Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Rumors - 27

The next morning at breakfast, Mr. Malfoy and my father were both reading their own copies of the Prophet as we ate.

"What time are we leaving to go back home, father," I asked after swallowing a bite of jelly-covered toast. Draco, sitting to my left, looked across the table at my father expectantly as he finished a bite of scrambled eggs.

William Cytheria looked over his paper at me with a small, warm smile. "I'm not sure, dear. We don't have any plans."

"You two should at least stay for lunch," Narcissa, to my right, said insistently.

Lucius Malfoy, at the head of the table between his wife and friend, also looked over his paper at my father. "Yes, please stay."

Father looked at Narcissa. "You're sure we wouldn't be imposing?"

Narcissa tilted her head, giving him a chiding look. "Please, William. You nearly live here. You're never imposing, and it would be a pleasure."

"Please, father?" I asked, clasping my hands together. I pouted with my best pleading look that worked a fair amount of the time.

His smile grew. "I can't say no to that face. Of course, darling." He turned his head toward his host. "Narcissa, Lucius, thank you for hosting us as always."

I smiled brightly, turning to them as well. "Yes, thank you very much." I looked at Draco and we shared a small smile.

Looking over to the head of the table, I notice as the elder Malfoy turned the page, lifting his brows and widening his eyes slightly. It was the smallest reaction, but I could see that what caught Lucius Malfoy's attention on the page had surprised him. "Narcissa...." He said.

"Yes, dear?" She said as he started to hand the paper over to her. "Oh!" Her surprise was much more evident as she took the paper from her husband. She scanned the page. "William," she said with a bit of hesitancy. "There's an article about the party in the Society section on page seven."

He looked up at Narcissa, "Oh?" He started to thumb over to the page. Starting to open up to it. "Rave reviews I'm sure..." suddenly his eyes darkened, and his grip tighten on the paper, creasing it under his grip. He looked over the page, sharp eyes turned to an oblivious Draco, who was focused on his breakfast.

I looked to Narcissa, who also looked to Draco with a small smile and a hint of sadness in her eyes. 

My stomach flipped, and I swallowed my sip of tea. "Is it bad?" I asked.

Narcissa's gaze turned to me with the same sad smile. She then opened the page toward me, and I nearly felt my eyes pop out of their sockets.

In the center of the page was a photo of Draco and me kissing. Someone seemed to have found a clever corner to find and snap a photo without us noticing.

There were also two other photos. One of both families, which I remember being taken, and the other of us bowing and curtseying before dancing. There was also an article:

Malfoy and Cytheria Families Throw Party to Remember

Last evening Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, along with their close friend William Cytheria, threw the social event of the summer: a belated birthday party for their thirteen-year-old children. Aphrodite Cytheria and Draco Malfoy were the pictures of elegance. The young Mr. Malfoy was a quietly stoic gentleman. Miss Cytheria was a bright, exuberant lady. Both were charming in their own right and worked together with apparent chemistry. Rumors have already started of betrothal between the two, which only makes sense considering the closeness of the two families. However, our own photographer was able to get a behind-the-scenes photo(pictured above) that might only solidify these rumors.

I looked over at Draco, who I saw was looking over my shoulder. His face had paled. He looked over to my father, caught his deadly look, and gulped nervously.

"Do you two care to explain yourself?" Lucius Malfoy said, rather calmly.

Draco spoke up. "We wanted to get away from the party for a moment. The kiss was kind of unexpected."

"It was rather inappropriate, especially at an event of that caliber." His father scolded, looking between the two of us.

Narcissa huffed at her husband. "This was not inappropriate, Lucius! I don't know of a single couple, including us, that hasn't done something similar. They thought they went somewhere private, and someone violated that privacy... And that is not the Prophet reporter that I invited. That girl came as a plus one to one of your younger ministry colleagues that will not be invited to one of our functions again."

Lucius thought for a second before conceding. "Fair enough, Narcissa."

Narcissa smiled satisfied before turning to us. "So... was that your first kiss?"

"Mother!" Draco said as I nodded, both of us turning red.

"My baby had his first kiss!" she said, standing and moving over to Draco, embracing him close.

My father kept his mood until we took the Floo home. We stood in our own drawing-room, light and bright compared to the Malfoy's, as an uncomfortable silence fell over us.

"Father?" I asked nervously.

He turned to me, obviously pensive. "Yes, dear?"

I looked at him, with tears brimming my eyes. "Am I in trouble? Are you mad at me?"

My father looked at me, and I could almost feel his defenses drop as his expression softened. He led me to the couch and sat down with me. "No dear. Not at all. You did nothing wrong." He sighed and rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. "This is going to be hard to ask of you."

That made me worry. "What is it, father? Please tell me."

He took my hand, and rubbed his thumbs gently over the backs."Darling,  I don't want you dating Draco Malfoy."

I froze, not sure how to respond. "Can I ask why?"

Thinking for a moment, he shook his head. "There are several reasons. I'm just going to have to ask you to trust me on this, ok?"

My father didn't usually request that I do something without reason, so I trust him. I nodded. "Okay." I sniffled, holding back tears as a mixture of confusion and disappointment overwhelmed me.

He ran a hand over my hair, pulling me close in a hug. "Darling, I am so sorry to ruin such a big memory in your life. I understand if you're upset with me. I just hope in time you will forgive me."