a/n: Look at this, a timely update! This time with a nice flashback scene that should shed some light on how I think Draco's childhood could have been. My ever wonderful beta viv-heart just finished her Deamus-fanfic, so go check it out, it's fluffy af :D Also the chapter title is a reference to viv-heart's Sirius/Minnie fic, I just thought it fit wonderfully :)
italics = flashback

The scene in front of Draco was something he hadn't ever thought to be possible. The two women hugging in the open door, Granger standing behind them and everything just looking like a cheesy romance novel.

Nevertheless he was extremely happy about the two women reunited. He had known that his mother missed her siblings since his sixth birthday when he had asked about her sisters.

In the morning Draco had been taken to the family library by his father. He had told him to sit down on the couch in front of the window and went down an aisle.

Draco just started to get bored when he came back with a huge book. His father sat down next to him and put the book on his lap so Draco could read it as well. He had learned to read a year ago when his nanny got fed up with him asking for stories.

Now he read out loud: "The most A-ancient and No-ble House of Black" He looked up to his father to see him smiling proudly.

"Very good, Draco. That is the name of your mother's family," he put his finger on one of the highest branches on the tree drawn in the book. "

She's here and next to her is her sister, Bellatrix," the name had another one next to it, just like Draco's mother had his father's.

"Who is Ro-dol-phus, father?"Draco asked curiously.

Lucius sighed. "That's the husband of your aunt, he is your uncle."

"Why do they never visit?" the small boy asked.

"They are in Azkaban, a prison. They were bad people."

"And who is my other aunt?" Draco asked, satisfied with the answer although he wasn't entirely sure why his aunt and uncle were bad people he knew the tone of his father's voice.

It meant he wouldn't get to ask more questions or no dessert and that would be especially bad on his birthday.

Lucius lips were only a thin line when Draco looked at him again and suddenly he feared for his dessert. "We don't talk about her." The answer was in a crisp tone and Draco understood not to ask.

"Where are my grandparents?"he redirected the attention of his father.

He smiled and pointed to two names below his mother and her sisters. "Cygnus and Druella. Your grandfather was a strict man, but when you were born he was just as happy as your mother, he spoiled you rotten. Sadly he died when you were only two years old. Your grandmother was a lovely woman, who looked just like your mother when she was younger and Narcissa definitely has her talent for gardening," Lucius chuckled.

"Did she also die, father?" Draco asked sadly.

"Yes, shortly after I married your mother. She was ill and never recovered."His father seemed lost in thought. When he gathered himself he continued with the Malfoys and answered all questions Draco had.

Later that morning Lucius announced that he had to take care of some business but would be back for Draco's birthday party in the afternoon.

When the time for lunch came his mother ordered the elves to set up everything outside as it was a sunny if a little cold day. But that was nothing a warming charm over the table, that was prepared for two, wouldn't solve.

After they had finished their meal in silence and the dessert appeared Draco gathered his courage and decided to ask his mother about her sisters.

"Father showed me the family trees today!" he said excitedly.

"That sounds interesting," his mother replied with a smile. "I hope he didn't say anything bad about my family?" she asked teasingly.

"No, but he didn't tell why some names were blacked out," Draco pouted. He knew that his mother found it cute and normally gave him what he wanted if he did it.

Narcissa frowned. "They were disinherited, they are no longer part of the family. The patriarch decided that. Do you want to know something about anyone in particular?" she asked her son, dreading the answer.

"Your sister and your cousin. Father didn't even tell me their names."From the frown on his mother's face Draco knew that he had to be careful. But his curiosity nearly killed him.

"Her name is Andromeda," his mother sighed. "She married a man our family didn't approve of and was therefore disinherited."

Draco watched his mother closely. "Do you miss her, mother?"

Narcissa swallowed. "I do," she whispered. "But don't tell your father. He…he doesn't understand, he has no siblings." Draco reached over and took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

"Of course, mother. It's our secret," he smiled at her to cheer her up and she smiled back. "And your cousin? Did he also marry the wrong person?"

Narcissa laughed. "No, not that I know of anyway. He left when he was sixteen. Your great-aunt wasn't a pleasant person and he didn't want to stay with her any longer. She blasted him off the family in a fit of rage and that couldn't be undone," his mother still had his hand in hers and squeezed it back now. "You should get ready for your party, darling. It's already half past one."

