Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

18

Eliza watched the countryside speed past her as the Hogwarts Express chugged onward. Draco was sat next to her babbling on about all the stuff she and him had to do over the holidays and Eliza listened indulgently. Daphne and Blaise were both slumped on each other fast asleep and Theo, like Eliza, was staring out of the window as they steadily near London.

"Mother and Father will pick us up from station, the Yule Ball this year will be on the 21st and then we'll have a small family gathering on the 25th, just us" Draco explained happily and Eliza nodded on to show that she was listening.

"Is it true the minister will be there this year Draco?" Theo asked curiously and Draco nodded his head a grimace on his face

"He said he would attend, I don't like him very much honestly" Draco confided unwrapping a chocolate frog.

"Oh I do, so easy to be manipulate" Eliza said fondly and laughed when Draco almost choked on his chocolate frog.

It would be strange not spending Yule at Hogwarts but it would be nice to finally spend the holiday with her court.

When they arrived at the train station Draco took pleasure in waking up Blaise and Daphne with a tickling charm. They were all still giggling over Blaise's offended squawking when they piled out of the train and onto the platform. They gained a few stares because honestly it might be the first time some of these people have seen her court act so undignified. Eliza tended to have that effect on them.

All her court go to their respective guardians, Daphne tracking down Astoria as she went. It's then that Draco lead her over to his parents.

Lucius was just how she remembered, even down to the poorly disguised sneer on his face. Narcissa Malfoy was an intimidating woman. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, lips painted red, the perfect poise of a pureblood woman. She's dressed immaculately and her grey stormy eyes were studying Eliza as intently as Eliza was studying her. Narcissa may be a Malfoy now but she was once a Black and Eliza knew enough about that side of her family to be wary of the woman in front of her.

Narcissa Malfoy could kill her with her stiletto heel and not even bat an eye.

Eliza loved her.

"Hello Lady Malfoy, it is an absolute pleasure to finally meet you" Eliza said with a charming smile

"The sentiment is returned Miss Potter but please, call me Narcissa"

"Narcissa then, you must call me Eliza" she said ardently and inwardly sniggered at Draco's disturbed face. He's never really seen her when she's pandering, she never bothered with the charming innocent façade around her court. It must be a new experience for him.

Narcissa smiled as if she knew exactly what Eliza was doing and indulged her anyway.

"Shall we get going then?" she said and promptly turned to walk towards the floo dragging a surly Lucius behind her.

"I love your mum" Eliza murmured to Draco as they trotted behind his parents.

"Me too"

~

Eliza's honestly surprised about how much fun she's having at Malfoy Manor. On the first day Draco gives her a tour of the overly large manor and they end up playing a seeker vs. seeker game of quidditch on the pitch that was essentially Draco's garden. The boy was furious when he found out that Eliza was quite talented on a broom and for the next hour she listened to him begging her to join the team next year. Eliza simply asked him how she would even conceivably have time to play quidditch and Draco conceded to her point and then continued dragging her about the manor. The manor was a decadent display of wealth but Eliza has now grown somewhat accustomed to the purebloods ostentatious displays.