Scorpius Malfoy glanced stealthily at the back of the matronly figure stirring a large pot across the room from him. She seemed preoccupied, but he knew from experience that any motherly figure had enough eyes in the back of their heads to ruin any plans of fun, or currently, food.
Humming innocently, and reaching out slowly, Scorpius kept his eyes on the white and red headed woman, whose focus had been on a large pot of stew for quite some time now, as his hand inched closer to the plate of saucy meatballs in front of him. At any moment now the seasoned meat would be his. Moving quickly, he snatched one up, and gobbled it down. With a sigh of relief and fulfillment, he began to lean back into his seat, sure of his expert technique, until...
"Scorpius Malfoy!" The figure whirled around to reveal a slightly wrinkled Molly Weasley, with a faux stern look on her face and a hand on her hip. "Don't you think I didn't see that young man."
Scorpius gulped, took time to savor the last of the stolen meal slide down his throat, and put on an apologetic face. "Quite sorry, Mrs. Weasley. Albus and Rose always rave about your meatballs. Actually, any of your cooking really, I just wanted one tiny bite before dinner." He put on his best watery eyes and gazed through a lock of his white blonde hair at her, looking properly ashamed.
Molly's stern look melted and she sighed. Crossing across the room to the table to where Scorpius was currently sitting down at, she took a seat across from him. "Oh, you. She chided. You know you're welcome to anything we have here, and none of that Mrs Weasley bit! It's just Molly I told you, or Grandmum Molly." Scorpius tried his best to not let his mouth hang open, sure after Albus had been sorted into Slytherin with him, and Rose who had made it into Ravenclaw and had a few classes with them became friends, he had visited the burrow quite a few times. It was only their second year and they were all quite close, much to the chagrin of Grandmum Molly's youngest son and Rose's father, Ron, though Rose's mum would never let him hear the end of it if he did anything other to Scorpius than throw him strained smiles and glare at him when he thought that Scorpius wasn't looking.
Still it was a shock to Scorpius that their Grandmum would allow him to call her such a personal term. Everything at his own manor was so formal. He wasn't even allowed to call his own Grandmother Grandmum. Narcissa Malfoy was not the warm Grandmother that his friends, or other classmates raved about. Strict and proper, tall, tight lipped, elegant, cold and white haired was what Scorpius's Grandmother was. Not this chubby, rose faced, and former haired, good natured fun and warm woman that Molly Weasley was. Sure he liked and respected his own Grandmother well enough, but he usually thought of her as his father's mother, a relative, and that was it.
Scorpius closed his mouth long enough to take in his surroundings. Everything was so bright here, and he felt out of place. Molly must have sensed a shift in him, because she scooted back her chair and held out her hand to him. "Come with me, Scorpius." she said softly. Scorpius nodded and walked slowly behind her. They walked to the oven and in front of the stove, where the savory stew was currently bubbling. "Let's see, Molly began. Scorpius can you be a dear and hand me that Rosemary?" He nodded, and gave her the herb while he watched her work. "I have been making this stew for all of my children and grandchildren when they have been sick."
Scorpius nodded, it made sense. Albus and Rose were currently in bed with colds and he had offered to do something to help them feel better. It turned out hanging around the burrow and fetching them tissues and tea was just the thing. Molly hummed to herself as she tasted a bit of Stew. "Can I have the celery, dear?" He gave her that also. " I have made this stew for my children and grandchildren, Daughter in laws and son in law, mother in law and father in law, Husband, brothers, parents and extended family. Doesn't matter, anyone at this table is family."
Scorpius groaned, "But you barely know me to offer something so personal, even my own Grandmother wouldnt offer that to anyone else. It's Lady Malfoy this and Madame Malfoy that. And that's just what my mother's family calls her." Scorpius finished bitterly, kicking the side of a wall. Molly raised a brow. "What is this really about dear?"
