August 29; Greengrass Estate
Draco arrived only seconds after his mother, but she was already greeting up a storm. Her dress swung out behind her, a hazard to all passing guests, and she was a flurry of activity. Air kisses and large, bright, magically enhanced smiles circulated the room much like the rose water that was being pumped into the ventilation system.
"Draco, darling. Come here please," she beckoned him over sweetly. He plastered a smirk onto his face and handed his coat over to a waiting house elf, drowning the tiny creature in fabric. Sauntering over to his mother, he noticed many of the females in the room casting him admiring glances from behind their theatrical masks.
"Draco, this is Amorella and Marcus Greengrass, our gracious hosts this evening," Narcissa said in a sugar coated voice that she reserved for compliments and ass kissing. She had mastered the art of performing both simultaneously.
As Draco shook Mr. Greengrass's hand, he took note of the man standing in front of him. He was tall and dignified, with a head of close cropped, honey blond hair. He had muted green eyes that landed upon Draco in a reproachful look. Draco would later find out that this had to do with the fact that this man had two daughters attending Hogwarts. For some odd reason, Draco felt pleased by the fact that news of his womanizing tendencies had gotten around this far.
Amorella Greengrass was very much the opposite of her husband. She was slight, but a certain sort of elegance seemed to be given off by her. She had the same hair color as her husband, but her eyes were a vibrant and intuitive blue. She also happened to be positively charmed by Draco. When he grasped her hand and kissed her knuckles, she giggled girlishly.
"The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Greengrass. Mr. Greengrass. You have a lovely home," said Draco, always the epitome of politeness in the face of importance.
Mr. Greengrass grunted in acknowledgement and crossed his arms over his broad chest, a man of few words. It was Amorella who spoke. "You have raised such a lovely, charming man, Narcissa!" she gushed.
Draco winked at the lady and turned to his mother, "Well, shall we all enter the ball room?"
Narcissa shook her head. "No, there is actually someone whom we would like you to meet. Or perhaps, re-meet," she said happily.
Draco frowned, "And who, Mother, would that be?"
To answer this, Amorella turned around and called, "Daphne! Come here!"
Ah, thought Draco, they're trying to set me up. Draco was used to this occurrence, as it had happened on more than one occasion, and he usually took it in good grace. Tonight, however, he wasn't in the mood. Daphne clumsily walked forward, in heels too high for her gangly frame, an excited smile stuck onto her face. She wore an extravagant purple, bejewelled gown that hung off her stick figure, and on her face, an over the top, feathered mask. Oh, Merlin, this one would be interesting. Every once in a while Draco would get stuck with someone flamboyant, but Daphne definitely took the cake.
"Draco," said Narcissa. "This is Daphne. I'm sure you two are already acquainted, seeing as you two are in the same year and house." Draco had never spoken a word to this girl, but she was nodding her head so enthusiastically Draco feared that it might simply pop right off. She was pretty, that was apparent. But she was a lacklustre, average pretty. The same muted eyes as her father, and pin thin honey blond hair. Not worth a second glance, and in Draco's opinion, not worth a first glance either.
Draco's mother continued, "Daphne will be returning to Hogwarts this year." Ah, Draco thought again, they're trying to set me up so I can follow Daphne back to Hogwarts. His mother was devious, but if she wanted him to return to school, the bait would have to be much more intriguing, not to mention better looking.
"Well," said Amorella, breaking the growing silence. "We'll leave you two alone." She walked off hand in hand with her husband, but twittering avidly with Narcissa, her back turned to the man on her arm. Draco sighed and turned on his heel to look at Daphne, she was waiting patiently for him, hands folded in front of her.
"I suppose we should go to the ballroom then?" he drawled, offering his hand to her. She grinned and took it, obviously pleased with the situation. As they walked into the ballroom, they were met with a bombardment of happy sighs and muttered approvals from the older couples in the room. Nothing like a good, pureblood couple to brighten everyone's moods.
Draco rolled eyes. It was just his luck to get stuck with someone like this. For one thing, Draco wasn't exactly a cold hearted beast; it was unfair to Daphne for her parents to be stringing her along like this. He supposed he could play the part for the night, and then let her down easy. Maybe telling her this couldn't work because he wasn't going to Hogwarts; it was the perfect plan…
Just as he finished his though, the orchestra began to play and Daphne practically jumped up in utter excitement, squealing like a first year. Draco sighed for the millionth time that night and once again offered his hand to the girl, cursing his bad luck. "Care to dance?"
