arranged

mrs weasley's worry

Violette wrinkled her nose at breakfast as she surveyed the platters.

"Everything is so painfully British" she sighed, serving herself scrambled eggs and heating them so they weren't so runny with her wand.

Pandora nodded, although Violette knew she was far gone in her journal. Scribbling away with a moulting quill, Pandora was documenting the experiment she had been concocting during the first two weeks of the school year. It was supposed to be a potion that could hide you from the sun to prevent sunburns (Malfoy fair skin meant many of her relatives fell victim to this), although the batch she had just finished did quite the opposite. Pandora recorded it all the same and so Violette ate in silence.

Regulus sat at the other end of the table, leaning against the wall and listening to his friends talk. What surprised him though was when the conversation flowed on to the topic of his upcoming wedding.

"You've got to get her away from Malfoy, Black" Evan said quietly as their eyes drifted over to the pair. "Get her in with Parkinson or Zabini"

He scoffed "I couldn't care less if she wants to spend her time with Lucius's mad cousin"

Barty shook his head and pointed at him with his fork "Do you know how embarrassing it will be? You standing at the altar and Mad Malfoy's your wife's Witch of Honour? Interrupting the ceremony to say she's seen a Blibbering Humdinger, whatever the fuck that is. She needs proper friends if she's going to be acceptable"

"I agree" Avery yawned, refilling his coffee. "She's a beautiful witch but that won't stop rumours that she's a keeper short of a Quidditch team"

Evan swatted at him with his Prophet.

Regulus rolled his eyes, although internally he was debating as he ate. He still intended to escape the situation, so did it matter if she tarnished her reputation? But then if he did have to marry the witch, surely he could just forbid the friendship later as his father did with anything he found his mother did frivolous? Did he want to be that kind of husband?

For a lot of his life he had idolised both Sirius and his parents, for his brother's rebellion and his parents' way of life .The way that they lived day to day, not the extremities of their beliefs or their views on how to raise children. But the one thing he disagreed strongly about with the both of them was their view on marriage. Sirius was entirely anti, believing it to be restrictive and boring. His parents proved this to be true, Orion controlling his wife's life and in turn leaving her to relieve the pain of this onto her children.

Regulus didn't want that. He wanted a marriage that came from love. And while Violette was in fact beautiful and smart, he wanted to meet his wife on his own. He wanted to fall for her naturally, not to be forced on to a random girl. And so a resentment for her had built.

So when he pulled her aside after Charms (in which he'd been secretly quite impressed with her wandless magic), he fought to keep any obvious contempt out of his voice.

"Violette" he said evenly, taking care to pronounce it correctly.

"Regulus" she answered warily. Violette knew it wouldn't be in her best interest to continue being cold towards him, but he made it so difficult.

He had led her down the corridor slightly, to a gap between the stairs and a wall, and he towered over her in the limited space. "I think" he said quietly, enjoying how she looked up at him crossly with a little crease between her thick brows. "It would be best if you found better company. Malfoy doesn't have the best reputation. I could have you moved..?"

"And your friends are any better?" Regulus winced at her frosty tone. "Pandora may be a bit eccentric but at least she isn't anything like the awful boys you surround yourself with."