Draco looked down at his wristwatch and was mildly surprised to note that despite the lateness of the hour, he felt quite awake and alert. He idly wondered if it had anything to do with Hermione's presence next to him in their bed. He glanced at her furtively as she read a heavy volume her father had brought her earlier by wandlight. Her hair was still in the updo she had arranged it in for Pansy's ball, but several curly strands had rebelled their way out. She looked quite pretty, as she sat there in her old cotton nightgown, her brow lightly furrowed as she read. She seemed to be losing her concentration; she had been on the same page for over ten minutes.
"Good book?" Draco asked, breaking the silence. Hermione glanced up in surprise.
"You're still awake? I'm not keeping you up am I?" she asked, biting her lower lip.
Draco rolled his eyes. Bloody Gryffindors and their caring. "No, I think I'm just too buzzed after all that dancing. So, good book?"
"Not bad, not quite bedtime reading though," admitted Hermione, lowering the heavy volume.
"You seem distracted," Draco observed, smirking as he turned to his side so that he was facing his wife. "Am I too good looking for you to concentrate?"
Yes, especially since you insist in sleeping without a shirt.
"You wish," she vocalised instead, rolling her eyes.
"What are you thinking about then?" asked Draco.
"Pansy actually," Hermione said softly. "And all the stuff she went through with her family and the war."
"She's strong," said Draco, slightly surprised that Hermione would care. "She's been through a lot, but now the worst is over. All she has to do is find a way to accept what has happened and to move on with her life. At least she no longer has to worry about Parker, Blaise or me in constant proximity of Voldemort."
"Can I ask you a question?" Hermione asked hesitantly, turning over so that she too was facing Draco.
"Leaving aside the fact that you just did, sure," Draco said, smirking slightly. Yes, we can have a threesome with Pansy, but don't even think about suggesting Blaise.
"What made you change your opinion about Voldemort? And all the blood purity stuff you seemed to believe in so strongly back in our Hogwarts days?"
Draco inhaled sharply. He hadn't been expecting that. "Well, I realised the whole blood purity 'stuff' as you so eloquently put it was all crap. Especially when I found out that Voldemort himself was a half-blood; it really put things in perspective for me. Even back then I hated hypocrisy. Also people like Snape showed me that half-bloods weren't bad, and that I could look up to someone even if they had a muggleborn parent."
"Was that all that made you give up your ideas about the Dark Arts?" Hermione asked, her curiosity piqued by Draco's rational dismissal of everything he had been taught as a child.
"Well actually that's a different story," said Draco wincing at the memory. "After the Snatchers brought you lot in here, and then you managed to escape from right under our noses, well, the consequences were bad. It came to me with this sudden clarity that if Voldemort's philosophies were so 'pure' and 'correct' he wouldn't need to instil fear to gain support. There's something about being tortured that makes you have epiphanies I suppose." He tried to shrug it off lightly.
"You got tortured?" asked Hermione in horror.
"Not just me," Draco said darkly. "He had the gall to lay his hands on mother too. And father, but father deserved it."
"You really hate your father," Hermione commented softly.
"I do," said Draco bitterly. "I can't walk by rooms of my own house without remembering being tortured in them. I can't think back to any memories with my father in them without remembering the horror and danger he brought to us all. As much as I hate him for all the horrible philosophies he fed me as a child, I would've forgiven him if he had truly changed. However, I can't forgive him for putting mother through what he did."
"I'm sorry," said Hermione sincerely as a silence fell between the two.
"You were tortured here too," said Draco suddenly.
"I still have nightmares about it," admitted Hermione, her voice shaking slightly.
"If living here is difficult for you in any way then we can always move," Draco said firmly, his eyes searching her face. "We can buy another place, just as big, and start new memories."
Hermione could've sworn she felt her heart flip at Draco's words. Her insides were filled with sudden warmth at his generosity and consideration for her feelings. Without realising what she was doing, Hermione leaned forward and gently cradled his face in her soft palms, feeling his silky hair between her fingers.
"There's no need, but thank you," she said honestly.
