Just about three hours later, the last of the guests were being waved farewell, and disappearing into the swirling green flames of the floo

Sorry this took so long everyone, I had finals and such. But, here it is. Hope you enjoy!

Just about three hours later, the last of the guests were being waved farewell, and disappearing into the swirling green flames of the floo. Once the last tendril of Arnold Wilkes' hair vanished, Narcissa exhaled and relaxed, looking utterly drained. Her mother smiled down on her youngest fondly, patting her on the shoulder. "You did wonderful, ma cherié."

"Couldn't have done better, pet," her father swept her up into a bone-crushing hug, his indigo eyes twinkling.

"Put me downnnn!" She squirmed, uncomfortable and embarrassed, afraid one of her friends would see her being babied. "I just turned ten dad, don't you remember? I'm not a little girl anymore, you know!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, my mistake," he chuckled. "How could I not see it? You look so much older now, honey." She wrinkled her nose, sensing the humor. "But, seeing as you're not a little girl, I guess there's no need for all that cake and all those presents. Women don't much like birthday parties."

"Yes I do!" She panicked, eyes wide.

"Then I guess you'll just have to stay my little girl, huh?"

She sighed, defeated. "I guess so." They returned to the parlor, to their true friends. Mr. and Mrs. MacNair sat together on a loveseat by the fire, exchanging little quips of conversation while keeping an eye trained on the children. Walden was still nibbling away on her mother's napoleons as Rodolphus kept a firm hand on Rabastan's shoulder and bickered with Lucius. Sirius was smirking and Regulus was crying as their mother, Walburga, hissed at them in indignation. Pleione was watching Bellatrix-

"DON'T TOUCH MY CAKE!"

Her elder sister whipped her hand back, quite surprised, and the cake was left untouched in all its butter-cream glory. It was petite, meant only for a few; with three tiny layers in a cylinder shaped like a red clay pot, and a daffodil sculpted from white chocolate was springing from the cookie crumbled 'dirt'. Narcissa's smile could've lit the room all by itself. Madame Black cut the cake in perfect slivers, and handed them out for everyone to eat how and where they pleased. The youngsters (except Andromeda, of course) settled on and around a settee near a window, eating their cake between chatting.

"So, what do you think all your presents are worth?" Pleione asked.

"I dunno," Narcissa shrugged. "On average, you mean? Or put all together?"

"All together," she responded, nicking some of Walden's cake when he wasn't paying attention.

"I don't really know. Probably a good eight-thousand galleons, if I had to guess." Lucius snorted into the icing, and she glared. "More, then?" He nodded. "I suppose we'll have to find out." She delicately placed down her dish and stood, dress robes swishing as she reseated herself in a large armchair by the fireplace, and beckoned to a house elf. In that moment, the resemblance to her mother was startling. "Bring me my gifts, please. One by one." The elf nodded, and hurried of to retrieve the first package. Her father settled into a chair beside her, his indigo eyes twinkling as he took out a quill and roll of parchment, and her mother perched on his armrest.

The first gift arrived, in all its pink, frilly glory. Narcissa read the tag with disdain. "Parkinson." She ripped off the paper, revealing a set of vintage makeup, with rouge held in scallop shells and mother-of-pearl cases, all packed in delicate French lace, in a teak wood chest. She sneered: "Makeup? What are they trying to say?" She took each piece of makeup and hurled it into the fire, one by one, and then handed the chest and lace off to the house elf. "The lace is quite nice, and the chest is an antique. Put it in my bedroom, and I'll use the lace for my sewing." The little elf nodded, and hurried off, while another brought the birthday girl a different box.

This one was a soft mint green, with a white bow, made of silk. The blonde girl eyed it carefully, flicking ringlets from her eyes. "Very tasteful. From the Rosiers." Her mother muttered her approval to her father as he finished his notes on the Parkinson gift (as all such things must be recorded, for future reference). The Rosiers were a French family, as many of the old stock were, and they held close to the traditions of their mother country, as did Madame Black. Pleione watched Narcissa carefully from the settee as she unwrapped the box. Inside was a long necklace of black Tahitian pearls, each one the size of a marble, and perfectly round. Her mother marveled at it and muttered to Cygnus in soft, hurried French, as he took notes in his impeccable script. Abraxas Malfoy paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the gift. Narcissa, however, was too busy gaping to notice. "This is lovely." She carefully placed it back in its silk bed, and put the cover on the box. "To my room, please." The elf nodded, and was gone.

