Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Summer Before Year Two - 7

After that detention, things were pretty uneventful for us the rest of the year. We almost won the house cup.

Almost... If Harry, Ron, and Hermione hadn't gotten out of bed after hours and saved the school from our evil Dark Arts professor and received a hoard of last minute points at the final feast!

...And Neville Longbottom, too!

...The hall was already decorated!

...I'm still a bit bitter about that, to be honest.

My father and I stayed at our home most of the summer. It was a small relief not having to keep Draco in line daily, but even so, I missed him. My necklace tingled slightly every so often, but by the time I had owled Narcissa about it, she had already caught Draco misbehaving and responded with amusing stories about her catching him in the act.

At the end of the summer, we returned to the Malfoy's for school shopping. We used the Floo network to enter the Malfoy Manor Drawing Room as we did the previous year.

Narcissa was the only one to greet us this time. My father and she said short hellos before he went to meet Mr. Malfoy in his study and it was just the two of us.

"Aphrodite, dear," Narcissa said warmly. "Come and have a bit of tea with me," She sat down on one of the drawing-room couches, where tea and small sandwiches and cakes had been put out. She grabbed the tea pot and began to pour each of us a cup. "I don't know where Draco has gone off to. He knew that the two of you would be here by now...."

I placed sugar and cream in my cup before stirring gently. My necklace tingled slightly. "He's not up to any good," I said.

Narcissa froze with her teacup at her lips, and raised an eyebrow at me curiously. I tapped my necklace gently, and she gave a sly smile before directing a house-elf to go find him.

Several moments later, we were in the midst of catching up when Draco walked in. Narcissa wasted no time scolding him.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, where have you been? Your guests have arrived and you weren't even here to greet them... Goodness, Draco, were you in the sweets pantry again?"

A small scoff escaped from Draco. "Of course not, mum! I was in my room."

I giggled, earning me a harsh glare from Draco. "Draco..." I said amusedly, "there's still powdered sugar on your lip." 

His eyes widened as he realized he was caught.

A small chuckle escaped Narcissa's lip. "Draco, come on and sit. Don't you have some news that you want to share with Aphrodite?"

His eye lit up. "Yes!" He sat to my right and turned to me, "Guess who's getting the newest Nimbus, fresh off the line?"

"Harry Potter?" I responded brightly, simply to be cheeky. Narcissa, who told me about Draco's incessant complaints about Harry during the whole summer, coughed a bit to hide a laugh as Draco glowered at me.

"Think you're funny, don't you, Aphry?" Draco sneered.

"Draco," his mother said, a warning in her tone. Draco huffed slightly.

I decided I'd laid off of him, and return to his conversation. "So, it's the new Nimbus Two Thousand One, right?" I asked.

Before Draco could answer, Lucius Malfoy entered the room, looking rather irritated and out of sorts. My father entered just behind him. "Narcissa, have you seen Dobby?"

Narcissa huffed, frustrated at her apparently lost house elf. "Has he run off again?" She said incredulously. 

"Yes. I've no idea what I'm going to do with that miscreant elf," he scowled. My father shifted uncomfortably at the threat, as he never really agreed with the house elf situation at the Malfoy Manor. We treated our house elfs much differently, like family. However, it seemed as though the two men had fallen into a truce of sorts long before Draco and I could even remember. Father wouldn't criticize the things that were done at the Malfoy Manor, and the Malfoys wouldn't criticize what was done at our home.

Mr. Malfoy then turned to me, and a ghost of a smile emerged on his face. "Aphrodite, did Draco tell you about your new Nimbus?"

My eyes popped out of my head as Draco groaned, his surprise being spoilt. "I'm getting a new Nimbus!?" I said enthusiastically. "That's so exciting. Thank you!"

"It's certainly a pleasure for Draco's closest friend," he said, he look more pleased than I'd ever seen him (which isn't saying much). "You both get to bring your brooms to school with you this year. Wouldn't want to send the two of you off with your old Comet Two Sixties."

If my father couldn't pull strings in the Wizarding World, Mr. Malfoy could. Often they teamed together to get whatever Draco and I might want.

The next morning, as we ate breakfast in the dining room, the post came. Two letters with Hogwarts seals landed in front of Draco and me. We grabbed our letters, opening them hastily.

After a brief, moment Draco broke the silence. "Looks like you already have more than half the booklist already, Aphrodite," he teased. "Mum might also..."

"Honestly, your not wrong, Draco." I said curiously. "Nearly all of Gilderoy Lockharts books are on our list." Although I wasn't mad about the reading we would be doing, I did wonder why we would require those books.

"Yes, I believe he'll be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Lucius said from the head of the table. Narcissa, Draco, and I all looked at him, as if encouraging him to explain. "One tends to know these things when you're a governor of the school."

Narcissa was reading Draco's letter over his shoulder. "Hm," She said, "Perhaps I should arrange a visit sometime this year." She gave me a small smile, and I giggled. It was hard to hide that I fancied Lockheart.

"Mum, no," Draco responded with a whine. I giggled more at his embarrassment.

"Draco," Lucius drawled. "Do not whine. It's not dignified of a young gentleman." The chastisement quickly killed the mood, though no one was bold enough to say so. 

After a moment, my father spoke up, looking at Draco and me. "So, when should we head to Diagon Alley to get your school things?"

I spoke up then. "Would it be possible to go next Wednesday? I heard Gilderoy Lockheart was having a book signing."

"Gilderoy Lockheart," Draco teased, mocking the way that I said his name.

"Don't tease, Draco," Narcissa warned lightly. "Otherwise, Aphrodite might be inclined to mock you mercilessly when you get your first crush." Draco responded with an eyeroll.

"Yes, Draco!" I said with the same mocking tone he was just using. "Who do you fancy? Pansy Parkinson? Daphne Greengrass?"

Draco scrunched his now. "I'll have no time for silly girls once I get to Hogwarts. I'll probably be busy practicing quidditch, since I hope to make seeker this year."

I shrugged. "Assuming you make it. You're probably right," I said nodding in agreement.