Disclaimer: Harry Potter and co. belong to J. K. Rowling.
A/N: Here we are, another two weeks past and another chapter up. Thank you all for your lovely reviews on chapter 18...I find it immensely amusing that none of you assumed that I'd simply lost the plot somewhere along the line and screwed up Hermione's character.
PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE BOTTOM! IT CONCERNS THE NEXT CHAPTER'S SNIPPET!!!!
Oh...by the way, please be reminded that an explanation of the curse has been posted on my profile page, so if you can't remember, check there.
The two men walking side by side in London's wizarding centre drew countless admiring stares. One was as light as the other was dark but both were tall, lithe and in their prime. When they passed, the crowd parted, allowing their progress unimpeded.
Blaise whistled as he sauntered down Diagon alley, a smug smile curling the corner of his lips as Draco watched him with a raised brow.
"Merlin, what's wrong with your face?" Draco sneered.
"It's called smiling, sod. You should try it sometime."
The blond gave a genuine chuckle. "Why are you smiling, then?"
"I caught myself a wife."
Draco coughed dramatically. "Caught? Fishing net and all?"
Blaise shot him a depreciating look and brushed the wrinkles from his sleeves arrogantly. "Kidnapped would be a more appropriate term. I never said I was conventional when it came to courting women."
"Didn't expect you to be, but I would've thought Cat would put up a little more resistance than that."
The Italian wizard waved away the thought as though it annoyed him. Instead he turned his curious stare on his best friend.
"How do you know it's Cat?"
"You were screwing her a few days ago and she had those suspicious rope burns around her wrists…" Draco shrugged, grinning slightly. "Call it an assumption but I would bet I'm right."
"Yes, yes, fine." Blaise's smile dropped from his lips like a child deprived of its fun. "You seem awfully cheerful for a man who just lost a fiancée."
A bubble of ecstatic laughter came from the blond before he could answer and it was all he could do to stop himself from skipping down the street and violating several ancient Malfoy strictures. He settled for a smug grin instead.
"Hermione came home. By some miracle, she decided to forgive me. She's notifying the ministry about reinstating out engagement today." As if he couldn't help himself, he added: "Isn't life grand?"
Blaise snorted. "Oh yes, grand." Sarcasm dripped from his every word but the relief and happiness in his eyes belied his words. He clapped his best friend on the back in a gesture of silent congratulations. "Never thought I'd see the day when the two of us would be so eager to get tied down."
Draco shrugged. "I love her and I get to keep her for the rest of my life, I'd say that it's a great deal. As a bonus, I get to piss off Weasley and annoy Potter forever…can't really get any better." He paused as if contemplating his next words, carefully rolling them around in his mind before he ventured to speak. "Why are you marrying Cat?"
Blaise raised his eyebrows, shocked at the question. "She's great in bed, of course. Plus, she's intelligent enough not to shame the Zabini name and she's a bit of looker too if I say so myself."
"You don't love her." The quicksilver eyes flashed, settling into a hardened grey.
"No. Hell, I'm not going to go all moony over one silly woman. Besides, it's not like Cat loves me either. She's a logical woman, she understands the deal. What do you care anyway?"
