Chapter 10

During the two weeks following the accident, things in the house had been odd, to say the least. Astoria continued on with Scorpius's lessons, and he was picking things up very quickly. Draco normally wandered around the house during this time; sometimes he would even sit in the library during Scorpius's lessons.

After two weeks of recovering, Draco deemed it safe to go back to work. Astoria was extremely glad; well, at least she thought she was. Draco was unnerving. Sometimes he was generally kind to her, sometimes he was indifferent, and sometimes he was an evil bastard. Astoria's emotions were being jerked in so many directions that she did not know which way was up anymore.

There was one thing that she still couldn't get out of her head, no matter how mean and indifferent Draco was; the look in his eyes when she was on the hammock with Scorpius. He looked at her so deeply in that moment that she couldn't stand to look back at him.

There was something akin to desperation, relief, and even passion in his eyes all in one glance.

At first she thought it was just a fleeting thing, that he had gotten caught in the moment. Yet, as time went on, she could have sworn that she saw him look at her the same way on countless occasions. The simple fact that she didn't know what the looks meant caused Astoria to stay awake most nights.

The two Malfoy's and Astoria were eating breakfast together before Draco left for work for the day. Scorpius was chattering excitedly about the book that he was going to try to read today while Draco stared glumly at his breakfast. Astoria stayed silent for the most part because she was still trying to decide whether or not to be glad that Draco was leaving.

"I'm going to try and read it all by myself! Isn't that cool, dad?" Scorpius asked before shoving another big bite of toast into his little mouth.

"That's great son," Draco said, stirring his oatmeal slowly. He did have a slight smile on his face, and that seemed to be good enough for Scorpius.

"Do you think I can do it, Miss Astoria?" he asked eagerly. She smiled brightly and grasped his small hand in her own.

"I know you can. You'll do great, I promise." Scorpius smiled back at her. Astoria chanced a quick glance at Draco and had to stifle a gasp. He was looking at her like that again. He noticed that he had been caught and stood from the table abruptly.

"I'll be back later tonight. Have a good day, Scorpius." He kissed his son lightly on the forehead and cautiously turned to Astoria. "Astoria." He acknowledged quietly. On his way out of the kitchen, he briefly settled his hand behind her neck before leaving the room.

Astoria shivered slightly and took a deep breath. "Are you ready for some learning?" Scorpius nodded and bounced up from the table, leading her into the library for their lesson.

Astoria and Scorpius had finished their schooling for the day late in the evening, and they were lying on the floor by the fireplace. "My brain hurts," Scorpius told Astoria while turning over on his side. She laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Oh, hush. Today was not that bad. You did particularly well reading that book, if I do say so myself." He blushed. That was another thing Astoria noticed about Scorpius that was different from Draco; he was a very modest boy when you got through the walls he built up.

"It was still horrible," He said.

"It was not," Astoria replied.

"It was."

"It was not."

"It was!" Astoria moved closer to Scorpius with a grin on her face.

"Say it wasn't before I tickle you into oblivion." He smirked and placed his nose on hers.

"Was." Scorpius let out a loud squeal as Astoria attacked his sides, tickling him. His laughter rang throughout the library and the word "Stop!" could be heard amidst his giggles. When she thought that he deserved a break, she halted her assault on his sides as he tried to catch his breath. There were luminescent smiles on both of their faces, but their moment was interrupted when they heard someone walking around.

"Hello? Is anyone home?" Astoria sat bolt upright and Scorpius scrambled to his feet at the sound of voices from the entrance hall.

"Grandma and Grandpa are here!" He ran as fast as his almost six-year-old feet would take him out of the living room. What?! Astoria thought to herself. She had no clue that Lucius and Narcissa were coming early; she thought everyone would be arriving later this week. Astoria's face fell because she did not want to have to deal with them. She had not seen them in many years. She could hear their conversation, and she knew Scorpius was bringing them to her.

"Where's your father, sweetheart?" she heard Narcissa ask.

"He's on business. Duh, Grandma." Astoria smiled at his answer.

"Who is here with you then?" Lucius asked, making Astoria stiffen; this is where she came into the conversation.

"That's where I'm taking you! Come on, come on! Walk faster, she's in here."

"She?" she heard his grandparents ask together. She could just see them exchanging curious glances. Scorpius came running into the room, and they followed soon after. He had a huge smile on his face. When Narcissa entered the room, she let out a gasp and stopped in the doorway. Lucius stopped as well and placed a comforting arm around her waist.

"Miss Astoria, these are my grandparents!" Scorpius announced happily, all the while the adults were just staring at each other, awe-struck. Astoria could see the tears in Narcissa's eyes from across the room, and she could feel tears prickling her eyes as well. Narcissa crossed the room in four quick strides before wrapping her arms around Astoria in her tight embrace.