Draco felt as though his heart was about to explode out of his chest at the warmth and sincerity of Hermione's tender gesture. He felt as though a fire had been unleashed inside him. Unable to hold himself back, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Before either of them knew what was happening, their bodies had taken control of the situation. Draco wasn't sure how, but Hermione was pinned down beneath the pillars of his arms –which were resting on either side of her face– as they kissed fiercely with a need that he had never felt or had reciprocated before. His fingers fumbled over the drawstrings on the neck of her nightgown as her hands blazed sensual trails all over his back. He traced her jaw line with feather-light kisses as his hands ventured underneath her nightgown to cup her soft breasts. Draco almost exploded as he felt Hermione nibble his ear softly and kiss her way down to his chest.
Thud
Unbeknownst to them, the heavy volume had been unceremoniously knocked off the bed. It exacted its revenge by puncturing the fragility of the moment. Hermione felt her common sense hurtle back to the forefront of her brain, as she froze and extricated her hands from Draco's silky hair. It was all Draco could do not to groan at the abruptness of reality. For a second, he stayed put, breathing heavily, just in case she changed her mind and decided to give her common sense a holiday for the night.
"It's getting late, we should go to bed," said Hermione awkwardly, lacing up her nightgown.
Swallowing, Draco nodded and swung himself off her. Hermione turned away from him and drew the covers close to her chest, slightly shaking as she relived the past few minutes. Draco looked at the curve of her back as she scooted as far on her side of the bed as possible. Rejection.
By the time Draco awoke the next morning, Hermione had already left for the day. A hastily scribbled note informed him that she was spending the day with Ginny and Luna. Draco crumpled the offending piece of parchment in frustration, and spent most of the day locked up in his study, greeting everyone with a scowl. Hermione didn't return until tea, where she almost completely ignored him, save a distant nod as he entered the room. Narcissa raised a delicate eyebrow at the obvious awkward tension between her son and daughter-in-law as they both firmly avoided looking at each other. Julius however was completely oblivious to the tension and chattered away uncaring about the lack of responses.
"Are you better now Mummy?" he asked Hermione, beaming to have her back.
"Much better thank you," Hermione beamed back, as Draco suppressed a twinge of jealousy.
"You should be more careful Mummy," Julius chastised between mouthfuls of muffin. "I heard Daddy tell Uncle Blaise that you were really hot in bed because Daddy made you wet."
Draco sputtered, nearly dropping his teacup on the floor.
"Could you rein your shock in until after tea Draco? I'm rather partial to this tea service," said Narcissa primly, trying not to laugh. Hermione's face was a study in the colour scarlet as she studied her muffin with diligence. She could probably redraw the exact shape of every crumb perched precariously on the rim of her muffin.
"I told Blaise about your fever and how you got it after your clothes got soaked," clarified Draco. The last thing he needed was for Hermione to think he was discussing their sexual exploits, or inherent lack thereof, with Blaise. Hermione nodded, still looking at her plate. Their awkward silence was interrupted by a house-elf that entered the room, carrying a small bottle of wine and a single rose.
"Mistress Cissy," he said bowing low, much to Hermione's chagrin. "This is just coming for you." He held out the bottle and rose.
"That's strange," said Narcissa, her cheeks betraying a hint of pink. "Who are they from?"
"Snotty don't know Mistress, they is just coming out of nowhere," explained the elf. Hermione bit back a chuckle at the elf's name.
"Who are they from Mother?" asked Draco, glowering at the bottle of wine and mentally plotting the 'accidental' death of the person that dared send them to his mother. Didn't anyone have any decency anymore? She was his mother for crying out loud. How could anyone dare to send her tokens of affection?
"Clearly I do not know," Narcissa said stiffly, though her cheekbones still had a faint splash of colour. "Although there is a note attached."
Narcissa delicately unfurled the tight scroll and gave the contents a once-over.
"Well Hermione, it might be for either of us," she said, smirking. "It's addressed to Mrs. Malfoy."
"What?" exclaimed Draco, his brow furrowing in anger. "Let me see that." He yanked the note away from his mother's slender fingers and swiftly read the infuriating piece of parchment. It contained a single line: A token of my appreciation for you, Mrs Malfoy. Enjoy. Narcissa elegantly arched an eyebrow at her son's behaviour. She opened the bottle and poured herself and Hermione a glass, after offering Draco some, who declined. Draco would be damned if he consumed anything an immoral shameless philanderer had sent his mother. Or his wife for that matter.
