Romancing Your New Fiancé

Reputation

Draco

Will London's Most Eligible Bachelor Ever Settle Down?

Future Lord, Draco Malfoy, seen leaving local bar, The Sniffly Niffler with one woman on each arm.

St. Mungo's Resident Rogue. Accomplished Doctor or just Gifted Rake?

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I crumple each newspaper article. With a swipe of my wand, they all fly straight for the trash in the corner of my office.

All this shit is giving me a headache. When did it become a crime to enjoy the company of a beautiful woman? Or four?

A soft knock sounds. My secretary, Amelia, barely gets the word- your out of her mouth before my door is thrust open. Narcissa Malfoy is the epitome of a polished, well bred, upper class woman. Her two piece Chanel suit inspired (and robes custom made by Madam Malkin's) paired with her matching shoes and perfectly pinned hair hammer that narrative home.

The look on mother's face tells me she's seen every article and likely more. I may be a grown 29-year-old man, who survived 2 years in Azkaban, came out and got my healing degree (top of my class, mind you) but one look from her has me sweating. As if one cross word from me will get my stuffed dragon taken away.

Smoothing non-existent wrinkles from my light blue button up, I blow out a breath before facing the force that is Narcissa Black-Malfoy.

"What can I do for you, mother? I thought we weren't due for tea until tomorrow."

"Cut the crap, son," she says angrily. I shudder at her tone. It does not bode well for me if she's using such commonly undignified words like crap. "You've officially pissed off your father and grandmother."

Oh, fuck.

"You can't mean-"

"Oh, yes. You've forced Gran Malfoy for the first time in 50 years to approve the stipulation of the Malfoy family fortune." Mother says this so nonchalantly, as if she isn't flipping my entire world upside down. Completely shifting my axis.

"We have to talk her out of this. I'm not ready to settle down. I'm up for head or the CardioHealing department! I don't have the time or energy to court-"

Mother's sarcastic laugh echoes around my office. "You'll have plenty of time now that you'll be giving up the questionable women you meet at bars every night."

Scowling, I look away, needing a moment to gather my obviously lacking wits. I knew better than to act so frivolously. It's just I always thought I had my Gran wrapped around my finger enough to get away with it.

My jaw ticks angrily as I face my mother again. Mother's face shows no empathy for my well-deserved misery.

"I assume father talked her into this."

The corner of mother's mouth ticks upward slightly before she speaks. "Actually, he tried to talk her out of it. He argued you weren't mature enough to handle a wife and children. He bought you a year, rather than the measly two months she was offering."

"How gracious of him to say such things on my behalf," I mumble irritably.

A part of me is insulted he thinks I couldn't handle a family. He did, which means I'm very much qualified in comparison.

"You've a year to sort out your love life, Draco. Please don't pick a galleon hungry floozy."

With that, my mother leaves me to my thoughts, to suffer in sorrow in my office before my next 5 appointments.

**********

Hermione

"At least get a dog so you won't be alone forever," Pansy huffs from across the small table at our favorite muggle cafe.