✔️OBSIDIAN HEART (Draco Malfoy) BOOK 1 |WATTYS 2021 SHORTLIST

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•The Hufflepuff Cottage, Hogwarts•

Lavinia huffed as she landed on the grassy lawn outside the Hufflepuff cottage, what was supposed to be a short trip to Diagon Alley had turned into a complete adventure-- obtaining supplies had been much more difficult than she'd expected. Lavinia had occupied her Saturday hunting down two shoppers. Mrs Dawn, a greying elderly lady who always shopped in Twilfitt and Tattings. The woman who owned it, who had helped them not too long ago with their meeting with Narcissa, had informed Lavinia happily that the elderly lady would be picking up some new outfits that very Saturday and that she always brought her grandson, Benjamin with him to carry her things.

Lavinia sighed and a bubble of air covered her flesh, protecting her from the pouring rain-- she truly wasn't in the mood for getting a drenching as she made her way quickly to the half-closed stable door, a bag in the crook of her elbow.

The previous day, Lavinia had consulted Dumbledore at his Manor House on the best people to pose as to bust into Azkaban. She'd been reliably informed that Mrs Dawn and Benjamin had a close relative (Benjamin's father, Mrs Dawn's son) who was behind bars for manslaughter, a result of accidental magic. They visited him often, though usually on weekdays as Mrs Dawn liked to shop. Lavinia thought it best to have reliable disguises in the rare circumstance that they get called up for identification.

That is what had led her to disguise as Cora, again, to pose as a sales assistant-- there was no use in risking getting herself caught out by using her true face.  When Mrs Dawn and Benjamin had finally come into the store-- greatly delayed by the rain, Lavinia had snagged their hairs and then had to wait until they left before she disapparated, or else it would appear awfully suspicious.

The adventure as Cora meant that she was going to have to make a new batch of polyjuice potion for what was to come.

In the cottage kitchen, Lavinia startled for a moment; her mind had run away with itself, considering the easiest, quickest method of creating polyjuice potion and she had very nearly missed the two people at the table-- though, of course, she could never miss the third.

"There you are," Draco smiled over his shoulder, eying her from head to foot as if to make sure she was still in one piece as she retracted the air shield back. The dress she wore, as usual when it came to being Cora, was slightly too big but after the day she'd had, it wasn't that big of a deal. "I was close to sending out a search party," he smiled but there was a seriousness in his eyes and she blinked at him for a second, flicking his gaze to the other two and back. "I would like to introduce you to my mother," he gestured to Narcissa sitting across from him, a smiling Andromeda at her side. "Don't worry, Mother, she usually dresses much better," he nodded and Lavinia turned outraged eyes to him, turning her eyes to look down at her too-big dress. She was now self-conscious, tugging her cloak clothed.

Draco bounded toward her, up out of his seat and he was in front of her in a second, using one finger to tilt her head back.

"I'm teasing, Nia, you look lovely as ever, now put your murder face away," he flicked her nose and Lavinia shook her head, laughing softly despite herself, glad to see him smile in return. Draco placed his hand on her back and steered her forward toward his mother, the beautiful woman was now standing. Draco had a proud, elated smile that was almost childish, the most immature looking smile she had ever seen from him and it oddly warmed her heart after seeing how serious he could be, to know that there was an innocence in him somewhere, happiness. Lavinia didn't, however, know what the pride was for.

"Hello, Lavinia Dear," Narcissa took Lavinia by the shoulders and kissed her cheek, so delicate that the feeling barely registered. When she pulled back, she smiled tightly, flicking her eyes from Lavinia to Draco, following his smiling back to Lavinia again. "I am so glad to finally meet the girl Draco spent all of Christmas talking about," Lavinia and Narcissa had met before though the warrior had been in a different head then and they hadn't spoken. Lavinia turned to Draco, smirking when she saw that his cheeks had tinged pink-- they reddened further when he spotted her expression and he narrowed his eyes in a glare, making her giggle-- he laughed softly and shook his head in return.