The Request by redhead414

Chapter 3

Dinner was a far cry from Hermione's usual frozen dinner in front of the telly as she watched one of the 24/7 muggle news channels. The dining room inside the Malfoy Mansion, much like the rest of the home, was elegantly decorated in dark colors with floor to ceiling windows decked in lavish tapestries, large ornate oriental rugs draped along the black hardwood floors. None of the rooms looked lived in, and Hermione assumed that the staff of four house elves within the mansion was kept busy keeping it that way. If it hadn't been for Claire's incessant chatter about being ready to go back to school while she talked about getting a head start on all the Valentines she had to make, dinner would have been painfully silent.

"Claire, you realize Valentine's Day is like, over a month away, right?" Anya commented as her fork scraped against the plate while she stabbed the green beans with unnecessary vigor.

Claire nodded. "Yes, but I have lots to make this year. There's one for Daddy, one for Mummy, one for Hermione, Blaise, Aunt Daphne, my teacher Miss Flick, Harry and Ginny, James, Lily -"

"Albus," Anya sing-songed with a smirk.

Claire's pale cheeks turned a rosy red at the mention of Albus Potter. "Anya," Astoria said as she nursed her glass of wine. "Be nice to your sister."

Anya shrugged as she took a bite of her mashed potatoes. "What? Everyone knows Claire's in love with him."

"I'm not! I'm not in love with Albus! Daddy make her stop!" Claire exclaimed.

Draco looked up from his dinner, speaking for the first time since they all sat down together. "Anya, don't tease your sister," he said in a tone that left little room for argument.

Satisfied with her father's response, Claire continued to make her list aloud as Scorpius sat next to her, smashing his toddler fork into his mashed potatoes with gusto. "I also have to make some for Nana and Papa Greengrass and Grandfather."

Snorting, Anya rolled her eyes and reached for her drink. "Don't waste your time, Claire. They'll just toss them in the trash."

Claire's eyes began to water and Anya found herself receiving stares of disapproval from all three adults in the room. "What? It's what they did to mine - I'm just trying to save the kid some effort. You know Scorpius is going to be the only one either of them get excited about, being the 'heir' and all."

"Gink!" Scorpius exclaimed, showing off his blue and green tippy cup decorated with cars and trains - another one of the many things Hermione had purchased for Scorpius to have at her house, but had Draco bring the extras to his house. After all - she didn't need quite as many and they never came in individual packages at the muggle stores. "Car, YaYa! Car!"

"Yes, Scorp, car," Anya said with an exasperated sigh. "You really need to learn new words. Cars are getting boring."

"Car!" he repeated with glee, as everyone laughed.

Anya looked over at Claire and motioned towards Hermione with her fork. "You can make valentines for Richard and Jean - you know they get excited when you make them things."

"Of course!" Claire exclaimed. "Hermione, your mummy and daddy would like valentines, right?"

"They would love them," Hermione replied. "In fact, I bet if you make them one, they will even hang it up in their office so that everyone who comes to visit can see."

Claire pondered the idea of her artwork being on display for others to see. "You really think they would?"

Hermione nodded. "I do."

"Awesome," Claire replied with a grin. "But I should probably make them one for home too. In case they want to see the valentine when they aren't at work."