"Yes," he simply said.
"But you're adopted, so your parents must have died. But you're rich because of some distant relative, not because of your parents?"
Draco swallowed. He wanted to explain to her that only his father was gone, but he couldn't do that, could he? Remus Lupin's mission was important, and sooner or later, Rhiannon would be taking her rightful place in the wizarding world. He couldn't have her telling people that Lucius Malfoy had died.
"I'm adopted because my own family cut me off," said Draco stiffly. Even now, it was a little hard to contemplate, let alone talk about. But he wanted Rhiannon to know him. "Disinherited me, said I wasn't worthy to bear the family name, and so on and so forth. And I'd known Severus for years, and got on with him really well, so when things at school got a bit rough and I needed a parent, he adopted me, as well."
Rhiannon had looked sympathetic through a lot of that, but by the end her lips were twisting. "Was that before or after you got this bequest?"
It took Draco a moment to understand what she was suggesting. "Oh, no. You've got that wrong. He didn't adopt me because of the money."
"Just seems a bit suspicious, his somehow adopting not just one but two sons with money of their own."
"He thought I didn't have a single Gal-- er, any money. Any money at all. It was only quite a bit later that I got the bequest."
"What about with Harry?"
Draco raised his shoulders. "He didn't adopt him out of greed. You can trust me on that."
"Your father doesn't manage your accounts or investments or anything like that?"
"I take care of all that myself," said Draco, not that there was a lot to do. Thankfully, she didn't ask the same question about Harry. Draco didn't want to lie to her, but he certainly couldn't tell her that Harry had handed control of all his money over to Severus. She'd definitely misunderstand what that was all about.
Not that Draco completely understood it, for that matter. He still thought it had been a really strange thing to do. But then, Harry hadn't been raised with money. Maybe he felt uncomfortable having loads and loads of it. That would certainly explain why he'd been so eager to get rid of his inheritance from Sirius Black.
"I didn't mean to cause offence," said Rhiannon softly, her fingers reaching out to ghost across Draco's bare arm. The touch sent a sizzle of something racing along the surface of his skin. "I suppose I'm just distrustful around anything to do with money, after all those years at Chatham."
"It's all right." Draco supposed that Severus ending up with two wealthy sons did look a bit odd, if you didn't know the larger context. "Er . . . don't take this the wrong way, but it seems like you have some issues when it comes to wealth."
"Yeah. I guess I do." Rhiannon sighed. "Maybe spending time with you will help. I know it's wrong to think that all rich people are alike. You aren't, after all."
It was wrong to think that all rich people were the same, yes. But Draco could hardly blame her for thinking that, could he? He'd gone years assuming that all poor people were worthy of his disdain. But Rhiannon wasn't.
Or Ronald Weasley, he reluctantly conceded. Though he had more reasons to resent Weasley than just his lack of funds. Marsha had made him realise that deep down, he was worried that Harry liked Weasley more than he liked his own brother.
Worried, hell. He knew full well that Harry like Weasley more.
"Sorry," said Rhiannon.
"No, it's all right, really." Draco gave her a little smile as he tried to pull himself back to their own conversation. "Though, maybe I should mention one thing. When it comes to Severus, you're letting the fact that he's a science teacher affect your judgment too, I think."
"Yeah, probably so. I'll work on it."
That sounded hopeful, like she wanted to get on with his family. A good sign. Maybe she'd sensed that the feeling growing between them was stronger than some passing summer romance. Maybe she was thinking that he was the one for her.
Rhiannon lay back, one of her hands tracing patterns in the grass. Her fingernails were neatly filed and polished a pale pink. Somehow, they struck Draco as very feminine.
An urge washed over him, a familiar one. Ever since he'd first seen her, he'd wanted to take her into his arms and touch their lips together. She looked peaceful now. Serene. Happy just to relax with him and enjoy his company.
And because she looked so content, the whole world seemed to glitter, almost as though there really was magic in the air. The breeze grew more languid, wafting the scent of dandelions around them. The sky was bluer, the clouds above a perfect white.
And Rhiannon was more beautiful than he'd thought, impossible as that seemed.
Unable to resist, Draco stretched out beside her, propping himself up on one elbow, and touched his fingers to her lips, tracing them. "You're truly lovely," he whispered, feeling almost worshipful. He'd never felt anything remotely like this with Pansy, or anyone else. Rhiannon was his match; he just knew it, the same way he knew that the sun would set and rise again. It was destiny.
A faint blush rose to stain her cheeks, but she didn't try to evade his gaze.
Her eyes were the deepest blue imaginable.
Leaning over, Draco softly touched his mouth to hers, the kiss slow and careful. But then she parted her lips, inviting more, her arms coming around him to hold him to her.
Sweet Merlin, she tasted like happiness itself. Like sunshine. Daft as that sounded, it was true. Draco had never been near anyone like her, or anyone who affected him this much.
Definitely, she was the one for him.
His head began to spin, the world around him feeling like it was losing substance. The feeling was intense, even stronger than the sensations he'd got last summer when he'd snuck out onto the grounds of the manor to try the Muggle drugs he'd bought when Lucius' back was turned. Those had just made him dizzy, really.
But the kiss made the whole world brighter.
Draco felt like his blood had turned into warmed honey, moving hot and sweet through his veins. And of course it wasn't only his blood reacting to being so near Rhiannon. His heart was swelling too, along with . . . other things.
He tried not to think about that, even as he shifted his hips slightly further away from her. It was too early for that, and he knew it. He wasn't going to lose the most perfect witch the world had ever seen, just because he couldn't control himself. He wasn't going to risk insulting her.
Though since she's been raised to think of herself as a Muggle, an insidious voice inside him began saying, she probably wouldn't be insulted. Muggle girls throw sex around all the time, after all.
No. Draco groaned a little bit as the word ricocheted through his mind. No, no, no. Denying himself was actually painful--he wanted nothing better than to pull her close against him, head to toe, and feel her warm, soft body pressed up against the part of him that was hard and aching, but he wasn't going to do it. He wasn't going to treat her as if she were the Muggle she thought herself.
Draco was going to show her the respect she was due, even if it killed him.
Which it might.
But this was only their second date, so he'd have to wait.
Rhiannon's fingers were tufting through the hair at his nape, her touch gentle, yet somehow urgent. Draco felt his heart beat harder, and moved his own hands to her hips as he kissed her, lying half-atop her by then. Ah, Merlin. He thought he could keep this up forever. There was nothing else that mattered, and nobody besides them in the whole world. Just him, and Rhiannon.
No matter that there had been people milling about in the park before. Draco had forgotten them utterly. Everything had vanished from existence the moment he'd tasted her.