How We Saved You

Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy strode hurriedly through Muggle London, the autumn chill penetrating their hooded cloaks. Their heads were bent against the driving rain and they seemed to shy away from the pools of orange light made by the street lamps.

The couple reached a tall, white-washed house with iron railings, which looked just like every other building in the street. They stopped and watched the house, though there was nothing to see; the curtains were all drawn.

After a few minutes, the tall man murmured to his wife,

"This is it, Cissy."

The blonde woman looked down at the baby in her arms. So tiny, so innocent. Narcissa couldn't describe the feeling of joy she had felt when she had seen her baby girl for the first time; how lucky she had been! And when the child's hair and eyes had not changed colour during the six months she had been alive, that was all the confirmation the Malfoys had needed that their plan had been a good one. How fortunate that they had not told anyone they were having twins, just in case.

You see, Cissy's precious baby girl had been blessed by Merlin himself; her hair was not the trademark Malfoy blonde, nor were her eyes that tell-tale grey. The little baby had brown hair and eyes, like Cissy's sisters Bella and Andromeda. If you didn't look too closely, didn't suspect it, you wouldn't know that she was a Malfoy.

Cissy could save her daughter and she would. For the first time in her life she would not be a selfish Slytherin; however much she wanted to keep this child, she could save her by letting her go. Narcissa wanted one of her children at least to have a proper chance at life.

Not to end up with a tattoo on their left forearm and a head full of warped morals and fears of torture.

Mrs Malfoy brought her hand up and tapped the brass knocker gently against the black front door. Her slender wrist and hand were brilliant white against the night's darkness.

The door was opened quickly, despite the quietness of Narcissa's knocking; the couple who lived there had obviously been waiting for the visitors.

Cissy held out her baby wordlessly and the couple stared down at the pale little creature with pink cheeks. The woman of the house lifted her hand hesitantly and stroked the infant's cheek.

"She's beautiful," the short lady, who's name was Matilda, whispered.

When Matilda glanced up the taller woman noticed that she had kind, chocolate-brown eyes and her belief that Merlin was guiding her daughter to a better place was confirmed. These people were perfect.

"Yes," muttered Lucius. Tears were pooling in his silver orbs.

And then the man in the house reached out and slowly took the baby from Narcissa.

A few minutes later the same cloaked couple could be seen hurrying away from the street, with nothing in their arms.

*****

The first time they came it was Christmas. For once it had snowed, and Draco was busy building snowdragons with Theodore Nott.

Lucius and Narcissa stood on the other side of the street and stared through the living room window of one of the houses, as a bushy-haired toddler unwrapped presents eagerly, bounding up to the adults in the room and hugging them after she had inspected each new toy.

A woman with kind, chocolate-brown eyes happened to look out of the window onto the cold scene outside and her gaze landed on the cloaked couple. She smiled gently.

From then on Matilda always left the living room curtains open.

*****

They saw her on her birthday, greeting friends at the door.

They saw her at Halloween, dressed up as a witch. They laughed.

They saw her skip up the street after school, splashing in puddles and giggling happily.

They saw her at the station, calmly waking through the barrier to platform 9 and ¾ and waving goodbye to her parents as the train sped away.

They saw her in their son's letters, as he spoke of the annoying mudblood who got sorted into Gryffindor and always beat him in lessons.

They saw her at the Quidditch World Cup, with the Potters' boy and all of those blood traitors. Lucius overheard her say that she couldn't play Quidditch to save her life and chuckled to his wife,

"Just like you, Cissy."

They saw her at the end of the Final Battle, when her side had won and theirs had lost.

They saw her in the Daily Prophet when she became a Weasley.

Lucius and Narcissa knew they had done the right thing for their little girl and their only regret was that they couldn't do the same for Draco.

But sometimes Cissy dreamed of watching two children play in the garden of Malfoy Manor and, even though she knew it was selfish, she wished that next to the bedroom door engraved 'Draco' there was not one which declared itself 'Guests', but one with the same beautiful script reading 'Hermione'.

A/N: Quite short, but I hope you liked it.

In case you were going to say anything, it is not true that all babies are born with blue eyes - mine were black :D

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