Chapter 5 – Arranged marriage
I sat in my room brushing my long brown hair, taking a look at my eyes. They didn't change that much lately, meaning I felt better. A knock was heard at the door, so I went to see who it was. The three mentioned before jumped on me with big grins.
'Guys, guys!' I tried to get myself some air, but they wouldn't let me escape.
'Let her have some air, you don't want her to become as stiff as a board do you?' It was Draco, he had chosen a bad time to come see me. Richard and Blaise were still mad at him for making me cry the other day. They both glared at him. I just closed the door in his face, while he tried to object at first but then groaned and turned away.
'Now, why were you all piling down on me?' Trisha was jumping on my bed.
'Weeeeeh!' She giggled when landing on her butt, before bouncing away and on top of the boys.
'Oopfh.' Blaise felt like the air had been beaten out of him. He rolled her off him and went to stand, but was pushed back by a laughing me.
'Elle!' He glared at me playfully. I felt two arms snake round my waist, meaning that Richard was trying to be cuddly.
'You can't just say that you didn't miss us.' I rolled my eyes, I hadn't been gone that long. He put his head on my shoulder, kissing it softly. My eyes widened for a moment and Trisha happened to catch that as usual.
'Could you two leave us for a moment?' Both boys groaned but didn't dare to test her wrath. Roar!
'So tell me what's going on. I saw the look on your face when Draco came here and he wanted to be in your room too badly.' We both plopped down on the bed, facing each other.
'I just heard the complete story from his parents, about the set-up and everything. We both forgave each other but I made him promise to not make it look like we we're back together, cause we're not. Just for the sake of Richard, I can't just be back to some guy he hates when he doesn't know why...' She nodded, understanding why I was so akward all the sudden.
'So you like both but you promised Draco you wouldn't date anyone but him?' I rolled my eyes, it felt even more terrible when she said it.
'Yes, that was his suggestion.' She made a butterfly with her hands, letting it fly through the air.
'Okay, I get it... I have to admit something to you though.' She started blushing, something she never does.
'What?' She crawled up to a little ball and let herself fall of the bed, making me laugh.
'I like Richard too, he's so cute and adorable, but he really does love you...' I felt my heart shatter somewhat, I liked both. I'm afraid to break either of their hearts and because Draco is the father of the baby and apologized for his behavior... I guess I already made my choice.
'Could you like try to seduce him? Ask him out or anything?' She sighed and let her sad face hang down.
'I tried but he took me aside from you guys and told me that he was sorry but that he liked you. There's nothing I can do about it unless you are back with Draco.' Groaning, I put my head into one of the pillows. She did the same and we laid like that for a while. How in the hell can I escape from this odd life that seems to be happening to dislike me?
It was soon dinnertime, which meant that we needed to dress up. Trisha left me for her own room, while I finally went to check out the walk-in closet and it's contents. It was filled with all kinds of clothes, some I liked, some I didn't. Then there was this dress I loved, I just couldn't put that on now, maybe at a bigger party once. For now I stuck with a black corset dress, it was just a bit hard to pull all the strings at my back. I struggled with it for a few minutes, till I understood that I was going to be late if I continued to fall over at times.
'Shit...' I walked to the door, opening it with my elbow. The person closest to me was Draco, so I headed to his room, knocking with my elbow. He opened, checking me out before smirking to my face.
'Can I help you?' He leant on the doorpost as if I was offering my body to him.
'Yes, you can. Could you pull these strings?' I turned to show him the strings of the corset. I heard him groan, now knowing I actually came for something other than sex.
'Done, anything else?' He came closer to me, making me cower back.
'No, thank you.' I smiled at him, leaving him a bit confused. I hardly ever smiled at him when he did something for me, I just thanked him and went on with what ever I was doing.
'Wait, wait.' He ran after me, but I was already back in my room, he just barged in after me.
'Yes?' I raised an eyebrow while trying to put my hair up. His hands helped me while he looked at me through the mirror.
'You look beautiful, you know that right?' Handing him the elastic bands, I watched him do something that I could not do on my own.
'Guess so, I'm not a cocky person or something like that.' He finished my hair, moving his hands to my shoulders and letting them go down my arms. It was like my body was waiting on something to happen, but Trisha barged in with a load of dresses while asking me what to wear. She blushed seeing that she interrupted in... practically nothing yet. But still she blushed! For everything there has to be a first time right? Blushing about a guy is a thing that can happen to anyone, but Trisha blushing because she intruded into my room when I was busy?
'Uh...' She took a few steps, but I motioned her that it was nothing.
'Don't worry. Draco was just leaving, wasn't he?' He groaned, walking out of the room defeated.
'What was happening here?' Trisha was now smirking, she had gotten out of the prude mode and back into 'I don't care about anything or anyone you got it?'. It was really funny to see her being prude for once.
'He was helping me bind my dress, like it?' I twirled showing her how much fun I still thought it was that the bottom of the dress rose and tried to keep up with my circling.
