Happy August everyone! And the work explosion has happened so I will try and keep parts coming but bare with me. Just to say some of my fics get updated weekly and others every two weeks because some fics I can write easier than other and the ones I struggle with I want to make sure they're the best they can be. Big thanks for reading this and to Nadasnape for the reviews.
Lots of Love,
LM xxxxxx
Finally Belonging Somewhere-Part 22:
Three days passed and Aurora was sat in Dumbledore's office as she was waiting for Narcissa to come and get her. It was the half term break but, for Aurora, it was also time for her to go to Malfoy Manor and see her foster home for the first time.
Draco had spent most of the morning telling Aurora about the Manor and realised that the poor girl was now terrified of the Manor and that was the last thing he had wanted to do as it was going to be her home. He was also sat with his foster sister as they waited for Narcissa to arrive.
Eventually the flames turned emerald and Draco rushed forwards to explain to his mother before Narcissa just nodded. Clearly she wasn't happy with her son before she turned to Aurora and walked over to her and crouched down,
"You won't be going anywhere alone little flower," Narcissa said softly before placing a kiss on Aurora's head and lifting the girl onto her hip and taking her bag and putting it onto her back. She did look rather weird but she grabbed some Floo Powder and then stood in the fire and soon the two disappeared from Draco's sight.
"We're here my little flower. Lucius is at the Ministry today so it's just us," Narcissa said before she carefully put Aurora down on the floor before there was a pop and Aurora screamed out.
"Daisy and Lilly heard the Floo alert so we came down Mistress Narcissa."
"Yes but you should have waited. Now you have just scared Miss Aurora," Narcissa said.
"Sorry Mistress," the two House Elves said and bowed before Narcissa turned to Aurora and looked at her.
"We have House Elves that attend to us Aurora," Narcissa explained, "mine is Daisy here. Yours is also here. Lilly!"
Aurora looked as one of the House Elves stepped forwards and bowed,
"Mistress Narcissa and Miss Aurora," she bowed and Aurora finally peeped her head around and saw the House Elf and nodded.
"You can stand up now Lilly," Aurora said and Lilly stood up straight as Narcissa gave Lilly a bag.
"This is Miss Aurora's bag. Please take it to her room and Daisy? We will have lunch in the parlour in 15 minutes before dinner will be served at 7pm when Master Lucius returns from the Ministry." Both Elves nodded before they disapparated.
Narcissa then took Aurora's coat off and hung it up.
"Our cloaks and outdoor wear stays here as this is the Floo and Apparation point for Malfoy Manor," she explained, "I will show you everywhere after lunch. We need to get you some indoor shoes." Aurora just nodded and Narcissa pushed some of the girl's hair behind her ears before Narcissa's delicate hand wrapped around Aurora's hand and she led her to the parlour.
The 11-year-old looked around and took everything in before she was gently pushed into the parlour. She saw the windows and gasped as she ran over to them and looked out over the garden, her little face made Narcissa smile.
"The parlour, dining room, library, my study, the master bedroom and your room all overlook the gardens. Lucius doesn't care much for the gardens," Narcissa explained as she sat down at the table and signed some forms, "we need to see about your dresses and things for here."
Aurora nodded,
"I still need more new things? I thought I had everything," she said.
"No quite yet but we are almost there," she said before the House Elves brought the lunch in and Narcissa asked for her chair to be moved next to Aurora's before she sat down and poured Aurora some tea and watched as the girl took a sandwich and began to eat it.
"Sorry," Aurora said, "should I have waited?"
"If it's just us then I don't mind but if Lucius or anyone else is around then you wait," Narcissa explained and Aurora nodded before having a sip of her tea.
Lunch was a slow and relaxed affair before Narcissa summoned the House Elves to clear the lunch things away before she smiled and took Aurora's hand and began to lead her back to the foyer and front doors.
Narcissa kept Aurora close.
"There is a certain way I want to show you things but I want you to see the library and your room last. It's a very big house for someone as tiny as you but you won't be going anyone alone," Narcissa said before beginning the tour of the Manor.
"I'm going to need a map to find my way around this place," Aurora sighed, "I'll never remember where everything is."
"That's why we got permission to bring you here for the half term break," Narcissa explained before she looked and pointed, "That area is for the guests so you only really have one half of the Manor to worry about. You will have to be shown down there later but for now I only want to worry about the family rooms."
"What about the gardens? Don't you have Peacocks and horses?" Aurora asked as she looked around.