"To us," smirked Narcissa, clinking her glass with Hermione's, in clear enjoyment of her son's discomfort. Hermione found herself grinning at the elder witch's sense of humour. Draco looked as though he had swallowed a dozen mould-flavoured Bertie Bott's beans.
"What are you drinking Mummy?" asked Julius, his eyes shining with excitement as he grabbed the stem of Hermione's glass excitedly and peered inside.
"Nothing you need," said Narcissa rolling her eyes as she sipped her wine. "Heaven knows you're hyperactive enough without needing to get drunk."
"But it's so pretty," insisted Julius, as he swirled the scarlet liquid around Hermione's glass excitedly. "Why didn't you send Mummy and Gramma a pretty gift Daddy?"
Draco cursed the day someone had decided that sending women gifts was a good idea. He 'accidentally' flicked his wand under the table, jerking the tablecloth and causing both glasses of wine to topple over. Smiling smugly to himself he put on his most innocent expression as both women yelped and backed away from the scarlet liquid that the previously white tablecloth was merrily soaking up.
"Draco Malfoy!" screeched Narcissa, un-fooled for a second.
"I hadn't even had any yet!" exclaimed Hermione at the same time, equally un-fooled.
Draco narrowed his eyes. Why didn't anyone stop me before I married someone smarter than me?
"Where in the world are your manners- Oooh-" Narcissa was cut off mid rant as she suddenly started to shrink. Draco and Hermione looked at each other in shock and confusion, as the previously elegantly dressed woman disappeared, and in her place, blinking in confusion, was a four year old girl with riotously curly blonde hair. Her big blue eyes widened as she took in the other occupants of the table and launched herself onto the floor with a deafening wail.
"Mother…?" Draco asked in horror, cautiously approaching the young girl as she pounded the floor with her fists.
"Where- Am- I?" screeched the girl, through her sobs.
"Just, err calm down," said Draco turning to Hermione for help, who shrugged helplessly at the sight in front of her. Julius looked down at his grandmother in fear as she clawed the priceless Arabian carpet with her surprisingly sharp fingernails. He whimpered and climbed onto Hermione's lap.
"How dare you give me orders? I'm 'Cissa Black and you stole me!" screamed the girl, catching Draco in the groin with a well placed kick. Hermione bit back her laughter as Draco fell to the floor next to his mother, writhing in pain.
"Don't come near me!" she shouted, jumping onto Draco's body and attacking him with tiny but furious fists.
"Who would bloody want to?" yelled Draco, trying to defend himself from the vicious attack. "I only bloody fell because you kicked me!"
"You… used… bad… words… in… my… presence…?" Narcissa's bright blue eyes gleamed with unfulfilled threats as she pointed her wand at her son's face. Draco gulped. Julius peeked out from behind Hermione's curtain of hair in interest, as Hermione idly wondered if she should help her husband. Draco did always say he was twice the wizard everyone else was. He looks like he can handle this just fine she decided, as she settled in her seat more comfortably.
"Ah now sweetie," said Draco swallowing loudly, staring at the wand pointed between his eyes. "Where did you get that wand?"
"Found it in my clothes," said Narcissa proudly. "Now what shall I do with you?"
"Turn his nose green!" piped up Julius from the safety of Hermione's arms, as Draco shot the traitor a murderous glare. Hermione giggled.
"Blondie is such a meanie give him a nosey greeny," chanted Narcissa, as she poked Draco painfully in the nose with every word. Nothing happened. Draco breathed a sigh of relief. Hermione and Julius looked at each other in disappointment. Taking advantage of the girl's momentary distraction, Draco grabbed her and managed to stand up with the squirming girl in his arms.
"Are you going to help or what?" he yelped, as Narcissa wildly kicked his shins. Hermione nodded, her eyes twinkling, as she stood up and put Julius down.
"I'll go Floo Harry and Ron, we'll want to report this," she said grinning at Draco's flushed face. "And I'll have St. Mungo's send over a Healer to restore her to her normal age."
"You're going to leave me with her?" asked Draco in horror, as his mother sunk her fingernails into his side, while screaming something about cutting his head off.
"Surely you're capable of baby-sitting," grinned Hermione, as she grabbed Julius by the hand. "Come Juls, let's go Floo Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron."
