Marriage of convenience (Draco x Astoria)

13- The birthday party

"Do you really plan to wear this? Draco asked, holding up the stiff corset.

Kali had prepared the clothes they were going to wear, and he couldn't help but notice the amount of clothing Astoria must be wearing under her dress. She took the corset and looked at it from both sides.

"I don't know, I've never worn one," she said, circling the structure.

"My mother wears them all the time when she dresses up," Draco commented. "But is it really necessary for you to wear it? A birthday party is not such a formal event," he added, frowning.

"It's for miss Astoria's safety," Kali intervened.

"Are you going to decorate me like a Christmas tree for my safety?" she asked, incredulous.

"Miss Astoria's corset is magically reinforced. If someone tries to attack miss Astoria, the corset will stop them."

"Who is going to want to attack her?" Draco asked, with a mocking smile.

"Mr. Malfoy has reasons to distrust certain guests," the house-elf reminded him.

"Are you referring to Parkinsons? I don't think they would dare do anything to Astoria!" he laughed, although his smile faded when he saw Astoria's face. "Do you think they would dare?"

"How angry did you say Pansy was the last time you saw her?"

"Quite a bit," he remembered. "But I don't think...! She doesn't..." he hesitated. Pansy 's murderous look still hadn't left his mind. "Okay, wear it just in case," he relented.

As if someone had ordered her, Kali went to her mistress to help her undress. Astoria and Draco exchanged a look. When the robe that covered her fell to the floor, she blushed and he automatically turned around, so as not to look.

"Mr. Malfoy should not be ashamed to look at his wife," said the house-elf, matter-of-factly. But Astoria also felt uncomfortable, and grabbing her clothes, she locked herself in the bathroom to change.

"Don't even think about saying something like that again," Draco threatened, looking at the house-elf with anger.

"But Mr. Malfoy has seen his wife without clothes before."

"Is not the same! She was sick," he hissed, angry. He grabbed his clothes violently and began to dress.

"Kali was just reminding Mr. Malfoy that he can have intimacy with his wife. Newlyweds must have it," Draco was so startled that he was about to tear his pants when he put them on.

"What nonsense are you saying? If she and I haven't... you know we haven't..." Draco stopped, embarrassed. Why did he have to explain himself to a vulgar house-elf? "That's our business," he muttered abruptly, changing from his nightshirt to his dress shirt.

For a few seconds, he and the house-elf remained silent, although Draco's movements were still abrupt.

"Kali knows that Mr. Malfoy is looking for a gift for miss Astoria's birthday," the house-elf commented softly. Draco looked at her, suspicious. "The solution is very simple, Mr. Malfoy," she said, looking at him intently. The meaning of that look was so clear that Draco's ears turned red. He would never have imagined that a house house-elf would talk to him in that way. And about those matters!

"How do you think of saying that?" he asked, heated. Then, an answer passed through his mind that made him even more nervous. "Has it been Astoria? Has she told you that she wants—?"

But he couldn't finish his question because Astoria came out of the bathroom. She had put on a fine sleeveless linen shirt, trousers of the same fabric, and was tying the laces of her petticoats around her waist.