Chapter 6
DRACOS POV:
Draco slumped down into the chair in his study, his hands once again raking through his now dishevelled hair. His parents had accosted him shortly after he’d arrived so he hadn’t had a chance to get a drink. Merlin, he needed a drink. This whole thing was totally bollocks. “Draco!” His Mother had called as soon as he reached the liquor cabinet. He scowled but turned and headed to the informal sitting room where he knew they must have just arrived. “You won’t believe what they’ve just told us at that wretched meeting!” His mother had never had the flair for dramatics that his father possessed but you wouldn’t have been able to tell, the way she paced and threw her hands about while she ranted. “Two more children, can you believe it? We’re expected to have two more children! My son has just turned twenty-two, and they expect me to give him siblings. It’s preposterous! I’m nearly fifty, I can’t be chasing after a toddler again!” Draco held his tongue but almost reminded her that even when he’d been a small boy she hadn’t chased after a toddler, the elves had nannied him and while his mother doted on him and spent nearly every spare moment she had with him, she had by no means run around after him. His father remained silent, glowering at the wall from his seat on the dragon hide chesterfield.
“Cissa, I doubt we have anything to worry about. We tried for eight years before you were able to have Draco. And we had no further children after. I don’t think you’ll be getting pregnant again my dear.”
“Not if these ministry twits have anything to say about it, forcing us to take fertility potions! The nerve. To think, my poor Draco could be having brothers the same age as his own children. The audacity of these people!” Draco’s scowl deepened at the mention of his future progeny.
“Yes, and just how did your meeting go Draco. Who is destined to be the next Lady Malfoy?” His father drawled, and Draco smiled sadistically knowing that he’d at least derive pleasure from his father’s reaction to this whole mess.
“Yes, my Dragon, how was your own meeting?” His mother asked as well, as she sat down near his father. Draco thought back to this morning when he had had at least some shred of hope for a normal future.
Draco arrived at the ministry building with a pop and straightened his suit jacket before walking into the main room. He scowled at the people who rushed to get out of his way before he came to stand in front of his friends. Pansy was still snivelling as she clutched at Blaise’s arm and Draco suppressed the shudder that threatened to overtake him at the reminder of how she’d acted back in their Hogwarts days. Almost hearing the whine in her voice at the memory of her calling him ‘Drakey-poo’. Astoria was sat there as well, rubbing Pans’ back.
“Haven’t seen you in a while you tosser.” Blaise said with a smirk, “I thought you’d disappeared for good.”
“Yes, well, house arrest tends to turn people into hermits, wouldn’t you agree? Besides, if I recall correctly you and Theo were over for drinks just last week.”
“That was two weeks ago, and you haven’t been on house arrest in two years.”
“Old habits, my friend, old habits.” He replied with a chuckle. “How are you ladies doing today?” He said, taking a seat and turning towards the girls. He was hoping Pans would rise to the bait. If she was talking then she couldn’t cry, and Salazar’s left hairy ball sack did he hate crying women. He felt awkward and useless and all-around disgusted when he was around them.
“Just peachy. You know, I think this is going to be the best day ever! And after I meet my prince charming we’re going to ride off into the sunset on a unicorn before a Demiguise reads us bedtime stories. How the hell do you think I’m doing!” Pansy yelled at him, her voice deadly in its anger.
“Pans, calm down. It’s not the end of the world.” Astoria chided, always the level headed one (like her sister).
“Not the- Are you blind and deaf? We’re being arranged into bloody ridiculous marriages to men who will probably have no refined breeding or etiquette! We’ll be turned into baby machines and forced to spend all day cooking and cleaning because we’ll be stuck with destitute doormats who can’t afford a sense of humour any more than they can afford an elf or two!”
“Are you quite finished yelling at me? You know I don’t like it when you do that, and I won’t talk to you when you’re being so irrational. You don’t know who we’ll end up with any more than I do, but at least I’m keeping an open mind.”
“Irrational! Have you looked around? We’re in a bleeding ministry meeting to be paired up with strangers! How can you be so calm about all this?” Blaise and Draco snickered at the sour look on their friend’s face (each receiving a scowl from her in return).
