Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2013 1:30:40 GMT -7
As he had predicted, she was doing fine enough without him and he smiled at her as she looked at him to show she was fine. However she seemed still on edge to him and after his mother's comment about his father, he felt he needed to do something more direct. Since his mother seemed to be doing some thinking and had turned away from Astoria for a moment he considered her "time" finished for a moment. "Ah, an independent child like her father." She turned slightly sipping her tea as Draco stood and walked around the end of the table between them, clearly tossing some ideas around in her mind.
Stepping behind Astoria he laid a hand on each shoulder and squeezed lightly as he whispered in her ear "Very good. She likes you, I can tell." Pretending to massage her shoulders slightly, he found them more tense then he had expected, so he actually did some comforting her with the rubs, feeling her relax some at least before his father came in. Lucius Malfoy was imposing as always as he swept in, the house elf dodging out of his way barely as the man came in and went to his wife first, kissing her forehead softly in a manner that could only be emotion, though he showed none on his face.
As he turned Draco said "Father, I would like you to meet Astoria Greengrass, my fiancee. She was just telling us about how her sister had inherited her father's independent mind." Lucius stepped over holding out his hand and caught hers for a moment in greeting as he stared at her face, studying it for a moment before he spoke. "Greetings, Astoria, and welcome to our home. I hope Draco gave you a small tour? Perhaps tomorrow the gardens will have better weather to show off." A glance to Draco and an eye motion to the couch.
Draco who had kept the pressure on her shoulder as his father had entered to keep her knowing he was right there, let go and patted her shoulder twice then moved to his place on the opposite couch as his father chose the seat across from Astoria without taking his eyes off of her. "Your father is sometimes a true and obstinate fool when it comes to keeping to his own self and letting no one know what he is doing. If your sister shares those traits then I can understand if they are having a rough time finding a match for her." His fingers touched his own chin as his elbow rested on the couch arm, accepting a cup of what looked like some stronger coffee mixture from a house elf as he looked at her.
After another minute when Mrs Malfoy stirred, not liking the silence, he spoke. "Whatever you feel outside of these walls, Astoria, and I know you will have ties with your family and friends at school, we consider family to be first and most important. When you join us," there was no hesitation about whether she would or not which she might have noticed, "I expect you to do the same for us as we do for you. That is what you are really joining." Turning he patted his son's arm where Draco had it on the back of the sofa getting a grim smile from Draco. His eyes came up and locked with hers for a moment, a nod from him showing it was true. "We present a united front, or we will fall. And the Malfoys have always been the family that led the way."