'Yes, but he wasn't busy with your dress and you were sitting down.' I rolled my eyes, wanting to hit her.
'Okay and he also helped me with my hair, anything else you need to know?' I crossed my arms in front of my chest, restraining myself from attacking her and ruining my dress.
'Yes... how come you always get the cutest guys?' We both laughed before I helped her and applied some make-up. My eyes turned blue, I was confused and felt unhappy. When Blaise and Richard had come over I always had brown eyes, Draco made me sad.
Trisha and I moved down the stairs to see the boys and the Malfoys standing downstairs waiting on us.
'Were going to a restaurant.' Richard tried to put his arm around me, but I decided to walk a bit quicker and ended up next to Lucius.
'So to which restaurant are we going?' I swallowed knowing Richard would look at me weird at the moment. I felt troubled, knowing I would need to tell him once.
'That's a suprise my, dear... along with something else that will happen there.' I frowned, he never kept things from me...this wasn't fair! He laughed at my face, letting me take his arm while Narcissa held on to his other. From the growling behind me, I knew Blaise, Richard and Draco were arguing again, while Trisha of course tried to seperate them while normally she would jump right on top of Draco as well.
'What's wrong with you Trisha?' Blaise almost yelled at her, now pointing his anger at her. It was a bit strange that he did that, he hadn't been angry at her before.
'Nothing, we're just at the Malfoys, meaning we need to behave... I'll explain to you guys later...' Then we all apperated while touching Lucius, kind of weird setting but he was the only one knowing where we were going.
'Lucius, Narcissa! Oh Helena, you look stunning.' What was my mother doing here? She must be part of the suprise, no wait... A lot of deatheaters I recognized were here too, a deatheater party or some sort? The owner opened the doors for us, guiding us into a huge victorian styled room. It indeed appeared to be a deatheater party, but there was a special occasion to it.
'If I can have everybody s attention please? It's best to do the announcements now and not letting anyone wait. If you will all stand up for our lord.' Voldemort entered the room through a non-existing door, nodding at me as I looked at him. Why me?
'I'm here to announce certain things within our community. Such as more training for a battle will be soon to come. More aurors have been trying to find us, so we will train people more in stealth and speed than in power. Such things you will be ought to learn yourself. Further more, I want to announce an engagement.' The thoughts in my head spun around like crazy and it didn't become better when Voldemort looked at me.
'Together with their parents I decided that it was best for us that Helena Gessele and Draco Malfoy get married. I will also see their baby as the heir of my throne.' I couldn't believe my ears... did he really say me and Draco? I got pushed to where Voldemort stood, Draco just walked here full of pride. I saw Richard almost flaming at the end of the table, with a furious look he gazed at Draco. Then he gave me a tender look because I looked a bit worried.
'With this ring I give you I say that you will be married off on Halloween.' The ring was placed on my finger, it was an exact copy, but than smaller, of Voldemort's own ring. Draco saw what he gave me, the ring locked itself around my finger and I knew that even when I died it wouldn't get off. A bright light evolved around me, before it stopped and everything turned back to normal. Voldemort looked at me, so I got the worried look of my face and kept my face plain.
'You all may now eat.' The waitors got here with plates full of food. Draco and I were motioned to sit across from each other next to Voldemort himself. Draco kept trying to put his hand on mine or on my thigh, but he felt himself unable to do so as I kept scooting away from him. When Voldemort noticed, he moved me across from Draco and started to converse with me about my non-verbal spells, he had seen how good I was at them.
Later on the evening the tables and chairs were moved to the side and music was playing in the background. Draco asked me to dance and I couldn't refuse because Voldemort kept an eye on me. It made me wonder why.
'Why are you so quiet?' Draco raised my chin in the middle of the dance and kept his eyes on mine. He looked at both of them, finding nothing at all.
'I'm just thinking... that's all.' He smirked shortly putting his lips to my cheek, he kept it formal knowing I would freak if he would start frenching me in public. Richard stood on the side with a glare on his face. He couldn't stand the fact that he couldn't have me. When Trisha came to ask him to dance, he gladly took the offer and started leading her towards us. After a while of dancing, the music stopped and Richard tapped on my shoulder, pointing outside.
'Can I talk to you?' I nodded, following him outside after telling Draco not to worry. We walked outside, strolling through the garden of the restaurant. Richard put his hand in mine, but no longer in a loving way, it was rather friendly.
'It's too bad you know, this all?' I looked up to him to see him wipe away a tear that had fallen down his cheek.
'I would've asked you to be mine if this hadn't happened.' He was such a sensitive guy... wait? His plans went beyond girlfriend and boyfriend? I still couldn't speak so I just listened him out.
'I hope Draco wouldn't mind us still being friends.' I placed my head on his shoulder, sighing.
'I'm sure he doesn't or I will lock him up in the closet.' He laughed about that, his warm laugh always brightened up my mood. I could almost feel my eyes flicker brown again, before going blue like before.
'And you can still have the spot of godfather if you want?' He stopped walking, looking at me smiling at him.