“I am calm for a number of reasons, dearie. For one thing, we don’t know who we’ll end up with. It’s rather exciting, and the ministry is meant to be comparing studies done on all that paperwork we turned in to match us with compatible spouses. Two, even if we end up with someone we don’t know, it's a chance to broaden who we are and what we know of ourselves. Three, we’ve all known for a long time we were going to be wed to an arranged match. No offence to you guys, but I for one am happy I won’t have to marry someone in our friend group. It would cause unnecessary strain and ultimately everyone would have to pick sides because we would start to loathe one another. At least now there is a chance I can marry someone who won’t drive a wedge between any of us.” Astoria finished. Blaise started full out laughing at this.
“You hear that mate, she’s already thinking that marriage with you would have sucked!” Blaise chuckled as he elbowed Draco in the ribs. Draco let out a wounded huff before elbowing him back.
“She could have meant you to, you heathen,” Draco said, rubbing the side of his torso.
“No, she couldn’t have. I may be pure-blooded, but I’m not Sacred 28, mate. We all know that blood mania hype was all bullshit but Rhiannon Greengrass and most of the adults in our lives all still live by it. Stori would have ended up with you or Marcus and we’d all have been miserable because of it.” Draco scowled at his friends airtight logic.
“He’s right you know, my parents were cursing yours shortly before this stupid wedding mandate went out because they had already started talking to Daph and Stori’s mum about arranging you two,” Pansy added, slightly less wet-faced than before.
“Welcome Witches and Gentle Wizards to the Marriage Law information and pairing meeting. If everyone would please have a seat. Thank you. My name is Augusta Hurley and I will be speaking with you all today and announcing the pairings.” They all took their seats and Draco could feel himself zoning out, much like he did during boring meetings at work. Before long they started announcing who would be paired with who, and he was only slightly less envious of Marcus Flint when he learned the bloke would have to redo everything next year. He took brief notice of who his older friends were paired with; Miles Bletchley with an older witch named Eleanor Branstone and Graham Montague with Potter’s ex-girlfriend Cho Chang. Adrian got paired with a witch a year or two younger than Draco (some girl called Scira Fawcett who he vaguely recalled being in Hufflepuff). Poor Tracy Davis got stuck with that nit of a quidditch announcer Lee Jordan, and Draco felt a slight pang of regret for never having asked the girl on a date. He watched as she and Jordan walked towards each other and felt himself stiffen at the sway in her walk and the look of her arse in her tight miniskirt. He started actually listening when they got to his own age group. He shivered a bit when they called out Greg and Millicent. Not only were they each equally fat and stupid (a poor contribution to the children they were required to have) but they’d also dated each other a few years back. And while Draco and Pansy had managed to become friends again after they’d broken up, the same could not be said about Greg and Millie. In fact, when they shook hands he could see actual smoke coming from Greg’s shirt where Millie must have caught it on fire with the only spell she’d ever actually been good at. He watched Wayne Hopkins walk by with Rosalind Avery (another 28er down, though seeing as she and Draco were only second or third cousins it was probably for the best that she hadn’t ended up with him) and returned his eyes to the front, wondering which of the remaining witches would end up with himself. He had to stifle a laugh when Schlongbottom got paired with Loony Lovegood. Draco and Luna were mildly acquainted since her research helped to supply his potions company with much-needed ingredients, but the girl was an absolute loon. And watching her get paired with that sorry excuse of a wizard (who had admittedly earned Draco’s respect when he took on the Dark Lord...Not that he’d ever say that aloud...) was like watching rain meet a blizzard. Curious and unseen before. The ministry bint who’d been talking must have taken a break because her move back to the podium caught his eye as she picked up the pairing scroll once more.
“Draco Lucius Malfoy paired with Hermione Jean Granger.” He felt the world shift on its axis and snapped his head to look towards Gryffindor’s golden girl. She was so pale her skin was almost translucent and he snarled under his breath at the sight. Someone had royally fucked up, there was no way that the princess of Wizarding Britain was going to get paired with an ex death eater. Forced as his involvement had been or not. It just didn’t happen. He stood angrily as hell broke out in the room. Blaise, Greg, and a few of the other Slytherin’s in the room started arguing with the Gryffindor’s and a few raised their wands to meet that of Weaselbee. He rolled his eyes at their stupidity, knowing full well that their magic wouldn’t work in here.
