The Marriage Deal (Draco x Reader)

6

"It's nice to have another sane person around here" Daphne explains as we walk to our first class. "I mean I know we just met but I can tell you're nothing like Pansy, which is all I need" she giggled and I smiled back at her. Getting what she was trying to say after meeting that girl on the train.

"I'm glad I haven't had the same welcome she gave me from everyone else" I muttered as we walked down the silent halls. The students here looked miserable, I had a slight understanding why but I really wasn't told that much before coming here. "Is everyone worried about... you know the war?" I asked under my breathe.

"Yeah I think so. Everyone has been on edge since finding out Snape is headmaster. Plus the Carrow twins are teaching defense against the dark arts this year which I can guarantee will be miserable." She explained to me.

Carrow.. that name sounds familiar. "Are they..."

"Death eaters? Yeah. Pretty nasty ones too from what I hear" Daphne scoffed and looked at the ground.

I definitely heard their names around the house once or twice.

There was a short silence before she quietly interrupted it. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" She looked at me cautiously.

"Yeah sure"

"The arranged marriage thing... is it terrible?" I chuckled slightly at the question.

"I mean the concept of it. Yes." The small smile I had on my face from laughing had faded. "I mean it really all depends on who... you know... you have to.." my words were fading.

"That makes sense. I overheard my parents conversing the same thing.. for me. I don't know who with yet. But I'm nervous." I looked at her fear filled face. I stopped walking for a moment and put my hand on her shoulder.

"I'm really sorry to hear that...You know If you need someone to talk to... I'm here now. I obviously know what you're going through." I gave her a small smile and she returned it before we continued walking down the corridor.

"You know Malfoy can be an ass... but you really did get lucky. He's a good guy under the tough exterior." I gave a small smile.

"That makes me feel better" I gave a small chuckle.

"It should" she laughed with me. "No one has seen the sweet side of him other than Blaise and I. Once he shows it you're pretty much in" she chuckled. My mind went to last night.. was that his sweet side? My thoughts were interrupted by Daphne stopping in front of a classroom.

"Here we are" she said pointing to a half empty classroom. "Charms, oh what fun" she said with a sarcastic tinge in her voice that made me chuckle.

"Thanks" I walked in front of her not knowing where to sit.

"Here come sit with me" she walked in front of me and sat down at one of the tables. I sat next to her and couldn't be more happy that there was someone here who was being so kind to me right now.

Draco and Blaise walked in a while later taking seats behind us. Class was fairly uneventful for the day until DADA. They wanted us to practice the cruciatus curse on each other which is absolutely mental. Whoever declined got detention.. luckily I wasn't asked.. I think I know exactly why too.

I felt bad for my new peers. They did nothing to deserve this wrath for no apparent reason, no one deserves it.

When Draco and I made it back to our room that evening the events of the day were weighing on me. I was sitting in one of the chairs my the fire biting my nails.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked hesitantly. I looked at him and shook my head.

"What they're doing to the students here is ridiculous" I muttered. "I feel like I should do something" I sighed. Draco came up and sat in the chair across from me. Same as last night.

"I know" we both gazed into the fire thoughtfully. "I've thought that before. That I should just help... but my family.. our lives. If I interfere at all.. we're all dead" he was talking softly as if he was trying to hide the pain in his voice.

"I assume now that I'm... involved.. it's the same?" I asked him but already knew the answer.

"Yeah.. probably" I let out a long sigh. "How do you keep going. Knowing you can't do what you want.. help your classmates?" I felt I was asking a personal question but if we're going to be married for crying out loud I have a right to. I looked at him and waited for his answer.

"It's not easy.. I just disassociated from them all last year after" he looked at me with sorrow.  "My task..I just felt that no one would care about me anymore. Which was true, not like many people in this school liked me before. Other than Blaise and Daphne." I looked back at the fire. There was a long silence of a us watching the flames dance in the fireplace.

"Daphne was telling me how great you were today" I said with a smile trying to lighten the tension.

"Oh yeah?" He laughed. I nodded and looked at him.

"Said you can be an ass sometimes though" he scoffed but still had a smile on his face.

"I'll have to talk to her about that" he let out another small laugh.

"It is true though.. you know" his jaw dropped and he looked at me. "Diagon Alley?" Was all I had to say for him to close his mouth.

"You got me there.. but can you blame me?" He chuckled.

"No not at all.. I've been acting the same way just putting it towards the person who caused this mess" I gave him an amusing smirk.

"Hey now I've gotten better" he said putting his hands up to surrender.

"Well everyone keeps telling me how great you are so apparently you have" I made him chuckle again.

"No ones mentioned you. Should I be worried?" He had a smirk on his face I took the throw pillow behind me and chucked it at him.

"I take it back you haven't gotten better"

"I guess I'll have to keep working on it then." I looked at him smiling, he had a great smile. He was looking in my eyes as if he was trying to find out everything about me. I got lost in his eyes for a moment before taking myself out of the trance.

"I'm going to get into some comfortable clothes" I said before standing and walking over to my dresser.

"Good plan" he followed me to the dresser as well and we grabbed our pajamas. "After you." He pointed to the bathroom door and I nodded in thanks. "Is it working?" He whispered and I just gave him a smirk.

"Keep trying, might take a while" I gave him a wink before disappearing into the bathroom.

Once I had a moment to think, I realized that this had been the happiest I felt in... well in a long time.