Chapter Text
“What?” Raven hissed, having to set down his tea cup, his hand was shaking so much. “You really are a noble, aren’t you? Thinking that plan will actually work.” He clasped his hands together in his lap, hiding the tremors. This was exactly what he had wanted… But. And there was always a ‘but’ wasn’t there? “There is no way that your parents will accept me, of all people, as a proper spouse for you.” Raven paused. “I don’t even know your last name, for Merlins’ sake.”
“That’s easily fixed.” The blond commented, taking a slow sip of his own tea. “I’m Draconis Malfoy, but you should call me Draco, if this is to work.”
Raven blanched. No. How had this happened? He forced himself to laugh. “Oh, that is rich. ” he shook his head. “That seals it, then. I’m a Potter. Raised by the Weasleys. They would accept me when hell freezes over.”
Draco cocked his head, honestly confused. “What do you mean? I don’t recognize that name.”
“How is it I was raised by the Weasleys, and know, while you don’t.” Raven looked up to the heavens, begging for patience, before continuing. “Never mind. Just know that it wouldn’t work.”
“Why not?” Draco asked. “I’ve never heard that name.”
“Exactly.” Raven said, shortly, before looking out the open window. “Anyways. I have to be going, and so do you.”
“Very well.” Draco replied, getting up to his feet. “ I won’t bother you any more.”
Raven watched from the floor as the blond left, eyes narrowed. He didn’t believe that one bit. He would stake his beauty that he would hear from the Malfoy again.
~ ~~
He froze, and stared aghast at the flowers littering his balcony. A single rose would be acceptable. Even a carefully chosen bouquet. But this ? This only sent a message of haste and carelessness – and plenty of empty money to throw around.
There was no question of who had made these flowers appear.
He had only came into contact with one person recently, one person that had the money, time, and idiocy to make this happen.
Raven hissed out a breath between his teeth. With a sigh, he gathered his magic, and made a gesture with his hand. Slowly, the flowers blew off the balcony, as if a gust of wind took them. He turned on his heel, and stalked inside, not looking back. He didn’t have time for such nonsense.
If he had looked back, he would have seen the way that the blonds’ mouth opened slightly at such a show of power. If he had looked back, he would have seen the determined glint that entered Dracos’ eyes. He would have seen, and perhaps, just perhaps, realized what was to come.
~~~
It was an unusual sight that caused the patriarch of the Malfoy family to stop in his tracks as he passed the wide open library door. He stared in silence, unsure what to say. His son, his only child, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, hands directing the books levitating around him. Lucius Malfoy, with the cautiousness that had kept him alive to this point, merely shook his head, and continued on his original path. Sometimes that boy bewildered him. He would get an idea in his head, and stick with it… Like the time he had decided he needed a pet unicorn.
Lucius sighed once he was safely past the library. He only hoped they wouldn’t end up with another unicorn terrorizing their peafowl.
Draco wasn’t deaf. He heard the footsteps stop outside the doorway briefly before continuing. But he wasn’t interested in his father – yet. He needed to find it. Once he had seen that surge of magic, as delicate and graceful as it looked, he could recognize the strength that Raven held. And once he arrived home, the name ‘Potter’ started to sound familiar. If only he could place…
His eyes caught on a line, and in his haste, only ‘Potter’ stood out. With a sigh, and a slow lowering of his hands, he let the books settle to the floor, scooping up the one he wanted. He opened it, and settled in to read.
~~~
“Mother.” Draco spoke as he rounded the corner to his mothers’ solar. “Mother, I need your advice.”
Narcissa looked up from her embroidery, crossing her hands over it as soon as she saw the look on her sons’ face. “My dragon. Of course. What can I help with.”
Draco plopped down on one of the few loose cushions on the floor. Face down. He mumbled something.
“Draconis...” Was all it took in a warning tone from Narcissa.
“I’m in love.” Draco said as he turned over, sighing.
There was a smile playing on Narcissas’ face. “Well? What is wrong with that?”
Draco paused, hesitant, for a moment. “Have you ever heard of the Potters, mother?”
“No...” Narcissa started to say, then she herself paused. “Oh. I do remember one. His wife had been my friend before I married. I didn’t know they had a child, though.”
