Chapter Text
Draco jumped in Narcissa’s arms with delight when he saw her. He’s been in this new Kindergarten for a month now, and the transition is apparently going well enough. He has become closer to a few kids, and the staff taking care of them keeps an extra eye on Draco, since he’s new and it’s a small town, so all the kids already know each other. It didn’t prevent him from getting in a qualm with another kid from the start, but Narcissa is starting to think, maybe Draco will be okay.
He's still asking for his dad, and she still doesn’t know how to really explain to him that she left. Ran away. And doesn’t plan on finding where Lucius is for as long as she can. She managed to get herself a divorce, and he lost his parental rights. Still, she keeps looking at the corner of streets, in fear of seeing her ex-husband.
She keeps on a good face, though. For Draco. Because he can’t have a mother hiding in her bed and crying for days – like she so desperately wants to do. She cries at night, sometimes, but not too long, or else, she’s not sure she’ll ever stop.
“My baby! How did your day go?”
“’M not a baby!” he whines in her neck.
Narcissa kisses his soft blond hair. She can’t believe how fast he’s growing. He’s already four, standing on his hind legs, running everywhere, grabbing things, talking to her like the little boy he is. Maybe he really isn’t a baby anymore.
“You’re not a baby, but you’re my baby.”
“No!”
Like all kids, Draco became addicted to the word no, but she’s not sure it will ever pass for him. He’s always making sure everyone knows whether he wants to do or not do, something. Narcissa tends to never really correct him on that kind of things, because she wants him to be able to defend himself. Unlike her, who took so long to finally manage it.
“Hello, Mrs. Black,” salutes the woman who’s giving each kid to the right parents, “Draco’s day has been good today, right?”
Draco nods in his mother’s neck.
“Yes?”
“Hmm, we started making a few things for Christmas, and Draco’s been very good at it.”
Draco beams at that, his little cheeks flushing in pride. “It’s a supwise for you…”
“Oh, really? I can’t wait to see it then!”
“You can’t see it!” he looks at her, slightly panicked, a hand gripping in her long hair. She untangles his little fingers while chuckling.
“I won’t, only when you show it to me. It’s for you to decide.”
He leans back on her.
“Thanks for the feedback Mrs. Macdonald,” Narcissa smiles to her. “I think I’ll head home, Draco looks tired.”
“Of course, get home safely, have a nice evening.”
Narcissa exits the building. Outside, night is already falling, Venus already appearing in the sky. She doesn’t own a car yet, but fortunately, she got a place near the centre of the town where everything happens anyway.
“What do you want to do once we’re home, darling?”
Draco hums against her neck. “I wanna dwink hot chocola—a—te!”
“We’ll do that then. Warm hot chocolate, and I’ll read you a story.”
Draco falls in her embrace, and Narcissa doesn’t say anything even though her arms and back are killing her. A four-year-old isn’t that light for a frail woman like Narcissa. She’s stronger than most people believe her to be, but she still has her limits.
They pass the church, around which the town is orbiting, though Narcissa promised herself not to put a step into it. In front of it, though, there is a wood panel, covered with papers from the different activities and events happening in town. She usually doesn’t stop to watch them after school, but her gaze is attracted by a poster taking more place than the other. There’s a woman, her age, more or less, wearing an apron and a big smile, while holding cookies, pictured on it. Under it, she sees it’s selling a course to learn how to bake Christmas cookies.
Narcissa is ready to walk towards it to grab the number when she sees Draco just fell asleep against her chest.
“Come on, we’ll head home. I’ll look into that later,” her nose is bitten by the cold, and she walks as quickly as she can.
***
Narcissa brings Draco in the morning, kissing him profusely before leaving to work. She works as a housecleaner, now. Quite the change from her past life. She never had to work a day in her life, before. She was the one getting her home cleaned by lower staff she didn’t really care about.
Some people would say it’s the karma. Though, before she heads for the first house she has to clean, she goes back to the panel, and she grabs one of the numbers for the cookie atelier.
It took her some time to get used to know how to clean. She discovered how to use a vacuum cleaner not even a year ago.
She has a little money on the side, but really, not much. She managed to get some in her divorce, but their marriage had a contract, and she didn’t bring much money from her side. Her parents are still alive, so they’re the one who kept most of the money, as they married their kids to rich husband. And well, Lucius has great lawyers, and though he didn’t manage to get the guardianship of Draco, he managed to keep their money. After all… he was the one working.