Draco cursed his wife to the high heavens as she exited, taking his ally with her. Narcissa squirmed uncomfortably in his arms and to Draco's horror, he felt a tiny yet sharp set of teeth clamp down into the underside of his arm. Shrieking in pain and surprise, Draco accidentally let his prisoner go. He took a few steps back in horror as his tiny mother stood in front of him, wand raised. It was time for revenge.
"GRANGER. GET IN HERE," Draco screamed, as he backed himself into the wall. Narcissa approached him, her blue eyes glinting.
"What's going on?" exclaimed Hermione, as she and Julius burst into the living room. The little girl turned, and her sharp eyes caught sight of the open door. Something golden streaked past Hermione's legs, and was out the door before she realised what had happened.
"Don't just stand there! Catch that brat!" shouted Draco as he ran past her into the hallway. Hermione picked up Julius swiftly and broke into a run behind Draco. Hermione put a reassuring arm around Julius' tiny body as they ran down the empty carpeted hallway into the living room, where Draco was already present and seemed to be reasoning with the ceiling. Hermione blinked. Either the chandelier had grown some curls, or Narcissa had somehow climbed up there.
"Now sweetie, how about you come down?" pleaded Draco.
"Whee! It swings!" said Narcissa delightedly as she swung her tiny legs around, trying to get momentum.
"How did she get up there?" asked Hermione in horror.
"How the fuck would I know?" screamed Draco as he tried to aim levitation spells at his mother, who cleverly swung out of the way every time.
"You dare use such language in front of me? I am 'Cissa Black," she screamed as she pointed her wand at Draco. A jet of blue light flew out of her wand, as all the occupants of the room ducked.
"Hermione? Malfoy?" a faint voice called out from a few rooms away. Hermione almost cried in relief as she ran towards the sound.
"Harry! We're in the living room!" she screamed, as she dodged another jet of blue light by diving behind a piece of furniture. Screw bringing them here as a good hostess should do, I'm not braving this.
Harry and Ron dashed into the room to find Hermione Granger, the girl who had faced several Death Eaters in combat, sometimes single-handedly, cowering behind a sapphire sofa. To their bigger surprise, Draco Malfoy, the son of one of the most notorious Death Eaters was crouching underneath the coffee table on his hands and knees. The only occupant remaining standing was their three year old son, who was looking up at the ceiling with sparkling eyes. He had finally found a hero.
"What the hell is going on here?" demanded Ron as he looked up at the ceiling, and did a double take as he saw the wild-haired girl perched primly on the chandelier.
"You used a bad word!" screamed Narcissa as she aimed her wand at Ron. A jet of blue light shot towards him, narrowly missing Julius. Ron's Quidditch training kicked in as he expertly jumped out of the way.
"You stay away from my son!" yelled Draco as he abandoned his hiding spot. "He is the heir to the Malfoy fortune. Don't you touch him you evil brat!"
Another jet of light filled the room. The adults in the room looked at each other in horror as the heir to the Malfoy fortune swished his tail indignantly and glared at Narcissa with mournful eyes.
"You turned my son into a… cat?" screeched Draco as he jumped up, trying to grab his mother before she did any more damage. Hermione yelped and ran towards Julius who tried to scramble onto her lap frantically. She quickly scooped up the ball of fur that moments ago was her stepson, and hid behind a marble statue. Harry felt his life flash before his eyes as Narcissa aimed her wand at him. The Boy-Who-Lived felt frozen to the spot in terror. At the last second the momentum of the swinging chandelier changed the trajectory of the jet of blue light, and it hit Draco straight in the chest. The adults winced in mutual terror, as the spell knocked him to the floor. Hermione abandoned her hiding spot to check on her husband. Expecting the worst, she grabbed his wrist, trying to feel a pulse.
"Am I still alive?" mumbled Draco, rubbing his head.
"Oh thank Merlin," said Hermione in relief. "Yes you're still alive."
"Bugger," he muttered, sitting up. To his surprise, he felt something furry wiggle between his toes. He looked down in horror, just as Harry spotted the latest addition to his anatomy.
"Malfoy has a tail!" he pointed in glee, as Ron abandoned his attempts to levitate the child safely off the chandelier and ran forward to inspect it for himself. Sure enough, a stripy gold and black tail was poking through between Draco's legs. For a second, Narcissa and her reign of terror lay forgotten as the Golden Trio gave in to their laughter.
