December, 1983

"What's your name?" Narcissa asked the girl on her lap, who had recently discovered her ability to shake in fear.

"Lauren Granger" The girl mumbled.

"Lovely to meet you, Lauren. My name is Narcissa, but you can call me Cissa if you want to." She smiled at Lauren, who curled closer into Cissa's lap.

"Why did mummy not like me, Cissa?" Lauren asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know, Lauren. I don't know."

'O-O'

"Who is this simpering infant, Narcissa?" Lucius growled at his wife, "And why is she in my house?"

"Lucius, I will explain everything over a cup of tea." Narcissa purred, "Or Firewhiskey, if you prefer."

Lucius commanded the house-elf to bring a large tea platter with sandwiches, thinking this would be a long explanation. Cissa sat the young girl on the floor, putting one of her own son's toys in front of her, then took her own seat at the large cedar table.

"I will have to admit a secret to completely explain how I got the girl." Narcissa started, her stare warning Lucius to let her get the full story out before he said anything. "I have been meeting with Andromeda in muggle parks, so I could see my niece grow up. Her name is Nymphadora, and she is 8 years old as of about a month ago." She went on to explain Monica's outburst, and her husband's giveaway of the child without a single backwards glance.

"We cannot possibly keep a muggle child, Narcissa! We don't know if she'll even be magical! And if she is, why should the Malfoy house suffer their pureblood image for a filthy Mudblood?" Narcissa waited for her husband to return to his seat and stop steaming from the ears before continuing.

"You will never speak of the child in that manner again as long as you shall live. I will take her to St. Mungo's first thing in the morning to see if they can tell. If she is not magical, I will personally find a good muggle home for her." Narcissa held up one hand to stop Lucius' words before they left his mouth, "If she is magical, we will raise her as our ward. We will raise this child as if I had birthed her myself. Do you understand, Mr. Malfoy?" The blond man stared at his wife incredulously.

"I will do no-"

"You will do as you are instructed, Lucius."

`O-O'

Lauren didn't want to be in the room with Cissa and the man with the long hair when they were arguing, so she went exploring. She toddled up the grand stairs and down the hallway that she thought was entirely too long for a normal house. Suddenly, she heard something hit a wall down one of the side halls. She followed the sound to a room about halfway down, and knocked on the door. A little boy with short white hair and light blue eyes opened the door.

"Hello." Lauren chirped, excited to have met another child around her age.

"Who are you?" The boy sneered, "Why are you in my house?"

"Miss Cissa brought me here when mummy didn't want me anymore. Monica was my mummy, but I think Cissa is my new mummy." The little boy looked very confused, "My name is Lauren."

Lauren shrunk back at the sound of the boy's shriek, "MOTHER! THERE'S A LITTLE GIRL IN OUR HOUSE!"

Narcissa came running to the boy's room, thankful the girl hadn't wandered outside to meet the vicious peacocks that roamed the grounds. "Draco! Behave yourself! You know better than to scream at guests. This is Lauren Granger. She will be staying with us for a few days. Lauren, this is Draco Malfoy, my son."

"Hi, Draco. Can I play with you?" The girl asked the floor between her and Draco's door.

"Yes! I always wanted a sister! Thank you, Mother!" The two children disappeared into the playroom, Lauren yelling about something called 'Cowboys and Indians' or something.

Narcissa just stood and listened to the children play and hoped beyond all likelihood that the girl had magic in her blood.

- `O-O' -

A/N: I am working on longer chapters. This is my first real try at a longer fic, so be honest!