She nodded, and daintily placed her rather large hand on his shoulder while taking his free hand in her own. Draco placed his other hand well above her hips; he didn't want to give her any ideas.
"So, Daphne, tell me about yourself," he asked her out of sheer niceties, the boredom and silence was starting to drive him mad. He did, however, twirl her expertly around the floor.
"Well, you know me, I'm sure. I'm in your house, your age, and in well in your grasp," she said, winking suggestively. Draco cleared his throat nervously. He could feel her hands hold onto him tighter, it reminded him of how a predator would hold its prey; protectively and barking mad. She fluttered her eyes at him, blinking more than necessary. Draco was compelled to ask her if she had something in her watery eyes.
"I wish to be married by the time I leave Eight Year. Oh, I'll be such a good house wife and mother…" she mused. Draco wondered if she had been programmed to say this, he contemplated running his hand up and down her back hoping to find the extension cord that allowed herself to be plugged in at night. He suddenly felt very Closter phobic.
"Um, Daphne? I really need to use the loo…" Draco said as he all but ran out of the ballroom. He wasn't completely sure where he was going, but he was glad to be out of the robot's clutches. He walked aimlessly down hallways, occasionally opening doors, peering inside. This house was huge, and he could easily, at any point get lost. The thought thrilled him.
He stumbled across a door that immediately grabbed his attention. It was wood, and it reached all the way towards the ceiling. The strangest thing about it was the carvings the lay on it. Names, thousands of them, all lined up neatly. The bottom foot or so of it was left blank. Melina Greengrass, Nee Blackthorn, Armando Greengrass, Marcus Greengrass, Amorella Greengrass, Nee Vanderwall, Daphne Greengrass, Astoria Greengrass…generations of family history depicted on one slab of wood.
Draco pushed the door open to reveal the room behind it, a library. Rows upon rows of book shelves, couches and arm chairs, a roaring fire, it gave the room a cozy feel. Draco closed the door softly and leaned back against it closing his eyes, welcoming the silence.
Then, he heard a shuffling noise, and his eyes immediately shot open. A girl no more than 5'4 stood before him. Rolling, delicate, honey blond curls fell on her shoulders and back. She wore a dress the color of sunshine, and a black mask with elegant, black peacock feathers inlaid on it. Black pumps adorned her feet and Draco noticed how incredibly sexy her legs looked. She stared at him with blue curious eyes, a smirk played on her lips. She didn't speak.
"What the bloody hell-" Draco started, before he was interrupted.
"Ah, ah, ah," she said waggling a finger in his face. "It's not nice to swear in front of a lady."
"Who are you?" he asked the girl. The truth was, he was getting annoyed, and no one wanted to be in the presence of an annoyed Malfoy.
"Draco, I'm hurt! You don't know my name. How sad. I would have thought that Hogwarts' resident playboy would know every human being with boobs," she said, feigning a hurt expression, clutching at her heart.
Draco raised his eyebrows. "And how do you know my name?" What a stupid question, he would realize later, how could she not know my name?
She twirled her finger in a circular motion, "You get around."
"And how would you know? You're just a little girl, not exactly the type to "get around"" he said, somehow aware of the fact that this would really piss her off. He stared at her for a while, not breaking eye contact.
"Little girl?" she asked. Then she smirked, raising one eyebrow, "If I'm such a little girl, then turn around right now and stop undressing me with your eyes."
Instead, Draco took a step forward, right up into her face. This girl intrigued him. She was rude, sarcastic, diabolical, good looking and witty. "Are you in Slytherin?" he asked her.
She looked aghast for a moment and then took a step back from him, "No, you wanker. I'm in Ravenclaw."
"Wanker? Watch who you're talking to, I'm in Slytherin," he told her.
She smirked again, "I know." She walked back to the couch and draped her legs over the side of it gracefully. Draco stood there for a moment, thinking of what had just happened. For once in his life, he didn't have a comeback. She would pay, no matter how pretty she was. Oh, she would pay.
"So, Draco, what are you doing here? Chased down by your rabid fan girls? Or have you simply just lost your mind?"
He stalked towards her, shoving her feet off the arm of the chair and sitting there himself. "You're a bitch," he told her nonchalantly.
"Oddly enough, I'm okay with that. It's better than being an arrogant git," she told him, replacing her feet onto Draco's lap.
Draco stared down at her legs and smirked. He ran his palms up and down her claves, slowly, barely there. She didn't seem to be fazed by his touch, only once betraying herself as her body shivered under his hands.
"Stop that, will you?" she told him, kicking up her feet and almost hitting him in the face.
