Author's Note: It's been so long x_x Sorry, I tried very hard to finish a chapter sooner but wasn't in the right mindset. Here's something finally, yesss! And I'll catch up on some replies in the next few days.
Also, I'm starting a Discord server for any Cissamione shippers out there, whether you're a reader, writer, artist, or daydreamer. Yay community! \o/ Come by and introduce yourself. The invite link isn't public now (for safety against raids) but it's still very much open to everyone. Message me here or on Tumblr (same username) for an invite. If you can't reach me, try messaging another Cissamione shipper. There are a bunch of great folks in there and anyone can give you an invite :)
Narcissa stood in the center of a storm as usual, with clothes zooming through the air while models, designers, and photographers prepared for a sunset photoshoot on the roof. Too many of them kept dropping by to ask her to fix problems they should have been able to solve themselves.
"Why haven't the alterations been made already?" Narcissa asked, exasperated. "Clothes should fit the models, not the other way around. It doesn't require advanced arithmancy. Take the measurements again." It was a wonder any of them accomplished anything without her presence.
Granger came outside and glanced right over all of the models in various states of undress, seeking out Narcissa. She cleared her throat as she approached. "Um, can I speak with you about that private matter you asked me to handle?"
Narcissa rolled her eyes to the heavens. No doubt Granger expected the editor-in-chief to sweep in and fix everything for her as well. "Come, let's find somewhere away from Draco." She glanced over at her son, who was handing out accessories with his eyes politely averted despite a few witches' attempts to catch his attention. They would have better luck trying to lure a dragon with hay.
Granger looked around and nodded toward a maze of clothing racks. Narcissa found herself in the unfamiliar situation of letting her assistant lead the way with a gentle hand around her wrist. Before she could even think of asking who exactly was in charge here, Granger tugged her further behind some faux furs to hide, surrounded on all sides by elaborate autumn-themed robes for the next season.
"I don't appreciate being pushed about," Narcissa protested.
"Sorry," Granger apologized, doing one last scan of the area before facing her, disconcertingly close.
Narcissa watched and waited, eyes locked with her assistant, who seemed at a loss for words for several seconds before looking away and taking deep, slow breaths. Perhaps the tight space was affecting her, or the summer heat. Narcissa felt rather warm herself with Granger's body so close but declined to dwell on it. "Well? I assume this is about the birthday party. Get to the point, what fire do you need me to put out?"
Granger refocused. "Yes, the party! About that." She raised her hands in the air and exclaimed, "It's literally impossible! I looked at Andromeda's back yard and there's nothing but overgrown woods! How can I make an entire lake there in only a few days?!"
Despite improved job performance, she still had these inexplicable moments of ineptitude. "I fail to see the problem," Narcissa said. "You have access to my budget, my landscapers―"
Granger's nose scrunched. "What if they figure out what's going on? You said I have to keep this a secret from everyone."
Narcissa sighed. "They're laborers; they don't count." She ignored Granger's offended look and continued, "You have all of those resources at your disposal, not to mention magic, in case that slipped your muggleborn mind―"
"Oh, and your current favorite caterers said they don't do birthday parties―"
"Tell them to make an exception."
"People don't like it when I'm bossy," Granger said. "I tried to ask nicely, but they don't just magically obey me like they do for you!"
Narcissa discarded her next dismissive remark and frowned. If that was Granger's mindset, it's no wonder she was having trouble. "I want you to listen very closely; there's something you need to understand. I am a powerful witch. You act as my agent."
"I'm more than just some agent―"
"Listen. When you do things in my name, all of my power is yours." Narcissa laid her hands on Granger's shoulders as if to physically transfer it. "People jump to follow my orders, it's true. So use that, use my name. Remind them who you speak for. Take charge so that you can give me everything I want."
Granger nodded with her expressive eyebrows knit together in concentration and her lips muttering the advice to absorb it. "Okay. It's okay to be bossy... Use your name... Take charge?"
Narcissa looked up and caught her eyes again―and really, she couldn't help but notice their rich shade of brown when they were fixed upon her. A light rosewood color, perhaps, here in the evening sun. "Precisely," she stalled, unable to remember their original topic.
"Narcissa!" Pansy called, approaching them amongst the faux furs. "Where are you?" She pushed aside clothing as she searched. "Narciss―ahh!"