"We have a monster on the loose and you prats are laughing at my tail? That demon-spawn turned my son into a bloody cat!" scowled Draco as he tried to hex his new tail off. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't get a clean aim.
"Did you just call me a monster?" asked the demon-spawn, as she fixed her eyes on her son, "I'm 'Cissa Black, and no one talks to me that way!"
"Yeah? Well I'm Draco Malfoy, and no one talks to me that way," muttered Draco as he eyed his mother nervously.
"Malfoy?" she squealed, her demeanour instantly changing. "Are you related to my Lucy-Wucy?"
"Lucy-Wucy?" said Draco in horror. "My mother called my father Lucy-Wucy?"
"And here I thought I had family problems," Harry snickered, as Draco glared at him.
"Yes, yes he is related to err Lucy-Wucy," said Hermione, seizing control of the situation. "He's Lucy-Wucy's favourite uncle."
"Uncle?" scowled Draco, in undertone "Do I look that old to you?" Harry and Ron laughed.
"Oh why didn't you say so?" said Narcissa happily, gracefully jumping off the chandelier and landing on all fours. She cheerfully launched herself into Hermione's arms, much to the other girl's surprise. Hermione blinked in confusion as Narcissa threw an arm around her neck, unsure of whether to run or to befriend. The three boys looked on in fear, not daring to go any closer to Hermione, staring at the little girl like they would at a giant cobra wrapped around Hermione's neck. Unfazed by all the attention, Narcissa contentedly played with one of Hermione's curls and watched it spring back every time she gently tugged on it.
"Your hair is pretty," Narcissa said. "I wish I had hair like this."
"Should've known that the best way to get her down would've been to talk about Lucius and hair," muttered Ron to Harry, who chortled.
"I can make your hair have ringlets like mine," said Hermione, taken aback. "Your hair is pretty curly to begin with. It shouldn't be hard. Do you want to try it?" Narcissa nodded as she wrapped her other arm around more Hermione's neck, her wand falling as she did so. Draco quickly grabbed it and tucked it into his pocket, out of sight. The three boys breathed a sigh of relief as Hermione carried a now calm Narcissa out of the room. The reign of terror was over.
"Hang on a second," said Draco anxiously looking around. "Where the hell is my son?"
Or maybe it had just begun…
"Here kitty kitty kitty," said Ron as the three boys trawled through the carpeted hallways of the Malfoy Manor.
"You're looking for my son," Draco said crossly. "Not a bloody cat."
"Does he or does he not have a tail Malfoy?" retorted Ron, as he looked under a carved window-seat.
"So do I," scowled Draco, as the offending appendage swished behind him. "What's your point?"
"Like father like son?" offered Harry, trying not to snicker. He and Ron had managed to charm a bright red bow on the tip of Draco's tail when he wasn't looking. They thought that it added a little something extra. He idly wondered if he could get away with giving Draco whiskers to match.
"Watch it Potter, I'll be happy to give you another scar," Draco said distractedly as he looked behind the curtains.
"Shall we set out some milk in a saucer maybe?" asked Ron seriously as they entered the library.
"No Malfoy has ever lapped up milk from a saucer, and I'll be damned if my son is the first to do so," said Draco disgustedly as he levitated the furniture in the room, scanning the floor for his son. "Besides, he hates milk. We'd probably send him running the other way."
They left the obviously empty library and made their way to the West wing just in case Julius had decided to hide in his bedroom. Ron and Harry jumped as a sharp crack was heard behind them. They pivoted, wands drawn, only to find a wrinkly house-elf cowering on finding himself at wand point.
"Honestly," Draco snickered. "The Boy-Who-Lived and his faithful sidekick scared by a house-elf. I know, I know, he is quite frightening crouching in that corner shaking with fear. It's okay boys; you have me to protect you."
"Shut it Malfoy," Ron growled, his ears going red.
"Master Draco, some sort of wild animal is in the Manor," squealed the elf. "He is in Master's old bedroom."
