Chapter 10: Rain
"Alright everyone, day two of the auditions." Jason said lugging his broom over his shoulder and scanned the tiny crowd of sixteen year olds; he saw two Firebolt's, a Firebolt 100, a Nimbus 2001 and a few Comet 260's along with Nimbus 200's This is going to be an interesting match
"As you all can tell, this is the actual Quidditch portion of the audition. So we're going to have each team just the way they are and Lucas and Eridanus will fill in the last two positions. Each team will play each other and the winner is determined by-"
"WHOEVER CATCHES THE SNITCH, WE KNOW." The crowd said and the two teams went to the respected sides of the pitch. The six people on Hermione's team were greeted by Eridanus, a well built 29 year old on the professional Bulgarian team that they had traded a beater for. He was average to describe but in truth had light blue eyes with dark, I mean dark, black hair. And a gentle smile that made Hermione melt for him at once.
"Who's going to be Seeker?" he asked in his gentle but assured voice
"Harry." The whole team said and Harry blushed
"Chasers?"
"Me." Hermione said firmly and the team nodded
"Don't forget about me." Draco smirked at Hermione who nodded
"I'm in." said Ken, nodding his fair hair flying in the light breeze that had picked up
"Beaters?"
"You." The team stated
"And me." Trey said and no one could disagree with him, seeing as the day before they found him blasting bludgers into the hoops from the ground
"So I'm keeper." Ron said and everyone nodded
"Don't choke Weasley." Draco muttered and Ron nodded
"Just throw good Malfoy and you won't have nothing to worry about." Ron retaliated as the other team got ready to mount their brooms
"Keepers, hoops. Beaters, bats. Seekers, keep an eyes out. And Chasers, get yourselves ready." Viktor had dragged a box unto the pitch while Jason had spoke to the teams "In the air people! We don't have all day!"
"Oh like he doesn't know the longest Quidditch game recorded was a week long…" Hermione muttered as she hovered a few hundred yards off the ground and Draco chuckled
"Only you would remember that at a time like this." He told her as they faced the other chasers across from them
"Like you didn't know." The snitch was let out along with the bludgers
"I did but I didn't say it out loud." Jason held the Quaffle in his hand below them
"Quit flirting you two! On the count of 3 and on my whistle…1…2…3 Tweet!" Jason blew the whistle and threw the quaffle up in the air
Hermione went for it and caught it. She smirked as she dodged a bludger and Draco came up just a few feet behind her as they headed for the goal. Richard was the Keeper and Hermione knew she could get it past him. But then a Beater came up in front of her, bat raised up high. Hermione passed behind her to Draco, barrel-rolled, and caught the Quaffle from Draco and then scored.
"WOOO!" Draco pumped a fist in the air and high fived Hermione and flew backwards, still watching the Quaffle
"Ten points to team 2!" Krum yelled
"Potter sees the Snitch already." Draco flew next to her and they saw him above them diving for something; Justin followed him, not caring that Harry was going to close to the ground for comfort.
"Oh crap! Justin doesn't know that's a-oh! That hurt!" Draco muttered to Hermione as they passed the Quaffle to each other after they had Eridanus knock a bludger into William's back
"Incredible Wronski defensive feint Potter!" Jason yelled and Krum nodded, approving obviously since Justin didn't get up for the rest of the game
"Ten points team two" Jason yelled after Draco scored
"Team two!" Ken scored
"Team two!" Hermione scored
"Team two!" Hermione scored again
"You're on fire!" Ron yelled seeing as he was getting no action, he decided to cheer. Before long, a Bludger decided to go after Draco when he got the Quaffle, he couldn't shake it at all and Hermione took action. She grabbed Trey's bat and charged at Draco. At first, he thought that she had changed sides but then saw that she smacked the Bludger down so hard that it didn't get up after about five seconds when it landed along side Justin, who still hadn't woke up
"Team two!" Draco scored and nodded thanks to Hermione, who smirked and threw the bat back to Trey
"That's how you're a Beater." Hermione told him, who nodded
"Potter catches the Snitch.! Team two wins!" Jason yelled
"Of course we did." Hermione rubbed her nails on her shirt and blew on them in a cool manner but Draco knocked into her broom, causing her to grip her broom and look around wildly before settling her eyes on her laughing teammates, Ron and Harry had joined them and the others from the outskirts of the pitch unto the middle
"I score thirty points and you guys are mean to me?" she asked incredulously at her teammates but they still laughed
"It's not that Hermione." Harry smiled
"Then what?"
