Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Part Two

Draco's POV

Chapter 11

Feeling frustrated from the argument I'd witnessed between Astoria and that ex-boyfriend of hers, I apparated in a huff to my flat. Not only was my head spinning from the sudden appearance of the guy, but I also was feeling sexually frustrated. Before Astoria and I had been so rudely interrupted, I was sure I knew in what direction our night was heading in.

I hadn't been able to get Astoria out of my head since that horrible first date we'd had, months ago. Ever since Astoria had entered in my life every other girl had paled in comparison. She'd been constantly on my mind to the point where sleeping with Pansy was no longer doing the trick. Talking to Pansy had become literally a painful experience, and the sex was inert.

As I arrived at my apartment, I was surprised to see Theo spring up from where he'd been lying down on my couch. My frustration increased at his appearance, for all I wanted was to be left alone for the night. "What are you doing here?" I growled, as I headed straight for the bar to make myself a strong drink.

"What am I doing here, what are you doing here?" Theo grumbled at being so rudely awoken.

"This is my apartment," I threw back the firewhiskey and was disappointed when it didn't temper the storm of emotions I felt building up inside of me.

"Yeah but you're supposed to be shagging Astoria right now. I saw the way you two were acting at the ball. It was a done deal. And when I got back to my apartment my flat mate was fucking some girl who was howling like a banshee, so I decided to crash on your couch since I thought you weren't going to be coming home tonight. But obviously by the sour look on your face and the speed that you're throwing back firewhiskey I'm assuming it didn't go well."

"Her ex-boyfriend was sitting in her apartment waiting for her to get back. It killed the mood."

"Then why didn't you just punch him and continue on your merry way? She probably would've found that sexy, you know how girls get when you're all like, 'I'm manly look at me punch this guy out and hear me roar'."

"I'm not a fucking Gryffindor. Anyway they started getting into a row before I could get a word edgewise."

"Who is it? Did he go to Hogwarts?"

"I don't know, Geoff something. He seemed around her age so I assume so. He had red hair and I can already tell he's a git."

"Red hair, he's not a Weasley is he?"

"Fuck no, some last name I didn't recognize, honestly I can't even remember what his last name is. Anyway Astoria has better taste to go after a Weasel." I threw back the rest of the firewhiskey and went to refill my glass. "Anyway they started fighting about how he thought they hadn't broken up and about how he loved her and had proposed to her."

"Damn, so this wasn't some kid she went to Madame Puddifoot's once with."

"It would appear not."

"Well why are you taking this so hard? She's your fiancée so it doesn't matter in the end if her ex-boyfriend comes back for one night. And anyway it's not like you're in love with her."

"Fuck off," I bit back at him as a grimace spread across my face. Theo was right, I shouldn't be acting like a jilted date, but there was something about their argument that deeply unnerved me.

"Now you're just being unpleasant. I hate it when you get all brooding like this, you become insufferable."

I bit back the urge to give him the finger. Theo sat back down onto the couch with a deep sigh. We sat in silence for awhile. Theo was fiddling with his thumbs while I nursed my drink.

"What's pissing me off is that in their argument she said the reason why they broke up was that he moved somewhere."

"So?"

"So, that means if she was in love with him she might still be, and I don't want my future wife to be in love with some other guy."

"You're being ridiculous."

Before I could snap back at him a knock echoed through the apartment. Theo turned to me, his brow wrinkled in concern, "I'll get that," he said cautiously as he got up from the couch.

I remained seated but I listened carefully.

"Now isn't a good time Astoria." Theo never knew how to properly whisper, his words carried clearly to where I was sitting. When I heard her name, I finished the remainder of my drink.

"I've got to talk to him; it's not a good idea to let this fester." Theo shrugged and let her enter the apartment.

As my gaze landed upon her, Theo nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Well guys, I'm just going to let you talk privately," and before either of us could say a word he apparated out of the apartment.

Silence enveloped the room, Astoria was wearing the same outfit as she had been earlier and I felt my heart constrict. Something wasn't right, she didn't look like she'd come here to bitch about what a git her ex-boyfriend was. Uneasiness seeped through my being.

"I'm sorry about tonight Draco, Geoff ruined everything. I can't believe he just showed up out of the blue."

