Chapter beta:Dark Akuma Hunter

Narcissa was in her sitting room when a familiar owl tapped on the window. She gave a small smile as she remembered how happy her son was the day they gave him the owl, but even more she remembered her husband's frustration as he tried to give the owl a more regal name.

"Hello Bubble," she spoke as she unlatched the window and the owl hopped inside. With deft hands she took the small roll of paper from the owl with one hand while the other picked up a small biscuit for the owl. Bubble took a bite from the pastry as she read the very short and to the point letter from her son.

Mum,

I've found her. Send the package.

With love,

Draco

Normally Narcissa was the most regal and poised of all her friends, but these simple few words completely undid her. Clutching the paper to her chest she gave a brief squeal, though that small act alone was still not enough to express her joy and excitement. She had this huge urge to hug someone, but as no one was near she grabbed up Bubble. The bird squawked loudly in protest and she squeezed him and spun around several times before releasing him. Bubble was able to gain balance and flap his wings seconds before he would have smashed into a china cabinet. Rising towards the ceiling, Bubble perched on top of a nearby curio cabinet and watched as the lady of the house danced about the room. Bubble shrieked in warning, but he was too late as Narcissa tripped over an ottoman. It did not seem like the lady minded very much, as she continued to smile, although she did try to regain some of her composure.

"Wait right here!" Narcissa shouted breathlessly over her shoulder as she darted from the room. The owl gave a small hiss of displeasure as he began to preen his feathers. The footsteps in the hall had disappeared, leaving the owl to consider going back for the rest of his ruined treat. Bubble stretched out his neck and, finding it safe, glided down to the table and inspected the spread of goods. After all, she ruined his treat, so he was going to take some of hers. The footsteps were returning just as he was taking a sip of the lady's tea. Hurriedly he flapped his wings to return the window sill and watched as Narcissa came into the room with a package and wrote a letter.

Dearest Draco,

I am thrilled you have found yourself a, what I presume to be, lovely witch to be with. As you know I cannot refuse your request as it is within your right, I just wish you had given more notice. Your father is away on business and will return on Tuesday, so expect us to pay a visit on Wednesday during your lunch hour. I will owl the headmaster to inform him of our visit and to let him know that we will be sitting in on lunch with you and your witch. It has been such a long time since your father and I have eaten at the Slytherin table, and it will be such a wonderful experience to sit there once again with the two of you.

Until then, with much love,

Mum

Narcissa glanced over her letter with excitement before sealing it and placing it inside the paper-covered parcel. She checked the contents a final time before closing what would be one of the most important pieces of mail she had sent in a long time. She pulled out the dress, remembering the day he had picked it out.

He was so young then, too young to understand the ways of the world. Still, his parents knew a special time would come and that he would need everything to be ready. She had taken her young son window shopping with the explanation that one day he would meet a princess and need to offer her a gift.

At first he had wrinkled his nose a bit, saying that if she was really a princess she would have everything already. She had chuckled at her exceptionally bright little boy and told him that that was why it was so important to pick out an exceptional gift. That had prompted him to ask why he needed to give a gift to some ruddy princess who was obviously not a princess if she didn't already have one of everything.

"Because, my sweet boy, you will love this princess and will have to show her why she should give you a most wonderful gift, the gift of her heart."

He had scrunched his face up again, this time sticking out his tongue as well, but complied as they left the house to go on the search. They had walked through several stores, and must have looked at thousands of dresses before they found this one. Draco's eyes only skimmed past the dresses in bulk as they walked, most of his attention on the wizarding yoyo he had brought from home. It was charmed to blink between being visible and not as the child played with it.

They were on their way out of their umpteenth store when he had tugged on her sleeve. She turned to him, expecting him to tell her that he was tired and wanted to go home, only to see his wide eyes transfixed by something by the back racks.

"That's my gift." He said plainly, as if he already owned it, yet someone else had it. She looked to where his small finger was pointing to see a young woman come out of one of the dressing rooms. The girl herself was unremarkable, but the dress and shoes she was wearing were simply eye catching. The girl did a twirl before the floor length mirror, the light catching the small diamonds on the toes of the shoes. The dress, as pretty as it was, simply did not fit or suit the girl quite right. The waist and cap sleeves pinched at her skin, showing that she could indeed afford to lose a few pounds. The chest sagged a bit in the front, highlighting exactly how small the girl's breasts truly were. In addition the shoes strained slightly in protest of the girl's wide and flat feet, aching for something more slender with a tad more length. The girl turned to the older woman standing near her.

"I love it, I feel so pretty!" the girl rasped in a very nasally voice with an awful accent.

"It wouldn't be too much to alter it I suppose..." The presumed mother replied, her voice equally grating on the ears, yet with an extra dose of pompousness.

"Mum," Draco spoke once again, splitting Narcissa's attention into two, "Tell that pig to get out of my princess' dress, she might ruin it!"

"Hush Draco," Narcissa said, her ears straining to hear the conversation between the girl's mother and the tailor. The mother waved her hand at the girl, but the tailor shook his head. Slightly put off the mother reached for her coin purse, but whatever the tailor said next must have really offended the woman as a loud scoff came from her direction. Narcissa pulled Draco along by his small hand, walking closer so that she may hear the transaction.

