The Ninth

"You should have seen their faces!" Molly could hardly suppress a snicker as she wiped off some cream from her mouth. "Poor Draco looked so desperate when Ron picked it up from the table. He certainly hadn't planned on him unwrapping something like that in his mother's presence. And Ron turned as red as his hair as soon as he saw it."

Narcissa smirked. "They seem to have forgotten that we were young, too. And that their existence depended on us knowing about such things."

Moments later, twofold laughter rang through the kitchen. It sounded like the laughter of friends.

The Tenth

She knew the twins were visiting. But when Fred limped into the kitchen, tightly clutching his crutches, the right half of his face burnt completely, with the eye closed and hair missing, Narcissa wished she were anywhere but here.

"I...didn't want to disturb. Just need something to drink," he said softly after a polite greeting. "I didn't want to wake George to get it."

Narcissa realised that he knew what she was thinking, and she'd never been more ashamed.

"Why don't you sit down and have some tea with us?" she asked calmly.

His thankful expression was painful to watch.

The Eleventh

"He wants what?"

"Lucius wants me to have another baby, so the Malfoy bloodline continues."

Narcissa looked deathly pale, her eyes red and swollen, as though she had cried. She could have used a Glamour Charm, and Molly felt secretly flattered that Narcissa hadn't deemed it necessary for meeting her. Or maybe she just hadn't thought of it.

"He seems to have successfully forgotten about the two miscarriages, or that I...I almost died at Draco's birth."

Molly didn't know what to say, and so they drank their tea in silence, praying that their husbands might finally come to their senses.

The Twelfth

"I know," Molly replied when Narcissa told her the news. "I was there just yesterday. Harry is so proud." She chuckled. "Hermione was asking me dozens of questions – I didn't even know which to answer first."

"Have you seen all the books about pregnancy and upbringing? She must have got them practically at the same day."

Molly nodded in amusement. "Some things will never change."

Narcissa sipped her tea thoughtfully. "She asked Draco to be the second godfather, together with Ron." It made her oddly proud.

"She's a good girl," Molly said warmly.

"Yes," Narcissa slowly agreed. "Yes, she is."