Heavy

Maya played with the shrimp heads in her plate, the prongs of her fork screeched on the ceramic and her eyes met the scowl of her mother.

Leonie Grindelwald Laurent, her young mother, had lived her life paying the price of her surname until someone else had found it interesting enough. Gabriel Laurent, was much older than Leonie, he was the Head of the Bureau de la Justice Magique, working for the French Ministry of Magic; the man had always been fascinated with the character of Gellert Grindelwald and he hadn't resisted the temptation to add Leonie to his lists of unhappy marriages, as you would do with a precious and weird collectible. Leonie had been his third, and last, attempt at having a family of his own.

Maya had never really bonded with the man. Gabriel Laurent had always appeared distant to her, bound to them as a man bound to a collection of precious gems.

Gabriel kept them well dressed, clean and up to his standards but he had never really loved neither of them. Proof of that was the fact that as soon as he had learned his first, and probably only, heir was a girl he had looked for someone who could provide him with a suitable male heir.

Maya and Draco had been betrothed since the day of dawn and Maya was quite grateful for the universe to have given her a second shot at a family so soon.

Her sorry eyes left the ones of her mom to find the warm ones of Lucius Malfoy. Lucius was the man she could call father, he had been the one spoiling her rot since she was a small child and the one to always stand by her side. Of course Lucius Malfoy had his interests in keeping Maya happy and she knew that, but the fascination he had for the ancient blood running in her vein had played a strong role in their relationship and it had brought them pretty close over the years.

Draco frowned at their exchange of looks and stiffened on his chair as Gabriel poured him more wine.

"Drink up boy, there's no such thing as a drinking age. Enjoy the good things in life," he said patting on the boy's shoulder. Draco took a sip from the glass curling his nose, Maya knew how he detested wine and lowered her eyes back on the small carcasses in her plate moving their heads around in circles.

"Sixth year mh?" asked Narcissa smiling placidly at her only son, the woman, luckily for Draco, adored him. Her all life was devoted to make up for his father's lack of love and patience.

"Almost done," he said smiling at her, Narcissa was also the sole human being he would smile to in public. Maya knew she'd never see the day he'd smile at her like that but she loved that about him.

"And then the internship in Paris, the work at the Ministry… so many great things to come young Draco!" Gabriel looked at the boy and his eyes filled with expectations. Draco's shoulders crouched under the weight of that look as he gulped down the wine.

"And the wedding!" yelled Leonie, she was clearly quite tipsy and the only one who looked back at her with enthusiasm seemed to be Lucius who nodded raising his glass.

"Of course, the wedding" smiled stiffly Narcissa, imitating her husband as everyone else joined in.

"Hopefully that one will end up looking a bit better in a couple of years." Said Gabriel laughing at his own joke and pointing at his daughter. Maya glared at him, blushing at the memory of Draco's disappointment in what was under her shirt.

"She looks beautiful already," frowned Leonie, "Tu es déjà belle, ma chérie. You just need to fill the gaps a little!"[ You're already beautiful darling] said her mom patting on her flat chest as if reading her mind.

"Le bon vin est dans le petit tonneau." [The good wine is in the small barrel.] Maya murmured glancing at Draco's grin.

"Wives are for child bearing boy, when the time comes, just put a baby in that belly and have your fun." Said Gabriel and an embarrassed silence fell around the table, the only sound was the one of Leonie, filling up her glass way over the appropriate measure.

Dinner dragged on later than expected, when the last drop of bitter had slid down their throats, it was way past midnight, the adults were blabbering about this new kid down at the British Ministry, a certain Tom Riddle, working his ways up the ranks, but Maya had no interests in politics nor was she allowed in the conversation, and soon she felt her eyelids getting heavier.

"Go to bed already" muttered Draco playing with a lock of her hair, the light of the candles was hypnotizing her and the only thing keeping her awake were the mosquitoes biting her legs under the table.

"Mais c'est ta dernière nuit à la maison." [But it's your last night home] She whined studying the movements of his fingers around the small lock of hair.

"And we won't sleep together anymore, you're too old. Va au lit ou je te mets un bébé dans le ventre!" [Go to bed or I'll put a baby in your belly!] He laughed soflty at the words. Maya frowned in defeat and walked up to Lucius to kiss him good night, then she did the same with her mothers. Gabriel nodded her goodnight from a more appropriate distance as she slightly bowed before him.

"Mon amour, tu n'as pas dit bonne nuit à ton amant." [My love, you did not say good night to your lover!] Scolded her mom's voice, she stopped and walked back to the blonde boy kissing his lips with a noisy smooch, making Leonie giggle with mirth.

"Bonne nuit mon mon amour! Rêver de moi." [Good night my love, dream of me!] She said loud enough for him to blush in front of their family. Grinning she made a quick curtsy and run to her room.