Draco's eyes widened, as he swore loudly and ran down the corridor. Harry and Ron looked at each other in surprise, but followed suit. They followed Draco's flowing black robes through the maze of hallways and up a flight of stairs, where they were met with a horrific sight. The room in front of them appeared to have once been a sitting room of some sort, but it had now been torn to shreds beyond recognition. What looked like the mangled remains of a sofa was lying upturned diagonally across the room, surrounded by slashes of velvet fabric and broken pieces of something that had an intricate pattern on it. Draco stopped short in shock at the scene in front of him.
"My little boy did this?" he whispered in horror.
"Where is he now?" Harry whispered back, almost afraid of the answer.
"Inside my bedroom I think," Draco said softly, as he stealthily walked through the debris.
Ron gulped nervously at the vicious looking scratch marks on the walls. "I'll uh stay here and keep guard."
"You're suffering through this with me," insisted Harry tersely, grabbing a reluctant Ron by the arm. "Think of Hermione."
The boys tiptoed their way into what was presumably Draco's former bedroom, bracing themselves for disaster. Draco cautiously opened the door, and gasped in shock. The room had been defiled beyond his wildest dreams. There was not a discernable piece of furniture left, and the floor was thick with torn scraps of parchment. His black silk sheets had been mangled into an unfortunate looking carcass, and the contents of all his dresser drawers and his desk adorned the floor. How had his mild-mannered son managed to wreak such havoc in such a short amount of time?
Harry stepped through the carpet of torn parchment to retrieve a book that was dripping in ink. He read out the title in disbelief, "101 Ways to Have Perfect Hair. A Witch's Guide to Quality Hair Care and Maintenance?"
"Give me that," snarled Draco, as he swiped the book away from Harry and tossed it to the other end of the bedroom. "It's uh Pansy's."
"Is this Pansy's too?" snickered Ron as he held up another book and read out the title smugly. "How to Have Satisfying Sex for Longer: A Wizard's Manual."
"Didn't know you had a problem with that Malfoy," Harry grinned. "That would explain why you were such a prick to us all these years. Overcompensation and all that…"
Draco didn't respond, instead his eyes widened in pure unadulterated fear. He had just seen something that he had never in all his twenty years even imagined he would see. Harry and Ron turned and looked behind them, their expressions mirroring Draco's, for, hurtling towards them at top speed was the gleaming end of a broomstick. With a golden cat perched firmly on it, mischief sparkling in his brown eyes.
"Duck!" shouted Harry, as he dragged both Ron and Draco down with him.
They had a moment's reprieve before the cat manoeuvred the broomstick around and flew lower, an adorable furry paw armed with sharp talons outstretched.
"Run!" Draco screamed, as the boys scrambled out of his old bedroom, still on their hands and knees. They straightened out and ran for it as soon as they were out the door, racing down the flight of stairs two at a time. Ron looked backwards and ran faster as he saw the cat nearing towards them, swiping his talons at passing tapestries. The three boys tried to shoot the cat with hexes to slow it down, but the cat expertly dodged them every time.
"Where the fuck did he learn to fly so well?" panted Harry. He aimed another hex at the cat, which looped through the air to avoid it.
"He is my son after all, it's not surprising that he excels from an early age," Draco said smugly as they ran through a corridor, with the cat still in hot pursuit.
"Does it look like now is a good time to brag?" yelled Ron as he ducked his head, narrowly missing being hit by a swinging curtain rod, courtesy of Julius Malfoy.
Blaise was standing in the middle of the opulent living room of the Malfoy Manor. He had been incredibly surprised when he had received an owl from their department head, Sturgis Podmore, requesting him to Apparate to the Manor immediately just in case Harry and Ron needed back-up, though the letter hadn't specified exactly what was wrong at the Manor. He was even more surprised to see a broomstick without a rider fly into the room. It hit the wall and fell down, motionless. Before he could react in any way, the three boys hurtled into the living room chasing some sort of feral cat.
"What the hell is going on?" demanded Blaise as the boys burst in. "What the hell is that thing? " He pointed to the streak of fur that rushed past him.
"It's your godson," shouted Draco as he pushed past Blaise. "Catch him! Quick!"
"What the hell?" Blaise joined Harry and Ron as they ran out of the living room through another carpeted corridor.
"You joined in at the right time Zabini," panted Ron. "A minute ago, it was chasing us."
"On a broomstick no less," added Harry, as he aimed hexes at the blur of fur running in front of Draco.
