The party was in full swing.
Malfoy Manor looked glamorous in the evening, with soft lighting all the way up and down the large driveway leading up to the front doors. The music that could be heard was cheerful and jolly, causing most of the guests to dance away their blues.
Voices chattering, glasses clinking, shoes tapping, and everyone was having a good time. It was a party to be remembered by all. The reason for having this outlandish do was to celebrate life and love, and Narcissa had given the caterers full carte blanche.
Her mansion looked stunning.
Soft fairy lights up the stairwell, beautiful chandeliers hanging in the ballroom, a grand piano in the far corner that had already gained a lot of attention as the night wore on. The invitations that had been sent were in black and green, depicting the Slytherin in her.
It was a formal do, and the gowns and tuxedo's worn were stunning in their own right. Most of the ladies, after hearing who was going to attend, decided to go with daring. Showing off their cleavages so that they could make men drool at the sight of their bouncing breasts.
Narcissa would shake her head at their antics, and smile in a knowing way. If new love were to be found here at this party, at the Manor, then she would welcome it. And if new life had to be born from the new love found, well then, even better.
She looked around for her son Draco, and couldn't see him anywhere. He had been just as involved in the arrangements of the festivities, and she wanted him to enjoy the outcome just as much as she was. She rather thought she knew where he was when she couldn't find him, and left it at that.
She hadn't seen her son smile in a while, but that was before a particular man had come into his life. No more tears and sorrow, no more skipping meals and slumped shoulders. No more whining about unfair life was and how nothing was his fault.
Narcissa had practically forced Draco to stand proud and confess to his part in the war. Which of course, at the beginning, he refused to do. She had told him that perhaps it was better to apologize and mean it, than to not apologize at all, and have egg thrown at you on a daily basis.
"Aren't you tired Draco. Of the hate?", she would ask.
His reply was always the same. "I'm used to it".
Until he ran into the hero one day. Literally ran into him so that they both fell over in the middle of the sidewalk. Lying down on the ground, panting, they both just looked at each other, and when Draco saw the other man smile, he returned the gesture.
After that the two of them packed out laughing, because there were no heated words, and no one saying "Fuck off Malfoy". It was refreshing. It was euphoric, and Draco wanted to feel it again.
And again. And again.
Bit by bit, he began to listen to his mother and take in her advice. About how it would be better, if they were a united front and show the world that they were better people than what Lucius had taught them to be. They were kinder than what he wanted anyone to believe them to be. And they were damn sure going to work hard at it to make the people believe, that their part in the war was because they had no choice.
Yes, they made mistakes. But they were human, and if you can't forgive and forget, does that make you better than me?
It started slowly, where Hogwarts teachers were invited for tea by Narcissa. Then particular Ministry staff were offered a weekend here or a sundowner there, and slowly, bit by bit, the word started gaining momentum.
About how they were forced to do certain things for Voldemort, otherwise he would kill an innocent to get his message across. Draco was literally taken by the scruff of his neck and told to go out and be evil. If you don't your mother will be killed.