"We've never seen you look so feral before. Like an Amazon." Draco said even Eridanus agreed
"Yes. You were very free spirited and well, how can I put it? Um…"
"You were the most wild thing on a Quidditch pitch that any of us have ever seen. To be put simply Hermione." Ron said and Hermione blushed
"I'm competitive…I couldn't help it."
"Hey Team two! Get down here!" Viktor called and they flew down as Ginny ran from the stands
"The score 210 to zero. Excellent job Team two. Team one, you tried. But we're not picking one whole team together; we're picking people from both to mix into one. You're free for the rest of the day. We'll send you letter in the second week of September about your acceptance."
"Or your rejection." Viktor said gloomily
"You have to ruin everything don't you?" Jason asked him and he shrugged
"I'm gifted like that."
"Learn to walk without bumping into things and then you're gifted." Jason retaliated
"At least I don't try to be optimistic all the time. How can you?"
"I'm gifted like that."
"Learn to accept solid truths and then you're gifted." Viktor looked him in the eye and Jason glared back
"What are you going to do about it? I like being happy." Jason pushed Viktor on one shoulder
"Be realistic for once huh?" Viktor pushed him back and all the students looked at Eridanus and Lucas, who shrugged as Viktor caught Jason in a headlock. Ginny had made it from the shoving contest and now stood next to Harry.
"Don't mind them. They're polar opposites so this happens a lot. One is all doom and gloom and the other is all cheerful and tries to be on cloud nine all the time. They argue a lot about their different philosophies. Don't worry. They're always back on the same Quidditch team when it's over. Even if Jason is beating the crap out of Viktor. Jason lay off on the face! He's broken his nose twice already!" Lucas yelled as Jason continually beat Viktor face in
"Viktor, come on! There you go!" Eridanus yelled as Viktor turned the tables and began to punch Jason's cheek.
"Why are we still here? Let's go home. They'll owl us in September." Ken said and everyone nodded
"Yeah, let's go. I have to go tell my mum. Oh, 4 galleons that Jason's going to throw Viktor over our heads."
"Yeah. Four galleons that Viktor throws Jason." Draco bet and Hermione robbed Draco of four galleons
"Bye Jason!" the trio yelled as they headed out
"Bye guys. Take this!" Jason hit Viktor's nose and everyone could tell that it had broken again
"See ya Viktor!" Draco yelled and the Seeker merely grunted
"Children." Hermione muttered and Eridanus and Lucas had to stay to calm them down while the crowd left.
A week before school, the week after try outs, the trio and Ginny were going to Hermione's mum's house. Hermione was a bit nervous seeing as they had only met her mum at the platform and now in her house. But first, Hermione had to warn them about some things as they got ready in Grimmuald Place.
"Ok guys. We're going by Floo powder seeing as my mum got connected back in our fifth year. First things first. My aunt lives with us and she's a bit of a wild child so if she flirts with you Ron, flirt back but just enough so that she'll know you're good at it. She'll look for any bit of fun when she can get it. My mum has a lot of flowers and we have a cat. Not Crookshanks though. She's a pretty tabby named Luna. Oh and if mum offers sweets, take them. She gets offended easily. Got it?"
"What do we say in the fireplace?" Ginny said and Hermione thought
"Um… Oxalis Evans house I guess."
"Evans?" Harry asked; remember his mother…
"Yeah…I asked her before Harry. But you can try. Alright, let's go see her." Hermione got a handful of Floo powder from a small pot and passed it around "My mum's house" Hermione merely said and she disappeared into the green smoke
Her house was nothing fancy like the Malfoy Mansion but a sight to see. As Hermione had said, her mother had a green thumb. Or green hands, there were flowers in pots hanging from the ceiling. There were flowers on the coffee tables and on top of the TV and on the most basic spot as well, the windowsills. The house had a nice earthy feel obviously with furniture and carpets to match. They soon hear singing from the backyard and Hermione led them to the back door. A woman was kneeled over a bunch of lilies with a large sun hat on and spraying them with a light mist of water. She had curly brown hair like Hermione but a shade lighter with the same porcelain face and quaint nose. Her eyes were green though, as green as Harry's and when she looked up, her soft lips turned in a quick grin, making her look 19 again.
"Hermione!" she got up and ran the yard to her daughter; Oxalis was a bit taller than her, about Harry's height.
"Hey mum. Glad to see you too."