But it doesn’t matter.
Narcissa can work, if it’s for Draco. She’ll do anything for him, even clean toilets that are not hers. And, this town is rich, so, she gets paid rather well, for such a job. It could be worse, right? She could be on the street, not have a place to live, not enough to feed her son.
That’s what she tells herself when she wants to give up.
She has half an hour before going to fetch Draco once she finishes her last cleaning, so she decides to call the number.
“Hello, I’ve seen your announce for the cookies atelier…?”
“Oh, yes, hello! Do you want to reserve a class?”
“Please, I just don’t know when it would be?”
“I actually have classes each Saturday and Sunday for the first three weeks of December. I still have places for each day, really, so tell me which one you’d like.”
“Erm, could I come… this Sunday? It’d be only for me and my son. Uh, and also, what is the price?”
“I try to make it as cheap as possible, just enough to reimburse the ingredients. If it really is too complicated for you, tell me, and we’ll try to find a way, alright? But else, it’s 15 pounds for a duo parent-child.”
“Alright, thank you. It should be fine. When should I pay?”
“Only when you arrive for the class! It’ll start at 2:30 this Sunday. Can I have your name?”
Narcissa gives her contact quickly, and the lady confirms behind her phone.
“See you there, then?”
“Yes, alright. See you soon.”
“Have a good day!”
The woman hangs up on Narcissa, who feels relieved. She’s glad she’s able to bring Draco. She doesn’t want him to realise how much Narcissa is struggling. She wants him to have the childhood she could only dream of when she was his age.
“My Draco!”
He jumps in her arms, like he always does. She makes him turn, letting his little legs hang in the air, while she peppers his head with kiss. She stops and places him better in her arms, as he melts in her embrace.
She loves him so much, it hurts.
“I’ve got a good news for you!”
“How many good?”
“How good? Well… I’d say… gigantic good news.”
“Oh, th—zat’s good!”
“Yes!” she kisses him again, “we’re going to bake cookies this Sunday. Lots of cookies, and even better, we’ll have a hot chocolate at the end.”
“Ooooh!”
They walk home, and Draco can’t stop asking questions.
“W—will we do Chwistmas twee cookie?”
“Maybe, you’ll have to ask the nice lady Sunday.”
“And—and! Santa’s r—reindeer?”
“I don’t know my darling, I haven’t asked the lady. But I’m sure it’ll be great.”
“And the cookies, they awe good?”
“Of course, else she wouldn’t do a cooking atelier.”
He stops, hiding his head in her neck.
“I love ya Mummy,” he puts a wet kiss on her neck.
“I love you too, my little sweetheart.”
***
Sunday couldn’t come fast enough for Draco. He keeps asking questions every day, asking when it will be. They count the days towards the atelier, and Draco is almost jumping out of his skin on Sunday.
He almost doesn’t eat his lunch, looking at the clock, even though he can’t even read it.
“When is it, Mum?”
“In two hours, sweetheart, you need to eat if you want to go.”
“But we’ll eat cookies soon!” he whines.
“Yes, but it’s not enough, eat your veggies. Or else we won’t go.”
She sees the panic in his eyes, and he starts to eat his veggies as fast as he can.
“It’s all cwean! Can I go eat cookies?”
“You did very good Draco,” she kisses his forehead as she gets the plate out of the table.
She covers him in clothes and soon enough, he’s waddling at her side, hand in hand in the street.
“How wong Mommy?”
“Just a few minutes until we’re there, don’t worry.”
Draco let’s out a little chuckle of excitement.
They knock on the door, decorated for Christmas already. The lady from the poster opens the door with a big smile. Oh, she’s really pret—
“Hi! We’re here for the atelier, I’m Narcissa Ma—Black, I’ve called to reserve?”
“Yes! Of course, come in, come in, follow me!”
The poster didn’t do justice to the flamboyance of her hair, it shines under the warm light scattered in her home. The whole home looks lovely too, all in warm colours, covered in posters and Christmas decorations.
“It’s so pwetty here,” Draco is in awe.
“Thanks! What’s your name?”
“I’m Dw—Dwraco,” he still has trouble with his r, it’s unfortunate for his name.
