My darlings!

Everyone's love on the last chapter made me the happiest of happy girls. I am being bogged down by work, but I managed to write this chapter this morning. I do hope you all like it! Your reviews are always lovely, really they are! I love you all.

I thought I should let everyone know that the next chapter will be loads of Jily feels, and a few flashbacks to the days in between the wedding and now.

Please leave a review and let me know what you think ;)

My tumblr: indiebluecrown. tumblr. com

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, and only the story line and any OC's belong to me.

As always for Sable and Lais xxx


Thursday, 29th March, 1979

Potter Manor

The weather is beginning to warm up, even if it is only marginally. If not for all the warming charms on the tent at the wedding almost a week ago now, they surely would have all frozen under how harshly the temperature had dropped that night.

Dorea Potter is climbing the stairs at the front of the house, and when she reaches the landing she taps her heels against the floorboards to get her circulation pumping. Even though it had been getting warmer, today is particularly cold, the icy wind and chilly temperatures had come out of nowhere.

She quickly enters the house, shutting the cold out as she hurriedly closes the door.

Dorea unfastens the ribbon at the front of her outer robes, easily slipping them off. She moves to hang it on the coat rack, when she notices that there are two foreign ones there already.

Then, as if he could read her thoughts, Kreacher appears beside her with a pop. "Mistress Dorea, the Malfoys arrived whilst you were out, and they are waiting in the Drawing Room with...Miss Granger," Kreacher's lip curls with disdain when using Hermione's name; seeing as he couldn't call her anything more than a Mudblood before, Dorea sees it as a vast improvement.

"Is everyone else out?"

"Master Sirius, Master Harry, Mister Ronald, and Master are both asleep upstairs, the new...Mistress Potter and Mister Potter are out in the Orchards, and Mister Lupin went out with Master Charlus a couple hours ago," Kreacher begrudgingly supplies her with all of the information she requested.

Dorea smiles softly, Walburga may have tainted him, but he really wasn't a bad Elf. Simply misguided.

Dorea puts her coat down on one of the empty rungs and then nods at Kreacher, "thann you. I'll go into the Drawing Room now...do they have any tea?"

"Mipsy is preparing it, Mistress Dorea," Kreacher says coldly. Dorea stifles a laugh, the two House Elves have been at odds since the moment they laid eyes on each other. It hasn't come to blows yet, but knowing Mipsy's intolerance for impertinence and rudeness, it may soon.

Dorea nods gratefully, "thank you, Kreacher. Let the others know we have guests if they are still here when they either wake up or return."

Her black stilettos clipping across the hardwood is the only sound in the house, and everything is strangely peaceful; which is strange in and of itself.

Their home hadn't been peaceful after James was born, and then when he had brought Sirius, Peter and Remus home that first Christmas when he was eleven, things had only gotten louder. Now that Hermione, Ron, Harry and Lily were all here, there was always some mirth, joy or something.

Dorea pushes open the doors to the Drawing Room and is pleasantly greeted by polite chatter.

Narcissa and Hermione seem to be engaged in some type of pleasantries, whilst Lucius is sitting beside his wife on the loveseat looking out of place and a touch uncomfortable.

"Ah, hello! Sorry to be late, but it seemed like everyone was in Diagon Alley today," Dorea says exasperatedly with a playful smile, she turns around and gently closes the doors behind her.

Narcissa stands up, a soft smile on her face, hands clasped in front of her.

The witch is dressed in thick navy blue casual robes, and she's wearing small sapphires in her ears and the only other jewellery is her wedding band and engagement ring.

Lucius is dressed in all black, and from how rigid he appears, with the buttons done up all the way to his throat, it only seems to enforce how uncomfortable he is.

Hermione is wearing a dark grey, long sleeved crop top that she got from Lily-amongst other clothes, thankfully she wasn't much bigger than Lily, it was nothing a few spells couldn't fix-and a pair of black leggings and black ankle boots, her wild curls are pulled back into a high ponytail, that swishes as she angles her head to look at Dorea.

"Welcome back!" Hermione exclaims cheerily, "were the rings ready?"

"They were indeed-" Dorea smiles, patting her robes pocket, "-of course he tried to charge me more than was originally agreed upon. How silly of him."

She had had the man quaking in his boots by the time she was done with him. He tried to add in some rubbish charges because he 'hadn't calculated in certain factors' when giving her the quote for both rings.

"I think Mipsy is bringing up tea, or so Kreacher said," Dorea announces, crossing the room and kissing Hermione on the cheek before sitting down beside her on the couch.

Narcissa sits back down, and puts a hand on Lucius's thigh, looking the vision of grace and composure.

"I suppose you are wondering why I've asked you round for tea," Dorea smiles.

At that exact moment, Mipsy appears in the room with a pop, in her hands is a silver tray, four teacups, a teapot, a small bowl of sugar cubes and a small pitcher of milk; there was also a plate of blueberry scones, that looked fresh out of the oven.

"Thank you my darling," Dorea says as Mipsy places the tray on the coffee table.

