A Mother's Love

7 H A R R Y

I got to Grimmauld Place and carefully opened the door, relieved when no burning gasses erupted in my face.  So I took a deep breath and walked in, carefully walking around the place.  The floors were a light wood color now that the potion had broken it down, and they were ready to be stained.  The wallpaper had come off and so you could just see the bare walls, which would need painting but it could be done.  

As I climbed the stairs I noticed that all the paintings were gone and I made a mental note to ask Narcissa where she had put them.  

Glancing around, I noticed some natural light, following it to the source and discovering that the place did, in fact, have windows.  I pulled down the curtain and watched the cloud of dust poof off of them, smiling.  The place could be called home after a few renovations and some final spells to cleanse the place of the Dark Magic left behind.  

"Sirius would've been glad that you're redoing the place."

I jumped slightly, turning to find Narcissa standing and smiling. 

"So Draco did tell you I was here?"  I asked.

"Yes, and also you left the front door open," she said raising an eyebrow in a motherly fashion.

I laughed and continued looking around the place, with Narcissa following me.

"I think ash floors would look good, give the place a homey but modern feel.  What do you think?" Narcissa asked me.  I tried to remember what ash floors looked like, but was drawing a blank, and she could tell because she summoned the floor sample to show me what it looked like.

"Oh, yeah, definitely.  I like that option.  And can we do not quite white walls?" 

"Off-white?"

"Yeah, that's what I meant," I said, knowing that if Narcissa wasn't helping me I'd be hopeless.

"Yes, that sounds wonderful.  I'll teach you a spell to paint walls whenever you want to get started."

We had previously cleansed and removed all the furniture and moved it into a trunk with an Extension Charm on it so that we could see what could be kept and what would need to go.  Downstairs we sat in the living room, sorting it all into other trunks with similar charms that were for furniture that would be kept and gotten rid of.

It took a long time, but we finally had it all sorted.  We kept a few of the beds because we decided that they could be re-stained to match whichever room they were placed in.  We would have to reupholster all the sofas and would need a new dining room table, among other things.  I was excited to go furniture shopping with Narcissa, because she has great taste.

As if reading my mind, she brought up the shopping.

"Harry dear, I'm extremely busy tomorrow with some previous commitments that I entirely forgot about, so I can't take you shopping."

"Oh that's alright, I can wait-"

"Well, I had another idea.  Before you say no, just hear me out," she began.  "Draco has marvelous taste, as I raised him to, and you probably want to get moved in as soon as possible to avoid Draco more.  So I was wondering-"

"...no..."

"-I was wondering if you would be willing to have Draco take you shopping?  I know you really don't want to but I seriously think it'll be good for you two to spend enough time together so that you don't hate each other's guts.  I mean, you're adults now.  Be civil, at least."

"Narcissa... I really don't think that would work.  I mean, I suppose I would be willing, only for a few hours, but there's no way you'll get Mal- Draco to agree," I said hopelessly.

"Well, then it's a good thing that he already did," Narcissa said, beaming.

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[The previous night...]

"Draco, please!  I just need you to take him for one day!  I've got to do some things and I can't divide my attention."

"What things do you have to do?  Hmmm?  I won't go anywhere with him unless you tell me what it is that requires your undivided attention,"  Draco spat heatedly.

"I can't-" Narcissa sighed.  "It has to do with your father."

There was thick silence before Draco spoke.

"He's not my father.  And fine.  I suppose I can deal with him for one day.  But there's no way on earth you'll get him to agree, so good luck."

"Thank you, Draco.  I love you."

"I love you, too, mom."