A/N: My thanks to my beta and my readers. *Hugs for you all*
Narcissa smiled as she watched Erin skip down the steps of the last house on the block, chatting animatedly with the other children about the sweets they procured. Her only regret was that Demetri and Severus weren't here to witness the joy on their daughter's face. There is always next year, she thought to herself as she smiled when Erin approached.
"Are you ready to call it a day, my little Slytherin?" Narcissa asked as she took Erin's treat bag that was nearly filled to bursting.
Erin looked up at her with a pout. "But, Aunt Cissy, it's still light out and we haven't even done the other street after the park."
"We have been out here for nearly three hours, Erin, and you haven't eaten supper yet." She looked in the bag and glanced sideways at the child. " You have more sweets in here than Honeydukes has on their shelves. I think it's time to get back to the Manor and eat before sending you back home to your parents."
"Awe. Please, Aunt Cissy! Just one more street. Then we can go home, please?" Erin tried to look as sad as she could manage, hoping it would work on her aunt.
Narissa raised an eyebrow, not even fazed. "Erin, don't whine. I said we are done trick or treating and that is final."
Erin crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her lower lip. "That's not fair." She kicked a rock and watched it skitter across the pavement. Her eyes strayed to the park and she smirked. "The other kids said there's a haunted maze set up in the park, and that it's really scary and fun. Can I do the maze before we go if I can't keep Trick or Treating?" She turned to her aunt with a hopeful look on her face.
Narcissa sighed as she looked over at the park. They had another hour or so before Demetri was due at the Manor to pick up Erin and Narcissa couldn't see the harm in allowing Erin this last bit of fun. "All right, Erin, we will go, but I will give you a half an hour before we must return home.
Erin smiled and hugged her aunt. " Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!" She released the older woman and took her hand, tugging her along behind her.
"Erin, slow down." Narcissa laughed as she followed Erin though the fence that surrounded the park. When Erin dropped her hand and began to walk away, Narcissa stopped her. "Half an hour, Erin. I will be over by the exit of the maze waiting for you. Be careful and have fun."
"I will." Erin smiled before heading off to the entrance of the maze.
Narcisa sat on one of the park benches near the exit of the maze and kept an eye on the top of Erin's Witch's hat as she entered the maze. Feeling like she was being watched, Narcissa looked away from Erin to see Demetri walking towards her. Judging by the look on her face, she knew Severus had found out about their little outing today. "What happened?" she asked as Demetri sat next to her.
"Severus and I had a major row. We both said things that will take months to get over." Demetri closed her eyes against the tears that stung at her eyes.
Narcissa placed a hand on the other woman's shoulder. "We all say hurtful things when we are mad, Demetri. You two are the most hard headed couple I've ever seen. You both will stew over this row, lick your wounds, then argue again over who should be apologizing to whom."
Demetri snorted. "I highly doubt that. Bastard forcefully used Legilimens on me, Cissy. How can I forgive him that after what I went through with Abraxas?"
"You dare compare me to that sorry excuse of a wizard?" Both witches flinched and turned to see Severus standing behind them. "If you think so low of me, Demetri, why trust me around our daughter?"
Demetri stood and stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists at her side. " I didn't mean it like that, Severus! I trust you with Erin. I meant how could I forgive you forcing your way into my mind when you know my father used to do it to me as a child as a form of punishment. What he did was tantamount to rape in the eyes of the French Ministry and if I wasn't so afraid of him, I'd have turned him in.
"So now I'm a no better than a rapist?" he sneered.
"Severus, please lower your voice. People are starting to stare," Narcissa pleaded as she caught a few people glancing their way.
"I didn't say that, Severus." Demetri threw her hands up in frustration. "Did you come here just to pick another fight?"
"I've come to take Erin home." Severus crossed his arms over his chest.
"Can't you leave her be, Severus? Let her have her fun," Narcissa tried to intervene.
"She had her fun. Now it's time for her to come home. She needs to face the consequences of disobeying me and going along with this whole scheme of her mother's." Severus turned away from the two witches and began to walk towards the maze.
Demetri went after him and grabbed his arm forcing him to turn around. "Don't you dare blame her and punish her for wanting to be a normal child, Severus."
"But I can punish her for lying to me, Demetri." He shook off her hand and continued towards the exit of the maze.
Demetri followed him. "Dont do this to get back at me, Severus. She is only a child."
Severus shook his head without even looking at her. " Spoken like a true Malfoy. Alway thinking things are about you."
"If you have such a problem with my being a Malfoy, then why did you marry me, Severus?" she snapped. "Don't forget Erin has been a Malfoy longer than she's been a Snape."
That got Severus's attention and he finally turned to face his wife. "Now I see through this whole plan today. Teach her to lie to those who she cares for, lie and deceive to get her way. Passing on the family traits a little late in the game, Demetri."
Demetri flinched at his words and growled low in her throat. She took a step forward, prepared to hit him again, but Narcissa beat her to it. Both Severus and Demetri looked at the other witch with identical looks of shock, neither realizing she had followed them.
"You both are lucky that there are Muggles around or that would have been a hex." Narcissa glared at the two of them before her gaze settled on Severus. "I take your last words as a personal insult, Severus. Don't ever let me hear you besmirch the Malfoy name again." She stood a little taller now. "Now if you both are done making a spectacle of yourselves, I will be taking my niece home to Malfoy Manor. She doesn't need to be caught in the middle of your petty squabbling." With those words, Narcissa walked away to collect Erin.
Demetri stood there, her anger still bristling as she refused to look at Severus. Severus stood with his arms across his chest looking at the playground without seeing it, his thoughts miles away.
Both turned in unison as they heard Narcissa shouting their daughter's name. Demetri was the first to move, Severus following behind her as she ran to her sister-in-law.
"She's gone. Erin is gone." Narcissa's hand shook as she held Erin's torn and dirty witches hat.
A/N; Dun, Dun, Duh!
