Hey again! Exam's are almost over, so I've taken an hour and a half to complete this chapter. Hope you like it and review! This story is in dire straits! Ming.

Chapter 4: Letters

Now I'm out here counting airplanes

Trying to make sense of the changes

I don't want to be just anybody

So don't try to figure me out

Counting Airplanes, Train

A large parliament of owls flew in through the large white windows of the Malfoy Manor. Within them, they held parcels and papers, cloths and shoes, almost everything from New York.

Yawning, Ben woke up and spotted the flurry of activity playing in front of his eyes. Pushing aside the duvet covers, he sprinted out of his room and rushed down the stairs. There, the owls were swooping left and right, leaving a flurry of feathers everywhere they went.

Draco heard them too. He thought he was dreaming. One moment, he was dressed in purple holding a teacup and all of a sudden, a huge wind blew, it's tempest blowing away the table, the teapot and the business counterparts. Clutching his hat on his head, he forced himself to wake up to stop the noise. Yet, the loud noise carried on from down the corridor.

Groaning, Draco pulled on a green sweater and a pair of white pants and trod downstairs. Down there, Ben was standing in the middle of the grand foyer, about a hundred owls whorled around him like he was the eye of the hurricane. Holding up his hands, Ben let two owls rest on both sides, untying the strings on their legs. A piece of parchment fell from them and he waved it eagerly at Draco. "UNCLE DRACO!" Ben screamed over the noise, "Letters!"

Draco and Ben were sitting cross-legged on the white marble floor. All around them, letters littered the floor. "Okay, so this one says that Ben: come back to New York! Grandma, and all the aunts will look after you! Leave England Ben! Love, Aunt Susan," Draco said out clearly to Ben. Ben pulled a face and complained, " Aunt Susan complains and complains and complains, and she won't let me have sweets before dinner, not like Mum."

Draco laughed and tossed the letter to his right. Already, the mound was quite large, with many useless letters. Apparently, Simon Murray was smart enough to teach his family about owl post, or else, Draco would have never received so many. Draco never particularly liked Simon. Firstly, he had jet-black hair and wore spectacles, which reminded Draco painfully about Harry. After that flaw, came another one. Simon was British by birth, but a New Yorker. His whole family had moved when he was a child, leaving their roots behind, changing their voices to a slang that hardly made sense sometimes. To him in the least. Well, at least Nicole was happy.

Nicole Murray, or rather, Nicola Vera Black. Cousin from his mother's side, Nicole had blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. What was different from most Blacks was her brilliant smile. Draco and her had hit off almost immediately.

"What do you want?"

"Trying to say hello?"

"Go away. I don't know you."

"I'm your cousin Nicola. Nick for short."

"Fine Nick, bugger off, you're not needed here."

"Suit yourself."

"Hmph."

"Was just going to say that there's pudding downstairs if you want any."

"Pudding?"

"Yes pudding, as in strawberry shortcake. I made it myself!"

"Ick. I bet it tastes horrible."

"How would you know? Here's a piece." Nicola had held out her hands, revealing a large chunk of the shortcake. Her white frock was stained with jam and juice and her face had smears of flour and her hair looked as if she had powder in it. Draco looked at her apprehensively. She wasn't like any other Black. Taking it carefully, as if it was going to bite, Draco peered from all corners. Nicola laughed. "It's really okay, I didn't hex it or anything. I'm not allowed to use a wand." Draco bit into the shortcake and savoured the shortcake, melting in his mouth as it touched his tongue.

"How is it?"

"Hmm."

"Huh?"

"It's good."

Draco was four; Nicola was eight. Being an only child, Draco had hardly any friends to play with. So when Narcissa decided to visit her sisters and brothers, Draco tagged along, hoping that someone his age would at least talk to him. It was his first time seeing another girl older than him. Nicola was a distant cousin from his mother's side. Pretty and strong-minded, she was constantly being chased by wizards of all ages as the years passed.

