Chapter 10; birthday surprises

Disclaimer; same as previous

Narcissa

As she and Amy entered the dining room for dinner her son and husband stood from the table and didn't sit until the women had. These little shows of etiquette always pleased her. She wondered how they were coming along with Amy's birthday present.

The girl had insisted that she didn't want a party or any lavish gifts but Narcissa was getting around that by organizing the engagement party on the same night. As the Potter boy was Amy's twin she had reservations at first about the idea, thinking that the Manor would probably be the last place he would want to celebrate the occasion but he had owled her back accepting the invitation and she got the feeling that he shared his sisters silly idea about not making too much fuss about these things.

Everyone was invited and she had warned her husband to be on his best behaviour. If he so much as sneered at any of the guests he would be sent to his room. She smirked at the thought. It was in her nature to be the one in charge and now she finally had the chance.

They enjoyed a pleasant meal and as per usual she invited Amy to her study. They had much to plan.

It was thrilling to have celebrations to organise once again. She knew the other wish didn't share her enthusiasm for it but she would appreciate the little touches Narcissa was proud of paying attention to when the time came.

So far the only things the girl stipulated as important for the wedding were that it was low key and the flowers she had wanted. Tonight it was time to talk dresses.

"For the bridesmaids I'm thinking green, floor length, and each shall have their own input on the styles."

"Amy smiled at that as she knew she would. They were both thinking of the Granger girl, who would surely want sleeves long enough to mask Bellatrix's handiwork on her arm and the colour she had chosen would complement the Weasley girls colouring and hair.

"Have you asked them yet?" she inquired.

"No" Amy replied. "I'm waiting till the party, though I'm sure Hermione would have guessed already."

"That brings us to your dress." This was to be Narcissa's favourite part. "I have a sketch here I made up the other night but if there are any changes you'd like let me know."

She handed over the drawing and Amy's eyes lit up.

"It's perfect"

Amy

The engagement party was in full swing. She was thankful for the privacy of the manor grounds as no journalists were able to get in. Lucius sat at a table with his wife and her sister, who was giving him a talking to. She had never seen him look so sheepish.

Draco stood beside her, his arm about her waist as they mingled through the crowd, thanking people for coming. She was doing most of the talking of course, as he was still a little uncomfortable with what he now referred to as her side of the family. That made her laugh.

It was nice that since the truth came out about who she really was, she now had more family than just harry, but also a whole pack of Weasley's and all of their friends. It was strange, remembering that for the first eleven years of her life she had thought herself so alone.

"Happy birthday!" Harry exclaimed as he and Ginny arrived.

"And to you" Amy replied as she hugged him. He gave her the present they had brought. It was wrapped in nice golden paper.

"Yours is inside, I'll give it to you before you go." She told him. He nodded and told her to open hers now.

"And congratulations…officially." Harry said turning to Draco. They shook hands rather formally as they had done at the Burrow and Amy and Ginny smiled to one another.

She unwrapped the small box carefully.

"I found it in my…in our vault the other day" he told her as she opened the lid revealing a small silver locket. "Open it"

She did so and the picture inside made her heart leap and tears sprang in her eyes. Her mother and father looked up at her, smiling as they each held a blanket wrapped bundle in their arms.

"There's an inscription on the back" he informed her and she turned it, holding back a sob.

Our family

"Oh Harry" she said, giving him another hug. "Thank you"

He smiled as they pulled apart. "Let me put it on."

"Wait" she undid the necklace Draco had given her for her twelfth birthday and slid the snake charm from the chain before putting it onto the one holding the locket. She then handed it to her brother who fumbled with it a bit but fastened it eventually.

"Oh Ginny before I forget can I talk to you and Hermione for a minute together?" she asked and with a smile at Harry and Draco she and the other girl went off to find Hermione.

She looked back once to see the two men stood awkwardly looking as though they were making uncomfortable small talk and smiled as Ginny said.

"Give it a while and they'll be thick as thieves."

"Ha I don't know about that but they really are trying aren't they?"

