The Escalator: A Surprise Encounter
Narcissa Malfoy looked up at the moving stair in confusion and not the smallest bit of distaste.
"Are you sure that it's safe, dragon?" Her tone was sceptical. Her lips were pursed as she looked at the moving steps as they continually went upward. Draco pulled her back a couple of steps so that a pair of Muggle women could head upward. He ignored their annoyed looks and focused on reassuring his mother. He wanted this outing to be a success. There was a parents' night at Scorpius' school coming up next month and he wanted to bring her with him to meet the teachers that Scorpius would have next year. Narcissa had only ever employed governesses for him it was true, but he was sure that she would have better questions for the teaching staff than he had.
"Absolutely safe, Mother. This is a high end establishment. They wouldn't endanger their customers." Draco smiled at his mother, proud that she was willing to come out with him into the Muggle world. "Take my hand and I'll help you on."
Gratefully his mother accepted his hand and they stepped onto the escalator, the steps slowly gliding upward so that they could shop in the higher level of the department store.
"It is not nearly as unpleasant as it looks," Narcissa admitted, still not releasing Draco's hand. "So Miss Granger has accepted your invitation to join us for the Summer Solstice?"
"She has," Draco couldn't help but allow his pleasure at the fact colour his tone.
Narcissa hummed and stepped onto the landing of the next floor looking at the placard next to the escalator, "We need to go up two additional levels according to this." She pointed a blood red lacquered nail to the "Four."
"So we do, lead on." Draco offered his mother his arm this time and she stepped onto the escalator with significantly more confidence than the previous attempt.
"And what happens when one of these breaks down? Does it turn into a slide?" Narcissa asked. "I remember hearing that the stairs to the witches' dormitory in Gryffindor did that when a wizard tried to go up them." Narcissa had a faraway look on her face when she said that as though she was remembering who had told her so.
Despite being very curious as to whether that was true or not, he would have to ask Hermione about it later, Draco simply shrugged. "I believe that they simply turn into a conventional stair, but I've seen them put a rope across it so that someone can repair it promptly."
Narcissa made another thoughtful noise, looking downward at the levels below them and then upward. "It is an exceptionally large building isn't it?"
"Granger tells me that there are significantly larger buildings in Muggle London, but not for shopping."
"Pity." Narcissa stepped off the escalator as though she was stepping into a ballroom this time, oozing her nobility out of every pore. Noone would ever believe that she had been nervous a short time ago. "And you spent a great deal of time with Miss Granger in France after Pansy's wedding to the Weasley girl?"
"We did." Draco toyed with the idea of telling her about Andromeda and Teddy joining them, but decided to save that for another time. "I enjoy spending time with her and she's wonderful with Scorpius."
"And she doesn't mind about his being a …" Narcissa trailed off. "A witch in my day would have discouraged you, afraid that you'd sire more..." His mother tried to be progressive, she really did, but Scorpius being a squib was hard for her, Draco knew.
So Draco took pity on her. "She doesn't seem to find that a disqualification, although we aren't quite at the point of discussing marriage yet, Mother. It's early days yet."
"By the dreamy look in your eye, I would say that marriage isn't outside of your thoughts, dragon." Narcissa watched him, assessing, as she walked toward a rack of purple gowns with black lace and embroidery. Ever astute, she continued, "I've never seen you so happy."
Narcissa wandered to another section looking over green silk scarves. She handed one to Draco who dutifully draped it over his arm. "You're quite the catch. She'd be foolish if she wasn't equally interested."
"Ah yes, her former bully, and a war criminal to boot," Draco scoffed.
"You weren't convicted," his mother corrected sharply, as she glared at him.
"Hardly a glowing endorsement of my character," Draco laughed mirthlessly. "Not in fact a convicted war criminal. Just accused."
His mother's face was tense and he'd clearly managed to make her annoyed with him, which had not been his plan in the slightest. "I'm sorry mother. She's just so far out of my league, it's hard to believe that I spent my birthday with her, nor that she's agreed to join us for Solstice."
"Well, she did save you from that villain," Narcissa Malfoy pointed out. "She must not be entirely immune to your charms."
Draco thought of Hermione on her knees for him, her amber eyes huge as she looked up and he ran a hand through her curls. "No, not entirely immune," Draco agreed, sure his mother had caught his telltale blush.