"Anything else, Mistress?" Mipsy asks, a pensive look on her face as she tacks on, "I can get a Calming Draught for Mister Malfoy if he needs one, he looks a bit tense."

Dorea chuckles softly, shaking her head a touch, "no, thank you. I think Mister Malfoy will be just fine. If you could, can you wake up all of the sleeping boys. It's almost midday after all."

"Yes, Mistress," Mipsy curtseys, and vanishes not even a moment later.

Dorea leans forward and begins to pour the tea into the four teacups-everyone can fix it how they like after that, but as a good hostess, it's the least she can do.

"You are correct, we are most...intrigued by your invitation," Lucius says in his deep, but polished sounding voice-each syllable is paid great attention.

"Well. It's simple. I've decided to give you an option based on the hunch that my lovely Hermione has about you," Dorea says calmly, moving her fingers to levitate the pitcher of milk and pour a dash into her tea.

"An option?" Lucius repeats, his eyes narrowing slightly. Dorea notes how Narcissa's nails dig into his leg at his tone, but to his credit he doesn't outwardly react in the slightest. "Also who exactly is Hermione, where has she come from, and what does she know about us?"

"All of those are good questions, your answer to my proposal will dictate how much information I decide to disclose to you," Dorea says with a warm smile, but her grey eyes are a sharp, steely grey when they look into Lucius's own bluish-grey ones.

"I'll play, what is your proposal, Missus Potter?" Lucius leans back fully in the loveseat, his left ankle not resting across his right knee, hands casually resting in his lap.

It's a position that normally exudes power, but Dorea has dealt with older and more experienced men that Lucius Malfoy, so it doesn't faze her in the slightest.

"I know that you are a Death Eater, that your Father is one-which is a shame really, we've always been good friends, and I am giving you the opportunity to change sides," Dorea says cavalierly as she takes a sip of her tea. Ah, just the right temperature, Dorea thinks as the hot liquid warms her insides.

"This is outrageous! I will not sit here and have you talk to me in this manner, as a matter of-" Lucius starts, eyes ablaze, voice filled with self righteous anger, until Narcissa's fingers digging violently into his leg stops him.

"Be silent, Lucius-" Narcissa says icily, but her tone is warm and inviting as she addresses Dorea, "-do continue, Dorea."

"Cissa. We cannot sit here and listen to a Mud-"

"Lucius," Narcissa snarls. Her husband instantly falls silent, and his face shifts into a stoic expression, as cold and emotionless as stone.

"It isn't without risk of course," Hermione starts, taking over. "I am from the future in a...different universe. I went to school with your son."

"Our son?" Narcissa asks with a dreamy and happy expression, "were you friends?"

"No. Draco was a prat for the most part, much like his Father. He was prejudiced and he bullied me and my friends...but he was forced into dire circumstances during the Second Wizarding War. He became a Death Eater, and your life was at risk Narcissa. Lucius had failed him, and as a result, Draco was given the impossible task of killing Dumbledore under threat of your life being on the line."

"No. My son...was...no," Narcissa frowns, "there must be some mistake."

"I do believe that Draco changed and was just as scared and terrified of Voldemort-"

"You dare say his name?" Lucius hisses.

"Yes," Hermione snaps, "I dare."

"I will take away your tongue in a moment, Lucius," Narcissa warns, her blue eyes sparking.

Dorea is drinking her tea, enjoying every moment.

"My main point is that Draco didn't have a choice. He was forced into a life that was thrust upon him by you and your Dark Lord," Hermione growls, huffing out heavily.

"You said Second Wizarding War…" Narcissa trails off, the question at the end, lingering in the air.

"Your Dark Lord will fall Lucius. He will fall and once he does, if you are not aligned with the right side, I will ensure that you are left with nothing. Anyone that supported him wholly and completely will be left with nothing. Nothing," Dorea says, there is no honey to coat her words this time, only fire and a cold promise.

Lucius seems to be thinking deeply about her words, and Dorea knows that he's considering telling the Dark Lord what he's learned. It's a risk that they calculated for.

Hermione is confident that Narcissa will want to protect her future son, or any children that they have, she'd proved it in their universe when she lied to Voldemort about Harry being dead. She is also confident that Lucius's love of Narcissa will triumph and it will pull him over to their side.

Hermione is apparently very skilled with memory charms, so obliviating them wouldn't be an issue. Plus she knows the Malfoys are trusted by Voldemort now, so there would be no reason for him to search either of their minds. On top of all of that, Abraxas is a brilliant Occlumens, and she can't imagine that he didn't teach his son the skill.

Narcissa is looking imploringly at her husband, Hermione's declarations have clearly caused something to shift in the witch.

Hermione looks worried as Lucius ponders all of his options, most likely wondering if she has miscalculated. If this dimension's Lucius is incorruptible and unable to be swayed to their side.

Lucius looks up then, and Dorea can see the inner war he is having with himself. His interlaced fingers untangle and he grabs onto Narcissa's hand that is now limply resting on his thigh.

"How do we start?" Lucius asks.