A/N: Random chap, more or less linked to the story (because no super idea in mind). Unbeta'd.

Fallen & Risen 35. A Gift to the Malfoys

"I wanted to apologize, for forcing you to dance during the party when you were clearly scared by the perspective," lady Malfoy said sheepishly. "But I didn't want to dance with anyone else but Lucius..." she finished whispering.

Lady Malfoy missed her husband. During the New Year Celebration, she didn't want to open the waltz because she didn't want to open with anyone else other than with her husband. Opening the New Year Waltz with Lucius had always been a very precious moment for her. That was something exclusive for her and her husband. Opening that waltz with someone else was just inconceivable for her.

"Aunt Cissa..."

Lady Malfoy was outside in the garden, taking a walk to have fresh air. Draco wasn't with her because he had some paper to see. Heley was watching her from the window of her room. She thought about everything lady Malfoy told her.

She knew well that the war had cost a lot of pain for many people, but she had never understand exactly how hard it was. In a way, Heley found herself luckier than the Malfoy family. She, who was already an orphan from long ago, didn't lost any close family members. But for lady Malfoy and Draco, to be suddenly and so harshly separated from Lucius Malfoy when the later had always been close with them must be very hard. Lady Malfoy and Draco kept a normal demeanor, but Heley had learn to read the truth behind their smile today. It was very difficult for them to be separated with their father/husband, especially for lady Malfoy. She seemed to be the one would take it the most hardly. Somewhere in her heart, Heley felt a sting of sadness for the mother and for the son. Christmas holidays were precious time for family to be together to share joy and laugh. But because of Harry/her, the Malfoy family couldn't live the spirit of the holidays. She saw the sadness in lady Malfoy's and Draco's eyes when they were reminded or remembered Lucius Malfoy.

'In a certain way, it is my fault if they cannot spend Christmas holidays with the whole family together...' Heley thought.

Heather, who was watching her mistress' contemplating face, hopped to nuzzle herself against Heley's arm. Heley broke out of her reveries to smile to Heather. She took the small owl in her arms up to her face.

"You are worry for me?" Heley asked.

"Hoo hoo..." Heather answered, showing her worried golden eyes to Heley. Heley smiled and pressed Heather against her cheek.

"Thank you, Heather," Heley said. Heather nuzzled against Heley to bring her comfort. Suddenly, an idea came to Heley's mind. "That's right! I can do that!" Heley exclaimed. She brought Heather back to the level of her eyes. "Heather, do you think you can do your first delivery for me?"

"Hoo!" Heather responded, spreading excitedly her wings, flapping them in eagerness. She was ready to do anything to please her mistress. Heley smiled at the owl's enthusiastically answer.

"Mitzy!" Heley called. Mitzy popped in front of her.

"Yes, Miss Potter. How may Mitzy help you?"

"Can you bring me something to write, please?"

"Immediately, Miss Potter." Mitzy popped away, and then popped back with a parchment, a quill and an ink well. Mitzy handed them to Heley.

"Thank you, Mitzy," Heley thanked. Mitzy bowed and popped away.

Heley proceeded to scribble hastily a short message. Then, she rolled the parchment to attach it to Heather's leg. Heather stood absolutely still while Heley attached the missive, chest puffed, absolutely proud to be send on her first mission for her mistress.

"Heather, bring this message to Minister Shacklebolt, and the faster you can." Heley cradled the small against her chest and walked to the window.

'But...' She was worried for her little Heather. It was windy outside and it was snowing. Heather was so small and she cannot fly correctly. 'Would she be alright?'

As Heley thought through these lines, a hawk landed in front of her. It was Apollo, Draco's majestic companion.

'What does Draco's hawk doing here?' The hawk stayed still on the window edge, looking straight to Heley, as if it knew what were Heley's intention. 'Ah! Could it be...?' Heley decided to take a chance.

"Hello. You're Draco's hawk, Apollo, right?" Heley asked. The hawk didn't move, but didn't look away neither. Heley took it for a yes. She continued. "Heather is about to do her first mission, but I'm worried for her. Can you go with her to protect her?" The hawk gave her the same non-response answer again. Heley smiled at the hawk behaviour, which remind her so strongly of its master. "Then thank you." Heley brought Heather to the level of her eyes.

"Heather, this is an extremely important delivery. I'm counting on you," Heley said, caressing Heather's head with a finger.

"Hoo hoo!" Heather answered, very happy of her first mission. Clearly, the hawk over there would do a better job than her, but her mistress still want to send her. She would not deceive her mistress.

"Thank you Heather," Heley said, hugging the owl one last time against her.

"Hoo!" Heather cooed and affectionately nuzzled Heley's cheek.

"Thank you to you too, Apollo," Heley said. The hawk just shoots her one glare, and then turned its head to look outside.

"Be careful on the way, Heather," Heley kissed Heather on the head, and then extended her hands outside. Heather extended her wings, flapped a couple of times to test the wind, and then took off. Appollo immediately took off after Heather, flying above the small owl to protect it from the wind. Heley stayed at the window until neither Heather nor Apollo where visible from her sight.

'Please, please Merlin, make it be possible...' Heley prayed.

Standing on the balcony of the highest place of the Malfoy Manor, lady Malfoy watched the stars in the black mantle of the night. She felt very lonely. This was the first time she started the New Year alone. Usually, her husband and she always enjoyed the morning of the New Year together.

'Lucius...' She closed her eyes, thinking about her husband. 'I wish you were here beside me...' As soon as she finished making her wish, someone softly called her name.

"Cissy." Lady Malfoy startled. That voice was familiar to her, very familiar. But that voice wasn't supposed to be here.

'Am I being delirious because I miss him so much?' lady Malfoy wondered.

"Cissy," the voice called again.

'No! I'm hearing his voice again. It can't be... But...'

"Cissy, it's me..." This time, lady Malfoy turned around to see the object of her thinking standing behind her.

"Lu-Lucius..." lady Malfoy stuttered.

"Cissy," Lucius said. Seeing his wife froze on the spot, because she was scared that he was only an illusion created by her loneliness, Lucius stepped toward her. Seeing her husband walking slowly to her, lady Malfoy came to the conclusion that he wasn't an illusion. But even if he was an illusion, she would still embraced it. Next, she ran into Lucius' arms, which he closed them around her.

'He is not an illusion.'

"Lucius!" lady Malfoy said, crying in joy as she buried her face in his chest.

"Cissy!" Lucius said, kissing her forehead. They stood like this for a very long time in each other embrace.

Flashback

Lucius was watching the black sky outside of his new cell, thinking about his wife and his son.

'Usually, I would be with them during these times of the years.'

Suddenly, the door of his cell opened. The auror who guarded his cell told him that someone wanted to meet him. Surprised, Lucius followed the guard nonetheless. He was conducted in a room where someone was waiting. The person turned around and nearly made Lucius jumped in the air when he saw the person's face. In Lucius' opinion, that person must have the ugliest face he had ever saw in his life, even uglier than the ex-Dark Lord. Of course, that person has a nose, but it didn't change that he still looks like a ghoul. And the most shocking for Lucius was that that person walked up to him, took his hands and shook them enthusiastically. It look like that person was not aware that he was a criminal.

"Ah! Lord Lucius Malfoy! So please to meet you! Yes, I know that you lost the title of a lord after the sentence, but she seemed to don' care about it, so I don't see why I should care as well. Actually, I don't know the reason why she asked us that favor, but since it is her, it cannot be wrong," the goul-like person spoke, still shaking Lucius' hand while the later was (absolutely) speechless by such an (over)excited welcome. Lucius could deal with people looking down at him, he, a pure blood lord put in prison, but not with this weird goul-guy. And he even didn't know with who he was meeting with nor who was that she-person his interlocutor was talking about.

"Ah! My apologizes. I haven't yet introduced myself. My name is Anton Ashley, first secretary of Prime Minister Shaklebolt (A/N: For those who had forgotten about Anton Ashley, please refer back to the first chapter - To protect a smile). I'm here for a... hum, how should I put this? Ah yes! For a special little mission for a special person!" Ashley enthusiastically put, earning another confuse glance from Lucius. Lucius was confused by two things: first, an official was visiting him in prison and second, this official must be completely out of his mind for not being scare of an imprisoned criminal.

"A special little mission for a special person?" Lucius repeated.

"Yes yes! Please take a seat and I will explain to you," Ashley said, finally releasing Lucius' hand and showing the later a seat.

On the wish of a mysterious unknown person, Lucius was granted a special permission. He was free for twenty-four hours and could go back home to spend time with his family, but with the condition that he must stay within the boundary of the Malfoy estate. An auror would escort him back to the Malfoy Manor and would come back to take him the next day. Lucius was particularly surprised that there wouldn't be an auror attached to him for these twenty-four hours out of prison. Nonetheless, he was happy to be able to see his wife and his son.

Lucius had asked Ashley who was that mysterious person and immediately regretted. The secretary launched himself into the most fan-ish speech it was possible to exist to describe how that unknown she-person was wonderful, generous, marvelous and everything alike-the-god-like it could be, but without ever saying the name of that person. Ashley was completely lost in his (astonishing) admiration of that she-person. Did Ashley purposely avoid saying the name of the mysterious she-person or he was just too lost in his admiration to forget saying the name, Lucius couldn't tell. The only thing Lucius got from that (incredibly difficult to believe) admiration speech from Ashley was that this mysterious person must be extremely important to have the Prime minister himself to grant her wish.

That evening, Lucius and Mrs. Malfoy were alone. Suddenly, music magically played in the room. Lucius came to stand in front of Narcissa, offering her his hand.

"May I have the honor of this dance?" he asked. Lady Malfoy surprised. Lucius never asked her to dance out of the blue like this. Lucius smiled.

"I didn't have the chance to dance with you on New Year Eve," he said. Narcissa smiled fondly. She had never thought that he knew how precious the New Year waltz with him was precious to her. She had refused to open the New Year ball with anyone else because for her, it was something sacred to be done with her husband. That was why she had asked Draco to do in her place. Narcissa put her hand in his and he pulled her against him.

Outside the room, Draco was going to join his parents with Heley when he saw his parents twirling in the room. Smiling, he quietly closed the door and decided to leave them alone.

"Let's leave them alone for tonight" he said, smiling happily. Heley agreed with a nod and the two of them silently tiptoed away. Draco walked ahead, a smile brightening his face. It had been months since he last saw his mother smiling so dazzlingly. He thought that this night would be something he would cherish in his memory for a very long time. Behind him, Heley had a little mysterious smile tucking the corner of her lips.

That night, in her room, Heley picked up her owl and nuzzled her face against the bird.

"Heather, you did a wonderful job! I'm so proud of you!" Heley pecked on the owl's head.

"Hooooooooo!" Heather squealed in delight.

It was a very good idea she had to ask Shacklebolt for Lucius Malfoy to be back home for a few days. Shacklebolt had Ashley to take care of Heley's request, which was efficiently and quickly treated. Even turned into a girl, Harry/Heley potter still remained an idol for the Ashley.

Update Monday March, 19, 2012. Unbeta'd.