“That’s a really pretty name that! Do you want to get out of your coat? I’ll put it on the couch you see there.”
Draco looks up to Narcissa, questioningly.
“Yes, you can Dray,” she chuckles lightly, “can I give you mine too?”
“Yes, of course!”
Lily takes everything and then brings them to the kitchen. There’s already a few people there. A couple with a little boy who must be Draco’s age, two twins with someone who must be their dad.
“Hello,” greets Narcissa. She feels shy, now. She didn’t use to, but everything has changed so much, this past year.
“Hello!”
They all start to talk, the little kid, she learns, is Neville, and apparently, he’s in kindergarten with Draco, and the two others are named Padma and Parvati. The parents start talking to each other, and the kids start playing with the games littered on the floor.
“Harry, of course you can come see the other kids,” she hears Lily’s voice coming back, holding the hand of another little boy.
“What if they don’t like me?”
He looks shy, only looking at what Narcissa presumes must be his… mother? They don’t have the same skin tone, but something in their face looks alike.
“Dray, do you want to go play with the little boy? He’s scared of going there.”
Draco raises his head, and has a scowl when he sees Harry.
“Draco! What is going on!?”
He turns his back to the kid and goes to hug his mum’s leg.
“I don’t wanna talk to him.”
“Why?”
“I don’t wike him!”
“Why is that? Do you know him?”
“Yes! It’s Hawwy! He’s mean!”
Narcissa raises her head, worried. Mrs. McDonald told her that Draco didn’t like every kid, but not that any had been mean to him!
She looks at Harry, who looks so shy, cowering behind his mother.
“Oh no!” she hears him say, when he sees Draco. “Why is Draco here?”
Lily frowns too. “Why?”
“He’s mean!”
Ah.
Lily looks worriedly at Narcissa.
“Uh, Draco told me the same. I think it’s just… a little misunderstanding from both of them.”
Lily just laughs, “a little beef between children!” She kisses the top of Harry’s head.
“Come on, I’m sure he’s better than what you think. Go play with him.”
“Same goes for you, Draco, go play with Harry. And no fighting!”
Begrudgingly, the two boys get close to each other. Neville catches up to them, apparently keeping the peace. Both boys seem to like Neville, so that’s at least a good point for them to get along.
After a few more minutes, another family arrives, a man, with a little girl.
Lily seems to know them more. The little girl is in her arms when they enter the room, and Harry screams, “Astrid!” upon seeing her.
“Hello,” the man smiles to the rest of the group, who greets them warmly.
“Remy, where is Paddy?” asks Harry to the man.
“Oh, he stayed home today, he was tired.”
Astrid nods firmly, “Papa is sick today, he said he was sad he couldn’t go with Daddy and me…”
Narcissa doesn’t think she’s ever seen a gay person before. She can’t help but stare a little, and she feels like an awful people for doing so. Come on Cissa, it’s normal to be gay. You know that. Let people live happily together.
Be normal.
“Everyone go wash your hands!”
Every kids get in a line before getting on a little stool to wash their hands under the careful eye of Lily, and then it’s the parents’ turn.
The class with Lily is relaxed, she goes around the table, checking the doses, encouraging children, as well as parents. Narcissa is still not used to cooking, and Lily seems to notice it. Narcissa feels like she’s the adult Lily spends the most time around.
Once everyone has its dough ready, Lily arrives with a big bag, jingling joyously, and she opens it to reveal more cookie-cutter than Narcissa has ever seen.
“And now it’s time to have fun!”
She feels Draco vibrate in his chair when he sees everything, but he doesn’t shriek with delight like the other kids.
“So, which form do you want to do, Dray?”
He grabs Narcissa’s hand, “I—uh… I wan’… whadya wan’ Mum?”
Narcissa looks at the big pile of cookie cutters, “look! There’s a dragon! Like you!”
They then spend some time together, making their little cookies, Draco becoming confident enough to choose the ones he really wants. He takes a Christmas tree, and a cat – he then asks Narcissa for a cat… who can’t say no to him but doesn’t plan on caving – and a reindeer.
When they put the cookies in the oven, he’s positively beaming.
“Time for the icing!”
They each make a pot of icing, and then, they’ll have to colour bits of it to put on the cookies.
