NATALIA [Draco Malfoy Fanfiction]

Eighteen | Midnight

Christmas Day arrived, and I got a kitten.

The gift had well and truly shocked me, one that I accepted with wide eyes as I looked from the little grey fur-ball to Andromeda and Ted. "We figured you deserved a companion, times like this can be... lonely," Andromeda said. I had never hugged an adult before, but I hugged them both without thinking twice, thanking them over and over again.

I had never gotten anything like it before, and I spent the rest of the morning shifting through charms that help with taking care of pets, while he dosed off in my lap.

"Do you have a name in mind?"

I turned to Sirius as he sits next to me; "I don't know, yet," I told him, "maybe Loki?"

"Isn't that more of a black cat name?"

"I don't know, Loki always seemed like grey character," I pointed out, gesturing to the coat of grey fur to show how I saw the resemblance.

"Fair enough."

There's a lull in the conversation, which has me thinking about the question that had been nagging me for some time now. "Sirius... did you and Lupin ever... date?"

He smiled softly, and I'm surprised by his answer; "in a complicated way, yes."

"How was it complicated?"

He sighed slowly, trying to figure out how to word it right. "Well... I was in love with him, and in a equal, yet different way, I was also in love with Diana."

"Diana Blackwell?"

"Yes."

"And Lupin?"

"Loved both me and her. And she loved us," Sirius explained, "in the end, we had come to the conclusion that we couldn't deny it any longer, and it developed into a relationship of sorts. But her death... it fucking broke us. Lupin and I couldn't move on, and even though we tried, it felt wrong to stay together in that way, like a constant reminder of the missing piece."

"It felt wrong to be in a relationship without her," I concluded softly, "I'm so sorry."

"All old wounds," he assured me, "I was actually hoping to see her after I passed. Guess I'll have to wait a little longer."

"Well, from the sounds of it, she might've been behind this whole thing. Somehow."

"That's Diana for you," Sirius muttered, looking at the cat that continued to sleep in my lap. "So, Loki huh? Cute little devil, isn't he."

"He really is." I turned then as I hear someone call my name, heading downstairs to see that an Owl had arrived for me, carrying a rather large parcel with a note attached.

It was from Blair, wishing me a merry Christmas, and explaining that the package was what I should wear to Malfoy Manor.

Brush up on your French while you're at it—we're telling the parents that you're a pure blood exchange student from France, like you told Mrs. Malfoy herself.

-B

That bit stressed me out a bit, though, I was sure I could find something that could aid me in selling the act, and in this instance? It came in a pair—a set of twins with flaming red hair.

"What's the package for?" George asked, as he had been sitting in the living room with his brother when it had arrived. "Or is it another anonymous tip we should be ready for?"

I scoffed; "it's for a New Years party."

That peaked his interest, his change in demeanour something that clearly amused Fred when he noticed it, letting out a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. So, I crossed my arms; "Blair Zabini sent it to me, you remember her, right?"