A Marriage of Convenience

Disclaimer: All that you recognise belongs to JKR.

Warning: None.

A/N: Just wanted to point out that a bluestocking is not actually someone who believes in following duty to males, etc. Kitty was just calling her sister a bluestocking because anyone boring to her must be one, but in reality a ‘bluestocking’ was a female who enjoyed extensive reading and was generally considered very intellectual.

(Hope this satisfies you Katie :P )

Disillusioned

Ginny inwardly sighed as she took a sip of her tea, which was far too sweet thanks to Alexia putting in three more sugar lumps than Ginny had actually wanted. Ginny had not bothered to make a fuss about it though, knowing that was what Alexia desired. Since entering the room, the girl had made it very clear she disliked Ginny and would not make her stay easy. Ginny wouldn’t have cared so much if it wasn’t for the fact that Narcissa had been called out of the room and so they were the only ones left in the parlour. This was going to be a very long tea party…

Her eyes flicked towards the blonde woman opposite her, watching as the slender fingers gracefully curled around the floral painted teacup before picking it and taking a dainty sip. If Ginny were of the jealous type she would be feeling rather bitter right now seeing the grace Alexia carried, but as it was Ginny didn’t really care, and picked up her own floral painted teacup in her hands and took a much less dainty sip. Her face scrunched up again at the over-sweetness of the tea, and feeling extremely uncharitable to her host, Ginny placed her teacup back down and glared at the smirking blonde opposite her. It seemed that every Malfoy had perfected that particular smirk, which was a faint curl of the lip that was too sardonic to be a smile and too amused to be a snarl. Ginny only found it annoying, and had the sudden desire to slap the pretty blonde woman just to see that insufferable smugness disappear.

“Tell me, Jenny,” Alexia began in her light, drawling voice, her jade eyes gleaming with faint mockery.

“Ginny,” Ginny corrected automatically. She knew Alexia was just doing this on purpose, for the girl had been calling her ‘Jenny’, ‘Jeanie’, and even ‘Jiminy’ the whole time she had been in the room. After the fourth time it had happened Ginny was not impressed to say the least, but was not going to play Alexia’s game. To say something back would be to admit defeat, but Ginny never had been a patient woman, and her patience was most definitely wearing thin with each passing moment she spent with Draco’s cousin. It would not be long before haughty dignity would be thrown out the window and she’d be acting just as immature back.

“I’m sorry, Ginny,” Alexia apologised with a faint smirk, “ But I was curious on what is it you plan to do here?”

Ginny frowned slightly, wondering what on earth Alexia was talking about now. “I don’t think I quite understand…”

Alexia laughed softly, her eyes lighting up with derisive amusement. “No, you wouldn’t would you?” Leaving no chance for Ginny to even begin to get offended, Alexia placed her teacup back down on the elegant table and smoothed down her pale green dress, a fake smile coming to her lips. “I’m merely wondering what you expect to achieve here. Surely you are not hoping for an advantageous marriage? With your connections it would be quite ridiculous to even begin to dream of it.”

Hands clenching into fists in her lap, Ginny forced a tight-lipped smile on her face, saying through slightly gritted teeth in a falsely polite voice, “I have to wonder, Alexia, what you hope to achieve here? If it’s your cousin you’re hoping to ensnare I think you’re going to be sadly disappointed.” She remembered Armande’s comment and smiled sweetly at the snooty blonde. “I have it on good authority he likes redheads anyway.”

Gone went the sickly smile, Alexia’s acidic green eyes narrowing with biting coldness. “You may be society’s pet right now, Ginny, but I am not fooled, and neither is my cousin. You’re just the dregs of society, and it is only because of Celia Adderson that you have any standing at all. People will soon see what a nobody you are; they’ll grow bored of your so-called ‘artlessness’, and then you’ll be left as the butt of all jokes.” A nasty, spiteful smile came to the girl’s rouge lips, her green eyes glinting with malicious satisfaction. “We’ll see how high and mighty you are then.”

