Love In The Time of Voldemort

Chapter Three

Draco makes it approximately three steps out of the floo at Malfoy Manor before his father's voice is calling out to him, amplified from his office by a Sonorous.

"Draco, please join your mother and I in the study."

Draco throws a look over his shoulder at Theo and Blaise, who merely shrug and go to find Pansy. They know better than to intrude on family matters. Draco blows out a deep breath and makes his way to his fathers study. His mother is sitting in a chair beside his father, with an incredibly smug smile upon her face.

"Take a seat," his father instructs.

Draco takes the seat across from them. His mother's eyes are riveted to the bag that now sits beside his chair. There's no point in hiding it. Hadara's always in the public eye. The second she accepts his courtship gift rumors will start to spread.

His mother smiles at him softly. "Is there something you need to tell us, Draco?"

"I want to court Hadara Potter. I've bought her a courtship gift."

"As well as a necklace, a bracelet, and a myriad of other gifts."

The color drains from Draco's face so rapidly that Cissa nearly bursts into laughter. This really is so over-dramatic, but Lucius had insisted on confronting him, since he hadn't come to them with his news yet. Draco certainly didn't get his love for dramatics from her.

"You know about that?"

"Of course we know," Lucius drawls. "As if your constant chattering about her wasn't enough, you used the family house elf to deliver things to her. Draco, he serves us too, and you never forbade him from telling us. He's a terrible gossip."

"Am not!" Dobby piped in from behind Cissa's chair.

"Of course you aren't dear," Cissa placated.

Though in truth, he was. Dobby was single handedly responsible for keeping Cissa well informed on the most scandalous rumors of the Pureblood scene.

"So I'm not in trouble?"

Lucius sighs, "You are not in trouble, but I don't appreciate the secrecy. It was more than clear that you have feelings for her at the Quidditch World Cup. Anyone would think by the way you look at her, that you're betrothed."

"I'm not that bad."

"You are," Lucius volleys. "I'm surprised you didn't throttle Weasley for touching her shoulder."

"The temptation is ever present," Draco assures him with a roll of his eyes.

Cissa inches forward on her chair. "Draco, have you thought this through? I support whatever choice you make, but this will not be easy. Hadara will always have people who hate her for her role in the Dark Lord's fall. The Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup, it's not a good sign. There are true fanatics out there that wish her nothing but ill. You will always have to be alert, prepared to drop everything to protect her. If you pursue this, we will do everything we can as a family to help her, and end those who wish her ill."

Draco looks between his mother and father. He knows she's right, but it still fills him with anger. They should just be two teenagers in love. If she loves him, that is. He shouldn't be so presumptuous, though he certainly loves her. His eyes fall on his father.

"You would do it for mother, wouldn't you?"

Lucius huffs out a laugh. "I did, to a certain extent. There was no understanding between our families. We couldn't talk to our parents, like you do to us. Cissa was fifteen when the letter came saying she would be betrothed to Rabastan Lestrange over winter break. We signed a betrothal contract the same day, without their permission. Once it was signed, it couldn't be broken."