"Oh Ron, Ginny, Harry." She hugged each of them and took a long look at Harry, who stared back at her with hopeful green eyes
"You have his eyes…" Ginny noticed and Oxalis smiled
"What was your father's name?"
"James Potter."
"Mother?"
"Lily Evans." Oxalis's eyes widened and she grabbed Harry's wrist to drag him up to the second floor. She led them to a door where loud music was blasting
"Iris! Turn that down and look at your niece!" Oxalis banged on the door
"Flowers?" Ginny asked Hermione
"Family thing." Hermione said and Harry looked at her
"Oxalis, Iris…" Harry muttered
"Lily, Petunia…" Hermione muttered and they locked eyes
"What was your grandmother's name?" they asked at the same time and answered
"Ageratum." They said together and stared at Oxalis before Iris turned down the music and opened the door
The woman that was supposed to be 32 actually looked old enough for Ron to hit on. She had wavy brown hair with tints of red in there. Her eyes held a wild fire behind the green emeralds. She wore a small tank top that was much too tight and tight jeans with her hair up in a ponytail and looked at her sister.
"Yes dear old sister of mine?" Oxalis let go of Harry by now and crossed her arms over her large chest
"Shut up. I'm only four year older that you. Besides Hermione and her friends are here. Say hi and be nice." Oxalis scowled and Iris finally noticed the others
"Lilac bud!" Iris choked her niece in a bear hug
"Iris petal." Hermione said as Iris let go a bit
"I'm definitely using that against her." Ron muttered to Harry who scrunched up his face, not liking the idea at all
"It's so good to see you Lilac bud. And you brought boys too! I'll go for the red head." Iris muttered the last part and Hermione gawked
"This is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. My best friends. And Ginny, my other best friend, Harry's girlfriend and Ron's younger sister." Hermione told her aunt and Iris pouted
"Oh Ron is such a cutie pie though...oh well, I have someone anyway." Hermione and Ginny banged their heads together
"How about we all sit down in the kitchen and I'll get come Cokes." Oxalis said and led them to the surprisingly big kitchen that held a dinner table big enough for eight people
"So Harry, you and Ginny going out?" Iris said unembarrassed
"Yeah." Harry and Ginny looked at each other shyly before blushing slightly under their bangs
"Isn't it weird though? I mean, she's you're best friend's sister. Don't you feel awkward? Do you even get a moment of peace?"
"Iris. Harry just inherited a huge mansion with lots of rooms in it." Ginny arched her eyebrows and Iris smirked while Harry blushed even more, knowing the emphasis that Ginny was making
"Smooth Potter. What about you Ron? Got anyone?"
"Nope." Ron said, not really abashed that he was single when his younger best friend wasn't
"Don't care?"
"Never really met anyone."
"I have. He's gorgeous." Iris sighed and Oxalis shook her head
"She's been talking nonstop about this guy, Lilac bud." Oxalis told her daughter who rolled her eyes
"Why would I stop? He's rich, got a cute adorable handsome kid and-"
"Whoa whoa whoa. Did you say got a kid?" Hermione and Oxalis asked incredulously
"Well, yeah. But he's gorgeous with this silky blond hair up to his neck and stormy gray eyes…plus this cool cane…" Iris said dreamily
"Wait. Silky blond hair up to his neck…" Hermione muttered
"And stormy gray eyes…" Ginny replied
"And a cane?" Ron finished and the four stared at each other while the sisters had no idea if the description had any meaning to any of them
"Lucius Malfoy." Harry said and Iris looked at him weird
"Yeah, that's his name. How'd you know?" Iris asked and Hermione glared at her aunt
"You, my aunt, are going out with Lucius Malfoy?" Hermione pointed at her and Iris shrugged
"Well, not really going out with. More like sleeping with…" Iris grinned impishly at her niece and the others
"Bad image bad image!" Ginny covered her ears and closed her eyes while the boys blanched and Hermione just stared at her aunt. Her aunt was SLEEPING WITH the guy THAT BEATS UP HIS OWN SON! Whose son happened to be really thick-headed but really sweet when you finally get to drill through that thick-head of his. I know more about his nicely muscular body than his mysterious personality. Hermione thought and blushed but then something hit her. HER AUNT WAS THE MISTRESS OF LUCIUS MALFOY! If Narcissa died, Iris could be the new Mrs. Lucius Malfoy and then her and Draco would be COUSINS!