“If you’re hoping to scare me, it’s not going to work,” Ginny retorted bluntly, quite sick of the conversation now. She was not afraid of Alexia, and she was not afraid of the stupid, stuck-up people who thought the same as Alexia. Society could hate her if they wished and she wouldn’t care a jot; she had her friends and she didn’t need such snobby people as Alexia Malfoy and her crowd to feel important. In fact, she was much happier without them. When she had first come here she’d been a naïve girl caught up in the fantasies of childhood dreams, but now she saw society for what it really was and knew better than to bow down to such fake, puffed up people. She would not cower away from them, and she would not allow them to change her to what they wished. Low connections she may have, but Ginny still had her pride, and she would not let Alexia scare her into running away, or into acting like all those other sheep. Celia would have thrown up her hands in horror if she had known Ginny’s thoughts, but Ginny herself was sick and tired of it all, and spending half an hour with Alexia was more than enough to make her decide to be herself whether they liked it or not.

“We’ll see,” Alexia replied smugly, and once more gracefully picked up her teacup and took another dainty sip. Ginny considered throwing her sickly, sweet tea at the girl, but wisely refrained, and in good time too, for the door had just opened and Narcissa Malfoy walked in, cool blue eyes falling steadily on each girl, haughty eyebrow rising slightly. Ginny knew the tension in the room was hard to miss, having felt it building the whole time she and Alexia had been talking, and so knew that Draco’s mother was having no trouble in quickly putting two and two together. She wondered if Narcissa would scold her for being rude like Celia so often did, but Narcissa only took her seat and gracefully poured herself some tea.

“How is your mother, Ginevra?”

Thankful for a topic that was not layered with offensive words, Ginny folded her hands neatly on her lap and glanced at the older woman watching her coolly. “She is fine.”

Narcissa nodded, a thoughtful look resting on her porcelain face. “It seems such a long time since I have talked with Molly.” She smiled slightly at Ginny, the soft expression so different on her normally cold face that Ginny found her eyes goggling in surprise. “Seeing you makes me remember old days. Your mother and I were always getting up to mischief…”

“You, Aunt?” Alexia exclaimed incredulously, and Ginny could understand why. Narcissa seemed to be the paragon of haughty respectability, and Ginny could not imagine her doing anything wrong, let alone mischievous.

Narcissa’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with that faint amusement Ginny found always rather mocking, though not in a harsh way; it was more like she knew something they didn’t and was laughing fondly at their ignorance. “Even I was young and foolish once.”

Ginny still found that hard to believe but said nothing more. The three women continued their lunch together, and thankfully Alexia was in awe enough of her Aunt not to say any more snide comments. They talked about inconsequential things that all women chatted about in such gatherings, and when Narcissa finally said that she would take Ginny to the room provided for her, Ginny was rather glad to leave the parlour. She didn’t know how much longer she could handle hearing Alexia talk about all the pretty dresses she had brought over from France.

As they walked through the grand home, an easy silence between them, Ginny found her thoughts straying back to Narcissa’s comments earlier. She was curious to know how her mother and Narcissa had become friends. It seemed so hard to believe from what she knew about the Malfoys, and after all she knew about her own mother she couldn’t believe her mum was once best friends with this woman. They seemed like polar opposites, but then her mum was also best friend with Celia, and that sometimes made Ginny wonder too. She wanted to understand though, and now that Alexia was no longer there to put her spiteful nose in, Ginny felt much more comfortable asking the question she had been dying to ask.

“Were you and my mother really good friends? Forgive me, but it just seems so hard to believe.”

Narcissa stared down at her as they walked, an unreadable expression on her face. She seemed to be deciding whether to answer or not, her lips curving down into a frown. Ginny wondered if she had been impertinent in saying such a thing, and hoped that Narcissa would not get angry with her. For some strange reason she wanted the beautiful woman to like her, or at least to not hate her.

