Draco Malfoy, heir of a prestigious family and member of the nobility, and Harry Potter, a famous hero who has a reputation for being a brave yet rash gentleman, meet during a ball. Although a little wary of each other (after all, balls, galas, and the like are merely facades for members of the nobility and gentry to try and one-up each other in the menacing viper's nest that is politics, and Draco has a reputation for being a pompous jerk and Harry impetuous and reckless), they are charmed and inadvertently fall for one another.
Yet, the highs precede the lows, and Draco, torn between his duty to his family's legacy and his ardent love for Harry, becomes aware of the muttering and suspicion of other 'purebloods'- powerful families who have not married into the common folk or the gentry since the beginning of their line.
They wonder why the heir of the Malfoy family has yet to find a wife and assure the continuation of the line, as Harry and Draco have kept their relationship private, only telling their close friends. Harry is perfectly content with this, but eventually pureblood families begin to call Draco a disgrace to the Malfoy name. Draco is immensely dejected by these statements.
Ever the decisive one, he finds a wonderfully deceptive solution.