"You know about his son?" Hermione asked and Iris shrugged
"Yeah. Draco. Real cutie pie. But I didn't know you knew him." Iris said
"Oh yeah…We know him…" Harry muttered before Hermione explained
"Draco goes to our school. Mum, you know him as the amazing bouncing Ferret or Prince of Slytherin and all Darkness and Chaos."
"That Draco! He's Lucius' son?" Oxalis said and the Hogwarts students nodded
"Wait. The one that calls you Mudblood?" Iris asked and Hermione nodded
"He didn't seem so bad when I talked to him. Really sweet though. Obeyed his father and was polite to me even though he knows what's going on. He stays by his sick cousin's side at her bed instead of going to the pub though. That's where most of his friends go in the summer."
"Well, of course he stays by his cousin's side Iris. She's sick and that's probably his favorite. Besides, I'm not surprised that he obeys his father the way he does. And did you say pub?" Hermione said
"Hey Hermione. Malfoy roomed with you at the auditions right?" Ron asked and Oxalis squealed
"Oh tell me what happened. All of you."
Oxalis and Iris were always amazed with the wizarding world. First when Hermione got accepted to Hogwarts and then when she showed them Quidditch. But the auditions were something else. Firstly, Iris and Oxalis congratulated Hermione on being the only girl there; they're feminist. And for getting the room with one of the hottest contestants there. She never told them that Draco came to their room beat up or nothing like that. But, Harry and Ron told them they had a 'special encounter' that they would remember when school started. The doorbell rang when it was just past six o' clock. Hermione answered the door and it showed Draco Malfoy on the other side.
"Draco?" she asked incredulously; Draco was wearing a casual button down dark blue almost black shirt with black slacks and dress shoes and looking at the flower beds on the sides of the door when she spoke. He looked up startled, nearly dropped the black blazer he had slung on his shoulder
"Hermione? What are you doing here?" he asked in a quiet tone as Hermione saw a small expensive silver Aston Martin parked in her drive-way
"Is that yours?" she asked pointing to it
"Yeah. I have seven more. But that's not the point. If you're here then you know if Iris is."
"Yeah. Come in." Hermione opened the door a little wider and led him to the living room where everyone was
"Draco!" Iris called and went to hug the Slytherin, who returned it with a smirk
"Iris. Lovelier than ever I see. Oxalis, you're as pretty as the lilies in your garden." He went and bent over her, kissing her hand gently, causing Oxalis to blush slightly
"Thank you Draco. I see your father sent for Iris again."
"Yes. My…cousin is ill still and there's a company party or something. He's bought a dress for you to wear Iris. It's-Potter? Weasley? Ginny? What are you doing here?" Draco's voice had went from smooth and silky to shocked, confused and slightly higher than usual
"We're visiting actually Draco." Ginny said since both Harry and Ron were speechless
"I think we've been tricked Draco." Hermione said and brought him to the loveseat where she sat with him
"Explain to me how you four are here in the house of my father's mistress, who seems to know you." he whispered
"Iris is my aunt actually. She told us today she was seeing your father. Oxalis is my mum." Hermione explained and Draco shook his head
"That explains the bushy hair and face. So, if this mistress thing goes out completely then…we'd be cousins…oh bloody hell." Draco thought out loud and Hermione nodded
"I know. And everyone would know." She lowered her voice againeven more"But wait. You're father wouldn't marry a muggle! We're saved!" Draco's face lit up
"You're brilliant!" Draco hugged her tightly on impluseand Iris coughed
"Hate to ruin another 'special encounter', but I have a party to attend to." She said standing up and grabbing her keys
"Oh right. Um, yeah. So I'll see you soon Oxalis. And you guys…uh see you at school right? Or practice?" Draco said pointing at Ginny, Harry and Ron
"Yeah. See you at school." They said together and Hermione got up
"I'll walk you to the door." She said and hustled Iris and Draco out of the room
"See you Lilac bud!" Iris called behind her as she ran to the passenger seat
"See you Iris petal! Um…" she looked at Draco unsure of what to say
"Yeah. See you at school Hermione." Draco scratched his head
"Yeah. See you at school Draco."
"Hug will you?" Iris yelled as she rolled down the window
"Uh…" Draco said awkwardly but Hermione put her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest; he relaxed and put his arms around her
"The hug of almost cousins." Hermione said and Draco nodded
"Almost cousins." He agreed and Hermione looked up into his chin
"It can't be your cousin that sick. Is it your mum?"