“Yes.” Narcissa said finally, her eyes clouding with memories, though what those memories were Ginny had no idea. “We were good friends...”

Ginny wondered if she would say anything more, and watched the older woman with expectant, hopeful eyes. She was curious to find out more about her mother’s society days, especially the friendship her mother had had with Narcissa Malfoy. It was so intriguing, and yet so confusing at the time.

“How did you become friends?” Ginny asked, unable to stop her thoughts from slipping out.

Narcissa fell silent for a moment, her gaze falling on Ginny with a sad sort of smile on her lips. “Molly is older than me by five years, but our mothers were friends and so I grew up with her in a way. At school we were sorted into different houses, but our friendship remained strong enough, even once she had left Hogwarts and I was still attending. It was only when she fell in love with Arthur Weasley that things started changing. I was engaged to Lucius already by then, and my mother did not wish me to jeopardise that by associating with someone who had eloped and lost all credibility, especially with a Weasley… I had to cut the connection…” She opened her mouth to say something, but then decided against it and shook her head, all traces of softness leaving her face. She seemed to fall back into the composed, haughty woman she always appeared to be, and walked more quickly down the corridor, saying curtly, “However, that is neither here nor there. We can’t change the past, and it is pointless to dwell on it.”

Ginny said nothing. In truth she was not sure what to think. It seemed to her that Narcissa would not have shunned her mother had she not been forced to, and that made her wonder if perhaps there was more to this cool, unfeeling woman than she had at first supposed. Ginny knew Draco’s mother had been married very young to Lucius Malfoy, who was not only a good seven or so years older than her, but had also very strict views on how a woman should act. Narcissa’s early-married life had not been pleasant, and Ginny had heard that they had struggled to have a child for a great many years before Draco was finally born. All the ladies liked to gossip about the Malfoys, and so Ginny knew more than enough about the trials the woman in front of her had faced. Perhaps that was why Ginny did not hate her as she hated the rest of the women who acted so prideful and arrogant. Narcissa was only doing what she had to, and one could not help but admire her for spiting every woman who had jealously looked down on her to become the most respected and feared woman in society.

“Here is your room,” Narcissa said smoothly, pushing open the door with careless grace. Her eyes fastened on Ginny, not a trace of the openness she had shown before to be seen on her face. She had become the polite host again, cold and composed, and filled with haughty pride. “Dinner will be at six, and if there is anything you need just call Serino and she will attend to you.”

Ginny nodded and muttered a small thank you, and went to go into the room when the soft touch of a hand on her shoulder pulled her back. She turned her face curiously, meeting Narcissa’s blue gaze with her own questioning expression.

“Just one warning, Ginevra. You are welcome to explore the manor, but I must ask you to not go into the east wing. My husband is very sick, and I would hate for him to have a heart attack because he found out a Weasley was in his home.” Her eyes lit up with that familiar amused smile that was always so mocking. “I like you Ginevra; you have spirit, but I’m afraid that even that is not enough for someone has prejudiced as my husband to overlook your name.”

Ginny nodded in understanding, knowing that Narcissa was not trying to offend her or her family. “I’ll remember that, and thank you for inviting me here.”

Narcissa only smirked slightly. “My dear, if you’re still willing to thank me once this week is over, then do, but for now I suggest you keep your thanks to yourself. This week will not be easy for you, but I am curious to see how you go. Don’t disappoint me.”

She inclined her head politely and then walked away, leaving Ginny feeling more than a little confused. What could Narcissa possibly have meant? And what did she mean by the week not being easy? Of course Ginny knew that the people invited probably would not like her, but why was Narcissa so curious to see how she would deal with it? Ginny felt like she was being tested somehow, and was not sure whether to be pleased or annoyed that Narcissa was playing with her like this, having no idea why Narcissa would do such a thing in the first place. The woman had admitted she liked her, but did that really mean anything at all?

