Chapter 12

Azalea stood in the far corner of the room, hugging herself, watching the three Malfoys and Dr. Riley warily. Azalea wasn't sure that Mr. Geoff Riley could technically be called a doctor but, in Azalea's opinion, what he did for people qualifies him to be a doctor. She couldn't care less about what other people called him.

After Draco hugged Azalea and claimed her as his wife, Lucius and Narcissa went into frenzy. They demanded to know what was going on. Azalea kept on saying she had no idea what was going on. Draco stared at them all as if they were the ones who had gone mad. At length, they summoned Dr. Riley.

Draco sat on the edge of his bed, looking at Dr. Riley as if he was some creepy stalker weirdo who didn't know the meaning of personal space. It wasn't surprising. Dr. Riley was three feet from Draco's face, tugging on his goatee thoughtfully. Lucius held Narcissa in his arms as she watched with a pained face.

"Tell me again who these people are, Draco," Dr. Riley said, gesturing to Lucius and Narcissa.

"Are you bloody kidding me?" Draco asked, irritated.

"Do as he says, Draco," Lucius told his son.

"Why?" Draco asked, an annoyed grimace on his face. "He's made me do this twice already."

"Draco, please," Narcissa said, "just do it."

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. At least that part of his personality was still intact. "Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy," Draco mumbled, "my parents."

"Good, good," Dr. Riley nodded, still tugging on his goatee. "Now tell me who that young lady is over there." He gestured towards Azalea.

"I told you before," Draco said. "Azalea Malfoy, my wife."

Narcissa turned into Lucius and he held her as she shuddered. Azalea stared at Draco, horrified. Draco stared at everyone as if they had all gone bonkers. He can't think I'm his wife, Azalea thought to herself. That twisted man is just playing an elaborate prank on everyone, isn't he? He'll get bored and laugh about it, won't he? He can't really think they're married. This was insanity.

"Interesting," Dr. Riley muttered.

"Yes, Riley," Lucius said crossly, "it's interesting. Now tell us how to fix it."

"Fix?" Draco repeated. "I'm not sick."

"Hush, Draco," Narcisa said, untangling herself from her husband and sitting next to her son.

"I'm afraid, there's not anything that can be done," Dr. Riley said, walking Lucius to where Azalea was standing.

"What do you mean there's not anything that can be done?" Lucius asked, getting angry. "This is my son we're talking about, Riley, not some middle class pauper."

"Are you saying that he'll think I'm his wife forever?" Azalea asked worriedly.

"Of course not," Dr. Riley shook his head. "He'll set himself straight all on his own in due time. When he woke up, was there anything strange that you noticed about him, Azalea?"

"No, not a thing," Azalea shrugged. "Except that he was muttering something about a dream over and over again."

"Interesting," Dr. Riley commented.

"Riley, I swear, if you say that again, I will wring your neck," Lucius threatened.

"It's possible that when our young Mr. Malfoy hit his head on the marble floor, he lost part of his memory," Dr. Riley explained, "and he took this dream of his as reality."

"So I've got a delusional son?" Lucius asked crossly.

"Well, yes, for now," Dr. Riley said.

"What do you suggest we do?" Azalea asked, really deploring the prospect of playing house with Draco.

"Like I said, there's nothing that can be done," he repeated. "I'm sorry but I'm afraid you'll need to continue humoring Draco until reality sets in. We don't want to alarm him and send him into shock."

"And just how long is this going to take?" Lucius demanded.

"Nobody knows," Dr. Riley said. "It depends on how long Draco's mind works its way out of its delusion, how long it takes him to sort out reality from fiction."

Lucius hesitantly thanked him and Dr. Riley Disapparated away from the Malfoy Manor. Lucius and Azalea watched Draco and his mother. Narcissa was cooing over him while Draco tried desperately to get away from her fussing. He thinks I'm his wife, Azalea thought to herself. What compelled his subconscious to dream up something like that? She wondered how his dream went. She wondered if their relationship was a happy one in his dream. She wondered how he treated her. She wondered how she treated him.

"You don't have to do it, Azalea," Lucius said silently, watching his wife and son. "I can't possibly ask so much of you."

Here it was! Here was her way out. She wouldn't have to play pretend with Draco. She wouldn't have to put herself through the torture of being embarrassed and humiliated on a daily basis for Merlin knows how long. Draco looked over at her, sighed, and smiled. Azalea felt a twinge of guilt that did nothing but make her angry. She hated feeling guilty. As much as she hated to admit it, she had an obligation to the Malfoy family. They took her in when she needed it most. Now they needed her help. She couldn't walk away. It was going to be horrific having to put up with Draco when he thinks that they've been bound together in marital bliss but she owed it to his parents. Not only that, she owed a little something to Draco. He helped her make Alex fancy her. Now she had a date with Alex and she had Draco to thank for the current spark between them. She owed him something and if helping him regain his grasp on reality is a way to pay him back then she was going to do it.

"I'll do it," Azalea answered with a nod.

"I don't want you to feel responsible for this, my dear," Lucius told her.

"Mr. Malfoy, you've done a lot for me," Azalea explained. "You took me in when I had no place to go. This is the least I can do."

"I don't want you to feel an obligation," Lucius responded.

"You and Mrs. Malfoy are busy. You're always working and Mrs. Malfoy is busy planning the Halloween Ball," Azalea explained. "You don't have time to spend with Draco. I have all the time in the world. I could help him regain his memory."