"Ahh!" Draco yelled, hiding place exposed.
"Draco?!" Narcissa exclaimed.
"Ahhhhh!" he screamed again at the sight of them so close together―again.
She dropped her hands from Granger's shoulders. "How much did you hear?"
"Nothing, I don't know, something about her giving you what you want?" He grimaced and shook his hands as if to fling the thought away. "I thought you were going to talk about my party!"
Narcissa was absolutely done with his nosy behavior. "Draco, this eavesdropping has got to..."
"I'll stop, I swear!" Draco said. "I don't want to hear whatever you're doing together." He turned and fled.
Narcissa hid a smile, amused that his inappropriate assumptions had deterred him for good. She turned to Pansy. "Is there a reason you interrupted our conversation?"
Pansy answered, "Someone from Teddy's daycare is in the fireplace, asking for you."
Alarmed, Narcissa asked, "Is there something wrong?" Seeing only a clueless shrug, she hurried toward the rooftop door. "Come along, Dobby." Both of her assistants followed her downstairs and waited nearby.
The large fireplace in their office suite had flared to life. A man's head and hands hovered in the green flames.
"Hello, Miss Black?" he signed. "I'm Rob, from daycare."
"Problem with Teddy?" Narcissa asked immediately.
"Teddy's perfectly fine," the caregiver reassured her. "But his grandmother hasn't come to pick him up, and we couldn't reach her at home."
Narcissa glanced at a large antique clock nearby. Seven o'clock p.m., an hour past pickup time. "Very sorry, I arrive soon," she said with a quick farewell, worried about her sister now. Andromeda spent her afternoons doing some pastime―a potions club? a golf club? some kind of club―but that should have been over a while ago.
"Of all the days to make me leave work early..." Narcissa muttered, gathering her things to leave. "She'd better be mortally wounded. Lying in a gully somewhere. Held hostage."
"Who?" Granger asked.
"Andromeda! She didn't pick up Teddy from daycare and now I can't supervise a photoshoot that is certain to be a disaster without me. Pansy, take my place. Since you'll be busy with that, Granger will need to take the Scroll to my house."
"The Scroll?" Granger repeated, wide-eyed. "With all of the mockups for the entire issue? Pansy told me I wasn't allowed to touch it."
Pansy rolled her eyes. "You're allowed if you treat it with the proper respect. You have to guard it with your life. Don't expose it to bad weather, or drop it, or crush it..."
"Can't we send it by owl?" Granger asked.
Narcissa repressed a shudder. "I don't want an owl's claws anywhere near it. Ring the bell to summon my carriage." She fastened her cloak at her collar and left before she could hear any more horrific suggestions.
She reached the daycare quickly. "Thank you for stay late," she said, trying to hide her irritation.
"It's no problem. I volunteered to be the one who stayed later," the caregiver replied. "Teddy is such a sweet little boy."
Narcissa felt a pang of envy as she watched him sign. His sentences flowed with fluent motions while her own felt stilted in comparison, with only a year of practice under her belt. She made a mental note to take more lessons and followed the caregiver into the kids' playroom.
"Auntie!" Teddy exclaimed, hand wobbly from excitement when he spotted her.
Narcissa's stress faded as she crouched down next to him. "Ready go home, sweetie?" She picked him up, nuzzling his blue hair with her nose. He giggled and patted her face.
The caregiver accompanied her to the front door, saying, "We miss having Andromeda around, and Teddy loves it when she joins us. Please invite her to keep coming whenever she can. As always, you're welcome too."
Narcissa smiled and hid her confusion. As far as she knew, Andromeda frequently stayed to play with Teddy and attended a weekly discussion group. "Where Grandma?" she asked Teddy playfully, not really expecting an answer.
Teddy certainly tried to say something, but it all went right over her head.
The caregiver laughed. "Look at him babble. The only actual word I caught was 'sleep.' Just wait until he gets a little older. His vocabulary will explode!"
Narcissa nodded impatiently, familiar with that already from Draco. After enduring a few more pleasantries and farewells, she carried Teddy outside to her waiting carriage and stepped in, wishing he were old enough to use floo powder or side-along apparate safely.
The ride home was maddeningly long.