I couldn't think of a polite reply so I got up to refill my drink at the bar. As I poured my drink, my back towards her, she started to speak again. "I just felt like I needed to keep you update on what happened after you left."

"Did you avada kedavra him?"

"No!" She indignantly crossed her arms across her chest.

"Pity." I replied as I sat back down.

"He's not a bad guy Draco." A feeling within my gut clenched at her words and my apprehension grew. My head was also beginning to swim as I felt the firewhiskey pound through me.

"Oh yeah, he seemed like a swell guy. A winner if I ever saw one." The words slipped out before I could even contemplate them. Astoria's face darkened at my words and her stance became more defensive.

"You're being a prick right now."

I shrugged nonchalantly and drank some more firewhiskey, hoping the liquor would alleviate the anxiety that kept on mounting with every word she said.

She sighed, "Anyway I just felt the need to inform you that Geoff told me earlier that he plans on moving back to England and take a job at the Ministry; he also proposed to me again."

I felt my face blanch at her words and suddenly the sensation of free-falling slammed into me and dizziness from the liquor engulfed me as I lost control.

"Is this your way of telling me that you're going back to him; that you're breaking off the fucking engagement?!" She took a step back from my outburst and her face crumbled in confusion and trepidation.

"N..no," She tripped over the word.

"Stop leading me on, you love him don't you?!" I felt a small voice in the back of my head warning me to stop, but I'd lost my grasp on the situation.

"N..n..no I don't." Her answer lacked conviction and she knew it. She gulped and continued; tears beginning to streak down her cheeks, "I don't know Draco. I haven't had time to process this. And now you're yelling at me and I just… I don't know."

Her words stabbed me in the chest and I felt raw inside. My suspicion had been right she did love him. She loved that redheaded git and the realization that she didn't love me cut through my body. I had begun to think that she was starting to fall for me. I had hoped that she thought about me as much as I thought about her. That she cared about me as much as I had started caring about her. That she was excited planning our future together. But no, instead she'd been thinking about her ex-boyfriend. I was second best in this equation.

"For Merlin's sake what do you mean you don't know?!" I roared at her, "If you love him go back and marry the wanker! I don't want his sloppy seconds." My words sliced through her and her hands came up to cover her face; her crying had intensified into sobs, her shoulders were dejected and her spirit was broken. I continued forward, "I'm annulling our engagement; I'll have my attorney send you over the termination notice. Now you can go off and marry your prince charming and live happily ever after; I won't stand in your way." Her sobs did not stop, as I had expected them to after my proclamation. Instead they seemed to intensify.

Confusion flooded my system, for I thought she'd be happy that she could go riding off in the sunset with that git. As my muddled mind was trying to logically piece everything that just happened together so I could figure out what had gone wrong, Astoria's sobs weakened and without a word she apparated out of my apartment.

Anger at myself surged through my system and I threw the glass of firewhiskey I'd been holding the entire time at my wall, watching the glass shatter on impact. Suddenly I felt emptiness engulf me.

A/N: *runs and hides from readers* I'm sorry! I know you guys aren't going to be ecstatic about what happened but it will make the story more interesting I promise! You guys are probably in shock right now. I struggled a lot about whether or not I should do this, and I finally decided to go for it. Humans make mistakes, and the past two chapters demonstrates mistakes made by both Astoria and Draco. One of my favorite quotes is "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." by Confucius.

Anyway we now find ourselves at the close of Part 1 of An Arranged State. I've decided not to make Part 2 a sequel story and to just continue Part 2 in this story. I'm also thinking of sticking with Draco's POV for Part 2, since he needs redemption after his actions in this chapter. Also please review this chapter. I seriously debated for awhile whether to throw in this twist, because I'm terrified I'm going to lose a large part of my readers, especially after the tepid response I got for the last chapter which was building up to this. I honestly believe that this will make this story more realistic and more interesting for all of you. Also I want to reassure all of you that this is not about to become a love triangle, that's absolutely not where this story is heading (some of the reviews for the last chapter expressed dismay at an Astoria-Draco-Geoff triangle and for good reasons).

1/30/15 A/N: Hello everyone! I've decided to revisit this story after a 2.5 year hiatus. I'm going through and cleaning up my writing in the meantime before I start writing some new chapters. This chapter has been re-edited.