Scorpius surveyed the room that he'd been led to. Most of the other boys and girls were already playing with small, squeaking balls of fur or wooden toys that sang shrilly and danced. A few of the children weren't playing. Two of the ones that weren't playing were boys, and one of them was a little girl in a pretty pink dress with fluffy red hair. She looked a little lonely and nervous but looked like someone who'd be fun to play with.

Also, she was a lady, and Mummy and Daddy had taught him how to behave accordingly with lady company. You smiled at them, introduced yourself and waited for them to introduce themselves back to you, then you bowed and kissed their hands if you were the same height, and then you chatted. Mummy sometimes took him to grown-up parties and he would behave accordingly and the ladies would laugh and tell Mummy what a perfect little gentleman he was.

This little girl was his own age, and he could behave accordingly with her, too. Daddy would be so proud of him.

~oOo~

Rose looked around. Most of the children were playing. No one was paying any attention to her, and she felt a little lonesome, wishing Daddy would come get her soon.

A small boy about her age came up to her and smiled at her. He had hair the color of sunshine and light grey eyes and a very nice smile. She smiled back at him. Maybe he would play with her.

"My name is Scorpius Malfoy," the boy said, holding out his hand. Rose looked at it.

"I'm Rose Weasley." She took his hand. It seemed to be the right thing to do. "My daddy calls me Rosie sometimes."

The boy named Scorpius bent over her hand a little and kissed it. Rose giggled. Scorpius stood up again, beaming. "Now we chat."

"What's 'chat'?" Rose asked. Scorpius shrugged a little. "I don't know. I think it means talk."

"Oh." Rose thought for a minute. "About what?"

"I don't know."

"Oh. Can we play instead?"

"All right." Scorpius wasn't sure if this counted as behaving accordingly, but he did want to play. "Want to play with one of the Pygmy Puffs in the corner?"

Rose agreed happily. "My Auntie Ginny has a Pygmy Puff. His name's Arnold. Auntie Ginny lets me hold him sometimes. And I never, ever drop him."

She lowered her voice secretively. "Except for one time. Uncle Harry picked it up for me."

They both giggled.

"Hey, do you want to play together tomorrow?"

Scorpius thought it over. "I dunno. I have to ask my mummy. My daddy would probably say no, so I'll ask my mummy."

He thought for a moment, then added, "It's not like he's mean, but he gets nervous. That's what my mummy says. So I'll ask her, and then we can play together. Maybe I can get a Pygmy Puff for us to have fun with."

Rose beamed. "I'm so excited! This is the best Make-Your-Mild-A-Murk day ever!"

Scorpius laughed. "I think that's not what it's called."

"Well, I like it."

"Okay."

And that was the end of the best Make-Your-Mild-a-Murk day ever.