"Andi?" Narcissa called, looking around the ground floor. She found her sister unharmed, sound asleep―Teddy was right―with a book and a blanket on one of the couches in the sitting room. "Andromeda, wake up," she said, tapping her on the shoulder. "What are you doing? I had to leave work and pick up Teddy because you forgot."
Andromeda sat up hastily, looking panicked. "I'm sorry!" She kicked off the blanket as she stood up. "Sorry, sweetie," she signed, "Naptime too long, not forget you." She took Teddy into her arms and showered him with affection.
"Should I buy you an alarm clock?" Narcissa huffed. "I don't know how you could be so irresponsible. Don't let this happen again. Have today's groceries been delivered?"
"I don't―I don't know." Andromeda covered her eyes for a moment.
"If you want to lie around all day, that's fine," Narcissa said. "But I must know in advance. I could hire a nanny and a cook."
"No, I've told you, I don't want to deal with strangers in my house every day. I'll handle it."
"You're celebrating Draco's birthday with us on Saturday, right? You won't oversleep and forget the party in your own backyard?"
"Of course I'll be there." Andromeda replied. "It sounds like you've had a stressful day. Go take a bath or something to relax. I'll make cookies for dessert and ring the bell when dinner is ready." She headed to the kitchen with Teddy on her hip.
Narcissa stalked away, though she did not stomp like a child on her way upstairs to her suite. "'Go take a bath,'" she muttered. "As if that will solve anything." She slipped out of her clothes and took a brief shower to get clean before her long soak. Right as she was about to fill the tub, she heard the bell. Grumbling about timing, Narcissa wrapped herself in an emerald green silk robe and returned downstairs where she stopped short, hearing voices in the kitchen. She peeked around the doorframe and saw Granger there mixing cookie dough and talking quietly with Andromeda.
Her sister glanced over in surprise. "Oh, sorry. That was the door, not the dinner bell. I let Hermione in. You can go back to your bath."
"I brought the Scroll like you asked," Granger added. "It's in the foyer."
"Why are you in our kitchen?" Narcissa asked, approaching her and eyeing the mixing bowl.
"We're catching up, Cissy," Andromeda said. She gestured to her grandson on the floor pushing trains around chair legs. "She wanted to see Teddy, and I wanted to hear how Harry's auror training is going."
Narcissa sniffed with disinterest and reached past Granger to steal a bit of cookie dough to eat on her way back upstairs.
"Not before dinner," Granger said, slapping her hand away. "You'll spoil your appetite."
Narcissa stared in shock and felt her skin tighten with goosebumps.
Granger looked up and stared right back, equally shocked. "Merlin, I'm sorry, it's a reflex! Ginny is always trying to... um..." Her gaze drifted downward from Narcissa's face, then dropped to the floor. "Oh, god," she whispered.
Narcissa pulled the robe tighter around herself, crossing her arms and flushing in awareness of how little the thin material concealed and how embarrassing it must be for her assistant. She hadn't thought twice about it when there was only a baby and her sister, who couldn't care less. Falling back on sarcasm, she asked, "May I sample the food you're preparing in my home with ingredients I purchased?"
"Here, take it," Granger said, offering the bowl. "You can have it."
Narcissa dipped a few fingers in and took more than she originally intended, in defiance of the warning about her appetite.
Granger's hands started shaking, and she set the bowl back on the counter. "Um, I shouldn't overstay my welcome. Owl me if you want to talk, Mrs. Tonks. Bye!" She slipped out of the room, and the two sisters heard the front door open and close abruptly.
Narcissa looked at Andromeda, whose eyebrows were sky high. "What?" she snapped.
Andromeda said, "That was... interesting."
"How so?"
"Oh, I don't know," Andromeda dismissed. "Is it warm enough in the kitchen? There may be a nip in the air."
"It's too warm, with the oven on," Narcissa replied, frowning. "I'm going back to my bath."
"Mhm, enjoy yourself in there. And the dessert you nipped from Hermione."
The bath did little to relax her, and Narcissa felt tenser than ever by Saturday. She had no time to oversee Granger's preparations and could only hope the party wouldn't be an utter disaster.
