The Choices We Make ∆ Harry Potter Sister

Chapter 2.8

"Ellie, Mother has asked me to invite you to our manor for Christmas. I think she's trying to adopt you," said Draco casually as he leaned over from the back of the sofa, his head turned sideways to face the youngest Potter. Ellie dog-eared the book she was reading before shutting it close. She'd loved last Christmas when she'd spent it at the Malfoy's. Narcissa Malfoy, albeit the cold and hard exterior, was surprisingly a very lovely woman. She was not the warmest person, nothing close to Molly Weasley, but not less motherly in her own way. During her stay at the Malfoy's, Ellie had taken a liking into the older witch, something that was reciprocated. Blessed with an only son, Narcissa Malfoy had never gotten many chance to spoil a little girl, and in her eyes, Ellie fitted perfectly. It was a shame when Harry had reminded her just a couple days prior that she'd save him from a heart failure if she'd just spend the Christmas with him at the castle. He had also not so subtly reminded her that Lucius Malfoy was the man that made it possible for the Riddle Diary to be within the walls of the castle last year. Even though she pointed out that he didn't exactly unleash the monster within, Harry had his point. Not that she was any bit intimidated by the information, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't pleased by the prospect of spending Christmas with her brother after not doing so in two years in a row. Turning to face the older boy, she sent him an apologetic look smile, "I'm sorry, Draco, but I promised Harry I'd spend this one with him. Maybe next year?"

"You sure? Mother misses you and would absolutely love it to have you for the holiday."

"Nice try, guilt tripping me. But I can't. Tell Cissy I'm terribly sorry, but I promise I'll write to her."

Next to her, Ellie could hear the sound of a person choking. She turned abruptly to help the jet black haired boy, patting him slightly on the back to ease his breathing. Blaise accepted the tissue offered by Theo as he placed his cuppa on the coffee table. It took him a solid two minutes to even his breathing, but when he did, he turned to Ellie with a look of surprise. "You call Mrs. Malfoy Cissy?"

"She offered," Ellie answered with a shrug, not even bothered by the exasperated look on the boy's face. She opened her book to where she'd left it before adding, "Besides, Narcissa is just a mouthful."

"But she never allows anyone address her so informally!" Theo exclaimed in complete and utter disbelief, to which Blaise nodded in agreement. "And we've known her since we were five! Maybe she really is trying to adopt you."

"I won't say no to that. It gets me out of the Dursley's," Ellie said with a shrug, letting her mind to wonder how things would be different had she not lived with the Dursley and lived with the Malfoy instead. Maybe, just maybe, things will turn for the better. Although, she also wondered where will Harry fit into the picture. She couldn't possibly imagine her brother and her best friend sitting within arm length and not try to curse the other. She didn't have to dwell on her thoughts for long, though, when Draco's voice of concwrn brought her back to the ground. "That bad huh?"

Ellie gave him an incredulous look, one that said are you bloody kidding me? But the boy just raised an eyebrow in turn, still waiting for an answer. "I haven't told you, have I?"

When she received a shook of three heads, she let out a weary sigh before slumping further into her seat. "Harry and I ran away this summer."

"WHAT?!"

She quickly hushed all the three boys who had exclaimed the one word far too loud than necessary. Admittedly, their other housemates turned to them, and only went back to their own businesses when Theo called them out for being nosy snakes, not that snakes have one. When all eyes were away from them, Theo popped the question that loomed in all the three boys' heads. "Why would you do that?"