Chapter 13 I am fitting in

Lucius made his final attempt to bring Kamelia home towards the end of August. Druella had told Narcissa that Kami had organized a summer concert with Andromeda and asked if they were going. He curled his lip in disgust as he apparated. There was no way in hell that he would put Narcissa through being surrounded by dirty Muggles. He would made one final appeal to his daughter, and if she came home, make her bathe and wash the Muggle filth off her before seeing Narcissa.

Andromeda jumped when she saw him appear next to her. They were in the back of the crowd, so none of the stupid Muggles noticed. The simpletons were too busy drooling over their squealing children. "Lucius! You scared me half to death."

"Almost like he appeared out of nowhere," Black said dryly. Potter, thankfully, was in the front row.

Andromeda ignored Black, as she rightfully should. Lucius felt his heart clench when she started gushing about Kami, his daughter. "She's been so lovely! Didn't even know how to cut crust off a sandwich when she first came over, but as you can see, she's a fast learner."

Lucius didn't recognize the song they were singing, but he could still tell that the children were horribly off key. And there Kami was, up on the makeshift stage with them, singing gleefully and dancing with the little ruffians. She was too old to play.

One of the little demons started to run off the stage. She had a rather determined look on her face until Kami picked her up. The set-in grumpiness melted away when Kami picked her up and twirled her around. The girl held out her arms like she was a bird, and Kami lifted her up higher so their noses touched. Lucius didn't know she was that strong…

Soon enough, the eardrum bursting concert came to an end. Parents flooded the stage to congratulate their children. Kamelia spoke with them with a slight uneasiness that dissipated slightly when Potter put a hand on the small of her back. Lucius gritted his teeth and forced himself to head their way.

"He's funny looking," a snot nosed child commented when Lucius was finally noticed. The brat's mother had the decency to shush him.

"You're funny looking," Kamelia teased until she realized who the boy was talking about. She straightened up when she saw him. Potter narrowed his eyes.

Lucius opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He had planned to embarrass her and shame her into returning. One look at his daughter and he knew that wasn't going to work. Something was different about her. Confidence, Druella would say later when Narcissa ranted and raved about tonight at Sunday dinner. She had confidence.

"Did you come to see me?" She sounded hopeful. Potter looked at his feet, knowing that wasn't the case, and feeling guilty on Lucius's behalf.

"What…" What are you doing here, Kamelia? That's what Lucius wanted to say, but the words simply wouldn't come out. "Your mother misses you."

Kamelia bit her lip, wanting desperately to believe him but somehow did not. How could she think they didn't miss her? "Then why isn't she here?"

Like he would allow her to be subjected to being around Muggles. They both knew it. Silence grew as the families left, asking their children if they wanted ice cream or pizza.

"But you're here," Kamelia observed, sounding desperate. All he had to do was say it, but something stopped him. "And you watched? The song is I'm Gonna Fly. It's from a movie, Kiki's Delivery Service. They love movies."

"But apparently not practicing," Lucius drawled. Kamelia blinked at his insult, not knowing what to say. The barb was so much easier to say than stating that he missed her, but unlike his unspoken words, he immediately regretted it.

Kamelia tilted her chin up. "They learned all the words and how to sing together. And they enjoyed it. I let them pick their own instruments to play."

She waited for him to apologize, but nothing came. She didn't crumble or slump in defeat either. Her eyes were a little sad, but otherwise, she seemed unaffected. Kami grabbed Potter's arm and turned away for him. "We're going out to dinner."

She didn't look back over her shoulder when she apparated. His daughter clearly didn't need her family anymore.

Kami's first three classes went smoothly. She took notes with the colorful pens Harry gave her and put reminders in the planner she got from a place called Poundland. It was strange, not knowing anyone, but she wasn't too bothered by it. She obviously had a life outside of school, so she wouldn't be lonely.