"Yes we do and I will show you the gardens tomorrow, for now though, the family area. Yes you are family," Narcissa said as she saw the look on Aurora's face.
She took Aurora's hand and showed her around explaining the room and their uses. She showed her the unicorn and fairy area of her study and Aurora squealed softly as she saw. It had colouring books and pens as there was no way Aurora could write with a quill and writing paper and blank notebooks. Lucius had really outdone himself.
"You can sit over at your desk whilst I work on signing off on things that only I can," Narcissa explained, "I'll show you your room after dinner but there's one more room to show you for now," she said before resting Aurora on her hip. She could tell the girl was getting tired, "but you'll like this room," she said before walking to the room and then getting Aurora to close her eyes and then Narcissa pushed the door open and then walked to the centre of the room before telling Aurora to open her eyes.
The smile on Narcissa's face was only outsized by Aurora's gasp.
"Go and get a book and I'll read to you," the blonde smiled before placing Aurora onto the floor and pointing her over to some books. Aurora nodded. She was getting tired as well as Aurora and she went and sat down on the sofa before Aurora joined her with a book, "one of my favourites," she said softly before Aurora soon snuggled into her and she began to read.
Lucius arrived back and went looking for his wife as they hadn't come down to dinner. Normally he'd have sent the House Elf but it was Aurora's first night at the Manor so he went after them himself.
"Cissa? Aurora?" he called before Narcissa looked at the door.
"Lucius? You're back already?" she called before Lucius walked into the library.
"Well it is 7:15," Lucius said smirking, "where's Aurora?"
"Sleepy but awake," Narcissa said before getting Aurora to her feet and then asked an House Elf to take the book to Aurora's room before she decided to pick Aurora up and then carried her down to the dining room.
"I put a booster on her seat so she'll have no trouble to see. The food had a heating charm on it," Lucius said before sitting down in his seat as Narcissa put Aurora into hers and then sat down. Aurora only began to eat after Lucius and Narcissa had started eating.
"How is our dear Minister today?" Narcissa asked.
"The usual. Wished us luck with Aurora," Lucius said, "he said he'll come here and meet her himself so we don't have to take her to the Ministry. How has your day been?"
"I'll owl him and thank him. It was good. We walked around the family area today and I'm going to show her my dance area tomorrow and the gardens as well," Narcissa said before turning to Aurora, "you loved your little study didn't you Aurora?"
"Yes I did thank you," Aurora said, "that was such a lovely thought," she said before going back to her food. She was quiet but she was also very tired and Lucius just let it slide as he didn't want to upset the young witch; that and Narcissa would never forgive him if he upset her.
"I think just get her to see her room and then get her to bed," Lucius said, "she's exhausted." Narcissa nodded before she finished her food and then turned her attention to Aurora and helped the girl to finish her dinner before wiping her face. "It's like having a eight-year-old again," he observed before Narcissa hurried to cover Aurora's ears,
"Because of everything that has happened to her Lucius. We were told she was behind," she said before removing her hands from the girl's ears and then lifting Aurora onto her hip, "you coming?" Lucius nodded and followed his wife as she carried Aurora upstairs.
"Where's my room?" Aurora asked.
"Next to mine and Lucius' with a door linking the two rooms so you can come to me and I can come to you quickly," Narcissa explained before showing Aurora where the door was to their room and then pointing out Draco's door and then finally she stood outside Aurora's door and smiled before she pushed the door open and walked in and smiled even more when she heard the gasp from Aurora and she put the girl down and walked over to a door.
"This is the one that links your room with ours," she explained, "it's just the one door so you just twist the handle and open the door and you're through. Turn around Lucius." He did so immediately so Narcissa could get Aurora ready for bed and then he was told to turn around and Aurora was sat in her bed with Narcissa beside her. He went and sat in a chair beside the bed and watched as Narcissa began to read the book from the library.
Eventually Aurora's eyes closed and she fell asleep. Narcissa carefully freed herself from the girl before kissing her head softly and making sure she was tucked in. Lucius didn't do anything before he headed out of the room and waited until Narcissa had closed the door behind her.
"That was easier than I thought it would be," he said.
"Everything tired her out so she was bound to sleep. She doesn't know about the Ball yet. I'll tell her about that tomorrow," Narcissa said softly, "Right now I need a bath and then to read."
"I'll join you in the bath and give you a massage," Lucius said before heading off to their bathroom whilst Narcissa checked on Aurora one last time. Their foster daughter was finally in her new home, safe and sound in bed.