A/N: Need I explain it again? Ok, I don't own anything from HP nor do I own Jason Isaacs(Gods know how I wish I did!). I do own anything you have never heard of before. And if you have heard of them, it's pretty clear you've been visiting my mind again. Dust while you're there. Thank you!
_
He sat idlely staring into the flames, his long blonde hair shadowing his face from view.
"I think you should do something about that house elf, Father. Won't do anything I ask it to do..."
He listened to his son's grousing, but did not offer any reply to it. His mind was preoccupied by other, more important matters, and a rotten house elf, was certainly not counted among those matters.
"Really Father, there is no reason they will not do what is asked of them...the ones at school, now they do what they are told!"
Lucius grunted softly, shifted in his chair, and returned to his thoughts. Why could the boy not be quiet for once?
"And," Draco Malfoy continued on, as if his Father was remotely paying attention, "You would think, I, a Malfoy, could have them shaking with fear, when I command them to do something!"
Lucius shook his head slightly...insufferable child...
Draco went on, pointing out the state of the help, those at school, and whatever else came into his mind. Lucius continued to stare at the flickering fire, his grey eyes narrowed in annoyance.
Thankfully, he thought with cold detachment, the new term at Hogwart's would be starting in less then a fortnight, and Draco would be grousing there, instead of the Manor. And for Lucius, that would be just as well, as he was becoming increasingly annoyed by his son's presence.
But tonight...tonight, Draco had been at his worst. Of all the nights he chose to be an insufferable little brat, he chose his father's wedding night.
Lucius grunted again, shook his head, and went on staring at the fire. As wedding nights went, this was by far, not one of the better ones. A week apart...and yet, the governors, Tobias among them, had agreed to Eliah attending the Quidditch match tomorrow. What was the purpose behind that decision? Why would they relax the laws of the Vow, in order for them to attend a Quidditch match together?
Lucius knew what they had said. He knew, too, what that irritating Icarius Ridgely had said, and was most likely still saying, about his bride. What could a young girl, such as herself, see in an old man? Was it his gold, his wealth? Obviously not, Lucius mused, since she had more then enough of her own, to not be bothered with his.
"My dear Madame Malfoy, you would consent to being bedded and bounded, to Lucius Malfoy? He is nearly thrity years older then you! How is it then, that you would desire a Wizard of such an advanced age?"
Lucius had mentioned all this to Tobias, but had made it seem as if it were not of any great importance. A Malfoy never allowed such non-sense to bother them.
But Lucius, despite being a Malfoy, had allowed it to bother him. All that Icarius had said, Lucius, himself, had thought...much to his annoyance.
"I suppose, you will bring her, to the match tomorrow..."
Lucius turned, glared coldly at his son, ans spoke for the first time since they had been sitting here.
"Yes, your stepmother will be attending the match with me."
Draco muttered.
"Why do you need to bring her?" he spit the words out in a vicious sort of way, "What does she care, if I am playing tomorrow?"
Lucius glared harder at him.
Insufferable little brat...
"She, is attending as my wife, and the mother of my son! And, Draco, you will mind your manners around her...or, you will have more to worry about, then losing to Ravenclaw!" Lucius hissed between clenched teeth.
Draco stared at his father for a moment. Shrugging his shoulders, he grinned at him.
"Yes, Father."
"Good, I do not wish for her to think, that her new son is a fool, before she has had a change to know him."
Draco groused a bit, but said nothing.
"So, play nice tomorrow..." Lucius sneered at him, "But if you cannot do that, at least, show them how a Malfoy conducts themselves."
"We are purebloods, of the nobliest family...yes, Father." Draco repeated slowly, allowing his father time to approve of this.
Which, of course, Lucius did.
He always approved of that...
He turned back to the fire, watched in for a moment, then turned to the box laying on the table next to him. He ran his fingers slowly over the lid, and smiled.
A small fortune was inside that box, but Lucius did not care. Draco, on the other hand, had whined and complained about it, and that, was simply because he did not recieve anything at all.
The boy always got what he wanted...always. But tonight, he did not. And that, did not sit well with him at all.
"It's for her..." he had growled at Lucius, "Why does she get something, and not me?"
"Because, Draco, she, Eliah, is my wife..."
"But I am your son!" Draco had nearly screamed at him.
And Lucius, having already reached a new level of annoyance at his son, had stared him down, almost as if being his son, was of no particular importance to him.
Lucius allowed his fingers to run along the catch that held the box shut. he smiled thoughtfully, and then picked it up.
He opened it carefully, to reveal what was nestled within the black silk...he smiled again, and turned the box to face Draco.
"Do you think, Eliah will like this?" he asked, though he was really not concerned by what his son thought, it was simply a topic of conversation.
Draco stared at it for a long time, then nodded.
"Of course she will...it's expensive."
Lucius tilted his head, smiled ruefully, and removed the gift from it's nest...he held it up to the firelight, and examined it.
It was indeed, a beautiful piece...it would pale in contrast to it's wearer, but it was still, quite beautiful.
Antique silver...the greeniest dark emeralds...Slytherin colours, he mused to himself...and a small coiled serpent dangled from it's centre...how appropriate...
His bride would look enchanting...as she always would, since she was a Malfoy now...
Yet another dark, cold and evil enchantress of the Malfoys...oh yes, she had been well worth the long wait, and now, having been told he could be with her tomorrow, he found himself on edge.
A place the Malfoys never got to...not if they could help it.
Lucius studied the choker, fixed in his mind how Eliah would look wearing it, and smiled evilly.
To Hades with Icarius Ridgely and his obvious jealousy...
He lay the choker back upon the black silk, and closed the lid carefully. He stood up and turned to look at Draco.
"I am retiring for the evening, and, I suggest you do the same."
Draco grumbled under his breath, but nodded.
"Yes, Father."
Lucius sneered coldly. He went to the door, and then turned back to look at his son...
Insufferable brat...
"And Draco..."
"Yes, Father?"
"Remember what I said, mind your manners towards your stepmother..."
Draco smirked.
"Yes, Father..."
"I do not want you worrying about punishment, when Slytherin wins the match...celebrations are never much fun, when marred by the threat of discipline later."
"Of course, Father." Draco bit back what he had intended on saying, but having thought better of it, he merely conceded to his father.
Lucius nodded in his direction, then turned and left the library.
Draco sat there for a moment. He sneered in exactly the same way his father did, and it amused him when others told him as much.
"Even for a Malfoy, Father, you have certainly out done yourself..." he muttered aloud to no one, the occupants of the paintings that surrounded him, appeared to be fast asleep. He jumped when a cold, very familiar voice, filled the room.
"Well Draco, what did you expect from my fool of a son? He has lost his head, not to mention, his heart, to a female...and a female of the Noble House of Knight at that."
Draco glared at the man in the painting.
"He has, Grandfather."
Abraxus Malfoy chuckled.
"But, I cannot think of a better female one can lose their head to, and their heart over..."
Draco muttered softly.
"Of course not, Grandfather..." his voice was stifled with a yawn.
Abraxus smiled at his grandson in a very friendly way.
"Now, I agree with my damnedable son...you should get to bed. You and I, as well as your father, will be speaking soon."
Draco nodded absently at him.
"Yes, Grandfather." he got up and went to the door.
"And Draco?"
How familiar that phrase was...first Lucius...now Abraxus...
Draco found it irritating, to say the least.
"Yes Grandfather?" Expecting the same paternal rhetoric.
Abraxus chuckled merrily.
"Have a good match tomorrow..."
Draco shook his head, smiled, and left the room.