But she got a little lost on the way to her English class. Kami blamed her day dreaming about what Muggle novels would be like and was rather flushed when she rushed in to take the last seat available. At least she had a minute to spare…

Kami all but shriveled up and died when she realized who was sitting next to her. Of all the Muggles in all the world… "I think my karma's finally catching up to me…"

Harry's cousin, Dudley, glanced at her as the professor started passing out the syllabus. "Me too."

"I'm going to put you in pairs for the upcoming research assignment," the professor announced, an older, kind looking woman. Kami already knew who her partner was. Like she said before. Karma.

Kami found herself grappling with how to tell Harry that she'd be spending time with his cousin in the upcoming weeks. It was already awkward, and they hadn't even started the project yet. She never thought she'd come home to see her brother was apparently staying for dinner.

"This day keeps getting better and better," she muttered as she walked into the dining room to see Harry and Draco awkwardly staring at each other as Mrs. Weasley bustled about, eager to impress someone who never had her cooking before.

At least Hermione was trying to break the ice because she certainly wasn't. "So Draco, how did Astoria like Italy?"

"She was absolutely dazzled," Draco said slowly as he tore himself away from Harry. "And when we returned, I was delighted to find that Father had treated Mother to a week in Paris."

Kami snorted as she seated herself next to Harry and helped herself to a few slices of ham. "What'd he do this time?"

Draco smirked, knowing that she was going to freak out at his words. "Failed to bring you back, of course."

Kami paused with her knife and force in her hands. Harry put a hand on her leg, not knowing how she would react. "Oh… well… it's hard to hogtie someone through the floo…"

"Hmmm…" He was savoring something. Here it goes… "And you know how protective Grandmother is of her. And you. So, I'm here to formally invite you and Potter to Sunday dinner at Black Manor with her, Astoria, and unfortunately, our parents."

Black, who had been alternating between glaring and shoveling food in his mouth, started laughing loudly. "Druella!"

"What's so funny?" Kami snapped. They bickered constantly, in an almost endearing way, but he was not about to let him make fun of Grandmother. Until she started Hogwarts, she was Kami's best friend, besides Draco.

Black continued to laugh until Lupin smacked him on the back of the head. The werewolf rolled his eyes as Black howled in dramatic fake pain. "Sirius, Kami obviously loves her dearly."

"The disgraced making fun of the disgraced," Draco said dryly, although his lips twitched slightly.

No one but the three of them knew what they were talking about, but Kami wouldn't stand for it. "There is nothing disgraceful about Grandmother!"

Draco shrugged and pointed to Black with his fork. "Not like him anyway."

"Why?" Harry said hotly. "Because Sirius didn't believe in all the pureblood nonsense?"

"Touchy, Potter." Draco ignored Kami, who was glowering like an angry cat. "Black obviously likes being a disgrace. And Kami, stop pouting. You know Grandmother doesn't care about the jokes."

"Well I do," Kami spat.

"Whatever, Kamelia," Draco drawled. "How's Muggle School? Learn how to get to the Electric City yet?" Hermione immediately started laughing at him. "What? Isn't that where Muggles go to get light?"

"You're an idiot," Kami grumbled.

Kami's insults towards Malfoy were rather barbed for the rest of the night, but Harry decided to let it go. It was apparent that there was no getting out of this dinner, although Sirius extended the invitation to include himself. Harry wasn't sure if that was going to make it better or worse. His godfather was all too willing to fill him in on the latest Malfoy family drama the next day.

"First, Druella married my grandfather," Sirius gossiped. "Then, when he died, she married my Uncle Cgynus. There were also rumors about her and my Uncle Alphard. Then, when Cgynus died, she shacked up with Abraxas."

"Who?" Harry asked. He knew Sirius would be all too eager to tell him.

"Lucius's father." He laughed. "She embodies the pureblood stereotype of incest. Married her own stepson! Had Bellatrix, Andy, and Narcissa with him. Slept with her other stepson/brother-in-law. Then, married her daughter's father-in-law! Even the purebloods make fun of her, saying she's the definition of keeping it in the family."

Weird… Harry frowned, head spinning a bit. So she married Sirius's grandfather first, Kami's great grandfather but was still able to have children with her stepson, Kami's grandfather. "How old is she?"

Sirius shook his head, waving it off like it was nothing. "Not that old. She was barely fifteen when she married Pollux… A year older than her second husband Cygnus... Oh."

Right. Oh. Druella was around the same age Kami was when Rodolphus started… doing what he did. Sirius didn't know the gory details, but once he said out loud how old Druella was when she married Pollux, he made the connection.

"I never," Sirius said quietly, "saw it like that."

"Fuck," Harry muttered. So when she was fifteen, she married someone old enough to be her father. "I have to talk to Kami…"

She was doing homework in the library when Harry found her, smiling to herself as she leafed through a book. "I really like this!" she announced when she spotted him. "I didn't know Muggles wrote plays!"

Harry forced himself to smile. "What did you think they wrote?"

"Trashy novels," she said simply. Her grin turned mischievous. "I was looking forward to it."

Harry sat next to her, not sure how she was going to react. "So… Sirius told me why you were so mad at dinner yesterday."

Kami tensed but continued with her homework. "Oh? I'm sure he could barely contain his laughter."

"Er… not exactly…" His godfather wasn't laughing. At least not now anyway.

Kami turned to face him, looking grim. "It's my fault she married my Grandfather Abraxas. I overheard them."

She was seven, and Kami wanted to invite Grandma to sleep over after Grandpa's funeral. Grandpa had been very sick. Mummy said that's why he was so mean. Without thinking much of it, Kami scampered into the library, figuring that's where'd she'd be. She hoped she could catch Grandma before she flooed home.

"I want to take over Kamelia's education," Grandma told Grandpa. He was what Mummy called "boisterous," and Kami hated that he liked Draco more than her.

Grandpa laughed, a raspy sound that made Kami wonder if his throat itched. Daddy said it was because he smoked cigars. "For what? She's exceptionally average, 'Ella. She'll be nothing more than the sweet little wife Narcissa's training her to be."

"I see more in her," Grandma said simply. "I'd like her to have choices in her life, Abraxas."

"She'll have choices," Grandfather said. "The Notts, Crabbes, and even your Rosier cousins have inquired about her. They can tell she's going to be quite the looker. Hell, even Parkinson's relatives from Bulgaria are interested in discussing a contract."

"And with an education," Grandma tried, but Abraxas waved him off.

"Why waste your time?" Then, he added, "Draco is highly intelligent." Kami's cheeks burned behind the bookshelf she was using to conceal herself. "I know Pollux let you bury yourself in his library before he died, but you should have been giving him children and taking care of him. Kami is perfectly content to learn about healing salves and music from Cissa."

Something flashed in Grandmother's eyes. "I'll be over tomorrow morning to start her lessons."

"You know…" Grandpa spoke slowly, in a way that made Kami's skin crawl, although she didn't know why. "You could see her every day, teach her whatever you want… As my wife." Grandma went silent. "Otherwise, I'll tell Narcissa who her real father is. It will absolutely destroy her, and she'll never let you see the children again."

Grandma didn't respond at first. "… I didn't know you were looking for a wife."

"I'm looking for a pretty face to warm my bed at night," he said lightly. "Do we have a deal 'Ella?"

Grandma's voice was deep, strong yet fearful. "I will teach her just as you and Lucius teach Draco. More so, if I can help it. You will not argue."

Kami felt uncomfortable, deep down knowing Grandma did something she really didn't want to do for her. At seven, she didn't really understand what she had just witnessed, but she ran away all the same.

"They didn't like each other," Kami said. "They got along, but they didn't like each other. And everyone makes fun of her! Saying she was passed around the family like a piece of meat!"

"I'm sorry." Harry didn't know what else to say. It was that big of a deal for her to be educated like her brother?

Kami shrugged. "She taught Draco and I French and Italian, but she taught me extra. Grandfather always taught Draco extra, like how to balance accounts and family secrets. So she taught me extra. Because of her, I know five languages. She learned Chinese and Arabic, just to show me. She taught me how to break curses and be able to sniff out poisons. Before the war, she was teaching me alchemy. And… and I threw it all away. For Rodolphus. My grandfather was right."

"No, he wasn't," Harry said firmly. "You're going to school and doing what you want, not what some-some husband wants."

"Some husband," Kami teased. "You're okay with me in school?"

"Of course." What kind of a question was that?

Kami smiled and hugged him, burying her face in his chest. "Good because your cousin's coming over to work on a research paper tomorrow."

"What?!"

Of course, Harry only had half a day when Dudley came over. Sirius, being the nosey git that he was, shamelessly peeked on Kami and Dudley as she tried not to look astounded by how dumb he was. Harry winced as Dudley struggled to read the Shakespeare passage they were analyzing.

Kami's mouth hung open rudely, making Harry glad he stuck around in case things got ugly. He pretended not to look at them as he took notes from the Dark Artifacts textbook he reading.

"So…" He could tell from her voice that Kami was going to try to be polite. Great. "How's your… that was your mum, right? Not your grand—?" She stopped when Harry glared at her. "Anyway, I'm surprised she let you over a magic house."

Dudley shrugged as he highlighted some text. "I'm not a kid anymore. She can't tell me what to do."

Kami smiled, making the final decision to be nice for once. "My mum doesn't want me here either."

Dudley rolled his eyes. "Overprotective?"

"Over everything," Kami joked. "Just over it. Harry's going to meet her on Sunday."

Dudley exhaled, already feeling sorry for him. "If she's anything like my mum, he's going to hate her."

"Thanks, Dud," Harry muttered. Each day that was closer to Sunday filled him with more dread.

"It will be okay," she said lightly. "My father is rather afraid of my grandmother, so I think they'll only be passive aggressive."

"My mother is queen of passive aggressive," Dudley sighed.

"I'm queen of regular aggressive," Kami bragged. Since when was that something to brag about? "And my brother is king. Sunday is going to be loads of fun."

Yay…

Despite all her haughtiness about dinner on Sunday, Kami found herself changing her outfit three times, charming her hair curly, then straight, and then back to curly, and finally staring at her makeup with no idea what to do with it. And good God she needed a new pair of shoes…

"Harry's wondering if he should wear dress robes," Ginny said. "I told him yes because either way it will be hilarious. He's trying to squeeze his way into his dress robes from his fourth year."

Kami settled for red lipstick and a red silk dress. Mother hated that dress, said she stood out too much and not in a good way when she wore it. This will be her second time wearing it… Ginny grinned when she put on a pair of ruby earrings and a gold ring on her thumb.

"Planning on getting lucky tonight?" she joked. "Gryffindor colors and a sexy dress."

Kami smiled to herself. "What about you? You have the room to yourself tonight."

"And I'm related to every man here except for Professor Lupin, who I have a sneaking suspicion is bent," Ginny said with a sigh.

"You going to test it out?" Kami asked lightly as she put on a pair of gold sandals.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "No. Too mentally scarring. I guess I'll go for a fly, see if I meet my knight in shining armor in the stars…" Kami raised her eyebrows. "Just kidding! I'm going to the Quidditch Stadium to kick some ass."

"That's my girl."

Harry nearly fell over when trying to squeeze into his dress robe pants. Ron laughed at him, causing Hermione to scowl when she walked in to see Harry struggling with the buttons of his shirt.

"You look ridiculous," she said. Ron only laughed harder. "You're going to meet Druella Malfoy looking like that?"

Harry glared at her, as if he wanted to show up like this. "I don't have time to go buy something!"

Hermione huffed and threw a textbook on his bed. "She wrote the seventh-year alchemy textbook, Harry! She opened the first battered woman's shelter in the Wizarding World! She—"

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry snapped. "I'll remember this when I'm trying not to be intimidated by my girlfriend's idol!"

"You really don't have anything nice to wear?" she asked.

"Oh, I do," Harry said sarcastically. "I just want to look like an oversized idiot tonight."

Hermione shook her head. "Honestly… Don't you have anything for him to borrow, Ron? What about the shirt you wore on our first date?"

Ron rubbed the back off his head. "Uh… first I have to take the ketchup stain out…"

Before they could start bickering, Kami swept in, looking absolutely stunning. Harry found himself staring, completing the oversized idiot look. At least she broke the spell with her cruel vulgarity.

"Your dress robes are so tight that I can see your nipples through them," she callously informed him before giggling.

"If this is your idea of flirting," Harry shot back, "I don't like it."

Kami gave him a once over, circling him like a shark. "Did you try magically resizing them? I can try to make sure they aren't out of proportion."

Harry stared as she tapped his shirt with her wand, and it was suddenly to his knees. "Uh… I have a nice black t-shirt somewhere… a dark pair of jeans…"

Ron laughed again as she tried to fix his pants, and they fell to his knees. Hermione cover her eyes, but Harry had a feeling that she was trying to hide her laughter. "How big do you think I am, Kami?"

"Don't whine," she admonished. "Just… just give me a minute…"

"Nice snitches on your boxers!" Ron yelled between laughs.

Twenty minutes later, Kami surveyed her work. Harry forced himself not to comment on the fact that his sleeves were two different lengths, his pants were a size too tight, and his vest was at least two sizes to big. "Perfect."

"What? No!" Harry marched to his closet and started ruffling through his things. "I'll find something…"

She wouldn't stop scowling when he settled for a dark green t-shirt and black jeans.

"Oh Harry!" Mrs. Weasley slumped in disappointment when he came down the stairs to head for the floo. She had a camera in her hands. "Ginny told me you were wearing dress robes! I wanted a picture of you!"

"Don't worry, Mum!" Ginny called from upstairs. "I got one before he changed!" Harry wanted to kill her.

"Wait!" Kami yelled as Mrs. Weasley grumbled a bit and lifted the camera to take a picture. "I'll be right back!"

Without waiting for an answer, she ran up the stairs and must've used magic to change because she was stomping back down within five minutes. She returned in Ginny's red hoodie and a pair of white washed jeans while still sporting her gold ring and sandals. Kami pulled herself close to him and smiled widely, happily closing her eyes as she posed for the picture.

Although she was thoroughly disappointed, Mrs. Weasley took the picture without complaints just as Sirius waltzed in, dressed to the nines.

"Oi!" He pulled at the collar of the dress robes he must've bought last minute. He even had his hair in a gold ponytail. "You didn't tell—"

"Too late," Harry couldn't resist saying. "You have no time to change."

"But I wouldn't have rented—"

"You're going to make us late," Kami said. Sirius slumped in defeat as they ushered him to the floo. That's what he gets for being so meddlesome.

Widowhood clearly didn't suit her mother. After Abraxas died, Narcissa thought her mother would jump to the nearest eligible bachelor like she always did. Only she didn't. Druella seemed to go wild with her newfound freedom. Six years after Abraxas's death, and her mother had her hair cut short like a boy's. She spent time with people who were beneath her, and her finger tips were always smudged with ink from writing. Her mother was clearly a woman who needed a husband.

"You had no right to say that Lucius and I were attending this…" Narcissa wrinkled her nose at the thought of tonight. Potter and Astoria were going to be there. At least Astoria was raised somewhat respectable. "… event."

Mother pulled a face, a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Weren't you just complaining to me that Lucius couldn't get Kami to come home?"

Narcissa's cheeks burned. She shouldn't have made Lucius try to talk to Kamelia through a herd of Muggles like that. "Well she obviously isn't going to. And you're making it worse by inviting that-that boy."

Mother sipped her tea, probably to hide a superior smile. "Potter is a good name, especially now."

"It's not his name that's the problem," Narcissa said. It was literally everything else. "He's going to soil—"

"You don't know the meaning of the word soiled, Cissa," Mother said lightly. And she did, obviously. "You're going to have to give them a chance. Both Potter and Astoria."

No, she didn't. "They're young. This could pass."