Scorpius sighed. "Everyone here has been so great to me. I can't even let Albus let alone Rose spend time at the manor because of my dumb Grandfather and my weak father too scared to go up against him." He peeked at Molly, afraid that she'd reprimand hin for the jabs at his family, but she seemed to be nodding sympathetically.
"Do you know Scorpius, that you do not have to be related to someone to be in their family?" Scorpius looked startled at that. "How does that work?" Molly smiled. "Give me some of that cubed beef dear." He gave her a plate of seasoned meat and waited patiently for an answer. "Did you know that Albus's father did not have much of a family before the Weasleys? He was raised by his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin, none liking magic or him too much." Scorpius frowned. He was sure that he read a book written by Rose's mum about Harry Potter's life somewhere, though it made brief mention of his relatives.
"I had some idea, he replied." Molly nodded. "Now we Weasleys are his family, the Johnsons, the Grangers, the Delacours, Albus and Rose's Aunt Audrey's family, and Teddy Lupin and his Grandmum, Andromeda. Molly frowned, though those two would technically be YOUR family also." Molly giggled to herself as Scorpius frowned.
It had been briefly mentioned and dismissed that Andromeda was his Grandmother's sister. Scorpius had even hung out with her a few times, though only his Mother knew about it and approved. Even SHE was less stuffy than his other relatives. His Aunt Andromeda was a Lady in every way but enjoyed fun. She even had muggle games that he and Rose enjoyed! Oh, and Albus also. It seemed that everyone had a cool grandparent but him, and he told Molly so.
"Scorpius, oh you poor dear." she said, pulling him into a hug. Scorpius didn't get many hugs, so it made him tense up when she did it. Molly pretened that she didn't notice and rubbed his back. "Sometimes it is hard for ones who grew up a certain way to act any different. It does not mean that they love any less, or are less fun or cool, they just love in their own way. In certain pureblood circles one does not show emotion. Even love towards ones child can be considered weak. They show love as best that they can. I've met Narcissa Malfoy, and through that exterior I see a woman who would do anything for her family, though she makes less of a spectacle out of it."
Scorpius pulled back "Really?" Molly smiled. "Yes, dear." Standing up, she shooed him away from his chair. "Now lets deliver these to those sick Grandkids of mine, and then my honorary Grandkid can grab a bowl without having to sneak it." she said, giving him another faux stern look. Scorpius grinned, and followed Grandmum Molly to give Albus and Rose their lunch.
Later that night, when Scorpius was returned to the Manor and welcomed by his mother, he walked with a new purpose to the ballroom where his Grandmother regularly took her tea. Looking in at the white haired Matriach sipping her tea and gazing into a very old mirror, he slipped in.
"Hello, Grandmother." Narcissa Malfoy did not smiled, though her eyes softened a bit. "And what did you do today, Scorpius?" Scorpius cringed inside. "I spent it helping Mrs. Weasley make Albus and Rose feel better." He noticed that Narcissa's eyes hardened and her lips tighten. "I see. Which Mrs. Weasley, the Bird or the Mudblood?"
Scorpius remained firm. "The Veela and the Muggleborn had other things to do. It was just Molly and I." Narcissa scoffed. "Molly? Is that what she lets you call her? Well those Weasleys never had much decorum anyway." He stepped forward. Scorpius bent down and hugged his Grandmother fiercely.
Narcissa tensed as he spoke. "I know that you were bought up a certain way, I know that this hug would have been seen as a sign of weakness. I know that telling you that I still love you even though you can't accept my friends might make me seem weak to you. And I know that you might not ever change. But you are still my family and it doesn't matter what you do I still love you, because you are one of the only Grandparents I have left."
Scorpius stood up and smiled. Im going to go write a letter to Aunt Andromeda and a thank you card to Grandmum Molly." Narcissa was so very shocked at the display of affection, that she didn't even notice the use of Andromeda and Grandmum Molly. Looking into the mirror at her perfect Hair and clothes, Narcissa Malfoy examined deeper what was inside of her other than her appearance in a very long time.