'Really?' It was like he could have a small piece of me by making my child like him.
'Yes, I'm sure I can have my way around Draco to be sure you'll become my baby's godfather.' His grin became even wider, hugging me tight.
'You know Richard?' I had to admit it to him.
'Yes?' He looked so sad, yet he made me more happy than I could imagine myself to be.
'If this all hadn't happened, I think I would have ended up being your wife instead.' He nuzzled his face into my neck, making me smile about it. As long as we were still friends I was happy. But I really meant what I said. I wish I could swap Draco for him and my life could end like a fairytale: "And they lived happily ever after."
We went back inside and Richard went to dance with Trisha again. I was watching them when Draco's hand snaked to my arm and turned me to him. Looking up to him, I saw the mischievous look I remembered all too well. His other hand moved to the side of my face, stroking my cheek with his thumb. Before he could come closer to me and try to kiss me, I turned away from him and asked Blaise to dance. He immediately went with me or he would be left with Pansy who now needed a new victim.
'Thank you.' He smiled, leading me over the floor, asking me why Draco was glaring at us.
'I left him standing there when he tried to kiss me.' Biting my lip, I saw Blaise look at me confused.
'Why did you?' I didn't do things without a good reason.
'I don't know... I just couldn't kiss him.' Blaise made me smile by pointing out Trisha trying to win Richard's heart and tripped over her dress, making Richard catch her before she would fall. He was such a gentleman. He saw us looking and smiled at me before helping Trisha to one of the chairs to the side so she could let her ankle have some rest.
'Can I cut in?' Before Blaise could say anything, Draco cut right in with a face that wasn't that playful like before.
'You know you can't escape from me.' He sounded frustrated.
'I'm sorry Draco... we just can't go back to before that easily...' He stopped dancing, squeezing my hand till it hurt without knowing he did.
'You wouldn't have obliged if I kissed you back in your room.' Recalling the feeling I felt then, it was like I had gone back into the past. Yet, it wasn't the past any more, I had moved on.
'That's different...' I laid my forehead on his chest hearing his heartbeat fasten slightly. He mostly didn't know what to do when I just required someone holding me. Draco got slightly nervous whenever I did need someone to hug me. That's why I like Richard more in that aspect... god I need to stop thinking about those sweet eyes and... shoot. Draco moved his arms lower so I needed to move both hands behind his neck. We swayed over the floor, me with my eyes closed while his were fixed on me.
'Let's get out of here.' He whispered to me, leading me back to Voldemort and his parents.
'Excuse me, my lord?' The elder man looked up from his conversation. He looked like any man could, friendly but strict.
'Yes?' His eyebrows moved down as he saw the firm grip Draco kept upon my hand, my hand was turning blue slightly.
'Would you mind if we left early?' He nodded, waving us away and continued his conversation. Putting his arm around me, Draco apperated us back to his home. We ended up falling on his bed with me on top of him.
'I like this position.' He had probably forgotten about what I said only ten minutes ago. I got off him, closing the door behind me and walking through the halls to stumble into one of the maids.
'Oh my, I'm so sorry miss.' I shrugged and helped her up.
'That's okay, my name is Helena, yours?' She looked up to me with her amber eyes which shone with hope. The Malfoys weren't pleasant people to everyone, I knew that.
'I'm Loren... Elle is it?' I hooked arms with her and dragged her along to where I was going, seeing her face torn between confusion and a smile.
'Yes, don't worry I might be Draco's fiance, but I'm not a bitch.' She smiled at that, brushing off the non-existing dust of her skirt when I decided to stand still.
'My friends are still off to the party, which they will be probably till midnight. Do you mind going swimming with me later?' She shook her head.
'I can't Elle, master Malfoy wouldn't let me neglect my duties.' It annoyed me greatly to know that they didn't allow their servants some time off when they weren't there.
'I'll leave a note that I demanded you to come swimming with me. He can't resist my charm.' Of course that last thing was a joke and I made her laugh about it too while I acted dramatic.
'But I still don't have a bikini or bathingsuit.' Recollecting my walk-in closet, I knew that wouldn't be a problem.
'You can borrow one of mine, I have too many. I can't believe they actually stuffed a whole walk-in closet full with clothing, I will only use one sixteenth of it.' She let me bring her to my room and into the closet.
'Here are we... pick one.. I take the dark blue one. There should be matching towels somewhere in here, but I guess I'm already lost... Wait, here they are.' She just stood there, I can understand she's a bit shy but Trisha or someone else would already have attacked the rack.
'I'll change in the bathroom... when I'm back I expect you to have chosen one... come on, there's a lot of suits to pick from but I do reckon you have a favorite colour?' She nodded blushing softly.
'Orange.' Considering her hair was red, I didn't think orange would suit her well, but it was her choice. Maybe it did look good and I had been putting orange clothing into the trashbin without a clear reason.
'Here's a bikini and an orange suit, pick one... a towel to match.. I'll be right back.'