Hey everyone!

Happy mid-month? I think I can get away with that. I'm getting into a routine now and am hoping to get some writing done a little more than I have been which is great. I'm starting to feel more settled and productive as well. Hope you enjoy the update and good luck to those readers heading back to school over the next couple of weeks.

Stay safe.

Lots of love,

LSH xxx

Finally Belonging Somewhere-Part 99:

The next morning arrived and James, Catriona, Maggie, Jen, Daphne, Astoria and the Malfoy children were sat eating breakfast together.

"So what is the plan for this morning?" Catriona asked as they ate porridge and fruit with honey.

"I was thinking of taking Draco and Aurora on a horseback ride of the land," Astoria said, "it seems the best way to show them the land and the weather is supposed to be good so we have no issues about the weather."

"That sounds like a lovely plan but you need to take someone with you," James said, "Maggie or Jen will do but you have to take an adult with you Astoria."

"I need to do the lessons with the girls," Maggie said, "so I could go but it would have to be this afternoon that I go," she said, "so if they wish to go this morning then Jen would be the better person to go with them."

"I can go. I wanted to go for a ride anyway," Jen said as she looked at James.

"Why do we have to take someone with us?" Astoria asked, "I can look after them and keep them safe," she said, "I'm not a 5-year-old!" she said and Aurora's hands instantly went onto her ears as Astoria's voice began to increase in volume as she'd been speaking.

"Astoria… I know you are not a little girl anymore but it's not you I'm thinking of," James said as he looked at his granddaughter and nodded subtly to Aurora, "you may not be able to cope with her if something happens. I think your Aunt is right," he said and Astoria looked at Aurora before all signs of anger melted away and she nodded.

"Forgive me Seanair*, I forgot about Aurora for a moment," she said before she gently moved one of Aurora's hands away from her ear, "horse ride is on," she said, "Aunt Jen will be coming with us as well," she said and Aurora cheered softly.

"I want to ride a horse. I'm big enough to at home," Aurora said as she looked at Astoria, "I really want to ride a horse."

"I think a pony would be better," Draco said before Aurora turned to her brother.

"I'm allowed to at home Draco. Why shouldn't I be allowed to here?" she asked, "am I suddenly too small to ride horses?"

"Now now Aurora Malfoy, no need to get upset with your brother. You can ride a horse. We have a very gentle one called Hestia and she's the smallest adult horse but she's also the gentlest. James and I can give her to you and she will be your special horse," Catriona said and Aurora's face lit up and she nodded, "now I want to see all that porridge eaten and then you can all go off and ride," she said. Jen smirked at her mother's calmness in calming Aurora down.

Eventually the group headed off to the stables and Aurora wanted to know which one was Hestia and Astoria showed her before going to saddle up Artemis and Draco saddled up Apollo.

"Now let's get your horse saddled up," Astoria said as Draco stood with the two horses, Jen already on hers. Aurora stood on a stool and helped Astoria to saddle up her horse before she climbed up onto her horse and soon they were heading out.

Astoria rode in the middle of the Malfoy children and began to tell them about the land and what buildings were. Jen was silently riding behind them and she watched as Draco was looking at her niece with such love that she couldn't understand how he was so in love with her niece. She also noticed how Astoria appeared to love Aurora like a sister. The final thing that she noticed was Aurora intently listening to what Astoria was saying and, as she had with James and Catriona, was asking questions to find out things.

They arrived at a big lake on the land and stopped to have a snack that Jen had managed to pack as they were heading out of the Big House that morning. Aurora was spending time with her horse and it seemed a rather perfect match as Hestia was gentle and always listening to Aurora. She managed to produce an apple and gave it to her horse, giggling as Hestia tickled her hand.

Draco was sat with his arm around Astoria and he was looking out onto the lake.

"How would you feel about having a home here when we get married?" he asked softly, "we'll have the cottage on the Malfoy land, the vineyard house and then maybe we could have one here," he said as he looked at her.

"I'd love that," Astoria said, "maybe we can have a room built for Aurora as well. I'm not sure how she's going to react when you move out," she said and looked over at Aurora, "yes she loves her mother but I think she'll want to be with us."

Draco sighed; the marriage was going to be difficult for Aurora to handle as Draco would be moving out and that is something he didn't want to think about.

"Maybe we can figure out some sort of arrangement with mother and father when the time comes because I don't think she'll let me go easily."

"We can certainly do that when the time is right," Astoria said.

The group were soon mounted again and were heading around the land and then back to the Big House slowly as it was drawing closer to lunch.

They pulled up outside Maggie and Calum's house on the land and Aurora stopped as she heard a piano. She jumped down and headed towards the house.

"You two go on… spend some time together and I'll stay with Aurora," Jen said, "Hestia will be fine here with my horse," she said and Astoria nodded before heading dismounting and heading off to follow Aurora, making sure the two horses knew to stay where they were.

Aurora had made her way inside the house and was stood listening to the music and she smiled. It took her back to Malfoy Manor and Narcissa teaching her to play the piano. She looked and saw Maggie teaching Kenzie and Aislynn how to play the piano just like Narcissa had done with her. She looked as she heard no music playing and looked up and found that Maggie was looking at her and she was rooted to the spot, unable to move and wondering what to do.

*Grandfather