Narcissa Malfoy had elected to collect Draco from Hogsmeade at the start of the Christmas holidays, telling him it would be easier and quicker for her to meet him there and then they fly straight to France, rather than him spending an entire day travelling all the way back to London. When her son questioned the fact that he hadn't seen his father since the beginning of the school year, Narcissa flustered for a moment, and told Draco that Lucius was having a particularly busy time at the Ministry, so he'd barely be around for the festivities anyway. Draco didn't look convinced but wisely held his tongue.
In reality, Narcissa just wanted to avoid going anywhere near London. She wanted to avoid all the sympathetic glances and snide remarks from the women who claimed to be her friends. Her husband's obsession with Morgana D'Angelo was becoming common knowledge now, and although she didn't believe it would last much longer, Narcissa just wanted to stay away from the entire, slightly sordid, situation.
As the scarlet locomotive groaned out of Hogsmeade station, Morgana sat chatting happily with Liliana, Tilly and Jacq in a private compartment. It was Christmas, and although they knew they'd miss one another, they were each delighted to be heading home for the was feeling joyful yet somehow apprehensive at the same time. With Narcissa and Draco staying in France, she was spending this Christmas at Malfoy Manor, and although she hated doing it, and she hadn't out and out lied to her parents, she had neglected to mention that Draco wouldn't actually be there. As such, Aunt Antoinette had been delighted to hear that her plan to arrange a marriage between her great-niece and the Malfoy boy appeared to be proceeding well. Morgana considered that the less her family currently knew, the better it would be for them, so she encouraged the notions of a marriage with Draco whilst spending time with Lucius.
As the train neared London, Morgana's apprehension turned to excitement. Lucius had said he would be waiting for her on Platform 9 3/4, and he was.
His tall figure was the first thing Morgana saw as the Hogwarts Express puffed slowly into Kings Cross Station, and she smiled inwardly. He was in a customary dark suit, and a thick black cloak which he had pulled tightly around his body in an attempt to keep out the cold. He caught her eye, and she gave him a wide smile, knowing she would soon be back in his arms.
Stood on Platform 9 3/4 for the first time in almost twenty-five years, Lucius Malfoy was transported briefly back to his school days. The sights were the same and so were the smells, the only thing different was that the people who surrounded him were now collecting their children instead of waiting to be collected.
He recalled his first visit to Platform 9 3/4. Despite his affluent upbringing, the hidden station had still impressed him, and he'd been awestruck as Hagrid had taken the first years across the Black Lake with Hogwarts school rising up majestically in front of them.
A shrieking hiss brought his attention back to the present, and he looked up to see the scarlet locomotive pulling into the station. Lucius saw Morgana before she saw him, but he could tell she was searching the crowd for him even before the train stopped.
As soon as she noticed him, Morgana smiled happily, and Lucius couldn't help grinning back.
The parents surrounding Lucius saw his broad smile, and they stared curiously into the train. As they saw who had caught his eye, they gave one another sideways glances, wondering who the young woman was. They knew she wasn't his daughter.
They watched surreptitiously as she stepped off the train and Lucius walked forward to greet her. Their meeting appeared a little strained, as though it was more formal than the pair were used to, and there were many whispered debates on Platform 9 3/4 that day as to what Lucius Malfoy was doing meeting a girl nobody knew off the Hogwarts Express.