"Come on sweetheart, you need to eat this last bit and then we can get you ready."
"No."
"Draco, mummy wants to have your last bit of apple and then we can get you changed. Orla is coming to play."
Draco looked at his mother hesitantly, then slowly opened his mouth, popped the piece of apple in and held his arms out for a hug. Narcissa obliged, smiling, and gave her 3 year old son a big kiss on his forehead. 20 minutes later, Draco was in clean clothes, Narcissa was grabbing the last few bites of her meal and the manor was looking lovely. Dobby, the Malfoy's house elf had done a really good job today. He was currently in the play room, making sure there were enough snacks, toys and other various things for the children to play with this afternoon.
"Will that be all, mistress?" said the house elf, bowing his head to the ground.
"Yes, Dobby, that will be all. The kitchen will need scrubbing now," Narcissa replied.
"Yes mistress." Dobby bowed once more and with a crack, he had disappeared.
Moments later, the bell rang in the entrance hall, indicating Liv had arrived with her daughter, Orla. Dobby was sent down to the gates to open them and lead them up to the manor. Liv arrived smiling, with a squirming Orla in her arms.
"Back to the kitchens now, Dobby," said Narcissa. Once again, Dobby bowed to his mistress and disappeared with a crack. Liv put Orla down and gave Cissy a hug. Orla ran over to Draco, smacked him round the head with his toy broomstick and then promptly screamed as he punched her. The two women sighed.
"Orla."
"Draco."
Once the initial chaos was over, the group made their way into the playroom, where there were no doubt more things for the kids to fight over. But in good form, Orla and Draco played nicely for the rest of the afternoon. By the time came for Liv and Orla to go home, Orla started sobbing.
"Nnoooooo," she wailed, clinging to Narcissa's leg. "I stay with aunty Cissy. Please mummy?"
"Sweetie, I think aunty Cissy is busy."
"I'm happy for her to stay if you want her to, Liv," offered Cissy.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Besides, it might keep Draco occupied and I can finally get around to sorting out Lucius wine collection. He won't trust the house elf with it, so it's left to me of course." She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Draco," she said, crouching down to her son's level, "would you like Orla to sleep here tonight?"
"Yaaaaaay," shouted the toddler, wrapping his arms round his mother. "Come on Orla, I show you my room." He took his best friend by the hand, and the pair went upstairs to Draco's room, where they would both be sleeping later that night.
"Are you sure about this?" asked Liv, a little worried.
"Of course, don't be so silly. She's stayed here loads of times you know this."
"Yeah but only when we've arranged it."
"Don't be daft, now go on, go and enjoy your free time!" Cissy hugged her best friend and Dobby was summoned to let her out of the gates. When he returned, Narcissa called him into the room. "Dobby, we have Orla staying tonight, so make sure you do her a plate for dinner. And she will need a pair of Draco's pyjamas, it was a sudden decision."
"Yes mistress. Will I be needing to make up a spare bed for the young lady?"
"No she will sleep in with Draco."
"Very well." Crack.
*****
"But she's a girl."
"Yeah I know. She is also my best friend. After you of course," he added when Vincent started to pout, inwardly thinking he would much have preferred to play with Orla today, but she was out at her grandparents this afternoon and he was left with Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. His father was friends with their fathers, so of course they were to become friends aswell. The three 11 year old boys were playing in the stables on the manor grounds, feeding Lucius's horse, Amadeus, the carrots they nicked from the kitchens. It was August and would be starting Hogwarts soon. They were going later that afternoon, so their fathers had decided for them all to spend the entire day together. Normally Draco wouldn't have a problem with this, but he was hoping he could have gone with Orla. Mainly because she was easier to shop with. These two buffoons though, they took forever to do anything and neither were very interested in racing brooms, which is what he really wanted to see most of all.
"Okay, I guess so," Vincent said slowly. "Oh here comes your house elf. Stupid thing," he muttered, looking up.
"Master Draco," Dobby bowed. "Your father wishes for you to see him in the study. Your fathers are there aswell," he added, turning to Crabbe and Goyle.
"Come on guys," Draco indicated to Crabbe and Goyle, then walked off without thanking Dobby. The house elf was used to this though, it was daily treatment for him at the Malfoy household.