“Apparently they did.” Draco snapped. “The heir is making his living as a whore.”
“A whore?” Narcissa gasped. “Just because he caught your eye, Draconis, doesn’t mean you should insult him.”
“I’m not, mother.” the young man gritted out, before he ran a hand through his hair, and sat up. “He calls himself Raven Potter. And mentioned he was raised by the Weasleys. He, for whatever reason, is making a living as a...” Draco sighed, and corrected himself. “Well, a high-end prostitute.”
“Now, Weasleys, I know.” Narcissa commented, a moue to her mouth. “But I wouldn’t think they would agree with his career choice, if they knew. Not that what they think is worth much.”
Draco was startled by the venom his his mothers’ tone when she spoke of the Weasleys. “Mother?” he asked, hesitantly.
“Oh, never you mind.” she snapped, before relenting. “And old blood feud, from before you or I were born. Likely over the stupidest reason, but they won’t apologize, and neither will your father.” Then she shook her head, and smiled softly at him. “Well? If he really is a Potter, then I’m sure his power is quite… intriguing.”
“Oh, most definitely.” Draco breathed out, a smile on his lips. “Graceful and delicate, and yet powerful.”
“Why haven’t you ensnared him, then?” Narcissa laughed. “I thought those eyes of yours could charm anyone you wanted.”
“I have a plan, mother. With your permission?” Draco asked with a grin.
“Go, go.” Narcissa smirked. “I’ll talk your father around.”
~~~
“So, Raven.” Draco drawled from where he leaned against the balcony railings, hiding a smile as the obviously startled – and half-naked - Raven jumped, and turned around. “What will it take for you to be my spouse?”
Raven took a deep breath, cursing his inattentiveness. “Why can’t you leave me alone?” he complained, ignoring the question. “I’m sure your father had a fit when you mentioned me.”
“He knows better.” was Dracos’ automatic reply, with a smirk, then he softened. “Mother promised to talk him around. And since she gave birth to me, he hasn’t denied her a thing.”
Raven sank to one of the cushions, pulling a discarded robe over his shoulders. “You are insufferably rude, I hope you know.” then he sighed. “What do you want?”
“I want you.” Draco tossed back.
Oh, that arrogance annoyed Raven in anyone. He reverted to his normal defense. “You couldn’t handle me, boy.” he drawled, voice dropping slightly to a lower, slower pitch. “You wouldn’t even know where to start.”
With that, Raven rose sinuously up to his knees, slowly stretching his arms over his head and letting the robe gape open. As he lowered his arms, he stood up and stalked over to lean on the nearest wall, arms crossed.
And, Raven thought as he glanced at Draco, that little bit of acting was worth the result, worth seeing the arrogant bastards’ mouth gape open. “I do have my regulars, you know.” he continued in a regular tone. “ You? You are just a new comer. Why should I loose my guaranteed income for a possibility that may never turn out.”
“But...” Draco drew the line at stammering. He had already made a fool of himself. “Fine. I’ll be back, though. One way or another, I will get you to agree.”
“No, you w...” Raven started, then sighed as the aristocrat turned and disappeared with a pop. “Oh, that brat.” But, if he was truthful, Raven had to admit – if only to himself – that he was starting to like the Malfoy heir, if only for his persistence and entertainment value.
~~~
The next day, in the market, though, almost made Raven reconsider. The first merchant, saying his fruit were paid for, that was slightly odd. It was the third stall of “Don’t worry about it, it is settled.”, that made Raven realize what was going on. The bastard of a Malfoy was taking away his independence. For magics’ sake, Raven was proud that he made the money to live well, even with a few luxuries. Then Raven smirked. If Draco wanted to empty his trust fund vault – for surely he wouldn’t be using the main Malfoy vault on such trivialities - well, then Raven would help him.
With that in mind, and a grin, Raven headed to his original next stop – a stall that sold robes which Raven often drooled over, yet couldn’t necessitate the spending of so many galleons on clothes .
