Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 12

Time seemed to have stopped. I don't know how much I'd drank or for how long I'd been drinking. All I knew was I had to get this feeling to stop. But it wouldn't fucking stop. No matter how much I drank, I couldn't stop the feeling that I'd fucked up; well that is until I passed out.

I was wrenched from oblivion by a jet of ice cold water hitting me in the face. The first thing that I registered before opening my eyes was that everything hurt. My head was pounding and my stomach felt raw. Slowly I opened my eyes but the sunlight overloaded my senses and I quickly shut them again.

"It's too bright." I murmured to whoever it was who had awoken me.

"Well aren't you in a fine state." My stomach dropped when I heard my mum's voice. There was a distant sound as she flung open my curtains and I slowly reopened my eyes to see my mother standing next to where I was laying on the couch with her arms crossed disapprovingly and an angry grimace. Countless empty bottles of liquor were strewn around where I lay.

"What did you do?" She angrily snapped.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Mum."

"I don't believe you. Everything has fallen apart! First I received a bizarre owl from our solicitor informing me that he'd received a message from you to write up a termination notice for your engagement to Astoria. I thought it had to be a mistake considering how well everything was going and you two seemed so happy at the signing ceremony. So I tried to owl you, but I received no response. And then the next day I received an even more shocking owl from Astoria which included the family ring and necklace I'd given her. In the letter she explained that she'd tried to return it to you but you weren't responding to her owls. For Merlin's sake Draco what have you done?"

"What day is it?"

She let out an exasperated sound. "It's Tuesday! Nobody has heard anything from you since the night of the signing ceremony besides the bloody solicitor! Have you been in a drunken stupor this entire time?! Draco Lucius Malfoy…" her voice began steadily rising towards a shrill pitch.

I was having difficulties comprehending what was happening. My vision seemed to be swimming and my mind was struggling to focus. It felt like I was mentally trying to tread water in treacle, and I was sinking quickly.

"Mum!" I interrupted her rant, "Stop yelling! I'm being completely honest with you; I'm still drunk. And I don't feel well and also I currently don't remember anything that's happened. So right now is not the moment to be interrogating me."

My mother seemed to deflate before my eyes and her forehead creased with worry as she stood there and measured me up. "You look awful. Absolutely repugnant. Well, I can't lie and say I'm surprised. Here you go," she handed me a vial, "I made it before I arrived. I was afraid I'd find you in such a state."

I took the vial and curiously looked down at it. Inside was a chunky charcoal grey potion that I instantly recognized as the same hangover cure potion I'd brewed for Astoria awhile back. "Thanks Mum."

I got up from the couch and headed towards my bathroom. Once I was by the toilet I repressed the urge to gag, and quickly swallowed the contents of the vial. Within seconds after the gluey potion made its way down my throat, I was throwing up the entire contents of my stomach.

During this time my mum followed me in and wet a hand towel. After I finished I sat down on the floor and exhaustedly leaned against the wall. My mum came over to where I sat and she set the cold towel onto my forehead. She then took me aback by indecorously sitting down on the tiled bathroom floor beside me. I felt her arm wrap around my shoulders and I leaned into her embrace. Her other hand gingerly held the towel up to my face.

"It breaks my heart seeing you in this state."

"I know Mum."

A comfortable silence fell upon us. The memories of the fight with Astoria slowly began to trickle back to me.

"I think I fucked up."

I half expected her to berate me on my foul language but instead she said with a small smile, "You probably did. You are your father's son after all."

She was trying to get me to laugh with her little joke but I couldn't find the energy or desire to do so.

"Astoria loves somebody else."

My mother's body tensed around me, "No, that can't be."

"I assure you she does."

"It's impossible. I thoroughly vetted her before I proposed the engagement. I even had Clarkson do some digging."

"You had her followed? You're ridiculous."

"I'm thorough. I needed to make sure she didn't have any attachments that would lead to issues."

"Well Clarkson missed some key information."

"What happened?"

"After the signing ceremony Astoria and I went back to her apartment and waiting for her was her ex-boyfriend."

"Geoffrey Brigstocke?"

I snapped my head to face my mother, "How…"

"As I told you earlier, I did my research. But Astoria isn't in love with Brigstocke."

"Yes she is."

"Why do you say that?"

"He proposed to her."

"And she rejected him years ago."

"Merlin Mum, you're kind of a stalker."

"No I'm thorough."

"That's one way to describe it," I muttered under my breath.

"I still fail to see the issue. He proposed to her right after they graduated and she rejected him. He then moved to some country in Asia and she stayed in Britain."

"Well he's moving back. He got some job at the Ministry and he's proposed to Astoria again. She's going to accept him."

"Did she say she was going to accept him?"

I paused searching my memory, "Not explicitly."

"Then why do you think she's going to accept him."

"Because she told me she had to think about it."

"Oh Draco!" She huffed indignantly, "She doesn't love Brigstocke. And it sounds like you lost your temper."

"She does!" I adamantly replied. "She wouldn't have to think about it if she didn't."

"Astoria isn't the type of girl who would've agreed to get engaged to another man if she loved somebody."

"Well they were broken up. Maybe she'd given up hope."

"She would've said yes to his marriage proposal if she loved him."

"Not necessarily…"

"Draco stop." I stopped speaking waiting for her to continue. "You lost your temper. You have feelings for Astoria and when you felt threatened of losing her you blew up on her." I was about to interrupt her when she held up her hand, "Let me finish." I dejectedly sighed. "Listen to me. Stop being so pigheaded. It must of been a shock for Astoria when she unexpectedly came across her ex-boyfriend, and only boyfriend before her engagement to you, after years of not seeing him. Especially after the signing ceremony where emotions were running high. She probably needed to process everything."

She paused expecting me to jump in and say something but I just closed my eyes, feeling drained. "Go and apologize to her. Things were going so well and I'm sure she was starting to develop feelings for you."

My eyes snapped open, "No I won't!" My mother's arm suddenly drew away from me and she pushed herself up to a standing motion in one quick movement.

"For Merlin's sake why not?!"

"I will not beg her to take me back when she's even considering that red-headed git's proposal. I have more pride than to beg like a dog."

She threw up her arms in exasperation, "You truly take after your father's worst traits! Seriously! You'll never bring about your own happiness if you continue being so obstinate and prideful, especially when you're in the wrong. Of all the ridiculous things I've heard in my life this takes the cake. You've fallen for her and you won't lift a finger to fix the problem you created. I'm ashamed of you."

And with a sudden flash my mother had apparated out of my apartment and left me alone with my dark thoughts churning away inside of me.

A/N: I'm back! I'm so sorry about the 3 year hiatus. I really wrote myself in a corner last chapter and it was a struggle to figure out my next move. I was also dealing with a lot of personal issues which stunted any creativity I had. But I'm determined to finish my stories and my main focus with be to finish An Arranged State. I'm going to keep the chapters in Draco's POV for the time. It's great to be back and thank you for the support you all have given me over the years. The main reason I came back was because I never stopped receiving reviews for this story and so I knew people were still reading.