As guests started arriving, she was pleasantly surprised. Everything was running smoothly―so far. Narcissa wouldn't offer praise just yet, not until it was over. She'd seen too many events implode from mistakes or negligence to be that optimistic.
She enjoyed a bit of champagne, watching guests chatter and point at the intimidating hedge maze on the far right side of the yard, the small but adequate lake to the left, and the wide open dragon arena front and center, enclosed by an enchanted chain-link fence. The dragon hadn't yet arrived, and the excitement was palpable.
Her ex-husband arrived late, and she studiously ignored him. Unfortunately, he sought her out.
"Lucius," she greeted him coldly.
"This is quite a... dramatic extravaganza you've put together," Lucius said, though it didn't sound like a compliment.
Narcissa glared at him. "I wanted our son to have an amazing, memorable birthday now that the Dark Lord is gone for good."
Draco approached while she was speaking and stood beside her in support. "Father."
"Draco. You're looking well. How are you?"
"Fine."
Lucius gestured at the festivities. "Narcissa, our son is too old for themed birthday parties."
"One is never too old for themed birthday parties. Isn't that right, Draco?"
"Of course, Mother. I love it. I've always wanted a guaranteed victory in a discount Triwizard Tournament."
"You see?" Narcissa said smugly to Lucius. "Draco loves it."
Lucius wrapped his arm around Draco's shoulders, walking away with him. "I know you want to please her, but you're an adult now. You should focus on serious things. Why are you still dabbling in fashion like your mother?"
Draco hunched his shoulders, looking cowed. "I really do like fashion, Father."
"No, you need a real career, something influential..."
They drifted out of earshot. Narcissa clenched her fists, tempted to interrupt. Draco should pursue whatever career he wanted. And she didn't dabble. Her magazine earned millions of galleons a year before the war, and she'd worked hard to bring it back to full strength since then. But apparently Lucius had never respected her vocation, believing her job was something he "let" her do as a hobby. Her blood boiled just remembering that revelation.
Granger came running up to her. "Narcissa, don't get mad."
"I have every right to be mad," Narcissa growled before she realized this was an entirely different problem.
"I can fix this!" Granger assured her. "The dragon will be a few hours late, but we can do the other events first. The hedge maze is ready. I can finish the lake preparations once we know who the other contestants are."
"I knew something would go wrong," Narcissa complained. "At least it's a minor issue. Bring me the Goblet of Fire and we'll get started."
All of the guests who wished to participate in the tournament had placed their names into the Goblet, which was of course rigged to ensure Draco's name was one of three to be drawn.
Draco did perfectly in the maze, making it to the center before all the others. Narcissa cheered loudly until Andromeda approached her and gestured to Teddy in his outdoor playpen.
"Will you watch him for me?" Andromeda asked. "It's a wonderful party, but I'm too tired to really enjoy it."
"I can watch him," Narcissa agreed, frowning as her sister went back into the house and wondering why she didn't get more sleep before such a big day.
Draco unfortunately came in second place on the lake task, surfacing with Pansy in his arms a full minute too slow. But Narcissa was pleased to see him getting along with the first place contestant, a handsome wizard from a good family. The two sat together chatting while everyone waited for the dragon's much-anticipated arrival.
Narcissa watched them from behind a cedar tree, hidden by its branches, trying to be subtle so she wouldn't interrupt her son's conversation. They seemed to be getting closer. Draco looked relaxed, smiling, and their knees brushed as the other wizard shifted to turn toward him. Narcissa clutched her hands together, hoping Draco would actually make a move this time. She kept trying to find suitable options for him, yet he was frustratingly timid.
"Narcissa?" Granger's voice right behind her made her jump.
"Don't you have some party preparations to do?" Narcissa asked, attention returning to Draco. She didn't want to miss a moment.
"You know how you didn't like Draco snooping to hear about his party?" Granger asked.
"Hmm?"
"I wonder where he gets it from."
"Mm. Probably from his great aunt. She never could mind her own business," Narcissa said, craning her neck to see better past a large branch.
"That must be it," Granger said. "You ought to stop lurking, though. The dragon is about to land."
"I'm not lurking," Narcissa protested, though she followed Granger back to the crowd and stood by Teddy's playpen.
