The Middle (A Drarry FanFiction)

Chapter Five

   "There is a friend of my family," Draco began. "A dear friend in Wiltshire who I have known since her birth, and she is as lovely and becoming as a young lady can be."

Harry was unsure as to the direction of this plot, so he nodded again, encouraging Draco to carry on.

"Her name is Miss Astoria Greengrass, a lady of wit and musings, and she and I have always been close, like siblings you might say."

"You have not spoken of her before?" Harry addressed, confused, and was nervous to see the guilt flit across Draco's eyes.

"That is because," he said, inhaling slowly. "She and I were always considered a potential for marriage."

Harry's fingers contracted involuntarily. Surely not, he could not lose his beloved, not having only just secured him! But Draco hastily squeezed back, urging Harry to look at him once again.

"You need not fear, love," he said, smiling broader at his own daring. "There is more to my proposition yet. For Miss Greengrass and I are indeed very similar, twinned souls perhaps, as she too holds a love dear in her heart for someone as fair as her."

He watched Harry as comprehension dawned. "She...loves another woman?" he clarified, unsure if he was able to stomach such a notion. But if he and Draco were sat together, professing their hearts to one another, was it so hard to imagine two ladies doing the same? He bit his lip and swallowed. "I had no idea such creatures existed – Lord!" he cried out with a rueful laugh. "I had not known there were such creatures such as us until a few days ago!"

Draco beamed at him and stroked his face, an action that sent such pleasant shivers down Harry's spine he did not wish it to ever stop. "And that I should know of such a young woman, that I should call her friend – whatever difficulties we shall face in life, I think it is fair to say that in this fate has dealt us a fair hand."

Harry shook his head. "I still do not see?"

"Miss Greengrass' beloved is a Miss Weasley, a girl apparently of such strength of character she may have struggled in any respect to find herself a husband!" His words held fondness in them, which conveyed to Harry a pleasing if not tumultuous personality. "She is the youngest of seven, all brothers before her, so her family are in no need of fortune to secure their succession, all she seeks is a comfortable lifestyle."

Harry wetted his lips and implored Draco to continue with his fervent gaze. "Go on," he added when he seemed reluctant.

"I propose two marriages, legal and as honest as they can be," he said. "So long as you agree, upon meeting your intended bride?"

"Miss Weasley?" Harry guessed, fearful, but holding on to the trust he had promised he would have in Draco.

He nodded. "If the friendship is amicable, we shall all four be married on the same day, so that in the eyes of the law all will be as it should. And then, once our affairs are in order, Astoria and I shall take our home at Malfoy Manor – my parents are far more at ease in the smaller dwellings at the Black estate, and will be glad to hand the property over." He took a long breath, nodding to himself as Harry watched on. "Within two miles of the Manor is another house in our possession, of good size, a property the family would be delighted to hand ownership over to of a respected family friend."

Harry relaxed, letting the pieces fall into place naturally rather than jump to any outlandish conclusions. "To me?" he said.

"To you," Draco confirmed happily. "But I have a feeling, that it will be no time at all before our wives are thick as thieves, and the new Mrs Malfoy will want to spend all her days with the new Mrs Potter, and in order to escape the women's chatter you will be forced to find refuge at the Manor, where we shall find solace together."