Confused, and more than a little frustrated, Ginny sighed and walked into the room that had been prepared for her, not even able to dredge up the enthusiasm to be surprised by the grandeur that greeted her eyes. The room was magnificent, decorated in rich purples and gold, with beautifully designed wooden furniture and the most enormous bed Ginny had ever seen, and yet she did not feel the urge to run around and jump on the bed like she had when she had first gone to Celia’s mansion. It seemed already she was getting used to the splendour that surrounded her; it becoming almost second nature to live in such extravagant homes, though the Malfoys’ home was immensely grander than Celia’s.

Collapsing on the bed, Ginny stared up at the intricately designed ceiling and wondered what tonight would be like. She didn’t feel like walking around the manor right now, not only because she was afraid of getting lost, but also because she was beginning to feel more than a little worried how Narcissa’s guests were going to greet her. She did hope that Armande would find it in his heart to be nice to her though, since she had a feeling no one else would. Whatever tonight was going to be like, she knew pleasant would not be on the list. She didn’t need to be a seer to know that her wit was going to be greatly challenged, and more than likely her feelings offended more than once.

“Oh, Merlin, why did I come here?” Ginny muttered to herself. “I’ve sent myself to the gallows.”

And being the stubborn person that she was, she would not go down without a fight either.

OOOO

Ginny shifted uncomfortably in her chair, and tried to ignore the feeling of dozens of eyes watching her. She picked up her spoon and dipped it into the soup, the cold metal wobbling in her hand slightly with the awkward feelings being forced on her thanks to the haughty stares being thrown her way. The Malfoys’ guests had proven to be everything Ginny had expected: snooty, prideful, rich, and judgmental, and all of them seemed intent to make her feel as insignificant and worthless as possible. She recognised a few faces, such as Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, but the others Ginny did not know at all. Now Ginny understood what Narcissa had meant by the week being hard, which had her wondering again why the woman had invited her. There was an ulterior motive there, but Ginny was still unsure on just what that was.

“Miss Weasley.”

Dropping her spoon back in the soup, Ginny glanced up and met the gaze of the young woman watching her through hawk-like blue eyes. She could feel everyone else’s eyes shooting towards her, and tried to appear as unaffected as possible.

“They tell me that this is your first time moving in high society. How do you enjoy it? I understand that your family never really had the luxury of giving you such entertainment growing up.” She gave a mocking little smile, telling Ginny all too well that the girl was not being polite but trying to take a stab at the fact that Ginny had never been allowed to move in these circles before thanks to her poverty. Ginny knew they were testing her, waiting to see how she would react to their subtle taunts, and feeling increasingly irritated at the thought that this was all she was going to be subjected to for the week, Ginny felt her patience snap. She had already decided she was not going to shy away from them, and if they wanted to test her, well they were going to get a lot more than they bargained for.

“Yes,” Ginny replied bluntly, “this is my first time in society, but as for enjoying it, well I think I would enjoy myself more if I was not subjected to silly questions everywhere I went simply because my family do not move in the highest circles.” She gave a bland smile at the woman, (who was now glaring at her) and then picked up her spoon again and took a mouthful of soup, a rather defiant gleam coming into her eyes. They would not have their fun at her expense; she would make sure of it. She didn’t care if she was being rude. She had never done subtle, and she was not going to start now.

Silence once more fell around her part of the table, only the clinking of cutlery and the swallowing of food being heard. Ginny looked down the other side of the long table, and spotted Draco Malfoy at the head of the table talking quietly to Theodore Nott, who was on his left, both apparently oblivious to what was going on around them. Armande was on Draco’s other side, chatting animatedly to Daphne Greengrass, who was laughing and smiling at the things he said, while Alexia was seated directly opposite Armande and seemed to be gazing raptly at Draco. Ginny wished she could have been seated on that end rather than this end with all the people she did not know, besides Pansy Parkinson and Narcissa. She seemed to be stuck with the snootiest bunch of all, and even if that end did hold Draco and Alexia, at least she would not have to put up with the appraising stares being placed on her where she was now.

