sugar & spice

chapter twenty

Draco and Theo stood outside of what was presumably the dining room, talking quietly, their faces close. Draco caught sight of them first and grinned. "Decided to stay after all, Granger?"

"Your mother was so kind to offer," she said.

His smile crooked to the side. "As if I didn't ask nicely? Very nicely."

She shook her head, trying in vain not to flush.

Theo stepped forward, offering Narcissa his arm. "May I have the supreme honor of escorting you into the dining room, Narcissa?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes, a smile playing at the edges of her lips as she slipped her hand inside the crook of Theo's elbow. "You may, Theodore."

Draco offered her his arm and dropped his voice. "Good chat?"

"Wonderful, actually," she said, taking his arm and allowing him to lead the way into the dining room. Like the rest of the house, at least what she'd seen, the dining room was decked out in shades of cream and gold, the table an impressively carved wooden masterpiece that commanded the focus of the room. "Your mother is very welcoming."

"I'm glad to hear it." Draco smiled warmly.

His smile, bright as it was, couldn't quite distract her from the massive bruise marring the side of his throat, just below his jaw. Apparently he and Theo had been busy. Stifling her laughter with her hand, she leaned in and said, "You are aware you have a hickey the size of Scotland on your neck, right?"

He turned the most adorable shade of pink as he reached for his neck. "Whoops."

At the head of table, Theo smiled at them, watching their interaction as he pushed Narcissa's chair toward the table. Catching her eye, he winked, his grin widening as she flushed.

Just as Theo had done for Narcissa, Draco withdrew her chair and gestured for her to sit. After sliding her chair forward, he rounded the table and took a seat beside Theo. In tandem, Draco and Theo slid their napkins from the table and with matching flourishes, set them in their laps. She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

A crack of apparition filled the room as Milly appeared by Narcissa's side. "Mistress would like wine this evening?"

Narcissa looked to Hermione. "Wine, Hermione?"

"That would be lovely, thank you." She paused. "As long as it's not fairy wine, in which case I'll pass."

Theo chuckled under his breath.

"Strictly regular wine, I promise. Do you have a preference for red or white?"

Not particularly. Her experience with wine didn't go beyond the glass her parents had let her have on birthdays and Christmases, and they weren't big drinkers so she'd never cultivated a knowledge of the stuff beyond rudimentary basics. Even now that she was of age, when she did sporadically imbibe it was usually butterbeer or small pours of firewhisky nursed over the course of an evening. "Red, I suppose? If it fits the meal, I mean."

Narcissa nodded and turned to Milly. "A bottle of the Domaine Faiveley Pinot Noir, if you would, Milly."

"Very good, Mistress." The House Elf nodded and disapparated with another crack.

Theo whistled. "Wasn't Lucius saving that case for a special occasion?"

"He was." Narcissa smirked. "I'll be sure to let him know we enjoyed it."

At the mention of his father, Draco glared briefly down at his plate. As if catching himself, he smoothed his expression into a mask of neutrality, boxing his feelings away. The table was too wide for her to tap his foot with hers, but she smiled at him softly, aiming to communicate as much as care and affection-but no pity, certainly not-as humanly possible through her eyes. Draco dipped his chin, lips turning upward.