Chapter 2

The door flew open. Draco walked casually inside, watching her whirl to her feet in a defiant scowl. Draco was surprised at what he saw. She was, without a doubt, gorgeous. Her face was in the shape of a perfect oval. She was glaring angrily at him with clear stormy gray eyes. Her soft pink lips were the most inviting pair Draco has ever seen in his life. Her dark blonde hair fell in cascades over her slim shoulder. Beautiful in a classy sort of way, he thought, approving of her appearance. But there was something inherently sad in the shapes and contours of her face. She had just lost her parents. Draco supposed it was understandable.

Draco caught her eyes for a second. A jolt went off somewhere in him and traveled all through his body. Curious, he thought.

Azalea glared at him. Filthy scoundrel, she thought. Draco Malfoy. Of course she knew him. He was, of course, Seeker of the Slytherin Quidditch team for a few years. Plus, his rivalries with Harry Potter were always fun to behold. Nonetheless, he was still a pompous arrogant jerk who thinks he is just the best thing in the entire world. Arse. How dare he come barging into her room like that? Granted he lives here and can come and go as he pleases. Still, she had said kindly at first for him to go away. Couldn't he understand English?

"I said for you to go away," Azalea told him.

"I just wanted to be a good host and welcome you," Draco said, sitting smoothly in an armchair. "It's Azalea, isn't it?"

Azalea just stood in the middle of the room, looking at him, thoroughly upset. What compels this idiot to be so vile? She stood watching him smirk at her. She just wanted to be alone for a while. Can't he respect that?

"What do you want?"

"Me?" Draco chuckled. "I just want to be friends. Couldn't we be friends?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not friends with clueless idiots," Azalea muttered more to herself than to him.

Draco heard it all the same. He surged quickly to his feet. "What did you say to me?" he demanded.

"I don't make friends with arrogant idiots who are too inane to know when they're being rejected," Azalea told him.

Draco's eyes flashed and in a fit of anger, he grabbed her wrist and hauled her to his angry face. "Why, I ought-ˮ

"What?" she challenged. "You're going to hurt me? Go ahead. Give me a valid excuse to leave."

Draco looked down at her perfect oval face. She was expressionless, emotionless. She didn't look at him angrily. She merely watched him and waited. His anger began to soften under her gaze. Her gray eyes seem to melt into him. He felt his heart beat faster as he looked at her. Suddenly, on impulse, he swept down and placed a sudden kiss on her pale pink lips.

Of all the things that Azalea expected, it certainly wasn't a kiss. She expected him to hit her or yell at her or even push her away. But he kissed her suddenly and quickly. She felt her heartbeat quicken as his lips moved over her. She thought it was completely curious. Azalea didn't move or even return his kiss. She just held still, marveling at the strangeness she felt.

Finally, she snapped back to her senses and pushed her away. She snatched her wrist out of his grasp and stared at him with a deep glare. Draco only stared back at her with the most shocked face.

Narcissa walked the hallway. Where were those two? It was time for dinner and neither Draco nor Azalea was to be found. Draco was usually in the dining room as soon as dinner began. It was strange for him to be late. Narcissa only guessed that Draco was introducing himself to Azalea.

As Narcissa neared her room, she found that her door was ajar. Draco was most likely in there welcoming Azalea and having a chat. She looked into the room and was utterly surprised by what she saw. Draco and Azalea were two feet apart, staring intently into each other's faces. Narcissa thought they were about to kiss but it seemed that they weren't moving at all. Narcissa found it curious. How did they get into this position? She looked at her son. He had a slightly shocked face as he stared down at Azalea. Azalea had a haughty and slightly peeved expression on her face as she gazed up at him.

Narcissa looked from Draco to Azalea and back. Curious, she thought as she watched them. Her wheels started turning as she looked on. Wouldn't it be such a wonderful thing if her only son married her most beloved godchild? Narcissa smiled to herself at the thought.

Idiot, Azalea thought as their stare down ensued. How dare he kiss her? They barely knew each other! Stupid smirking, blonde haired, tall idiot! What right does he have? Why on earth did she hold still anyway? She should have pushed him away and hexed him. Or at least slapped him. Smarmy git.

"There you two are."

The two of them jumped at the voice. They sprang apart and put more space in between them. They turned to the door and found Mrs. Malfoy gazing at them with an oddly satisfied smile.

"Dinner is served," she said to the both of them. "Draco, please accompany Azalea to the dining room."

Mrs. Malfoy gave them another triumphant grin and headed away. Draco and Azalea slowly turned back to each other. Azalea glared at him. Draco smirked and rolled his eyes.

"How dare you?" Azalea whispered angrily. "What right did you have to kiss me?"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Draco said with a shrug, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking out of the door. "It was only a kiss. It doesn't mean anything. Come on, then. I'm hungry."

Insufferable moron, Azalea thought. She wanted to tear his hair off one by one using tweezers. Whose knickers will be in a twist then? Pompous moron. Draco walked back into the room and grabbed Azalea by the arm and dragged her out.

"Hey!" she protested. "What are you doing?"

"I was supposed to be your arm escort to the dining room, remember?" he spoke.

