Author's Notes: I'd like to thank xLittlexItalyx, xo.A.m.o.r.e.t.t.e.xo, C0mdLicAt3p, Disco Inferno1, waffenmac, Hannah Loves Lupin, Persephoniii, Indeffinate and Alistriona for your review for chapter twenty-one. I'm thrilled you're all enjoying the story, and I always appreciate your support and comments.
Additionally, I'll warn you now; this chapter hasn't been beta'ed or checked for mistakes. My usual beta has a lot going on in real life at the moment, so I ask you to keep this in mind when you read the chapter. Thanks.
Chapter Twenty-two: Happiness at last?
The following day, despite the late hour Draco had gone to bed the night before, he rose early to take his potions to St. Mungo's. Morrigan was already awake, and had prepared breakfast, before using the Floo network to take her to the Ministry of Magic for the day.
"I hope everything goes well with your mother when you meet with her today," she said, as she was preparing to leave.
"Thanks," replied Draco. "I'm feeling a little anxious about speaking with her, but I know it's for the best."
"Yeah, it is," agreed Morrigan with a reassuring smile. "Like I said yesterday, once you start making those steps to resolving your issues with your parents, you can begin to move on with your life."
"You're completely right," returned Draco. "I feel confident that me and my mother might be able to repair some of the damage caused by our involvement with Voldemort. I'm not sure about my father though..." he trailed off.
"Just take it one step at a time. No one says you have to forgive them both in one day. Just talk with Narcissa, see what she has to say and then take it from there," Morrigan advised kindly.
"I will do," replied Draco with a slight smile. "And thanks for everything you've done for me. I don't think I'd be in the position I'm in now – with a roof over my head, a steady job and the chance to reconcile with my parents – without all your help."
"It was nothing," insisted Morrigan with a dismissive wave of her hand and a slight blush creeping over her cheeks.
"It's not nothing to me," Draco protested. "Seriously, I know I can be a spoilt idiot at times, but your help really means a lot to me."
"Stop being all humble and sincere, it doesn't suit you," teased Morrigan. "I like you much better when you're complaining about us not having a house-elf, or telling me about how your mother sent you packages of sweets every week while you were at school."
"I'll remember that for the next time you ask me to clean the kitchen," commented Draco facetiously, with a cheeky grin.
Morrigan blushed, giggled and looked sheepishly away. The sight of Draco looking so carefree and happy, with that dazzling smile on his face made her heart thump.
"Right, I'm going, before you make me late for work," she announced, before waving her hand, taking a pinch of Floo powder and stepping into the fireplace.
Draco remained sitting at the kitchen table, sipping his mug of coffee and staring at the spot Morrigan had just disappeared from.
He let out a deep breath, run his fingers through his long, blond hair and muttered to himself, "Just one more day. One more day and then you can tell her how you feel."
That afternoon, after dropping off his potions at St. Mungo's, receiving a list of new remedies the healers needed, and buying some more supplies from Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, Draco made his over to the Leaky Cauldron to meet his mother.
He entered the bar, and for the first time in months, didn't have his hood drawn up to cover his face. Instead, he walked into the establishment with his head held high, and the familiar Malfoy smirk curling his lips.
A few patrons looked around when Draco entered, but he paid them little attention, solely focused on scanning the room for his mother, but she hadn't arrived yet.
With confidence in his step, Draco strode over to the bar, and took an available stood besides it.
"And what can I get for you, Master Malfoy?" Tom asked with a toothy grin.
"Just a pumpkin juice please," replied Draco, taking out a handful of coins to pay for his beverage. "I don't suppose you've got a spare copy of the Prophet lying around do you?"
"Yeah, you can have mine," replied Tom, sliding the newspaper across to Draco, as e placed the goblet of pumpkin juice in front of him.
As Draco waited for his mother to arrive at the Leaky Cauldron, he sipped on his drink, and browsed through the Daily Prophet. In contrast to the frequent reports of disappearances and seemingly 'natural' disasters that has monopolized the newspaper just over a year ago, now the most interesting headline was, 'Celestina Warbeck Concert Causes Broom Smash Over Liverpool', demonstrating how peaceful the wizarding world now was since Harry Potter had vanquished Voldemort.
Finally, Narcissa arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, made her way over to the bar and tapped Draco on gently on the shoulder.
"Thank you for agreeing to see me," she said, slightly breathlessly.
"I want to get things sorted out," replied Draco with a shrug.
"I'm glad, because I want that too," insisted Narcissa, before turning to the bar and ordering a glass of elderflower wine. "Shall we go and sit somewhere a little quieter?"
