Lust, War, and... Love?

Chapter 2: Draco's Engagement and Lucius's Memories

       The bright April sunlight flooded the parlour through tall French doors which overlooked a formal garden. Two crystal vases on the mantelpiece sent rainbow sparks in every direction and a silver coffee set reflected the sunshine upon the dark mahogany table.

"Your robes are so charming, Leticia." Narcissa stirred her coffee. "I wonder where our young couple is. It's been quite a while since they went for a stroll."

"Oh, the dress is nothing to speak of. You're so kind, Narcissa," chirped Mrs. Parkinson whose dark purple taffeta robes contrasted with the pale pink upholstery on the couch and made her heavily rouged cheeks look even redder. "The weather's so wonderful and your gardens are so lovely, I'm sure they're enjoying themselves outdoors."

"Ah, here they are, " Narcissa leaned towards Leticia. "What a cute couple they are!"

One of the French doors opened and the young couple entered the room. Pansy had a slightly tousled look. Upon seeing her mother she reflexively adjusted the plunging neckline of her fuchsia-coloured robes. Draco, his arm wrapped around her waist, threw a bored look at a plate of chocolates tucked between the coffeepot and sugar bowl.

Pansy sat down, her back straight, on the couch next to Leticia and picked a cup from the silver tray. Draco plunked into a big chair and, with a flick of his wand, made a piece of chocolate fly off the plate and into his outstretched palm.

For a while Narcissa and Leticia entertained everyone with a discussion of the latest styles in fashion robe trimmings. Pansy showed a great deal of interest in the subject by showering Narcissa with compliments on the dress she wore to a recent dinner party at the Bletchley Estates. Draco twiddled his wand and demonstrated with all of his physiognomy that the talk about bows and laces, and the cup of coffee offered by his mother were clearly beneath his intellect.

Lucius Malfoy and a tall, ruddy-faced wizard strolled into the parlour from the adjacent library room.

"... have a look at the latest quotes. I'll owl you, of course, when I hear from the underwriters, Canutus." Lucius finished his speech and turned towards the coffee table.

"Some coffee?" inquired Narcissa with a well-practised smile.

"No, no, thank you," Canutus gestured energetically. "My wife keeps telling me I shouldn't drink too much coffee in the late afternoon."

At these words of his, Leticia gave her husband a coquettish wink, and Pansy finished her cup in one big gulp.

"We should be going - we've had such a wonderful time, Narcissa." Leticia gave her daughter a one-armed hug. "We'd love to see you drop in before you're back to school after the holidays, Draco."

"We're so honoured to have you all. It's a pleasure to know that we've got such a great understanding between us." Lucius gave a slight nod to the Parkinsons.

Leticia's roomy robes rustled as she walked to the fireplace. Canutus, after much nodding and gesturing to Narcissa and Lucius, trotted after his wife. Pansy and Draco stood up, and she gave him a peck on his lips.

When the Parkinsons Flooed off, Draco sank back into his chair and waved the plate with the remaining chocolates onto his lap. Narcissa Banished the coffee set out of sight, and Lucius flicked his wand for a glass of firewhisky for himself.

"So, Draco and Pansy got engaged today. The Parkinsons must be on cloud nine now that the engagement contract has been sealed magically," Narcissa mused, while adjusting the flowers in the vases on the mantelpiece. "Leticia believes sometime in June after the school's over would be a good time for a formal engagement reception."

"There's no need to rush the reception yet, "objected Lucius while nursing the drink in his hand. "Good Ogden's Old. It's a true classic firewhisky, Draco."

Draco finished the sweets and sent the plate flying away. Without saying a word, he yawned and got up from his chair. Narcissa's eyes followed her son as he left the parlour. Draco had shot up quite a bit over the past year or so. Despite his still reedy and narrow-shouldered figure, his mother could already recognize an emerging semblance of his father's stature in her beloved son.

"I'd still prefer the Greengrass girls," Narcissa spoke softly after Draco was safely out of the earshot. "The Parkinsons are such simpletons. Believe me he'll get bored with Pansy, Lucius."

"The Greengrasses can be quite finicky about their daughters' suitors. Besides, I don't see any interest on Daphne's part."

"There's Asteria, the younger one." Narcissa looked out into the garden.

