Rules are the very foundation of Regency London. Everyone is raised to them, and they understand their role, their purpose. A young marriageable lady must make the best choice for her future and her family. A young lord must make the best selection...
It wasn't a question. It wasn't even a comment. In fact, it wasn't even in shock. Theo had simply said it. As though, he had known all along. As though he knew that Draco couldn't leave London without seeing Hermione one last time.
"I'm going," Draco replied, carefully inspecting himself in the mirror once more. He had shaved closer than normal, wanting his jaw to look more pronounced. The Bulgarian, Russian, whatever he was... he was unshaven, and it looked unkempt. Draco wanted to look more refined.
He had screwed this up by pushing her away. He had to win her back. He had to just... try. If he walked away without even speaking to her... How could he look at himself in the mirror, ten years from now, twenty even, when he was alone, and she was a Princess, and be able to tell himself that he was alright?
He just... he had to see her one last time. Perhaps, even tell her the truth. Or, some form of it.
"Well?" Theo asked, looking him up and down.
Draco turned away from the mirror to face his closest friend, ready for the question to be expanded, but when it was not, he gave a shrug. "Well, what?"
"Well, what are you going to say?" Theo demanded, stepping closer and picking at something on the front of Draco's coat.
"What is there to say?" Draco asked. "I just... I want to see her. And tell her..."
"The truth," Theo said, enunciating both words. "Every bit of it. About your father, about our vows, about-"
"I can't just tell her everything at a ball," Draco said, shoving him off.
"At least tell her that you love her," Theo followed up with. "Here, we'll make certain the two of you have a chaperone but can speak alone, and you tell her how you feel. Let her decide."
"Or he could just look at her awkwardly from across the room while the rest of us groan," Blaise said from the doorway.
"You're not going," Draco said as he looked at Blaise, who was fully dressed for a ball.
"Pansy is in a tizzy and refuses to go without the rest of us, you've apparently decided to lose your head and announce you're in love to the whole Ton, and I am determined to have a bit of fun this evening. Of course I'm going."
"You're not going," Draco repeated.
"He's going," Theo said, brushing at Draco's coat again. "And so is Charlie. We're all going. Emotional support, or something like that. We'll see all of us wed before the end of the season."
"Not me," Blaise said with a bit of laughter.
"You included," Theo said.
Blaise made a face at them both and grumbled about a drink while he turned and walked away, leaving Draco and Theo alone once more.
"You don't really think he's going to marry this season, do you?" Draco asked, arching a brow at Theo.
Theo laughed. "What loony basket case would marry him?"
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