"Let me repeat myself Madam, I refuse to alter this dress or sell it to you and your daughter knowing you have the intent to change it." The older man spoke flatly, as if it were he who was insulted by their suggestion that his dress wasn't perfect as it was. "Now if you would please have her change out of it, I have some very important business to attend to." Narcissa could tell the conversation had drifted towards the young girl's ears, as she could see her face fall and became even uglier in sadness.

"MUMMY! Just offer him some more moneeeey! We have plenty from daddy number five's divorce settlement! Plus new daddy has sooo much moore! We can afford annnyything! Just get me this dress!" the girl said whilst stomping her feet, her hands balled into fists at her sides.

"I already did Cecilia! The man said he wouldn't!" The woman shrieked to her daughter before turning back towards the tailor. "This is a garments store, you sell clothes. What the buyer intends to do with it once they give you the money shouldn't worry you! Now I am going to make a final offer and you will sell us this dress!"

"You don't understand, this dress is a one of a kind, made for a very special girl. If your daughter were her, it would fit, but as it doesn't, this dress is not for sale to you. Now this is going to be the last time I ask you to tell your daughter to remove herself from the dress and for the both of you to stop squawking like water fowl inside my shop!" The tension in the room was building until there was a loud pop. Both the woman and younger girl had disappeared, and in their place were two tan spotted mallard ducks. Narcissa and the tailor stood wordlessly, very much stunned. They looked to each other to see who had done the transfiguration, only to see neither of them was holding their wand.

"Can I have my dress now?" Draco's voice rang like a bell in the silence.

"Excuse me?" The old man turned away from the ducks in his shop, his focus now on Narcissa's young son.

"I need that dress," Draco tried again; "It is to be a present for my princess." It only took the adults a few minutes to realize exactly what had happened there; after all, it wasn't that uncommon in the wizarding world. The boy had been rather distraught at the thought of losing what he thought to be the perfect present, and in such an agitated state, he had preformed a random burst of magic.

"Sir, I'm so sorry," Narcissa began to apologize for her son, only for the man to offer his hand to Draco.

"No worries madam, I am sure the fine staff of will certainly straighten them out." The store keeper offered Narcissa as he knelt and gave his full attention to the small boy. "So, this princess of yours, she is special yes?"

"Uhmm...I think that," Draco began with a shaky voice; he wasn't sure what to make of this adult. Most adults liked money, but this one seemed to like dresses more. Plus no adult stoops down for a kid, yet here this adult was, down at Draco's level. His bright eyes drifted from the man to the dress which lay on the floor. The smaller of the ducks was tugging on the hem, backing towards the door. Draco tore free of the man's hand so that he could swat at the offending animal. The former girl made a strangled squawk, releasing the dress and dashing towards her mother who was hiding under a clothes rack. Draco gathered the dress and shoes into his arms, trying his best to hold on to it all. He turned back to the man, standing as straight as a small boy could while holding so much. Looking very dignified he spoke with a now firm voice.

"I am a Malfoy. We only like things that are special. So my princess will be special, and then a Malfoy. As a Malfoy she will want only special dresses, and this is the first of many special things she will have." There was a pause as the adult and child held eyes. Then without blinking the man smiled and asked,

"So, how do you plan on paying for them young sir?"

Narcissa let out her breath and smiled as her son flashed a triumphant smile towards her. As she was reaching into her purse to withdraw her money pouch she frowned as she saw Draco struggle to reach into his own pocket.

"With this!" Draco exclaimed, producing the yoyo. "It's nearly new, and watch, it blinks in and out!" He demonstrated its action before handing it over to the man. The man pretended to inspect it, giving a wink to Narcissa as he told Draco that it was a fine trade indeed! Of course Narcissa did pay for the dress and shoes as an attendant wrapped the items up for Draco.

That day seemed so long ago, yet came back so vividly as Narcissa fingered the material. She held it to the light, giving it a good inspection. Her eyes landed on the bodice. Truthfully the girls of Slytherin had very slender figures, and certainly wouldn't fill out the top part. Not as poorly as the girl at the shop, but still, it wouldn't do for the girl to feel inadequate. It could even possibly been seen as an insult to them. Even as she remembered everything that had transpired at the shop she made the smallest of alterations with a twist of her wand. She added her note and the other items to the parcel, tied them up and gave it a small hug.

Bubble stuck out his leg expectantly for the package, only to receive a hand to shoo him off.

"I'm not quite finished Bubble, don't be so impatient. You and my son share that trait!" She said as she started writing a second letter and Bubble ruffled his feathers mockingly.

Headmaster Dumbledore,

As you have undoubtedly noticed our young Draco has chosen a witch in which to bestow upon the Res Hareditaria de Malfoy. With your permission Lucius and I would like to pay them a visit at their table during lunch on Wednesday. Please respond promptly so that I may book this appointment into my husband's busy schedule.

With much respect,

Narcissa Malfoy

With a final smile she sealed her second letter with the family crest. After handing the parcel and letter to Bubble, she stood at the window and watched the sun glint off the –sometimes- majestic eagle owl's wings as he flew off towards Hogwarts.