arranged / dm

02

December 23rd.

The two families stood facing each other, the silence thick over their heads in a taunting manner. The room had previously been echoing with plans and arrangements until the two older men had arrived. Michael Blackwood and Lucius Malfoy stood in front of each other, their eyes speaking louder than their mouths as the other four stood awkwardly waiting for the other to speak.

Draco had glanced several times at Amara as she stood, bored, in front of him. Thoughts he couldn't shake clouded his judgment and he hadn't thought of anything other than the current arrangement in hours.

"We must figure something out for the Greengrass girl. She has an attachment to my son and in order for this to take place he must cut ties. So must your daughter." Lucius finally spoke in his booming voice. It crashed Amara's train of thought and her focus was on the blond man as he stared at her.

"She has. The Indigo boy she was entangled with was married as well. We are open and ready." Michael spoke for her, his eyes not once meeting Amara's.

"Good. I will send an owl to the Greengrass home immediately. Narcissa, go over details with Mrs. Blackwood. Draco, go with your mother."

No one objected as the two older women and the two children were pushed out of the room and into the huge dining room.

"We must pick a time, date, and place. I'm not sure how big of a crowd Lucius wants but I assume he wants as many people as possible. He'll also want traditional, no colors other than white." Narcissa's eyes landed on Amara. The girl had leaned on the table almost blocking Draco's view of the plans. He stood right beside her, though he made sure to put distance between him and her. He didn't want this to happen, either. Neither person was getting what they wanted.

"Of course. We could do Spring. It's coming up and would be perfect for an outdoor setting." Lucille Blackwood smiled with eyes on Amara. She knew Spring was Amara's favorite time of year and she simply wanted her daughter to be as happy as she could be. Even if this was not the life Amara wanted.

"Children, opinions?" Narcissa turned to the young bride and groom with hopeful eyes. Draco sighed and stood up straight.

"Spring is fine." Amara blinked slowly, stealing a glance up at the boy beside her. He was now going along with it. But she could see in his eyes he was as miserable as he was, and that's what gave her hope—hope of getting out of this marriage.

Draco had written to Astoria Greengrass the night before this, warning her of the new situation he had been placed in. Of course she had replied by morning alerting she would be here to see him as soon as she could in attempts to salvage his freedoms.

"It's growing late, we should be heading home." Lucille broke the silence, saving Amara from her deepest thoughts. Her arm brushed against Draco's as she stood. She quickly moved away from him, though her eyes remained on him and his on her.

"You must stay, it's too late to travel. We wouldn't want to risk any of you being splinched." Narcissa placed a hand on Lucille's shoulder. "It would be a good time for Amara and Draco to get closer as well."

Amara's mother nodded, agreeing to trap Amara with Draco. She eyed her mother as Narcissa moved closer to stand in between her and Draco.

"You'll be sharing a room for the night. Our other guest rooms are not in the shape to accommodate guests and it would be good for the two of you."

Amara stepped away from the Malfoy woman, her arms crossed tightly.

"Draco, take her to your room." He gripped Amara's arm and pulled her behind him, the cold metal of his rings digging into her warm skin.

He shoved her into his room and shut the door behind him with a huff. "You know, I'm not thrilled about this whole getting married thing." he scoffed without looking at her.

"Oh trust me, neither am I. I could be with anyone and I'm being stuck with you. It's torture."

"Complete torture." Draco added, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Do you realize how shitty it was to owl Astoria and tell her I had to cut ties with her because I'm being forced into something with you?" he growled, shooting death glares at Amara.

"Please." She chuckled. "You act like I'm the problem. You think I want to be with someone like you? Never in a million years would I go for someone even remotely similar to you." her tone was dripping with disgust as she glared back at Draco.

Both of them were angry. More than angry. Neither of them wanted this and yet they were pushed by family members to live a miserable life with the other, being driven into insanity slowly.

"I thought getting The Mark was the worst thing that could happen to me but- but this tops it. This is one hundred percent worse than that." Draco muttered.

He expected Amara to come back at him with something to refute what he said but it never came. Instead, she stood in the darkness, puzzled, over how marrying her could be worse than what they had been through. She doubted herself.

"Yeah." she finally forced. "Much worse." Her couve had lowered to a whisper as he sat herself down in a chair.

"Listen, I'm sorry for ruining your life. This won't happen. It can't. I'm leaving and you can live your happy life and I'll live mine." She spoke more confidently, already planning out where she would go.

"Good idea, Blackwood. I'll leave the window open and you can leave in the night. I pity the man who ends up with you."

Amara rolled her eyes and pulled her knees up to her chest, slowly dozing off. Her eyelids grew heavier and she fell asleep, dreaming of a better life.

Draco stayed up, his eyes fixed on the girl asleep in his room. Her words rang in his head and her tone played like a record in his brain. His feet carried him to the window where he propped it open, sending a short glance at Amara. She had curled into a ball and fallen asleep in the chair next to his desk. With conflicted feelings, he made his way over to her and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her slowly to his bed.

He laid her down and pulled the blanket up to cover her body, keeping her warm. His eyes didn't leave her for a moment and he forgot exactly what had happened previously between the two. All he could see was Amara's peaceful self.

Draco pulled his gaze away from her and left the room, finding a situated guest room to sleep in, leaving Amara alone in his bedroom with an open window ready for her to escape and free both of them.

✩☾✩

A series of knocks on the wood door woke Amara. She sat up, rubbing her eyes while she came to her senses. Her eyes had wandered down to the bed she laid in and the blankets thrown over her. She knew she had fallen asleep in a chair and she had no recollection of getting to a bed. All she knew was, now was her last chance to leave.

Her feet met the cold floor and she hurried to the open window Draco had promised to leave for her. She pushed her hair back and began to climb out when the door swung open.

"You just couldn't stand to leave me could you?" a smug voice took over the air around her.

"Blackwood, if you really want to marry me just say so." Draco leaned against the doorframe as Amara slowly turned to look at him.

"I fell asleep."

"I'm aware. You're the reason I had to sleep in another room." he scoffed at her. "I can buy you time. Go east, there's small villages and shit there that you can probably find someone stupid enough to love you in." his eyes softened as she clenched her fists.

"Go. And we can both be free." she climbed out of the window and dropped to the ground. Draco's room hadn't been far from the ground and resulted in the perfect escape location for her. Draco watched her from the window as a strange feeling overtook his senses. He watched her vanish from his sights and closed the window before returning to his mother.

Amara walked silently through the trees around her. Her head hung low in hopes she would hide her identity. Every twig snap caused her to jump, she was on high alert. Ready to defend herself against anyone who might try to harm her. She wondered what her family was doing now. What Draco was doing now.

She hoped he had contacted Astoria Greengrass and ran away with her so she would never have to hear from him again. She could only hope now.

For she wasn't turning back. She was never going home. It was for the best. She wanted her life in control.