Draco startled when he heard the time and jumped up. "Thank you for your answers, mother!" he called over his shoulder while he race towards the house.

Draco returned to the present when his father nudged his arm. "Come on, Draco. Or do you want to stay outside?"

He didn't answer but walked to the front door and into the house after Lucius. Inside it looked as cosy as it did from the outside and Draco took his time to look at every magical and muggle photograph that was hung on the hallway wall. Many showed a woman who looked terrifyingly like Aunt Bella, a man with sandy blond hair and a girl with varying bright hair. The farther he got into the house the older the girl got and then there was the wedding photo of Nymphadora and his former Professor Lupin. They looked incredibly in love and happy. But after that the husband of his aunt vanished from the photographs. Only a few were left, most of his cousin with her son and on the last one was Potter with Andromeda and his grand cousin. Draco swallowed. He knew the reason for the vanishing, he knew they were dead. But it was even harder to see it like this. To think that his aunt walked by these photos every day. It had to be terrible for her.

When he entered the living room his mother and aunt had taken a seat on the right couch, still clutching their hands tightly. Hermione sat on the armchair while his father had chosen the other couch, where he sat extremely stiff and looked like he would rather be anywhere but there.

The Auror seemed to have left and Draco was thankful for that. He preferred to keep family drama in the family. Hermione was at least good friends with his mother, she would understand what importance this moment had.

Draco sat down next to his father and watched the two sisters uncomfortably. He wasn't used to so open displays of affection from his mother, but he had a feeling that she'd only suppressed that affection for years, because the pureblood society would have used every shred of emotion she showed against her.

Finally his aunt turned to the two men in front of her and watched them with narrowed eyes.

"There are rules in this house," she stated after a few moment of close scrutiny. "Number one: You will help with the housekeeping. Whether you do it with or without magic is your decision, but I won't do your chores if you neglect them. Number two: No racism, no speciecism. If I hear the word 'mudblood' or any disparaging comment towards muggle-borns or if you denounce my guests because of their species I will not speak favourable of you at your trial or hearing respectively. Number three: You will inform yourselves about the muggle world and find out whether they really are inferior." Draco nodded and smiled at his aunt who looked proudly at him. His father next to him slumped and sighed but nodded as well.

"Will you understand that I will need time to change my rhetoric?" he asked the sister-in-law warily.

Andromeda nodded. "Of course, but I will know whether it was just a slip or not."

"Then I have no concerns. Could you please show us our rooms? The day has been very eventful and I am rather tired," Lucius asked politely.

Andromeda stood up and motioned them to follow her. Hermione stayed behind and sipped her tea. He waved her good bye because he was just as tired as his father and he looked very much forward to a real bed in a real room after staying in the holding cells in the ministry for the last few days.

Hermione finished her tea in silence. She was relieved that everyone had been so ready to accept the others. She wondered how long this peace would hold. Draco could have quite a temper and two long estranged sisters probably had many unsolved conflicts. Not to speak of Mr. Malfoy who certainly wasn't used to fixing his own breakfast or cleaning his room. But Hermione thought it would be good for Mrs. Tonks to have someone to care for after having lost nearly her whole family safe for her grandson. She smiled at the thought of Teddy. Harry had brought him over to Grimmauld Place three days ago and the small boy had kept changing his hair and eye colour every few minutes. Kreacher had been delighted to have "young Mister Black-Lupin" at the old house and had taken to prepare the nursery for the small boy. After his time at Hogwarts Kreacher's magic seemed to be fully working again as he had managed to clean and renovate the room within an hour.

The next morning the three inhabitants decided to renovate the whole house, now that the war was over. Headmistress McGonagall had sternly ordered them to not step a foot on Hogwarts ground for the next two months while the Ministry and volunteers did the main part of rebuilding. With nothing else to do renovating the old house sounded like a good idea and they would start after the hearing with planning.

Mrs. Tonks came back into the living room and sat back down on the couch.

"They are all settled in for the afternoon. I will let them sleep for now, I can't imagine the cots at the Ministry being comfortable," Mrs Tonks chuckled.

Hermione laughed. "I don't think so either. When will they meet Teddy?"

"Tonight at dinner. He is currently with Molly and she will bring him over in about an hour. As I have heard old Kreacher is completely enamoured by him?" the older witch asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"He is indeed. He managed to clean and renovate the nursery within an hour. He even asked in which houses Remus and Tonks were. Even made a crib-mobile with tiny badgers, lions, eagles and snakes." Hermione laughed at the memory.