“Splendid soup this is, Aunt!” Armande suddenly called out over the table. “The elves have really outdone themselves this time!”

Ginny heard some of the people around her mutter about lack of decorum and tried not to giggle. That was one Malfoy she did genuinely like, and since she had come into the dining room, he seemed to be the only one not stiff to the point where he couldn’t even laugh. There was just something natural and unaffected about him that was refreshing from the rest of the guests.

“Thank you, Armande,” Narcissa said with a slight smile. It seemed she too had soft spot for the cheeky, young man. “But perhaps you can save your raptures for after the dinner?”

Armande blushed slightly and went back to eating his soup, Ginny faintly hearing Daphne Greengrass scolding him with a tinkling laugh. She once more looked wistfully down at the other end of the table, seeing all the younger set talking amongst each other, and sighed unhappily to herself. She was sure Narcissa had purposely squashed her between the two people she was currently sitting next to. On her left was a woman who was not only older than her by a few good years, but also had barely spared her a glance, and on her right sat a man who seemed only interested in his food. This proved to be a rather tedious situation, and as the soup was cleared away and the second course placed in front of her, nothing much changed. Ginny continued eat, the people continued to stare, the woman next to her continued to chat to her neighbour, and the man on her other side continued to eat his food like there was no tomorrow.

Dinner was soon disposed off, and the dessert was set on the table. Ginny felt rather sick just looking at all the food, and picked at a few of the delectable treats, but all in all was not feeling up to the task of eating the rich food. The man next to her seemed to not mind at all, and hoed down into it with all his usual enthusiasm, so that Ginny began to wonder if he had ever eaten anything in his life. Surely someone with so much wealth could not possibly find food so fascinating? Maybe he really was just greedy though.

She suddenly stopped her curious staring and gazed at her own barely touched plate in horror. She was so bored that she was beginning to wonder about the eating habits of other people!

“Merlin help me,” she muttered under her breath, and promptly decided to entertain herself some other way, though with so little to do but eat and listen to boring conversation that was proving difficult. Her stupor was interrupted from time to time by a snide comment made by one of the women, and Ginny replied with her usual candidness, reducing more than one person to a stony glare. That at least was somewhat triumphant for her, but she did feel irritated that she was losing her temper so easily.

Once dessert was finally taken away, everyone stood up to leave the dining hall to go to the room set for the entertainment of the evening, a sort of lounging area. They were expected to go in twos, each woman on the arm of a man, and Ginny wildly cast her eyes about to see who would be taking her arm, hoping that it would not be the man who had been so engrossed with his food that had sat next to her. To her surprise, she saw Theodore Nott making his way towards her, looking as serious and unapproachable as usual. He was not the typical handsome man, and in fact some would argue he was not handsome at all. His hair was a rather bland shade of brown, and his face quite thin. He was tall, but not built powerfully enough to balance it, and so looked a trifle weedy. Ginny doubted he enjoyed anything to do with the outdoors, but then she knew he had always been the booker of sorts. In his hazel eyes one could see a ready mind and keen perceptiveness, and somehow that seemed to make up for his lack of striking looks and fine physique- at least in Ginny’s opinion anyway. 

“Miss Weasley.” He bowed quickly, and rather brusquely, before lifting his face to hers, his hazel eyes focussing piercingly on her face. “Would you do me the honour of accepting my arm to the other room?”

Ginny suddenly realised what Kitty had meant by Theodore Nott being rather intimidating when she met those keen, hazel eyes. He didn’t need to be a giant to make one feel small, but Ginny, thankfully, was no mouse, and in truth was somewhat relieved it was Theodore Nott rather than anyone else that had offered to take her into the other room. She knew enough about society to learn that the person was expected to spend at least five minutes with her to make sure she was comfortable. Society had some very odd ideas sometimes.

“Of course.” She took his arm and walked with him slowly towards the doors, following the other couples dawdling in front of them. It was somewhat awkward being on the arm of the Slytherin boy she had only known by name at school, but she tried not to focus too much on that, and instead took to looking up at him, trying to determine just what it was that made him like her friend. She just couldn’t understand why someone so serious as he appeared to be, with his grim expression and glaring eyes, could possibly like someone such as Kitty.

“You do not seem happy here,” he commented bluntly, his eyes turning to meet hers. She shrugged, knowing it to be true and looked down at the ground as they made their snail-like progress.

“I know I am not wanted here by the majority of the guests. They don’t respect me because of my family.” She sighed and met his gaze frankly. “I don’t think it is possible to be happy around such an environment, even for me. I actually wish I had not come now.”

Normally she would have brushed it off, but for some incredibly strange reason she felt like she could confide in him. He wasn’t putting on false airs, and just by that simple, blunt question she knew that he would not be purposely rude to her. He was just stating a fact, and somehow that made her feel more inclined to talk to him about her true feelings. He may be a friend of Draco Malfoy, but there was something about the serious ex-Slytherin that suggested he was not as conceited, and would not look down on her because of her name. The fact that he had come to her at all showed he was not like the others, and somehow that made Ginny relax a bit more, since she was already so tense from the excruciating three course meal she had been forced to sit through.

He gave her a small, tight-lipped smile, which was somehow reassuring for all that it was serious. “Understandable, but I cannot imagine you being frightened off.”

“It’s not that I’m being frightened off,” Ginny said slowly, surprised that she was actually confiding so much to a man she barely knew. “I just really can’t be bothered dealing with such petty people for a whole week. A name is a name, and yes I may not be in the highest circle of society, but I’m still a person, and to be constantly ridiculed because of my last name can be rather tiresome. I’m afraid I’m already getting rather short in temper with the guests,” she confessed with a small, sheepish smile.

“They probably deserved it.”

Ginny said nothing, as they were both passing through the doors now. He led her to one of the cosy chairs, letting her arm go so she could sit down. Ginny thanked him and took a seat, declining when he politely asked if she would like a drink, and so he too took a seat next to her, his face once more falling into the contemplative and somewhat brooding expression she was used to seeing him wear at school.

“May I ask you a question,” she asked, her curious nature getting the better of her.

He nodded, his gaze flickering to hers with an unreadable expression on his face. It was rather disconcerting, but Ginny had promised Kitty she would talk to him for her, and she would not back down in her word now.

“Are you really intending to marry Katherine Cunningham?”

She saw him tense, his body stiffening, and his hazel eyes narrowing just a fraction. Vaguely she wondered if she was about to lose his good confidence, but then he relaxed and gave her an appraising stare. “You are her friend, are you not?” he asked in his quiet voice, appearing neither pleased nor angry.

Ginny nodded. “Yes.”

“I suppose she told you then that I have been courting her.”

Nodding again, Ginny waited expectantly for his answer to her original question.

He frowned slightly at his hands, idly playing with the cuff on his dark green coat. “I do not think she has any affection for me, and so I am unsure. Whatever her parents may wish, I will not enter into a marriage where my wife to be has no love for me.”

Ginny was surprised by his confession, not really expecting one of the most serious Purebloods in society to have such a romantic turn of mind. “You like her then?” she asked curiously, watching his grim face intently.

“I have loved her from the moment I first saw her,” He admitted quietly, eyes falling to the ground in his gloomy discontentment. “But it is a foolish hope of mine that she could love me back. I am not like the other men. I do not know how to woo a woman with pretty phrases and smile charmingly, and she is so...” He broke off and sighed, meeting Ginny’s gaze with his hard, hazel eyes. “I would not tell you this except I know that you are her friend. Tell me honestly, do you think she could care for me, or am I wasting my time in a hopeless dream?”

Ginny wasn’t quite sure what to say. Before meeting Theodore, she had quite made up her mind to make him leave Kitty alone, but now that she had met him and had seen that he was not so bad, she couldn’t help but feel that perhaps he would do some good for Kitty. It was clear he loved her, and so she knew that Kitty would be well looked after, and there was also the fact that his seriousness would balance her friend’s frivolity. He would in effect be able to sober her when she needed it, and more than likely Kitty would be able to lighten the brooding man’s mood in turn. They would both be good for each other, and now that she knew which way matters stood she was determined to help the unlikely couple come together. Kitty was scared of Theodore, but Ginny figured with a helping hand she could help her friend get over her fear and see past the money and power to find the serious but gentle man inside.

“I think she could,” Ginny replied reassuringly. “Give her time, and I think she could love you.”

He smiled his small, tight-lipped smile, but before he could make a reply an arm came out of nowhere and looped around his shoulders. It was Blaise Zabini.

The handsome, dark man stared at Ginny haughtily for a moment, before glancing down at his friend. “Theodore, my good friend, you must help me with this. Daphne tells me that it was Lord Calgurd that married seven wives before the ban on polygamy was made, but I always thought it was Lord Calarged. You’re the bookish one, surely you know?”

“It was Lord Calarged, you are correct.”

“I knew it,” Blaise exclaimed triumphantly. “Do come and tell her. You know what an absolute bore she gets when she thinks she’s right; she just keeps insisting and insisting and won’t leave you alone in the matter.”

Theodore gave Ginny a brief nod, muttered a quick apology, and then left with the Blaise towards the group of young people all talking happily amongst each other. Ginny suddenly felt very alone and wished more than ever that Julian were here. She felt like she had found a friend in Theodore Nott, but he could not be with her all the time, and they still barely knew each other. It was very uncomfortable to be the only one alone while all the others talked amongst each other, and only noticing her to shoot haughty glances her way. She felt like she was back at Hogwarts in her first year, still trying desperately to make friends, and feeling scrutinised by everyone.

“Why are you all alone ma belle?”

Ginny turned her head with a relieved smile, meeting the smiling grey eyes of Armande Malfoy as he took a seat next to her. “I’m afraid no one wishes to talk to me,” she said with a somewhat wry smile.

“Ah yes, my Aunt’s friends are all very self-important and feel they are too high to notice anyone. They despise me too because I do not play ‘perfect gentlemen’ to them and speak my mind, but because I am related to Draco I am given some saving grace.”

Ginny couldn’t help but smile. “You are very different to your family, if you don’t mind my saying.”

He grinned cheekily, grey eyes dancing. “Oh I know. It is a great shame to the Malfoys that I turned out so different. I suppose you could call me the black sheep of the family.”

She laughed lightly, and was suddenly struck at how odd it was to see someone who looked so much like Draco smiling in such an open friendly way. Then again, now that she saw him so close she realised that there were only very faint similarities between them. Yes they both had blond hair and grey eyes, but Draco’s features were more harsh and piercing. Armande had a softness about him that reminded Ginny of cherubs for some strange reason.

“There goes my cousin right there talking to my sister.” He snorted slightly and once more grinned cheekily at Ginny. “Alexia is in love with Draco, but Draco doesn’t care about her at all. I admit I find it incredibly amusing to watch them. I always tease him about it.”

“You and your cousin are good friends then?” Ginny asked curiously, following his gaze to where Draco and Alexia were talking. Draco didn’t look very happy; in fact he looked rather bored, and Ginny had to admit it was quite amusing to watch Alexia’s attempts at getting his attention. The girl clearly was too stubborn to realise he was just not interested, and all her seductive smiles were wasted.

“You could say that. He doesn’t like to admit it, but I know he loves me deep down,” Armande smiled fondly, at his cousin, something Ginny found quite hard to believe. How could anyone smile warmly at Draco Malfoy?

He glanced back at her with a boyish smile. “He’s older than me, you know, so he’s always sort of taken care of me growing up. I can get away with teasing him now because he doesn’t have the heart to offend me like he does everyone else.”

“How old are you?” Ginny had been wondering this for a while, for Armande did seem rather young when she looked at him closely.

“Eighteen,” he confessed with another of his youthful grins. “I’m technically not supposed to be out in society yet, but since my parents have gone away to Germany for a holiday, I was allowed to come stay with Aunt Cissy for a while. She figured it wouldn’t matter if I came into society early, and since no one will question her, I’m allowed to join in.”

“I see.” Ginny frowned slightly and glanced back at Draco. It just seemed so strange that such a nice young man could belong to such a family. She had gained a bit more understanding of Narcissa, but even then Mrs Malfoy was still a very prideful and arrogant woman. Draco was no better, if in fact worse sometimes, and it just seemed odd that he could be friends with such a boy as Armande, even if they were family.

As she stared at the tall, blond, Draco glanced away from Alexia with a slightly exasperated expression on his face, his eyes coming to rest on Ginny. She gasped, realising he was staring right at her, and tried hard to look like she had not just been staring at him. It was always so embarrassing to be caught looking at someone, let alone Draco Malfoy.

Armande chuckled slightly. “Seems he caught us. I wonder if he’ll come over.”

“I hope he doesn’t,” Ginny muttered without thinking.

Armande laughed again, casting an amused glance her way. “You don’t like him, do you?”

“No,” Ginny replied bluntly, “I don’t.”

She hated him, and she didn’t care if he had helped her that day when he’d caught her in the stream, she still hated him. He was insufferable, he was arrogant, and he always seemed to catch her doing embarrassing things.

“He’s not so bad you know. Once you get to know him a bit more he starts to grow on you.”

“If you’re meaning like an unwanted fungus, than I completely agree,” Ginny retorted waspishly.

Armande only laughed, but Ginny would not believe that Draco could be anything but a conceited prat. She refused to be moved from her viewpoint, and even when Armande tried to tell her of all Draco’s sparkling qualities, she still could not believe him, and told him he was just lying to make her like his insufferable cousin and that she would not be taken in by his tricks.

Laughing, Armande threw up his hands in surrender. “Very well, hate him if you will, but I think give it time and you’ll be singing a different tune.”

“Hmph.” Ginny crossed her legs and glared at the blond man in question. “I don’t think so. I find it very easy to hate him, and I doubt any of his so-called ‘fine qualities’ will make me feel any differently.”

Armande smiled slightly, but said no more, and somehow that made Ginny all the more angrier. She did not like his stupid cousin, and had no intention in doing so. The only man she had eyes for was Julian, and that was that.

The rest of the evening proved to be just as tedious as the dinner. Daphne Greengrass snagged Armande from Ginny’s side again, and so Ginny was left to her own devices, half-heartedly trying to strike a conversation with some of the guests but receiving the cold shoulder from all of them. Ginny wondered if she could leave to go to her room, and made her excuses to Narcissa, complaining she had a headache. Narcissa eyed her sharply for a moment, before nodding her head, saying she would get Serino to look at her later. Glad to make her escape from the room, Ginny quickly left and trudged up the maze-like hallways to her room, opening the door and collapsing on her bed without even getting changed from the nice dress she was wearing.

“This is awful,” Ginny mumbled to herself, face firmly planted in the scented pillows. She hated to think what the other days would be like, and feeling the faint prickle of tears in her eyes, Ginny desperately hoped that Julian would come soon to make everything better. Spirited or not, she didn’t like to be surrounded by people who hated her, and Narcissa, Armande and Theodore were just not enough to make things better.