"You know Draco."

"Yes?"

"I want to get married."

"You're ten!"

"Yes, yes, but I still want to get married. When I'm older, I want a child. Doesn't matter whether the child is a girl or boy. But I want my child to grow up in a family of love."

"Is your family not of love?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"It is cold, hard stone."

Draco should have known better. His family was no different. Being the only child, his father put a lot of pressure on him to do well. Not just in grades, but in many other things as well. He had to be the first to own the Nimbus 2001, he had to become a prefect, he had, he had, and he had. Nicola was different. Nicola had warm eyes, not distant ones like most he knew. Nicola laughed and said what she thought, she got angry easily, but she forgave just as fast. Draco thought that Nicola was perfect.

"Draco."

"Yes?"

"I'm 21 now."

"And I'm 17. So?"

"I'm getting married."

"Oh."

"I have a baby already."

"So fast?"

"I love this man, Draco."

"Is it that New York man?"

"Yes. The one that you hate because he reminds you of Harry Potter."

"Suit yourself."

"Aren't you going to say anything to me? You haven't even replied my RSVP and it was sent a week ago!"

"Never got round to opening it. I just left school. Owls are being redirected back to the Manor"

"Oh."

"Oh."

"Draco, do you think you could come?"

"Why?"

"You're the one who still talks to me."

Nicola had been disowned at the age of eighteen. Just after her birthday, she had announced she would not be Nicola Black anymore. It would be Nicole. Just Nicole. She said she hated the family. The family that had suppressed her for so long, the family that kept so tight a reign on her, she was choking with every move she made, the family that would hold on to her for the rest of her life if she did not make her move. It was simply the matter of zapping her name off the large tapestry, leaving a charred mark just next to Tonks' mother. It was scorched off two years later when she announced she was getting married to a muggle.

Nicole loved it.

"It's called freedom Draco!"

"Freedom? Don't make me laugh."

"I like sugar coated words Draco."

"Even if they tell lies?"

"Yes, even if they do. He's Ben. Benjamin Michael Murray."

"Ugh. Sounds like a muggle name."

"Not everybody is called Draco Malfoy. Know the name well, because we're coming to visit you in say, another five minutes?"

"What? Wait! I'm not ready!"

CRACK. Draco held the dead telephone next to his ear. The next thing he heard was the door opening, echoing through the lifeless rooms. "Draco! We're here!" A cheery voice called out. Ruffling his hair with a sigh he walked down the stairs. In the middle of the main foyer stood a beautiful woman, her blonde hair like a bright spark in the dim room, her blue eyes lively in the dark. And in her hands were a small blue bundle and her wand. "So, Uncle Malfoy, what does it feel like?" she smiled.

"Nice to see you too Nicola." Draco bowed slightly and peered apprehensively at the bundle. Inside, was a little baby with a large tuft of hair. His blue eyes smiled happily and he showed a toothy grin. "Got your eyes and hair," Draco said gruffly. Nicola laughed, " You think? I see you've taken to the young child already, Uncle."

"You bring him to me when he's one year old?"

"You didn't turn up for the wedding until we were just about to make the vows!"

"I still turned up!"

"Too late for that Draco." Silence radiated from the room like a harmful ray before Draco spoke again. "How's life with a muggle?"

"Great. You get to use electricity; you don't have to make potions. It's brilliant Draco. Get a muggle girlfriend for yourself, I say you need one."

"You have no right to preach me, cousin of mine."

"I do, because if I die, this child is going to you and he needs a mother."

Draco snapped back into reality. He had been staring idly at a piece of parchment for the past ten minutes. Looking at the parchment, he tossed it to one side. This time, he picked up a plain envelope. On the front, he saw his name written out in dark green ink, in a cursive smooth handwriting. Flipping it to the back he saw the seal of the Blacks. Nicola. He hurriedly opened the envelope and pieces of thick parchment of fine material dropped onto his lap.

