Adopted by the Malfoy's {Harry Potter fanfic}

7. Family matters

A/N: Everything but Lexie and Max belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Later that night was the tea with Narcissa, but it passed silently, both women had other things on their minds. It felt to Lexie that the tea was more of a formality of being the only other female than Narcissa Malfoy in the Manor. Draco and Lexie were to leave for the Hogwarts Express the following day to begin school, something that filled Lexie’s stomach with nervous butterflies. Draco had immediately disappeared to his room upon returning from Diagon Alley after imparting that bit of information and a farewell until dinner.

Lexie was alone packing later on that evening, making sure to add her new school supplies as well as the new clothes that were waiting for her on her bed. She made sure to add plenty of pencils for sketching and what she could use for Max, before finally collapsing upon her bed to reflect on the day.

CRACK!

Lexie shot up to see a different house elf than the one before who curtseyed in greeting, shaking nervously, why she didn’t know.

“Evening miss, Starr was wondering if miss would like dinner now.” The house elf stated, glancing at her and back to the floor.

“Yes please, thank you.” Lexie answered kindly. “Starr was it?” The house elf nodded, “how many house elves live here?”

“Four miss; the Malfoy’s have much to take care of.” Starr answered and Lexie thought the information over. “Does miss require anything more of Starr?”

“No, just dinner. Thank you and it was nice to meet you, please call me Lexie.” She smiled at the house elf that seemed not to know how to reply, finally settling on another curtsy.

Lexie looked down at Max, who’d climbed onto her bed beside her, “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this world Max.” The feline meowed and turned back to her bedspread where he was pawing at a corner of the pillow.

Moments later a table appeared loaded with dishes of food and a type of juice, so she set aside all thoughts of magic and Hogwarts to sample the dishes and what turned out to be pumpkin juice. The meal was brief and quiet, since Lexie ate alone leaving her full and satisfied.

Once the table had been cleared away, Lexie went to stand at the window to look at the grounds, still in awe of Malfoy Manor. She wondered if she would be able to sleep at all that night, in her excitement for tomorrow, wondered if she’d make friends, what House she’d be sorted into. Her mind was a whirl of questions and daydreams, making her stomach turn into knots.

Finally the girl couldn’t take the silence anymore and quietly crept out of her room and into the hallway, trying not to wake the sleeping portraits, until she reached her destination. She knocked softly but loud enough for Draco to hear and after a moment he opened his door, allowing her inside.

Draco too was packed, his hair messy around his face, dressed in a dress shirt and slacks, the coat and bowtie from that morning gone. She took a moment to look at his room, which was a little different than hers, and noticed a black owl with white spots on a perch near his trunk.

“What is it Lex?” He asked, clearly tired.

“I couldn’t sleep yet, I wanted to say goodnight first.” She replied, now rethinking her impulsive decision to come visit her brother. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

Draco sighed and stopped her as she turned to leave, “You’re not bothering me, I’m just tired.”

“I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow. What if we’re put into separate houses? What do you think the sorting will be like?” Lexie rambled on, but thought to herself, what if I don’t make any friends?