"…you're too smart for your own good." Draco muttered
"How bad is your mum?" she asked softly as the day began to turn to dusk behind Draco's back, giving him this orange light that made his eyes glow around the rims
"Pretty bad. She had acute Myelocytic leukemia." He whispered and Hermione shuddered and gasped
"I'm sorry." She went out of his grasp a bit and looked at his sad eyes
"Don't be. She won't accept any treatment. Says this was meant to be. A lot has happened since we've been gone from school."
"Yeah. Tell her… to take the treatment… if not for her… for you. She needs to see what its doing to you. You look so… heartbroken and worried it frightens me that you are entirely different than this at school." She reached up on instinct and touched his face; he tried to hide the emotions in his eyes like he had done so many times when Pansy told him things like this, but couldn't hide them from Hermione. So he closed his eyes even though the heat from her hand wanted him to lean into her touch.
"Bye Hermione." He turned abruptly and Hermione rubbed her arms together as a wind picked up
"Bye Draco…" she whispered into the breeze and sure enough, Draco turned back to look at her. She seemed different to him, standing there, not weak but not strong. Happy and yet feeling sad for someone, sad for him. He gave her a sad smirk and she narrowed her eyes a bit after seeing him back in his old habits.
"Were you lying?" she whispered softly and as if he heard the question, he shook his head and entered the car.
Hermione walked back into the house and sat down. Her friends sensed something was wrong and asked. She merely shook her head though and smiled. Bidding her mum farewell, she and the others went back to Grimmuald Place. At Grimmuald Place, Ron and Ginny said the good nights to Harry and Hermione and went home. Alone in the house, Harry asked her again what was wrong. She looked in his eyes as they walked up the stairs and knew that he was THE best guy friend that any girl could have. Breaking, she led him to her room, sat in their usual places and Hermione told him what Draco had told her.
"Things just weirder and weirder for you don't they Hermione?" he replied after she finished
"I just feel…so depressed for him. He obviously isn't like his father, just waiting for her to die with a mistress there waiting for him."
"I know. But there's nothing we can do about it Hermione." He pecked her on the forehead
"Go get some sleep and don't worry about Malfoy ok Hermione?" she nodded absently as she looked out her window and he left to the door
"His name is Draco." She whispered before her head hit her pillow
"Father, is it necessary I attend?" Draco asked his father as they waited for Iris to come out of their bathroom.
The Malfoy mansion was not to be messed with. The chandeliers everywhere gave a dim but vibrant glow to all of the rooms. Filled with crèmes and polished wood, the rooms were those for royalty. And rooms on the higher floors even had themes. There was the blue room and the red room and even the black room, where Voldemort slept and worked if he came by. Lucius was dressed to impress with black slacks and dress shoes like his son but also a black blazer and burgundy button down shirt. His cane had been polished to its finest and the Malfoy crest ring on his finger also attracted some attention. The Malfoy crest was close to that of the Slytherin house. It had a Snake of course and it was wrapped around a flower. The snake to show strength and cunning for its men while the flower showed grace and beauty for its women. Lucius looked at his son as if annoyed with him.
"Why are you asking that again boy?" he drawled in his silk thread of a voice
"Because I would like to stay with mother. Who knows if she…she…if she you know what's and none of us are here? It's horrid that Iris thinks that it's a cousin that's sick and that mum's been dead for years anyway. I would like to stay with her as long as I possibly can father." Draco pleaded even though he looked as casual as if he were talking about the weather. The only thing that gave him away was his eyes. They were the things pleading with his father. Not his voice or hands, his eyes. Lucius was wary of his eyes. They held Draco's downfall and advantage. He could use them to show compassion and love and yet, as he had showed Lucius that day in Hogsmeade, he could shower hate and resentment in the blink of an eye.
"You would rather stay here with your mother than to a party with all of your friends?"
"They would understand if you just told them. Its not so bad if someone else knows." Draco retaliated and Lucius hit him in the stomach with his cane, causing him to get out of breathe but still stand upright
"Illness shows weakness Draco. I thought I've taught you that."
"You have."
"But, I will allow you to stay with your mother. Me and Iris have things to talk of privately anyway." Lucius smirked a bit as he watched the still closed bathroom door
"She's a muggle." Draco told him and he shrugged
"This is what muggles and mudbloods were made for. I thought I taught you that as well."
"You have."
"I'm ready!" Iris said and she came out in a skin tight red dress with an open back and a cut that started at her hip at the way down to the train that ended at her foot and a deep V-cut that ended at her navel. Her form made the dress fit perfectly.
