Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Dinner - 58

Draco

Knock, Knock, Knock

We'd moved to the drawing room by that point, but the muffled sound from the front door thundered in my head.

The room hushed for a moment, except for my father who seemed unphased and continued the story he was telling to a distracted Mr. Cytheria.

I looked at Aphrodite, who took a deep breath as she looked at the door. She looked at me with a small smile that did not hide her anxiety.

The house elf arrived first, announcing the Sokolovs' arrival, and the three stepped in as we all stood.

"Alexander! Sofia! So nice to see you both again," Mr. Cytheria said, taking a few steps around the coffee table and shaking their hands. They returned his greeting, their Russian accents prevalent as they spoke, and said hello to my father as well. They also greeted and shook their son's hand.

My father gestured to us. "I'd like to introduce you to my wife and son, Narcissa and Draco. Narcissa, Draco, this is Alexander and Sofia Sokolov, along with their son, Dimitri."

I shook Mr. and Mrs. Sokolov's hands, with a scant, courteous smile and 'How do you do?' for each. I did the same with Dimitri, taking the moment to size him up.

He was a bit taller than me, I assumed older, and his expression matched mine. Which, unfortunately, made him totally unreadable.

"And this," William said, a faint, barely recognizable hesitance in his tone that he didn't usually possess, "Is my daughter, Aphrodite."

One side of Dimitri's mouth turned up as he lifted his head to look at Aphrodite, who now smiled gracefully, without an inkling of any ill emotion.

Dimitri took a couple of steps toward her, and she offered him her hand. He took her hand in both of his, bending slightly to kiss it. Straightening, he smiled to look down at her. "Aphrodite," he said, his accent matching his parents'. "Your beauty surpasses the goddess you were named after."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed lightly at the lame line. Barely loud enough for my mother beside me to hear and promptly elbow me in the side. I look at her as she shoots me a scolding glare, undetected by the other patrons of the room watching the two matched individuals.

Meanwhile, Aphrodite smiled, laughing and blushing lightly. She certainly knows how to play up her charms. "Thank you, Dimitri. You are too kind." Witnessing the interaction made me nauseous.

"I have a small gift," he said, pulling open the lapel of the jacket to reach into the inner pocket. "To remember our first time meeting." Out of the pocket, he pulled a small velvet box and handed it to her.

She took it carefully and opened it. Her hand covered her mouth as she gasped lightly. "It's beautiful."

"It's not an engagement ring," He said with a smile. A small breath left her as if she'd been holding it, causing him to chuckle. He took the ring out of the box. "No, that will come with time. Once we know each other better." Holding out his hand to her, she gave him her right hand, and he slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

My nausea increased as I watch them simultaneously look into each other's eyes with gentle smiles.

Either this was Aphrodite's best performance yet, or, Merlin forbid, she was smitten with him.

Aphry

I looked into Dimitri's green eyes, and my stomach did a somersault. I'd never received attention this... intently from any boy.