Proof that I really haven't abandoned this story. It's been a busy couple of years for me, and a lot of my stories have been on a temporary hiatus as I have flitted from one job to the next. Hopefully (and it's really BIG hopefully) I shall be able to start updating a few of my various fics as the next couple of months draw on. My main two stories at the moment are 'From the Russians With Love' and 'By The Light of The Dark' however, it does not mean to say that some of my smaller fics have been forgotten.
Peace Out,
Kiad
Four years later…
23 July 2003
The young man trudged down the stairs and flicked on the lights inside the bakery. He brewed himself a coffee and buttered himself a croissant before sitting up to one of the benches and quickly eating his breakfast. He slid a small pile of papers towards him and started reading through the stock lists for the week, highlighting with his wand anything that needed replenishing. He loved Sunday's. It meant that the shop was closed and he could sit to sort out his paperwork in the morning before heading over to the cottage for lunch with his mother.
Lucius had passed little over two years ago from alcohol poisoning, and no matter how much Draco had cared for his father, he couldn't help but feel that it was his own fault. Their relationship had hit an all-time low within the first year of moving to France, Lucius having been driven mad by the events of the war. The funeral had been extremely private with himself and his mother as the only attendees.
Draco's mind cast back to the events of the previous months and he smiled at the remembrance of his birthday celebration. Between them, Draco and Narcissa had managed to save enough money to book a meal out in a wizarding restaurant in Paris. The large magical sector of Paris was somewhere he had frequented as a child, so on the day of his 23rd Birthday they had simply shut up shop, readied themselves, putting on the best sets of dress robes they owned and simply apparated into the capital.
It had been an amazing evening; they had wined and dined in one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city before heading out to the opera to see a show. Just for that one evening Draco could imagine that they were back to who they used to be; Malfoys, powerful, influential and elegant. He had wished for the evening to never end however, reality had soon set in and they had to return to their humble home.
Draco pondered over just how much their lives had changed over the last few years and although they had been stripped of everything that were, they had seemed to have turned over a new leaf and that chapter of his life had closed, allowing this one to open up and blossom into something beautiful. He was proud of himself and he realised that for possibly the first time ever, he had actual reason to be. What he and Narcissa had achieved in their secluded haven was something that would usually take years to build, and although they knew that, they had been lucky in their procurement of the bakery, they had made a name for themselves in the local community through their own merits.
The bakery was opened up once a week to the local school children in order to teach them skills that could be used once they had left their general education. They also ran master classes for adults whom wanted to learn new skills and they had raised much money for local charities through sponsored bake sales and the like. They had become an upstanding pillar in the community and this time it was for all of the right reasons. Draco knew that his mother felt the same way that he did and that helping those around them gave the pair of them a small satisfied feeling in their guts.
Draco finished up his accounts and packed his things away, heading up to shower and change, ready for his dinner with his mother. It was the only day of the week he would allow his mother to cook and the only day that they would actually get to sit at a table in peace whilst having nothing else requiring their attention. He dressed in his best Sunday shirt and tie, pulling on a sweater vest over his head; before running his hand through his damp hair and pulling on his polished, black shoes. He headed out of the door and locked up before heading out across the square, stopping only to purchase a small bunch of flowers from a stall close to the bakery. He approached the cottage and knocked smartly on the door, smiling to his mother when she came to answer it. He held out the flowers with a quiet; 'for you my lady' and lowered his head to kiss her hand.
"Come in Dragon." Narcissa said softly, taking the flowers from her son and leading him, by the hand through to the kitchen, where the old farmhouse table was already laid for the pair of them. Narcissa prepared the flowers and placed them in a jar of water, on the middle of the table whilst Draco took out plates and glasses for the pair of them.
Soon mother and son were sat up to the table enjoying a Sunday roast and a quiet conversation. They talked about meaningless things, about literature and art and the goings on of their small village.
"The holidaying season is once again upon us, and it seems even busier than last year." Narcissa said softly.
"You say that every year mother." Draco replied with a smile.
"I mean it this time though Dragon. I think it might be worth looking into doing the extra market day this week. It would be good for the image and help to drum up extra business with the holiday makers. If one of us can hold the stall, the other can keep the shop open, that way we can just put a few things outside and if people want anything different, they can come into the shop."
"I'll admit the idea has merit mother." Draco replied quietly. "But I'm unsure whether we are going to be able to handle all three markets and still have enough stock for the store as well. I have been going over the lists this morning and I have placed an unusually large order for tomorrow, but I'm not positive that even that will be enough to sustain us through to the end of the week, especially if we work the extra market. I shall look into it of course and see what I can work out."
"We could always start looking to hire our own apprentice. Some of the student's from last year have expressed a desire to get involved with the shop and it would mean that they would already have the basics down. It would give you more time to concentrate on the paperwork and I must admit that it would be nice to have an extra pair of hands around the shop."
"When I took the bakery on I didn't realise that there would be so much paperwork." Draco said with a small frown. "I kind of miss the shop."
"Well we can look into hiring someone to do the accounts. It would have to be after the summer though."
"I will look into it next Sunday. Until then we will just have to see how this week plays out." The pair of them finished their meal and Draco did the pots before they both moved to the sitting room, clutching mugs of warm tea and sitting down in their respective armchairs, both of them opening books of muggle literature.
"What about this?" Narcissa said, half an hour later, closing her book and resting it on her lap. "Let me take over the accounts for this week and find you an apprentice from last year's students and you can take over the shop for the week. You always have been a quicker baker than me and it will free me up to do the markets. I can sit doing the paperwork whilst manning the stall."
"This is something you feel strongly about mother." The young man replied, raising an eyebrow but not looking up from his book.
"I just feel that we cannot afford to miss out on the extra market and all of the custom it will bring in. These are the weeks when we make the most profit. Swap with me for the week Dragon, go back to doing what you love and let me handle the paperwork." Draco finally placed his own book in his lap and studied his mother for a few moments.
"If you really feel this way mother, then I would be willing to trial this on Wednesday. If it does not work out, then we shall only do the two market days and I shall take back over on Saturday,rather than doing the Friday market as well. I shall call around a few of our more… promising apprentice's first thing tomorrow, and see if anyone is available. Is this agreeable?" Narcissa broke into a large smile and nodded.
"I just want to see you happy dragon." She said quietly. "Going back to doing what you love, whilst not having to worry about the financial side of things, will see a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders. After the summer we can look into getting someone to do the paperwork. Until then, you go back to doing what you love, and let me worry about the books." Draco nodded with a small smile and the pair had soon turned back to their books, a comfortable silence surrounding them.
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