Everyone watched in awe as a suitably large Common Welsh Green swooped down and landed in the enclosure, escorted by one of the Weasleys and that half-giant oaf Hagrid flying on brooms. They shackled the dragon to a long chain anchored in the ground, then came over to talk. Hagrid was carrying a live goat in his arms, presumably for feeding the dragon. Narcissa shuddered.
"Sorry we're late, Hermione," the Weasley said. "Do you like the dragon we found?"
"It's fantastic, Charlie. Well done," Granger said with a bright smile. "Thank you."
"It's adequate," Narcissa said. "A tad on the small side. But when my son is in there, both of you must stay close to him. If that dragon so much as singes a hair on his head, I'll ruin you."
"Yes, ma'am," Hagrid agreed. The goat looked up and started chewing on his beard.
"Yeah, yeah, we won't let your brat die," Charlie said.
"Be careful, all of you," Granger said. "I'd better go round up the Blast-Ended Skrewts in the maze, but I'll see you later."
In the dragon arena, the first two contestants were uninspired. One summoned a broom, copying what Potter had done, darting around the dragon's legs to grab the false golden egg. The second tried to use offensive spells and stun the dragon, but he failed. Its hide was too thick and it only got angrier.
Her son, of course, had a brilliant idea. With ingredients from the forest and his exceptional potions skills, Draco brewed a powerful sleeping draught and slathered it over the goat's fur, then tethered the goat in the enclosure.
"'At was s'posed ter be a snack fer afterwards," Hagrid said as he lumbered away to guard Draco in case something went wrong.
Narcissa grimaced, preferring not to think about it.
Teddy grinned in delight when he spotted the goat. Their lessons hadn't yet taught the sign for it, but he made one up with fingers like horns on his head, then added, "Love!"
Narcissa smiled and repeated it back to him in acknowledgment. It was unfortunate that Draco had chosen this way to overcome the dragon, but she could at least prevent Teddy from seeing it. She cast a quick charm to slide a table between his playpen and the goat, blocking his view of the upcoming carnage.
The dragon wandered around the enclosure until it caught a whiff of the goat's scent and started following it hungrily. Oblivious, the goat tested its tether and ate leaves from the surrounding shrubs. Draco stayed hidden far away under guard, waiting for the dragon to eat the drugged meal.
Narcissa glanced down again to make sure Teddy couldn't see, then did a double take. He was gone. "Where is Teddy?!" she asked. The people around her shrugged, unsure, but she had a sinking feeling in her gut and knew something was wrong.
Someone exclaimed, "There, at the fence!"
Though it seemed improbable that Teddy could get there so quickly, there he was, standing on wobbly legs and staring at the goat through the enchanted chain-link fence.
"Salazar help me, he's going to be scarred for life," Narcissa muttered, hurrying toward him.
The dragon took its time stalking closer, eyeing the goat hungrily. Narcissa thought perhaps she could reach Teddy before the main event, but a perfect baby-sized hole appeared in the fence, melting under his tiny hands, and he toddled through.
The crowd gasped. "TEDDY!" a dozen people screamed at once. They were all socialites; none of them knew how to stop a dragon. Weasley and the oaf came running from all the way across the enclosure.
Narcissa fired flares and sparks toward Teddy, a foolproof way to catch his attention. He deliberately ignored them, fixated on the goat. When he reached it, he hugged its leg and rested his cheek against its strong shoulder. The goat turned and nibbled on his blue hair. Teddy giggled.
The dragon's tongue flickered out, tasting the air. A live dragon at a birthday party. Narcissa regretted everything.
The goat finally noticed the approaching predator and squealed in alarm, breaking its tether and racing away. Teddy squealed in delight, stretching out his arms as if the dragon would pick him up. Narcissa fell to her knees, uselessly clutching the fence in horror when the dragon lowered its head and sniffed the tiny boy. Teddy hugged its massive jaw. The dragon's cat-like eyes narrowed to slits and a growl rumbled in its throat, long fangs dripping with saliva, smoke pouring out of its nostrils as it prepared to breathe fire.
Charlie Weasley finally got close enough to be of some use and cast immobilization charms on the dragon's shackles. "All together now, stupefy on three!"
"E'ryone ready yer wands!" the half giant alongside him called to the crowd. "One, two..."
