The Vow Stealer

2

Draco was beginning to have problems with the way his life worked. This was ridiculous... did no one care about his opinion anymore? This was his life, wasn't it?

They were discussing marriage arrangements. It was late, and Ellery was asleep. She had no knowledge of this, much to Draco's relief at the moment. His mind flashed back to the night where she'd taken the antidote for the spell. The confessions they'd made to each other afterwards. That was the main reason for his outrage. Draco actually meant when he said he loved Ellery. There was no way he was going to marry on arrangement, not after the summer he'd had.

" Mother, I've told you this about a million times. I. Will not. Marry. Into. The. Greengrass. Family!" he ground out each word through his teeth, anger rising in his stomach. " I don't care about the arrangement. The vow hasn't been made yet. I should still get a choice!" 

" And why would that be? Do you have someone else in mind, then?" Narcissa said, her voice teetering between clam and annoyed.

This is where he hesitated. He knew what he wanted to say, but he didn't know what his mother would say, or what Ellery would think of him volunteering her. She did really love him didn't she? She didn't seem the type to say things she didn't mean. Still, he didn't deserve affection from her. Not after what he'd done to her.

" Well?" his mother prodded.

" I know we're not for sure if Ellery is of pure blood," Draco began, pausing to take a deep breath, " But I think I would be happier with her. I've never felt anything towards any of the Greengrass girls. Maybe a comedic flirty remark that meant nothing here and there. Ellery is everything you could have asked for in a daughter, you've said so yourself! Graceful, kind, brave, drop dead gorgeous, you name it! Please.... I wouldn't have it any other way." 

He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for his mother's response. Narcissa smiled to herself.

" I was hoping you'd make that argument," she said finally, " Because Ellery is better suited for you. The two of you were inseparable this summer. You talked everyday, and her best qualities are rubbing off on you." 

Draco's eyes shot open. " Wait really? So you'll let me choose her?" 

Narcissa rose from her seat next to him and hugged him around the shoulders from behind. " Of course. I want you to be happy. Your father would have said no, but being as he isn't here, I think there's no harm in it. Yes. You may marry Ellery. But she has to agree to it, or we're going back to the original plan." 

Swallowing the lump in the back of his throat, Draco hugged his mother back.

" Thank you, Mother." 

" You're welcome, love." 

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The tiny fox cub contributed to Ellery's lack of sleep the night before the first day of school. Aurelia had wiggled and begged to play half the night, hiding in Ellery's hair and tugging at her blankets. She'd probably only gotten about two hours of sleep the whole night, and yet she was still wide awake. She sat atop her bed in a blue shirt and flannel pajama pants, her golden curls coiled into a bun at the nape of her neck. The cub was finally asleep, so Ellery took the opportunity to scoop her up and place her in her pet carrier.

It was barely dawn, but with nothing else to do and no one awake to talk to, she started dressing herself. White shirt, charcoal colored socks, black pleated skirt and black wedge high heels. When she was finished, Ellery slinked into the bathroom attached to her room and loosely braided her waves to the side. As always, two strands fell back over her eyes and she made no effort to push them back.