The Diggory Sister || Draco Malfoy

93 - The Gift

Draco watched on as the two people he loved more than anything in the world were reunited.

Nova cooed in delight as Aurora picked her up and held her in her arms.

He had taken her to Nova's nursery; a place which was filled with everything a one year old needed; and more. Whilst she lived here, his daughter would want for nothing.

Except for the one thing she truly needed above anything else. Her mother.

"Mummy's missed you so much," Aurora breathed, breaking Draco's heart as he watched the tears fall down his beautiful wife's tortured face.

And all of a sudden, he could see what it had done to her to miss out on so much of their daughters life; to be torn away at a time when both mother and child needed one another the most.

He had to excuse himself to go to the bathroom, where he sobbed heavily over the sink.

He couldn't help but feel this was all his fault.

"Draco," Aurora called gently from the other side of the door, "Draco, please don't cry."

He slowly opened the door to see his wife's face full of worry and compassion for him.

"Da-da, da-da," Nova cooed from where she sat on Aurora's hip, reaching her arms desperately up to him. "Da-da!"

Draco felt awful for Aurora as Nova started to wail when he didn't take her instantly.

"It's okay," Aurora said softly, passing her over to him. "It's understandable she wants to cuddle her daddy."

He kissed his daughter's cheeks making her cry out in delight as she smacked her hands playfully on top of his head.

Shifting Nova under one arm to his side, he pulled Aurora to him with the other, kissing her firmly on the top of her head.

"I love you," he murmured firmly into her hair, sighing blissfully. "I love you both so very much."

And just in that moment, Draco felt a flood of happiness at having his family back.

Even if it wasn't to last.

*****

I couldn't take my eyes away from her. I didn't want to put her down.

But she had a fierce determination about her and I watched with fascination and wonderment as she didn't hesitate to let us know what she wanted with fierce hand gestures and scowls.

"She's so much like you," I laughed, as she tossed her bowl of porridge to the floor in displeasure at the sight of it.

"I don't recall you ever seeing me doing that!" Draco cried indignantly, scowling up from his coffee.

"Oh, you used to do that, all right, Draco," Narcissa said, smiling coyly. "I seem to remember you throwing a plate of scrambled egg at the house-elf's head because it didn't contain smoked salmon."

"Well, toddlers are known for their fussiness of food," Draco said stiffly, clearly smarting from feeling ganged up on.

"This was last Christmas!" Narcissa retorted, as she placed a plate of cut up toast in front of Nova, who seemed happy to shovel the pieces in her mouth independently.

"Well who has ever heard of not having smoked salmon in their scrambled egg?!" He spluttered. "We're not common, mother!"

"Merlin, Draco," I laughed, "what are you teaching our daughter?!"

His eyes met mine from across the kitchen table, his lips twitching at the corners; and I felt a sudden rush of love which then almost immediately turned to sadness.