Hey everyone!

Shall we say this is the end of January and beginning of February update all rolled into one because of how late these are going up? I am writing again and I cannot believe I am able to say that! Feels so good though to be able to say that. I hope January has been amazing for you and chapter 1 of 2024 is coming to a close. See you next month!

Lots of love,

LSH xxx

Finally Belonging Somewhere – Part 118:

Draco had waited until Aurora had been removed to her bed and then he went off in search of his mother as he needed to talk to her about what she'd said about Aurora.

"Mother. She heard you, plain and simple," he said, "she said that she didn't mean to be difficult or say that her dress was itchy because it was," he added and Meredith just shot her sister-in-law a look,

"I told you Cissa," she said, "I had my suspicions that 'Rora had heard everything you were saying as she went rather quiet and wasn't saying much at all after she heard you say that she was being difficult."

"I was only speaking the truth and I didn't want her to ruin Draco's meal." Narcissa said rather matter-of-factly, "I was also worried that she'd draw attention to us in a way that the magical folk do not understand."

"She would not have ruined my meal mother. She's my sister and that is all that matters to me. She's home and was here for my birthday and you should be grateful to have her back home after losing her," Draco said, arms crossed as he watched his mother, "her dress could have quickly been changed before we left the Castle and all you had to do was listen to her and work with her like Aunt Mer did and she wouldn't have caused anything at all. You need to start learning and listening more to her."

"Don't you tell me how to be a parent, Draco. I thought I raised you to be a respectable wizard, not one who disagrees with his mother," Narcissa said, mirroring her son's crossed arms.

"Cissa…" Meredith warned as she saw the look on her sister-in-law's face, "Draco doesn't mean to be so hard on you. He knows that it is hard for you as well."

"Meredith stay out of this," Narcissa said as she watched her son to see how he would react to what was happening.

"I do know that it's hard for Mother to understand what Aurora has and I am trying to understand it as well. I didn't come here for a fight, I just came to tell Mother that Aurora did hear and that she needs to be careful what she says around her. Aurora was pretty upset at being called difficult when she wasn't meaning to be," he said.

Narcissa's frostiness seemed to dampen as she heard that her daughter had been upset by what she'd heard Narcissa say about her.

"I will speak to her tomorrow when I get a chance to," she said, "I'm assuming she is asleep now?"

"Yes. She fell asleep on me and Ria moved her to her bed and now she is fast asleep until tomorrow I hope," Draco said and looked at his mother, "I did not come here to look for a fight," he said before moving to rest a hand on his mother's arm, "just talk to her tomorrow." Narcissa nodded softly before sighing and sitting down as Draco left the room.

It was after classes had ended before Narcissa was able to catch up with her daughter. Aurora frowned as Narcissa had appeared and asked to speak with her before the girl saw her aunt there and nodded. Meredith would fight her corner… at least Aurora hoped that she would.

The girl followed her mother and aunt to Narcissa's little office in the Hospital Wing and left the door ajar as Aurora climbed into her mother's big chair, forcing Narcissa to take a chair that the students normally sat in.

"Draco came to me last night," Narcissa said. "He said that you heard everything that I said about you…"

A nod from the girl made Narcissa's heart sink.

"I did not mean to be difficult. My brain didn't want to work properly and the dress was really itchy and I told you that but you wouldn't listen to me. A mummy is supposed to listen to her children and help them," Aurora said as she crossed her arms. "You did neither. Grandmother Priscilla and Aunt Meredith had to listen and help because you didn't do it mummy. You're meant to…"

Narcissa sighed and ran a hand through her hair and nodded,

"I know my darling. I was so focused on making sure that Draco's birthday was perfect that I didn't stop to listen to you and that was very wrong of me," she said and watched her still rather small daughter in the chair to see how she would react to it all.

Aurora remained silent as she was clearly processing her mother's words and that was something that couldn't be forced upon her.

"It really upset me because I am your daughter and I is back home. Yesterday was about Draco, yes, but you forgot about me and making sure that I was OK. I was not being difficult but my brain wasn't calm and nice. Everything that was happening was making me…" a sigh, "… I don't know. That dress was so itchy and I didn't like it but you just ignored me."

Narcissa sighed as she listened to what her daughter was saying and ran a hand through her hair.

"I know and that was so wrong of me darling. I was so focused on Draco and his birthday that I forgot that I needed to be a mother to you as well," she said and Aurora nodded.

"I is your child too," she said as she felt Meredith lifting her up to sit down behind her, resting Aurora on her lap, "I know you haven't had us both together but it felt like I didn't matter and that Draco was the only one who mattered. That was very wrong of you."

Narcissa could feel Meredith's eyes on her and she nodded.

"You are right Aurora," she said, "I am sorry that it felt like you didn't matter because you matter very much to me. Am I forgiven?" the mother asked.

Aurora had to stop and think for a minute before she nodded.

"Of course you are mummy but do not do it again," she said and Narcissa smiled and moved to kiss her daughter's head, thankful that she had been forgiven.