Draco nodded, and then they both took their drinks and headed over to a secluded section of the pub, where they sat opposite each other around a small wooden table.
For a few moments, a tense silence passed between mother and son, until Draco broke it by raising an eyebrow and asking, "Well, what was it you wanted to speak to me about?"
"I want you to come home, Draco," Narcissa replied without any pre-amble.
Draco sipped his drink and shook his head slowly.
"I don't want to, Mother. I'm happy living with Morrigan, we get along well, and I'm making a good life for myself," he insisted. "But I do want to start working towards having a better relationship with you... and father too."
"Thanks you, Draco, I'm very grateful," replied Narcissa her eyes brimming with tears. "I meant everything I said the other day, I do love you, and I tried my best to protect you."
"Yes, I think I can see that now," returned Draco. "It still doesn't excuse you and father putting your pure-blood ideals and power before me for so long, but I'm willing to draw a line under that and start over."
"Thanks you," Narcissa repeated. "That's more than I could have ever hoped or asked for."
"I'm not making you any promises, though," Draco pointed out. "All that I can assure you of is that I'll try. I'll keep in contact, and let you know that I'm ok, and maybe given time I can visit you and father at home."
"I'd like that, a lot," said Narcissa with a smile. "You know, no matter what happens, you'll always be welcome there... and Morrigan too. I can see you care about her a lot."
"I do," confessed Draco, the slight hint of a blush colouring his usually pale features.
"You're very lucky," commented Narcissa with a wistful look in her eyes.
Draco didn't know what to make of his mother's statement – was she just being genuinely pleased for him or was there something more there? Perhaps her own feelings about her marriage? - so instead, he looked away and allowed his eyes to scan the pub.
Finally, Narcissa broke the silence again by asking, "So, how is work going? Is everything alright for you?"
"Yes, it's going well thank you. I'm now St. Mungo's main potions supplier and I have to take new batches of remedies to them pretty much everyday. It isn't a particularly exciting job, but I enjoy it and I'm good at it," informed Draco with a smile.
"I'm so pleased for you and proud of you," Narcissa beamed. "I'm glad you're making something good of your life, I want you to be happy."
"I am," returned Draco, adding to himself 'For the first time in years, I actually am.'
Again, a few minutes silence passed between the mother and son, but this time it wasn't tense like it had been when they first sat down. Even though Narcissa and Draco were a long way off ever having what you'd call a 'normal' relationship, and it would be years before he properly forgave her, things were getting better.
Finally, Draco broke the silence by asking, "And you and Father are doing well?"
"Yes, thinks are better now that the war is over," commented Narcissa. "Now we can just enjoy some quiet time at home."
For a while longer, Draco and Narcissa sat making small talk, until eventually, Draco insisted that he should be getting home. The mother and son left the Leaky Cauldron, and strolled along Diagon Alley together.
"Take care, dear," Narcissa said, reaching out to embrace her son.
Draco hesitated for a moment, but then hugged his mother and said, "I will do, and you take care too. I'll write to your in a few weeks to let you know I'm ok."
"Alright," agreed Narcissa, kissing Draco on the cheek. "And then maybe after that, you and Morrigan can come around for dinner?"
"Maybe, we'll see," returned Draco.
"Whenever you're ready, I won't rush you," assured Narcissa.
Draco nodded to his mother, and then turned on the spot and Apperated away, and arrived at the end of the driveway to the house that he shared with Morrigan, the house that was feeling more and more like home every day.
He let out a deep breath, as a strange sensation swept through his body. He was feeling relieved that he'd finally spoken to his mother and had begun to sort things out with her. Additionally, what he'd told her in the Leaky Cauldron was true; he was happy, happier than he'd been in a long time. Then Draco's thoughts drifted to the person who had helped him make all this possible – Morrigan. Morrigan, who he'd grown so close to in the past few months, who always made him smile and who he cared for deeply.
Draco knew now there was one more thing he had to do before the day was over, and with a contented sigh, he strode up the driveway, opened the front door, and walked into the sitting room.
He found Morrigan sitting in an armchair in front of the fire, deeply absorbed in the book on potions making she was reading, as her black hair fell around her face, and the flames from the fire glistened in her green eyes.
When she saw him enter the room, Morrigan looked up from her book, smiled at Draco and asked, "So, how did it go with your mother?"
Draco smiled back at her, but said nothing, and instead crossed the living room in one long stride so that he was standing before her. Then, he looked deeply into her green eyes and kissed her full and passionately on the lips.
TBC...
A/N2: I'll warn you all now, there's only one more chapter to come after this one, and I think you all know what's going to happen in it! ;) I thank you all for coming this far with me, and hope you all read and enjoy the final chapter.