Hello everyone! I'm back and glad to see the back end of January. It's such a flat month and a little depressing.
Anyway my update plans are the 1st and 16th of the month now so at least I can get back to regular posting.
Lots of love,
LM xxxx
Finally Belonging Somewhere-Part 40:
Malfoy Manor-4am:
Narcissa laid awake and crept out of the bed she shared with Lucius and knew the plans for the day so, as soon as she was dressed, the blonde haired witch headed to her study and fire called Snape and wasn't surprised to find him just doing some early morning potion brewing.
"Can I come through and get to my children?" she asked softly.
"Permission granted Narcissa," Snape said and moments later Narcissa had stepped through the fire and greeted him properly before she made her way to the room that Aurora now slept in.
She quietly opened the door and found Draco sat in a chair by the window and Astoria and Daphne asleep in their beds and then her head turned to Aurora. Her face was illuminated by the nightlight and the moonlight also on her foster daughter's head. How the room reached down this far Narcissa would never know but she crept into the room and laid down on Aurora's bed before she closed her eyes and fell asleep again.
The first thing she knew was being gently shaken awake by Draco.
"Mother what are you doing here?" he whispered.
"Well I did say I was coming this weekend and I couldn't sleep so I slipped out before your father woke up so I could be here when she wakes up," Narcissa whispered and then sat up carefully.
"Does father know where you are?" Draco whispered.
"Yes he does. He knows how anxious I was last night to get here. Severus was awake so I used his fireplace," Narcissa explained, "he's always up early doing potions and he has Aurora's healing potions to do now as well. She's due some more today."
"But what time did you get here?"
"Little after 5am," Narcissa said throwing the remark aside and then looked down as she felt movement beside her and saw that Aurora was beginning to wake up.
She watched as the young witch sat up and rubbed her eyes, instantly finding Draco and she smiled sleepily at him. Narcissa wrapped her arms around Aurora and waited for her to wake up enough to realise that she had arrived.
"Rora can you see who's arrived?" Draco asked softly before watching as Aurora looked and then gasped before snuggling into Narcissa. The gasp, however, was enough to wake Astoria and Daphne and they looked and wondered what was going on before they saw Narcissa's arms tightly around Aurora.
"I'm so sorry my little flower that I wasn't here when Draco told you but I was busy with the Ball preparations and I was unable to leave," she told the 11-year-old who nodded softly and then she remained still and silence fell in the room.
Narcissa just smiled and kissed Aurora's head softly.
"Astoria and Daphne will be heading to breakfast on their own because I have special permission to take you and Aurora to a wizarding town for breakfast and then a trip for the day," she said to Draco who nodded softly.
"Diagon Alley?" he asked before watching as Narcissa shook her head.
"No we're going to Paris," she said softly, "after breakfast in Diagon Alley. Your father has managed to obtain a Floo Network pass for us from the Ministry to the French Ministry," she explained.
"Better think about getting ready then," Draco said, "I'll meet you back here soon," he told his mother before heading off to go and get ready for the trip out.
Narcissa selected some clothes for Aurora and watched as the witch headed into the bathroom to get sorted for the day. As soon as the door was shut the matriarch looked at Astoria and Daphne.
"Do Natalie and Chloe know…?" she asked instantly.
"No they don't from what we can gather about it all," Daphne replied, "they certainly haven't tried to do anything to Aurora either way, That's what we're expecting when they do find out."
"They'll be breaking orders if they do," Narcissa said before swiftly changing the subject to Lavender the kitten as Aurora came out from the bathroom ready for the day ahead…well almost. Narcissa sat the girl down and did her hair with little curls. As far as Narcissa was concerned her little flower was an angel and her hair was like the sun.
Aurora just sat playing with Lavender until Draco arrived and then she made sure she had Lily and Rose in her dress pocket before Narcissa grabbed her hand and made sure Aurora had her winter coat on causing Lily and Rose to move to Aurora's coat pocket. Aurora grabbed her little bag and smiled as she left with Draco and Narcissa.
Severus was waiting for them and Narcissa was nervous as it was the first time that Aurora would travel through the Floo Network on her own. Narcissa sent Draco through and then she could only watch as Aurora soon disappeared in emerald flames.
When she eventually went through and made it out the other side Narcissa could see Lucius running his hand over Aurora's cheek and hurried over.
"What happened?" she instantly asked.
"She caught herself as she tried to get out. It was nothing major. She just got out a little too quickly," Lucius said before Narcissa instantly began to check her over.
Once, and only once, Narcissa was satisfied did the group head to the restaurant for breakfast and Aurora looked around. It was a different one to the ones she'd been in before with the Malfoys and she sat quietly as she looked through her menu and watched Lily and Rose on the table. She told the to keep the noise down before whispering to Draco that she didn't understand what half of the food was.
Lucius and Narcissa watched as Draco took Aurora through the menu and helped her decide on what she wanted to eat. Narcissa was grateful as Lucius had distracted her by talking about Aurora's tiara for the Ball and she hadn't been able to help Aurora. She and Lucius knew that adopting Aurora...or rather starting the process would be the best thing for the young witch and reassure her that they weren't going anywhere and neither was she.
Breakfast was a calm and quiet affair before they headed to the Ministry of Magic to Floo to the French Ministry. Little did Narcissa, Draco and Aurora know that Lucius had a hidden agenda for the trip to Paris.