246 Raven Road

Chapter 2

Mireia clung tightly to Luna's skirt and stared at her mother's nervous smile.
Mireia bit her lip and rocked back and forth on her pink princess boots.
She was busy thinking of what today was, her birthday.
But Mireia would never bother her mother, who was anxiously looking into the foggy distance, in her purple skirt with butterflies and white blouse with crocheted flowers on it.
Her boots were the brown ones she only ever wore for Mireia's birthday, and the jealousy inside Mireia grew.
A lantern approached the muddy shore, bobbing in the mist, a boat soon appearing, 4 men on it.
Mireia squinted and Luna squeezed her hand softly, lifting a hand to wave.
Luna felt butterflies flying in her stomach, she hadn't seen Draco in 4, 5 years now. Had he changed, Azkaban must've changed him.
She whispered hurriedly to Mireia, "Please be nice, please don't be rude."
Mireia huffed and buried her face in her mother's skirt, wishing she could disappear.
2 guards stepped off and then 1 cam holding Draco.
Luna gasped and let go of Mireia's hand, clasping them to her mouth.
Draco was a mess. He had a beard, which was scruffy and matted.
There was also long hair reaching his waist, and he was covered in dirt, from his head to his barefoot feet.
Luna bent down and kissed Mireia before rushing to hug Draco, her white blouse getting smudged with all sorts of grimy dirt.
Mireia simply gazed in astonishment. She had his nose, the curve of his mouth, his attitude, as mother had once told her.Her blue eyes were from the mother she loved dearly, her dirty blonde hair a mix of the two.
Muffled sobs were heard as they both cried.
Draco turned towards Mireia.
"You must be Mireia." He said softly, Luna sniffling, overwhelmed with a powering emotion of love.
Mireia nodded stiffly and eyed him, jealousy written on all her features.
"Mireia, don't be rude, butterfly." Luna said, almost snapping.
Draco let a small smile creep onto his pale lips.
"Butterfly?"
Luna nodded and outstretched her arms. "I figured she was as pretty as one, and she could very well fly away at any minute."
Mireia hurried into her mother's frail arms and smelled her moonlight essence.
Mireia took this as a sign she was forgiven, and then separated herself from her mother.
Her fathers blue grey eyes were filled with unshed tears and pain of the past.
His mouth trembled and he kept glancing back at the retreating shape of the guards.
"Hello, Mireia." Draco said.
Mireia pressed her lips together and extended a hand towards the blonde man.
"Hello."

Luna had put Mireia to bed, her having been very tired after the long drive home.
Draco was not healthy enough to apparate, that was clear enough to Luna.
She was now measuring the temperature of the water in the bath she was preparing.
Luna was pleased with herself that she could still remember Draco liked his bath water at lukewarm, with a scent of roses.
She dipped a tired hand inside the tub and nodded, humming.
Then she carefully crumbled rose petals from her garden into small crumbs and sprinkled them over the surface of the water.
As the flower petals crumbled in her hand, she closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. She was so tired.
Raising Mireia had never been easy, but lately she seemed so different, stubborn and childish.
Mireia had always been mature, so this came as a surprise to Luna.
And she always was worried about the house payments, they'd had enough from the money Draco had left them, but now it was running out.
The next payment was due in a week, and Draco was in no position to work. Luna thought fleetingly of going into town for work, but who would Mireia stay with?
Certainly not Draco, and she had no other friends nearby.
Ginny's face swam into Luna's mind and Luna sighed, throwing the crumbled rose petals into the tub.
She stood and groaned, shoulders slumping. She felt so old.
Poking her head around the corner Luna saw Draco lying in the sofa, head resting in the pillows.
She admired the way his hair fell onto his forehead, and his eyelashes fluttered as he slept.
"Draco." She whispered, nearing the slumbering man.
His eyes flew open and he turned his head. "Your bath is ready."
She smiled and tried not to seem tired, gesturing to the light coming from inside the bathroom.
Draco staggered to his feet and she stared at him stupidly for a minute, before tucking an arm around his waist and another over his neck, crouching and walking.
She turned around as he changed, a small blush coating her cheeks.
It wasn't as if she'd never seen him naked before, she had quite a few times, but it had been so long she felt as though he should have his privacy, yet she couldn't leave.
Her hand reached for the doorknob yet it trembled and hesitated.
Finally, she just stood there, the floor becoming very interesting.
"You can turn now, Luna." Draco whispered.
Luna flushed at the way he said her name, after all these years he could still make her blush like a teenage girl.
She turned and he was easing his way into the bathtub. She sat on the toilet seat and watched as he visibly relaxed.
The water turned dark almost immediately at all the dirt he brought with him, and he smiled.
"You remembered."
Through his stink he could smell the roses, and the water was lukewarm.
"How could I forget?" Luna asked, handing him a bottle of shampoo and pointing out where the soap was.
"Mireia is a very bright girl." Draco commented as he dipped his head in the water.
"Mhmm." Luna agreed, shifting her weight as she watched his eyes close.
"Why did you name her that?" He asked sleepily.
"It means to admire." Luna said, smiling at the memory of how she'd come up with that name.

Luna had been sitting by the window, glancing out at storm gathering on the horizon.
Rain pitter pattered on the windowsill and she looked over at where Neville was unpacking her boxes.
"Thank you." She told him again, feeling helpless.
She had tried to help, but with her baby going to be born any day now, Neville insisted she sat.
Neville nodded and handed her the keys. "He really liked you."
Luna tensed as she tended to when someone spoke of Draco.
"Yes." She said curtly, and Neville have bowed before turning to leave.
When he had left, she realized she had no name for her baby.
It was going to be a girl, she could feel it. Luna always felt things like that.
She'd thought of names, such as Agustina, but that was too noble sounding.
There was Alita, meaning wing, and the choice Draco had once told her he loved for a girl.
"Adore." Luna said out loud to the dust already gathering on the furniture.
It didn't sound right, she thought sadly.
But Luna wanted to respect Draco's opinion.
He had told her once he adored her, and she wanted her baby to be adored.
She picked up the heavy baby names book and turned to the M's, where she'd last looked.
Mabel, Maya,
Her eyes scanned the page.
Mindy, Mikaela, Mireia.
The last name seemed to leap from the page, calling to her.
Mireia. She quickly looked at the meaning.
To admire.
To adore meant to worship, to admire meant to be amazed at, to marvel at.
She didn't care much for the meaning, all she liked was the way it rolled off the tongue, the way it seemed to bounce with energy and sustainability.
Luna shivered with excitement and closed the book. Lovely.

Luna opened her eyes. "Because it reminded me of you."
It was too late, of course, Draco had fallen into a deep slumber.