While they are cooling down and the icing, actually getting a bit iced, Lily makes them wash their hands again to give them their little afternoon snacks.
“I made them this morning, so you can bring home all the ones you did with your parents!”
Harry has just made a few, much less than the rest, he just trailed behind his mum like a lost bird.
Lily gives hot chocolate to everyone, and then, sits near Narcissa. She separated parents and kids, so the kids can spend time together, too.
“So, how do you like the atelier, so far?” she asks while sipping on her hot chocolate.
“It’s really nice,” she feels shy, weirdly, in a way she used not to know but that developed this past year, “and your cookies are delicious.”
“Well thank you,” she gives a little bow, and has a laugh. It’s charming, really. “You arrived in town this year, right? Words have run about you.”
“Oh… yes, of course… should have thought about that.”
“If you ever need support or people to hang with, don’t hesitate. I know you’re an only mum, I can’t imagine how hard it must be. Plus, our sons are the same age, and even though they’re… not really cooperating right now, I’m sure they’ll learn to like each other.”
“Thank you, that’s… really nice of you.”
“It’s normal, you know.”
“Not everyone would say that,” Narcissa gets a bite out of a cookie, to try and look away from Lily for a while.
“I’m not just saying it, you know?”
What is she even supposed to answer to that?
“Now that I think about it, what are you doing the 25th?”
“Uh, staying at home, with Draco.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes… I know it’s not the funniest, but I don’t really have the mean to do more than that for the moment.”
“No, no, it’s perfect, how about you come eat with us? We’ll spend the 24th in close family too, with Harry and his dad, and his fiancé, but the 25th is a bigger lunch. We’ll have Remus and his husband,” she nods towards the two men who are giggling at each other while drinking their hot chocolate, “and Harry’s dad’s parents. It won’t be too big, but it won’t be weird if you come. Would you like that?”
Narcissa is… not prepared for that proposition. Why would that perfect stranger invite her to spend Christmas together.
“I… don’t want to intrude.”
“Oh no, I’m sorry, is it weird to have asked that? I just… I’ve spent a few lonely years, when I was younger, and I know I would have liked it, if someone would have… included me somewhere. Of course, you don’t have to say yes. We’ll take care of everything, don’t you worry!”
“I guess that could be nice…”
“Yes? Well, that’s perfect! The lunch will be here, because I have the biggest ovens, and the house is pretty big. That’ll be great! Let me take your number again?”
Narcissa is pretty overwhelmed, but she gives her number to Lily. I mean, how is she even supposed to say no to her, really? Plus, her smile is so lovely when Narcissa agrees.
They come home with their cookies, prettily decorated, Draco and her both have stars in their eyes, but Narcissa tries to ignore what makes hers shine.
***
Unknown number:
Hello! We’re having a little dinner tomorrow with Harry’s Dad, and Remus that you’ve met at the atelier. I wondered if you wanted to join us, so you’ll be less intimated for Christmas?
It’s up to you, of course, but I hope you’ll come!
Narcissa looks at her phone after hearing it beep. She understands quickly that it’s Lily. She adds her number quickly, marking her as Lily Cookie, to be sure not to forget who she is. Lily Cookie. It’s pretty silly, but it makes her smile.
Lily Cookie
Oh, I forgot to add, you can absolutely bring Draco! Harry and Astrid will be here too
Narcissa could use that. It’ll be a Saturday evening, so she won’t work the next day. Draco could use getting to know other people.
(To be fair, Narcissa too. It feels like watching some version of her, when she hears about Draco not managing to get close to people.)
Narcissa Black
Hello,
That would be very nice. At what hour should I get here?
She’s so formal. God, how she hates herself. Why does Lily even talked to her in the first place? She ‘ll probably not even answer her anymore. God.
Deep breathes Cissa, it doesn’t even matter, alright. You don’t need friends. You never did, and it won’t change now, right?
She keeps cleaning, and the moment she hears her phone, she drops the rag she was holding to dust, and she gets it as quickly as she can.
Lily Cookie
Ah, that’s great! I’m happy you agreed! You can come around 6 if that’s okay for you? If you can only arrive later, it’s fine too. do as you can!
Phew… she answered. She’s not mad. She doesn’t think Narcissa is awful. She answers quickly, and she gets back to work, heart pounding about seeing Lily again.