"It's not the arm I'm worried about," Azalea said, pulling her arm out of his grasp. "It's the hands."

"Whatever," Draco chuckled. "You know you want me."

"Stop being a delusional git," Azalea insulted.

When they reached the dining room, Lucius and Narcissa were having a conversation. Narcissa gave Lucius a knowing look as they walked in. Lucius looked from his wife to Draco and Azalea. Draco pulled out a chair for Azalea and then swiftly sat next to her. It was evident that they were trying very hard not to look at each other. Something has already happened? That was fairly quick, Lucius thought. Children these days, he complained to himself. Why must they be in such a hurry?

Dinner began and Draco pounced upon his as if he didn't see anything else but food. Azalea barely ate. She nibbled on a piece of string bean, staring at her wine goblet. Lucius watched Narcissa's eyes flick from Draco to Azalea and back. He watched her eyes twinkle. It wasn't hard to guess what his wife was on about. Lucius took a peek at Draco and Azalea himself. His wife was right. They looked enchanting together, a picture of perfection so to speak.

Draco glanced to his left at Azalea. She hadn't touched many of the things that she put on her plate and she was only nibbling on a string bean, staring blankly at her silver goblet.

He cleared his throat and spoke, "Not hungry?"

"Pardon?" Azalea asked, turning to him.

"You're not eating very much," he observed, eyeing her plate.

"Oh no, I was just thinking," Azalea said and then shoveled a spoonful of mashed potatoes in her mouth. Draco shrugged.

Azalea took a peek at Narcissa who was watching her with a worried and weary eye. She didn't want to cause trouble. She wouldn't even have agreed to stay at the manor if she didn't know that refusing blankly would insult the prideful Malfoys. To prove to the Malfoys and to herself that she wasn't going to be a bad guest, she reached forward to grab a bun from the basket. Unfortunately, Draco chose that exact moment to grab a bun himself. He ended up grabbing Azalea's hand. Their eyes snapped to each other's.

Narcissa's eyes absolutely sparkled and she gave Lucius an excited knowing look. Lucius watched Draco and Azalea interestedly. He still had his doubts.

Azalea snatched her hand away and looked down at her plate, furiously cutting away at her steak. That did no just happen, she thought. That did not just happen in front of his parents. Draco's eyes lingered on Azalea for one more second until he dragged it away to eat his own dinner. Odd, he thought, munching on his bun.

Breakfast the next day was a much less awkward event. Azalea chose to sit across from Draco to lessen the chances of shenanigans. It seemed to have worked as Draco and Azalea barely looked at each other all breakfast. Also, the lessened awkwardness might have something to do with the fact that Draco was massively late to breakfast. This resulted in his mother nagging at him to no end. Draco responded by scowling at his orange. Azalea expected it to spontaneously combust. It didn't.

"Azalea, dear," Narcissa called as Azalea looked up at her, "it's such a lovely day. Would you like to accompany me to Diagon Alley? It's a perfect day for shopping."

"Thank you but I think my day would be better spent trying to find a job," Azalea said.

"Nonsense," Narcissa said, waving off the suggestion. "There are other days for that kind of tiresome tasks. We have to replace the clothes you lost in your manor, don't we? What do you say?"

"I don't-ˮ

"I think it would be a great idea, Azalea," Lucius interrupted. "Every woman loves the thrill of purchasing something. Draco will go with you."

"Wonderful idea, Lucius!" Narcissa laughed.

"What?" Draco asked suddenly. "Why?"

"Someone has got to carry their packages," Lucius answered, "and as I'm going to the Ministry today and you insist on being idle, you are the perfect candidate."

"But Father-ˮ

"No arguments, Draco," Lucius said, giving Draco a look. "You're embarrassing yourself in front of our guest."

Draco looked over at Azalea and resisted the urge to roll his eyes or say something demeaning. Azalea got up and excused herself not long after that. Draco had taken to throwing her short glares and it was irritating the hell out of Azalea. Narcissa told her that they would be leaving at eleven.

Azalea sighed as she went up the stairs. She really only wanted to go to her friend, Dahlia's house and have a chat. Her talks with Dahlia always put her at ease. Now she had to spend time with Draco and his mother. She really had no interest. In fact, lately, she had no interest in anything. The year after school ended was spent on preparing for the trip to Bulgaria and the last couple of months had been spent wallowing in her own misery. What a loser, she thought about herself. She didn't use to be this pathetic. She was quite happy but lately it seemed as if she had given up on absolutely everything.

Fifteen minutes later, Draco came bursting into her room.

"Why the hell do I have to go shopping with you and my mother?" he demanded.

"How should I know?" she questioned. "I didn't even want to go."

"Has it crossed that thick head of yours that I have far better things to do today than to carry your rubbish?" he continued to rant.

"Stop being a prat," I commanded. "If you really had far better things to do today, tell your mother. It's not like I'm absolutely dying for your presence."

"I can't get out of it now," Draco complained. "It'll be my head on the chopping block if I don't go."

"Then why are you still complaining?"

"I'll do as I please," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Would getting your rotting carcass out of my room one be of those things?" I asked him.

"It is, actually," he said, heading for the door. "I can only spend time with tedious company for so long."