Draco Malfoy,

By the time you get this letter, I would have been long gone. No matter the reasons of my death, please heed to this letter, like you would to a will. The proper will from the lawyers will come to you later. For that matter, I have to entrust you with my son, Benjamin Michael Murray.

I am sure you have met him with my wife, and this is the first time I am addressing you personally. I know about Nicola's past, and I know that you are the only one she would entrust my child with.

There was an inky splotch next to the next sentence, which made the words illegible. Murmuring a charm, the splotch disappeared to form the actually sentence.

You are my only chance Draco Malfoy. My family knows little about Nicola and find her as far as witches go in storybooks, evil, demented and bent on world domination. I would rather you take care of Ben as I am sure that my family would not be so understanding and will be hell bent on making Benjamin grow up as a 'normal' child. I respect your culture and would never dare try correcting it.

This is the reason I entrust you with my child. I am sure you will take good care of him and if he were only a few years old, take care of his needs until he enters Hogwarts, where I am sure your headmaster would take brilliant care of him. You are his guardian, Draco Malfoy.

I place my trust in you.

Sincerely,

Simon Murray

Draco closed the letter and massaged his temples. This letter was supposed to come immediately after the death of the Murrays! Was it intercepted? As he looked around, he saw the owls unscathed but looking dreadfully tired. A non-stop trip for New York with so much baggage weighing them down must have been a killer. Pulling out his wand, he pointed at an empty space and conjured up a few large bowls of water and pellets. The owls rushed to the food in frenzy, leaving part of the main foyer empty with the furniture and letters.

Draco found himself intrigued by a large box under some letters. Pulling it out with a grunt, he laid it down gently on the marble floor and unwrapped the paper. Was this a gift? He thought. When he had undone the wrapping paper, he found himself staring at a large red box. Pulling off the cover, he peered at the contents. There were books and more books and a single piece of rolled up parchment. Letters again? Draco thought, amused.

Dear Draco,

It is I, your cousin Nicola. I know you must be feeling very sad right now what with our deaths. I saw it coming Draco. They would have come in the end, to take control of me. I write this with a heavy heart but I know that my time will be coming soon. Signs have been appearing, more frequently than ever.

But what I leave you is the wish for hope, that you can take care of our Ben and have him grow up in a loving family. I hope that what has happened to me and you would never happen to any other child.

In this box, contains all that you need to know about Ben. There are photo albums, folders, information, everything. I hope that you will be able to understand that I was not born to become a burden. I was born so that I could rebel, get the best out of life, and form another human being, which will become your happiness.

Love,

Nicola Vera Black

Draco smiled. Become your happiness eh? We'll see Nicola, we'll see. Draco turned to the child sitting next to him. Ben was busily folding paper aeroplanes from the junk parchment. Draco stared at the mess in front of him. Feathers, furniture, junk, parchment. And that was just the start. He needed a cleaner.

"Ring!" The shrill bell cried again. Hermione yanked the door open. Draco was leaning casually to the side of the frame, looking bored. In one hand, he held Ben's hand. "Sorry I'm early, Granger," Draco drawled, giving Hermione a smirk. Hermione gave a forced smile and bent down to Ben's height. Ben rushed into Hermione's arms with a shrill "Herb!"

"Herb?" Draco asked cynically, with his trademark eyebrow raised.

"Ben! I said Hermione! Her-my-oh-knee. Or Herm, just not Herb. Okay Ben?" Hermione said exasperatedly to Ben. Ben nodded his head eagerly and replied, "Okay Herb!"

It had been two weeks since Draco had started to drop Ben off at Hermione's apartment. "I have no choice Granger, or I wouldn't even leave myself in your hands. I have to work you know." He had said. Hermione brushed the memory aside angrily. Five years had passed and he was still having a go at her. Making her embarrassed, making her feel useless.