“SILENCE! Please Ms Granger and Mr Malfoy, move to the seats.” He made his way to the paired seating on slightly shaky legs and his scowl deepened as he saw how confident and unaffected Granger seemed. She stopped an arm's length away and held up her hand, expecting him to touch her. He may not have believed in blood-purity anymore but the thought of touching her, even just her hand, was revolting. There was so much animosity between them for Merlin’s sake! He grit his teeth and shook her hand, crushing her’s as hard as he could in warning that she wouldn’t be getting civility between the two of them. They moved to sit down finally and the pairings resumed around them. Draco looked over at Blaise, Pansy, and Astoria who gave him varying levels of sympathy and anger. He knew Blaise had hoped to be paired with Granger because...well he hadn’t really explained. Something about finding out if she was as good at shagging as she was at school work. Pansy was upset because she’d been hoping to be paired with Draco (he didn’t delude himself into thinking it was anything more than aiming for a pureblood alliance so her parents wouldn’t disown her). Stori seemed the least affected, probably because she’d been sheltered from most of his and Grangers blowouts being two years younger than them. He didn’t let himself slouch or show anything more than annoyance with the world as he sat there thinking of some way to get them out of this. Of course, his first thought was his family’s wealth. But she told him point-blank that that would be unuseful. He highly doubted that (money always talked. Always changed minds when it changed hands with the right people) but he needed to come up with a second solution as well. Merlin and Morgana, this just couldn’t happen. They hated each other, she was a stuck up little bitch and violent to boot. His nose still got phantom pains from where she’d broken it in third year. He watched quietly once more as the pairings went on around them, strangers who must have been near his age with other strangers near his age moving to sit around him. “Harry James Potter paired with-” Draco couldn’t have cared less about who the boy wonder was going to end up with until it was announced. “Astoria Orielle Célestine Greengrass.” His eyes bugged slightly and he looked over at poor Tori. He was shocked to see she was relatively calm about the whole thing and even slightly mortified when she actually smiled at the git. The two moved towards their own seats a couple of aisles away and he saw from the corner of his eye as they began talking. How could she be so calm, knowing she was going to be sleeping with the enemy? Of course, he amended right away, they weren’t technically enemies any longer. And the Greengrass girls had been sent to France for most of the war so he may never have actually been her enemy. He sat brooding at the thought that one of his friends may actually be happy with their match and it was to bloody St Potter! For Morgana’s sake, did the world have no logic? “-Paired with Pansy Parkinson.” His head turned in time to see Pansy drop in a dead faint, and he looked around trying to understand why. His question was answered for him when the Weasley ape started swearing and kicking the chairs around him. Merlin, he thought he had it bad. He wasn’t sure who he felt worse for; himself or Pansy. He’d never have been able to live with that oaf. Blaise and Pucey helped Pansy to her feet and to her chair before the waterworks started and Draco had to restrain himself once again to keep from covering his ears at the noise of her wails. He kept thinking of ways he could potentially get out of his own marriage when finally Blaise’s name was called. He smirked to himself when Weaslette was called out. Now they had the perfect trifecta of insanity. What morons did the ministry have working for them that they thought these pairings would be a good idea? He could see Blaise mimic his sulking as both men sat and stewed in their own agonizing thoughts.
When the meeting was finally over Draco rushed to stand and leave but was interrupted by the swot next to him. “Well, when...when do you think would be best for us to meet up before this stupid appointment. I figured we could just meet up a little bit before the arranged time.” She asked. He looked at her incredulously. Was she already trying to control him? Demanding as always and thinking she could have her way. Well tough, that wouldn’t be happening any time soon!
“You do not get to tell me when we’ll meet.” He told her, enjoying the set in her jaw when she clenched her teeth in anger.
“Well then, why don’t you suggest a time and a place?” She retorted. He had forgotten how exasperating arguing with her could be, save for a few encounters in the eighth year he hadn’t had to since sixth year. He already missed the reprieve from her voice.
“I will owl you,” Draco replied before turning to finally leave, hell-bent on getting out of there and to the nearest liquor cabinet at home.
