Black coffee, with sugar

Chapter 9

Astoria had, once again, asked for a weekend with Lilian. Daphne let her, even if it had been barely two weeks, because she knew how much Astoria had always wanted many kids running around the house, and she was unable to have more than one. Lilian didn't mind, too - aunt Astoria, apparently, bought the best kind of candy, and honestly, what else a six-year-old could use as a measure? -, and as such, this was how Saturday morning found them, Daphne carefully braiding Lilian's hair as the girl kicked the air.

Part of her allowed it for Astoria. Another part of Daphne allowed it in the vain hope Harry would come to her, but she figured it'd probably not happen. Would his wife even let him get out of the house, after what she had learned? The answer was a very probable no.

Of course, Daphne realized with a sigh, as she heard the door open, is that she was thinking about Harry Potter, who her sister's husband had spent six years talking about non-stop. Harry Potter, who broke the rules and stole the House Cup from Slytherin in her first year. No, Daphne wasn't still bitter about that.

"If you're looking for coffee, you're going to have to do it yourself,", she told him, not taking her eyes off the dark hair her daughter shared with Harry. Lilian looked up, curiously, and Daphne gently shushed her into looking forward once more at the same time Harry appeared on the doorstep, eyeing the garishly pink backpack on the floor. "I'm busy."

"Alright, ma'am,", he replied, and smiled to Lilian, producing a book and setting it on the table, sitting on the chair in front of her. Daphne gave it a once over, noticing it was a simple coloring book. "I thought you'd maybe like it?"

It was a question, unsure as the dark terrain he walked on. Lilian carefully picked up, and Daphne kept an eye on the braids she mechanically made and another on the book. It was a simple book, truly, bought in a newsstand, drawings of princesses with large eyes staring back in monochrome. Lilian hugged it against her chest, and the smile on her face could probably unfreeze an iceberg.

"Thank you, uncle Harry,", she told him, and Harry blinked, surprised. "I love it!"

Harry offered Lilian a small smile, and the girl jumped off her chair, braids coming undone as she went for her pencils. Daphne sighed, and motioned for the coffee machine. Harry nodded and went up to it, starting to try and work out the buttons while Daphne quickly spelled her daughter's hair. She was making a move to help Harry not make her kitchen stink of burnt coffee for an entire day when someone knocked on the door, and Harry sent her a confused look.

Daphne bit back her panic with a smile, and Lilian, Merlin bless her innocence, was running to the door, pencils forgot and book open, drawing just barely colored in. She spelled the items back to Lilian's travel backpack, the girl herself already chattering with Draco.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her, but Daphne was more worried that she was not hearing her sister's voice.

Astoria had a story of sickness, the curse in their family showing its claws on her - she had been homeschooled until her third year because she had been deemed too sick to come, and then it was a year at school and a summer of recovering -, and as such, even having one kid had been terrible. It was why Daphne didn't mind sending Lilian to Malfoy Manor, but normally Astoria was able to pick her up. As such, seeing Draco instead of Astoria was... Worrying, to say the least.

She met Draco halfway, Lilian running for her backpack. At least he was polite enough to ignore Harry, nodding to Daphne.

"Where is my sister?", she asked, anxiety rising within her, and if by the lazy smile Draco offered her, there was nothing to worry about.

"Tori thought it'd be a bad idea to bring her gift this time, considering it flies,", Draco replied, and all anxiety Daphne was having was swiftly substituted by anger.