A/N: Shoutout to my amazing friend justforpractice, who thought I should go through with this. You guys should read her stuff. Lucissa and Draco will be happy.
Narcissa looked downward at the feeling of small hands tugging on the blue fabric of her skirt. Draco stood beside her, the top of his head reaching only a few inches above her knee even though he was standing on his toes. She leaned down to meet him at nearer to eye-level.
"Yes, love?"
"Is it time?"
"Almost," said Narcissa, laughing under her breath as she leaned close to kiss Draco's cheek. "They'll be here at any moment."
"Will they like me?"
"Of course they will." Narcissa trailed her fingers through her three-year-old son's pale blond hair as she smiled at him. "They'd have to be mad not to."
Though Draco had met the children of the couple Narcissa and Lucius considered their closest friends in passing, they hadn't yet spent an extensive amount of time together. Narcissa had begun to worry about whether Draco was happy having only his parents and the occasional visiting cousin to keep him company, and she had owled Lenore Macnair to suggest a playdate for their children.
Narcissa looked up at the sound of a knock on the front doors, which Dobby hurried forward to open from where he'd been standing by the wall.
"They're here, darling," Narcissa called in the direction of the study.
She pressed a kiss to Draco's forehead and then stood to her full height to watch as the Macnairs strode over the threshold. Lenore held the infant Theseus to her shoulder, his face nestled in her long red hair and her other hand clasping that of Cronus, the boy who seemed a perfect miniature version of his father though he was only two years older than Draco. Walden had an arm wrapped around Lenore's waist and carried their daughter on his hip. Salacia's looks favored her mother, though the girl's hair was closer to auburn in its shade. Her wide blue eyes were fixed on Draco.
"Please, come in," said Narcissa, gesturing the group into the room. Dobby closed the doors behind them.
"Dobby will go prepare the tea, Mistress," he said, bowing deeply enough that his nose touched the polished floor. He scurried from the room and down the corridor toward the kitchen.
"Daddy, can I go and look at the elf? He's different than ours. His ears are bigger."
Narcissa glanced to Salacia, who was glancing from the spot where Dobby had disappeared to her father and back again.
"No, Laci," said Walden, shaking his head. "We're not here for the elf."
"Walden, Lenore—so glad you could join us."
Lucius strode into the foyer, pausing beside Narcissa and Draco. He slid an arm around Narcissa's waist, and she shifted slightly closer to him.
"We were thrilled for the invitation," said Lenore, inclining her head to Lucius. "You lot have been rather scarce, lately."
"Bagnold has been more demanding of my time, as unfortunate as it is," said Lucius.
That's quite the understatement, thought Narcissa. She wants you to finance an entire new wing at the Ministry. She refrained from commenting, if just barely, by shifting her focus back to Salacia, who had given up on staring after Dobby and had resumed studying Draco. Salacia twisted in Walden's grasp until he set her on her feet, and then she shuffled over to stand in front of Draco.
"What's your name?" she asked, holding out a small hand.
"I'm Draco," said the boy, reaching out to give her hand a shake.
Salacia grinned and let out a little laugh. "That's silly."
Draco pouted and pulled back his hand. "It means 'dragon,'" he muttered.
Narcissa started to reach out for her son's shoulder, and she paused when she felt Lucius give her waist a squeeze. She drew in a quiet breath and lowered her hand as she recalled what he'd told her the last time she'd intervened in an argument of Draco's with the Notts' son. I know you want to help, Cissy, but we won't always be there to talk him out of things. Let him try.
"Well," Draco huffed, "'Laci' sounds silly, too."
The girl frowned. "It's short for 'Salacia.'"
Draco snorted. Narcissa closed her eyes and forced herself to draw deep breaths that did nothing to calm her nerves.
"And what's that mean?" asked Draco.
"It's the name of a goddess."
"Oh? Of what?"
"Salt."
Draco laughed, and Narcissa opened her eyes, bending down to lift him from the floor and into her arms. She leaned close to his ear as Salacia turned away and strode over to stand beside her parents, her stomps reverberating through the foyer.
"That's enough," Narcissa muttered to her son.
"But Mum," Draco whined, "she started—"
"It doesn't matter. You're supposed to be making friends."
Lucius let out a sigh. "Let's have that tea, now, shall we?" He led the way into the drawing room, and as the group moved, Narcissa looked to Draco to find him stealing glances at Salacia, who seemed to be trying hard not to be caught doing the same.