Malfoy Mannor: Christmas

[gorgonfondness]

Two pairs walked up to the doors of Malfoy Manor.

First were grandmother and grandson walking hand in hand, though Cepheus soon let go of Lemia so that he might chase the peafowl. Their only warning is the gleeful cry of, "Hi birdies!"

Second were husband and wife, Draco chuckling and holding Mia just a bit tighter as they watched their son run around the grounds.

"Cepheus, come back, sweetheart!" Lemia calls as Mia and Draco join her. "It's time for you to come see your grandmother and grandfather."

"No!" he cheerfully replies, still running around.

Lemia shakes her head and keeps her eye on him as the commotion draws Narcissa to the door. Draco comes forward to greet his mother. He's shortly followed by Mia, who gives her mother-in-law a hug. It was an unusual hug for two reasons...

Comments

[dragonofgrey]

Narcissa had warmed considerably to her daughter in law, but she still seemed surprised when she hugged her. She raised a blond eyebrow with curiosity before glancing between them.

"I suppose you have more than usual news for us?"

Draco nodded as he stepped back to hold Mia's hand again, "Yes, you could say that."

[gorgonfondness]

"Hi Gam-ma!" Cepheus says, suddenly running up to hug Narcissa's legs.

And, with a gesture of his hand to his mother, he adds, "Baby."

"Cepheus has been most helpful in spreading the word," Mia says with a bit of a laugh. "He's how Mother found out."

"Hello again, Narcissa," Lemia says from her spot in the rear of the party.

[dragonofgrey]

Narcissa gave a warm smile to her grandson, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hello Cepheus, would you like a sweet?"

She glanced up, "Well, congratulations, and hello Lemia. Lucius should be back presently." Things were better, though it had taken much effort to try to restore lost connections after the Second Wizarding War.

Draco remarked, "Right, well suppose it's still early for dinner, yes?" His mother nodded before helping to guide a still clinging Cepheus inside the Manor.

[gorgonfondness]

"Yah!" he says, snuggling on his grandmother.

"Thank you," Mia says with a nod as they step with Narcissa into the Manor. "It's still fairly early. I've yet to feel the baby kick, though it probably won't be too much longer before that happens."

[dragonofgrey]

"You would be surprised how they do. Draco here was always moving."

Draco rolled his eyes, and his cheeks were pink.

"Mother, not more of those stories."

[gorgonfondness]

"No surprises there," Mia says with a slight giggle. "When the baby isn't waking me up for a midnight snack, Draco is with his foot occasionally jerking into my legs."

She kindly leaves out how it's almost like sharing a bed with a dog.

Lemia joins Narcissa, taking a moment to brush her fingers through their grandson's hair. Cepheus responds by holding his Nana's hand while still clinging to his Grandmum.

[dragonofgrey]

Draco sighed at that and got up.

Narcissa then turned to him, "Oh Draco, while you're up, go fix some tea and you remember where the biscuits are, go fix a plate."

A brief scowl crossed his face, but he just replied, "Very well."

As he left, his mother then remarked, "You know, I just found one of Draco's old albums just the other day, and I really must show you..."

[gorgonfondness]

As night crept over England, Mia stirred and woke up in an unfamiliar bedroom. At this hour, her brain was not ready to accept this.

"Draco!" she whispers, shaking her husband's shoulder. "Draco, wake up!"

[dragonofgrey]

Draco blinked his eyes open slowly, and turned on his side toward his wife.

"Mia? What is it?"

[gorgonfondness]

Likely running into her belly while he's at it.

"This doesn't look like our apartment."

[dragonofgrey]

There was that, it made sleeping tricky at best to adjust. Usually meant he didn't get much of the bed.

"Because it's not, luv. We're at the Manor, remember?" He reached out to rub her arm a little.

"Go back to sleep."

[gorgonfondness]

Mia tried to make up for it by sleeping with her back facing him.

"We are?"

Oh. Right. She's blushing now, though Draco probably can't tell.

"My stomach woke me up," she says in protest of going back to sleep. "But unless we thought ahead while packing, it's out of luck."

[dragonofgrey]

Draco went to close his eyes again and then sighed.

"Why? What's wrong?"

[gorgonfondness]

"I want food from home," she tells him sheepishly. "And I don't think we brought any gunfoot steak."

[dragonofgrey]

Draco sighed louder as he sank down into the bed more. Briefly wishing to stick the blanket over his head, but no, Cepheus was already getting into the bad habit of it. No sense he should emulating.

He then complained with a note of whining in his voice, "Mia... I even asked if there was anything else we needed to bring. You know the charms would have allowed space."

[gorgonfondness]

"I don't have to have gunfoot steak. I could have something else."

Beat.

"I wish I knew what you have here in England that might taste like gunfoot steak."

She carefully moves so that she's sitting up. She's already pestered Draco enough. She can get her own food.

[dragonofgrey]

"Well there's steak, or venison? Possibly mutton?"

Draco then placed a hand on her shoulder to stop, "No, don't get up. I'll go check the kitchen."

[gorgonfondness]

"Unless you want me to eat in bed, I'll have to get up anyway," she tells him. "Besides, what would your parents say if you were up cooking for me at this hour?"

[dragonofgrey]

He rolled his eyes as he moved the covers away from his side.

"For Merlin's sake, I have my own children now, I don't care what they say to it. They are probably asleep anyway."

[gorgonfondness]

She was going to protest that they were at his parents' house and they might not appreciate eating in bed. But if he's fine with sleeping in a bed that will likely smell of late night snack, then so is she.

Mia lets him go and busies herself with a book from the nightstand while she awaits his return.

[dragonofgrey]

That's why there's cleaning charms though. No fuss or muss. Draco got up, and made a brief stop to make sure Cepheus was sleeping peacefully. He then made his way down to the kitchen to cook. Several minutes passed, including time for the steak to rest. He then brought up a flank steak salad to the room.

[gorgonfondness]

Once the aroma of the steak reached the bedroom, there's an audible moan of gustatory pleasure from Mia.

"Sweetheart, you did good," is the next thing out of her mouth as she puts the book down.

She carefully situates the plate on top of her blanket-covered belly and digs in.

"You know, if I had never had gunfoot steak before, I'd say this is it," she compliments between bites.

[gorgonfondness]

Once Christmas morning actually came around, it didn't take long for everyone to get caught up in Cepheus's whirlwind of excitement.

Though Mia did take a moment to say, "Cepheus, do you want to open your present from the baby?"

"Fom baby?" he asks, sitting in a pile of wrapping paper and toys.

"Draco, would you mind getting the two thin packages? One's for you from me."