"I could have sworn that you were your mother," Narcissa whispered into her ear, causing Astoria to sob into her shoulder. She gripped the older woman tightly as Narcissa stroked her raven colored curls gently. In the background, Scorpius was asking Lucius questions.

"Grandpa, why are they crying?" Scorpius asked looking confused. Lucius just looked uncomfortable.

"Because they're happy," Lucius replied, looking a bit skeptical himself.

"But-" Scorpius started.

"Come on. Show me your new room. Let's leave them alone for a bit, son." Lucius quickly ushered his grandson from the room, leaving the two women alone. Astoria heard them leave the room quietly. She then felt Narcissa lead them over to the sofa, but she didn't want to let go of her. Narcissa had been like a second mother to her in her youth, and, seeing as she had no daughters of her own, she was always at the Greengrass household doting on Daphne and Astoria.

She reluctantly stepped out of Narcissa's warm embrace and sat beside her on the couch. She felt Narcissa wipe the tears from her cheeks, and she laid her head on Narcissa's shoulder.

"My dear girl, what have you been up to? We have all been worried sick; I'll let you know that. We all heard about Daphne getting married, of course, but no one seemed to have known where you disappeared to. I was worried when I didn't see you at her wedding." Astoria sniffled quietly and tried to hold back the rest of her tears that were threatening to fall; she had not known that anyone even noticed that she was gone.

"Lucius, Draco, and I tried to find you for a while. I wish he would have told me you were here!" Astoria inwardly scoffed at the notion that Draco was worried about her, but she was so happy to be with Narcissa. She missed having a mother figure.

"I missed you all, so much," Astoria said taking Narcissa's hand in hers as a fresh wave of tears made their way down her face. She was so happy that they were here, but she was already beginning to feel emotionally drained.

"We missed you, too. Don't you think we forgot about you for one moment."

Narcissa's eyes passed over Astoria, and concern flitted across the older woman's face. "You look so tired, dear. And you look thin, has my boy been treating you right?" Astoria laughed quietly and nodded before yawning loudly. "You are exhausted, I can tell. Let's go up to your room and you can sleep."

"No. Can we just stay here for a moment, please?" Astoria looked up at Narcissa longingly. Astoria felt as if she had regressed back 15 years to when she was a child who could not stand to be away from her mother.

"All right. Just lay down for me then. You need some rest." Astoria complied without complaining. She laid her head in Narcissa's lap as she continued to stroke Astoria's hair. She was humming a tune Astoria did not recognize, and she soon drifted into a state somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. She could hear the voices around her, but they seemed as if they were in a dream.

"I'll carry her up to her room," Lucius told Narcissa. She nodded in agreement. Astoria felt something warm lift her off of the sofa, and she snuggled closer to the warmth. She thought she heard a chuckle, but she wasn't sure. "She is so very light, not at all hard to carry. She feels so frail." A warm hand brushed the hair from her face.

"And she looks so tired. What has she been through, Lucius? She looks so like her mother, but, then again, she looks so weary and tired. That life in her eyes that was reminiscent of Evangeline has dimmed so much." Narcissa sounded sad. It made Astoria's heart constrict unpleasantly; she was making them worried.

"We'll talk to her in the morning, love, along with Draco. Pippy said he should be back in a few hours, around midnight. He has some serious explaining to do, especially if he has known where she was for a long time. He knows how concerned you were." Astoria then felt herself being separated from the warmth. She wrapped her arms around whatever it was, gripping firmly. She heard more chuckles before her arms were pried from whatever it was and she was laid on a bed, probably her own. She felt two separate kisses placed on her forehead, and she opened her eyes reluctantly.

"Don't leave," She said, grabbing Narcissa's arm. Narcissa had that teary eyed look on her face again, and she nodded. She glanced at Lucius quickly and he nodded as well, but he didn't look too happy.

"I'll stay with you tonight, and Lucius will kip on your couch. He can't be in a separate room from me; he's spoiled after all of these years." Astoria nodded groggily as Narcissa settled in between the sheets. She felt two warm arms wrap around her comfortingly.

Lucius kissed them both on the forehead before grabbing a blanket and settling down on the couch for the night. "Goodnight, love, don't worry. We will be here in the morning when you wake up," Narcissa told Astoria. Astoria settled down in Narcissa's arms, drifting off into her dreams.

For the first time since Cecelia died, Astoria felt truly happy. Someone was taking care of her, and was actually concerned for her well being. She thanked the gods for Lucius and Narcissa, and floated off to sleep, content with the fact that they loved her and would take care of her.

A/N: *gasp* no one saw that coming did they? lol. It's quite possible you did... anyway, sorry I forgot to post yesterday. I was on a mini vacation and I didn't get home until late last night. This is the last finished chapter I have for this story. I am working on it, but I may not get a chapter out every Sunday like normal. Stick around, the best is yet to come! Please review :]