They watched in horror as the cat scrambled up a curtain and within seconds, had climbed his way to the top of the curtain rod. The very high curtain rod. Before any of them could react and try levitate the cat down, the cat snarled and launched itself fiercely at Blaise's face. Everyone in the room shut their eyes at the impending doom. A second later, a loud scream was heard.
"You stepped on my tail you idiot!" shouted Draco, pulling it out of harm's reach.
"So sorry," said Blaise sarcastically. "Silly me, to not think of your tail as I was trying to save my face from being marred by your killer spawn."
"Juls was only making improvements," smirked Draco.
"He's going back to the living room you idiots!" yelled Harry. "Catch him!"
In a different wing of the Manor, Hermione and Pansy calmly brushed and curled Narcissa's hair, as she chattered away brightly about what Lucy-Wucy would say when he saw her. They'd had a house-elf bring them tea and cookies to nibble on whilst they waited for the boys to find Julius and for the Healer from St. Mungo's to arrive.
"So, I hope I didn't interrupt anything when I requested the Auror department to have Blaise to come over," said Hermione, as she twirled a shiny lock of Narcissa's hair around her wand. "I tried his apartment first, but he wasn't there. Sturgis Podmore knows me fairly well, as he used to be in the Order, so as a favour he managed to track Blaise down to your house."
"Not at all," Pansy said politely, though her cheeks reddened slightly. "You're doing a really good job with her hair."
"Thanks," Hermione replied, slightly surprised. "I learnt a few basic curling and straightening spells from my roommates at Hogwarts. Never used them much though."
"Did you have a good time at the ball last night?" asked Pansy, as she put down the silver backed hairbrush she was holding and elegantly sipped her tea.
"I did actually," said Hermione sincerely. "Draco and Blaise were good company, and your brother is really charming."
"That he is," Pansy's eyes brightened with affection. "He's been breaking hearts since he was fourteen." The girls laughed. Narcissa happily took a cookie from the plate. She couldn't wait to look as pretty as she could for her Lucy-Wucy. Everything was so much nicer when he was involved.
"Draco couldn't take his eyes off you last night," commented Pansy as she brushed the knots out of Narcissa's hair. "And for good reason. You looked lovely."
"Thanks," it was now Hermione's turn to blush, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Pansy.
"Correct me if I'm wrong," she smirked, as she grabbed another lock of unruly blonde hair. "But I think someone has a little crush on their husband."
Hermione's face flushed scarlet.
"You have it bad," snickered Pansy, as she struggled with a particularly large knot.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione said feebly, as she ducked her head and let her hair cover her flaming cheeks under the pretence of curling Narcissa's hair. Thankfully, they were interrupted as a furry head nudged the door to their room open.
"Oh hello Juls," Hermione said cheerfully, as the cat padded his way into the room. "Would you like a cookie?"
Miracles would never cease. Harry, Ron, Draco and Blaise barged into the room, expecting to be met with a scene of terror, but to their utter surprise Hermione and Pansy were serenely curling Narcissa's hair while eating cookies and drinking tea. To their even bigger surprise, the wretched cat was calmly on the floor.
"My son is eating a cookie off the floor using paws. I'm never going to live this down," groaned Draco as he caught sight of the cat.
"Well how else is he supposed to eat while he is in cat form?" enquired Hermione reasonably, as she expertly twirled another lock of her tiny mother-in-law's hair around her wand. "And why do you have a bow on your tail?"
"I'm going to fucking kill you both," snarled Draco as he chased a startled Ron and Harry out the door. Blaise remained standing, unsure of what had just happened. Weren't they chasing the demon cat that used to be his godson? And who was this girl that both Hermione and Pansy were doting over?
"Tea, Blaise?" Hermione asked pleasantly.
"I've always said the Malfoy Manor is a madhouse," declared Blaise, as he slumped down onto an armchair. "Do I even want to know what happened here?"
"Probably not," said Hermione cheerfully, as Pansy started to pet the now perfectly docile cat, who purred in agreement.
A/n: Thank you all so much for the reviews, favourites and alerts! The overwhelming response I got, particularly from a couple of verbose reviews which made my day, spurred me to put this chapter up as soon as I could! Hope that you have enjoyed the comedic relief :)
I love feedback, so if you enjoyed my work, please drop me a review. I take critique well, so if you have any negative feedback, please don't hesitate to let me know!