“Well, Mother, it would seem that the Ministry is just as sadistic as ever. Pansy and Blaise both got stuck with Weasley’s,” he watched his Mother frown at this and his father scowl at the mention of the lowlifes. “And Astoria got herself hitched to the golden boy! Oh yes, Harry bloody Potter himself. Can you believe it? I’m sure her Mother is just leaping for joy at the prospects of having him for a son in law.”
“That is all very unfortunate Draco, but what of your bride to be? Who did you get matched to?” His Mother asked him as she sipped a tea the elves had just brought to her.
“Hermione fucking Granger.” He growled out. His Mother choked on her tea a bit and his father pulled out his wand and angrily blew up a piece of wood in the fireplace. “Yes, my sentiments exactly.”
“I won’t stand for this! Shacklebolt may not be on our payroll but someone in his office is bribable. First thing tomorrow, I will go down there with my Galleon book. I’ll be damned if my son will be forced to sully the good Malfoy name by marrying a mudblood!” Draco frowned a bit at his father’s use of words but otherwise was wholeheartedly in agreement.
“Lucius Malfoy!” Both men flinched at the tone in Narcissa’s voice. Draco’s mother may have been the level headed one of the family but you did not want to get on her bad side. He shuddered at the memory of the last time he’d crossed her, he’d been unable to sit properly for a week! “We have all agreed to atone for our sins, and that includes not using the term mudblood any further. This girl is a muggle-born, and she could be our ticket to restoring the name you seem so keen to protect. We may still be wealthy and revered but our name does not have the prestige it once did, not since the war. Having a war heroine to parade around as our daughter-in-law may not be so bad. Besides, she’s hardly ugly. Plain yes, but not an eyesore. And she’s powerful. Just think of the magic their children could possess with the two of them as parents.” Sweet Salazar, his mother was already fantasizing about having the girl in the family.
“Narcissa?”
“Mother!” The men exclaimed. Lucius looked at his wife as though she should be taken to the mental ward of St Mungos and Draco was feeling positively green at the thought of having Granger for a wife. Sure she’d matured nicely since her days at Hogwarts, she no longer had the buck teeth that she’d had until their duel in fourth year. And her hair was less of a bush and more akin to sleek curls these days. Not to mention she’d filled out nicely in the breast and arse department. But damned it, this was not going to happen! “We can’t stand to be in the same room as each other without an argument or a duel breaking out. We’ve hated each other since first year! You can’t possibly think Father and I should just sit here and do nothing to prevent this!”
“If I remember our own meeting today correctly, you wouldn’t be able to change your match anyway, even with the galleons at our disposal. Hush, Lucius,” she glared at the man as he tried to interject that their vault could easily turn the minds of the ministry lackey’s. “I think, since it is unlikely to work, you might as well save face. After all, if you are to marry this woman you don’t want to go into the marriage with her knowing you tried to buy someone else.”
“Mother, did you not hear a word I’ve said? We-”
“Can not stand each other. Yes, Draco, I did hear you. I also seem to recall a certain blonde young man who was always writing home about the muggle-born who was always besting him in school. You sent us many a letter about her. You may not like each other now but you can learn to tolerate each other, as most of the pairings will have to it seems. You are no longer a child Draco. It is time you act your age. And that includes being mature about this. I believe that, in the long run, this will be the best course of action for our family.”
“Cissa, now really I-” His Mother sent his father a glare and the man smartly stopped talking.
“I can’t believe you’re ok with this, let alone applauding it! Mother, how can you sit here and tell me to marry that, that...”
“Woman?”
“Yes. That woman. We’ll end up killing each other before we even get to say our vows!”
“Then I suggest you speak quickly dear. The matter has been decided, and you will not change my mind.” She added with finality. Draco scowled and looked to his father for assistance. Surely he could change the witch’s mind. This was disgusting, and amoral, and could not be permitted to happen. When the man didn’t speak (obviously too afraid of angering his wife) Draco growled and stomped from the room. His magic crackled around him in his anger and several of the portraits looked at him with a mix of disdain and fear before he slammed his door. He may have been acting like a sullen teenager, but he had every right to be upset about this. Come on! Hermione Granger? His mother had lost her mind. And she was going to drag the whole family down with her now.
～Edited 19th Jan, 2022