"I am glad that Walburga didn't completely destroy that elf's psyche." They sat a moment in silence until suddenly Mrs. Tonks jumped up and searched for paper and pen on the desk in a corner. "I promised to give you the address of this house, didn't I?" she said and gave Hermione a sheet of paper with the full address.

"Thank you, Mrs. Tonks. If you ever need any help around the house or the Malfoys I'd be glad to come over!" Hermione said and stood up to leave.

"Please, it's Andromeda. And I'd be delighted if you and the boys would join us for lunch on Saturday," the older woman smiled.

"We will be there, Mrs. - Andromeda." With that said she went to the fireplace and flooed back to Grimmauld Place.

"'Mione! Where have you been? We weren't able to find you after the hearing!"

She was greeted by the worried voices of her two best friends. Hermione stepped out of the floo and wiped the soot from her clothes.

"I've been at Andromeda's with the Malfoys. They will stay with her for the remainder of their custody and she will report about their behaviour and willingness to accommodate at their trials and hearings," she answered calmly. She didn't know how the boys would react to these news. Especially Harry was rather protective of Andromeda and Ron still wasn't really convinced of the trustworthiness of the Malfoys.

As expected Ron exploded. "They can't be serious! She is alone with a baby and has no way to properly defend herself if they choose to attack her! Or when their old friends come-"

"Shut it, mate," Harry said calmly. "Hermione would never have left them there if she thought there was a risk. And most of their old friends are dead. Remember the Ministry rounding up every Death Eater they found in Hogwarts? I mean, of course, many escaped. But they are hiding away." Hermione was grateful that at least one of her friends stayed calm in this situation.

"Andromeda is still protected by extensive wards. Even I would need days to break through all of them. Some of them are even older than we are as either Andromeda or Ted probably set them up in the First Wizarding War." The redhead calmed down gradually.

"I still don't like this," he grumbled when he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"You don't have to. But you can believe me that Andromeda and Teddy are as safe as possible. And we are invited for lunch on Saturday."

Ron brightened up at the mention of food and Harry smiled genuinely. "That sounds really good, Hermione."

"Now that that is settled, I think I will take a nap before dinner. The hearing was more exhausting than I ever imagined." Hermione stifled a yawn and waved good bye to them as she walked out of the kitchen and up to her room.

Andromeda sat in her husband's study with a photo album open on her lap. It was rather old and only stayed in book form because of quite a bit spell-o-tape. She knew it hadn't been her best idea to try and burn it when her sisters had shunned her after her marriage. Ted had snatched it out of the fireplace just in time and had put the first pieces of tape on its corners and spine.

Ten months later, when she had told her family that she had given birth to a little daughter and had received a howler with a curse from her mother, the curse probably courtesy of her beloved sister Bellatrix, she tore at the album mind set to destroy the last memory of her childhood and her sisters. But again Ted saved the book from her wrath.

When Dora turned six she had shown her the album and the family tree, following the tradition of the old pureblood families. But she had left out the preaching about keeping the blood and the tree clean from so called Mudbloods.

Then she had understood why her husband had saved the book. He had known she would want to show her daughter her childhood and that she had had a good time, even if her family no longer talked to her.

Now she sat in his study, alone and a completely different sentiment clenched her heart tightly in its claw. Hope. Hope that she could restore her bond with her remaining sister. Hope that her nephew would end the prejudiced that had nearly destroyed the wizarding world. Hope that the Malfoys would be the first of the old families that remained to change their opinion publicly and most importantly: genuinely.

A silent sob escaped her lips when her eyes fell on a photo, taken on Cissa's third birthday. The two older sisters had the younger on their lap and they smiled and waved happily at the camera. Then she smiled wistfully. May be that Bellatrix had turned hateful and insane, may be that Narcissa hadn't said a word to her in nearly twenty-five years, but now they had a new chance to be sisters again, even if Bella couldn't (and probably wouldn't) join.

She closed the book and put it back on the shelf. It was time to get Teddy and prepare the dinner. When the boy turned six she would get the old, battered book and the family tree, she would show him his family and hopefully Cissa would be there to tell her part of the story.

a/n2: I hope you liked it! I know I tend to end my chapters with drama, I can't seem to help myself :D However, review, favourite and all that stuff and until next week, my dearest readers *waves*