Mother raised a superior, infuriating eyebrow. "Then why are you making such a big deal about it? Either you can be miserable during what is a happy time in their lives or you can be supportive and actually be a part of it."

"You didn't speak to Andromeda for years after she ran off," Narcissa accused.

Mother nodded and stared at her for a moment. "And why do you think I'm telling you to do the opposite?"

Before she could answer, Mother's wretchedly old house elf came shuffling into the sitting room. "Your guests of honor have arrived, Mistress."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the choice of words as she rose from her seat to head for the Entrance Hall. She was in for a long night.

The walk to the Entrance Hall felt dreadfully long, mostly because Narcissa wanted to get the night over with. A few moments before they reached their destination, Lucius appeared at her side.

"I thought you weren't coming tonight," she said quietly as they walked.

Lucius smiled sadly. "As if I would live you alone with our little demon spawn." His hand brushed lightly against hers as she smirked. "You saw Draco's face this morning. They're going to be out for blood. Both of them."

Harry didn't know what he was expecting. Druella Black's mansion was a lot brighter than he would have expected. It was a lot warmer than Malfoy Manor and Grimmauld too. Pictures lined the walls, peering at them curiously. A young Bellatrix laughed at him as he walked by and blew him a kiss.

Sirius seemed surprised too, telling Harry that it looked a lot different than the last time his godfather had been there. Book shelves were crammed between the pictures, and Harry found himself getting lost in memories that weren't even his. What could only be a five-year-old Narcissa showing a disinterested looking man a clay sculpture. Narcissa being read to by Andromeda. A ten-year-old Bellatrix sticking her tongue out at the camera before throwing a violin over her shoulder. Here she just looked like a brat, not the monster she would grow to be. Harry wondered what it was like having her for a daughter, her for an anything, for that matter.

Kami's grandmother was obviously old, but still held a lot of her beauty. She had a dominant smugness about her that made Sirius blink and take a step back when he saw her. She smiled at him, looking like a cat.

"Sirius, how wonderful of you to invite yourself," she said. Malfoy, who was already there with his girlfriend, laughed quietly. His girlfriend, Astoria, looked nervous.

Sirius opened and closed his mouth several times. "Well… I wanted to make sure Harry was safe…"

Druella's eyes twinkled as Harry shot him his best you're embarrassing me look. "I can assure you that any member of my family who is a threat has been killed or maimed into submission." Lucius, who was behind her with his wife, glared at her. "But you're welcome to stay. I have a few hounds running around that you might enjoy."

Harry stepped in an held out his hand as Sirius laughed awkwardly. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs.…" Shit. What should he call her? Kami saw he had dug himself into hole and was waiting for his answer, ready to be offended if he said nothing. Malfoy looked gleeful. "Malfoy?"

Good god, why'd he have to say it was a question? Druella smiled at his efforts, although he wouldn't admit that she looked rather amused. "Druella, dearest. Mrs. Malfoy was my dearly departed cousin."

Lucius scowled, telling Harry that she was referring to his mother. As they headed to the dining room, he couldn't help but commenting, "What the devil are you wearing, Kamelia?"

"Clothes," she said innocently, looking over her shoulder. What a night this was going to be.

Harry sat across from Astoria, seeing that she was just as uncomfortable as he was. And like Kami, her brother was looking just as evil, keen on making dinner ten times more awkward than it had to be. He was already missing dinner with the Weasleys.

"I know that none of you wanted to come tonight," Druella said lightly. "But I'm head of the Black and Malfoy families." She paused, enjoying her daughter and son-in-law's scowls. "Go figure."

"That doesn't mean you're in charge, Druella," Lucius growled.

"And yet here you are," she said with false sweetness, opening her arms and gesturing to everyone seated at the table.

Kami grabbed herself a dinner roll as the house elves started setting out the main dishes, roast beef, asparagus, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, and beans. "I wanted to be her, Grandma."

"How's Muggle school?" Malfoy asked loudly. Narcissa turned pink at her son's words, as if he had said something dirty.