Narcissa and all of the partygoers raised their wands. On three, everyone fired stunning charms. The dragon swayed, eyes dull, and collapsed onto its side, great belly rising and falling in calm, unconscious breaths.
"Naptime," Teddy said. He patted the dragon gently. "Goodnight."
"Can you explain to me," Narcissa said with cold fury, "why there was only one flimsy fence between my great-nephew and a deadly magical creature?" She was too upset to sit, so she paced back and forth in her office, finally getting a chance to yell at Granger after a weekend of chaos.
"A very durable fence! It was even fireproof!" Granger defended. "Charlie visited in advance to cast all sorts of spells on it to keep the dragon secure."
"So how did a baby get through?"
"Underage magic is unpredictable," Granger said. "No one knew he could do that! It was an accident."
"An accident," Narcissa repeated, turning away. She gripped one of the racks of dresses to consider for the next shoot. "Misplacing one's wand is an accident. Tearing a run in one's hose is an accident. But this... this was criminal negligence, or even attempted involuntary manslaughter."
"How can it be both 'attempted' and 'involuntary'?" Granger groused. "You're being ridiculous. You could just as easily blame his playpen for not keeping him contained, or yourself for not keeping a closer eye on him."
"Blame myself?" Narcissa echoed. "Utterly preposterous. He would have been safe if not for the dragon, and there was one person in charge of those safety precautions: you."
Her assistant flinched, looking suitably guilty now.
"I have been very patient with you," Narcissa said, voice low. "I took a chance on you despite your ignorance and forgave all of your mistakes when you began. But Teddy was nearly eaten alive, and on top of that I now have a goat to care for because he insisted on keeping it!"
Granger squeezed her eyes shut. "Please don't fire me. I didn't do anything wrong."
"Strictly speaking, no..." Narcissa moved to another rack of dresses and perused them, muttering, "I knew I shouldn't have chosen a mudblood."
"You aren't allowed to call me that," Granger informed her. "Human Resources has a policy."
Narcissa narrowed her eyes. HR could threaten her salary and benefits, but she was a Slytherin. Finding loopholes was her specialty. "I wasn't referring to you," she corrected. "It's a new color."
Granger stared at her. "Excuse me?"
Narcissa rifled through the dresses to find one she remembered having an unusual shade of rust red. It was gorgeous, but sacrifices must be made. "This uniquely hideous hue needed a name so I could describe it to designers and tell them not to create anything like it."
"You're unbelievable," Granger said, looking angrier by the second.
Narcissa spotted her son talking to Pansy outside the office. "Draco?" she called. When he came in, she displayed the dress and asked, "What do you think of this new color? I call it mudblood."
Draco caught the venomous tone of her voice and said, "Horrible." He held out the material to catch the light. "Like beaver and burnt umber accidentally crossbred and tossed their offspring in a puddle." Draco's malicious sneer was adorable. "You're familiar with beaver, right? A shade of brown named after that animal with the large front teeth."
Granger stamped her foot. "You had to ferret around in rubbish from six years ago to come up with that insult."
Draco shrugged and sauntered out of the office.
"This is harassment!" Granger fumed.
"This is fashion," Narcissa replied. "If you can't take the heat, get off the ironing board."
"You're going to regret this."
Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "Will I? Do your worst."
Rather than starting a fight, Granger simply marched out of the office. Some Gryffindor. Narcissa's fingers tightened on the dress hanger. No one walked away from her before she was done with them.
"Dobby!"
Granger stormed back in, growling, "Oh, and I'm not your house elf! My name is Hermione. Her-MY-uh-nee. Learn how to say it or you'll be left wondering why no one has brought your precious tea yet!"
"Oh, I know how to say it. Your name is Greek, is it not?" Narcissa shot back, shifting into Hermione's personal space to intimidate her. She lowered her voice and taunted, "Ehr-mee-OH-nee."
Hermione shivered. "Yes, that... also works," she croaked, swallowing hard.
"Bring these clothes to the Wardrobe, Ermióni," Narcissa said, unable to resist eliciting another little shiver. "Everything except this mudblood dress. Throw that one in the rubbish bin."
Hermione's eyes narrowed as she took the dress. "Yes, Narcissa," she said through clenched teeth.
Narcissa inclined her head, satisfied that her assistant knew who was in charge, even if she didn't like it.