"She's too young for Draco now. He's got his needs, and I'm sure the Parkinsons would be very willing to keep mum if Draco goes too far with Pansy."

"Of course, after you extended your loan to Canutus. You're essentially bailing him out of his trouble with the shipping venture. Did you make sure there's a way out of the engagement contract if Draco changes his mind?"

"Certainly, my dear. Those Parkinson trolls might think the contract is final and Draco is bound to their daughter irrevocably, but are they smart enough to read the fine print? Magical seals are known to have magical loopholes. If they raise hell over the nasty surprise, we've got the loan to keep them in line."

"You're sweet, my Lucius. What a wizard you are..." Narcissa pressed her lips against her husband's. Lucius smiled and ran his hand down her back. She glanced at him over her shoulder as she turned around to leave the parlour.

Lucius lounged on the couch, the glass with Ogden's still in his hand. So far, the things were progressing nicely. His wife was quite right that Pansy wasn't much to speak of despite her thoroughly pureblood family.

But the engagement had several strategic advantages. First, the Parkinsons were one of the few pureblood families that weren't too closely related to the Malfoys and Blacks. Second, Pansy seemed to have a certain penchant for physical pleasures and was not too concerned with sentimental notions. Besides the business troubles, her father was already frightened at the potential prospect of being called into Lord Voldemort's service. A close relation with an influential Death Eater was a measure of protection for Canutus and Leticia.

Now Lucius needed to impress upon his son the importance of the magical engagement that bound Draco and Pansy together. Of course, the severity of the contract was mostly imaginary, but it would help keep the still too-impulsive boy in check for a couple of years. Lord Voldemort wouldn't take it lightly if the son of one of his closest servants got entangled with a non-pureblood. Since the episode during the winter break it became imperative to prevent Draco from bad choices.

Lucius took a long sip from his glass and closed his eyes. The firewhisky was really good. He remembered how chagrined Narcissa was after picking up Draco at Madame Louise's.

During the Christmas holidays Marcus Flint apparently couldn't find anything better to do than to go to Madam Louise's bordello with Draco in tow. Of course, the respectable and well-appointed establishment did not let the underage boy in. Flint had to leave Draco in the lobby until Madam Louise had Narcissa come and take him home. They were very lucky that the pea-brained stud took their son to Madam Louise's, and not to some shady place in Knockturn Alley.

Now Draco had been matched with an appropriate girl - not that he had to stay with her forever. Narcissa wisely insisted on having the wedding only after the both parties turned twenty. Everything could change over the next four years, of course, but the Parkinsons didn't need to know about it.

Lucius sipped his drink and his mind travelled back in time. It seemed that he was always fascinated with Narcissa, ever since he met her well before going to Hogwarts. The Black sisters were quite attractive in addition to their distinct personalities.

Needless to say, Lucius was exulted when he learned that Rodolphus Lestrange had opted for Bella instead of reconciling with Narcissa after her escapade with her sister Andromeda. Andromeda stuck it out with her Mudblood husband, but Narcissa wasn't so happy with hers and was back home three months after the elopement.

Unlike the pig-headed Lestranges Lucius didn't really care about the whole matter. He understood Narcissa had learned her lesson, and she was only happy to bestow her affections on the dashing heir to the Malfoy wealth.

Speaking of Muggles and Muggleborns... Lucius recalled a certain blond Muggle girl. He had such a remarkable summer with her many years ago ... Lucius always had a thing for blondes. Her sister was a witch and a fervent Gryffindor. The Muggle sister could not care less about Lucius's being a Slytherin. In fact, the Muggle girl envied her witch sister so much that she always angled to show off with Lucius in front of her. But Lucius insisted firmly on keeping their romance secret. Muggle girls were easy to deal with but they simply couldn't be taken seriously.

Lucius finished their affair with the help of the Obliviating spell. He wasn't very experienced at it then, and it took him more than one try to modify his Muggle lover's memories. Afterwards, they ran into each other a few times but she never recognised him, to his relief.

The Muggle-romance-filled summer ended, the beautiful Narcissa returned and her parents scrambled to marry her off. Lucius mused how lucky he was. She always had a true class about her, and only a few could match her cool wits, magical talent and diplomatic prowess. Now they needed to help their son make the right choices.