"Excellent," Kami said happily. "How's fucking your way across Europe?"

"Kamelia Narcissa Malfoy!" Narcissa gasped as Astoria sunk in her seat, red faced.

"What?" She laughed loudly in a way that made Narcissa cringe. She knew exactly how to push her mother's buttons, and Harry wondered how he was going to fare when he was on the receiving end of her temper. "All pureblood men do it. He just has a girlfriend instead of finding a woman in every country."

"I'm sure Draco's friend would not appreciate your crudeness!" Narcissa nearly yelled.

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at the word friend. "Did you know Jean Caron inquired about Kami when we were in France last summer? But she ditched him to barhop with Pansy."

Lucius finally started paying attention instead of staring at the house elves that were setting up his plate for him. "What?"

Kami leaned back her seat. "I have no recollection of our summer in France at all."

"Are you kidding me, Kamelia?" Lucius hissed.

Kami stared. "No. I really don't remember."

"Dinner looks nice," Harry tried, but he was ignored. Even Sirius barely paid him much mind as he shoveled food in his mouth. Perhaps he invited himself for the food, not to stalk his godson as usual.

"It does look very nice," Astoria said quietly, but neither of them were comfortable enough to actually eat it.

"We were there for two weeks," Malfoy said lightly. "After Potter advocated for our freedom."

"How nice of him," Kami said lightly, implying that she didn't remember that either, which made him sad. He didn't think someone that young could be that affected by alcohol. She affectionately put a hand on his arm. "I knew I picked the right guy."

"No, you didn't!" Lucius roared. He motioned to slam his fist on the table but stopped when he saw Kami smiling at him evilly. "This is not funny. Either of you."

"I find it hilarious," Malfoy drawled.

"We had such high hopes for the two of you," Narcissa said weakly.

"They aren't dead," Druella said. She held out a goblet, and a house elf ran to her to fill it. "Lucius, Cissa, how long are the two of you going to be miserable over what you have absolutely no control of?"

"I could disown the both of you," Lucius said firmly.

That shut Malfoy up, but Kami looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Go ahead."

Malfoy's head snapped over to her, silently screaming at her that she went too far. Harry nudged her, knowing that it broke her heart that she hardly saw her family. She didn't mean what she was saying. She was angry and rightfully so. Even Sirius stopped eating.

"I don't care if some fucking French fruitcake wanted me for his breeding mare," she said quietly, still smiling evilly. "It's not happening, and it never will. I will not be sold to the highest bidder and spend the rest of my life planning parties and gossiping with air headed bints. I'm going to college and I'm going to have a job and marry a half blood and half all my half blood little brats terrorizing the neighborhood."

"Is that a proposal?" Harry said dryly but winced when Narcissa burst into tears.

"This was supposed to be fun," Malfoy mumbled. Astoria was staring opened mouthed.

Kami took a deep breath and clenched her fists under the table. "I had to say that. I just had to."

Druella sipped her wine, unfazed. Were their dinners always like this? They were Malfoys after all. They tended to have a flare for melodrama. "Don't cry, Cissa. The girl is finding her place in the world. Let her be."

"Let her be?" Narcissa sobbed. "Like you let Andromeda be? Like Bellatrix? Do not give me advice like you were Witch Weekly's Mother of the Year!"

"This roast beef," Sirius said loudly, "is just as amazing as it was when I was a kid, Aunt Druella." Everyone ignored him, except Druella, who gave him a smirk.

"I'm giving you advice," Druella said slowly, "because I was just the opposite. I want you to be better, Cissa."

"At least the girl has manners!" Narcissa said, gesturing to Astoria, who had yet to say a word. "Look at how he has her dressed!"

"That shirt does make you look rather shapeless," Malfoy said dryly.

"I didn't know I picked her wardrobe," Harry couldn't resist saying rudely, only realizing too little too late that he was acting exactly how Narcissa said he was.

