Hogwarts One Shots

No Choice (d.m)

"Who can tell me what potion this is?" Slughorn spoke to the class. "Miss Parkinson?" He called out, a silence filling the room. "Primrose?"

I lifted my head, catching attention to my name, and feel the presence of everyone's eyes already on me. I nervously brush my hair from my face, trying to brush off everyone's gaze. The noise of someone clearing their throat catches my attention on my left, turning slightly to see Draco indicating for me to speak.

"I'm to no longer be addressed by that surname." I inform the professor, watching him nod.

"Ahh," He said, nodding. "Dumbledore had mentioned it briefly." He smiled, gesturing for me to step forwards. "Can you tell me what potion this is?" He asked as I look down at the potion.

"Amortentia, sir." I answer, swallowing the lump in my throat. "It's a powerful love potion," I explain, fiddling with the book in my hand. "And it smells different for each person, depending on what attracts them."

Slughorn just nods, satisfied with my answer. He gives a light smile and gestures to the cauldron. "Tell me, Primrose, what do you smell?" He asks.

I take a moment to take in the scent radiating from the cauldron, allowing it to fill my body and create a tingling feeling across my skin, causing goose bumps. It's a smell I knew well, having smelt it all summer, and I couldn't stop my heart from lighting up just from the scent. 

What I smelt was fresh apples which reminded me of the apple tree that was planted in the garden of Malfoy Manor, a peppermint smell which brought me back to mornings of when I was forced to sit in my assigned seat and to sit silently, and a sweet citrus smell which would always remind me of one person.

With my book still in hand, I made my way out of the classroom, forcing myself to leave with panic. All three smells linked to one person. One person who would never love me back.

"Primrose." A voice echoed, causing me to stop and turn around to see the blonde boy I was running away from. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked, approaching me.

"To the room." I answered weakly.

It was the last lesson of the day and dinner wasn't for a few hours, which meant I could lock myself away and probably miss dinner- out of my own choice.

"No," He said, looking down at me physically and socially. "You are to return to lesson." He commands, holding all power over me.

"I'm going to the room." I say, rushing away before he could stop me.

The only reason I stayed in the Manor all summer was because of my arranged married to Draco. We had been engaged since we were 13 and once we were both 16, we were to be married. And that's what we did. July 12th 1996, I became his wife. 

Parkinsons and Malfoys have known each other for years, being the sacred twenty-eight. Lucius had made Draco marry a Parkinson, the options being between Pansy and I. 

I, of course, expected him to choose Pansy- they were the ones who were friends, they knew each other well and it made sense-, but when the letter was sent to my father saying that Draco had chosen me to be his bride when the time came, I truly was shocked. Pansy had told me it was because she had told him to not choose her, but even I could see through that lie. It wasn't 'twin telepathy', it was just that I knew my sister too well and she always did this lip twitch that would try to form a smile but would always struggle. 

Even to this day, I still didn't understand why he had chosen me. He never spoke to me at school before or after the engagement, only ever spoke to me at family dinners because it was expected. There was never any romance, no hugging, hand holding or kisses (not even on the cheek), and there wasn't any sign that he was interested in me.