Chapter 3: Dinners, Dragons and Daddies

"So how did your dinner go?" Narcissa asked her son when he returned home that night.

"Very well, thank you."

"So who was there?" Lucius asked.

"Blaise and the Weaslette obviously… Potter and his wife, Theo, one of the Patil sisters, Daphne and her husband Dean, Astoria, Seamus Finnegan, Longbottom and his wife, Pansy, the Weasel and Hermione Granger."

"Hermione Weasley," Narcissa corrected.

"Nope – Granger – they are just waiting for confirmation of the divorce."

Lucius noticed a glint in his son's eye but chose to ignore it. "I've been invited to Potter's house for dinner tomorrow night."

"Well, you certainly seem to have found a way into society," Lucius grinned, "I'm pleased."

"I think that in a few weeks time, you will invite your new friends to the manor for a weekend of entertainment," Narcissa added, "that will help."

"Mother," Draco frowned, "we're not ten anymore."

"Perhaps not but your friends will appreciate it."

"We'll see," Draco laughed.

"We could host a ball," Narcissa suggested.

"I think we should give it some time."


The next night, Draco dressed in a pair of expensive muggle jeans and a shirt and apparated to Potter's house. Draco knew that this was not Potter's only house. He also had the Black residence in London. Harry wanted to be away from the busyness of the city and so had built a large family home in the New Forest in the south of the country. Draco was surprised by the house's grandeur. Potter had always been incredibly humble.

A house elf opened the door, "Mister Malfoy; please come in."

The house elf showed him into a large sitting room where Harry was sat chatting to Hermione. "Alright Malfoy?" Harry grinned when he entered and stood to shake his hand.

Hermione allowed him to kiss her on the cheek before she retook her seat, "how have you settled in back at the manor?"

"Very well, thank you. Mother and Father are already considering throwing a ball…" he shook his head.

Hermione laughed gently, "but balls are so much fun."

Draco grinned, "they can be…"

Draco turned as he heard a sudden noise coming from the hallway, "but mummy, we don't want to go to bed!"

"It's time for bed; go in and kiss your father and aunty Hermione good night before I take away your broomstick, James Potter," Luna's voice softened before she added, "you too Hugo."

Two toddlers walked into the living room. The first had dark hair and green eyes but he wasn't the one that caught Draco's eye. The other child had chocolate brown hair and a beautiful set of brown eyes, "good night mummy," he said in a very polite voice.

He hugged her tightly before turning to his uncle Harry. Draco couldn't believe how much the child looked like Hermione. There wasn't even a hint of Weasley in that boy. Both boys turned towards him but it was James who spoke up, "who are you?"

"Don't be rude, James Sirius Potter," Harry chastised.

"Sorry," James frowned, he hoped that Draco would still answer the question.

"I am Draco Malfoy," Draco answered.

Hugo grinned, "that's a strange name… what does Draco mean?"

"It means dragon," Draco grinned.

Hugo jumped for joy before shuffling closer to Draco, "are you a dragon?" he whispered excitedly.

"No, unfortunately not," Draco sighed, "but I know one."

"You do?" Hugo and James looked at each other in excitement.

"Can you tell us stories about dragons?" Hugo asked.

"Maybe some other time," Hermione told the two boys as she got to her feet, "come on angels, time for bed." She picked up her son and took James by the hand and led them towards the door, "say goodnight to your new friend."

"Good night dragon," Hugo yarned as he lay his head on his mother's shoulder.

Draco turned to Harry, "so whose coming tonight?"

"It's a smaller get together tonight," Harry sighed, "Dean, Daphne and Astoria are visiting the Greengrasses this evening, Neville and Hannah wanted a quiet night in, Seamus is working late tonight, Pansy promised her parents she'd spend most of the weekend with them and Ron… well to be honest, I didn't invite Ron. It's just not a good idea when the group is so small."

"I understand."

"Do you?" Harry looked doubtful, "you know, I've never seen Hugo take to anyone that quickly. He's usually so very shy."

"He's a sweet kid; even if he does think I'm a dragon," they chuckled at the idea until the others arrived.


In comparison to the previous night, they were a very small group – just eight of them. They sat in a smaller dining room, Draco imagined the house probably had several. The table was round and so lead to plenty of conversation. Draco found himself between Hermione and Parvati and since Parvati focussed all of her efforts on her conversation with Theo, Draco found himself talking mainly to Hermione when he wasn't talking to the group at large.

"So what have you been up to for the last five years?" Hermione asked, "you've heard all about what we've been doing, what about you?"

"I've been working…" Draco began to explain how he had been working for the family business. "We've stretched our market quite a bit in the last five years; we have hotels, shops, restaurants and all sorts in America, Europe and of course the UK."

"What made you return?" Hermione asked. "I'm sorry; I feel a bit nosey to be honest. You don't have to answer."

"No, it's fine. My parents wanted to come back and I wanted to improve the public image of the company in the UK."

Hermione nodded, "makes sense."

"So, one thing I didn't learn last night was what everyone was doing with themselves. I heard all about their relationships with one another but not a jot about their careers. All I know is that you are a healer, Potter's the head of the auror office and the Weaslette plays quidditch… fancy filling in the gaps?"

Hermione laughed, "sure… well Blaise has his own potions business – supplies St Mungo's and everything. They are the best potioneers in Britain."

"Nice – I always knew he'd do well for himself."

"Luna is a wizarding naturalist – she's getting a bit famous with it – she's discovered almost ten new magical creatures… although it does take her away from home quite a lot… she hasn't done much travelling since James was born."

Hermione thought for a second before continuing, "Neville teaches Herbology at Hogwarts and Hannah teaches Transfiguration. Dean is an auror, as is Theo and Ron… Pansy has her own beautifying shop in Diagon Alley… the Patil twins work as unspeakables in the department of mysteries – but between you and me, they work in the Hall of Prophecies – they've always been fascinated by the "ART" of divination," Hermione told him sarcastically.

Draco chuckled at her tone, "Seamus works at the ministry; department of magical games and sports, Daphne and Astoria own a fashion store in Diagon Alley."

"So everyone are proper adults then," Draco laughed.

"Something like that," Hermione giggled, until she heard loud crying coming from upstairs, "and that's my quo, I'll be right back." Hermione rushed up the stairs and into the nursery, "shhh, come on angel," Hermione hugged Hugo close, encouraging him to go back to sleep.

"I miss daddy," Hugo cried.

"I know lovely," Hermione felt tears on her own face, "sleep now angel – you'll see your daddy really soon."