~~~
Enough was enough, Lucius thought, looking over the accounting. Oh, it was barely a minuscule drop in their funds – but what the hell was his son doing buying clothes? Expensive clothes, by the look of things. And only a few weeks after his traditional birthday present of a new wardrobe. He stalked down the hall, intent on finding his only child and wringing some sense into that head of his, when a soft “Lucius?” from his wifes’ solar stopped him.
He sighed. Not tonight, of all nights. Not on the night she… But he went in. He could never refuse his wife anything after the son she gave him, he couldn’t even refuse her portrait anything.
“Narcissa.” he acknowledged, taking in the unusual sight of her pacing the confines of her painting, rather than sitting with something productive in her hands. “What is it?”
“Our son.” she said, pointedly, her eyes somehow managing to spark with ire. “I told you, I didn’t want him to worry about an arranged marriage. I was under the impression that he was actually in love with Pansy , of all people, so I encouraged her. Only to find out yesterday that he is actually in love with someone else. I’m surprised he even trusted me enough to tell me!”
Lucius winced at the strident tones of his wife. “ Darling , dear heart. Didn’t I tell you that I thought better, and notified Lord Parkinson of the withdrawal of the contract offer?”
He winced at the shriek that followed. Weren’t Paintings supposed to be demure?
“No, you arrogant bastard.” Narcissa seethed. “It serves you right, then, who he has fallen in love with.” and Narcissa smirked. “After all, I died giving you my son , so it is only right my son gives you a heart attack.”
“Surely it can’t be that bad.” Lucius winced again. He always made the mistake of forgetting that his wife was a Black, a true Black, no matter alive or dead. “Really.”
“It is.” she hissed. “And, so help me, Lucius, you won’t interfere. I’m not a Black for no reason, and I do have a few tricks up my painted sleeves.”
Lucius blanched, and nodded meekly. “Yes, darling.”
She sniffed. “Fine. My lovely child has managed to find the last Potter heir.”
“Wasn’t his mot...”
“A mudblood?” Narcissa asked, with a satisfied smile. “Oh, yes. Lilly was the smartest witch I knew. But she was fostered by the Princes’, as you well know.”
Lucius took a breath, and mulled that tidbit over. “Well, I think you are over-exaggerating. That isn’t too terrible.”
Narcissa laughed. “Oh, just wait.” then she sat down on the single chair in the painting, crossing her legs and leaning back. “ He , himself, was raised by the Weasleys.” she didn’t give her now gaping husband a chance to speak before she continued. “ And he currently is a high-end prostitute. With regulars, so I assume he is good.”
Just then, she heard footsteps, and grinned. This would be good.
“Mother? I did as you suggested. What next?” Draco paused as he rounded the corner. “Oh. Hello, Father.”
“As you suggested?” Lucius gritted out, ignoring his son. “Are you helping him in this foo...”
He trailed off, suddenly unable to speak. He looked up, and saw Narcissa with her sleeves rolled up, a rune sequence tattooed onto her arm glowing. She smirked at him, but then sighed. “I guess needs must. Did you never wonder why this painting is more… active than most?”
Narcissa shook her head slightly. “Anyways.” and then, with an exhaled breath, she stepped forward and out of the painting, resizing to her normal height. “Ahh.” she stretched, then without warning, turned and slapped Lucius. “I’ve wanted to do that for ages .”
Finally, she turned to her son, arms outstretched. “Come here, my dragon.”
Draco watched, eyes wide, but then ran into her arms, tucking himself smaller so he could fit under her chin. He held on tight, but spoke nothing.
She looked at Lucius over him. “As I said, I’m a Black. And I have the seer blood in me, diluted as it may be. With those two skill sets, I was able to see that Draconis here would be too much. And I was also able to enchant the portrait with blood magic. A small crack in my soul wasn’t too high a price for my child which I already loved with all my heart. And...” But she paused, with a sigh.
“But why now?” asked Lucius, trying to make sense of things. “You could have been his mother.”
She hissed, gently rubbing circles on the slightly shaking back of Draco. “You didn’t love me, and would have only been cold towards Draconis. I was content to mother him from afar, if it meant you would love him the more.”
With that, Narcissa turned Draco, and looped an arm around his shoulder. “Come, love. Tell me all about Raven, yes?”