An Unexpected Engagement

Chapter 13

            Aris received an owl a week before Christmas holidays from her parents. For some reason they wanted her home for Christmas. Aris wasn't stupid, she knew they were up to something. In all the years she had been at Hogwarts they had never asked her home before and she never went. She usually stayed at the school except the few times she went to stay with her Uncle Tiberius. Well, she was not going. She quickly sent an owl to her uncle, hoping he wouldn't be busy and she could stay with him.

            He sent one back the next day saying he was too busy but he promised to visit her at the school. She had told him about her parents wanting her home and asked him if he knew what it might be about. She hoped he had some answers.

            The day before Christmas her uncle came to the school. Aris ran to him and gave him a huge hug and he kissed her cheek. Her uncle was a great big man who favored her mum and herself with the same cinnamon red hair. The only difference was in their eyes, her mum and uncle had soft brown eyes while Aris had gotten her bright green eyes from her father.

            “How have you been pumpkin,” her uncle asked, using the pet name he'd given her as a toddler, “you have really grown since I last saw you.” It was true, she had not seen her uncle in over a year.

            “I'm okay, but I've missed you,” Aris replied getting a little teary eyed.

            “I've missed you too,” he said, sitting down on a sofa in the Gryffindor common room, “I have something for you,” and he handed her a gift wrapped box. Aris took it excitedly and unwrapped it. It was an odd gift, it was a crystal door knob.

            “Thank you,” Aris said with a laugh.

            “I know what you’re thinking, what a strange gift, but I need you to have this. You see this is a very special door knob. If you are ever in great trouble and need help use this. The words for the spell are “Pumpkins are best” and it will take you out of peril and deliver you somewhere safe.”

            “It's a portkey,” Aris said amazed, “but why should I ever need it.”

            “These are terrible times we are in right now pumpkin, you know this. I want to know you'll be safe. You can hardly trust anyone and no one knows what we have coming at us with the dark lord returning and picking up followers every day. If something should happen to me I like to think you'll be safe.”

            Aris didn't like what he was telling her. She knew his job as an auror was dangerous, especially since he worked with Mad-Eye Moody. She was having bad feelings, “Uncle, don't talk like that.”

            “Well, I'm only being truthful with you Aris.”

            Aris changed the subject, “Do you know why my parents would have wanted me home?”

            “Unfortunately I do,” he said seriously, “you know I never have understood your mother. But it seems that Tamara was contacted by an old friend from school about you. One of my good friends at the ministry did some investigating for me and it seems some papers were filed with your name on them and he let me see them. It seems your parents have tried to find a way to make sure their family remains pureblood and they have signed a marriage contract for you. In other words your marriage has already been set for you before the end of your 17th birthday.”

            Aris was in shock, she was about to turn 17 at the end of April. How could her parents do this to her? And she asked her uncle the same thing.

            “It happens all the time Aris, especially among the purebloods,” her uncle answered.

            “Well I'm not having it,” she said angrily, “if they think they can use me as some pureblood breeding animal they can think again. I just will not go back home.”

            “I would tell you the same. You don't want to be mixed up with this family because it is a known fact that the father supports the dark lord and is a deatheater.”

            “Who is it?”

            “You've been betrothed to Draco Malfoy.”

            Aris was stunned. The anger was gone replaced by shock and confusion, “Malfoy, but how and why,” she asked stunned.

            “Your mother and father go way back with the Malfoys. I know that they were all in Slytherin together and were really tight, so I guess it doesn't surprise me.”

            She had a serious question for her uncle that she needed an answer for, “Uncle, please tell me the truth, are my parents deatheaters?” She had never felt comfortable with her parents, especially her father, there was always a feeling there she could never put her finger on.

            “Pumpkin, it's hard for me to say, but yes I believe they are. I know your father was or still is, I'm not sure about Tamara.” 

            Aris wasn't surprised but instead of making her sad it made her angry. As far as she was concerned she had no family, only her uncle. And then they go and arrange a marriage with the malfoys without even contacting her about it, just using her. She wondered if Draco was aware of it. She could feel the anger bubbling up in her, she always had a temper, if he were here right now and she had her wand in hand there was no telling what she might do.