"If you take trying to mean that they aren't hexing one another right now then yeah, they'd both do anything for you Amy" she nodded and they kept walking, thinking just how lucky she was.

When they found Hermione it took a moment to extricate her from Ron's grip. The couple were looking more and more loved up every time she saw them.

"Sickening isn't it." Ginny whispered to her as Ron blew Hermione a kiss, which she pretended to catch mid-air. Amy laughed. She liked the girl more and more.

"What's this about?" Hermione inquired curiously as Amy led them away from the rest of the party.

"Well I just wondered whether you both would agree to be my bridesmaids?" if Amy had been worried about their answer she had nothing to fear as they both grinned, excited.

"I wondered if you were ever going to ask!" Hermione exclaimed. "Of course they both chimed.

"Don't worry, Narcissa has everything organised, you don't have to lift a finger."

"Like hell we don't! "Ginny smirked. "I already have some ideas for the hen night" Amy felt suddenly wary.

"You don't have to…I mean I don't want any fuss"

"Merlin you and Harry really are twins aren't you. Well don't you fret about anything. We have it covered don't we Mione" the other girl looked just as nervous at the prospect as Amy felt.

"You just go about your business Potter. We have some planning to do."

Amy walked back through the crowd, wondering at the horrors Ginny had in store for her."

She found Draco sitting with his parents and aunt. Also sitting at the long table were Harry, Hagrid, Ron, Bill and Charlie, who were discussing all things quidditch she sat beside Andromeda. Little Teddy was in his pram between them.

"May I?" she asked, indicating the purple haired child. "Of course. You and Harry must visit with Cissy next time; get to know your godson." She agreed and took the baby in her arms. He smiled up at her and she stroked his tiny palm with her finger, which he grabbed and tried to shove into his mouth.

She hardly paid attention to any of the people around her, and when she finally did raise her eyes they met with Draco's across the table. He smiled at her sadly and she knew they were sharing the same thoughts.

"He's beautiful." She said as she placed the now sleeping Teddy into his pram and rose from the table. She made sure he was warm enough before heading out into the crowd once more, hoping to procure a drink.

A dance floor had been conjured and a band was playing as couples swayed to the music. Luna Lovegood looked as gone with the fairies as ever as she led a happy looking Dean Thomas in a bizarre version of the fox trot. Her father seemed to be trying the same with professor McGonagall, who was having none of it. She was glad the new headmistress had made it as there was a time when the woman only looked at her to glare.

"May I have this dance?" she turned to find Lucius standing behind her, his arm out. She accepted.

"I heard about the speech you gave at the award ceremony." He said as they danced as they had done so many times at various functions throughout the years she had lived at the manor.

"Yes, I think I managed to take that Skeeter woman down a peg or two in people's opinions."

"That you did. It put me in mind of how I never told you how sorry I was for your loss. Before you say it's alright because I didn't know it wasn't Snape's let me clear the air. I knew it was my grandchild. I may not have been aware of Snapes true loyalties but I knew the type of man he was. I knew Severus since the day he started Hogwarts.

I was a prefect by that time and I must admit that he had more ability and talent at that stage than I had had in all my years of learning. He was also once a friend. Even if I had been fooled I should have said something to you. I care for you as Severus did, child. I was incensed by what happened."

"If you had shown it He would have known." Amy said, referring to Voldemort, who would have shown no mercy in his mocking Lucius for caring about what happened to her.

"Yes but so would you. Happy birthday dear child. I see my son is on his way to cut in." He bowed and kissed the back of her hand before heading back to his table. Draco arrived seconds later.

"What was that about?" he asked, looking back to where his father was now sitting beside his wife once more. "I was about to follow you when you left but he told me to wait"

"He wanted to wish me a happy birthday." She replied. After he didn't look fooled she went on. "And let me know that he cares" he nodded, taking her hand and they danced together as the song changed.

"He does. He sort of told me once when I was about to curse Greyback."

She didn't remember this from the memories he had shared with her. Seeing her confusion he elaborated.

