Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters. They all belong to JKR.

Draco felt a smirk cross his face as he took in the girl standing in the doorway. The top of her head barely reached where his chin was, and she had the appearance of a very angry puppy as she tossed a lock of her caramel colored hair over her shoulder. As his eyes made their way down the rest of her petit frame he couldn't help but start to laugh. She was wearing a loose fitting white night gown covered in little pink flowers.

As he continued to snicker at her attire he saw her face rearrange into a look of confusion, so he stated very obviously, "You're wearing pajamas."

Her mouth dropped as she stared at him in disbelief, and Draco could no longer control himself. He began to full out laugh.

"That's enough, young man," The old woman beside the girl whispered as she brushed her way past him into the foyer.

"Oh, Eloise," Nana said happily as she embraced the old woman, "at last we can sleep comfortably knowing our grandchildren will be united in marriage." The girl coughed uncomfortably as she looked at the floor.

"Now, Draco," Nana said beckoning him to come forward. Draco took a few steps closer to the old woman and the girl. "Draco, this is Eleanor Bardot. And Eleanor, this is my grandson, Draco." The girl stretched out her skinny arm towards him and they awkwardly shook hands. He noted silently to himself that her arms seemed much too long for her short body. She was strangely disproportionate and skinny, but not in a delicate sort of way. She looked more like a puppy who hadn't quite filled out into a dog.

"It's Ellie," the girl said gently as she looked away. Draco smirked at her again. Her soft voice made her sound quite weak. He had very little doubt that he could get rid of her and her grandmother easily. Whether Nana had "betrothed" him or not, Draco would find away to make this girl and her grandmother find marriage to him an impossible idea.

"Lucius, why don't you three go work things out, I'll talk to the children," Draco's mother said giving his father a meaningful glance. Draco inwardly scoffed at the word "children", he was hardly a child after all, he was already nineteen years old. He watched his mother walk around the room nervously until she settled back into her chair. Then both of them took to watching Eleanor stare out the window.

Draco leaned coolly against the wall and stared at her for some time. Suddenly her blue eyes met his. He waited for her to look away or blush, but she simply stared back with an obvious hatred in her eyes.

Their staring contest was only interrupted by the sound of the door opening abruptly. Draco watched her jump with surprise and once again he smirked, delighting in her uneasiness. Lucius walked in looking completely emotionless. He shut the door quietly and turned to his wife.

"They've performed some sort of dark magic and neither of them will undo it," Lucius said to Narcissa darkly.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Draco asked eyeing the girl again. She was looking out the window again, but he could tell by her face she was thinking very hard.

"For now, Ms. Bardot will stay with us. According to your Nana, the curse will make it... difficult for you to part, at least until you're married." Draco's eyes snapped to his father. He could feel the anger growing in him. He was, after all, only nineteen years old. He hardly wanted to be dating. He definitely had no immediate plans of getting married.

"I'll be in my room then. Don't disturb me unless you've figured something out," Draco said coldly. He couldn't think of any other reaction that he should have, and so in an effort to keep an illusion of calmness, he decided he needed to be alone to collect himself and to think. So with that, he started up the stairs. He hardly made it halfway up when a sharp pain seemed to throb in his chest. It felt as though he had severe heartburn in his entire abdomen. He clutched his chest, but climbed another step. The pain worsened and spread farther down his chest and into his throat. He took another step, and now the pain was in his head too. He felt as though he was going to spew all over the stairs. Draco turned uneasily and looked down at his parents. Lucius and Narcissa watched him with mirrored confusion, Ellie was leaning against the wall, however, doubled over and clutching her abdomen. Her sharp blue eyes looked up at him. Then it all went black.

...

Draco opened his eyes and found himself staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. A rush of relief washed over him. He sat up and shook his head, as if to shake out the strange dream he'd just had. Then his eyes landed on her.

Ellie was seated at his desk writing something with his quill and his paper.

"Why are you in here?" he asked as coldly as he could manage. Ellie turned and stared at him. She looked equally as delighted as he did.

"Did you really enjoy that pain so much that you want me to make you hurt again?" Ellie scoffed at him, "Besides, I have to send for my parents. I don't have my wand or any clothes." Draco smirked at that. She was, in fact, still wearing her rediculous nightgown.

"Why would you need clothes when that nightgown is so becoming on you?" He sneered at her. She rolled her eyes and turned back to her letter.

"Honestly, you could try at least acting civilized towards me," she murmered softly, "especially since it looks like you're stuck with me for quite a while." Draco looked away from her in disgust. He would absolutely not be married, he would make sure of that. It was only a matter of time before they got one of the grandmothers to crack and lift the curse, and then all would be well.

"I won't be married," Draco said, "Not to you and not to anyone."

"Oh, like I really want to be married to someone like you?" Ellie scoffed, "You're the most pig-headed person I've ever met, and I hate you after only knowing you for an hour." Draco smirked. At least the feeling was mutual. Draco had often experianced hating a girl thoroughly and having her still pine away at him. Pansy, for example, adored Draco, even though he only tolerated her because the sex was good.

"It doesn't matter, anyway," Ellie said, interupting his thoughts, "There's a way to break the curse, and we'll find it before we're married."

Next chapter will be good, I promise!

Comments and criticisms are both welcomed.