1/4 for today!
Saturday, August 22, 1998
"What do you think of this one, dear?" Narcissa asked from the other corner of the store. Hermione made her way over to inspect the cot that her Mother-in-Law was looking at.
"Oh!" Hermione clapped when she caught sight of the gold, metal framed cot. It had sturdy bars and it could transition into a toddler bed for when he was ready for that. "I love the gold, it will go perfectly in Scorpius' bedroom."
"That's what I thought as well. How are you coming along with the mural on the ceiling?" Narcissa asked.
"Well, the artist hasn't started it yet, but he should be coming in the next few weeks. He didn't seem all that worried about how long it would take to get the night sky to follow the same pattern as in Martinique."
Draco came over at that moment, carrying a pile of little boy's clothing. "Darling," he cooed, "look at this. We must get it," he was holding a little navy blue onesie that had the zodiac signs covering it in a bright white.
"Whatever you want," Hermione said with a chuckle. "He'll look precious in just about everything we put him in!" She nodded to the attendant who'd been following them along at a respectable distance. "We'd like this cot please." The woman nodded and added a tag to the cot, stepping back to allow them space.
The three of them meandered over to the bedding and quickly found a set of silver sheets that would continue their celestial theme. Soon enough, they'd found a slew of matching furniture and enough clothing to last Scorpius well through toddlerhood.
When they were done, they went to The Rice Bowl, the oldest Chinese restaurant in Manchester, and settled in. Hermione loved introducing Purebloods to different foods, as they often had no idea what to do with them. Draco (and Theo) had become quite good at using chopsticks, but Narcissa hadn't ever used them and she was prepared for a small chuckle at the older woman's expense.
After a few moments watching them eat, Narcissa picked up her chopsticks and was suspiciously adept. When Draco caught sight of her apparent latent talent, he hissed, "Mother that's no fair, you can't use Magic to help you!"
Narcissa just smirked at him and continued chewing her current bite demurely. "Are you alright, dear?" Narcissa asked, looking at Hermione who hadn't laughed the way she'd expected.
Hermione sighed heavily, "No, not really." When Narcissa raised an eyebrow she continued, " I just wish that my Mum would have been able to do all of this with you and I, she's had to miss my wedding and now she's going to miss the birth of her first grandchild. I just…" she let out a quiet sob, and wiped her tears with the napkin in her lap.
"Oh," Narcissa said softly, coming to her side and pulling her into a tight hug. "From all Draco and Theo have told me about her, she'd be very proud of the woman you've become. I know that will never be enough, but know that I'll continue to do whatever I can to make sure you know how much we all care for you."
Draco was smiling at them softly, "Plus, I dont' think your mum would condone how much money we've spent today."
Hermione let out a wet laugh, "That's true, she never wanted us to spend unnecessarily, something that Dad was always trying to push her out of."
"Why don't you tell me some stories about her," Narcissa said, as she settled back in her seat.
Christmas Break, Sixth Year
Walking into her house after being gone for three months used to be a breath of fresh air, but this year, without her parents felt different. She could still smell the spices that her Mum used. When she and Theo entered the house, she couldn't help but feel sad at how empty it was. They went upstairs to put down their bags and let Crookshanks out of his carrier. She was really missing her parents this year and was planning on introducing both of her boys to some of their family traditions.
When they'd gotten downstairs, they heard a pop in the living room. Draco was standing in the living room with an elf. "Hermione," he said with a grin, "this is Sonry, my personal elf. Sonry, this is Hermione, your future Mistress." Hermione knelt down and shook the elf's hand.
"It's being nice to meet you, future mistress Hermione!" he chirped. "Sonry, be watching Master's door and be coming to get him if someone be coming!" The elf popped away and left the three of them alone in Hermione's house.
Hermione moved to the kitchen, the boys trailing behind, to look through the cabinets, noticing that there was almost nothing there. She made a long list of the things they'd need and then led them to the Tesco near her house. Both of them could barely keep their mouths closed as they saw just how large the store was. When she'd gathered all their necessities, she went to pay and was stunned when Theo quickly scanned a credit card.
"You didn't think we'd just let you pay, did you, love?" he asked cheekily.
Next they made their way to the Caribbean Shop to gather all the spices and other things they couldn't find at the Tesco. This time Draco swooped in and paid with his credit card before she could even pull her wallet out. She huffed again but didn't argue.
When they'd made it back to her house she began to prepare a pork stew and Punch à la Noix de Coco. Drsco had to pop out a few times to attend tot hunts at home, but had convinced his parents that he was going to eat dinner in his room alone.
Eating the stew and drinking the coconut rum drink brought memories of childhood Christmases spent in Martinique. She began to regale them with tales of her island and the adventures she'd get up to with her cousins.
By the time they'd finished the gigantic meal, they could only collapse onto the couches in her living room. Hermione turned on A Christmas Story, and they sat in companionable silence sipping on their punch.
It was her first Christmas where she would receive a gift from her parents and she was feeling the loss keenly. Only the knowledge that she was keeping them safe kept the tears at bay.
She made sure to sprinkle in family traditions to the rest of the holiday, as well as combining some of Theo's and Draco's into their celebration. The whole break held an underlying current of sadness knowing that her parents were far away with no memory of her.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think or if you have any thoughts about what might happen next!