"It was after I…after we broke up that time. Greyback and his friends were talking about you in a way I didn't like and I was about to lose it. Father pulled me away and talked some sense into me. I though he didn't give an owls fart about the way they were always discussing you and looking at you. Turns out I was wrong."

They danced together for a while. More couples joined them.

"Are you alright?" he asked, clearly referring to the moment they had had up at the table.

"Yes, I am now. Are you?" he nodded in reply and they kissed. "I love you" she murmured as she placed her head on his chest, her arms around his waist. He put one hand on her back and the other into her hair. "I love you, forever."

Later that night Amy showed Harry up to her room.

"Nice place." He said as he entered her comfortable space after the somewhat dark and cold hallway.

"Thanks" she replied. Certainly not as homey as the Slytherin common room but then you'd know wouldn't you?" They shared a laugh.

"How did you know about that?

"Hermione told me. I can't imagine Crabbe and Goyle tasting very nice."

"Absolutely disgusting. I wonder how Goyle is doing now that Crabbe's gone."

She remembered how she had seen Goyle in Azkaban as she walked by his cell to get to her own when she had been brought in. she had had a flash of his memories as their eyes had met. Finally she knew the reason Crabbe had always hated her. She wondered how Draco would have reacted if he had ever professed his love? Probably badly.

"I don't know. They were close…anyway here's your present"

She walked over to the dresser where her gift was covered with a large towel. She removed the covering and turned back to him.

"I know he can never replace…"

"No, but he's great!" Harry said, looking at the large speckled owl in the cage beside Winnie, who wasn't impressed by her temporary roommate.

"What are you going to name him?" she asked, happy that he liked him.

"I think I'll call him Brian"

Draco

He put his hand on Amy's arm as they said goodbye to the last of the guests. "Are you ready for my gift now?" his parents seemed to have vanished quite suddenly. She smiled.

He led her outside, his guts twisting with anxiousness. Would she like it? He hoped she would.

They walked hand in hand down to the gates. Amy kept asking for hints but he was giving nothing away. Once they were outside the boundary of all the protective charms placed on the grounds he apparrated them to the location of her gift.

Amy

They arrived at the end of a long driveway towered over by tall trees and plants in full bloom. Draco produced a blindfold from the pocket of his black suit pants and she let him put it on her and guide her down the drive. Try as she might she couldn't get him to tell her what was going on.

"Okay" he announced as he stopped their slow paced walking. "You can look now."

She took off the blindfold and stared up at her present. It was a beautiful house, not as large as the manor but it was no cottage either.

A lantern hung on either side of the grey painted door and from the light they offered she could make out the red ivy that sprawled across the front of the building. Looking back the way they had come she saw that more lanterns hung off tall poles the whole way down to the towering gates. The parts of the garden they lit up looked well-tended.

"Come over here" he said and led her over to a sapling in the middle of the garden. She found herself staring at a tree just a little taller than Draco.

"A willow" she whispered, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I had it planted especially. Before you say anything come into the house and have a look around."

They entered into a warm hall, its best feature an impressive wooden staircase built with a dark, highly polished wood.

They went into a room off the hall which turned out to be the dining room. The cabinets on either side of the door and the dining table with its high backed chairs in the middle of the room were of the same dark wood. A fire crackled in the hearth. The walls were a warm plum colour that went well with the shiny dark furniture.

Next was the kitchen which was accessible through the dining room as well as having its own door off the hall. In contrast to the warm cosy dining room it was bright and large with gleaming surfaces and cream walls. It was very different from the kitchen at the manor which was located as far from the family quarters as possible.

"I know this may sound crazy, but I've been talking to Bobbin and she agreed to teach me how to cook." Draco said. "Just a few things, I've always wanted to try. Don't tell father I said that" he continued seeing her shocked expression.

Next they entered a large living room with comfy green couches and rich grey rugs on the floor, the mantel piece was black marble and the walls were papered in patterns of the same colours. The effect was as cosy and inviting as the dining room had been. All that was left on that floor was a small closet and bathroom.