"Now, now, Cissa." Lucius started cutting up his food rather roughly, the only sign of his irritation. "If the girl wants to dress as a vagabond, let her. She obviously is fitting in elsewhere. The only reason she attended tonight was to throw in your face that she is abandoning her family."

Kami narrowed her eyes. "Well maybe if you'd just let me be me—"

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Lucius snapped. "You chose carnal desires over your own family. You shame your family by fraternizing with Muggles. You throw every tradition, every standard, your family has held high out the window. For what?"

"For my happiness, my sanity, my health! For me!"

"Exactly," her father hissed. "For yourself. You never thought once of your family. We raised you to believe it is everything."

"Because I was drowning!" Kami yelled. "I was drowning right in front of you! And you were pushing me down further and didn't even notice! You never once thought of me when you arranged that wedding! You thought of the family's image! I was dying, but as long as I was your little corpse bride, you didn't care!"

Lucius's nostrils flared, but like the entire conversation didn't just happen, he started silently eating and everyone else followed suit. Finally, after an agonizingly silent few minutes, he said, "Astoria, that is a lovely dress."

"Th-thank you," she said quietly.

"Yes," he drawled. "I believe we have a table cloth just like it." Dear God… "And Potter, its good to see that you've finally figured out what size you are. Narcissa thought you'd forever be wearing tents for shirts."

"Thanks," Harry said sarcastically. "I knew I'd be able to figure it out once I learned how to read." Malfoy snorted and tucked into his food to try to cover it up.

"How dreadful the Muggle education system must be," Narcissa said quietly, almost to herself.

But Malfoy, of course, heard her. "That's probably why they let Kami in. She must love being the smartest person in the room at any given time."

"Astoria did you know that the first time Draco saw a dragon, he peed his pants?" Kami said lightly. Astoria stared, not knowing that to say.

"I was six!" he said angrily.

Kami tilted her chin up. "I was five and thought it was magnificent."

The bickering continued throughout the meal. Harry was itching to go home before dessert was brought out. Sirius squealed with delight at the sight of the Chantilly cake, so he knew he'd get no help from his godfather. He looked at the ceiling and mouthed thank you when Kami wanted to leave after they finished their cake.

"You don't want to stay for drinks?" Druella asked in surprise. Harry thinned his lips to hide his reaction. She didn't know.

Kami shook her head. "No. I've got school tomorrow, so…"

"Oh." Druella looked disappointed and didn't bother to hide it. For once, none of the Malfoys had snide comments. "Well… see you next week!"

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. This was going to happen again?! "What?"

Kami beamed. "See you!"

After they returned home, Kami and Harry sat on a hammock outside, enjoying the crisp, cold air and, Harry in particular, the silence. She rested her head on his shoulder as he ran a hand over her thigh. Harry closed his eyes, listening to the crickets chirp and the occasional owl hoot.

"You know," Kami said without opening her eyes, "I never understood the term 'thanks for tolerating me' until now."

"Really?" Harry said flatly. "You never thought people tolerated you."

Kami opened one eye and smiled. "No because I'm perfect and everyone love me." Harry snorted, but she acted like she didn't hear him. "Anyway, thank you for coming with me tonight. And not losing your temper, even though I lost mine. Tonight was really important to me."

"No problem." Harry paused. "… Just don't be surprised if I suddenly come down with every illness known to man next week and conveniently recover by Monday morning."

Kami swatted at him playfully but sounded serious when she sat up and said, "I love you."

Harry sat up and kissed her softly. "I love you too."

Thank you for the reviews rabradley09, firstofhername, PhoenixForYou, I'm the Galactic Starfish, bdwilliams3, and AlphaFlash!

AlphaFlash: I was going to go more into Harry's career after he graduated. (I'm planning on doing a time skip in a chapter or two.) He'll start out as an auror, but grapple with what he truly wants.

Next up, Harry and Kami have some romantic time! Would you like to see more of Dudley? Andromeda will be in the next chapter!

Oh and BWL fans, I'll be updating that Monday with something else for gr8rockstarrox's birthday along with something else. So be on the look out for that if you're a Draco and Kat fan!