"Draco thinks you're his wife," Lucius went on. "You realize what that could entail, don't you?"

"Yes, I know," Azalea answered, "but I still want to help."

"You realize that you would have to move into his room and sleep in the same bed, don't you?"

The fact made Azalea pause. Of course she would have to move into Draco's room. Couples slept together in the same bed. Azalea sensed the potential for disaster in that but she still couldn't make herself turn away. She was involved in their life now whether she liked it or not. She couldn't live with herself, knowing that she was bumming off them without giving anything in return.

"I'll do it," Azalea said with determination. "I know you don't want me to feel an obligation, Mr. Malfoy, but I already do. I owe you a lot. Please let me help."

"Thank you," Lucius said simply. "You can't know what this means to us."

"It's the least I can do."

"I'll have the elves move your belongings," Lucius said and Azalea nodded. Lucius looked back toward Draco and Narcissa. Narcissa was petting Draco's hair. Draco had stopped resisting and resigned himself to looking absolutely peeved. "Come, Narcissa," Lucius said, moving to the door. "Draco's fine. We have things to attend to."

Narcissa pecked Draco on the forehead one more time as he groaned out a "Mother, please!" at her. Narcissa patted Azalea on the cheek and gave her a thankful and ecstatic smile. She then flitted out the room, giving Draco and Azalea a knowing look.

Azalea watched the door close and listened to the silence in the room. What have you gotten yourself into now, Azalea? she asked herself. Then she sensed someone watching her. The only other person in the room was Draco so her eyes fell towards him instantly.

"Am I allowed to approach now?" he asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Sure, why not?" Azalea shrugged.

Draco chuckled but closed the space between them all the same. Azalea averted her gaze and stared out the window. Draco smirked and shook his head as if he knew all her tricks. He moved to her left and stepped into his field of vision.

"Are you deliberately torturing me?" Draco asked earnestly.

"No, why would you say that?" Azalea asked with an uncomfortable chuckle.

Draco reached out and cradled her cheek in his hand. He tilted his head and looked straight into her eyes. Azalea was instantly afraid of what she saw in those eyes. The slate gray eyes that were usually cold and blank were now looking into her eyes with soft affection and something else that Azalea didn't want to name. Despite herself, her heart rate began to quicken. She felt something pulling her closer to him, like a current, but she didn't move. Butterflies swarmed in on her stomach and she felt like her heart was going into overdrive. What was this? They were just playing pretend. Well, she was, at least. She shouldn't feel this way for him. She had a date with Alex Garrison tomorrow. She had a date. She had a date.

Draco leaned in toward her as if to kiss. Azalea's cheeks started to redden and she turned away from him, releasing the breath she had been holding, her hand clutching her chest as she tried to slow her heartbeat.

"Have I contracted some sort of disease or something?" Draco asked her, clearly confused.

"No, of course not," Azalea said, turning to him with a fake smile. "You've just been in a coma for five days and this is a bit strange."

This was the truth, Azalea thought herself, thankful for clever wording. Draco grinned at her and walked again toward her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. Feeling awkward, Azalea was careful to not touch him with her hands.

"Well, everything's okay now, Azalea," Draco told her softly. "Everything's gone back to normal."

This is normal? she asked herself. Draco tilted his head again and immediately got her to look into his eyes. Where did he learn that? Where did he learn to get her attention like that? It was odd but she was only aware of how fast her heart was beating.

"Yeah…" Azalea muttered, timidly placing her hands on his chest. "I suppose I'm just still a little shaken up."

Azalea watched his lips turn up into a grin. Her heart was pounding so fast. She felt a subtle electric charge as she noticed him lean closer to her. Bloody hell, she thought to herself. What is this? Why is my heart beating so fast? Her mind wandered to last week, the day where the both of them stood in her room as Azalea tried on the new black dress Draco had made her get. They were one breath away then. She had felt the same exact way she was feeling now. It was just as crazy and delusional then as it was now. Draco only leaned closer and closer to her. Azalea's eyes drifted shut as she waited for the inevitable.

Their lips touched lightly and Azalea felt her heart skip a beat. No, she wasn't doing this. Her eyes opened wide and she pushed herself away from him, raking a hand through her hair.

"Um…" Azalea stammered, hating the way her lips were quivering and the way her heart wouldn't slow down.

"Azalea, I-ˮ

"Are you hungry?" she asked quickly. "I bet you're hungry. You've been asleep for five days."

"Azalea, just-ˮ

"I'll get you something to eat," Azalea said, bolting for the door. "Stay here."

Lucius sat in his study, staring out the window. He wondered vaguely if what he subjected his goddaughter to was fair. He had just left her in the clutches of his hormonally charged son who thinks that they're married. It was a pending disaster and he knew it. Yet he couldn't find a shred of remorse or guilt for what he just did. The two belonged together. Anybody with a lick of sense would see that. Of course, Draco and Azaela didn't see that. Young people never had sense.

The situation would either tear open some issues and bring the two together or just make everything sufficiently awkward and leave a bigger gulf between Draco and Azalea. Lucius chose to put his faith in the former. An idea hit Lucius suddenly and he pulled out a piece of parchment:

Reginald,

Let's have the meeting at my manor instead.

Bring your twins over.

Lucius.