He looked at her intently, "Do you really want me to stop?" He traced a line down her calve with his finger tip and smirked when he felt gooseflesh rise on her skin.
"Why, fancy that, I really do!" She whipped her feet off of Draco and placed them down onto the floor, absentmindedly running a hand up and down her leg.
Draco shrugged. "Your loss."
The stayed silent for a moment. The girl seemed fine, happy even, to sit in the growing silence. She stretched out her hands in front of her, palms out, towards the fireplace. Draco heard her joints crack and the usually revolting sound sent a shiver up his spine. Whether it was because of pleasure or disgust, he wasn't sure and he bloody well did not want to find out.
It was the Ravenclaw who broke the silence. "So, you never answered my question."
"What question?"
"Ah, see? You are losing your mind. I'll say it slowly this time, what are you doing here?" She dragged out the last words slowly, as if he were a bit slow.
Draco scowled at her, but was compelled to answer her question. "Well, do you know Daphne? Daphne Greengrass?"
The girl had a ghost of a smile on her lips. "Yes, vaguely. I've spoken to her once or twice."
"I ran away from her," he told her simply, putting on an air of nonchalance.
"I didn't know Draco Malfoy ran away from anything. Let alone a girl."
Draco Malfoy runs away from a lot of things, he thought bitterly. But she didn't need to know that, no reason to give her the upper hand. Instead he said, "I had no choice, really. She implied she wanted to bear my children."
"She does have rather lovely child bearing hips," the girl offered.
Draco laughed in spite of himself. She joined not a moment later, her tinkling laugh mingling with his smooth, velvety one. She clutched at her sides, as if trying to hold the laughter in, her body shaking gently. Draco's eyes were drawn down to where her hands rested. They were on the small of her waist, directly above her hips, and the image thrilled him. She was delicate, he realized, and the thought made him feel oddly protective of her.
Just when the blond opened her mouth to speak again, a voice came floating down the hallway, "Draco? Draco, where are you?"
Draco jumped off the couch and muttered a string of profanities. Then, the girl grabbed his wrist and led him to a book shelf. "Play along," she muttered, yanking the closest book in reach. Draco was about to protest. He didn't need help from know it all social rejects. But before he could, Daphne poked her head into the room.
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" she cried. She turned her head to look at the Ravenclaw who was standing beside Draco, her head over the book as if it held the most enthralling story, "What's she doing here?" Daphne sneered.
Draco was once again interrupted by the girl, "He was on his way to the bathroom and he turned up here. I was reading, see?" She waved the book in Daphne's face. "I was just about to tell him where to go."
"Whatever," Daphne said, turning back to Draco. "Just hurry up." She walked out of the room slamming the door shut behind her.
The girl placed the book back on the shelf. "You're welcome," she said slowly, accentuating every word as if Draco didn't have these words in his vocabulary. She was right, Draco couldn't remember the last time he had said 'you're welcome' or 'thank you'.
"How did you know I was heading to the bathroom?" he asked her, determined to not say thank you.
"Most of her dance partners seem to head that way," she said with an oddly kind smile.
"And I'm assuming that you're right here waiting for them, arms open? Or, legs open, should I say."
Instead of yelling, she grinned wickedly, "I love it when you talk dirty." She then stepped around Draco and headed towards the door, leaving him dazed and confused; two emotions that never overcame him in the presence of a girl.
"Are you sure you're not in Slytherin?" he asked one more time, turning to face her.
She shook her head, and then said, "Astoria."
"What?"
"My name. You asked me my name. It's Astoria," she replied, before walking out of the room shutting the door behind her.
Shit, Draco thought, remembering the other blonde with the child bearing hips. This might be a problem.
For some compelling reason, Draco walked right back into the ballroom. If he was smart, which he definitely was, he would have steered clear. But he felt a pull towards the room, or perhaps the people in it. Astoria was obviously part Veela. There was no other explanation that Draco was willing to expect, or even consider. This girl was bewitching and he hated it.
He entered the great double doors only to see the annoying Ravenclaw chatting it up with his mother. She was laughing, a hand placed daintily over her mouth. Daphne stood behind her, out of the spot light glaring at her sister, jealousy radiating from her.
Draco walked up to his mother. She turned from her conversation and spoke quickly, "Oh, Draco! You must meet this lovely young lady. Draco, meet Astoria, Daphne's sister."
Astoria looked at Draco, and when Narcissa's back was turned, she winked. "Pleasure to meet you, Draco."
