Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from Ariadne Aurora Malfoy-Granger. Everything else belongs to the genius J K Rowling.

Summary: It was a normal day for Draco Malfoy, but as soon as he stepped out of the fire place and brushed the soot off his robes he knew something was wrong. On this bed was a wicker Moses basket stuffed with a bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl fast asleep. She had nothing with her except a letter addressed to him and a golden necklace he knew too well. T for safety.

Chapter Ten

A Surprise Visit

Its been three weeks since Narcissa's surprise visit but Blaise knew nothing about the nature of her sudden appearance on Draco's doorstep. All Blaise knew that it must have been a serious matter because Draco had been in a dark mood ever since. A lot darker than the mood he had been since that poor excuse of a reporter Rita Skeeter printed Ariadne's name all over The Prophet.

By the time Blaise and Ariadne came back that day, Draco had locked himself in his study with books piled high on the floor beside his desk and his nose buried in leather bound books similar to those Hermione Granger use to refer to as light reading. Oh how she would faint in happiness if she could see Draco's library. Blaise tried with all his might to figure out what bothered Draco but every time he tried Draco shot all his inquiries down in a snap. Even Ariadne noticed the change in her Daddy's attitude.

"Tell me why we're having this party again?" Draco commented dryly, after he successfully escaped the eager clutches of Eve and her friends. Draco didn't even know about the party Blaise and Eve supposedly planned. It was only this morning at breakfast did Blaise tell him what was going to happen that day. And even then Blaise had no choice but to tell Draco because Tilly appeared out of nowhere balancing a three-tier cake with a castle on top. Ariadne's birthday fell on a Wednesday but Blaise decided that it was a good idea to wait until the weekend to have a party because Draco had been busy working on the biggest case of the year. Draco was convinced that her birthday would be a quiet affair that consisted of going to wherever Ariadne fancied and then having dinner outside.

"It's Addie's birthday." Blaise shrugged without looking at Draco because he was busy watching Ariadne being chased by Tommy. Hm, the friendship between his goddaughter and Tommy might be innocent for now, but Blaise knew that once they get older he has to make sure to keep a close eye on both of them.

"She's four, she doesn't need this type of party where the whole neighbourhood is crowded in my living room." Draco retorted as he glanced around the living room. It wasn't the best day for a party because it was raining but the children didn't seem to mind as they ran in and out of the house whilst the adults crowded around the living room with their preferred beverage in one hand and a piece of cake in the other.

"Don't be a spoil sport Draco, besides wasn't it you who wanted to blend into the Muggle world. This is the Muggle way and Eve went into so much trouble organising everything for us." Blaise smirked as he noticed Draco shudder slightly at the name. Eve had been insufferable today, always pouncing on Draco when he ever came in line of her sight and her screeching laughter clawed at his eardrums. It reminded him of the times where Pansy went through a phase of obsessing over Draco but thankfully her fascination with him faded and they returned to being good friends.

"We don't even know half the people in the living room in this moment in time. I bet half of them just wanted to see what colour walls I have, Nosy gits." Draco mumbled under his breath as one of Eve's friends walked in front of them swaying her hips and fluttered her eyes at Draco.

"Oh Draco Malfoy, ever the pessimist. Just relax, it's your kid's fourth birthday. Look even Theo and Daphne seems like they're having fun." Blaise laughed and nodded his head at a heavily pregnant Daphne Nott nee Greengrass and her husband Theodore Nott talking to Samantha and Bobby. Draco had not seen his friends for nearly a year because he had been busy and it was certainly a surprise when they walked into his house that morning. After all the hugging (on Daphne and Pansy's part) and hand shaking (Theo and Pansy's fiancé Adrian Pucey), both Daphne and Pansy went on a rant and chided Draco for not telling them about Ariadne.

Draco's relationship with his friends did fizzle out after the war and it took them nearly the whole eight year to accept that Draco had changed. Draco was their ring leader and it was odd to see him so tolerant to Muggleborns but it did finally sink in that Draco no longer held the views of the old ways. After Hogwarts and the fact they finally accepted the new Draco, they kept in touch because the friendship they formed was not easily severed off and Slytherins no matter what looked after their own.

