Beauty and the Beast [Draco Malfoy]

Chapter Twenty

Lizzie's POV:

Malfoy Manor was enormous to put it simply. It was a daunting building that was surrounded by elaborate gardens filled with greenery.

When I reached the front door, I found myself shaking with the nerves of meet Draco's parents. Stories of Lucius' attitude and involvement in the war had been circulating around the Wizarding World for years. To say I was nervous to meet him was an understatement.

I pounded the door knocker four times and stood shaking for several seconds examining the gift Draco had gotten me for Christmas until the door was opened. Draco stood in front of me in a handsome white button through shirt and a smile on his face. I threw myself into his arms and squeezed him tightly.

"It's good to see you too, Liz," he laughed into my ear. I released him and looked into his face with a grin.

"Happy Christmas," I beamed.

"Happy Christmas," he repeated. Holding his arm out to me as we had gotten used to walking, he led me through the entrance hall to what appeared to be a sitting room. It was larger than my entire house and held several small, tan sofas. On one of them sat the pair of people that had been causing me so much anxiety lately.

Narcissa Malfoy was a tall, slim woman with skin as pale as her long blonde hair that was drawn back on top into a delicate knot. She was a nice looking woman who possessed sharp features that she managed to make appear kind and caring. Her eyes were similar to Draco's, only varying slightly in color. While Draco's were gray, hers were a soft blue.

Lucius Malfoy had a pale, pointed face and eyes that squinted when they came to rest on me. His hair was similar in color to Narcissa's, and almost as long. It was tied back with a black ribbon behind his head. His eyes were cold and pale. He greatly resembled Draco in face structure. The way he held his face was where the two differed. Draco's face was softer than his father's, who held his head high and proud.

Narcissa stood when Draco and I entered the room and came to meet us.

"Mother, Father, I'd like you to meet Lizzie Samuels," Draco drawled beside me.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," I greeted the couple with a smile.

"Call me Narcissa, dear," Draco's mother answered, wrapping her arms around me. Behind her, Lucius stood and approached us. "Now, while you are here, our home is your home."

"Thank you," I smiled kindly.

"We will be hosting a Christmas ball tomorrow night that you will be more than welcome to attend," Narcissa shared.

"That sounds wonderful. You can be sure that I will be there." I had never been to a ball before, but like every little girl, I had dreamed of attending one like Cinderella.

"Marvelous," the woman smiled at me. "Draco will show you your room."

I looped my arm back through Draco's and he led me up a set of stairs to our left. Slowly, we climbed the stairs and my nerves began to subside.

"They loved you," Draco whispered to me.

"Really?" I asked when we reached the top of the staircase. A long hallway with doors on both walls extended in front of us. The dark wood beneath our feet gleamed in the dim light.

"Really," he confirmed, walking us to the end of the hall. "This room is mine." He pointed to the door on our left. "And this one is your's." He pointed to the door across the hall from his. Opening it revealed a large, cream colored room with plush, white carpeting. The entire far wall was taken up by a window that showed the back gardens of the Manor.

"Wow, this is gorgeous," I muttered in awe.

"Glad you think so," Draco said, sitting down on the colossal bed.

"So this ball your mum mentioned," I began sitting down beside him and admiring the room, "what exactly is the dress code?"

"Formal, why?"

"I don't exactly have a formal dress," I trailed off.

"Oh that's alright, I can take you shopping later today, if you' like," Draco offered.

"Thank Merlin," I sighed. "I thought I might have to show up in my pajamas."

"I'll help you out," he laughed. "We can go as soon as you're done unpacking if you're that worried."

"Brilliant." I picked up the trunk I had brought with me to the Manor and began to place the clothes I had brought with me into the dresser in the room while Draco gave me a run down on the house.

"There are three house elves in the house, so if you need anything just summon one. Your bathroom is right through that door." Draco gestured to a dignified looking door behind me. "There's a library on the third floor that I can show you some time. I know how much you love your books. I'd steer clear of the drawing room and my father's study on the first floor if I were you. Father likes to spend his free time in there."

By the time I had finished unpacking my trunk, I knew what life was like here at Malfoy Manor.

Draco and I took the Floo to a shop in Diagon Alley that I had never been inside of. It was made obviously for more upper class wizards. Draco had made it quite clear that he was buying the dress for me, no matter how much I argued.

Inside the shop, gowns lined the wall in a color spectrum of ruffles and jewels. Through an archway on our left, a similar looking room was filled with dress robes for wizards.

"Hello there, how may I help you?" a short, slender woman greeted me and Draco as we entered.

"I'm looking for a gown for a Christmas ball for my friend here," Draco replied.

"Well certainly. Follow me over here, if you would dear," the woman kindly gestured to a fitting room. Draco sat in one of the wooden chairs by the window display.

Once inside the dressing room, the woman began to inspect me.

"Alright, with your skin tone, darker colors would do better. With your bust size, strapless is out. With your body shape, a mermaid style would be the best but any would work. I'll be back shortly." The woman babbled all of this more to herself than to me, while circling me. She disappeared out the door and I stood waiting awkwardly for a few minutes while she did who knows what.

When she returned, she had an armful of dresses. She held them up to my body and looked at me critically. One gown was dark grey with a black belt. Another was black with mesh showing the skin on my chest and stomach. The next one was a maroon, velvet one that would show a lot of skin. One was a large and very fluffy black gown with a low cutting neckline. The last one was silvery-white with a jeweled belt.

The only one she had me try on was the silver one.

"Oh wow, this one is gorgeous on you. Go ahead and take a look, dear." She touched my shoulders and gently turned me to the full body mirrors that covered one wall of the small room we were in.

The dress was of the mermaid style that the woman said would fit my body type. It hugged my body to my mid-thigh where it then flowed out to my feet.

"I love it," I smiled. It did look good on me. This woman was brilliant at her job.

"Wonderful," the woman rejoiced.

She helped me out of the dress and covered it in a bag to shield it not only from weather and dust, but also from eyes such as Draco's. We walked out of the fitting room and to the front desk.

"Can I see it?" Draco asked, reaching for the bag in my arms. I snatched it away.

"You can see it when I wear it," I smirked.