Someday ⚡ Draco Malfoy [4/4]

18

Draco's plan had been that Emma and Mia would remain in their bedroom for the hour his mother would visit, since the fewer people that knew Emma and Mia were there, the better. He'd said he trusted his mother wouldn't say anything, but the less she knew the better. 

Mia had screeched with happiness in her cot while Emma had been napping. It was such a loud screech that not only had it woken Emma from her nap to have her look up at the cot to see Mia playing happily with her toys and making them float, it had caught the attention of Narcissa Malfoy, who was having a cup of tea with her son in the dining room. 

As Emma jumped up in such haste to hush her daughter, a small knock tapped against the other side of the wooden door before it slowly creaked open, to reveal a tall woman with fair, flawless skin. The older woman's flawlessness and posture was enough to intimidate Emma, and the former had not yet spoken a word.

There was a small tut as Emma lifted Mia from the cot, and as Draco's head poked in behind his mother as he dramatically began to tell her tales, Mia's floating toys dropped onto the floor with multiple small bangs. 

Emma stammered as she glanced behind Narcissa and met eyes with Draco, who began to stammer himself before he just stopped talking. Emma and Draco explained their situation over a second cup of tea with Narcissa Malfoy, before she locked eyes with Draco with a stern look. 

"Again, Draco?" was all she said. "Again, you put yourself at risk for this girl?"

Emma pursed her lips and readjusted her chatty daughter on her lap.

"Not much of a risk really, it's just Muggles," Draco replied. "I can handle Muggles. Besides, Mother, it's Emma. We go way back, you know that."

Emma wasn't too upset being talked about as if she wasn't there and as if she was a stranger to Draco. Narcissa was worried for her son, Emma could excuse it. She wasn't even sure how she'd feel and react if Mia was risking her safety for somebody else. 

"I really don't think you should be--"

"It would be like Father with you."

This quietened Narcissa and she bit her lip, saying nothing more. Her eyes watered and she stared ahead into the fireplace, taking a small, distant sip of her now cold tea. 

Draco shut the front doors and spun around, exhaling. Emma waited for him at the top of the stairs, Mia attached at her hip. 

"I'm really sorry," Emma winced. "I hope your mother doesn't totally hate me."

Draco shook his head with a small upturn of the corner of his mouth. "She's just concerned, that's all. I hoped to avoid all that confrontation and avoid being made to feel like a child but--"

"She's always gonna see you that way," Emma smiled softly, rocking Mia at her hip. "She's your mother."

"Yeah," Draco exhaled, moving further up the stairs. He passed by Emma and touched her lightly on the shoulder as a way of inviting her to follow him. "Any idea what you want for dinner tonight?" 

Mia opened her mouth and let out a great outburst of baby talk. 

"Sounds good," replied Draco, who smiled at Emma's small laugh. 

Porky approached Draco and Emma with a letter in his small hands. "Master Malfoy, the Ministry requests that you return to work in two days."

"You read my letters?" Draco snapped, snatching the letter from Porky. The letter was sealed shut, but spread on the top of the envelope was shredded paper. "What's this?"

"I didn't read the letter, but a howler took me by surprise. I dropped it and it got nicked open, Master. Forgive me. I tried to get here in time. It was a rather quiet howler -- quieter than I've heard -- but it seems they wanted to urgently get their point across."

"That being I can't have any more time off," sighed Draco, who pressed a hand softly against his forehead, stressed. 

Emma bit her lip, instantly feeling bad. She grabbed Draco softly by the arm. "Hey, we'll be fine here. If work needs you, then go."

Draco gave her an unconvinced look.

"I swear, we'll be fine. I never go anywhere anyway. I may eat all your food and disturb your peace but I will not put your job on the line, Draco," Emma began to speak seriously, but couldn't help but chuckle at the end once she saw the amused look on Draco's face. 

"Very well," he smiled at her, shaking the letter in his hands before walking away as he opened the letter. 

How could she not feel like a burden at this point? Draco missing work, worrying about returning and leaving her and Mia alone... Emma even worried about being alone with her daughter, especially after hearing that scary bang the night before. All Emma could think was that someone was secretly living in Draco's home without him even knowing. 

Maybe it's not just me eating all his food, she thought in worry, before shaking her head, inwardly calling herself stupid.

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A/N: Sorry for the slow update. I have a bunch of assessments to complete and my MacBook has died, so I have no way of updating unless I somehow find the time. I'm lucky to be borrowing a laptop at this point, but I'll see how I go from now on :)

Short chapter but wanted to get something out there. Hope everyone is staying safe!