"I can't believe you manage to rope them in" Draco shook his head in disbelief and wondered how exactly Blaise manage to get their old pureblood friends to a party full of muggles. Of course their friends were more tolerant towards Muggles but Draco did not expect to see them in a muggle community talking to muggles as if they were muggles themselves.

"It wasn't hard, they really wanted to see you again but they're still mad at you for not telling them about Addie."

"Hmm." Draco merely hummed his reply as Ariadne came rushing in and trailed mud around the place. Draco had managed to grab hold of her arm to stop her from entering the living room and trail more muddy footprints.

"Its my birthday!" Ariadne beamed happily at Draco and Blaise who lingered just outside the living room.

"Is it?" Draco feigned innocence as he crouched down to Ariadne's level

"Yes it is!"

"No it isn't. It can't be. I distinctly remember, your birthday was last year!" Draco shook his head and tapped Ariadne's nose gently.

"Daddy!"

"Oh all right, here you go darling." Draco laughed and pulled out a small box with a pink ribbon on top from his pocket and placed it on Ariadne's hands. Ariadne pursed her lips in thought before she carefully pulled the ribbon of and opened the box. Nestled inside was a delicate silver necklace with a flower pendant, had five tear drop diamonds for its petals and a pearl in the middle.

"Its so pretty Daddy! And it's a flower." Ariadne smiled brightly and threw her arms around Draco tightly in an embrace.

"Well, a pretty gift for a pretty little lady, and happy birthday flower." Draco chuckled and patted her curls affectionately before planting a kiss on her cheeks. Ariadne returned the kisses and Draco offered to place the necklace on her before she ran off to find Tommy and show her present off.

Draco just smiled at his daughter's antics before he returned to living room only to find Lady Zabini with her arms around Blaise in her infamous bone crushing hugs. Lady Zabini was a beautiful woman with black flowing hair, dark chocolate skin and a hint of Italian accent that men seemed to find so attractive despite her reputation of a black widow.

"Ah Draco, my boy!" Lady Zabini exclaimed as soon as she saw Draco approached and gave him one of her bone crushing hugs too.

"Aunt Luciana, please you're cutting off my blood circulation." Draco winced before Lady Zabini let him go and Muggles watched with fascination at the scene before them.

"Draco, dear, I haven't seen you for so long. How are you keeping?" Lady Zabini inquired softly.

"I'm doing well, Aunt Luciana."

"Good, good. You do look well despite what your mother had done."

"What? What did Aunt Cissa do, mother?" Blaise's interest was piqued at the mention of what his mother just said. How could his mother know something but he didn't even though he lived with Draco.

"How did you know?" Draco inquired as he arched one eyebrow elegantly.

"Don't worry, dear, I was visiting your mother when she told me. I was rather surprised when she told me, but I suppose be thankful at the fact that she gave you a year. Normally with these kind of… agreement the terms are to be as soon as possible. A month or even less." Lady Zabini mused.

"I am trying to think of a plan before the year is up. I am not playing by Lady Malfoy's rules, after all they did disown me all those years ago." Draco stated coldly with a spark in his eyes that made Lady Zabini smile at the boy's determination.

"I'm afraid there is nothing you can do, dear boy, but after knowing you all these years I'm sure you can work something out. I for one knows never to question what a Malfoy is capable of."

"Maybe you're right, Aunt Luciana."

"Just remember Draco, your mother was never like this. Your mother was gentle and kind even for a Black and I was against her marriage to Lucius. I told her, she's better off with that Greengrass boy but Cissa was not prepared to go against your grandparents' wishes." Lady Zabini looked at Draco for a moment before gently took him into her arms again.

"Blood Magic, Draco. Once under the influence of such dark magic, one can never escape. Much like the Imperius but more ancient and darker and remember who knows what a Malfoy is capable of." She whispered in Draco's ears before she let him go and dragged him to find Ariadne to give her a present she cant help but love.

"Odd." Blaise said to no one in particular. He was about to join Daphne and Theo when the doorbell rang and echoed through the house. Blaise sighed heavily and the murmur of the Muggles crowded around in the living room had quietened down to a silence.

Blaise pulled the front door open and gasped when he saw who was in front of him. Blaise dropped the glass in his hand and gaped like a fish, completely ignore the broken glass and beer pooled between them.

"Granger!" Blaise finally choked out.

"Hello, Blaise."