More and more boxes arrived, in a caravan of colors, shapes, and sizes. Almost every wizarding name imaginable was on one or more of the boxes: Wilkes, Avery, Lestrange, Nott, Goyle, Crabbe, MacNair, Dolohov, Longbottom, Borgin, Jugson, Weasley, Burke, Yaxley, Lovegood, Rowle, Potter, Carrow, Karkaroff, Gibbon, Mulciber, Rookwood, Prewett, and of course-

"The Malfoys," she grinned. "Well, let's see what we've got." Placed in front of the little blonde was not one, not two, but three boxes, in varying sizes and shapes. She took the smallest box first, wrapped in cerulean blue paper and demure gray ribbons, made of silk. She unwrapped it gently and gasped at the contents. Lucius, who was leaning over the back of her chair, smirked. Narcissa carefully took the present from the box, and revealed carat after carat of flawless white diamond, in a twenty-two inch long tennis necklace. Cygnus took notes, his expression shielded, but the look on his wife's face made up for it. Narcissa turned to Lucius, floored. "T-this is lovely. Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me yet, open the next one," he said, bobbing back and forth on the balls of his feet. She took up the next box, this one slightly bigger, wrapped in sapphire blue paper with a silver, silk ribbon. Upon opening this one, she pulled out a heavy golden locket, the front of which bore a swirling 'S', formed in beautiful, bright emeralds. On this one, Cygnus and Abraxas both seemed shocked, while Narcissa seemed puzzled. "It's a locket that used to belong to Salazar Slytherin. It's one of his only surviving heirlooms," Lucius explained.

She blinked for a moment, stunned. "Where could you even find this?"

He shrugged, smiling. "My secret. Open the last one."

This one was the largest by far, wrapped in gleaming black paper with a white ribbon. She opened it slowly, and inside was-

"Is this what I think it is?" she breathed, her eyes wide with excitement as she peered into the box.

"Depends. What do you think it is?" Lucius grinned, nearly laughing.

"A dragon egg," she smiled gleefully, turning back to him.

"Well, yes and no. It's actually a Hebridean Black egg, one that's almost guaranteed female by the breeder."

She squealed in glee, jumped up and hurried around the chair to clamp him in a hug. "Oh Lucius this is wonderful! Thank you so much!" The boy laughed, patting her on the back somewhat awkwardly. Meanwhile, Cygnus finished up his notes, and his wife continued to whisper to him in inaudible (but obviously excited) French. Abraxas looked on from the left of the fireplace, smiling for once instead of smirking, and the MacNairs observed with the somewhat awkward air of one who is pretending to be happy when they're actually quite irritated.

"Tippy, bring all this to my room please, and start a fire in the grate right away! I want it roaring by the time I go to sleep!" The house elf nodded, grabbed the packages, and hurried off. Narcissa was still beaming. "Lucius, Mr. Malfoy, I really can't thank you enough! The presents were all so lovely and thoughtful!"

"Oh Narcissa, don't thank me, there's no need," Abraxas chuckled, his rumbling laugh shaking his whole body. "Lucius thought of all the gifts, found them, and retrieved them. All I did was provide the funds."

"Well Lucius, thank you very much. The gifts were all really spectacular, and the fact that you put so much effort into getting them makes them so special."

"Oh, don't worry about it," he shrugged modestly. "Just remember, my birthday's in a few weeks."

"Well, don't expect me to out-do you," she smiled, putting her hands on her hips. "Consider yourself lucky if I show up to your lousy birthday."

"Of course," he said, bowing mockingly. "I would be honored if you deemed me worthy enough to be in your presence."

"Well, I might allow you to be in my presence around noon tomorrow, while I work with Charcoal. I already invited Walden," Narcissa grinned.

"Oh, so now I'm second on the list, huh?"

"No, I just got around to you second, that's all," she said.

"Alright then, I shall accept this invitation of yours," Lucius drew himself up, trying to act like the pompous lords of yore. "I deem it worthy of my time."

She giggled, leaning on the chair for support. "Sounds good. See you tomorrow for some dragon work, then. Don't dress in good clothes. In fact, some regular muggle clothing would be a good choice, if you have any."

He nodded, getting ready to go as his father bid Mr. and Mrs. Black goodnight. The MacNairs had already left, as had Walburga Black and her brood, and Pleione was staying overnight. "Alright," Lucius sighed. "See you tomorrow. Tell Pleione and your sister that I said goodnight."

"Yep," she nodded. "Night then."

"Night," he waved, as he and his father departed through the parlor fireplace, with whoosh of green.