            She visited her uncle a little longer. He reminded her about the door knob and then they said good-bye. Aris was determined to confront Draco Malfoy as soon as the opportunity came about this so called arranged marriage.

                School was back in and Aris was having a hard time trying to confront Draco Malfoy about their arranged marriage. He was hardly in any of his classes. When he was in class and they were over he would quickly leave and she could never find him. He didn’t look well. The dark circles under his eyes were worse and he looked so tired. A lot of times she would see him asleep at his desk or table, and he’d lost a lot of weight which wasn’t surprising because she hardly ever saw him at meals. To be honest she was getting very worried about him. She couldn’t lie to herself anymore; she still had feelings for him.

                Surprisingly, the opportunity she was waiting on to speak to Draco happened their weekend in Hogsmeade village. She saw him as she was going with Lanie and Eric to the Three Broomsticks as he went into one of the shops.

                “You guys go on ahead, I’ll catch up with you,” Aris told them as she quickly left them and headed into the potions shop.

                Where did he go? She looked around for his platinum blond head and finally found him in the back looking over some nasty looking things in jars.

                “Finally,” she said, making him turn quickly to her, “I need to speak with you.”

                “What do you want Donavon?” he asked with a heavy sigh.

                “Is that anyway to talk to your fiancée?” she asked angrily.

                He looked at her in surprise but quickly replaced it with a cold look, “Did you know about this Draco?”

                “Look,” he said not really wanting to look at her, “I just found out about it over the holidays. I also met your parents. They came to visit us, you were supposed to be with them, but obviously chose not to.”

                “You know I don’t have anything to do with my parents if I can help it. So you agree with this whole arranged marriage crap,” she said angrily.

                “It’s not about whether I agree or not. I do what my parents tell me to, unlike some people I know. If they think it’s best then that’s what I have to do.”

                “No you don’t,” she whispered, “you don’t always have to do what they want, you can do what you think is right.”

                He looked at her deeply and she saw the hurt there and something else. Draco needed love, she could see that now, he was lonely and seemed almost lost, like a ghost. “Aris,” he said softly, using her name, “do you really find it so bad to be stuck with me,” and he said it so forlornly that it made her want to cry.

                She couldn’t help herself, she was drawn to him like a moth to flame. She moved to him and put her arms around him, and she was surprised when she felt his arms go around her tightly. No matter how bad things were she always felt right in his arms,”No I don’t, I just wish you would be honest with me. Why are you trying to push me away? I know that the whole thing with Parkinson was just a lie, you did it on purpose. And I believe you are involved in things you have no business in. Why can’t you tell me what’s going on, maybe I can help you?”

                He gently took her face in his hands, “There are things going on with me that you don’t need to know about. I have to help my family and I don’t want you involved, do you understand?” he looked deep into her eyes, eyes that haunted him all the time. There was nothing he’d like more than to drown himself in her bright green eyes and stay there forever, but he had to protect his family, but most of all he wanted to protect her. He wanted to stay there in her arms, always, “I will try to find a way to get us out of the marriage deal okay?”

                Aris should have been happy about that but honestly it kind of hurt. She didn’t know if she wanted that, because if the marriage stayed in place at least she knew she’d always have him. She brought her arms up around his neck bringing his face down close to hers, “Kiss me Draco,” she whispered against his lips and he couldn’t refuse. His lips captured hers hungrily, with a deep kiss that left her breathless. His lips moved along her face to her neck, where he began gently sucking on her neck making her moan as his hands caressed her back moving down to her butt and pulling her into him.

                If it hadn’t been for the loud “Uh-Hum” of someone clearing their throat they both would have been lost to each other. They quickly broke apart.

                “You better go join your friends,” he said roughly.

                “I don’t want to,” she said softly.

                “You have to. I’ve got to go,” and he started walking down the aisle, “I’ll see what I can do about the marriage deal.”

                “Draco don’t,” she pleaded.

                “I think it’s best,” he said without looking at her, “you shouldn’t have to be forced into it by your parents. I know that’s not what you want.”

                And with that said he left the shop. Aris couldn’t help the tears that started. She knew she should be glad that he was trying to do that for her, but it only made her sad. It was what she wanted, she wanted him, good or bad, whatever he was doing she no longer cared, she wanted Draco Malfoy.