Chapter Eighteen

Ara Narcissa Malfoy

In two days time Ara was back to her classes. With the attention she got for being a "hero," she found that she would rather be back in the Hospital Wing. To the greatest of odds she was grateful to Cameron. She kept everyone away with her mindless chatter, and against every bit of control she had she saw a good side of her, and didn't mind having her around.

Cameron was funny, and she knew everything about everyone no matter what school they belonged to as Thomas pointed out. She was smart, and spent most of her time in the library. She didn't have many friends, if at all, and she didn't mind that. Cameron actually preferred it. She was an only child, poor, and her parents divorced like so many others, but she was happy. She kept positive through it, and Ara admired her for that, but because it wasn't faked. She was real.

When it came time to part for the summer they said goodbye like old friends.

"Owl me! You'll be here next year, right? Oh, give Thomas my congratulations! I can't believe he graduated yesterday!"

She listened closely, used to doing that whenever there were questions involved in Cameron's blathering. "Yes, I'll be back next year, and I'll tell him." Again, she thought as Cameron had told him at least five times the day before. Graduate students had their graduation, and left the day before the train traveled to King's Cross.

"Oh, good! I'll see you after summer then! It'll be so great! We'll talk through Owl, or better yet you can visit me. Spend a couple of weeks with us. That will be so much fun!" Cameron hugged her for the third time that day, and she smelled a strong aroma of baby powder.

Ara watched her disappear through the crowd on the loading platform. Ara caught sight of her older brother, a masculine man with a full beard giving her a one- arm-hug. Instantly Cameron was talking up a storm.

She held her hand shielding her eyes from the sun searching for her parents. They stood waiting near the pillar for her, her dad with her trunk.

She hurried to them hugging in turn, but noticed her dad's solemn expression compared to her mother's cheerful one. She waited until her trunk was in the boot, and they were in the car on the way home, before she brought it up.

The car had to be new. Not only was it a shiny Kelly green, it had that new car smell, the one that gave her a headache. Considering the color it was her dad's choice, but her mother drove. He didn't have his license. He thought muggle transportation was a useless waste of time, but her mother insisted on being careful, and using it when they could, which was too much in his taste.

"Dad, is anything the matter?"

Her mom smirked in the way her dad did when he was being patronizing. She stopped at a light, showing the smirk to him. "Your father is just upset. Mr. Diggory wrote this morning, and asked when it would be good to have dinner. I told him tonight."

"Is he bringing Thomas," she asked hopefully.

"Yes," her dad hissed.

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Her dad wouldn't see the humor in his reaction.

He glimpsed at her in the mirror in the visor, and she made her expression blank. "Ara, your exams? How well did you do?"

"I passed them all. I'd expect an 'O' in each."

He beamed. "Aha! That's something to bring up to dinner."

"Draco," her mother scolded. "Don't make a scene."

"She worked hard for those grades! I see nothing wrong in mentioning it."

"I see something wrong in being smug about it."

"Oh come on, you can't say you're not proud!"

"I am proud!"

Ara turned to stare out to the window as her parents continued to bicker. The quaint houses passing by in blurs of colors as the car moved once more.

With her trunk flung open at the end of her bed Ara sorted her belongings in their rightful place. Her books, parchments, and quills on her desk. Her clothes separated into the hamper, and her wardrobe. Her necessities ranging from the bedroom to the bathroom that connected off of her room. She moved each object out of there until it was empty.

She gathered her hair into a ponytail, dressing in black sandals, black jeans (ones without worn patches at the knees), and a golden yellow blouse. She thought Thomas would like her choice of colors. For added measure the band in her hair was matching to her blouse.

A last glance in the mirror, and she decided that she was pleased with the outcome. She hopped downstairs, taking a whiff of dinner (buttered pasta with numerous flavorings), her father, practically an expert in cooking was in there as he was for most of the making of their meals. Her mother sat on the couch in the lounge with a new book on won, and loss court cases. It had to be at least five pounds.

Ara went into the kitchen leaning against one counter that didn't seem to be in use. The others had a ton of utensils on them. Her dad bustled around them flicking his wand, a spoon stirring the steaming pot itself.

"Dad, I want you to promise that you'll be nice to the Diggory's."

He stopped long enough to give her a hard look. "Okay," he resolved after only a few seconds hesitation.

"Mum threatened you?"

He sighed heavily almost resembling a gasp. "Why do you assume that when I'm going to do the right thing it's your mother's bullying?" He said 'right,' as though it was a matter of opinion.

"I do not bully," her mom reprimanded from the sitting room. He rolled his eyes, and she added, "don't you give that look!" He turned to his pot checking inside though the spoon was doing the job well.

In thirty minutes dinner was done. Three minutes after the table was set by the three of them the Diggory's arrived. It seemed as if everyone in the room noticed how Ara, and Thomas' face lit up when they saw each other, how they hugged, and their joined hands on the way to the dining room, a room made completely of the finest oak wood, the walls, the floors, and the ceiling.

Soon they were all seated at the dining room table, a very thick expensive table with many vine designs on its surface. She sat between her mom, and Thomas. Mr., and Mrs. Digory across from them. Her dad was at the head tapping his fingers on the chair's arm like he couldn't wait for the guests to leave. Once he winced, and she guessed that her mom slyly kicked his shin in gesture to show more respect.

"Mr. Diggory, would you like more pasta?"

"No thank you, dear. It was delicious, but I'm full."

"As much as I'd like to take credit it was Draco that cooked."

"You're a wonderful chef, Mr. Malfoy."

Her dad nodded in acknowledgement. He winced again his eyes watering, and said, "thank you."

Thomas, and her shared a knowing look, smirks playing on their mouths, and simultaneously held hands under the table. He caressed his thumb over her knuckles. It was a silent agreement. Their father's may never get along, but one thing was for certain, and that was they would walk through the fires of society, and expectations together.

They added their notes to her parents letters. A collection to be handed down for generations, the love of a Malfoy, and a Granger to begin the love of a Malfoy, and a Diggory.

Ara started out the year with a bad name, and no friends. In one year she fell in love, regained her family's good reputation, and reluctantly made a new friend. Ara Narcissa Malfoy was a half-blood. She was beautiful, and proud. But most important of all, she was happy.

A/N: This is the end. I don't believe it lives up to Letters of Forgiveness, but it was what I had in mind for Ara, and I felt the need to share it.