Hey everyone!

So we have reached it... both the last update of the year and the last few days of what have been the craziest year I've ever known. If anyone had told me this time last year about how this year would have gone I'd have said "You're joking!" but it really has been such a crazy year. One lesson I have learnt this year is to be grateful for what I have and never taken it for granted ever again. Now onto the soppiness. Thank you all who have read my stories this year... whether you're new here this year and have boarded the LM fanship or whether you've been here a while; I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my stories. I know sometimes they slow down and not much happens for a bit but the continued support keeps me going. I do look at my figures every now and again but it's ok if I don't have 10k a month. I write because I enjoy it and you all come and read my stories, hopefully enjoying them as well. 2021 will be better in some ways and not in others but we'll get through it by the power of words and stories. (and this became a LOT longer than I'd hoped it would be...) Anyway I'll pip down now so you can read. New Year's Day update are planned as normal but if I don't update I'l sure you know I'll update on the 2nd.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Lots and lots of love,

LM xxxx


Breaking Traditions-Part 35:

Now they had a date for the baby coming to stay with them, Narcissa was busying herself around the Manor as she had to make sure that the nursery was ready but Lucius had banned her from putting their daughter's name on the wall. He was hoping that the baby would become theirs but he wasn't going to risk anything that could possibly jinx it. Narcissa had been through so much that he didn't want anything to go wrong at the last minute. He sighed softly as he watched her working around the Manor with Priscilla to make sure they hadn't missed anything that would mean the baby wouldn't be able to stay with them for the night.

"Are you ready for this?" Priscilla asked her soon as Narcissa was finally relaxing in the bath.

"As ready as I'll allow myself to be," Lucius replied, "I still cannot shake the feeling that something will go wrong after how far we have come but I am certainly not going to tell Cissa that."

"That would be a rather good idea. You both want this badly and being cautious even now is the best way to approach things. When did you get so smart on that?" Priscilla smirked.

"Since I've realized that Cissa's mental state wobbled again after Druella. I do not want her anywhere Rosalie whenever that time comes," Lucius said, "unless she poses no threat to the baby."

It was another couple of days and then the big day came and the assigned guardian arrived at The Manor with the baby. Lucius and Narcissa had to walk the carer around the areas of the Manor where they would be with the baby before finally showing where the baby would sleep in their room. The couple spoke about how they would attend the baby and if they needed any help then they would ask for it.

After a few more questions Narcissa had the baby in her arms and sat in the sunroom with Lucius alone, just them and the baby. It was a moment they'd longed for; but both were not allowing themselves to get too far ahead of themselves. That really wouldn't help either of them.

"I would like to take her for a walk around the Gardens. The carer did leave the pram in case we wanted a walk around the Gardens," Narcissa said, "I don't want to show her the Secret Garden yet. I think that should wait, for sure, until we know if this little one will be here for good," she said and Lucius instantly nodded in agreement before the baby began to cry.

"She's hungry," Narcissa said instantly remembering that the baby probably hadn't been drinking well since they'd been at the Manor and hadn't been to the orphanage. Lucius instantly began to get a bottle ready, "we can take turns as we have her all night," she said as she took the bottle off Lucius and began to feed the little baby, "she'll probably need a nappy change after this as well and then we can see about a walk around the Gardens. She won't understand much right now but we can still go for a walk with her. Just need to make sure that she's wrapped up warm as it might only be autumn but she's a newborn baby so it will be even colder to her sensitive skin."

"Yes. I remember you telling me the same with baby Draco," Lucius chuckled softly before going to make sure that the pram and the baby's warm things were ready for when they would head out into the Gardens with the baby. She smiled and sang softly causing Lucius' heart to tug wishing that the baby was theirs but if this went well and nothing else happened then the baby would be theirs. All they had to do was wait a few more days and then, hopefully, the baby would be theirs.

It was another hour or so before the couple were walking around the Gardens with the baby settled in the pram. Lucius had made sure Narcissa was wrapped up well and she had made sure the little baby was wrapped up as well.

The walk around the Gardens was a slow and pleasant one and the really had no trouble until it came to night and getting into bed. As soon as Lucius and Narcissa were almost asleep the baby instantly began to cry. Narcissa was closest and told Lucius to sleep. She walked around and nursed the baby back to sleep before going to place the baby down… only for the baby to cry once more.

The couple took it in turns before Narcissa ended up in the rocking chair over by the window with the baby on her chest. By that time the sun was coming up and Lucius waited a while before he gently and carefully woke his wife.

The two sat in silence as they had breakfast. Lucius because he was worried about Narcissa and Narcissa because she knew that the carer would be back to get the baby soon. She hoped that everything had gone well enough for them to be able to have the baby. The orphanage had already said that it could be a mixed night but they wouldn't count that against the couple. In fact it would help them decide if the couple were able to adopt the baby.

All too soon the carer arrived and spoke to Lucius and Narcissa and was pleased that they had managed to cope with the rough night and that they had both been up with the baby in the night. It showed that both Lucius and Narcissa were going to help raise the baby. The carer said they were welcome to visit that afternoon and would hear within a few days if they could adopt the baby but it was highly likely that they would be able to.

That morning the couple spoke to speaking to Abraxas, Priscilla and Cygnus, filling them in on the night. They were pleased that it had gone well and were hopeful that there would soon be some good news. It was all looking so promising.

That afternoon Narcissa and Lucius headed back to the orphanage where they were greeted and then shown to the baby's room where they were soon sat fussing and feeding the little baby. Yes they were tired but none of that mattered as they were with the baby they'd grown deeply attached to; no matter how much they'd tried to avoid it.

What neither were aware of was that the Head Carer was watching them and it was in that moment that the little baby's fate… and new home… had been decided.