Harry smiled at that. "I like that family is so important, it's just…I can't imagine being so cruel to others just to make me and my family look better."
"That's just the way it is." Draco replied dismissively as he sorted out Harry's hair.
"Will you help me get dressed for tonight?" Harry asked unsurely. "I don't know what to wear and I don't want to make a fool out of myself." He didn't mention that he wanted to look his best to try and entice Rabastan's attention to him.
"Your wardrobe will include three winter dress robes for these occasions. One for the Christmas Eve party, one for the New Year's Eve party and one as a spare, just in case. I used my spare set of dress robes in our fourth year for the Yule Ball."
Harry nodded his understanding, only to be smacked on top of his head by Draco and his comb. A loud knock on the outside door interrupted them.
Harry groaned. "That better not be Rabastan." He muttered under his breath. "Come in." He called out loudly as Draco continued doing his hair for him.
They had to wait a moment as whoever it was walked through Harry's sitting room to reach his bedroom, but Harry was overall glad that it was Lucius who was the one who walked in and he hesitated only slightly as he saw them on the bed together as he slowly closed the bedroom door behind him.
"I came because I thought that you were moping around. It seems that that wasn't the case."
"Why would I be moping about? If Rabastan doesn't want me, then it's his loss." He said firmly.
"That's the spirit." Draco nodded his approval as he finished combing Harry's hair to the best of his abilities.
"So you're seriously considering breaking your betrothal?" Lucius asked surprised.
Harry shook his head. "No. Our talk from last night still stands. If he doesn't want me, then he'll have to break our contract himself, until then, I'm going to fish the waters at the gala tonight, that you never told me about I might add, and if he still hasn't bucked up his ideas, I'll do the same at the New Year's Eve party."
Lucius nodded. "I'm not sure that you'll have a chance to implement your plan. Rabastan was devastated that you never showed up for breakfast. It seemed to agitate him and it seems to have affected his behaviour as well, he broke two glasses, dropped his food onto the floor and hit his own brother when he lost control of his arm."
Harry bit his lip and immediately the feelings of guilt and regret surged inside him. The very last thing he'd wanted was to cause a lapse in Rabastan's recovery when he'd been doing so well lately.
"It's not your fault." Draco told him sternly. "He's the one who won't listen to you. He needs to learn to listen to you or he is never going to respect you and he'll never listen to a word that you say if you give in now. Carry through with your plan or he's just going to continue ignoring you and disbelieving everything that you say, even about you loving him."
"But I never wanted to be the cause of him getting worse."
"You're not the cause." Lucius told him. "He is the cause and he will never fully recover if he doesn't realise it."
Harry swallowed and nodded.
"Now, you missed breakfast and it's almost lunch. Are you hungry?" Harry shook his head. "No. I'm just not hungry at all today."
"Perhaps I should call that therapist to see if he'll see you today." Lucius murmured thoughtfully.
"I don't need a therapist just because I'm not hungry." Harry said. "I'm more concerned about the reason behind you not being hungry." Lucius replied.
"I'm fine. I just can't stomach anything. I can't believe how wrong everything has gone."
"Things will work out." Draco assured him.
Harry nodded, but he didn't feel as confident about it. He still loved Rabastan, he didn't think such a feeling would disappear overnight, just as it hadn't come overnight, but the thought of trying to replace Rabastan with anyone else made him feel sick.
"You're not going to be marrying these men." Lucius told him. "You're just going to talk to them, be polite and perhaps let them get you a drink. Then, if the natural order of things occurs, Rabastan should storm over and remind everyone that the both of you are betrothed."
"What if he doesn't?" "Then the man's a complete fool and you should definitely scout out someone else to be your husband." Draco told him simply.
Harry laughed then and he thanked both Malfoys. He actually felt much better for talking with them.
"Are you both staying in here? I'll have the elf send up your lunches and, if you eat your lunch, Harry, then I won't call the therapist to see you today."
"We're staying." Draco said firmly. "Look at this hair. It'll take me all day to fix it for the Parkinson's gala."
Harry rolled his eyes. "As if it'll stay whichever way you put it." He huffed.
"I'll sort it out for you. I picked up a potion especially for tonight and for our own New Year's party." Draco insisted.
"I'll leave you boys to it then." Lucius saw himself out and Harry breathed out and slumped. "Must I really go to this party? I like Pansy more than Daphne, but she's not my favourite person. Tracey is much more level-headed and she's quieter."
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