𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒

Chapter 3

Draco's POV

After a very long day of shopping with Hermione, we finally went back to the apartment and she disappeared into her room for a few hours. I walked into the sitting room to see Blaise smirking at me.

"What?" I asked.

Blaise laughed. "How was your day with Mione?"

"It was... er.. completely horrible. Just awful." I stammered. It was actually quite enjoyable, but I would never admit that to anybody.

"That's a lie. Come on Draco I know you like her. You've always liked her, even back in Hogwarts. You're my best mate, did you really think I wouldn't notice?" Blaise smirked again as my face tinged pink.

He wasn't lying. I always hated seeing her with Weasel, and golden boy Potter. They didn't deserve her, they just used her for their schemes and to copy her homework. But I surely don't deserve her either, not with my past.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied.

"Oh shut it. I know why you couldn't date her in school, but now your parents don't control you anymore. You can do whatever you want man." Blaise grinned at me.

"Oh Merlin you planned this didn't you?!" I asked, trying not to yell so as to not disturb Hermione.

Blaise laughed again. "Well I didn't plan on Weasel cheating on her, he's just an idiot, but I did think of you when I offered her a place to stay." He explained.

"Merlin's pants Zabini, you're crazy! That's why you didn't tell her about me being here then right?" The sly dog, once a slytherin always a slytherin.

"Obviously. If I told her she wouldn't have agreed." He scoffed. As much as I hate to admit, this plan of his was pretty good.

"Ya know Blaise I'm gonna forget we had this conversation, because there's no way it will ever happen." I said.

"I'm not gonna give up. It'll happen, you just wait and see." Blaise smirked. At that moment Hermione entered the sitting room.

"What's gonna happen?" She asked.

"N-nothing!" I blurted out before Blaise could say anything stupid. From the corner of my eye I could see him laughing at my, now red, face.

"Umm okay.." she said suspiciously. I gulped.

"Would you like to see my room? I just finished it." She asked, and she just looked so excited I couldn't say no.

We followed her into her room and gasped, it didn't even look like the same room. Her once drab carpet was now slate gray. Her queen size bed had a white comforter with maroon throw pillows, she had maroon curtains over her windows and on the wall she had pictures of all of her friends (minus Weasel, and myself) surrounded by fairy lights. There was a lit candle on her room that gave off a faint smell of vanilla.

"Wow Hermione this looks really great!" Blaise exclaimed. She smiled and looked at me expectantly.

"Yeah Granger this.. er.. looks pretty good." I said and she beamed. Feeling awkward, I left and went to my room instead.

'Oh Granger you're going to make my life so difficult.' I thought. I threw myself down on my bed and just sulked. Why did Blaise have to move her here? Hiding these stupid feelings is going to be so much harder now that I have to look at her everyday. She's never going to want me. She'd never date Draco Malfoy, ex death eater and former bully. Why couldn't the Weasel have just seen what he had instead of screwing it up? Thinking of that bastard made me see red.

A light 'tap tap' on my window distracted my from my destructive thoughts. I let the large black owl in with a groan. What could my mother possibly want with me now?

I opened the letter reluctantly and read:

Draco,

Meet me at the manor in an hour. We need to discuss some things.

N.M

That's it. No kind words, no terms of endearment. She didn't even call herself 'mom'. I rolled my eyes and got ready to meet my mother.

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An hour later I was standing outside my family manor brushing the nonexistent dust off of my shirt and pants. I stepped inside and walked into the sitting room, where I found my mother looking regal, as always.

"Draco you came." She said, with no emotion.

"Of course mother, you would have hunted me down if I didn't." I rolled my eyes and sat on the coach opposite her. She didn't respond and instead called for her house elf, Tippy. The house elves here are the only people she has to talk to now, as she's all alone in this big manor. I don't feel bad though, after my fa- Lucius, received the dementor's kiss she killed him to put him out of his misery. He deserved to feel pain however, and when I told her this she grew cold towards me and kicked me out.

"Yes mistress?" Tippy said as she popped into the room.

"Please fetch Draco and I some tea." My mother asked and then turned to me. Tippy looked at me wide-eyed, as she was there when my mother made me leave.

"Hello Tippy." I said with a smile. I'd always been kind to our elves, even trying to talk Lucius into paying them for their work. Of course he said no and gave me another lecture on "creatures that were beneath me".

Tippy bowed and said, "Hello master Draco. I shall go get your tea." And popped out of the room.

"Now Draco, I know we've had this conversation before but I'm afraid you cannot wait any longer." My mother said looking me directly in the eyes. I tried not to squirm because I knew where this conversation was headed.

"Mother-" I started but she stopped me.

"Do not interrupt me. I have given you time, and you have wasted it. You are a Malfoy, we are a respectable, noble family and you need to act as such. You need to marry, and continue on another generation. Now since you haven't taken the initiative, I have found someone for you. Her name is Pansy Parkinson, I think you know her." She stopped, waiting for my reaction.

"Pansy Parkinson! I'm not marrying that foul woman!" I stood up and yelled, scaring Tippy as she had just returned with our tea.

"Draco calm down. You will marry her, I've already spoken to her parents. Unless you have found someone that you haven't told me about." She said.

Without thinking I said "As a matter of fact I have!"

"Oh, and who would that be?" She asked.

This time I hesitated..

"Hermione Granger."