Draco bowed slightly, and grabbed her hand, holding it in his. "The pleasure is all mine," he said with a smirk. Astoria's smile faltered only slightly before taking back her hand. Narcissa's eyes got wide at the sight of them, taking them in. Together. Side by side. Not again, thought Draco.
"Daphne, darling, would you come here for a moment? Please, right this way…just down here…" Narcissa said absently, dragging poor Daphne away, kicking and screaming.
Astoria turned to Draco, a bemused smile on her face, "I'm glad that hag left."
"I hope you're not talking about my mother," Draco replied, his voice icy.
"Definitely not, your mother is lovely. I was talking about my sister, you know, the one with the child bearing hips? She was beginning to dig her Harpy talons into you. I wouldn't want to see that pretty face of yours scratched," she said sweetly, tracing her finger along his jaw line.
Draco silently laughed at the image that played out in his head. Daphne had sprouted wings, huge claws, and was shrieking at the top of her lungs. It reminded him of Pansy, after every break up they had endured. "Your concern isn't needed," he said to Astoria. Shock was evident on her face.
"It wasn't concern. But just think of what you mother would say! Her poor baby boy…"
Draco decided to ignore her, turning around and stalking to a nearby table.
"So, heading off to the bathroom again, or do you always walk away unexpectedly?" Astoria asked brightly, plopping herself down next to him at the abandoned table.
"I only walk away from things that don't deserve my time and attention," he told her snidely.
A moment of real hurt played across her face, but she quickly recovered. "Ouch, Draco, that hurt. I happen to think that you like my company."
"And what would give you that idea, you annoying little bird?"
"Well, for one, you already have an endearing pet name for me. But what should I call you? Draco the Dragon? Slytherin Prince? Wait! How about Slippery Snake?" she babbled.
Draco looked at her, utter confusion evident on his face. Astoria continued, "And just in case you were wondering, I wasn't referring to your house placement. I was actually referring to the placement of that one male organ-"
Draco cut her off by slapping a hand over her mouth, "Just because you enjoy looking at my crotch-"
It was Astoria's turn to cut him off. She stuck out her tongue and licked up the length of his hand that covered her mouth, laughing all the while.
"You're disgusting," he told her, wiping his hand on the upholstered chair.
"Then leave," she said smugly. Draco sat there for a moment, honestly thinking about getting up and leaving. He started to lift himself off the chair, and then sat back down. As much as this girl annoyed him, he couldn't bring himself to leave her. He was oddly drawn to her, he found her intriguing, and she kept him on his toes. Veela, he thought again.
"You know, I don't think I will," he said finally, slouching back in his chair and crossing his arms comfortably.
Astoria's nose scrunched up in frustration, and she huffed loudly, obviously displeased by losing the upper hand. A second later she smiled brilliantly, showing off a row of perfect teeth. She turned her head to the side and stared at someone across the room.
Draco turned to look at who was the current holder of her limited span of attention. Blaise Zabini stood at the other end of the ballroom, eyes locked onto Astoria. Draco turned his attention back to the blond only to watch her cock her head to the side and smile coyly at Blaise. She raised her eyebrows, winking slowly, and Blaise started to walk over. He didn't stand a chance.
Oh Merlin, thought Draco, I can't believe this. Does she really think he can make me jealous? But when Blaise offered his hand to the pretty blond and asked her to dance, Draco twitched uncomfortably in his seat. Astoria walked off with Blaise, arm in arm, smiling wickedly.
Draco swerved around in his chair and looked at the brunette witch in her early twenties sitting behind him. "Dance with me," he barked at her on impulse. She happily obliged, and Draco began to twirl her around the floor.
He caught Astoria's eye, dancing lazily in Blaise's arms. Nice try, he mouthed in her direction.
Her eyes lit up mischievously. Jealous? She mouthed back and then flipped Draco off before Blaise turned her around. Draco fumed inwardly, what the hell was wrong with this girl?
~!~
Some hours later, Draco staggered into his parlour through the fire place. Narcissa giggled happily as she stumbled out, her behaviour the product of one too many glasses of champagne.
She slumped happily on the couch and hiccoughed.
"How was your night, Draco?" she slurred.
"Interesting," he said. She pouted, not happy with a one word answer.
"But," Draco started again. "I think I'm going back to Hogwarts. I feel a certain…pull to the school…"
As his mother's face lit up excitedly, he couldn't help but smile, too. However, he failed to mention that this certain pull happened to be a blond Ravenclaw. And she had a certain pull indeed.
Please, don't favourite without reviewing. Thank you!