They headed up the stairs. There were six doors, two on one side of the carpeted hall and four on the other. They looked into each, beginning with the side that housed the most. The first three were simply decorated with wooden floors and beds, small fireplaces on one wall with a couch in front of it. Their walls were painted cream and each had a small walk in closet and bathroom.

When he opened the fourth door she had to hold back a sob; it was smaller than the rest with what looked to be furniture made for a child. One wall was taken up by a large book case and there was a comfy looking armchair at an angle in front of the fireplace. The bed, too, looked as though it was made for a toddler, the walls were blue and the dark brown carpet on the floor had threads of gold weaved into it. She could just imagine Bobbin sitting in her low armchair reading by the fire, her toes sinking into the carpet as she was lost in one of her favourite books.

She didn't know what to say. Searching for words she turned to her fiancé, who was leaning against the doorframe.

"We weren't sure what colour scheme to go with so I asked Bobbin what her favourite colours were" he said. She was still struggling for a way to explain how happy this made her.

"Hold that thought love, you still have two rooms to see."

He led her two the first of the two doors across the hall and she opened it. This was a small library, though the shelves were empty. The fire place was as large as the one in the living room, it was white marble with flecks of silver and the floor was carpeted similarly to Bobbins room but in a dark grey, the walls, like those in the dining room, were plum coloured.

Opening the door wider she saw a large writing desk flanked by two winged armchairs and a sideboard similar to the one behind Lucius' desk in his study, where he kept his crystal decanters of alcoholic beverages.

"I thought it would be nice if we shared a study." He said. "The three of us" it registered with her that he had included Bobbin in that and her heart warmed as it had when she saw the elf's bedroom.

"To write our letters in" she said and they laughed, both recalling the time she had asked him why he needed a study.

The last room was of course, the master bedroom. It hosed a large four poster bed in the same dark wood as was used throughout the house, with soft, heavy green curtains akin to those in the Slytherin Dormitories, tied back with grey silk. The bedclothes were similar to the ties in colour and texture.

The floor was wooden with soft rugs of various colours strewn about. There was, as in all the other rooms, a fireplace and a comfortable grey and black striped couch.

There was a large black vanity table on one wall, flanked by doors that led to a large closet and a similarly large bathroom, which housed an impressively sized stand-alone bath with silver clawed feet, a shower big enough for two and a long slab of black marble taking over a whole wall which held two sinks and shelving all the way up to the ceiling on either side of a large mirror.

After exiting the bathroom she went to the far wall of the bedroom and pulled back the green floor-length curtains to find French doors leading out to a balcony she hadn't noticed whilst standing outside. She opened them and went out, Draco followed. From here there was a perfect view of the small willow tree. Ivy looped around the stone railings.

"Well that's the tour. Draco announced, moving close to hug her to him from behind. What do you think?"

She turned into his embrace and looked up into his slightly anxious face. "I love it. it's perfect. But it must have cost a fortune Draco."

"Nope. It's been in the Black family for generations. Mother inherited it."

She remembered that though the house had the feeling that it was very old, there was no clutter on any of the shelves or cabinets, no family heirlooms, no pictures on the walls and there had been a smell of fresh paint throughout.

She voiced this and he nodded.

"It was father's idea to get rid of everything, believe it or not. He thought it might be nice if we have a clean slate. We can put up our own pictures and fill the house with junk we like. The manor will still be there and we can move back there at any point if we wish."

He smiled down at her. She was touched by all the hard work the family had gone through so that she and Draco could have a fresh start.

"The willow was definitely a nice touch" she said, reaching up for a kiss.

"I thought you'd like it. We can watch it grow together."

They held each other for a while in the summer night air. She thought of the future they would share in this house and saw a glimpse of the two of them, sitting on a bench below the willow tree on a similarly warm summer evening and smiled to herself, hugging him tighter to her.

"Now don't you be getting any ideas?" He said, misreading the situation. "There will be no bespoiling this home until we are wed young lady, don't you try to corrupt me with your wicked ways"

She laughed up at him and he pretended to be affronted.

"Come on so, I'd better get you home before your parents think I've stolen your virtue." She said and they made their way back through the house laughing and giggling like school children.

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