"Agh! Malfoy! What have you been feeding Ben!" Hermione cried out when Ben pulled something out of his trousers' pocket and stuffing it into his mouth. Draco stared at Ben chewing. "Nothing, really!" He replied truthfully.

"Ben, take it out from your mouth this instant," Hermione said, going McGonagall. Ben reluctantly spat it out from his mouth. On the carpet, lay two toffees. "Sweets? Sweets?" Hermione said shrilly, turning it Draco, "You feed him sweets at eight in the morning? What is wrong with you?" Hermione looked disgusted and ushered Ben to the toilet to wash his hands and mouth.

Draco rubbed his temples for the second time that morning. Yesterday, he had spent the whole day trying to clean up the mess left by the owls and sort out as much as he could, and he was only half done. He didn't know where to put the furniture, should he even keep them? The Manor had more than enough of antiques and other odds and ends; it was just a matter of hiding them. And all those letters that he had yet to read.

Eventually, he found the will, which showed that Ben owned all the money his parents had, and practically everything, except the house in New York that went to Simon's family. Now, he had to find the key to the Gringotts Vault and make sure that Ben didn't lose the key. Or maybe, he'll just keep it and give it to Ben when he went to Hogwarts.

The bell gave a shrilly ring a few minutes later. "Could you get that for me, Malfoy? Even you have some basic courtesy right?" Hermione yelled out when she heard the bell. She was busily trying to get Ben to get his shirt off so she could wash the stains of toffee off it.

Draco gave a non-committal grunt and pulled open the door. "Hermione!" A voice said cheerily, before stopping short. "You're not Hermione. Where is she?" Draco stared at the man in front of him. He was dressed in smart red wizard robes and was holding the hand of a young girl. "'Course I'm not," Draco replied, "I'm not even a woman."

"Karl!" Hermione said cheerfully and nudged Draco aside. Kissing both of her cheeks, Karl straightened up. "Well, here to drop Kate off. A bit early I know, but I'm in a rush. The warlocks down at St. Mungo's are growing crazy again," Karl said as he straightened up. Kate gave Hermione a big hug and stared at Draco. Hermione nodded knowingly, "I know, I heard from Seamus about that too, trying to rebel huh? He's doing a piece on them." Karl nodded back and kissed Kate on the head, " Be a good girl okay, Kate? Mum is off in Egypt covering a report on the mummies. She'll send you a mummy hand if you behave okay?" Kate nodded and waved goodbye with a toothy grin. There was a loud crack and Karl had disapparated.

Draco looked at the little girl clinging onto Hermione amusedly. "Got yourself a girlfriend there, Granger," Draco sniggered. "Whatever Malfoy, you can go now, Ben's safe with me." Draco shrugged and nodded and with a crack, was gone. "I don't like him Hermione," Kate tugged at the hem of Hermione's skirt. "Me neither Kate honey, me neither."

"Granger, I'm calling in a favour," Draco announced when he picked up Ben at seven in the evening. "What makes you think I'll do it?" Hermione spat back almost immediately. "Because it's worth 75 galleons." Hermione stopped short of slamming the door in his face. "I knew you would fall for that," Draco smirked.

"I don't have to take it you know," Hermione said as she examined her fingers, "I'm taking care of Ben because he needs taking care of. I'm not doing it for money or because of you. What do you want?"

"House cleaning."

"House cleaning?" Hermione chortled, "You have got to be kidding. You're paying 75 galleons for house cleaning services?"

"The Manor is really big, if you must know," Draco protested, "And if you take it, you'll be doing much more than just house cleaning." Hermione curiosity piqued. "If I take this job, I get 75 galleons."

"Yes."

"No strings attached?"

"No strings attached," Draco ensured Hermione. "Let's make a bet shall we? You clean my house in one day along with all the crap in there and I'll add in another ten galleons." Draco held out his hand. Hermione took it firmly, "Deal."

Thank you to all those who read and review. (: