The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 3: Names and Surnames

I had expected my parents to take the Malfoy's out for dinner that night. But instead, I walked in to find laughter and chatter coming from the open doorway leading into the black and white drawing room.

I made for the stairs, hoping to avoid the company altogether but before I could get very far, a house elf apparated in front of me, making me halt in my tracks.

"The madam wishes to have all her children present to welcome the new house guests," the Elf's squeaky voice stated mechanically.

I heard laughter from my brothers down the stairs, making me pout before slowly descending my escape route and following my brothers and Malfoy to the open doorway. 

My father and Mr. Malfoy were seated in tall black arm chairs by the doorway where we entered from while my mother and a woman dressed in similar shades of black and green sat together on the lounge when the four of us walked in. Immediately the room died of laughter as the adults took in the sights of their children, and eventually all to me.

With windswept hair, red skin and sticky fingers still smelling vaguely of sun potion and strawberries, it was a wonder my mother didn't send me out of the room for how I looked. I was hoping that she would excuse me for the night but she made no suggestion to do so.

Wasn't she trying to impress the Malfoy? Because if so, I wasn't exactly helping with that goal.

"Someone looks like she had fun," Damion's warm voice commented, making me smile good naturally as I turned to find him lounging by the bar next to another house elf busy floating several liquor bottles over his head, mixing away a strange concoction. He was dressed in a loose silver button up that complimented his green eyes. 

Holding an empty glass in one hand idly, Damion looked almost bored while he flipped his wand between his fingers in a glossy manner with the other hand. His eyes were sparkling as he stood critiquing the new arrivals.

"She looks like a pigsty. Did you think to change before coming to greet our guests?" My father asked, barely turning around from his chair to look at me. All I could see was his salt and pepper colored hair appearing over the top of the chair. He had obviously seen enough and was not pleased at the sight. Mr. Malfoy's stern silver gaze was watching me however, and he seemed to be in agreement with my father, making me want to blend into the shadows of the room.

Why couldn't I just leave?

"She would have Dad if Maman didn't make the house elves force us into the room," Theo acknowledged as he walked further into the room, stopping short at the opened ceiling to floor windows that let in the cool summer breeze of the evening. I watched as my mother gave my brother a small smile before turning back to her guest to her right.

"Narcissa, this is my youngest, Ava. Ava, this is Draco's mother." She beckoned me to take a step closer to the woman which I did now timidly, stopping short at my mother's side.

Narcissa Malfoy was a woman that seemed to closely resemble the many other women of my mother's social circles. Richly dressed, restricted hair, fancy jewelry, and an air of constant judgement and disapproval of anyone that did not meet her certain demands.

I thought I would be mincemeat to this woman as unlike many of mothers' friends, Mrs. Malfoy seemed to be cold, and calculating, just like I felt London was. Maybe it was a British thing.

But as she did a look over, which was custom in these types of social gatherings, I realized she was looking at me as if I was familiar to her.

"She looks just like you, Emmeline. Same face." My mother gave her a smile which I read as my mother just being polite. I had a hidden suspicion that my mother has never taken that statement as a compliment.