just yesterday she had escaped the confines of the mansion to go gallivanting carelessly in Diagon Alley. It seemed strange that she was now so eager to be involved in almost every aspect of the wedding. Her eyes sparkled merrily, (or was it mischievously), and was eager to get her say in about the wedding. What surprised him most was that her demands were rather very simple, clean, and to add confusion to his surprise, organized. After all, it was her wedding. What girl hadn't spent countless hours dreaming about their perfect wedding?

If I leave will they notice, Draco thought. She would notice, his eyes wandering over to Anya, her eyes gleaming. She caught his eyes and gave him a small wink before diving right back into the fray of words.

Draco smiled, a small blush creeping on his handsome face. It was the strangest thing he had ever experienced. A barrage of questions zoomed in his head: "Why do I care so much?" And Does she feel the same way?" were just a few of the questions that invaded the privacy of his mind. He continued to berate himself with those questions until his thoughts were interrupted by his mother.

"DRACO!" said Narcissa, "Draco are you listening?"

"Hmm," he replied. He looked over at Anya and saw that she was looking a bit pale. He wondered what those old bat's they called "Mother", had said to make her so pallid.

"I said that we were going to the dress makers today in the afternoon in the Bluesy District. I've heard talk that the Bluesy District is the place to go for wedding planning. We can get sweet Anya fitted for a gown and get us a wedding planner all in one afternoon. What do you think Lidya? ..............Draco?"

That was when it hit Draco. Everything was moving too fast, even though Draco and Anya had been engaged since before either of them were born, they still didn't know each other well enough to marry. They had only been introduced to each other two weeks ago, and they barely started speaking only last night. . . and two weeks later they were expected to be married. Reality about their situation hit Draco hard, and he felt himself go pale too, only it wasn't as noticeable since he was already quite pale to begin with.

Before Draco could answer, his future mother-in-law had already agreed and had left the table to arrange for a portkey. Draco slumped back in his seat and let out a long groan. When he looked back up the only person left at the table was Anya, and she didn't look happy at all. Her head was cocked upward and she looked lost in her own thoughts. It seemed like ages they had sat alone at that little glass table, but it was only two or so minutes until Lidya came back searching for her wand.

Anya excused herself and said that she was going to go change. She got up and hurried up to the sanctuary of her bedroom. Draco frowned. He knew that her eagerness to get changed was a facade. Then he wondered if she was avoiding him. He sighed, and thought of how far he would have to go to get Anya to return his already developing feelings.

He wondered of the things he would do for love.

(End? Yes, no? Hmm.......) YES.

THANKS TO....

Ronfan, Kandice, Red-Flower, Cho Chang-Emotional Dark Hole, Katterree Fengari, vampire-convenant, CoUrTRaDcLiFfE, kitty-cat2134

Lari: I've updated..are you happy now?

Just-Leaves: Wow. Thanks. I absolutely love your story, and cough It's much better than mine so...I'm honored that you would be so kind as to review min. :D:D

natyslacks: Thanks for the hug.

Procella Nox-noctis: Err....I think you've got it right.

MysticalSpirits: Yeah..me too. But we've got to have SOMETHING to work with. So....for now Draco will not be guessing who is who.

paprika90: All will be explained in due time, grasshopper.

alysia(aka lily): Thanks. Personally I prefer the Lily/Severus pairing.

xangel-luvx: Yes, the whole house-elf obsession was a little annoyance to me too. Glad I'm not the only one that was a little peeved by that.

alka: I'l make sure to tell you everytime I update. ALTHOUGH, it would be much easier if you just got an account here and put me on your AUTHOR ALERT thingamajigger. Just a suggestion.

darkstar360: I'll hurt beaker if I want.

pottyboutweasley: Lol. It may SEEM like Anya's got the better deal, but I think it's the other way around. sigh Rupert is quite shaggable though isn't he?

Perpetual Thoughts and Meaning: They're short because you only need a little to say a lot. Nice name by the way.

A LiTTle SomeOnE: You HEART me!?!??! Aww..speet, I heart you too.

heartless69: Interesting new name m'dear.

mesmer: Don't worry. I'll give her HECK.

THANK YOU loads for all of you guys who reviewed!! ...and those who read the story but DIDN'T review, I sorta thank you guys too.

AN: WOOO! Another chapter done. The next chapter is already written, and it's waiting to be typed as of NOW. Sooooooo I think I'll wait for you guys to respond to this chapter before I post the next. O.O; I know what you're thinking ..."THAT BIZ-NOTCH! Making me wait for her ego to be inflated!!" But it's for the good of the writing process that I'm motivated to continue typing and scribiling in my notebook as I do. SOo....

Tell me what you thought about this chapter in a review....PRESS THE PURPLE BUTTON NOW.

Hugs and kisses, Super Sycoh AWAY!!!