"I think that if you let me keep this, I'll give it to my niece." She said and Draco suddenly had a image of Hermione in that same blood red dress and he smirked
"It would look incredible on her." Lucius and Draco both said. Only Lucius had said it out of kindness and Draco out of a mental picture.
"Thank you. Now let's go!" she smiled seductively at Lucius and offered her arm. He took it with a grin and walked to the door
"Bye Draco!" Iris yelled behind her as he walked behind them to the door
"Bye Iris. Father." Draco merely said before closing the huge mahogany door and ran up the stairs two by two. He went up to the third floor and passed countless doors before facing a light purple one.
"The lilac room…" he muttered before entering it
True to its name, the lilac room was covered in lilacs. The common lilac, Chinese lilac, Hungarian lilacs and many more graced the ceilings, windowsills and tables. In the center of the round room lay a bed in lilac coverings. A pale blond frail looking woman sat up in the bed, leaning against the hardwood headboard and reading a book in, what else, lilac covering. The pale woman looked up Draco had closed the door behind him and smiled. She had the motherly look and had sweet gazing eyes that held Draco in them as long as possible as he moved around her room, moving plants from here to there and visa versa.
"Draco…come here sweetie." She closed her book, put it on the nightstand next to her and patted the bed, which was big enough for ten people and made her look even frailer. Draco nodded and climbed unto the bed. Narcissa held her son as if he were a small child again as he wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned against her chest
"Something troubles you Draco." Narcissa said and Draco nodded
"I saw Hermione again today. She knew something was troubling me too." Draco paused
"Go on. She always seemed sweet if you gave her a chance."
"I know she is. She healed me when Lucius beat me up at Hogsmeade. But, she knew something else was wrong, not that I was in her debt though. She knew that wasn't the problem."
"What did you tell her when she asked you?" Narcissa looked at her son and it melted her heart to know that he was so strong and yet, does nothing about his own father
"I told her about you…" Draco whispered but seeing as the room was quiet, she heard him. She gasped slightly, knowing that this was the first family outside the household that knew
"What did she say?" Narcissa said in the same whisper Draco had used
"She said to tell you to take the treatment if not for you for me. She said you needed to see what its doing to me."
"What is it doing to you?" Narcissa lifted his son's chin and saw tears in his eyes
"Its hurting me to see you like this. Its hurt me more than any Cruciatus curse that Lucius has ever sent me. Mother, I worry for you. Everyday, I worry for you mum." Draco spoke the truth, it showed not only in his eyes but in his whole face and body as he began to wipe his tears
"I worry for you as well. I cannot get out of this bed physically as Lucius won't permit it. But, if…I don't take the treatment, I can leave him forever. Do you see why? I know that there's a mistress, the little half-blood. I've known it for years."
"It's a new one, a muggle." Draco muttered and Narcissa laughed
"Ok, so I've lost track of them."
"Maybe you're right. Can I go with you?" Draco asked in a childish tone as he gripped the cloth of his mother's nightgown. She calmly shook her head and ran her fingers through her son's soft hair
"You know you can't. You have a whole future away from this house and family. You must complete this program and get me a grandchild. I want that at least." Narcissa grinned at her own request as Draco had shock written all over his face
"Mum? Are you serious? Will you even make it for me to have children?"
"You're at that age aren't you?"
"Mum!" Draco said incredulously (I like that word)
"What? It's true. Don't deny it."
"I won't deny it but with who. Pansy's ok but she's my friend… Millicent scares me… it's like there's no Slytherins for me…" Draco thought aloud as he returned his head back to its original position resting on his mother's stomach
"Maybe there's a certain bushy haired Gryffindor who knows you almost as well as I do." Narcissa winked at her son, who nodded and started to drift in between the worlds of awake and sleep. Noticing this, Narcissa began to sing the lullaby, or Christmas carol, Draco had loved when he was a baby
" Silent night…Holy night….All is calm…all is bright… round young Virgin mother and child…Holy infant… so tender and mild…Sleep in heavenly peace….Sleep in heavenly peace…" when her crystal voice had ended the first verse Draco was sleep in his mother's arms curled up like a five year old and Narcissa drifted off to sleep not much afterwards with her arms around her one and only love. Outside, a gentle rain beat the windows of both the Malfoy Manor and Grimmuald Place, where Hermione suddenly thought she heard Christmas carols in August as she too drifted to sleep.
"The rain must be carrying my heart's desires to sleep." She whispered as she closed her eyes. Harry silently closed her door and walked to his room, having never left after Hermione had told him that Malfoy's name was Draco.